Resiliency in National Infrastructures: Preventive and Passive Defense Models

National infrastructures, like power-plants and refineries, are prone to manmade and natural disaster risks. Resiliency is defined as the power or ability to return to the original form, and the ability to recover readily from... [ view full abstract ]

National infrastructures, like power-plants and refineries, are prone to manmade and natural disaster risks. Resiliency is defined as the power or ability to return to the original form, and the ability to recover readily from illness, adversity, or the like. Leaders, military and civilian, have the responsibility to manage effects of catastrophic events and their associated costs for response and recovery which is highlighted by the vulnerability of interdependent infrastructures to natural and technological disasters. With the scarcity of resources, infrastructures must be re-engineered to be more resilient and sustainable over the long term. Therefore, assessments are conducted to increase sustainability. The literature presents different perspectives of sustainability and resiliency and measurement of sustainability with resiliency as the premier state variable which has not been adequately addressed. The purpose of this research is to develop and deploy a systems-based model that quantifies resiliency of an intelligence infrastructure.
Urban societies depend heavily on the proper functioning of infrastructure systems such as electric power, potable water, and transportation networks. Normally invisible, this reliance becomes painfully evident when infrastructure systems fail during disasters. Moreover, because of the network properties of infrastructure, damage in one location can disrupt service in an extensive geographic area. The societal disruption caused by infrastructure failures is therefore disproportionately high in relation to actual physical damage.
Engineers have long tried to design infrastructure to withstand extreme forces, but recently they have begun to address the need for urban infrastructure systems that are resilient to disasters. Conceptually, resilience entails three interrelated dimensions: lower probabilities of failure; less-severe negative consequences when failures do occur; and faster recovery from failures. The emphasis on consequences and recovery suggests that improving the resilience of infrastructure systems is not only a technical problem, but it also has societal dimensions. Preserving national integrity and preventing from risks of attacks is the common goal of all countries on the earth. Passive defense which is mentioned abundantly today is one of the most important options in preserving this integrity. Passive defense is a special topics in Iran and other countries because all efforts of a state are targeted at securing consent and welfare for nation and preserving the national resources. In the present research it has been attempted to introduce resiliency and passive defense, define its theoretical fundamentals and application of this risk management system in preserving and protecting the national infrastructure, using both qualitative and quantitative models.