建筑物震害的类比预测方法研究

在“同一场地上相似的两幢建筑物,未来具有相似的震害程度”的假设前提下,提出了如何利用一个地区的部分建筑物单体的震害预测结果,对这一地区的其它建筑物单体的震害进行预测的方法,并从结构抗震角度研究了如何用加权Ｈａｍ－ｍｉｎｇ距离度量两幢建筑物的相似程度。     

城市自然灾害风险评价的二级模型

利用模糊集方法建立了城市自然灾害风险评价的二级模型。二级模型适用于单一致灾因子的分析。结合文[1]提出的一级模型,即可构成完整的城市自然灾害风险评价体系。     

地震灾害损失预测（综述）

地震危害性评定和损失预测是一个富有挑战性的科学问题，对于减轻地震灾害具有十分重要的意义。本文对近年来地震危害性的研究的现状、问题、困难和发展的趋势进行了简要的综述。     

The choice of the cutoff grade in mining

In simple models, the cutoff grade has been shown to depend on the rate of growth of price net of the interest rate. But there is disagreement in the literature about whether the cutoff grade is positively or negatively related to this variable. In a model which involves two stages of production and a general grade distribution, we find that the rate of growth of price net of the interest rate has an influence, but that the sign of the effect is ambiguous because it depends on a complicated factor involving technical, mine-specific elasticities. This mine-specificity is consistent with the fact that engineering textbooks present the problem of optimal exploitation very simply, using a constant grade, and the fact that engineers use simulation in decision making. It also points to the possibility of moral hazard in exploitation, a possibility of potential concern to managers, shareholders and policy makers.     

Least cost electricity generation options based on environmental impact abatement

The power sector in Thailand is the largest contributor to CO₂ emissions. There is high potential to mitigate CO₂ emission via alternative power generating plants. Alternative plants considered in this study include nuclear plants, integrated gasification combined cycle plants, biomass-based plants and supercritical thermal power plants. The biomass-based plants considered here are fueled with four types of biomass; paddy husk, municipal solid waste (MSW), fuel wood and corncob. The methodology for the optimal expansion plan of the power generating system over the planning horizon is based on the least-cost approach. The results from the least-cost planning analyses show that the nuclear alternative has the highest potential to mitigate not only CO₂ but also other airborne emissions. Moreover, the nuclear option is the most effective abatement strategy for CO₂ reduction due to its negative incremental cost of CO₂ reduction.     

The Power of Bioenergy‐Related Standards to Protect Biodiversity

Abstract: The sustainable production of bioenergy is vital to avoiding negative impacts on environmental goods such as climate, soil, water, and especially biodiversity. We propose three key issues that should be addressed in any biodiversity risk‐mitigation strategy: conservation of areas of significant biodiversity value; mitigation of negative effects related to indirect land‐use change; and promotion of agricultural practices with few negative impacts on biodiversity. Focusing on biodiversity concerns, we compared principles and criteria set to address biodiversity and other environmental and social issues in seven standards (defined here as commodity‐based standards or roundtables, or relevant European legislation): five voluntary initiatives related to bioenergy feedstocks, the Renewable Transport Fuel Obligation (United Kingdom), and the European Renewable Energy Source Directive. Conservation of areas of significant biodiversity value was fairly well covered by these standards. Nevertheless, mitigation of negative impacts related to indirect land‐use change was underrepresented. Although the EU directive, with its bonus system for the use of degraded land and a subquota system for noncrop biofuels, offered the most robust standards to mitigate potential negative effects, all of the standards fell short in promoting agricultural practices with low negative impacts on biodiversity. We strongly recommend that each standard be benchmarked against related standards, as we have done here, and that efforts should be made to strengthen the elements that are weak or missing. This would be a significant step toward achieving a bioenergy industry that safeguards Earth's living heritage.     

Sulfate-containing amendments to reduce methane emissions from rice fields: mechanisms,effectiveness and costs

Application of sulfate-containing amendments is oftensuggested as a mitigation option to reduce methane (CH₄) emissionsfrom rice (Oryza) fields. This paper discusses the mechanism andpotential of this mitigation option, reviews the relevant experimental data,and presents first, indicative costs of application. CH₄ emission datafor rice fields with sulfate-containing amendments are compiled toreinterpret the resulting reduction in CH₄ emission and find a generalrelationship between emission reduction and amount of sulfate applied. Thereduction in CH₄ emission depends on the amount of sulfate applied.However, absolute emission reduction is location specific and cannot bederived from the amount of sulfate (SO^2- ₄) applied only. We established alogarithmic relationship, across locations, between SO^2- ₄ application andfractional emission reduction relative to the emission of the non-amendedcontrol field. Recycling of SO^2- ₄ in the rhizosphere was essential to explainthe observed reductions in CH₄ emission for a number of theexperiments. The cost of applying SO^2- _{_4}-containing fertilizers varies acrosscountries and depends on local fertilizer prices. Since a fractional reductionis obtained, the cost-efficiency in terms of CH₄ mitigation per unitof SO^2- ₄ applied will be highest in high-emitting rice production systems.Provided the proper target areas are selected, the cost of SO^2- ₄-containingfertilizer as a mitigation option to reduce CH₄ emissions in rice fieldsis estimated at 5–10 US dollar per Mg CO₂-equivalent.     

Improving Access to Water Resources through Rainwater Harvesting as A Mitigation Measure: The Case of the Brazilian Semi-Arid Region

This paper focuses on the importance of rainwater harvesting to mitigate the scarcity of water in the semi-arid region of Brazil. It is a case study about the Million Cisterns Project, an initiative developed by NGOs with the support of Brazilian Federal Government Institutions and international funding organizations. The project is innovative in a series of ways when compared to mitigation measures previously implemented by the government. Instead of focussing on short-term, top-down, palliative measures based on the construction of dams and wells, it focuses on low cost, bottom-up, long-term measures and, most importantly, it involves an educational component. Thus, the provision of water is closely related to the empowerment of the most destitute population and this leads to the sustainability of the actions. The case study serves to illustrate the relevance of the partnership between grassroots organizations and governmental institutions in the context of mitigation.     

Improving the prevention of environmental risks with convertible bonds

This paper considers a limited liability firm that needs external funds in order to invest in an activity that presents an environmental risk for the Society. When the firm's risk-reducing activities cannot be observed by the lenders, we show that the issue of convertible bonds can create incentives to improve prevention. Convertible bonds allow the holder to exchange his bonds for a fixed number of the firm's shares. The use of such hybrid securities could either complement or be an alternative to the American CERCLA legislation about lender extended liability. We define an optimal convertible bond contract that induces unchanged economic profits for the bank, more prevention and higher expected net revenues for the firm and a higher expected social welfare than with standard debt. Our results hold true both with and without extended liability.     

Test methodology for determining the incendiary nature and electrostatic discharge characteristics of plastic surfaces

This experimental study was originally designed to quantify the electrostatic characteristics of offshore grade fiberglass reinforced plastic (FRP) pipes [Dastidar, A. G., Dahn, C. J., Cole, B. W., & Lo, K. H. (2005a). Electrostatic characteristics of FRP pipes. In Fourth international conference on composite materials for offshore operation, Houston, TX, Oct 4–6, 2005]. Discharge energies were measured from the sample surfaces for each test condition after an aggressive corona charging of up to −40 kV. While the measured values of total discharge energy were relatively high for some samples, the energy in the first peak was significantly lower. The first peak energy is thought to be the most significant measure in establishing the potential for incendive events.

To further quantify the incendive potential of discharges from FRP pipes, a unique test method was developed [Dastidar, A. G., Dahn, C. J., Cole, B. W., & Lo, K. H., (2005b). Incendiary nature and electrostatic discharge characteristics of FRP pipes. In Fourth international conference on composite materials for offshore operation, Houston, TX, Oct 4–6, 2005]. The methodology has been expanded to include other FRP components. This paper describes the test method and the test results obtained for testing several FRP structures and materials (pipes, grill work, railing etc.). The significance of the experimental results to industry is also discussed.