Poor Road Conditions Research Articles

Uncrewed aircraft systems versus motorcycles to deliver laboratory samples in west Africa: a comparative economic study

Transportation of laboratory samples in low-income and middle-income countries is often constrained by poor road conditions, difficult geographical terrain, and insecurity. These constraints can lead to long turnaround times for laboratory diagnostic tests and hamper epidemic control or patient treatment efforts. Although uncrewed aircraft systems (UAS)-ie, drones-can mitigate some of these transportation constraints, their cost-effectiveness compared with land-based transportation systems is unclear. We did a comparative economic study of the costs and cost-effectiveness of UAS versus motorcycles in Liberia (west Africa) for transportation of laboratory samples under simulated routine conditions and public health emergency conditions (based on the 2013-16 west African Ebola virus disease epidemic). We modelled three UAS with operational ranges of 30 km, 65 km, and 100 km (UAS30, UAS65, and UAS100) and lifespans of 1000 to 10 000 h, and compared the costs and number of samples transported with an established motorcycle transportation programme (most commonly used by the Liberian Ministry of Health and the charity Riders for Health). Data for UAS were obtained from Skyfire (a UAS consultancy), Vayu (a UAS manufacturer), and Sandia National Laboratories (a private company with UAS research experience). Motorcycle operational data were obtained from Riders for Health. In our model, we included costs for personnel, equipment, maintenance, and training, and did univariate and probabilistic sensitivity analyses for UAS lifespans, range, and accident or failures. Under the routine scenario, the per sample transport costs were US$0·65 (95% CI 0·01-2·85) and $0·82 (0·56-5·05) for motorcycles and UAS65, respectively. Per-sample transport costs under the emergency scenario were $24·06 (95% CI 21·14-28·20) for motorcycles, $27·42 (95% CI 19·25-136·75) for an unadjusted UAS model with insufficient geographical coverage, and $34·09 (95% CI 26·70-127·40) for an adjusted UAS model with complementary motorcycles. Motorcycles were more cost-effective than short-range UAS (ie, UAS30). However, with increasing range and operational lifespans, UAS became increasingly more cost-effective. Given the current level of technology, purchase prices, equipment lifespans, and operational flying ranges, UAS are not a viable option for routine transport of laboratory samples in west Africa. Field studies are required to generate evidence about UAS lifespan, failure rates, and performance under different weather conditions and payloads. None.

Design of powertrain and steering system for six wheels agricultural transporter

Transportation activity of agriculture’s production inputs and products from farm to processing house or storage house is generally carried out on poor road condition. Therefore, a special vehicle that can transport the products and able to pass agricultural farm easily is needed. The objective of this research was to design the powertrain and turning system of six wheels agricultural transporter. The design criteria of this vehicle was as follow: load capacity 750 kg and vehicle’s dimension fits to road class III criteria. The main components of powertrain system and turning mechanism were chassis, engine, gearbox, chain, sprocket, shaft, disc brake and tire wheels. The method of this research followed the common procedure of machine design process and continued to manufacturing and testing. The performance test showed that maximum forward speed without carrying load was 7.8 kmh−1 and with maximum load was 6.6 kmh−1. The smallest 180° turning radius was 3.5 m at engine speed of 3500 rpm which occurred when vehicle without carrying load.

Haul road roughness measurement using georeferenced truck vibration

Abstract Vehicle vibrations caused by poor haul road conditions create multiple negative effects for mines, including slower cycle times, increased maintenance, and operator injury. Vibration levels in vehicles result in part from road roughness. Mine roads are mainly constructed from in-pit materials that are more likely to deteriorate overtime and require frequent maintenance to maintain a smooth surface. The decision for when and where road maintenance is conducted is primarily based on visual inspections. This method can provide subjective, inaccurate, and delayed response to adverse conditions. The recent increase in vehicle telemetry data allows instant access to several types of data; mainly being used for haul fleet dispatching, collision avoidance, and geologic surveying, telemetry data has yet to see widespread use in road maintenance dispatching. This paper examines current road roughness characterization techniques and current telemetry data streams. An initial case study was conducted using vibration and Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) telemetry data to determine road roughness. Data from three haul trucks under normal operating conditions were collected over the course of a week. The results of this case study demonstrate localized vibration levels can be used to objectively identify rough roads. This can be further developed to dispatch road maintenance crews leading to overall reduced mining costs and increased operator health. The researches propose continuing to full scale test using data from an entire fleet and longer timeframe.

Energy Distribution in Nigeria: Conceptualizing Frameworks for the Supply of White Petroleum Products in the Downstream Sector

For the fact that Nigeria's refineries are more related to death or not working in full capacity, Nigeria's import dependency is not limited to non-oil commodities. Traditionally, Nigeria export crude oil and import refined petroleum products; therefore, the challenges of availability, sufficiency, and distribution of such products are often attributed to the downstream as well as the poor state of the country's refineries. Knowing that there are many players in the sector which include firstly the major importers and marketers whose reward comes in the form of subsidy payment by the government, and then the marketers who thereafter trade with a long list of middlemen or retailers, the question of who is responsible for the improper arrangements of petroleum products still is very arguable. Regarding movement and distribution of petroleum products in Nigeria, transportation has become a physical hindrance. Because of this system, petroleum products can be circulated to various regions from their origins. Almost 80% of petroleum gets circulated through roads. It has been observed a steady increased in the number of heavy vehicles which are used as a carrier. Poor condition of roads, disturbance among police, military, state revenue agency, and customs checkpoints also create problems in logistics. This study focuses to find factors which are responsible in the supply of white petroleum in the downstream segment of the Nigerian oil and Gas sector. It concludes that unless urgent and long-lasting measures are taken by the government and private sector, the performance of the sector will continue to dwindle with attendant multiplier effect on the economy.

English

Since the urban-rural linkage mainly depends on the availability of the transportation facilities, any project oninfrastructure development should concern the level of accessibility through the existing roads which should bedeveloped. Most of the regional development programs in post conflict Sri Lanka, particularly in the NorthernProvince have not reached the expected deliverables due to several reasons. Particular system has been not usedyet to prioritize the regions with less access to the services because of insufficient road networks. Even after adecade of war ended, most of the roads in rural areas in the Jaffna District are still in wretched condition. Therefore,this paper has aimed to formulae a systematic approach based on the Geographic Information Systems (GIS) toidentify the level of development of sub regions and to classify the regions based on level of accessibility and finallyto prioritize the road networks which should be developed by any road development project. In order to achievethese aims, the present research selected the Jaffna District using the judgment sampling method for datacollection. Most of the data were from secondary sources such as government bodies and open sources and fourmethods of spatial analysis; distance, density, reclass and weighted overlay were used in data analysis. One of thefindings of this paper is the possibility of dividing the region into five key development clusters based on theaccessibility to 15 services. It was revealed that, the development level of each Divisional Secretariat Division (DSD)of Jaffna District totally depends on the quality of road network and the accessibility to the services. Out of fivedevelopment based regions in Jaffna District, there are two marginal divisions; Delft and Vadamarchi East whichconsists less than 30% of accessibility and neither A nor B class roads connected to the urban centers. Furthermore,lack of connectivity to the main roads and poor condition of rural roads have adversely affected to the regionaldevelopment of Jaffna District. It is recommended that the method introduced by this paper can be applied to theregional physical planning.

A Gis Analysis on Service Oriented Accessibility and Road Development Potentials of Northern Sri Lanka

Since the urban-rural linkages mainly depend on the availability of the transportation facilities, any project on infrastructure development should concern the level of accessibility through the existing roads which should be developed. Most of the regional development programmes in post conflict Sri Lanka, particularly in the Northern Province have not reached the expected deliverables due to several reasons. No any particular system has been used yet to prioritize the regions with less access to the services because of insufficient road networks. Even after a decade of war ended, most of the roads in rural areas in the Jaffna District are still in sad condition. Therefore, this paper has aimed to formulae a systematic approach based on the Geographic Information Systems (GIS) to identify the level of development of sub regions and to classify the regions based on level of accessibility and finally to prioritize the road networks which should be developed by any road development project. In order to achieve these aims, the present research selected the Jaffna District using the judgment sampling method for data collection. Most of the data were from secondary sources such as government bodies and open sources and four methods of spatial analysis; distance, density, reclass and weighted overlay were used in data analysis. One of the findings of this paper is the possibility of divide the region into five key development clusters based on the accessibility to 15 services. It was revealed that, the development level of each divisional secretariat division (DSD) of Jaffna District totally depends on the quality of road network and the accessibility to the services. Out of five development based regions in Jaffna District, there are two marginal divisions; Delft and Vadamarchi East which consist less than 30% of accessibility and no any A or B class roads connected to the urban centres. Furthermore, lack of connectivity to the main roads and poor condition of rural roads have adversely affected to the regional development of Jaffna District. It is recommended that the method introduced by this paper can be applied to the regional physical planning.

Investigation of the dependency of the drivers’ emotional experience on different road types and driving conditions

The growing sophistication of technologies and sociological advances are major causes for the dramatic change the automotive sector is currently undergoing. To address changes from a human-centered design perspective an improved understanding of the occupants’ emotional experience and behavior is required. Facial-Expression Analysis (FEA) is an emerging tool in support of such an approach, suitable for automotive research due to its non-contact application and low intrusiveness.The research described here investigated the dependency of the occupants’ emotional experience on road types and driving conditions by investigating emotional responses and their causes through FEA and observational analysis.Twenty-one university students and staff were recruited for the real-time test on a planned road circuit covering different road types and conditions. Facial-expression data and video information from two in-car cameras were collected during an average driving time of 40 min per participant. A multi-method approach was applied for the data analysis, including both quantitative statistical analysis and qualitative observational analysis, as well as an inter-observer reliability test. Emotion frequencies were compared between the different road types, resulting in a percentage difference from the total average of emotion frequency of −6.09% below average for urban roads, +11.15% above average for major roads and +4.88% above average for rural roads.The causes most frequently assigned to the emotional responses in this dataset were poor road conditions and causes related to the navigation device. The research supported the dependency of emotional experiences on the driving condition and type of road. The study presents the first step of a human-centered design approach towards modern automotive design. The results have wide application in automotive design, applicable to the development of, for instance, an affective human-machine interaction or a personalized autonomous driving experience.

The multifunctionality of urban horticulture and its integration with the city ecosystem: a brief review of concepts and the case of São Luís

ABSTRACT Urban agriculture is currently carried out all over the world. The activity is characterized by its multifunctionality, contributing to food security, preservation of biodiversity, better use of urban spaces, and proper management of soil and water, in addition to contributing to increasing income and improving the quality of life of farmers who live in the cities. In the 1980s and 1990s, urban agriculture gained momentum on the international scene and, from 2005, in Brazil. Some successful experiences in the world (Detroit, Havana, and St. Petersburg) and in Brazil (Teresina, Sao Paulo, and Belo Horizonte) are briefly reported here. Then, we describe in more detail the case of the city of São Luís. The municipality is situated on an island and its rural spaces have characteristics of peri-urban areas. Agricultural production has low expression in municipal GDP (Gross Development Product). The main products are papaya, cassava, beans, bananas, coconut, and passion fruit and, among the vegetables, roselle, chives, coriander, and West Indian gherkin, traditional regional species of Maranhão cuisine. The activity has two primary groups of actors: producers and intermediaries, with 83 and 41% of them, respectively, living in rural areas. Almost all producers (92%) use their area, 79% use some sustainable fertilization practice, and 69% do not use pesticides. Production areas are small and producers need technical assistance. Transport and poor road conditions are the main challenges to bring products to the markets. The reality that came out from our study indicates the lack of public support to urban farmers in São Luís. On the contrary, successful experiences of urban agriculture have in common the convergence of public policies of urban planning, agriculture and supply, education, and health. Urban agriculture is dynamic and must be integrated into the urban ecosystem to make it possible to unveiling new perspectives on the countryside-city relationship.

Study on Low-Speed Stability of a Motorcycle

The increased number of vehicles and poor road conditions in many countries result in slow moving traffic. At low-speeds, riding a motorcycle requires continuous input from a rider to achieve stability, which causes fatigue to the rider. Therefore, in this research, the low-speed stability of a motorcycle is studied using a theoretical and experimental approach to identify the parameters that can reduce the rider’s effort. Initially, a linear mathematical model of the motorcycle and rider system is presented; wherein, the equation of motion for the stability of the system in roll direction is derived. The open-loop and closed-loop poles from the equation are calculated to determine the regions for the low-speed stability. Subsequently, experiments are conducted on the motorcycle instrumented with the required sensors, on a straight path at speeds below 10 km/h. The input and output parameters from the experimental data are analyzed using a statistical method. Steering angle and steering torque are the input parameters; roll and yaw angles and their corresponding velocities are the output parameters selected for the analysis. Correlation and lead time between the input and output parameters are compared to identify the parameters useful for the rider to attain the low-speed stability. The results obtained from the experimental analysis validate the mathematical model. In addition, these findings also validate that the input parameters required to control the motorcycle to achieve low-speed stability can be estimated using the identified output parameters.

Cycling usage and frequency determinants in college campuses

This study explores the cycling usage and frequency determinants in college campuses located in the Baltimore Metropolitan Area. The study discerns the attitudes of individuals toward the proposed infrastructure and environmental improvements with the goal of promoting biking to campus. We develop a structural equation model (SEM) using the travel information of 780 individuals, which was collected between December 2014 and June 2015. The results indicate risk factors have a higher explanatory value on bike-to-campus frequency than campus infrastructure and program. We further examine how and to what extent mixed populations on college campuses respond to latent factors. The findings pinpoint that males are less concerned about the risk-related indicators such as theft and road and environment-related obstacles such as poor road conditions. However, females have a positive attitude toward campus-related improvements such as pro-bike programs. Overall, students show a negative attitude toward the road and environmentally-related obstacles compared to staff and faculty. Minority groups, specifically African American and Asian, show a positive attitude toward campus-related improvements, unlike white participants. The findings can assist planners and advocates in implementing effective policy measures to increase bike-to-campus frequency.

Impacts of Transportation and Logistics on Brazilian Soybean Prices and Exports

Abstract As Brazilian soybean exports doubled between 2001/02 and 2011/12 and major production areas consolidated in remote inland Cerrado regions, moving product to port has proven to be a challenge. A review of the literature, data analysis, and interviews with experts in the logistics chain revealed that a lack of grain storage, overreliance on trucking, poor road conditions, and inefficient operations at rail terminals and ports impede a smooth flow of grain from farm to port. Because of the comparatively low per-unit values of agricultural bulk commodities, transportation may account for a large share of the total cost of soybean exports. As a result, it was hypothesized that increases in transportation costs may reduce farm-gate prices, affecting producer profitability and, thus, national production. To test that hypothesis, this study examined transportation costs from inland production regions to traffic hubs and the Santos seaport. A comparison of theoretical producer prices calculated based on logistics costs versus actual local prices was employed to confirm that transport inefficiencies have led to depressed farm gate prices.

ANALYZING THE PROCESS OF LOGISTICS (HANDLING, STORAGE AND EXPOSURE) FOR THE MARKETING OF GRANJEIR ORIGRUTES OF THE BANANA FAIR IN MANAUS

It is known that transformations in space and in the world arise from production processes and development of the places where we live, and fairs as the main object of this study, have always been considered as sources of production, transformation and tourism. Thus, this research was elaborated with the objective of analyzing the process in the commercialization of hortifrútigranjeiros (fruits and vegetables) in the Modern Fair (of the banana) located in the city of Manaus with focus on transportation, handling and storage, as well as its contributions to local and regional trade. This work was developed with 150 workers from the fair of Manaus Modern, these with average age between 18 and 60 years. The efficacy of the research was evaluated through the application of a questionnaire and conversations with the own fairs. With the present research it was possible to perceive that there is still a longing and a great need in the improvement of the formats and adequacy of the transportation used in the marketing process of the products. It was also noticed that due to inadequate transport and poor road conditions, 30% of horticultural crops are lost / damaged (due to the sensitivity of the products), all this causes a considerable loss of life at the end of.

A GIS Analysis on Service Oriented Accessibility and Road Development Potentials of Northern Sri Lanka

Since the urban-rural linkage mainly depends on the availability of the transportation facilities, any project oninfrastructure development should concern the level of accessibility through the existing roads which should bedeveloped. Most of the regional development programs in post conflict Sri Lanka, particularly in the NorthernProvince have not reached the expected deliverables due to several reasons. Particular system has been not usedyet to prioritize the regions with less access to the services because of insufficient road networks. Even after adecade of war ended, most of the roads in rural areas in the Jaffna District are still in wretched condition. Therefore,this paper has aimed to formulae a systematic approach based on the Geographic Information Systems (GIS) toidentify the level of development of sub regions and to classify the regions based on level of accessibility and finallyto prioritize the road networks which should be developed by any road development project. In order to achievethese aims, the present research selected the Jaffna District using the judgment sampling method for datacollection. Most of the data were from secondary sources such as government bodies and open sources and fourmethods of spatial analysis; distance, density, reclass and weighted overlay were used in data analysis. One of thefindings of this paper is the possibility of dividing the region into five key development clusters based on theaccessibility to 15 services. It was revealed that, the development level of each Divisional Secretariat Division (DSD)of Jaffna District totally depends on the quality of road network and the accessibility to the services. Out of fivedevelopment based regions in Jaffna District, there are two marginal divisions; Delft and Vadamarchi East whichconsists less than 30% of accessibility and neither A nor B class roads connected to the urban centers. Furthermore,lack of connectivity to the main roads and poor condition of rural roads have adversely affected to the regionaldevelopment of Jaffna District. It is recommended that the method introduced by this paper can be applied to theregional physical planning.

Quality deterioration and loss of shelf life as a result of poor road conditions

Postharvest science focuses mainly on the quality of fresh produce. One of the areas of interest is the shipment of tomatoes using road transport. Because tomatoes have a limited shelf life, it is vital to control the factors that lead to early deterioration of the quality of the product. Logistical operations can cause numerous forms of cuts and bruises on harvested tomatoes which compromise their quality and appearance. For this experiment, the in-transit conditions were monitored on trucks shipping tomatoes from three farms in Limpopo, South Africa to the fresh produce market in Pietermaritzburg. This research attempts to create a model that relates tomato damage and loss in shelf life to the road condition, fruit ripeness and position in the container. With this information in hand, logistic planners can make informed decisions during route planning. Transportation cost can be weighed against the cost of losses of produce during transportation. Similar models can be developed to include other types of fruits and vegetables.

Quality deterioration and loss of shelf life as a result of poor road conditions

Postharvest science focuses mainly on the quality of fresh produce. One of the areas of interest is the shipment of tomatoes using road transport. Because tomatoes have a limited shelf life, it is vital to control the factors that lead to early deterioration of the quality of the product. Logistical operations can cause numerous forms of cuts and bruises on harvested tomatoes which compromise their quality and appearance. For this experiment, the in-transit conditions were monitored on trucks shipping tomatoes from three farms in Limpopo, South Africa to the fresh produce market in Pietermaritzburg. This research attempts to create a model that relates tomato damage and loss in shelf life to the road condition, fruit ripeness and position in the container. With this information in hand, logistic planners can make informed decisions during route planning. Transportation cost can be weighed against the cost of losses of produce during transportation. Similar models can be developed to include other types of fruits and vegetables.

Factors related to the intention to buy an e-bike: A survey study from Norway

The electric bicycle (e-bike) is a newly emerging transport option that brings several environmental and individual benefits. In order to promote e-bike use, it is important to understand which factors influence the intention to buy an e-bike among the non-users. The main aim of the present study is to examine the role of perceived benefits, barriers, social norms, familiarity with e-bikes and demographic variables for predicting the intention to buy an e-bike in a Norwegian sample. In addition, the study also aims to compare perceived benefits and barriers of e-bike use between e-bike users and non-users. A commercial panel (response rate 42.04%) and a Facebook post were used to collect data from 910 respondents (252 e-bike users, 658 non-users) via an online survey. A hierarchical multiple regression analysis was conducted to investigate the predictors of intentions to buy an e-bike. Results showed that increasing age, higher perceived benefits, both subjective and descriptive norm in favor of e-bikes, and familiarity with e-bikes were positively, whereas perceived barriers related to usability and safety were negatively related with the intention to buy an e-bike. In addition, compared to e-bike users, non-users had lower scores on the benefits related to mobility, symbolic and health aspects of e-bikes and higher scores on the barriers related to usability and safety of e-bikes. Environmental factors, such as poor weather and road conditions, appeared as the strongest barrier against e-bike use for both e-bike users and non-users.

Analyzing the Issue of On-street Parking in Commercial Areas: A Case Study of the City of Hyderabad, Pakistan

In developing countries, rapid urbanization has created an enormous pressure on land use, infrastructure and transportation. The fast growing ratio of motorized vehicles in urban areas is the main cause of environmental degradation. Almost 80% of the greenhouse gas emission is from vehicles in cities. In the city centers, on-street parking is considered the major cause of traffic congestion. The aim of this study was to evaluate the problems of on-street parking and disorderly parking at Central Business District (CBD) of Hyderabad city. The field survey methodology was adopted to perceive the current traffic problems in the city center and traffic count survey was carried out in both peak and off hours. The data was analyzed using descriptive statistics frequency analysis technique with the help of Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS). The findings revealed that increasing number of vehicles, on-street parking, improper parking, encroachment, inadequate parking space and poor condition of roads are the main causes of traffic congestion. The study bridges up the research gap of determining public views about on-street parking challenges in the context of Hyderabad, Pakistan and provides statistical results which may equally be adapted by policy makers and transportation planners in order to improve the traffic situation.

РОЗВИТОК ТУРИСТИЧНОГО ПОТЕНЦІАЛУ ТЕРНОПІЛЬСЬКОЇ ОБЛАСТІ

This article presents the characteristics of the tourist potential of the Ternopil region. Namely: the description of natural resource and tourist-recreational components, the state of historical-cultural monuments and tourist infrastructure. The key internal strengths and weaknesses of the tourist potential of Ternopil region were highlighted, as well as the opportunities and threats of its development and SWOT analysis of the region. The analysis of problems hindering development of tourist potential and development of tourist industry of Ternopil region is given. Among them: poor condition of tourist facilities and roads; unsatisfactory state of informational and marketing provision of tourism; low level of provision of professional personnel in the field of tourism; lack of economic and financial resources for the development of tourism potential. The directions of development of tourist potential of Ternopil region are proposed and grounded, which include: integrated strategic planning and financing of tourism potential development; economic stimulation of tourism potential development and recreation; advertising, informational and marketing support of the tourist potential of the region; Improvement of staffing of tourism industry and hotel industry development; formation of an attractive investment climate for the development of tourism potential.

Tire Force Distribution Method With the Constraints of Executable Drive Space Consideration

Tire force distribution with the consideration of practical constraints is a key part of automatic driving. This paper is intended to improve the operational capability of the vehicle under low friction coefficient. The speed and front wheel angle are restricted within a specific range caused by the limitation of executable drive space, which is defined as an input constrained problem of the nonlinear system. The hierarchical design concept is adopted in this paper, including algorithms of both control and allocation to determine the driving performance cooperatively. The methodology of multi-input and multi-output sliding mode control (MIMO SMC) is applied in the high-level controller to guarantee the vehicle system stable. Confronted with circumstances that the vehicle may be seriously unstable due to longitudinal forces and lateral forces beyond the feasible region in the friction circle, the scheme of dynamic adjustment of control target is provided owing to there is no reasonable solution for tire force distribution in the low-level controller. The coefficients of reconstruction and attenuation are introduced to reconstruct the optimized controller and weaken inputs of the closed loop system, respectively. The simulation results verify that the proposed design can redistribute generalized forces and moments between the wheels especially for the poor road condition.

Optimal pavement management: Resilient roads in support of emergency response of cyclone affected coastal areas

Roads in poor road condition disrupt emergency operations in disaster-prone areas during emergency periods. Prolonged inundation of pavements from storm surge accelerates deterioration of pavements and increases maintenance cost. The objective of this study is to propose an optimized decision support system for pavement maintenance and rehabilitation (M&R) operations guided by geo-physical risk and community vulnerabilities. A case study of regional highways, arterial and collector roads at the district of Barguna, in Bangladesh is selected given the frequency of cyclones and storm surges in this area. A geo-physical risk and vulnerability (GEOPHRIV) index was estimated for each road’s segment by integrating the geo-physical risk; community, structure and infrastructure vulnerabilities; and damage indices. Linear programming was applied to optimize M&R strategies to ensure good pavement condition for all roads at a minimum M&R budget. Lifecycle optimization of M&R operations estimated that USD 2.49 million is the minimum annual budget that ensures having good average road’s condition in the study area. Most of the annual M&R budget will be invested for overlay and resealing treatments on the roads at high and medium GEOPHRIV areas. This study helps transportation authorities to identify deteriorated pavement sections, maintain the pavement periodically to prevent or minimize damage before storm surge, and allocate resources for M&R operations.