scholarly journals Performance-Based Planning to Reduce Flooding Vulnerability Insights from the Case of Turin (North-West Italy)

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (10) ◽  
pp. 5697
Author(s):  
Stefano Salata ◽  
Silvia Ronchi ◽  
Carolina Giaimo ◽  
Andrea Arcidiacono ◽  
Giulio Gabriele Pantaloni
Keyword(s):  
Urban Areas ◽  
Risk Mitigation ◽  
Climate Change Impacts ◽  
Mitigation Strategies ◽  
Decision Makers ◽  
Revision Process ◽  
North West ◽  
Run Off ◽  
Flooding Risk

Climate change impacts urban areas with greater frequency and exposes continental cities located on floodplains to extreme cloudbursts events. This scenario requires developing specific flooding vulnerability mitigation strategies that improve local knowledge of flood-prone areas at the urban scale and supersede the traditional hazard approach based on the classification of riverine buffers. Moreover, decision-makers need to adopt performance-based strategies for contrasting climate changes and increasing the resilience of the system. This research develops the recent Flooding Risk Mitigation model of InVEST (Integrated Evaluation of Ecosystem Services and Trade-off), where cloudburst vulnerability results from the soil’s hydrological conductivity. It is based on the assumption that during cloudburst events, all saturated soils have the potential for flooding, regardless of the distance to rivers or channels, causing damage and, in the worst cases, victims. The model’s output gives the run-off retention index evaluated in the catchment area of Turin (Italy) and its neighborhoods. We evaluated the outcome to gain specific insight into potential land use adaptation strategies. The index is the first experimental biophysical assessment developed in this area, and it could prove useful in the revision process of the general town plan underway.

scholarly journals Mathematical Modeling of spatial disease variables by Spatial Fuzzy Logic for Spatial Decision Support Systems

2014 ◽  
Vol XL-8 ◽  
pp. 213-220 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Platz ◽  
J. Rapp ◽  
M. Groessler ◽  
E. Niehaus ◽  
A. Babu ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Fuzzy Logic ◽  
Decision Support ◽  
Open Source ◽  
Risk Mitigation ◽  
Measure Theory ◽  
Mitigation Strategies ◽  
Decision Makers ◽  
Topological Spaces ◽  
Spatial Decision Support System ◽  
Spatial Decision Support

A Spatial Decision Support System (SDSS) provides support for decision makers and should not be viewed as replacing human intelligence with machines. Therefore it is reasonable that decision makers are able to use a feature to analyze the provided spatial decision support in detail to crosscheck the digital support of the SDSS with their own expertise. Spatial decision support is based on risk and resource maps in a Geographic Information System (GIS) with relevant layers e.g. environmental, health and socio-economic data. Spatial fuzzy logic allows the representation of spatial properties with a value of truth in the range between 0 and 1. Decision makers can refer to the visualization of the spatial truth of single risk variables of a disease. Spatial fuzzy logic rules that support the allocation of limited resources according to risk can be evaluated with measure theory on topological spaces, which allows to visualize the applicability of this rules as well in a map. Our paper is based on the concept of a spatial fuzzy logic on topological spaces that contributes to the development of an adaptive Early Warning And Response System (EWARS) providing decision support for the current or future spatial distribution of a disease. It supports the decision maker in testing interventions based on available resources and apply risk mitigation strategies and provide guidance tailored to the geo-location of the user via mobile devices. The software component of the system would be based on open source software and the software developed during this project will also be in the open source domain, so that an open community can build on the results and tailor further work to regional or international requirements and constraints. A freely available <i>EWARS Spatial Fuzzy Logic Demo</i> was developed wich enables a user to visualize risk and resource maps based on individual data in several data formats.

scholarly journals Characterization of site conditions in Greece for realistic seismic ground motion simulations: Pilot application in urban areas

2016 ◽  
Vol 47 (3) ◽  
pp. 1148
Author(s):  
A. Kiratzi ◽  
N. Klimis ◽  
N. Theodoulidis ◽  
V. Margaris ◽  
K. Makra ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Case Studies ◽  
Urban Areas ◽  
Soil Column ◽  
Decision Makers ◽  
Site Classification ◽  
Site Conditions ◽  
First Results ◽  
Geological Map

We present the structure and first results of the "Thales" project on site classification in Greece. The aim of the project is twofold: to develop and present a methodology for the characterization and classification of site conditions based on their geological, geomorphological and geophysical characteristics and to apply the proposed methodology to case studies in Greece, including the urban areas of Xanthi, Edessa and Grevena. In particular, the units described on a surficial geological map will be correlated to shear-wave velocity data, corresponding to the upper 30m (Vs30) of the soil column, aiming to produce first order maps to help practitioners and provide the tools to realistically predict ground motions triggered by an earthquake. The classification will be based on information provided by borehole logs, where velocity profiles were measured and will be validated using the three case studies. The outcome of the project will be usable by national agencies and decision makers for urban planning. 

scholarly journals Contemporary design, operation, and monitoring of potable reuse systems

2014 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-7 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. E. Drewes ◽  
S. J. Khan
Keyword(s):  
Drinking Water ◽  
Risk Mitigation ◽  
Climate Change Impacts ◽  
Mitigation Strategies ◽  
Treated Wastewater ◽  
Source Control ◽  
Potable Reuse ◽  
Monitoring Strategies ◽  
De Facto Reuse ◽  
Fail Safe

Water scarcity driven by population growth, lack of conventional supplies, and climate change impacts have resulted in increasing interest worldwide in drinking water augmentation using treated wastewater effluents. Potable reuse can occur indirect or direct, but is also practiced in many places as ‘de facto reuse’, where upstream wastewater discharge occurs to drinking water supplies. With this increasing recognition of potable reuse, there is very limited guidance and standardization for proper design and operation of potable reuse schemes that is protective of public health. This study provided guidance on contemporary approaches for the design, operation, and monitoring of potable reuse schemes, including source water characterization and source control approaches; linking water quality treatment performance goals to health risks; risk mitigation strategies including the design principles of multiple barriers for microbial and chemical contaminants; assessing system reliability and fail-safe design approaches; and, finally, monitoring strategies for process performance and compliance.

scholarly journals How to Account for the Human Motion to Improve Flood Risk Assessment in Urban Areas

Water ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (5) ◽  
pp. 1316 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gabriele Bernardini ◽  
Enrico Quagliarini
Keyword(s):  
Flood Risk ◽  
Urban Areas ◽  
Risk Mitigation ◽  
Simulation Models ◽  
Human Motion ◽  
Mitigation Strategies ◽  
Linear Regression Models ◽  
Evacuation Simulation ◽  
Simplified Approach ◽  
Safety Issues

Floods are critical disasters affecting urban areas and their users. Interactions with floodwater spreading and built environment features influence the users’ reaction to the emergency, especially during immediate disaster phases (i.e., evacuation). Recent studies tried to define simulation models to evaluate such exposure-related criticalities, assess individuals’ flood risk, and propose risk-mitigation strategies aimed at supporting the community’s proper response. Although they generally include safety issues (e.g., human body stability), such tools usually adopt a simplified approach to individuals’ motion representation in floodwaters, i.e., using input from non-specialized databases and models. This study provides general modelling approaches to estimate evacuation speed variations depending on individual’s excitement (walking, running), floodwaters depths and individuals’ features (age, gender, height, average speed on dry surfaces). The proposed models prefer a normalized evacuation speeds approach in respect of minimum motion constraint conditions to extend their applicability depending on the individuals’ characteristics. Speed data from previous experiments are organized using linear regression models. Results confirm how individuals’ speed reduces when depth and age increase. The most significant models are discussed to be implemented in evacuation simulation models to describe the evacuees’ motion in floodwaters with different confidence degree levels and then assess the community’s flood risk and risk-reduction strategies effectiveness.

scholarly journals Optimization of Coastal Protections in the Presence of Climate Change

2021 ◽  
Vol 3 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yuki Miura ◽  
Philip C. Dinenis ◽  
Kyle T. Mandli ◽  
George Deodatis ◽  
Daniel Bienstock
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Sea Level Rise ◽  
Sea Level ◽  
Urban Areas ◽  
Optimal Solution ◽  
Climate Change Impacts ◽  
Complex Problem ◽  
Mitigation Strategies ◽  
Protective Measure ◽  
Protective Measures

It is generally acknowledged that interdependent critical infrastructure in coastal urban areas is constantly threatened by storm-induced flooding. Due to changing climate effects, such as sea level rise (SLR), the occurrence of catastrophic events will be more frequent and may trigger an increased likelihood of severe hazards. Planning a protective measure or mitigation strategy is a complex problem given the constraints that it must fit within a prescribed and limited fiscal budget and be beneficial to the community it protects both socially and economically. This article proposes a methodology for optimizing protective measures and mitigation strategies for interdependent infrastructures subjected to storm-induced flooding and climate change impacts such as SLR. Optimality is defined in this methodology as a maximum reduction in overall expected losses within a prescribed budget (compared to the expected losses in the case of doing nothing for protection/mitigation). Protective measures can include seawalls, barriers, artificial dunes, restoration of wetlands, raising individual buildings, sealing parts of the infrastructure, strategic retreat, insurance, and many more. The optimal protective strategy can be a combination of several protective measures implemented over space and time. The optimization process starts with parameterizing the protective measures. Storm-induced flooding and SLR, and their corresponding consequences, are estimated using a GIS-based subdivision-redistribution methodology (GISSR) developed by the authors for finding a rough solution in the first brute-force iterations of the optimization loop. A storm surge computational model called GeoClaw is subsequently used to simulate ensembles of synthetic storms in order to fine-tune and achieve the optimal solution. Damage loss, including economic impacts, is quantified based on calculated flood estimates. The suitability of the potential optimal solution is examined and assessed with input from stakeholders' interviews. It should be mentioned that the results and conclusions provided in this work depend on the assumptions made about future sea level rise (SLR). The authors acknowledge that there are other, more severe predictions for sea level rise (SLR), than the one used in this paper.

scholarly journals A participatory approach for identification of micro flood zones in poorly developed urban areas

2020 ◽  
Vol 3 (2) ◽  
pp. 941-949
Author(s):  
Osama Dawoud ◽  
Mustafa Mansour
Keyword(s):  
Developing Countries ◽  
Spatial Analysis ◽  
Present Status ◽  
Urban Areas ◽  
Hydrological Modeling ◽  
Risk Mitigation ◽  
Gaza Strip ◽  
Participatory Approach

The lack of observation technologies and the information records in developing countries restrict the applicability of advanced approaches for identification of flood zones and setting-up flood risk mitigation plans. Greater challenge is encountered in urban and areas where the natural hydrological conditions are altered. The current paper proposes an approach that utilizes the globally available data for the essential hydrological analysis. The approach integrates the spatial-analysis and hydrological modeling approaches with a set of sequential iterative field/desk activities that confine and filter the flood zones and identify the associated risks. The proposed approach involves a systematic system for classification of the zones prone to flood according to the present status and the foreseen flood-risks. The proposed approach is sufficient to identify the micro-flood zones which might not be captured by the traditional analysis methods. The case study of Gaza Strip in Palestine is considered for validation of the approach and identification of the approach potential and limitations.

Participatory-based risk impact propagation and interaction pattern analysis using social network analysis

2019 ◽  
Vol 10 (5) ◽  
pp. 363-378
Author(s):  
Citra S. Ongkowijoyo ◽  
Hemanta Doloi ◽  
Anthony Mills
Keyword(s):  
Social Network ◽  
Risk Mitigation ◽  
Topological Analysis ◽  
Urban Infrastructure ◽  
Mitigation Strategies ◽  
Decision Makers ◽  
Interaction Pattern ◽  
Analysis Model ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Practical Implications

Purpose This paper aims to develop a novel risk analysis model that uses both participatory and computerized techniques to capture and model the dynamic of risk impact propagation and interaction pattern. Design/methodology/approach In this research, an integrated model, applying modified participatory method and novel dichotomize procedure in the perspectives of social network topological analysis, is developed. Findings Based on the analysis output, it is found that; (i) the risk propagation is characterized by its dynamic and non-linear impact pattern, and (ii) the risk interaction is distinguished based on the degree of connectedness between various risks. Research limitations/implications This research assumes that the risk impact propagation and interaction pattern within the risk network are static. Further research is required to analyze the risk network in dynamic circumstances. Practical implications This research contributes in delivering practical tools that could potentially provide a further path for developing mitigation strategy and policies that seek to address the complexity of risk phenomena, and thus enhance community resilience. Social implications This research reveals some underlying patterns of how the risk impact propagation and interaction pattern are structured. Thus, it can help decision-makers make formal arrangements of particular urban infrastructure (UI) governance visible toward building risk plan and mitigation strategies. Originality/value This research contributes to filling the risk management knowledge gap. It is suggested that analyzing risk using a network approach is suited to capture the intricate processes that shape the complexity of UI risk structural network. By validating the model, this research shows the applicability and capability of the model to improve both the RA accuracy and decision making effectiveness towards risk mitigation plan and strategy.

scholarly journals Debris flood hazard documentation and mitigation on the Tilcara alluvial fan (Quebrada de Humahuaca, Jujuy province, North-West Argentina)

2012 ◽  
Vol 12 (6) ◽  
pp. 1873-1882 ◽  
Author(s):  
G. Marcato ◽  
G. Bossi ◽  
F. Rivelli ◽  
L. Borgatti
Keyword(s):  
Risk Mitigation ◽  
Flood Hazard ◽  
Rio Grande ◽  
Tourism Industry ◽  
Alluvial Fan ◽  
Mitigation Strategies ◽  
Mitigation Measures ◽  
North West ◽  
Hazard And Risk ◽  
Debris Flood

Abstract. For some decades, mass wasting processes such as landslides and debris floods have been threatening villages and transportation routes in the Rio Grande Valley, named Quebrada de Humauhuaca. One of the most significant examples is the urban area of Tilcara, built on a large alluvial fan. In recent years, debris flood phenomena have been triggered in the tributary valley of the Huasamayo Stream and reached the alluvial fan on a decadal basis. In view of proper development of the area, hazard and risk assessment together with risk mitigation strategies are of paramount importance. The need is urgent also because the Quebrada de Humahuaca was recently included in the UNESCO World Cultural Heritage. Therefore, the growing tourism industry may lead to uncontrolled exploitation and urbanization of the valley, with a consequent increase of the vulnerability of the elements exposed to risk. In this context, structural and non structural mitigation measures not only have to be based on the understanding of natural processes, but also have to consider environmental and sociological factors that could hinder the effectiveness of the countermeasure works. The hydrogeological processes are described with reference to present-day hazard and risk conditions. Considering the socio-economic context, some possible interventions are outlined, which encompass budget constraints and local practices. One viable solution would be to build a protecting dam upstream of the fan apex and an artificial channel, in order to divert the floodwaters in a gully that would then convey water and sediments into the Rio Grande, some kilometers downstream of Tilcara. The proposed remedial measures should employ easily available and relatively cheap technologies and local workers, incorporating low environmental and visual impacts issues, in order to ensure both the future conservation of the site and its safe exploitation for inhabitants and tourists.

A review of the potential of nature-based solutions (NBS) to address the challenges of the water-energy-food nexus (WEF Nexus) in the coming decades

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pedro N Carvalho ◽  
David Finger ◽  
Fabio Masi ◽  
Giulia Cipolletta ◽  
Hasan Volkan Oral ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Food Security ◽  
Case Studies ◽  
Water Availability ◽  
Urban Areas ◽  
Real Life ◽  
Water Security ◽  
Climate Change Impacts ◽  
Decision Makers ◽  
World Population ◽  
The Past

&lt;p&gt;The water, energy, and food security nexus (WEF Nexus) is the interlinkage between water security, energy security, and food security. An increasing world population is projected to increase energy and food requirements, which will increase the need for freshwater drastically in the coming decades. Projected climate change impacts will aggravate water availability, especially in urban areas. Nature-based solutions (NBS) have proven to generate multiple benefits that defuse the expected merging tensions within the WEF Nexus. This paper outlines the theories, provides examples, and discusses the potential of NBS to address the future WEF Nexus. For this purpose we reviewed recent papers on the theories of WE, WF, EF, and WEF Nexus, we described and summarized 19 representative real-life case studies, and we identified the knowledge gap within the theory and the case studies. We provide quantitative potentials and qualitative benefits for NBS described in the literature over the past decades. Our review demonstrated the impressive potential of NBS to address the projected challenges within the WEF Nexus. The study concludes by recommending NBS for specific WEF Nexus challenges and highlighting the need for decision-makers to consider the implementation of NBS in urban planings.&lt;/p&gt;

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