Relationship of Resilience Investment Rules and Routing Diversity to Recovery Speed in Coastal Infrastructure Networks

Abstract

Coastal infrastructure networks represent a critical backbone of modern urban economies, yet they are increasingly vulnerable to severe weather events and climate-driven hazards. As the frequency of disruptive incidents escalates, evaluating network robustness alone is no longer sufficient; understanding the determinants of post-disaster recovery speed has become paramount. This study provides a comprehensive investigation into how resilience investment rules and routing diversity jointly explain the variance in recovery speed across complex coastal infrastructure systems. By conceptualizing infrastructure as interconnected spatial graphs, this research evaluates diverse resource allocation strategies alongside topological variations characterized by multi-path routing redundancy. Through extensive simulation of hazard scenarios such as storm surges and hurricanes, the analysis demonstrates that targeted resilience investments based on node vulnerability significantly accelerate functional restoration compared to uniform or purely centrality-based hardening. Furthermore, high routing diversity is shown to act as a crucial buffer during the initial phases of disaster impact, allowing networks to maintain baseline operations while physical repairs are executed. The findings indicate a synergistic relationship between strategic financial investment and topological design, suggesting that coastal urban planners must integrate both dimensions to optimize recovery trajectories. This paper provides actionable insights for civil engineers and policymakers tasked with safeguarding coastal communities against an increasingly volatile climate future.