AN EXPEDITIOUS METHODOLOGY FOR GRAVITY INDEX DETEMINATION IN THE CASE OF MAJOR ACCIDENTS

10th International Multidisciplinary Scientific GeoConference - SGEM2010, www.sgem.org, SGEM2010 Conference Proceedings/ ISBN 10: 954-91818-1-2, June 20-26, 2010, Vol. 2, 395-404 pp

ABSTRACT

The risk assessment approach for the establishments concerned by the Seveso II
Directive requirements can be grounded on the determination and the aggregation of 3
indexes: the gravity index, the propagation flow index and the vulnerability index.
Based on the national and EU legal requirements concerning the prevention and control
of major accident hazards involving dangerous substances, the paper has as main goal to
present an expeditious methodology for gravity index determination as a function of the
dangerous substance’s properties, the containment structure type and the substance
quantity involved in the major accident. The dangerous substance properties
characterization was done by means of the nuisance indexes, while the influence of the
containment structure and the involved substance quantity were expressed through the
intermediate of the aggravation factors.

Keywords: risk, major accident, gravity index, aggravation factor