Keywords: information technologies, earthquake engineering, computational mechanics, data acquisition, data management, collaborative research, bio-inspired technologies, expert systems, visualization, education.

This paper is a review on the recent developments in information and communication technologies (ICT) applications in the field of earthquake engineering. It covers a wide range of relevant topics, such as new software applications, web-based engineering tools, decision-making systems, tools for collaborative on-site and remote research, frameworks for hybrid simulation (coupled experimental and numerical modules), open source applications, tools for data and metadata dissemination and archiving, applications for mobile devices and remote computing as well as earthquake-specific GIS applications. Given the fact that ICTs refer to all technical means used to handle information and aid communication, including computer and network hardware, communication middleware as well as necessary software the aim is to map rather than to critically discuss in depth, the recent advancements and applications of Information and Communication Technologies in the field of earthquake engineering, as a means to investigate possible synergies and fields for integrated and multi-disciplinary research.

An effort was made therefore, to selectively present those ICT developments that have already been applied in the real-world or have resulted to ready-to-use research tools. Along these lines, the review is organised in eight sections which cover different fields of ICT applications, starting from aspects of computational mechanics to the computational support of physical testing and structural health monitoring, collaborative on-site and remote research, data dissemination and management, decision making systems, bio-inspired technologies for assessing or optimizing the structural performance and new visualization methods. The review concludes with a short presentation of modern tools that are used nowadays for transferring knowledge to the next generation of engineers and a critical discussion is made on the challenging opportunities that are currently opened and the priorities that have to be set. It is concluded that the future of research in earthquake engineering is inherently dependent on the Information and Communication Technological advances to be made in the years to follow and thus, it is not only the tools that will be developed based on specific needs of the engineering community, but the needs themselves that will be transformed due to the rapid technological change. Moreover, education, collaboration, knowledge dissemination and life-long learning should be seen as priorities of equally high value with the primary investment in technology.

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