Innovation Strategies to design and deliver Resilient Critical Infrastructure Projects
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Date
2016-07
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Publisher
The British University in Dubai (BUiD)
Abstract
Critical infrastructure that considered the main artery of the economy and security for any country may get affected by different risks, challenges and threats, whether environmental (weather changes, earthquakes, volcanoes, etc.) or from human activity. In this sense, it is the duty of all parties involved in the design and construction of such facilities to cooperate in order to overcome these threats or in other words to deliver resilient CI , for this reason, many countries have developed a programs to secure the CI. It may come to mind that the CI are only complex projects like nuclear power stations or airports, but they include all the projects that damage or shutdown may cause paralysis of the state regardless of the size of the project.
The resilience starts from the design stage through anticipates the threats and risks that could affect the CI, these threats may be unexpected that is why innovation needed in the design and construction of these facilities is requirement for protecting and securing the CI.
The aim of this study is to examine the relationship between the innovation in the design, construction and operation of the project and the resilience of CI. To achieve this objective research included two sections, the first section includes the study of the CI definitions and the most important risks and threats related and the different definitions of the term and the various factors for resilience from previous studies. While the second section has included the study of previous research of innovation in the design and construction of critical infrastructure projects, focusing on the tools and strategies followed by the consultant and client. After collecting, the Information from both sections a conceptual model will be developing connected the Innovation tools and the resilience factors.
In order to collect the data, The method of qualitative research have been conducted by asking questions in interviews face-to-face with the design and construction engineers in three critical infrastructure, including transport and agriculture (water supply), in order to verify the conceptual model. After data collection and analysis founded that, the various tools and strategies followed by the owner and consultant have a direct impact on the reduction of the risks and threats to critical infrastructure projects and thus contribute largely in securing and resilience these projects. The different Innovative tools will be link to the resilience different factors (Recovery, Robustness, and Resourcefulness) by analyzing and comparing three critical Infrastructures. It have been found that the technology is the most effective innovative tool to promote the resilience in the critical Infrastructure also conclusion come out of the importance of the trust, coordination and communication between the different teams to resist and adapt the risks and threats associated to the critical Infrastructure. The Innovation process (I) is a process that integrated different tools and strategies in order to design and deliver Resilient CI.
Description
DISSERTATION WITH DISTINCTION
Keywords
critical infrastructure, innovation strategies, resilience, robustness