Object-oriented model of the seismic vulnerability of the fuel distribution network in coastal British Columbia

Abstract An agent-based object-oriented model for the fuel distribution network in coastal British Columbia in Canada is presented. Objects representing infrastructure components with varied attributes and behaviors are described together with objects representing transportation modes on land and on water. A novel feature of the modeling approach is its capacity to represent the diverse nature of the objects in a network. Another novelty of the approach is its capacity to simulate discrete deliveries based on requests, which is a requirement in the modeling of the considered fuel distribution network. This paper presents the software architecture and applies it to assess the probability of fuel shortages following an earthquake for six storage facilities in coastal British Columbia. The results of this assessment can be used to inform emergency response plans.