ReCharged - Climate-aware Resilience for Sustainable Critical and interdependent Infrastructure Systems enhanced by emerging Digital Technologies
Lead Research Organisation:
University of Surrey
Department Name: Civil and Environmental Engineering
Abstract
ReCharged is a transformative project that has the vision to develop a new integrated framework toward a practical visualisation
platform in order to optimise and streamline climate resilience and whole-life carbon emission assessments for interdependent
Transport and Energy Systems, Lifelines and Assets (iTESLA). To achieve this, ReCharged harnesses the power of digital technologies
and data to quantify the functionality and recovery of iTESLA after hazards. This is in response to the lack of methods of assessment
and communicable visualisations of consolidated climate resilience and whole-life carbon emission metrics for iTESLA. ReCharged will
account for interdependencies that lead to failure propagation in transport and energy systems, to accelerate post-hazard recovery,
mitigate losses and societal ramifications due to climate change. In doing so, ReCharged underpins synergies and participatory
decision-making to combat siloed thinking in infrastructure management. This project will lead to 50% faster decision-making in
iTESLA management, 50% reduction of carbon emissions for the two case studies analysed, create new jobs, and make Europeans fit
for the Digital Age. ReCharged is a synergy that combines the exchange of interdisciplinary knowledge and tailored training of staff,
through an alliance between leading academic institutions, industrial partners, SMEs, and a research and technology center. All
beneficiaries are committed to exploiting and transferring their skills and knowledge, to incentivise data-driven resilience toward
climate adaptation and reduce emissions in critical infrastructure. ReCharged will augment researchers' skills and career perspectives,
create a community of practitioners, improve critical infrastructure, and ultimately make people feel safer.
platform in order to optimise and streamline climate resilience and whole-life carbon emission assessments for interdependent
Transport and Energy Systems, Lifelines and Assets (iTESLA). To achieve this, ReCharged harnesses the power of digital technologies
and data to quantify the functionality and recovery of iTESLA after hazards. This is in response to the lack of methods of assessment
and communicable visualisations of consolidated climate resilience and whole-life carbon emission metrics for iTESLA. ReCharged will
account for interdependencies that lead to failure propagation in transport and energy systems, to accelerate post-hazard recovery,
mitigate losses and societal ramifications due to climate change. In doing so, ReCharged underpins synergies and participatory
decision-making to combat siloed thinking in infrastructure management. This project will lead to 50% faster decision-making in
iTESLA management, 50% reduction of carbon emissions for the two case studies analysed, create new jobs, and make Europeans fit
for the Digital Age. ReCharged is a synergy that combines the exchange of interdisciplinary knowledge and tailored training of staff,
through an alliance between leading academic institutions, industrial partners, SMEs, and a research and technology center. All
beneficiaries are committed to exploiting and transferring their skills and knowledge, to incentivise data-driven resilience toward
climate adaptation and reduce emissions in critical infrastructure. ReCharged will augment researchers' skills and career perspectives,
create a community of practitioners, improve critical infrastructure, and ultimately make people feel safer.
Organisations
People |
ORCID iD |
| Dan V Bompa (Principal Investigator) |
Publications
Mitoulis S
(2023)
Sustainability and climate resilience metrics and trade-offs in transport infrastructure asset recovery
in Transportation Research Part D: Transport and Environment
Thorne J
(2024)
Environmental impact evaluation of low-carbon concrete incorporating fly ash and limestone
in Cleaner Materials
| Description | Emissions from post-hazard transport asset recovery are largely driven by material use, contributing between 21% and 99% of total emissions. Low-carbon solutions can reduce emissions by up to 57%, but at a cost increase of approximately 20%. Prolonged construction periods can lead to a 50% increase in emissions due to higher fuel consumption by construction equipment, highlighting the need for efficient restoration planning to balance resilience and sustainability. Circular economy (CE) strategies can enhance sustainability in infrastructure restoration - While disposal remains the dominant approach for damaged assets, Repair and Refurbish are identified as the most favorable CE strategies, with growing interest in Recycle and Reduce. Practitioners are increasingly open to adopting CE strategies even for severely damaged infrastructure, indicating a shift towards more sustainable restoration approaches and the potential for wider integration of CE principles. The research highlights a gap in practical tools for applying circularity in infrastructure restoration. Aligning R-strategies with current practices can optimise material use, improve resilience, and support sustainable cities and communities. |
| Exploitation Route | The findings on circular economy (CE) strategies and environmental impact metrics could inform policy development, regulatory frameworks, and standardisation efforts for sustainable post-hazard infrastructure recovery. Decision-makers could incorporate circularity principles into resilience planning, procurement guidelines, and funding criteria for restoration projects. Engineering practitioners, asset managers, and contractors could use the research to develop decision-support tools, best-practice guidelines, and digital frameworks that optimise restoration strategies based on emissions, cost, and resilience. These resources could facilitate data-driven decision-making and wider industry adoption of sustainable interventions. The methodologies and findings could be adapted for other infrastructure sectors beyond transport, including buildings, energy systems, and water networks. Collaboration with industry, academia, and government agencies could enable pilot projects and cross-sectoral initiatives to enhance climate resilience and circularity in infrastructure management. |
| Sectors | Construction |