Search

This study was conducted to assess noise annoyance following the installation of various types of sound barriers on elevated roads and to forecast the noise reduction effect. The level of annoyance was evaluated using a five-level linguistic rating scale, and noise values were anticipated for each floor of the building using Cadna/A software based on different road service levels. The results showed that for each service level road, the sound barrier’s noise reduction impact was most pronounced at heights of 3.5–5m, and the ratio of the acoustic barrier’s length extension to its distance from the building should not be greater than 4:1. After comparison, it was found that the fully enclosed sound barrier has the best noise reduction effect. Additionally, the noise annoyance level varied significantly at different service levels, with 60.5dB chosen as the noise threshold value. This study could offer an optional path for noise reduction facility design. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Given the frequency of road accidents, a critical evaluation of the strength of road safety devices has become imperative. This research explores reinforced concrete barriers protected with rubber materials, incorporating different ratios of rubber powder derived from waste and various thicknesses of natural rubber sheets. Two approaches were employed: the first used crumb rubber from recycled tires to prepare barrier samples with varying rubber content ratios (0%, 15%, and 30% by volume); the second involved attaching concrete barriers with natural rubber sheets of different thicknesses (30 to 70mm). These barriers were subjected to frontal impact loads generated by vehicles traveling at 35mph. A crash dynamic was conducted using nonlinear explicit analysis in numerical modeling within a finite element simulation framework. The primary objectives were to monitor the crash energy absorbed by the rubber material, scrutinize deflection patterns, and assess overall energy absorption capabilities. The results indicated that natural rubber sheets absorbed approximately 20% to 47% of the maximum internal energy, reducing the impact on the concrete barrier. The 30% crumb rubber content of barriers also exhibited significantly higher energy dissipation than standard concrete barriers. This improvement in energy absorption and deflection properties carries significant implications, including reduced maintenance costs, decreased accident-related injuries, and minimized vehicle damage. These findings underscore the importance of developing and implementing rubber materials in two methods to enhance impact resistance and energy absorption in road safety infrastructure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Revista Colombiana de Educación is the property of Universidad Pedaggica Nacional and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Smart cities are becoming an essential part in most of the countries. Safety also becomes important when such transformations occur. Safety can be achieved with the help of autonomous vehicles. Adoption of AI has provided practical solutions to most of the autonomous driving problems. Extended Traffic sign recognition is important for advanced driver assistance systems, autonomous vehicles, and mobile robots to inform the driver about the potential hazard ahead. Several research on traffic sign recognition has been carried out in the past, and most existing works were focused on traffic signs. Although research works have been done for detecting traffic signs, still there is a need for detection of small construction zone traffic signs and road barriers with better accuracy. This paper aims to showcase the results obtained using state of art deep networks, namely DSOD, a variant of SSD, YOLOV3, YOLOv4 for detection of construction zone traffic signs from the video sequences captured by a camera mounted on a car. Further, the classification of signs is carried out using CNN, which uses the detector feature as input. In addition to that, tracking is performed to include the missed detections and exclude the false positives arrived during detection. The proposed approach can achieve a maximum of 90% accuracy with 0.5 IOU for the detection of construction zone signs and road barriers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The auto-generation of urban roads can greatly improve efficiency and productivity in urban planning and designing. However, it has also raised concerns amongst researchers over the past decade. In this paper, we present an image-based urban road network generation framework using conditional diffusion models. We first trained a diffusion model capable of generating road images with similar characteristics to the ground truth using four context factors. Then, we used the trained model as the generator to synthesize road images conditioned in a geospatial context. Finally, we converted the generated road images into road networks with several post-processes. The experiments conducted in five cities of the United States showed that our model can generate reasonable road networks, maintaining the layouts and styles of real examples. Moreover, our model has the ability to show the obstructive effect of geographic barriers on urban roads. By comparing models with different context factors as input, we find that the model that considers all four factors generally performs the best. The most important factor in guiding the shape of road networks is intersections, implying that the development of urban roads is not only restricted by the natural environment but is more strongly influenced by human design. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper investigates the factors influencing the severity of driver injuries in single-vehicle speeding-related crashes, by comparing different driver age groups. This study employed a random threshold random parameter hierarchical ordered probit model and analysed crash data from Thailand between 2012 and 2017. The findings showed that young drivers face a heightened fatality risk when speeding in passenger cars or pickup trucks, hinting at the role of inexperience and risk-taking behaviours. Old drivers exhibit an increased fatality risk when speeding, especially in rainy conditions, on flush median roads, and during evening peak hours, attributed to reduced reaction times and vulnerability to adverse weather. Both young and elderly drivers face escalated fatality risks when speeding on road segments lacking guardrails during adverse weather, with older drivers being particularly vulnerable in rainy conditions. All age groups show an elevated fatality risk when speeding on barrier median roads, underscoring the significant role of speeding, which increases crash impact and limits margins of error and manoeuvrability, thereby highlighting the need for safety measures focusing on driver behaviour. These findings underscore the critical imperative for interventions addressing not only driver conduct but also road infrastructure, collectively striving to curtail the severity of speeding-related crashes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This project's objective was to create a circular economy in the composites sector by examining the possibility of using wind turbine blade composite materials to construct noise-absorbing barriers for roads. The possibility of constructing road noise barrier panels from components obtained from turbine blades was conceptually examined, and the geometry and construction of wind turbine blades were evaluated for their suitability as filler components for panels. The tensile strength parameters of two types of composites made from windmill blades—a solid composite and a sandwich type—were established based on material tests. The strength of the composite elements cut from a windmill propeller was analyzed, and a three-dimensional numerical model was created using the finite element method. The strength values of the composite used to construct the noise barriers were compared with the stresses resulting from loads operating on the road noise barriers, as determined in compliance with current standards. It was discovered that acoustic screens composed of composite materials derived from wind turbine blades may withstand loads associated with wind pressure and vehicle traffic with sufficient resistance. In order to evaluate the environmental benefits resulting from the use of composite material made from wind turbine blades to make noise barriers, this study presents the values of the embodied energy and embodied carbon for several types of road noise barriers using life cycle assessment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Accessible and high-quality urban green space (UGS) can provide significant benefits to refugee children for their development, health, and well-being. However, few studies have examined the actual accessibility of UGS from refugee children's perspectives (i.e., with restricted walking radius, particular vulnerability towards barriers such as traffic infrastructures and disconnected road forms) and related them with other environmental or social burdens under the context of environmental justice. It is necessary to explore related evidence and investigate the underlying causes since refugee facilities are primarily located in areas with restricted social and environmental resources strongly related to attributes of environmental justice. This paper investigated (1) availability, accessibility, and attractiveness of UGS in 30 refugee accommodation locations in Berlin using GIS and Space Syntax, (2) environmental burdens using the Berlin Atlas of Environmental Justice, and (3) neighbourhood characteristics. Findings indicate that 63% of refugee accommodations have availability of green space that is above average official standards, but from refugee children's perspectives, 60% of the locations have limited access to UGS, lower attractive green spaces, and most locations face multi-environmental burdens. Currently, little guidance focuses on ensuring equal access to and the usability of UGS for specific socioeconomic and demographic groups, such as refugee children. Therefore, this paper has contributed empirical materials to begin such research and develop inclusive decision-making strategies in environmental and health policy to ensure the provision and high quality of UGS for refugee children who need it. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Southeast Asia experiences some of the highest deforestation in the world. Loss of tropical forest typically leads to widespread habitat fragmentation, with detrimental effects on dispersal ability and gene flow—particularly for large carnivores. We conducted mtDNA and microsatellite analysis to assess—for the first time—contemporary patterns of genetic diversity in the Malayan tiger. We collected 295 suspected carnivore samples in Peninsular Malaysia, from which we identified 26 as originating from tiger using 16 polymorphic microsatellite loci, comprising 22 individual tigers. Despite limitations of the study, our findings suggest tiger subpopulations in the north of the peninsula maintain some genetic connectivity and migration between two putative geographic subpopulations in the Main Range and Greater Taman Negara, with negligible population segregation due to dispersal barriers such as road infrastructure. We identified consistently lower levels of genetic diversity in tigers in the Greater Taman Negara region compared to tigers in the Main Range and small but emerging differences in nuclear and mitochondrial genetic diversity. Our mtDNA haplotype and nuclear DNA analyses suggest the levels of genetic diversity in Malayan tigers may be amongst some of the lowest of the surviving tiger subspecies, though the study is limited both in scale and genomic loci. Our findings are consistent with an expected lag between the rapid decline of tigers in Peninsular Malaysia by over 95% in the last 70 years and observed differences in their levels of genetic diversity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The widespread impacts of roads on animal movement have led to the search for innovative mitigation tools. Wildlife crossing structures (tunnels or bridges) are a common approach; however, their effectiveness remains unclear beyond isolated case studies.We conduct an extensive literature review and synthesis to address the question: What is the evidence that wildlife crossing structures mitigate the barrier effect of roads on wildlife movement? In particular, we investigated whether wildlife crossing structures prevented an expected decline in cross‐road movement, restored movement to pre‐construction conditions, or improved movement relative to taking no action.In an analysis of 313 studies, only 14% evaluated whether wildlife crossing structures resulted in a change in animal movement across roads. We identified critical problems in existing studies, especially the lack of benchmarks (e.g. pre‐road, pre‐mitigation, or control data) and the use of biased comparisons.Wildlife crossing structures allowed cross‐road movement in 98% of data sets and improved movement in ~60%. In contrast, the decline of wildlife movement was prevented in fewer than 40% of cases. For most structure types and species groups there was insufficient evidence to draw generalisable conclusions.Synthesis and Applications: The evidence to date suggests that wildlife crossing structures can mitigate the barrier effect of roads on wildlife movement, but in many cases have been poorly implemented or evaluated. The most supported measures were the addition of ledges and vegetation cover to increase movement for small mammals; underpasses to prevent the decline in movement of ungulates following road construction; and improving road‐crossing for arboreal mammals using canopy bridges and vegetated medians. We strongly recommend that future use of crossing structures closely adheres to species‐specific, best‐practice guidelines to improve implementation and be paired with a thorough evaluation that includes benchmark comparisons, particularly for measures and species that lack sufficient evidence (e.g. invertebrates, amphibians, reptiles, birds, and overpasses). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The fundamental objective of acoustic barriers is to preserve the inhabitants of nearby areas from the high noise generated by road traffic. It is possible to significantly improve the performance of conventional acoustic barriers by attaching small acoustic diffusers on their upper part (caps) that do not imply an appreciable height increase of the barrier, thereby adhering to any height regulation or restriction. This work deepens and yields findings in the study of the acoustic performance of barriers with diffusers of different shapes, number and arrangement through the calculation of their insertion losses (IL). In this research, a design of four Y-shaped diffusing elements arranged according to the well-known fractal pattern called Cantor set is presented and validated through two types of traffic noise sources ('Car' and 'Ambulance'), one listener and a wide frequency band up to 10 kHz. The results demonstrate that the proposed diffuser provides a significant increase in acoustic losses compared to the results obtained in previous works without raising the height of the barrier. To the best of the authors' knowledge, there are no diffuser structures like the one presented here that have been installed or even proposed/analysed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many aquatic networks are fragmented by road crossing structures; remediating these barriers to allow fish passage is critical to restoring connectivity. Maximizing connectivity requires effective barrier identification and prioritization, but many barrier prioritization efforts do not consider swimming capabilities of target species. Given the many potential barriers within watersheds, inventory efforts integrating species-specific swimming speeds into rapid assessment protocols may allow for more accurate barrier removal prioritization. In this study, we demonstrate an approach for integrating fish swimming speeds into rapid barrier assessment and illustrate its utility via two case studies. We measured critical swimming speeds (Ucrit) of two stream-resident fish species with very different swimming modes: Yoknapatawpha Darter (Etheostoma faulkneri), an at-risk species whose current distribution is restricted to highly degraded habitat, and Bluehead Chub (Nocomis leptocephalus), an important host species for the federally endangered Carolina Heelsplitter mussel (Lasmigona decorata). We assessed potential barriers for Yoknapatawpha Darters in the Mississippi-Yocona River watershed, and Bluehead Chubs in the Stevens Creek watershed, South Carolina, USA. We integrated Ucrit into the Southeast Aquatic Resources Partnership (SARP) barrier assessment protocol by estimating the proportion of individuals per species swimming at least as fast as the current through the assessed structures. Integrating Ucrit estimates into the SARP protocol considerably increased barrier severity estimates and rankings only for Yoknapatawpha Darters in the Yocona River watershed. These results indicate the importance of including species-specific swimming abilities in rapid barrier assessments and the importance of species-watershed contexts in estimating where swimming speed information might be most important. Our method has broad application for those working to identify barriers more realistically to improve species-specific fish passage. This work represents a next step in improving rapid barrier assessments and could be improved by investigating how results change with different measurements of swimming abilities and structure characteristics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mauna Kea, the tallest volcano on Hawai'i Island, has become a mountain familiar to many in the Pacific and around the world, as a result of the massive mobilizations in which those who identified as kia'i (protectors) of the mountain opposed the construction of a giant Thirty Meter Telescope (TMT) at the summit. This article retraces the history of the Mauna Kea access road, based on a study of the English-language newspaper record as well as ethnographic and archival material. From the road's inception in the 1930s onward, economic interests, political conflicts, and relations of domination appear intertwined with the very materiality of the road: its route, surface, safety, maintenance, as well as features such as cattle grids, crosswalks, and guardrails. Three political strategies centrally involved the notion of a Mauna Kea access road. Starting in the 1930s, businessmen and government officials pushed for a road, and later for its improvement, in order to make the mountain more accessible, in particular for skiing. As of the 1960s, this push was paralleled and contradicted by another strategy which consisted in keeping the mountain not too accessible, in part because of what some perceived as a competition between recreational and scientific uses – skiing vs. science. A third political strategy involved the road as a site from which to question the notion of public ownership and to affirm sovereignty. The history of the Mauna Kea access road appears as a synecdoche of the political conflict over land and sovereignty that defines Hawaiian history since the nineteenth century. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Relying on aggregate-level or cross-sectional survey data, extant research suggests that economic inequality erodes social trust. In this article we distinguish between cross-sectional and longitudinal components of inequality, using a sample of approximately 140,000 individuals in 19 countries over a thirty year period (1990- 2020). Accounting for individual-level predictors as well as the direct and conditional effect of income, findings suggest a strong negative association between inequality and trust among countries. Individuals from countries with higher levels of inequality systematically report lower levels of trust, but evidence is less clear to substantiate that individuals are less trusting of one another during times of higher inequality. In the second part of the paper, we reassess these findings using subnational data for Spain between 2008 and 2022. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Extracting information from growing networks like social networks has a wide domain of applications. Therefore, many large-scale distributed graph processing systems have been developed. Such systems use some kinds of partitioning to distribute a big graph over machines. Minimizing the number of cutting edges and balancing the load are two general factors that most of the partitioning algorithms try to optimize regardless of the properties of the underlying systems. Although these general factors are necessary, we believe that they are not enough for all systems. In this paper, we investigate common features of block-centric graph processing systems and extract some system-specific core factors that influence on the quality of partitions: minimizing the diameter of the integrated-graph, maximizing the size of integrated vertices, and preventing the skew problem in the size of integrated vertices. The proposed partitioning method, tries to optimize system-specific factors as well as general ones. Evaluating iPartition over real-world graphs showed that it can significantly improve the performance of block-centric graph processing systems in terms of network traffic and synchronization barriers. More specifically, the amount of superstep reduction over frequently-used distributed graph partitioning methods varies from 20 to 75%, based on the type of the graph. The reduction in transmitted messages over the network varies from 10 to 80%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The need for clear and updated information is pivotal when authorities plan and perform routinary, periodic and emergency maintenance of both road network and their roadside assets, e.g., curbs, signals, and barriers. With particular regard to road barriers, the development of remote sensing technologies, such as Laser Imaging Detection and Ranging (LiDAR), has played a disruptive role in acquiring information, so the surveys today are predominantly automatic, faster, and less biased than the traditional (i.e., visual and manual) inventorying methodologies. However, even though they are accurate, these emerging procedures usually focus only on the surveyed elements and do not provide any other information about the surrounding environment or about the qualitative degradation of the elements. The primary objective of this research effort was to present a ranking methodology for enhancing road safety in urban contexts. Due to an innovative synthetic index which takes into account both the deterioration and the location of the surveyed elements, maintenance priority of road barriers was outlined in Bologna, Italy. All the collected information was georeferenced in a Geographic Information System (GIS) environment and hence plotted in thematic maps for an easier analysis. In addition, compliance to the norm was verified. The research was tested to provide public authorities with an effective tool in the evaluation of maintenance activities and road safety policies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Vehicle restraint systems are vital hardware elements in road safety engineering. The certification process of a vehicle restraint system includes full-scale crash tests, component testing and numerical simulation of these tests. To achieve reliable crash test simulation results, the soil–post interaction must be modelled to capture the behaviour realistically. There is no standardised approach for modelling the soil–post interaction in the praxis. In this study, the finite element method is utilised to investigate the soil–post response under quasi-static and dynamic impact loading. Two different modelling techniques are applied for this purpose. The first technique is the finite element continuum method, with the soil modelled using the advanced hypoplastic constitutive relation and calibrated using laboratory test data. The second technique is a lumped-parameter model, for which a systematic parameters calibration routine using basic soil properties is introduced. The numerical models are validated using a series of full-scale field tests performed by the authors on single posts in standard road shoulder materials. The performance comparison of the investigated modelling techniques shows that the hypoplastic constitutive relation can capture the post behaviour realistically under different loading conditions using the same parameter set. The introduced lumped-parameter model adequately simulates the post behaviour with high computational efficiency, which is very important when simulating several posts. The conducted parametric study elucidates that the soil's relative density, the post's embedment length, and the post-section modulus govern the single post's lateral load-bearing behaviour and energy dissipation capacity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Disruption of the extracellular matrix at the blood–brain barrier (BBB) underpins neuroinflammation in multiple sclerosis (MS). The degradation of extracellular matrix components, such as heparan sulfate (HS) proteoglycans, can be prevented by treatment with HS-mimetics through their ability to inhibit the enzyme heparanase. The heparanase-inhibiting ability of our small dendrimer HS-mimetics has been investigated in various cancers but their efficacy in neuroinflammatory models has not been evaluated. This study investigates the use of a novel HS-mimetic, Tet-29, in an animal model of MS. Methods: Neuroinflammation was induced in mice by experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis, a murine model of MS. In addition, the BBB and choroid plexus were modelled in vitro using transmigration assays, and migration of immune cells in vivo and in vitro was quantified by flow cytometry. Results: We found that Tet-29 significantly reduced lymphocyte accumulation in the central nervous system which, in turn, decreased disease severity in experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis. The disease-modifying effect of Tet-29 was associated with a rescue of BBB integrity, as well as inhibition of activated lymphocyte migration across the BBB and choroid plexus in transwell models. In contrast, Tet-29 did not significantly impair in vivo or in vitro steady state-trafficking under homeostatic conditions. Conclusions: Together these results suggest that Tet-29 modulates, rather than abolishes, trafficking across central nervous system barriers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The nuclear industry is focusing some efforts on increasing the operational safety of current nuclear reactors and improving the safety of future types of reactors. In this context, the paper is focused on testing and evaluating the corrosion behavior of a thin chromium coating, deposited by Electron Beam Physical Vapor Deposition on Zy-4. After autoclaving under primary circuit conditions, the Cr-coated Zy-4 samples were characterized by gravimetric analysis, optical microscopy, SEM with EDX, and XRD. The investigation of the corrosion behavior was carried out by applying three electrochemical methods: potentiodynamic measurements, EIS, and OCP variation. A plateau appears on the weight gain evolution, and the oxidation kinetics generate a cubic oxidation law, both of which indicate a stabilization of the corrosion. By optical microscopy, it was observed a relatively uniform distribution of hydrides along the samples, in the horizontal direction. By SEM investigations it was observed that after the autoclaving period, the coatings with thickness from 2 to 3 µm are still adherent and maintain integrity. The XRD diffractograms showed a high degree of crystallinity with the intensity of chromium peaks higher than the intensity of zirconium peaks. Electrochemical results indicate better corrosion behavior after 3024 h of autoclaving. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Widening of the A1 motorway between Köln‐Niehl and Leverkusen‐West – general planning of the motorway segment and design of the bridge over the Rhine River in Leverkusen The existing bridge over the Rhine River in Leverkusen is reaching its limit due to heavy load traffic having increased enormously since the 1960s. The replacement of the bridge over the Rhine River and the predicted future traffic volume require the widening of the A1 motorway segment between the Köln‐Niehl junction and the Leverkusen‐West interchange to eight continuous traffic lanes. For the first time in Germany, a cable‐stayed bridge over the Rhine River needs to be replaced. The construction of a new twelve‐lane bridge over the Rhine River while maintaining traffic on the six traffic lanes of the existing bridge goes hand in hand with the widening of the approx. 4.55 km motorway segment containing a total of 15 bridges, retaining walls, basin systems, noise barriers and traffic sign structures. A single general planner is responsible for nearly the entire planning of this construction project. Only surveying and landscape architecture services are provided by the client. The widening of the motorway and the replacement of the engineering structures within the secured former Dhünnaue landfill site represent a particular challenge. Efficient emission protection measures are to be provided for the work inside the landfill site. The site must be resealed, and the drainage and ventilation system connecting to the new traffic infrastructure and engineering structures must be restored. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Green VANET is an emerging field of research that spurs interest in energy consumption management for the development of smart cities. It also presents a unique variety of research problems for developing trustworthy and scalable routing protocols as vehicles are susceptible to the restrictions of road geometry and the barriers which limit networking capabilities in urban environments. Clustering is a process of assembling vehicle nodes to create a powerful and effective network infrastructure. According to recent studies, clustering-based routing algorithms in green VANET may significantly improve networking effectiveness and lower infrastructure costs. However, sometimes the vehicle nodes are unaware of their OBU energy consumption, which causes network execution issues and topological alterations. In such instances, the energy consumption of onboard sensors becomes a major problem in the clustering-based routing protocol. Hence, this paper proposes a self-organizing map neural network (SOMNN) based dynamic clustering model to identify energy-efficient cluster head nodes from each cluster for vehicular data uploading and downloading applications. The simulation results demonstrate that the proposed model solves network lifetime issues and provides superior network effectiveness with enhanced communication stability. The suggested dynamic clustering model reduces network energy consumption by 26% and 18% in comparison to k - means (KM) and fuzzy c - means (FCM) based clustering model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context: In urban environments, habitat fragmentation, habitat loss, and barriers to dispersal affect the recolonization potential of extirpated species. Here, we evaluate the potential for previously near extirpated bobcats to expand into unoccupied habitat across an urban landscape in New Jersey, USA. Objectives: We sought to quantify suitable bobcat habitat throughout New Jersey, evaluate landscape connectivity amongst suitable habitat, and identify potential bottlenecks and barriers to movement. We further sought to determine how culverts under roadways may affect bottlenecks and barriers to movement. Methods: We developed a habitat suitability index for bobcats across New Jersey based on the literature, validated it with known bobcat locations, identified discrete habitat patches, and calculated landscape resistance values. We then applied circuit theory and least-cost path analyses to evaluate landscape connectivity, bottlenecks, and barriers to bobcat movement. We evaluated how modifying culverts to allow bobcat passage may improve habitat connectivity. Results: We identified potential habitat cores throughout New Jersey with redundancy in connectivity in the north and south, but little in central New Jersey. This provides limited options for bobcats to expand from northern to southern habitat patches. Bottlenecks and barriers within movement corridors largely corresponded to roads and large rivers. Incorporating culvert modifications suggests localized reductions in barriers along roads. Conclusions: Connectivity maps will allow state managers to target specific areas that are important for bobcat movement and potential expansion into southern New Jersey. Our understanding of species-specific connectivity in an increasingly urban world is essential to maintain and increase permeability within the landscape. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reducing accidents, deaths, and serious injuries is an objective to be achieved by every health and road authority. To avoid road leaving, rigid barriers or stretched cables are used at the edges of the roads. These structures are based on metallic materials. This paper presents an innovative structure based on a composite reinforced with natural esparto stems as road barriers absorbing shock energy. The structure is lightened and reinforced by tensioned cables to ensure the prestressing of the whole. Prestressing is a technique widely used in civil engineering but rarely in composites. To develop new crash beam barriers based on Epoxy/Alfa10% material, Charpy tests were conducted to determine the absorbed energy per section of material per weight. Knowing the energy to be absorbed, the section and weight of the barrier can be designed. In this paper, physical tests were conducted on solid, solid-compressed, perforated, and perforated-cable-reinforced specimens according to the ASTM E23-18 standard. The results show that the compression prestressing improves the Epoxy impact energy absorption by 37.22%. The Epoxy/Alfa10% composite compression prestressing improves the absorbed energy by 67.7%. The Epoxy/Alfa10% compressed, perforated, and reinforced by cables composites gives a better result than the raw Epoxy material, with a minimum improvement of 22.69% with respect to the ratio Resilience value of Charpy V-notch specimen (KCV)/weight. Reinforcement of holed samples with cables gives the best energy absorption results on all experimental tests for both materials with a value of 8.83 J. Finite element models calibrated on Aluminum to be predictive are developed for the four types of specimens. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Paddy fields in the agricultural landscape have become alternative habitats for natural wetland species. Habitat degradation, including habitat loss and fragmentation, is a major threat to members of Amphibia, which is a good indicator species for the Satoyama landscape. Recently, linear artificial structures, such as roads and railways, were recognized as factors inhibiting amphibian population persistence. Thus, irrigation canals and cement-walled streams may also affect amphibian movement and dispersal in the rural agricultural landscape termed Satoyama, which is now the main habitat for lowland wetland amphibians. However, there is limited information on such effects. Here, we focused on the Japanese brown frog (Rana japonica), which is an indicator species of the ecosystem health of the Satoyama landscape, to investigate the effects of irrigation canals on population structure. The barrier effects of roads and irrigation canals on gene flow between breeding sites were evaluated. We constructed a resistance map of the limiting factors to gene flow based on land use and frog movement and tested for correlations between cost and genetic distances. The habitat resistance values alone were insufficient to explain the genetic distances among breeding sites. Thus, we hypothesize that irrigation canals and roads have barrier effects on gene flow among amphibians in the Japanese Satoyama landscape. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Transportation Science & Technolgy is the property of Transportation Science & Technology Editorial Office and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Railway Standard Design is the property of Railway Standard Design Editorial Office and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Slow Streets promote walkability and provide safe spaces for active travel and recreation by minimizing vehicle traffic on roads. Their effectiveness was tested when the City of Tucson implemented Slow Streets by temporarily closing certain neighbourhood streets to all but local traffic, giving people more space to safely walk, run, and bicycle. Using a quasi-experimental research design, it was possible to measure differences in walking and bicycling between Slow Streets and control streets. Results show Slow Streets are effective in increasing the number of people walking and bicycling on neighbourhood streets, especially while the temporary traffic barriers were in place. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The photocatalytic water splitting is an emerging way of solar to hydrogen conversion due to its cheap and clean nature. The plasmon excitations in metallic sub-wavelength nanostructures are improving the semi-conductor industry through broadening of absorption range, enhancing charge separation and surging optical density of states in coupled semi-conductor. Besides these traditional enhancement mechanisms, the semi-conductor can be externally charged by additional carriers generated from plasmon-decay in ultrafast time scales. The mechanisms behind the generation of these metallic hot electrons and their transfer to semiconductor for enhanced photocatalytic hydrogen production have been reviewed. Furthermore, the road barriers limiting the efficiency of photocatalytic water splitting and its possible solutions through coupling with plasmonic resonators are presented. The possible problems and the expected solutions are proposed with the help of reasonable literature providing perspective for future research. This research finds its importance not only in green energy but opto-electronic industry as well. • Injection of Plasmonic hot electrons into conduction band of semiconductor increases rate of redox reaction. • Literature reports >100 times enhancements in photocatalytic efficiency due to hot electron injection. • Hot holes can be extracted through oxygen production reaction. • Single photon absorption generates large amount of hot electrons thus elevating solar to hydrogen conversion reaction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigates the influence of strain rate on plastic deformation developed in the flange of a steel road barrier. This effect can be investigated by the use of the uniaxial tensile test. It was found that the strain rate increases yield as well as ultimate strength and gently drops down the elongation at break. Moreover, the accelerated strain rate is connected with matrix heating and increasing the Taylor–Quinney coefficient. Despite the valuable matrix heating and the higher Taylor–Quinney coefficient at the higher strain rates, samples necking is initiated earlier and dislocation density is higher. Flange grains become preferentially aligned along the direction of uniaxial stress, especially at the higher plastic strains. Finally, surface Zn protective layer delamination is initiated quite early beyond the yielding. It is considered that the cracks are due to the different response of the Zn allayer and underlying steel matrix on the plastic straining. Increasing strain rate attenuates the degree of Zn layer delamination. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this article is to improve road safety. Specifically, it deals with the development of a mathematical model that will more accurately define the severity of a defect in a road restraint system. Currently, that evaluation is based only on the subjective perception of individual safety auditors. The mathematical model was developed based on the principle of Bayesian statistics. The determination of the specific risk was made by comparing the results of the model for two datasets. In the first case, the model was based on accident data correlated with recorded defects in road restraint systems. In the second case, the dataset represented accident events with crash barriers where no defect was identified. Based on the comparison, a total of 64 risk combinations were identified. The mathematical model confirmed 26 combinations (41% of all selected combinations of the defect levels of the crash barriers). Although not even half of the identified combinations were confirmed, more than 90% of all correlated records are found in these exposures of confirmed combinations. The verification was able to clearly define the risk of safety defects and thus brings potential accuracy to subsequent decision-making related to the repair of road restraint systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To effectively address human trafficking, it is increasingly recognized that anti-human trafficking efforts need to include a collaborative approach between agencies most likely to come into contact with human trafficking victims and offenders. While literature is available that discusses the benefits and barriers to such collaboration, there is limited empirical research on the topic. Surveying professionals engaged in anti-human trafficking interagency collaboration in a Midwest state in the United States, this exploratory factor analysis study explores their perceptions of the benefits and barriers to such collaboration. Based on the results, professionals' perceived benefits and barriers to anti-human trafficking interagency collaboration, with capacity perceived as the underlying benefit and collaborative uncertainty, agency incongruence, an unfavorable collaborative environment, and inadequate problem framing perceived as the underlying barriers. These findings can inform anti-human trafficking interagency collaborative practice, leading to more successful collaborative outcomes. Future research should include a confirmatory factor analysis to validate the factor structure found in this study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The rapid development of highway traffic has gradually deteriorated the acoustic environment along the line. Sonic crystal theory provides new ideas for traffic acoustic barrier. However, the lack of practical numerical models and field test verifications has restricted the promotion and application of sonic crystal acoustic barriers (SCABs). In this study, a field test was conducted to study the noise reduction performance of SCAB. The SCAB exhibits excellent wave attenuation in the band gap, when compared with concrete acoustic barriers (CABs) along highways, the noise reduction performance in the band gap is improved by 0.5–2.1 dB(A), especially at the local peak in the highway noise spectrum. However, from the perspective of total insertion loss, CAB performs better than SCAB in all distances in the protected area. Next, the 3D FEM model is established based on the highway site and validated by the measured results. Compared with the commonly used 2D model, the 3D FEM model is more practical for considering the top diffraction and ground reflection, which influence the noise reduction performance a lot and need to be considered. To improve the noise reduction performance of SCAB, three types of optimization measures are explored. The gradient combination of scatterers can effectively improve the noise reduction effect in the low-frequency band gap, especially the high- to low-gradient layout. Besides, not only the porous sound-absorbing material but also the microperforated plates can improve the noise reduction effect, especially outside the band gap. The larger perforation rates and smaller apertures of microperforated plate are preferred in SCAB. This work provides field test support and promotes the application of SCABs in traffic noise control. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of Railway Science & Engineering is the property of Journal of Railway Science & Engineering Editorial Office and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Road safety audit Is defined as a formal safety performance examination of an existing or future road or Intersection by an independent, multidisciplinary team. It qualitatively estimates and reports on potential road safety issues and identifies various measures for improving safety for all road users. The current scenario of urban road accidents in our country show that urban safety is in a critical state, emphasizing the need for a current urban road safety audit. This article examines the various factors that influence safety on urban road accidents, including human, vehicle, road, external environment, and other factors, and summarizes the implications and steps taken for an urban road traffic safety audit. This article explores the current state of road safety in Bengaluru, examining the various factors that contribute to accidents and identifying potential solutions to improve safety in the city's roads. Through an analysis of existing research and data, this article aims to provide a comprehensive overview of the challenges and opportunities for improving road safety in Bengaluru, with the goal of reducing the number of accidents and saving lives. The selected area is from Uttarahalli Circle to Srinivaspura Road in Kengeri, a 7-kilometer stretch on Dr Vishnuvardhan Road, as it is a busy road connecting industrial, commercial, and educational areas and has mixed and heterogeneous traffic, leading to accidents. The audit has been conducted using the following guidelines of IRC SP: 88. Measures of road signs, markings, message signs, delineators, hazard markers, and traffic safety barriers have been done based on the requirements. In conclusion, significant measures need to be taken to improve roads safety and have them listed accordingly. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reliable quantitative information regarding sediment sources is essential for target mitigation, particularly in settings with a large number of loose provenances caused by earth disasters. The lakes in the Jiuzhaigou World Natural Heritage Site (WNHS) are facing serious environmental problems of silting and swamping, which threaten the sustainability of the area, especially after the earthquake on 8 August 2017 (the "8.8 earthquake"). Therefore, a field investigation was conducted after the "8.8 earthquake" (June 2020), and the Arrow Bamboo and Rhino Lakes, which were affected by the earthquakes to different degrees, were selected as the research objects. Based on the data of 27 environmental indicators from 31 surface sediment and soil samples in and around the lakes, the spatial distribution characteristics of the lake sediment sources were quantified using composite fingerprint recognition technology. Furthermore, a high protection standard of a WHNS and a process treatment scheme for reducing the siltation of the Jiuzhaigou lakes were proposed. The results showed that the contribution ratio of loose matter sources entering the lake on the road-side of the Arrow Bamboo and Rhino Lakes (16.5% and 21.8%, respectively) was lower than that on the forest-side (83.5% and 78.2%, respectively), indicating that physical barriers such as roads can effectively reduce the sediment input, while the lake forest side contributes a large number of loose matter sources, which has not attracted attention in the past and requires protection. High protection standards for the Jiuzhaigou WHNS are suggested. Accordingly, the entire control scheme of Jiuzhaigou lake sediment reduction including "monitoring–control–interception–buffer–cleaning" is provided. Source erosion monitoring is the first step in blocking the sediment source. Vegetation restoration and surface coverage should be conducted in areas where water and soil losses have occurred. Necessary engineering measures should be implemented to intercept loose material sources at points where geological disasters occur frequently. A buffer zone should be established between the lake and the mountain to intercept the sediment. Sediment caused by geological disasters with low interference must also be cleaned from the lake. The level of nutrients in the lake must be controlled by the regular cleaning of plant debris from the lake and lakeside. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The rapid development of highway transportation has led to a gradual deterioration of the sound environment along highways. The theory of periodic structures provides a new approach for the design of traffic noise barriers. However, the lack of practical numerical models and on-site experimental validation has hindered the widespread application of periodic structure sound barriers. This study investigates the noise reduction performance of nested structure periodic sound barriers. Results from semi-anechoic chamber tests demonstrate excellent wave attenuation at the air gap of the barrier, achieving a peak noise reduction of 16 dB without the addition of any sound-absorbing materials or treatment measures, particularly at local peaks in the highway noise spectrum. To enhance the noise reduction performance of nested structure periodic sound barriers, three optimization measures were explored: filling sound-absorbing materials inside the scattering elements, adding micro-perforated panels, and their combined effects. The results indicate that both porous sound-absorbing materials and micro-perforated panels can improve noise reduction effectiveness, especially outside the air gap. In the optimization design of nested structure periodic sound barriers, adding porous sound-absorbing materials inside the micro-perforated panels effectively enhances noise reduction within the air gap. Considering the abundance of abandoned w-beam guardrails in highway projects, which also meet the requirements of scattering elements, this study proposes the use of abandoned w-beam guardrails as scattering elements. This approach aligns with principles of cost-effectiveness and environmental sustainability, and it provides design guidance to promote the application of nested structure periodic sound barriers in traffic noise control. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Safety roller barrier (SRB) is an innovative road safety device that utilises foam rollers to absorb and convert shock energy into rotational energy, showcasing its remarkable ability to minimise the risk and severity of casualties in road accidents. In this study, a simulation-based optimisation approach was employed to obtain the optimal design for the SRB. Quasi-static and dynamic mechanical properties of the construction materials were experimentally obtained. SRB finite element (FE) models were then created based on installed systems in multiple Australian cities. The model was validated using full-scale TL4 crash tests according to the specifications outlined in the Manual for Assessment of Safety Hardware (MASH). Subsequently, a parametric study was conducted to explore the influence of design parameters such as post spacing, rail height, and roller number. Finally, a parallel Bayesian optimisation algorithm was applied to re-design the SRB system with enhanced performance and reduced cost. This optimisation process yielded several sets of optimal parameters, paving the way for a more effective and economically viable SRB design. • Numerical model of safety roller barrier (SRB) crash was built and validated. • Parametric studies were conducted to reveal optimal designs of SRB. • The geometry of SRB was optimised using parallel Bayesian optimisaiton method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The loss of hydrological connectivity and fragmentation of natural wetlands are widespread drivers of wetland degradation. Understanding where and how natural connectivity is impaired is essential for managing, protecting and remediating these ecosystems. Wetland Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar (Wetland InSAR) can provide information on surface flow orientation in wetlands at a high spatial resolution, which can be used for the detection of hydrological barriers in the wetland. However, the broad application of this approach is constrained by the labour-intensive manual delineation of barriers based on mapped water levels. This study presents the first deep learning-based methodology for the automated detection of hydrological barriers. We trained a deep convolutional network to segment edge features of hydrological barriers in 22 image pairs captured by ALOS PALSAR-1 L-Band InSAR between 2006 and 2011. The training dataset consisted of manually labelled and delineated barriers showing abrupt changes in water surface elevation and wrapped interferograms with high coherence. The model was trained and tested on six wetland sites of varying fragmentation levels and wetland types in the United States, Cuba, Mexico, Colombia and Venezuela. Across these sites, the convolutional network detected hydrological barriers with up to 80% accuracy. The model performed particularly well in detecting linear hydrological barriers such as roads, levees and channels. Notably, we found that some barriers impede flow only seasonally, appearing during low water levels and disappearing when water levels rise. However, the model shows limitations in detecting barriers in highly dynamic environments with lower coherence. Our automated approach to detecting and assessing wetland hydrologic connectivity can be applied more broadly to support the effective management of fragmented wetland ecosystems. • Successful detection of hydrologic barriers by combining InSAR with Deep Learning. • Uniform model performance across wetland types, achieving up to 80% accuracy. • Model is capable of capturing barriers hidden in optical satellite imagery. • Approach facilitates detection of seasonal variations in wetland fragmentation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses the issue of career and motherhood of female scientists, which is part of a broader thematic area known as Work-Life Balance. The theoretical part refers to the social role theory and the mutual influence of work and career on family and motherhood. The situation of women scientists is presented, for whom fulfilling the role of a mother is an important, although natural barrier on the road to a scientific career. Previous analyses present in the literature revealed that for the vast majority of mothers-scientists, motherhood is a factor that significantly delays their plans related to the development of a scientific career. The paper presents the results of empirical research conducted on the basis of classical academic methodology. Then, based on the data obtained from 334 mothers-scientists, an innovative, multidisciplinary experiment using data mining solutions was conducted, to answer the research question: Is the basket analysis tool able to find possible correlations between the factors characterising the respondents, and the types and dimensions of conflict occurring between scientific career and motherhood they experience? The paper shows that, according to the study results, most respondents declare they indeed experience the conflict between the roles of a mother and a scientist. The most frequently declared dimension of the conflict is the time-related one, then subsequently the emotional dimension, and lastly the financial dimension; many scientists declare they experience more than one dimension of conflict. Lastly, the basket analysis tool objectively confirmed the occurrence of correlations between the factors characterising the respondents and the types and dimensions of conflict occurring between scientific career and motherhood. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]