Abstract
Within the framework of disaster risk management, this article proposes an interdisciplinary method for the analysis of multiple natural hazards, including climate change’s influences, in the context of cultural heritage. A taxonomy of natural hazards applicable to cultural heritage was developed based on the existing theoretical and conceptual frameworks. Sudden-onset hazards, such as earthquakes and floods, and slow-onset hazards, such as wetting–drying cycles and biological contamination, were incorporated into the hazard assessment procedure. Future alteration of conditions due to climate change, such as change in heat waves’ duration, was also taken into account. The proposed hazard assessment framework was applied to the case of the Historic Centre of Rethymno, a city on the northern coast of the island of Crete in Greece, to identify, analyze, and prioritize the hazards that have the potential to cause damage to the center’s historic structures. The assessment procedure includes climate model projections, GIS spatial modeling and mapping, and finally a hazard analysis matrix to enable the sharing of a better understanding of multiple hazards with the stakeholders. The results can facilitate decision making by providing the vulnerability and risk analysis with the nature and spatial distribution of the significant hazards within the study area and its setting.
Highlights
In order to build the conceptual and methodological frameworks of this interdisciplinary study, the link between natural hazards and disasters as well as the development of risk management in the context of heritage conservation need to be elaborated.1.1 Natural Hazards and DisastersNatural hazards can be defined as phenomena associated with geophysical processes in the environment that embody the potential for damage or loss that exists in the presence of a vulnerable human community (Stillwell 1992)
A series of natural hazards was mapped through the employment of spatial modeling in the GIS environment, related to the main threats identified for the Historic Centre of Rethymno (HCR)
This study proposes a classification of natural hazards while taking into account future alterations due to climate change
Summary
Natural hazards can be defined as phenomena associated with geophysical processes in the environment that embody the potential for damage or loss that exists in the presence of a vulnerable human community (Stillwell 1992). Ravankhah et al Integrated Assessment of Natural Hazards for Cultural Heritage Sites supernatural or mystical forces, to nature (physical forces in natural systems), and with some reluctance, to humans who have made changes to natural systems.’’ Kelman (2018) categorizes hazards into entirely from nature (for example, a meteorite), entirely from human activity (for example, pollution), or a combination of the two (for example, flood depth and speed augmented by channeling rivers) When it comes to the classification of natural hazards and disasters to distinguish one class of phenomena from others, Glade and Alexander (2013) indicate speed of onset and duration as the significant criteria in classifying events—drought and soil erosion, for example, are slowonset events. This article explores potential natural hazards (including climate change impacts) in the context of cultural heritage and proposes a framework for assessing multiple hazards within the overall risk assessment procedure
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