Transactions on Transport Sciences 2013, 6(1):1-8 | DOI: 10.2478/v10158-012-0026-z
The Risk Estimation of Dangerous Liquid Transport
- Department of Dependability and Risk, Technical University of Liberec, Liberec, Czech Republic
Transportation of liquid substances by tank vehicles on the road is an integral part of our economy. It is the petroleum products, especially fuel, that are transported in the vast majority of cases. Transportation of these hazardous liquid substances must comply with strict rules to ensure maximum transport safety. Nevertheless, there are situations where the liquid outflows outside of the car tank. The most common causes are the traffic accidents, various technical failures or human failure. Immediately following this outflow surface water and soil are threatened.
Our department develops software that is able to estimate the risks of hazardous liquids escaping into the vicinity of roads. It is a complex task involving several different disciplines. The software processes geographic data for the creation of digital terrain models. These terrain models are entered into the numerical model to calculate the spreading of a liquid. An integral part of the software is the processing of uncertainties in the environmental description which may significantly affect the calculation. Due to uncertainties the stochastic approach of evaluation was chosen. Results are expressed by statistical parameters. Software provides both qualitative and quantitative results for the liquid captured on the surface, the surface infiltration, evaporation or affecting surface waters. For example, we obtain probability maps of affected areas around transport routes, mean liquid volume leaked into a stream or the confidence interval of liquid volume infiltrating into soils.
This text describes the basic logic of software function. Specific features have been described in detail, for example in Balatka & Havlíček (2012).
Keywords: Terrain digital model, simulations of natural processes, liquid, uncertainty, spill spreading.
Published: March 1, 2013 Show citation
References
- Balatka, M., Havlíček, J., 2012. Stochastical approach to spread modeling of the leaked contaminant spill. In Proceedings in Advanced Research in Scientific Areas. Žilina: EIDS - Publishing Institution of the University of Žilina, pp. 1462-1467.
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- Yellow Book, 2005. Methods for the calculation of physical effects resulting from releases of hazardous materials (liquids and gases). Third Edition, second print. CPR 14E. The Hague: Committee for the Prevention of Disasters (CPR), Directorate - General of Labour of the Ministry of Social Affairs.
- Zhiming, Q., 2006. Comparison of Finite Difference Method, Philip's Method and Green-Ampt Model in Infiltration Simulation. Final project report.
- ZABAGED database, 2010 [online]. © 2010 Český úřad zeměměřický a katastrální [Czech Office for Surveying, Mapping and Cadastre (COSMC)]. [cited 2013-04-03]. Retrieved from: http://geoportal.cuzk.cz/%28S%28qhez5j45ft54su554prmrf3m%29%29/default.aspx?mode=TextMeta&text=dSady_zabaged&side=zabaged&head_tab=sekce-02-p&menu=24 (in Czech)
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