Infrastructure Planning, Design, and Management for Big Events

Abstract

Infrastructure networks such as transportation systems, power grids, water utilities, and communication networks are the lifelines of modern societies. National and local economies depend heavily upon efficient and reliable infrastructure networks. Furthermore, infrastructure networks with an adequate level of service provide added value and a competitive advantage toward a region’s socioeconomic growth. The significance of infrastructure networks is even more critical under big events such as natural and man-made disasters. The restoration of societal services is highly related to the ability to transport resources to the regions affected by the disaster. For example, a transportation network is expected to play a significant role in disaster response by supporting relief activities and population evacuation, while its functionality has to be restored as fast as possible to accommodate rapid restoration of the area’s normal activities. The functional interdependencies between the transportation and other infrastructure networks such as power, energy, and communication require coordinated planning and response under big events. Because of their ephemeral nature, big special events, such as Olympic games, inaugurations, large sporting events, or disasters earthquakes, fires, hurricanes, oil spills, and so on , use existing and sometimes upgraded and new infrastructure that has not been conceived to absorb the intense and highly polarized usage generated by such events. Big events deal with a diversity of “exceptional” situations, the impact of which depends on their magnitude, predictability, location, and regularity, among other factors, and places enormous strain on most parts of infrastructure systems, including transportation, telecommunications, power distribution, Internet, waste generation and collection, etc. By focusing on better strategic planning and development and robust design, communities, decision makers, and individuals can make more effective use of existing infrastructure, as well as better planning and design of planned infrastructure, reduce adverse impacts, share information, better utilize technology, and strengthen responsibility and lines of communication.