A quantitative flood-related building damage evaluation method using airborne LiDAR data and 2-D hydraulic model

Abstract

The evaluation of building damage is of great significance for flood management. Chinese floodplains usually contain small- and medium-sized towns with many other scattered buildings. Detailed building information is usually scarce, making it difficult to evaluate flood damage. We developed an evaluation method for building damage by using airborne LiDAR data to obtain large-area, high-precision building information and digital elevation models (DEMs) for potentially affected areas. These data were then used to develop a two-dimensional (2-D) flood routing model. Next, flood loss rate curves were generated by fitting historical damage data to allow rapid evaluation of single-building losses. Finally, we conducted an empirical study based on the Gongshuangcha detention basin in China's Dongting Lake region. The results showed that the use of airborne LiDAR data for flood-related building damage evaluation can improve the assessment accuracy and efficiency; this approach is especially suitable for rural areas where building information is scarce.