scholarly journals Cost–benefit analysis of flood mitigation measures: a case study employing high-performance hydraulic and damage modelling

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Daniela Molinari ◽  
Susanna Dazzi ◽  
Edoardo Gattai ◽  
Guido Minucci ◽  
Giulia Pesaro ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
High Performance ◽  
Cost Benefit Analysis ◽  
Research Work ◽  
Cost Benefit ◽  
Flood Mitigation ◽  
Mitigation Measures ◽  
Computational Time ◽  
Micro Scale ◽  
Damage Models

AbstractThis paper shows a detailed, advanced procedure to implement cost–benefit analyses (CBAs) in order to assess the effectiveness of flood mitigation measures. The town of Lodi (North of Italy) has been selected as a case study for the research work, as it was hit by a large flood in 2002 for which several data are available. In order to compute the benefits, in terms of avoided damage with the mitigation measure in place, micro-scale damage models developed within the Flood-IMPAT + project were used. The great amount of input data for such models comes from results of a two-dimensional river modelling, for what concern the hazard parameters, and from open-source database, to evaluate the vulnerability and the exposure of the hit area. The research highlights that technological-advanced, high-performance hydraulic models allow taking into account a variety of hazard scenarios, with reasonable computational time, supporting the proper accounting of the probabilistic nature of risk in CBAs. Nonetheless, such high-resolution tools support the implementation of micro-scale damage assessment models, which can provide information on the distribution of benefits in the investigated area, increasing the effectiveness of CBAs for policy making.

scholarly journals A Conflict between Traditional Flood Measures and Maintaining River Ecosystems? A Case Study Based upon the River Lærdal, Norway

Water ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (14) ◽  
pp. 1884
Author(s):  
Ana Juárez ◽  
Knut Alfredsen ◽  
Morten Stickler ◽  
Ana Adeva-Bustos ◽  
Rodrigo Suárez ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Remote Sensing Data ◽  
Freshwater Ecosystems ◽  
River Channel ◽  
Flood Mitigation ◽  
Mitigation Measures ◽  
Flood Events ◽  
Protection Measures ◽  
River Ecosystems ◽  
Hydraulic Models

Floods are among the most damaging of natural disasters, and flood events are expected to increase in magnitude and frequency with the effects of climate change and changes in land use. As a consequence, much focus has been placed on the engineering of structural flood mitigation measures in rivers. Traditional flood protection measures, such as levees and dredging of the river channel, threaten floodplains and river ecosystems, but during the last decade, sustainable reconciliation of freshwater ecosystems has increased. However, we still find many areas where these traditional measures are proposed, and it is challenging to find tools for evaluation of different measures and quantification of the possible impacts. In this paper, we focus on the river Lærdal in Norway to (i) present the dilemma between traditional flood measures and maintaining river ecosystems and (ii) quantify the efficiency and impact of different solutions based on 2D hydraulic models, remote sensing data, economics, and landscape metrics. Our results show that flood measures may be in serious conflict with environmental protection and legislation to preserve biodiversity and key nature types.

scholarly journals The ALARP Principle in the Cost-Benefit Analysis for the Acceptability of Investment Risk

2018 ◽  
Vol 10 (12) ◽  
pp. 4668 ◽  
Author(s):  
Antonio Nesticò ◽  
Shuquan He ◽  
Gianluigi De Mare ◽  
Renato Benintendi ◽  
Gabriella Maselli
Keyword(s):  
Cost Benefit Analysis ◽  
Risk Mitigation ◽  
Cost Benefit ◽  
Economic Evaluations ◽  
Investment Risk ◽  
Benefit Analysis ◽  
Mitigation Design ◽  
The Cost

The process of allocating financial resources is extremely complex—both because the selection of investments depends on multiple, and interrelated, variables, and constraints that limit the eligibility domain of the solutions, and because the feasibility of projects is influenced by risk factors. In this sense, it is essential to develop economic evaluations on a probabilistic basis. Nevertheless, for the civil engineering sector, the literature emphasizes the centrality of risk management, in order to establish interventions for risk mitigation. On the other hand, few methodologies are available to systematically compare ante and post mitigation design risk, along with the verification of the economic convenience of these actions. The aim of the paper is to demonstrate how these limits can be at least partially overcome by integrating, in the traditional Cost-Benefit Analysis schemes, the As Low as Reasonably Practicable (ALARP) logic. According to it, the risk is tolerable only if it is impossible to reduce it further or if the costs to mitigate it are disproportionate to the benefits obtainable. The research outlines the phases of an innovative protocol for managing investment risks. On the basis of a case study dealing with a project for the recovery and transformation of an ancient medieval village into a widespread-hotel, the novelty of the model consists of the characterization of acceptability and tolerability thresholds of the investment risk, as well as its ability to guarantee the triangular balance between risks, costs and benefits deriving from mitigation options.

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