Article
Forestry
Alessio Cislaghi, Edoardo Alterio, Paolo Fogliata, Andrea Rizzi, Emanuele Lingua, Giorgio Vacchiano, Gian Battista Bischetti, Tommaso Sitzia
Summary: Root reinforcement is an important mechanism through which forests contribute to preventing and mitigating shallow instabilities in mountain areas. This study found that the effectiveness of root reinforcement differs among different forest types, with the lowest effectiveness found in sweet chestnut forests. Low thinning did not significantly impact root reinforcement, while random cluster thinning reduced it by five-fold.
FOREST ECOLOGY AND MANAGEMENT
(2021)
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Isabella Aitkenhead, Yuriy Kuleshov, Jessica Bhardwaj, Zhi-Weng Chua, Chayn Sun, Suelynn Choy
Summary: Climate change is increasing the frequency and intensity of natural hazards, causing disastrous impacts on vulnerable communities. The Pacific Small Island Developing States (SIDS), particularly Papua New Guinea, lack knowledge on drought risk and resilient risk management. This research developed a tailored drought risk assessment methodology using geographic information system (GIS), demonstrating its validity and potential in informing resilient drought management practices. The results contribute to enhancing provincial drought risk knowledge in Papua New Guinea.
NATURAL HAZARDS AND EARTH SYSTEM SCIENCES
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Yanyan Zhou, Dongxia Yue, Geng Liang, Shuangying Li, Yan Zhao, Zengzu Chao, Xingmin Meng
Summary: This study focused on a complete catchment in the Bailong River Basin and used remote sensing and GIS methods to establish a debris flow hazard assessment model using a machine learning algorithm. The results showed that the Extra Trees model was highly accurate. By combining socio-economic data and survey data, a vulnerability assessment model was established, and a debris flow risk assessment model was constructed by combining the hazard and vulnerability factors. The study found that high-risk areas were mainly located in regions with dense economic activities and frequent disasters, providing scientific support for planning measures.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Aditya Kumar Dubey, Preet Lal, Pankaj Kumar, Amit Kumar, Y. Anton Dvornikov
Summary: This study analyzes the heatwave hazards and risks in India, finding that future global warming will significantly worsen heatwave hazards and risks in all regions, particularly in the eastern and middle Indo-Gangetic plains and Malabar region.
ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH
(2021)
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Jinhuang Lin, Wenhui Chen, Xinhua Qi, Haoran Hou
Summary: Fujian Province is a typical mountainous region with frequent geological hazards, and this study reveals the spatial pattern and influencing factors of geological hazard risk using multiple indicators. The findings can guide the local government in developing targeted prevention strategies to address geological hazards effectively.
JOURNAL OF CLEANER PRODUCTION
(2021)
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Moslem Savari, Hamed Eskandari Damaneh, Hadi Eskandari Damaneh
Summary: The study assessed the drought vulnerability of wheat farmers in southeastern Iran, revealing a high level of vulnerability among farmers particularly in economic, socio-cultural, and technical-environmental aspects. Results indicated that farmers in Sirjan and Rudbar-e Jonubi counties were the most vulnerable to drought impacts.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF DISASTER RISK REDUCTION
(2022)
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Roberto Gentile, Gemma Cremen, Carmine Galasso, Luke T. Jenkins, Vibek Manandhar, Emin Yahya Mentese, Ramesh Guragain, John McCloskey
Summary: This study focuses on scoring, selecting and developing physical fragility and vulnerability models for assets, with an emphasis on buildings. The proposed procedure includes mapping assets to existing models, scoring and selecting the most suitable models, or developing new models using advanced methods. The approach is demonstrated on buildings in the virtual urban testbed Tomorrowville.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF DISASTER RISK REDUCTION
(2022)
Article
Ecology
Manuel Ebner, Veronika Fontana, Uta Schirpke, Ulrike Tappeiner
Summary: This study examines the key ecosystem services of mountain lakes and explores stakeholder perceptions on their importance and contributions to human well-being in the Central European Alps region of South Tyrol, Italy. The results show that stakeholders prioritize habitat maintenance and aesthetic value, with varying perspectives on the benefits of these services, as well as notions of care and stewardship. The study highlights the potential of participatory and socio-cultural assessment approaches in understanding context-specific ecosystem services and presents initial steps towards the integrative assessment of mountain lakes.
ECOSYSTEM SERVICES
(2022)
Article
Engineering, Industrial
Jiansong Wu, Yiping Bai, Huanhuan Zhao, Xiaofeng Hu, Valerio Cozzani
Summary: This study proposes a quantitative risk assessment model for LNG bunkering and storage at ports based on Bayesian network, which offers a new perspective to identify hazards and risks and assess the evolution process of LNG accidents. Scenario analysis of typical LNG accidents validates the proposed model, while sensitivity analysis helps identify critical hazards and quantify correlations between elements in LNG accidents. The risk assessment framework contributes significantly to enhancing the technical tools available for safety assessment and loss prevention in LNG bunkering and storage at ports.
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Sanish Bhochhibhoya, Roisha Maharjan
Summary: In this paper, the authors present an integrated seismic risk assessment of Nepal using census data, evaluating both physical and social vulnerability. The results reveal variations in the integrated risk index across different regions.
NATURAL HAZARDS AND EARTH SYSTEM SCIENCES
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Hao Guo, Ran Wang, Gregg M. Garfin, Anyu Zhang, Degen Lin, Qin'ou Liang, Jing'ai Wang
Summary: This study used the EPIC model to simulate the future risk of rice yield due to drought, finding that high-risk areas are mainly located north of 30 degrees latitude. The expected increase in shortwave radiation is associated with a loss in rice yield.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2021)
Article
Energy & Fuels
Jianing Luo, Hangxin Li, Shengwei Wang
Summary: This study proposes a novel uncertainty-based reliability assessment approach and risk quantification method for islanded microgrids, using a hotel microgrid in Hong Kong as an example. The results show that the proposed approach provides more robust reliability assessment results and identifies the highest monthly and hourly power inadequacy risks.
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Yufeng He, Mingtao Ding, Hao Zheng, Zemin Gao, Tao Huang, Yu Duan, Xingjie Cui, Siyuan Luo
Summary: In recent years, the impact of geological disasters on mountainous settlement has received attention. However, the risk assessment in mountainous areas is still challenging due to a lack of refined data and development imbalances. This study used spatialization to obtain refined socioeconomic data and conducted a frequency ratio-random forest model to evaluate hazards. Vulnerability was evaluated using a triangular fuzzy number-based analytic hierarchy process, integrating an inhomogeneity index to account for development imbalances. The proposed risk assessment framework was applied in Lushan and Baoxing counties of Southwestern China, producing risk maps that quantify the impact of development inhomogeneity and contribute to the scientific assessment of vulnerability for mountainous settlements.
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Ming Chang, Peng Cui, Xiangyang Dou, Fenghuan Su
Summary: The research quantitatively assessed the risk of landslides in the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, analyzed through establishing an evaluation index system and four main steps. The results showed that 31.5% of the research areas are at a moderate risk level or higher, which can further aid in transportation planning, resettlement region selection, and mitigation measure formulation.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF DISASTER RISK REDUCTION
(2021)
Review
Engineering, Environmental
Yuanyuan Xu, Genserik Reniers, Ming Yang, Shuaiqi Yuan, Chao Chen
Summary: This paper reviews the literature on quantitative risk assessment (QRA) of domino accidents in the chemical process industries. The sources of uncertainty in risk assessment of domino effects are identified and categorized. The current methodologies and approaches for handling various uncertainties in QRA related to domino effects are reviewed. This study provides insights into the uncertainty fundamentals and the current status of uncertainty handling in QRA of domino effects, and promotes the development of new approaches for handling uncertainty in domino accident analysis.
PROCESS SAFETY AND ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Marie-Sophie Attems, Matthias Schloegl, Thomas Thaler, Magdalena Rauter, Sven Fuchs
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Marie-Sophie Attems, Thomas Thaler, Karin A. W. Snel, Peter Davids, Thomas Hartmann, Sven Fuchs
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF DISASTER RISK REDUCTION
(2020)
Article
Environmental Sciences
M. Papathoma-Koehle, T. Thaler, S. Fuchs
Summary: This paper provides an in-depth examination of the impact of institutional vulnerability on natural disasters, emphasizing its close connection with other vulnerability dimensions and its susceptibility to various types of crises. Through three European case studies, the direct influence of institutional vulnerability on all other vulnerability dimensions is highlighted.
ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH LETTERS
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Matthias Schlogl, Sven Fuchs, Christian Scheidl, Micha Heiser
Summary: In recent years, losses due to torrential flooding in the Eastern European Alps have been increasing, with climate change and settlement growth as the postulated root causes. However, despite increasing triggering precipitation indices and exposed building numbers, there were no clear trends in the frequency, magnitude, and seasonality of damage-inducing torrential flooding, possibly due to a compensatory effect of the increasing number of technical mitigation structures.
CLIMATE RISK MANAGEMENT
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Andreas Paul Zischg, Veronika Roethlisberger, Markus Mosimann, Rahel Profico-Kaltenrieder, David Bresch, Sven Fuchs, Martina Kauzlaric, Margreth Keiler
Summary: The choice of vulnerability functions is crucial in flood risk management, impacting the overall uncertainty of flood damage modeling. In data-scarce regions, developing flood impact models based on global datasets is feasible, and targeted heuristics can be a valuable alternative approach.
JOURNAL OF FLOOD RISK MANAGEMENT
(2021)
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Thomas Thaler, Marie-Sophie Attems, Sven Fuchs
Summary: This paper assesses and explains institutional innovations in natural hazard risk management by analyzing examples of multi-functional protection schemes. The results highlight the importance of bottom-up initiatives and risk acceptance among decision makers and the public in driving institutional innovations in risk management.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF DISASTER RISK REDUCTION
(2022)
Article
Engineering, Civil
Maria Papathoma-Koehle, Matthias Schloegl, Lea Dosser, Florian Roesch, Marco Borga, Marcel Erlicher, Margreth Keiler, Sven Fuchs
Summary: This study compares the results of vulnerability assessment using vulnerability curves and vulnerability indices. It found that vulnerability curves, while valuable, tend to over-estimate damages, while vulnerability indices provide better understanding of local-scale damage patterns but require more detailed data and further research. Both methods complement each other and provide better insights into the physical vulnerability of buildings exposed to torrential hazards.
JOURNAL OF HYDROLOGY
(2022)
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Matthias Schlogl, Karlheinz Gutjahr, Sven Fuchs
Summary: This article discusses the powerful tool of satellite radar interferometry for measuring displacements of the Earth's surface. It recommends extending the current focus on ex-post analyses and monitoring towards ex-ante early warning applications.
Correction
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Matthias Schloegl, Karlheinz Gutjahr, Sven Fuchs
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
M. Papathoma-Koehle, M. Schloegl, C. Garlichs, M. Diakakis, S. Mavroulis, S. Fuchs
Summary: This paper presents an innovative solution for assessing the vulnerability of buildings to wildfires, using a physical vulnerability index developed through a relevant feature selection algorithm. Data from a recent wildfire event in Greece were used to select and weight building characteristics to form the index. The index can be used in Europe and other places where empirical data is lacking to support decision-making and risk reduction for emerging hazards.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2022)
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
M. Heiser, M. Schlogl, C. Scheidl, S. Fuchs
Summary: This article discusses the trend reports of a debris flow series in Zermatt Valley, Switzerland, and points out that we were unable to confirm the findings of the original study. We also explain that confusion between different types of data analytic questions can lead to the confirmation of trends that may not hold beyond the data set, and demonstrate how the reported effect could be an artifact of incomplete data.
JOURNAL OF GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH-EARTH SURFACE
(2022)
Article
Environmental Studies
Alexander Fekete, Sven Fuchs, Matthias Garschagen, Gerard Hutter, Silja Klepp, Catharina Luder, Thomas Neise, Dominic Sett, Kirsten von Elverfeldt, Mia Wannewitz
Summary: This paper discusses the dynamic changes and risks caused by natural hazards and climate change, and explores the theoretical foundations of adjustment and transformation. It analyzes four interdisciplinary cases from different countries to provide insights for risk managers and decision-makers in dealing with climate change-related hazards.
Article
Geography, Physical
Micha Heiser, Matthias Schloegl, Bernhard Spangl, Sven Fuchs, Dieter Rickenmann, Markus Zimmermann, Christian Scheidl
Summary: The threat of natural hazards in mountainous regions has created a risk culture that requires understanding of the frequency of hazardous processes. Research indicates that the frequency of debris-flow events in a single catchment is influenced by its geological, lithological, and geomorphological characteristics, in addition to climatic thresholds. Our study, based on analysis of debris-flow event frequencies in 47 headwater catchments, supports the categorization of recurrence intervals as irregular, clustered, or regular, proposed by Zimmermann et al. in 1997. However, our classification considers potential dependencies between events based on their inter-event times, rather than solely relying on geomorphological characteristics. Furthermore, we demonstrate that for irregular frequencies, neither climatic nor geomorphological thresholds are affected by the last debris-flow event, while for regular and clustered time series, dynamic changes of climatic and geomorphological thresholds are reasonable due to mutual dependency between events.
EARTH SURFACE PROCESSES AND LANDFORMS
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Maria Papathoma-Koehle, Ahmadreza Ghazanfari, Roland Mariacher, Werner Huber, Timo Luecksmann, Sven Fuchs
Summary: Recent events have shown the devastating impact of meteorological hazards on buildings and infrastructure. The possible effects of climate change and the rise in asset value may significantly increase future risks. Decision-makers need to analyze these risks and focus on the vulnerability of the built environment to minimize consequences and costs. However, there is limited research on the vulnerability of buildings to meteorological hazards.
APPLIED SCIENCES-BASEL
(2023)
Article
Environmental Studies
Marina Huelssiep, Thomas Thaler, Sven Fuchs
Summary: In summary, humanitarian assistance following the Gorkha earthquake in Nepal did not have a long-term positive impact on the root causes of vulnerability, but did partially address vulnerabilities at the micro level. To reduce the extent of future disasters, the fundamental reasons for vulnerability need to be addressed more effectively.
