Brief communication: Using averaged soil moisture estimates to improve the performances of a regional-scale landslide early warning system

We communicate the results of a preliminary investigation aimed at improving a state-of-the-art RSLEWS (regional-scale landslide early warning system) based on rainfall thresholds by integrating mean soil moisture values averaged over the territorial units of the system. We tested two approaches. The simplest can be easily applied to improve other RSLEWS: it is based on a soil moisture threshold value under which rainfall thresholds are not used because landslides are not expected to occur. Another approach deeply modifies the original RSLEWS: thresholds based on antecedent rainfall accumulated over long periods are substituted with soil moisture thresholds. A back analysis demonstrated that both approaches consistently reduced false alarms, while the second approach reduced missed alarms as well

The vulnerability assessment of current buildings by a macroseismic approach derived from the EMS-98 scale

A hierarchical family of Damage Probability Matrices (DPM) has been derived in this paper from the ones implicitly contained in the EMS-98 Macroseismic Scale for 6 vulnerability classes. To this aim the linguistic definitions provided by the scale, and the associated fuzzy sub-sets of the percentage of buildings, have been completed according to reliable hypotheses. A parametric representation of the corresponding cumulative probability distributions is moreover provided, through a unique parameter: a vulnerability index variable in the range from 0 to 1 and independent of the macroseismic intensity. Finally, an innovative macroseismic approach allowing the vulnerability analysis of building typologies is defined within the European Macroseismic Scale (EMS-98) and qualitatively related to the vulnerability classes. Bayes’ theorem allows the upgrading of the frequencies when further data about the built-environment or specific properties of the buildings are available, allowing the identification of a different behaviours with respect to the one generally considered for the typology. Fuzzy measures of any damage function can be derived, using parametric or nonparametric damage probability matrices. For every result of the seismic analysis, the procedure allows supply to the user of the final uncertainty connected with the aforementioned fuzzy relation between the probability of the damage grade, the macroseismic intensity and the vulnerability classes

Seismic vulnerability of churches in Faial and Pico islands, Azores

Earthquakes represent one of the main cause of serious damage and loss of historic and architectural heritage. Interventions to preserve these building should start with a careful knowledge and assessment of their seismic vulnerability, in order to support any needed retrofitting and strengthening measures. This paper proposes a procedure to register and diagnose of the level of damage on churches after the occurrence of an earthquake, and also to assess the seismic vulnerability of this type of construction. This procedure was applied to sixteen churches in the Azores islands which were hit by the July 9th 1998 earthquake. Belfries of church towers are elements with a particular seismic vulnerability. For this reason, and based on the Italian methodology proposed by the Linee Guida (2006), it is applied to belfries of two churches from Pico (Azores), a simplified mechanical model for assessment of seismic vulnerability of this type of structures

VULNERABILITY ASSESSMENT OF DWELLING BUILDINGS

Risk is defined as the potential economic, social and environmental consequences of hazardous events that may occur in a specified area unit and period. The evaluation of physical vulnerability and risk of buildings is the main purpose of this chapter. Nevertheless, it is shown the necessity of considering not only the expected physical damage but also the social fragility and the lack of resilience of the exposed community, that is, a holistic evaluation of risk aiming at guiding decision making.  Both the vulnerability index and capacity spectrum methods for the evaluation of the physical risk are discussed herein. Both provide good results for the considered case study the urban area of Barcelona, Spain. Both methods show how a city, located in a low to moderate hazard region, which has paid no attention to the seismic performance of their buildings, has buildings with a high seismic vulnerability and a considerable seismic risk

Protocol for soil functionality assessment in vineyards

Protocols used by Resolve partners during the project, to assess soil functionality on degraded aeras and evaluate soil restoration after applying recovering practices

A mechanical method for the vulnerability assessment of masonry buildings

This paper discusses a mechanical model for the vulnerability assessment of masonry buildings that takes into account the uncertainties inherent to the structural parameters and the limit states. At first a bilinear model for the capacity spectrum for masonry buildings is derived as an analytical function of a few number of geometrical and mechanical parameters. Applying a suitable procedure for the uncertainty propagation, the statistical moments of the structural capacity is obtained as a function of the statistical moments of the input parameters, showing the role of each in the results. Using the capacity spectrum method formulated in the so called N2 procedure, vulnerability analysis is carried out with respect to a certain number of random limit states which depend, in turn, on the building parameters. Fragility curves are derived taking into account the uncertainties of each quantity involved

Protocols for soil functionality assessment in vineyards

The purpose of this guideline is to describe the methods used during ReSolVe project for soil functionality assessment, so they can be implemented in similar studies. A brief introduction first underlines what are the main functions of soil and why maintaining an optimal soil functionality is particularly of major interest in viticulture. Then the different protocols selected for ReSolVe project and this guideline are presented according to the following classification: - Part I: assessment of soil physical and chemical features; - Part II: assessment of soil biological features (ecosystem service provision and providers); - Part III: assessment of rhizosphere biological features; - Part IV: assessment of grapevine quantitative and qualitative indicators reflecting soil functionality. In each part, global objectives of the monitoring are explained (what is it used for, in which cases…) and the parameters to evaluate are listed with their corresponding methodological sheet. In these sheets, instructions and information are given about: - Materials needed to perform the sampling and the measurement - Sampling procedure - Analysis procedure - Possible interpretations and conclusions that can be drawn (value and meaning of the results, indication of reference values when existing, potential limit of the protocol) - Bibliographic references related to the method described - Additional helpful information where appropriate (ex: template of sampling sheet

Metachronal wave and hydrodynamic interaction for deterministic switching rowers

We employ a model system, called rowers, as a generic physical framework to define the problem of the coordinated motion of cilia (the metachronal wave) as a far from equilibrium process. Rowers are active (two-state) oscillators interacting solely through forces of hydrodynamic origin. In this work, we consider the case of fully deterministic dynamics, find analytical solutions of the equation of motion in the long wavelength (continuum) limit, and investigate numerically the short wavelength limit. We prove the existence of metachronal waves below a characteristic wavelength. Such waves are unstable and become stable only if the sign of the coupling is reversed. We also find that with normal hydrodynamic interaction the metachronal pattern has the form of stable trains of traveling wave packets sustained by the onset of anti-coordinated beating of consecutive rowers.Comment: 11 pages, 7 figure

Metodologia de avaliação da vulnerabilidade sísmica de edifícios antigos à escala do centro histórico

A avaliação do risco sísmico associado aos edifícios existentes está relacionada com a causalidade sísmica local, a vulnerabilidade do edificado e a exposição. A avaliação da vulnerabilidade das construções é especialmente importante na avaliação do risco sísmico, particularmente para edifícios antigos em centros históricos, onde esta poderá ser um factor condicionante para o risco. O grau e o detalhe da avaliação da vulnerabilidade devem ser estabelecidos de acordo com a natureza e o nível de exposição dos edifícios, requerendo-se, tipicamente, um nível mais elevado em edifícios de maior valor patrimonial ou estratégico. A avaliação da vulnerabilidade sísmica dos edifícios existentes na perspectiva da redução do risco associado deve colocar-se não só em relação aos edifícios isolados de relevante importância histórica e cultural, mas também, em relação aos aglomerados de construções antigas em centros urbanos. A análise do desempenho de edifícios em sismos recentemente ocorridos na Europa tem permitido identificar os aspectos estruturais que mais influenciam na vulnerabilidade, e consequentemente nos danos. Propõe-se uma metodologia simplificada para avaliação da vulnerabilidade das construções antigas, e aplica-se a um núcleo urbano histórico, a Baixa de Coimbra. O método proposto, que constitui uma extensão de uma metodologia proposta por outros autores, calcula um índice de vulnerabilidade para cada construção com base em 14 parâmetros. São introduzidos três novos parâmetros na actual proposta. Esta é uma metodologia de primeiro nível, que poderá servir para identificar os edifícios mais vulneráveis do ponto de vista estrutural, que deverão assim ser analisados de forma mais detalhada, com recurso a outras ferramentas mais refinadas. A formulação proposta foi adoptada no estudo da vulnerabilidade sísmica de edifícios em alvenaria do centro urbano de Coimbra. Este estudo é precedido da observação, inspecção e registo de informação detalhada sobre os edifícios, ao nível da caracterização das construções (geometria, tecnologia construtiva, caracterização mecânica das estruturas de alvenaria, etc.) e levantamento de anomalias

Fragility Functions for Tall URM Buildings around Early 20th Century in Lisbon, Part 2: Application to Different Classes of Buildings

This article describes the application of the procedure for the derivation of fragility functions presented in the companion article entitled Fragility functions for tall URM buildings around early 20th century in Lisbon. Part 1: methodology and application at building level. The procedure, based on the execution of non-linear analyses, was developed to be applied to unreinforced masonry buildings considering both the in-plane and out-of-plane response. Different sources of uncertainty, both epistemic and aleatory, affecting the behaviour of these unreinforced masonry buildings are discussed and treated with a probabilistic procedure. The fragility curves determined for the different classes of buildings are compared and then combined to define the final fragility curves for these unreinforced masonry buildings. The results put in evidence the high seismic vulnerability of these buildings and the urgent need for the structural intervention and for the design of retrofitting measures in order to reduce potential losses due to future earthquakes