Optimal resource allocation for seismic retrofitting of bridges in transportation networks

This paper presents a procedure for the assessment and improvement of the performance of existing transportation networks after an earthquake. The first result of this work is that the method based on budget only does not seem to be the best solution to reduce consequences of an extreme event as an earthquake. Network managers usually prefer to retrofit the bridges in roads with the high traffic fluxes without considering fluxes redistribution that can be caused from the collapse of bridges in the network. The work presented in this paper must be consid-ered as the first step in the definition of a procedure to assess optimal resource allocation for bridge ret-rofitting. The procedure can be improved in relation to simulation of the seismic scenarios, bridge fragili-ty description and transportation/economical aspects.