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Content: This module focusses on the basics of infrastructure as a complex system, giving priority to the interdependencies across infrastructure, and how these links result in macro infrastructure properties, such as resilience, security, and adaptability. Challenges to deliver essential services including climate change are elaborated in the context of infrastructure as a system of systems. Exciting opportunities from digitalisation, decentralisation, democratisation, decarbonisation, etc. are exposed, highlighting the connectedness of nature, society and engineered systems. Future engineering leaders need to appreciate how their sectoral systems: energy, transport, water, waste and telecommunications, create stakeholder value and deliver essential services in the context of infrastructure as a whole, and how these values and services change over time. The course also provides an overview of transdisciplinary approaches and methods for the analysis and visualisation of infrastructure, equipping students with the skills to communicate challenges, opportunities and recommendations to improve outcomes from infrastructure throughout its lifecycle both in today’s and tomorrow’s worlds.

Teaching delivery: This module is taught in 10 weekly lectures lasting 2 hours each. There is also a weekly two hour online tutorial which is typically provided by an expert working in an infrastructure sector.

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Indicative Topics: Lectures are on Infrastructure context and challenges; complexity science and systems; Infrastructure Reliability, Risk, and Resilience; Sustainability and Circular Economy in Infrastructure; Complex infrastructure and public policy; Infrastructure assets, data and location based technologies; Construction system safety and utility strike avoidance; Digitalisation, digital twins and activity based models; Energy networks; and Infrastructure futures, scenarios, vignettes

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Module Aims and/or Objectives: This module will develop the understanding you will need to be a leader and strong communicator in the field of infrastructure systems. The objective of the module is to develop the concept of infrastructure as a system of systems, allowing you to gain an appreciation of the interdependencies, challenges, and contexts in which you will work.Ìý It specifically reaches out to students who aspire to work in senior positions in cross-cutting areas such as planning, policy, and strategy, which need to influence outside their organisational boundaries and in positions which engage with suppliers and consumers.

Recommended reading: Saidi et al (2018), Integrated infrastructure systems—A review, Sustainable Cities and Society, 36, pp 1-11,

Additional costs: There are no additional costs.

Learning Outcomes:

• Recognize the challenges for evaluation and assessment of infrastructure systems and the differences in stakeholder perspectives and worldviews
• Explain modern trends, societal reforms, and goals for cleaner and healthier infrastructure systems with related outcomes for social well-being
• Compare methods, approaches, techniques and articulate their limitations and suitability to solve particular research problems in current and future infrastructure systems
• Articulate the benefits of digitalization, automation, artificial intelligence and other general purpose technologies regarding their potential to meet societal needs and aspirations
• Develop skills to communicate, represent and visualize infrastructure systems to convey challenges and potential solutions to the public