Auckland Transport’s Susceptibility Framework to Improve Asset Resilience
presented by Dr Cathy Bebelman and Ashishika Sharma, Auckland Transport
10 December 2025
Auckland Transport (AT) has progressed work to improve resilience of the Auckland Road network after experiencing more than 2000 landslides following the 2023 storm events. Prior to this study AT asset management was done on a repair and maintenance basis of the road network after storm events as there was little information to support preventative forward works.
The AT Science and Sustainability Group has developed and tested a framework to assess landslide susceptibility, using the detailed information collated during the storm recovery process. The framework was then applied to assess landslide vulnerability across the 7,500km road network in Auckland. The output supports AT’s asset management practices to adapt to the changing climatic conditions and improve the resilience of the road network.
Dr Cathy Bebelman is scientist with expertise in environmental sustainability and transport infrastructure. She provides thought leadership to position Auckland for a lower carbon and resilient future. As the Chief Scientist, Cathy leads the environment, climate and social equity work for Auckland Transport. This includes development of Auckland Transport’s landslide susceptibility framework and adaptation portal, and the Climate Adaptation Framework and Action Plan.
Ashishika Sharma is an accomplished scientist and leader in climate adaptation and resilience, currently serving as Manager – Adaptation and Environment at Auckland Transport. With a strong technical background in physical, chemical, and biological oceanography, Ashishika has led and implemented climate adaptation and sustainability initiatives across New Zealand and the Oceania region. Ash’s experience spans technical data acquisition, project management, policy development, disaster response, and stakeholder engagement, with a focus on integrating climate science into infrastructure and asset management.
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