An optimization model of road networks subarea districting for incident management systems

Subarea districting for road networks, which is the basic precondition of other subsystems in incident management systems (IMS), plays an important role in increasing incident management efficiency. In this study, after the literature review of IMS, the authors concluded the whole response process of IMS, including the subsystem, road network subarea districting. Then the factors influencing subarea districting were analyzed and quantified. After that, an improved optimization model for road networks subarea districting was established, the objective of which is to minimize the total response time, and with two constraints of incident loads and travel time of each response unit group (RU group) to be approximately equal. Compared with the existing model, it can ensure higher equity of each response agency, and with only a little increase of total response time. The model and some conclusions proposed in this study will also help to increase incident management efficiency.