Prioritization of interventions for strengthening architectural heritage

Architectural heritage is continuously exposed to natural disasters, such as strong earthquakes and this highlights the importance of reducing their vulnerability. While it is not possible to simultaneously strengthen all architectural heritage structures due to the limited skilled labour and budget restrictions, different buildings may need different treatments due to differences in exposure to seismic hazard, relative importance and vulnerability. Therefore, there is a need for a decision making strategy to find optimized solutions to achieve the highest possible stability and benefits. The primary objective of this research is to develop a practical step-by-step decision making process for the planning and prioritization of interventions in architectural heritage structures based on the level of seismic hazard, vulnerability and condition assessment, available preservation and strengthening techniques, compatibility with conservation ethics, available budget and expected benefits in various time schedules. The proposed methodology, is shown by diagram and mathematical formulae, and is demonstrated through a case study example.