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2006
Intel and Apple: High Performance Computing
High performance computing has undergone a metamorphosis in the last 15-20 years. The changes, and what they mean to the industry and the user community, will be reviewed. The HPC ecosystem that has evolved and Intel's role in it will then be described. From the Industry-relation view we will drill down to the computational, communications, and software components that Intel provides and enables. More academically, we will look at the HPC characteristics that differentiate it from other aspect of enterprise and commercial computing. This will be followed by a discussion about various, and interesting, performance metrics we observe as people select their HPC systems, and what we can learn from it. The talk will conclude with a quick survey of Intel's presence in the HPC community.
About the David Barkai: David Barkai is an HPC (High Performance Computing) computational architect for Intel Corporation. He has also been a member of the Distributed Solutions Lab of Intel's Corporate Technology Group, a content architect for the Intel Developer Forum conference and a software scientist in the Microcomputer Software Lab. Before joining Intel in 1996, David worked for 25 years in the field of scientific and engineering supercomputing for Control Data Corporation, Cray Research Inc., Supercomputer Systems Inc., and NASA Ames Research Center. David holds a Ph.D. in theoretical physics and has more than 20 publications as papers, conference proceedings, and textbook contributions on the subjects of physics, numerical methods, and computer applications and architectures. Most recently he authored the book "Peer-to-Peer Computing: Technologies for Sharing and Collaborating on the Net" (Intel Press, 2001) and other articles on related topics.
Polarization-Based Multiparameter Weather Radar: Realization of a Concept and Insights into Future Applications
The last thirty years has witnessed the emergence of radar polarimetry becoming the dominant technology for the remote sensing of hydrometeor-based weather phenomena, involving nearly all forms of hydrometeors (precipitable and non-precipitable water particles). This development will be traced and discussed relative to its impact on weather surveillance and forecasting. The focus is mostly on the use and means of realizing dual linear horizontal and vertical polarization measurements that began with the introduction of the concepts of differential reflectivity ZDR, specific differential phase shift KDP and co-polar correlation coefficient ρ. Related applications and concepts emerged primarily during the ten-year period following the paper on differential reflectivity ZDR in the Journal of Applied Meteorology in 1976 by T. A. Seliga and V. N. Bringi. These same authors introduced the concept of specific differential phase shift KDP at the La Baule URSI Commission-F Open Symposium in 1977 and in Radio Science in 1978. Cross-correlation ρ between the horizontally and vertically polarized returns followed later in papers by Bringi et al. on the statistical properties of ZDR in the preprints of the 19th American Meteorological Society Conference on Radar Meteorology in 1980 and in the IEEE Transactions Geoscience and Remote Sensing in 1983. Introduction of these linear polarimetric-based radar parameters were preceded in time by a number of other significant contributions by others. Particularly noteworthy were works on the use of circular polarization-based measurements in Canada by G. C. McCormick and A. Hendry beginning in the late 1960’s, the quantification of raindrop shape factors by H. R. Pruppacher, K. V. Beard and R. L. Pitter in the early 1970’s, and many concomitant advances in computational electromagnetics and electronics systems. These developments set the scene for most of the later advances that took place in weather radar polarimetry. Personal anecdotes will provide insights into how education, professional experience and associations, knowledge from another field of radar, motivation and scientific and technological development combined to solve two important problems in radar meteorology, namely, how to improve radar’s ability to measure rainfall and to reliably detect hail. The role of the international community, first at the Appleton Laboratory in the U.K. and then throughout much of Western Europe, also had important influences on the development of the technology.
After 30-years of research, it is now clear that major benefits will be realized in a variety of areas; these include: the hydrometeorlogical sciences and related applications such as flash flood forecasting, irrigation and water resources; severe weather detection, classification and prediction; identification of aviation hazards such as microburst-generating clouds and severe icing conditions; the field of cloud physics, including storm dynamics; climatology; and effects of precipitation on the propagation of electromagnetic waves. The technology has also caused resurgent interests in the C-, X- and smaller wavelengths for atmospheric studies and weather radar applications. Of particular importance in this regard is the fact that dual polarization measurements afford effective means for measuring and correcting for attenuation effects caused by rainfall along radar propagation paths.
There is now nearly worldwide consensus regarding the merit of dual polarization radar technology for operational weather surveillance with many countries committed to adding these capabilities to their radar systems. The United States also plans to upgrade the Next Generation Weather Radar (NEXRAD) WSR-88D system. In the future, such dual polarization weather radar systems, combined with Doppler for measuring radial velocity, will become standard throughout the world because of their advantages for measuring rainfall intensity, detecting hail and providing more complete descriptions of cloud and storm evolution. In addition to science, the technology will benefit public safety and recreation, aviation, agriculture, hydrology, cloud physics and climatology.
About the Thomas A. Seliga: Tom Seliga of RTV-4A was recognized by the IEEE (Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers) for his pioneering contributions to radar meteorology -- specifically, the identification and advocacy of dual polarization techniques for distinguishing between various forms of precipitation -- rain, snow, hail, etc., including their rates. Prior to joining the Volpe Center in 1998, Tom was a faculty member at a number of universities over a period of over 35 years where he also served in a number of administrative roles in the fields of engineering and the atmospheric sciences.
State of the Volpe Center
Dr. Curt Tompkins, Center Director, kicked-off the new fiscal year 2007 with his second annual, State of the Volpe Center, CTUG on Thursday, October 26, 2006, 11:45 AM - 1:00 PM in the auditorium..
Augmented Reality Tower Tool (ARTT)
1. Background: ARTT 1.0
NASA, with support from the FAA, is investigating the potential of head-tracked, head-mounted see-through display (HMD) augmented-reality (AR) systems that use real-time air traffic control (ATC) radar data superimposed via computer generated imagery (CGI) on air traffic control tower (ATCT) controllers' views of the actual aircraft.
In 2005 the first Augmented Reality Tower Tool prototype, ARTT 1.0, was evaluated by a cadre of Tower controllers at the Moffett Field ATCT. This was the first AR technology evaluation using live ATC data displayed via a see-through head-mounted-display (HMD) to indicate the aircraft and status.
Though the cadre affirmed the potential value of ARTT technology, they found the ARTT 1.0 prototype insufficient for practical use. Problems included the HMD's low optical transmissibility, unacceptable compensation for tower lighting conditions, inadequate symbology and data block information display, and unacceptable HMD discomfort.
2. Progress: ARTT 2.0
The controller's evaluations were used to set priorities and requirements for the 2nd generation system, ARTT 2.0. Particular emphasis was placed on practical display technology issues, since this was the highest priority of the controller cadre.
The ARTT 2.0 software was completely re-written and designed to utilize Open Scene Graph, an open-source graphics software package. A 'Virtual Ames' 3-D visual database (developed with techniques used to build out-the-window displays for flight simulators), was used to overly the actual views of Moffett Field as seen from the Moffett Tower Cab. A new live-data network was developed with the FAA for more reliable, secure access to the ATC radar data. Several new HMD hardware options were acquired for evaluation with the new system.
About Ronald J. Reisman: Ron Reisman has been at NASA/Ames for more than 15 years as a researcher and software engineer. He aSlso has extensive experience in graphics, display technology and systems design in the private sector. In his early career, he even participated in a project to develop communication with porpoises. He is one of the original cadre of professionals, headed by Heinz Erzberger, who created the NASA/Ames Center-Tower Automation System (CTAS). This leading-edge system uses real-time data and modeling to provide advice to air traffic controllers, on the fly, thereby giving controllers a new level of access to automation and substantially upgrading controller/computer interaction. Ron has been involved with many aspects of the CTAS program. Recently, he has turned his attention to novel ways to get information to operating controllers and/or pilots via advanced display devices and techniques. Ron lives in Palo Alto, California with his wife and three children.
Violations of Temporary Flight Restrictions: An Analysis of Airspace Violations and Pilot Report Data.
About the Presentation: NASA ASRS and FAA databases were studied to determine the apparent factors and causes of pilot violations of temporary flight restrictions (TFRs). After the terrorist attacks on 9/11/2001, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has greatly expanded the use of TFRs to more securely control the airspace around potential terrorist targets. Since then, there have been a substantial number of accidental violations of restricted airspace, as dramatically illustrated by the May 11, 2005 incursion that forced the evacuation of the US Capitol. This frequency of violations incurs security and safety risks plus economic costs. By illuminating the reasons for these violations, this study aims to take the first step towards reducing them.
About Michael Zuschlag: Dr. Michael Zuschlag is an engineering psychologist in the Operator Performance and Safety Analysis Division of the U.S. Department of Transportation's John A. Volpe National Transportation Systems Center (Volpe Center). Dr. Zuschlag's specialties are the human factors of displays, automation, and computer-operator interfaces in transportation systems, along with organizational change and evaluation.
Dr. Zuschlag earned his doctorate in Psychology at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst in 1989. After three years as a professor of psychology at Georgia Southern University, he returned to the University of Massachusetts to earn a Master's degree in Industrial Engineering. During this time, he conducted research on modeling human learning of computer menus and developed user interfaces for a university database and a parametric computer-aided engineering package. Subsequently, Dr. Zuschlag performed user interface design for advanced financial and telecommunications applications, empirically testing graphical user interfaces, and carrying out task analysis and rapid prototyping.
Dr. Zuschlag joined the Volpe Center in 1997. There, he has developed human-computer interface standards for database applications, and served as lead for the Usability Engineering Team for a project developing an advanced marine traffic management system for the Panama Canal. He has applied usability engineering techniques to develop a user interface for an on-line database for FAA inspectors, and conducted studies to create and test guidelines for the design of public transit web sites. In experiments and fields studies regarding head-up displays, he has developed a computational measure of clutter based on the physiology of human perceptual, and used hidden Markov models to determine an operator's allocation of attention. He has also conducted evaluation and analyses related to road vehicle and general aviation security, flight management systems, electronic flight bags, synthetic vision, ATC display technology, RNP map displays, and controlled flight into terrain. Dr. Zuschlag knows five computer programming languages and has an extensive knowledge of multivariate statistics.
Currently, Dr. Zuschlag is conducting program evaluations of safety improvement processes in the railroad industry. This research evaluates the impact of combining behavior based safety with continuous improvement on safety outcomes and safety culture on North American railroads.
MBTA Silver Line Project
Project Objectives & Summary
- Protect ~ 1.2 Mile of Tunnel Route
- Access Control Barriers at Entrance (World Trade)
- Intrusion Detection Entrance Of Tunnel System
- Video Surveillance Throughout tunnels
- Implement Integrated Access Control
- For MBTA personal
- Restricting Access of the general public
- Overall Video Surveillance
- Digital Video
- Video Motion/Behavioral Detection
- CCTV
About Gregg Hollenbeck: Gregg Hollenbeck has been in the Security Industry for 11 plus years. He started with the Volpe Center a little over three years ago. He specializes in Physical Security and CCTV installations. During his time with the Volpe Center, he has been involved with many Security projects, MBTA Silver line, Volpe Center Security Upgrade, and the DNC - MACC (Multi Agency Communications Center).
Detroit Deicing Decision Support Tool
Smooth and efficient operation of the National Airspace System depends on timely execution of flight-related events. Weather can severely disrupt the carefully planned flight schedules at a hub airport and impact travelers throughout the country. In particular, a snowstorm may cause substantial perturbation in the aircraft departure due to the need for deicing prior to take off. The additional time needed for an aircraft to be deiced, including time in queue, is highly nonlinear and difficult to predict. The Volpe National Transportation Systems Center, sponsored by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, developed a deicing decision support tool for Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport. The Detroit Deicing Decision Support Tool estimates the amount of time an aircraft takes to go through deicing. This timing information enables the airport, the airlines, and air traffic controllers to work together to minimize delays and cancellation of flights by optimizing airport and flight resources. An overview of the project and the tool is presented.
About Jonathan Lee: Jonathan T. Lee joined the Volpe National Transportation Systems Center, in 2002, as an operations research analyst. He has been a project leader for several aviation projects sponsored by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration and the Federal Aviation Administration. His area of research includes performance evaluation and assessment of the National Airspace System (NAS); NAS modeling, simulation and optimization; and air traffic management automation. Some of the projects he has been involved in include the Virtual Airspace Modeling and Simulation project, the Detroit Deicing Decision Support Tool project, and Benefit-Cost Analysis of Loran as Backup to GPS project.
Lee holds a Ph.D. and S.M. in applied mathematics from Harvard University and a B.S. in mathematics from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. His graduate work focused on modeling, simulation, and optimization of complex systems.
Special Series: Avian Flu: Preparing for a Pandemic
Connecting Communities: Emergency Preparedness and Avian Flu: Recent Volpe Center Activities.
Connecting Communities: Emergency Preparedness and Security Forums (FTA)
For emergency response plans to succeed, there must be a seamless flow of information between people and agencies responding to disasters. Ensuring that this coordination is in place takes advanced planning. The 'Connecting Communities' forums-developed and administered for the FTA by Volpe-encourages a community's emergency response personnel to meet, to share information, and to learn how to tackle problems together. These forums exemplify the Volpe Center's ability to provide a link for different organizations that need to come together to develop a unified perspective.
Enabling Interagency Coordination
Transit systems rely heavily on other emergency responders during system emergencies, and in certain crisis situations, transit can play a key role in response. The Connecting Communities forums help transportation and emergency response agencies work together to prepare and protect their community with coordination, communication, planning, and practice of safety and security measures. The program has helped create local networks for the facilitation of future drills and emergency plans, with the objective of enhancing the nation's ability to respond to emergencies.
Avian Flu: Recent Volpe Center Activities
Walter will describe some recent Volpe Center projects related to the avian flu. These include an examination of the possible impacts on the trucking industry (for FMCSA); a computable general equilibrium (CGE) model of port demand (for USCG); and identification of critical commodities during a pandemic (for PHMSA), a project which is pending. Earlier work includes an analysis of transportation as a vector and a target of bio-warfare (for the Defense Threat Reduction Agency, DoD). There will be a discussion of opportunities for further work based around the Center's strengths in risk and safety management.
About Robert Adduci: Robert Adduci is a Transportation Industry Analyst who has been at the Volpe Center for eight years. He is the Volpe Center Program Manager of the Federal Transit Administration's State Safety Oversight Program where he supports several Transit programs. Provided here is an abbreviated list of a few support activities, co-developed for the FTA the "Emergency Preparedness and Security Forums Connecting Communities," participated in State Oversight and Drug and Alcohol Audits, developed industry guidelines such as Hazard Analysis, Safety Certification, Internal Safety Audits, and New Starts Guidelines, technical representative to the FTA Administrators Safety Task Force, and Senior Associate Staff Instructor for the Transportation Safety Institute. Previously Mr. Adduci held the position of Acting Director of Safety, Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority.
Mr. Adduci holds an A.S. in Mechanical Engineering and a B.S. in Industrial Technology, both from Northeastern University and is a Certified Safety and Security Director through the World Safety Organization
About Walter Gazda: Mr. Gazda is an economist and has carried out studies involving benefit-cost analysis, program management and analysis, econometric modeling, simulation, and development of decision support tools. Currently he manages a portfolio of regulatory evaluations in support of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, is developing port security metrics emphasizing supply chain vulnerability, and recently worked on a risk-based policy framework for hydrogen transport, in support of the Pipeline and Hazardous Material Safety Administration.
Mr. Gazda holds a Master's degree in Quantitative Economics (Boston College) and a Bachelor's degree in Economics (University of Dayton). He concentrated in Industrial Organization and Public Finance and is a licensed Project Management Professional (PMP).
Volpe Fellows Program in Industrial Engineering entitled: Combinatorial Optimization Treatment of the Unary NP-Complete Disassembly Line Balancing Problem
The growing amount of waste created by products reaching the end of their useful life poses challenges for the environment, governments, and manufacturers. Alternatives for processing this waste include reuse, remanufacturing, recycling, storage, and disposal. With disposal considered to be the least desirable, the first process required by the remaining alternatives is disassembly. Just as the assembly line is the most efficient way to assemble a product, the disassembly line is considered the most efficient way to disassemble a product. In this presentation, the Disassembly Line Balancing Problem is described, defined mathematically, and then proven to belong to the class unary NP-complete. Four instances are developed, then disassembly line versions of exhaustive search, genetic algorithm and ant colony optimization metaheuristics, a greedy algorithm, and two hybrid heuristics are presented and compared along with a new general-purpose heuristic.
About Seamus McGovern: Seamus is an Electronics Engineer enrolled at Northeastern University and has been concurrently assigned as a Nat'l Guard Attack Helicopter Pilot and Maintenance Test Pilot. Prior to Volpe, he was an engineer at the Naval Surface Warfare Center and an active duty Navy fleet, instructor, and funct. test pilot. He is a member of the Society of Flight Test Engineers and European Chapter on Metaheuristics, co-author of 16 conference and 3 journal papers, elected to Industrial Engineering and Phi Kappa Phi honor societies, and FAA certificated to Airline Transport Pilot.
A Simple, yet Powerful Technology for Real-time, Integrated Business Management Intelligence.
Many organizations spend millions of dollars implementing large systems such as Enterprise Resource Planning, Customer Relationship Management, and Supply Chain Management to collect, organize and report large amounts of data. The goal is to implement an effective and easy to use tool to analyze and convert these data into reports that can present summary statistics that are easily accessible to decision-makers for running their businesses more efficiently. Unfortunately, these goals are not always fulfilled due to the inherent technical and other business challenges in integrating disparate systems to provide real-time visibility to the relevant data that will eventually be converted to information and intelligence.
Though there are many technologies and tools available in the market for integration and business intelligence, implementing them usually is a daunting task for most organizations. Due to this reason, these organizations do not take on integration and business intelligence projects unless forced by the market drivers. eTransX will present a compelling argument as to why organizations should take on these projects to improve efficiency, productivity, profitability and customer service. eTransX will demonstrate its simple, yet powerful application integration and business intelligence technologies to provide a real-time, integrated business management intelligence solution such as Key Performance Indicator (KPI) Executive Dashboard.
About P. Mohan, P.E., President and CEO of eTransX, Inc: Mr. P. Mohan, P.E. has more than 20 years experience in the fields of information systems and engineering. His technical and management experience spans all aspects of system and application integration, information system design and implementation, and project management for various commercial and industrial enterprises. Mohan has a demonstrated record of accomplishments in several executive positions. He has been a consulting principal at eTransX, a system integration company for the past 7 years, responsible for its operation, marketing and growth. Prior to founding eTransX, he was a vice president with URS Corporation, a $2 billion dollar engineering and systems firm, responsible for developing new clients and managing a team of professionals. He is also a registered professional engineer in several states. He has worked very closely with many commercial and industrial enterprises such as Shell, Exxon, Ashland Chemical and Texaco, assisting them with their information needs via development of engineering and environmental systems and strategic consulting. He is the chief architect for an XML-based, application integration technology, called eTXIntegrator. He has a successful track record of managing projects of various complexity and size. He has very good interpersonal skills to manage and mentor staff to achieve their best. He has taken up many leadership positions in professional associations building a good network of business contacts. Mohan holds a Masters degree in Chemical Engineering from University of Windsor, Canada and a Masters degree in Computer Science from Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, Louisiana.
eTransX has been providing Telecommunication and Network support to Volpe Center under Mr. Kip Brown and Mr. Kevin O'Neil's leadership since August 2004.
Special Series: Avian Flu: Preparing for a Pandemic
Cleanup and Recovery of Passenger Transportation Facilities After a Bio-Attack
Transportation vehicles and passengers can effectively serve as vectors in the transmission of disease worldwide, and passenger facilities are attractive targets for bioterrorists in view of their accessibility and large crowds that can rapidly spread the disease domestically and worldwide. Aviva's presentation summarizes some Volpe Center efforts to identify the key challenges and knowledge gaps in preparing for and recovering from bioattacks on passenger transportation facilities. Following the Anthrax attacks by mail, which caused sickness, death, widespread panic and lengthy and costly cleanup of contaminated USPS facilities and of Congressional office buildings, the Volpe Center sponsored two workshops to inform transportation stakeholders: A Harvard School of Public Health (HSPS) in February 2002 revealed how many types of bioagents exist, some contagious (like smallpox) and some not (like anthrax), the time delay in identifying a bioattack if not announced, the long delay between release of a bioagent and the spread of disease, and the difficulty of resolving between a natural epidemic and an intentional bio-attack (if not announced by the perpetrator). A second workshop in March, 2004 convened experts from federal agencies, industry and academia to review the most effective decontamination materials and methods, and progress made in preparing transportation authorities to deal with a bioattack in transportation. The consequences can be long-term disruption of the transportation system, costly cleanup and loss of business, with slow recovery of normal operations, as Abt Associates studies sponsored by the Volpe Center (managed by Aviva) showed. The RSPA critical Infrastructure protection (CIP) program also funded Aviva to review, evaluate and compile web-based Biodefense resources for transportation officials. This work is highlighted in the special Security issue of the Volpe Journal posted at http://www.volpe.dot.gov/infosrc/journal/2003/index.html and posted on the Symposia website at http://www.volpe.dot.gov/ourwork/dimensions/workshops.html
About Dr. Aviva Brecher: Dr. Aviva Brecher is a National Technical Expert in Transportation Safety, Health and Environment, currently working in the Planning and Policy Analysis Division (DTS-46) of the Office of System and Economic Assessment. At the Volpe Center she has worked on a broad range of science and technology topics, including risk assessment for commercial space launches licensed by DOT, drug interdiction for the US Customs, and transportation strategic planning for DOT and the National Science and Technology Council. More recently she focused on transportation health effects and electromagnetic radiation safety, and continued to work on safety and environmental issues associated with advanced transportation technologies (like maglev, UAVs) and on Remote Sensing Transportation Applications. She came to the Volpe Center in 1987 from Arthur D. Little, Inc, where she was a Senior Technical Consultant specializing in Risk Assessment and Management, after working in research and teaching at MIT and Wellesley College, and serving as a Congressional Science Fellow with Senator Paul Tsongas. Aviva got her BS and MS in Physics from MIT and her PhD in Applied Physics from the University of California at San Diego.
Special Series: Avian Flu: Preparing for a Pandemic
Case Studies of the Effects of Catastrophic Events on Transportation System Management and Operations
Major events continually change the benchmark for incident and emergency response and management by staffs at transportation agencies. Initial responses by agency personnel to an incident or emergency may be delayed until public safety concerns, such as the identification of potential threats and the status of the transportation infrastructure, have been addressed and their own safety ensured.
In response to a request from managers in the U.S. Department of Transportation's Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) Joint Program Office and in the Federal Highway Administration's Office of Transportation Operations, Volpe Center staff examined in substantial detail the nature of the operational decisions taken by managers and staffs at transportation agencies in response to catastrophic events. The Volpe Center team conducted four case studies and oversaw the production of two more:
- the electrical blackout in August 2003 in the Northeast and Midwest United States
- the terrorist attacks in New York City and Washington, D.C., on September 11, 2001
- the freight rail tunnel fire in Baltimore in July 2001
- the Northridge, California, earthquake in January 1994
The results of these case studies were widely circulated and were also used as training material in a series of FHWA workshops on emergency preparedness and response.
About Allan DeBlasio: Allan joined the Center in 1980. Throughout the years, he has managed several policy analyses and program evaluations for the Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) Joint Program Office and the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) Office of Operations. These reviews help FHWA and JPO staffs meet the goals they established under the Government Performance and Results Act and provided input to the reauthorization of transportation legislation. Many of these analyses centered on identifying and understanding the non-technical barriers and institutional issues encountered when state and local transportation managers try to plan and deploy ITS products and services. Most recently, under the joint sponsorship of the two offices, he managed the investigation studying how catastrophic events affect the management and operations of the surface transportation system. The review of the DNC was the seventh case study in this effort.
Special Series: Avian Flu: Preparing for a Pandemic
Support to the National Decontamination Team
The Environmental Protection Agency established the National Decontamination Team to address shortcomings in the Nation's preparedness and response capabilities against chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear attacks. EPA is leveraging expertise within the Volpe Center's Environmental Engineering Division to advance NDT's operational capabilities. Paul Kudarauskas will present an overview of NDT's mission and will outline the Volpe Center's role in supporting ongoing decontamination research, planning, and preparedness activities. Christopher Zevitas will review DOT-related decontamination research and discuss FAA's Aircraft Cabin Environment Research program.
Engineering Studies of Tank Cars in Accidents
Railroad tank cars transport over 1.5 million carloads of hazardous materials throughout the United States each year. Consequently design and regulatory standards are constantly evolving to ensure that tank cars carrying hazardous materials will operate safely in the railroad environment. Catastrophic failures of hazmat tank cars that lead to loss of life as well as property and environmental damage are investigated by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). One such derailment occurred in Minot, North Dakota in January 2002. As a result of the NTSB investigation on the Minot accident, the Federal Railroad Administration and the Volpe Center initiated a research program to examine the survivability of tank cars under derailment conditions. This presentation will describe the historical background, the technical challenges, and the safety aspects of this research program.
About David Jeong: David is a Mechanical Engineer in the Vehicle Crashworthiness Division (DTS-74). He works collaboratively with the Structures and Dynamics Division (DTS-76) to provide technical support to the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) on safety problems related to structural integrity. He holds a B.S. and an M.S. in Mechanical Engineering from Tufts University, and a Ph.D. in Applied Mechanics from Lehigh University.
Special Series: Avian Flu: Preparing for a Pandemic
Post-Katrina Lessons for Critical Infrastructure Resilience
Dr. Barami will talk about the post-Katrina events as a turning point in the way we manage the nation's critical infrastructure. She will discuss Katrina's impacts and the Volpe technology solutions in the context of failures in three key transportation system attributes: network connectivity, critical infrastructure resilience, and effective risk-based planning focused on prevention and preparedness, maintaining that:
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Lack of intermodal network connectivity in the Gulf Coast region increased system vulnerability. When the weakest links failed (bridges, access roads, communications links, etc.) other segments of the network did not have enough built-in redundancy and robustness to bounce back quickly. Dr. Barami will discuss effective technology solutions to enhance network robustness.
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Lack of resilience in the critical infrastructure, coupled with the chain effects of the interlinked segments of the infrastructure (e.g., flood protection system, energy infrastructure, highway, rail and marine transport, and private supply chains) compounded the intensity and scope of damages. Dr. Barami will discuss technology solutions to enhance infrastructure resilience.
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To a large extent, the problems arose because the regional land-use and urban planning have been decoupled from risk-based network planning. Dr. Barami will discuss how infrastructure vulnerabilities and the risks of the failure in the flood protection system and the transportation/communications network need to be addressed through a multi-layered, "all hazards" approach to prevention and preparedness.
About Dr. Bahar Barami: Dr. Bahar Barami joined the Volpe Center as a senior economist in 1991. Before coming to Volpe, Dr. Barami was a consultant in Philadelphia, and taught economics at La Salle University. She is currently in charge of technical analysis on a 10-member DOT-wide Hazardous Materials program evaluation. She is also serving as the Executive Agent for the NSTC Enhanced Freight Gateways Initiative. In the past few years she has managed projects in a number of areas, including the economics of intermodal freight; modal productivity and performance evaluation; air cargo analysis; evaluation of the impact of advanced technologies on freight containerization; evaluation of the efficiency impacts of transportation regulations; and analysis of the feasibility of alternative methods of financing transportation projects.
Bahar received a B.A. degree in Social Sciences from University of Tehran, two M.A. degrees from Duke University and the University of Reading in UK, and a Ph.D. degree in Applied Economics from the University of Texas at Dallas.
