An Intelligent Network Proposed for Assessing Seismic Vulnerability Index of Sewerage Networks within a GIS Framework (A Case Study of Shahr-e-Kord)

Due to their vast spread, sewerage networks are exposed to considerable damages during severe earthquakes, which may lead to catastrophic environmental contamination. Multiple repairs in the pipelines, including pipe and joint fractures, could be costly and time-consuming. In seismic risk management, it is of utmost importance to have an intelligent tool for assessing seismic vulnerability index at any given point in time for such important utilities as sewerage networks. This study uses a weight-factor methodology and proposes an online GIS-based intelligent algorithm to evaluate the seismic vulnerability index (VI) for metropolitan sewerage networks. The proposed intelligent tool is capable of updating VI as the sewerage network conditions may change with time and at different locations. The city of Shahr-e-Kord located on the high risk seismic belt is selected for a case study to which the proposed methodology is applied for zoning the vulnerability index in GIS. Results show that the overall seismic vulnerability index for the selected study area ranges from low to medium but that it increases in the southern parts of the city, especially in the old town where brittle pipes have been laid