Journal article
Flood Exposure Assessment of Railway Infrastructure: A Case Study for Iowa
Applied sciences, Vol.15(16), 8992
08/14/2025
DOI: 10.3390/app15168992
Abstract
Floods pose a substantial risk to human well-being. These risks encompass economic losses, infrastructural damage, disruption of daily life, and potential loss of life. This study presents a state-wide and county-level spatial exposure assessment of the Iowa railway network, emphasizing the resilience and reliability of essential services during such disasters. In the United States, the railway network is vital for the distribution of goods and services. This research specifically targets the railway network in Iowa, a state where the impact of flooding on railways has not been extensively studied. We employ comprehensive GIS analysis to assess the vulnerability of the railway network, bridges, rail crossings, and facilities under 100- and 500-year flood scenarios at the state level. Additionally, we conducted a detailed investigation into the most flood-affected counties, focusing on the susceptibility of railway bridges. Our state-wide analysis reveals that, in a 100-year flood scenario, up to 9% of railroads, 8% of rail crossings, 58% of bridges, and 6% of facilities are impacted. In a 500-year flood scenario, these figures increase to 16%, 14%, 61%, and 13%, respectively. Furthermore, our secondary analysis using flood depth maps indicates that approximately half of the railway bridges in the flood zones of the studied counties could become non-functional in both flood scenarios. These findings are crucial for developing effective disaster risk management plans and strategies, ensuring adequate preparedness for the impacts of flooding on railway infrastructure.
Details
- Title: Subtitle
- Flood Exposure Assessment of Railway Infrastructure: A Case Study for Iowa
- Creators
- Yazeed Alabbad - King Saud UniversityAtiye Beyza Cikmaz - University of IowaEnes YildirimIbrahim Demir - Tulane University
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Publication Details
- Applied sciences, Vol.15(16), 8992
- DOI
- 10.3390/app15168992
- ISSN
- 2076-3417
- eISSN
- 2076-3417
- Publisher
- MDPI
- Grant note
- King Saud University: ORF-2025-1441 Ongoing Research Funding ProgramKing Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
Ongoing Research Funding Program (ORF-2025-1441), King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
- Language
- English
- Date published
- 08/14/2025
- Academic Unit
- Electrical and Computer Engineering; Civil and Environmental Engineering; Injury Prevention Research Center
- Record Identifier
- 9984948117502771
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