Resilient infrastructure

Sustained performance in an ever-changing world

Abstract

The continuous functionality of infrastructure systems enables our current societal standard of living. However, infrastructure systems face increasing threats derived from natural deterioration, natural and anthropogenic disruptions, increasing population demand, and lack of funding. It is necessary to address infrastructure resilience in order to ensure a fast and cost-effective recovery in case infrastructure fails. Although the resilience of infrastructure systems has proven difficult to measure, there are specific steps we can take to increase the probability of such a resilient response. In other words, since infrastructure system resilience is a probabilistic outcome, we cannot claim any infrastructure is resilient a priori but we can improve the probability of resilience. Several frameworks and metrics have been proposed for assessing resilient infrastructure. The paper explains what is resilient infrastructure, presents the historical evolution of the concept of resilience, and emphasizes the societal benefits of achieving resilient infrastructure, particularly for the most vulnerable population sectors. Achieving improvement of living conditions of the poor, in terms of infrastructure, is a two pronged approach: First, infrastructure coverage with an adequate level of service has to be extended to everyone; and second, infrastructure function has to be resilient and reliable. When infrastructure systems fail, often times people with the less economic resources suffer the most. If infrastructure services can be sustained and rapidly restored, the vulnerable population sectors will have less negative impacts form unforeseen events