Seismic Loss Estimation Using Experimental Fragility and Vulnerability Functions: Case Study of Buzau County, Romania

Abstract

This paper is focused on the seismic risk assessment of Buzau County in Romania. This county overlays the most active seismic source in the region, namely, the Vrancea intermediate-depth seismic source which has produced nine earthquakes with moment magnitude MW≥7.0 in the last two centuries. Over 40% of the population within this county inhabits traditional adobe buildings for which there are very few available fragility or vulnerability functions in the literature. To overcome this shortcoming, in this study, both fragility and vulnerability functions are developed based on recent experimental research performed at the Technical University of Civil Engineering of Bucharest. The seismic risk assessment is performed using two approaches based on both fragility and vulnerability functions. The results of the analyses show considerable differences between the two risk assessment methods and a significant influence of the fragility of the adobe structures on the seismic risk results.