Dovers 2009) three possible responses suggest themselves whenever a possible
disturbance is likely to occur:
1. Resistance and maintenance
The classical “resistance to change” is characterised by the human system which
tries its best to avoid change and which may even deny that a problem exists.
2. Change at the margins
Acknowledge the problem, discuss the possible implications, and, probably,
accepting that the existing system is not sustainable, and therefore requires change.
3. Openness and adaptability
Besides acknowledging the problem, being highly flexible reduces vulnerability.
There is a preparedness and willingness to assume and adopt new basic operational
and institutional structures.
These possible responses are varied partly because (1) the cost of resilience
provision is usually borne by taxpayers, private individuals, and private enterprise
and (2) the latter are not, normally, those who decide on the cost/benefit analysis in a
competitive and changing, environment. The infrastructure services identified in
Table 11.1 can hardly be thought of being independent of each other. Thus, if any
one were affected (disrupted, disturbed) during a disaster, it would most probably
affect another one (if not a few others). Therefore, given that lack of resilience can
destroy structures, harm workers, affect the population, the costs of resilience and
expected benefits can only be assessed using a holistic viewpoint before deciding on
sound investment strategies.
Infrastructure resilience, thus, now becomes, an integrated goal of identifying the
time, cost and other resources required to restore the existing overall infrastructure to
its full functionality, as prior to the disruption or disaster.
11.1.4 Definition of Resilience
After the above discussion, system resilience may now be defined is as follows:
A system is usually designed to behave in a certain way under normal circumstances. When disturbed from equilibrium by a disruptive event, the performance of
the system will deviate from its design level. The resilience of the system is its ability
to reduce both the magnitude and duration of the deviation as efficiently as possible
to its usual targeted system performance levels.
System resilience will be influenced either by inherent properties or those built in
the system. More particularly, improved resilience may be obtained by defining,
quantifying, and designing through three such properties or capacities:
11.1 Vulnerability and Resilience
311
disturbance is likely to occur:
1. Resistance and maintenance
The classical “resistance to change” is characterised by the human system which
tries its best to avoid change and which may even deny that a problem exists.
2. Change at the margins
Acknowledge the problem, discuss the possible implications, and, probably,
accepting that the existing system is not sustainable, and therefore requires change.
3. Openness and adaptability
Besides acknowledging the problem, being highly flexible reduces vulnerability.
There is a preparedness and willingness to assume and adopt new basic operational
and institutional structures.
These possible responses are varied partly because (1) the cost of resilience
provision is usually borne by taxpayers, private individuals, and private enterprise
and (2) the latter are not, normally, those who decide on the cost/benefit analysis in a
competitive and changing, environment. The infrastructure services identified in
Table 11.1 can hardly be thought of being independent of each other. Thus, if any
one were affected (disrupted, disturbed) during a disaster, it would most probably
affect another one (if not a few others). Therefore, given that lack of resilience can
destroy structures, harm workers, affect the population, the costs of resilience and
expected benefits can only be assessed using a holistic viewpoint before deciding on
sound investment strategies.
Infrastructure resilience, thus, now becomes, an integrated goal of identifying the
time, cost and other resources required to restore the existing overall infrastructure to
its full functionality, as prior to the disruption or disaster.
11.1.4 Definition of Resilience
After the above discussion, system resilience may now be defined is as follows:
A system is usually designed to behave in a certain way under normal circumstances. When disturbed from equilibrium by a disruptive event, the performance of
the system will deviate from its design level. The resilience of the system is its ability
to reduce both the magnitude and duration of the deviation as efficiently as possible
to its usual targeted system performance levels.
System resilience will be influenced either by inherent properties or those built in
the system. More particularly, improved resilience may be obtained by defining,
quantifying, and designing through three such properties or capacities:
11.1 Vulnerability and Resilience
311