Site-specific vulnerability assessment for debris flows: Two case studies

Abstract

Here the vulnerability is defined as the potential total maximum losses due to a debris flow damaging event for a specific debris flow fan. The vulnerability is classified into property vulnerability and population vulnerability. Assessment indexes include the assets of buildings, traffic facilities, lifeline works, personal properties, and land resources for property vulnerability; age, education, and wealth of the inhabitants, natural population growth rate, and population density for population vulnerability. The vulnerability is expressed as the sum of the transformed values of the losses of property and population. Two study cases with post-fact damages by historic debris flow events in Sichuan of SW China are presented.