Development of a gis-oriented database for the pre-and post-earthquake assessment of buildings

The paper presents a comprehensive strategy for rapid visual inspection of buildings and optimal prioritization of strengthening or remedial actions that are necessary prior to, or after, an earthquake event, respectively. Based on the FEMA procedures and the experience gained in the framework of building assessment in Greece, a building inventory and ranking algorithm is created for the case of the city of Düzce, in Turkey, a city strongly damaged during the devastating 1999 earthquake. Moreover, a multi-functional computer tool is developed for the management, evaluation, processing and archiving of the data stock gathered during the pre / post earthquake assessment process. The database core is reflected in real time onto a multi-layered GIS platform offering quick visualization of the spatial distribution of the pre-earthquake building condition, as well as of damage after an earthquake. As a pilot study, the data acquired on site are wirelessly synchronized with the use of a Personal Digital Assistant (PDA) contributing to the reduction of the time required for information gathering. By applying the proposed strategy and using the GIS-oriented database for the case for the case of a city already hit by a strong earthquake, the local authorities are equipped with a decision-making and risk management tool that is currently installed, tested and operating in real conditions.