A Stochastic Model for Evaluating Interconnected Critical
Infrastructure Decontamination and Recovery

Barrett Richter1, Tanvi Joshi1, Ryan James1, Timothy Boe2, Worth Calfee2, Leroy Mickelsen2, Paul Lemieux2, Joe Wood2

1. Battelle Memorial Institute 2. United States Environmental Protection Agency

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Background

•	Critical infrastructure assets are vulnerable
to the effects of natural disasters and
CBRN terrorism events (e.g., a biological
attack)

•	The EPA has a need to evaluate and
prioritize critical infrastructure remediation
options for biological contamination events

•	The complex and interconnected nature of
critical infrastructure systems is vital to
response planning

¦ Modeling these interactions as a system of
systems can inform response activities
such as decontamination, sampling, and
waste management

Model Overview

•	Model Objective. Simulate the recovery of an
interconnected system of infrastructure sectors in
the aftermath of an adverse contamination event

•	Model Inputs.

•	Initial infrastructure sector operating efficiencies

•	Infrastructure sector interaction network

•	Remediation factors

¦	Model Approach.

•	Gillespie Algorithm^ - stochastic models
dependent on component interactions

¦	Model Outputs.

•	Time-dependent sector operating efficiency
values used to inform decontamination strategies

Model Data - Infrastructure Interactions to System of Equations

•	The model is based on the DHS list of critical infrastructure sectors, literature search,
and operational feedback

•	A network diagram of infrastructure sector interdependencies is used to develop the
system of interaction equations

•	Interaction diagram from PATH/AWAREI2! provides a large set of infrastructure
dependencies between 70+ subsectors

•	The number of defined "Parent —* Child" relationships between each are used to
determine the infrastructure sector interactions

• Interaction coefficients are set as the number of child sub-sectors

•	Remediation factors (RF) model the rate at which external resources (e.g.,
government) are used to provide remediation to a contaminated infrastructure sector

Sample Equation Development

Infrastructure Network Diagram

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2E + 3T -> (5 + RFw)W

Developed Rate Laws for Sectors

illSIIIHy :;333E!^B r0 = k0*Es*T*M/w

rl = k.-c-;c
- k/W9*W6*T2*C5*A2/G

Model Framework - Gillespie Algorithm

•	Originally developed to stochastically model concentration
profiles of coupled kinetic chemical reactions

•	Extensible to any situation where species are converted
from one to another via "reactions" of the form A + B —> C

•	Ex: healthy person + sick person —~ 2 sick people,
water + transportation + money —> food

•	Algorithm executes single, discrete interactions, randomly
selecting which one occurs at each iteration

¦ Advantages over deterministic methods

•	Flexibility of applying discrete effects to the data (e.g.,
setting a maximum or minimum value of a component,
using variable stoichiometric coefficients)

•Ability to generate distributions and statistical
conclusions on parameters and outcomes

Next Steps

•	Use data from historical events to fit model parameters and validate
model outputs

•	Validate network of infrastructure sector interconnectivity with SMEs

•	Apply results to prioritize infrastructure sector decontamination

Disclaimer

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, through its Office of Research and Development,
is funding and managing the research described here under Contract # EP-C-16-014 to
Battelle Memorial Institute. Final publications will be subject to the Agency's review process.
Questions should be addressed to Timothy Boe (boe.timothv@epa.gov, 919-541-2617).

References

1.	Gillespie, D.T. Exact stochastic simulation of coupled chemical reactions. The journal of
physical chemistry, 81(25):2340-2361, 1977.

2.	Knowlton, R.G., et al. "Quick Start Users Guide for the PATH/AWARE Decision Support
System." 2013, doi:10.2172/1090216.

Model Algorithm Example

| r5 = k5*W*E*T/M
	| pR = kfi*T2*G2/A

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Food and
Agriculture

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efficiency
values based

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Energy Transportation Government

Operational Viability

Time (days)

water
energy
transport
communications

Efficiency (%)

Infrastructure Efficiency Time Profiles

	 government

	 food

	 emergency

	 waste management

Remediation Factor

www.battelle.org


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