Sharif Digital Repository

This thesis proposes a probabilistic modeling framework for networked infrastructure systems in community resilience analysis. In particular, the framework is presented for the electric power infrastructure. Models are proposed at two levels of refinement. The basic model only determines the connectivity of different elements in the network, whereas the refined model also quantifies the amount of the power transmitted through the network elements. In a community resilience analysis, the proposed basic model provides a rather simple tool to determine those buildings and infrastructure systems that suffer from power outage when the supplying power station loses connectivity with the network.... 

Infrastructure systems play a critical role in the economic and social activities of a community. Effective and continuous performance of these infrastructure systems is essential to the welfare and prosperity of the communities. Infrastructure systems comprise networks of interdependent assets that are built through a long and costly process. These assets are subject to a variety of factors that reduce the performance and reliability over time. These factors also increase the vulnerability of infrastructure assets in face of future probable hazards. In order to ensure the continuous and uninterrupted performance of infrastructure assets in post-hazard situations, asset managers should plan... 

This study proposes a probabilistic framework to quantitatively evaluate the resilience of a community comprising a building stock, commercial facilities, and interdependent infrastructure systems. To this end, the proposed framework employs Monte Carlo sampling in which each sample comprises multiple stages. The sample starts with the occurrence of a hazard event. It then follows by evaluating the consequences incurred by the community in the face of the hazard event. It is concluded by simulating the operations aimed at complete recovery of the community comprising inspection, rescue and relief, restoration, and recovery. For this purpose, chains of interacting probabilistic models are... 

This thesis proposes a probabilistic framework to increase situational awareness about serviceability of infrastructure systems, and extend and distribution of losses in the posthazard state of communities. Maintaining situational awareness is the first and foremost step in prioritizing search and rescue operations and organizing resources. This is a challenging task due to the uncertainties that exist in infrastructure systems’ performance after occurrence of a hazardous event. These uncertainties gradually diminish as further information is received. Therefore, a probabilistic framework is the necessary element for disaster management. This framework must be able to update initial beliefs... 

This study provides a probabilistic framework for assessing and quantifying flood damage to infrastructure. This framework models the state of the community's infrastructure after the occurrence of possible floods in five steps. The first step is to model the hazard using a set of models that determine the characteristics of potential floods. The second step is to model and estimate the damage to community buildings and infrastructure. In the third step, infrastructure serviceability is modeled. The infrastructures that are modeled in this study are water distribution network, power network, transportation networks and industrial facilities for processing agricultural products. In the fourth... 

In this study, community resilience after a disaster is optimally enhanced for interdependent infrastructures through prioritization of recovery operations considering limited resources. Optimal enhancement of community resilience can be performed at two levels: Pre-disaster and Post-disaster. In the pre-disaster level, resilience enhancement is achieved through optimization of long-term decision making that includes optimized allocation of resources to retrofit of buildings. However, in the post-disaster response and recovery period, allocating resources to retrofit or backup systems is infeasible. Therefore, in the post-disaster level considered in this study, resilience enhancement is... 

This thesis extends a probabilistic framework for evaluating the seismic resilience of communities by modeling the transportation system. The framework that is being extended is under continuous development at the Center for Infrastructure Sustainability and Resilience Research (INSURER) at Sharif University of Technology quantifies community resilience by integrating hazard models, risk models, and recovery models within an agent-based simulation. In this framework, the transportation system is modeled by developing a library of probabilistic models to predict the occurrence and intensity of earthquake hazard, damage and capacity of network components, network travel demand, and economic,... 

The aim of this study is to quantify the social impacts of infrastructure failure for community resilience after seismic hazards with the focus on Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). Many studies have investigated the failure of infrastructures and their interdependencies for community resilience; however, there is a lack of comprehensive quantitative resilience framework considering social interactions along with lifelines. The upcoming research is based on the Rtx framework, which was developed at Sharif University of Technology for community resilience analysis. In the mentioned framework, the performance of different community infrastructures is simulated using probabilistic and... 

The aim of this research is to examine and propose solutions for financing projects aimed at reducing vulnerability in the oil industry's infrastructure against earthquakes and enhancing their seismic resilience. Design and construction issues, as well as the gradual deterioration of oil infrastructure, increase their vulnerability to earthquakes. Earthquakes can disrupt the proper and continuous functioning of these infrastructures by causing damage. Such disruptions or interruptions in the performance of oil industry infrastructure can have significant economic and social consequences. To mitigate these damages, investment in vulnerability reduction measures is essential. Financing...