Risk management

Flood damage results not only from intrusion of surface water into buildings, but also from backwater, from flooding of streets owing to insufficient inlet capacity as well as from overflow of sewers and other infrastructure facilities (accidents). In addition, erosion damage can arise due to high shear stress and clogging. From this and due to short warning times result different damage symptoms (and with it different strategies for loss mitigation) and differ from damage symptoms caused by river flooding. Current damage functions used in flood protection management originate almost completely from river flooding.

Typical damage symptoms

Specific damage symptoms can be observed inside and outside buildings e.g. damp buildings, leaking roofs, overflowing eaves gutters and as a result damage to home furnishings. They derive from an insufficient design of home drain facilities. Again commercial and industrial facilities show different specific damage symptoms and risks. Our research aims to reveal and to analyse typical damage symptoms, as well as to develop prediction tools for damage estimation. In addition, previous research gained in case studies is to be processed and systematically analysed.