Integrity of electrical power and natural gas lines

提出了两个主题，其共同目的是帮助保护对电力和天然气传输至关重要的关键基础设施。目标是：(a)利用天气数据预测架空电力线因结冰和风引起的大规模稳定振动的可能性，以及(b)开发能够快速自动确定天然气管道连接质量的智能机器人。这些信息将有助于及时作出决定，以避免或改善潜在的灾难性和代价高昂的事件。例如，1998年严重的冰冻暴雨造成的电力线振动是造成加拿大东部地区生命损失和30亿美元损失的一个重要因素。此外，在安装过程中对管道连接进行更严格的检查可能有助于延迟大量后续故障的发生。

Two topics are proposed whose common purpose is to help preserve key infrastructure vital to the transmission of electricity and natural gas.  Objectives are to: (a) use weather data to predict the likelihood of large steady vibrations of overhead power lines caused by their icing and wind, and (b) develop intelligent robots that can quickly and automatically determine the quality of natural gas pipe connections.  The information will help timely decisions to be made to avoid or ameliorate potentially catastrophic and costly events.  For example, the vibration of power lines caused by the severe freezing rainstorm of 1998 was an important factor in the loss of life and the 3 billion dollars  damage sustained in Eastern Canada.  Also, a more rigorous inspection of pipe connections during installation may help delay a significant number of subsequent failures.