Ciro Apollonio

Improving the ANN Classification Accuracy of Landsat Data Through Spectral Indices and Linear Transformations (PCA and TCT) Aimed at LU/LC Monitoring of a River Basin

In this paper an efficient Artificial Neural Networks (ANN) classification method based on LANDSAT satellite data is proposed, studying the Cervaro river basin area (Foggia, Italy). LANDSAT imagery acquisition dates of 1984, 2003, 2009 and 2011 were selected to produce Land Use/Land Cover (LULC) maps to cover a time trend of 28 years. Land cover categories were chosen with the aim of characterizing land use according to the level of surface imperviousness. Nine synthetic bands from the PC, Tasseled Cap (TC), Brightness Temperature (BT) and vegetation indices (Leaf area Index LAI and the Modified Soil Adjusted Vegetation Index MSAVI) were identified as the most effective for the classification procedure. The advantages in using the ANN approach were confirmed without requiring a priori knowledge on the distribution model of input data. The results quantify land cover change patterns in the river basin area under study and demonstrate the potential of multitemporal LANDSAT data to provide an accurate and cost effective means to map and analyze land cover changes over time that can be used as input for subsequent hydrological and planning analysis.

Experimental analysis of air valve behaviour during hydraulic transients

The dynamic behaviour of air valves is still, to date, not very well known and, despite numerous scientific contributions, a standard approach for their dimensioning is yet to be found. Several analytical and experimental laboratory studies have been conducted for rapid pressurizing of entrapped air in a pipeline system, but most of these analyses have been performed with an air valve located at the end of a horizontal pipeline. In this study, an experimental analysis is carried out for several orifice sizes installed on a viscoelastic pipe for different boundary conditions. A brief description of the experimental hydraulic circuit and test procedures is provided, presenting the results of this laboratory experience. Experimental results show that the overpressure, due to entrapped air in a pressurized system, may depend on several factors such as pipeline slope.

Sustainable bio-hydrothermal sequencing treatment for asbestos-cement wastes

In this paper, the treatment of asbestos-cement waste (ACW) has been attempted by a dark fermentation (DF) pre-treatment followed by hydrothermal and anaerobic digestion (AD) treatments. During DF, glucose, employed as a biodegradable substrate, was mainly converted to H2-rich biogas and organic acids (OAs). The latter caused the dissolution of the cement matrix and the partial structural collapse of chrysotile (white asbestos). To complete the chrysotile degradation, hydrothermal treatment of the DF effluents was performed under varying operating conditions (temperature, acid type, and load). After the addition of 5.0 g/L sulfuric acid, a temperature decrease, from 80 °C to 40 °C, slowed down the treatment. Similarly, at 100 °C, a decrease of sulfuric, lactic or malic acid load from 5.0 g/L to 1.0 g/L slowed down the process, regardless of acid type. The acid type did not affect the hydrothermal treatment but influenced the AD of the hydrothermal effluents. Indeed, when malic acid was used, the AD of the hydrothermally treated effluents resulted in the highest production of methane. At the end of the AD treatment, some magnesium ions derived from ACW dissolution participated in the crystallization of struvite, an ecofriendly phosphorous-based fertilizer.

Preventive approach to reduce risk caused by failure of a rainwater drainage system: The case study of Corato (Southern Italy)

The presence of ancient underground urban drainage system in cities entails serious risks to public safety. Often, the presence of these hydraulic structures is forgotten and their projects missing in public offices. In this work the critical issues of the old urban drainage system of Corato, a city in the south of Italy, are described. In particular, through a targeted identification, acquisition and spatialization of key variables, and subsequent processing in a GIS software, a method for risk assessment has been provided. The choice of key variables was carried out through visual inspections and acquisition of “historical criticalities” of the urban drainage system. Finally, this paper presents a methodology, calibrated on the old city of Corato, to evaluate the risk caused by the presence of this hydraulic infrastructure, in order to help technicians to define the correct order of operations to be carried out.

Flood Hazard Assessment of the Fortore River Downstream the Occhito Dam, in Southern Italy

In recent decades the effects generated by human activity that have led to the reduction of the natural water retention capacity of the soil and those generated by climatic factors rapidly changing, have exacerbated the hydrogeological instability and amplified the national territory vulnerability. Despite the flood risk in Italy is a topic of great interest, there are several aspects, especially in the management of flood events, that require further investigation; examples are floods caused by dam discharge. In this paper the distribution of hazard areas in downstream of Occhito Dam, has been carried out. Several hazard scenarios were considered related to only dam discharge or relating to the simultaneous presence of the dam contribution and contributions from river basins downstream of the Occhito dam. The results, validated using flooding photo, are presented and discussed, providing flow-rate in order to predict potential floods.