University of Oxford

• Developed a national-scale, event-based framework to stress-testing road network resilience to flooding. • Integrated process-based approach to capture congestion, rerouting and isolation effects. • Indirect disruption losses exceed direct asset costs significantly for most flood events. • Single carriageway A roads and suburban bridges are critical for network resilience. • Rapid clearance and early speed restriction removal substantially reduce indirect flood impacts. Road infrastructure is facing increasing flooding risks, causing asset damage and disrupting traffic flows. Effective risk management requires integrated assessments that capture network vulnerability, disruption and recovery. While localised studies have simulated traffic disruptions, national-scale assessments have largely focused on flood exposure rather than systemic disruption analysis. We developed a modelling framework combining process-based flow model of passenger travel-to-work flows and applied it to stress-test Great Britain’s road networks against 17 historical flood events from 1953 to 2024. Results reveal significant variations between direct and indirect damage losses, with single carriageway A roads and suburban bridges emerging as critical points. Notably, indirect losses due to disruption and rerouting can be significantly higher than direct damages depending on hazard event. Early clearance and speed restriction removal are key to mitigating the overall indirect impacts. The model is generalisable and can be applied to stress-test other road networks and flood scenarios worldwide.

The building sector consumes approximately 32% of global energy and generates 34% of carbon dioxide emissions. Consequently, advancing energy conservation and emission reduction within this sector plays a critical role in mitigating the global climate crisis. Integrating photovoltaic (PV) generation, combined electrical and thermal energy storage systems, direct current (DC) distribution, and flexible load management technologies within buildings, synergistically optimized across the power source, energy conversion, and demand sides, creates pathways for decarbonizing the building sector. This review begins by elucidating the system's key configuration: building PV, energy storage systems (ESS), DC distribution systems and flexible loads, elaborating on their specific configurations and applications within the building environment. Subsequently, the paper reviews and analyzes low-voltage direct current (LVDC) voltage levels from the perspectives of existing standards and DC load demands. Focusing on DC distribution network topologies, this paper introduces unipolar and bipolar DC systems along with relevant studies, and reviews typical network configurations applicable to single buildings and building clusters. Following this, twelve global application case studies are presented and discussed, along with their key operational parameters. Finally, this paper discusses directions for technical standardization and future development trends.

• Family imprisonment is one of ten recognised Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACES). • Family imprisonment had profound impacts on children’s wellbeing over time. • Children articulated a range of emotions including grief, shock and confusion. • To ensure no child is overlooked, existing support pathways must be strengthened. Growing up in a household where a family member has spent time in prison is one of ten recognised Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs). This qualitative longitudinal study aimed to understand how family imprisonment impacts on children and young people’s mental health, emotional wellbeing and familial relationships. Nineteen children and young people across Scotland and Northern England took part in up to three interviews over the course of one year. We discuss three themes: [1] navigating unfriendly complex systems; [2] distress, grief and trauma; [3] acceptance, normalisation and coping mechanisms. These themes illuminate the profound impact that family imprisonment had on all aspects of children and young people’s lives, particularly their emotional wellbeing. They concealed their circumstances due to fear of stigma; took on young carer roles within the family home; enacted their own distinct coping mechanisms to counter the continual uncertainty they faced and felt unsupported by professional agencies. Future research should focus on the experiences of those who do not maintain contact with their family member in prison, those further marginalised such as black and racially minoritised children and children living with disabilities and neurodivergence. Finally, further studies should interrogate existing support pathways designed for vulnerable children and young people to ensure those experiencing family imprisonment do not fall through gaps in current provision.