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The Disruption Index (DI) as a tool to measure disaster mitigation strategies

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Abstract

Apart from the loss of lives, injuries and homeless resulting from an earthquake, not only the economy and physical landscape are altered, but also the lives of citizens and their places of work are dramatically altered. If critical services and functions are disrupted for more than a reasonable time period, consequences can be severe. All communities are at risk and face potential disaster, if unprepared. The Disruption Index (DI) is a tool that allows the representation of a complex and multidimensional situation in a concise and easier way, providing institutions and communities with a way to identify the global earthquake impact in a geographical area, the elements at risk, and the means to reduce it. In the present paper, after a short review of the concept of DI, its geographic (spatial) distribution is developed and an application to some cities in Algarve (Portugal) is made. Then, the use of DI in the context of measuring the risk reduction for alternative disaster mitigation strategies is introduced and illustrations are presented.

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Acknowledgments

We gratefully acknowledge the support of the Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (PhD Grant SFRH/BD/71198/2010). This paper was co-financed by the EU—Civil Protection Financial Instrument in the framework of the European Project “Urban disaster Prevention Strategies using MAcroseismic Fields and FAult Sources” (UPStrat-MAFA—Num. 230301/2011/613486/SUB/A5), DG ECHO Unit A5.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Civil Engineering, Architecture and Geo-Resources, Instituto Superior Técnico, University of Lisbon, Av. Rovisco Pais, 1049-001, Lisbon, Portugal

    M. A. Ferreira, F. Mota de Sá & C. S. Oliveira

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  1. M. A. Ferreira
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  2. F. Mota de Sá
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  3. C. S. Oliveira
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Correspondence to M. A. Ferreira.

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Ferreira, M.A., de Sá, F.M. & Oliveira, C.S. The Disruption Index (DI) as a tool to measure disaster mitigation strategies. Bull Earthquake Eng 14, 1957–1977 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10518-015-9808-0

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10518-015-9808-0

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