A systematic review and conceptual framework of urban infrastructure cascading disasters using scientometric methods

Abstract

Urban infrastructure, the lifeline of modern society, consists of inherently multidimensional and interdependent systems that extend beyond various engineered facilities, utilities, and networks. The increasing frequency of extreme events, like floods, typhoons, power outages, and technical failures, has heightened the vulnerability of these infrastructures to cascading disasters. Over the past decade, significant attention has been devoted to understanding urban infrastructure cascading disasters. However, most of them have been limited by one-sided and one-dimensional analyses. A more systematic and scientific methodology is needed to comprehensively profile existing research on urban infrastructure cascading disasters to address this gap. This paper uses scientometric methods to investigate the state-of-the-art research in this area over the past decade. A total of 165 publications from 2014 to 2023 were retrieved from the Web of Science database for in-depth analysis. It has revealed a shift in research focus from single infrastructures to complex, interconnected systems with multidimensional dependencies. In addition, the study of disaster-causing factors has evolved from internal infrastructure failures to a focus on cascading disasters caused by extreme events, highlighting a trend of multi-factor coupling. Furthermore, predicting and modeling cascading disasters, improving infrastructure resilience, and information sharing for collaborative emergency responses have emerged as key strategies in responding to disasters. Overall, the insights gained from this study enhance our understanding of the evolution and current challenges in urban infrastructure cascading disasters. Additionally, this study offers valuable perspectives and directions for policymakers addressing extreme events in this critical area.