Exploring Safety Challenges in Dynamic Systems-of-Systems for Flood Management

This study explores the safety challenges associated with the use of dynamic Systems-of-Systems, specifically dynamic Smart Ecosystem (dSES), in natural disaster management, with a focus on flood management. dSES is a complex network of multiple System of Systems (SoS) that interact dynamically to achieve a goal that none of the individual SoS can accomplish alone. Despite the potential benefits of dSES in natural disaster management, their dynamic behavior also poses significant safety challenges due to dynamic interactions that may appear normal but can lead to hazardous situations. Through theoretical analysis of an example of flood management, this paper addresses these challenges and emphasizes the importance of understanding system characteristics to ensure safety. Moreover, it highlights the significance of conducting a thorough assessment of the entire system at various hierarchical levels, taking into account the interdependencies within and among levels, encompassing intra-level, inter-level, and operational aspects, along with technical, organizational, and socio-technical safety complexities.