Local Information Access for Search and Rescue Using Wireless Data Storage Mediums

After a natural disaster strikes buildings, it is vital to immediately retrieve the related local information for efficient search and rescue (S&R) operations. Although it seems convenient to store the required local information (e.g., information about neighborhood, buildings) in a centralized database, S&R teams usually cannot access centralized databases because the information infrastructure is usually damaged or overloaded immediately after a disaster. This paper describes the search and rescue data access point (SR-DAP) system that was designed for storing and retrieving the required local information in/from data storage units that are deployed at buildings. In the paper, the developed approach is presented, and two key technologies (i.e., radio-frequency identification (RFID) tags and wireless sensor nodes) that are used as local storage mediums in SR-DAP are empirically evaluated. The results of the field experiments show that current technologies can be effectively utilized in the developed system. However, comparison of the technologies highlights the fact that the current wireless sensor technology is advantageous over RFID technology.     

Developing Complex Integrated Computer Applications and Systems

The challenge of integrating multiple computer applications and systems is common in civil engineering. For example, civil engineers are working to integrate geographic information systems, database management systems, and hydraulic models for wastewater planning and design. This challenge also faces transportation engineers. Control systems, such as traffic signal systems and freeway management systems, play a central role in the intelligent transportation systems (ITS) program. While such systems provide benefit individually, their full benefit is not achieved until they are integrated regionally. Regional integration enables the systems to share information, allowing officials to manage the entire regional transportation system. Planning, designing, and developing integrated systems call for engineers to make sound computing decisions. The two critical areas in these decisions are the systems architecture and open systems design. For example, in ITS a sound regional architecture is needed to guide engineers in fitting individual systems into a regional context. In addition, individual systems must possess documented, publicly available interfaces. This paper addresses these aspects of computing and provides an example of developing integrated regional ITS.     

Simulation As a Tool to Assess the Vulnerability of the Operation of a Health Care Facility

Health care systems are classified as critical infrastructure systems when responding to disaster events. Physical damage to health care facilities or disruption of their operations or supply chains could prevent an effective response and aggravate the outcome of an emergency situation. Even if a hospital or public health facility were not directly affected by the disaster event, these facilities are required to operate efficiently during an emergency in order to manage a surge of capacity. When infrastructure systems are damaged as a result of man-made or natural disaster events, insufficient supply of resources through these systems affects their performance. In this paper, a system dynamics simulation model will be used as a tool to represent the operation of a health care facility, including the interaction between the different service areas (emergency room, intensive care unit, wards, operating room), the flow of patients inside the facility, and the condition of the infrastructure systems that supply resources (i.e., water, power, transportation of medical supplies) to maintain the operation of the facility. The results of this study may assist hospital administrators in their disaster preparedness plans, providing information regarding the level of occupancy and patients waiting to enter the service areas.     

Glycocoding as an information management system in embryonic development

The past 5 years have seen a burgeoning in the amount of data emerging from laboratories studying the early stages of embryogenesis. Much of this data implicates various aspects of glycobiology in the initiation and regulation of these processes. The level of analytical detail coming from these investigations has surpassed our ability to fully understand its overall significance within the context of the interactive/dynamic developmental process. This review proposes a pause in this seemingly endless quest for more detail so that we may take stock of our goals and objectives. The proposed goals include a mechanistic understanding of the process(es) involved in information managed at various 'transition points' during early embryogenesis, and an understanding of the mechanism(s) by which the spatial/temporal regulation of early development are managed. The 'transitions' which occur during cell to cell cluster, cell cluster to early organ architecture, and early organ architecture to functional organ development are fundamental and mirror the evolutionary process of biological information management. All of these 'transitions' involve increasing complexity, the development of hierarchies of information management systems (integrated bidirectionally), and spatial/temporal regulation which relies on historical events to map future structure and function. This review focuses on a relatively small number of studies which highlight these aspects of early development. A mechanism which involves glycocoding, an extension of the Roseman Hypothesis, and its direct use as an information management system is proposed and some supporting experimental evidence is presented. This extension of an existing hypothesis is related to several recent investigations, and is designed to broaden the experimental design of future studies so that these important process issues can be addressed.     

3D Scan Information Management System for Construction Management

This paper presents an internet-based three-dimensional (3D) scan information management system (3DSIMS) that can be used as an interface to input, display, and inspect design as-built construction information. This system is mainly developed using 3D scan data. The function of the 3DSIMS is to integrate the scan data collected before, during, and after a scan scheme that is designed to capture as-built 3D records. The information included in this system consists of a scan scheme, scanned point clouds, construction records, and postscan processed clouds for the display, search, and comparison of scans made each week during the construction of a campus building. This study represents a long-term effort that has rarely been done before. A web page is used to deliver and share scan information. The feasibility of this approach is explained by the examples of dimension-related checks through as-built data.     

钢铁企业MES系统中的数据存储技术及其应用

对目前主要的数据存储技术进行了论述和分析,详细讨论了数据的存储及容灾管理问题,包括建立SAN存储体系,实现数据的集中存储、数据的备份管理、以及数据远程容灾等内容.构建了一个具有良好扩展性、可用性、可靠性,能提高网络整体性能的钢铁企业MES系统数据存储、备份及容灾解决方案.     

Risk-Based Expenditure Allocation for Infrastructure Improvement

Traditional methods of modeling and simulating lifecycle for infrastructure management, including bridge management systems, commonly do not account for risk associated with potential failure scenarios. These methods need to be reexamined to take advantage of risk technologies. In this paper, methods for performing reliability computations and managing information that are suitable for risk-informed expenditure allocation in lifecycle management are proposed. The methods include structural reliability assessment methods and the analytic hierarchy method for multicriteria ranking. The paper also presents the advantages of using web-based computing through an example of system reliability assessment software that can be used in an interactive web environment.     

基于物联网技术的钨矿井下安全信息化系统的构建

介绍了钨矿安全信息化系统中钨矿山设备监测监控、人员定位、通信联络、环境气体、通风监测、地压监测等子系统架构及组成,基于物联网技术,通过采集其声、光、电、热、化学、力学、生物、位置等信息,实现物与物、人与物的识别、管理和控制,采用工业以太网技术、计算机网络技术和光纤通信,提供标准化接口,整合各个子系统的现场总线,建成井下环网与井上坑口调度局域网、钨矿山本部局域网、集团局域网及上级集团局域网的广域网,形成一个钨矿山信息化系统的综合传输管理平台,为各层级管理人员提供生产过程、预警及灾害处理的可视化实时平台。     

Using Group Decision Support System to Support Value Management Workshops

A group decision support system (GDSS) is an interactive computer-based information system that combines the capabilities of communication technologies, database technologies, computer technologies, and decision technologies to support the identification, analysis, formulation, evaluation, and solution of semistructured or unstructured problems by a group in a user-friendly computing environment. As there is a strong demand for improvements to the practice of value management (VM), research has been conducted to design a GDSS prototype system, named the interactive value management system (IVMS), to explore its potential application in VM workshops and to investigate the effect of the application. The paper begins with an introduction to the problems of implementing VM in the Hong Kong construction industry and then proceeds to an illustration of the features of the proposed system, which has been developed in the research. Two validation studies designed to test the support of the proposed system are described and the results discussed. Findings from this research indicate that IVMS is supportive in overcoming the problems and difficulties in VM workshops.     

基于云计算和工作流的煤矿设备管理EAM系统

在矿山实际生产管理的基础上,针对目前矿山企业机电设备管理系统面临的问题,探讨了融合云计算架构、工作流技术和企业资产管理思想的煤矿设备管理系统.通过以全生命周期管理、预防性维护、点检管理等企业资产管理理念设计煤矿设备管理系统九大功能模块;采用三层云服务架构模式和两类云部署方式构建具有四层结构的煤矿设备管理系统云平台;运用工作流引擎辅助企业资产管理系统,实现设备管理业务流程的灵活流转,进而提高企业级多矿设备管理效率.以国内典型煤矿企业为应用实例,验证了基于云计算与工作流技术的煤矿企业设备管理EAM系统的有效性.      

Testing and Evaluating Alternative Algorithms for Location Referencing System Route Generation

Modeling the transportation network of roads and highways for data and information system implementations presents unique challenges. The foremost challenge is selecting a modeling methodology that is compatible with the needs and culture of the organization using it. The second challenge is implementing the model in a viable enterprise information system via a database. Transportation information systems must efficiently store network topology and geometry, as well as attributes, and they must be compatible with geographic information systems (GIS). This paper deals with the topological aspects of the highway network. In particular, it describes computing methodologies for generating location referencing system routes. The paper describes the link node referencing system used to build the routes and mentions an alternative approach using GIS. Various algorithms are presented and described, test case results are presented, the algorithms are compared, and evaluation criteria are defined.     

Multiple Device Collaborative and Real Time Analysis System for Project Management in Civil Engineering

Complexity in civil engineering projects has increased over the years, which has led to an increase in the number of organizations involved in those projects. In today’s environment, these organizations operate in different parts of the world requiring their personnel to be geographically distributed. However, current project management practices require project personnel to be geographically collocated and, thus, are unable to provide the infrastructure to support geographically distributed project management teams. In addition, current project management practices require access to personal computer (PC) based resources for project information, which is not always a feasible alternative for on-site project personnel, as it requires certain hardware and office configurations. Thus, alternatives to PC-based resources such as personal digital assistants (PDA) or phones are needed for information access. Moreover, once project information has been conveyed to all project personnel, the system should aid them in terms of providing data analysis tools and presenting technical or management solutions to the problems encountered by the project personnel. This paper presents a collaborative project management system with a knowledge repository, analysis resources, and multiple device access to support the infrastructure of distributed project management teams in complex architecture/engineering/construction projects. The primary goal for such a system would be to provide a platform where project information can be effectively shared with any of the project management personnel from anywhere and with a very few limitations on the computing device.     

炼钢厂生产过程数据综合分析系统的设计与实现

宝钢特钢有限公司炼钢厂已投运1套“炼钢生产过程数据综合分析系统”,用于对多条炼钢产线的生产进行全过程数据采集处理,系统24h自动跟踪记录信息,关键数据长期保存。该系统属于离线过程数据质量分析系统,可提高炼钢厂过程数据的自动化数据采集能力和过程监控水平,为过程质量监控管理提供数据支持,为每一炉钢的冶炼、浇铸提供完整的过程质量数据。系统主要数据来自炼钢厂各L2生产过程控制系统。系统将采集来的过程数据通过重组和处理形成一个理想的数据分析平台,利用该平台质量管理人员可以追溯、管理需要的炼钢过程信息。     

Technical Performance Assessment of Urban Sewer Systems

Performance assessment in urban water infrastructures is an increasingly important field of knowledge. Performance has traditionally been expressed in a variety of ways relating mostly to local design practice, with hardly any consensus on how it should be measured or compared. The efficient technical management of these systems deserves a specific approach, suited to the methodologies regularly employed while planning, designing, constructing, operating, and maintaining the systems. At the engineering level, decisions are based on operational, physical, and resources data and on analyses deploying simulation models, geographic information systems, or other information systems. However, such tools tend to produce vast amounts of insufficiently aggregated or performance-oriented information. This paper presents a performance assessment system that is based on the decisional concept of utility functions and designed as a technical analysis tool with the purpose of shifting the focus of technical management of urban drainage systems to a performance-oriented view.     

Robust Mobile Ad Hoc Space for Collaboration to Support Disaster Relief Efforts Involving Critical Physical Infrastructure

When an extreme event hits an urban area, the efficiency and effectiveness of the first response have a profound effect on disaster relief efforts. The redefinition of the civil engineers’ role and responsibilities as first response team members, along with an enhanced collaboration between disaster relief organizations, will greatly improve first response efforts and the securing of affected infrastructures. To improve collaboration efforts, the currently used radio systems-based interaction medium needs to be modified due to the impossibility of storing, retrieving, and transferring digital information, and limited support to implement information dissemination policies. This paper presents a reliable, transparent, and portable mobile ad hoc space for collaboration (MASC) based on a short range wireless communication platform to address these limitations in order to provide more consistent and efficient collaboration among first responders. The system was designed around a robust data redundancy core, and tested through software simulations and by conducting a search and rescue exercise involving civil engineers and firefighters. The simulation results highlight that the number of machines, the replication level, the size of the replication unit, and the wireless communication range are key design elements of the system in providing high availability. The search and rescue exercise allowed this research to confirm the high availability simulation results and to demonstrate that MASC is able to adequately manage and disseminate information in disaster scenarios. These encouraging results allow this research effort to conclude that MASC is able to address these new challenges.     

采空区可视化集成系统信息管理研究与应用

矿山深部资源开采形成的采空区是矿山主要灾源之一,实现其有效数字化管理是矿山安全生产的重要课题。为完善自主研发的采空区三维建模可视化集成系统的功能结构,实现矿山采空区的数字化安全管理,在数据库功能需求分析及采空区信息分类整理的基础上,设计了集成系统采空区信息数据库的功能结构及数据库表结构,以Microsoft Visual Studio 2010为开发工具,运用Visual C++及SQL语言成功实现了数据库平台的构建,并将开发的采空区信息数据库在凡口铅锌矿采空区管理中展开了实际应用。实践表明,采空区信息数据库的开发有效地完善了集成系统的功能结构,初步实现了采空区的数字化管理,为开展采空区周边相关开采工程设计提供了有益借鉴。     

监测预警技术在泥石流灾害中的应用

我国幅员辽阔,地质环境多变,灾害分布范围广,常年受到地质灾害侵袭,给灾害多发区居民的生命财产安全带来极大危害,泥石流灾害的防治工作至关重要,研发泥石流灾害预警系统成为重中之重.针对目前泥石流灾害数据获取困难、数据量不足且预警准确率不高的问题,设计了用于泥石流影响因子数据采集和灾害预警的泥石流灾害监测预警系统.在系统中引...     

Building Energy Management as Continuous Quality Control Process

This paper describes a macroanalytic approach to energy management in buildings. Conventionally, energy improvement measures are designed and deployed in buildings, expecting and typically achieving energy savings from changes to the building envelope or energy systems such as lighting system retrofits. However, additional savings opportunities can be identified by analyzing the interaction between building systems and the influence of building occupants. An energy accounting system can provide the required wealth of data and information and facilitate the analysis on which to design and refine further retrofit measures. The problem of energy management is cast in the framework of a classical feedback control loop: A “sensor” (energy accounting system) monitors the utility consumption of the building in question, compares it with predefined “setpoints” (energy consumption targets) and analyzes the deviations within a comprehensive reporting system (the “controller”). In response to the analysis, adequate measures including occupant motivation are defined by the controller and applied by the “actuator” to the “system,” embracing the building and its occupant under the prevailing weather conditions. The system output is the actual energy and utility consumption that is compared with the target values, and the loop is closed. The paper discusses an implementation of an energy management system that has been applied successfully to the measurement and verification of utility cost savings in an energy savings performance contract in Germany. Building occupant motivation—a category of energy retrofit measures that is often overlooked—is presented. A set of tabular and graphical data illustration and analysis techniques is presented along with recommendations for building occupant motivation measures and associated implementation guidelines.     

Spatial System Dynamics: New Approach for Simulation of Water Resources Systems

A new approach called spatial system dynamics (SSD) is presented to model feedback based dynamic processes in time and space. This approach is grounded in control theory for distributed parameter systems. System dynamics and geographic information system (GIS) are coupled to develop this modeling approach. The SSD modeling approach offers a single modeling framework for developing conceptually different models. It also provides the much-needed capability to model feedback based complex dynamic processes in time and space while giving insight into the interactions among different components of the system. The proposed approach is superior to existing techniques for dynamic modeling such as cellular automata and GIS and addresses most of the limitations present in these approaches. The SSD approach can be used to model a variety of physical and natural processes where the main interest is the space–time interaction, e.g., environmental/water resources processes, natural resources management, climate change, and disaster management. The applicability of the proposed approach is demonstrated with an application to flood management in the Red River basin in Manitoba, Canada.