DEVELOPMENT OF SEISMIC RISK SCENARIOS BASED ON A HYBRID METHOD OF VULNERABILITY ASSESSMENT

A hybrid methodology of vulnerability analysis is presented, involving elements from both empirical and theoretical methods. A model for cor relating analytically calculated structural damage indices to loss (in monetary terms) is also proposed and calibrated against available sta tistical data. Probability damage matrices derived using this methodol ogy are incorporated into a cost-benefit model tailored to the problem of estimating the feasibility of seismically rehabilitating the exist ing stock of reinforced concrete buildings in Thessaloniki, Greece. Lo sses calculated using the suggested procedure are found to be in good agreement with losses incurred during the 1978 Thessaloniki earthquake . The results of the present study also indicate that benefit/cost rat ios for reinforced concrete buildings are quite low. Hence, it appears that a pre-earthquake strengthening programme is not economically jus tifiable.