From single- to multi-hazard vulnerability and risk in Historic Urban Areas: a literature review

Abstract

A large volume of work has been carried out in recent years to assess the effects of individual hazards on urban areas. However, due to its complexity, assessing the probable cumulative impacts of multiple hazards has not yet entered the mainstream of research and urban management practice, particularly in the specific case of the Historic Urban Areas. This paper aims at contributing to paving the way towards the establishment of future multi-hazard vulnerability and risk assessment methodologies for Historic Urban Areas by offering a comprehensive review of some of the most relevant methodologies proposed to date in this research area. Justified by their relevance in the Historic Urban Areas’ scope, this review focuses specifically on seismic, flood, and fire assessment methodologies, with particular emphasis on those potentially suitable to be interfaced in multi-hazard approaches. The relevance of considering and managing the impacts of each one of these hazards, the review of the most relevant assessment methodologies, and the identification of the leading indicators considered by the different approaches constitute the core of this work. Finally, some relevant examples of the development and use of multi-hazard vulnerability and risk analysis in historic urban areas are also provided and discussed.