No abstract

SUMMARYThe objective of this study is to develop an analytical model that can predict the building-relevant deflections induced by tunnelling or mining subsidence. The model takes into account soil-structure interactions due to differences in stiffness between the ground and the building.The ground is modelled by the Winkler model with an initial ground curvature equivalent to the freefield ground movements. The building is modelled by a horizontal beam with uniform loading. The static and cinematic equilibrium of both the ground and the building are then calculated to assess the final building and ground shape, and the building deflection is derived.The resulting analytical model is used to investigate the influence of the ground and the building's mechanical properties, the building load and the initial value of the free-field ground curvature (hogging or sagging). The model appears to be more comprehensive than those reported elsewhere that address the problem with numerical models. In particular, the analytical model makes it possible to distinguish two different final situations-with continuous or discontinuous contact between the ground and the building. The model is compared with numerical results and used to analyse a case study.

The extraction of ore and minerals by underground mining often causes ground subsidence phenomena. In urban regions, these phenomena may induce small to severe damage to buildings. To evaluate this damage, several empirical and analytical methods have been developed in different countries. However, these methods are difficult to use and compare due to differences in the number of criteria used (from 1 to 12). Furthermore, the results provided by damage evaluation may be significantly different from one method to another. The present paper develops vulnerability functions based on a concept that has been applied in other areas, such as earthquake engineering, and that appears to be a more efficient way to assess building vulnerability in undermined cities. A methodology is described for calculating vulnerability functions in subsidence zones using empirical methods. The first part of the paper focuses on existing empirical methods for damage evaluation, and selected necessary improvements or modifications are justified. The second part focuses on the development of a building typology in subsidence zones and its application in the Lorraine region, where many villages are subject to subsidence problems due to iron-ore mining. The third section describes and discusses the adopted methodology for determining vulnerability and fragility functions or curves. Finally, vulnerability functions are tested and validated with a set of three subsidences that occurred in Lorraine between 1996 and 1999.

Abstract. This paper attempts to provide a decision support framework that can help risk managers in urban areas to improve their decision-making processes related to sustainable management. Currently, risk management strategies should no longer be selected based primarily on economic and technical insight. Managers must address the sustainability of risk management by assessing the impacts of their decisions on the sustainable development of a given territory. These assessments require tools that allow ex ante comparisons of the effectiveness and the likely economic, social and ecological impacts of the alternative management strategies. Therefore, this paper reports a methodological and operational framework, which aims to incorporate sustainability principles in a particular decision by taking all the dimensions that affect sustainability into account. This paper is divided into two main parts: one on the theoretical aspects of the proposed methodology and the other on its application to a flood risks management case in a municipality located in Meurthe-etMoselle county (France). The results of the case study have shown how the methodology can be suitable for determining the most sustainable decision.

No abstract