Mapping the Intellectual Landscape of Urban Earthquake Resilience: A Scientometric and Qualitative Synthesis toward Sustainable Cities

Abstract

Urban earthquake resilience has emerged as a critical research frontier at the intersection of disaster risk reduction, sustainable planning, and technological adaptation. This study offers a comprehensive mixed-method synthesis of global scholarly efforts in this domain between 2000 and 2025. Drawing from 3,492 peer-reviewed journal articles indexed in Web of Science, Scopus, and IEEE Xplore, the research employs a hybrid methodology combining bibliometric analysis, spatial overlay with seismic exposure data, and qualitative synthesis of top-ranked studies. A novel metric—the Advanced Influence Score (AIS)—is introduced to refine influence estimation through a weighted composite of citation velocity, field-normalized impact, and burst intensity. Scientometric mapping reveals temporal surges in post-disaster knowledge production, thematic clustering around governance, equity, adaptation, and technology, and spatial mismatches between research attention and seismic risk. The qualitative review further categorizes methodological archetypes and conceptual trajectories within the field. Bringing these elements together, the study proposes a replicable analytical framework that links large-scale scientometric evidence, geospatial risk patterns, and conceptually grounded reading of key studies to inform urban policy debates on seismic resilience. The resulting framework is empirically anchored in the observed publication patterns yet interpreted through contemporary planning and disaster-risk-reduction agendas, supporting inclusive, data-driven, and participatory approaches to sustainable urban futures. © Author(s) 2026.