Lead University: Lehigh University
PI: Paolo Bocchini
This project brings together researchers from Lehigh University, expert in infrastructure resilience assessment and enhancement, with OSIsoft, a local company that is world leader in data collection, efficient storage, and effective processing, with special focus in the field of utility companies. This collaboration allows to gather data from utility companies that use OSIsoft’s software package called “PI System”. In particular, PI System’s ability to store data effectively allows its customers to archive all data streams for long periods of time. This, in turn, grants Lehigh researchers unprecedented access to post-disaster recovery data with high resolution in time and space.
This data will be used to assess the probabilistic characteristics of a spatio-temporal recovery wave, which can be used in models for the prediction of the disaster resilience of a region. Such resolution will allow to capture also localized interdependencies in the recovery of multiple infrastructure systems. Moreover, the project will investigate correlations between the recovery speed of different neighborhoods and socio-economic metrics describing the wealth and status of the residents. The outcome of this analysis will allow to use information from socio-economic databases to fine-tune the predictions on post-disaster recovery.
The project has also an educational component, consisting in training provided by OSIsoft to the involved students, to teach them how to use effectively the PI System.
Overall, the project is expected to advance science, strengthen the collaboration between Lehigh University and OSIsoft, and facilitate new partnerships with local utility companies.