Estimation of Reconstruction Cost and Traffic Functionality Relating to Roadway Transportation Lifelines after Natural Disasters

Earthquakes are among those natural hazards which may lead to disruption in the function of arterial traffic routes. Road networks are particularly vulnerable, due to their geographical dispersion, extensive functions and structural reliance on favourable geophysical conditions. Traffic functionality after a natural disaster and the repair/rehabilitation cost of roads are crucial considerations in planning the best priority recovery scenario. In the current paper, the primary focus is placed on the method for evaluating the costs of damage to the roadway network following an earthquake. Bridges, pavements, tunnels and base layers are assumed to be the main elements of a roadway structure. Through this approach, the level of damage can be specified for each component of the roadway. The repair/rehabilitation cost pattern can then be generated according to the level of damage, and the entire reconstruction costs can be calculated according to the total damaged surface area of each route. Finally, the total damage cost of roadways can be provided by considering the likely duration of the rehabilitation period, and determining the performance reduction in traffic flow caused by the damaged components. Secondly this paper demonstrates a method of measuring roadways’ functional performance. This method, based on path dividing and consideration of the attachment of sections leads to more precise feedback on roadways’ functionality. This is calculated by computing the width of sections in a route that remain undamaged and which retain the ability to sustain traffic flow. In this way, traffic flow and the linkage of sections can be determined as functions of road capacity.