ORIGINAL PAPER Vulnerability index and capacity spectrum based methods for urban seismic risk evaluation. A comparison Nieves Lantada Æ Luis G. Pujades Æ Alex H. Barbat Received: 6 July 2007 / Accepted: 26 December 2007 / Published online: 11 March 2008 Ó Springer Science+Business Media B.V. 2008 Abstract This article contributes to the development and application of two latest- generation methods of seismic risk analysis in urban areas. The first method, namely vulnerability index method (VIM), considers five non-null damage states, defines the action in terms of macroseismic intensity and the seismic quality of the building by means of a vulnerability index. The estimated damage degree is measured by semi-empirical functions. The second method, namely capacity spectrum based method (CSBM), con- siders four no damage states, defines the seismic action in terms of response spectra and the building vulnerability by means of its capacity spectrum. In order to apply both methods to Barcelona (Spain) and compare the results, a deterministic and a probabilistic hazard scenario with soil effects are used. The deterministic one corresponds to a historic earthquake, while the probabilistic seismic ground motion has a probability of exceedence of 10% in 50 years. Detailed information on the building design has been obtained along years by collecting, arranging, improving, and completing the database of the dwellings of the city. A Geographic Information System (GIS) has been customized allowing storing, analysing, and displaying this large amount of spatial and tabular data of dwellings. The obtained results are highly consistent with the historical and modern evolution of the populated area and show the validity and strength of both methods. Although Barcelona has a low to moderate seismic hazard, its expected seismic risk is significant because of the high vulnerability of its buildings. Cities such as Barcelona, located in a low to moderate seismic hazard region, are usually not aware of the seismic risk. The detailed risk maps obtained offer a great opportunity to guide the decision making in the field of seismic risk prevention and mitigation in Barcelona, and for emergency planning in the city. N. Lantada (&)  L. G. Pujades Department of Geotechnical Engineering and Geosciences, Technical University of Catalonia, Jordi Girona 1–3, Building D2, Campus Norte UPC, 08034 Barcelona, Spain e-mail: nieves.lantada@upc.edu A. H. Barbat Department of Structural Mechanics, Technical University of Catalonia, Jordi Girona 1–3, Building C1, Campus Norte UPC, 08034 Barcelona, Spain e-mail: alex.barbat@upc.edu 123 Nat Hazards (2009) 51:501–524 DOI 10.1007/s11069-007-9212-4