Influence of Building Density and Roof Shape on the Wind and Dispersion Characteristics in an Urban Area: A Numerical Study

The Computational Fluid Dynamics code CFX-TASCflow is used for simulating the wind flow and pollutant concentration patterns in two-dimensional wind-tunnel models of an urban area. Several two-dimensional multiple street canyon configurations are studied corresponding to different areal densities and roof shapes. A line source of a tracer gas is placed at the bottom of one street canyon for modelling street-level traffic emissions. The flow fields resulting from the simulations correspond to the patterns observed in street canyons. In particular and in good agreement with observations, a dual vortex system is predicted for a deep flat-roof street canyon configuration, while an even more complex vortex system is evidenced in the case of slanted-roof square street canyons. In agreement with measurement data, high pollutant concentration levels are predicted either on the leeward or the windward side of the street canyon, depending on the geometrical details of the surrounding buildings.     

Application of Defined Co-Immobilized Microbial Consortium as a Ready-to-Use Seed Inoculum in Bod Analysis

A number of microorganisms were isolated from sewage. Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD-5 day) analysis was carried out by individual pure cultures. The cultures giving higher or equal BOD values as compared to reference GGA solution were selected for the formulation of a defined mixed microbial consortium. This microbial consortium was co-immobilized on calcium-alginate beads. Four synthetic and six industrial samples were tested for BOD by using immobilized beads as well as sewage as source of seeding materials. BOD values obtained with beads for all the synthetic as well as industrial samples were fairly comparable with those obtained with sewage. Reusability of prepared microbial beads was also checked with different synthetic and industrial samples and was compared with reference GGA solution. The same microbial beads can be reused three times for different BOD-5 day estimations. It is recommended that immobilized microbial beads can be used as a ready-to-use seeding material for BOD analysis.     

Small mammals as indicators of short-term and long-term disturbance in mixed prairie

Disturbance by military maneuvers over short and long time scales may have differential effects on grassland communities. We assessed small mammals as indicators of disturbance by military maneuvers in a mixed prairie in southern Oklahoma USA. We examined sites on two soil series, Foard and Lawton, across a gradient of disturbance intensity. A MANOVA showed that abundance of small mammals was associated (p = 0.03) with short-term (cover of vehicle tracks) disturbance but was not associated (p = 0.12) with long-term (loss of soil organic carbon, SOC) disturbance intensity. At the individual species level, Sigmodon hispidus (cotton rat) and Peromyscus maniculatus (deer mouse) occurred across all levels of disturbance and in both soil types. Only P. maniculatus abundance changed (p < 0.01) with short-term disturbance and increased by about one individual per 5% of additional track-cover. Abundance of P. maniculatus also increased (p = 0.04) by about three individuals per 1% increase in soil carbon. Chaetodipus hispidus (hispid pocket mouse) and Reithrodontomys fulvescens (fulvous harvest mouse) only occurred in single soil types limiting their potential as more general indicators. Abundance of P. maniculatus was positively related to shifts in plant species composition and likely reflected changes in vegetation structure (i.e. litter depth) and forage availability resulting from disturbance. Peromyscus maniculatus may be a useful biological indicator of ecosystem change because it responded predictably to both long-term and short-term disturbance and, when coupled with soil, plant, and disturbance history variables, can reveal land condition trends.     

Using the polychaete Arenicola marina to determine toxicity and bioaccumulation of PAHS bound to sediments

Transportation system has contributed significantly to the development of human civilization; on the other hand it has an enormous impact on the ambient air quality in several ways. In this paper the air and noise pollution at selected sites along three sections of National Highway was monitored. Pakistan National Highway Authority has started a Highway Improvement program for rehabilitations and maintenance of National highways to improve the traffic flows, and would ultimately improve the air quality along highways. The ambient air quality and noise level was monitored at nine different locations along these sections of highways to quantify the air pollution. The duration of monitoring at individual location was 72 h. The most of the sampling points were near the urban or village population, schools or hospitals, in order to quantify the air pollution at most affected locations along these roads. A database consisting of information regarding the source of emission, local metrology and air quality may be created to assess the profile of air quality in the area.     

Estimating pesticide runoff in small streams

Surface runoff is one of the most important pathways for pesticides to enter surface waters. Mathematical models are employed to characterize its spatio-temporal variability within landscapes, but they must be simple owing to the limited availability and low resolution of data at this scale. This study aimed to validate a simplified spatially-explicit model that is developed for the regional scale to calculate the runoff potential (RP). The RP is a generic indicator of the magnitude of pesticide inputs into streams via runoff. The underlying runoff model considers key environmental factors affecting runoff (precipitation, topography, land use, and soil characteristics), but predicts losses of a generic substance instead of any one pesticide. We predicted and evaluated RP for 20 small streams. RP input data were extracted from governmental databases. Pesticide measurements from a triennial study were used for validation. Measured pesticide concentrations were standardized by the applied mass per catchment and the water solubility of the relevant compounds. The maximum standardized concentration per site and year (runoff loss, R_Loss) provided a generalized measure of observed pesticide inputs into the streams. Average RP explained 75% (p < 0.001) of the variance in R_Loss. Our results imply that the generic indicator can give an adequate estimate of runoff inputs into small streams, wherever data of similar resolution are available. Therefore, we suggest RP for a first quick and cost-effective location of potential runoff hot spots at the landscape level.     

甲烷-煤尘复合火焰的传播与温度特征

为了揭示甲烷-煤尘复合体系的燃烧特征,利用高速摄像机、超细热电偶、显微镜头等对管道内甲烷-煤尘复合火焰的传播过程及其温度特征进行了试验研究.结果表明,随着煤尘浓度的增加,甲烷-煤尘复合火焰的最高温度及传播速度呈现先增大后减小的趋势; 对于甲烷-煤尘复合火焰,粒径较大的煤尘在较小的浓度达到最高温度,而粒径较小的煤尘则需要在较大的浓度达到最高温度.     

边坡变形时序非线性判定及混沌预测研究

以探讨边坡变形性质及混沌预测可行性为目的,基于混沌理论利用相空间重构技术对其变形时间序列进行混沌特征判定,试验显示变形系统具有混沌特性,可用混沌相关理论进行研究;基于混沌相空间重构技术,笔者构建了多种混沌预测模型进行混沌预计研究,分析各类模型的工程实际应用效果;针对单次监测时序预测精度较低的问题,提出累加时序预测方案,训练结果显示,短期预测精度变形累计值基本控制在5%以内,高程值预测相对误差均低于1%,预测精度较高,可以用于工程实际。     

灾难事件后继风险决策

对小概率/高风险的灾难事件的后继风险决策进行探讨,着重在决策的认知神经经济模型框架下,讨论灾难事件后继风险决策的影响因素。灾难事件后人们的风险觉知、信念和假定、经验等认知因素以及灾后情绪因素对于决策分别有不同的影响;人们灾后决策的特点为决策更多直觉化而较少运用理性分析;灾难后继决策有随时间变化的趋势,灾难事件后人们为寻求安全感而出现"损失偏差"(loss bias),该偏差在"获得"和"损失"两种条件下的影响是不同的。灾后风险决策的内在机制或可用思维和决策的双加工系统(dual-process)模型来解释。最后展望了灾难事件后继决策进一步的研究方向。     

建筑火灾烟气中CO迁移规律的FDS模拟

以T型"侧间-走廊"典型建筑火灾为模拟对象,分析烟气在走廊中的水平和垂直流动特征,并对火源房门高低、走廊端头启闭和多房门启闭等场景使用火灾模拟软件(FDS)进行了模拟和远距离房间CO浓度的迁移规律的分析。结果表明:烟气从火源房间经拱腹溢出在走廊中形成受限空间的顶棚射流;门檐高度决定了CO能够在走廊中的迁移量;烟气在走廊远距离封闭端头形成上部的热烟气层,中部回流层和下层的补气层;其中中部烟气回流层的高低、流速和CO浓度是影响临近非火源房间CO浓度的重要因素。走廊启闭和多房门火灾场景的模拟结果也进一步证明了CO的迁移规律。     

煤矿安全生产中人的行为影响因子系统动力学(SD)仿真分析

在构建影响人的安全行为因素因果关系的基础上,运用系统动力学(SD)理论和方法,对影响人的安全行为关键因素进行动态预测,并通过仿真计算、对比分析安全投入增加对系统安全水平的影响。应用该方法建立的煤矿生产中人的安全行为指标水平模型,以求证安全投入与人的安全行为水平的相关性,为煤矿安全管理决策提供一种新的思路,亦有助于政府和煤矿企业科学地明确安全投入方向,降低人因事故率,提高煤矿生产的安全水平。