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Recent research approaches to urban flood vulnerability, 2006–2016

Natural Hazards volume 88, pages 633–649 (2017)Cite this article

Abstract

This study examines the research trend of urban flood risk assessment and investigates what methods and approaches have been changed and how these changes have improved our understanding on multi-dimensions of urban flood vulnerability. By reviewing a total of 318 peer-reviewed journal articles during the last 10 years (2006–2016) using bibliometric and content analysis, we observed that the physical vulnerability was the most popular concerns followed by the institutional vulnerability and social vulnerability. Moreover, we found that the planning and policy approach focusing on institutional vulnerability has the potential to link physical and social dimensions of flood vulnerability, facilitating the tight collaboration between applied sciences and social sciences. This study concluded that the continuous increasing number of the comprehensive approach to urban flood risk assessment offers evidence for a new paradigm shift toward a more inclusive way to understand multi-dimensional aspects of urban flood vulnerability across disciplines and different knowledge systems.

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Acknowledgements

This research was supported by the Institute for Sustainable Solutions at Portland State University. Additional support was provided by the National Science Foundation (NSF #1444755). Views expressed are our own and do not necessarily reflect those of sponsoring agencies.

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  1. Nohad A. Toulan School of Urban Studies and Planning, Portland State University, Portland, OR, USA

    Seong Yun Cho

  2. Department of Geography, Portland State University, Portland, OR, USA

    Heejun Chang

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  1. Seong Yun Cho
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Cho, S.Y., Chang, H. Recent research approaches to urban flood vulnerability, 2006–2016. Nat Hazards 88, 633–649 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11069-017-2869-4

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Keywords

  • Urban floods
  • Vulnerability
  • Comprehensive flood risk assessment
  • Flood governance
  • Holistic approach