Optimal Dispatch of Emergency Generators via Truck Transportation in Post-Disaster Distribution Networks

In response to the increasing frequency and severity of extreme natural disasters, this paper proposes an optimization model for dispatching emergency generators via truck transportation to enhance the resilience of post-disaster distribution networks. Firstly, we develop a mixed-integer linear programming model that minimizes total outage losses by coordinating truck routing, generator allocation, and temporal constraints. The model integrates spatial routing rules, temporal sequencing, and resource supply-demand balance, ensuring rapid power restoration for road-accessible nodes. Then, dynamic traffic network conditions are incorporated, including flooded road adjustments using a hyperbolic tangent function and Dijkstra-based shortest path planning. Finally, a case study on a 50-node distribution network in Southern China demonstrates the model’s effectiveness under five fault scenarios. Results show optimized truck paths, reduced outage durations, and prioritized restoration of critical loads, validating the framework’s practicality in disaster recovery.