A Methodology to Estimate Functional Vulnerability Using Floating Car Data

Abstract

In this work, a new methodology to estimate the functional vulnerability of the road network of the city of Catania (Italy) is developed with the purpose to improve the resilience of urban transport during critical events. While the traditional approach for the estimation of vulnerability is based on topological data, the proposed methodology is based on spatial-temporal mobility profiles obtained with floating car data (FCD). The algorithm developed for the estimation of vulnerability combines topological properties of the road network with mobility patterns obtained from FCD to evaluate the consequences of failure events on trajectories and their associated travel times. The core operation of the algorithm is based on the computation of all possible travel paths within their assigned geographical zone every time a road link is disrupted. The procedure may prove useful to evaluate wide failure events and to facilitate emergency plans.