The evaluation of the seismic risk of built-up areas is associated to the level of earthquake hazard, building
vulnerability and level of exposure. Within this holistic approach that defines seismic risk, building
vulnerability is from all three variables, the one that assumes great importance not only because of its obvious
physical consequences in the occurrence of a seismic event, but because it is the potential aspect, for which the
engineering research can intervene, improve and even control seismic behaviour of existing buildings, reducing
the level of vulnerability and consequently the level of physical damage, life loss and economical loss.
Development of vulnerability studies in urban centres can be conducted aiming to identify building fragilities
and reduce the seismic risk, therefore in the scope of the rehabilitation process of the old city centre of
Coimbra, a complete identification and inspection survey of the old masonry buildings has been carried out.
The main purpose of this paper is to discuss the vulnerability assessment methodologies, particularly the first
level approaches, by presenting a proposed method which determines previously the level of vulnerability, only
then assessing physical damage and its relationship to seismic intensity. It is presented and discussed the
strategy and proposed methodology adopted for the vulnerability assessment, damage and loss scenarios for the
city centre of Coimbra, in Portugal, through the GIS mapping of the building stock of the project perimeter
