Collaborative Research: Planning Reliable and Resilient Transportation Networks against Correlated Infrastructure Disruptions

这一合作研究项目旨在发现一种方法框架，以增强面临多个相互关联的中断风险的交通网络基础设施系统的可靠性和弹性。这种相互关联的风险可能是由于暴露在共同的危险中或共同使用不可靠的供应造成的。我们将首先建立一个分解理论，将具有关联设施中断风险的一般基础设施系统转换为只有独立中断的更简单、更明确的结构，同时确保两个系统具有完全相同的功能和操作行为。在此理论基础上，将创建一套高级数学模型来解决一些紧迫的工程挑战，包括(I)可靠的网络设计、(Ii)关键基础设施保护和(Iii)级联故障缓解。来自真实世界基础设施系统的案例研究(例如，暴露在地震中的桥梁网络、经历发电厂中断的电网)将被用来验证所提出的理论，并说明这些模型的实际适用性。如果成功，这项研究的结果将(I)推进在许多工程背景下解决广泛的基础设施中断所需的知识库，(Ii)提供有望提高各种基础设施系统的可靠性和弹性的管理见解。这不仅会对运输和制造业产生影响，还会对社会社区产生影响。该项目还将通过将研究纳入教材和活动，产生新的教育做法，包括一种新的角色扮演游戏，用于互动教学，重点是基础设施破坏机制和保护战略。与公共机构(如州交通部)以及私营货运和制造业(如CSX运输公司和卡特彼勒公司)的合作将有助于确保拟议的研究和教育活动具有实际意义和重要性，并确保成果易于实施。

This collaborative research project aims to discover a methodological framework that enhances the reliability and resilience of transportation network infrastructure systems that are exposed to multiple linked disruption risks. Such linked risks could be caused by exposure to common hazards or shared unreliable supplies. We will first establish a decomposition theory that transforms a general infrastructure system with linked facility disruption risks into one with a simpler and more explicit structure with only independent disruptions, yet ensuring that the two systems have exactly equivalent functionalities and operational behaviors. Based on this theoretical foundation, a set of advanced mathematical models will be created to address a number of pressing engineering challenges, including (i) reliable network design, (ii) critical infrastructure protection, and (iii) cascading failure mitigation. Case studies from real-world infrastructure systems (e.g., bridge networks exposed to earthquakes, electricity grids experiencing power plant disruptions) will be used to validate the proposed theory and illustrate the practical applicability of these models. If successful, the results of this research will (i) advance the knowledge base needed to address a wide range of infrastructure disruptions in many engineering contexts, (ii) provide managerial insights that hold the promise of enhancing the reliability and resilience of various infrastructure systems. This will have impacts not only on transportation and manufacturing industries but also on social communities. This project will also result in new educational practices by the integration of the research into educational materials and activities, including a new role-playing game for interactive teaching focused on infrastructure disruption mechanisms and protection strategies. Collaborations with public agencies (e.g. state Departments of Transportation) and private freight and manufacturing industries (e.g. CSX Transportation Inc. and Caterpillar Inc.) will help assure that the proposed research and educational activities are of practical relevance and importance, and that the outcomes are readily implementable.