Hierarchical Approach for Assessing the Vulnerability of Roads and Bridges to Flooding in Massachusetts
Publication: Journal of Infrastructure Systems
Volume 26, Issue 3
Abstract
The current study addresses the issue of vulnerability assessment of transportation systems to climate change, with the purpose of improving current indicator-based approaches in this field. It builds upon other efforts and seeks to enhance rationality in the decision-making process by minimizing arbitrary choices. The study focuses on coastal Massachusetts, which is affected by sea level rise (SLR) and storms and, thus, requires adaptation plans that will prevent interruption of service to communities that are dependent upon the transportation system. A prior step to such planning is identifying the vulnerable parts of the system. An indicator-based approach is commonly employed for that matter, wherein various indicators are integrated to measure vulnerability. Limitations of this approach include arbitrary aggregation and weighting of indicators. These limitations are addressed by prioritizing indicators to create ordered asset lists for adaptation needs. Roads and bridges are analyzed in separate schemes, and the results are presented both in a table and a map format, visualizing the relevant features to users, with the purpose of providing a vulnerability assessment that is transparent, modifiable, and rational.
Get full access to this article
View all available purchase options and get full access to this article.
References
Barankin, R. A. 2017. “Indicators and information for integrated decisions on climate change: Quantitative methodologies for understanding the vulnerability of coastal communities.” Ph.D. dissertation, School for the Environment, Univ. of Massachusetts Boston.
Bosma, K., E. Douglas, P. Kirshen, K. McArthur, S. Miller, and C. Watson. 2015. MassDOT-FHWA Pilot Project Report: Climate change and extreme weather vulnerability assessments and adaptation options for the central Artery. Boston: Massachusetts DOT.
Briaud, J.-L., and B. Hunt. 2006. “Bridge scour and the structural engineer.” Structure 2006 (Dec): 58–61.
Demirel, H., M. Kompil, and F. Nemry. 2015. “A framework to analyze the vulnerability of European road networks due to Sea-Level Rise (SLR) and sea storm surges.” Transp. Res. Part A: Policy Pract. 81 (Nov): 62–76. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tra.2015.05.002.
Dojutrek, M. S., S. Labi, and J. E. Dietz. 2014. “A multi-criteria methodology for measuring the resilience of transportation assets and prioritizing security investments.” In Proc., 10th International Conf. of the International Institute for Infrastructure Resilience and Reconstruction (I3R2). West Lafayette, IN: Purdue Univ.
Douglas, E., P. Kirshen, V. Li, C. Watson, and J. Wormser. 2013. Preparing for the rising tide. Boston: Boston Harbor Association.
Douglas, E. M., P. H. Kirshen, K. Bosma, C. Watson, S. Miller, and K. McArthur. 2017. “Simulating the impacts and assessing the vulnerability of the central artery/tunnel system to sea level rise and increased coastal flooding.” J. Extreme Events 3 (4): 1650013. https://doi.org/10.1142/S2345737616500135.
Douglass, S. L., and J. Krolak. 2008. Highways in the coastal environment. Arlington, VA: National Highway Institute.
Douglass, S. L., B. M. Webb, and R. Kilgore. 2014. Highways in the coastal environment: Assessing extreme events. Washington, DC: Federal Highway Administration.
FHWA (Federal Highway Administration). n.d. Climate change adaptation tools. Accessed July 31, 2017. https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/environment/sustainability/resilience/tools/.
FHWA (Federal Highway Administration). 2010. Regional climate change effects: Useful information for transportation agencies. Washington, DC: FHWA.
Gesch, D. B. 2009. “Analysis of lidar elevation data for improved identification and delineation of lands vulnerable to sea-level rise.” J. Coastal Res. 2009 (10053): 49–58. https://doi.org/10.2112/SI53-006.1.
Hinkel, J. 2011. “Indicators of vulnerability and adaptive capacity: Towards a clarification of the science–policy interface.” Global Environ. Change 21 (1): 198–208. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gloenvcha.2010.08.002.
Kriegler, E., J. W. Hall, H. Held, R. Dawson, and H. J. Schellnhuber. 2009. “Imprecise probability assessment of tipping points in the climate system.” Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 106 (13): 5041–5046. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.0809117106.
Lambert, J. H., Y.-J. Wu, H. You, A. Clarens, and B. Smith. 2012. “Climate change influence on priority setting for transportation infrastructure assets.” J. Infrastruct. Syst. 19 (1): 36–46. https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)IS.1943-555X.0000094.
MassDOT (Massachusetts DOT). n.d.-a LRFD bridge manual—Part 1 Chapter 3. Boston: MassDOT.
MassDOT (Massachusetts DOT). n.d.-b Open data portal. Accessed July 31, 2017. http://geo-massdot.opendata.arcgis.com/.
MassDOT (Massachusetts DOT). n.d.-c Road inventory data dictionary. Boston: MassDOT.
MassDOT (Massachusetts DOT). 2015. Bridge inspection handbook: MassDOT supplemental coding guide. Boston: MassDOT.
Morgan, M. G., and D. W. Keith. 1995. “Subjective judgments by climate experts.” Environ. Sci. Technol. 29 (10): 468–476. https://doi.org/10.1021/es00010a753.
R Core Team. 2018. R: A language and environment for statistical computing. Vienna, Austria: R Foundation for Statistical Computing.
Rowan, E., C. Evans, M. Riley-Gilbert, R. Hyman, R. Kafalenos, B. Beucler, B. Rodehorst, A. Choate, and P. Schultz. 2013. “Assessing the sensitivity of transportation assets to extreme weather events and climate change.” Transp. Res. Rec. 2326 (1): 16–23.
Rowan, E., C. Snow, A. Choate, B. Rodehorst, S. Asam, R. Hyman, R. Kafalenos, and A. Gye. 2014. “Indicator approach for assessing climate change vulnerability in transportation infrastructure.” Transp. Res. Rec. 2459 (1): 18–28.
Savonis, M. J., V. R. Burkett, and J. R. Potter. 2008. Impacts of climate change and variability on transportation systems and infrastructure: Gulf Coast Study, Phase I. Washington, DC: US Climate Change Science Program.
Scawthorn, C., P. Flores, N. Blais, H. Seligson, E. Tate, S. Chang, E. Mifflin, W. Thomas, J. Murphy, and C. Jones. 2006. “HAZUS-MH flood loss estimation methodology. II. Damage and loss assessment.” Nat. Hazards Rev. 7 (2): 72–81. https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)1527-6988(2006)7:2(72).
Smit, B., and J. Wandel. 2006. “Adaptation, adaptive capacity and vulnerability.” Global Environ. Change 16 (3): 282–292. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gloenvcha.2006.03.008.
Tate, E. 2012. “Social vulnerability indices: A comparative assessment using uncertainty and sensitivity analysis.” Nat. Hazards 63 (2): 325–347. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11069-012-0152-2.
Tonmoy, F. N., A. El-Zein, and J. Hinkel. 2014. “Assessment of vulnerability to climate change using indicators: A meta-analysis of the literature.” Wiley Interdiscip. Rev. Clim. Change 5 (6): 775–792.
Weseman, W. 1995. Recording and coding guide for the structure inventory and appraisal of the nation’s bridges. Washington, DC: Federal Highway Administration.
Information & Authors
Information
Published In
Journal of Infrastructure Systems
Volume 26 • Issue 3 • September 2020
Copyright
©2020 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Received: Jul 24, 2018
Accepted: Mar 23, 2020
Published online: Jun 13, 2020
Published in print: Sep 1, 2020
Discussion open until: Nov 13, 2020
Authors
Metrics & Citations
Metrics
Citations
Download citation
If you have the appropriate software installed, you can download article citation data to the citation manager of your choice. Simply select your manager software from the list below and click Download.