An Integrated Seismic Assessment Method for Urban Buildings and Roads

Abstract Seismic simulation of urban buildings and roads is significant for regional pre-disaster mitigation and post-disaster recovery. To consider the interrelated influences of buildings and roads, an integrated seismic assessment method for urban buildings and roads is proposed. The seismic damages of buildings were assessed using various methods based on structural characteristics and different degrees of available building information. Both physical and topological characteristics of the road network are considered in the proposed method to determine post-earthquake road network traffic capacity. To quantitatively evaluate post-earthquake road network traffic capacity, we comprehensively considered the seismic damage to roads, blockages caused by earthquake-induced debris, and the potential risk of falling debris from damaged buildings. The proposed integrated seismic assessment method was applied to a real earthquake event to demonstrate its feasibility and effectiveness, and also applied to a real city, of which information on buildings and roads was based on open-source data and statistical data, to demonstrate its applicability. The proposed method provides a solid prediction on the seismic performance of urban buildings and road networks, serving as a reference for urban earthquake disaster rescue and relief.