International Symposium on Strong Vrancea Earthquakes and Risk Mitigation

Oct. 4-6, 2007, Bucharest, Romania

SEISMIC VULNERABILITY ASSESSMENT.
METHODOLOGICAL ELEMENTS AND APPLICATIONS
TO THE CASE OF ROMANIA.
Horea Sandi1, Antonios Pomonis2, Symon Francis3, Emil Sever Georgescu4,
Rakesh Mohindra3, Ioan Sorin Borcia4
ABSTRACT
This paper is intended to present some studies undertaken in order to develop a seismic
vulnerability estimation system to fit the needs of development of earthquake scenarios and
of development of an integrated disaster risk management system for Romania.
Methodological aspects are dealt with, in connection with the criteria of categorization of
buildings, with the definition of parameters used for characterizing vulnerability, with the
setting up of an inventory of buildings and with the calibration of parameters characterizing
vulnerability. Action was initiated along the coordinates referred to in connection with the
methodological aspects mentioned above. The approach was made, as far as possible,
specific to the conditions of Romania. Some data on results obtained to date are presented.
1. INTRODUCTION
Seismic hazard and risk are widely recognized as being high in Romania. Moreover,
according to forecasts like those of (Constantinescu & Enescu, 1985) or (Sandi & Mrza,
1996), there is a high probability of occurrence of a new strong, perhaps destructive
earthquake, within the near future. This makes the need of developing and implementing
efficient risk reduction strategies a matter of high urgency.
The basic ingredients required for the assessment of seismic risk are represented by the
seismic hazard and by the seismic vulnerability of elements at risk dealt with (the exposure
of elements at risk is to be added to them in case one considers elements at risk with
variable exposure, like e.g. people at risk in an assembly hall). The experience acquired to
date leads to the conclusion that the difficulties and uncertainties related to the seismic
vulnerability appear to be, strangely, more important or severe, than those related to seismic
hazard. This fact obviously raises a challenge, related to the object of this paper.
In order to cope with the challenge of major social importance raised by seismic risk, the
Romanian governmental agencies benefitted from the financial and technical assistance
provided by the World Bank Office in Bucharest. Among a group of projects developed in
this framework, the authors got involved in two projects, referred to as: AC3, "Consultancy
services for development of a Vrancea earthquake scenario" and AC6, "Consultancy
services for integrated disaster risk management study". The task of assessing seismic
vulnerability of various categories of elements at risk was of obvious importance in both
cases. At the same time, trying to assess seismic vulnerability raised several complicated
problems of methodological and logistic nature. The paper presents some main aspects
related to a first attempt of development of a nation-wide seismic vulnerability estimation
system, concerning basically the existing building stock.
1 M., Academy of Technical Sciences of Romania. E-mail: sandi@geodin.ro
2 Risk Management Solutions, Athens, Greece. E-mail: antoniospom@forthnet.athens.gr
3 RMSI Pvt Ltd, Noida, India. E-mail: rakesh.mohindra@rmsi.com
4 4INCERC (National Building Research Institute), Bucharest, E-mail: ssever@incerc2004.ro,
isborcia@incerc2004.ro