Development of a decision support tool for transportation adaptation practices in response to climate change.

详细信息   

• 作者：Oswald ; Michelle Renee.
• 学历：D.Eng.
• 年：2011
• 导师：McNeil, Sue,eadvisorAmes, Davidecommittee memberLee, Earl (Rusty)ecommittee memberCorbett, Jamesecommittee member
• 毕业院校：University of Delaware
• Department：Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering
• ISBN：9781124782591
• CBH：3465812
• Country：USA
• 语种：English
• FileSize：11026931
• Pages：385

文摘

Scientific evidence verifying climate change and the potential for serious global impacts is now stronger than ever. Currently the U.S. is one of the largest emitters worldwide, with transportation accounting for one third of carbon dioxide emissions. Therefore, much of the discussion and efforts related to transportation and climate change are focused on mitigation and reducing transportations contribution to climate change. However, mitigation efforts such as setting limits on emissions will not be sufficient, or timely enough, to avoid all potential impacts of climate change. In order to prepare and protect societies, economies, and the environment, adaptation efforts are required. This research focuses on implementing adaptation efforts into the long range transportation planning LRTP) process. Using a decision theoretic approach that recognizes uncertainty, such as the information gap method, the climate change scenarios are evaluated with respect to the LRTP timeline to suggest the importance of transportation adaptation practice in addition to existing mitigation efforts. This scenario evaluation serves as the basis for developing a methodology to create a decision support tool for transportation adaptation practices Climate Change Adaptation Tool for Transportation- CCATT). Since climate change impacts will vary throughout the United States, a methodology is developed with intentions of being repeatable, relevant, and regionally focused. The methodology focuses on four aspects of transportation planning: 1) evaluation of scenarios, adaptive capacity, and impact assessment, 2) inventory of existing at-risk infrastructure, 3) assessment of proposed at-risk infrastructure, and 4) adaptation in support of existing mitigation practices. In order to apply the method to a specific region, a transportation adaptation tool for the Mid-Atlantic region CCATT: Mid-Atlantic) is developed. This tool highlights the regional impacts for the Mid-Atlantic which include increased temperatures, rising sea level, and increased precipitation. To determine the applicability of CCATT: Mid-Atlantic, a test network is used as well as a case study application to the Wilmington Area Planning Council a Metropolitan Planning Organization in Delaware). The feedback, insights, and results of the applications are used as improvements to the regionally specific tool as well as the general methodology for integrating climate change adaptation into transportation planning.