Risk assessment of people trapped in earthquake disasters based on a single building: a case study in Xichang city, Sichuan Province, China

Abstract

Strengthening the study of trapped personnel distribution in an earthquake not only ensures the efficiency and orderliness of earthquake rescue but also maximizes the survival probability of trapped people and reduces casualties. Through distinguishing the use functions of buildings, this study constructed an assessment model of people trapped in a collapsed single building due to an earthquake and evaluated the risk of individuals trapped in Xichang area, China. The results showed that the risk level of people trapped in collapsed buildings in Xichang area is high. Under the influence of seismic intensity IХ, the proportion of people trapped in collapsed buildings has reached approximately 1–2% of the total regional population. The risk level of trapped people in the daytime and at nighttime caused by the same earthquake scenario is significantly different. The number of potentially trapped people at night is nearly two times greater than that during the day. The low seismic performance of buildings is the most important factor causing the high risk of people trapped. The use function of buildings also has an important effect on the risk assessment of the trapped population distribution. Some suggestions are provided for the local risk reduction of people trapped in earthquakes.