Urban Explosion Research Articles

Causes of Ammonium Nitrate Explosions and Handling Mechanisms – Case Study of the 2020 Beirut Lebanon Explosion

Ammonium nitrate (AN) is a chemical that is widely used in industry, for example as fertilizer in agriculture, explosives in military and civilian applications (for example in mining) or as a basic ingredient in solid propellants. However, as a dangerous chemical, storing ammonium nitrate can cause problems if not properly. The characteristics of AN have been studied extensively that pure AN is stable at room temperature but can explode when mixed with impurities in a closed space or in the presence of a heat/flame source nearby. This was proven in the explosion disaster at the Port of Beirut, Lebanon in 2020. This article was written using a systematic literature review (SLR) approach, where the data used came from articles published on Google Scholar, DOAJ, Emerald, Springer, and Science Direct with relevant keywords according to the topic. This article aims to evaluate and find out the causes of the ammonium nitrate explosion disaster in Beirut, as well as provide an analysis of suggestions for handling mechanisms so that a similar incident does not happen again. Evaluation of the cause of the explosion at the Port of Beirut, with fire/heat burning down part of the warehouse. An that was stored in a port warehouse mixed with other goods caused a large explosion which was started by a small fire in the warehouse. The explosion caused the death of 220 people, injured 6,500 people, formed a crater 140 meters deep and an earthquake measuring 3.3 on the Richter scale. This explosion is classified as the third most destructive urban explosion of all time, after the atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki at the end of World War II. As a precaution, proper handling and storage of AN is required in accordance with international regulations. To reduce the potential danger of explosions without causing significant risks, this is done through an appropriate disposal mechanism.

Urban explosion and hotspots of forest loss in western Himalaya: Mapping land use/cover change trends since 1975

The Western Himalayan Region (WHR) is under constant threat from Land Use and Land Cover Change (LULCC) brought on by various socioeconomic activities such as urbanization, agricultural expansion, and population growth. Detailed research into the scope of these changes is necessary to comprehend the challenges they represent. This study aimed at (1) examining and quantifying spatiotemporal patterns of LULCC from 1975 to 2015, (2) mapping the hotspots of forest loss, and (3) modelling future LULCC for the year 2055 using medium spatial resolution multispectral satellite imagery (MSS, TM, LISS-I, LISS-III, AWiFS), field data, visual interpretation and logistic regression model in the WHR. Logistic regression integrated various drivers of LULCC, including climatic, topographic, and socio-economic factors and past LULCC trends to forecast potential LULC in the WHR by 2055. The results highlight an outrageous 184% increase in regional urbanization. Expansion of urban and cropland (12%) led to deforestation which reduced the area of natural habitats, specifically forests (−11%), water bodies (−8%) and scrubland (−6%). A significant rise in barren land by 30% was noted, while there was a decrease of 20% in glacier/snow melt. The future projection for 2055 anticipates continuing current trends, emphasizing an intensified urban expansion of 63% and an approximate 9% reduction in overall forest coverage. The accuracy of the predicted 2015 LULC map was assessed using ROC/AUC (Receiver Operating Characteristic/Area under Curve) which was found to be 0.79.

Decreasing Production and Potential Urban Explosion of Nighttime Nitrate Radicals amid Emission Reduction Efforts.

Nighttime oxidation by nitrate (NO3) radicals has important ramifications on nocturnal aerosol formation and hence the climate and human health. Nitrate radicals are produced by the reaction of NO2 and O3. Despite large decreases in anthropogenic emissions of nitrogen oxides (NOx = NO + NO2), a previous study found significant increases in NO3 production (PNO3) from 2014 to 2019 in China, in contrast to decreasing trends in the U.S. and Europe. Using the summer observations from 2014 to 2022, we analyze the interannual variability of nocturnal PNO3 using a systematic framework, in which PNO3 is diagnosed as a function of odd oxygen (Ox = O3 + NO2) and the NO2/O3 ratio. We did not find an increase of PNO3 from 2014 to 2022 in China due to a continuous decrease in the NO2/O3 ratio, although PNO3 is modulated by the variation in Ox. Using in situ observations obtained in Beijing in 2007, we demonstrate the potential for an upsurge resembling an "explosion" in urban nighttime NO3 radicals amid emission reduction efforts.

Water balance trends and sustainability risks in municipalities of the Rio Seco watershed, Colombia

This article proposes some considerations on the relationship between the water balance for five municipalities located in the basin of the Seco river, Alto Magdalena region, and the municipality of Beltrán, Cundinamarca, Colombia, and the risk factors for the sustainability of the water supply to which the communities are exposed. For this purpose, a statistical review was made of official sources that record the historical and current status of the minimum and maximum levels of the annual flows of the tributary, and the exponential growth of the population in the region. Risk factors were documented based on direct observation, focus groups and interviews with social and institutional actors. In some municipalities the balance is unfavorable due to factors such as extractivism and the urban explosion, while in others the sustainability of the supply depends on the construction of infrastructure to guarantee the supply in dry weather.

Much ado about nothing: alley life, dwelling ethics, and environmentalism of life in Taiwan

ABSTRACT This article examines alley life in three Taiwanese cities, demonstrating that the investigation and interpretation of those mundane everyday practices and events in these alley-places lead us to think about the ethics of everyday dwelling. This ethics, though mostly forgotten now in the Taiwanese public realm, was actually the center of attention in the 1990s when a concept was proposed about urban environmentalism that is significantly different from the current public perception of it. This form of environmentalism related to a new momentum for placemaking that was happening at that time nearly three decades ago and propagated across the island and into its alleys during the new millennium. Delving into alley places, this article shows how ordinary landscapes of proximity have turned into extraordinary lifeworlds for dwelling. To materialize this dwelling imaginary, this paper first addresses theories that seek to spatialize culture in order to identify these unexpected lifeworlds in their ordinary urban settings. Theorizing those tiny little places, often hidden in plain sight, brings back to the attention of researchers what I call dwelling ethics that characterizes quotidian judgments, choices, decisions, as well as its consequences. This paper concludes that conceptualizing dwelling ethics in the contemporary circumstance of urban explosion provides a baseline for the idea of environmentalism of life through which a critique of everyday life becomes possible.

Urban Africa 2050: Imagining Theological Education/Formation for Flourishing African Cities

Africa’s staggering rate of urbanization and the silence of religion or theology in response form the backdrop of this article. Africa’s urban futures, up through 2050, are considered through the lenses of fifteen African cities and theological institutions in these cities. I employ a set of research questions, seeking to contribute theologically to a body of knowledge known as African urbanism. The article imagines theological education/formation in response to Africa’s urban explosion through exploring flourishing cities as an organizing imaginary, but also through outlining concrete embodiments and prospects for reimagining theological education/formation in African cities.

IGiS FOR MANAGING CITIES SMARTLY – URBAN GEOINFORMATICS

Abstract. A city is a geographic entity and should be efficiently analysed and optimised through the use of geo-spatial technology. The certification for a city to be ‘Smart’ is measured on the basis of the liveable index, adequacy of water supply, assured supply of electricity, proper sanitation and solid waste management, efficient urban mobility, public transport, affordable housing, robust information technology connectivity, transparent and good governance, safety and security of citizens, modernised health and education infrastructure and citizen participation which will lead to sustainable development. Smart Cities require a perfect balancing of modernisation of city infrastructure and leveraging technology. Smart cities require Geo-smart mapping and visualization capabilities with applications for protecting groundwater resources, locating schools and health centres, locating garbage dumps and toilets, designing bus routes. The indigenously developed integrated platform of GIS, Image Processing, Photogrammetry and CAD, called IGiS has been leveraged by Scanpoint Geomatics Limited, Ahmedabad (SGL), India for implementing the Enterprise GIS for 7 smart cities in India. A centralised geo spatial database with a standard data model compliant set of maps/layers has been created for each city. The spatial layers are derived from 30cm resolution satellite data. Point data (locational information) is generated using DGPS surveys. The city assets are geographically mapped at a scale of 1:2000 and organised in a spatial database. Inputs required for operations and maintenance of every utility/facility are geo tagged and stored in the database. Web & Mobile GIS applications & Citizen portal are developed using the indigenous platform. Integration with other e-governance applications and spatial layer requirements of the Integrated Command and Control Centre are supported through RestAPI & OGC compliant web services. SGL’s Mobile GIS framework named Qpad comes handy for spatial data verification. IoT devices are used to gain insights for real-time handling of critical situations or emergencies. Having laid the foundation for driving smart cities in terms of the spatial database at a scale of 1:2000, the stage is set to look forward to the results. Plugging revenue leakages, better traffic management, information at a click during peak of the Corona pandemic, effective usage of open spaces and barren areas, planning the utility requirements by the corporation to accommodate for the urban explosion is the kind of harvest that is anticipated with abated breath. This paper demonstrates the suitability and capability of the indigenously developed common platform for image processing and GIS (IGiS Enterprise Suite) in building Smart City Applications and quantifying the results.

The Beirut Port Explosion Injuries and Lessons Learned: Results of the Beirut Blast Assessment for Surgical Services (BASS) Multicenter Study.

This multicenter study aims to describe the injury patterns, emergency management and outcomes of the blast victims, recognize the gaps in hospital disaster preparedness, and identify lessons to be learned. On August 4th, 2020, the city of Beirut, Lebanon suffered the largest urban explosion since Hiroshima and Nagasaki, resulting in hundreds of deaths and thousands of injuries. All injured patients admitted to four of the largest Beirut hospitals within 72 hours of the blast, including those who died on arrival or in the emergency department (ED), were included. Medical records were systematically reviewed for: patient demographics and comorbidities; injury severity and characteristics; prehospital, ED, operative, and inpatient interventions; and outcomes at hospital discharge. Lessons learned are also shared. An estimated total of 1818 patients were included, of which 30 died on arrival or in the ED and 315 were admitted to the hospital. Among admitted patients, the mean age was 44.7 years (range: 1 week-93 years), 44.4% were female, and the median injury severity score (ISS) was 10 (5, 17). ISS was inversely related to the distance from the blast epicenter (r = --0.18, P = 0.035). Most injuries involved the upper extremities (53.7%), face (42.2%), and head (40.3%). Mildly injured (ISS <9) patients overwhelmed the ED in the first 2 hours; from hour 2 to hour 8 post-injury, the number of moderately, severely, and profoundly injured patients increased by 127%, 25% and 17%, respectively. A total of 475 operative procedures were performed in 239 patients, most commonly soft tissue debridement or repair (119 patients, 49.8%), limb fracture fixation (107, 44.8%), and tendon repair (56, 23.4%). A total of 11 patients (3.5%) died during the hospitalization, 56 (17.8%) developed at least 1 complication, and 51 (16.2%) were discharged with documented long-term disability. Main lessons learned included: the importance of having key hospital functions (eg, laboratory, operating room) underground; the nonadaptability of electronic medical records to disasters; the ED overwhelming with mild injuries, delay in arrival of the severely injured; and the need for realistic disaster drills. We, therefore, describe the injury patterns, emergency flow and trauma outcome of patients injured in the Beirut port explosion. The clinical and system-level lessons learned can help prepare for the next disaster.

Chronicles of an Emergency Medicine Resident in Lebanon.

Residency is expected to be a long and difficult road. When living in Lebanon, however, this path can be even more demanding. This reflection is my story, an Emergency Medicine Resident at the American University of Beirut Medical Center living in Lebanon. In this essay, I narrate how I experienced the past two years in Lebanon from protests, to an economic collapse, to a massive urban explosion and a pandemic. This narrative is a reflection on the challenges experienced as both an Emergency Medicine resident and a Lebanese citizen working in these settings.

On the Urgency of a Cunning Politics

On the Urgency of a Cunning Politics

Water Management Policies in Cameroon: Interference Through Technology Transfer

Water is an indispensable resource for human life and for social and economic development. But Oswaldo de Rivero (2003) notes that ninety-seven percent of all water on the planet is salty, only 3% is fresh and three-quarters of it is concentrated in inaccessible places such as the polar regions and glaciers. Therefore, only a small fraction of the earth's water is fresh and accessible in rivers, lakes and groundwater. According to international hydrological studies carried out by the United Nations and the Stockholm Environment Institute, this small fraction is declining and by 2025, two-thirds of the world's population will be affected by water shortages due to the decrease in the earth's hydraulic cycle caused by the urban population explosion. The search for a balance between population growth and vital resources such as water has a pride of place in the MDGs, which show that disparities in access to water are high, particularly in Sub-Saharan Africa, and require the pooling of all energies. In Cameroon, the resurgence of endemic water-borne diseases prompted the government to set up a drinking water supply system known as the "Scandinave Water Project." This article attempts to describe the water management policies that eventually led to the re-emergence of water-related diseases. The data for this study were collected between 2006-2009 as part of doctoral studies. This collection is still going on in other localities of the country. This reflection is based on two theoretical approaches: The sociology of knowledge, which, according to David le Breton (2004), strives to identify laws that escape agents carried away by the weight of their class habitus. Knowledge is then viewed as a conquest, an enterprise 'against,' where it is a question of forcing the agent give up a conduct whose motivation he does not know. Science then brings out the hidden, the unknowing, it is an illumination, the revelation of obscure laws of operation to those who live them. Then comes pragmatism, an empirical theory of knowledge of which Widmer (1968) is one of the representatives. The relevance of this theory is measured by its consequences on reality. Pragmatism rehabilitates knowledge as it participates in the mutual construction of the world and brings about changes. The failure of this water supply project is above all the non-involvement of the populations and the lack of communication.

Natural Resources, Urbanisation, Economic Growth and the Ecological Footprint in South Africa: The Moderating Role of Human Capital

Abstract South Africa is the largest emitter of CO2 and arguably the most developed and urbanised country in Africa. The country currently harbours an ecological deficit territory which could be the outcome of economic expansion, urban explosion, unsustainable resource exploration and a low level of human development. After all, environmental distortions are mainly the outcome of human activities. This study is a maiden attempt to examine the linkage between urbanisation, human capital, natural resources (NR) and the ecological footprint (EF) in South Africa. Unlike previous studies, this study employs positivist and relevant environmental indicators that accommodate built-up land, forest land, carbon footprint, ocean, grazing land and cropland. Findings from the long-run results suggest that urbanisation, economic growth and NR increase the EF, whereas human capital ensures environmental sustainability. The interaction between urbanisation and human capital mitigates environmental degradation by reducing the EF. The canonical cointegrating regression (CCR), dynamic ordinary least squares (DOLS) and the fully modified ordinary least squares (FMOLS) results further confirm the nature of the relationships and linkages existing with respect to NR, urbanisation, economic growth and the EF. A bidirectional causality exists between human capital, economic growth and the EF. Policies related to NR and urban sustainability, the limitations of the study, as well as possible directions for future research are discussed.

Theological education and African cities: an imperative for action

Africa’s urban explosion presents a clear challenge to the way we do theological education in Africa today. The backdrop of this article is a collaborative research project that involved 15 theological institutions across the African continent, contemplating what theological education and formation should look like, considering Africa’s current and future urban realities. It proposes paradigmatic shifts in theological education, grounded in thorough conceptual and hermeneutical self-critique. It explores various approaches to urbanizing theological curricula, and concludes with a call for a new kind of African urban apostolate.

The Allure of the Watts Rebellion

The urban neighborhoods of Los Angeles, California, specifically concerning the African-American populations of South Central and Watts, have attained reputations of danger, poverty, and discomfort from the rebellious events conducted by its citizens in 1965: due to an urban explosion from years of societal abuse and disregard. This paper is formulated to combat such notions through a positive lens, which will accolade these neighborhoods and the efforts of constructing new spheres of healing and love in their communities. It is imperative to reframe the historical prevalence of the consistently negative image of African-American Los Angeles; Too many historians have adopted the trope of a traumatically damaged and hopeless inner city. Despite the familiar historical takes that hint toward the downfall of these black urban hubs after the Watts Rebellion, this study will instead take advantage of the absence of highlighted initiatives by artistic communities to which will be uncovered in this paper. The compilation, interpretation, and analysis of contextual histories as well as the construction of a primary source collection, the likes of what Kelly Lytle Hernandez would call a “rebel archive,”[1]will provide a different historical route in discussing the cultural boom in this region after the rebellion. The definition of Hernandez’ “rebel archive” is uncovered in this paper while recognizing artists like Noah Purifoy and the poetic conglomerate of the Watts Prophets. This paper will proceed to survey the lasting effects of the art created by these groups along with some mention to continuously visible communal organizations that permeate the nurturing of Watts through art and culture after the Rebellion.&#x0D; &#x0D; [1] Hernandez, Kelly Lytle. City of Inmates: Conquest, Rebellion, and the Rise of Human Caging in Los Angeles,v1771-1965. Justice, Power, and Politics. 2017.

The Potential of Urban Transformation of the City Radial Route in Bratislava, Slovakia

The city, as a stratified urban structure, spread over time and in social coordinates, has its solid and spatial substance for the life of its inhabitants and visitors. The wider city center continues from the central city zone to the peripheral and often developing parts of the city. As a rule, ballast, uncoordinated and disarranged urban structures are usually increasing in this area. The urban explosion in the 20th century has caused oversized systems of housing estates, industrial zones, traffic lines and nodes in cities, forgetting quality, scale, functionality, and beauty. The transformation of these territories is first and foremost a question of a proper understanding of the compositional, social, ecological and economic issues and principles of the sites. Bratislava, due to the terrain morphology, developed further from the center along several main urban radial routes. The Bratislava Eastern Axis, formed by the Ružinov City Radial, binds to itself the entire transport structure of the Bratislava city part - Ružinov, its nodal spaces, major amenities (culture house, the marketplace, sports facilities, etc.), brownfield sites, parks and residential zones in a regular geometric grid. The urban and green changes in Ružinov have been studied, in relation to the main nodes and the main pedestrian lines, as well as the potential for optimal intensification and transformation of the territory, through strengthening the identity of the housing estates by the involvement of the memorable locations such as lakes, marketplace, hospital or linear park of Andrej Hlinka. Such changes are shown in the case studies of Bratislava - Ružinov on its axis in the locality of the market place Miletičova, Papánkovo Square and industrial zone Pošne. The emphasis on pedestrian and public spaces, the vitality, and identity of urban areas, the strengthening of blue and green infrastructure and the ecological principles of residential courtyards are possible only in the context of a lively society of the housing estates, dialogue and implementation of transformations with residents and local governments.

Determinants of Farmland Abandonment on the Urban\u2013Rural Fringe

China’s urban explosion has resulted in a substantial loss of agricultural production on the fringes of many cities. Farmland is not only converted into urban uses but also taken out of production because it has lost its value for those who can farm it. This farmland abandonment process has received little research attention. This paper studies the abandonment of farmland around the rapidly urbanizing city of Wuhan and aims to identify its important determinants based on an extensive field survey among local farmers. Around 800 semi-structured field interviews were conducted to capture the parcel and location characteristics, farming practices, and household characteristics. Important parcel-related drivers of land abandonment are lack of family members to work the land and fragmentation of parcels. Spatial characteristics are less important, except for the presence of certain soil types that favour cultivation and designation under the farmland protection policy. The planted crop species and the option to transfer land to other farmers are important farming practices to continue cultivation. Moreover, farmers with a higher farming income and lower education levels are less likely to abandon their farmland. We suggest that land use policies can help in preventing further farmland abandonment by steering urban development away from the most suitable soils for farming and concentrating development to limit the fragmentation of parcels. Strengthening the land market and removing the remaining barriers for farmers to transfer land to colleagues can further help to keep farmland in production.

Habitat between density and urban growth: The urban living in the Asian Megacities

Urban growth and urban population are the most important issues to consider for sustainable planning and urban design for this century. The problem requires a general understanding on the global scale, considering rapid urbanization as a result of the dynamics of immigration from rural to urban areas. Since the 1950s, cities never seized to grow and we are living not in the city or in a metropolitan area, but in mega-urban areas or megacities, where the population is more than tens of millions of people. In the contemporary urban environment, more than half of the entire population live in Urban areas, which can be considered an urban explosion. The research and the studies focus on Asian Cities because of their importance. Their unique context and vast area are interesting assets to understand the network in between and the future balance with the rest of the planet. On the vision of the next urban future, if we are looking at the map of the megacities in 2030, 2050 and 2100, high concentration, large urban areas and high population density will be in that region.

Urbanization and Urban Sprawl Issues in City Structure: A Case of the Sulaymaniah Iraqi Kurdistan Region

This novel study explores the driving forces and dynamics of rapid urbanization, highlighting the main causes and effects of urban explosion, environmental disruption, and city pattern transformation. This study was carried out that how urbanization and urban sprawl have influenced the structure of the city of Sulaymaniah in Kurdistan region of Iraq. This is because over the years many urban areas have experienced dramatic growth and population explosion that has resulted in the exhaustion of social amenities in the concerned communities. For this purpose, a qualitative method is used based on in-depth face-to-face interviews with local authority, including planners, architects, and experts of master planning, as well as professors in the academic institutions. This study also utilizes extensive document analysis to present the evolution of urban growth. The findings reveal that the autonomy, political conflict, non-implementation of master plans, and economic prosperity are the driving forces which are accelerating this urbanization process. It is proposed that the practical policies and strategic urban development plans are urgent requirement to control the unplanned urban growth and stimulate the desired sustainable future urban development.

Africa’s future: Demarginalizing urban agriculture in the era of climate change

Africans are migrating to cities. With the continent’s cities projected to double in population by 2050, the issue of food insecurity in urban areas is increasingly becoming a major concern. To sustain this urban explosion, the question of how to maintain constant food supply to urban residents remains an urgent priority since these locations do not always get access to adequate food. There has, however, been little work on examining urban agriculture (UA) as an alternative means of reducing hunger in Africa, especially in the face of climate change. Some city authorities have argued that UA must be shifted to rural areas since they constitute a public health nuisance. The paper, however, is based on the hypothesis that food production in locations with high demands mitigates against climate change and addresses Africa’s food insecurities by exploiting new avenues for cultivation. To this end, an extensive literature review was conducted, resulting in the identification of different degrees of opposition from policy-makers and urban authorities, who usually underrate the actual contribution and value of UA to urban food security. It is recommended that considering the increasing recognition of urban farming, planners and policymakers must collectively design interventions to enhance urban food production.

Are cities resilient?

This paper first argues that the driving force behind the aggregation of human settlement, throughout the centuries, has been the ever-increasing need for collective problem solving. Villages and cities have emerged in ‘dissipative flow structures' in which organization (information processing capacity) spread out from cities into their hinterland, enabing energy and other resources to increasingly flow into cities to meet the needs of the population. Information processing is thus the driver of urbanization, and energy is the constraint. With the Industrial Revolution, the growth of such dissipative flow structures accelerated very rapidly due to the fact that fossil energy became available and lifted the constraint. Hence the urban explosion of the last couple of centuries. In the second part of the paper, some of the potential consequences of this explosion are discussed. First, whether the ever accelerating increase of global urbanization will continue or not, and then what might be the consequences of that acceleration for urban planning and architecture, emphasizing that cities need to become pro-active rather than re-active. They need to start designing for change rather than responding to it. In a final section we discuss some of the risks to urbanization that are posed by the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Revolution, and conclude with a suggestion how, in developed countries, information technology might reverse the trend to increasing concentration of the population in cities, whereas for the moment, this is not likely to be the case in developing countries.