Optimizing urban infrastructure resilience: Analyzing cascading failures and critical node dependencies through multilayer network models

As urbanization and industrialization progress, urban infrastructure systems grow increasingly complex, heightening their vulnerability to cascading failures from natural disasters and human-induced disruptions. Strengthening the resilience of these systems is critical for sustainable urban developm...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Cong Lu, Jianjun She, Hezhi Pan, Zihao Guo, Xuanling Zhou, Zhijian Li
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: KeAi Communications Co., Ltd. 2026-03-01
Series:Journal of Safety Science and Resilience
Subjects:
Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666449625000799
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1849225246461132800
author Cong Lu
Jianjun She
Hezhi Pan
Zihao Guo
Xuanling Zhou
Zhijian Li
author_facet Cong Lu
Jianjun She
Hezhi Pan
Zihao Guo
Xuanling Zhou
Zhijian Li
author_sort Cong Lu
collection DOAJ
description As urbanization and industrialization progress, urban infrastructure systems grow increasingly complex, heightening their vulnerability to cascading failures from natural disasters and human-induced disruptions. Strengthening the resilience of these systems is critical for sustainable urban development and sustaining residents’ quality of life. This study introduces a novel framework to analyze cascading failure propagation within infrastructure networks. Utilizing the implicit interdependency model, we construct a multilayer network that delineates interconnections and dependencies across infrastructure sectors. The PageRank algorithm is used to identify critical nodes by evaluating their network centrality, thereby highlighting key components within the system. Through simulations of random, PageRank-based, and betweenness-based attack scenarios, we explore failure dynamics and their propagation patterns. Additionally, we evaluate mitigation strategies, with the community periphery augmentation strategy proving most effective, enhancing resilience by linking peripheral nodes between communities. This research systematically connects the significance of key nodes to cascading effects, uncovering vulnerabilities and providing actionable insights for disaster response and recovery planning.
format Article
id doaj-art-4aa31bc618824debaef26e42dffae74a
institution Kabale University
issn 2666-4496
language English
publishDate 2026-03-01
publisher KeAi Communications Co., Ltd.
record_format Article
series Journal of Safety Science and Resilience
spelling doaj-art-4aa31bc618824debaef26e42dffae74a2025-08-25T04:14:50ZengKeAi Communications Co., Ltd.Journal of Safety Science and Resilience2666-44962026-03-017110024510.1016/j.jnlssr.2025.100245Optimizing urban infrastructure resilience: Analyzing cascading failures and critical node dependencies through multilayer network modelsCong Lu0Jianjun She1Hezhi Pan2Zihao Guo3Xuanling Zhou4Zhijian Li5College of Civil Engineering, Nanjing Tech University, Nanjing, 211816, China; Smart City Research Center, Nanjing Tech University, Nanjing, 211816, ChinaCollege of Civil Engineering, Nanjing Tech University, Nanjing, 211816, China; Smart City Research Center, Nanjing Tech University, Nanjing, 211816, ChinaCollege of Civil Engineering, Nanjing Tech University, Nanjing, 211816, ChinaCollege of Civil Engineering, Nanjing Tech University, Nanjing, 211816, ChinaCollege of Foreign Studies, Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210023, ChinaCollege of Civil Engineering, Nanjing Tech University, Nanjing, 211816, ChinaAs urbanization and industrialization progress, urban infrastructure systems grow increasingly complex, heightening their vulnerability to cascading failures from natural disasters and human-induced disruptions. Strengthening the resilience of these systems is critical for sustainable urban development and sustaining residents’ quality of life. This study introduces a novel framework to analyze cascading failure propagation within infrastructure networks. Utilizing the implicit interdependency model, we construct a multilayer network that delineates interconnections and dependencies across infrastructure sectors. The PageRank algorithm is used to identify critical nodes by evaluating their network centrality, thereby highlighting key components within the system. Through simulations of random, PageRank-based, and betweenness-based attack scenarios, we explore failure dynamics and their propagation patterns. Additionally, we evaluate mitigation strategies, with the community periphery augmentation strategy proving most effective, enhancing resilience by linking peripheral nodes between communities. This research systematically connects the significance of key nodes to cascading effects, uncovering vulnerabilities and providing actionable insights for disaster response and recovery planning.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666449625000799Cascading failuresMulti-network analysisPagerank algorithmFailure propagation simulationRobust optimization
spellingShingle Cong Lu
Jianjun She
Hezhi Pan
Zihao Guo
Xuanling Zhou
Zhijian Li
Optimizing urban infrastructure resilience: Analyzing cascading failures and critical node dependencies through multilayer network models
Journal of Safety Science and Resilience
Cascading failures
Multi-network analysis
Pagerank algorithm
Failure propagation simulation
Robust optimization
title Optimizing urban infrastructure resilience: Analyzing cascading failures and critical node dependencies through multilayer network models
title_full Optimizing urban infrastructure resilience: Analyzing cascading failures and critical node dependencies through multilayer network models
title_fullStr Optimizing urban infrastructure resilience: Analyzing cascading failures and critical node dependencies through multilayer network models
title_full_unstemmed Optimizing urban infrastructure resilience: Analyzing cascading failures and critical node dependencies through multilayer network models
title_short Optimizing urban infrastructure resilience: Analyzing cascading failures and critical node dependencies through multilayer network models
title_sort optimizing urban infrastructure resilience analyzing cascading failures and critical node dependencies through multilayer network models
topic Cascading failures
Multi-network analysis
Pagerank algorithm
Failure propagation simulation
Robust optimization
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666449625000799
work_keys_str_mv AT conglu optimizingurbaninfrastructureresilienceanalyzingcascadingfailuresandcriticalnodedependenciesthroughmultilayernetworkmodels
AT jianjunshe optimizingurbaninfrastructureresilienceanalyzingcascadingfailuresandcriticalnodedependenciesthroughmultilayernetworkmodels
AT hezhipan optimizingurbaninfrastructureresilienceanalyzingcascadingfailuresandcriticalnodedependenciesthroughmultilayernetworkmodels
AT zihaoguo optimizingurbaninfrastructureresilienceanalyzingcascadingfailuresandcriticalnodedependenciesthroughmultilayernetworkmodels
AT xuanlingzhou optimizingurbaninfrastructureresilienceanalyzingcascadingfailuresandcriticalnodedependenciesthroughmultilayernetworkmodels
AT zhijianli optimizingurbaninfrastructureresilienceanalyzingcascadingfailuresandcriticalnodedependenciesthroughmultilayernetworkmodels