An information model for visualizing critical infrastructure interdependencies

Candidate: Congcong (Coco) Jiang
Type: Master of Science (MSc), School of Interactive Arts and Technology
Date: September 24, 2009
Senior Supervisor: Lyn Bartram
Thesis: Download Thesis Document

Abstract

Critical infrastructures such as electricity, water, telecommunication, transportation and medical services are complex networks of interconnected and interdependent components. Identifying, understanding and managing the interdependencies between critical infrastructures are new challenges for emergency management. I2C JIIRP (Joint Infrastructure Interdependencies Research Program) is a multidisciplinary project that studies new simulation approaches and techniques to analyze critical infrastructure interdependencies. This thesis research is part of the visualization research of the I2C JIIRP research project.

In this thesis, I propose an information model for the external user interface of the prototype simulator. I explore ways to visualize interdependencies, capture missing knowledge, support shared understanding and assist decision-making between infrastructure managers during the response phase and short-term recovery phase of emergency management. To demonstrate the visual model, I walk through the I2sim 5-cell test case with 2006 UBC (University of British Columbia) campus power shortage scenario to showcase the problems and solutions. At the end, I further discuss how the information model might support emergency management work from three user perspectives: planning, analysis and reaction.