Recommended Mitigation Measures Research Articles

Site matters: site-specific factors control phosphorus retention in buffer strip soils under concentrated field runoff

Soil erosion from agricultural fields is a persistent ecological problem, potentially leading to eutrophication of aquatic habitats in the catchment area. Often used and recommended mitigation measures are vegetated filter strips (VFS) as buffer zones between arable land and water bodies. However, if they are designed and managed poorly, nutrients — especially phosphorus (P) — may accumulate in the soil. Ultimately, VFS can switch from being a nutrient sink to a source. This problem is further aggravated if the field runoff does not occur as uniform sheet flow, but rather in concentrated form, as is usually the case. To assess the impact of concentrated flow on VFS performance, we have taken soil core samples from field-VFS transition zones at six sites in Lower Austria. We determined a multitude of physical and chemical soil parameters, focusing on P fractions and indices. Our results revealed that concentrated flow can lead to an accumulation of P in the VFS. P levels in the VFS inside the area of concentrated runoff can be equal to or higher than in the field, even though they receive no direct fertilization. However, the concentration and distribution of nutrients in the fields and VFSs were also site-specific and affected by local factors such as the age of the VFS, cropping, and fertilization. Accordingly, there is a need for more sophisticated, bespoke VFS designs that can cope with site-specific runoff volumes and movements of nutrients that occur.

Implementation of Safety Risk Management in Aircraft Airffame Maintenance

This study analyzes the application of Safety Risk Management in the practice of aircraft maintenance at AMTO (Aircraft Maintenance Training Organization) Indonesia Aviation Polytechnic Curug. The research method used is descriptive qualitative. Starting with hazard identification, risk assessment, and continuing with mitigation actions. Risk assessment uses the Risk Matrix. The results showed that 9 hazards were at tolerable levels, namely 4 hazards in the component release phase, 3 hazards in the inspection phase, and 2 hazards in the installation and adjustment phase. Recommended mitigation measures include additional training, safety briefing, safety promotion, supervision of important phases, and periodic checks on tools and equipment. This research is then used as a document for compliance with Safety Risk Management according to the SMS Implementation Plan at the AMTO (Aircraft Maintenance Training Organization) of the Indonesian Aviation Polytechnic Curug.

Hydro-morphological simulation of the stilling basin of Mazar dam with 3D schemes

In the development of water resources projects with large hydraulic infrastructures, alterations to the natural flow regime will increase the erosive processes on the discharge structures due to variability of the turbulent velocities and the particle transport. We analyzed the case of the Mazar dam, a project designed to regulate the solid and liquid flows that come from the Paute river basin. Erosive processes of great magnitude are generated in the stilling basin of Mazar dam, due to the intensity of turbulent velocities produced in extreme events. We applied the Delft3D numerical model to simulate the hydrodynamic and sediment transport conditions to evaluate the stability conditions of the Mazar dam stilling basin. With the results obtained, vulnerable zones have been identified in the stilling basin. We recommended mitigation measures with the installation of a geomembrane to reduce the erosive processes in the vulnerable zones.

Critical Factors and MitigatingMeasures of Construction Delays of Pakistani Building Construction Projects

The construction industry is a significant contributor to a country's Gross Domestic Product (GDP). However, construction projects often face many issues especially delay. It is a key contributor to project failure, leading to cost overruns and a decline in quality standards. This study aims to identify the critical factors of delay in building construction projects in Pakistan, and its controlling measures of the critical delay factors. A literature review identified 48common factors of delay in the construction industry worldwide. Based on a structured questionnaire and the average index method, 11 critical factors of delays in building construction projects in Pakistan were identified. Furthermore, a semi-structured questionnaire was used to determine 44 possible mitigation measureswhich were extracted from literature review with the 11 critical delay factors. The results of this study will be useful for stakeholders in building construction projects in Pakistan. By incorporating the recommended mitigation measures, they can identify and control the most critical factors that can cause delays in building construction projects. This study contributes to the existing literature by providing a better understanding of the factors causing delays in building construction projects in Pakistan and proposing effective measures to mitigate these factors.

Cascading Impacts of Change in Carbon Dioxide Concentration, Temperature and Precipitation on Horticulture Crops: A Review

The impacts of an increase in carbon dioxide concentration, temperature and precipitation on physiology, yield and biochemical contents of horticulture crops including its mitigation measures are evident globally. This study mainly focuses on South-East Asia and Africa. We have reviewed crop-wise published literature mainly from 2000-2021 regarding the impacts of rising carbon dioxide concentration, temperature and precipitation on horticulture. Visible phenophase changes in horticultural crops such as budburst, leaf initiation, flowering, fruiting, seedling and the overall development stages of the crops are evident from the available literature. The prevalence of many diseases like blight, mildew, abaca, black sigatoka and Pierce’s disease are the results of climate change. Changes in the biochemical content of the horticulture crops such as tannins, flavonol, alcohol level, acidic content, starch, amino acids, lipids, chloroplasts, sugar, organic acids and antioxidants were observed. The recommended mitigation measures throughout the literature are delayed sowing dates, efficient seed varieties, controlled fertilizer use, soil moisture conservation and other biotechnological measures. Salinity, moisture and environmental stress-tolerant crops need to develop for better management of climate change. Breeding of short-duration and heat-tolerant varieties, vulnerability quantification and early warning disease forecasting are some of the important research areas.

Performance evaluation and failure analysis of conical picks used in a Botswana (Ngwato) mine

A coal mine in the central district of Botswana is experiencing premature failure of conical picks which mine 150–350 tons of coal/ pick rather than 400 tons/pick specification. This has adverse implications on business productivity and profitability due to the need to replace the picks with new ones. This study employed physical observation of mining operation; macroscopic and microscopic examinations; weight loss analysis; micro-hardness, and fractography analyses of one hundred and ninety-three (193) worn-out and five (5) new picks to investigate root causes of its failure and failure mechanisms with a view to identifying mitigation measures to avoid recurrent failure. It was observed that the picks situated at the extreme right and left ends of the cutter drum failed most frequently. Common modes of failure discovered for Botswana coal mine picks include one-sided wear of the pick body, pull-out of pick’s carbide tip, slimming steel body and even wear of carbide tip, and carbide tip deformation. Furthermore, cracking and crushing of tungsten carbide (WC) grains, cavity formation and pitting, coal intermixing, abrasion wear, long and deep cracks, rock channel formation, and corrosive degradation were identified as the failure mechanisms. Recommended mitigation measures to avoid repeated failures include the use of structurally stable materials at elevated temperature and characterised with improved hardness, toughness and wear resistance for pick manufacturing; exploring manufacturing technology that imparts improved bonding in the constituent materials without degrading material properties; redesigning of pick’s flange; and inspection of pick’s free rotation of the pick before starting any shift.

Evaluation of water quality and dam for sustaining the fish population dynamics

Bhagirathi is a Himalayan River, which flows in Uttrakashi district in Uttarakhand state. It is one of the most important streams of the Ganga River. This river is famous for dam construction and fisheries development. The fishes of commercial importance in cold water are Mahaseer, Snow Trout. The fish production depends on the physical, chemical as well as biological qualities of water. In the present paper, water quality evaluation and dam in the sustaining fish population dynamics have been reviewed to make aware the fish culturist and environmentalist about the water quality factors which influence health of a pond and to increase the fish yields to meet the growing demands of present time scenario of the our country. The construction of dams causes many problems. Water quality and discharge of water from the dam wall systems also indirectly affect the fish populations. In this study, we also review some of the important impacts associated with dams and their recommended mitigation measures. There is a negative impact on fish population dynamics, especially for downstream habits due to dams. Water quality is measured like temperature, turbidity, carbon dioxide, pH, alkalinity, hardness, BOD, TDS, Turbidity. The maximum oxygen content of water was recorded in January 13.02 ± 0.166 mg l−1 and minimum 9.4 ± 0.05 mg l−1 in July in site I phase I (before the reservoir dam wall). While in site II and phase I (After the dam), the maximum DO was observed in the month of January of 12.1 mg l−1 and minimum in July of 8.93 mg l−1. This is because water level is minimized in site II almost dried in winter. The CO2 of the Maneri Bhali phase I -Site I (before dam) was recorded maximum in April 3.10 ± 0.012 mg l−1. In Maneri Bhali phase I -Site II (After dam), the CO2 was recorded maximum 3.01 ± 0.003 mg l−1 in the month July. The river of Garhwal Himalaya harbors a rich aquatic diversity, the most common endemic fish species that inhabit this fresh water is the Schizothorax species. The maximum no. of fish were observed in winter and minimum in monsoon. At present, the production of these fishes from the streams is very poor and is not well managed from recreational and conservation point of view. If such is developed properly, it can have revenue potential for our state government. Sports, fisheries, tourism should be promoted.

Respiratory, Neurological and Other Health Outcomes among Plastic Factory Workers in Gazipur, Bangladesh

Background: Approximately three thousand plastic goods manufacturing factories (PGMF) are currently operating in Bangladesh involving numerous workers. Associated health problems of these workers are largely unknown. The key objectives of the current study were identifying plastic chemical exposures related health outcomes in these workers and comparing these outcomes before and after their joining in PGMFs. In addition, we aimed to investigate the relationships between work duration and the prevalence of health ailments among workers.
 Method: A cross-sectional study was carried out among factory workers (n=405) at six PGMFs in Gazipur district in Bangladesh. A simple random sampling method had been applied to select participants and data on their self-reported exposures to chemicals and associated respiratory, neurological, and other multiple health outcomes were collected through a validated questionnaire survey. Data were analyzed using different descriptive and inferential statistical tools. The categorical variables and continuous variables were interpreted using frequency distribution and standard deviation (SD) respectively. A Pearson chi-square (χ2) test was applied to evaluate the correlation between work duration and health outcomes. A p-value <0.05 was considered significant statistically.
 Results: The average age and work duration of the workers were 25.63±6.85 and 3.49±3.53 years, respectively, implying that most workers were young, and spent over 10% of their lifetime in PGMFs work. Most common health outcomes reported by the workers were nasal discharges: 60 (14.9%), headaches: 76 (18.9%), fatigues: 112 (27.8%), losses of appetites: 108 (26.8%), urination problems: 61 (13.1%), losses of body weights: 102 (25.3%), and nervousness: 70 (17.4%). Among the common health outcomes only headache (p=0.005); fatigue (p=0.04); urination problem (p=<0.0001), and nervousness (p=0.004) were significantly associated with the work duration. Furthermore, except for hypertension and tarry stool, all health outcomes among workers differ significantly before and after joining in PGMFs.
 Conclusion: This study first time identified important health outcomes of the PGMFs workers and generated baseline information on common health outcomes of the PGMFs workers in developing countries like Bangladesh. However, it might be important to identify potential causes of such health outcomes in PGMFs workers considering both biomarkers of exposures and real-time environmental samples to understand the disease pathology and to recommend mitigation measures to be taken by occupational health policymakers and practitioners in developing countries.

The Critical Role of Personal Care Formulations in Infection Control: Sustaining Preventive Hygiene Practices for COVID-19 and Future Outbreaks

The emergence and spread of a novel coronavirus designated as SARS-CoV-2 in late 2019 undeniably precipitated the greatest public health disaster of this new millennium. In absence of an available vaccine or virus-specific anti-viral drug, global health authorities issued several public advisories at the beginning of the pandemic and recommended mitigation measures based on the accumulating evidence and growing knowledge of the spread of this respiratory virus largely through airborne droplets and fomites. The recommended measures emphasized practicing respiratory, hand, and surface hygiene to break the chain of infection and reduce transmission of the virus. As a result of these recommendations, consumer products such as soap bars, liquid cleansers, alcohol-based hand sanitizers, oral rinses, and surface cleaners, in addition to masks (surgical, N95, etc) became the most sought-after commodities in markets across the globe. Beyond the public health recommendations, it was incumbent upon the manufacturers of such consumer products to substantiate their product efficacy against the SARS-CoV-2 virus, and later variants as they emerged, to ensure that the public confidence in the effectiveness of these products was not misplaced. In this article we will review the standard test methodologies and their scientific robustness to determine virucidal efficacy, as well as their relevance to consumer usage; discuss the contributory ingredients in each class of personal care formulations and their mechanisms of virucidal action; and establish the importance of the fully formulated products to ensure they are efficacious under consumer habit-oriented usage. Additionally, we will highlight the impact of hand, body, and oral hygiene practices and compliance in infection control for COVID-19 and their relevance for future outbreaks. Last but not the least, we will provide an overview of the existing regulatory challenges for claiming virucidal benefits from personal care formulations and propose ways in which opportunities to disclose proven benefits of these formulations would be beneficial to the public at large in sustaining efforts towards personal hygiene practices for infection prevention.

RISK ANALYSIS AND MANAGEMENT OF PROCUREMENT ACTIVITIES IN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL BOOK PRINTING PROJECT USING HOUSE OF RISK METHOD

Risk management is a management effort to control the company's risk operations by conducting risk analysis, risk evaluation and mitigation plan. Risk management efforts are feasible to be applied to the company's business activities including procurement activities. PT XYZ is one of the printing companies whose main demand is the printing of Elementary School Books. There is a decrease in demand that results in disruption to the company's cash flow so that a tight money policy is applied to every company's activity including procurement activities. This policy increases the risk that may occur, so risk management efforts are needed to minimize the impact that can occur. The House of Risk method is used to identify risk events and risk agents that cause them, and design mitigation measures to address those risk agents. The results showed that there were 10 risk events and 10 identified risk agents, with priority risk agents to be handled are A1 (volume and type of raw materials are incorrect) and A3 (communication interruption). There are 5 recommended mitigation measures.

Power jacking your station: In-depth security analysis of electric vehicle charging station management systems

The demand for Electric Vehicles (EVs) has been exponentially increasing, and to achieve sustainable growth, the industry dictated rapid development of the supporting infrastructure. This requires building a reliable EV charging ecosystem that serves customer demands while ensuring the security of the Internet-enabled systems and the connected critical infrastructure against possible cyber attacks. To this end, we devise a system lookup and collection approach to obtain a representative sample of widely deployed EV Charging Station Management Systems (EVCSMS). Furthermore, we leverage reverse engineering and penetration testing techniques to perform a first-of-a-kind comprehensive security and vulnerability analysis of the identified EVCSMS and their software/firmware implementations. Indeed, our systematic analysis unveils an array of vulnerabilities, which demonstrate the insecurity of the EVCSMS against remote cyber attacks. Considering the feasibility of such attacks, we discuss attack implications against the EV charging stations (EVCS) and their users. More importantly, we simulate the impact of practical cyber attack scenarios against the power grid, which result in possible service disruption and failure in the grid. Finally, while we recommend mitigation measures, our discoveries raise concerns about the lack of adequate security considerations in the design of the deployed EVCS, which will motivate vendors to take immediate action to patch their developed systems. Indeed, our communication with the concerned parties resulted in positive responses from some vendors such as Schneider Electric, who acknowledged our findings by reserving 12 CVEs, respectively.

The cost-effectiveness of CO2 mitigation measures for the decarbonisation of shipping. The case study of a globally operating ship-management company

The International Maritime Organisation has set a goal to achieve a 50% reduction of the total annual greenhouse gas emissions related to the international shipping by 2050 compared to the 2008 baseline emissions. Thus, companies are looking for solutions and measures to align with the Organisation's goal. Marginal Abatement Cost Curves have been extensively used in the literature to rank several Greenhouse Gas mitigation measures based on their costs of reducing an additional unit of pollution. In this paper an expert-based, bottom-up approach was employed to construct Marginal Abatement Cost Curves for a globally operating ship-management company. Several mitigation measures were examined for the following vessel categories (a) Containerships 8000+ TEU, (b) Containerships 2000–2999 TEU, (c) Bulkers 35000–59999 DWT, and (d) Gas Tankers <49999 CBM. Furthermore, the fuel price fluctuation and carbon taxation were used to investigate the sensitivity of baseline Marginal Abatement Cost Curves. The measures, which remain cost-effective under all sensitivity analyses, undergo a Pareto Analysis and a Marginal Cost-Effectiveness Analysis. The results suggest that most of the recommended mitigation measures are of an operational and technical nature, with exception the burning of Liquified Natural Gas and the installation of Flettner Rotors for the Gas Tankers. The company could save up to 17% CO2 emissions and approximately 2 million dollars per year compared to the 2019 baseline by employing all recommended mitigation measures to all vessel categories. In addition, Carbon Storage and Capture could become a cost-effective solution with appropriate carbon taxation, but it is not the ultimate solution since it does not lead to independence from fossil fuels. The study also reveals that depending on the operating condition, even within the same vessel category, different mitigation measures should be employed.

Re-entry analysis of critical components and materials for design-for-demise techniques

Abstract The concern caused by the rising population of space debris has increased. One of the recommended mitigation measures is the safe re-entry disposal either in a controlled or uncontrolled manner. Performing a controlled re-entry, where the spacecraft is guided down to impact in a designated zone such as the ocean or a non-populated area, complies with the mitigation standards. However, it has limitations in terms of the cost of developing and ensuring reliability of a system. Therefore, an uncontrolled re-entry can be preferred as a simpler and cheaper alternative for the disposal of space debris. To reduce the casualty area of the surviving fragments, design-for-demise techniques have been proposed. From the point of view of the design-for-demise techniques, it is significant to identify and investigate the critical components that are directly related to the casualty risk. In this paper, re-entry survivability analysis of critical components has been conducted to identify the most critical ones and to understand the effects of uncertainties on casualty risk. The material properties within elements such as the propellant tanks, balance masses and payloads that can be critical components are crucial parameters. The initial conditions, relative sizes, and aerodynamic forces are also significant. In the view of engineering design, either a change of the material or a mass/size reduction is recommended to demise the components. Monte Carlo simulations are performed to evaluate the sensitivity.

What Factors Predispose Households in Trans-Himalaya (Central Nepal) to Livestock Predation by Snow Leopards?

Simple SummaryConflict between snow leopards and humans across the trans-Himalaya is a pressing conservation concern. Conflict severely impacts the socio-economy of the local pastoralist community and threatens snow leopard survival. We investigated the socio-economic factors influencing such conflict and pastoralist attitudes towards snow leopard conservation using semi-structured interviews for a better understanding of what factors influence the variability in losses among the households in the Narphu valley, Nepal. While snow leopards caused significant losses to impoverished pastoralist households, respondents were generally accepting of their presence due to religious reasons and strict law enforcement. We observed poor herding and guarding practices with households owning larger numbers of total livestock (especially large bodied animals like yak (Bos mutus f. grunniens) and cattle (B. primigenius f. taurus)), which resulted in the higher loss. Further, compensation and insurance schemes were dysfunctional, with few households insuring their livestock and receiving compensation for depredated livestock over the past two years. We recommend improving herding practices and the implementation of compensation and insurance schemes to lower the economic loss faced by herders due to predation and creating positive avenues for the co-existence of snow leopards and humans.Livestock depredation across the trans-Himalaya causes significant economic losses to pastoralist communities. Quantification of livestock predation and the assessment of variables associated with depredation are crucial for designing effective long-term mitigation measures. We investigated the patterns and factors of livestock depredation by snow leopards (Panthera uncia) using semi-structured questionnaires targeting herders in the Narphu valley of the Annapurna Conservation Area, Nepal. During the two years (2017/18 and 2018/19), 73.9% of the households interviewed (n = 65) lost livestock to snow leopards, with an annual average loss of two livestock per household. Of the total depredation attributed to snow leopards, 55.4% were yak (mainly female: 79%), 31.7% goat, 6.8% sheep, 3.2% horse and 2.8% cattle. Results from applying Generalized Linear Mixed Models (GLMMs) revealed the total number of livestock owned and the number of larger bodied livestock species as the main explanatory covariates explaining livestock depredation. Forty-one (41%) of all herders considered snow leopard’s preference for domestic livestock as the main factor in livestock predation, whereas only 5% perceived poor herding practice as the main reason for the loss. Our study found poor and changing herding practices in the valley, whereby 71% herders reported careful herding as a solution to snow leopard depredation, and 15% of herders considered the complete extermination of snow leopards as the best solution to the problem. Tolerance levels and awareness among herders towards snow leopard conservation is increasing, mainly due to the Buddhist religion and strict law enforcement within this protected area. We recommend the effective implementation of a community-based livestock insurance scheme to compensate the economic loss of herders due to predation and improved herding practices as the recommended mitigation measures for ensuring livestock security and snow leopards’ conservation in the valley.

Analysis of the impacts of hydrology, soil properties, and geotechnics on gully propagation on the Edda-Afikpo Mesas of the Lower Cross River watershed (southeastern Nigeria)

The effects of hydrology, soil structure, and geotechnics on soil loss and gully propagation on the Edda-Afikpo Mesas (southeastern Nigeria) were assessed by field studies, laboratory soil analyses, and GIS modeling.The study was carried out to attribute causality and recommend mitigation measures in the fast degrading settlement. Results of field studies indicate that two areas in the study region were of exceptionally negative pore pressure values (−654.03 kPa and −676.89 kPa, respectively) at ground surface level and significantly negative at 50 m below ground level (−163.53 kPa and −186.39 kPa, respectively); both areas aligned in the northeast-southwest direction. These two areas were further characterized by comparatively higher hydraulic heads (158–206 m), seasonal fluctuations of water level, and rapid drainage enhanced by springs flow. Developed models revealed that a slight water level increase in these areas, combined with high surface infiltration as a result of significant permeability values (ranged between 1.522 × 10−3 cm/s and 1.744 × 10−3 cm/s) would translate into positive pore pressure development and seepage flow due to hydraulic gradient towards the slope toes. Thus, the lower part of the slopes on the mesas experiences higher positive pore pressure build-up and particle uplift. This scenario most likely plays out seasonally and could be responsible for the toe failures that are predominant in the area. Results of laboratory analyses further revealed that the soils have geotechnical properties (significant natural moisture content, low to moderate plasticity, marginally low bulk density, and specific gravity and shear strength) that increased their soil loss and gully propagation potentials, exacerbated by hydrology, soil structure, and human factors. This study, therefore, advocates that the solution to erosion and gully menace in the area, and other places with similar geological, topographic, and climatic situations would require an integrated approach.

Multiple COVID-19 Outbreaks Linked to a Wedding Reception in Rural Maine - August 7-September 14, 2020.

Large indoor gatherings pose a high risk for transmission of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), and have the potential to be super-spreading events (1,2). Such events are associated with explosive growth, followed by sustained transmission (3). During August 7-September 14, 2020, the Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention (MeCDC) investigated a COVID-19 outbreak linked to a wedding reception attended by 55 persons in a rural Maine town. In addition to the community outbreak, secondary and tertiary transmission led to outbreaks at a long-term care facility 100 miles away and at a correctional facility approximately 200 miles away. Overall, 177 COVID-19 cases were epidemiologically linked to the event, including seven hospitalizations and seven deaths (four in hospitalized persons). Investigation revealed noncompliance with CDC's recommended mitigation measures. To reduce transmission, persons should avoid large gatherings, practice physical distancing, wear masks, stay home when ill, and self-quarantine after exposure to a person with confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection. Persons can work with local health officials to increase COVID-19 awareness and determine the best policies for organizing social events to prevent outbreaks in their communities.

Assessment of Tumor Lysis Syndrome in Patients with Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia Treated with Venetoclax in the Clinical Trial and Post-Marketing Settings

Assessment of Tumor Lysis Syndrome in Patients with Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia Treated with Venetoclax in the Clinical Trial and Post-Marketing Settings

Introduction to the Special Issue: New Frontiers in Acrylamide Study in Foods—Formation, Analysis and Exposure Assessment

Acrylamide is a chemical contaminant that naturally originates during the thermal processing of many foods. Since 2002, worldwide institutions with competencies in food safety have promoted activities aimed at updating knowledge for a revaluation of the risk assessment of this process contaminant. The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) ruled in 2015 that the presence of acrylamide in foods increases the risk of developing cancer in any age group of the population. Commission Regulation (EU) 2017/2158 establishes recommended mitigation measures for the food industry and reference levels to reduce the presence of acrylamide in foods and, consequently, its harmful effects on the population. This Special Issue explores recent advances on acrylamide in foods, including a novel insight on its chemistry of formation and elimination, effective mitigation strategies, conventional and innovative monitoring techniques, risk/benefit approaches and exposure assessment, in order to enhance our understanding for this process contaminant and its dietary exposure.

Seismic Pounding Between Bridge Segments: A State-of-the-Art Review

Earthquake-induced structural pounding in bridge structures has been observed in several previous seismic events. Collisions occur at the expansion joints provided between adjacent decks or between the deck and abutment. Pounding between the structural elements may lead to severe damages and even to the unseating of the bridge in certain cases. Several investigations have been performed to study pounding in bridges under uniform and non-uniform seismic excitations. Moreover, different mitigation measures have been suggested to overcome the drawbacks of this phenomenon. This work reviews previous research studies concerning earthquake-induced structural pounding in bridge structures, the factors that influence it and the recommended mitigation measures.

Balancing between Two Extremes during Environmental Impact Assessment: a Case Study

The paper examines how opposing interests (cost effectiveness versus environmental sustainability) are balanced during the environmental impact assessment (EIA) process. During an EIA study, it is the Environmental Specialist’s role to conduct an EIA and bridge the gap between the Proponent and Activists. This study involves the developmental impact of coal transportation through a mangrove forest, a sensitive ecosystem. There are three major areas of disagreement among the Proponent and Activist: (i) overall impact on Sundarbans Mangrove Reserve Forests (SMRF); (ii) impact of air emissions; and (iii) impacts due to coal shipment. Assessment showed air quality impacts would be within applicable standards and guidelines. There will be an increase in marine traffic due to coal transportation; however, if the recommended mitigation measures are followed, then the project will have a manageable and limited impact on the SMRF. There will be water quality degradation and coal dust accumulation in the riverbed at the coal trans-shipment point. An aquatic habitat of approximately 290 ha in size is recommended as compensation for degraded land in the study.