Horizontal lifelines – review of regulations and simple design method considering anchorage rigidity

Among the many occupational risks construction workers encounter every day falling from a height is the most dangerous. The objective of this article is to propose a simple analytical design method for horizontal lifelines (HLLs) that considers anchorage flexibility. The article presents a short review of the standards and regulations/acts/codes concerning HLLs in Canada the USA and Europe. A static analytical approach is proposed considering anchorage flexibility. The analytical results are compared with a series of 42 dynamic fall tests and a SAP2000 numerical model. The experimental results show that the analytical method is a little conservative and overestimates the line tension in most cases with a maximum of 17%. The static SAP2000 results show a maximum 2.1% difference with the analytical method. The analytical method is accurate enough to safely design HLLs and quick design abaci are provided to allow the engineer to make quick on-site verification if needed.     

The Effectiveness of Iberian Protected Areas in Conserving Terrestrial Biodiversity

Abstract:  The Iberian Peninsula harbors about 50% of European plant and terrestrial vertebrate species and more than 30% of European endemic species. Despite the global recognition of its importance, the selection of protected areas has been ad hoc and the effectiveness of such choices has rarely been assessed. We compiled the most comprehensive distributional data set of Iberian terrestrial plant and vertebrate species available to date and used it to assess the degree of species representation within existing protected areas. Existing protected areas in Spain and Portugal reasonably represented the plant and animal species we considered (73–98%). Nevertheless, species of some groups (amphibians, reptiles, birds, and gymnosperms) did not accumulate in protected areas at a rate higher than expected by chance ( p > 0.05). We determined that to conserve all vertebrate and plant species in the Iberian Peninsula, at least 36 additional areas are needed. Selection of additional areas for conservation would be facilitated if such areas coincided with sites of community importance (SCI) designated under the European Commission Habitats Directive. Additional areas required for full representation of the selected plant and animal species all coincide with SCI in Spain. Nevertheless, the degree of coincidence varies between 0.3% and 74.6%, and there is a possibility that important areas for conservation occur outside the SCI. Our results support the view that current SCI can be used for prioritization of areas for conservation, but a systematic reevaluation of conservation priorities in Spain and Portugal would be necessary to ensure that effective conservation of one of European's most important biodiversity regions is achieved.     

Contribution of the Natura 2000 Network to Biodiversity Conservation in Italy

Abstract:  The Natura 2000 network is the most important conservation effort being implemented in Europe. Nevertheless, no comprehensive and systematic region—or nationwide evaluation of the effectiveness of the network has been conducted. We used habitat suitability models and extent of occurrence of 468 species of vertebrates to evaluate the contribution of the Natura 2000 network to biodiversity conservation in Italy. We also estimated the population size of 101 species inside the Natura 2000 network to assess its capacity to maintain or improve the population status of listed species. In general the Italian Natura 2000 did not seem to integrate existing protected areas well. The Natura 2000 network increased from 11% to 20% the area devoted to conservation in Italy and the coverage provided to areas with high biodiversity. Nevertheless, some areas with high numbers of species were devoid of conservation areas, and more than 50% of the highly irreplaceable areas were not considered in the system. Moreover, the Natura 2000 network cannot maintain 44–80% (depending on the taxa considered) of the species in a "favorable conservation status" under World Conservation Union Red List criteria. The Natura 2000 network is probably stronger than the results of our analyses suggest. The system is based on a site-specific expert-based strategy and is driven by direct and detailed knowledge of local diversity. Nevertheless, if Natura 2000 is taken to represent the final point of all the EU conservation policies, it will inevitably fail. Its role in conservation could be enhanced by integrating the Natura 2000 system into a more general strategy that considers natural processes and the ecological and evolutionary mechanisms underlying these processes.     

KS-2000宽频带地震计作为综合观测仪器的可行性探讨

取用安徽省数字地震台网金寨地震台KS-2000宽频带地震计记录到的资料,采用matlab的低通滤波功能对地震计垂直向和水平向记录到的资料进行处理,并利用matlab分别画出其频谱图,发现KS-2000宽频带地震计的垂直向能较为清晰的记录到固体潮汐。     

煤矿救援队伍业务管理系统研究

为了改善救援队伍业务管理模式,提高煤矿救援队伍的业务管理能力,利用救护队现有的计算机设备,以Windows Server 2003系统和北京龙软科技发展有限公司Longruan GIS 3.0为平台,以Visual C++6.0和SQL Server 2000为开发工具,采用多层次的Client/Server结构,在面向对象思想指导下设计与实现的煤矿救援队伍业务管理系统,文章介绍了业务管理系统的前台软件开发和后台数据库开发的设计思想和步骤。现场应用证明,该系统能够为煤矿救援队业务管理提供强有力的技术支持,有利于提高煤矿救援队管理人员的业务能力。     

材料的环境腐蚀数据共享的设计与实现

根据实际需求,通过对原有单机版腐蚀防护查询系统进行技术改进和增补数据,采用ASP＋SQL Server的网络数据库方案开发了一个网络腐蚀防护查询系统,应用它可以加快腐蚀数据的查询速度,拓宽用户获取腐蚀数据及相关信息的渠道,扩大腐蚀数据的应用范围.撰写了该系统的设计与实现过程.     

基于Web的热带气旋灾害信息管理系统的设计与应用

用基于Web的页面显示、业务逻辑、数据访问的B/S三层结构,在Microsoft SQL Server2000和Microsoft Visual Studio2005环境下设计开发了热带气旋灾害数据库信息管理系统。对不同类型的数据,采用多对多的数据映射关系,并以不同的方式进行不同的数据管理。为了将没有统一数据格式的热带气旋灾害信息源数据,能够正确地导入到SQL Server数据库中,编写了专门的C++程序对数据格式化,实现数据格式的BNF定义,同时,在系统的设计中,融入灾害评价方法模型供用户选择使用,并采取多项行之有效的措施以防止SQL注入式攻击。     

广州市水政水资源管理信息系统开发研究

广州市水政水资源管理信息系统是一个基于GIS技术的、客户／服务器结构下的环境信息系统，本文介绍了系统的总体设计与关键技术，该系统是为水资源主管部门进行水资源日常管理而设计的，目的是为了提高水资源管理的科学化，现代化水平，系统开发的关键技术要有服务器数据库建设、客户端与服务器的数据连接以及组件式GIS（MapObjects）的应用。     

基于Client/Server数据完整性约束之研究

本文主要讨论基于Client/Server数据完整性约束及其如何实施企业业务规则,并以SQLServer和PowerBuilder为例,介绍了数据完整性约束的实现技术.