Title: Defining resilience within a risk-informed assessment framework

Authors: Garill A. Coles, Stephen D. Unwin, Greg M. Holter, Robert B. Bass, Jeffery E. Dagle

Addresses: Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, 902 Battelle Boulevard, MSIN K6-52, Richland Washington, 99354, USA. ' Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, 902 Battelle Boulevard, MSIN K6-52, Richland Washington, 99354, USA. ' Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, 902 Battelle Boulevard, MSIN K6-52, Richland Washington, 99354, USA. ' Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, 902 Battelle Boulevard, MSIN K6-52, Richland Washington, 99354, USA. ' Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, 902 Battelle Boulevard, MSIN K6-52, Richland Washington, 99354, USA

Abstract: The concept of resilience is the subject of considerable discussion in academic, business, and governmental circles. It is complex, multidimensional, and defined differently by different stakeholders. The authors contend that there is a benefit in moving from discussing resilience as an abstraction to defining resilience as a measurable characteristic of a system. This paper proposes defining resilience measures using elements of a traditional risk assessment framework to help clarify the concept of resilience and as a way to provide non-traditional risk information. The authors show various, diverse dimensions of resilience can be quantitatively defined in a common risk assessment framework based on the concept of loss of service. This allows the comparison of options for improving the resilience of infrastructure and presents a means to perform cost-benefit analysis.

Keywords: aspects of resilience; cost-benefit analysis; critical infrastructures; loss of service; LOS; resiliency; resilience factors; infrastructure resilience; risk analysis; risk assessment; risk informed approach; risk management.

DOI: 10.1504/IJRAM.2011.042115

International Journal of Risk Assessment and Management, 2011 Vol.15 No.2/3, pp.171 - 185

Published online: 28 Feb 2015 *

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