Development of Risk Indicator Incorporating Regional Characteristics for Fire-Following Earthquake Risk Assessment

Abstract

Secondary damages caused by earthquakes, such as fires, tsunamis, and landslides, significantly damage buildings (or structures) and adversely affect humans. Historical cases have highlighted the severe dangers posed by fire-following earthquakes (FFEs). The risk of FFE is determined by regional characteristics, such as the density of buildings and the types of fire-resistant structures. However, researchers have previously evaluated this risk by comparing relative fire burn rates without considering regional characteristics. Hence, a methodology used previously is adopted in this study to calculate regional-level fire burn rates in Pohang City. Subsequently, the relationship between regional characteristics and fire burn rates is examined. Based on the analysis results, a new risk indicator is proposed for evaluating the FFE risk while considering regional characteristics, and the results obtained for Pohang City are compared with those published in the literature (FFE risk ranking in L, Northern, Pohang = 3 or 2 vs. 2).