Safety Performance Evaluation Research Articles

Design and Implementation of a Car’s Black Box System using Arduino

A black box system (BBS) in a car is crucial for recording and analyzing critical data to enhance safety, investigate accidents, and improve vehicle performance. This research presents a BBS developed using Arduino for cars, aimed at using the power of modern technology for comprehensive data capture and analysis in vehicular contexts. The BBS, or Event Data Recorder (EDR), is an essential component for enhancing road safety, accident analysis, and overall vehicle performance evaluation. The proposed system uses Arduino, a versatile and cost-effective microcontroller platform, to create a robust and customizable solution. It integrates various sensors and data acquisition modules to collect critical data points, including speed, acceleration, GPS coordinates, engine performance, and vehicle diagnostics. The architecture of the system and its smooth integration into automobiles are described in this article through detailed hardware and software design. Data retrieval and analysis are made possible by the system's user-friendly interface, which helps with fleet management, driver behaviour analysis, and accident investigation. This paper addresses the importance of data privacy and security while highlighting technological improvements. It proposes measures to ensure that personal data is managed responsibly and in accordance with legal requirements. In conclusion, a major advancement in improving road safety and vehicle monitoring has been made with the integration of Arduino technology into the car's BBS. Considering data security and privacy, this system provides users with an extensive set of facts to enable them to make well-informed decisions.

Post-Fire Mechanical Properties of Half-Grouted Sleeve Connectors with Grouting Defects

Half-grouted sleeve connectors are a primary method for connecting rebar in prefabricated concrete structures. However, due to limitations in the construction environment, all kinds of grouting defects are inevitable, especially grouting voids. Additionally, fire disasters, among the most common types of disasters, significantly threaten the structural performance and safety of these prefabricated structures. Therefore, it is imperative to determine the mechanical properties of half-grouted sleeve connectors with grouting voids after high temperatures. This study designed and prepared 48 groups of half-grouted sleeve specimens with different grouting voids and defect locations. These specimens were heated to the specified temperature (25 °C, 200 °C, 300 °C, 400 °C, 500 °C, 600 °C), followed by unidirectional tensile testing after natural cooling. The experimental results showed that rebar fracture failure and rebar pulled-out failure were the failure modes of specimens. With the increase in temperature, bearing capacity, safety factor and ductility coefficient of specimens all decreased. When the temperature was lower than 400 °C, the specimen with void length less than twice the diameter of the rebar (i.e., 2d) had sufficient connection performance. For specimens with the same total void lengths, the bearing capacity of discrete voids is lower than concentrate voids at the same temperature. The load-displacement curve, safety coefficient, ductility coefficient and grey correlation degree of half-grouted sleeve specimens with grouting voids at different temperatures are analyzed and discussed, and the bond stress slip constitutive model is given. Grouting defects have greater influence on specimens after grey correlation analysis. Findings from this study provide valuable references for the safety performance evaluation of prefabricated structures with half-grouted sleeve connectors after exposure to fire.

Development and research of a SS-level universal double-beam assembled bridge barrier

A wide variety of bridge barriers are used on highways. The bearing capacities of different types of deck slabs are measured in this study by applying the yield line theory to determine the worst-case scenario. An improved configuration for the worst-case barrier base and deck slab is developed, namely the universal double-beam assembled bridge barrier, which can enhance the safety performance of exiting concrete-base bridge barriers. According to the simulated impact test results, the new barrier meets SS-level requirements in terms of containment, redirective, and buffering performance as specified in the Standard for Safety Performance Evaluation of Highway Barriers (JTG B05-01-2013). The barrier structure’s compatibility with various bases is also analyzed. SS-level impact tests are conducted on real vehicles, including cars, buss, and trucks. The results show that the safety performance of the new barrier configuration reaches SS-level, and the barrier is universally compatible with concrete bases with a height of 63 cm and above.

Safety Assessment of Airtight Protective Doors of Nuclear Power Plants Subjected to Wind-Borne Missile Impact

This paper aims to study the dynamic response and damage of airtight protective doors of nuclear power plants subjected to tornado and wind-borne missile impact. Firstly, a safety performance evaluation method is proposed, considering the structural characteristics of the airtight protective door and relying on support rotation and airtightness. Then, the commercial finite element (FE) program LS-DYNA is utilized to perform the numerical simulations of airtight protective doors in nuclear power plants exposed to tornadoes and wind-borne missile impacts. Subsequently, the parameter analysis method is employed to investigate the impact of keel quantity, size and arrangement, door panel thickness, door core material, and boundary conditions on the dynamic response, airtightness, and failure mode of the airtight protective door. The results show that tornado wind pressure has little effect on the resistance of airtight protective doors and that the impact load of wind-borne missiles plays a leading role. The number and thickness of the keel have significant effects on the force transfer mode and failure mode of airtight protective doors. The thickness of the door panel has a great influence on the damage mode and airtightness of airtight protective doors. The door core improves the local resistance of the airtight protective door to a certain extent, and foam aluminum material has a better energy absorption effect. The change in boundary conditions has little influence on the resistance of airtight protective doors.

Safety of Chinese Cabbage Waste and Rice Straw Mixed Silage and Its Effect on Growth and Health Performance of Hu Sheep

Improper disposal of vegetable waste can cause serious environmental pollution, but because they contain huge water content and organic matter, they are not suitable for disposal by methods such as incineration and landfill. However, vegetable waste contains a large amount of nutrients and have some complementary effects with rice straw in terms of physical structure, nutrients, and moisture. In this experiment, the plant feed (corn husk, peanut shells and sorghum shells) was used as the control group (CON group), and the mixed silage of Chinese cabbage waste and rice straw (mixed silage) was used as the experiment group (TRE group), and its safety performance was evaluated by testing its toxin content, pesticide residues, vitamin contents and feeding experiment of Hu sheep. In the animal experiment, 16 healthy Hu sheep (5.5 months, 39.11 ± 4.16 kg) were randomly divided into two groups of 8 each. The results of the safety performance evaluation showed that the content of mycotoxins, heavy metals, and nitrites as well as pesticide residues in the crude feeds of both groups were within the range of Chinese feed hygiene standards. In addition, the levels of deoxynivalenol (DON) and aflatoxin (AFT) in the CON group were lower, while the content of ochratoxin (OTA) and zearalenone were higher than those in the TRE group (p < 0.05). The levels of plumbum(Pb), chromium (Cr), cadmium (Cd), and nitrite in the CON group were lower than the mixed silage, while the levels of As were higher than the mixed silage (p < 0.05). It is worth noticing that the content of vitamin B2 (VB2) and vitamin C (VC) in the TRE group was higher than the CON group (p < 0.05). The results of the feeding experiment showed that the mixed silage did not affect the growth performance, nutrient digestibility, organ index, and intestinal index of Hu sheep (p > 0.05). In addition, the mixed silage reduced the weight of omasum, the proportion of omasum to live weight before slaughter, the amount of compound stomach, and the proportion of compound stomach to live weight before slaughter, which were higher than those in the TRE group (p < 0.05). The thickness of the basal layer of the rumen abdominal sac, the red blood cell count, the content of IL-10, and TNF-α in the blood, and TNF-α content in the rumen of the Hu sheep in the TRE group were higher than the CON group (p < 0.05). In conclusion, the feed safety index content of the mixed silage did not exceed the Chinese feed hygiene and safety standards and did not cause adverse effects on the growth performance of the Hu sheep, and it improved the immune performance of the body and digestive tract of the sheep to a certain extent and promoted the healthy development of the sheep.

Rescue and safety system development and performance evaluation by network reliability

Rescue and safety system development and performance evaluation by network reliability

Test and application of movable steel barrier with grade SB light composite corrugated beam

In this study, movable steel barrier with grade SB light composite corrugated beam is designed, which addresses the problems of the prior central partition belt portable guardrail in terms of easy mobility, local safety, easy construction, and other indications. This guardrail employs explicit algorithms to conduct a dynamic finite element simulation analysis and a real vehicle crash test, and verifies the guardrails' blocking, guiding, and buffering functions in accordance with the SB level collision conditions listed in the Standard for Safety Performance Evaluation of Highway Barriers (JTG B05-01-2013). According to the results, the safety performance of SB grade lightweight composite corrugated beam movable steel guardrail meets the requirements of the Standard for Safety Performance Evaluation of Highway Barriers (JTG B05-01-2013). In addition, the guardrail can be opened for 12 meters in 1 minute and returned to close in 2 minutes. The opening and restoration of the movable guardrail is superior to the previous central divider movable guardrail. This guardrail has been tried for some high-speed and its safety performance has been verified again in actual high-speed vehicle collisions.

The impact of safety climate on human-technology interaction and sustainable development: Evidence from Indonesian oil and gas industry

This study investigates the intricate dynamics of human-technology interaction in the context of safety within the Indonesian oil and gas industry, specifically focusing on the integration of the internet of things and cyber-physical systems. The aim is to uncover the interplay between safety climate, human-technology interaction, and sustainable development, ultimately providing insights for enhancing safety and sustainability in this critical sector. Through a comprehensive analysis, this research employs a quantitative methods approach, combining survey and interview data with a data analysis using structural equation modeling. It assesses safety climate perceptions among employees, evaluates the impact of human-technology interaction on safety, and explores the moderating effect of safety climate on the relationship between human-technology interaction and sustainable development in Indonesia's upstream oil and gas sector. The study's findings illuminate the utmost importance of cultivating a robust safety culture within Indonesian upstream oil and gas companies. It reveals that negative safety climate can disrupt the positive influence of human-technology interaction on sustainable development, leading to an inverse path coefficient. This research emphasizes continuous safety performance evaluation, comprehensive employee training for effective human-technology interaction, and the seamless integration of sustainable development principles into all operational aspects. This holistic approach underscores the industry's commitment to the well-being of its workforce, the integrity of technological advancements, and its dedication to sustainable practices in an era dominated by human-technology interaction and cyber-physical systems.

Evaluation of the optimum safety performance of the nuclear reactor compact grounding system under lightning strikes and ground fault

Abstract The electrical system of a nuclear reactor facility (NRF) must incorporate a grounding grid in order to ensure it functions safely and reliably. Any disturbance in the electrical system affects the nuclear process, so it is, therefore, crucial to estimate the safety performance of the research nuclear reactor facility grounding system. The paper discusses CYMGrd 6.3, which is based on IEEE Standard 80-2013, and the optimization approaches for finding the best grounding grid design for a nuclear reactor facility connected substation of 500/11 kV in the case of a ground fault and lightning strikes. The result shows that the surface, step and touch potentials along the diagonal coordinates of the proposed grounding grid are below the safety limits in case of a ground fault but also results indicate that 100 kA lightning stroke poses a considerable threat to reactor equipment and personnel safety because the measured grid surface potential exceeds the safe ground potential rise of 3.2 kV standard at the striking point in conjunction with the proposed ground grid, so it must be modified. In this paper, three different optimization algorithms are investigated in order to determine the optimal design of the grounding grid with respect to mesh size: gradient method (GM), the genetic algorithm (GA), and simulated annealing (SA). These methods are used to achieve the purpose of obtaining an effective ground grid design. Comparing these techniques of GM and SA is good for quickly locating local minima, but they may fail to identify global solutions. In contrast, a genetic algorithm is often excellent at achieving a global minimum. Also, the utilization of GA, SA, and GM achieve the reduction of the surface potential of a proposed grounding grid by 16 %, 10 %, and 6 % respectively.

Traffic safety performance evaluation in a connected vehicle environment with queue warning and speed harmonization applications

With the increased adoption of connected vehicle (CV) technologies, safety information is becoming increasingly available to drivers. This study investigates three main questions (1) Do CV-based traffic management applications improve safety on roadways with existing infrastructure-based traffic management systems? (2) Can combining two CV technologies have a greater impact on safety than a single CV technology? and (3) Do geometric and traffic composition factors impact the efficiency of CV technologies? We applied a rarely-used CV dataset and conducted a comprehensive simulation analysis of varying conditions and CV penetration rates that studies have not considered. Two CV applications (queue warning and speed harmonization) implemented in the Intelligent Network Flow Optimization experiment in Seattle, WA were evaluated. Results showed that driver safety performance, based on speed metrics (standard deviation and percentage of extreme values) improved under the CV driving conditions. Combining conventional variable speed limit systems with queue warnings also improved safety for CV drivers. Furthermore, the implementation of a single CV application (queue warning) showed positive changes in the aforementioned speed metrics, congestion mitigation, and reduced conflicts. With the two CV applications combined, no significant differences were observed. Additional tests investigated the impacts of lane changes and roadway attributes on safety in the CV environment.

Thermal decomposition characteristics and thermal safety performance evaluation of HAN-based propellant under different external environmental stimulations

This research aims to investigate thermal characteristics and assess thermal hazards of hydroxylamine nitrate (HAN)-based liquid propellant using a combination of accelerating rate calorimeter and high-pressure differential scanning calorimetry. Adiabatic experiments revealed that the exothermic reaction initiated at 115.7 °C and a rise sharply was at 128.4 °C with a maximum self-heating rate of 164.3 °C/min and the exothermic event was accompanied by a pressure rise of 3.7 bar in 0.03s. The corrected values of adiabatic temperature rise and time to maximum rate were 605.6 °C and 1.46 min, which confirms the vulnerability of the propellant to undergo a catastrophic explosion. To prevent thermal loss prevention accidents, time to maximum rate was obtained as 24 h under 111.3 °C. The apparent activation energy calculated decreased greatly with the increase of storage temperature from 25 °C to 45 °C, and so did the thermal explosion temperature (Tb) and self-accelerating decomposition temperature (TSADT). Additionally, the linear relationship between Ea and T was E = 991.7–2.7904T. The reliability of TSADT prediction was validated through slow cook-off test. Furthermore, the propellant exhibited more violent thermal decomposition under high pressure, resulting in a higher peak power. The thermokinetic parameters related to this phenomenon were identified, specifically at pressure of 4.0 MPa.

Investigating crashworthiness of W-Beam guardrail crash barriers

This study presents the evaluation of safety performance of the blocked-out W-Beam guardrail crash barrier system designed as per the ‘Guidelines for traffic safety barriers’ published by Indian Road Congress (IRC:119-2015). A finite element model of the W-Beam guardrail was developed in Hyper-Mesh and the simulation of the crash analysis was performed in LS-Dyna. Results from the simulation were used to study the compliance of the barrier with the test acceptance criteria of the NCHRP 350 report for containment level TL-3 as mentioned in the IRC: 119-2015. Finite element models of 820c passenger car and 2000p pickup truck developed by NCAC were imported to the guardrail model for crash simulation according to the test designation 3-10 and 3-11. As per the acceptance criteria of the NCHRP report 350 for containment level TL-3, the obtained simulation results were examined to verify the compliance and performance of the guardrail. It was concluded that the crash barrier was compliant with test 3-10 but not with 3-11. Further, simulations for TL-1 (test 1-11) were also conducted since the barrier failed to meet the NCHRP criteria for pickup truck impacting at 100 km/h. It was found that the barrier fulfilled the criteria for pickup truck impact with 50 km/h velocity.

Safety performance evaluation of construction projects in Egypt

In Egypt, the construction industry employs about 20% of the total work force in the local market. The health and safety (H&S) performance evaluation is adopted mainly to control H&S risks in construction sites. As such, there is a need to measure the safety performance in construction sites in a way that is proactive rather than just relying on interactive procedures. The main goal of this study is to develop an indicator to evaluate safety performance on construction sites. This is achieved through two basic steps. First, factors that affect safety performance in construction projects are determined by reviewing literature and conducting personal interviews. A total of 47 factors were collected. Then, a questionnaire was conducted to determine the most important factors that affect the H&S of construction projects in Egypt. The incentives and safety training were among the most important factors. Second, an index to evaluate safety performance has been developed. The purpose of this evaluation is to create a determinate through which construction sites safety could be assessed. The proposed model will be a useful tool to assist project managers and safety inspectors to assess safety performance in construction sites and thus help build safety regulations.

산불 진화대원용 방화두건에 대한 안전 성능기준 개발

There is no domestic safety performance evaluation standard for fire hoods, which are personal safety protective equipment to prevent heat damage to exposed skin such as the head and neck of firefighters due to continuous radiant heat and direct flame during forest fire fighting. Based on the standards of firefighting hoods for firefighter of the Korea Fire Institute, a comparative analysis of foreign standards(NFPA, ISO) was conducted, and domestic forest fire fighters and experts' opinions were collected to present domestic safety performance evaluation standards. In preparation for sudden fires that may occur at forest fire sites, supplementary items were derived according to the work of forest fire extinguishers through experiments on heat damage to the human body. It is thought that it will contribute to securing safety and efficiency of firefighting work due to heat damage by presenting fire hood performance evaluation standards for forest firefighters.

Activated carbon modified by Mo-doped CQDs: An efficient method to reduce the thermal hazard in toluene adsorption

Activated carbon (AC) is one of the typical adsorbents for industrial treatment of VOCs, but AC itself has a high calorific value. When the heat generated by low-temperature oxidation cannot be released, it is easy to store heat and oxidize spontaneously, resulting in immeasurable harm. Therefore, it is important to study and improve the thermal stability of AC. In this study, Mo-doped carbon quantum dots (CQDs) was synthesized to enhance the safety of AC usage. The structure of AC before and after modification was characterized by transmission electron microscope (TEM), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) and X-ray diffractometer (XRD). On the modified Mo-doped CQDs/AC, there are more crystalline structures formed by Mo oxides on the surface, which makes the intermolecular force on the surface of AC increase. At the same time, Mo oxide has strong oxidation resistance, which can inhibit the thermal decomposition process of AC, and has stronger stability. The spontaneous combustion tendency and thermal hazard of AC before and after modification were greatly improved. The heat released in the toluene adsorption by the modified AC at different temperatures was significantly lower than the heat released by the unmodified AC. According to the Langmuir adsorption isotherm, the adsorption performance of Mo-doped CQDs (2.5 wt%) was 1.6 times higher than that of AC when the system was 25 °C. The results showed that Na2MoO4 CQDs modified AC could effectively improve the thermal stability and greatly reduce the spontaneous combustion tendency. A relative fire safety performance evaluation model was also established to comprehensively evaluate the fire risk of VOCs treatment by AC.

Digital Integration of Temperature Field of Cable-Stayed Bridge Based on Finite Element Model Updating and Health Monitoring

A health monitoring system typically collects and processes data to observe the health status of a bridge. The cost limitations imply that only the measurement point data of a few key points can be obtained; however, the entire bridge monitoring information cannot be established, which significantly interferes with the data integrity of the structural monitoring system. In this study, a solution is proposed for reconstructing the monitoring data of the entire bridge. By updating the finite element (FE) model based on structural thermal analysis, numerical simulation technology, and other methods, the temperature field integration model of a cable-stayed bridge is realized. The temperature spatial expansion method of deep learning is established by using the complete simulated temperature field of the entire bridge based on limited measured temperature data; this data is verified and applied to the main beam and bridge tower, thereby establishing the complete measured temperature field of the whole bridge. This is of great significance in supplementing health monitoring information, allowing for the accurate monitoring and evaluation of the structural safety and service performance of long bridges.

Evaluation of safety performance in a food industry based on fuzzy logic

Evaluation of safety performance in a food industry based on fuzzy logic

A FBG pull-wire vertical displacement sensor for health monitoring of medium-small span bridges

With the increase of service life, a growing number of medium-small span bridges have suffered degradation and even serious damage, and the vertical displacement is one of the significant parameters for their safety condition and performance evaluation. In terms of medium-small span bridges, to solve the difficulty for long term vertical displacement measuring and the demand for low-cost monitoring, this paper proposes a fiber Bragg grating (FBG) pull-wire vertical displacement sensor, which owns advantages of low cost, high accuracy and convenient installation. Firstly, the calibration and temperature correction of the sensor were carried out. Secondly, the influences of the fixed angle and sag effect of the sensor on measuring results were investigated. Finally, the sensor was installed in an in-service hollow slab bridge and the static and dynamic load experiments were carried out. Results show that the linearity of the proposed sensor is 0.998, the sensitivity is 7.87 pm/mm, the hysteresis error is 1.54 %, the temperature correction coefficient is 18.08 pm/°C, the relative combined uncertainties are within 4 %; the fixed angle of this sensor is recommended to choose in the range of 15°-30° in order to obtain higher measuring accuracy; when θ = 15° and the radius of the external wire is 0.3 mm, the limit of the external wire length can be set to 19.5 m to avoid the influence of the wire sag effect on measuring results; the sensor is feasible in vertical displacement measurement of in-service medium-small span bridge, and the relative measuring errors in both static and dynamic load experiments are less than 5 %.

Safety Performance Evaluation of Flashing Yellow Arrow: Time-of-Day Versus 24-Hour Operation

The flashing yellow arrow (FYA), as the permissive left-turn indication, has been widely implemented to mitigate driving confusion caused by the permissive steady green indication. The selection of an appropriate FYA operation type, however, remains an open-ended question as few studies have evaluated the safety effectiveness of FYA under different operation types, that is, 24-hour, time-of-day (TOD), and switching from 24-hour to TOD. Moreover, since FYA has been typically used at intersections with a single left-turn lane, its safety effectiveness at intersections with dual left-turn lanes has not been well investigated. To bridge these gaps, this paper focuses on evaluating the safety effectiveness of FYA at intersections with varying numbers of left-turn lanes under different operation types and examining whether the FYA operation type switch affects safety performance. Empirical Bayes before/after studies are conducted for 24-hour, TOD, and switching from 24-hour to TOD FYA operation types using multivariate adaptive regression splines models in comparison with traditional negative binomial models. Safety performance functions are developed for different combinations of crash types and a different number of left-turn lanes. Results show that for intersections with either a single left-turn lane or dual left-turn lanes, 24-hour and TOD FYA operation types reduce crashes by 8.76% to 50%. However, intersections with dual left-turn lanes experience a 31.2% increase in total crashes when switching from 24-hour to TOD FYA operation type, while intersections with a single left-turn lane see a 60% decrease in rear-end crashes.

Safety evaluation method in multi-logical scenarios for automated vehicles based on naturalistic driving trajectory

Automated driving technology has constantly been maturing; however, how to ensure automated vehicle (AV) safety has not yet been effectively solved, functional safety assessment remains an important part of the development of automated driving technology. To compensate for the lack of multidimensional evaluation indicators, this paper proposes a safety evaluation method in multi-logical scenarios (SEMMS) for AVs’ functional safety based on naturalistic driving trajectory (NDT) in order to evaluate the comprehensive performance of the tested AV in a diversity of scenarios simultaneously. The potential field method is used to describe the quantified danger level of an AV in a single concrete scenario that considers the dangerous situation of the scenario and AV test results. Combined with the internal probability distribution of the logical scenario parameter space obtained by NDT, the safety performance of an AV in logical scenario is calculated by integrating the two indexes. With the information entropy and relative frequency of different logical scenarios, the relative weights of logical scenarios are obtained, and the safety performance evaluation results of the tested AV in the multi-logical scenarios can be determined based on the weighting danger level in different logical scenarios. During the actual application of the method, the HighD database was used as the input source of NDT, and a black-box automated driving algorithm was subjected to traversal tests in three logical scenarios. The test results of the automated driving algorithm were evaluated using the SEMMS, and the results show that the SEMMS could well evaluate the performance of the tested automated driving algorithm in multiple kinds of logical scenarios simultaneously, indicating that it is an effective solution to the problem of automated driving algorithm safety evaluation.