Natechs

In order to collect essential information on natechs triggered by natural hazards and the resulting dam-age on plant units, RAPID-N features a basic natech database. The primary aim of the database is to support risk assessment calculations by providing statistical natech damage data classified according to on-site hazard parameters. Statistical data will be used to generate custom fragility curves for different plant unit types and for different plant unit property combinations in the next version of the sys-tem. Natech records are used to store basic natech information.

The data fields of the natech records are listed in Table 1.

Table 1. Natech data fields

For each natech record, the natural hazard that triggered the natech and the plant where the natech occurred should be selected. Scenario hazards are not allowed to be selected as triggering hazards. On-site hazard parameters, which resulted in the natech, can be specified by selecting appropriate parame-ters and entering parameter values either as fuzzy numbers (for numeric parameters) or selecting from the drop-down value list (for tabular parameters). According to the type of the hazard, the system auto-matically lists compatible hazard parameters. For each parameter, the unit of the parameter value should be indicated if the property has a unit. Bibliographic references, which include information on the natech, can be specified. At least one reference is mandatory to assure data quality. General notes on the natech can also be indicated.

Natechs can be queried by natural hazard type, hazard name, plant name, and country of the plant. Details of a natech are displayed on the natech information page. Statistical data on damaged plant units at the plant due to the natech can also be accessed from the information page (Figure 1). Be-cause the primary focus of the natech section is to provide information required for the creation of the fragility curves, natech records do not include information on natech events, consequences, response activities, or lessons learned. For more detailed natech information, please refer to the comprehensive eNatech database of the European Commission’s Joint Research Centre (European Commission, 2010).