Seismic risk assessment of interdependent critical infrastructure systems: The case of European gas and electricity networks

Abstract

SUMMARYWe study the seismic vulnerability of the interdependent European gas and electricity transmission networks from a topological point of view, whereby the electricity network depends on the gas network through gas-fired power plants. First, we assessed the seismic response for each independent network; then we analyzed the increased vulnerability due to their interdependency. We implemented a probabilistic reliability model that encompasses the spatial distribution of both network structures and their seismic hazard exposure using a Geographic Information System. We characterized the network interdependency using the strength of coupling of the interconnections, together with the seismic response of the independent-gas-network. We calculated the network fragility curves of the independent and dependent networks in terms of various performance measures (connectivity loss, power loss, and impact on the population) and found that the gas network is more seismically vulnerable than the electricity network. The interdependency introduces an extra vulnerability to the electricity network response that decreases with the extensiveness of the networks' damage states. Damage was also evaluated at a local level in order to identify the most vulnerable parts of the network, where it was found that the potential for the highest power loss is located in southeast Europe.

Community Detection in Action: Identification of Critical Elements in Infrastructure Networks

“…Gas Network (Poljansek et al 2012)). Further, they may be of interest to consumer (or industry) associations that 36 operate at any of the intermediate scales shown in Figure 1.…”

Serviceability of Natural Gas Distribution Networks After Earthquakes

“…Shinozuka [1997] focused on loss estimation methodologies for lifelines and considered the Memphis area as case study. Recently, Poljansek et al [2012] analyzed the seismic vulnerability of the gas and electricity network from the topological point of view.…”

Protecting Electricity Networks from Natural Hazards

“…Vulnerability of electricity grids in Europe is also affected by interdependencies between different systems and potentials for cascading effects (Poljanšek et al, 2012). Integration of renewable energies and resilience of electricity grids to multiple risks require substantial upgrading of existing grids as well as deployment of new grids.…”

“…In network analysis, such elements constitute the vertices of the network and are the main points of interest for the vulnerability analysis (e.g., Poljanšek et al 2012;Cavalieri and Franchin 2014;Correa-Henao et al 2013). …”

“…Natural hazards have the capacity to cause physical damage to network elements; thus, the response of the infrastructure network is strongly dependent on the physical vulnerabilities of its constituent assets, which, in turn, are dependent on their structural characteristics (e.g., Poljanšek et al 2012). The risks associated with different types of natural hazards, for example, volcanic eruptions, landslides, floods, or earthquakes (see e.g., Figure 7), are generally estimated using different procedures, leading to the incompara-.…”