Abstract
Depth‒damage curves, also known as vulnerability curves, are an essential element of many flood damage models. A relevant characteristic of these curves is their applicability limitations in space and time. The reader will find firstly in this paper a review of different damage models and depth‒damage curve developments in the world, particularly in Spain. In the framework of the EU-funded RESCCUE project, site-specific depth‒damage curves for 14 types of property uses have been developed for Barcelona. An expert flood surveyor’s opinion was essential, as the occasional lack of data was made up for by his expertise. In addition, given the lack of national standardization regarding the applicability of depth‒damage curves for flood damage assessments in Spanish urban areas, regional adjustment indices have been derived for transferring the Barcelona curves to other municipalities. Temporal adjustment indices have been performed in order to modify the depth‒damage curves for the damage estimation of future flood events, too. This study attempts to provide nationwide applicability in flood damage reduction studies.
Highlights
According to the European Environment Agency (EAA) [1], the total reported economic losses in Europe caused by weather and climate-related extremes over the period 1980–2017 amounted to approximately EUR 453 billion; the losses in Spain amounted to EUR 37 billion
The source of this data is from a number of floods that occurred during the period 2012 to 2018 and affected Spanish municipalities of different economic levels located across the Mediterranean and Cantabrian areas
Records from pluvial floods include damage caused by medium and lower water depths, while those from fluvial floods contain losses originating from high floodwater depths inside the properties
Summary
According to the European Environment Agency (EAA) [1], the total reported economic losses in Europe caused by weather and climate-related extremes over the period 1980–2017 amounted to approximately EUR 453 billion; the losses in Spain amounted to EUR 37 billion. The total losses from the Lorca earthquake in 2011 were estimated at EUR 1 billion, EUR 0.5 billion of which was insured and compensated [2]. Floods are the most damaging natural hazard in Europe, with around two-thirds of the total damage costs. Rising temperatures are expected to intensify the hydrological cycle, leading to more frequent and intense floods in many regions, together with a corresponding increase in economic losses. It has to be noted that increases in costs from flooding in recent decades can be partly attributed to more people living in flood-prone areas [4]
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