On 31 May 2023, the DKKV organised a digital lunch talk on the topic of “Constructional Civil Protection”. DKKV member Prof. Dr.-Ing. Norbert Gebekken from the University of the Federal Armed Forces Munich was the guest speaker and gave an overview of the content and challenges of projects in this field. Current projects were also presented. The webinar was moderated by student intern Jacqueline Jacobs. Would you like to learn more about structural civil protection in Germany and other parts of the world? Then take a look at our new topic page!
Structural civil protection includes all structural, technical and organisational measures that serve to ward off or mitigate the effects of damaging events caused by natural hazards, technical failure, sabotage or the effects of weapons. In this context, the protection of human life, technical installations and buildings is in the foreground. Particular emphasis is placed on the protection of persons and maintaining the functionality of critical infrastructures (CRITIS). Increasing the level of protection and resilience through object precautions and the construction and maintenance of protective structures such as bunkers are central goals of structural civil protection.
In his lecture, Prof. Dr. Norbert Gebbeken explained the basics of structural civil protection based on the three principles of “evasion, resistance, adaptation”. Evasion refers to the avoidance of hazardous situations, for example by designating risk areas to prevent settlement or building in these areas. Resilient construction aims to ensure the protection of people and property, while adaptation measures to potential natural hazards can reduce the damage potential. Structural civil protection thus represents an important building block for resilient urban development.
After the presentation, participants had the opportunity to ask questions and engage in a lively discussion. The lunch talk provided a comprehensive overview of the topic and stimulated reflection on the importance of structural population protection in the face of natural hazards, technical risks and possible threats from weapons impact.
The recording of the meeting was published on YouTube and is available at the following link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W0lGrVpbV9U&t=23s