Game-theoretic modeling of road networks vulnerability and resilience: a systematic literature review

Abstract Road networks are fundamental to economic growth and societal well-being. However, their growing complexity and exposure to disruptions, including natural hazards, operational failures, and security threats, have increased concerns about their vulnerability. Their ability to withstand, recover from, and adapt to such disruptions is determined by their resilience. Game theory, a methodological framework for analyzing strategic interactions and decision-making, has been widely used to study transportation network vulnerability and resilience. This study analyzes 260 scientific publications retrieved from the Web of Science (WoS), covering three decades of research (1994–2024), using Bibliometrix for bibliometric analysis. The review focuses on the application of game theory to the analysis of road network vulnerability and resilience. A bibliometric analysis was used to identify trends in publications, influential sources, productive authors, institutions, and countries, as well as patterns of international collaboration. The co-occurrence analysis highlights the central role of game theory in connecting key themes such as vulnerability, resilience, critical infrastructure, risk, and evolutionary game theory. Additional themes, including road pricing and infrastructure investment, highlight the growing importance of economic optimization in strengthening road network resilience. The reviewed studies also highlight trade-offs between preventive investment and the costs of network failure, offering insights that are relevant to both researchers and policymakers. The findings highlight the value of game-theoretic approaches in advancing resilience-oriented transport planning and provide a foundation for future research and policy development aimed at achieving more robust and sustainable road networks.