Case Study: York University optimizes utility companies’ mutual aid with AnyLogic

Optimization of Utility Companies’ Mutual Assistance Using Agent-Based Modeling

York University needed a better way to help utility companies decide when to offer mutual aid after natural or man-made disasters, balancing speed, resources, distance, and costs. They worked with AnyLogic to create an agent-based simulation model for the utility mutual assistance process.

AnyLogic’s solution used 13 weighted criteria across requesting, responding, and disaster categories, with GIS-based visualization to test scenarios and track crew routing. The model helped optimize decision-making, recommend mutual assistance more effectively, and provide measurable outputs such as the number of available and assisting utilities, crews deployed and arrived, travel distances, and estimated travel times.

York University