Natural hazards fieldwork

Pre and post disaster field data acquisition units carry out the collection of building attributes and damage data for the purpose of developing databases to support Geoscience Australia’s risk models.

One of the major benefits of digital data collection process is the ability to save raw data directly into a Geographic Information System (GIS) format which provides a spatial context and the ability to use the data instantaneously.

The digital data collection process can take an average of four minutes per individual residence to collect more than 30 detailed attributes, including roof type, roof pitch, structural type, floor height, window size, building material, number of storeys, age, building usage and many more.

Post–disaster data collection

Risk managers need to base decisions on accurate and reliable forecasting and post-disaster data collection is essential to test risk assessment models against what has happened in real events.

However, a natural disaster event can stretch emergency personnel to the limit and, at the very time the community is pre-occupied with responding, there is important, but perishable information on the event which needs to be collected. This information helps in developing an understanding of how and why the event impacted on the community and requires systematic effort to ensure its collection.

Geoscience Australia has developed the capability to collect post-disaster information and the technologies have been tested in numerous Australian and overseas locations following natural hazard events. As well as providing assistance to hazard risk management, data collection technologies can help response teams by transmitting near real-time spatial information between field personnel and coordinating centres.

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Pre–disaster data collection

Pre–disaster information capture is important for natural disaster mitigation. The community can make effective plans to reduce risk only if it has knowledge of the assets which are at risk. Because most of essential demographic, building and infrastructure information has a spatial context, information of this nature is best collected by GIS/GPS support units.

Spatially–located information also is critical to plan for responding to natural hazard events and for response training.

Geoscience Australia uses the latest data collection technologies in its hazard risk assessments. In the Earthquake Risk in Newcastle and Lake Macquarie – 2002 report, detailed information was collected by the field team on the structural type and usage for a sample of more than 6,000 individual buildings. The data was used to assess the risk of economic loss through building damage resulting from earthquake in the Newcastle and Lake Macquarie region.

Fieldwork locations

Geoscience Australia’s staff has been involved in the following data capture exercises:

Innisfail, Queensland, 2006: Survey of buildings affected by Tropical Cyclone Larry
Lismore, New South Wales, 2005: Survey of buildings affected by flooding
Eyre Peninsula, South Australia, 2005: Survey of buildings affected by bushfires
Melbourne, Victoria, 2004: Survey of buildings affected by flooding
Hobart, Tasmania, 2004: Building survey of CBD district
Hobart, Tasmania, 2004: Building survey of CBD district
Darwin, Northern Territory, 2004: Building survey of CBD district
Perth, Western Australia, 2003: Building survey of flood plains
Sydney, New South Wales, 2003: Building survey of CBD district
Bendigo, New South Wales, 2003: Survey of buildings affected by a powerful wind storm
Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, 2003: Survey of buildings affected by the January 18 bushfires
Perth, Western Australia, 2002: Building survey of CBD district
Perth, Western Australia, 2001: Microtremor survey
Dubbo, New South Wales, 2001: Survey of buildings affected by a powerful wind storm
Gujarat, India, 2001: Earthquake survey
Newcastle, New South Wales, 2000: Earthquake hazard assessment
South East Queensland, 1999: Risk hazard assessment
Gladstone, Queensland, 1998: Risk hazard assessment
Mackay, Queensland, 1998: Risk hazard assessment
Cairns, Queensland, 1998: Risk hazard assessment
Adelaide, South Australia, 1998: Geotechnical data collection
Launceston, Tasmania, 1997: Geotechnical data collection
Homebush, New South Wales, 1996: Geotechnical data collection

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Latest Releases

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Natural hazards fieldwork

Post–disaster data collection

Pre–disaster data collection

Fieldwork locations

Natural Hazards Home Bushfire Cyclone Earthquake Flood Landslide Severe Weather Tsunami Volcano
Natural Hazards Natural Hazards Home Introduction Hazard Types Bushfire Cyclone Earthquake Flood Landslide Severe Weather Tsunami Volcano Risk Modelling What is Risk? How do we Estimate Risk? How do we Model Hazard? What is Exposure? What is Vulnerability? How can we Use Risk Models? Emergency Management Introduction Prevention Preparedness Response Recovery Further Information Our Publications Our Projects Our Fieldwork Policy Committees Media Releases Glossary Some of the documents on this webpage may be in PDF Format. Please download the Free PDF reader from Adobe to view these files.	Latest Releases Report a Tsunami(NEW!) Earthquakes in the Canberra region(NEW!) Online Tools Natural Hazard Maps Joint Australian Tsunami Warning Centre Sentinel - Bushfire Mapping Current Weather Warnings Global Disaster Alert Coordination System (GDACS) Online Risk Prevention Game (UN/ISDR) AusDIN - Australian Disasters Information Network Reports Natural Hazards in Australia Report (NEW!) Perth Cities Project Newcastle Cities Project SE Queensland Cities Project Gladstone Cities Project Mackay Cities Project Cairns Cities Project Natural hazards fieldwork Pre and post disaster field data acquisition units carry out the collection of building attributes and damage data for the purpose of developing databases to support Geoscience Australia’s risk models. One of the major benefits of digital data collection process is the ability to save raw data directly into a Geographic Information System (GIS) format which provides a spatial context and the ability to use the data instantaneously. The digital data collection process can take an average of four minutes per individual residence to collect more than 30 detailed attributes, including roof type, roof pitch, structural type, floor height, window size, building material, number of storeys, age, building usage and many more. Post–disaster data collection Risk managers need to base decisions on accurate and reliable forecasting and post-disaster data collection is essential to test risk assessment models against what has happened in real events. However, a natural disaster event can stretch emergency personnel to the limit and, at the very time the community is pre-occupied with responding, there is important, but perishable information on the event which needs to be collected. This information helps in developing an understanding of how and why the event impacted on the community and requires systematic effort to ensure its collection. Geoscience Australia has developed the capability to collect post-disaster information and the technologies have been tested in numerous Australian and overseas locations following natural hazard events. As well as providing assistance to hazard risk management, data collection technologies can help response teams by transmitting near real-time spatial information between field personnel and coordinating centres. [back to top] Pre–disaster data collection Pre–disaster information capture is important for natural disaster mitigation. The community can make effective plans to reduce risk only if it has knowledge of the assets which are at risk. Because most of essential demographic, building and infrastructure information has a spatial context, information of this nature is best collected by GIS/GPS support units. Spatially–located information also is critical to plan for responding to natural hazard events and for response training. Geoscience Australia uses the latest data collection technologies in its hazard risk assessments. In the Earthquake Risk in Newcastle and Lake Macquarie – 2002 report, detailed information was collected by the field team on the structural type and usage for a sample of more than 6,000 individual buildings. The data was used to assess the risk of economic loss through building damage resulting from earthquake in the Newcastle and Lake Macquarie region. Fieldwork locations Geoscience Australia’s staff has been involved in the following data capture exercises: Innisfail, Queensland, 2006: Survey of buildings affected by Tropical Cyclone Larry Lismore, New South Wales, 2005: Survey of buildings affected by flooding Eyre Peninsula, South Australia, 2005: Survey of buildings affected by bushfires Melbourne, Victoria, 2004: Survey of buildings affected by flooding Hobart, Tasmania, 2004: Building survey of CBD district Hobart, Tasmania, 2004: Building survey of CBD district Darwin, Northern Territory, 2004: Building survey of CBD district Perth, Western Australia, 2003: Building survey of flood plains Sydney, New South Wales, 2003: Building survey of CBD district Bendigo, New South Wales, 2003: Survey of buildings affected by a powerful wind storm Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, 2003: Survey of buildings affected by the January 18 bushfires Perth, Western Australia, 2002: Building survey of CBD district Perth, Western Australia, 2001: Microtremor survey Dubbo, New South Wales, 2001: Survey of buildings affected by a powerful wind storm Gujarat, India, 2001: Earthquake survey Newcastle, New South Wales, 2000: Earthquake hazard assessment South East Queensland, 1999: Risk hazard assessment Gladstone, Queensland, 1998: Risk hazard assessment Mackay, Queensland, 1998: Risk hazard assessment Cairns, Queensland, 1998: Risk hazard assessment Adelaide, South Australia, 1998: Geotechnical data collection Launceston, Tasmania, 1997: Geotechnical data collection Homebush, New South Wales, 1996: Geotechnical data collection [back to top]