Time-Dependent Resilience Assessment of Seismic Damage and Restoration of Interdependent Lifeline Systems

Abstract

A simulation of the resilience of lifeline systems in a test bed subjected to a series of seismic events is presented in this paper. The simulation framework is comprised of a group of independent simulators that interact through a publish–subscribe pattern for data management. The framework addresses the spatial and time-dependent interactions that arise between lifeline systems as a hazard and subsequent restoration processes unfold. The simulation results quantify how operability loss and recovery time may be underestimated if the interdependencies between lifeline systems are not properly taken into account. The effect of insufficient resources on recovery was investigated, and it was demonstrated that among the six resource allocation strategies studied, the time-varying strategies that are responsive to actual conditions on the ground had a better effect on resilience. This paper demonstrates the power of connecting simulators using the publish–subscribe method in order to account for multiscale interdependency and time-dependent effects on community resilience.