Modelling flood losses to buildings: Relationship between room dimensions and depth of flooding

Abstract

This paper discusses the evaluation of flood losses to buildings using loss curves. The objective of the research was to ascertain whether there is a relationship between the depth of flooding and the amount of unit loss set with regard to the impact of room dimensions. The research was conducted on a sample of 154 model situations for two different room shapes. The results confirm that the depth of flooding, considered in the context of the impact of room dimensions, has an influence over the accuracy of setting the amount of loss, and that the significance of this influence increases with increasing depth. These results can help achieve a more accurate evaluation of flood losses using loss curves or indicators when settling, for example, insurance claims filed in consequence of large-scale flooding.