A framework for resilience assessment of transportation networks exposed to geohazard threats

The increased frequency of rainfall-triggered geohazards has led to more disruptions of transportation networks in recent years. This study proposes an integrated framework for resilience assessment of transportation networks, where the highway disruption scenarios are simulated using a traffic model and a developed geohazard threat model based on real-world datasets. In the framework, we provide a resilience-oriented indicator that integrates traffic flow and geohazard threat, upon which to identify critical elements of the highway network and the geohazard-prone sites. To enhance the performance of the highway network under disruptions, we design multiple strategies including reinforcing highway segments and preventing potential geohazards. We apply the proposed approach to a realistic case study of the highway network of Shaanxi province in China. The results of the analysis demonstrate the validity and reliability of the resilience-oriented indicator, and illustrate that a mixture of reinforcement strategies provides better improvement in system performance under scenarios with different traffic demand level.