Journal of Seismology and Earthquake Engineering

Journal of Seismology and Earthquake Engineering

Comparative seismic risk assessment of water and wastewater point facilities: A fragility-based case study in Kashan, Central Iran

Document Type : Research Article

Authors
1 Civil Engineering Department , The University of Kashan, Kashan, Iran
2 Faculty of Engineering, Mahallat Institute of Higher Education, Mahallat, Iran
3 International Institute of Earthquake Engineering and Seismology, Tehran, Iran
Abstract
As critical lifeline infrastructure, water and wastewater systems (WWS) are essential for crisis management yet remain highly vulnerable to earthquakes. This study evaluates seismic risks for WWS point facilities in Kashan, Iran, examining wells, water storage tanks, pumping stations, and wastewater treatment plants. Three categories of fragility curves are employed: empirical fragility functions from the HAZUS earthquake risk framework for most facilities; HAZUS and SRMLIFE empirical models for wells; and analytical fragility functions for elevated tanks. The assessment incorporates modification factors for both seismic design levels and observed degradation. Key results indicate that while HAZUS predicts higher probabilities of slight-to-extensive damage in wells, SRMLIFE reveals significantly greater risk of complete damage. Elevated tanks demonstrate extreme vulnerability, with the highest collapse probability among all facilities during maximum considered earthquake (MCE) scenarios. Damage analysis shows MCE events predominantly cause severe structural damage, whereas design basis earthquake (DBE) scenarios more frequently result in slight damage. The pronounced vulnerability of aging water infrastructure and unanchored components highlights priority mitigation through seismic anchorage, retrofitting, or reconstruction. These measures provide actionable insights for enhancing resilience in earthquake-prone regions.
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Articles in Press, Accepted Manuscript
Available Online from 20 June 2026

  • Receive Date 13 April 2026
  • Revise Date 19 June 2026
  • Accept Date 20 June 2026
  • Publish Date 20 June 2026