Empirical assessment evaluates seismic damage susceptibility in historical city center buildings, highlighting effective heritage conservation and urban risk mitigation strategies.
Key Points
To establish a rapid, simplified empirical framework for assessing seismic vulnerability and prioritizing preservation and structural mitigation in historic urban centers.
Developed a vulnerability index questionnaire containing 42 indicators across four weighted categories: structural aspects, architectural–artistic value, urban importance, and socio-economic importance.
Assessed N=17 historical buildings (civil, religious, cultural, and infrastructural) in Lugoj City Center, Romania, under an intensity VIII European Macroseismic Scale (EMS-98) scenario.
Identified a mean seismic vulnerability index of 89.57 across the 17 assessed historical structures.
Classified anticipated damage states under the VIII EMS-98 scenario as D1 for 11 buildings, D2 for 5 buildings, and D3 for 1 building.