ResQ-IOS: A framework for quantifying the resilience of interdependent infrastructure systems

Critical Infrastructure Systems (CISs) are highly complex, integrated, and interdependent.

Accordingly, a malfunction in the performance of an infrastructure system may disrupt other CISs’ functions through a series of cascading failures. Considering that CISs are inevitably exposed to natural hazards, the resilience assessment of interdependent CISs against the hazards gives the stakeholders an insight into the strategies for reducing the damages to the CISs and enables them to make decisions on how to maintain the well-functioning status of communities after a disaster.

This paper by Hamed Hafeznia and Prof. Dr Bozidar Stojadinovic of FRS introduces the ResQ-IOS, a Resilience Quantification Iterative Optimisation-based Simulation (IOS) framework for modelling and quantifying the resilience of interdependent infrastructure systems to natural hazards with the capability of considering the real-world conditions for the status of infrastructure systems’ components.

The ResQ-IOS framework comprises five modules: risk assessment, simulation, optimisation, database, and controller.

To demonstrate the capabilities of the ResQ-IOS framework, the seismic resilience of interdependent infrastructure networks (power, natural gas, and water) of Shelby County (TN), USA, was evaluated.

ResQ-IOS can be deployed as a computational tool for planning and improving the resilience-oriented development of urban communities, by further enabling stakeholders to investigate and adopt the most cost-effective recovery strategies.

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