Category 5 hurricane evacuation analysis of the Rio Grande Valley of Texas: Maximum flow problem

Authors

Bart Webb, University of Texas at Brownsville

Date of Award

11-2006

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Science (MS)

Department

Mathematics

First Advisor

Dr. Jorge E. Navarro

Second Advisor

Dr. Apolinar Zapata

Third Advisor

Dr. Taeil Yi

Abstract

The author evaluated the capability of evacuating the Rio Grande Valley of Texas (Hidalgo, Willacy, and Cameron Counties) in the event of a Category 5 hurricane.

This analysis determined the duration of an evacuation required for this region in the event of a Category 5 hurricane using the evacuation maps from the State of Texas, including areas where contraflow is proposed. The Ford and Fulkerson methodology was the basis of the Maximum Flow problem for the following Category 5 hurricane scenarios: 1) Evacuation constrained only by road capacity, 2) Evacuation constrained by a Department of Homeland Security checkpoint at Falfurrias, Texas, 3) Evacuation constrained by the additional flow of 121,735 evacuees (approximately 25% of the population) from Matamoros, Mexico, who would be required to evacuate through the Rio Grande Valley of Texas. The conclusion of the study was that the highway infrastructure of South Texas will not support a Category 5 hurricane evacuation. Two recommendations were considered to increase the evacuation capacity: 1) Extending the contra-flow traffic methodology to San Antonio, and 2) Building an expressway between the Rio Grande Valley and San Antonio.

Comments

Copyright 2006 Bart Webb. All Rights Reserved.

Granting Institution

University of Texas at Brownsville