Reliability, Robustness, Resilience and Vulnerability of transportation network studies: A bibliometric analysis and Outlook into the Future

The management of transportation infrastructure systems Reliability, Robustness, Resilience, and Vulnerability (4R) has become a critical issue for operational stability and societal development, necessitating urgent and in-depth research. Based on 1,203 retrieved documents from the WoS Core Collection database (searched on Nov 25, 2024), this study conducts a bibliometric and visualization analysis of 4R in transportation network studies published between 2009–2024. Vosviewer software was employed to explore research trends and developments in this field.Through publication analysis, co-citation analysis, and co-occurrence analysis, it was found that studies on risk, resilience, and sustainability management of transportation infrastructure systems have gained significant attention and continuous growth since 2010, this has evolved into an interdisciplinary research domain spanning transportation engineering, civil engineering, and other fields. Prominent research directions include risk assessment of transportation infrastructure, resilience design, sustainability strategies, risk response measures, resilience enhancement methods, and sustainable development management models.Drawing upon bibliometric analysis findings, this study presents four key research recommendations: Foster collaborative exchanges and partnerships across different transportation modes; Advance interdisciplinary integration in research and practice; Strengthen studies on emerging technologies applied to transportation infrastructure systems; Enhance education and dissemination of sustainable development principles in transportation infrastructure.