Developing a building damage function using SAR images and post-event data after the Typhoon Haiyan in The Philippines

Abstract

A building damage function was developed using very high-resolution synthetic aperture radar (VHR SAR) images and post-event building damage data after the 2013 Super Typhoon Haiyan, obtained from Tacloban city, the Philippines. Structural damage caused by the typhoon was analyzed focusing on changes in the radar footprint signatures of affected buildings. These changes are classified using a phase-based coefficient calculated from pre-and post-event COSMO-SkyMed images. The damage function is expressed as the damage ratio of structures with regard to the phase-based coefficient. The application of the estimated damage function in Tacloban city shows that from a group of structures with a POC coefficient of 0.2 or less, at least half of them are expected to be damaged.