How Disruption Information and Simulation Approaches Benefit Stakeholders in Transport

The vulnerability of transport processes has been visible in various disruptions over the last years such as extreme weather events, the pandemic, and the war in Ukraine. Additionally, according to the International Energy Agency, the transport sector is globally responsible for more than 7000 MtCO₂ emissions with a large portion due to heavy trucks. These trucks are still widely used for goods transportation but also a popular choice in case of disruptions. The EU-project SARIL brings together researchers and stakeholders in the transport domain to study the impact of certain disruptive events, propose better handling strategies supported by technical solutions and enable sustainable transport also in the case of disruptions. This paper presents the SARIL tools and the respective improvements for the businesses of four main roles in the transport sector. An information interface that receives information about disruptive events, such as forest fires, flooding events and reduced infrastructure capacities, forms the basis for the other SARIL tools. Traffic simulations along with sensor data from the infrastructure provide decision support for (1) infrastructure and (2) traffic managers. A network-based simulation environment enables (3) strategic logistics managers to plan routes considering various management strategies such as synchro-modal approaches. The latter also serve (4) operational logistics managers in combination with detailed route attributes for more resilient and sustainable route planning.

Keywords: Transport, Resilience, Sustainability, Disruptions, Hybrid threats.