Improving flood fatality risk assessment for river flooding in the Netherlands: Implications of alternative functions and model resolution variations on mortality and fatalities in the Bommelerwaard

The number of fatalities due to a potential flood event is traditionally determined utilizing 'mortality functions’. Data of recent large-scale flooding in the Netherlands are not available since the Netherlands was successful in flood prevention. Therefore, only data from the last coastal flood event in 1953 with 1795 direct fatalities are...

The quality of GRACE monthly solutions and potential improvements by the use of the Global Tide and Surge Model

Climate change causes alterations in large scale mass transport patterns in the ocean, cryosphere and hydrology. The Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE) satellite mission which has been operational in the years 2002-2017 has already improved our understanding of large scale mass transport on Earth, but improvement of data quality is...

Comparison of Legislation on the Safe Utilisation of Explosives and its Application in Boliden Mines

Blasting operations form a central part of any hard rock metal mining operation, and are, given its inherent hazards, critical in ensuring safe mine working environments. In order to improve workplace safety in such operations, it is important to select the right explosives and technologies, to issue rules and procedures and to offer adequate...

Addicks and Barker Dams: An optimization to minimize damage due to flooding

The Addicks and Barker Reservoirs, built in the forties, are located in Houston and collect precipitation and run-off from upstream areas to reduce flood risks along Buffalo Bayou to protect downtown Houston. During Hurricane Harvey (August 25 - August 30, 2017), the precipitation reached a new record of 910 mm [36.2 inches] in a 4 day period in...

Attack-resilient media using phone-to-phone networking

Modern media and news consumption is shifting from traditional outlets to online social media and mobile devices. However, the Internet has central components that are vulnerable to monitoring, censorship and Internet kill-switches. Human rights, like the protection of privacy, honor and reputation are endangered by this. Mobile devices with...

Xylos: Creating a game for the Imagine Cup 2009

During the last ten months, we have designed and developed a game for the Microsoft Imagine Cup. This game, built on the Cannibal Engine, was to revolve around the Millennium Development Goals. The obvious goal was to win the Imagine Cup, or at least to get as far as we could possibly can. Our team consisted of three programmers with little to...

Xylos, creating a game for the Imagine Cup 2009

Creating games is always an exciting occupation. In ten months, we have created a game for the Microsoft Imagine Cup, revolved around the Millennium Development Goals. Set on a distant planet, the game was to convey the MDG message in a more subtle way than most games did, but still recognizable. The most interesting gameplay mechanic in the...