Simulation and Digital Twins in Humanitarian Supply Chain Management
A special issue of Systems (ISSN 2079-8954). This special issue belongs to the section "Supply Chain Management".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 August 2026 | Viewed by 657
Special Issue Editors
Interests: simulation-based optimisation (DES, ABS, SD); applied operation research; artificial intelligence and meta-heuristic algorithms; machine learning and data science
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Interests: geometric design; road safety; human factors; IT geomatics highway drainage
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Interests: transportation and logistics; safety and risk modelling; simulation optimization
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
The increasing frequency and intensity of disasters, coupled with the complexity of global disruptions such as pandemics and conflicts, have underscored the urgent need for intelligent, adaptive, and sustainable humanitarian logistics systems. This Special Issue seeks to advance the state of knowledge in simulation-driven and digital twin-enabled humanitarian supply chain management (HLSCM). It will serve as a platform for exploring how emerging technologies, ranging from AI-enabled modeling and multi-objective optimization to digital twins and data analytics, can strengthen resilience, enhance coordination, and improve resource efficiency across all phases of disaster preparedness, response, and recovery. We invite original research, reviews, and case studies that bridge the gap between theory and practice, focusing on computational, systemic, and data-driven approaches that transform real-time information into actionable intelligence to support life-saving decisions in humanitarian contexts.
Topics of Interest
This Special Issue welcomes papers that address themes including, but not limited to, the following:
- Simulation-Based and Data-Driven Modeling:
- Agent-based, discrete-event, and system dynamics models for humanitarian logistics;
- Monte Carlo and scenario-based simulation for uncertainty analysis;
- Digital twins for real-time decision support and crisis visualization;
- Multi-fidelity and hybrid simulation frameworks for complex disaster systems;
- AI- and ML-enhanced simulation for forecasting and adaptive logistics planning.
- Digital Twins in Humanitarian Operations:
- Conceptualization and architecture of digital twins for humanitarian and emergency networks;
- Human–AI decision-making and cognitive digital twins in logistics and crisis management;
- Integration of IoT, blockchain, and cloud-based infrastructures in digital humanitarian supply chains;
- Model calibration, synchronization, and data validation in digital twin ecosystems;
- Digital twins as enablers of operational resilience, visibility, and sustainability.
- Optimization and Decision Support:
- Multi-objective and stochastic optimization in disaster response and recovery logistics;
- Facility location, resource allocation, and vehicle routing under uncertainty;
- Scheduling and coordination in multi-agency humanitarian operations;
- Risk and vulnerability modeling integrated with simulation and digital twins;
- Trade-off analysis among cost, time, equity, and environmental performance.
- Governance, Ethics, and Sustainability:
- Sustainability and circularity principles in humanitarian supply chains;
- Ethical and governance frameworks for AI and digital twin applications;
- Public–private partnerships and policy modeling for resilient HLSCM;
- Socio-technical system design for equitable and inclusive humanitarian response;
- Evaluation metrics for sustainable and resilient digital supply chains.
Relevance and Contribution
This Special Issue aims to
- Bridge simulation modeling and digital twin technologies within the context of humanitarian operations;
- Promote cross-disciplinary research combining engineering systems, data science, and operations research;
- Offer novel insights into resilience engineering, real-time situational awareness, and adaptive logistics;
- Contribute to the global agenda of sustainable disaster management and climate adaptation.
Dr. Seyed Mojtaba Sajadi
Prof. Dr. Said M. Easa
Dr. Armin Mahmoodi
Guest Editors
Manuscript Submission Information
Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.
Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Systems is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.
Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.
Keywords
- humanitarian supply chain management
- simulation-based optimization
- digital twins
- disaster response and resilience
- AI-driven decision making
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