RiskScape Structure

The RiskScape model is structured on a general framework for natural hazard risk analysis.  The framework provides a process to quantify risk of impacts from natural hazards by:

1. Identifying the natural hazard event’s characteristics (e.g. flood extent, depth, velocity, duration)

2. Determining the exposure of assets (e.g. people, buildings) to the natural hazard event’s characteristics

3. Assessing how vulnerable assets are to impacts from the natural hazard event’s characteristics (e.g. flood depth vs. building damage)

4. Quantifying the consequences of asset impacts (e.g. casualties, damage state, $loss) arising from the natural hazard event

These components of the risk analysis framework allow for RiskScape to be developed as a modular (integrated) modeling system. The model contains three main modules, hazard, asset and fragility (e.g. vulnerability), with each containing generic specifications to calculate the possible impact or risk for any natural hazard affecting any asset. The RiskScape model structure means that modules are exchangeable, so once modules are added to the model framework, they immediately become available for quantifying impacts from natural hazards.