Solution methodologies for debris : removal during disaster response phase

Abstract

During the disaster response phase of the emergency relief, the aim is to reduce loss of human life by reaching disaster affected areas with relief items as soon as possible. Debris caused by the disaster blocks the roads and prevents emergency aid teams to access the disaster affected regions. Deciding which roads to clean in order to transport relief items is crucial to diminish the negative impact of a disaster on human health. Despite the significance of the problem during response, in the literature debris removal is mostly studied in recovery or reconstruction phases of a disaster. The aim of this study is providing solution methodologies for debris removal problem in response phase. In particular, debris removal activities on certain blocked arcs have to be scheduled in order to reach a set of critical nodes such as schools and hospitals. Two mathematical models are developed with different objectives. The first model aims to minimize the total time spent to reach all critical nodes whereas the second minimizes weighted sum of visiting times where weights indicate the priorities of critical nodes. Since obtaining solutions quickly is important in the early post-disaster, heuristic algorithms are also proposed. Two data sets belonging to Kartal and Bakırk¨oy districts of ˙Istanbul are used to test the mathematical models and heuristics.