Morteza T. Marvi | University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (original) (raw)

Papers by Morteza T. Marvi

Research paper thumbnail of Decomposition of Natural Catastrophe Risks: Insurability Using Parametric CAT Bonds

Risks

Nat Cat risks are not insurable by traditional insurance mainly because of producing highly corre... more Nat Cat risks are not insurable by traditional insurance mainly because of producing highly correlated losses. The source of such correlation among buildings of a region subject to a natural hazard is discussed. A decomposition method is proposed to split Nat Cat risk into idiosyncratic (and hence insurable) risk and systematic risk (carrying the correlated part). It is explained that the systematic risk can be transferred to capital markets using a set of parametric CAT bonds. Premium calculation is presented for insuring the decomposed risk. Portfolio risk-return trade-off measures for investing on the parametric CAT bond are derived. Multi-regional and multi-hazard parametric CAT bonds are introduced to reduce the risk of the investment. The methodology is applied on a region with about 3000 residential buildings subject to flood hazards.

Research paper thumbnail of A review of flood damage analysis for a building structure and contents

Natural Hazards, 2020

As a natural hazard, floods can cause significant damage to buildings. Buildings are one of the i... more As a natural hazard, floods can cause significant damage to buildings. Buildings are one of the important components of an economy which are providing the necessary space for human activities. In this regard, any considerable changes to their serviceability affect the living condition of people locally, regionally, and even globally. Thus, building damage analysis forms a crucial part of a flood risk analysis. This review paper provides an insight into flood damage analysis for a building structure and contents: past works, current state, and required improvements. The discussed buildings include residential, commercial, and industrial types. The methods are divided into two main categories: (1) using real data and empirical models, and (2) using what-if analysis and analytical models. Differences in damage analysis of a building structure and its contents are explained in a separate section. Flood factors influencing the damage to a building structure and its contents are presented. How a method considers some of those flood factors is described. Limitations and shortcomings of each method alongside their advantages and strength are discussed. The lack of reliable data for both model construction and validation is one of the main issues with the methods in both categories. Inability to convey uncertainty is the other main issue identified in the literature.

Research paper thumbnail of Free Vibration Analysis of Non-uniform Thin Curved Arches and Rings Using Adomian Modified Decomposition Method

Differential equation governing free in-plane vibration of non-prismatic thin circular curved bea... more Differential equation governing free in-plane vibration of non-prismatic thin circular curved beams is a sixth-order differential equation with variable coefficients for which no closed-form solution is reported. For the first time, Adomian modified decomposition method, an efficient analytical tool in solution of ODEs and PDEs, is employed to solve the governing differential equation of motion of thin curved beams and the corresponding recursive relation is obtained. Imposing the boundary conditions, the characteristic equation of the structure is obtained, the roots of which are the eigenfrequencies of the system. The method is then employed to determine natural frequencies of uniform rings, stepped and non-prismatic curved arches. The results are shown to be compatible with those in the literature. Finally, a detailed discussion over the convergence of the method is presented.

Research paper thumbnail of Free vibration and stability analysis of axially functionally graded tapered Timoshenko beams with classical and non-classical boundary conditions

Free vibration and stability analysis of axially functionally graded tapered Timoshenko beams are... more Free vibration and stability analysis of axially functionally graded tapered Timoshenko beams are studied through a finite element approach. The exact shape functions for uniform homogeneous Timoshenko beam elements are used to formulate the proposed element. The accuracy of the present element is considerably improved by considering the exact variations of cross-sectional profile and mechanical properties in the evaluation of the structural matrices. Carrying out several numerical examples, the convergence of the method is verified and the effects of taper ratio, elastic constraint, attached mass and the material non-homogeneity on the natural frequencies and critical buckling load are investigated.

Thesis Chapters by Morteza T. Marvi

Research paper thumbnail of QUANTIFYING THE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ON INDIVIDUALS' WELL-BEING IN RISK ANALYSIS

Catastrophes, such as the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, and the Chernobyl nuclear power plant expl... more Catastrophes, such as the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, and the Chernobyl
nuclear power plant explosion, exemplify how accidents that damage the environment affect society in ways that exceed human and property losses. Environmental damages caused by disasters are often continuous, infuencing a broader portion of society, and might continually affect future generations moreso than the acute impacts associated with human health risks. As this paper demonstrates, policies in the United States and abroad affirm the importance of protecting the environment as a common asset for current and
future members of society. The Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA)
is a required common tool implemented by decision-makers to analyze the environmental impacts of their actions. Analysts around the world use various methods and techniques to assess the impacts of human actions on the environment. However, the e ect of environmental impacts on individuals well-being is not sufficiently assessed in current EIA methodologies. Although current methodologies discuss how the environment may be changed by a particular human action, the scholarship does not sufficiently address
questions related to how the affected environment can change human life. In response, this paper aims to improve the completeness of EIA methodologies by proposing a capability approach for assessing the effect of environmental impacts on humans well-being. Two human capabilities are speci ed to explicitly address the environmental impacts of human actions. Evaluating the proposed capabilities in EIA procedures can enrich and complement current EIA practices and more fully assess human actions impacts.

Research paper thumbnail of Decomposition of Natural Catastrophe Risks: Insurability Using Parametric CAT Bonds

Risks

Nat Cat risks are not insurable by traditional insurance mainly because of producing highly corre... more Nat Cat risks are not insurable by traditional insurance mainly because of producing highly correlated losses. The source of such correlation among buildings of a region subject to a natural hazard is discussed. A decomposition method is proposed to split Nat Cat risk into idiosyncratic (and hence insurable) risk and systematic risk (carrying the correlated part). It is explained that the systematic risk can be transferred to capital markets using a set of parametric CAT bonds. Premium calculation is presented for insuring the decomposed risk. Portfolio risk-return trade-off measures for investing on the parametric CAT bond are derived. Multi-regional and multi-hazard parametric CAT bonds are introduced to reduce the risk of the investment. The methodology is applied on a region with about 3000 residential buildings subject to flood hazards.

Research paper thumbnail of A review of flood damage analysis for a building structure and contents

Natural Hazards, 2020

As a natural hazard, floods can cause significant damage to buildings. Buildings are one of the i... more As a natural hazard, floods can cause significant damage to buildings. Buildings are one of the important components of an economy which are providing the necessary space for human activities. In this regard, any considerable changes to their serviceability affect the living condition of people locally, regionally, and even globally. Thus, building damage analysis forms a crucial part of a flood risk analysis. This review paper provides an insight into flood damage analysis for a building structure and contents: past works, current state, and required improvements. The discussed buildings include residential, commercial, and industrial types. The methods are divided into two main categories: (1) using real data and empirical models, and (2) using what-if analysis and analytical models. Differences in damage analysis of a building structure and its contents are explained in a separate section. Flood factors influencing the damage to a building structure and its contents are presented. How a method considers some of those flood factors is described. Limitations and shortcomings of each method alongside their advantages and strength are discussed. The lack of reliable data for both model construction and validation is one of the main issues with the methods in both categories. Inability to convey uncertainty is the other main issue identified in the literature.

Research paper thumbnail of Free Vibration Analysis of Non-uniform Thin Curved Arches and Rings Using Adomian Modified Decomposition Method

Differential equation governing free in-plane vibration of non-prismatic thin circular curved bea... more Differential equation governing free in-plane vibration of non-prismatic thin circular curved beams is a sixth-order differential equation with variable coefficients for which no closed-form solution is reported. For the first time, Adomian modified decomposition method, an efficient analytical tool in solution of ODEs and PDEs, is employed to solve the governing differential equation of motion of thin curved beams and the corresponding recursive relation is obtained. Imposing the boundary conditions, the characteristic equation of the structure is obtained, the roots of which are the eigenfrequencies of the system. The method is then employed to determine natural frequencies of uniform rings, stepped and non-prismatic curved arches. The results are shown to be compatible with those in the literature. Finally, a detailed discussion over the convergence of the method is presented.

Research paper thumbnail of Free vibration and stability analysis of axially functionally graded tapered Timoshenko beams with classical and non-classical boundary conditions

Free vibration and stability analysis of axially functionally graded tapered Timoshenko beams are... more Free vibration and stability analysis of axially functionally graded tapered Timoshenko beams are studied through a finite element approach. The exact shape functions for uniform homogeneous Timoshenko beam elements are used to formulate the proposed element. The accuracy of the present element is considerably improved by considering the exact variations of cross-sectional profile and mechanical properties in the evaluation of the structural matrices. Carrying out several numerical examples, the convergence of the method is verified and the effects of taper ratio, elastic constraint, attached mass and the material non-homogeneity on the natural frequencies and critical buckling load are investigated.

Research paper thumbnail of QUANTIFYING THE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ON INDIVIDUALS' WELL-BEING IN RISK ANALYSIS

Catastrophes, such as the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, and the Chernobyl nuclear power plant expl... more Catastrophes, such as the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, and the Chernobyl
nuclear power plant explosion, exemplify how accidents that damage the environment affect society in ways that exceed human and property losses. Environmental damages caused by disasters are often continuous, infuencing a broader portion of society, and might continually affect future generations moreso than the acute impacts associated with human health risks. As this paper demonstrates, policies in the United States and abroad affirm the importance of protecting the environment as a common asset for current and
future members of society. The Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA)
is a required common tool implemented by decision-makers to analyze the environmental impacts of their actions. Analysts around the world use various methods and techniques to assess the impacts of human actions on the environment. However, the e ect of environmental impacts on individuals well-being is not sufficiently assessed in current EIA methodologies. Although current methodologies discuss how the environment may be changed by a particular human action, the scholarship does not sufficiently address
questions related to how the affected environment can change human life. In response, this paper aims to improve the completeness of EIA methodologies by proposing a capability approach for assessing the effect of environmental impacts on humans well-being. Two human capabilities are speci ed to explicitly address the environmental impacts of human actions. Evaluating the proposed capabilities in EIA procedures can enrich and complement current EIA practices and more fully assess human actions impacts.