Cognitive-Logical Concept for Operational Resilience of Cyber-Physical Infrastructure: Decision-Making by a “Human-Agent” System Under Critical Threats

The paper substantiates the factors that give rise to crisis situations and conflicts during the management of energy-active facilities – situations that frequently escalate into emergencies requiring rapid response and effective decision-making. In such contexts, it is crucial to examine the psychological and intellectual resilience of operators, as this resilience underpins the capacity of systems and agents to function within the scope of defined objectives and authorities. Such resilience serves as a key factor in maintaining functional efficiency when countering various types of threats and attacks. A significant aspect of functional resilience involves analysing the logic behind decision-making aimed at achieving system-oriented outcomes. These decisions are grounded in principles of coherence, multi-level analysis, and risk assessment. Identifying the structure of this management logic and the associated decision-making procedures enables the development of efficient algorithms for addressing crisis situations – algorithms applicable across diverse fields, ranging from security management to socio-economic systems. The challenge of making efficient decisions – whether by an intelligent agent (a team player), an operational team, or a managerial/administrative structure – is determined by a complex interplay of psycho-neurophysiological and intellectual factors, operating at both the individual and team levels. They are participants in a game structure that shapes the strategy of permissible actions. To address this problem, the paper develops a cognitive-logical concept for the operational resilience of cyber-physical infrastructure, which integrates a “human-agent” into a unified situational control loop. Based on the category algebra, a category-theoretic information model is constructed for the decomposition of a hierarchical production structure, accounting for 16 threat-resilient personnel levels (P1–P16). By integrating H. Gardner’s theory of multiple intelligences and R. Sternberg’s triarchic theory, a cognitive map for operator decision-making during laser-based environmental monitoring is formalized. A mathematical framework for the quantitative assessment of personnel actions is developed, incorporating cognitive coefficients (KF), confidence levels (K(B)), and error risk factors (Ri). Practical testing of the system at the Burshtyn Power Station (Ukraine) and glass-manufacturing companies has demonstrated its efficiency under extreme operating conditions (1200°C–1500°C). Implementation of this method has reduced the reaction time of operational and dispatch personnel during pre-emergency and emergency conditions (Alarm/Avaria) and minimized the overall risk of error decisions stemming from the human factor.