Developing a Graphical Algorithm to find the Shortest Rescue & Relief Paths in urban Traffic Network

Background: Fluid and safe transportation is one of the necessary infrastructures for improvement of industries, enhancement of welfare level and relief services in each country. However, finding optimal routes for emergency relief services in a busy traffic network has a special significance. In recent years, a great interest for traffic modeling and determination of optimum route has been created in dynamic traffic networks for rescue and relief services due to improvement of intelligent transport systems. Methods: In this library research paper, graphical algorithm has been developed in order to find the shortest accessing time and its corresponding path between a pair of given points in an urban traffic network. This algorithm has been composed of the Floyd-Warshall algorithm to find the shortest accessing time; the π algorithm to find the shortest path corresponding to the shortest accessing time; and also Davidson traffic function to evaluate necessary time to move from a vertex to next one on a certain path. Then, using field studies and collecting traffic data, the algorithm is implemented on the traffic network. Findings: The described algorithm has been implemented on the traffic network of the downtown part of Shahroud city. Also, the shortest accessing time between each pairs of given points and its corresponding paths have been determined in order to rapid dispatch of relief vehicles. Conclusion: according to the results, it is possible to develop intelligent navigation systems with applying the algorithm. Those systems may be particularly used to organize and dispatch rescue vehicles to accident region.