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DOE OSTI2014

SCALING AN URBAN EMERGENCY EVACUATION FRAMEWORK: CHALLENGES AND PRACTICES

Critical infrastructure disruption, caused by severe weather events, natural disasters, terrorist attacks, etc., has significant impacts on urban transportation systems. We built a computational framework to simulate urban transportation systems under critical infrastructure disruption in order to aid real-time emergency evacuation. This framework will use large scale datasets to provide a scalable tool for emergency planning and management. Our framework, World-Wide Emergency Evacuation (WWEE), integrates population distribution and urban infrastructure networks to model travel demand in emergency situations at global level. Also, a computational model of agent-based traffic simulation is used to provide an optimal evacuation plan for traffic operation purpose [1]. In addition, our framework provides a web-based high resolution visualization tool for emergency evacuation modelers and practitioners. We have successfully tested our framework with scenarios in both United States (Alexandria, VA) and Europe (Berlin, Germany) [2]. However, there are still some major drawbacks for scaling this framework to handle big data workloads in real time. On our back-end, lack of proper infrastructure limits us in ability to process large amounts of data, run the simulation efficiently and quickly, and provide fast retrieval and serving of data. On the front-end, the visualization performance of microscopic evacuation results is still not efficient enough due to high volume data communication between server and client. We are addressing these drawbacks by using cloud computing and next-generation web technologies, namely Node.js, NoSQL, WebGL, Open Layers 3 and HTML5 technologies. We will describe briefly about each one and how we are using and leveraging these technologies to provide an efficient tool for emergency management organizations. Our early experimentation demonstrates that using above technologies is a promising approach to build a scalable and high performance urban emergency evacuation framework that can improve traffic mobility and safety under critical infrastructure disruption in today s socially connected world.

cloud computing↗

DOE OSTI2014

Design and Implementation of Real-Time Off-Grid Detection Tool Based on FNET/GridEye

Real-time situational awareness tools are of critical importance to power system operators, especially during emergencies. The availability of electric power has become a linchpin of most post disaster response efforts as it is the primary dependency for public and private sector services, as well as individuals. Knowledge of the scope and extent of facilities impacted, as well as the duration of their dependence on backup power, enables emergency response officials to plan for contingencies and provide better overall response. Based on real-time data acquired by Frequency Disturbance Recorders (FDRs) deployed in the North American power grid, a real-time detection method is proposed. This method monitors critical electrical loads and detects the transition of these loads from an on-grid state, where the loads are fed by the power grid to an off-grid state, where the loads are fed by an Uninterrupted Power Supply (UPS) or a backup generation system. The details of the proposed detection algorithm are presented, and some case studies and off-grid detection scenarios are also provided to verify the effectiveness and robustness. Meanwhile, the algorithm has already been implemented based on the Grid Solutions Framework (GSF) and has effectively detected several off-grid situations.

Guo, Jiahui↗

DOE OSTI2014

Development of an Updated Societal-Risk Goal for Nuclear Power Safety

This report briefly summarizes work done in FY 2013 on the subject LDRD. The working hypothesis is that societal disruption should be addressed in a safety goal. This is motivated by the point that the Fukushima disaster resulted in very little public dose, but enormous societal disruption; a goal that addressed societal disruption would fill a perceived gap in the US NRC safety goal structure. This year's work entailed analyzing the consequences of postulated accidents at various reactor sites in the US, specifically with a view to quantifying the number of people relocated and the duration of their relocation, to see whether this makes sense as a measure of societal disruption.

22 GENERAL STUDIES OF NUCLEAR REACTORS↗

DOE OSTI2015

A Simple Evacuation Modeling and Simulation Tool for First Responders

Although modeling and simulation of mass evacuations during a natural or man-made disaster is an on-going and vigorous area of study, tool adoption by front-line first responders is uneven. Some of the factors that account for this situation include cost and complexity of the software. For several years, Oak Ridge National Laboratory has been actively developing the free Incident Management Preparedness and Coordination Toolkit (IMPACT) to address these issues. One of the components of IMPACT is a multi-agent simulation module for area-based and path-based evacuations. The user interface is designed so that anyone familiar with typical computer drawing tools can quickly author a geospatially-correct evacuation visualization suitable for table-top exercises. Since IMPACT is designed for use in the field where network communications may not be available, quick on-site evacuation alternatives can be evaluated to keep pace with a fluid threat situation. Realism is enhanced by incorporating collision avoidance into the simulation. Statistics are gathered as the simulation unfolds, including most importantly time-to-evacuate, to help first responders choose the best course of action.

data fusion↗

DOE OSTI2015

Radiation and Public Safety

Berkeley Lab nuclear physicist Kai Vetter discusses his research on radiation detection and the Lab's Nuclear Science Division's involvement in addressing the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster.

38 RADIATION CHEMISTRY, RADIOCHEMISTRY, AND NUCLEA↗

DOE OSTI2016

Method for estimating power outages and restoration during natural and man-made events

A method of modeling electric supply and demand with a data processor in combination with a recordable medium, and for estimating spatial distribution of electric power outages and affected populations. A geographic area is divided into cells to form a matrix. Within the matrix, supply cells are identified as containing electric substations and demand cells are identified as including electricity customers. Demand cells of the matrix are associated with the supply cells as a function of the capacity of each of the supply cells and the proximity and/or electricity demand of each of the demand cells. The method includes estimating a power outage by applying disaster event prediction information to the matrix, and estimating power restoration using the supply and demand cell information of the matrix and standardized and historical restoration information.

24 POWER TRANSMISSION AND DISTRIBUTION↗

DOE OSTI2015

Report to the National Park Service for Permit LAKE-2014-SCI-002

The overall purpose of the study is to determine how to use existing geologic data to predict gamma-ray background levels as measured during aerial radiological surveys. Aerial radiological surveys have typically been for resource exploration purposes but are now also used for homeland security purposes and nuclear disaster assessment as well as determining the depth of snowpack. Foreknowledge of the background measured during aerial radiological survey will be valuable for all the above applications. The gamma-ray background comes from the rocks and soil within the first 30 cm of the earth’s surface in the area where the survey is being made. The background should therefore be predictable based on an understanding of the distribution and geochemistry of the rocks on the surface. We are using a combination of geologic maps, remote sensing imagery and geochemical data from existing databases and the scientific literature to develop a method for predicting gamma-ray backgrounds. As part of this project we have an opportunity to ground truth our technique along a survey calibration line near Lake Mojave that is used by the Remote Sensing Lab (RSL) of National Security Technologies, LLC (NSTec). RSL makes aerial measurements along this line on a regular basis, so the aerial background in the area is well known. By making ground-based measurements of the gamma-ray background and detailed observations of the geology of the ground surface as well as local topography we will have the data we need to make corrections to the models we build based on the remote sensing and geologic data. Our project involves collaborators from the Airborne Geophysics Section of the Geological Survey of Canada as well as from NSTec’s RSL. Findings

Burnley, Pamela C.↗

DOE OSTI2016

The Jones Act and its Effect on Freight Transportation in the Aftermath of Disruptive Events: A GIS Perspective

In freight transportation, like other critical infrastructures, there are cascading impacts with significant consequences when disruptions occur. In the aftermath of such disruptions, planners and policymakers are faced with tough choices in designing efficient response and recovery plans within their legal limits. Here, with freight transportation, one of the challenges during disasters is to understand the operational and functional readiness of the infrastructure. This is not just a physical resiliency question, but also an institutional, managerial, and connectivity question.

42 ENGINEERING↗

DOE OSTI2017

Quantifying the Impact of Vehicle and Motor Fuel Provisions from the Energy Policy Act on the Sustainability and Resilience of U.S. Cities: Preprint

The Energy Policy Act (EPAct) of 1992, with later amendments, was enacted with the goal of reducing U.S. petroleum consumption by building a core market for alternative fuels and vehicles. The U.S. Department of Energy manages three federal programs related to EPAct; the Sustainable Federal Fleets Program, the State and Alternative Fuel Provider Program, and Clean Cities. Federal agencies and State and Alternative Fuel Provider Fleets are required to submit annual reports that document their compliance with the legislation. Clean Cities is a voluntary program aimed at building partnerships and providing technical expertise to encourage cities to reduce petroleum use in transportation. This study reviews the evolution of these three programs in relation to alternative fuel and vehicle markets and private sector adoption of alternative fueled vehicles to assess the impact of the programs on reduction in petroleum use and greenhouse gas emissions both within the regulated fleets and through development of alternative fuel and vehicle markets. The increased availability of alternative fuels and use of alternative fuels in regulated fleets is expected to improve cities' ability to respond to and quickly recover from both local disasters and short- and long-term regional or national fuel supply interruptions. Our analysis examines the benefits as well as potential drawbacks of alternative fuel use for the resiliency of U.S. cities.

29 ENERGY PLANNING, POLICY, AND ECONOMY↗

DOE OSTI2017

Weathering the Worst Solar Storms

When the last really big solar storm hit in 1921, Earth’s magnetic field funneled a wave of electrically charged particles toward the ground, where they induced a current along telegraph lines and railroad tracks, setting to telegraph offices and train stations—and the fledgling electric grid went dark. Almost a century later, today’s grid is bigger, more interconnected, and even more susceptible to a solar storm disaster. Los Alamos National Laboratory is developing a scientific analysis about how frequently a major geomagnetic storm might strike, which regions of the country are most vulnerable, and how bad it might be. This analysis is part of a plan to support electric utility companies and government regulators in taking the necessary steps to spare us all from the nightmare of days, weeks, or even months without power.

29 ENERGY PLANNING, POLICY, AND ECONOMY↗

DOE OSTI2015

Incorporating the Rule of Law in Resiliency Analyses

In 2005, the United Nations (UN) World Conference on Disaster Reduction convened in Kobe, Hyogo, Japan, with the goal of developing a 10-year strategy to guide countries in fostering resiliency to natural disasters.1 The Hyogo Framework for Action (HFA) established five priorities to enhance community resiliency, emphasizing improvements in the rule of law as it relates to communities’ governing systems. The end of the first 10-year period of the HFA presents an opportunity for policymakers to examine how the rule of law could be incorporated in the analyses of progress toward the resiliency goals articulated in the HFA priorities. This paper discusses the relationship between the rule of law and resiliency, presents a case study of how the rule of law could be analyzed in the context of community resiliency based on the HFA priorities, and proposes a model of how the rule of law supports the community system activities necessary to achieve the resiliency enhancements described in the HFA.

governance↗

DOE OSTI2016

The Resilient Infrastructure Initiative

Infrastructure is, by design, largely unnoticed until it breaks down and services fail. This includes water supplies, gas pipelines, bridges and dams, phone lines and cell towers, roads and culverts, railways, and the electric grid—all of the complex systems that keep our societies and economies running. Climate change, population growth, increased urbanization, system aging, and outdated design standards stress existing infrastructure and its ability to satisfy the rapidly changing demands from users. Here, the resilience of both physical and cyber infrastructure systems, however, is critical to a community as it prepares for, responds to, and recovers from a disaster, whether natural or man-made.

97 MATHEMATICS AND COMPUTING↗

DOE OSTI2015

Preliminary Physics Analysis of the Accident Tolerant Fuels Loop Experiment

After the Fukushima Daiichi power plant disaster in 2011, the United States Congress ordered the Department of Energy (DOE) to investigate new fuel and cladding types that would be more tolerant in an accident similar to the accident at Fukushima. The resulting program was dubbed the Accident Tolerant Fuels (ATF) program. As a part of this program, insertion is planned for an experiment to go into an ATR loop, and physics analysis must be performed. Discussed are the test fission power, void worth, and hardware failure reactivity insertion. For the sensor qualification test, the test fission power was 0 kW, the void worth was 0.42$, and the hardware failure was 0.01$ and 0.04$. For the fueled experiment, the safety case fission power was 170 kW, the void worth was 0.34$, and the hardware failure was 0$ and 0.03$.

11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS↗

DOE OSTI2018

Reactivation of the Transient Reactor Test (TREAT) Facility Neutron Radiography Program

Reactivation of the Transient Reactor Test (TREAT) Facility Neutron Radiography Program The Transient Reactor Test (TREAT) Facility is a 19,000 MW reactor located at the Idaho National Laboratory designed to perform transient testing on nuclear fuel experiments and materials. A neutron radiography facility was installed with the first radiograph being produced in 1967 that utilized the indirect (or transfer) method of neutron radiography to examine irradiated nuclear fuels and experiment test loops. The TREAT neutron radiography facility performed approximately 5,000 radiographs by the spring of 1977. The original radiography facility was upgraded in 1974-1975 to correct previous deficiencies and to improve capabilities. In 1986, an upgraded aperture was installed to increase the resolution of images followed by a major reactor upgrade completed in 1988. Overall, the existing neutron radiography system was in good working order. Originally built in 1958, the TREAT Facility was in operation until it was placed in a shutdown status in 1994. Following the Fukishima disaster and seeing a need for enhanced accident tolerant fuels, the United Stated Department of Energy decided to restart the TREAT facility and resume transient operations. In November 2017, the TREAT reactor was successfully restarted and is currently performing operational testing in preparation for initial experiment irradiations and transient testing. This paper reports on efforts to reactivate the TREAT neutron radiography station. A few minor shielding and system improvement upgrades have been completed along with the installation of a dedicated room for computed radiography equipment. Detailed beam characterization work was not performed following the last reactor upgrade. To characterize the neutron beam, gold foil activation measurements were made to determine an average neutron flux and flux profile. Additional multi-foil activation measurements will be made to calculate the energy spectrum. An open beam image will be taken that will provide the information about variations in the beam profile. A series of system qualification shots will also take place to accurately determine the effective image quality and image acquisition parameters. Full operational status of the TREAT neutron radiography system is scheduled for late summer of 2018.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

DOE OSTI2018

Quantifying the Impact of Vehicle and Motor Fuel Provisions from the Energy Policy Act on the Sustainability and Resilience of U.S. Cities

30 DIRECT ENERGY CONVERSION↗

DOE OSTI2019

Physical Layer Security for mmWave Drone Links with NOMA

Unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) based communication networks have recently received significant attention in providing broadband coverage during temporary events and disaster situations. Non-orthogonal multiple access (NOMA) and millimeter-wave (mmWave) transmission are two prominent technologies for these networks to realize high-throughput communication links. While delivering broadband connection, physical layer security remains as an essential feature of the network to maintain the confidentiality of the information.In this study, we investigate the physical layer security for a UAV based communication network involving mmWave NOMA transmission. In particular, we consider optimization of location and shape of a protected zone around the user region, which is assumed to be free from any eavesdropper, to further enhance the secrecy rates of the network.

99 GENERAL AND MISCELLANEOUS↗

DOE OSTI2018

Presentation for LDRD FY19 proposal: An Innovative Secure millimeter wave (mmWave) Machine to Machine (M2M) Communication Network for Operating Drones

We propose to prove the principle that a novel 5G wireless network using newly available millimeter wave (mmWave) frequency bands can operate Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) with Machine to Machine (M2M) communication. If successful, this proposed network will provide a superior alternative to existing methods with improved radio frequency (RF) coverage and resiliency against cyberattacks. The use of UAVs or drones for non-military applications has been advancing rapidly for a large number of applications in the United States. They include public safety search and rescue of natural disaster victims, surveillance of remote critical infrastructure, surveys of environmental quality in protected regions, and detection of threats during major public events. The proposed approach involves research with modeling, simulation, and experimentation to validate the hypothesis in the following thrusts: 1) Using mmWave beams with antennas tilted upward for RF coverage in the sky to analyze the security, reliability, and spectral efficiency of this wireless network for UAV/drone operation; 2) Adding non orthogonal multiple access (NOMA) to analyze increase in security and spectral efficiency when compared to existing methods; 3) Adding intra-drone communication among the swarm of drones to analyze further increase in reliability and spectral efficiency; 4) Concluding the proof of principle/concept with modeling and experiment to demonstrate that a swarm of drones controlled with this advanced network can be effectively used during the simulated recovery of a critical infrastructure e.g. a cyber compromised power grid that requires a black restart. The experiments will be executed at the North Carolina State University (NCSU) using NCSU’s 28 GHz mmWave system. A conceptual Invention Record Disclosure (IDR) has been filed and we expect Intellectual Property (IP) from this proposed research to advance the IRD towards patent filing by INL with support from NCSU. Successful outcome from this work will pave the way for significant future research needed to mature the technology for a nationwide secure and reliable network supporting a large number of government and public safety drones.

99 GENERAL AND MISCELLANEOUS↗

DOE OSTI2018

Data Mining Critical Infrastructure Systems: Models and Tools

Critical infrastructures (CIs) such as power, water, transportation, and telecommunication are highly complex interacting systems that are vital to national security, economy and public life. They play an important role in several core urban computing challenges. Advances in computing resources and techniques have led to enormous progress in developing intelligent frameworks for analyzing these large heterogeneous systems. In this article, we survey state-of-the-art and foundational work in this upcoming area from a data mining perspective. We discuss basic concepts of CIs, their properties, impacts on them due to natural or human-caused disturbances and different computational methodologies used for modeling and understanding their behavior. We also discuss recent work that specifically deals with two critical sectors of CIs, namely power and transportation systems. Lastly, we also describe several existing tools and methods that are used to facilitate decision making for domain operators, enable efficient and faster disaster response for federal and state agencies and help improve the security and resiliency of these CIs.

97 MATHEMATICS AND COMPUTING↗