Among many seawater desalination processes, the multistage flash (MSF) desalination process is a major source of fresh water around the world. The most costly design and operation problem in seawater desalination is due to scale formation and corrosion problems. Fouling factor is one of the many important parameters that affect the operation of MSF processes. This thesis therefore focuses on determining the optimal design and operation strategy of MSF desalinations processes under fouling which will meet variable demand of freshwater. First, a steady state model of MSF is developed based on the basic laws of mass balance, energy balance, and heat transfer equations with supporting correlations for physical properties. gPROMS software is used to develop the model which is validated against the results reported in the literature. The model is then used in further investigations. Based on actual plant data, a simple dynamic fouling factor profile is developed which allows calculation of fouling factor at different time (season of the year). The role of changing brine heater fouling factor with varying seawater temperatures (during the year) on the plant performance and the monthly operating costs for fixed water demand and fixed top brine temperature are then studied. The total monthly operation cost of the process are minimised while the operating parameters such as make up, brine recycle flow rate and steam temperature are optimised. It was found that the seasonal variation in seawater temperature and brine heater fouling factor results in significant variations in the operating parameters and operating costs. The design and operation of the MSF process are optimized in order to meet variable demands of freshwater with changing seawater temperature throughout the day and throughout the year. On the basis of actual data, the neural network (NN) technique has been used to develop a correlation for calculating dynamic freshwater demand/consumption profiles at different times of the day and season. Also, a simple polynomial based dynamic seawater temperature correlation is developed based on actual data. An intermediate storage tank between the plant and the client is considered. The MSF process model developed earlier is coupled with the dynamic model for the storage tank and is incorporated into the optimization framework within gPROMS. Four main seasons are considered in a year and for each season, with variable freshwater demand and seawater temperature, the operating parameters are optimized at discrete time intervals, while minimizing the total daily costs. The intermediate storage tank adds flexible scheduling and maintenance opportunity of individual flash stages and makes it possible to meet variable freshwater demand with varying seawater temperatures without interrupting or fully shutting down the plant at any-time during the day and for any season. Finally, the purity of freshwater coming from MSF desalination plants is very important when the water is used for industrial services such as feed of boiler to produce steam. In this work, for fixed water demand and top brine temperature, the effect of separation efficiency of demister with seasonal variation of seawater temperatures on the final purity of freshwater for both cleaned and fouled demister conditions is studied. It was found that the purity of freshwater is affected by the total number of stages. Also to maintain the purity of freshwater product, comparatively large number of flash stage is required for fouled demister.

No description available.

D’un point de vue climatique la région méditerranéenne est propice aux évènements pluvio-orageux intenses, particulièrement en automne. Ces pluies s’abattent sur des bassins versants escarpés. La promptitude des crues ne laisse qu’un temps très court pour la prévision. L’amplitude de ces crues dépend de la grande variabilité des pluies et des caractéristiques des bassins versants. Les réseaux d'observations ne sont habituellement pas adaptés à ces petites échelles spatiales et l'intensité des événements affecte souvent la fiabilité des données quand elles existent d’où l’existence de bassin non jaugés. La régionalisation en hydrologie s’attache à la détermination de variables hydrologiques aux endroits où ces données manquent. L’objectif de cette thèse est de contribuer à poser les bases d’une méthodologie adaptée à la transposition des paramètres d'un modèle hydrologique distribué dédié aux crues rapides de bassins versants bien instrumentés à des bassins versants non jaugés, et ce sur une large zone d’étude. L’outil utilisé est le modèle hydrologique distribué MARINE [Roux et al., 2011] dont l’une des originalités est de disposer d’un modèle adjoint permettant de mener à bien des calibrations et des analyses de sensibilité spatio-temporelles qui servent à améliorer la compréhension des mécanismes de crue et à l’assimilation de données en temps réel pour la prévision. L’étude des sensibilités du modèle MARINE aborde la compréhension des processus physiques. Une large gamme de comportements hydrologiques est explorée. On met en avant quelques types de comportements des bassins versants pour la région d’étude [Garambois et al., 2012a]. Une sélection des évènements de calibration et une technique de calibration multi évènements aident à l’extraction d’un jeu de paramètres par bassin versant. Ces paramétrisations sont testées sur des évènements de validation. Une méthode de décomposition de la variance des résultats conduit aux sensibilités temporelles du modèle à ses paramètres. Cela permet de mieux appréhender la dynamique des processus physiques rapides en jeu lors de ces crues [Garambois et al., 2012c]. Les paramétrisations retenues sont transférées à l’aide de similarités hydrologiques sur des bassins versants non jaugés, à des fins de prévision opérationnelle / Climate and orography in the Mediterranean region tend to promote intense rainfalls, particularly in autumn. Storms often hit steep catchments. Flood quickness only let a very short time lapse for forecasts. Peak flow intensity depends on the great variability of rainfalls and catchment characteristics. As a matter of facts, observation networks are not adapted to these small space-time scales and event severity often affects data fiability when they exist thus the notion of ungauged catchment emerges. Regionalization in hydrology seeks to determine hydrological variables at locations where these data lack. This work contributes to pose the bases of a methodology adapted to transpose parameterizations of a flash flood dedicated distributed hydrologic model from gauged catchments to ungauged ones, and for a large study area. The MARINE distributed hydrologic model is used [Roux et al., 2011], its originality lies in the automatically differentiated adjoint model able to perform calibrations and spatial-temporal sensitivity analysis, in order to improve understanding in flash flood generating mechanisms and real time data assimilation for hydrometeorological forecasts. MARINE sensitivity analysis addresses the question of physical process understanding. A large panel of hydrologic behaviours is explored. General catchment behaviours are highlighted for the study area [Garambois et al., 2012a]. Selected flood events and a multiple events calibration technique help to extract catchment parameter sets. Those parameterizations are tested on validation events. A variance decomposition method leads to parameter temporal sensitivity analysis. It enables better understanding in catching dynamics of physical processes involved in flash floods formation [Garambois et al., 2012c]. Parameterizations are then transfered from gauged catchments with hydrologic similarity to ungauged ones with a view to develop real time flood forecasting

This paper analyzes the anatomical response of Pinus pinaster Ait. following wounding by flash floods. A total of 14 wood samples were taken from 14 different scarred trees located on the river banks of the Arroyo Cabrera torrent (Spanish Central System). In addition, 20 increment cores were collected from undisturbed and healthy P. pinaster trees to build a local reference chronology. For the injured trees, analysis focused on growth changes in early earlywood (EE) tracheids, namely on differences in (i) lumen size; (ii) cell-wall percentage and cell-wall thickness; (iii) radial length and tangential width of tracheids; as well as (iv) in the abundance of resin ducts in earlywood (EW) and latewood (LW) following wounding. Results indicate that tissues bordering flash-flood wounds are characterized by reduced growth rates and a decrease of EE tracheid lumen area by 51%. In addition, cell-wall percentage increases by 34% in the increment rings formed after the event and significant changes are observed in the radial length and tangential width of EE tracheids. Observations on resin ducts do not yield any significant results. Based on these anatomical parameters, detecting and dating past flash-flood events in growth rings is now possible for Mediterranean species, specifically P. pinaster.

En cas d’alerte aux inondations, l'information en temps réel et sa diffusion à un large public sont des éléments cruciaux pour limiter les comportements à risque, détecter les premiers dégâts ou préparer les acteurs locaux à gérer la crise. Face à ces enjeux, les technologies smartphones apparaissent, deplus en plus, comme des solutions logicielles et matérielles qui pourraient compléter de façon positiveles dispositifs d’alerte institutionnels, notamment grâce à la dynamique des contenus partagés et auxnombreuses interactions dont ils sont le support. Alors que plusieurs pays (États-Unis, Norvège, Pays-Bas, Suède, Philippines) utilisent déjà de tels outils, et même si le Ministère de l'Intérieur a lancé uneapplication urgentiste (SAIP) le 8 juin 2016, la population et les services de l’État semblent beaucoupplus réticents en France. La défense de la propriété individuelle, le manque de crédit attribué auxmessages postés et les verrous technologiques sont les principaux facteurs de blocage avancés. Aprèsavoir mené une enquête dans plusieurs communes rurales des départements du Var et du Vaucluse(qui confirme la méconnaissance des applications déjà existantes alors que les besoins sont bien réelsface aux crues rapides), une nouvelle application a été développée (Al’in). Le prototype créé vise àréduire les écarts entre une approche étatique descendante (top-down), qui positionne et impose l’Étatcomme le seul lanceur d’alerte, et une initiative citoyenne (approche « Bottom-Up »), qui érigel’individu au rang de « citoyen capteur », à la fois capable de remonter ou de diffuser une alerte àtravers l’usage de son smartphone. Répondre à ce défi ne s’avère toutefois pas si simple au regard descontraintes juridiques et techniques préexistantes en France. / The information given on flash floods in real time should undoubtedly answers to the citizens needs aswell as to the politic and the safety services. Face to such objective, Smartphone could positivelycomplete the official institutional systems, especially thanks to the dynamic and nature of postedmessages, and to the social interactions they support. This study questions the opportunity ofdeveloping a proactive and innovative alert system using the Smartphone technologies to face therisks due to flash flood hazards. A first study focuses on several alert systems existing actually inFrance but we quickly aim at identifying limits (legal rules, technologies and scientific problems) andchallenges usefulness and opportunities in the numeric sphere) of our objective in general manner.Finally, a local study in Var and Vaucluse permits us to see if population and local stakeholdersshould be interested (or not) by a smartphone application. The proposed solution tries to achieve amajor challenge: reducing the gap between a state approach (top-down), which positions and imposedthe state as the main official alert source, and the citizen action (bottom-up) which establishes theindividual as “Citizen sensor” (both in go up or disseminate information) through the use of issmartphone. Meeting this challenge is indispensable if we hope effectively minimizing material andhuman damages especially when high temporal acuity phenomena such as flash floods happen.

O trabalho tem como objetivo avaliar e propor a utilização de soluções tecnológicas que permitam a redução dos riscos causados por arcos elétricos nas instalações de uma unidade industrial com sistema isolado de geração elétrica. Por ser extremamente danosa à segurança das pessoas que interagem com uma instalação elétrica e por causar danos significativos aos equipamentos e instalações, a energia incidente, proveniente de um arco elétrico, deve ser mensurada em conformidade com as normas existentes e os riscos devem ser controlados e mitigados, de maneira a não comprometer a integridade física das pessoas e das instalações. Dessa forma, o presente trabalho propõe alterações no sistema de proteção e a inserção de dispositivos dedicados à identificação de arcos elétricos no interior de painéis da unidade em questão, contribuindo significativamente para a redução da energia incidente liberada na ocorrência de um arco elétrico. Essa redução da energia incidente é conseguida devido à redução do tempo para eliminação da falta, necessitando, dessa forma, de dispositivos e relés de proteção voltados exclusivamente para a proteção contra arco elétrico. / This dissertation aims to evaluate and propose the use of technological solutions that enable the reduction of risks caused by arc flash on the premises of an industrial unit with insulated system of electricity generation. It may be extremely damaging to the safety of people who interact with electrical installations and could cause significant damage to the equipment and facilities, the incident energy from an arc flash should be measured in accordance with existing standards, their risks must be controlled and attenuated, in order not to compromise the physical integrity of people and facilities. That way, this paper proposes changes into the system of protection and the insertion of devices dedicated to the identification of arc flashes inside panels of the unit concerned, contributing significantly to the reduction of incident energy released in the event of an arc flash. This reduction is obtained by lowering the time for the elimination of absence, requiring, therefore, devices and protective relays devoted exclusively to protect against electric arc.

O presente trabalho tem por objetivo o estudo da fotólise de uma série de brometos de benzila orto-substituídos em solventes apoIares, visando contribuir para a elucidação, tanto dos mecanismos operativos após a homólise de ligações carbono., halogênio em sistemas benzílicos, como das espécies intermediárias envolvidas no processo. Assim sendo, irradiaram-se soluções benzênicas dos compostos α-bromo-o-xileno (MBX), &#945, α-dibromo-o-xileno (GBX), &#945, α-dibromo-o-xileno (DBX), &#945, α α\'tribromo-o-xileno (TRBX) e &#945, α &#945, α-tetrabromo-o-xileno (TBX) e soluções de MBX e DBX em iso-octano, utilizando-se uma lâmpada de vapor de mercúrio de baixa pressão ( λemissão=254nm). Os produtos foram analisados e identificados por cromatografia gasosa acoplada a espectrometria de massas e confirmados por co-injeção de amostras autênticas, sintetizadas por via térmica. Os rendimentos quânticos dos produtos foram calculados, utilizando-se o leucocianeto de verde-malaquita como actinômetro. A análise dos produtos revelou que a homólise da ligação C-Br é seguida de uma série de reações de abstração de hidrogênio e recombinação de radicais resultando sempre em xilenos menos e mais bromados que o xileno de partida. Benzaldeídos, resultantes da hidrólise dos dibrometos geminais, também são formados, devido à presença de traços de água. Quando o solvente é iso-octano, o produto menos bromado aparece com maior rendimento quântico relativo, devido à abstração de hidrogênio do solvente pelo fotoproduto primário, um radical benzila; além disso, observa-se a formação de um novo produto: o 2-bromo-2,4,4-trimetil-pentano. Os rendimentos quânticos de desaparecimento de substrato observados na fotólise de soluções benzênicas de MBX (0,33) e DBX (0,52) foram superiores àqueles encontrados ao se utilizar iso-octano como solvente: 0,22 e 0,32, respectivamente. Isto sugere que o benzeno excitado esteja intermediando o processo (i.e., agindo como sensibilizador), transferindo energia de excitação para o brometo de benzila. Um intermediário bi-radicalar do tipo orto-quinodimetano (o-xilileno) era esperado em caso de: (i) fotólise do radical benzila formado (processo bifotônico) ou (ii) abstração de hidrogênio intramolecular. Entretanto, não se observaram produtos derivados de adição de Diels-Alder, quando ciclo-hexeno foi adicionado ao sistema. Também não se observou formação perceptível de brometo de hidrogênio, em nenhum dos sistemas investigados. Foram feitos, também, estudos de fotólise por pulso de laser, em iso-octano, para os compostos MBX, DBX, GBX e TBX utilizando-se o 4º harmônico de um laser de Nd:YAG (λ =266nm). As soluções de trabalho foram desaeradas por, pelo menos, três ciclos de congelamento-degaseamento-descongelamento até 10-5mmHg. A cinética de decaimento das absorções observadas foi analisada como sendo devida a duas espécies, isto é, os resultados são compatíveis com um decaimento duplo-exponencial, cujos tempos de vida seriam da ordem de µs e ms, para as espécies de tempos de vida curto e longo, respectivamente. Além disso, as distribuições espectrais observadas a 0,1 e 10µs mostraram-se diferentes, indicando a presença de dois transientes. A análise da cinética de decaimento das absorções transientes de MBX e DBX, além das distribuições espectrais obtidas para as transições Dn←Do (λ.=320nrn e 338nm, respectivamente) mostram que, na fotólise destes dois compostos, forma-se, inicialmente, um radical, de tempo de vida da ordem de microssegundos, por cisão homolítica da ligação C-Br: o-metil-benzila, no caso de MBX e o-(bromo-metil)benzila para DBX. Além destas espécies, formam-se cátions (detectáveis para todos os compostos estudados) que apresentam uma banda de absorção larga e desestruturada (de 330 a 360nrn;λ .max = 347nrn) e com tempo de vida da ordem de milissegundos nas condições de trabalho, a partir de um radical excitado, pela perda de um segundo elétron (Tokumura et a/ii 1989; 1991). Resultados análogos foram obtidos para a fotólise de DBX e TBX, em solução benzênica, empregando-se um laser de exímero de XeCI (308nrn), tendo sido nestes experimentos que se detectou o radical gerado de TBX, o qual não é observável em iso-octano. Em benzeno observou-se, também, a formação do complexo Br./benzeno (λ..max = 550nrn), fato este que vem a reforçar a proposição de estarem-se gerando radicais nestes sistemas. / In the present work, the photolyses, in apoIar soIvents, of a series of bromoderivatives of o-xylene is investigated, aiming at attaining an improved understanding of the reaction mechanism and at the identification of the transient species formed after homolysis ofthe carbon-halogen bond. α-Bromo-o-xylene (MBX), α, α -dibromo-o-xylene (GBX), α, α\' -dibromo-o-xylene (DBX), α, α, α \' -tribromo-o-xylene and α, α, α,α\' -tetrabromo-o-xylene (TBX) were subjected to steady-state 254nm irradiation in deaerated benzene and isooctane. The products were identified by GC-MS and also by co-injection of authentic samples. The analysis of the products formed revealed that homolysis of C-Br bond is followed by a series of hydrogen abstraction and radical recombination reactions, resulting in xylenes more and less brominated than the starting compound. Benzaldehydes are also formed from hydrolysis of the geminal dibromides, due to the presence of trace amounts of water. When isoöctane is the solvent, the less brominated products are formed with higher relative quantum yields, as the solvent undergoes hydrogen abstraction by the primary photoproduct, the o-methylbenzyI radical, a process also leading to the formation of 2-bromo-2,4,4-trimethylpentane. This notwithstanding, no trace of HBr was detected. The photolysis of MBX and DBX presented higher absolute quantum yields in benzene than in isoöctane, indicating sensitization by the solvent in the former case. A biradical intermediate, belonging to the orto-quinodimethane c1ass, was expected on the occurrence of either (a) photolysis of the o-methylbenzyl radical formed (a biphotonic process) or (b) intramolecular hydrogen abstraction. However, in the presence of cyclohexene no Diels-AIder adduct was observed. Laser flash-photolysis studies at 266nm (quadrupled Nd:YAG) have been performed for MBX, DBX, GBX and TBX, using degassed isoöctane as solvent. The observed transient spectral and kinetic data indicates initial formation of a radical and of a cation, which present micro and millisecond lifetimes, respectively. Moreover, the spectral distributions were different at 0.1 and 10µs, as expected for two different transients. Similar results were obtained from DBX, on 308nm laser irradiation (XeCl eximer). For TBX, however, on1y in these latter conditions we were able to detect the α-bromo-o-(dibromomethyl)benzyl radical (which half-life is toa short in isoöctane to be detected by our apparatus). Both substracts also gave rise to the Br/benzene complex (λmax = 550nm), in the 308nm photolyses, thus confirming the presence ofBro in the system under study.

Resumo O presente trabalho teve como objetivo sintetizar e caracterizar um novo complexo trinuclear de rutênio, [Ru3O(CH3OO)6(3-pic)2(NO)]+, através de rotas sintéticas previamente descritas na literatura para complexos análogos. Para a obtenção deste complexo, foram necessárias cinco etapas de síntese, cada qual gerando o precursor da etapa seguinte. Os complexos precursores [Ru3O(CH3OO)6(3-pic)3]+, [Ru3O(CH3OO)6(3-pic)2(CO)] e [Ru3O(CH3OO)6(3-pic)2(H2O)]+, foram caracterizados por técnicas espectroscópicas e voltamétricas. Para o complexo de interesse, [Ru3O(CH3OO)6(3-pic)2(NO)]+, além da caracterização por técnicas espectroscópicas e voltamétricas, foram realizados estudos de fotólise e de interação com albumina de soro humano (HSA). Pelas técnicas espectroscópicas, pudemos ratificar as estruturas propostas tanto para o nitrosilo quanto para os precursores estudados. Para a caracterização do complexo [Ru3O(CH3OO)6(3-pic)2(NO)]+, utilizando a técnica de espectroscopia de infravermelho verificamos a coordenação do ligante NO ao centro metálico [Ru3O], devido ao estiramento característico deste ligante. Os espectros de absorção UV-vis e RMN mostraram que existe uma forte interação entre o elétron desemparelhado do centro metálico e o elétron do ligante NO. Pelos estudos de voltametria cíclica, observamos que os processos redox envolvendo o ligante NO, são compartilhados com o centro metálico. A fotólise do complexo [Ru3O(CH3OO)6(3-pic)2(NO)]+, mostrou-se eficiente, uma vez que a liberação fotoinduzida do NO ocorreu na região do visível e em pH fisiológico. Pelos estudos de supressão de fluorescência, observamos que o complexo realmente interage com a HSA na proporção de 1:1, na região em que se encontra o resíduo de triptofano. / The aim of the present study was synthesize and characterize a new trinuclear ruthenium complex, [Ru3O(CH3OO)6(3-pic)2(NO)]+, via synthetic routes previously described in the literature for analogous complexes. To obtain this complex, it took five synthetic steps, each one yielding a precursor for the next step. The precursor complexes [Ru3O(CH3OO)6(3-pic)3]+, [Ru3O(CH3OO)6(3-pic)2(CO)] and [Ru3O(CH3OO)6(3-pic)2(H2O)]+, were characterized by spectroscopic and voltammetric techniques. For the complex of interest, [Ru3O(CH3OO)6(3-pic)2(NO)]+, in addition to characterization by spectroscopic and voltammetric studies, it was carried out photolysis and interaction with human serum albumin. By spectroscopic techniques, we could confirm the proposed structures for both the nitrosyl and precursors. For characterization of the complex [Ru3O(CH3OO)6(3-pic)2(NO)]+, infrared spectroscopy allowed us to verify that the ligand coordination to the metal center [Ru3O], due to the characteristic stretching band of that ligand. The absorption spectra of UV-vis and NMR showed that there is a strong interaction between the unpaired electron of the metal center and the NO ligand. By cyclic voltammetry studies, we observed that the redox processes involving the NO ligand are shared with the metal center processes. The photolysis of the complex [Ru3O (CH3OO) 6 (3-pic) 2 (NO)] +, was efficient, since the photoinduced release of NO occurred in the visible region and at physiological pH. By fluorescence quenching studies, we observed that the complex actually interacts with the HSA in a 1:1 ratio, in the region which is the residue of tryptophan.

Les crues rapides sont considérées parmi les catastrophes naturelles les plus dangereuses en raison de leur imprévisibilité et la rapidité de leurs dynamiques spatio-temporelles. Même si ces évènements touchent généralement des petites étendues spatiales, elles causent un nombre important de victimes. Les différentes analyses des impacts des crues rapides pointent la mo- bilité quotidienne comme un facteur principal augmentant l’exposition et la vulnérabilité des individus : près de la moitié des victimes sont des automobilistes surpris par les submersions des routes durant leurs trajets quotidiens. C’est dans ce contexte que plusieurs travaux ont été conduits afin de développer des outils de prévision des coupures des routes par submersion dans le département du Gard, fréquemment exposé à des évènements hydro-météorologiques extrêmes. Ces études ont permis d’identifier les points de coupure, situés aux niveaux des intersections routes/rivières, vulnérables aux crues rapides et de développer des méthodes d’estimation du risque de submersion des routes.Cette thèse s’inscrit dans la continuité de ces travaux dans le but de quantifier et de caractériser l’exposition des individus aux crues rapides durant leurs mobilités. Pour cela, nous avons contribué au développement de MobRISK : un modèle de simulation de l’ex- position des automobilistes aux submersions des routes lors d’évènements de crues rapides. Une première application de MobRISK est présentée dans le but d’évaluer l’exposition d’une population d’un zone d’étude, située au nord-ouest du Gard, à l’évènement de crue rapide des 8-9 Septembre 2002.Les résultats de ce cas d’étude ont permis d’identifier un décalage entre les dynamiques temporelles du trafic simulé au niveau des points de coupure et des niveaux de submersion de ces points. Ce décalage temporel a probablement constitué un facteur de réduction du nombre de victimes sur la route. La combinaison des estimations de submersion des routes avec le trafic simulé a permis de localiser les routes qui ont présenté le plus de danger pour les automobilistes lors de cet évènement. Ensuite, l’évaluation de l’exposition individuelle aux submersions routières a permis d’identifier les profils socio-démographiques des automobilistes les plus exposés constitués majoritairement de jeunes actifs de sexe masculin.Enfin, différents scénarios de comportements en situation de crise ont été construits et tes- tés à travers l’intégration des décisions d’adaptation des déplacements face aux perturbations environnementales. La comparaison des effets des scénarios de comportements a permis de souligner le rôle important des règles adoptées dans les prises de décision et dans l’évaluation du danger dans la réduction l’exposition des automobilistes.Au final, cette thèse souligne les potentialités et les performances de MobRISK comme un outil innovant et prometteur pour la simulation de l’exposition sociale aux crues. / Flash floods are considered as ones of the most dangerous natural hazard due to their rapidness and suddenness that leave little time for exposed people to protect themselves. Although the relatively small spatial extension of those events, several studies showed strong human impacts regarding the number of affected people. Recently, daily mobility is pointed at as important social factor increasing individual exposure and vulnerability to flash flooding : almost half of the victims are motorists trapped while travelling on flooded roads. Therefore, several studies have been conducted for assessing roads’ sensitivity to flooding in the Gard area, frequently exposed to sever flash flood events.This thesis goes a step further by integrating social dimension in order to quantify and analyze road users’ exposure to flash flood during their itineraries. It contributes to the development of MobRISK : A simulation model for assessing motorists’ exposure to roads submersion by integrating individual travel-activity patterns and behavioral adaptation regarding weather disruptions. In order to assess population exposure to September 2002 flash flood event, we conducted an application of MobRISK in a study area located in the north-ouest of the Gard department.The results show that risk of flooding is mainly located in principal road links with considerable traffic load. However, a lag time between the timing of roads’ submersion and persons crossing these roads contributes to reduce the potential vehicle-related fatal accidents. It is also found that socio-demographic variables have significant effect on individual exposure and that young working males are the most exposed persons to road flooding. Finally, different behavior scenarios are built and tested by integrating individual travel adaptation decisions regarding perceived weather disruptions. The comparison of motorists’ exposure for each scenario highlights the important role of risk attitudes and threat evaluation processes on reducing population exposure.Thus, the proposed model demonstrates the benefits of considering spatiotemporal dy- namics of population exposure to flash flood and presents an important improvement in exposure assessment methods. Such improved characterization of road users’ exposure can present valuable information for flood risk management services and emergency planning.

[pt] O grande potencial exploratório em águas profundas motiva a busca de um conhecimento tecnológico necessário para viabilizar a exploração e produção em alto mar. Paralelamente à busca de novas tecnologias de exploração e produção, a diminuição do risco de falha estrutural em unidades de exploração do tipo offshore tornou-se uma preocupação constante do setor, uma vez que falhas estruturais podem significar elevados custos decorrentes da utilização parcial de equipamentos, manutenção extemporânea, parada de produção, perdas materiais e, principalmente, perdas humanas e danos ao ecossistema. Este trabalho apresenta um estudo sobre a influência da quantidade de martensita revenida sobre a cinética de propagação da trinca de fadiga em aço estrutural do tipo grau R4, largamente utilizado em componentes estruturais para sistemas de ancoragem de unidades flutuantes do tipo offshore, sendo fabricados por meio de soldagem por centelhamento. Corpos de prova do tipo CT foram usinados a partir do material de base e do material de solda e submetidos a tratamentos térmicos de têmpera em diferentes temperaturas de austenitização, sendo submetidos a tratamentos de revenido em temperatura única. A fim de promover uma comparação com a condição microestrutural industrial, corpos de prova também foram usinados de elos de amarras após procedimentos industriais de soldagem por centelhamento, têmpera e revenido. Posteriormente, num total de cinco condições microestruturais, os corpos de prova foram ensaiados sob condições cíclicas de carregamento, objetivando a determinação das curvas de crescimento de trinca (a versus N and da/dN versus DK curves). Os resultados do desempenho em fadiga do material demonstram que a diminuição da quantidade de martensita revenida resultou no aumento da vida útil em fadiga do material, que a condição industrial está associada com a menor resistência à fadiga observada e que a vida em fadiga do material depende da posição de retirada do corpo de prova. / [en] The great explor atory potential in deep waters has led companies in the oil sector to search for the necessary technological improvement to make the offshore exploration and production feasible. In parallel to searching for new technologies, the reduction in risks of structural failure has become the sector s constant practice, considering that such failures mean high costs due to partial use of equipments, extemporary maintenance, production stops, material losses and, mainly, damage to the ecosystem and loss of lives. A study has been made concerning the influence of the fraction of tempered martensite on the kinetics of fatigue crack growth in a grade R4 structural steel, largely used for fabricating offshore mooring chains by means of flash welding. CT specimens were machined from the base material as well as the welded joints and subjected to quenching from different austenizing temperatures and tempering at a given temperature. Aiming at the comparison with the material in industrial condition, CT specimens were also machined from chain links after flash welding, quenching and tempering under industrial conditions. After that, in a total of five microstructural conditions, the specimens were cyclically loaded in order to obtain the fatigue crack growth curves (a versus N and da/dN versus DK curves). The results show that the fatigue life of the material has increased when decreasing the fraction of tempered martensite, the industrial condition is associated with the smallest fatigue resistance and the fatigue life depends on the position where the fatigue specimens were taken form the chain like.