Improving urban infrastructures resilience using conceptual models: application of the “Behind the Barriers” model to the flooding of a rail transport system

The vulnerability of guided transport systems facing natural hazards is a burning issue for the urban risks management. In this context, several conceptual models of resilience are elaborated for presenting the various possible resilience strategies applied to urban technical systems. One of this resilience conceptual model is the " Behind the Barriers " model based on the identification of four complementary types of resilience: (i) cognitive resilience; (ii) functional resilience; (iii) correlative resilience; (iv) organizational resilience. The purpose of this paper is to offer an application of this model to a specific urban technical system, a public guided transport system, facing a particular risk, a flood hazard. The paper is focused on a past incident on a French Intercity railway line impacted by a river flooding, in 2013. The level of resilience of this transportation line is assessed using the model both as an evaluation and action grid.