We present a model for calculating the expected damage caused by an earthquake. We consider earthquakes of levels VI, VII, VIII and IX according to the EMS and assume that their occurrences are mutually independent and follow the same distribution law, which depends on the level and location of the earthquake. Estimated damage is calculated by region, therefore in each region we have to estimate the average time between two earthquakes and to calculate the probabilities that one or more earthquakes would occur in a particular region. The number of earthquakes also depends on the length of the observation period.
In addition to the magnitude of the earthquake, the damage caused is also affected by the structure of the buildings and the the year of construction. All buildings in the territory of Slovenia were divided into 6 vulnerability classes, according the material of the load-bearing structure, which determines their earthquake resistance. We determine the proportion of buildings in each vulnerability class which collapses upon an earthquake of given intensity intensity. We have left the results calculated in m^2, so we can determine an appropriate monetary estimate of the expected damage in each region.
|