ReBounce · Integrated resilience assessment of bridges and transport networks exposed to hydraulic hazards

Integrated resilience assessment of bridges and transport networks exposed to hydraulic hazards

Bridges are key assets of transport networks. Hydraulic actions, especially scour are the leading causes of their failure worldwide. Exacerbated by climate change, bridge failures induce fatalities and traffic disruptions with severe economic and societal consequences. To date, the lack of fragility functions and recovery models has prevented the development of a reliable framework for risk and resilience assessment of bridges exposed to hydraulic hazards. As a result, network operators are unable to prioritise restoration and allocate resources objectively and systematically. The goal of ReBounce is to fill this important capability gap by delivering a reliable framework for the quantification of risk and resilience of flood-critical bridges and the associated transport networks upon which they reside. To this end, the project will deliver: (i) realistic and sufficient flood intensity measures for representative bridge typologies; (ii) rigorous vulnerability models; (iii) novel multi-parameter restoration functions that will simulate the effect of restoration tasks on the capacity and functionality of bridges accounting for uncertainties in the idle times and resourcefulness; (iv) test-application of the developed assessment framework on two different road networks (case studies). The action will be carried out by Dr Marianna Loli (Fellow), under the supervision of Prof. Dr Stergios Mitoulis, University of Surrey (UoS). Research objectives include: R1. Definition of realistic and sufficient flood Intensity Measures (IM) for bridge typologies found in Europe. R2. Delivery of novel adaptive fragility models. R3 Development of original multi-parameter restoration functions. R4. Application of the proposed framework for assessing the resilience of critical case study networks. In addition to the research tasks, ReBounce aims to provide cutting-edge training to the Fellow through attendance of courses, secondments and short visits to global academic institutions and industry leaders, and collaboration with interdisciplinary research groups. The project activities will foster widespread communication of outputs through publications, media outreach, and through the organization of an exploitation workshop targeted to

Data: CORDIS, © European Union