A stochastic approach for evaluating the risk of vapor cloud explosions is proposed in this work. The proposed methodology aims to incorporate the effect of uncertainty into the risk analysis to produce a better overall view for the risk. Some stochastic variables are used to estimate the probability of vapor cloud explosions: frequency of the release, the probability of not having an immediate ignition, the probability of delayed ignition and the probability of a vapor cloud explosion given a delayed ignition, as well as different possible meteorological conditions. These stochastic variables are represented with probability distribution curves. Different curves for the frequencies of releases from process equipment types (steel process pipes, flanges, manual valves, actuated valves, etc.), different equipment diameters and different leak sizes are also used in this analysis. Monte Carlo simulation is performed to obtain the risk as a probability distribution using the Analytic Solver Platform. Then the risk distribution curve obtained by Monte Carlo simulation is used to estimate the probability of satisfying the risk tolerance criterion. 相似文献
Objectives: The accuracy of self-reported driving exposure has questioned the validity of using self-reported mileage to inform research questions. Studies examining the accuracy of self-reported driving exposure compared to objective measures find low validity, with drivers overestimating and underestimating driving distance. The aims of the current study were to (1) examine the discrepancy between self-reported annual mileage and driving exposure the following year and (2) investigate whether these differences depended on age and annual mileage.
Methods: Two estimates of drivers’ self-reported annual mileage collected during vehicle installation (obtained via prestudy questionnaires) and approximated annual mileage driven (based upon Global Positioning System data) were acquired from 3,323 participants who participated in the Strategic Highway Research Program 2 (SHRP2) Naturalistic Driving Study.
Results: A Wilcoxon signed rank test showed that there was a significant difference between self-reported and annual driving exposure during participation in SHRP 2, with the majority of self-reported responses overestimating annual mileage the following year, irrespective of whether an ordinal or ratio variable was examined. Over 15% of participants provided self-reported responses with over 100% deviation, which were exclusive to participants underestimating annual mileage. Further, deviations in reporting differed between participants who had low, medium, and high exposure, as well as between participants in different age groups.
Conclusions: These findings indicate that although self-reported annual mileage is heavily relied on for research, such estimates of driving distance may be an overestimate of current or future mileage and can influence the validity of prior research that has utilized estimates of driving exposure. 相似文献
Film boiling chemical vapor infiltration (FB-CVI) is considered as one of the fastest process methodologies for manufacturing carbon-carbon (C–C) composite products and possesses various advantages compared to conventional methodologies. However, there are safety concerns associated with this process for large-scale manufacturing, mainly owing to the intrinsic nature of the precursor and the process conditions. Considering the multifunctional interactions of the various systems during the process, a system-theoretic process analysis (STPA)/system theoretic accident model and process (STAMP) model is used to perform a safety analysis of the hazardous states of the FB-CVI process at the system level. As a case study, the FB-CVI process equipment employed for the manufacturing of C–C composites is considered. The safety constraints present in the system are assessed for adequacy through a hazard analysis by STPA/STAMP. The analysis through STPA/STAMP demonstrated the capability to create proactive strategies for the design and realization of process equipment that can be employed to manufacture C–C composite products through the FB-CVI process. 相似文献
This study investigated the levels, sources and ecological risks of 16 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in two sediment cores that were collected along the Huaxi Reservoir. The spatial distributions and residue levels of the 16 priority PAHs in the sediments from the Huaxi Reservoir were analyzed for their potential ecological risk, source apportionment and contribution to the total PAH residue. The concentration level of the total PAHs (TPAHs) was in the range 1805 ng·g?1 to 20023 ng·g?1 based on dry weight, and the content of PAHs in the Huaxi Reservoir exhibited a gradual upward trend. The PAH congener ratios fluoranthene/(fluoranthene + pyrene) and indeno[1, 2, 3-cd]pyrene/(indeno[1, 2, 3-cd]pyrene + benzo[g, h, i]perylene) were used to identify the source. The main source of the low molecular weight PAHs was wood and coal combustion, whereas the high molecular weight PAHs were primarily from petroleum combustion sources. The results of an ecological risk assessment demonstrated that ACE poses a potential ecological risk, while FLU, NAP, ANT, BaP, DBA, PHEN and PYR can have serious ecological risks. 相似文献
Surveys of water recreational activities were conducted in the Peel-Harvey estuary. Channels used by recreationists to gain information about water quality, the perception of water quality and resulting behaviour were investigated. This study showed that personal perception, local knowledge and history, absence of warnings and residency were major factors contributing to risk perception and behaviour in this recreational community. Management strategies should take this information into account to achieve maximal outcomes. 相似文献
Fiji is expected to come under increasing pressure and risk from various threats resulting from climate change and sea-level
rise (SLR). Fiji consists of 332 islands and thus has a predominant and large coastline. Viti Levu is the largest and most
important of the islands, harboring Fiji’s capital city and most of the major towns concentrated around its coast. The objectives
of this study were to evaluate the extent of possible sea-level rise using GIS, and to identify high-risk locations. Potential
sea level rise was shown graphically as an output to determine where inundation or flooding would take place. This analysis
allowed important areas facing risk to be highlighted for future action. Flooding/inundation can be classified into two kinds:
‘permanent inundation’, which is the result of sea-level rise with tide; and ‘temporary flooding’, also including occasional
storm surge events. The inundated area was displayed under different projections and quantified. The results produced output
maps showing the distribution of inundation/flooding around the island of Viti Levu as well as the extent of flooding. Six
scenarios for sea-level rise were used (0.09, 0.18, 0.48, 0.50, 0.59, 0.88 m). Six scenarios for storm surge were used with
return intervals of 1, 2, 5, 10, 25, 50 years. High risk and priority locations are identified as Fiji’s capital Suva, the
major tourist center and arrival port of Nadi, and Fiji’s second city Lautoka. Future action, adaptation and response strategies
in these identified locations must occur to reduce risk from climate change. 相似文献
The sensitivity of an integrated model to assess the potential for wind-borne spread of foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) to variations
in key parameters controlling different physical and biological processes was evaluated. The estimated number of farms at
risk is sensitive to the virus strain used and the accompanying effective contact rate. The C Noville strain increased the
estimated number of exposed farms ranked as high and medium risk of being infected by a factor of 5, compared to the baseline,
based on the O UKG 2001 strain. The inclusion of a model for biological ageing of the virus can also have a significant effect
on the concentration patterns arising from transport and dispersion of the virus. Its inclusion has the practical advantage
of markedly reducing the time required for the calculations. The estimated number of farms affected by exposure to high and
medium virus concentrations is not grossly sensitive to attenuation caused by temperature or relative humidity effects. Changes
in susceptibility to infection, as determined by the parameter θ in the exposure-risk model, does not change the configuration of the virus plumes, but it does change the distribution of
farms at risk by risk category. These findings suggest that a good understanding of characteristics (excretion rates from
infected animals, susceptibility of different species to infection, virus survival, etc.) of the virus strain involved in
an FMD outbreak is necessary to provide a reliable assessment of the risk of wind-borne spread. In the event of an incursion
of FMD, provision for laboratory studies on the virus will be an essential component of the disease response and should be
factored into contingency plans.