On June 16, 2023, members of the Serbian Association for Earthquake Engineering (SUZI-SAEE) celebrated the Association’s fifth anniversary. The event took place in the Ceremonial Hall of the Faculty of Civil Engineering, University of Belgrade. The gathering began with welcome addresses by SAEE President Prof. Dr Svetlana Brzev, Vice President Prof. Dr Ratko Salatić, and Dean of the Faculty of Civil Engineering Prof. Dr Vladan Kuzmanović. This was followed by a lecture by Assistant Professor Dr Marko Marinković, member of the SUZI Board and faculty member at the Faculty of Civil Engineering in Belgrade, titled "Causes of Building Damage Due to Recent Earthquakes in Turkey – Lessons for Construction Practice in Serbia".
The lecture was sponsored by the company Sika Serbia, whose representatives delivered a brief presentation on the application of their products and technologies for the repair and strengthening of structures. To conclude the celebration, the organizers hosted a cocktail reception for SUZI members and other guests.
The video recording of the opening addresses is available at the bottom of this page.
On this occasion, we would like to present an overview of SAEE’s accomplishments over the past five years. SAEE was founded in January 2018 in Belgrade as a non-governmental, non-profit technical association with the goal of raising awareness, knowledge, and practical implementation of earthquake engineering in the Republic of Serbia. At the time of its establishment, the Association had nine members. As of June 2023, SAEE counts 230 members, including 100 regular members, 56 young professionals, 70 student members, and 6 honorary members. While most SAEE members are based in the Republic of Serbia, we are proud to also include members from other countries. SAEE members actively participate in the work of various committees responsible for organizing and implementing the Association’s activities.
One of the core goals of SAEE is to enhance knowledge and promote the practical application of earthquake engineering. From June 2018 to June 2023, SAEE organized 16 lectures and 10 seminars. The speakers included leading experts in earthquake engineering from both Serbia and abroad. Video recordings of these lectures and seminars are available on SAEE’s YouTube channel, while the presentation slides can be accessed on the SAEE website. Most of the events were held in person at the Faculty of Civil Engineering in Belgrade, which has been a key supporter of SAEE’s activities. Other events were held virtually via the Zoom platform, which enabled the Association to continue its work during the COVID-19 pandemic and allowed members from different parts of Serbia and abroad to participate.
One of SAEE’s key goals is fostering connections with experts from the region, particularly to support collaboration in seismic risk assessment, earthquake preparedness, and post-earthquake recovery. In this context, SAEE and its partners organized two international workshops in recent years. In June 2019, a regional workshop on seismic risk in the Balkan region was held as part of the HORIZON 2020 project Seismology and Earthquake Engineering Research Infrastructure Alliance for Europe (SERA). The workshop brought together 26 invited experts from Italy, Slovenia, Croatia, North Macedonia, Bosnia, Bulgaria, and Iran. In June 2022, the international workshop “Seismic Risk, Recovery and Resilience” was held, with the participation of 25 invited earthquake engineering experts from North Macedonia, Croatia, Albania, Bulgaria, Italy, Switzerland, the United States, and Serbia. The workshop featured presentations on the latest research in seismic risk assessment, including regional models of seismic hazard and exposure that contributed to the development of the European Seismic Risk Model. Additionally, participants presented approaches for evaluating and enhancing the functional recovery of buildings and infrastructure, aimed at improving community preparedness for recovery following earthquakes and other natural disasters. Members of SAEE’s Committee for Seismic Risk recently published the first article on seismic risk in Serbia in the Bulletin of Earthquake Engineering, one of the leading international journals in the field. The article, titled “Residential building stock in Serbia: classification and vulnerability for seismic risk studies”, marks the first outcome of SAEE’s long-term initiative to assess seismic risk in Serbia and to support community readiness for future earthquakes.
Raising public awareness about future earthquakes and their potential consequences is one of SAEE’s core objectives. For this reason, it is equally important to reflect on historical earthquakes that have occurred on the territory of Serbia. In March 2022, SAEE members organized an exhibition to mark the centenary of the earthquake that struck near Lazarevac, known as the "Great Belgrade Earthquake." With a magnitude of 6.0 on the Richter scale, it is considered the strongest earthquake to have affected Serbia in the 20th century. The exhibition was officially opened on the 100th anniversary of the event at the Lazarevac Cultural Center. It was subsequently presented at the Faculty of Architecture, University of Belgrade, and at the Faculty of Civil Engineering and Architecture, University of Niš.
The territory of the Republic of Serbia is located in a seismically active region that encompasses the Balkan Peninsula and has a long history of both moderate and strong earthquakes. For this reason, earthquakes occurring in the region are of significant importance to Serbia. Field visits to earthquake-affected areas are crucial as they provide SAEE members with a first-hand opportunity to observe the consequences of design or construction shortcomings in newer buildings, as well as the vulnerabilities of older structures that were not designed to withstand seismic forces. From the very beginning, SAEE has organized expert teams to visit areas affected by significant earthquakes in the region, such as the earthquake with an epicenter near Durrës, Albania, in November 2019; the earthquake near Petrinja, Croatia, in December 2020; and the catastrophic earthquakes that struck central Turkey near Kahramanmaraş and Pazarcık in February 2023. Members of the SAEE teams are obliged to share their observations with other members through seminars, articles, and reports published by SAEE and made available on its website. The SAEE report on the consequences of the 2019 Albanian earthquake has been classified as a monograph of national significance in the Republic of Serbia.
Communication with SAEE members is of special importance to the Association. SAEE’s primary publication is the electronic newsletter (eNewsletter), published twice a year and available on the SAEE website. Members also receive the latest issue via email. The SAEE website is regularly updated and provides detailed information about all major SAEE activities, as well as other events in the field of earthquake engineering from Serbia and around the world.
One of the priorities for our Association is membership in international organizations in the field of earthquake engineering. Shortly after its founding in 2018, SAEE became a member of the International Association for Earthquake Engineering (IAEE). Since 2021, we have also been part of the international consortium EFEHR (European Facilities for Earthquake Hazard and Risk). We hope to establish cooperation with other similar organizations at the national and regional levels in the future.
During its first five years, the Association has received significant support for its activities through sponsorships and donations. On this occasion, we would like to express our gratitude to our sponsors — SIKA Serbia and Whitby Wood Popović — as well as to our donors — DNEC, Energoprojekt (Urbanism and Architecture), Gradina, ZOP Engineering, and Mašinoprojekt Kopring.
In addition to the close cooperation with the Faculty of Civil Engineering in Belgrade, which has provided us with space for all major events over the past five years, a cooperation agreement has also been signed with the Faculty of Architecture in Belgrade. Collaboration has likewise been established with the Faculty of Civil Engineering and Architecture in Niš. We hope to expand our cooperation to other faculties in the Republic of Serbia and the region in the future.
On June 16, 2023, members of the Serbian Association for Earthquake Engineering (SUZI-SAEE) celebrated the Association’s fifth anniversary. The event took place in the Ceremonial Hall of the Faculty of Civil Engineering, University of Belgrade. The gathering began with welcome addresses by SAEE President Prof. Dr Svetlana Brzev, Vice President Prof. Dr Ratko Salatić, and Dean of the Faculty of Civil Engineering Prof. Dr Vladan Kuzmanović. This was followed by a lecture by Assistant Professor Dr Marko Marinković, member of the SUZI Board and faculty member at the Faculty of Civil Engineering in Belgrade, titled "Causes of Building Damage Due to Recent Earthquakes in Turkey – Lessons for Construction Practice in Serbia".
The lecture was sponsored by the company Sika Serbia, whose representatives delivered a brief presentation on the application of their products and technologies for the repair and strengthening of structures. To conclude the celebration, the organizers hosted a cocktail reception for SUZI members and other guests.
The video recording of the opening addresses is available at the bottom of this page.
On this occasion, we would like to present an overview of SAEE’s accomplishments over the past five years. SAEE was founded in January 2018 in Belgrade as a non-governmental, non-profit technical association with the goal of raising awareness, knowledge, and practical implementation of earthquake engineering in the Republic of Serbia. At the time of its establishment, the Association had nine members. As of June 2023, SAEE counts 230 members, including 100 regular members, 56 young professionals, 70 student members, and 6 honorary members. While most SAEE members are based in the Republic of Serbia, we are proud to also include members from other countries. SAEE members actively participate in the work of various committees responsible for organizing and implementing the Association’s activities.
One of the core goals of SAEE is to enhance knowledge and promote the practical application of earthquake engineering. From June 2018 to June 2023, SAEE organized 16 lectures and 10 seminars. The speakers included leading experts in earthquake engineering from both Serbia and abroad. Video recordings of these lectures and seminars are available on SAEE’s YouTube channel, while the presentation slides can be accessed on the SAEE website. Most of the events were held in person at the Faculty of Civil Engineering in Belgrade, which has been a key supporter of SAEE’s activities. Other events were held virtually via the Zoom platform, which enabled the Association to continue its work during the COVID-19 pandemic and allowed members from different parts of Serbia and abroad to participate.
One of SAEE’s key goals is fostering connections with experts from the region, particularly to support collaboration in seismic risk assessment, earthquake preparedness, and post-earthquake recovery. In this context, SAEE and its partners organized two international workshops in recent years. In June 2019, a regional workshop on seismic risk in the Balkan region was held as part of the HORIZON 2020 project Seismology and Earthquake Engineering Research Infrastructure Alliance for Europe (SERA). The workshop brought together 26 invited experts from Italy, Slovenia, Croatia, North Macedonia, Bosnia, Bulgaria, and Iran. In June 2022, the international workshop “Seismic Risk, Recovery and Resilience” was held, with the participation of 25 invited earthquake engineering experts from North Macedonia, Croatia, Albania, Bulgaria, Italy, Switzerland, the United States, and Serbia. The workshop featured presentations on the latest research in seismic risk assessment, including regional models of seismic hazard and exposure that contributed to the development of the European Seismic Risk Model. Additionally, participants presented approaches for evaluating and enhancing the functional recovery of buildings and infrastructure, aimed at improving community preparedness for recovery following earthquakes and other natural disasters. Members of SAEE’s Committee for Seismic Risk recently published the first article on seismic risk in Serbia in the Bulletin of Earthquake Engineering, one of the leading international journals in the field. The article, titled “Residential building stock in Serbia: classification and vulnerability for seismic risk studies”, marks the first outcome of SAEE’s long-term initiative to assess seismic risk in Serbia and to support community readiness for future earthquakes.
Raising public awareness about future earthquakes and their potential consequences is one of SAEE’s core objectives. For this reason, it is equally important to reflect on historical earthquakes that have occurred on the territory of Serbia. In March 2022, SAEE members organized an exhibition to mark the centenary of the earthquake that struck near Lazarevac, known as the "Great Belgrade Earthquake." With a magnitude of 6.0 on the Richter scale, it is considered the strongest earthquake to have affected Serbia in the 20th century. The exhibition was officially opened on the 100th anniversary of the event at the Lazarevac Cultural Center. It was subsequently presented at the Faculty of Architecture, University of Belgrade, and at the Faculty of Civil Engineering and Architecture, University of Niš.
The territory of the Republic of Serbia is located in a seismically active region that encompasses the Balkan Peninsula and has a long history of both moderate and strong earthquakes. For this reason, earthquakes occurring in the region are of significant importance to Serbia. Field visits to earthquake-affected areas are crucial as they provide SAEE members with a first-hand opportunity to observe the consequences of design or construction shortcomings in newer buildings, as well as the vulnerabilities of older structures that were not designed to withstand seismic forces. From the very beginning, SAEE has organized expert teams to visit areas affected by significant earthquakes in the region, such as the earthquake with an epicenter near Durrës, Albania, in November 2019; the earthquake near Petrinja, Croatia, in December 2020; and the catastrophic earthquakes that struck central Turkey near Kahramanmaraş and Pazarcık in February 2023. Members of the SAEE teams are obliged to share their observations with other members through seminars, articles, and reports published by SAEE and made available on its website. The SAEE report on the consequences of the 2019 Albanian earthquake has been classified as a monograph of national significance in the Republic of Serbia.
Communication with SAEE members is of special importance to the Association. SAEE’s primary publication is the electronic newsletter (eNewsletter), published twice a year and available on the SAEE website. Members also receive the latest issue via email. The SAEE website is regularly updated and provides detailed information about all major SAEE activities, as well as other events in the field of earthquake engineering from Serbia and around the world.
One of the priorities for our Association is membership in international organizations in the field of earthquake engineering. Shortly after its founding in 2018, SAEE became a member of the International Association for Earthquake Engineering (IAEE). Since 2021, we have also been part of the international consortium EFEHR (European Facilities for Earthquake Hazard and Risk). We hope to establish cooperation with other similar organizations at the national and regional levels in the future.
During its first five years, the Association has received significant support for its activities through sponsorships and donations. On this occasion, we would like to express our gratitude to our sponsors — SIKA Serbia and Whitby Wood Popović — as well as to our donors — DNEC, Energoprojekt (Urbanism and Architecture), Gradina, ZOP Engineering, and Mašinoprojekt Kopring.
In addition to the close cooperation with the Faculty of Civil Engineering in Belgrade, which has provided us with space for all major events over the past five years, a cooperation agreement has also been signed with the Faculty of Architecture in Belgrade. Collaboration has likewise been established with the Faculty of Civil Engineering and Architecture in Niš. We hope to expand our cooperation to other faculties in the Republic of Serbia and the region in the future.
