Systems Study of Urban Response and Reconstruction Due to Catastrophic Earthquake

Keywords: Seismic Risk Mitigation, Dynamic Response Analysis, Markov Decision Process, Reconstruction Simulation Computer Program, Earthquake Damage, Lifeline Systems, Infrastructures, and Emergency Preparedness.

Abstract: The functioning of lifeline systems after a major earthquake is critical to the modern urban center. The system study of lifelines response to major earthquakes is a prerequisite step for the emergency management authority to form a mitigation and reconstruction plan to minimize the total loss caused by the earthquake. This study develops an applied formulation of lifeline restoration processes in the post earthquake period by the method of Markov decision process. The objective is to test various reconstruction strategies to determine optimal mitigation policies based upon various reconstruction goals. In particular, optimization of the distribution of limited reconstruction resources is considered. By computer simulation, various scenarios are examined and information important to the emergency management authority is obtained.