Resilient infrastructure and habitats

Crisis-proof and safe cities and regions

Resilient infrastructure is an essential component of any modern society. The term refers to the ability of a system to cope with shocks, disruptions or disasters and to recover quickly.

In 2009, the Federal Ministry of the Interior (BMI) identified four basic technical infrastructures that are particularly in need of protection as part of the National Strategy for the Protection of Critical Infrastructures (KRITIS Strategy): Energy supply, information and communication technology, transport and traffic and (drinking) water supply and wastewater disposal. A resilient infrastructure ensures that critical services relating to these infrastructures are maintained even under extreme conditions. The need for resilient infrastructure is becoming ever more apparent as the number and intensity of natural disasters and other crises in the context of climate change increases worldwide.

In order to realise a resilient infrastructure, various approaches can be pursued that are applied in the research context of the LZN. This includes, for example, the implementation of robust design standards, the use of innovative materials and technologies, the improvement of monitoring and early warning systems and the development of emergency plans and recovery strategies.

Contact

Prof. Dr. Alexander Stolz, Fraunhofer EMI

Head of division safety and resilience of technical systems 

+49 7628 9050 646

alexander.stolz@emi.fraunhofer.de

Thematic fields

Holistic analyses, modelling and evaluation of critical infrastructure and habitats
The ability to increase the resilience of an organisation or infrastructure requires an in-depth understanding of its own system, the criticality of individual components within the system and the interdependencies with external stakeholders and other factors. Cascading effects can turn even localised disruptive events into a systemic challenge. A sound and holistic understanding of resilience characteristics, combined with strategies to increase resilience, can help to meet these complex challenges.
Resiliente Infrastruktur
Resilience management in organisations (companies, cities, municipalities)
The ability to act in a targeted and timely manner in crisis situations, to recover and to return to original performance is central in an urban context, as there are path dependencies here due to the large number of relevant infrastructures and players, which in the negative case can lead to cascading effects with possible systemic consequences, but with good management can also lead to damage minimisation. The development of innovative security concepts, e.g. for the coordination and communication of security and rescue services, is just one example from the municipal context in which the Freiburg experts are already active.
Traffic safety research
Liveable cities and regions are characterised by features that improve the well-being and quality of life of residents while taking sustainability aspects into account. Transport is associated with high levels of stress for people and the environment. The challenge of transport and urban planning is to design socially necessary mobility in a liveable and sustainable way.