Adaptation Optimization of Residential Buildings under Hurricane Threat Considering Climate Change in a Lifecycle Context

Due to urbanization, the number of residential buildings in coastal areas has increased significantly. Additionally, due to the increase in sea surface temperature associated with climate change, the intensity and frequency of hurricanes has also increased substantially. This paper presents a systematic framework for the optimal adaptation of residential buildings at a large scale under various scenarios of impending climate change during a long-term interval. Different adaptation strategies are investigated to ensure adequate structural performance and to mitigate the damage loss and adverse consequences to society. A genetic algorithm-based optimization process is adopted to determine the optimal adaptation types associated with buildings within an investigated region. The framework considers the probabilistic occurrence models of hurricanes, structural vulnerability of typical residential buildings, possible climate change scenarios, and optimization of various climate adaptation strategies in a lifecycle context. The proposed approach is illustrated on residential buildings located in Miami-Dade County, Florida. (C) 2017 American Society of Civil Engineers.