Project - Cost-Benefit Assessment and Risk Acceptability of Counter-Terrorism and Protective Measures

Investigators
Prof M G Stewart

Project Description
The cost of counter-terrorism (CT) and other protective measures can be very large. The project is developing quantitative methods to assess the costs and benefits of CT measures by using cost-effectiveness and fatality risks as criteria for social and risk acceptability. This involves assessing threat probability, risk reduction as a result of CT measures, cost of protective measures, consequences of terrorist attack, damages and lives saved as a result of CT expenditure, etc. Measures used for decision support include net benefit, cost per life saved and fatality risks. Current work is focusing on infrastructure (particular built infrastructure including buildings and bridges) and aviation security.

Selected Publications  

• Stewart, M.G. (2007), Life Safety Risks and Optimisation of Protective Measures for Terrorist Threats to Built Infrastructure, International Forum on Engineering Decision Making: Optimal Strategies for Disaster and Hazard Mitigation, S. Reid and M. Stewart (eds.), Sydney University Press, pp. 19-30.
• Stewart, M.G. (2008), Cost-Effectiveness of Risk Mitigation Strategies For Protection of Buildings Against Terrorist Attack, Journal of Performance of Constructed Facilities, ASCE, Vol. 22, No. 2, pp. 115-120.
• Stewart, M.G. and Mueller, J. (2008), A Cost-Benefit and Risk Assessment of Australian Aviation Security Measures, Security Challenges, Vol. 4, No. 3, pp. 45-61.
• Stewart, M.G. and Mueller, J. (2008), A Risk and Cost-Benefit and Assessment of U.S. Aviation Security Measures, Journal of Transportation Security, Vol. 1, No. 3, pp. 143-159.