On the Simulation-Based Reliability of Complex Emergency Logistics Networks in Post-Accident Rescues

Wei Wang, Li Huang and Xuedong Liang
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Wei Wang: College of Harbor, Coastal and Offshore Engineering, Hohai University, Nanjing 210098, China
Li Huang: School of Public Administration, Hohai University, Nanjing 210098, China
Xuedong Liang: Business School, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610065, China

IJERPH, 2018, vol. 15, issue 1, 1-10

Abstract: This paper investigates the reliability of complex emergency logistics networks, as reliability is crucial to reducing environmental and public health losses in post-accident emergency rescues. Such networks’ statistical characteristics are analyzed first. After the connected reliability and evaluation indices for complex emergency logistics networks are effectively defined, simulation analyses of network reliability are conducted under two different attack modes using a particular emergency logistics network as an example. The simulation analyses obtain the varying trends in emergency supply times and the ratio of effective nodes and validates the effects of network characteristics and different types of attacks on network reliability. The results demonstrate that this emergency logistics network is both a small-world and a scale-free network. When facing random attacks, the emergency logistics network steadily changes, whereas it is very fragile when facing selective attacks. Therefore, special attention should be paid to the protection of supply nodes and nodes with high connectivity. The simulation method provides a new tool for studying emergency logistics networks and a reference for similar studies.

Keywords: complex network; emergency logistics network; reliability; simulation analysis of attacks (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2018
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (6)

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