Bilevel Optimization for Integrated Shelter Location Analysis and Transportation Planning for Hurricane Events

Abstract

Responding to hurricanes is an exceedingly complex task, the effectiveness of which can significantly influence the final effects of a hurricane. Despite a lot of progress, recent events and unchecked population growth in hurricane-prone regions make it clear that many challenges remain. Hurricane Katrina has shown that having appropriate shelter options and an appropriate shelter evacuation plan are very important for hurricane evacuations. This paper proposes a scenario-based shelter location model for optimizing a set of shelter locations among potential alternatives that are robust across a range of hurricane events. This model considers the influence of changing the selection of shelter locations on driver route-choice behavior and the resulting traffic congestion. The state of North Carolina is used as a case study to show the applicability of the model.