Journal of Natural Disaster Science

FRACTAL NATURE OF LIFELINE NETWORK SYSTEMS : APPLICATION TO DAMAGE EVALUATION

Masami NAKAGAWA
and
Masao SATAKE
Department of Civil Engineering, Tohoku University, Aoba, Sendai 980, Japan

(Received 26 April 1991 and in revised form 28 October 1991)

Abstract

Lifeline systems are complex supply, communication and transportation networks. Secondary networks are especially complex in geometrical arrangement and in their functions in relation to other parts of the system. Low pressure gas pipeline networks in Sendai City were selected as a secondary network system and their fractal nature was investigated in detail. Their relation between the change in fractality and that of the supply rate is discussed.

Key words

lifeline network systems, fractals, damage evaluation