Climate Impact Risks and Climate Adaptation Engineering for Built Infrastructure

Abstract

A changing climate may increase the frequency or intensity of natural hazards, resulting in increased infrastructure damage. The paper will describe how risk-based approaches are well suited to optimising climate adaptation strategies related to the construction, design, operation, and maintenance of built infrastructure. Climate adaptation engineering involves estimating the risks, costs, and benefits of climate adaptation strategies and assessing at what point in time climate adaptation becomes economically viable. Stochastic methods are used to model infrastructure performance, risk reduction, and effectiveness of adaptation strategies, exposure, and costs. These concepts will be illustrated with recent research on risk-based life-cycle assessments of climate adaptation strategies for Australian housing subject to extreme wind events. This will pave the way for more efficient and resilient infrastructure, and help future proof new and existing infrastructure to a changing climate.