prof. dr. Cees van Westen, Nanette Kingma MSc.
Modelling Multi-Hazards and Risk (2nd year)
An internship with Asian Institute of Technology- GeoInformatics Center could be helpful.
Vulnerability curves are an essential component in multi-hazard risk assessment. Physical vulnerability curves relate the hazard intensity with the mean damage ratio of a particular type of element-at-risk (e.g. a certain building type, or land use type). Population vulnerability curves relate the hazard intensity to mortality rates. Even though vulnerability curves are essential for estimation of the losses of hazardous events, there are relarively few databases where users can select the appropriate curves for the hazard types, intensity types and elements-at-risk type combinations that occur in their own study area. As part of the RiskChanges Spatial Decision Support System to analyse multi-hazard risk for decision making , which is currently under development by ITC and the Asian Institute of Technology – GeoInformatics Center, an online vulnerability curve database has been developed. The aim of this MSc research is to contribute to this by collecting and adapting physical and population vulnerability curves for various types of hazard intensities & elements-at-risk combinations.
The objective of this MSc research is to develop a set of physical and population vulnerability curves for a variety of hazard types, intensity types and elements-at-risk types, in a a web-based open environment. The research will start with an extensive literature review on available vulnerability curves, and to classify them based on the vulnerability type, intensity type and elements-at-risk type. The curves should be used in multi-hazard risk assessment and can be linked to different types of elements-at-risk: buildings footprints, land use parcels, linear objects (e.g. roads) and point objects.
The research should identify classification methods used for each of these types , and develop a uniform description method. The research identifies Intensity types for different hazard types, and determines the most appropriate vulnerability curves. Another component of the research is the expression of the uncertainty in the vulnerability based on the variation in curves that represent the same type of elements-at-risk. Also the compounding effects of sequential hazard events on physical vulnerability curves will be investigated.
https://www.ur2020.org/agenda/session/440128