Framework for Incorporating Community Social Vulnerability in the Assessment of Hurricane-Induced Wind Risk to Residential Buildings

Abstract

The damage to residential buildings caused by hurricane-induced hazards is significant in the United States. There is a substantial body of research related to assessing physical damages to residential buildings and their direct economic impacts, yet the social consequences of such damages have generally been neglected. Since more socially vulnerable community members tend to live in more vulnerable buildings and neighborhoods, it is imperative to incorporate social vulnerability into community resilience assessment models. In this paper, a novel framework is proposed to create hurricane-induced wind risk maps that include both physical and social vulnerability, so that resilience-informed decisions can be made.