Quantifying System Vulnerability As a Performance Measure for Systems Investment Evaluation and Decision-Making
Publication: Vulnerability, Uncertainty, and Risk: Analysis, Modeling, and Management
Abstract
Civil engineering systems are vulnerable to natural and man-made threats. In recent years, agencies are paying increased attention to investments that are geared towards reducing system vulnerability. For purposes of analyzing the effectiveness of such investments and also for vulnerability monitoring, a procedure is needed to quantify the level of system vulnerability at any time. This paper identifies vulnerability types and presents a general procedure for establishing system vulnerability. The procedure quantitatively assesses the threat likelihood and consequence. Threat likelihood is expressed as a function of the system environment (threat type); and consequence, is expressed as a function of the system attributes. Specifically, the consequence of failure due to the threat is evaluated on the basis of possible failure modes and the extent of public exposure in the event of failure. Public exposure, a function of the occupancy (or traffic) and the class of the system, reflects the effect of system failure on users and the surrounding community.
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Copyright
© 2011 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Published online: Apr 26, 2012
ASCE Technical Topics:
- Analysis (by type)
- Business management
- Decision making
- Disaster risk management
- Engineering fundamentals
- Failure analysis
- Failure modes
- Financial management
- Forensic engineering
- Infrastructure
- Investments
- Management methods
- Practice and Profession
- Quality control
- Risk management
- Structural engineering
- Systems engineering
- Traffic analysis
- Traffic engineering
- Transportation engineering
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