Region-based cascading impact analysis in critical infrastructure systems

ABSTRACT

Critical Infrastructure System (CIS) disruption cascades into all the dependent CISs, even the regions, over the internal system where the disruption occurs. This study develops a cascading impact analysis with a region-based path-flow estimation approach based on a complex network and provides a local-scale demonstration of the interdependent electric power-water supply system in Incheon, South Korea. The analytical framework facilitates the modeling of CISs considering three major structural relationships – CIS, CIS-CIS, and CIS-Region- with functional interdependency and quantifying cascading impacts on regions via a continuous service flow. The results demonstrate more practical cascading ranges and levels caused by each CIS disruption, highlighting that the potential impacts increase in an integrated network, which a single CIS network cannot capture. It emphasizes the need to consider functional interdependent CIS structures and estimate cascading impacts from a regional perspective. This study provides multiangle insights into how regions enhance resilience through infrastructure disaster management.

KEYWORDS:

• Critical infrastructure systems
• Cascading impact
• Functional interdependency
• Region-based path-flow estimation
• Electric power-water supply system

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Data availability statement

Some or all data, models, or code that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request. (Data: Network topological data set, Code: Pseudo and Python code of Supplementary algorithm for region-based path-flow estimation)

Correction Statement

This article has been corrected with minor changes. These changes do not impact the academic content of the article.

Additional information

Funding

This research was supported by the Technology Development Program on Disaster Restoration Capacity Building and Strengthening, funded by the Ministry of Interior and Safety (MOIS, Korea) [grant number 2021-MOIS36-002].

Notes on contributors

You-Jeong Hong

You-Jeong Hong is a Ph.D. candidate in the dept. of Urban Planning and Engineering at Yonsei University in South Korea. She is working in an Urban environment and Disaster studies/Environmental Informatic·GIS Laboratory. Her research interests are disaster management, urban and regional planning, urban system modeling, and community resilience.

Mijin Choo

Mijin Choo is a Ph.D. candidate in the dept. of Urban Planning and Engineering at Yonsei University in South Korea. She is working in an Urban environment and Disaster studies/Environmental Informatic·GIS Laboratory. Her research interests are disaster management, urban social geography, social equity, and community resilience.

D.K. Yoon

D.K. Yoon is a Professor of the Department of Urban Planning and Engineering at Yonsei University. He leads the Urban Environment and Disaster studies/Environmental Informatic·GIS Laboratory. He teaches and conducts research in urban environmental planning, disaster policy and planning, disaster vulnerability and resilience assessment, smart city planning, and spatial analysis using Geographic Information Systems.