Introduction to Infrastructure: An Introduction to Civil and Environmental Engineering

Chapter Seven

Infrastructure Systems

Chapter Outline

• Introduction
• Introductory Case Study: New Orleans Hurricane Protection System
• Systems Overview
• Infrastructure Components as Systems
• Intra-Sector Systems
• Inter-Sector Systems
• The “Big Picture” System
• Outro

Learning Objectives

After reading this chapter, you should be able to:

1. Explain how infrastructure sectors and components act as systems.
2. Describe infrastructure system interactions.
3. Explain the need for a systems-wide view of engineering.

Introduction

In Chapters 3 through 5, we presented several “sectors” into which the various components of civil infrastructure could be categorized. These sectors were: transportation, energy, water supply, wastewater, parks and recreation, stormwater, structures, solid waste, and hazardous waste. Components included landfills, bridges, and roads to name a few.

In this chapter, we will explore how these components and sectors do not “stand alone,” but rather are integrated together into systems. Being mindful of how the components of infrastructure interact with each other is essential to designing a safe and effective infrastructure. Engineers have often been accused of not looking at the “big picture” or not having a holistic viewpoint. Our hope is that this book will help you view your future work as a civil or environmental engineer in the context of a much larger system (the infrastructure), a system that directly affects the quality of people's lives.

Introductory Case Study: New ...