Scientific contribution

  1. Active tectonics and palaeoseismological study along the El Asnam thrust fault (associated with M 7.3 earthquake in 1980, Algeria) which is among the first analyses of thrust-related surface faulting and folding in the Mediterranean regions.

  2. Pioneering works in the identification of active faults in intraplate Europe and the Rhine graben with development of palaeoseismic studies in regions with low-level of seismicity. In particular, combining the use of micro-topography, shallow geophysics and trenching in active faulting studies.

  3. Development of earthquake geology, palaeoseismic and archaeoseismic studies in different tectonic domains (North African Atlas, North Anatolian fault, East Anatolian fault and Dead Sea fault) and comparison between regions with slow active deformation and regions with fast seismic slip release.

  4. Conceptual framework in the understanding of the long-term faulting behavior in earthquake-prone regions, coastal tectonics and seismic sources of tsunami. Studies of faults in regions with the potential for large or moderate earthquakes and related physical characteristics.

Main Scientific projects

  1. RELIEF: Coordinator of the project Reliable Information on Earthquake Faulting, « Large Earthquake Faulting and Implications for the Seismic Hazard Assessment in Europe, The 1999 Izmit-Duzce Earthquake Sequence (Mw 7.3 - 7.1, Turkey) “, EC contract EVG1-2002-00069. Initiation December 2002.
  2. APAME: Coordinator of the project entitled « Archeo-Paleoseismology for the protection of cultural sites in the Middle East », European Commission project INCO-MED, contract ICA3-CT2002-10024. Initiation March 2003.
  3. Projet European Space Agency (ESA) - Catégorie 1 N° 2532 « Crustal deformation along major continental faults : A combined study in paleoseismology, archeoseismology and space geodesy ». Crédit images SAR de la zone euro-méditerranéenne en cours (depuis 2004). Coordonateur du projet.
  4. Tsunami in the Mediterranean area, Partner of the projet TRANSFER (Tsunami Risk ANd Strategies For the European Region, Contract no.: 037058; Paleotsunamis along the Algerian coastline: Analysis of their traces, return period and effect). Initiation in April 2006.
  5. IGCP 601 project, UNESCO – IUGS, “Seismotectonics and seismic hazards in Africa”; this is a 6-year project (2011 – 2016) that aims to prepare the seismotectonic map of Africa with also the support of the Organisation of African Geological Surveys (OAGS).
  6. PALET: This ANR (Agence Nationale de la Recherche) project is dedicated to “Paleoseismology and paleotsunamis of the NE Japan subduction zone and relationships with the 2011, M9 Tohoku earthquake: Constraints on the seismic cycle”. The project goes from October 2011 to March 2013.
  7. European Projet ASTARTE (FP7-ENV) “Assessment, STrategy And Risk Reduction for Tsunamis in Europe”, programme ENV.2013.6.4-3: Coasts at threat in Europe: tsunamis and climate-related risks. Partenaire du projet au sein des participants CNRS et responsable du Work Package 2 (Recurrence of Tsunami in the NEAM region). Novembre 2013 à avril 2017.
  8. Projet CNRS-INSU « Active Deformation and fault interaction in northern Africa » in cooperation with the Research Centre of Astronomy and Geophysics of Algiers and the Geological Survey of Tunisia (Office National de Mines).
  9. IGCP 659 project, UNESCO – IUGS, “Seismic hazard and risk in Africa”; this is a 5-year project (2018 – 2022) that aims to prepare regional seismotectonics and seismic hazards of Africa with also the support of the African Seismological Commission (AfSC) and IASPEI. https://igcp-project-659.oaka.fr/