Urban modifiers of seismic vulnerability aimed at Urban Zoning Regulations

Despite the importance of spatial planning and urban planning in areas with seismic risk, urban modifiers affecting the vulnerability of buildings have not received special attention from researchers. Some international initiatives such as Benedetti and Petrini (Ind Constr 18:66-78, 1984), the EMS-98 and the Risk-UE project (2003), aware of the importance of this issue have contemplated behavior modifiers, thus ultimately increasing or decreasing the building's vulnerability. This paper analyses urban planning in earthquake zones in order to classify urban modifiers that make cities vulnerable. To this end, the research is based on developments carried out as part of Risk-UE, in its Level I empirical methodology, and aimed at studying behavior modifiers. In order to determine the relationship between urban modifiers and damage, the researchers undertook an exploratory study of such modifiers in the city of Lorca with the aim of establishing their correlation with the damage caused by the 2011 earthquake 3 km from the city. This analysis could be useful for autonomous regions, municipalities and urban planners in establishing Urban Zoning Regulations, constructing new buildings and upgrading the seismic behavior of existing cities.