Effectiveness of Generative AI for Post-Earthquake Damage Assessment

Autor: João M. C. Estêvão
Jazyk: angličtina
Rok vydání: 2024
Předmět:
Zdroj: Buildings, Vol 14, Iss 10, p 3255 (2024)
Druh dokumentu: article
ISSN: 2075-5309
DOI: 10.3390/buildings14103255
Popis: After an earthquake, rapid assessment of building damage is crucial for emergency response, reconstruction planning, and public safety. This study evaluates the performance of various Generative Artificial Intelligence (GAI) models in analyzing post-earthquake images to classify structural damage according to the EMS-98 scale, ranging from minor damage to total destruction. Correct classification rates for masonry buildings varied from 28.6% to 64.3%, with mean damage grade errors between 0.50 and 0.79, while for reinforced concrete buildings, rates ranged from 37.5% to 75.0%, with errors between 0.50 and 0.88. Fine-tuning these models could substantially improve accuracy. The practical implications are significant: integrating accurate GAI models into disaster response protocols can drastically reduce the time and resources required for damage assessment compared to traditional methods. This acceleration enables emergency services to make faster, data-driven decisions, optimize resource allocation, and potentially save lives. Furthermore, the widespread adoption of GAI models can enhance resilience planning by providing valuable data for future infrastructure improvements. The results of this work demonstrate the promise of GAI models for rapid, automated, and precise damage evaluation, underscoring their potential as invaluable tools for engineers, policymakers, and emergency responders in post-earthquake scenarios.
Databáze: Directory of Open Access Journals