Assessing urban seismic vulnerability(A case study of Ardabil City)

Due to the devastating effects of earthquakes, it is essential to understand the potential risks and develop strategies to minimize their impact. The aim of this research is to analyze the vulnerability of Ardabil City in Iran to the risk of earthquakes. The study focuses on the five regions of Ardabil City.

The research is applied and descriptive-analytical in methodology. The Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) was utilized for data analysis, which weighs four criteria and 19 sub-criteria. The information layers in Arc GIS software were combined together to produce a map of vulnerable areas.

The findings indicate that planning and land-use criteria are crucial factors in assessing the vulnerability of Ardabil City. The structural and natural criteria also play a role in the seismic vulnerability of the city. The study shows that the northern, northwestern, eastern, and central parts of Ardabil City are more vulnerable to the risk of earthquakes. Conversely, the southern part of the city is considered the most resistant.

The results indicate that nearly 30% of urban spaces have moderate to high vulnerability to earthquake risk, while around 50% are exposed to high vulnerability. This suggests that the physical structure of these areas is not suitable to manage a crisis caused by seismic activity. In conclusion, this research presents valuable insights into the risk of earthquakes in Ardabil City. The findings can inform the development of mitigation strategies to reduce the impact of earthquakes and protect the local community.