A CyberGIS Integration and Computation Framework for High‐Resolution Continental‐Scale Flood Inundation Mapping

We present a Digital Elevation Model (DEM)-based hydrologic analysis methodology for continental flood inundation mapping (CFIM), implemented as a cyberGIS scientific workflow in which a 1/3rd arc-second (10m) Height Above Nearest Drainage (HAND) raster data for the conterminous U.S. (CONUS) was computed and employed for subsequent inundation mapping. A cyberGIS framework was developed to enable spatiotemporal integration and scalable computing of the entire inundation mapping process on a hybrid supercomputing architecture. The first 1/3rd arc-second CONUS HAND raster dataset was computed in 1.5 days on the CyberGIS ROGER supercomputer. The inundation mapping process developed in our exploratory study couples HAND with National Water Model (NWM) forecast data to enable near real-time inundation forecasts for CONUS. The computational performance of HAND and the inundation mapping process was profiled to gain insights into the computational characteristics in high-performance parallel computing scenarios. The establishment of the CFIM computational framework has broad and significant research implications that may lead to further development and improvement of flood inundation mapping methodologies

Rapid methods of landslide hazard mapping : Fiji case study

A landslide hazard probability map can help planners (1) prepare for, and/or mitigate against, the effects of landsliding on communities and infrastructure, and (2) avoid or minimise the risks associated with new developments. The aims of the project were to establish, by means of studies in a few test areas, a generic method by which remote sensing and data analysis using a geographic information system (GIS) could provide a provisional landslide hazard zonation map. The provision of basic hazard information is an underpinning theme of the UN’s International Decade for Natural Disaster Reduction (IDNDR). It is an essential requirement for disaster preparedness and mitigation planning. This report forms part of BGS project 92/7 (R5554) ‘Rapid assessment of landslip hazards’ Carried out under the ODA/BGS Technology Development and Research Programme as part of the British Government’s provision of aid to developing countries. It provides a detailed technical account of work undertaken in a test area in Viti Levu in collaboration with Fiji Mineral Resources Department. The study represents a demonstration of a methodology that is applicable to many developing countries. The underlying principle is that relationships between past landsliding events, interpreted from remote sensing, and factors such as the geology, relief, soils etc provide the basis for modelling where future landslides are most likely to occur. This is achieved using a GIS by ‘weighting’ each class of each variable (e.g. each lithology ‘class’ of the variable ‘geology’) according to the proportion of landslides occurring within it compared to the regional average. Combinations of variables, produced by summing the weights in individual classes, provide ‘models’ of landslide probability. The approach is empirical but has the advantage of potentially being able to provide regional scale hazard maps over large areas quickly and cheaply; this is unlikely to be achieved using conventional ground-based geotechnical methods. In Fiji, landslides are usually triggered by intense rain storms commonly associated with tropical cyclones. However, the regional distribution of landslides has not been mapped nor is it known how far geology and landscape influence the location and severity of landsliding events. The report discusses the remote sensing and GIS methodology, and describes the results of the pilot study over an area of 713 km2 in south east Viti Levu. The landslide model uses geology, elevation, slope angle, slope aspect, soil type, and forest cover as inputs. The resulting provisional landslide hazard zonation map, divided into high, medium and low zones of landslide hazard probability, suggests that whilst rainfall is the immediate cause, others controls do exert a significant influence. It is recommended that consideration be given in Fiji to implementing the techniques as part of a national strategic plan for landslide hazard zonation mapping

Language-Based Access to Large Sensor Repositories

Sensor data have broadened their scope recently, ranging now from the simple time series measurements to, e.g., hyperspectral satellite image maps timeseries. In addition to observed data, simulation data increasingly have to be merged, for example 4-D ocean and atmospheric data. The majority of these data fall into the category of multi-dimensional rasters. However, when it comes to flexible retrieval, including sensor data search, aggregation, analysis, fusion, etc., standard query language support in the past has not kept up with the service level of, e.g., metadata retrieval. To close this gap, the Open GeoSpatial Consortium (OGC) has issued the Web Coverage Processing Service (WCPS) Standard in December 2008. WCPS defines a request language for multi-dimensional raster data, suitable for specifying navigation, download, and analysis of sensor, image, and statistics data. This contribution emphasises sensor data modeling and the perspectives for an integrated, cross-dimensional sensor data retrieval. Further, the WCPS reference implementation is briefly discussed

Seafloor characterization using airborne hyperspectral co-registration procedures independent from attitude and positioning sensors

The advance of remote-sensing technology and data-storage capabilities has progressed in the last decade to commercial multi-sensor data collection. There is a constant need to characterize, quantify and monitor the coastal areas for habitat research and coastal management. In this paper, we present work on seafloor characterization that uses hyperspectral imagery (HSI). The HSI data allows the operator to extend seafloor characterization from multibeam backscatter towards land and thus creates a seamless ocean-to-land characterization of the littoral zone

fUel-SAVing trip plannEr (U-SAVE): a product of the JRC PoC Instrument: Final report

Available tools for trip planning mostly rely on travel time and travel distance. Fuel costs, when taken into account, are based on simplified fuel consumption models and are usually independent from vehicle type and technology. Building on the work carried out by the Sustainable Transport Unit of the Joint Research Centre, European Commission, in developing (a.) CO2MPAS, the official tool supporting the WLTP/NEDC Correlation Exercise and allowing the back-translation of a WLTP test to the equivalent NEDC CO2 emission value during the type approval, and (b.) Green Driving, an interactive web-based tool allowing the estimation of fuel costs and CO2 emissions of individual car journeys on the basis of variables such as car segment, engine power, fuel type and driving style, the present project aimed at developing and proving the concept of a routing machine to be used when fuel consumption minimization is considered. Throughout the project a stand-alone off-board trip planner has been developed, the U-SAVE Desktop Version, while a smartphone application, the U-SAVE Navigation Application, is currently under the last development phase, and shall be used once completed as a low cost in-board navigation system. The tool has been extensively validated internally demonstrating both its capability to accurately estimate fuel and energy consumption via alternative trip options, and its capacity to provide a more efficient route when different from the shortest and/or fastest options. An open-access version of the tool is expected to become a reference instrument for private citizens who are concerned about their fuel consumption and a more efficient use of their vehicles, while a premium API-based commercial version of the tool can operate as a viable and scalable business model targeting, among others, established navigation software providers who want to extend their offering by providing an alternative route option to their clients, mainly private companies managing fleets of light-duty vehicles, for whom saving fuel from the daily vehicle operations is of crucial financial importance.JRC.C.4-Sustainable Transpor

Connecting the Dots: An Assessment of Cyber-risks in Networked Building and Municipal Infrastructure Systems

The buildings and city streets we walk down are changing. Driven by various data-driven use cases, there is increased interest in networking and integrating lighting and other building systems (e.g., heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC), security, scheduling) that were previously not internet-facing, and equipping them with sensors that collect information about their environment and the people that inhabit it. These data-enabled systems can potentially deliver improved occupant and resident experiences and help meet the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) national energy and carbon reduction goals. Deploying connected devices new to being networked, however, is not without its challenges. This paper explores tools available to system designers and integrators that facilitate a cybersecurity landscape assessment – or more specifically the identification of threats, vulnerabilities, and adversarial behaviors that could be used against these networked systems. These assessments can help stakeholders shift security prioritization proactively toward the beginning of the development process

Path planning and map monitoring for self-driving vehicles based on HD maps

Este trabajo ha sido realizado dentro del contexto del proyecto Techs4AgeCar en el grupo de investigación Robesafe, cuyo objetivo es el desarrollo de un vehículo de conducción autónoma. Forma parte de dos líneas distintas del proyecto, la de mapeado y la de planificación, ya que ambas están directamente relacionadas. Se ha desarrollado un planificador de rutas global basado en mapas de alta defición (HD Maps) offline previamente generados. Por otro lado, también se ha cubierto toda la parte de generación de mapas que posteriormente son utilizados por el planificador. Además, se ha desarrollado un módulo capaz de aprovechar la información proporcionado por el mapa, de forma que se monitorizan los elementos relevantes y cercanos al coche que afectan a la ruta, como son carriles, intersecciones y elementos regulatoriosThis work has been done within the context of the Techs4AgeCar project in the Robesafe research group, whose project focuses on the development of an autonomous driving vehicle. This work is part of two different layers of the project, mapping and planning layers, since both are directly related. A global route planner has been developed based on previously generated offline HD Maps. Therefore, the entire part of generating maps that are later used by the planner has also been covered. In addition, a module capable of taking advantage of the information provided by the map has been developed, so that the relevant elements close to the vehicle that affect the route such as lanes, intersections and regulatory elements are monitored.Máster Universitario en Ingeniería Industrial (M 141

Bicycle maps. 2D representations for routing and decision making optimization at local scale

Dissertation submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the Degree of Master of Science in Geospatial TechnologiesUrban cycling maps play a crucial role in promoting cycling and improving the cycling experience. These maps provide essential information for bicycle mobility, including geographic information, points of interest, and mobility-oriented elements. However, the lack of shared knowledge on how to create these maps limits their practicality and use, resulting in shortcomings in terms of content and style. To address this issue, this study begins by analyzing the needs of the cycling community to identify the necessary components that must appear on this kind of maps. The study also examines the best practices among existing maps, both in terms of content and design. The research highlights the need to establish standards that unify the criteria used in preparing these maps, with particular emphasis on the inclusion of essential items, their representation, and the depiction of notable elevation gains. This work presents a set of standardised criteria, which were verified through a questionnaire. Finally, the study presents the final standards, accompanied by a map that illustrates these criteria.Els mapes urbans per bicicletes tenen un paper bàsic en la promoció de l’ús de la bicicleta i en la millora de l’experiència ciclista. Proporcionen informació crucial per la mobilitat en bicicleta, incloent-hi informació geogràfica, punts d’interès i elements orientats a la mobilitat. Actualment, no hi ha un coneixement compartit en la manera de fer aquests mapes, fet que en limita la seva practicitat i ús, amb mancances pel que fa a contingut i estil. En aquest context, aquest treball parteix de l’anàlisi de les necessitats del col·lectiu ciclista per identificar els ítems que han d’aparèixer de manera indispensable als mapes ciclistes d’entorns urbans. També recull les millors pràctiques d’entre els mapes existents, tant en l’àmbit de contingut com de disseny. La recerca planteja la necessitat de crear uns estàndards que unifiquin els criteris que es tindran en compte per l’elaboració d’aquests mapes, amb especial atenció als ítems continguts, a la seva representació i a la manera en què seran representats els indrets amb desnivells pronunciats. El present treball presenta una primera estandardització d’aquests criteris, que són verificats a través d’un qüestionari. En últim lloc, presenta els estàndards definitius, acompanyats d’un mapa que els il·lustra

Impact of Geographical Information Systems on Geotechnical Engineering

Over the last four decades Geographical Information Systems (GIS) have emerged as the predominant medium for graphic representation of geospatial data, including geotechnical, geologic and hydrologic information routinely used by geotechnical and geoenvironmental engineers. GIS allow unlimited forms of spatial data to be co-mingled, weighted and sorted with any number of physical or environmental factors. These data can also be combined with weighted political and aesthetic values to create hybrid graphic products capable of swaying public perceptions and decision making. The downside of some GIS products is that their apparent efficacy and crispness can also be deceptive, if data of unparalleled reliability is absorbed in the mix. Disparities in data age and quality are common when compiling geotechnical and geoenvironmental data. Despite these inherent shortcomings, GIS will continue to grow and evolve as the principal technical communication medium over the foreseeable future and engineers will be forced to prepare their work products in GIS formats which can be widely disseminated through the world wide web. This paper presents the historical evolution of GIS technologies as it relates to the impact in geotechnical engineering, concluding with four case histories on the application of this emerging technology