Depth-damage curves for rail rapid transit infrastructure

Abstract

Estimates of flood-related damages and costs often rely on asset-specific depth-damage curves that characterize the fragility of a given asset. To date, there are very few depth-damage curves that are potentially applicable to rail rapid transit infrastructure, and no studies attempt to construct these relationships specifically these asset classes. Given the lack of empirical performance data or asset-specific reliability tests, we solicited expert engineering judgment to characterize the fragility of transit assets to saltwater flood exposure. We validate the resulting synthetic depth-damage relationships via a benchmarking approach and demonstrate consistency with previously published depth-damage curves for similar asset classes. The solicitation framework presented can easily be extended to other infrastructure assets and systems, potentially serving as a key step toward a more rigorous quantification of the potential risks posed to infrastructure by natural hazards and climate change.