Every eruption offers a unique opportunity to contemplate and understand volcanic phenomena and their imminent interaction with the environment and societies. Understanding the complexity of volcanic eruptions due to the large variability of volcanic processes and products and the multiple dimensions of vulnerability of the increasingly interdependent and interconnected societies, requires an in-depth analysis of past events, not only regarding hazards but also the associated consequences. The aim of this thesis is to propose an impact assessment framework accounting both for primary (tephra fallout) and secondary (wind ash-remobilisation) hazards as well as for the complex cascading effects associated with the damage and disruption to the critical infrastructures. With the 2011-2012 Cordón Caulle (Chile) eruption as case study, the complex connection between hazard, exposure and vulnerability aspects are investigated. As an application of the framework, the cascading effects associated with the power supply infrastructure in three communities of Argentina is investigated.