Seismic Risk Assessment for Critical Infrastructure Using BIM: A Component-Level Approach

Abstract

Building Information Modeling (BIM) has become a key technology in engineering projects, encompassing structures such as buildings, bridges, pipelines, and road networks. Despite its widespread adoption, its application in seismic risk assessment for infrastructure systems remains underexplored. This study proposes a BIM-based framework designed to evaluate seismic risk by utilizing detailed digital representations of both structural and non-structural elements. By integrating fragility curves, the framework enables component-level vulnerability analysis, where each element is assigned specific fragility parameters, including median capacity and standard deviation across various damage states. The model facilitates the simulation of different seismic scenarios, allowing for the rapid evaluation of infrastructure performance and the identification of the most at-risk components. This methodology provides engineers and decision-makers with a robust tool for quantifying seismic risk and developing strategies to enhance resilience. Preliminary results indicate that BIM significantly improves the efficiency of seismic risk assessment through structured data management and enhanced visualization capabilities, ultimately aiding in better-informed resilience planning.