Croatian scientists release new earthquake hazard map

Croatian scientists have published a new seismic hazard assessment that incorporates local soil data and experiences from the Petrinja earthquake. The findings indicate that the highest risk remains along the Adriatic coast, specifically in the Dubrovnik region.

The study reveals that low-rise, rigid structures, such as family houses, face higher seismic loads than previously estimated, whereas high-rise buildings face generally lower loads. This new assessment is intended to serve as a scientific foundation for developing a new national annex to Eurocode 8, the European standard for earthquake-resistant construction.

While the map does not predict specific dates for future earthquakes, it provides a probabilistic framework for spatial planning and engineering. The research was conducted by experts from the Faculty of Science in Zagreb, the Faculty of Civil Engineering in Varaždin, and the Croatian Geological Institute, with findings published in the Bulletin of Earthquake Engineering.