Reinforcing critical links for robust network logistics: A centrality measure for substitutability

Abstract

Logistics networks are becoming more complex and interconnected. Guaranteeing the performance of the entire system when a part of the network is disrupted (e.g. due to excessive demands and extreme weather conditions) is one of the important issues. However, how much transportation resources should be allocated to which part of the network while maintaining efficiency is an open question. In this paper, we propose a novel metric, the substitutability centrality, which quantifies how much each transport link in the network contributes to the robustness of the system against disruptions. This metric is compelling in the following aspects: (1) it is intuitively interpretable; (2) it does not require simulation or optimization calculations; and (3) it takes into account changes in transportation routes of delivery due to disruptions. Furthermore, as a proof of concept, we demonstrate a simple case study, in which capacity allocation based on the proposed metric can maintain high performance of the system against various types of disruptions. We also found that this approach might not be effective for further increasing the robustness of networks that have many bypass routes.