Estimating Extreme Event Resilience of Rail–Truck Intermodal Freight Networks: Methods, Models, and Case Study Application

Abstract

This study introduces a framework for quantifying the time-evolving functionality and, consequently, the resilience of rail-truck intermodal freight transportation networks subjected to regional disruptions from events like natural hazards. The proposed framework leverages publicly available datasets and probabilistic models for estimating the damage and functionality of the components of the intermodal network. New restoration models linking physical damage to functionality have been proposed in this study, improving upon previous literature in this area. Furthermore, the framework for quantifying the resilience of intermodal networks is posed to consider not only the functionality of constituent highway and railway networks and their components but also that of intermodal terminals in its formulation. The framework enables the estimation of network throughput and functionality metrics at various instances during the recovery timeline and can be extended to assess the broader economic impacts of freight disruption on the community.