Work Program

SIRMA’s objectives will address and strengthen the resilience of transportation infrastructures by:

  • Developing a systematic methodology for risk-based prevention and management (procedures for inspection, diagnosis and assessment);
  • Implementing a decision making algorithm for a better risk management;
  • Creating a hierarchical database (inventory data, performance predictive models, condition state indicators and decision-making tools), where information can be exchangeable between entities and across regions/countries;
  • Developing a real time process for monitoring the condition state of transportation infrastructure;
  • Enhancing the interoperability of information systems in the Atlantic Area, by taking account of data normalization and specificity of each country.

The first approach consists in doing a risk screening of the most relevant hazards and identifying the vulnerable factors, so that the most critical transportation infrastructure in the Atlantic Area can be identified. Then, it is studied the impact of climate change on those extreme events. An approach for monitoring will be developed and implemented to assess the infrastructure performance. 

From this sensoring infrastructure it will be possible to objectively quantify the performance indicators and correlate its variation with the return period of extreme events, as well as with known performance forecasting models. All gathered data will be then stored in a big data basis that will be further used for decision making purposes.

A set of short, medium and long-term mitigation measures is then established, and quantified. A risk-based model, supported on performance forecasting models, but where risk is the key parameter, is further developed and used. Such model will consider not only a variation on performance, but also on the consequences for the users and for environment.

At the end an optimization algorithm is used to identify the most suitable strategies for risk mitigation at different stages, and therefore to increase resilience. The developed framework is then implemented in two multi-modal case studies, affected by climate change events, one in Portugal and the other in Ireland / Northern Ireland (transborder).

WP1 – Coordination

The project management structure is based on a strategic body – the Steering Committee (SC). This body assumes as main goal the permanent monitoring (follow-up) of the progress in the achievement of the objectives, outputs and results of the project. Thus, the project management procedures, methodology and strategies were consolidated to ensure:

  • The compliance with the proposed calendar and work plan;
  • The cohesion between the partnership in the execution of the actions;
  • A partnership committed to the project results.

WP2 – Communication

All partners will be participating in this WP, since the experience of multiple sectors is a key to reach the relevant target groups and stakeholders. The WP2 comprises 5 actions:

  • Actions 1 and 3: will be focused on elaborating the elements of the communication toolkit, namely the communication plan and information and communication materials;
  • Action 2: the contribution from Advisory Board (AB) will be considered here. Policy makers, public bodies, international associations and platforms will be also reached through the AB, to contribute to the regulatory process through new policies and directives;
  • Action 4: public communication events of the project will be organized;
  • Action 5: open Workshops will be developed in each participant country.

The communication strategy will include the clear identification of target groups, messages, strategies and evaluation methods. It will consider not only an external but also an internal audience.

WP3 – Capitalization

The capitalization strategy will be envisaged to be a support process that will be built progressively. However, such flexibility requires an appropriate organizational and management model that is already an integral part of the SIRMA project.

The capitalization strategy will be implemented, in the first instance, with the identification of transnational good practices and the identification of needs in standardization for the adoption of new solutions that improve the resilience of the Atlantic transport infrastructure. Secondly, a project capitalization plan (good practices) will be produced. Finally, technology transfer / capacity building events will be organized for key stakeholders in each Member State in order to ensure that key stakeholders can benefit from the project results.

Capitalization will take place at various levels (i.e. project, Atlantic Area, other European programmes or initiatives) through the involvement of key stakeholders in the dissemination and transfer initiatives and also through liaison with standardization bodies, and with associations to which some of the private and public entities involved belong to.

WP4 – Climate Change & Natural Hazards in Atlantic Area

The main objective of WP4 will be to assess the vulnerability of transportation infrastructure to interceptable (e.g. deterioration due to chloride ingress) and non interceptable (e.g. scour) events under various climate change scenarios.

The main outcomes of WP4 will be incorporated on WP6, namely, on the developed risk-based model, which considers the transportation infrastructure vulnerability to such events, their impact on performance and other direct and indirect consequences, and for the non interceptable events, their return period.

The following Actions will be carried out in WP4:

  • (i) Database for structural lifetime assessment under climate change scenarios;
  • (ii) Stochastic model for extreme events;
  • (iii) Methodology for assessment of infrastructure vulnerability and failure consequences.

WP5 – Instrumenting Transportation Infrastructures for Extreme Natural Hazards

This WP will aim:

  • a) To design instrumentation and calibration (Action 1);
  • b) To develop algorithms (Action 2);
  • c) To demonstrate them with numerical and experimental evidence base (Action 3).

The focus will be the development of a demonstrative experimental benchmark.

Failure/poor performance of algorithms and lack of benchmarking are addressed by initial numerical/small scale experimental success already demonstrated by the team and by liaising closely with WP7. Disconnect with climate adaptation measures are removed by working closely with WP4 and WP6 in Action 1. Quality management is ensured by WP interaction and strategic milestones & deliverables on demonstrative performance at different levels (numeric, laboratory, full-scale).

WP6 – Risk & Resilience-Based Decision-Making procedure for Transportation Infrastructure

This WP aims to develop a resilience-based decision-making tool for transportation infrastructure in Atlantic region. It is divided in three Actions:

  • Risk-based model for transportation infrastructure (Action 1);
  • Risk mitigation measures on transportation infrastructures (Action 2);
  • Resilience-based decision-making (Action 3).

Action 1 will integrate data obtained from sensoring system, developed at WP5. Additionally, the developed model will also consider the climate change effects on the likelihood and impact of extreme events, obtained from WP4. It is expected to deliver a risk-based forecasting model.

The second Action is divided in two parts:

  • (i) collecting data about risk mitigation measures, not only in Atlantic region but also out of it;
  • (ii) incorporating such data on risk-based predictive model (Action 1).

At the end, a database with most relevant risk mitigation measures will be obtained.

In Action 3, in order to develop a real time decision making framework, it will define:

  • (i) risk-based predictive model (Action 1);
  • (ii) risk mitigation measures (Action 2);
  • (iii) optimization algorithm.

At the end of this Action, a decision-making tool based on resilience will be delivered.

WP7 – Test Bed

The main objective will be to test and validate the SIRMA system of risk assessment and decision making through its implementation in two multi-modal case studies, affected by climate change events, one in Portugal and the other in Ireland / Northern Ireland (trans border).

The sensoring system developed at WP5 will be tested in the two case studies, and from such system a list of indicators concerning the infrastructure performance will be integrated on the risk-based model, and further in the decision-making framework, developed at WP6. Additionally, the developed risk-based model will integrate the climate change effects, studied at WP4. Thus, in WP7 this model will be calibrated, and the decision-making algorithm will be tested in order to obtain the optimal strategy of risk mitigation.