BUILDING EXPOSURE MODELLING FOR NATIONAL SEISMIC RISK ASSESSMENT IN MONTENEGRO

Seismic risk assessment in Montenegro has been a critical concern since the devastating earthquake of 1979, which spurred initial studies for the country's spatial planning. In response, significant efforts were made to mitigate seismic risks and regulate the construction of earthquake-resistant structures. Early vulnerability studies were based on damage observations from the 1979 earthquake. However, since then, seismic risk in Montenegro has risen considerably due to rapid urbanization and increased building construction, particularly in coastal zones with high seismic hazard levels. Unfortunately, Montenegro's seismic risk assessment remained outdated until 2021, when a comprehensive study was conducted as part of a European Commission-funded project to develop a National Risk Assessment (NRA), led by the Department of Civil Protection. This recent seismic risk assessment was carried out in accordance with EU guidelines, ensuring consistency and comparability in terms of prevention, preparedness, and planning with EU member states. The development of the NRA encountered several challenges, primarily due to data gaps, especially in the building exposure modelling. In this paper, the methodology used for the seismic risk assessment is presented, with a focus on the main uncertainties in the available existing exposure model from literature. It introduces a refined exposure model tailored for building typologies in northern Montenegro. Finally, ongoing and future research efforts aimed at continually improving the exposure model are discussed.