"Wisdom begins in wonder" – Socrates
Tag: Adaptation
Continuity of Operations Plan
10/03/19
“How can a facility cope in the face of a disaster?”
Calamities strike all the time, whether it be in the form of a natural disaster or a power outage. To build resilience, institutions should develop a Continuity of Operations Plan, which details how to operate a facility during such events.
Asset Resilience Prioritization
10/02/19
“How should we prioritize assets for resilience?”
Many institutions and communities all over the world have to deal with limited resources. And this applies to the world of resilience. Sometimes we will not be able to have enough backup power in the case of a large-scale power outage. As a result, different assets will have to be given different levels of priority of power. This Asset Resilience Prioritization is one of the most important parts of resilience planning and is necessary for every planner.
How Levees Can Perpetuate Climate Inequality
09/28/19
“How can levees perpetuate climate inequality?”
Levees are used by civil engineers to prevent rivers from overflowing. However, this can cause the flood to become worse at the other end of the levee, and harm an area further down which does not have the capabilities to defend themselves. This is How Levees Can Perpetuate Climate Inequality.
Image credit scx1.b-cdn.net
Levees
09/21/19
“How can we prevent the overflow of rivers using built infrastructure?”
Rivers can be the lifeblood of a community, whether it be for transportation or a source of drinking water. However, when the river floods, it can cause great disaster to a community. So how can we artificially prevent such flooding? Well, what if we were to build barriers right next to the river flow running parallel? These Levees are a staple of river control around the world and have saved countless of lives.
Image credit https://www.johnenglander.net
Resilience Vulnerabilities
09/12/19
“How can we identify internal vulnerabilities in infrastructure?”
In the physical world, imperfections can be found in every little structure. This also holds true for infrastructure. Resilience Vulnerabilities are the parts of infrastructure that may be liable in case a situation happens. Examples include not having backup generators or having structurally weak cement for the building.
Resilience Threats
09/11/19
“How can we quantify external threats against resilience?”
Unexpected events such as natural disasters and power outages can cause unexpected damage to infrastructure. In resilience analysis, these are often quantified as Resilience Threats. Example resilience threats include sea-level rise against coastal installations and natural gas pipeline bursts.
Why Infrastructure Stakeholders Should Look for Existing Resilience Plans Before Creating New Ones
09/10/19
“Why should we look for already existing infrastructure plans before creating new ones?”
Resilience is one of the hottest topics in civil engineering right now. Whether it be protecting cities against hurricanes or finding new ways to implement renewable energy, there always seems to be something going on. However, before any new plans are made, people should look out if there are already plans in place instead of reinventing the wheel. This is Why Infrastructure Stakeholders Should Look for Existing Resilience Plans Before Creating New Ones.
Infrastructure Resilience Workshops
09/09/19
“How can we coordinate workshops to practice resilience?”
With the advent of climate change, infrastructure operators are going to think about how they can practice and implement resilience. One way to accomplish this is to hold Infrastructure Resilience Workshops, where multiple governing parties can come together and decide how to quantify and implement their resilience goals. To illustrate, a utility and a hospital may come together to discuss what assets will be prioritized and how to keep patients safe in the case of a blackout.
Strategic Petroleum Reserves
09/04/19
“How do nations handle reserves for fuels in case of a national crisis?”
Petroleum drives a substantial portion of the global economy, whether it be for moving cars or making plastics. But if a national crisis breaks out, petroleum supplies can be disrupted, leaving devastating consequences for a nation. For this reason, countries have Strategic Petroleum Reserves which allows them to have access to fuel supplies in case an emergency comes up.
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