The Vulnerability of Highly Populated Buildings in the Face of Earthquake and Tsunami Hazards

Abstract

The vulnerability of highly populated buildings, such as entertainment arenas, stadiums, religious buildings, and community centres, has received little attention in the literature. These buildings are of particular concern due to their high occupancy rates and the potential for significant casualties and economic losses in the event of a natural hazard, such as an earthquake or tsunami. In this study, the AsiaWorld-Expo in Hong Kong, with a maximum capacity of over 30,000 people, was chosen as a case study. A 3D numerical model of the structure was created using the OpenSees software. A range of earthquake scenarios was used to assess the building's seismic vulnerability, whilst a physics-based methodology was utilised to generate tsunami fragility curves of the structure for a wide range of conceivable scenarios. The results of this study provide insight into the vulnerability of highly populated buildings and can lead to the development of risk-informed structural design strategies.