This presentation describes the development of design standards for roads and bridges that enhance resilience to changes in climate, specifically changes in flooding. This research and development effort is part of the National Cooperative Highway Research Program (NCHRP) dedicated to applied research (Project NCHRP 15-80). The presentation will describe a design process flow that incorporates resilience into transportation infrastructure. Transportation assets can be threatened by a variety of stressors (hazards) that may relate to a changing climate, earthquakes, terrorism, and others. Understanding the risks (existing and future) to assets by stressors allows for proactive planning, design, and operations of those assets. The presentation focuses on inland flooding of roadways. Historically, inland flooding has been a significant consideration in the design of roadways and potential changes in climate may increase these stresses. Stressor characteristics include the nature and degree of the stressor, e.g., a flood with a peak flow of a certain amount. A stressor can be described using a target stressor, e.g., the 0.01 annual exceedance probability (AEP) flood, or a small number of target stressors. Alternatively, a stressor can be described using a range of characteristics for more detailed analyses. Specific assets of interest for this design flow process are culvert stream crossings, stormwater collection, and stormwater detention and retention. Bridge stream crossings are addressed in a separate design process flow. The presentation describes how concepts of risk can be used to inform investment decisions to achieve resilient design. The presentation will also discuss differing levels of analysis appropriate for the risks associated with a given project. Not all projects are exposed in the same way and, therefore, many more routine types of projects will not demand intensive analysis. Conversely, some projects will benefit significantly from comprehensive analysis of risks and how a changing climate might affect those risks.
