A professor from ENSTA on a post-earthquake mission in Venezuela

International, Research Defense and Security
Part of the AFPS mission in Venezuela, with Jean-François Semblat in the centre. Credit: Jean-Yves Bonnaire - FRBTP

Following the twin earthquakes on 24 June, the French Association for Earthquake Engineering dispatched a post-earthquake mission to Venezuela from 29 August to 6 September 2026. Jean-François Semblat, a professor at ENSTA and deputy director of the Faculty, was part of the mission as a specialist in soil response to seismic shocks.

The team, comprising 11 specialists from various disciplines ranging from seismology to architecture and crisis management, aimed to gather as much knowledge as possible from their local counterparts regarding events of this magnitude. Whilst mainland France is generally considered to be an area of moderate seismic activity, the situation is quite different for the overseas territories, particularly the Caribbean arc, which faces conditions very similar to those in Venezuela.


From a scientific perspective, the mission focused particularly on the orientation of seismic tremors, the response of building foundations, the interactions between groups of buildings depending on their height, and also the response of industrial facilities.

“In my field of expertise, the main objective was to share lessons learnt from what had happened and to draw conclusions regarding the potential implications for the adjustment of earthquake-resistant standards or construction methods. I was particularly interested in the phenomena of soil liquefaction and the ‘jelly bowl’ effect*, in which I specialise.”

Jean-François Semblat Professor at ENSTA
Jean-François Semblat
The team with Venezuela’s Minister of Transport, Francisco Garces (in the white shirt, centre)

This mission by the French Association for Earthquake Engineering will shortly lead to the publication of a report and a debriefing meeting at the Ministry for Ecological Transition.

* See the definition of “the ‘jelly bowl’ effect” by François Semblat in a previous article.

Expert opinion: Jean-François Semblat on soil liquefaction during earthquakes

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