Development of mathematical decision-making support tools for effective response to emergencies during the transportation of dangerous substances by road transport

Abstract

Every year, the world sees an increase in the volume of hazardous goods transported by road. However, mergencies may arise related to the depressurization of containers (tanks, containers, cylinders, etc.) during the transportation of dangerous goods under various circumstances (traffic accidents, natural disasters, acts of terrorism, etc.). Furthermore, it can cause the ingress of hazardous chemicals into the environment and create significant risks for the population of the surrounding areas and habitat. The existing methods for assessing chemical accident consequences need to be revised. Therefore, they are not practical tools for solving problems of prompt response to emergencies associated with accidents while transporting dangerous substances by road transport. Unlike the existing ones, the authors developed new mathematical tools that consider all the main factors. They allow for determining the area of the affected zone, forecasting changes in its scale, and assessing risks to public health due to such emergencies. Comparison of the simulation results with the field measurements data showed high accuracy of the developed mathematical support.