Multi-Constraints and Single Objective Based Optimum Routes Planning for Assisted Evacuation: A Geographic Information System Based Solution and Simulation

摘要

With the advancement of modern technologies it is now more or less possible to predict almost all kind of natural and manmade disasters in terms of their time of occurrence, intensity and geographic area of occurrence. However, recent large natural and anthropogenic disasters have clearly shown various shortcomings and failures in existing technologies for efficient emergency response especially in the domain of evacuation (Konecny, Zlatanova and Bandrova, 2010). Depending on the magnitude, especially when a massive destruction is expected for a forthcoming disaster, evacuations sometime become so obvious to minimize the casualties. When an evacuation becomes obvious, the responsible authorities usually announce the event through different media and possibly with escape routes and directions. Thus, in the event of evacuation, people who have their own vehicle or have good access to the available transport modes can evacuate by themselves. On the other hand, there are always special groups of people who are subject to severe mobility restrictions in terms of lack of personal transportation, limited financial resources, unfamiliarity with the area and its road network, physical and mental disabilities, language barrier etc. (Zimmerman, Brodesky and Karp, 2007). These groups of people are therefore at greatest risk of casualties. The responsible authorities (public safety agencies, police department etc.) for evacuation provide special evacuation units (vehicles) to collect and shift those special groups to a safe place which is called herein as the assisted evacuation.