Decision support guidelines: methods, procedures and tools developed in PARAmount (WP 7)
Résumé
Alpine Space is well endowed with high‐level transportation infrastructures, but lacks alternatives in case of temporary or permanent disruption. Due to higher traffic frequency, damage potentials are increasing. In a globalised Alpine Space, a prospering economy depends more and more on permanent connectivity, accessibility and just‐in‐time transport relations. All Alpine European countries experiment damages caused by natural hazards especially in mountains areas exposed to avalanches, torrent debris flows and rockfalls. Their effects on infrastructures correspond either to direct damages to users (people, vehicles, materials goods), infrastructures (roads, railway tracks, bridges, safety equipment…) or indirect damages related to the linking functions of roads. Risk management decision processes appear as quite complex. Risk managers are in charge of both hazard, vulnerability and risk assessments and also risk reduction measures including structural measures such as protection works or non‐structural measures such as land‐use control and regulation. In that context, adapted decision‐facilitating methods are obliged to face some real‐life issues such as lack of knowledge, imperfect available information and also reduced time and budgets for surveys, maintenance, investments etc.