Identification of the resilience dimensions and determination of their relationships in critical transportation infrastructure

Adverse impact of natural disasters become astounding when infrastructure possess a poor resiliency level. Hence, multiple studies have been being conducted to develop a resilient system reducing the negative consequences of disruption and decreasing the reconstruction time after the disaster. In this regard, most studies have focused on limited number of resilience dimensions and have not investigated all aspects of resilience characteristics for transportation infrastructure. Therefore, the aim of this study was to develop a comprehensive conceptual model determining the relationships of resilience dimensions in critical and interdependent transportation infrastructure. To achieve the objectives of the study, more than hundred and fifty related scholarly articles were scrutinized thoroughly. Eighteen dimensions of resilience including robustness, redundancy, and resourcefulness were identified. It was found that the resilience dimensions have strong relationship with reconstruction timeline due to natural disasters. In addition, it was concluded that adaptability, which is the ability to learn from disastrous event to resist the next event more effectively, has a positive correlation with preparedness prior to the disruption and robustness of the system. In the end, a conceptual model was developed and proposed to determine the phases related to the identified resilience dimensions as well as their relationships with each other in transportation systems. The developed model provides the foundation to measure resilience of critical transportation systems and networks in different cities and counties. This study will also significantly help decision-makers and departments of transportations to prioritize their maintenance plans based on resilience of their transportation infrastructure and adopt appropriate proactive strategies to reduce unintended consequences of disruptive events.