RAPID: Identifying and Modeling the Interdependencies of Restoration Efforts across Infrastructures

Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy NY

Investigators

Abstract

The objective of this Rapid Research Grant (RAPID) award is to investigate the concept of restoration interdependencies amongst infrastructure systems in responding to extreme events. A restoration interdependency is defined as the need for an infrastructure manager to consider the restoration efforts of another infrastructure in decision-making about his or her infrastructure's restoration. For example, debris may need to be cleared from an area prior to rebuilding or replacing power lines in that area. This would imply a precedence interdependency between the debris removal and the power infrastructure: an event needs to occur in the debris removal prior to an event (the rebuilding) starting in the power infrastructure's restoration efforts. This research seeks to identify, classify, and determine the frequency of restoration interdependencies after Hurricane Sandy by (1) interviewing infrastructure managers involved in the restoration efforts and (2) analyzing electronic media. The results of this research will contribute to the resiliency of a community by enhancing our knowledge of what an infrastructure manager must consider in determining an infrastructure's restoration efforts. This analysis will help infrastructure managers better understand the level of coordination or information-sharing required across restoration efforts in order to take into account these restoration interdependencies. It will further help determine how restoration efforts should be planned to robustly handle restoration interdependencies, thereby shortening the time required for the restoration of vital services after an extreme event.