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Infrastructure

  • Living reference work entry
  • First Online:
Encyclopedia of Engineering Geology

Part of the book series: Encyclopedia of Earth Sciences Series ((EESS))

  • 76 Accesses

Definition

The structures and facilities that, together, constitute the essential basis for running a society and economy.

Context

Efficient and well-maintained infrastructure is the essential basis for a modern society and economic growth (Hamada et al. 2015; Hayes, 2006; Smets and Shannon, 2009). It consists of facilities relating to:

  • Energy – Power stations; renewable energy facilities (wind, solar, tidal, and hydroelectric); oil, gas, and coal abstraction/extraction facilities; and distribution supply systems (power lines and grids)

  • Water – Abstraction and treatment facilities, storage facilities (dams, reservoirs), pipelines, aqueducts, and recharge schemes

  • Waste – Solid and liquid waste collection, treatment and management facilities and sewage collection, treatment and disposal facilities

  • Transport – Roads, railways, tramways, airports, ports and harbors, bridges, tunnels, and pipelines

  • Communications – Television, radio, telephone, and internet...

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References

  • Hamada M, Koike T, Suzuki T, Scawthorn C, Suzuki N, Ohtomo K, Shumuta Y, Koseki J, Kuwano R, Horikawa H, Sugino F, Sakaki K (2015) In: Japanese Society of Civil Engineers, Critical Urban Infrastructure Committee (eds) Critical urban infrastructure handbook. CRC Press, Boca Raton

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  • Hayes B (2006) Infrastructure: the book of everything for the landscape. Norton, New York

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  • Smets M, Shannon K (2009) The landscape of contemporary infrastructure. NAI 010 Publishers, Rotterdam

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. London, UK

    Brian R. Marker

Authors
  1. Brian R. Marker
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Brian R. Marker .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Natural Resources Canada, Geological Survey of Canada Natural Resources Canada, Sidney, Ontario, Canada

    Peter Bobrowsky

  2. London, United Kingdom

    Brian Marker

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© 2018 Springer International Publishing AG

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Cite this entry

Marker, B.R. (2018). Infrastructure. In: Bobrowsky, P., Marker, B. (eds) Encyclopedia of Engineering Geology. Encyclopedia of Earth Sciences Series. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-12127-7_170-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-12127-7_170-1

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-319-12127-7

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-319-12127-7

  • eBook Packages: Springer Reference Earth and Environm. ScienceReference Module Physical and Materials ScienceReference Module Earth and Environmental Sciences

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