Translating risk narratives in socio-technical systems into infrastructure utilization metrics during compounding hazard events

Risk communication in times of disasters is complex, involving rapid and diverse communication in social networks as well as limited mobilization capacity and operational constraints of physical infrastructure networks. Despite a growing literature on infrastructure interdependencies and co-dependen...

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Main Authors: H.M. Imran Kays, Khondhaker Al Momin, Kanthasamy K. Muraleetharan, Arif Mohaimin Sadri
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2025-03-01
Series:Transportation Research Interdisciplinary Perspectives
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Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2590198225000405
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author H.M. Imran Kays
Khondhaker Al Momin
Kanthasamy K. Muraleetharan
Arif Mohaimin Sadri
author_facet H.M. Imran Kays
Khondhaker Al Momin
Kanthasamy K. Muraleetharan
Arif Mohaimin Sadri
author_sort H.M. Imran Kays
collection DOAJ
description Risk communication in times of disasters is complex, involving rapid and diverse communication in social networks as well as limited mobilization capacity and operational constraints of physical infrastructure networks. Despite a growing literature on infrastructure interdependencies and co-dependent social-physical systems, an in-depth understanding of how risk communication in online social networks weighs into physical infrastructure networks during major disasters remains limited, let alone in compounding risk events. This study analyzes large-scale datasets of crisis mobility and activity-related social interactions and concerns available through Twitter (now ’X’) for communities impacted by an ice storm in October 2020 in Oklahoma. Compounded by the COVID-19 pandemic, the ice storm caused significant traffic disruptions due to excessive ice accumulation. By using Twitter’s academic Application Programming Interface (API) that provides complete and technically unbiased data, geotagged tweets (∼25.7 K) were collected covering the entire Oklahoma. First, the study employes natural language processing techniques, such as topic model and BERT model to classify crisis narratives (i.e., tweets), and text quantification techniques to analyze them. Next, the geotagged quantified tweets are transformed into a weighting factor for the transportation network utilization during disaster by employing spatial analysis. Finally, using network analysis, this study develops an infrastructure risk map that integrates vulnerabilities of the co-located road network. The findings reveal that this approach can uncover significant critical infrastructure disruptions during compounding disasters. By mapping such risks, the study provides emergency management agencies with situational awareness, facilitating more efficient resource allocation and prioritization aimed at enhancing disaster response efforts.
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spelling doaj-art-7ceb66bae0484301acea30c8e78dadef2025-08-20T02:45:07ZengElsevierTransportation Research Interdisciplinary Perspectives2590-19822025-03-013010136110.1016/j.trip.2025.101361Translating risk narratives in socio-technical systems into infrastructure utilization metrics during compounding hazard eventsH.M. Imran Kays0Khondhaker Al Momin1Kanthasamy K. Muraleetharan2Arif Mohaimin Sadri3Corresponding author.; School of Civil Engineering & Environmental Science, University of Oklahoma, 202 W. Boyd St., Norman, OK 73019-1024, United StatesSchool of Civil Engineering & Environmental Science, University of Oklahoma, 202 W. Boyd St., Norman, OK 73019-1024, United StatesSchool of Civil Engineering & Environmental Science, University of Oklahoma, 202 W. Boyd St., Norman, OK 73019-1024, United StatesSchool of Civil Engineering & Environmental Science, University of Oklahoma, 202 W. Boyd St., Norman, OK 73019-1024, United StatesRisk communication in times of disasters is complex, involving rapid and diverse communication in social networks as well as limited mobilization capacity and operational constraints of physical infrastructure networks. Despite a growing literature on infrastructure interdependencies and co-dependent social-physical systems, an in-depth understanding of how risk communication in online social networks weighs into physical infrastructure networks during major disasters remains limited, let alone in compounding risk events. This study analyzes large-scale datasets of crisis mobility and activity-related social interactions and concerns available through Twitter (now ’X’) for communities impacted by an ice storm in October 2020 in Oklahoma. Compounded by the COVID-19 pandemic, the ice storm caused significant traffic disruptions due to excessive ice accumulation. By using Twitter’s academic Application Programming Interface (API) that provides complete and technically unbiased data, geotagged tweets (∼25.7 K) were collected covering the entire Oklahoma. First, the study employes natural language processing techniques, such as topic model and BERT model to classify crisis narratives (i.e., tweets), and text quantification techniques to analyze them. Next, the geotagged quantified tweets are transformed into a weighting factor for the transportation network utilization during disaster by employing spatial analysis. Finally, using network analysis, this study develops an infrastructure risk map that integrates vulnerabilities of the co-located road network. The findings reveal that this approach can uncover significant critical infrastructure disruptions during compounding disasters. By mapping such risks, the study provides emergency management agencies with situational awareness, facilitating more efficient resource allocation and prioritization aimed at enhancing disaster response efforts.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2590198225000405Risk communication and mappingSocial physical network couplingOnline social mediaNatural language processingTwitterCompounding disasters
spellingShingle H.M. Imran Kays
Khondhaker Al Momin
Kanthasamy K. Muraleetharan
Arif Mohaimin Sadri
Translating risk narratives in socio-technical systems into infrastructure utilization metrics during compounding hazard events
Transportation Research Interdisciplinary Perspectives
Risk communication and mapping
Social physical network coupling
Online social media
Natural language processing
Twitter
Compounding disasters
title Translating risk narratives in socio-technical systems into infrastructure utilization metrics during compounding hazard events
title_full Translating risk narratives in socio-technical systems into infrastructure utilization metrics during compounding hazard events
title_fullStr Translating risk narratives in socio-technical systems into infrastructure utilization metrics during compounding hazard events
title_full_unstemmed Translating risk narratives in socio-technical systems into infrastructure utilization metrics during compounding hazard events
title_short Translating risk narratives in socio-technical systems into infrastructure utilization metrics during compounding hazard events
title_sort translating risk narratives in socio technical systems into infrastructure utilization metrics during compounding hazard events
topic Risk communication and mapping
Social physical network coupling
Online social media
Natural language processing
Twitter
Compounding disasters
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2590198225000405
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