A Texas energy company’s ongoing response to Hurricane Beryl highlights the importance of strengthening our infrastructure against the threat of natural disasters.
According to an Underground Infrastructure article, Texas Governor Greg Abbott recently held a press conference in which he demanded CenterPoint Energy take immediate action to improve their hurricane preparation and response efforts following the power failures in the Greater Houston area related to Beryl.
Abbott also sent a letter to the Public Utility Commission (PUC) of Texas, instructing them to initiate an investigation into the utility company’s failure to restore power after Hurricane Beryl made landfall.
“First and foremost, Texas’ No. 1 goal is to protect life,” the Governor said. “An issue that we see in the ongoing response to Hurricane Beryl are life-based issues, not because of the hurricane itself, but because of the lack of power supply. The failure of power companies to provide power to their customers is unacceptable.”
Per Abbott’s direction, CenterPoint had until July 31 to provide his office with an action plan detailing how they will address current power issues and reduce the possibility that power is lost in the future.
CenterPoint must:
- Provide in detail how it plans to remove all vegetation that threatens any power line
- Specify how it will prepare in advance of any tropical storm that enters the Gulf Coast
- Specify action it will take to pre-stage enough linemen and other personnel to be able to immediately respond to any power outages that may occur for any tropical storm that hits their service region
“CenterPoint has repeatedly failed to deliver power to its customers,” Abbott continued. “To help Texans in the Greater Houston area and to avoid a repeat of unacceptable power outages, I will give CenterPoint until the end of the month to provide my office with specific actions to address power outages and reduce the possibility that power will be lost during a severe weather event. If CenterPoint fails to comply, I will issue an Executive Order to impose actions on the company that are geared to keep the power on.”
Natural disasters like hurricanes, floods, earthquakes, and wildfires pose significant threats to infrastructure worldwide. As climate change intensifies, the frequency and severity of these disasters are expected to increase, making it crucial for governments, businesses, and communities to prioritize the protection of vital infrastructure. This article explores the importance of safeguarding infrastructure and outlines effective strategies to enhance resilience against natural disasters.
The Critical Role of Infrastructure
Infrastructure serves as the backbone of modern society, encompassing essential services such as transportation networks, energy grids, water and sewage systems, communication networks, and healthcare facilities. These systems are fundamental to economic stability, public safety, and quality of life. When infrastructure is compromised by natural disasters, the impacts can be devastating, leading to loss of life, economic downturns, and prolonged recovery periods.
For instance, Hurricane Katrina in 2005 caused widespread devastation across the Gulf Coast of the United States, with significant damage to New Orleans’ levee system, transportation networks, and power grid. The hurricane’s aftermath revealed vulnerabilities in infrastructure planning and underscored the critical need for resilient infrastructure to withstand such events. Similarly, Hurricane Maria in 2017 left Puerto Rico’s power grid in shambles, resulting in months of outages that hindered recovery efforts and exacerbated the humanitarian crisis.
Given the increasing risks posed by natural disasters, protecting infrastructure is not just a matter of public safety—it is an economic imperative. The cost of rebuilding damaged infrastructure can be astronomical, often far exceeding the investment required to fortify it against potential disasters. Moreover, resilient infrastructure helps to minimize disruptions, enabling quicker recovery and reducing the overall economic impact of a disaster.
Understanding Vulnerabilities in Infrastructure
To effectively protect infrastructure from natural disasters, it is essential to understand the vulnerabilities that exist within these systems. Infrastructure is often interconnected, meaning that damage to one component can have cascading effects on others. For example, a damaged power grid can disrupt communication networks, water supply systems, and healthcare facilities, compounding the challenges of disaster response and recovery.
Vulnerabilities can stem from various factors, including:
- Aging Infrastructure: Many countries face the challenge of aging infrastructure that was not designed to withstand the increased frequency and intensity of modern natural disasters.
- Geographic Location: Infrastructure located in areas prone to hurricanes, floods, or earthquakes is inherently more vulnerable. Coastal cities, for example, are at higher risk from storm surges and rising sea levels.
- Lack of Redundancy: Infrastructure systems that lack redundancy—alternative options to maintain services when primary systems fail—are more susceptible to prolonged disruptions.
- Insufficient Maintenance: Regular maintenance is crucial to ensuring that infrastructure can withstand the stresses of a natural disaster. Neglected infrastructure is more likely to fail under pressure.
Strategies for Protecting Infrastructure
To mitigate the risks posed by natural disasters, it is essential to implement strategies that enhance the resilience of infrastructure. These strategies can be categorized into several key areas: risk assessment, design and construction, maintenance, and emergency preparedness.
1. Conducting Comprehensive Risk Assessments
Effective protection begins with understanding the specific risks that infrastructure faces. Conducting comprehensive risk assessments allows planners to identify vulnerabilities and prioritize areas that require fortification. These assessments should consider the likelihood and potential impact of various natural disasters based on historical data, climate projections, and geographic factors.
For example, in hurricane-prone regions, risk assessments might focus on the potential for storm surges, high winds, and flooding. In earthquake-prone areas, assessments would consider the risks of ground shaking and soil liquefaction. By understanding these risks, infrastructure managers can make informed decisions about where to allocate resources and how to design systems that can withstand these threats.
2. Implementing Resilient Design and Construction Practices
One of the most effective ways to protect infrastructure is to incorporate resilient design and construction practices from the outset. This involves using materials and techniques that can withstand the forces of natural disasters. For example:
- Elevating Structures: In flood-prone areas, elevating buildings and infrastructure above expected flood levels can prevent water damage. This approach is commonly used in coastal cities to protect against storm surges.
- Strengthening Foundations: In earthquake-prone regions, reinforcing the foundations of buildings and bridges can help them withstand ground shaking. Seismic retrofitting is a common practice for older structures that were not originally designed with earthquakes in mind.
- Designing Redundant Systems: Creating redundancy in critical systems, such as power grids and communication networks, ensures that if one component fails, others can continue to operate. This is particularly important for maintaining essential services during and after a disaster.
- Using Durable Materials: Selecting materials that are resistant to the specific hazards of a region can extend the lifespan of infrastructure and reduce the need for costly repairs. For instance, using corrosion-resistant materials in coastal areas can help protect against saltwater damage.
3. Regular Maintenance and Upgrades
Even the most resilient infrastructure can become vulnerable over time if it is not properly maintained. Regular inspections, maintenance, and upgrades are essential to ensure that systems remain in good condition and are capable of withstanding natural disasters. This includes:
- Routine Inspections: Conducting regular inspections of infrastructure systems, such as bridges, roads, and power lines, helps identify potential issues before they become critical.
- Proactive Repairs: Addressing wear and tear or minor damage early on can prevent more significant problems from developing. Proactive repairs are often more cost-effective than emergency repairs following a disaster.
- Upgrading Older Systems: Retrofitting and upgrading older infrastructure to meet modern standards can significantly enhance resilience. This is particularly important for infrastructure that was built before the risks of climate change were fully understood.
4. Enhancing Emergency Preparedness
No matter how resilient infrastructure is, natural disasters can still cause disruptions. Therefore, emergency preparedness is a critical component of infrastructure protection. This involves:
- Developing Emergency Plans: Creating detailed emergency response plans that outline procedures for maintaining and restoring critical infrastructure during and after a disaster.
- Training Personnel: Ensuring that personnel are trained to respond effectively to emergencies, including coordinating with local authorities and other stakeholders.
- Implementing Early Warning Systems: Utilizing early warning systems to provide advance notice of impending natural disasters, allowing for timely evacuation and protective measures.
- Establishing Communication Protocols: Maintaining clear lines of communication between all stakeholders, including government agencies, utility providers, and the public, is essential for coordinating disaster response efforts.
GPRS Services Aid Natural Disaster Recovery & Preparedness
Protecting vital infrastructure from natural disasters is a complex but essential task that requires proactive planning, investment, and collaboration.
As the frequency and intensity of natural disasters continue to rise, the importance of resilient infrastructure cannot be overstated. By conducting thorough risk assessments, implementing resilient design practices, maintaining infrastructure systems, and enhancing emergency preparedness, you can reduce the impact of natural disasters and ensure that our communities remain safe, functional, and resilient in the face of adversity.
In the aftermath of a natural disaster, conducting a rapid, detailed, and accurate infrastructure assessment is essential to obtain a clear and comprehensive understanding of the damage.
GPRS can help you prepare and protect your infrastructure from the dangers of a natural disaster, and swiftly collect data and assess your building or site following one of these events using the following scanning and mapping services:
3D Laser Scanning: The physical damage to buildings and infrastructure (such as residential and commercial buildings, as well as roads) can be accurately documented with 3D laser scanning. And this technology can be used to fully assess your infrastructure and analyze what steps you need to take to protect it from an event. 3D laser scanning captures every point of the structure or site, mapping it onto an XYZ coordinate system for precise visualization, removing the guesswork from decision-making. Critical data on existing conditions enables contractors and engineers to accelerate construction planning by using real-world building information as the foundation.
Utility Locating: Utility locating is essential for any construction project involving subsurface excavation both before and after a natural disaster. GPRS utilizes cutting-edge technology to provide the most precise and thorough information and mapping for water lines, gas lines, sanitary sewer lines, storm sewers, electrical lines, telecommunications, irrigation lines, abandoned lines, and underground storage tanks. Additionally, GPRS offers a complimentary .KMZ file and PDF with every outdoor utility location service we perform.
Video Pipe Inspection: Video pipe inspection (VPI) is a sewer inspection service that uses advanced video cameras to identify issues by examining underground water, sewer lines, and lateral pipelines. GPRS’ NASSCO-certified Project Managers can detect clogs, investigate cross bores, identify structural faults and damage, and conduct lateral sewer line inspections.
Concrete Scanning: Considering the risks involved in concrete drilling, GPRS Project Managers employ a range of technologies to ensure safe zones for core drilling and anchoring. Our scanning and imaging services can be conducted on any surface, including concrete slabs, walls, columns, and beams. Upon completing the scan, you’ll receive a clear layout of critical obstacles such as post-tension cables, rebar, beams, and conduits.
Identify Subsurface Voids: Identifying hidden subsurface voids is critical to preventing major failures following a natural disaster. Voids beneath roadways and concrete present significant hazards, making it essential to detect their presence, location, and size. GPR technology has advanced to the point where the subsurface conditions of roadways and concrete can be accurately diagnosed. Early detection of voids using GPR can prevent safety risks such as structural collapse of concrete, roadway failures, and misaligned storm pipes.
GPRS can be your first step in protecting you and your infrastructure from, and/or rebuilding after a natural disaster. We offer rapid response to job sites, often within 24 hours. With over 500 highly trained Project Managers strategically located across every major market in the U.S., we are prepared to commit to any project at any location. Our approach ensures quality data that is virtual, cataloged, and secure.
What can we help you visualize?
Frequently Asked Questions
Can GPR differentiate between different objects embedded within concrete?
Ground penetrating radar (GPR) can usually differentiate between rebar, electrical conduit, post tension cables, rebar, and other objects that may be embedded within your concrete slab.
In addition to GPR, GPRS’ SIM-certified Project Managers can use electromagnetic (EM) locators to determine the location of conduits in the concrete. If we can transmit a signal onto the metal conduit, we can locate it with pinpoint accuracy. We can also find the conduit passively if a live electrical current runs through it.
What type of informational output is provided when GPRS conducts a utility locate?
Our Project Managers flag and paint our findings directly on the surface. This method of communication is the most accurate form of marking when excavation is expected to commence within a few days of service.
GPRS also uses a global positioning system (GPS) to collect data points of findings. We use this data to generate a plan, KMZ file, satellite overlay, or CAD file to permanently preserve results for future use. GPRS does not provide land surveying services. If you need land surveying services, please contact a professional land surveyor. Please contact us to discuss the pricing and marking options your project may require.
