Seismic vulnerability assessment of historical masonry buildings located in Annaba city (Algeria) using non ad-hoc data survey

Seismic vulnerability analysis of historical masonry buildings, addressed to earthquake emergency management and protection strategy planning, requires large-scale vulnerability and damage assessment. In this sense, two seismic vulnerability index methods and damage estimation have been adapted and applied to a pilot-scale urban area located in Annaba city (Algeria). The first method is based on the EMS-98 building typologies, and the second is based on the Italian GNDT approach. To accomplish this task, the authors employed an existing data survey, which, however, was not originally developed for seismic purposes. It was used herein to provide input to the vulnerability methods. The main goal of this research is not only to assess the seismic vulnerability and expected damage within Annaba, but also to adapt the two mentioned approaches to the existing data survey, aiming to use such nonspecific building database and to study the possibility of its application for seismic risk estimation in similar regions. The results obtained from the application of these two methods were integrated and compared using a geographic information system, proving that the vulnerability of the buildings surveyed in Annaba is significant, and therefore risk mitigation efforts and public awareness are required.