Introduction/purpose: This research develops a systematic methodology for assessing the seismic vulnerability of buried water supply and wastewater pipeline networks. The objective is to integrate geological, geotechnical, and structural parameters within a unified decision-support framework, thus enabling infrastructure managers to identify and prioritize vulnerable segments in earthquake-prone regions. Methods: The methodology combines the Vulnerability Index (VI) approach with the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) to assign relative weights to factors such as pipe material, diameter, age, burial depth, soil type, liquefaction potential, seismic intensity, and fault crossings. Expert judgment and pairwise comparisons are used to determine these weights. Geographic Information System (GIS) tools and field surveys support the spatial analysis. The approach is applied to the city of Blida, Algeria, characterized by high seismic hazard and diverse soil conditions. Results: The AHP-based VI approach produced detailed vulnerability maps for both water and sewer networks, classifying pipeline segments into low, medium, and high vulnerability levels. The method demonstrated higher precision and contextual relevance compared to empirical assessments, revealing material brittleness, diameter, and geotechnical conditions as key determinants. Conclusion: The AHP-VI framework provides a robust, adaptable, and transparent tool for seismic risk assessment of lifeline infrastructure. Its applicability extends to both civilian and military contexts, supporting strategic planning, targeted mitigation, and resilience enhancement of critical buried pipelines in seismically active regions.
Zohra et al. (Thu,) studied this question.