Optimal Scheduling of Emergency Logistics for Earthquake Disasters Considering Penalty Costs

Emergency logistics scheduling plays a critical role in determining the efficiency and effectiveness of earthquake disaster rescue operations, ultimately influencing the success of relief efforts. To enhance the scientific rigor and operational efficiency of emergency logistics scheduling in large-scale earthquake disaster scenarios, this study proposes an optimization method incorporating penalty costs, with specific consideration given to shortage costs and time costs within the penalty cost framework. The proposed model’s validity and feasibility were empirically verified through a case study of the 2008 Wenchuan earthquake in Sichuan Province, China. Results demonstrate that the model effectively minimizes substantial losses resulting from both resource shortages and delivery delays during emergency resource distribution, thereby offering valuable insights for practical logistics scheduling in earthquake disaster response operations.