Critical Infrastructure Research Articles (Page 1)

Blasting is essential for the efficient extraction of limestone. However, blast-induced ground vibrations raise environmental and safety concerns, particularly when mining activities are carried out near settlements, transportation networks, and other critical infrastructure. These vibrations not only pose risks to surface structures but also contribute to ground instability, dust emissions, and potential disturbances to nearby ecosystems. Regulatory restrictions often limit blasting operations in close proximity to sensitive areas, which can constrain resource utilization. It is difficult to obtain blasting permission from within 100m of structures from regulatory bodies in India. This study reports controlled blasting techniques adopted at the Lanjiberna limestone and dolomite mine to mitigate adverse environmental impacts within 100m of structures. Results shows that optimized blast design reduced peak particle velocity (PPV) about 30 to 40%, keeping vibration levels within regulatory limits. Overall, the controlled blasting trials at Lanjiberna mine highlight that environmentally sensitive blasting practices can minimize the impacts on surrounding ecosystems while ensuring safe,sustainable and elevated limestone extraction.

Traditional risk management enhances infrastructure utility but remains limited in addressing complexity and uncertainty. This has shifted attention towards resilience, particularly the readiness dimension, to improve early threat detection and prevention. Machine Learning (ML) offers opportunities to advance resilience modelling, yet empirically validated ML-enabled approaches, especially those using neural networks, are scarce, restricting accuracy, reliability, and applicability. This study develops a neural network-enabled resilience model optimized for training efficiency and predictive performance. By incorporating established feature importance techniques, the model improves accuracy, interpretability, and the identification of influential factors. The findings extend resilience typologies by ranking factor importance in critical infrastructure, highlighting ‘Operational resilience’ as the most significant determinant of project success. Practically, the model provides managers with clearer insights for decision-making, supporting earlier threat recognition and stronger disruption detection. The framework is adaptable across resilience contexts with appropriate industry-or platform-specific modifications.

Most water and wastewater systems serve small, rural communities that often lack the scale, funding, and staffing to maintain their critical infrastructure. Public-private partnerships (PPPs or P3s) may be a solution. In this Perspective we diagnose the problems of rural water services and map the strengths of P3s to solve them. We discuss the challenges of adapting P3s to rural water infrastructure and suggest the most beneficial opportunities for doing so—namely, water utilities’ new assets, revenue/capital, and regional collaboration. The work offers insights into how rural water and wastewater systems might pursue P3s to sustainably manage their infrastructure needs.

Ransomware attacks pose a serious threat to computer networks, causing widespread disruption to individual, corporate, governmental, and critical national infrastructures. To mitigate their impact, extensive research has been conducted to analyze ransomware operations. However, most prior studies have focused on decryption, post-infection response, or general family-level classification for performance evaluation, with limited attention to linking classification accuracy to each family’s threat level and behavioral patterns. In this study, we propose a classification framework for the most dangerous ransomware families targeting Windows systems, correlating model performance with defined threat levels (high, medium, and low) based on API call patterns. Two independent datasets were used, extracted from VirusTotal and Cuckoo Sandbox, and a cross-source evaluation strategy was applied, alternating training and testing roles between datasets to assess generalization ability and minimize source bias. The results show that the proposed approach, particularly when using XGBoost and LightGBM, achieved accuracy rates ranging from 84 to 100% across datasets. These findings confirm the effectiveness of our method in accurately classifying ransomware families while accounting for their severity and behavioral characteristics.

The article describes the procedure for using the Engineering Troops of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Poland in eliminating the effects of the natural disaster that hit south-western Poland in September 2024. In the emergency management system, the Voivode may apply to the Minister of National Defense to allocate subunits or units of the Polish Army to, among other things, perform tasks related to the repair and reconstruction of technical infrastructure, or participate in ensuring the passability of transportation routes. Shortly after the flood wave passed, Operation Phoenix was launched, bringing together different types of troops for one purpose - to help civilians deal with the effects of the natural disaster. Even before the above-mentioned operation, the Engineer Troops Task Force was established (later included in Operation Phoenix), which coordinated the use of engineer troops for various tasks. The flooding destroyed many engineering structures, which were replaced with temporary bridges, thus enabling the reconstruction of flooded buildings and damaged critical infrastructure. Temporary bridges constructed by the engineering troops are DMS - 65 panel truss bridge structures. The authors have presented in detail the characteristics and application of panel bridges, providing examples of their use from different parts of the world. Using Glucholazy as an example, they have described the operation of the bridge construction team separated from the engineering unit, the method and manner of assembling DMS - 65 panel bridges and the schedule of the construction process. The applied structural solutions of the abutments, as well as the span part of the bridge structure, were described in detail. Using the example of the Czech concept of Reach - Back and Operation Phoenix (the actions of the Task Group of the Engineering Forces), the differences in the actions of troops from different countries in the reconstruction of transportation infrastructure damaged by floods were shown. It was found that panel truss structures are extremely important for the rapid restoration of transportation routes, but existing structures, either on the equipment of the Polish Army or in the strategic reserves, do not meet the requirements set forth in the technical conditions to which such facilities should conform.

Risk-based life-cycle cost–benefit analysis for critical infrastructure: piled bridge abutments under earthquake loading

Chile faces an important challenge in rural sanitation, made evident by the low coverage of wastewater treatment plants (around 13% of communities have sewage or treatment). The rest of the population discharges their wastewater into septic tanks or technologies that meet Decree N°236/26 and, to a lesser degree, utilizes cesspools. This gap, compared to urban areas (coverage close to 99.98%), has negative social, environmental and public health impacts. In the context of implementing Law N° 20.998 of Rural Sanitation Services (SSR), which has been in force since November 2020, the State must guarantee access to sanitation and provide infrastructure in rural areas. This investigation assesses the current situation in said areas and estimates the necessary investment to close the gap, serving as an input to formulate public policy. We applied a methodology based on the analysis of the updated SSR database, with the objective of identifying deficits in the countries three macrozones (North, Center and South) and evaluating the investment in diverse technologies – both conventional and unconventional. The results show a significant issue: only 27% function without significant problems and close to 73% of rural wastewater treatment plants show operational and infrastructure failures; 30% of this latter segment is in a critical state and requires urgent interventions. Among the most common deficiencies, the standouts include lack of maintenance, lack of essential equipment, rainwater infiltration, unforeseen population growth, deficient engineering design, difficulties operating complex systems and economic problems the rural sanitation services experience while sustaining operations. These gaps include coverage, quality and sustainability of solutions, requiring a comprehensive approach that takes into account local reality and the selection of adequate technology. The impact of these gaps is shown in environmental pollution, sanitary risks, and limitations on communities to administer their services and market their products. Faced with this problem, we present several strategies for a solution. First, it is recommended to increase investment in infrastructure, assigning priority to the replacement or rehabilitation of critical infrastructure following an evaluation of geographic, climatic and [population] density characteristics. It is also recommended to strengthen the operation of SSRs with the training and professionalization of operators, technical assistance, and continuous monitoring, in addition to updating regulations to favor the adoption of adequate technologies. Lastly, it is emphasized that there is a need to promote innovative and sustainable solutions, such as nature-based and renewable systems, which reduce costs and improve performance. Meeting these measures, in harmony with Chile’s climatic commitments and the ODS 6, will make it possible to sustainably close the gap in rural sanitation, improving the quality of life of the communities and protecting the environment.

Background Biobanks are critical infrastructures for biomedical research but are energy- and cost-intensive due to reliance on ultra-low temperature (ULT) storage and redundant systems. The challenge is reducing environmental impact without compromising specimen quality or continuity. Service centers are well positioned to address this challenge, operating at scale and providing governance beyond the capacity of individual laboratories. Methods The Johns Hopkins Biobank, a CAP-accredited service-center repository, partnered with the School of Medicine Energy and Sustainability Committee to conduct a freezer audit across 34 departments and two campuses. Inventories were assessed for age, utilization, and efficiency, and policies were implemented to encourage migration of biospecimens into centralized storage. Strategies prioritized vapor-phase liquid nitrogen (LN 2 ) for viable collections and incorporated MVE Variō systems as energy-efficient alternatives for ULT needs. Governance required investigators to evaluate centralized options before acquiring new freezers, reinforced through outreach at faculty meetings and symposia. Results The audit identified nearly 1,300 ULT freezers, with over 70% beyond their median life expectancy of 8.5 years. Consolidation of specimens into a Biobank-managed freezer farm reduced institutional energy demand and improved monitoring. LN 2 provided stability for viable specimens, while Variō units offered adjustable storage (–20 °C to –150 °C) with minimal electricity use and no facility cooling load. Governance helped to curb uncontrolled expansion of departmental freezers, while the Biobank functioned as an emergency response resource with at-temperature backup capacity. Adoption of centralized storage has been gradual but continues to expand. Conclusions This case study demonstrates how an academic service center can integrate sustainability, quality, and contingency planning. The Johns Hopkins Biobank illustrates that shared resources, supported by institutional governance, provide a practical framework to reduce environmental impact while ensuring uncompromising specimen protection.

Introduction/background: Rural hospital closures and limited access to subspecialty care may adversely affect outcomes for patients with hypertensive emergencies—a growing cause of hospitalization in the U.S. This study compared clinical outcomes and healthcare utilization between rural and urban hospitalizations for hypertensive emergency. Methods: Cross-sectional study using 2022 National Inpatient Sample (NIS), a nationally representative, all-payer database of U.S. hospitalizations. Adults hospitalized with a principal diagnosis of hypertensive emergency (ICD-10: I16.1) were included. Hospital rurality was categorized using Core-Based Statistical Area definitions. Primary outcomes included in-hospital mortality, length of stay (LOS), and total hospitalization charges. Multivariable logistic and linear regression models adjusted for age, payer status, Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI), income quartile, and hospital region and teaching status. Survey weights were applied to generate nationally representative estimates. Results: Of 70,155 hospitalizations (mean age [SD]: 59.5 [0.3] years; 47.8% male; 39.4% White), 6.78% occurred in rural hospitals. The mean charge was $54,091 [$1,700], and LOS was 3.9 [0.09] days. Compared to urban patients, rural patients were older (60.6 [1.1] vs. 59.4 [0.3] years), more likely to be White (64.1% vs. 37.6%), Medicare-covered (49.0% vs. 46.3%), and from lower-income areas (64.8% vs. 38.7% in the lowest income quartile) (all p<0.01). Rural patients had a lower comorbidity burden (CCI ≥3: 49.7% vs. 54.1%). Unadjusted analyses showed higher in-hospital mortality in rural (0.84% vs. 0.37%), shorter LOS (3.2 vs. 3.9 days), and lower hospital charges ($33,926 vs. $55,568; all p<0.001). Rates of critical interventions, including neurological procedures (0.30% vs. 0.30%), renal replacement therapy (0.4% vs. 0.5%), and intubation (0.6% vs. 1.0%), were similar (all p>0.30). After adjustments, rural hospitalizations remained associated with higher in-hospital death (aOR 2.38; 95% CI, 1.13–5.00), shorter LOS (−0.62 days; 95% CI, −0.85 to −0.39), and lower hospitalization charges (−$19,549; 95% CI, −$25,000 to −$14,000). Conclusion: Rural hospitalizations for hypertensive emergency are marked by higher mortality despite lower illness burden and significantly lower resource utilization. These disparities highlight the need for targeted strategies to strengthen critical care infrastructure and improve equity in rural health systems.

The Baltic Sea has become a strategic energy corridor for Poland and Central and Eastern Europe. It illustrates the dual challenge of maintaining short-term energy security while advancing long-term decarbonization. This paper investigates the role of Polish ports as critical nodes in this transformation. Using a qualitative and exploratory research design that combines policy analysis, secondary data, and case studies of oil, gas, and offshore wind facilities, the study shows how large ports consolidate their roles as gateways for fossil fuel diversification, while smaller ports are integrated into the offshore wind supply chain as service and maintenance bases. The analysis highlights the interdependence between European and national policy frameworks (REPowerEU, TEN-E, PEP2040) and port development, demonstrating how institutional conditions shape infrastructural resilience. At the same time, geopolitical risks and subsea vulnerabilities underline the necessity of treating ports as critical infrastructure requiring reinforced protection. The paper concludes that Polish ports act simultaneously as guarantors of immediate energy resilience and enablers of renewable transition, positioning the Baltic Sea as a cornerstone of Europe’s evolving energy architecture.

This article presents an innovative multi-source uninterrupted power system designed to address critical reliability requirements in mission-essential facilities where power interruptions can result in catastrophic consequences. The proposed architecture integrates diverse energy sources, including grid power, renewable inputs, backup generators, and battery storage under unified intelligent control, eliminating single-point failure vulnerabilities inherent in conventional UPS systems. Through advanced hybrid alternator technology incorporating power electronics and DC link voltage regulation, the article achieves frequency-independent operation adaptable to global electrical standards without hardware modifications. The intelligent control framework employs hierarchical decision-making with predictive algorithms enabling zero-delay source transitions while optimizing energy utilization based on real-time conditions. Experimental validation demonstrates superior efficiency across all loading conditions, particularly at partial loads where traditional systems exhibit significant losses. Practical deployments in data centers, healthcare facilities, and defense installations confirm operational reliability exceeding industry standards while reducing environmental impact through maximized renewable energy utilization. This article establishes a comprehensive framework for next-generation power continuity solutions capable of meeting the evolving demands of increasingly digitalized and sustainability-focused critical infrastructure.

The article analyzes the systems for generation, purification, transportation and storing of gaseous hydrogen as the alternative renewable energy source for ensuring of level of ecological safety of power plants with reciprocation internal combustion engines exploitation process. Purpose of the study is to improve the description of the process of purifying gaseous hydrogen from associated impurities during its production, storage and transportation based on the results of mathematical modeling analysis using improved mathematical apparatus based on modified thermodynamic perturbation theory. Problem of the study is the imperfection of the existing mathematical apparatus for describing the processes of purification of gaseous hydrogen as a commercial product and renewable ecological safe energy carrier using sorption metal hydride technologies based on TiMn 1,5 . Idea of the study is to develop a list of recommendations and organizational and technical measures for obtaining ultra-high purity gaseous hydrogen in environmental protection technologies by improving the adequacy of the mathematical description of the processes of its sorption-desorption by intermetallic compounds based on TiMn 1,5 . Task of the study is to adapt the mathematical apparatus of the modified thermodynamic perturbation theory to describe the process of selective sorption of hydrogen by metal hydrides of the type TiMn 1,5 from gas mixtures obtained during its production, storage and transportation. Object of the study is sorption processes in metal hydride technologies for the purification of gaseous hydrogen as an alternative fuel and a useful commercial product based on TiMn 1,5 . Subject of the study is mathematical description of the course of hydrogen sorption processes by intermetallic compounds of the type TiMn 1,5 when purified from gas impurities. Methods of the study are literature analysis, modified thermodynamic perturbation theory, mathematical modeling. Scientific novelty of results of the study is for the first time, an apparatus for mathematically describing the processes of hydrogen sorption by intermetallic compounds of the type has been suggested TiMn 1,5 from gas mixtures during its production, storage and transportation based on the improvement of the modified thermodynamic perturbation theory. Practical value of results of the study is the improved mathematical apparatus and the results of its application which are suitable for developing a list of recommendations and organizational and technical measures for obtaining ultra-high purity gaseous hydrogen as an ecologicale safe renewable fuel in environmental protection technologies both during the times of armed aggression and during the post-war reconstruction of critical infrastructure and economic potential of our country. The main part of the research is devoted to the adaptation of the mathematical apparatus of the modified perturbation theory to describe the sorption processes of the interaction of hydrogen, which is in the state of a gas mixture, and intermetallic compounds of the type TiMn 1,5 . It has been shown that based on sorption metal hydride technologies of the type TiMn 1,5 it is possible to achieve ultra-high purity of gaseous hydrogen as a commercial product when using it as an environmentally safe, renewable type of motor fuel. Mathematical modeling of hydrogen sorption by intermetallic compounds, performed on the basis of the mathematical apparatus of the thermodynamic perturbation theory improved in the study and on the example of the intermetallic hydride TiMn 1,5 , based on the application of the lattice gas model for metal hydrides. A list of recommendations and organizational and technical measures has been developed for the implementation of this type of environmental protection technologies in the practice of the units of the State Emergency Service of Ukraine, in particular the operation of fire and emergency rescue equipment with internal combustion piston engines, both during armed aggression and during the post-war reconstruction of critical infrastructure and the economic potential of our country and ensuring the fulfillment of the requirements contained in the Order of the State Emergency Service of Ukraine No. 618 (on the main activity) dated September 20, 2013. «On Approval of the Regulations on the Organization of Environmental Support of the State Emergency Service of Ukraine» and in the historical perspective of achieving the sustainable development goals contained in the Decree of the President of Ukraine No. 722/2019 of September 30, 2019 «About the Goals of Sustainable Development of Ukraine for the Period up to 2030».

Abstract In times of ongoing uncertainty and disruption, organizational resilience plays a key role in sustaining functionality and enabling adaptation. A central challenge of resilience lies in balancing stability and flexibility – an inherent organizational paradox. While this tension is well acknowledged in theory, there is limited insight into how individuals within organizations navigate it in practice, particularly in settings with high societal relevance and structural constraints. This study explores how employees and managers in German critical infrastructure organizations engage with the flexibility-stability paradox in their daily work, and how these practices relate to organizational resilience. Based on 40 qualitative interviews, the study identifies three key areas where tensions are especially pronounced: (1) organizational framework conditions between structure and adaptability, (2) work behavior between autonomy and collective processes, and (3) leadership between egalitarianism and directive clarity. The findings contribute to resilience research by offering empirically grounded insights into individual responses to paradoxical demands. In addition, the study further develops the concept of paradox work by highlighting its contextual nature and the variation in how individuals approach tension-laden situations.

Ukraine and its regions have endured 13 years of aggression from the Russian Federation, resulting in catastrophic consequences across all spheres of life: economic (destruction of critical infrastructure, industrial, and agricultural facilities), environmental (environmental pollution and threats to nuclear safety), social (crises in education and healthcare, increasing psychological trauma), and demographic (human losses and humanitarian crises), among others. The recovery of Ukraine requires a comprehensive and innovative approach focused on "green" transformation. This will foster economic growth, job creation, energy efficiency, energy independence, and integration into the European and global spaces while improving the quality of life.

The rapid expansion of the Internet of Things (IoT) has generated vast volumes of interconnected data, introducing new challenges in ensuring privacy, trust, and secure information exchange across distributed environments. Conventional security frameworks often depend on centralized architectures that are prone to single points of failure, data tampering, and unauthorized access. This paper proposes a blockchain-driven privacy and risk management model for IoT systems that leverages the immutability, transparency, and decentralized trust properties of blockchain to overcome these limitations. Integrated within a hybrid AI–Blockchain security framework, the proposed model functions as the privacy and integrity layer that complements AI-based intrusion detection mechanisms. In the proposed system, all security events detected by the AI intrusion detection module are logged onto a private blockchain ledger, ensuring tamper-resistant audit trails and verifiable data provenance. Smart contracts automate privacy enforcement and access control, guaranteeing that only authorized entities can interact with sensitive IoT data. Furthermore, a mathematical risk management cycle is embedded within the framework to quantify and continuously monitor cybersecurity risks through metrics such as likelihood, impact, and residual risk. The integration of blockchain with adaptive risk modeling supports a dynamic and self-regulating IoT defense environment. Experimental evaluation demonstrates that the blockchain layer significantly improves data integrity, auditability, and trust assurance without compromising system efficiency. By decentralizing control and automating policy enforcement, the model effectively mitigates privacy breaches and insider threats. The proposed framework contributes to the advancement of privacy-preserving, transparent, and scalable IoT security architectures, offering a practical pathway toward achieving end-to-end risk governance in critical infrastructure and smart environments.

The hydrogen energy industry is rapidly developing, positioning hydrogen refueling stations (HRSs) as critical infrastructure for hydrogen fuel cell vehicles. Within these stations, hydrogen compressors serve as the core equipment, whose performance and reliability directly determine the overall system’s economy and safety. This article systematically reviews the working principles, structural features, and application status of mechanical hydrogen compressors with a focus on three prominent types based on reciprocating motion principles: the diaphragm compressor, the hydraulically driven piston compressor, and the ionic liquid compressor. The study provides a detailed analysis of performance bottlenecks, material challenges, thermal management issues, and volumetric efficiency loss mechanisms for each compressor type. Furthermore, it summarizes recent technical optimizations and innovations. Finally, the paper identifies current research gaps, particularly in reliability, hydrogen embrittlement, and intelligent control under high-temperature and high-pressure conditions. It also proposes future technology development pathways and standardization recommendations, aiming to serve as a reference for further R&D and the industrialization of hydrogen compression technology.

Abstract Cyberattacks are increasingly affecting the safe operation of critical infrastructure (e.g., energy, manufacturing) and potentially endangering production, people, equipment, and the environment. A cyber-incident with physical consequences requires personnel responsible for aggregating log information, analyzing root cause (i.e., cybersecurity), and ensuring the production and safe operation of safety-critical systems (i.e., safety) to collaborate. For this, they must understand their own and each other’s roles in the incident response process, as well as when and how to interact with different roles. To address this problem, this paper proposes a framework that utilizes a model-based approach to illustrate the critical roles and their interactions within a security-safety incident response plan. To demonstrate its applicability, the framework was applied in a qualitative study within the Norwegian oil and gas industry, involving two companies. This research sheds light on the relevance of applying a model-based approach to developing security and safety incident response plans for organizations. It investigates the relevance of using two modeling languages: a general-purpose software systems modeling language, the Unified Modeling Language (UML), and an enterprise process workflow modeling language, the Business Process Modeling Notation (BPMN), for visualizing the security-safety incident response plan. The findings indicate that the modeling languages are suitable and relevant for understanding and discussing the collaboration and coordination of different personnel’s roles during security-safety incident response. The distinct diagrams highlight various aspects, including roles, transmitted information, tasks, and the sequence of tasks. Future work should consider how the diagrams can be applied during the training and learning of the incident response plans.

The article presents a method for detecting information security (IS) threat indicators in critical information infrastructure (CII) facilities using a digital twin (DT) with an adaptive mechanism. It addresses the limitations of traditional IS approaches under conditions of scarce real attack data, challenges in testing on operational CII facilities, and difficulties in identifying targeted, evasive threats. A dual-loop method (DT loop and CII facility loop) integrated with a three-level adaptation mechanism (operational, tactical, strategic modes) is proposed. The method encompasses stages of synthetic data generation, model training/testing in the DT, detection/classification at the facility, and defines adaptation trigger. Key advantages include the ability to safely generate threat scenarios and train in the virtual DT environment, automated maintenance of threat detection models. Validation results on a synthetic model of energy facility control system show significant improvement in quality metrics after adaptation.

Safety is a central concern in aviation, where aircraft operations involve complex processes and interactions exposed to multiple hazards. Addressing these hazards requires systematic risk management and the selection of effective safety measures. This study introduces a novel hybrid multi-criteria decision-making (MCDM) framework that integrates the grey Delphi method, the grey Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP), and the grey Axial-Distance-Based Aggregated Measurement (ADAM) method. The framework provides a rigorous engineering-based approach for evaluating and ranking safety measures under uncertainty and diverse stakeholder perspectives. Application of the model to aircraft operations demonstrates its ability to identify the most effective measures, including the development of critical infrastructure protection plans, rerouting of flight paths from high-risk areas, and strengthening of regulatory oversight. The proposed methodology advances decision-support tools in aviation safety engineering, offering structured guidance for optimizing resource allocation and improving system resilience.

With the increased military significance of space-based capabilities, the line between military and civilian space assets is becoming increasingly blurred. As the international community deliberates on the legal framework for safe operations in space, this ‘dual-use’ dilemma presents unique challenges. It is critical to ensure the responsible and sustainable use of outer space through a coordinated approach to the conduct of space operations. As congestion in space grows, there is pressure for states to secure their military (including dual-use) space assets from both deliberate and unintentional threats. However, government strategies relating to space security and space safety may have opposing underlying approaches. This article will consider how dual-use space assets pose a challenge for the balancing of national security objectives against the need for global cooperation to create a space rules framework. In balancing these objectives, it is also necessary for states to consider the concerns of private satellite operators, whose commercial activities are increasingly affected by evolving security postures. It will also explore whether the development of norms for behaviour in space operations, space traffic management (STM) and critical infrastructure protection could be utilized as a critical tool for enhancing space security. By examining how principles for satellite operations, collision avoidance and restrictive zones can reduce the risk of accidents and intentional interference, this article highlights the role of space safety norms in preventing conflicts and promoting stability in outer space.