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 America's
critical infrastructure facilities provide the foundation
for national security, governance, economic vitality,
and way of life. Developing and implementing a robust
strategy to ensure the security of the country's critical
infrastructure and key assets requires a comprehensive
assessment of facilities to identify vulnerabilities.
Rational engineering measures can then reduce these
vulnerabilities or mitigate the impact of an extraordinary
event.
ICF International's experience with federal, state, and
local governments, and private-sector clients helps
us understand the fundamental need to ensure that threats
to infrastructure and assets—such as highways,
industrial facilities, water supply facilities, and
dams—are appropriately evaluated, and focused mechanisms
to protect them are implemented.
Our Services
ICF International helps government agencies and private-sector
companies develop comprehensive, prioritized assessments
of facilities, structures, and industrial sites; identify
vulnerabilities; evaluate and enhance their preparedness;
and manage the response to an intentional attack. Specifically,
we have expertise in the following areas:
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Geotechnical Safety
 Our
team of geotechnical engineers, drawing upon their in-depth
knowledge of soil mechanics and engineering geology,
can help protect critical infrastructure facilities and
mitigate the effects of a terrorist attack. Hazards such
as floods, water leaks, vibrations, and explosion—combined
with vulnerabilities related to unstable soil structure,
liquefaction potential, unstable slopes, and exposed tunnels
or caverns
—provide an opportunity to maximize their failure consequences
due to an act of aggression. Knowing the potential hazards
enables clients to implement effective corrective measures.
For more than 25 years, ICF International engineers have used
a Geotechnical Safety Program with a codified methodology
to "engineer a facility for its design life." In
addition to designing and constructing the facility, our approach
considers other factors, such as developing a program to maintain
the degree of safety within the facility, planning for future
alterations, and extending the service life of the facility.
Unfortunately, the current world situation makes it necessary
to also evaluate measures to protect against and mitigate
the effects of terrorist acts.
Our Geotechnical Safety Program's codified methodology ensures
the safety of a constructed facility and consists of the following
components:
- Performance Criteria
- Design, Construction, and Safety Assessments
- Field Measurement System
- Surveillance
- Performance Evaluations
- Remedial Measures
- Contingency Plans
Dam Vulnerability Assessment
Of the nearly 80,000 dams in the United States, several thousand
are key components of vital water supply and electricity networks.
Major dams are part of the critical infrastructure on which
the American people rely for safety, public health, and economic
vitality. Previously, dam safety was evaluated in terms of
structural and hydraulic stability with respect to natural
forces. Owners must now broaden their perspective on dam safety
to evaluate engineering and security risks from intentional
attacks.
ICF International can support private, institutional, and governmental
dam owners by helping them to:
- Design risk assessment methodologies for evaluating and
prioritizing dams in the National Inventory to focus resources
on the greatest vulnerabilities
- Develop protective action plans to enhance system reliability
and public safety
- Design and implement a national dam security program to
institutionalize best practices
- Develop emergency action plans to mitigate risks from
dam incidents
Chemical Industry Prevention
 The
ICF International team of environmental professionals can help
identify potential weak points for industries such as chemical
plants, oil refineries, and other manufacturing plants that
store or process materials that could potentially cause environmental
disasters. We can also develop contingency plans to eliminate
or mitigate dispersion of contaminants that could cause acute
and chronic exposure and destruction of critical resources
and sensitive ecological habitats. Environmental disasters
can affect important industrial sectors, such as fishing,
agriculture, animal husbandry, and tourism, that depend on
natural resources.
Environmental Monitoring Technology Evaluation
Using the correct monitoring technology to detect the presence
of chemical and biological weapons, explosives, and radiological
contamination is essential, particularly when rapid access
is needed to critical areas by first responders and cleanup
crews. ICF International's experience in selecting and evaluating
analytical technology to detect chemical and biological weapons,
explosives, and radiological contamination will help government
agencies and the private sector be better prepared for such
contingencies.
Learn more about our extensive experience in geotechnical
and geoenvironmental engineering.
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SELECTED PROJECTS |
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DETAILS OF SELECTED PROJECTS |
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Developing a Geotechnical
Safety Program for a Major Oil Company
For one of the world's largest oil producers,
ICF International engineers developed and implemented
a Geotechnical Safety Program for earth structures,
including three earth dams and numerous slopes
with important infrastructure facilities. The
program included an assessment of earth dam vulnerability
to terrorist attack and engineering controls to
mitigate the effects of such an attack.
Kuwait Oil Fields Attack—Contamination
and Environmental Sensitivity Index Mapping
The Gulf War of 1991 generated the largest oil
spill in history and affected the coastlines of
Kuwait and Saudi Arabia. Because of the local
current, wind patterns, and configuration of the
coastline, significant impacts to the shoreline
occurred in Saudi Arabia.
ICF International was part of an international team
assisting the Saudi government's Meteorological
and Environmental Protection Agency (MESA), in
responding to the oil spill crisis. We collected
and analyzed ground and aerial information concerning
the type of shoreline and extent of the spill,
as well as performed the contamination and Environmental
Sensitivity Index (ESI) mapping.
These activities were crucial to prioritize cleanup
activities and protect sensitive resources. Each
shoreline was also characterized in terms of preferred
cleanup method and quantity of oiled material
to be removed. This is the only map series of
oil distribution in Saudi Arabia produced during
the Gulf War oil spills and serves as a basis
for future analyses of natural cleansing and the
effects of the limited cleanup program.
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Decommissioning of a Pesticide
Plant
ICF International managed the decontamination and
decommissioning of a manufacturing facility of
organochlorine pesticide—a material similar
in structure to agents used in chemical weapons—for
a multinational chemicals corporation. Years
of production of this toxic chemical and by-products
such as dioxins and furans resulted in widespread
contamination of vessels, piping, and facility
structures.
We developed detailed designs for the decontamination
and decommissioning procedures, provided quality
assurance/quality control oversight and testing,
and conducted a benchmark study to evaluate industry
standards for similar decommissioning projects.
We ensured that all activities were conducted
in accordance with applicable regulations and
permits, and provided an experienced team to guide
the planning and implementation of this complex
decommissioning job.
Investigating the Toxic Gas
Release at Bhopal
Following the tragic incident at Bhopal, ICF International
assisted in investigating the cause of the toxic
gas release. The subsequent runaway reaction was
carefully analyzed and, after evaluating the root
causes, corrective actions were implemented and
engineering controls installed. Our tasks included
reviewing the original plant design and that of
its sister plants in the United States, inspecting
the Bhopal facility and its operating records,
and performing laboratory experiments to evaluate
the reaction kinetics.
Program Support, U.S. Department of
Homeland Security (DHS), Office of Infrastructure
Protection
ICF International is supporting the Information
Analysis and Infrastructure Protection (IAIP) Directorate
in the design, development, and implementation
of Homeland Security Presidential Directive (HSPD)-7
and the National Infrastructure Protection Plan
(NIPP). HSPD-7 was issued by the President in December
2003 and designates specific federal departments
and agencies as Sector-Specific Agencies (SSAs),
which are responsible for protection activities
in 17 specific critical
infrastructure and key resource sectors with
DHS as the overall coordinating agency. The NIPP
is a key component of HSPD-7. Implementation of
HSPD-7 is part of the evolving work in building
the national Critical Infrastructure Protection
(CIP) program. Our support involves working with
over 100 DHS staff and executives across the department,
facilitating numerous group planning events, and
working directly with the Directorate of Science
and Technology (S&T) group that is writing
the companion CIP R&D Plan.
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