Impact Of Climate Change on Urban Infrastructure: Strategies for Resilient Civil Engineering Design

Abstract

This research aims at examining the effects of climate change on civil infrastructure and civil engineering practice and proposing the best approach to the design of resilient structures in urban areas using both quantitative and qualitative research methods. Climate data from Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). Database were used to perform multivariate regression and time series analysis to determine the relationship between climate factors and infrastructure performance indicators such as temperature increase, precipitation intensity, and sea level rise. Further, a geographical analysis was done to identify climate risks within the urban systems. The qualitative part included questionnaires and interviews with professionals, including engineers, urbanists, and policymakers, as well as case studies of three Indian cities: Mumbai, Delhi, and Chennai, which are most vulnerable to climate shocks. It is shown that transport links and water utilities are significantly exposed to flooding and heatwaves, and energy networks are under pressure from the increasing temperature. Adaptive materials, green infrastructure and flood control systems were some of the main resilience strategies that were advocated for by the experts. This research highlights the need for a holistic approach to resilience, where both conventional structural approaches are used alongside natural and smart solutions to protect urban infrastructure. By providing detailed understanding of the above-mentioned areas, it assists in emerging with specific strategies and special focus on determining the resilient infrastructure for tackling climate turmoil and coming across the related policy measures.