A rapid numerical-based vulnerability assessment method for masonry buildings subject to flood

Buildings exposed to high-intensity flood actions can experience severe damage and collapse. Rapid procedures can significantly aid in identifying the most vulnerable buildings within large flood-risk areas, enabling the implementation of retrofitting and mitigation measures. Motivated by this need, in this work we propose a simplified vulnerability assessment method that employs a mechanics-based approach. This strategy exclusively addresses the structural damage and is based on assigning a Vulnerability Index to each building. Then, considering some hazard intensity indicators, the method gives the most probable damage level. The main novelty of the proposed method lies in its calibration, which is performed on the results of a high number of numerical analyses. Results show a good agreement between the proposed simplified method and the numerical simulations, particularly in estimating high or low damage levels. Finally, the method is applied to a case study regarding the municipality of Crotone, in southern Italy.