Resilient Infrastructure Simulation Environment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current infrastructure modeling systems fail to effectively simulate the vulnerability of complex interdependent urban systems to environmental, human, and cyber stressors, relying heavily on human intuition and experience, which can lead to costly failures.
Innovation Solution
A real-time simulation and training environment that combines multiple infrastructure simulators to model the effects of stressors on interdependent systems, allowing for the evaluation of resilience and response strategies through a user interface, server, and governor block, providing textual, graphical, and geographic representations of system dynamics.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If human intuition and experience are used to evaluate infrastructure vulnerability, then the evaluation process is simple and accessible, but the accuracy and reliability of vulnerability assessment deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a virtual copy of the infrastructure system through digital twins and simulation environments. These copies replicate the physical infrastructure's behavior, allowing analysts to test vulnerability scenarios without direct exposure to real-system risks. The simulation environment mirrors the physical system's components, interdependencies, and response dynamics, enabling reliable vulnerability assessment while maintaining operational safety.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces computational simulations as an intermediary between analysts and the physical infrastructure. Rather than directly analyzing complex real-time infrastructure data, the system uses simulated environments that mediate the evaluation process. These simulations translate complex physical systems into manageable computational models, making vulnerability assessment both accessible and accurate.
2Reliability
If computational simulators are used to predict individual system responses, then the accuracy of predictions improves, but the ability to evaluate complex interdependent dynamics deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple individual system simulators into a unified integrated simulation environment. Instead of analyzing infrastructure components in isolation, the system combines power, water, cyber, and other interdependent systems into a single cohesive simulation. This integration enables accurate prediction of cascading failures and complex interdependent dynamics while maintaining the predictive accuracy of individual component models.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a universal simulation platform that can model various infrastructure systems and stressors within a single environment. The system handles diverse components (power grids, water supplies, cyber networks) and multiple stressor types (natural disasters, cyber-attacks, kinetic events) through a unified framework, reducing the complexity of evaluating interdependent dynamics across different systems.
3Reliability
If detailed modeling of interdependent infrastructures is implemented, then the accuracy of vulnerability assessment improves, but the computational resources and time required increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary computational work to pre-calibrate and pre-compute critical parameters of the infrastructure systems. The simulation environment is pre-configured with system characteristics, interdependency relationships, and response models before actual vulnerability assessments are conducted. This preliminary preparation reduces the computational time required during real vulnerability evaluation scenarios while maintaining assessment accuracy.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements dynamic simulation capabilities that can adapt computational complexity based on the specific assessment scenario. The system dynamically adjusts the level of detail and computational intensity according to the stressor type, system state, and analysis requirements. This dynamic approach allows detailed modeling when needed while reducing computational time for routine assessments.
Data Source
AI summary
Various embodiments of an infrastructure modeling system that simulates vulnerability of critical interdependent infrastructures are disclosed herein.