A robust bilevel decision-making model for earthquake disaster waste management

Area of Science:

• Operations Research
• Environmental Management
• Disaster Management

Background:

• Disaster waste management requires agile, resilient, and sustainable decision-making under uncertainty.
• Existing models often lack comprehensive integration of multi-actor perspectives and key sustainability factors.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a bilevel optimization model for post-disaster waste management incorporating agility, resilience, and sustainability.
• To address decision-making complexities involving public authorities (leader) and private sectors (follower).

Main Methods:

• A bilevel optimization model based on the viability approach was formulated.
• The model incorporates establishment costs, carbon emissions, operational costs, recycling revenues, and carbon tax.
• Karush-Kuhn-Tucker (KKT) conditions transformed the bilevel model into a single-level formulation.
• Robust optimization addressed uncertainty in waste generation.

Main Results:

• The model was applied to the February 6, 2023, earthquake in Türkiye.
• Sensitivity analyses were performed on viability approach parameters.
• The model demonstrated realistic capture of multi-actor decision-making processes.

Conclusions:

• The proposed model serves as an effective decision-support tool for disaster waste management.
• It provides valuable insights for diverse policy scenarios in post-disaster recovery.
• The integration of agility, resilience, and sustainability enhances waste management strategies.