Category CS P07 Catastrophic Disaster Response and Recovery Logistics System

Simulation

Abstract Directed or digraphs graphs provide means to address network flow

problems that consider flow capacities and flows in edges connecting the

vertices and a particularly important application is to maximize flow in the

network. In graph theory, graph, G (V, E), consists of vertices, V, and

edges, E. The flow, f, and capacity, c, along an edge, u-v, are given, and

maximum flow is obtained using augmenting path, using Ford-Fulkerson

algorithm or Edmunds-Karp algorithms that use depth-first search (DFS)

and breadth-first searches (BFS) respectively. In this project, the basic

Maximum Flow network problem was adapted to cater to the unique

conditions that pose real world challenges. For instance, weighted

categories of flow “candidates” or elements that need to reach targeted

intermediate destinations under temporal constraints; and appropriate

resource allocation to enable the flow are of specific interest and are

addressed in the paper. An algorithm was developed and a new metric,

yield performance index, YPI, was proposed to adequately quantify and

rank performance for different paths to maximize positive outcomes for the

problem set. A complex scenario of a nuclear explosion in a populated city

was considered for this case study. The object oriented programming

language, JAVA, was utilized to formulate the nuclear blast explosion

problem and to generate the input parameters and graph, G (V, E) for the

enhanced network flow algorithm to compute YPI values for maximizing

flow, flow rate and yield. The computer program, Catastrophic Disaster

Response and Recovery Logistics System Simulation (C-DRRLSS), was

developed based on the proposed algorithm which will enable sensitivity

studies to help plan and prepare for rescue operations in the event of a

disaster in a highly populated city.

Bibliography 1) Chartrand, Gary; Zhang, Ping, Introduction to Graph Theory, McGraw-

Hill

publication, 2005. 2) The Effects of nuclear weapons

http://www.atomicarchive.com/Effects/index.shtml,

National Science Digital Library, funded by the Division of Undergraduate

Education, National Science Foundation Grant 0434253. 3) L. R. Ford and

D. R. Fulkerson, Maximal flow through a network, Canadian Journal of

Mathematics, vol. 8, pages 399-303, 1956.
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