A methodology to estimate seismic vulnerability of health facilities. Case study: Mexico City, Mexico

Sonia Morán-Rodríguez and David A. Novelo-Casanova ()
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Sonia Morán-Rodríguez: Instituto de Geofísica, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México
David A. Novelo-Casanova: Instituto de Geofísica, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México

Natural Hazards: Journal of the International Society for the Prevention and Mitigation of Natural Hazards, 2018, vol. 90, issue 3, No 15, 1349-1375

Abstract: Abstract We developed a model to estimate seismic vulnerability of health facilities in Mexico City, Mexico, following these steps: (1) designing a theoretical framework (TF) to measure structural, non-structural, functional, and administrative-organizational vulnerabilities; (2) measurement of the vulnerability conditions of the analyzed facility by using the TF; and (3) estimation of the hospital’s seismic vulnerability by comparing the measured vulnerability to the TF’s vulnerability indicators by taking into account the optimal case. The TF was developed considering a scoring system and international standards for risk management in hospitals. The methodology establishes the degree of vulnerability of the analyzed institution as well as its interrelations with external infrastructure systems. This tool also identifies existing failures to estimate expected damage. The methodology was applied to the National Cardiology Hospital, the Children’s Hospital “Dr. Federico Gómez,” and the “Hospital de Jesus” of Mexico City. The vulnerability problems in these three hospitals are common within them, and some of the main causes of vulnerability found are: (1) the lack of technology to resistant seismic shaking; (2) the need to develop or update disaster response plans; (3) the need of periodic and proper maintenance to hospitals’ buildings; (4) the lack of sufficient financial resources for vulnerability reduction projects and autonomous operations of the hospital during 3–5 days after a disaster occurs. We believe that vulnerability in these health facilities can be reduced with low-cost procedures and that the methodology developed here will support the decision-making processes to reduce seismic risk in Mexico City.

Keywords: Seismic vulnerability; Health facilities; Structural vulnerability; Non-structural vulnerability; Mexico City; Mexico (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2018
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DOI: 10.1007/s11069-017-3101-2

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