Special Emergency Resources Preallocation Concerning Demand Time for Tunnel Collapse

Lacking timely access to rescue resources is one of the main causes of casualties in tunnel collapse.To provide timely rescue,this study proposed a multi-objective preallocation model of special emergency resources for tunnel collapse based on demand time.Efficiency,multiple coverage,and cost-effectiveness are taken as the key objectives of the model;the demand time service range is used as a coverage decision factor considering the unique nature of tunnel collapse.The weight of potential disaster-affected points and other general factors are also considered in this model in order to thoroughly combine the distribution of disaster points and service areas.Further,we take 15 main tunnel projects under construction in China as an example.When the relative proximity to the ideal point of the selected optimal schemeε_(a)is smaller than 0.5,we will adjust the weight of three objectives and reselect the optimal scheme untilε_(a)>0.5.Compared with the not preallocated case,the number of rescue rigs needed is reduced by 8.3%,the number of covered potential disaster-affected points is increased by 36.36%,the weighted coverage times are increased from 0.853 to 1.383,and the weighted distance is significantly reduced by 99%when the rescue rigs are preallocated,verifying the feasibility and superiority of the proposed model.

Multiperiod Equitable and Efficient Allocation Strategy of Emergency Resources Under Uncertainty

Equitable and efficient allocation of emergency resources is critical to ensure the success of relief efforts.The challenge comes largely from two aspects:the resources available for allocation are usually limited in quantity,especially in the early period of emergency response;and a large amount of uncertain information in the relief process affects the decision making of resource allocation.A multiperiod allocation model of emergency resources that takes into account both efficiency and equity based on uncertain disaster information is proposed.Interval number and triangular fuzzy number are introduced to describe the different sources of uncertainty(for example,demand,transportation time,and maximum transport amount),and the loss caused by unmet demand is used to quantify equity.Then,the deterministic transformation method of uncertain parameters is designed and the linear weighted sum method is applied to solve the proposed model.Finally,a computational case based on the 2017 Jiuzhaigou earthquake in Sichuan Province,China was conducted to validate the proposed model.The results show that the proposed model is feasible in the multiperiod allocation of emergency resources among multidisaster sites,and the findings can help emergency managers to allocate emergency resources more scientifically,equitably,and effectively under uncertainty.

Multiperiod Optimal Allocation of Emergency Resources in Support of Cross-Regional Disaster Sustainable Rescue

Cross-regional allocation is necessary for the rational utilization and optimal allocation of resources.It is also the key to effective and sustainable disaster relief.Existing research,however,generally centers on emergency resource allocation only within territories or regions.This article proposes a multiperiod allocation optimization model for emergency resources based on regional selfrescue and cross-regional collaborative rescue efforts.The model targets the shortest delivery time and lowest allocation costs as its efficiency goals and the maximum coverage rate of resource allocation in the disaster-affected locations as its equity goal.An objective weighting fuzzy algorithm based on two-dimensional Euclidean distance is designed to solve the proposed model.A case study based on the Wenchuan Earthquake of 12 May 2008 was conducted to validate the proposed model.The results indicate that our proposed model allows for optimal,multiperiod cross-regional resource allocation by combining interterritorial and nearby allocation principles.Cross-regional relief makes resource allocation more equitable,minimizes dissatisfaction,and prevents losses.Different decision preferences appear to significantly affect the choice of resource allocation scheme employed,which provides flexibility for decision making in different emergencies.

Integrated water resources management for emergency situations： A case study of Macao

Integrated urban water management （IUWM） is a useful tool that can be used to alleviate water resource shortages in developing regions like Macao, where 98% of the raw water comes from China's Mainland. In Macao, scarce water resources deteriorate rapidly in emergency situations, such as accidental chemical spills upstream of the supply reservoir or salty tides. During these times, only the water from the two freshwater reservoirs in Macao can be used. In this study, we developed urban water management optimization models that integrated the raw water supply from the two reservoirs with various proposed governmental policies （wastewater reuse, rainwater collection, and water saving）. We then determined how various water resource strategies would influence the urban water supply in Macao in emergency situations. Our results showed that, without imported raw water, the water supply from only the two Macao reservoirs would last for 7.95 days. However, when all the government policies were included in the model, the supply could be extended to 13.79 days. Out of the three non-conventional water resources, wastewater reuse is the most beneficial for increasing the Macao water supply, and rainwater collection also has great potential.

The Usage of Triage Systems in Mass Casualty Incident of Developed Countries

Victims are usually overwhelmed by local medical system in an unexpected mass casualty incident (MCI). Triage systems originate from wartime necessity to achieve the greatest efficiency to the maximum number of victims. In peacetime, the triage systems are applied to allocate constrained medical resources for the victims in MCI. There are several kinds of triage systems in different countries, such as Simple Triage and Rapid Treatment (START), Sort, Assess, Life-saving interventions, Treatment and/or Transport (SALT), Sacco Triage Method (STM), Careflight triage and Triage Sieve (TS). The START system is widely used in developed countries, especially in USA. The SALT is formulated by a work group of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) based on scientific data. STM is a triage algorithm designed for resource-constrained condition. Besides, the other triage systems show their power in managing the victims in MCI. However, the data of theses popular triage tools are mainly based on simulated tests, lacking of validity and reliability of triage systems. Therefore, the application, reliability, sensitivity and specificity of existing triage tools require to be validated in the real condition of MCI. Furthermore, due to the difference among triage tools used in different countries, international cooperation is demanded for a more highly organized mass-casualty medical response.

An emergency resource allocation model for maritime chemical spill accidents

A liquid chemical spill or leakage at sea pollutes the marine environment,damages natural resources,and harms the health of local residents.To date,there has not been much research that has been devoted to this important maritime emergency rescue problem.In this study,we propose a mathematical programming model that considers a single accident site and multiple emergency rescue bases.Various resource constraints,such as volume and weight capacity at the emergency rescue bases,are considered.Rescue funding availability is also integrated into the model.The results from a numerical example show that the model is mathematically valid and practically feasible.The proposed model can be used to provide insightful decision support information to the liquid chemical leakage rescue effort.

Dynamic Load Restoration Considering the Interdependencies Between Power Distribution Systems and Urban Transportation Systems

After a major outage,mobile emergency resources(MERs)can be dispatched via the transportation system(TS)for service restoration to critical loads in the power distribution system(PDS).In this case study,the efficiency of service restoration in the PDS is associated with the traffic efficiency of the TS,and vice versa,because the PDS and TS are mutually coupled through traffic lights and MERs.This paper proposes a service restoration method considering interdependency between the PDS and TS,which is formulated as a mixed-integer linear program(MILP).The objective includes maximizing the efficiency of both PDS restoration and TS.By solving the MILP,the dynamic load restoration and MER dispatch strategies can be obtained.For the PDS,the availability of MERs,including mobile sources and repair crews,relates to their dispatch in the TS,and their relationship is formulated as mathematical models.For the TS,the dynamic traffic flow is modeled using the cell transmission model and the effect of traffic lights is considered.Case studies validate the effectiveness of the proposed method.