Seismic risk analysis of a data communication network

ABSTRACT Data communication networks have large importance for the immediate post-earthquake emergency management and community resilience. In this study, the framework of simulation-based probabilistic seismic risk analysis of data communication infrastructure is applied to the real case of the inter-university data network of the Campania region (southern Italy). The network is constituted by point-like facilities (racks located within buildings and containing the device routing and managing traffic) and distributed links (buried fiber optic cables). The seismological, geological, and geotechnical features of the region were characterized together with the seismic vulnerability of each element of the network. The network performance is quantified in terms of traffic loss before and after the seismic event. Results are provided in terms of annual rate of events exceeding traffic loss thresholds and allow to identify the portion of the network mostly contributing to the seismic performance.