Title: A framework to analyse extreme events with case studies

Authors: S. Gizem Aydin; P. Simin Pulat; Guoqiang Shen; Manjunath Kamath; Ricky G. Ingalls

Addresses: School of Industrial and Systems Engineering, The University of Oklahoma, 202 W. Boyd St., R448, Norman, Oklahoma, 73019, USA. ' School of Industrial and Systems Engineering, University of Oklahoma, 202 W. Boyd St., R107, Norman, Oklahoma, 73019, USA. ' College of Architecture, Regional and City Planning, The University of Oklahoma, Gould Hall R162 Norman, Oklahoma, 73019, USA. ' School of Industrial Engineering and Management, Oklahoma State University, 22 Engineering North Stillwater, Oklahoma, 74078, USA. ' School of Industrial Engineering and Management, Oklahoma State University, 22 Engineering North Stillwater, Oklahoma, 74078, USA

Abstract: Prone to various hazards and/or structural damages, transportation networks are proven to be vulnerable at each extreme event. When an extreme event occurs, the disruption causes congestion and increases travel time, distance, and cost. This study focuses on the development of a framework to analyse the impact of an extreme event on all-commodity freight transport, and provides a comparison of how the framework can be applied to different extreme events. It is demonstrated that any extreme case can be analysed by focusing on the segment of the transportation network affected. The study discusses the supply-demand balance changes on re-routing and repair strategies that may occur due to an extreme event, and illustrates the significance of the impact on the spatial distribution of the freight transport in the USA. Ease of application and the straight forward approach of the framework aims to benefit transportation planners and decision makers by enabling them to observe the aftermath of extreme events and by providing guidance in re-routing and restoration strategies.

Keywords: extreme events; Hurricane Katrina; Northridge earthquake; I-40 bridge collapse; transport disruption; freight disruption; analysis framework; TransCAD; critical infrastructures; USA; United States; transport networks; freight transport; emergency planning; emergency management; supply-demand balance; re-routing strategies; repair strategies; spatial distribution; emergency response.

DOI: 10.1504/IJCIS.2012.050098

International Journal of Critical Infrastructures, 2012 Vol.8 No.4, pp.273 - 292

Received: 12 Apr 2011
Accepted: 26 Jun 2012
Published online: 31 Jul 2014 *

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