Unreinforced masonry (URM) buildings, particularly those constructed before 1945, pose significant seismic risks due to their structural vulnerabilities. Recognising this, the Queensland Fire Department (QFD) commissioned the Queensland University of Technology (QUT) to conduct foot surveys across 12 towns and cities in Queensland, including Brisbane, Ipswich, and Townsville. The project aimed to identify and rank the seismic vulnerability of 1,111 URM buildings using a Rapid Visual Screening (RVS) checklist tailored to Australian building typologies. The findings revealed that two-storey commercial buildings were the most prevalent typology, with other types including churches, pubs, and town halls. Notably, Brisbane housed the majority of taller URM structures, while smaller towns exhibited predominantly low-rise buildings.

The project also highlighted the limitations of foot surveys for large-scale identification. While effective for detailed local assessments, the time-intensive nature of this method—requiring significant resources and personnel—renders it impractical for creating a comprehensive national database of URM buildings. This gap underscores the urgent need for innovative approaches to rapidly and accurately identify vulnerable structures.

In response, QFD, with funding from Natural Hazards Research Australia, has initiated a new project in collaboration with QUT: “Understanding Earthquake Risk in Australia: Locating Unreinforced Masonry Buildings.” This research leverages existing imagery and artificial intelligence to develop a scalable, efficient methodology for identifying URM buildings nationwide. This initiative aims to address the absence of a national URM database, which is critical for informed earthquake preparedness, response, and recovery.

This presentation will share key findings from the foot survey project and outline the vision for the ongoing research, setting the stage for a transformative approach to earthquake risk management in Australia.