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Towards Operationalizing Ecological Resilience for Infrastructure Decision-Making
Yamil Essus1, Benjamin Rachunok1,2, Tom Logan3
1Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina, USA.
Summary
Ecological resilience concepts can improve infrastructure engineering by using mathematical models to understand socio-technical system shifts. This approach helps coastal communities adapt to urban growth and managed retreat challenges.
Area of Science:
- Environmental science
- Engineering
- Sociology
Background:
- Ecological resilience acknowledges system shifts and adaptation, contrasting with engineering's focus on stability.
- Traditional engineering resilience may hinder societal adaptation to environmental changes.
- Socio-technical systems face complex challenges requiring integrated resilience frameworks.
Purpose of the Study:
- To integrate ecological resilience principles into engineering practices.
- To utilize mathematical models for analyzing socio-technical system equilibria.
- To enhance infrastructure decision-making for adaptive management.
Main Methods:
- Applying mathematical models from ecology to socio-technical systems.
- Developing a conceptual case study of coastal communities.
- Analyzing competing pressures like urban growth and managed retreat.
Main Results:
- Ecological resilience metrics offer a novel perspective on infrastructure stability.
- Mathematical models can identify critical transitions in socio-technical systems.
- The study provides a framework for evaluating adaptive capacity in coastal areas.
Conclusions:
- Incorporating ecological resilience enhances engineering approaches for dynamic environments.
- This interdisciplinary framework supports more robust infrastructure planning.
- Understanding system shifts is crucial for long-term societal adaptation and resilience.
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