Features

The SISMET Method: a Preliminary Assessment Tool to Determine Seismic Risk on Urban and Peri-Urban Road Infrastructures in a Crisis Management Context

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The aim of the SISMET method is to carry out a preliminary seismic risk assessment on existing road infrastructures in an urban or peri-urban context. At the scale of a route or a route section, this method is based on the definition and assessment of vulnerability criteria relating to the various structures that comprise it (bridges, retaining walls, tunnels and road slopes). These vulnerability criteria are then combined with the various direct and indirect hazard parameters which could threaten these structures in the event of an earthquake: ground vibration factoring in potential geological and topographical site effects, indirect effects, soil liquefaction, falling blocks, landslides, as well as the risk of buildings falling onto roads. Lastly, an importance criterion weights the results obtained in terms of the risk of the route potentially being blocked to rescue vehicles, in order to incorporate the access issues which are specific to crisis management (hospitals, fire stations, train stations, airports, densely populated areas, etc.) as well as the possibilities of temporary restoration or local diversions.