Rapid Seismic Vulnerability and Risk Assessment of Kermanshah Historic Mosques

Abstract

Background: In this research a rapid vulnerability and risk assessment at a territorial level is performed. Methods: The methodology used, initially proposed for ancient masonry churches, is extended and applied to ten historic masonry mosques in Kermanshah city. The method could be considered as preliminary risk assessment approach of historic structures, refers to LV0 method, since the used methodology requires simple qualitative information. It involves the application of three distinct tools; the exposure, the seismic hazard, and the seismic vulnerability. Results: The comparisons among the obtained results, by considering also the damages suffered during the last earthquakes and war blasts, validate the methodology proposed, capable of providing a seismic risk scoring at a territorial level also for ancient masonry mosques. As known, through this kind of approach, important information is obtained in order to manage and to mitigate the seismic risk of a certain territorial asset. The results show that all ten mosques has medium earthquake vulnerability condition. Emad e Doleh mosque is the most vulnerable case with vulnerability of 34. Navab mosque is located on the most hazardous place. Furthermore, the seismic vulnerability map and seismic risk indices are presented for all the investigated mosques. Conclusion: The obtained results are useful for ranking the priorities and for preliminary defining an interventions plan to be examined in detail with additional quantitative investigations carried out with more refined approaches.