Performance-Based Design of Flood Protection Infrastructure

The flood protection infrastructure system of the United States is in poor health and aging fast. These problems are exacerbated by the observed increase in natural disturbances that is increasing structural demand on the systems, as well as difficulties in carrying out maintenance programs in the last decades. This paper provides an overview of recent advances from the authors on the resilience assessment of flood protection infrastructure. The research aims at advancing knowledge in the field by defining a new paradigm for the design of the infrastructure, taking into account resilience metrics to quantify the capability of the systems to withstand extreme events. This ultimately allows for a quantification of the risk involved with the failure of infrastructure systems, reducing the effects of extreme events on communities and populations.