Risk and Vulnerability Analysis of Complex Systems: a basis for proactive emergency management

Summary, in English

The present thesis concerns methods and knowledge that are useful when analysing the risks and vulnerabilities of complex systems in a societal emergency management context. Operational definitions of vulnerability and emergency response capabilities are suggested and two methods for analysing the vulnerability of critical infrastructure networks, based on the suggested definition, are presented. An empirical study of people’s values and preferences regarding different attributes

of potential disaster scenarios is also presented, since knowledge about values also is crucial for adequate risk and emergency management. It is concluded that the

thesis provides important insight into some of the issues related to analysis of risks and vulnerabilities of complex systems, but that more research is needed to address this difficult and comprehensive task.

• Author: Henrik Hassel
• Department/s: Division of Fire Safety Engineering; Lund University Centre for Risk Assessment and Management (LUCRAM); Division of Risk Management and Societal Safety
• Publishing year: 2007
• Language: English
• Full text: - 2 MB; Download statistics
• Document type: Licentiate thesis
• Publisher: Fire Safety Engineering and Systems Safety
• Topic: Building Technologies; Other Civil Engineering; Social Sciences Interdisciplinary
• Keywords: values; operational definitions; emergency response capabilities; Risk- och sårbarhetsanalys; storskaliga tekniska infrastrukturer; värderingar; complex systems; komplexa system; krishanteringsförmåga; Risk and vulnerability analysis; operationella definitioner; large-scale technical infrastructures
• Status: Published
• Supervisor: Kurt Petersen
• ISBN/ISSN/Other: ISBN: 978-91-633-1614-2