Qualitative Modelling of Failure Scenarios for Long Linear Transport Infrastructures in Mountain Areas

Michez, Théotime; Peyras, Laurent; Lambert, Stéphane; Reynaud, Sébastien; Garcin, Patrick

doi:10.3390/infrastructures11020071

Open AccessArticle

Qualitative Modelling of Failure Scenarios for Long Linear Transport Infrastructures in Mountain Areas

by

Théotime Michez

^1,2,*

,

Laurent Peyras

²

,

Stéphane Lambert

³

,

Sébastien Reynaud

¹ and

Patrick Garcin

¹

Egis, 38180 Seyssins, France

²

Aix Marseille Université, INRAE, RECOVER, 13182 Aix-en-Provence, France

³

Univ. Grenoble Alpes, INRAE, CNRS, IRD, Grenoble INP, IGE, 38000 Grenoble, France

^*

Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.

Infrastructures 2026, 11(2), 71; https://doi.org/10.3390/infrastructures11020071

Submission received: 19 December 2025 / Revised: 12 February 2026 / Accepted: 13 February 2026 / Published: 22 February 2026

(This article belongs to the Topic Disaster Risk Management and Resilience)

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Abstract

In mountain areas, long linear transport infrastructures (roads, motorways, railways, etc.) are exposed to numerous natural hazards, especially hydrological and gravity-driven events such as slope instabilities, rockfalls, or torrential hazards. These phenomena can damage infrastructure, or even lead to the destruction of large sections, causing a risk for users and a deterioration of service. Infrastructure managers face several difficulties in handling these risks. One of them is identifying and representing them, due to the scale of the infrastructure, which is composed of numerous structures and exposed to multiple hazards. In this context, a model is proposed to represent all potential failure scenarios for such infrastructures. This model is based on system reliability analysis methods: functional analysis, failure mode and effect analysis (FMEA), and fault tree analysis (FTA). It is intended to be applied to a linear infrastructure, several kilometres long, exposed to various hazards. The proposed approach allows for the identification of all possible failure modes, including damage to structures and its functional consequences. Its applicability is being tested on a simple case study.

Keywords: risk analysis; transport infrastructures; mountain hazards; asset management; fault tree analysis; failure scenarios

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MDPI and ACS Style

Michez, T.; Peyras, L.; Lambert, S.; Reynaud, S.; Garcin, P. Qualitative Modelling of Failure Scenarios for Long Linear Transport Infrastructures in Mountain Areas. Infrastructures 2026, 11, 71. https://doi.org/10.3390/infrastructures11020071

AMA Style

Michez T, Peyras L, Lambert S, Reynaud S, Garcin P. Qualitative Modelling of Failure Scenarios for Long Linear Transport Infrastructures in Mountain Areas. Infrastructures. 2026; 11(2):71. https://doi.org/10.3390/infrastructures11020071

Chicago/Turabian Style

Michez, Théotime, Laurent Peyras, Stéphane Lambert, Sébastien Reynaud, and Patrick Garcin. 2026. "Qualitative Modelling of Failure Scenarios for Long Linear Transport Infrastructures in Mountain Areas" Infrastructures 11, no. 2: 71. https://doi.org/10.3390/infrastructures11020071

APA Style

Michez, T., Peyras, L., Lambert, S., Reynaud, S., & Garcin, P. (2026). Qualitative Modelling of Failure Scenarios for Long Linear Transport Infrastructures in Mountain Areas. Infrastructures, 11(2), 71. https://doi.org/10.3390/infrastructures11020071

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Qualitative Modelling of Failure Scenarios for Long Linear Transport Infrastructures in Mountain Areas

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