Geographical route design of physical networks using earthquake risk information

In this article, we investigate the challenges in designing a communication network robust against earthquake-induced disasters. Due to the heterogeneity of local geology conditions, an earthquake may cause different devastating effects on network links at different locations. Therefore, the aim of this research was to develop a network design method that, based on actual seismic hazard information, finds appropriate geographical routes for network links under a cost constraint to maximize the robustness of the network. We carried out experiments on local as well as nationwide networks considering many possible earthquake scenarios in Japan. The results suggest that the shortest route is often the optimal route, and, in some cases, long detour routes can significantly reduce the average end-to-end disconnection probability compared to the shortest route solutions. This gives a network operator guidelines to design a network that is resilient against earthquake disasters at the lowest possible cost.