Analysis of seismic vulnerability using remote sensing and GIS techniques

This paper presents a framework to integrate several sources of spatial information to derive a map of seismic vulnerability for the city of Arica, Chile, which has been historically affected by this natural hazard. The proposed method is based on generating a geographical database with different variables that are related to human activity, considering factors of potential reduction and increase of damage caused by a future earthquake. The spatial information was obtained from different sources, mainly remote sensing images, national and local census and field data collection. The map of seismic vulnerability was based on the estimated location of population, as well as the situation of critical installations and a map of construction fragility. Since population activity changes through the day, a dynamic cartography of vulnerability was produced, based on population density levels for different time periods. Construction fragility maps were derived from digital classification of an IRS-1C image, using textural features. Copyright © 2003 Inderscience Enterprises Ltd.