Prioritizing the Components of Vulnerability in a Genetic Algorithms Minimization of Flood Risk

Abstract

We compare two prioritization schemes for the components of flooding vulnerability: urbanized area ration, literacy rate, mortality rate, poverty, radio/tv penetration, non-structural measures and structural measure. We prioritize the components, giving each a weight. We then express the vulnerability function as a weighted sum of its components. This weighted sum serves as the fitness function in a genetic algorithm, which comes up with the optimal design for a flood-resistant city.