An Analytical Approach for Combined Assessment of Sustainability and Resilience in a Road Network

Abstract: The transportation system is essential for providing connectivity, mobility, and access to critical infrastructures and lifeline services. However, its efficiency and performance are often compromised by disruptions and disasters, alongside increasing environmental sustainability challenges. Especially, the transportation sector is a major contributor to CO2 emissions. Thus, a comprehensive assessment of transportation systems is crucial to understanding the trade-offs between resilience and sustainability, as previous studies have shown that enhanced resilience does not always equate to improved sustainability. There is a significant gap in the literature regarding the identification of metrics that can simultaneously measure both resilience and sustainability in transportation infrastructure. As such, this study develops a framework to assess the resilience and sustainability of transportation systems using evaluation metrics such as emissions, speed, and temperature. A case study is conducted in Norman, Oklahoma, where climate change has exacerbated the frequency and severity of high-intensity flooding and pluvial events, causing extreme disruptions to the transportation network and, at times, leaving communities disconnected. The framework incorporates advanced microscopic traffic flow modeling and simulation, as well as the EPA’s emission model, to measure these key metrics. The Fuzzy Analytic Hierarchy Process (FAHP) is then employed to rate the metrics and evaluate resilience and sustainability under various scenarios. The results of this research offer a scalable, flexible framework adaptable to different regions and diverse traffic conditions, considering the impacts of climate change and other environmental factors. This model provides valuable guidance for urban planners and policymakers in making informed decisions on transportation infrastructure projects that balance environmental sustainability with resilience.