Seismic performance assessment of interdependent lifeline networks using logical expansion of recursive decomposition algorithm

Lifeline networks are fundamental to our quality of life, to economic growth, and to the environment, but their components are intensely vulnerable to natural and man-made hazards. To minimize these hazard effects and to prevent functional damage propagation, it is essential to prepare effective pre-disaster hazard mitigation strategies based on rapid system reliability assessment. In this paper, the Logical Expansion of Recursive Decomposition Algorithm (LE-RDA), a non-simulation-based network reliability analysis method, is utilized to efficiently estimate the reliability of lifeline networks whose failure is defined by the complex failures of multiple node pairs. LE-RDA is demonstrated by recent lifeline network examples to estimate the seismic performance, functional degradation, and interaction effect, all of which are defined by a complex mixture of events. A new convergence-based efficient framework for LE-RDA calculation is introduced as well. LE-RDA can be applied to the node pair connectivity analysis of any general lifeline networks for decision support in hazard mitigation planning and disaster prevention management.