@article {bnh-3116, title = {Enhancing resilience of critical road infrastructure: bridges, culverts and flood-ways under natural hazards: annual project report 2015-2016}, number = {236}, year = {2016}, month = {10/2016}, institution = {Bushfire and Natural Hazards CRC}, address = {Melbourne}, abstract = {

In the funded first stage, the project aims to develop vulnerability models for critical road structures: bridges, culverts and floodways under natural hazards of flood, bush fire and earthquakes. In the second stage of the project, optimised maintenance and strengthening regimes required to enhance resilience of critical road structures will be identified and a decision making tool will be developed.

During the past year, the research focused on analysis of the case studies available from end user partners and development of the methodology for vulnerability modeling of bridges and floodways under natural hazards of flood, earthquake and bushfires. Three case studies were analysed to further establish the methodology and a reliability based approach was established to account for the variability of the frequency and the intensity of disasters. A field study was undertaken to understand the economic impact due to failure of road structures during the 2011 and 2013 floods in the Lockyer Valley region in Queensland.

Four workshops and a number of informal meetings were held during the project with excellent participation of end users and researchers. A mini-symposium held in July 2015 at RMIT University brought researchers, end users and wider stakeholders from across Australia and the UK. A stakeholder workshop held on 17 March 2016 identified end user needs and a utilisation plan was developed based on the outcomes. During the workshops, case study data were identified and the methodology for vulnerability modeling was refined. Future data needs were communicated to the end users.

Five Ph.D candidates commenced work with the research team on APA and IPRS scholarships. Three of the students secured Bushfire and Natural Hazards CRC{\textquoteright}s top up scholarships as well. One Masters by research student and one PhD will complete in 2016 and 2017 respectively.\  Each of the four strands of the project has recruited a researcher to engage in the project and also utilised final year undergraduate projects to contribute to the research project.

Major outcomes during the past two years can be summarised as development of the vulnerability modeling methodology for critical road structures exposed to extreme events and demonstration of the methodology using four case studies. This work has been published in 26 Publications including 9 journal papers, 12 refereed conference papers and 5 reports. In addition, the project research team has been invited to a total number of 12 highly regarded conferences roundtables, workshops and forums to present keynote speeches, chair and co-chair panels and facilitate workshops.

}, issn = {236}, author = {Sujeeva Setunge and Chun Qing Li and Darryn McEvoy and Kevin Zhang and Jane Mullett and Hessam Mohseni and Priyan Mendis and Tuan Ngo and Nilupa Herath and Karu Karunasena and Weena Lokuge and Buddhi Wahalathantri and Dilanthi Amaratunga} }