RAPID: Assessment of Cascading Failures and Collective Recovery of Interdependent Critical Infrastructure in Catastrophic Disasters: A Study of 2015 Earthquake in Nepal

本快速反应研究（Rapid）项目的目的是收集2015年尼泊尔地震中与级联基础设施故障相关的性质、影响和恢复过程的有时限数据。由于自然灾害的频率和规模不断增加，了解基础设施系统中相互依赖和级联故障之间的关系对于加强社区恢复力的战略投资至关重要。这项研究的结果将包括一个相互依赖的基础设施系统中级联故障和相关属性和变量的数据库，可用于为规划和决策过程提供信息。通过研究灾前基础设施的相互依赖关系、灾后级联故障和恢复的相互依赖关系，本研究将帮助美国、尼泊尔和其他灾害易发国家的决策者建立方法和流程，将韧性纳入其基础设施规划和战略投资工作。尽管关于弹性基础设施系统的知识正在兴起，但与相互依赖的基础设施的级联故障和集体恢复相关的实证研究数量相当有限。RAPID项目通过收集和分析2015年尼泊尔地震中与电网、交通、供水、污水处理和通信网络相关的数据，弥补了这一知识缺口。收集的数据将包括主要和次要基础设施故障、故障模式、服务中断持续时间、灾前和灾后条件和性能，以及灾后基础设施恢复。这些数据将通过当地基础设施机构和直接实地观察收集。基础设施故障和损坏的地理标记照片和视频将与GIS信息一起使用，以捕获和记录跨空间和时间级联基础设施故障的性质和程度。要收集的另一组数据与基础设施机构为恢复和恢复基础设施系统而制定的决策过程有关。收集这些数据的主要方法将包括与地方和国家各级参与恢复和恢复工作的民选和任命的公职人员进行深入访谈。最后，将进行一项公众调查，以收集与尼泊尔加德满都基础设施服务中断的程度和持续时间有关的数据。收集到的数据将通过使用统计和网络分析方法进行分析。此外，将进行元网络分析，以回答谁、什么、为什么、如何以及何时等问题，以更好地理解基础设施系统中的恢复相互依赖性。收集到的经验数据可以作为验证和验证现有与级联基础设施故障相关的分析模型的基础。因此，研究结果将有助于更好地理解相互依赖的基础设施系统中级联故障的性质和影响。此外，本研究将促进对恢复相互依赖动态的理解，并为在灾难性灾难之后影响基础设施系统集体恢复的方法提供见解。

The objective of this Rapid Response Research (RAPID) project is to collect time-bound data on the nature, impacts, and recovery process related to cascading infrastructure failures from the 2015 Earthquake in Nepal. Due to the growing frequency and magnitude of natural disasters, understanding of the relationship between interdependencies and cascading failures in infrastructure systems is critical for strategic investments to enhance community resilience. The outcomes of this research will include a database of cascading failures and associated attributes and variables in interdependent infrastructure systems, which can be utilized to inform planning and decision making processes. By studying the pre-disaster infrastructure interdependencies, post-disaster cascading failures, and restoration interdependencies, this study will help policymakers in the United States, Nepal, and other countries prone to disasters to establish methods and processes to integrate resilience into their infrastructure planning and strategic investment efforts. Despite emerging knowledge on resilient infrastructure systems, the number of empirical studies related to cascading failures and collective recovery of interdependent infrastructure is rather limited. This RAPID project addresses this gap in knowledge by collecting and analyzing data related to the power grid, transportation, water, sewage, and communication networks from the 2015 Earthquake in Nepal. The data to be collected will include primary and secondary infrastructure failures, failure modes, duration of service disruption, pre- and post-disaster conditions and performance, and post-disaster infrastructure restoration. These data will be collected through local infrastructure agencies and direct field observations. Geo-tagged photos and videos of infrastructure failures and damages will be used along with GIS information to capture and document the nature and the extent of cascading infrastructure failures across space and time. The other group of data to be collected is related to the decision making processes of infrastructure agencies for restoration and recovery of infrastructure systems. The primary method for collecting these data will include in-depth interviews with elected and appointed public officials at local and national levels involved in restoration and recovery efforts. Finally, a public survey will be conducted to collect data related to extent and duration of disruptions in infrastructure services in Kathmandu, Nepal. The collected data will be analyzed through the use of statistical and network analysis methods. In addition, a meta-network analysis will be conducted to answer the questions of who, what, why, how, and when to better understand restoration interdependency in infrastructure systems. The collected empirical data could be used as a foundation for verification and validation of the existing analytical models related to cascading infrastructure failures. Hence, the results will enable better understanding of the nature and impacts of cascading failures in interdependent infrastructure systems. In addition, this research will advance the understanding of the dynamics of restoration interdependency and provide insight into ways to influence the collective recovery of infrastructure systems in the aftermath of a catastrophic disaster.