scholarly journals Risk Assessment of Rock Falls Released from the Former Quarry Near Spitz (Austria)

Geosciences ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (11) ◽  
pp. 432
Author(s):  
Rainer Poisel ◽  
Nikolaus Hoedlmoser ◽  
Bernhard Grasemann

In the former quarry near Spitz an der Donau (Austria), many rockfalls have occurred during operation as well as after closure. They have endangered a railway, the Wachau bicycle route, an important road, and the left Danube riverbank. Thus, future detachment scenarios were investigated and, in addition, weather and occurrence statistics were analyzed to determine the occurrence probabilities of these scenarios. Simulations of possible future rockslides were performed using the Distinct Element Code 3DEC in order to estimate the damage caused by these events. Based on these results, the risks of the scenarios were calculated according to the definition of risk as the product of damage and occurrence probability. By this means, the profitability of mitigation measures (e.g., a massive retaining structure fixed to the ground by bored piles) can be evaluated.

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
José M. Pascual ◽  
Ruth Prieto

Classifying CPs within the overly vague, uninformative category “suprasellar” prevents gaining any true insight regarding the risks associated with the surgical procedure employed. Routine MRI obtained with conventional T1- and T2-weighted sequences along the midsagittal and coronal trans-infundibular planes allow an accurate and reliable preoperative definition of CP topography. CPs developing primarily within the infundibulum and/or tuberal region of the hypothalamus, as well as those wholly located within the 3V, should be distinguished preoperatively from those lesions originally expanding beneath the 3V floor (3VF), the true suprasellar tumors. Among adult patients, about 40% of CPs correspond to infundibulo-tuberal tumors expanding primarily within the 3VF, above an intact pituitary gland and stalk. This subgroup of CPs shows strong adherences to the surrounding hypothalamus, as they are embedded within a wide band of reactive gliotic tissue, usually infiltrated by microscopic finger-like solid cords of tumor tissue. In elderly patients, a significant proportion of CPs correspond to papillary tumors developing above an intact 3VF, usually showing small pedicle-like or sessile-like attachments to the infundibulum. With the current diagnostic MRI workup routinely employed for CPs, it is possible, for the majority of lesions, to preoperatively differentiate these topographical variants and predict the type of CP-hypothalamus relationship that will be found during surgery.


Geosciences ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (4) ◽  
pp. 158
Author(s):  
Didier Hantz ◽  
Jordi Corominas ◽  
Giovanni B. Crosta ◽  
Michel Jaboyedoff

There is an increasing need for quantitative rockfall hazard and risk assessment that requires a precise definition of the terms and concepts used for this particular type of landslide. This paper suggests using terms that appear to be the most logic and explicit as possible and describes methods to derive some of the main hazards and risk descriptors. The terms and concepts presented concern the rockfall process (failure, propagation, fragmentation, modelling) and the hazard and risk descriptors, distinguishing the cases of localized and diffuse hazards. For a localized hazard, the failure probability of the considered rock compartment in a given period of time has to be assessed, and the probability for a given element at risk to be impacted with a given energy must be derived combining the failure probability, the reach probability, and the exposure of the element. For a diffuse hazard that is characterized by a failure frequency, the number of rockfalls reaching the element at risk per unit of time and with a given energy (passage frequency) can be derived. This frequency is relevant for risk assessment when the element at risk can be damaged several times. If it is not replaced, the probability that it is impacted by at least one rockfall is more relevant.


2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (13) ◽  
pp. 5426
Author(s):  
Donghui Chen ◽  
Huie Chen ◽  
Wen Zhang ◽  
Chun Tan ◽  
Zhifa Ma ◽  
...  

The failure mechanism analysis of dam foundations is key for designing hydropower stations. This study analyses the rock masses in a sluice section, which is an important part of the main dam of the Datengxia Hydropower Station currently built in China. The stability of the sluice rock masses is predominantly affected by gentle through-going soft interlayers and steep structural fractures. Its foundation failure mechanism is investigated by means of a numerical method, i.e., Universal Distinct Element Code (UDEC) and the geomechanical model method. The modeling principle and process, and results for the rock dam foundation are introduced and generated by using the abovementioned two methods. The results indicate that the failure mechanism of the foundation rock masses, as characterized by gentle through-going and steep structural discontinuities, is not a conventional type of shear failure mechanism but a buckling one. This type of failure mechanism is verified by analyzing the deformation features resulting from the overloading of both methods and strength reduction of the numerical method.


2017 ◽  
Vol 23 (1) ◽  
pp. 22-38 ◽  
Author(s):  
Charles Teye Amoatey ◽  
Samuel Famiyeh ◽  
Peter Andoh

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to assess the critical risk factors affecting mining projects in Ghana. Design/methodology/approach A purposive sampling approach was used in selecting the respondents for the study. These were practitioners working on mining projects in Ghana. Findings The study identified 22 risk factors contributing to mining project failure in Ghana. The five most critical mining project risk factors based on both probability of occurrence and impact were unstable commodity prices, inflation/exchange rate, land degradation, high cost of living and government bureaucracy for obtaining licenses. Mitigation measures for addressing the identified risk factors were identified. Research limitations/implications This paper is limited to data collected from practitioners working on mining projects. Due to geographic and logistical constraints, the study did not include the perception of local communities in quantifying the risk factors. Practical implications This paper has documented the critical risk factor affecting the mining industry in Ghana. Though the identified risk types are also prevalent in other sectors of the construction industry, the key findings of this paper emphasize the need for a comprehensive risk management culture in the mining sector. From an academic research perspective, the paper contributes to a conceptual risk assessment framework. Originality/value The information gathered through this research can be utilized in identifying and understanding risks during the early stages of mining project implementation.


2020 ◽  
Vol 2 (10) ◽  
pp. 158-168
Author(s):  
Svitlana Shevchenko ◽  
Yuliia Zhdanovа ◽  
Svitlana Spasiteleva ◽  
Pavlo Skladannyi

This article examines the problem of implementing active teaching methods for students majoring in 125 Cybersecurity. The study of qualitative analysis of information security risks (IS) is presented on the example of studying the discipline "Risk Theory", namely the use of SWOT-analysis tools for risk assessment in the field of IS of small and medium business. General relevance and possibilities of using SWOT-analysis in the field of IS risk to study the internal environment of the organization, its strengths and weaknesses with the definition of enterprise strategies in the external environment: confronting threats to secure information (confidentiality, availability and integrity), and other its development. Based on scientific sources, the main research of the definition is analyzed: IS risks, risk analysis and their quality assessment. The content and procedure of SWOT-analysis are described. Using forms of group work and active methods (trainings) in the educational process, the basic factors for SWOT-analysis of the virtual organization "Internet Provider" were created, methodical expert assessments were conducted to identify the primary features of these factors, the analysis of the results was obtained.It is proved that the introduction of this technology in the educational process promotes the development of theoretical knowledge and the formation and development of practical skills of future specialists in information and cyber security


Author(s):  
Otto Huisman ◽  
Ricardo Almandoz ◽  
Thomas Schuster ◽  
Adriana Andrade Caballero ◽  
Leonardo Martinez Forero

Pipeline risk analysis is a common step carried out by operators in their overall Pipeline Integrity Management Process. There is a growing realization among operators of the need to adopt more proactive risk management approaches. This has brought about increased demand for more quantitative models to support risk reduction decision-making. Consequences of failure are a key component of these models where enhanced quantitative approaches can be deployed. Impacts to the environment and upon populations are key issues which both operators and regulatory bodies seek to minimize. Pipeline risk models and High Consequence Area (HCA) analyses play an increasingly important role in this context by allowing operators to identify a range of potential scenarios and the relative impact to receptors based upon the best available data sources. This paper presents the process and results of an HCA analysis project carried out by ROSEN for a major South American state-owned pipeline operator (hereafter referred to as ‘the Client’). This analysis was implemented using automated GIS processing methods and includes HCA analyses for approximately 2354 km of pipeline. The analysis was based on industry standards for both liquid and gas pipelines (i.e. American Petroleum Institute (API) and American Society of mechanical Engineers (ASME)), but customized for the specific needs of the Client and the South American geographical context. A key use for the results of this analysis is to serve as input for the pipeline risk assessment model jointly developed by ROSEN Integrity Solutions, MACAW Engineering and the Client. The methodology for development of this model is briefly discussed, and operational uses of HCA results are illustrated. The benefits of this project include, but are not limited to, identifying areas that could be severely impacted should a pipeline failure occur, being able to assess the risk profile of credible threats in HCAs, but also being able to prioritize preventative and mitigation measures at HCAs to either reduce the likelihood of failure or the impact of failure upon various receptors.


2018 ◽  
Vol 18 (7) ◽  
pp. 1867-1890 ◽  
Author(s):  
Léonidas Nibigira ◽  
Hans-Balder Havenith ◽  
Pierre Archambeau ◽  
Benjamin Dewals

Abstract. This paper investigates the possible formation of a landslide dam on the Kanyosha River near Bujumbura, the capital of Burundi, as well as the interplay between the breaching of this landslide dam and the flooding along the river. We present an end-to-end analysis, ranging from the origin of the landslide up to the computation of flood waves induced by the dam breaching. The study includes three main steps. First, the mass movement site was investigated with various geophysical methods that allowed us to build a general 3-D model and detailed 2-D sections of the landslide. Second, this model was used for dynamic landslide process modelling with the Universal Distinct Element Code. The results showed that a 15 m high landslide dam may form on the river. Finally, a 2-D hydraulic model was set up to find out the consequences of the breaching of the landslide dam on flooding along the river, especially in an urban area located downstream. Based on 2-D maps of maximum water depth, flow velocity and wave propagation time, the results highlight that neglecting the influence of such landslide dams leads to substantial underestimation of flood intensity in the downstream area.


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