Use of Remote Sensing Technologies for Building Damage Assessment after the 2003 Bam, Iran, Earthquake—Preface to Remote Sensing Papers

This preface introduces a series of papers that describe the use of remote sensing technologies in quantifying the extent of building damage after the 2003 Bam, Iran, earthquake. These papers represent a significant milestone in post-earthquake loss estimation. For the first time, independent evaluations of regional damage are documented, which will ultimately allow an assessment of the efficacy of these technologies as tools for post-earthquake damage detection and quantification. Not only were different sensors used, but radically different approaches were implemented in quantifying damage. The conclusions and recommendations of the different papers are generally consistent and strongly suggest that regional damage assessment using remotely sensed data is highly feasible. The papers, however, acknowledge that more research is needed before these technologies can be used to make critical emergency response decisions. Finally, the role of the Earthquake Engineering Research Institute through its Learning From Earthquakes Program is acknowledged, largely for helping to promote the use of remote sensing technologies in earthquake studies and for recognizing the value of collaboration through its newly formed Subcommittee on Remote Sensing.