Multi Criteria Decision Models for seismic vulnerability analysis at territorial scale: the case study of Garfagnana (Tuscany)

Italy is one of the countries with the greatest historic heritage in the world, but also one of the most seismic. In this context an earthquake can cause significant damage. Usually, the vulnerability of a building is verified with in-depth and expensive structural assessment, without considering spatial relations and local context. In this study a method is proposed for the assessment of Territorial Seismic Vulnerability, based on both building characteristics and morphological and spatial parameters. It is an urban-scale approach that allows an objective classification of buildings using an economical procedure. The method, based on the development of a geographical Multiple Criteria Decision Making model and on the participatory approach of the Analytic Hierarchy Process, has been tested in the study area of Garfagnana (Tuscany). The model can be a useful support tool for urban planning, allowing the optimization of public resources in the most vulnerable areas.