3 Pick an infrastructure system water sewer storm water road

3. Pick an infrastructure system (water, sewer, storm water, roads). As an infrastructure system, risk, vulnerability and failures (or the potential for same) are related, outline a model of how you would assess vulnerability, risk, failure and cost to one infrastructure system (flow chart). Outline the components and how they inter-relate (diagram). Discuss at least 10 assets that are part of your system - note some of them should be different. You also want different conditions. You may use any data avaliable to you. A matrix might be helpful describing the steps. (10 points)

Solution

Let\'s take the Road Infrastructure. The risk in Road Infrastructure can be classified in various categories such as -

1.) Site condition risk

2.) Economical and financial risk

3.) Technical Risk

4.) Management risk

These risks are described below -

1.) Site Condition Risk - This is the most critical risk among all . Sometimes the conditions on the site are such that work cannot be carried out in a safe manner or many hurdles come in the way. Some times due to natural calamities like cyclone, food , earthquake all the roads get damaged.

Sometimes due to negligence of workers the compaction is not done properly as a result bulking of sand occurs which lead to faulty roads. Poor design or unavailability of land allocation (due to protest of residents) also haults the construction activity. Sometimes unavailability of construction material also results in hault.

2.) Economical and Financial Risk - These risks occur when the prices of construction material suddenly go high due to unavailability of materials. The construction cost increase. It can also occur when contractor has not been paid by the client , which leads to deficiency of funds.

3.) Technical Risk - These type of risk generally occur due to technical faults during construction. It may be due to negligence, or due to Enginners at site which donot have sound knowledge of construction activities. Sometimes it occurs due to wrong communication between the contactor and the client about the site requirements.

4.) Management Risk - This is purely due to mismanagement of activities during construction. Mismanagement of material, workers, equipments lead to such type of risks.

These risks are interelated as -

Site Condition Risk and Technical Risk are interelated as sometimes due to site conditions , some technical decisions are made which sometimes prove to be wrong as a result failure occur.

Management Risk and Economical and Financial Risks are interrelated as due to poor management , the economical and financial status of company get into debts.

Or these all four can be interelated as

Site Condition Risk -> Technical Risk -> Management Risk -> Economical and Financial Risk

It can be explained as due to typical Site Conditions sometimes some unforeseen conditions occur of which the engineers are not aware which would lead to technical risk. As a result of technical faults mis management at site would happen , which leads to loss to contractors or company resulting in Economical and financial risk.

10 Assets that is part of the system -

1.) Road Agency - The agency should have sufficient knowledge and experience of road construction.

2.) Site Engineers - The site engineers should have sufficient knowledge about the construction project, they should be well versed with codes and specifications.

3.) Timeline - The project should have a define timeline and if it is a big project then it should be divided into phases , and each phase should also have a timeline.

4.) Construction Material - Good quality construction material should be used.

5.) Machinery and Equipment - Latest machines should be used to carry out work efficiently and at a fast pace.

6.) Workforce - The workers should be in a healthy and sound condition.

7.) Initial Survey- Initial survey should be carried out before construction , any precautions to be taken should be intimated.

8.) Availability of material - Such materials should be used that are abundant and are easily accessible and available.

9.) Economic conditions - The company should have enough funds to carry out the work.

10.) Good Management - The management of the company should be sound and should have good communication with the contractor.