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Abstract
A system is vulnerable if any damage from any source produces consequences that are disproportionately large in comparison with that damage. Conversely a system is not robust if it cannot withstand arbitrary damage. Reliability theory is not sufficient for robust safety. In this paper, we propose a contribution to a general theory of vulnerability that is a theory of form and connectivity. The purpose is to identify weak links. This preliminary theory can be applied to a wide range of systems including structures, water pipe works, traffic flows and organisations and is potentially of use for safety management and to reduce the risk of overlooking vulnerable failure scenarios.