Methodology for identifying near-optimal interdiction strategies for a power transmission system

Vicki M. Bier, Eli R. Gratz, Naraphorn J. Haphuriwat, Wairimu Magua and Kevin R. Wierzbicki

Reliability Engineering and System Safety, 2007, vol. 92, issue 9, 1155-1161

Abstract: Previous methods for assessing the vulnerability of complex systems to intentional attacks or interdiction have either not been adequate to deal with systems in which flow readjusts dynamically (such as electricity transmission systems), or have been complex and computationally difficult. We propose a relatively simple, inexpensive, and practical method (“Max Line†) for identifying promising interdiction strategies in such systems. The method is based on a greedy algorithm in which, at each iteration, the transmission line with the highest load is interdicted. We apply this method to sample electrical transmission systems from the Reliability Test System developed by the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, and compare our method and results with those of other proposed approaches for vulnerability assessment. We also study the effectiveness of protecting those transmission lines identified as promising candidates for interdiction. These comparisons shed light on the relative merits of the various vulnerability assessment methods, as well as providing insights that can help to guide the allocation of scarce resources for defensive investment.

Keywords: Vulnerability assessment; Transmission systems; Greedy algorithm; Interdiction; Hardening (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2007
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (27)

Downloads: (external link)
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0951832006001712
Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:reensy:v:92:y:2007:i:9:p:1155-1161

DOI: 10.1016/j.ress.2006.08.007

Access Statistics for this article

Reliability Engineering and System Safety is currently edited by Carlos Guedes Soares

More articles in Reliability Engineering and System Safety from Elsevier
Bibliographic data for series maintained by Catherine Liu ().