Impact of Busy Roads on Breeding Success in Pied Flycatchers <Emphasis Type="Italic">Ficedula hypoleuca</Emphasis>

The impact of dense traffic on the breeding success in pied flycatchers (Ficedula hypoleuca) was studied using roadside nest-boxes. Nest site selection and breeding success of flycatchers were observed in relation to the distance from the road. The number of occupied territories was no higher closer to the road than it was deeper inside the forest. The distance to the road had no effect on the laying date, clutch size, or brood size. However, nests closer to the road were more likely to fail at the chick stage. The number of broods that were closer to roads and were lost completely was significantly higher than those further away. As a consequence, the number of fledglings per breeding attempt decreased closer to roads. The nestlings typically died as older chicks when the parent birds were providing them with maximum quantities of food. A possible reason for the declining reproductive success was the traffic-related mortality of parent birds, as weather conditions were not especially adverse for raising healthy offspring.     

Characteristics of worker accidents on NYSDOT construction projects

INTRODUCTION: This paper aims at providing cost-effective safety measures to protect construction workers in highway work zones, based on real data. Two types of accidents that occur in work zones were: (a) construction work area accidents, and (b) traffic accidents involving construction worker(s). METHODOLOGY/RESULTS: A detailed analysis of work zone accidents involving 36 fatalities and 3,055 severe injuries to construction workers on New York State Department of Transportation (NYSDOT) construction projects from 1990 to 2001 established that five accident types: (a) Struck/Pinned by Large Equipment, (b) Trip or Fall (elevated), (c) Contact w/Electrical or Gas Utility, (d) Struck-by Moving/Falling Load, and (e) Crane/Lift Device Failure accounted for nearly 96% of the fatal accidents, nearly 63% of the hospital-level injury accidents, and nearly 91% of the total costs. These construction work area accidents had a total cost of $133.8 million. Traffic accidents that involve contractors' employees were also examined. Statistical analyses of the traffic accidents established that five traffic accident types: (a) Work Space Intrusion, (b) Worker Struck-by Vehicle Inside Work Space, (c) Flagger Struck-by Vehicle, (d) Worker Struck-by Vehicle Entering/Exiting Work Space, and (e) Construction Equipment Struck-by Vehicle Inside Work Space accounted for nearly 86% of the fatal, nearly 70% of the hospital-level injury and minor injury traffic accidents, and $45.4 million (79.4%) of the total traffic accident costs. CONCLUSIONS: The results of this paper provide real statistics on construction worker related accidents reported on construction work zones. Potential preventions based on real statistics have also been suggested. IMPACT ON INDUSTRY: The ranking of accident types, both within the work area as well as in traffic, will guide the heavy highway contractor and owner agencies in identifying the most cost effective safety preventions.     

The relationship between perceived risk of being ticketed and self-reported seat belt use

PROBLEM: Twenty-nine percent of Americans failed to use their seat belts in 2000. Efforts to improve safety belt usage can be enhanced by identifying specific factors that motivate belt use. METHOD: Motorist survey data were used to examine the effect of Perceived Risk of being Ticketed (PRT) for a seat belt infraction on self-reported seat belt use. RESULTS: Analyses indicated that individuals and groups of individuals who have higher PRT typically report higher belt usage. Factorial analyses indicated that this perceived risk to belt use relationship holds both within groups with generally high (e.g., upper income) and generally low (e.g. young men) overall self-reported belt use. DISCUSSION: Applications of PRT to improve seat belt use are discussed. IMPACT ON INDUSTRY: Enforcement of existing laws, perhaps through selective traffic enforcement programs, and strengthening laws to create a higher perception of being ticketed by motorists should increase safety belt use thereby saving lives and reducing cost for individuals, government, and industry.     

2014年1月沪渝高速公路汉宜段一次大雾个例分析

对2014年1月29~31日发生在沪渝高速公路湖北武汉—宜昌段(简称汉宜高速公路)的封路大雾过程气象要素进行分析。结果表明:(1)此次持续大雾过程发生时,近地层有逆温,地面处于高压底部前端的均压场,中纬度维持偏西气流,为大雾的形成和发展提供了有利的环流背景场条件;大雾消散后,地面处于冷高压控制;2)大雾造成的高速公路封路、解封前后,气象要素发生了较明显的变化。这些分析结果,对汉宜高速公路的大雾预警预报具有较好的指示意义。     

几种公路绿化草本植物对Cd的积累作用

为了解绿化草本植物Cd的积累特性和迁移特性,根据高速公路旁土壤Cd污染含量确定Cd试验质量比分别为0 mg/kg、2 mg/kg、4 mg/kg和20 mg/kg,在模拟温室条件下,分析了麦冬(Ophiopogon japonicus)、葱兰(Eephyranthes candida)和红花酢浆草(Oxalis rub...     

RBF神经网络在土壤重金属污染评价中的应用

运用MATLAB软件的K均值聚类算法结合神经网络工具箱,通过建立RBF神经网络对郑汴路圃田—杏花营段路旁土壤进行了评价。结果表明,土壤重金属积累峰值污染峰值多出现在距路基50m范围以内,并随着距路基距离的增加,污染程度逐渐下降。风力因素和邻近铁路对路段两侧土壤重金属污染影响较大,且公路运营时间越早,对两侧土壤污染越严重。杏花营断面土壤质量以Ⅱ级为主,北侧断面土壤质量多为Ⅲ级。圃田断面各样点综合评价结果均为Ⅱ级,整体质量优于杏花营断面。RBF神经网络评价方法具有计算速度快,评价结果客观等优点。     

公路工程施工期的环境保护监理

对于生态影响较大的项目,重点发生在施工建设期,为了有效地控制工程施工阶段的生态环境影响和环境污染,开展公路工程施工期的环境保护监理工作尤其重要。本文结合工程环境监理工作实践,简要分析了公路工程施工期的环境保护监理要点。     

爆破冲击波在台阶法隧道内的传播特性研究*

为了解决目前隧道施工过程中掌子面开挖爆破产生的冲击波容易造成工程灾害的问题,基于宁攀高速胜利隧道台阶法开挖的实际情况,采用动力分析软件ANSYS/LS-DYNA及现场测试的方法研究冲击波在隧道上下台阶区段的传播规律。研究结果表明:初始冲击波传播至下台阶断面时先扩散至中上区域,与拱顶及侧壁碰撞反射后再传播至下部区域;冲击波在下台阶段0~10 m范围内,经多次反射叠加形成提升幅度约30%的第2次超压峰值;冲击波由上台阶较小断面进入下台阶较大断面传播时,超压衰减速度相对加快,过渡界面前后10 m范围内衰减系数由1.01%最高提升至1.05%。现场实测数据与数值模拟结果在上下台阶段得到的波形传播规律基本一致,验证数值模拟的可靠性。研究结果可为实际工程中爆破冲击波在变截面隧道中的控制措施提供参考。     

高等级公路建设与环境协调发展若干问题的探讨

简要探讨了高等级公路景观与公路景观规划设计，变高等级公路建设占用林地经济补偿改变为林地面积补偿以及公路路线设计与生活环境保护的关系等。     

汽车颗粒物污染的生态影响与公路绿带的屏障作用

本文从汽车颗粒物污染的生态影响、污染范围及公路绿带屏障作用上概述了公路环境研究的进展 ,并提出了减轻公路污染物影响的主要措施 ,为我国公路规划建设、公路沿线的农业生产布局及公路环境保护提供了科学依据。