Disasters affecting roads and bridges are events or series of events that result in the disruption or interruption of function of roads and bridges caused, either by natural factors and/or non-nature, thereby causing disturbances to the movement of traffic of goods and human beings, and cause losses due to disruption of social and economic activities public. When a disaster occurs, a response measure is needed. Response measures is a series of activities carried out immediately at the time of a disaster to deal with the adverse effects caused, which include rescue and evacuation of victims, property, fulfillment of basic needs, protection, management of refugees, rescue, and restoration of infrastructure and facilities.
The level of damage to roads can be classified as follows 1:
| Typical Damage on the Road | Typical Emergency Management |
|---|---|
Buried part or all of the road due to landslide material from the cliff | 1. Cleaning road surface and drainage system |
Closure of the road due to the flow of material (lava, flood water, etc.) | 1. Clean the surface roads and drainage systems |
The erosion of the road body due to erosion or abrasion | 1. Clean the surface roads and drainage systems |
Collapse of the road due to earthquake liquefaction | 1. Clean the surface roads and drainage systems |
Collapse of the road due to earthquake liquefaction | 1. Traffic diversion and signage warning on disaster boundary (perimeter) |
The loss of road bodies due to the Tsunami | 1. Traffic diversion and signage warning on disaster boundary (perimeter) |
Cracks in the road body are divided into: | Traffic diversion and warning sign at the limits of disaster (perimeter) |
Decrease in traffic lane Settlement on the road body can caused by earthquakes, landslides or disasters other. | 1. Traffic diversion and signage warning on disaster boundary (perimeter) |
Disaster response is a series of activities carried out by government or non-government agencies immediately after the disaster occurrence. In road and bridge field, reconnecting the disconnected road and bridge infrastructures is the main disaster response purpose. In case of a disaster occurrence, government and all the related agencies inspect the road network and try to get information about damages, road and bridge network disconnections, and any aftershocks. All information must be disseminated quickly to local government institutions and communities in risked areas so that appropriate actions and measures can be taken accordingly. The next step is to assess the disaster to provide a clear and accurate picture of the post-disaster situation so that we can manage and overcome this disaster quickly and comprehensively. In this phase, assessment can be divided into two kinds, depending on what the stage is.
The first one is quick assessment, which identifies urgent needs; strategies for early recovery can be developed. Quick assessments are generally carried out using several indicators, including:
The second is rehabilitation and reconstruction assessment, which is carried out a few weeks after the disaster response takes place. In an after-disaster condition, we need to establish security as soon as possible because there is potential danger of aftershocks and the collapse of fragile buildings due to the initial quake. Security can create a more conducive and stable situation in the disaster response phase.
Disaster management in the field of public works is prioritized for immediately restoring the function of the infrastructure such as road networks, while permanent repair will be programmed immediately after the infrastructure can be re-enabled and the infrastructure budget allocated.
In dealing with every disaster, a standard procedure is needed that can be a reference in carrying out rescue and evacuation activities. The procedure starts from:
Given that road and bridge infrastructure play a vital role in post-disaster management, it is necessary to have its own handling procedures in the disaster response phase to avoid misconceptions and misinformation that can caused miscoordination. For example, the procedures for handling road infrastructure disaster response in Indonesia are as follows:
For permanent handling, local governments can submit proposals for their cost requirements, to be programmed with central government funding sources, for post-disaster management.
There are two aspects of communication when a disaster occurs. The first is communication tools for distributing information such as radio, telephone, and supporting systems such as satellite, electricity, chargers, and transmission lines. The second is information management, which is a protocol to find out who gives what information to whom, what priority is given in communication, how information is disseminated and interpreted.
Online communication can speed up the flow which is crucial due to unstable social conditions that often change overtime in the field. Therefore, it is particularly important to establish a secure and smooth communication infrastructure and facilities.
The regional and central governments send officers to damaged areas to conduct assessments related to the response plan. As an example, coordinating the mobilization of heavy vehicles that are available near the disaster area immediately. Heavy vehicles have a huge role in opening roads that might be closed due to landslide for aid distribution and officer mobilization, clearing collapsed buildings, and erecting temporary roads or bridges in case the main road is completely unusable. Cooperation between nearby contractors and local government in terms of procuring heavy vehicles and operators can make the disaster management process more effective and efficient, thus accelerating the evacuation process.
Coordination and cooperation during a pandemic are a little different because of the limitations and the need to prevent a disaster from spreading. The difficulties faced during the pandemic are in the supply chain of materials, the availability and transportation of heavy construction equipment, and the health conditions of workers. This can be anticipated by the existence of a database of material producers and a database of contractors who have construction experience to work at the disaster site. With this database, it can speed up coordination so that the response can be implemented immediately. For workers' health issues, they can do a medical test before entering the work area.
Coordination is defined as deliberate actions to align the response with the goal. Coordination can maximize the impact of a response and achieve synergy – a situation where the effects of a coordinated response are greater than the accumulation of separate responses. Whereas cooperation refers to the voluntary collective efforts of various persons working together in an enterprise to achieve common objectives. It is the result of voluntary action on the part of individuals. With coordination, assistance is delivered in a neutral and impartial manner, effectiveness of management is increased, a shared vision of the best outcomes can be developed, and an approach to service delivery can take place in a correct and integrative manner.
In the evacuation phase, government prepares various needs ranging from heavy vehicle location and readiness, human resources and operators, and evacuation plans. The main objective is to prepare an evacuation route or open up existing roads that can be used as an evacuation route and an entry point for aid and urgent logistics. It needs to be noted that the safety and health of all people involved in this evacuation process must be in the best possible condition so that it can run smoothly.
After evacuation and conducting quick assessment, emergency road and bridge infrastructure is the next priority. This step is required to identify the need for emergency road and bridge infrastructure within the disaster area to accelerate logistics delivery. Therefore, the focus of the assessment shifted to the vital things needed as follows:
The intelligent transport system (ITS) is an advanced application which aims to provide innovative services relating to different modes of transport and traffic management. It enables users to be better informed and ensures safer, more coordinated, and smarter use of transport networks. Although ITS may refer to all modes of transport, the directive of the European Union 2010/40/EU, made on July 7, 2010, defined ITS as a system in which information and communication technologies are applied in the field of road transport, including infrastructure, vehicles, and users, and in traffic management and mobility management, as well as for interfaces with other modes of transport 1. ITS may improve the efficiency and safety of transport in a number of situations, such as road transport, traffic management, mobility, disaster management, etc.
The application of ITS is widely accepted and used in many countries today. The use is not just limited to traffic congestion control and information, but also for road safety, efficient infrastructure usage, and rapid mass evacuation after a disaster. Because of its endless possibilities, ITS has now become a multidisciplinary conjunctive field of work; many organizations around the world have developed solutions for providing ITS applications to meet the need 2.
Through ITS, government or agencies can provide solutions and methods that are faster and more coordinated because every aspect needed is already available in the application. Especially during this pandemic, while there are so many restrictions and limitations to prevent an outbreak, ITS brings many advantages to the table and government can carry out disaster management in a safer and more efficient manner.
Disasters are considered natural phenomena since it cannot be predicted precisely where and when they will take place. However, there are opportunities to reduce the disaster risk. Sufficient identification and planning support sustainable development 1. Therefore, the response shifts to a new paradigm at all stages of infrastructure development. It is necessary to distinguish records of the quality and quantity (potential) of a disasters impact to infrastructure. For example, in the areas marked as landslide-prone, the particular concrete in and specifications of roads are needed. Related to that, it is essential to implement Mainstreaming Disaster Risk, where the government immediately improves collaboration with the private sector to develop a model for development, reconstruction, and maintenance of infrastructure 2. The mapping of a disaster-prone network and construction models that are responsive to the dynamic of disasters must be implemented immediately. Moreover, the reliability of road and bridge infrastructure needs to consider disaster risk by considering the disaster-prone area in a road network system, creating a safer route during evacuation and mobilization post-disaster.
The road network needs to always be maintained in a reliable and safe condition. The following table, Table 4.1.6, shows the Disaster Relief Unit (DRU) for road construction mitigation. In addition, Figure 4.1.6 depicts a modular bridge to mitigate bridge structure for a specified span of up to 30 meters. Alternative detour routes may be used for mitigation in the event of a disaster affecting a bridge, especially on a bridge more than 30 meters long. These mitigation routes – both road class and administrator – are usually managed by the local government and must be identified for post-disaster evacuation needs. The typical DRU fleet can be seen in Table 4.1.6 3.
| Num. | Type of Unit | Capacity | Nos |
|---|---|---|---|
1 | Dump truck | 5 tons | 1 |
2 | Motor grader | 140 HP/1,3 m | 1 |
3 | Wheel loader | 1,8 m3 | 1 |
4 | Excavator track | 0,8 m3 | 1 |
5 | Backhoe loader | 0,9 m3/0,2 m3 | 1 |
6 | Vibrator roller | 4 Tons | 1 |
7 | Generator set | 20 KVA | 1 |
For bridges, one of the technologies that can be used during response is The Bailey Bridge construction which can be seen in Figure 4.1.6 below. The Bailey Bridge has an advantage in that no heavy equipment is required to assemble it. The wood and steel used in the bridge are small parts that can be transported by truck and assembled by hand without the use of pulleys.
Figure. 4.1.6 Bailey Bridge construction on Temanggung, Central Java, Indonesia (April 6th 2020)
Shifting to digital transformation by integrating several applications from different agencies or ministries is important in order to have comprehensive and accurate information on any disaster event. A risk-based digital map which overlays the infrastructure locations with seismic and geological parameters needs to be up-to-date to determine risk mitigation measures. Furthermore, digitizing the infrastructure condition database so it can be accessed remotely is important and can be a basis for formulating mitigation strategies. Some ongoing examples are prone landslide map, prone flood map, and active mountainous monitoring.
Successful integration of interagency information is key and crucial. Therefore, good coordination amongst ministries or agencies can be successfully done. When this succeeds, accurate information is available and the mitigation and strategies in handling the disaster can be achieved optimally. Interagency coordination for better disaster management includes integrating the information such as landslide, volcano, seismic data, satellite imagery data, rainfall data, road network map, road infrastructure database, and construction services database. With such optimal conditions, when a disaster occurs government and agencies can easily decide on an accurate method for handling it as quickly as possible.
In addition to integrating interagency information, the integration within the road infrastructure database is also crucial for use in disaster management to create a safe and effective evacuation road. There are several existing and new databases that need to be integrated, such as current project engagement, to identify any heavy vehicles available near disaster area, a road network map to decide the best evacuation routes, disaster prone areas, and existing road and bridge asset management. By this integration the information produced is accurate to help those in need.
In detail, developing an integrated road infrastructure database may consist of:
1 https://www.geospatialworld.net/blogs/what-is-intelligent-transport-system-and-how-it-works/
2 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Intelligent_transportation_system
1 United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (2015), UNISDR Annual Report, United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction Geneva, Switzerland
2 National Disaster Management Plan India (2016) - https://www.mha.gov.in/sites/default/files/National%20Disaster%20Management%20Plan%20May%202016.pdf
3 Road and Bridge Disaster Management (2011), Directorate General of Highway Indonesia