A Layered, Permission-Gated Architecture for Passive Flashback-Arresting Infrastructure Systems

Abstract Complex systems that exchange matter, energy, or information with variable environments fail most often not because of insufficient control, but because unsafe conditions are permitted to propagate inward. This work describes a layered, permission-gated architectural framework in which variability is absorbed at outer boundaries, refined functions are isolated at inner layers, and overload conditions are resolved by passive, threshold-driven discharge rather than forced throughput. The architecture is domain-agnostic and applies across fluid, ecological, infrastructural, and abstract systems. Emphasis is placed on safety-by-structure, buoyancy-aligned separation, and fault-powered self-removal. This document serves as a defensive publication establishing prior art, defining non-negotiable constraints, and preventing unsafe reinterpretations. Keywords layered architecture, permission-gated flow, passive safety systems, flashback arrest, fault-tolerant infrastructure, buoyancy-aligned separation, threshold-driven discharge, defensive publication, systems safety doctrine, onion architecture