Mapping the knowledge domain of flooding events and rail infrastructure: A bibliometric and scientometric analysis

Abstract

Flooding events pose significant risks to infrastructure, particularly rail networks, which are crucial for the efficient and safe movement of goods and people. This study aims to map the knowledge domain concerning the impacts of flooding events on rail infrastructure. A bibliometric analysis was carried out utilizing 1018 scientific publications selected from the Scopus repository through targeted queries to better understand existing research on the subject matter. By examining publication trends, citation patterns, and collaboration networks, employing VOSviewer, this research identifies key themes and trends, as well as influential authors and institutions. Additionally, it highlights gaps in the current literature and suggests future research directions to enhance the resilience of rail infrastructure to flooding. The study finds an increasing body of interdisciplinary research, with a focus on climate risk management, flood mitigation strategies, and infrastructure resilience. Four key directions were identified according to the keyword co-occurrence analysis: “Climate risk and decision support”, “Flood management and bridge infrastructure”, “Rainfall impact on land use and transport”, and “Disaster risks and prevention strategies”. Finally, the research frontiers are resilience, light rail transit, risk perception, and vulnerability, undertaken through keyword co-occurrence analysis. These keywords underscore the progression of innovative infrastructure design, adaptive urban planning, and sustainable mobility solutions.