Data-driven simulation of urban human mobility constrained by natural disasters

Abstract

Understanding of human movements in urban areas plays a key role in improving our disaster response, evacuation, and relief plans. However, there is a lack of research on human mobility perturbation under the influence of hurricanes. Furthermore, limited simulation studies have had access to empirical human travel data in urban areas during natural disasters. In this paper we developed a computational model to simulate human mobility during the approaching and strike of hurricanes. Inspired by animal movements in a fragmented habitat, we examined human movements in New York City and its adjacent areas during the striking of Hurricane Sandy. Based on the patterns observed, we established a data-driven model to simulate human movements during hurricanes. The model integrated multiple resources of urban informatics including U.S. census data, Twitter data, and Google Maps. The research effort aims to inform policy-makers and support decision-making under different emergency situations that can arise during hurricanes.