A Framework for Rapid Vulnerability Assessment of Building Stock Utilizing Critical Seismic Wall Index Calculated via BIM Integrated into GIS for Prioritization of Seismic Risk to Avoid Demolition for Sustainable Cities

A framework for rapid seismic vulnerability assessment and disaster management of urban buildings was developed, incorporating structural information from Building Information Models (BIM) integrated into a Geographic Information System (GIS). The Critical Seismic Wall Index (CSWI) was evaluated for 252 undamaged and damaged buildings and compared with their seismic performance analyses. The seismic vulnerability of these buildings was determined based on site-specific seismic hazard analysis and compared with each building’s CSWI. This study demonstrates the use of BIM within a GIS workflow to enable rapid wall index calculation. Building on previous research that identifies a Critical Seismic Wall Index (CSWI) of 0.0025 as an indicator of a building’s seismic vulnerability, it further proposes a CSWI threshold of 0.004 for buildings with structural irregularities, based on the analysis of the studied building. The implementation of the integrated BIM–GIS methodology could enable rapid risk and damage assessment, as demonstrated in the investigated case studies. This study is significant because it provides a model for quickly assessing the seismic vulnerability of buildings, supporting resilience planning and sustainability, particularly in earthquake-prone regions, by prioritizing seismic risk by identification of high-risk buildings for demolition and prioritization of retrofit.