A Review on Flood Risk Conceptual Frameworks and Development of Hierarchical Structures for Assessment Criteria

Abstract

Climate change and rapid urbanization have led to more frequent and severe flooding, causing significant damage. The existing literature on flood risk encompasses a variety of dimensions, such as physical, economic, social, political, environmental, infrastructural, and managerial aspects. This paper aims to provide an extensive review of proposed conceptual frameworks and their components used in flood risk assessment. For this purpose, Initially, conceptual frameworks were extracted to configure the components of flood risk including hazard, vulnerability, exposure, resilience, and susceptibility. Subsequently, a comprehensive set of criteria from the literature were identified, addressing risk components. In this paper, the risk conceptual framework is defined by the intersection of vulnerability and hazard. Vulnerability, shaped by exposure and susceptibility, can be reduced by enhancing resiliency, which includes coping and adaptive capacities. In total, 102 criteria/subcriteria were identified and classified into three hierarchical structures of hazard, susceptibility, and resilience. Finally, flood risk assessment methods were reviewed, with an emphasis on their applicability and characteristics. The review highlighted the strengths and limitations of various methods, providing a comprehensive overview of their suitability for different scenarios. The outcomes of this review could serve as a valuable reference for professionals involved in flood risk assessment, aiding in the identification of the most appropriate risk concepts, assessment criteria, and suitable methods for quantification based on the specific study area and data availability.