Evaluation of distribution and trans-highway movement of desert bighorn sheep : Arizona Highway 68, final report 588.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2008-08-01

The authors monitored desert bighorn sheep via satellite telemetry, remote cameras, and track beds between 2006 and 2007 to evaluate the effectiveness of the three design features (underpasses) incorporated to facilitate wildlife movement under State...

Evaluation of Effects of Fire on the I-465 Mainline Bridges : Volume I [Technical Summary

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2012-01-01

On October 22, 2009, in Indianapolis, Indiana, a semi : tanker carrying liquefied propane lost control on the : underpass from I-69 southbound to I-465 eastbound, : crashing beneath the eastbound and westbound bridges : carrying mainline I-465 traffi...

Evaluation of Effects of Fire on the I-465 Mainline Bridges : Volume I

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2012-06-01

On October 22, 2009, in Indianapolis, Indiana, a semi tanker carrying liquefied propane lost control on the underpass from I69 : southbound to I465 eastbound, crashing beneath the east and westbound bridges carrying mainline I465 traffic. Th...

Weather conditions associated with autumn migration by mule deer in Wyoming.

PubMed

Rittenhouse, Chadwick D; Mong, Tony W; Hart, Thomas

2015-01-01

Maintaining ecological integrity necessitates a proactive approach of identifying and acquiring lands to conserve unfragmented landscapes, as well as evaluating existing mitigation strategies to increase connectivity in fragmented landscapes. The increased use of highway underpasses and overpasses to restore connectivity for wildlife species offers clear conservation benefits, yet also presents a unique opportunity to understand how weather conditions may impact movement of wildlife species. We used remote camera observations (19,480) from an existing wildlife highway underpass in Wyoming and daily meteorological observations to quantify weather conditions associated with autumn migration of mule deer in 2009 and 2010. We identified minimal daily temperature and snow depth as proximate cues associated with mule deer migration to winter range. These weather cues were consistent across does and bucks, but differed slightly by year. Additionally, extreme early season snow depth or cold temperature events appear to be associated with onset of migration. This information will assist wildlife managers and transportation officials as they plan future projects to maintain and enhance migration routes for mule deer.

Soil nailing of a bridge embankment : report 2 : design and field performance report.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1995-07-01

Soil nailing has recently been introduced in Oregon as an alternative lateral earth support method. The first permanent soil nail wall on the state's highway system was used where an underpass was widened under the existing Oregon Slough Bridge in Po...

An evaluation of the U.S. Highway 17 underpass in Chesapeake, Virginia, as a wildlife crossing.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2010-01-01

In November 2005, the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) realigned and widened more than 10 miles of U.S. Highway 17 in Chesapeake, Virginia, to accommodate the growing volume of traffic and increase safety. Through extensive coordination w...

Evaluation of measures to minimize wildlife vehicle collisions and maintain wildlife permeability across highways : Arizona Route 260

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2007-08-01

The authors conducted wildlife-highway relationships research from 2002-2006 along a 17-mile stretch of State Route 260 in Arizona which is being reconstructed in five phases with 11 wildlife underpasses and six bridges. Reconstruction phasing allowe...

Evaluation of Effects of Fire on the I-465 Mainline Bridges : Volume I, APPENDIX C Report Letters

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2012-06-01

On October 22, 2009, in Indianapolis, Indiana, a semi tanker carrying liquefied propane lost control on the underpass from I69 southbound to I465 eastbound, crashing beneath the east and westbound bridges carrying mainline I465 traffic. The ...

Evaluation of Effects of Fire on the I-465 Mainline Bridges : Volume I, APPENDIX A Instrumentation Plans

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2012-06-01

On October 22, 2009, in Indianapolis, Indiana, a semi tanker carrying liquefied propane lost control on the underpass from I69 southbound to I465 eastbound, crashing beneath the east and westbound bridges carrying mainline I465 traffic. The ...

Efficacy of road underpasses for minimizing bear-vehicle collisions on the 4-lane section of Georgia highway 96 - phase I : final report.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2016-10-01

The Central Georgia Bear Population, the smallest of Georgias three populations of American black bear (Ursus americanus), is of special concern due to its size and potential isolation from other bear populations. Plans to widen Georgia State Rout...

Evaluation of Effects of Fire on the I-465 Mainline Bridges : Volume I, APPENDIX D Maximum Stress Ranges Figures--Triggered Data Files

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2012-06-01

On October 22, 2009, in Indianapolis, Indiana, a semi tanker carrying liquefied propane lost control on the underpass from I69 southbound to I465 eastbound, crashing beneath the east and westbound bridges carrying mainline I465 traffic. The ...

Evaluation of Effects of Fire on the I-465 Mainline Bridges : Volume I, APPENDIX B Development of Stress\\0x2010Range Histograms Used to Calculate Fatigue Damage

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2012-06-01

On October 22, 2009, in Indianapolis, Indiana, a semi tanker carrying liquefied propane lost control on the underpass from I69 southbound to I465 eastbound, crashing beneath the east and westbound bridges carrying mainline I465 traffic. The ...

23 CFR Appendix to Subpart B of... - Horizontal and Vertical Clearance Provisions for Overpass and Underpass Structures

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... maintenance road or by evidence of future need for such equipment. All piers should be placed at least 2.8... up to 2.5 meters as may be necessary for off-track maintenance equipment, provided adequate... road crossings for this purpose. Where not feasible, an additional structure width of 2.5 meters may be...

An introduction to issues of habitat fragmentation relative to transportation corridors with special reference to high-speed rail (HSR)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

de Santo, Robert S.; Smith, Dwight G.

1993-01-01

Potential environmental impacts on wildlife result from siting and construction (short-term impacts) and habitat removal and fragmentation (long-term impacts) as a consequence of transportation corridor construction. Especially in rural districts, wildlife migration corridors and dispersal orientation are altered or destroyed and wildlife populations and their gene pools are isolated. This significantly weakens the wildlife community. Prudent selection of construction corridors reduces fragmentation impacts by maximizing preserved fragment sizes, and by running parallel to, not through, natural areas. Corridor width determines the degree to which wildlife movement is restricted except that culverts, underpasses, overpasses, and one-way gates, can aid wildlife in cross movements. Minimum underpass dimensions for large wildlife should be no smaller than 14 ft×14 ft and should include natural substratum inverts. Rail corridors have four characteristics that minimize adverse environmental impacts. The railbed is dry, ballast fillters runoff, there is little runoff beyond the toe of slope, and drainage ditches serve to control sheet flow and erosion, sediment movement, and uncontrolled channel flow. Rail corridors usually occupy smaller land areas because they are narrower and are more feasible to elevate so as to allow free movement of wildlife across the corridor.

Risk assessment of underpass infrastructure project based on IS0 31000 and ISO 21500 using fishbone diagram and RFMEA (project risk failure mode and effects analysis) method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Purwanggono, Bambang; Margarette, Anastasia

2017-12-01

Completion time of highway construction is very meaningful for smooth transportation, moreover expected number of ownership motor vehicle will increase each year. Therefore, this study was conducted with to analyze the constraints that contained in an infrastructure development project. This research was conducted on Jatingaleh Underpass Project, Semarang. This research was carried out while the project is running, on the implementation, this project is experiencing delays. This research is done to find out what are the constraints that occur in execution of a road infrastructure project, in particular that causes delays. The method that used to find the root cause is fishbone diagram to obtain a possible means of mitigation. Coupled with the RFMEA method used to determine the critical risks that must be addressed immediately on road infrastructure project. The result of data tabulation in this study indicates that the most possible mitigation tool to make a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) recommendations to disrupt utilities that interfere project implementation. Process of risk assessment has been carried out systematically based on ISO 31000:2009 on risk management and for determination of delayed variables, the requirements of process groups according to ISO 21500:2013 on project management were used.

EXTERIOR VIEW FROM 21ST STREET VIADUCT WITH RAILROAD TRACKS (CENTER), ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

EXTERIOR VIEW FROM 21ST STREET VIADUCT WITH RAILROAD TRACKS (CENTER), SHEDS FOR L. & N. STATION (CENTER TO RIGHT), BANK FOR SAVINGS BUILDINGS (RIGHT) AT THE 20TH STREET UNDERPASS (CENTER) AND ALABAMA POWER COMPANY-POWELL AVENUE POWER PLANT (TOP LEFT). - Railroad Reservation, Bounded by Thirty-eighth Street on the east, Sixteenth Street on the west, First Avenue on the north, & First Avenue on the south, Birmingham, Jefferson County, AL

EXPERIMENTAL STUDIES ON DIFFICULTY OF EVACUATION FROM UNDERGROUND SPACES UNDER INUNDATED SITUATIONS USING REAL SCALE MODELS

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Baba, Yasuyuki; Ishigaki, Taisuke; Toda, Keiichi; Nakagawa, Hajime

Many urbanized cities in Japan are located in alluvial plains, and the vulnerability of urbanized areas to flood disaster is highlighted by flood attacks due to heavy rain fall or typhoons. Underground spaces located in the urbanized area are flood-prone areas, and the intrusion of flood watar into underground space inflicted severe damages on urban functions and infrastructures. In a similar way, low-lying areas like "bowl-shaped" depression and underpasses under highway and railroad bridges are also prone to floods. The underpasses are common sites of accidents of submerged vehicles, and severe damage including human damage occasionally occurs under flooding conditions. To reduce the damage due to inundation in underground space, needless to say, early evacuation is one of the most important countermeasures. This paper shows some experimental results of evacuation tests from underground spaces under inundated situations. The difficulities of the evacuation from underground space has been investigated by using real scale models (door, staircase and vehicle), and the limit for safety evacuation is discussed. From the results, it is found that water depth of 0.3 - 0.4m would be a critical situation for the evacuation from underground space through staircases and door and that 0.7 - 0.8m deep on the ground would be also a critical situation for safety evacuation though the doors of the vehicle. These criteria have some possibility to vary according to different inundated situations, and they are also influenced by the individual variation like the difference of physical strength. This means that these criteria requires cautious stance to use although they show a sort of an index of the limitation for saftty evacuation from underground space.

Flight of a UV spectrophotometer aboard Galileo 2, the NASA Convair 990 aircraft

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sellers, B.; Hunderwadel, J. L.; Hanser, F. A.

1976-01-01

An ultraviolet interference-filter spectrophotometer (UVS) fabricated for aircraft-borne use on the DOT Climatic Impact Assessment Program (CIAP) has been successfully tested in a series of flights on the NASA Convair 990, Galileo II. UV flux data and the calculated total ozone above the flight path are reported for several of the flights. Good agreement is obtained with the total ozone as deducted by integration of an ozone sonde vertical profile obtained at Wallops Island, Virginia near the time of a CV-990 underpass. Possible advantages of use of the UVS in the NASA Global Atmospheric Sampling Program are discussed.

Modeling crash injury severity by road feature to improve safety.

PubMed

Penmetsa, Praveena; Pulugurtha, Srinivas S

2018-01-02

The objective of this research is 2-fold: to (a) model and identify critical road features (or locations) based on crash injury severity and compare it with crash frequency and (b) model and identify drivers who are more likely to contribute to crashes by road feature. Crash data from 2011 to 2013 were obtained from the Highway Safety Information System (HSIS) for the state of North Carolina. Twenty-three different road features were considered, analyzed, and compared with each other as well as no road feature. A multinomial logit (MNL) model was developed and odds ratios were estimated to investigate the effect of road features on crash injury severity. Among the many road features, underpass, end or beginning of a divided highway, and on-ramp terminal on crossroad are the top 3 critical road features. Intersection crashes are frequent but are not highly likely to result in severe injuries compared to critical road features. Roundabouts are least likely to result in both severe and moderate injuries. Female drivers are more likely to be involved in crashes at intersections (4-way and T) compared to male drivers. Adult drivers are more likely to be involved in crashes at underpasses. Older drivers are 1.6 times more likely to be involved in a crash at the end or beginning of a divided highway. The findings from this research help to identify critical road features that need to be given priority. As an example, additional advanced warning signs and providing enlarged or highly retroreflective signs that grab the attention of older drivers may help in making locations such as end or beginning of a divided highway much safer. Educating drivers about the necessary skill sets required at critical road features in addition to engineering solutions may further help them adopt safe driving behaviors on the road.

The tadpole of Hypsiboas guentheri (Boulenger) (Anura: Hylidae).

PubMed

Almeida-Silva, Diego; Neto, Antonio Mollo; Mendes, Humberto Fonseca; Verdade, Vanessa Kruth

2016-10-28

Hypsiboas guentheri is a species of treefrog that inhabits the surrounding vegetation of temporary and permanent ponds at the coastal region of Southern Brazil, in the States of Santa Catarina and Rio Grande do Sul (Langone 1997; Frost 2016). It belongs to the H. pulchellus species group (Faivovich et al. 2004, Duellman et al. 2016), this group contains 39 species (Frost 2016), but formal descriptions of tadpoles are missing for 15 of them (Kolenc et al. 2008; Pinheiro et al., 2016). Herein we describe tadpoles of H. guentheri collected in February 2014 in the accumulated water on an underpass for wildlife crossing at the RS-486 highway (29º30'44.8" S 50º06'29.9" W), Itati municipality, Rio Grande do Sul State, Brazil.

Mule deer passage beneath an overland coal conveyor

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Greenwood, C.L.; Dalton, L.B.

1984-07-31

Presently, information pertaining to migration and daily movement patterns of big game in relation to overland conveyors or large diameter pipelines is sparse. A literature review showed that moose, caribou, reindeer, and dall sheep will pass beneath or over large diameter pipeline systems. But no information was found relative to big game crossing coal conveyor systems. Mule deer passage beneath an overland coal conveyor in Carbon County, Utah, was studied during spring 1981. Deer avoided crossing at underpass opportunities where the clearance was less than 50 cm. Clearances between 50 and 90 cm were selected for crossing. Deer passed beneathmore » the conveyor during day and nighttime conditions and while the conveyor was either operating or idle. Recommendations are discussed for designing conveyors and pipelines to facilitate big game passage. 13 references, 2 tables.« less

Short-term impacts of a 4-lane highway on black bears in eastern North Carolina

USGS Publications Warehouse

Van Manen, Frank T.; McCollister, Matthew F.; Nicholson, Jeremy M.; Thompson, Laura M.; Kindall, Jason L.; Jones, Mark D.

2012-01-01

Among numerous anthropogenic impacts on terrestrial landscapes, expanding transportation networks represent one of the primary challenges to wildlife conservation worldwide. Larger mammals may be particularly vulnerable because of typically low densities, low reproductive rates, and extensive movements. Although numerous studies have been conducted to document impacts of road networks on wildlife, inference has been limited because of experimental design limitations. During the last decade, the North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) rerouted and upgraded sections of United States Highway 64 between Raleigh and the Outer Banks to a 4-lane, divided highway. A new route was selected for a 24.1-km section in Washington County. The new section of highway included 3 wildlife underpasses with adjacent wildlife fencing to mitigate the effects of the highway on wildlife, particularly American black bears (Ursus americanus). We assessed the short-term impacts of the new highway on spatial ecology, population size, survival, occupancy, and gene flow of black bears. We tested our research hypotheses using a before-after control-impact (BACI) study design. We collected data during 2000–2001 (preconstruction phase) and 2006–2007 (postconstruction phase) in the highway project area and a nearby control area (each approx. 11,000 ha), resulting in 4 groups of data (i.e., pre- or postconstruction study phase, treatment or control area). We captured and radiocollared 57 bears and collected 5,775 hourly locations and 4,998 daily locations. Using mixed-model analysis of variance and logistic regression, we detected no differences in home ranges, movement characteristics, proximity to the highway alignment, or habitat use between the 2 study phases, although minimum detectable effect sizes were large for several tests. However, after completion of the new highway, bears on the treatment area became less inactive in morning, when highway traffic was low, compared with bears on the control area (F1, 43 = 6.05, P = 0.018). We used DNA from hair samples to determine if population size and site occupancy decreased following highway construction. For each study phase, we collected black bear hair from 70 hair snares on each study area during 7 weekly sampling periods and generated genotypes using 10 microsatellite loci. We used the multilocus genotypes to obtain capture histories for 226 different bears and used capture-mark-recapture models to estimate population size. Model-averaged estimates of population size decreased on the treatment area from 87.7 bears before construction to 31.6 bears after construction (64% reduction) and on the control area from 163.6 bears to 108.2 bears (34% reduction). Permutation procedures indicated this reduction was proportionally greater for the treatment area (P = 0.086). We also applied a spatially explicit capture-recapture technique to test our research hypothesis. The model with the most support indicated a greater change in density on the treatment area (69% reduction) compared with the control area (24% reduction). We did not observe a treatment effect based on survival of radiocollared bears. We used bear visits to hair snares as detections in multi-season occupancy models and found that occupancy decreased more on the treatment area (preconstruction: Ψ = 0.84; postconstruction: Ψ = 0.44; 48% decline) than the control area (preconstruction: Ψ = 0.91; postconstruction: Ψ = 0.81; 11% decline), primarily as a function of a greater probability of site extinctions (ε) on the treatment area (ε = 0.57) than the control area (ε = 0.17). Finally, individual- and population-based analyses of contemporary gene flow did not indicate the highway was a barrier to movements. Black bear use of the 3 wildlife underpasses was infrequent (17 verified crossings based on remote cameras, track surveys, and telemetry). Only 4 of 8 bears with home ranges near the highway were documented crossing the highway (n = 36 crossings), of which 2 were killed in vehicle collisions. Six additional bears were killed in vehicle collisions from May 2007 to November 2008, after we completed field work. Harvest data indicated that hunting mortality alone could explain the population decline on the control area. On the treatment area, however, hunting mortality only accounted for an approximately 40% population decline; the additional 30% decline we observed likely was caused by other mortality. We speculate vehicle collisions were primarily responsible. We conclude that impacts of the new highway on resident black bears occurred at the population level, rather than the individual or genetic level, but that the impact was smaller than harvest mortality. Increased activity by remaining bears when traffic volumes were low indicated behavioral plasticity. Bear use of the underpasses seemed sufficient to maintain gene flow between areas north and south of the new highway. Effectiveness of wildlife underpasses to reduce mortality of black bears may be enhanced if mitigation includes continuous fencing between crossing structures. For small, isolated populations of threatened or endangered large mammals, the potential demographic impacts of highways are an essential consideration in the transportation planning process. Control of mortality factors and maintaining demographic connectivity are particularly important.

Nardo Ring, Italy

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2008-01-01

The Nardo Ring is a striking visual feature from space, and astronauts have photographed it several times. The Ring is a race car test track; it is 12.5 kilometers long and steeply banked to reduce the amount of active steering needed by drivers. The Nardo Ring lies in a remote area on the heel of Italy's 'boot,' 50 kilometers east of the naval port of Taranto. The Ring encompasses a number of active (green) and fallow (brown to dark brown) agricultural fields. In this zone of intensive agriculture, farmers gain access to their fields through the Ring via a series of underpasses. Winding features within the southern section of the Ring appear to be smaller, unused race tracks.

The image covers an area of 18.8 x 16.4 km, was acquired on August 17. 2007, and is located at 49.3 degrees north latitude, 17.8 degrees east longitude.

The U.S. science team is located at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif. The Terra mission is part of NASA's Science Mission Directorate.

Modelling of wildlife migrations and its economic impacts

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Myšková, Kateřina; Žák, Jaroslav

2013-10-01

Natural wildlife migrations are often disrupted by the construction of line structures, especially freeways. Various overpasses and underpasses (migration objects) are being designed to enable species to pass through line structures. The newly developed original procedure for the quantification of the utility of migration objects (migration potentials) and sections of line structures retrieves the deficiencies of the previous ones. The procedure has been developed under bulk information obtained by monitoring migrations using camera system and spy games. The log-normal distribution functions are used. The procedure for the evaluation of the probability of the permeability of the line structures sectors is also presented. The above mentioned procedures and algorithms can be used while planning, preparing, constructing or verifying the measures to assure the permeability of line structures for selected feral species. Using the procedures can significantly reduce financial costs and improve the permeability. When the migration potentials are correctly determined and the whole sector is taken into account for the migrations, some originally designed objects may be found to be redundant and not building them will bring financial savings.

Nonfatal motor-vehicle animal crash-related injuries--United States, 2001-2002.

PubMed

2004-08-06

In 2000, an estimated 6.1 million light-vehicle (e.g., passenger cars, sport utility vehicles, vans, and pickup trucks) crashes on U.S. roadways were reported to police. Of these reported crashes, 247,000 (4.0%) involved incidents in which the motor vehicle (MV) directly hit an animal on the roadway. Each year, an estimated 200 human deaths result from crashes involving animals (i.e., deaths from a direct MV animal collision or from a crash in which a driver tried to avoid an animal and ran off the roadway). To characterize nonfatal injuries from these incidents, CDC analyzed data from the National Electronic Injury Surveillance System-All Injury Program (NEISS-AIP). This report summarizes the results of that analysis, which indicated that, during 2001-2002, an estimated 26,647 MV occupants per year were involved in crashes from encounters with animals (predominantly deer) in a roadway and treated for nonfatal injuries in U.S. hospital emergency departments (EDs). Cost-effective measures targeting both drivers (e.g., speed reduction and early warnings) and animals (e.g., fencing and underpasses) are needed to reduce injuries associated with MV collisions involving animals.

Polemics on Ethical Aspects in the Compost Business.

PubMed

Maroušek, Josef; Hašková, Simona; Zeman, Robert; Žák, Jaroslav; Vaníčková, Radka; Maroušková, Anna; Váchal, Jan; Myšková, Kateřina

2016-04-01

This paper focuses on compost use in overpasses and underpasses for wild animals over roads and other similar linear structures. In this context, good quality of compost may result in faster and more resistant vegetation cover during the year. Inter alia, this can be interpreted also as reduction of damage and saving lives. There are millions of tones of plant residue produced every day worldwide. These represent prospective business for manufacturers of compost additives called "accelerators". The opinions of the sale representatives' with regards to other alternatives of biowaste utilization and their own products were reviewed. The robust analyzes of several "accelerated" composts revealed that the quality was generally low. Only two accelerated composts were somewhat similar in quality to the blank sample that was produced according to the traditional procedure. Overlaps between the interests of decision makers on future soil fertility were weighed against the preferences on short-term profit. Possible causes that allowed the boom of these underperforming products and the possible consequences are also discussed. Conclusions regarding the ethical concerns on how to run businesses with products whose profitability depends on weaknesses in the legal system and customer unawareness are to follow.

Are motorway wildlife passages worth building? Vertebrate use of road-crossing structures on a Spanish motorway.

PubMed

Mata, C; Hervás, I; Herranz, J; Suárez, F; Malo, J E

2008-08-01

Numerous road and railway construction projects include costly mitigation measures to offset the barrier effect produced on local fauna, despite the scarcity of data on the effectiveness of such mitigation measures. In this study, we evaluate the utility of different types of crossing structures. Vertebrate use of 43 transverse crossing structures along the A-52 motorway (north-western Spain) was studied during spring 2001. Research centered on wildlife passages (9), wildlife-adapted box culverts (7), functional passages (6 overpasses, 7 underpasses) and culverts (14), with marble dust being used to record animal tracks. A total of 424 track-days were recorded, with most of the larger vertebrate groups present in the area being detected. All crossing structure types were used by animals, although the intensity of use varied significantly among them (Kruskal-Wallis test, p<0.05); culverts were used less frequently than other structures. Crossing structure type and width were identified as the most important factors in their selection for use. Wildlife passages and adapted culverts allowed crossing by certain species (wild boar, roe deer, Eurasian badger), which do not tend to cross elsewhere. These results highlight the importance of using both mixed-type structures and wildlife passages in reducing the barrier effect of roads.

Performance analysis of a compact and low-cost mapping-grade mobile laser scanning system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Julge, Kalev; Vajakas, Toivo; Ellmann, Artu

2017-10-01

The performance of a low-cost, self-contained, compact, and easy to deploy mapping-grade mobile laser scanning (MLS) system, which is composed of a light detection and ranging sensor Velodyne VLP-16 and a dual antenna global navigation satellite system/inertial navigation system SBG Systems Ellipse-D, is analyzed. The field tests were carried out in car-mounted and backpack modes for surveying road engineering structures (such as roads, parking lots, underpasses, and tunnels) and coastal erosion zones, respectively. The impact of applied calculation principles on trajectory postprocessing, direct georeferencing, and the theoretical accuracy of the system is analyzed. A calibration method, based on Bound Optimization BY Quadratic Approximation, for finding the boresight angles of an MLS system is proposed. The resulting MLS point clouds are compared with high-accuracy static terrestrial laser scanning data and survey-grade MLS data from a commercially manufactured MLS system. The vertical, horizontal, and relative accuracy are assessed-the root-mean-square error (RMSE) values were determined to be 8, 15, and 3 cm, respectively. Thus, the achieved mapping-grade accuracy demonstrates that this relatively compact and inexpensive self-assembled MLS can be successfully used for surveying the geometry and deformations of terrain, buildings, road, and other engineering structures.

Validation of Cloud Optical Parameters from Passive Remote Sensing in the Arctic by using the Aircraft Measurements

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, H.; Schmidt, S.; Coddington, O.; Wind, G.; Bucholtz, A.; Segal-Rosenhaimer, M.; LeBlanc, S. E.

2017-12-01

Cloud Optical Parameters (COPs: e.g., cloud optical thickness and cloud effective radius) and surface albedo are the most important inputs for determining the Cloud Radiative Effect (CRE) at the surface. In the Arctic, the COPs derived from passive remote sensing such as from the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) are difficult to obtain with adequate accuracy owing mainly to insufficient knowledge about the snow/ice surface, but also because of the low solar zenith angle. This study aims to validate COPs derived from passive remote sensing in the Arctic by using aircraft measurements collected during two field campaigns based in Fairbanks, Alaska. During both experiments, ARCTAS (Arctic Research of the Composition of the Troposphere from Aircraft and Satellites) and ARISE (Arctic Radiation-IceBridge Sea and Ice Experiment), the Solar Spectral Flux Radiometer (SSFR) measured upwelling and downwelling shortwave spectral irradiances, which can be used to derive surface and cloud albedo, as well as the irradiance transmitted by clouds. We assess the variability of the Arctic sea ice/snow surfaces albedo through these aircraft measurements and incorporate this variability into cloud retrievals for SSFR. We then compare COPs as derived from SSFR and MODIS for all suitable aircraft underpasses of the satellites. Finally, the sensitivities of the COPs to surface albedo and solar zenith angle are investigated.

Fully three-dimensional analysis of high-speed train-track-soil-structure dynamic interaction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Galvín, P.; Romero, A.; Domínguez, J.

2010-11-01

In this paper, a general and fully three dimensional multi-body-finite element-boundary element model, formulated in the time domain to predict vibrations due to train passage at the vehicle, the track and the free field, is presented. The vehicle is modelled as a multi-body system and, therefore, the quasi-static and the dynamic excitation mechanisms due to train passage can be considered. The track is modelled using finite elements. The soil is considered as a homogeneous half-space by the boundary element method. This methodology could be used to take into account local soil discontinuities, underground constructions such as underpasses, and coupling with nearby structures that break the uniformity of the geometry along the track line. The nonlinear behaviour of the structures could be also considered. In the present paper, in order to test the model, vibrations induced by high-speed train passage are evaluated for a ballasted track. The quasi-static and dynamic load components are studied and the influence of the suspended mass on the vertical loads is analyzed. The numerical model is validated by comparison with experimental records from two HST lines. Finally, the dynamic behaviour of a transition zone between a ballast track and a slab track is analyzed and the obtained results from the proposed model are compared with those obtained from a model with invariant geometry with respect to the track direction.

The December 2008 flood event in Rome: Was it really an extreme event?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lastoria, B.; Mariani, S.; Casaioli, M.; Bussettini, M.

2009-04-01

In mid December 2008, Italy suffered bad weather with heavy snowfall blanketing the north and strong winds and downpours pelting the centre-south. In particular, during the period between 10th and 12th December, intense precipitation struck the Tyrrhenian Sea side of the peninsula, inducing a flood event, which captured the attention of the national and international media, on the Tiber river and on its tributary, the Aniene. The relevance of the event was caused by the actual damages occurred in several zones over Rome area, in particular due to the downpours and to damages which would have occurred if Tiber river had overflowed its banks. The event, which was initially considered as extreme, was indeed severe but not so exceptional as shown by the meteo-hydrological post-event analysis. The peak water level of 12.55 m, recorded on 13th December at 1:30 a.m. (local time) at the Ripetta station, which is situated along the Tiber river in the centre of Rome, was higher than those observed during the last ten years (which to the utmost reached 11.41 m in December 2005). However, it did not reach the historical maximum of 16.90 m observed in 1937. Moreover, on the basis of the Ripetta historical series, such a level is associated to an ordinary flood event. Even if the flood was ordinary, a state of emergency was declared by the Rome's Mayor, since the event caused severe damages by disrupting flight and train services, blocking off major roads leading into Rome, flooding underpasses and sealing off industrial activities sited in the flooded areas, in particular nearby the confluence of the Aniene river with the Tiber river. In addition, hundreds of people were evacuated and a woman died in a her car which was submerged by a wave of water and mud in an underpass. Given these premises, the present work examines the relation between a severe, but not extraordinary, event and the considerable damages that occurred as a consequence. First, the meteorological evolution of the event, as modelled by the Hydro-Meteo-Marine forecasting system (Sistema Idro-Meteo-Mare - SIMM), is considered. SIMM, operational since 2000, is an integrated meteo-marine forecasting chain, formed by a cascade of four numerical models, telescoping from the Mediterranean basin to the Venice Lagoon. In this operational integrated system, the meteorological model consists of the parallel version of the BOlogna Limited Area Model (BOLAM). In this study, BOLAM run in three configurations, the operational one using the Kuo cumulus parameterisation scheme, an intermediate version employing the more advanced Kain-Fritsch convection scheme, and a fully updated version including a more advanced advection scheme, explicit advection of five hydrometeors, and state-of-the-art parameterization schemes for radiation, convection, boundary layer turbulence and soil processes. Then, the event actually occurred is described by means of both the rain and water-level gauges available over the Tiber river basin and EUMETSAT satellites. Ground-based observations were compared with historical data in order to evaluate the frequency and the relative magnitude of the December 2008 flood event. The last part of the work is dedicated to the description of the damages by considering three different aspects: spatial distribution, type and entity of damage. Consideration about the vulnerability of the areas more hit and the predictability of the damage occurred are also addressed.

A Lightweight Radio Propagation Model for Vehicular Communication in Road Tunnels.

PubMed

Qureshi, Muhammad Ahsan; Noor, Rafidah Md; Shamim, Azra; Shamshirband, Shahaboddin; Raymond Choo, Kim-Kwang

2016-01-01

Radio propagation models (RPMs) are generally employed in Vehicular Ad Hoc Networks (VANETs) to predict path loss in multiple operating environments (e.g. modern road infrastructure such as flyovers, underpasses and road tunnels). For example, different RPMs have been developed to predict propagation behaviour in road tunnels. However, most existing RPMs for road tunnels are computationally complex and are based on field measurements in frequency band not suitable for VANET deployment. Furthermore, in tunnel applications, consequences of moving radio obstacles, such as large buses and delivery trucks, are generally not considered in existing RPMs. This paper proposes a computationally inexpensive RPM with minimal set of parameters to predict path loss in an acceptable range for road tunnels. The proposed RPM utilizes geometric properties of the tunnel, such as height and width along with the distance between sender and receiver, to predict the path loss. The proposed RPM also considers the additional attenuation caused by the moving radio obstacles in road tunnels, while requiring a negligible overhead in terms of computational complexity. To demonstrate the utility of our proposed RPM, we conduct a comparative summary and evaluate its performance. Specifically, an extensive data gathering campaign is carried out in order to evaluate the proposed RPM. The field measurements use the 5 GHz frequency band, which is suitable for vehicular communication. The results demonstrate that a close match exists between the predicted values and measured values of path loss. In particular, an average accuracy of 94% is found with R2 = 0.86.

Disentangle the Causes of the Road Barrier Effect in Small Mammals through Genetic Patterns.

PubMed

Ascensão, Fernando; Mata, Cristina; Malo, Juan E; Ruiz-Capillas, Pablo; Silva, Catarina; Silva, André P; Santos-Reis, Margarida; Fernandes, Carlos

2016-01-01

Road barrier effect is among the foremost negative impacts of roads on wildlife. Knowledge of the factors responsible for the road barrier effect is crucial to understand and predict species' responses to roads, and to improve mitigation measures in the context of management and conservation. We built a set of hypothesis aiming to infer the most probable cause of road barrier effect (traffic effect or road surface avoidance), while controlling for the potentially confounding effects road width, traffic volume and road age. The wood mouse Apodemus sylvaticus was used as a model species of small and forest-dwelling mammals, which are more likely to be affected by gaps in cover such as those resulting from road construction. We confront genetic patterns from opposite and same roadsides from samples of three highways and used computer simulations to infer migration rates between opposite roadsides. Genetic patterns from 302 samples (ca. 100 per highway) suggest that the highway barrier effect for wood mouse is due to road surface avoidance. However, from the simulations we estimated a migration rate of about 5% between opposite roadsides, indicating that some limited gene flow across highways does occur. To reduce highway impact on population genetic diversity and structure, possible mitigation measures could include retrofitting of culverts and underpasses to increase their attractiveness and facilitate their use by wood mice and other species, and setting aside roadside strips without vegetation removal to facilitate establishment and dispersal of small mammals.

Disentangle the Causes of the Road Barrier Effect in Small Mammals through Genetic Patterns

PubMed Central

Ascensão, Fernando; Mata, Cristina; Malo, Juan E.; Ruiz-Capillas, Pablo; Silva, Catarina; Silva, André P.; Santos-Reis, Margarida; Fernandes, Carlos

2016-01-01

Road barrier effect is among the foremost negative impacts of roads on wildlife. Knowledge of the factors responsible for the road barrier effect is crucial to understand and predict species’ responses to roads, and to improve mitigation measures in the context of management and conservation. We built a set of hypothesis aiming to infer the most probable cause of road barrier effect (traffic effect or road surface avoidance), while controlling for the potentially confounding effects road width, traffic volume and road age. The wood mouse Apodemus sylvaticus was used as a model species of small and forest-dwelling mammals, which are more likely to be affected by gaps in cover such as those resulting from road construction. We confront genetic patterns from opposite and same roadsides from samples of three highways and used computer simulations to infer migration rates between opposite roadsides. Genetic patterns from 302 samples (ca. 100 per highway) suggest that the highway barrier effect for wood mouse is due to road surface avoidance. However, from the simulations we estimated a migration rate of about 5% between opposite roadsides, indicating that some limited gene flow across highways does occur. To reduce highway impact on population genetic diversity and structure, possible mitigation measures could include retrofitting of culverts and underpasses to increase their attractiveness and facilitate their use by wood mice and other species, and setting aside roadside strips without vegetation removal to facilitate establishment and dispersal of small mammals. PMID:26978779

A Lightweight Radio Propagation Model for Vehicular Communication in Road Tunnels

PubMed Central

Shamim, Azra; Shamshirband, Shahaboddin; Raymond Choo, Kim-Kwang

2016-01-01

Radio propagation models (RPMs) are generally employed in Vehicular Ad Hoc Networks (VANETs) to predict path loss in multiple operating environments (e.g. modern road infrastructure such as flyovers, underpasses and road tunnels). For example, different RPMs have been developed to predict propagation behaviour in road tunnels. However, most existing RPMs for road tunnels are computationally complex and are based on field measurements in frequency band not suitable for VANET deployment. Furthermore, in tunnel applications, consequences of moving radio obstacles, such as large buses and delivery trucks, are generally not considered in existing RPMs. This paper proposes a computationally inexpensive RPM with minimal set of parameters to predict path loss in an acceptable range for road tunnels. The proposed RPM utilizes geometric properties of the tunnel, such as height and width along with the distance between sender and receiver, to predict the path loss. The proposed RPM also considers the additional attenuation caused by the moving radio obstacles in road tunnels, while requiring a negligible overhead in terms of computational complexity. To demonstrate the utility of our proposed RPM, we conduct a comparative summary and evaluate its performance. Specifically, an extensive data gathering campaign is carried out in order to evaluate the proposed RPM. The field measurements use the 5 GHz frequency band, which is suitable for vehicular communication. The results demonstrate that a close match exists between the predicted values and measured values of path loss. In particular, an average accuracy of 94% is found with R2 = 0.86. PMID:27031989

Assessment of ecological passages along road networks within the Mediterranean forest using GIS-based multi criteria evaluation approach.

PubMed

Gülci, Sercan; Akay, Abdullah Emin

2015-12-01

Major roads cause barrier effect and fragmentation on wildlife habitats that are suitable places for feeding, mating, socializing, and hiding. Due to wildlife collisions (Wc), human-wildlife conflicts result in lost lives and loss of biodiversity. Geographical information system (GIS)-based multi criteria evaluation (MCE) methods have been successfully used in short-term planning of road networks considering wild animals. Recently, wildlife passages have been effectively utilized as road engineering structures provide quick and certain solutions for traffic safety and wildlife conservation problems. GIS-based MCE methods provide decision makers with optimum location for ecological passages based on habitat suitability models (HSMs) that classify the areas based on ecological requirements of target species. In this study, ecological passages along Motorway 52 within forested areas in Mediterranean city of Osmaniye in Turkey were evaluated. Firstly, HSM coupled with nine eco-geographic decision variables were developed based on ecological requirements of roe deer (Capreolus capreolus) that were chosen as target species. Then specified decision variables were evaluated using GIS-based weighted linear combination (WLC) method to estimate movement corridors and mitigation points along the motorway. In the solution process, two linkage nodes were evaluated for eco-passages which were determined based on the least-cost movement corridor intersecting with the motorway. One of the passages was identified as a natural wildlife overpass while the other was suggested as underpass construction. The results indicated that computer-based models provide accurate and quick solutions for positioning ecological passages to reduce environmental effects of road networks on wild animals.

Scaling roads and wildlife: The Cinderella principle

USGS Publications Warehouse

Bissonette, J.A.

2002-01-01

It is clear that a reduction in both direct and indirect effects of roads and road networks must be the goal of management agencies. However, increased permeability of roaded landscapes can only be achieved by up-front planning and subsequent mitigative actions. The key is to understand that roads must be made permeable to the movement of animals. More profoundly, ecosystem services, i.e., clean water, clean air, uncontaminated soil, natural landscapes, recreation opportunities, abundant wildlife, and life sustaining ecological processes must not be seriously impacted. In other words, quality of life as measured by ecosystem services should be a major component of the planning process when roads are constructed or improved. Mitigative structures exist to increase permeability of roads. Wildlife overpasses and underpasses, often referred to as ecoducts or green bridges, with associated structures to enable larger animals to exit the road right of way, e.g., earthen escape ramps (BISSONETTE and HAMMER, 2001), various culvert designs for smaller animals including badger pipes and amphibian and reptile tunnels, and fish ladders are but a small sampling of the structures already in place around the world. What is needed is attention to the big picture. Landscapes need to be reconnected and made more permeable. Responsible agencies and organizations need to be aggressive about promoting mitigations and a conservation ethic into road planning. Only with a broad based effort between a concerned public, a database to work from, and a willingness of responsible agencies, will the now very large virtual footprint of roads and road networks be reduced to more closely approximate the physical footprint. By embracing the Cinderella Principle of making the virtual shoe fit more closely the actual physical footprint of roads, we will be able to achieve a closer connection with ecological harmony with its resultant effect of abundant wildlife.

Hydraulic analyses of water-surface profiles in the vicinity of the Coamo Dam and Highway 52 Bridge, southern Puerto Rico; flood analyses as related to the flood of October 7, 1985

USGS Publications Warehouse

Johnson, K.G.; Quinones-Marquez, Ferdinand; Gonzalez, Ralph

1987-01-01

The magnitude, frequency and extent of the flood of October 7, 1985 at the Rio Coamo in the vicinity of the Coamo Dam and Highway 52 bridge in southern Puerto Rico, were investigated. The observed flood profiles were used to calibrate a step-backwater model. The calibrated model was then used to investigate several alternative flow conditions in the vicinity of the bridge. The peak discharge of the flood at the Highway 52 bridge was 72,000 cu ft/sec. This peak discharge was determined from the peak computed at a reach in the vicinity of the Banos de Coamo, about 1.2 mi upstream from the bridge. The computed discharge at the Banos de Coamo of 66,000 cu ft/sec was adjusted to the dam and bridge location by multiplying it by the ratio of the drainage areas raised to the 0.83 power. The flood had a recurrence interval of about 100 yr, exceeding all previously known floods at the site. The flood overtopped the spillway and levee of the Coamo Dam just upstream of Highway 52. The flow over the spillway was 54,000 cu ft/sec. Flow over the levee was about 18,000 cu ft/sec. About 10,000 cu ft/sec of the flow over the levee returned to the main channel at the base of the embankment at the northeast approach to the bridge. The remaining 8,000 cu ft/sec flowed south through the underpass on Highway 153. The embankment and shoulder on the northern span of the bridge were eroded with the eventual collapse of the approach slab. (Author 's abstract)

An Approach Toward Understanding Wildlife-Vehicle Collisions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Litvaitis, John A.; Tash, Jeffrey P.

2008-10-01

Among the most conspicuous environmental effects of roads are vehicle-related mortalities of wildlife. Research to understand the factors that contribute to wildlife-vehicle collisions can be partitioned into several major themes, including (i) characteristics associated with roadkill hot spots, (ii) identification of road-density thresholds that limit wildlife populations, and (iii) species-specific models of vehicle collision rates that incorporate information on roads (e.g., proximity, width, and traffic volume) and animal movements. We suggest that collision models offer substantial opportunities to understand the effects of roads on a diverse suite of species. We conducted simulations using collision models and information on Blanding’s turtles ( Emydoidea blandingii), bobcats ( Lynx rufus), and moose ( Alces alces), species endemic to the northeastern United States that are of particular concern relative to collisions with vehicles. Results revealed important species-specific differences, with traffic volume and rate of movement by candidate species having the greatest influence on collision rates. We recommend that future efforts to reduce wildlife-vehicle collisions be more proactive and suggest the following protocol. For species that pose hazards to drivers (e.g., ungulates), identify collision hot spots and implement suitable mitigation to redirect animal movements (e.g., underpasses, fencing, and habitat modification), reduce populations of problematic game species via hunting, or modify driver behavior (e.g., dynamic signage that warns drivers when animals are near roads). Next, identify those species that are likely to experience additive (as opposed to compensatory) mortality from vehicle collisions and rank them according to vulnerability to extirpation. Then combine information on the distribution of at-risk species with information on existing road networks to identify areas where immediate actions are warranted.

The effectiveness of a barrier wall and underpasses in reducing wildlife mortality on a heavily traveled highway in Florida

USGS Publications Warehouse

Dodd, C.K.; Barichivich, W.J.; Smith, L.L.

2004-01-01

Because of high numbers of animals killed on Paynes Prairie State Preserve, Alachua County, Florida, the Florida Department of Transportation constructed a barrier wall-culvert system to reduce wildlife mortality yet allow for passage of some animals across the highway. During a one year study following construction, we counted only 158 animals, excluding hylid treefrogs, killed in the same area where 2411 road kills were recorded in the 12 months prior to the construction of the barrier wall-culvert system. Within the survey area lying directly in Paynes Prairie basin, mortality was reduced 65% if hylid treefrogs are included, and 93.5% with hylid treefrogs excluded. Sixty-four percent of the wildlife kills observed along the barrier wall-culvert system occurred at a maintenance road access point and along 300 m of type-A fence bordering private property. The 24 h kill rate during the post-construction survey was 4.9 compared with 13.5 during the pre-construction survey. We counted 1891 dead vertebrates within the entire area surveyed, including the ecotone between the surrounding uplands and prairie basin which did not include the barrier wall and culverts. Approximately 73% of the nonhylid road kills occurred in the 400 m section of road beyond the extent of the barrier wall-culvert system. We detected 51 vertebrate species, including 9 fish, using the 8 culverts after the construction of the barrier wall-culvert system, compared with 28 vertebrate species in the 4 existing culverts prior to construction. Capture success in culverts increased 10-fold from the pre-construction survey to the post-construction survey. Barrier wall trespass was facilitated by overhanging vegetation, maintenance road access, and by the use of the type-A fence. Additional problems resulted from siltation, water holes, and human access. These problems could be corrected using design modifications and by routine, periodic maintenance.

Demographic and genetic viability of a medium-sized ground-dwelling mammal in a fire prone, rapidly urbanizing landscape.

PubMed

Ramalho, Cristina E; Ottewell, Kym M; Chambers, Brian K; Yates, Colin J; Wilson, Barbara A; Bencini, Roberta; Barrett, Geoff

2018-01-01

The rapid and large-scale urbanization of peri-urban areas poses major and complex challenges for wildlife conservation. We used population viability analysis (PVA) to evaluate the influence of urban encroachment, fire, and fauna crossing structures, with and without accounting for inbreeding effects, on the metapopulation viability of a medium-sized ground-dwelling mammal, the southern brown bandicoot (Isoodon obesulus), in the rapidly expanding city of Perth, Australia. We surveyed two metapopulations over one and a half years, and parameterized the PVA models using largely field-collected data. The models revealed that spatial isolation imposed by housing and road encroachment has major impacts on I. obesulus. Although the species is known to persist in small metapopulations at moderate levels of habitat fragmentation, the models indicate that these populations become highly vulnerable to demographic decline, genetic deterioration, and local extinction under increasing habitat connectivity loss. Isolated metapopulations were also predicted to be highly sensitive to fire, with large-scale fires having greater negative impacts on population abundance than small-scale ones. To reduce the risk of decline and local extirpation of I. obesulus and other small- to medium-sized ground-dwelling mammals in urbanizing, fire prone landscapes, we recommend that remnant vegetation and vegetated, structurally-complex corridors between habitat patches be retained. Well-designed road underpasses can be effective to connect habitat patches and reduce the probability of inbreeding and genetic differentiation; however, adjustment of fire management practices to limit the size of unplanned fires and ensure the retention of long unburnt vegetation will also be required to ensure persistence. Our study supports the evidence that in rapidly urbanizing landscapes, a pro-active conservation approach is required that manages species at the metapopulation level and that prioritizes metapopulations and habitat with greater long-term probability of persistence and conservation capacity, respectively. This strategy may help us prevent future declines and local extirpations, and currently relatively common species from becoming rare.

Demographic and genetic viability of a medium-sized ground-dwelling mammal in a fire prone, rapidly urbanizing landscape

PubMed Central

Ottewell, Kym M.; Chambers, Brian K.; Yates, Colin J.; Wilson, Barbara A.; Bencini, Roberta; Barrett, Geoff

2018-01-01

The rapid and large-scale urbanization of peri-urban areas poses major and complex challenges for wildlife conservation. We used population viability analysis (PVA) to evaluate the influence of urban encroachment, fire, and fauna crossing structures, with and without accounting for inbreeding effects, on the metapopulation viability of a medium-sized ground-dwelling mammal, the southern brown bandicoot (Isoodon obesulus), in the rapidly expanding city of Perth, Australia. We surveyed two metapopulations over one and a half years, and parameterized the PVA models using largely field-collected data. The models revealed that spatial isolation imposed by housing and road encroachment has major impacts on I. obesulus. Although the species is known to persist in small metapopulations at moderate levels of habitat fragmentation, the models indicate that these populations become highly vulnerable to demographic decline, genetic deterioration, and local extinction under increasing habitat connectivity loss. Isolated metapopulations were also predicted to be highly sensitive to fire, with large-scale fires having greater negative impacts on population abundance than small-scale ones. To reduce the risk of decline and local extirpation of I. obesulus and other small- to medium-sized ground-dwelling mammals in urbanizing, fire prone landscapes, we recommend that remnant vegetation and vegetated, structurally-complex corridors between habitat patches be retained. Well-designed road underpasses can be effective to connect habitat patches and reduce the probability of inbreeding and genetic differentiation; however, adjustment of fire management practices to limit the size of unplanned fires and ensure the retention of long unburnt vegetation will also be required to ensure persistence. Our study supports the evidence that in rapidly urbanizing landscapes, a pro-active conservation approach is required that manages species at the metapopulation level and that prioritizes metapopulations and habitat with greater long-term probability of persistence and conservation capacity, respectively. This strategy may help us prevent future declines and local extirpations, and currently relatively common species from becoming rare. PMID:29444118

Chimpanzees facing a dangerous situation: A high-traffic asphalted road in the Sebitoli area of Kibale National Park, Uganda.

PubMed

Cibot, Marie; Bortolamiol, Sarah; Seguya, Andrew; Krief, Sabrina

2015-08-01

Despite the spread of road infrastructures throughout Africa to support regional development, industry, and tourism, few studies have examined how wild animals adapt their behavior and ecology in road-forest ecotones. Indeed, while numerous studies have demonstrated chimpanzee adaptability in anthropogenic landscapes, none have examined the effects of asphalted highways on wild chimpanzee behaviors. In a 29-month survey, we assessed the dangers posed by an asphalted road crossing the Sebitoli area of Kibale National Park (Uganda). We analyzed 122 individual chimpanzee crossings. Although the asphalted road represents a substantial threat to crossing animals (89 motorized vehicles per hour use this road and individuals of six different primate species were killed in 1 year), chimpanzees took into account this risk. More than 90% of the individuals looked right and left before and while crossing. Chimpanzees crossed in small subgroups (average 2.7 subgroups of 2.1 individuals per crossing event). Whole parties crossed more rapidly when chimpanzees were more numerous in the crossing groups. The individuals most vulnerable to the dangers of road crossing (females with dependents, immature, and severely injured individuals) crossed less frequently compared with non-vulnerable individuals (lone and healthy adolescents and adults). Moreover, healthy adult males, who were the most frequent crossing individuals, led progressions more frequently when crossing the road than when climbing or descending feeding trees. Almost 20% of the individuals that crossed paid attention to conspecifics by checking on them or waiting for them while crossing. These observations are relevant for our understanding of adaptive behavior among chimpanzees in human-impacted habitats. Further investigations are needed to better evaluate the effects of busy roads on adolescent female dispersal and on their use of territories. Mitigation measures (e.g., bridges, underpasses, reduced speed limits, speed-bumps, signposts, or police controls) should be established in this area. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Diversity, Seasonality, and Context of Mammalian Roadkills in the Southern Great Plains

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Smith-Patten, Brenda D.; Patten, Michael A.

2008-06-01

Thousands of mammals are killed annually from vehicle collisions, making the issue an important one for conservation biologists and environmental managers. We recorded all readily identifiable kills on or immediately adjacent to roads in the southern Great Plains from March 2004-March 2007. We also recorded distance traveled, whether a road was paved or divided, the number of lanes, and prevailing habitat. Surveys were opportunistic and were conducted by car during conditions of good visibility. Over our 239 surveys and >16,500 km traveled, we recorded 1412 roadkills from 18 different mammal species (size ranged from Sciurus squirrels to the white-tailed deer, Odocolieus virginianus). The overall kill rate was 8.50 / 100 km. Four species were prone to collisions: the Virginia opossum ( Didelphis virginiana), nine-banded armadillo ( Dasypus novemcinctus), striped skunk ( Mephitis mephitis), and northern raccoon ( Procyon lotor). Together they accounted for approximately 85% (1198) of all roadkills. Mortality rate differed significantly between 2- and 4-lane roads (8.39 versus 7.79 / 100 km). Kill rates were significantly higher on paved versus unpaved roads (8.60 versus 3.65 / 100 km), but did not depend on whether a road was divided. Roadkills were higher in spring than in fall (1.5×), winter (1.4×), or summer (1.3×). The spring peak (in kills / 100 km) was driven chiefly by the armadillo (2.76 in spring/summer versus 0.73 in autumn/winter) and opossum (2.65 versus 1.47). By contrast, seasonality was dampened by a late winter/early spring peak in skunk mortalities, for which 41% occurred in the 6-week period of mid-February through March. The raccoon did not exhibit a strong seasonal pattern. Our data are consistent with dispersal patterns of these species. Our results underscore the high rate of highway mortality in the southern plains, as well as differences in seasonality and road type that contribute to mortality. Conservation and management efforts should focus on creating underpasses or using other means to reduce roadkill rates.

Performance of Zinc Anodes for Cathodic Protection of Reinforced Concrete Bridges

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Covino, Bernard S. Jr.; Cramer, Stephen D.; Bullard, Sophie J.

2002-03-01

Operation of thermal spray zinc (Zn) anodes for cathodic protection (CP) of reinforced concrete structures was investigated in laboratory and field studies conducted by the Albany Research Center (ARC) in collaboration with the Oregon Department of Transportation. The purposes of the research presented in this report were: evaluate the need for preheating concrete to improve the adhesion of the anode; estimate the service life of thermal spray Zn CP anodes; determine the optimum thickness for Zn CP anodes; characterize the anode-concrete interfacial chemistry; and correlate field and laboratory results. Laboratory studies involved accelerated electrochemical aging of thermal sprayed Zn anodesmore » on concrete slabs, some of which were periodically wetted while others were unwetted. Concrete used in the slabs contained either 1.2 or 3 kg NaCl /m3 (2 or 5 lbs NaCl /yd3) as part of the concrete mix design. The Zn anodes were applied to the slabs using the twin wire arc-spray technique. Half of the slabs were preheated to 120-160 C (250-320 F) to improve the initial Zn anode bond strength and the other half were not. Accelerated aging was done at a current density of 0.032 A/m2 (3 mA/ft2), 15 times that used on Oregon DOT Coastal bridges, i.e, . 0.0022 A/m2 (0.2 mA/ft2) Cores from the Cape Creek Bridge (OR), the Richmond San Rafael Bridge (CA), and the East Camino Underpass (CA) were used to study the anode-concrete interfacial chemistry, to relate the chemistry to electrochemical age at the time of sampling, and to compare the chemistry of the field anodes to the chemistry of anodes from the laboratory studies. Cores from a CALTRANS study of a silane sealant used prior to the application of the Zn anodes and cores with galvanized rebar from the Longbird Bridge (Bermuda) were also studied. Aged laboratory and field anodes were characterized by measuring some or all of the following parameters: thickness, bond strength, anode-concrete interfacial chemistry, bulk chemistry, anode resistance, circuit resistance, electrochemical age, and air and water permeability. Models are presented for the operation of periodically-wetted and unwetted thermal spray Zn anodes from the initial energizing of the anode to the end of its service life. The models were developed in terms of bond strength, circuit resistance, anode-concrete interfacial chemistry, electrochemical age, and anode condition. The most significant results of the research are: (1) preheating concrete surfaces prior to coating with Zn is unnecessary; (2) anodes generally fail due to loss of bond strength rather than Zn consumption; (3) Unwetted anodes fail more quickly than periodically-wetted anodes; (4) 0.47-0.60 mm (12-15 mil) anode thickness is adequate for most Oregon DOT coastal impressed current CP (ICCP) installations; (5) based on bond strength, thermal spray Zn ICCP anode service life is approximately 27 years at 0.0022 A/m2 (0.2 mA/ft2); (6) anode reaction products alter the anode-concrete interface by rejecting Ca from the cement paste, by replacing it with Zn, and by the accumulation of a Zn mineral layer that includes chloride and sulfur compounds; (7) CP system circuit resistance provides an effective means for monitoring the condition of Zn ICCP anodes as they age.« less