Formulating a Strategy for Securing High-Speed Rail in the United States, Research Report 12-03

This report presents an analysis of information relating to attacks, attempted attacks, and plots against high-speed rail (HSR) systems. It draws upon empirical data from MTI’s Database of Terrorist and Serious Criminal Attacks Against Public Surface Transportation and from reviews of selected HSR systems, including onsite observations. The report also examines the history of safety accidents and other HSR incidents that resulted in fatalities, injuries, or extensive asset damage to examine the inherent vulnerabilities (and strengths) of HSR systems and how these might affect the consequences of terrorist attacks. The study is divided into three parts: (1) an examination of security principles and measures; (2) an empirical examination of 33 attacks against HSR targets and a comparison of attacks against HSR targets with those against non-HSR targets; and (3) an examination of 73 safety incidents on 12 HRS systems. The purpose of this study is to develop an overall strategy for HSR security and to identify measures that could be applied to HSR systems currently under development in the United States. It is hoped that the report will provide useful guidance to both governmental authorities and transportation operators of current and future HSR systems

IENE 2020 International Conference LIFE LINES – Linear Infrastructure Networks with Ecological Solutions. Abstract Book

In the past 12 to 14 of January 2021, the University of Évora, in the framework of the LIFE LINES project, and the Infrastructure and Ecology Network Europe held the online event IENE International Conference, under the theme “LIFE LINES – Linear Infrastructure Networks with Ecological Solutions”. We had 293 attendees from 40 different countries representing the five continents. During three days, participants were able to assist to 115 full oral presentations, 36 lightning talks, 13 workshops and chat with 40 posters authors, representing studies and projects worldwide. The event counted with 50 thematic sessions, running in five parallel sessions mixing live and pre-recorded interventions

Protecting Surface Transportation Systems and Patrons from Terrorist Activities, Research Report 94-04

Contemporary terrorists have made public transportation a new theater of operations. Algerian extremists set off bombs on the subways of Paris in 1995 and 1996; the Irish Republican Army has waged a long running terrorist campaign against Britain’s passenger trains and London’s subways; Palestinian terrorists have carried out suicide bombings on Israel’s buses; and an individualor a group calling itself “Sons of the Gestapo” derailed a passenger train in Arizona in 1995. Islamic extremists planned to set off car bombs in New York’s tunnels and bridges in 1993 and in 1997 they plotted suicide bombings in New York subways. The nerve gas attack on Tokyo’s subways by members of the Aum Shinrikyo sect in 1995 raised the specter that terrorists in the future might resort to weapons of mass destruction to which public transportation is uniquely vulnerable. In order to effectively meet the threat posed by terrorism and other forms of violent crime, it is essential that transportation system operators have a thorough understanding of the security measures employed elsewhere, especially by those transportation entities that have suffered terrorist attacks or that confront high threat levels. This volume reports on the first phase of a continuing research effort carried out by the Norman Y. Mineta International Institute for Surface Transportation Policy Studies (IISTPS) on behalf of the U.S. Department of Transportation. It comprises a chronology of attacks on surface transportation systems; four case studies of transportation security measures (in Paris, Atlanta, and New York, and at Amtrak); security surveys of nine additional cities in the United States; and an annotated bibliography of current literature on the topic

IENE 2020 International Conference “LIFE LINES – Linear Infrastructure Networks with Ecological Solutions””. Programme Book,

In the past 12 to 14 of January 2021, the University of Évora, in the framework of the LIFE LINES project, and the Infrastructure and Ecology Network Europe held the online event IENE International Conference, under the theme “LIFE LINES – Linear Infrastructure Networks with Ecological Solutions”. The local organising committee of the IENE 2020 had contributors from several institutions including the Mediterranean Institute for Agriculture, Environment and Development; REN; Infrastructures of Portugal; and the Municipalities of Montemor-o-Novo and Évora. This was the first IENE International Conference entirely online and participants could attend it from home and working place, regardless of their location in the world. We had 293 confirmed attendees (from 354 registered) from 40 different countries representing the five continents. During three days, participants were able to assist to 115 full oral presentations, 36 lightning talks, 13 workshops and chat with 40 posters authors, representing studies and projects worldwide. The event counted with 50 thematic sessions, running in five parallel sessions mixing live and pre-recorded interventions

A History of Materials and Technologies Development

The purpose of the book is to provide the students with the text that presents an introductory knowledge about the development of materials and technologies and includes the most commonly available information on human development. The idea of the publication has been generated referring to the materials taken from the organic and non-organic evolution of nature. The suggested texts might be found a purposeful tool for the University students proceeding with studying engineering due to the fact that all subjects in this particular field more or less have to cover the history and development of the studied object. It is expected that studying different materials and technologies will help the students with a better understanding of driving forces, positive and negative consequences of technological development, etc

Wireless Channel Model and LDM-Based Transmission with Unequal Error Protection for Inside Train Communications

Although the deployment of wireless systems is widespread, there are still sectors where they are not used due to their lack of reliability in comparison to wired systems. Sectors like industry or vehicle communications consider their environment hostile because the wireless signals suffer a lot of interferences. One of such environments is the railway sector, where wiring removal will allow more flexibility for both control and monitoring systems. This thesis analyzes wireless communications inside train cars, aiming at modelling their behavior and at proposing techniques to increase the reliability of the critical signals among train systems, wich can coexist with other lower priority systems. After proposing a novel model of an inside train wireless channel, a transmission system based on Layered Division Multiplexing (LDM) has been proposed which theoretically promises higher capacities than traditional TDM or FDM. This capacity gain is used to provide higher reliability to critical data using Unequal Error Protection (UEP) while maintaining the same bit rate as equivalent TDM or FDM based systems. In the final part of the thesis, simulation results of the proposed LDM system are provided, combined with Alamouti space time coding and different coding rates. Multiantenna extensions of the proposed LDM schemes are also simulated, providing BER and throughput results. These results will be used to shed light about how to reduce BER of an inside train wireless communication system.Aunque el despliegue de los sistemas inalámbricos está muy extendido, aun hay sectores donde no se utiliza por la poca fiabilidad que proporcionan comparado con los sistemas cableados. Sectores como la industria o las comunicaciones vehiculares consideran el entorno donde trabajan como entorno hostil, debido a que las señales inalámbricas sufren muchas interferencias. Uno de estos entornos es el de las comunicaciones en ferrocarril donde la eliminación de cables permitiría mayor flexibilidad entre los sistemas de control y monitorización. En esta tesis se analiza el canal de comunicación inalámbrico dentro de los trenes, con el objetivo de modelar su comportamiento y proponer técnicas que permitan aumentar la fiabilidad de la información de tipo crítico transmitida entre los sistemas del tren, repercutiendo lo menos posible en otros sistemas de menor prioridad. Tras proponer el modelo de canal inalámbrico dentro del tren, se ha propuesto un sistema de transmisión basado en Layered Division Multiplexing (LDM) que analizándolo teóricamente promete mayores capacidades que los tradicionales TDM o FDM. Esta capacidad se utilizará para obtener mayor redundancia de los datos críticos usando Unequal Error Protection (UEP) manteniendo la misma tasa de transferencia bits que los sistemas basados en TDM/FDM. En la parte final de la tesis, se obtienen resultados de las simulaciones realizadas con el sistema LDM propuesto, combinada con codificación espacio temporal como Alamouti y diferentes ratios de codificación. También se han simulado configuraciones multiantena obteniendo resultados de BER y throughput. Estos resultados servirán para arrojar luz sobre cómo reducir el BER en las comunicaciones inalámbricas dentro de los trenes.Haririk gabeko sistemak oso hedatuak dauden arren oraindik erabiltzen ez dituen sektoreak badaude ematen duten fidagarritasuna txikia delako kableatutako sistemekin alderatuz. Industria bezalako sektoreek edo ibilgailuetako komunikazioek lan egiten duten ingurua oso zaratatsua izaten da eta seinaleek interferentzia asko jasaten dituzte. Tesi honetan tren barruko haririk gabeko komunikazio kanala aztertzen da, bere portaera aztertu eta modelatzeko asmotan. Jakintza honekin zein teknika izan daitekeen erabilgarriak aztertuko da datuen fidagarritasuna handitzeko helburuarekin, lehentasun gutxiago duten sistemetan eragin txikiena izanik. Modeloa atera ondoren proposatu den transmisio sistema Layered Division Multiplexing (LDM) izan da, non azterketa teorikoek TDM edo FDM sistemek baino kapazitate gehiago dutela frogatzen dute. Kapazitate hau sistemaren datu kritikoei erredundantzia gehiago emateko erabiliko da Unequal Error Protection (UEP) erabiliz, TDM/FDM sistemetan bidaltzen den bit tasa kopurua mantenduz. Tesiaren azken partean, proposatutako LDM sistemaren simulazio emaitzak ematen dira, Alamouti espazio denbora kodifikazioarekin konbinatuak eta kodigo ratio desberdinekin. Antena anitzezko konfigurazioak ere simulatu dira BER eta throughput emaitzak lortuz. Emaitza hauek haririk gabeko tren barruko komunikazioetan BER-a nola gutxitu daitekeen jakiten lagunduko digute

Tunnel Engineering

This volume presents a selection of chapters covering a wide range of tunneling engineering topics. The scope was to present reviews of established methods and new approaches in construction practice and in digital technology tools like building information modeling. The book is divided in four sections dealing with geological aspects of tunneling, analysis and design, new challenges in tunnel construction, and tunneling in the digital era. Topics from site investigation and rock mass failure mechanisms, analysis and design approaches, and innovations in tunnel construction through digital tools are covered in 10 chapters. The references provided will be useful for further reading

Infrastructure Design, Signalling and Security in Railway

Railway transportation has become one of the main technological advances of our society. Since the first railway used to carry coal from a mine in Shropshire (England, 1600), a lot of efforts have been made to improve this transportation concept. One of its milestones was the invention and development of the steam locomotive, but commercial rail travels became practical two hundred years later. From these first attempts, railway infrastructures, signalling and security have evolved and become more complex than those performed in its earlier stages. This book will provide readers a comprehensive technical guide, covering these topics and presenting a brief overview of selected railway systems in the world. The objective of the book is to serve as a valuable reference for students, educators, scientists, faculty members, researchers, and engineers

Blown through the tube at 50 miles an hour : transportation, motion and mobility in Virginia Woolf\u27s novels

At the turn of the 20th century the rapid development of transportation technology significantly transformed the physical world as well as people’s subjective perceptions of it. Virginia Woolf’s fascination with various modes of transportation, both as a traveler and as a keen observer, is translated into her fiction and non-fiction writings. The representation of physical transportation in Woolf’s works has received the attention of a number of scholars. However, the ways in which Woolf was inspired by the transport revolution and employed this as a vehicle for modernist narrative experimentation have not been fully explored. This dissertation therefore investigates the phenomenon of transport spaces employed in Woolf\u27s novels, and explores how transportation and mobility contribute to the literary forms and representations she innovated, and to the wider transnational cultural mobility of modernist aesthetics and ideas. My study examines transportation following a trajectory from the physical to the metaphysical, the more literal to the more metaphorical. The study begins with analyzing how transports of thought and emotion are evoked and manifested by Woolf, and how she employs diverse traffic images and constant physical mobility to explore women’s subjectivity and professions, expose the mechanisms of patriarchy and imperial power, and observe their gradual decline in her three London novels Night and Day, Mrs. Dalloway and The Years. Next, the study explores how Woolf represents and controls the characters’ streams of consciousness by manipulating various physical transport modes as well as devising a set of linguistic, syntactic, visual and auditory images, thus endowing her mid-term works with a highly innovative and distinctive narrative mobility. In the third chapter the argument is expanded to include connotations of metaphysical transport to explore how she breaks the boundaries of genre, gender and temporality in her late works, in order to convey her readers into a more kaleidoscopic narrative world through building hybrid and heterogeneous textual spaces. In the final chapter I situate Woolf in the global context, and examine the cultural mobility between her and Chinese modernist writers, especially the members of the Chinese Crescent Moon society. Through my investigation of the multifaceted transport spaces discernible in her novels, I argue that Woolf’s works accurately represent the effects of transportation technology on modern people’s cognitive and affective experience, and register the impact of the social and ideological mobility of the era in which she produced her creative works. Her assiduous modernist experimentation not only made a profound contribution to the narrative mobility of stream of consciousness novels, but also expanded the boundaries of fiction generally, and stimulated her readers’ synthetic sensibilities of motion and mobility. Moreover, the cultural assimilation reflected in both Woolf’s and Chinese modernist writers’ works exemplify that modernism functioned as a two-way vehicle for reciprocity between oriental and occidental civilizations. Overall, the dissertation itself opens up spaces for closer investigation of ideas, associations and implications of transport across Woolf’s entire praxis

Railway Ecology

carbon footprint; environmental impacts of railways; transportation; wildlife; landscape; planning; engineering; efficiency; sustainability; biodiversity; animal casualties on rail