As we accelerate into the 21st century, our backbone engineering systems are becoming increasingly complex and connected. Many of our critical infrastructure ecosystems are comprised of interdependent sub-systems, each governed by complex non-linear dynamics and cascade interactions. The CoTRE project will build a mathematical mirror to the UK's critical infrastructure ecosystems. The "complexity twin" will be a world first attempt to understand the resilience of large-scale complex systems that increasingly face threats from man-kind and nature. The project will address the fundamental theoretical aspects of the stability of complex systems and work with a variety of critical infrastructure operators to develop short term and long term resilience investment strategies. The research will be conducted by Dr Weisi Guo from the School of Engineering.

This research will complement Dr. Guo’s recent impact work, where he led the submission of evidence from Alan Turing Institute to the National Infrastructure Commission (NIC)’s report on “Data for Public Good”. The research being conducted at Turing and partner universities (incl. Warwick) was featured prominently in the report and a partnership will now be formed between Turing, NIC, CDBB, IPA, ICG, OS, GC, and other stakeholders to build digital twins and mathematical models to national infrastructures.