Mapping, Monitoring and Assessing Disasters II

A special issue of Applied Sciences (ISSN 2076-3417). This special issue belongs to the section "Earth Sciences".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 September 2023) | Viewed by 5032

Special Issue Editors


E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Dynamic Tectonic Applied Geology, Faculty of Geology and Geoenvironment, School of Sciences, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 15784 Athens, Greece
Interests: earth sciences; natural hazards; prevention and management of disasters induced by natural hazards; environmental, disasters and crises management strategies; impact of natural hazards on public health
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
School of Sciences, Faculty of Geology and Geoenvironment, Department of Dynamic Tectonic Applied Geology, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 15784 Athens, Greece
Interests: applied geology; natural hazards; earthquake planning and protection; disaster management
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Detecting, mapping, and monitoring technologies and related studies and applications play a significant role in disaster management and disaster risk reduction. In the past, the mapping of a disaster and its impact was generally a time-consuming procedure, the results of which would only be available long after the completion of the response actions and recovery process. In recent decades, geospatial technological advances have boosted the efficiency of disaster mapping and made it possible for involved scientists and researchers to acquire and analyze related information and disseminate critical data to the scientific community, the authorities involved in disaster management, the affected population, and the general public.

Synergies of modern methodologies, comprising applications of GIS-based software, space technology, and remote sensing and post-event field surveys supported by innovative techniques are incredibly useful tools for the detailed mapping of disasters and their impacts on the population, as well as on the natural environment and the building stock. Such synergies can be considered a breakthrough for disaster management, as it is now possible to assess the intensity and severity of events and their impact shortly after their generation, as well as to provide critical information to responders during emergencies and to the staff involved in the recovery process.

The purpose of this Special Issue is to collect research advances in detecting, mapping, monitoring, and assessing disasters such as earthquakes, tsunamis, landslides, liquefaction, floods, and forest fires using innovative techniques as well as for monitoring disaster recovery. With this aim, original research articles, review articles, and innovative study approaches are welcomed.

Dr. Spyridon Mavroulis
Prof. Dr. Efthymios Lekkas
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Applied Sciences is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Published Papers (2 papers)

Order results
Result details
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:

Research

34 pages, 7546 KiB  
Article
Debris Management in Turkey Provinces Affected by the 6 February 2023 Earthquakes: Challenges during Recovery and Potential Health and Environmental Risks
by Spyridon Mavroulis, Maria Mavrouli, Emmanuel Vassilakis, Ioannis Argyropoulos, Panayotis Carydis and Efthymis Lekkas
Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(15), 8823; https://doi.org/10.3390/app13158823 - 31 Jul 2023
Cited by 11 | Viewed by 2854
Abstract
On 6 February 2023, southeastern Turkey was struck by two major earthquakes that devastated 11 provinces. Tens of thousands of buildings collapsed and more were later demolished. During post-event field surveys conducted by the authors, several disposal sites set up in the most [...] Read more.
On 6 February 2023, southeastern Turkey was struck by two major earthquakes that devastated 11 provinces. Tens of thousands of buildings collapsed and more were later demolished. During post-event field surveys conducted by the authors, several disposal sites set up in the most affected provinces were detected and checked for suitability. Based on field observations on the properties of sites and their surrounding areas as well as on the implemented debris management activities, it is concluded that all sites had characteristics that did not allow them to be classified as safe for earthquake debris management. This inadequacy is mainly attributed to their proximity to areas, where thousands of people reside. As regards the environmental impact, these sites were operating within or close to surface water bodies. This situation reveals a rush for rapid recovery resulting in serious errors in the preparation and implementation of disaster management plans. In this context, measures for effective debris management are proposed based on the existing scientific knowledge and operational experience. This paper aims to highlight challenges during earthquakes debris management and related threats posed to public health and the environment in order to be avoided in future destructive events. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Mapping, Monitoring and Assessing Disasters II)
Show Figures

Figure 1

17 pages, 4233 KiB  
Article
Vulnerability of Buildings to Meteorological Hazards: A Web-Based Application Using an Indicator-Based Approach
by Maria Papathoma-Köhle, Ahmadreza Ghazanfari, Roland Mariacher, Werner Huber, Timo Lücksmann and Sven Fuchs
Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(10), 6253; https://doi.org/10.3390/app13106253 - 19 May 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1520
Abstract
Recent events have demonstrated the devastating impact of meteorological hazards on buildings and infrastructure. The possible effects of climate change on their frequency and intensity but also the rise in the value of assets may increase future risks significantly. It is crucial, therefore, [...] Read more.
Recent events have demonstrated the devastating impact of meteorological hazards on buildings and infrastructure. The possible effects of climate change on their frequency and intensity but also the rise in the value of assets may increase future risks significantly. It is crucial, therefore, for decision-makers to analyze these risks, focusing on the vulnerability of the built environment to reduce future consequences and the associated costs. However, limited studies focus on the vulnerability of buildings to meteorological hazards. The aim of the present paper is to introduce an indicator-based vulnerability assessment approach for buildings subject to three meteorological hazards (windstorms, heavy rainfall, and hail). The selection of vulnerability indicators (e.g., material, roof shape, etc.) was based on a thorough literature review. The results of an expert survey were analyzed using M-MACBETH software, and the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) was used to weigh each indicator according to the expert opinions and to aggregate them into an index. A web-based application was developed that gives homeowners and other end-users the opportunity to assess the vulnerability of specific buildings by indicating the municipality, the building type, and other building characteristics. The web-application is publicly available and free of charge. The resulting index is a valuable tool for decision-makers, homeowners, authorities, and insurance companies. However, the availability of empirical damage data from real events could contribute to enhancing the performance of the presented approach. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Mapping, Monitoring and Assessing Disasters II)
Show Figures

Figure 1

Back to TopTop