Module Catalogue 2026/27

Pre Requisite Comment

Although there are no pre-requisite modules, it is compulsory that each WIRe (8209F or 8209P) PhD student attends and is examined for transcript purposes, this module.

Co Requisite Comment

N/A

Aims

Currently, ‘resilience thinking’ is not embedded into the training of researchers who will lead future innovation in the water sector; a skills gap which inhibits society‘s ability to respond to current and emerging challenges associated with failing water infrastructure. Our traditional engineering approaches cannot and do not account for the complexity of systems with inter-related and often interdependent societal, technical and governance components. Solutions are needed in, for example, system design to mitigate against shocks, asset resilience to maintain and recover system performance after failure, and social science understandings to re-imagine the human-asset interface to enrich connectivity and bring coherence between technology and society for mutual benefits. This module will examine these challenges and provide students with the skills to identify, contextualise and evaluate resilience using a wholes systems approach.

Outline Of Syllabus

How resilience is defined for different stakeholders and groupings

The challenges and threats to resilience for different types of infrastructure systems in water and wastewater; flood management; water & wastewater networks

Tools used to measure resilience for different types of infrastructure

The complexity of water systems and interactions between essential infrastructure

Intended Knowledge Outcomes

On successful completion of this module a student should be able to:
Distinguish the different ways by which resilience can be considered in water systems
Appraise the complexity and interconnectivity of water infrastructure systems
Assess the ways by which water infrastructure systems are under threat from external pressures, including climate change, demographic movement and regulation
Evaluate how water infrastructure can be adapted to make it more resilient with respect to: water and wastewater treatment; water networks; flooding
Apply data management tools to assess the resilience of water infrastructure

Intended Skill Outcomes

On successful completion of this module a student should be able to:
Distinguish the different ways by which resilience can be considered in water systems
Appraise the complexity and interconnectivity of water infrastructure systems
Assess the ways by which water infrastructure systems are under threat from external pressures, including climate change, demographic movement and regulation
Evaluate how water infrastructure can be adapted to make it more resilient with respect to: water and wastewater treatment; water networks; flooding
Apply data management tools to assess the resilience of water infrastructure

Teaching Rationale And Relationship

N/A

Assessment Rationale And Relationship

N/A

General Notes

Cranfield University code is I-WSC-A1096