Rapid visual screening (RVS) can be effectively used to evaluate the
vulnerability of a large number of buildings with less computational effort. In
this study, a seismic vulnerability assessment is conducted for all municipal
wards in Mussoorie town, Uttarakhand, India. Various structural parameters of
the building, like structure type, number of stories, soil type, age and roof type
and non-structural parameters like occupancy, use and owner name have been
collected. Further, seismic vulnerability of every individual building in the town has
been assessed. The data collection form of the Federal Emergency Management
Agency, FEMA 154 for RVS was modifi ed to suit local conditions and was utilized
for this purpose. Using satellite image all of the buildings are mapped in a GIS
and a damage probability matrix is used to estimate the effects of an earthquake.
The buildings are classifi ed in fi ve categories of seismic vulnerability. The data
of Mussoorie town show that a total of 623 buildings (about 20 per cent of those
surveyed) show a high probability of Grade 5 damage and a very high probability
of Grade 4 damage, whereas 587 buildings (about 19 per cent of those surveyed)
show a high probability of Grade 4 damage and a very high probability of Grade 3
damage in case of earthquake shaking of Intensity VIII or more in MSK scale.

• Preliminary seismic vulnerability assessment of Mussoorie Town, Uttarakhand (India)