Linear Infrastructure Research Articles

Beneath The Surface

Investigations related to subsurface utility engineering (SUE) traditionally have been used on linear infrastructure projects to provide detailed utility information within the public right-of-way....

Lack of maintenance of motorway fences works against their intended purpose with potential negative impacts on protected species

Linear infrastructure intrusions into natural ecosystems, such as motorways and high-speed railways, causes direct loss of habitat but also impacts fauna through collisions. Wildlife road mortality is well documented and extensive conservation legislation exists in many countries to minimise the negative impact of these infrastructures. However, although these measures are implemented because of legislation, these structures are often not adequately maintained. Here we present data on the functionality of perimeter fences along two motorways in Malaga province (southern Spain) erected to prevent collisions with the common chameleon (Chamaeleo chamaeleon). We sampled the fences along the 14 km of the two motorways included in the 17 1 × 1 km squares of the study area. Our results show that the reptile fence is permeable throughout at those points where the metal sheeting was absent and where the vegetation had overgrown around the fence, hence allowing chameleons to cross. Given our results, we conclude that this situation is likely to be similar in other regions of Spain and in other countries. This is because construction/concessionary companies do not consider the environmental impact of construction projects in the medium and long term, and environmental authorities do not ensure that companies comply with the legislation.

Assessment of the Extent of Distribution and Danger of Activation of Landslide Processes in Dagestan

Aim. Assessment of the extent of the distribution and danger of activation of landslide processes in the Republic of Dagestan. Material and Methods. The principal materials used were data of the government monitoring of subsoil conducted by Hydrospetzgeologiya and its southern regional and territorial centres (Dagestangeomonitoring) over the past fifteen years and published in the open press, as well as other literature sources. Maps were compiled using ArcGIS software. Results. An assessment was made of the extent of the distribution and danger of occurrence of landslide processes (for the period 2004-2018) in urban and rural settlements, on linear infrastructure (highways, oil, gas and water pipelines, power lines) and in reservoirs of large hydroelectric power stations of the republic. There was a high level of landslide activity recorded in 2004, 2005 and 2014, the lowest in 2007 and 2012. The largest number of landslide occurrences was recorded in the areas of Makhachkala city (12.7%) and Tlyaro-tinskiy (9.6%), Dokuzparinskiy (8.1%), Buynakskiy (6.1%), Tsuntinskiy (5.4%) and Tsumadinskiy (5.0%) districts. Landslides were most often activated in the summer period (41.6%). 31.5% of landslides occurred in spring, 22.6% in autumn and 4.3% in winter. Conclusion. Analysis of landslide activity in the territory of Dagestan showed that the presence of favorable physico-geographical conditions for the development of landslide processes and active economic activity contribute to the wide distribution of landslides in the mountainous part of the republic.

Геоморфологические условия формирования опасных оползневых процессов на Западном Кавказе и методы их мониторинга

Toppling, falling and sliding of slopes are widespread in the mountains of the Western Caucasus. The slope hazards on Aibga Ridge and in the Mzymta river basin determine the ecological and geomorphological conditions for construction and operation of first of all, the linear infrastructures (roads and railways). Investigation considered the characteristic of the recent gravity-induced processes and corresponding slopes, including topples, falls, slides and spreads. According to the research results, ecological-geomorphological zoning (allocation of ecological-geomorphological sub-zones) was carried out. The base for the sub-zones regionalization were the morphometric characteristics: the relative excess (m) between the conjugate landforms and slope angle. The possibilities of applying modern techniques for monitoring and preventing of dangerous slope processes were investigated. The monitoring technique for high-precision fixation of “movements” of dangerous slopes was considered, which included several stages of applying modern hardware tools (ground-based and aerospace remote sensing): preliminary allocation of sections along a linear object that represent a potential hazard; ground-based sensing, in which various geodetic instruments (laser robotic total station, laser scanner, digital stereo-camera, etc.) are positioned on a reference marks of geodetic control network to monitor object of interest; analysis of satellite imagery data from various satellites (Landsat, Pléiades, ALOS, Sentinel) and transforming them into the adopted coordinate system of the research site; use of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) for local large-scale remote sensing, which allows to obtain large-scale ortho-photo-maps and digital elevation model of the surface of an investigated area.

Integrated Procedure for Monitoring and Assessment of Linear Infrastructures Safety (I-Pro MONALISA) Affected by Slope Instability

The occurrence of geological events such as landslides is one of the main causes of damage along linear infrastructures: Damage to transport infrastructures, as roads, bridges, and railways, can restrict their optimal functions and contribute to traffic accidents. The frequent and accurate monitoring of slope instability phenomena and of their interaction with existing man-made infrastructures plays a key role in risk prevention and mitigation activities. In this way, the use of high-resolution X-band synthetic aperture radar (SAR) data, characterized by short revisiting times, has demonstrated to be a powerful tool for a periodical noninvasive monitoring of ground motion and superstructure stability, aimed at improving the efficiency of inspection, repairing, and rehabilitation efforts. In the present work, we suggest a semiautomatic GIS approach, which, by using satellite radar interferometry data and results of geomorphological field survey integrated in a qualitative vulnerability matrix, allows to identify sections with different levels of damage susceptibility, where detailed conventional in situ measurements are required for further analysis. The procedure has been tested to investigate landslide-induced effects on a linear infrastructure in Campania Region (Italy), the Provincial Road “P.R. 264”, which is affected, along its linear development, by several slope instabilities. COSMO-SkyMed interferometric products, as indicator of ground kinematics, and results of in situ damage survey, as indicator of consequences, have been merged in a qualitative 4 × 4 matrix, thus obtaining a vulnerability zoning map along a linear infrastructure in January 2015. Furthermore, an updating of landslide inventory map is provided: In addition to 24 official landslides pre-mapped in 2012, 30 new events have been identified, and corresponding intensity and state of activity has been detected.

Improved near-surface resolution in geotechnical applications using very early AEM time gates

ABSTRACTIn a majority of geotechnical projects and in geohazard studies, knowledge of sediment thickness is crucial, along with information about sediment types such as possible occurrence of sensitive clay. We test the recently improved system response (SR) method on data from an airborne electromagnetic (AEM) survey carried out in Norway to support ground investigations for linear infrastructure projects. In geotechnical projects, especially the upper metres are important to resolve. The acquisition systems, calibration and data processing and inversion are continuously improved to increase the sensitivity of the AEM systems. SR is applied in the inversion of time-domain AEM data making it possible to utilise the very earliest time gates, which provide information about the shallower layers, aiming to increase the near-surface resolution of the models. We test this new method on data from a site where comparably small resistivity contrasts (5–10 Ωm embedded in 10–50 Ωm) are crucial to resolve, to successfully identify hazardous quick clay. The AEM field data inverted with the full SR provide models with more pronounced structures in the near surface, better reflecting true structures observed in resistivity borehole measurements. We see the same outcome when conducting synthetic modelling. In the synthetic models where these early gates were included, thinner layers with smaller resistivity contrasts are resolved. This is a promising result considering to further use AEM in projects where high resolution in the near surface is essential.

A methodological proposal for the analysis of disused railway lines as territorial structuring elements: The case study of the Vasco-Navarro railway

The thousands of kilometres of disused railway lines that make up a fascinating body of heritage have been the subject of studies by several authors over recent decades. Several interventions for their reuse and reconversion have been carried out. However, there is a mismatch between theoretical and practical achievements. This research claims that an analysis of the railway lines under discussion should develop a comprehensive vision in order to establish common criteria for their preservation and for future interventions. As such, the objective of this paper is to create a methodological proposal for the analysis of disused railway lines as complex systems, thus demonstrating their potential as part of situated proposals for sustainable development. Accordingly, a Comprehensive Analysis Method (CAM) is created based on three theoretical and methodological underpinnings: disused railways as heritage systems; former linear infrastructures as non-motorised axes; and a balance between transport and other land uses around former railway nodes. The conclusions make reference to the potential of disused railways as territorial structuring systems, including both the potential of the linear infrastructure and the potential of the railway nodes, in order to encompass repurposing beyond the current greenways while continuing to promote the preservation of railway heritage. Both general strategies and specific action points have been identified for the repurposing of disused railway infrastructure. The proposed methodology has been applied in the case study of the Vasco-Navarro Railway, identifying strategic points in the infrastructure and areas where specific strategies can be implemented.

Analysis of Damage to Buildings in Urban Centers on Unstable Slopes via TerraSAR-X PSI Data: The Case Study of El Papiol Town (Spain)

Persistent Scatterer Interferometry (PSI) data, deriving from the processing of SAR images acquired by high-resolution sensors such as TerraSAR-X, provide accurate measurements of displacements affecting structures (e.g., buildings) and linear infrastructure networks (e.g., roads, bridges, embankments, and pipelines). Such widespread displacements, when available on buildings on unstable slopes, offer new perspectives for their integration in procedures pursuing the analysis and the prediction of the physical vulnerability of exposed buildings. In this letter, both deterministic and probabilistic cause (differential settlements)—effects (damage) relationships are generated by using PSI-derived building settlements and the results of building damage surveys. The procedure is applied to El Papiol town (Spain), whose urban area has been suffering diffuse damage of different severity to buildings and roads due to extremely slow-moving landslide phenomena.

Performance Tests of Smart City IoT Data Repositories for Universal Linear Infrastructure Data and Graph Databases

The infrastructure managed by Smart City systems includes mainly linear structures, such as pipelines, electric power lines, railway lines, etc.. In this paper, we propose the transcription of linear infrastructure to graph representation and storing needed meta-data in a graph database, merged with the traditional relational database used for device management. Such an approach enables fast acquisition of data about infrastructure’s properties and allows merging information about the structure of the managed infrastructure with information devices’ properties and statistics. We develop a graph generator that generates virtual network basing on representative examples of linear infrastructure, incorporation of a data from existing metering systems with the generated structure, which automates the deployment and allows to evaluate the performance of Smart City monitoring and management system. We present results of performance tests that show and the creation time of graph database structures in Neo4j and the difference between the performance of the Microsoft SQL Server database and the Neo4j database in a few Smart City use cases. The results show that the use of the graph database to execute queries related to linear infrastructure allows decreasing the response time up to 9 times.

Environmental impacts of abrasive blasting of transmission towers in protected areas

In Australia, and other parts of the world, tower infrastructure in electricity transmission networks are nearing the end of their asset life. In changing economic, political and regulatory environments Transmission Network Service Providers are implementing new approaches to asset management and reinvestment, such as refurbishment to extend the life of existing assets, instead of replacement. As part of these refurbishment efforts, abrasive blasting and recoating is being employed to remove corrosion and extend the life of steel electricity transmission towers. New controls and procedures have been developed to manage the most likely impacts associated with the abrasive blasting of transmission towers. However, little or no data have been available on the environmental impacts of abrasive blasting or the effectiveness of management procedures currently being used to mitigate potential adverse environmental impacts.We conducted an integrated study on the impacts of abrasive blasting, which brought together on-site research; modelling; and controlled laboratory trials. The study was undertaken during a transmission tower refurbishment project within the World Heritage listed Wet Tropics Region in Queensland, Australia. Measured metal deposition around towers due to blasting, was primarily as large particles (>PM10) at 12–30 m from the tower. Soil concentrations of metals were highest under towers, with a small number of samples showing elevated zinc at 12–30 m. The presence of spent abrasive media and dust on the geofabric material used under the towers and up to 15 m from the tower base, as part of control measures used to contain the abrasive products, indicates that deposition also occurs between 0 and 12 m from the tower.The potential impacts of the abrasive blasting technique on plants and invertebrates appear to be low. Five species of tropical rainforest tree seedlings exposed to abrasive blasting dust at worst-case levels had no negative impact on physiological performance or plant health. This research will assist Transmission Network Service Providers and other operators of corroded linear infrastructure to plan and implement mitigating management actions and procedures during abrasive blasting projects and assist regulators and the community to better understand the impacts of the practice.

Invasive occurrence and abundance changes of Armadillidium vulgare (Latreille, 1804) in Hungarian roadside verges

Background and purpose: The impact of invasive species in ecosystems is an important problem worldwide and the spreading of invader species are affected exceedingly by linear infrastructure. Primarily the aim of our investigation was to studied how the invasion of the species impacts the isopod diversity of roadside verges. Secondly, we determined what attributes of linear infrastructure affect on mass occurrence by the species. Materials and methods: Double-glass pitfall traps were established a total of 37 localities along highways and mainroads in Hungary between 2011 and 2015. To studied what attributes of roads affect the abundance of A. vulgare we considered seasons, adjacent areas, road edge proximity, leaf-litter depth, highway age, vegetation and mowing. Results: We collected a total of 18 isopod species. The A. vulgare was the most abundant and frequently encountered species in both road types, which represented 89% of the total isopod catches. The high abundance of the species negatively correlated with isopod diversity. The invasive nature of this species is promoted by summer conditions, proximity of arable fields, intermediate distance from the road, leaf-litter at a depth of 3 cm and the youthfullness of the sampling sites. On mainroad verges the highest abundance was in the non-mown sections of the arid grassland sites. Conclusions: Our results suggest that this species is likely to adversely impact ecosystem function of roadside verges in Hungary. Different land use, water supply, surrounding landscapes, habitat structure, vegetation, biogeographical context and human activities along road verges influence the invasiveness of A. vulgare.

Fuzzy-logic Method for Global Quality Optimization Problem of the Programmed Action Investment

In order to analyze the planning of a transport linear infrastructure (railway or ordinary road), in order to optimize a relationship work-environment after-work, the study team (engineers,architects, economists, etc), realize a careful prearranged analysis about the characteristic of the site and the large area which are involved by the work project and, once one found all possible alternative solutions, he should compare them through the use of suitable technical, economical and environmental parameters, choosing that one which maximize the global utility of the public investment. In this paper we study a fuzzy-logic method in order to help the decision maker in the analysis of the programmed action public investment.

A safety analysis of elevated highways in Shanghai linked to dynamic load using long-term time-series of InSAR stacks

ABSTRACTDynamic loads of vehicles have a considerable impact on the safety of elevated highways, but few studies have addressed the influence of dynamic loads on the safety of such linear infrastructure using Time-series SAR Interferometry (TS-InSAR). To fill this gap, we explored the displacement of elevated highways and the possible factors causing the deformation, using a long-term time-series of high resolution TerraSAR-X satellite dataset and Attribution Analysis Model (AAM) associated with dynamic loads for Shanghai, China. The results show that most deformed sections of elevated highways are located on the periphery of the network with a deformation velocity of about −5 mm year−1, as validated by ground-levelling data. Results by the proposed AAM illustrate the displacements of elevated highways correspond to the regional subsiding, dynamic loading, and construction time, as only 5% points are not identified to these factors. This study highlights TS-InSAR can be successfully applied to the safety analysis of operational linear infrastructures.

Influence of Multiple Linear Infrastructure on Diversity of Small Mammals in Mikumi National Park, Tanzania

The need for rapid development in developing countries has led to establishment of major public infrastructure even in biodiversity rich protected areas. Mikumi National Park in central Tanzania is traversed by five such major infrastructures namely an optic fibre, a busy public road, an oil pipeline, power lines and railways. We assessed diversity and abundance of small terrestrial mammals of the order Eulipotyphla and Rodentia as indicator groups in relation to impacts of such infrastructure. Animals were live trapped during wet (February-April) and dry (July- September) seasons in 2018 from three established plots along the three transects set perpendicular to each of the four infrastructures. In 10102 trap nights, we captured 453 small mammals of nine species of which Mastomys natalensis constituted 75.4 % of total catch. Diversity and abundance varied between seasons, infrastructure and plots location. Dry season had significantly higher diversity than wet season and the railway site had higher diversity than the other infrastructure. The intermediate plots (500 m from infrastructure) had significantly higher abundance of animals than immediate (0-50 m) and distant (1000 m) plots. The differences in these results can be attributed by seasonal fluctuations of animal populations, and intensity of disturbance in each infrastructure and plot. It is important to examine impacts of future infrastructure developments using small mammals.

Spatial Response to Linear Infrastructures by the Endangered Golden Lion Tamarin

Linear infrastructures are a primary driver of economic development. However, they also can negatively affect wildlife by mortality and the barrier effect. In this paper, we address how paved and unpaved roads, high-tension power lines, and gas/oil pipelines affect home range size, core areas, and movement in an endangered primate, the golden lion tamarin (GLT). Location data were recorded using radio telemetry on 16 groups in two protected areas and in privately owned forest fragments. The GLT’s home range, not core area, increased in size for the groups that occupied locations far from linear infrastructures; home range was also significantly influenced by available forest size. None of the home ranges contained a road, but home ranges did contain power lines. GLTs used the surrounding landscape near all types of infrastructure. Movement analysis showed that most of the step lengths (distances between subsequent locations) were less than 100 m between two consecutive locations, but step length was longer for roads and longer for groups in fully forested habitats. Tamarins avoided paved roads when in close proximity to this type of infrastructure; this behavior increased in areas without adequate adjacent forest habitat. Our results show that linear infrastructures differ in their level of impact: roads can act as a barrier, whereas other types of infrastructure have minimal effect on movement and home range. We discuss these differences in impact in terms of structure, maintenance schedules, and edge effects of infrastructure.

Beware that the lack of wildlife mortality records can mask a serious impact of linear infrastructures

Linear infrastructures (e.g. roads, railways or power lines) promote a myriad of negative impacts on wildlife around the world, of which direct mortality is the most visible one. When high mortality rates are found, mitigation measures are often discussed and applied. On the other hand, the lack of mortality is commonly interpreted as evidence of low impact on wildlife. We argue that the lack of mortality may actually mask two pervasive effects of linear infrastructures on animal populations: past massive mortality, causing local extinctions, or strong barrier effects due to the inability or reluctance of individuals to traverse the infrastructure corridor. In order to obtain a sound impact assessment of the linear infrastructures on wildlife, research is needed that integrates long-term mortality data with information on the abundance of the focal species, their genetic patterns and movement behavior. We discuss the implications of these impacts for both infrastructures and landscape management.

Mitigating Tropical Forest Fragmentation with Natural and Semi-Artificial Canopy Bridges

Fragmentation caused by linear infrastructures is a threat to forest-dwelling wildlife globally. Loss of canopy connectivity is particularly problematic for highly arboreal species such as those of the Neotropics. We explored the use of both natural canopy bridges (NCBs) and a semi-artificial one over a natural gas pipeline right-of-way (RoW) in the Peruvian Amazon to provide more information on both a proven and a novel solution to the problem of fragmentation. We monitored seven NCBs over 14 months and found crossing rates higher than previously recorded (57.70 crossings/100 trap nights by 16 species). We also constructed a semi-artificial canopy bridge (SACB) out of a liana and found it to be used quickly (seven days after installation) and frequently (90.23 crossings/100 trap nights—nearly nightly) by five species (two procyonids, one didelphid, one primate, and one rodent). This information contributes to our knowledge of mitigation solutions for fragmentation. As linear infrastructure grows globally, more solutions must be developed and tested.

Assessing Urban Land Utilization Using Geographical Information System

In all urban centers of the Tigray region, Ethiopia in general, there is inefficient urban land utilization. Inefficient buildable urban land development and management is manifested in the form of vacant, partially utilized and underutilized lands. Most of these lands are exposed to urban sprawl, squatting and land speculation. Moreover, there is inadequate infrastructure provision, under regulation, and shortage of buildable lands; speculation and tenure insecurity are the problems of urban land utilization. Urban land utilization in Mekelle city in general and AdiHaki Dejen area in particular, is inefficient land development and management, lack of infrastructure provision and under regulation. Therefore, the objective the study was to understand the causes and effects of partially utilized and underutilized lands which results in poor land utilization and development in AdiHaki Dejen area. To do so, the research started by assessing and analyzing the current status of urban land utilization using primary and secondary data sources. ArcGIS was used to analyze the BAR, ILVR, building height, and use change and proximity of linear infrastructure. Then, ArcGIS SQL was used to identify the partially utilized lands, and then Improvement to Land Value Ratio (ILR) was used to analyze the underutilized parcels. Similarly, the spatial proximity of physical infrastructure to the parcels was analyzed using ArcGIS. The study shows that there are 441 (509,233 m2) parcels with 202 m2 and above identified parcels as partially vacant lands, because of the existing structures on the parcels are small enough to divide or sub divided to hold one or more additional housing units. Moreover, 616 (419781 m2) parcels were underutilized parcels with their Improvement to Land Value Ratio (ILR) below ‘1’, leading to low property improvement to land value. This indicates low real property investment per capita and/or low land consumption per square meter of land. Generally, the study concludes that the main problems of the study area are inefficient land utilization and management, inadequate infrastructure provision and under regulation. This result were used as base line for urban planners, land use planners and managers to use the application of ArcGIS in urban land use planning and utilization for economically efficient land development and management. Keywords: Urban land utilization, partially utilized lands, underutilized lands, improvement land value and spatial analysis Cite this Article Vanum Govindu, Haftay Hailu G/Yohannes, Yechale Kebede Bizuneh. Assessing Urban Land Utilization Using Geographical Information System. Journal of Remote Sensing & GIS. 2019; 10(1): 9–23p.

Systematic preparation and processing of interferometric synthetic aperture radar data for monitoring linear transportation infrastructure

We propose a methodology for the systematic preparation and processing of interferometric synthetic aperture radar (InSAR) data for monitoring linear transportation infrastructure subject to geohazards. The methodology is applied to two RADARSAT-2 Spotlight synthetic aperture radar datasets, and three case studies in Cornwall, Eastern Ontario, Canada, are examined. An InSAR processing sequence was established and 19 SLA24 and 15 SLA74 images were used to create time-series deformation maps spanning from March 2015 to September 2016. The noise floors were ±1.5 and ±1.0 cm, for the SLA24 and SLA74 datasets, respectively. Phase unwrapping errors, atmospheric path delay, and the limited number of images were identified as the largest contributors to measurement uncertainty, which was of the same order as the ground deformation field. To improve coherence and utility of the radar images for monitoring the effects of geohazards on infrastructure, it is recommended that imagery acquisitions consider the use of small incidence angles with moderate image resolution and 6- to 12-day revisit periods.

Challenges in the conservation of wide‐ranging nomadic species

Abstract Conservation of nomadic species presents significant conservation challenges because of unpredictability in their movements and space use. Long‐term studies on nomadic species offering insights into the variability in space use within and between years are largely missing but are necessary to develop effective conservation strategies. We examined the temporal variability in space‐use of Mongolian gazelle, a nomadic species. We tracked 22 individuals for 1–3 years with GPS and used the resulting movement patterns to evaluate conservation strategies associated with their nomadic movements in the intact open plain grasslands of Mongolia. Individuals exhibited a high degree of variability in space use within and between years, often using different wintering areas in different years. The individual range size varied as much as threefold between years, with an estimated average annual individual range size of ~19,000 km2 and a lifetime range of ~100,000 km2. Comparing simulated and empirical GPS trajectories for the Mongolian gazelle showed that they avoided disturbed areas (e.g. oil fields) and did not prefer protected areas. Importantly, no single protected area in the region was large enough to cover the annual range of any of the tracked gazelle. Because of their wide‐ranging movements, the presence of linear infrastructure and the resulting barrier effects are a particular concern. We found that fences along the national border were absolute barriers affecting movements of about 80% of all tracked individuals. When gazelle encounter the border fence, they moved a median distance of 11 km along fences, suggesting frequent crossing options are needed to make barriers permeable. Synthesis and applications. We show that for nomadic species whose space use varies greatly across years, multiyear movement data are essential for sound conservation planning. We emphasize that place‐based approaches alone are insufficient to conserve wide‐ranging nomadic species and that linear infrastructure, including fences, highways and railroads, is of particular concern. Because nomadic species lack defined movement corridors, we advocate integrated land use planning that prioritizes permeability across the entire landscape and facilitates long‐distance movements. We suggest that conservation strategies for nomadic species in arid and semi‐arid regions be reconsidered based on multiyear connectivity assessments at the landscape scale.