Influence of Seismic Damage Clustering on Restoration Efficiency of Infrastructure

Abstract

Seismic damage in infrastructure systems is commonly assessed using independent component failure assumptions; however, earthquake impacts are inherently spatially correlated, resulting in clustered damage patterns. This study investigates the influence of seismic damage clustering on the restoration efficiency of interdependent infrastructure systems. A systematic review of 40 core studies, supported by selected complementary literature, was conducted to analyze how spatially concentrated damage affects network performance and recovery processes. The findings show that clustered damage significantly reduces restoration efficiency by simultaneously disrupting adjacent components, limiting accessibility, and increasing repair-resource competition. Unlike randomly distributed failures, clustered damage leads to loss of network connectivity, isolation of affected regions, and delayed restoration due to cascading interdependencies among infrastructure systems such as transport, power, and water networks. The study further highlights that recovery performance must be evaluated in terms of functionality restoration over time rather than physical repair completion alone. The results emphasize that incorporating spatial damage correlation and interdependent system behavior into recovery modelling is essential for realistic assessment of post-earthquake infrastructure performance and for improving resilience planning and restoration strategies.