Assessing and Managing Geologic Hazards in the Appalachian Region of the United States

Author(s):  
Martin P. Derby ◽  
Bailey Theriault

Abstract Geohazards have the potential to adversely affect the operation or integrity of an existing pipeline, or the routing, design, and construction of a proposed pipeline. Identifying, characterizing, evaluating, and if necessary, mitigating and monitoring geologic hazards have become critical steps to successfully and safely building and operating pipelines in the Appalachian Basin region of the United States. The recent, rapid expansion of pipeline construction and operation in the region, along with natural geologic and geographic conditions which are conducive to landsliding and ground subsidence, have resulted in a recent increase in geohazard-related incidences both during and post-construction of pipelines. As such, there is an increasing need to recognize, understand, and closely manage geohazards in this region, prior to, during, and post-construction of pipelines. This paper will provide an overview of essential tools that have proven most useful in this region, to identify, characterize, and ultimately mitigate and monitor potential geohazards. This paper will also provide insight on how to evaluate specific project needs and best-fit approaches and solutions for the project at hand, to reduce the operator’s risk. A case study will be presented from the Appalachian Basin region, including how a phased approach was used to assess and manage geohazards. The phased approach includes (1) Phase I Assessments, which consist of a regional-scale desktop assessment to identify, initially characterize, and qualitatively classify (e.g., low, moderate, high hazards) geohazards; (2) Phase II Assessments, which consist of a non-intrusive ground reconnaissance completed at targeted sites; and (3) Phase III Assessments, which consist of subsurface investigations such as drilling, test pitting, or geophysical surveys to further characterize specific hazards. The information obtained from the phased approach can be used for the design of mitigation and/or monitoring, if deemed necessary. Overall approaches to selecting and utilizing best-fit mitigation and monitoring options, both during and post-construction, fit for the regional conditions and to the individual project, will also be discussed.

Author(s):  
Bailey Theriault ◽  
John Hennessy ◽  
Chris Markley

Abstract Landslides have the potential to adversely affect the integrity of pipelines. Identifying, characterizing, evaluating, and if necessary, mitigating and monitoring landslide hazards have become critical steps to successfully and safely building and operating pipelines in the Appalachian Basin region of the United States. Natural geologic, geographic, and climatic conditions in this region combine to create a high incidence of landslides, with landslide formation and movement often exacerbated by anthropogenic activity. Rapid expansion of pipeline construction and operation in the region, along with the ever-decreasing availability of preferred routing options, have resulted in increased landslide-related pipeline incidences, both during and post-construction. As such, there is an increasing need to identify, characterize, and closely monitor landslide hazards throughout the construction and operational lifespan of each pipeline system. This can prove challenging in an area where a pipeline may be subject to an average of two to five landslides per mile of pipeline, and where new landslide hazards may develop on an annual basis. Typical site-specific monitoring approaches (e.g., strain gauge, inclinometers, monitoring points, etc.) may not be economically feasible to use for all hazards when traversing long distances of such terrain, and such approaches likely do not address the need to identify new hazards that may develop over time (e.g., new or reactivated landslides). Strong monitoring programs should seek to identify and use complimentary technologies to balance out the relative strengths and weaknesses of each. Overdependence on a single or select number of tools could lead to overconfidence and an unnecessary number of false positives and negatives. This paper will provide an overview of monitoring approaches that have proven useful for the long-term monitoring and assessment of high density landslide areas at a system-wide scale, including the use of repeat LiDAR surveys (i.e., LiDAR Change Detection Analysis), in-line inspection (ILI) inertial measurement unit (IMU) data, aerial patrol/reconnaissance, and ground patrol. Case studies will be presented from the Appalachian Basin region, including how monitoring techniques were selected based on specific pipeline system configurations and individual Operator objectives, and how they are being used to track existing hazards and to identify hazards as they develop.


2021 ◽  
Vol 16 (1) ◽  
pp. 15-23
Author(s):  
Hal M. Switkay

We construct a model for the progress of the 2020 coronavirus epidemic in the United States of America, using probabilistic methods rather than the traditional compartmental model. We employ the generalized beta family of distributions, including those supported on bounded intervals and those supported on semi-infinite intervals. We compare the best-fit distributions for daily new cases and daily new deaths in America to the corresponding distributions for United Kingdom, Spain, and Italy. We explore how such a model might be justified theoretically in comparison to the apparently more natural compartmental model. We compare forecasts based on these models to observations, and find the forecasts useful in predicting total pandemic deaths.


2010 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. 59-60
Author(s):  
Edward Chu ◽  
David Cunningham ◽  
David Watkins

Author(s):  
David Damrosch

This chapter discusses the comparatists who reshaped the comparative literature in the United States during the 1950s and 1960s. It mentions Anna Balakian, who became a leading figure in both the American and International Comparative Literature Associations. It also describes Anna and her family's emigration in 1921 from Turkey to western Europe and eventually to the United States. The chapter analyzes how comparatists sought to change the world in the postwar years, a time of rapid expansion in higher education and optimism about America's role in fostering international cooperation and understanding. It also focuses on the need of politics of comparative studies to have a dual focus on institutional politics, a wider political scene, and a postcolonial perspective.


2019 ◽  
Vol 6 (Supplement_2) ◽  
pp. S866-S866
Author(s):  
Andrea R Mantsios ◽  
Miranda Murray ◽  
Tahilin Sanchez Karver ◽  
Wendy Davis ◽  
David Margolis ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Adherence to antiretroviral therapy (ART) to treat HIV remains a critical global health challenge given its relationship with individual health outcomes and population-level transmission. Given barriers associated with oral ART adherence, and considerations of patients’ preferences, long-acting injectable (LA) ART (cabotegravir + rilpivirine) is under development and has been shown to be non-inferior to daily oral ART in Phase III trials. While most of the trial participants have been men, as LA ART gets closer to becoming available for routine clinical use, it is critical to understand how this option is perceived by women. Methods We conducted in-depth interviews with 67 individuals, 53 people living with HIV (PLHIV) and 14 healthcare providers, in 11 sites in the United States and Spain participating in Phase III LA ART trials (ATLAS, ATLAS 2-M and FLAIR). Twenty percent (10/53) of trial participants interviewed were women. Interviews explored patient and provider perspectives and experiences with LA ART, and appropriate candidates and recommendations to support use. Interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed and coded using thematic content analysis. Results Overall, several salient themes emerged regarding participant’s generally positive experiences transitioning from daily oral ART to injectable ART including: the importance of the clinical efficacy of LA ART, the ability to learn to manage injection side-effects over time, and the “freedom” reportedly afforded by LA ART logistically and psychosocially. Women interviewed shared many of the aforementioned positive perceptions of LA ART but also had some unique perspectives. Female participants discussed how LA ART was easier to integrate into their daily lives including managing their multiple roles and responsibilities, which often involved working full-time and taking care of themselves as well as their family and children. Conclusion Similar to all participants, female participants had generally positive views of LA ART. However, the gendered nature of their daily lives also led to some unique perspectives on why and how they were satisfied with LA ART that merits further exploration in future research. Disclosures All authors: No reported disclosures.


2016 ◽  
Vol 1 (4) ◽  
pp. 401-411 ◽  
Author(s):  
Fengyan Zhang

With the rapid expansion of China’s economy, China’s music industries have shown rapid growth, and new companies have entered the marketplace. As these companies have had little pre-existing experience with the music industry—not to mention that music industry is a relatively new concept in China—the expansion has been not only rapid but also disordered and chaotic. One component of a mature music industry are collective rights management or performing rights organizations, which are independent non-profit social organizations that collect license fees on behalf of copyright holders (songwriters, composers, music publishers) and distribute these fees as royalties to members whose works have been performed. In this “In Focus” report, we compare and contrast the state of collective rights management in China, the United States, and Japan. Recognizing that China’s representative, the Music Copyright Society of China, is new to the scene, we should not be terribly surprised that it is lagging behind the other countries. Herein, we cite various areas where improvement is necessary so that China’s collective rights management can be in part with its international peers.


Author(s):  
Nicholas Branic ◽  
Charis E. Kubrin

The rapid expansion and growing pervasiveness of gated communities across the United States in recent decades has made it essential for researchers to consider the implications of this emerging trend for various facets of social life. This chapter analyzes the relationship between gated communities and crime across neighborhoods in Orange County, California, a county with a large number of gated communities and considerable diversity in terms of population demographics and crime rates. It begins by defining gated communities and situating the gated communities–crime relationship within existing scholarship and criminological theories. Next, it describes the data and methodological approach, and presents findings from the analysis. It concludes by discussing the findings within the context of the study’s limitations and identifying some promising new directions for research on gated communities and crime.


2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (8) ◽  
pp. 2292
Author(s):  
White ◽  
Mack ◽  
Harlan ◽  
Krayenhoff ◽  
Georgescu ◽  
...  

The necessity of freshwater for sustaining human life has prompted the development of numerous estimation techniques and metrics for understanding where, when, and why water is used. While estimates are valuable, techniques for estimating water use vary, and may be difficult to replicate and/or unavailable on an annual basis or at the regional scale. To address these drawbacks, this paper proposes a series of regional indices for the continental United States that could serve as proxies for water use that are based on key variables associated with water use. Regional indices at the county level are computed, compared against each other, and compared to water withdrawal estimates from the United States Geological Survey (USGS). These comparisons highlight differences amongst the derived indices and the water withdrawal estimates. They also demonstrate promise for future development and implementation of related indices, given their similarities with water withdrawal estimates. Using only a small set of variables, these indices achieve some degree of similarity (~20%) to estimates of water withdrawals. The comparative data availability and ease of estimating these indices, as well as the ability to decompose the additive indices into their constituent use categories and constituent variables, renders them practically useful to water managers and other decision makers for identification of locally specific drivers of water use and implementation of more geographically-appropriate policies to manage scarce water resources.


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