Title: Analysing interdependencies of critical infrastructures using agent discrete event simulation

Authors: Claudio Balducelli, Sandro Bologna, Antonio Di Pietro, Giordano Vicoli

Addresses: Italian National Agency for New Technologies, Energy and the Environment (ENEA), Via Anguillarese 301, 00060 Rome, Italy. ' Italian National Agency for New Technologies, Energy and the Environment (ENEA), Via Anguillarese 301, 00060 Rome, Italy. ' Italian National Agency for New Technologies, Energy and the Environment (ENEA), Via Anguillarese 301, 00060 Rome, Italy. ' Italian National Agency for New Technologies, Energy and the Environment (ENEA), Via Anguillarese 301, 00060 Rome, Italy

Abstract: The paper explores the possibility of using interacting agents for modelling and discrete event simulation as a tool to approach interdependencies analysis and evaluation for critical infrastructures. A discrete event simulation system was developed, using agent-oriented programming, considering the following limited sets of critical infrastructures: a great hospital infrastructure, a railway transportation infrastructure and other public transportation infrastructures. Faults inside the electricity distribution system are simulated, producing electrical power outages whose duration could be variable with respect to time and space, and generating consequences inside the transportation infrastructures. The hospital infrastructure users, such as different types of physicians, nurses, subsidiary personnel, students and patients are also modelled using agent oriented architectures. The objective of the simulations is to study and analyse the interdependencies of the considered infrastructures Many typologies of test scenarios are also executed and the severity of the generated consequences are analysed in the paper.

Keywords: critical infrastructures; interdependency; discrete event simulation; agent-based simulation; fuzzy rules; agent-based systems; emergency management; fuzzy logic; modelling; evaluation; agent-oriented programming; hospital infrastructure; railway transportation infrastructure; public transportation infrastructures; electricity distribution systems; power outages.

DOI: 10.1504/IJEM.2005.008742

International Journal of Emergency Management, 2005 Vol.2 No.4, pp.306 - 318

Published online: 20 Jan 2006 *

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