Robustness Evaluation and Optimization of China’s Multilayer Coupled Integrated Transportation System from a Complex Network Perspective

Xuanling Mei, Wenjing Ye, Wenjie Li, Cheng Chen, Ang Li, Jianping Wu () and Hongbo Du ()
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Xuanling Mei: Key Laboratory of Hydraulic and Waterway Engineering of the Ministry of Education, Chongqing Jiaotong University, Chongqing 400074, China
Wenjing Ye: Key Laboratory of Hydraulic and Waterway Engineering of the Ministry of Education, Chongqing Jiaotong University, Chongqing 400074, China
Wenjie Li: Engineering Research Center of Diagnosis Technology and Instruments of Hydro-Construction, Chongqing Jiaotong University, Chongqing 400074, China
Cheng Chen: School of Highway, Chang’an University, Xi’an 710064, China
Ang Li: School of Highway, Chang’an University, Xi’an 710064, China
Jianping Wu: Key Laboratory of Hydraulic and Waterway Engineering of the Ministry of Education, Chongqing Jiaotong University, Chongqing 400074, China
Hongbo Du: Engineering Research Center of Diagnosis Technology and Instruments of Hydro-Construction, Chongqing Jiaotong University, Chongqing 400074, China

Sustainability, 2025, vol. 17, issue 16, 1-20

Abstract: With increasing exposure to natural hazards and anthropogenic risks, the robustness of transportation networks must be enhanced to ensure national security and long-term sustainability. However, robustness-optimization research has mainly focused on single-layer networks, while the systematic exploration of multilayer networks that better reflect real-world transportation system characteristics remains insufficient. This study establishes a multilayer integrated transportation network for China, encompassing road, railway, and waterway systems, based on complex network theory. The robustness of single-layer, integrated networks and the integrated transportation networks of the seven major regions is evaluated under various attack strategies. The results indicate that the integrated network exhibits superior robustness to single-layer networks, with the road sub-network proving pivotal for maintaining structural stability. Under the same edge addition ratio, the robustness improvement achieved by the low-importance node enhancement strategy is, on average, about 80% higher than that of the high-importance node strategy, with the effect becoming more significant as the edge addition ratio increases. These findings provide theoretical support for the vulnerability identification and structural optimization of transportation networks, offering practical guidance for constructing efficient, safe, and sustainable transportation systems.

Keywords: integrated transportation network; complex network; robustness; random attacks; targeted attacks (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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