PROGRAMME > Technical Visits

Technical Visit to São Miguel, Azores (28 to 30 September 2012)

The Azores Regional Government through its Government Department for Science, Technology and Collective Facilities (SRCTE) and Regional Laboratory of Civil Engineering (LREC) in collaboration with the Azores University and SPES – Portuguese Earthquake Engineering Society, announces the Workshop "Azores Earthquakes, Rocks and Volcanoes" to be held in the framework of the 15th World Conference on Earthquake Engineering at LREC, in Ponta Delgada (Azores, Portugal) on the 29th and 30th September 2012, just after the end of the World Conference. The workshop will offer a good opportunity for a forum on several issues related with Seismology and Earthquake Engineering, will also be an excellent occasion to visit and enjoy the beautiful and volcanic landscape of São Miguel Island.

If you are interested in joining the technical visit please download the pamphlet for all information pertaining to the trip and how to book your trip click here.

Technical Visit to Lisbon's Historical Centre (Lisbon before and after the 1755 earthquake)

Lisbon has been affected by several strong earthquakes in the past causing severe damage and being responsible for important changes in Lisbon's urban structure and evolution. This was the case of the 1755 Earthquake, a 8.5-8.75 magnitude event that completely destroyed Lisbon Downtown area and caused much damage to other parts of the city, as well as of the country.

The reconstruction, made under the orders of the Marquis of Pombal, later Prime Minister of King José I, was based on a plan by Engineer Manuel da Maia, which was considered the first systematic urban plan for Lisbon. A new urban structure organised on an orthogonal network of streets, very strict principles of functionality and economy both of time and money and important technical innovations were introduced. This provided the city with a totally new image, very different from the highly concentrated labyrinth like urban structure before the earthquake.

This structure can still be seen nowadays in the Castle Hill, which has been reconstructed in the same way it was before. The "Baixa Pombalina" (Lisbon Downtown area) still is, like in the past, a busy commercial area that still remains with much of its original layout. During the technical visits to Lisbon historical area, organised for the 15WCEE, participants will be able to walk along some of the most emblematic areas of Lisbon historical centre, where the main aspects of the city before and after the 1755 Earthquake can be very clearly observed. The itinerary will lead us from Carmo Hill, Chiado and the Downtown area ("Baixa") up to part of the Castle Hill. Many buildings and churches, either built before the earthquake and reconstructed according to the new rules or the ones that survived the seismic event will be observed. A Pombal style building showing the construction techniques applied after the earthquake will be visited. For an image of the area to be visited please click here.

A map with the itinerary of the visit will be available soon on the Conference website.

Please register for the visit until 14th September 2012. Please send an email to isabel.pais@prociv.pt and in the subject area please fill in "Visit to Historical Centre"

The visits will take place from Tuesday 25th to Thursday 27th September during the Conference (approximately 2 visits per day, morning and afternoon, depending on the number of participants).

No participation fee is due for these visits.

For a more detailed description please click here.