Author(s)

MARIALUISA MOSCHELLA

Abstract

Reducing the risk of natural and man-made disasters is in this century a priority following the indication of Agenda 2030. The major issue to be addressed is the gap between planned risk reduction measures and their implementation during a real emergency. Several studies in the field of transport risk analysis have examined the components of risk occurrence and vulnerability, relating to the probability of disastrous events occurring and their consequences on civil and transport system structures. However, there are few studies that have examined the exposure dimension. In particular, low attention is given to reducing exposure through evacuation. This paper provides a framework of the studies available in the literature that investigate the risk reduction exposure component in urban transportation systems from the perspective of: planned and programmed actions, training and exercises developed to increase preparedness before an emergency event and advanced transport system models, which help to reduce risk exposure through the simulation of evacuation processes. The scientific literature examined has been classified according to the three points described above, with the aim of providing a theoretical framework for studies dealing with risk exposure reduction. Different groups of published works have been considered: a first group concerns the international literature, a second and a third group specifically concern the works produced in two large Italian national research projects aimed at studying risk reduction through evacuation in urban areas. The framework of the state of the art that emerges is therefore given by the intersection between the three methodological points and the homogeneous groups of published works. For each intersection, some example works are recalled. From the analysis developed, it emerges that the literature offers interesting insights, but that there are still areas of research to be investigated further, especially in the role assumed today by emerging information and communication technologies. The paper is useful for supporting risk managers and planners in developing more efficient evacuation strategies that are consistent with the objectives described in the 2030 Agenda.

Keywords

risk reduction, state of the art, exposure, evacuation, disasters, transport system planning