Airports – Godinterest

March 31, 2016July 1, 2022

Professor Pavel Matousek – Laser Man

Using micro-SORS for non-destructive analysis of painted layers in Art

Professor Pavel Matousek, a Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC) Senior Fellow and Chief Scientific Officer of Cobalt Light Systems Ltd, has pioneered revolutionary techniques for analysing the chemical composition of materials and co-founded a highly successful spin-out company. He has helped develop and commercialize award-winning laser technologies that detect liquid explosives at airports, rapidly check the quality of pharmaceutical products, and that may one day non-invasively diagnose breast cancer. Pavel states:

“I Am Very Excited about What I Do and Driven to Answer Questions in Front of Me, Unravel Complex Problems and Deliver Something Useful to Society.”

STFC science writer James Doherty meets the Laser Man.

Pavel, what first got you interested in physics?

I became fascinated by the stars and Universe while growing up in the Czech Republic. I joined an astronomy society at secondary school and it became clear I wanted to study physics. I got very interested in laser physics during my MSc at the Czech Technical University in Prague. It is a very dynamic field.

When did you arrive at Rutherford Appleton Laboratory (RAL)?

I joined as a research associate in 1991, and went on to complete my PhD in ultra-fast Raman Spectroscopy at RAL, awarded by the Czech Technical University. I’ve been here almost 25 years to the day.

So what is Raman Spectroscopy?

It is a technique that involves shining a laser beam at the surface of a material, and then observing the colour of light scattered from the point of illumination. This typically provides information about the chemical composition of the material’s surface. C.V. Raman observed the effect in 1928 and subsequently won a Nobel Prize.

You pioneered a technique called Spatially Offset Raman Spectroscopy (SORS): What is it and how does it differ from normal Raman Spectroscopy?

“We couldn’t have developed the SORS technique without the instrumentation and long term research continuity available at the Central Laser Facility at RAL”

SORS is a technique that we stumbled across in the Ultrafast Spectroscopy Laboratory (ULTRA) by chance. We had assumed that photons could only be detected at the illumination point but we were wrong. Some photons migrate sideways through the material then emerge adjacent to the illumination point. As these photons have interacted with molecules deeper inside the medium, they provide information about internal chemical make-up: SORS probes deeper into the material. And the further you move from the illumination point, the deeper you see into the medium. The process

involves large photon migration distances, often extending to several centimetres or more. This came as a big surprise.

“SORS involves probing at one location and detecting at another. Our minds, and those of others, were constrained by our perception of how the Raman Spectroscopy process worked but once we made this serendipitous discovery, we quickly realised it had potential major applications.”

What kind of applications?

“The Range of Potential Applications for Sors Is Staggering.”

Insight100 (Cobalt Lights Systems Ltd) scanner for noninvasive analysis of bottles at airports.

Using micro-SORS for non-destructive analysis of painted layers in Art

We immediately realised SORS could determine the chemical make-up of substances by non-destructive means. This could have applications in bio-medicine, chemistry, security, forensics, heritage, and beyond. But we first focused on pharmaceuticals, and developed novel ways for analysing the chemical make-up of manufactured drugs.

We swiftly filed 8 patents, which became the basis of our company Cobalt Light Systems.

Cobalt Light Systems is perhaps best known for its airport security scanners. Can you describe how these work and their impact to passenger travel?

Security scanners represent the second generation of technology developed by Cobalt. To date there are around 400 operational units in 70 airports across Europe and Asia. They are used to scan traveller essentials, such as medicines or baby milk, and compare their chemical make-up to a database of potentially explosive substances. Suspicious substances are automatically identified and flagged. For example, the technology avoids passengers having to drink liquids (e.g. baby milk) in front security officer to prove they are not dangerous, which is clearly safer and more hygienic. It has also contributed to new legislation, and is expected to lead to a relaxation of the complete ban of taking liquids on board a plane in the future.

The scanners are currently the size of a microwave oven but right now we are launching a SORS handheld device. This should have further applications for first responder teams called to spillages of unknown substances and fire fighters attending chemical fires.

Pavel Matousek Pioneered a Technique Called Spatially Offset Raman Spectroscopy (SORS)

How did STFC help with this process?

First off, we used instrumentation at STFC’s Central Laser Facility to demonstrate the basic capability to detect the SORS subsurface signal. Once we made the discovery in 2004, we worked closely with STFC’s Technology Transfer Office SIL (formerly CLIK) and Business and Innovations (BID) to develop, optimise and protect our ideas. There was a complex path to navigate from discovery, to optimising SORS, building a prototype, and ultimately to securing investment in 2008. BID/SIL coordinated the company at all levels and provided the support necessary to achieve this goal.

“My story illustrates the national and international importance of STFC. If its determination to deliver impact on science was absent, the chain from a fundamental discovery to Cobalt Light Systems’ product would have been broken. STFC responded appropriately at every stage. And this is just one example of how STFC contributes to the UK’s know-how economy.”

What are you working on currently?

I’m focused on developing novel non-invasive medical screening techniques, including diagnosing bone disease such as osteoporosis (jointly with STFC’s Prof Tony Parker and University College London’s Prof Allen Goodship), and I’m working with Professor Nicolas Stone of Exeter University on non-invasive breast cancer screening.

In addition, I’m collaborating with Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche in Italy to apply the SORS technology to objects of art on microscales. For example, we can scan different layers of paint to determine compositional information essential in restoration and preservation of artefacts.

How will the medical applications benefit patients?

Patient benefit could be enormous. Current diagnosis techniques for osteoporosis are around 60-70% accurate as they sense only mineral content. SORS on the other hand has a high specificity for mineral and collagen content – both of which determine bone strength – and so holds considerable promise for providing improved diagnostic accuracy. SORS could also be used to classify breast or prostate tumours as malignant or benign without needle biopsy. This would reduce patient stress and save medical provider costs.

However, medical problems are challenging as the human body is complex and variable. These applications are probably still 7-10 years away.

Why do you do this research?

This is where my passion and interest lies – I’m very excited about what I do.

“As You Push the Boundaries of Technology and Make New Discoveries, the End Goal Always Changes. This Is the Nice Thing about Science.”

March 30, 2016July 1, 2022

Heathrow Airport Expansion – Exploring the Controversy

LONDON – The debate over the £19 billion scheme for the third runway at Heathrow airport has been a long-running row which has grown into fierce opposition within the last couple of months.

We shall not be moved, Heathrow Airport management has stuck to its original course of action, while ignoring constant protests and public discontent and insists that expanding Heathrow will provide the growth, jobs, experts, and connections to make Great Britain greater still.

Sir Richard Branson Urges Heathrow Expansion, and Says “Britain Is ‘being Held Back Massively”.

The billionaire founder of the Virgin Group has accused politicians of neglecting to back the expansion project at Heathrow because they are more concerned about their own jobs rather than doing “what is right for the UK”.

The entrepreneur, Sir Richard Branson urged the Government to be ” bold and brave on big infrastructure decisions like this”.

Hounslow Council, on the other hand, has been accused of “throwing in the towel” over the Heathrow expansion after it promoted the “opportunity of a third runway”. In response, Hounslow Council leader Steve Curran stated its stance on Heathrow had not changed but said it needed to be prepared if the government approves the recommendation for a third runway later this year.

Meanwhile, twelfth century St Mary the Virgin sits right in the middle of flight paths in the village of Harmondsworth, Middlesex and under blueprints for the expansion of the airport, most of the buildings in the village will be demolished but the 951-year-old grade II listed church will be spared. Protesters say there would no longer be anyone to use it.

Worshippers have already prayed at a Service of Hope that the Government will reject Heathrow’s expansion plans.

Amid mounting concerns and opposition from the whole community Justine Greening, the International Development Secretary predicts the government will ditch the £16bn plan for a third runway at Heathrow.

“Trying to Expand Heathrow Is like Trying to Build an Eight Bedroom Mansion on the Site of a Terraced House. It Is a Hub Airport That Is Just Simply in the Wrong Place” – Justine Greening

London Mayor Boris Johnson has been a vehement opponent of Heathrow expansion and has said
that the New Heathrow runway will negatively affect public health. In his report ‘Landing the Right Airport’ presented in March, Boris Johnson evaluated damages caused by the new runway to be between £20bn to £25bn during the next 60 years.

Both Zac Goldsmith and Sadiq Khan, respective Conservative and Labour candidates to succeed Mr. Johnson are also on the bandwagon and are campaigning against a third runway. This controversial debate has also resulted in Downing Street issuing an instruction to ministers asking them not to discuss the proposed third runway at Heathrow airport.

The North West Runway Will Be Two Miles (3,200m) Long, Making It Big Enough for Any Aircraft in the World to Use It

The commission, which was ordered by the government coalition, stated that the Heathrow expansion is ‘the best answer’ to easing the pressure on the UK’s crowded air terminals and that it will not increase noise above current levels, but will generate up to £147 billion in GDP impacts over 60 years.

Furthermore, if the plan for the third runway is approved, it will provide 740,000 flights a year, putting it on equal footing with Paris, Frankfurt, and Amsterdam.

A decision on whether to build a third runway at Heathrow Airport has been delayed until summer 2016, the government has confirmed.

March 25, 2016July 1, 2022

10 Proposed Infrastructure Projects for London to Retain Its World Class Status

London hasen’t reached the density of Hong Kong, but it’s certainly heading that way as the cities population continues to expand. The “London Infrastructure Plan 2050″ aims to tackle the problem and outlines the spending needed for the capital to remain one of the world’s leading cities.

London Mayor Boris Johnson Has Said £1.3tn of Investment Is Needed over the next 35 Years in Order for London to Retain Its World Class Status

“This plan is a real wake up call to the stark needs that face London over the next half century. Infrastructure underpins everything we do and we all use it every day. Without a long-term plan for investment and the political will to implement it this city will falter.”

London School of Economics Professor Tony Travers Said: “the London Infrastructure Plan Is a Necessary Step Towards Understanding the Needs of the ‘10 Million City’ Which London Will Soon Become.

Transport is the biggest focus of the “London Infrastructure Plan 2050” as the population hit 8.5 million in 2014 the largest it has been since 1939. By 2050 it is predicted to exceed 11 million, growing at a rate of 41,000 a year.

Some infrastructure project proposals are already in development, others may not be approved at all, however, these are some transport developments suggested for London by 2050.

Bridge House, Croydon

1. Air con on the Tube, £900m

It was find in the beginning, in fact, conditions were so pleasant in 1906 that the city proclaimed the underground ‘The coolest place in hot weather’. But that was before deep lines and millions of passengers.

Better Late than Never, London’s Tube Is Getting Air-con

In summer, temperatures on parts of the London Underground can become very uncomfortable due to its deep and poorly ventilated tube tunnels: temperatures as high as 116 °F were reported in the 2006 heat wave. New Tube trains, which allow better access for customers, are being rolled out on the Circle line as part of the introduction of 53 new trains on both the Hammersmith & City and Circle lines. By the end of 2016 there will be a total of 191 walk-through, air-conditioned trains covering 40% of the Tube network running on the District,Circle, Metropolitan and Hammersmith & City lines.

2. Inner orbital tolled tunnel, £15bn-25bn

Mayor sets out plan for 22-mile ring-road tunnel under London, which is considered by many to be one of the most ambitious infrastructure scheme ever proposed in the city.

The tunnel will cost an estimated £30 billion to construct and will remove tens of thousands of cars from the crowded streets of London and avert traffic gridlock. With subterranean dual carriageways linking key routes, from the A40 Westway to the A12 in the east, and the A1 route north to the A2 running south.

London Major Boris Johnson, who commissioned work to develop the idea, believes it could dramatically improve quality of life for residents. He said: “I would love the views of Evening Standard readers on this. There are big arguments in favour. There are obviously arguments against.”

Transport for London is working on the concept.

Transport for London

Transport for London has invited Alstom, Bombardier, CAF, Hitachi and Siemens to tender to supply 250 new trainsets for the London Underground

Transport for London

3. Northern Line extension, £1bn

Works commenced on London Underground’s £1bn Northern Line extensionfrom Kennington to Battersea via Nine Elms in the UK in 2015.

Tunnelling work is scheduled to start in early 2017 and will take six months to complete, while the project is expected to be completed in 2020.

The project will reduce journey times to the West End and the city to less than 15min.

4. Cycle Super Highways, £2bn- £4bn

London’s New Superhighway Linking East and West London Will Open on 30 April, Says the Capital’s Mayor Boris Johnson

The route, which links Barking, Canary Wharf and Tower Hill to Westminster, will open less than a week before his term is set to end.

Chris Boardman, the former Olympic champion and policy advisor to British Cycling, said: “This YouGov poll shows us, yet again, that the vast majority of the public want to see more cycle tracks on main roads.

“If this kind of evidence isn’t enough to give politicians and transport authorities the confidence to act, I don’t know what is.”

Last month, Boris Johnson pressed ahead with plans for three cycle superhighways.

5. Bakerloo and Overground extensions, £2.5bn-3.5bn

The extension of the Bakerloo line could help regenerate South East London from Old Kent Road to Catford, improve routes into London and relieve congestion on the main rail services into London Bridge.

6. Crossrail 2 and 3, £23bn- £30bn

TRANSPORT chiefs say it is “full steam ahead” for Crossrail 2 after the Government made an £80million pledge towards the project – but it will be months before passengers find out if a station will be built at Balham or Tooting.

Construction work is due to begin on the rail link in the early 2020s, which would enable the service to be operational by 2033.

7. New Stations, £500m and 24/7 Night Tube service

New stations at Cricklewood, Beam Park in Rainham and Thames Wharf could be built to support redevelopment in these areas. It has also been claimed that night services on the Piccadilly, Central, and Northern Lines are then due to start in September, with all major lines being served by the weekend night tube by September 23.

8. Another channel tunnel, £1bn

The “London Infrastructure Plan 2050″ suggests an additional cross-channel rail tunnel would provide high speed links from the UK to the rest of Europe for passengers and freight.

9. 13 new crossings in London, £1-2bn

The vision for east London includes 13 proposed new river crossings include Gallions-Thamesmead, Belvedere-Rainham, Woolwich- Royal Docks to replace the Woolwich Ferry, as well as the Silvertown tunnel.

Boris Johnson states “By creating more links between the north and south of the river, we won’t just improve day-to-day travelling across the capital, we’ll unlock areas for development and create thousands of jobs and homes.

Rotherhithe to Canary Wharf: Pedestrian and cycle bridge (feasibility).
North Greenwich to the Isle of Dogs: a passenger ferry linking North Greenwich and the Isle of Dogs (Blackwall) (conceptual).
Silvertown tunnel: Twin bore tunnel connecting Silvertown on the north side to the Blackwall Tunnel Approach on the south side (preparation).
Charlton: a passenger ferry crossing linking the Royal Docks and Charlton Riverside (conceptual).
Crossrail: New rail line linking Woolwich with Custom House and onward to Canary Wharf, central London and Heathrow Airport (construction).
Gallions Reach: Multi-modal crossing linking Thamesmead with Beckton along a safeguarded alignment (consultation).
Belvedere: Multi-modal crossing connecting Belvedere with Rainham (consultation)
Barking Riverside to Thamesmead: London Overground tunnel extension from Barking Riverside to Thamesmead (conceptual).
Lower Thames Crossing: New road crossing linking Essex and Kent (progressing).
Diamond Jubilee: Pedestrian and cycle bridge linking Fulham with Battersea (planning permission granted).
Crossrail 2: New railway line connecting Hertfordshire and Surrey via central London and providing a new cross river link between Victoria and Clapham Junction (consultation).
Vauxhall, Nine Elms and Battersea: Pedestrian and cycle bridge (feasibility).
Garden Bridge: New pedestrian crossing linking the South Bank to Temple station (planning permission granted).

Thames Estuary Airport

10. Thames Estuary airport, 18bn-25bn

A new Thames Estuary Airport has been proposed at various times since the 1940s. Economic considerations have ruled out a new coastal airport, while political considerations have ruled out a new inland airport, leaving planners with an as-yet-unresolved dilemma.

‘Bizarre proposal’ states Rehman Chisthti, MP for Gillingham and Rainham “The airport in the estuary was not the right thing do so we all worked together to oppose it. It’s really good news and we’re really pleased that common sense has prevailed.”

However,Boris Johnson refloats idea of Thames Estuary airport 18 months after it was rejected by Airports Commission. Mr Johnson believes a hub in the east of the capital would offer around double the number of long haul and domestic routes served by Heathrow while exposing 95 per cent fewer people to significant aircraft noise.

‘Grain isn’t the answer’ states Rodney Chamber, Leader of Medway Council “We have said all along that it should never have even been considered as it would have resulted in the mass destruction of habitat and wildlife that could never be replaced.”

February 12, 2016July 1, 2022

65% of Mega-projects Fail

There’s a reason why Mega-projects are simply called “Mega-projects.” Extremely large in scale with significant impacts on communities, environment and budgets, mega-projects attract a lot of public attention and often cost more than 1 billion. Because of its grandiose, a successful mega-project requires a lot of planning, responsibility and work. Likewise, the magnificence of such projects also creates a large margin for failure.

Mega-projects Come with Big Expectations. But a Project’s Success Is Often in the Eye of the Beholder

Despite their socio-economic significance mega-projects – delivering airports, railways, power plants, Olympic parks and other long-lived assets – have a reputation for failure. It is thought that over optimism, over complexity, poor execution, and weakness in organizational design and capabilities are the most common root causes of megaproject failure.

Blinded by enthusiasm for the project, individuals and organizations involved with mega-projects often miscalculate the complexity of the project. When a mega-project is pitched, its common for costs and timelines to be underestimated while the benefits of the project are overestimated. According Danish economist Bent Flyvbjerg, its not unusual for project managers who are competing for funding to massage the data until it is deemed affordable. After all, revealing the real costs up front would make a project unappealing, he said. As a result, these projects are destined for failure.

For example, building new railways spanning multiple countries could prove to be disastrous if plans are overly complex and over-optimized. Such a large-scale project involves national and local governments, various environmental and health standards, a wide range of skills and wages, private contractors, suppliers and consumers; therefore, one issue could put an end to the project. Such was the case when two countries spent nearly a decade working out diplomatic considerations while building a hydroelectric dam.

Complications and complexities of mega-projects must be considered thoroughly before launch. One way to review the ins and outs of a project is through reference-class forecasting. This process forces decision makers to look at past cases that might reflect similar outcomes to their proposed mega-project.

Poor execution is also a cause for failure in mega-projects. Due to the overoptimism and overcomplexity of a project, it’s easy for project managers and decision makers to cut corners trying to maintain cost assumptions and protect profit margins. Project execution is then overwhelmed by problems such as incomplete design, unclear scope, and mathematical errors in risk assessment and scheduling.

Researchers at McKinsey studied 48 struggling mega-projects and found that in 73 percent of the cases, poor execution was responsible for cost and time overruns. The other 27 percent ran into issues with politics such as new governments and laws.

Low productivity is another aspect of poor execution. Even though trends show that manufacturing has nearly doubled its productivity in the last 20 years, construction productivity remains flat and in some instances has even declined. However, wages continue to increase with inflation, leading to higher costs for the same results.

According to McKinsey studies, efficiency in delivering infrastructure can reduce total costs by 15 percent. Efficiency gains in areas like approval, engineering, procurement and construction can lead to as much as 25 percent of savings on new projects without compromising quality outcomes. This proves that planning before execution is worth its weight in gold.

We Tend to Exaggerate the Importance of Contracting Approach to Project Success or Failure

Finally, weaknesses in organizational design and capabilities results in failed megaprojects. For example, organizational setups can have multiple layers and in some cases the project director falls four or five levels below the top leadership. This can lead to problems as the top tier of the organizational chain (for example, subcontractors, contractors and construction managers) tend to focus on more work and more money while the lower levels of the chain (for example, owner’s representative and project sponsors) are focused on delivery schedules and budgets.

Likewise, a lack of capabilities proves to be an issue. Because of the large-scaled, complex nature of mega-projects, there is a steep learning curve involved and the skills needed are scarce. All the problems of megaprojects are compounded by the speed at which projects are started. When starting from scratch, mega-projects may create organizations of thousands of people within 12 months. This scale of work is comparable to the significant operational and managerial challenge a new start-up might face.

In the end, it seems that if organizations take the time to thoroughly prepare and plan for their mega-projects, problems like overcomplexity and overoptimism, poor execution, and weaknesses in organizational design and capabilities could be avoided. After all, mega=projects are too large and too expensive to rush into.

November 8, 2015July 1, 2022

5 of the World’s Most Spectacular Megaprojects

We seem to be entering a new age of megaprojects as countries around the world mobilise the private sector to invest heavily in multi-billion or sometimes multi-trillion dollar infrastructure initiatives.

Megaprojects (sometimes also spelled “mega projects”) are very large investment projects and require care in the project development process to reduce any possible optimism bias and strategic misrepresentation.

The most expensive large-scale megaprojects in the world range from bridges, tunnels, highways, railways, airports, seaports, power plants, dams and wastewater projects to entire city districts.

Megaprojects seem to be practically recession-proof and have continued despite the 2008 global economic slowdown likely spurred megaproject construction, since the governments of some countries among them China, India, and the United States saw investment in infrastructure as a way to stimulate growth. Moreover, many large corporations are locked into megaprojects, because only enormous undertakings seem capable of nudging their bottom lines.

Here, we take a look at 5 of the biggest, most important and spectacular megaprojects around the world.

Waterworld Hotel Concept, Songjiang, China By Atkin’s Architecture Group

Songjiang Hotel, China

“We Drew Our Inspiration from the Quarry Setting” Says Atkins Design Studio

The five-star hotel is designed by UK architecture office Atkins for Shimao Group and will offer around 400 rooms, with underwater restaurants, clubs, shopping facilities, a 10-meter deep aquarium and various sport activities such as rock climbing and bungee jumping.

The waterfall is a key feature of this hotel built into a 328-foot-tall quarry outside of Shanghai. The 19-story hotel will have the waterfall cascading down the middle and two hotel floors that are entirely underwater.

The building will get its energy from geothermal sources and will feature a green roof.

With its 650 architects spread around the world in 60 offices, Atkins Design Studio is an enormous organisation, with some pretty amazing Megaprojects under its belt.

Three Gorges Dam

Man has long used technology to harness nature and dam building has always been one of the most controversial methods.

Building a dam causes dramatic effects on the environment, yet can benefit man in innumerable ways.

Three Gorges Dam located in Sandouping, Yiling, Hubeiis is the largest power station in the world and took 14 years to complete at a cost of USD $37 billion ( ¥180 billion). The original estimated cost was USD $6 billion ( ¥20 billion). It can produce as much as 15 nuclear power plants and is expected to create 10% of China’s entire energy supply.

The Three Gorges Dam has moved 39 trillion kilograms of water 175 metres above sea level which scientists believe has altered the planet enough to change the speed at which the earth rotates.

The dam was first suggested by Sun Yat-sen, the first president of the Republic of China in 1919 and people have been working on it, researching how it would work and where exactly it would go for nearly 100 years.

London Crossrail

Crossrail is Europe’s largest infrastructure project and is set to boost London’s rail capacity by 10%. The project will deliver approximately 11.9km of twin bore tunnels.

The $23 billion development 73-mile rail project will connect London from East to West, improving access to Heathrow Airport, central London as well as city’s surrounding towns and suburbs.

Eight boring machines have been cutting their way through earth to create 26 miles (42km) of tunnels.

Construction of Crossrail began at Canary Wharf in London Docklands on 15 May 2009, with tunnelling work starting in May 2012.

The Crossrail project is about 65% complete and engineers will now continue upgrading existing stations and building new stations in central London and London Docklands.

Working in partnership with China Southwest Architectural Design and Research Institute and the China Railway Design Institute, ADPI also won the competition to design and develop Terminal 3 at Chongqing Jiangbei International Airport in 2011. Phase 1 of the project will increase the airport’s capacity to 45 million passengers per year by 2020.

Beijing International Airport Terminal 1 to be World’s Biggest

Beijing’s new international airport

January 2013 saw work approved for a new airport in Beijing. With large sweeping, non-conforming arches that span inwards with curves to the interior, there is a definite stamp of Zaha Hadid Architects with their design language.

Playing host to eight runways and with the capabilities to cater for 130 million passengers every year, Beijing’s new international airport will be among the world’s largest and busiest once complete in 2017.

One Giant Leap for Mankind

International Space station

The International Space Station (ISS) is the largest artificial body in orbit and can often be seen with the naked eye from Earth.

It may be one of the most ambitious scientific ventures ever and also the largest masterpiece of the human engineering in orbit around Earth at present. The station consists mainly of habitable and science modules, external trusses and solar panels to provide power.

The ISS provides a platform to conduct scientific research including astrobiology, astronomy, human research including space medicine and life sciences, physical sciences, materials science, space weather and weather on Earth.

What exciting projects did we miss on our list? Let us know in the comments section below.