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Fire tests are used to determine whether fire protection products meet the minimum performance criteria set out in codes and legislation, as well as to certify these products. Experimental large-scale fires are used to test the performance of safety systems in tunnels, which are confined environments with a high probability of accidents and significant consequences due to the evolution of the event and whether there is the capability of counteracting it by safety measures. In this study, we conducted a systematic literature review following PRISMA guidelines. We searched the Scopus and Web of Science databases for publications from 2013 to 2022, resulting in a selection of 72 articles. An analysis was conducted on the following main topics: tunnel fires, fire characteristics (measured variables, spread, and smoke), model-scale tests, automatic shutdown systems, and ventilation solutions. One of the most important contributions of this study is the suggestion that fire tests represent an effective method not only to prevent fire events in tunnels but also to ensure the resilience of the infrastructure. Based on this state-of-the-art literature review, future tunnels could be designed by linking new smart technology and artificial intelligence to create interactive and high-performing safety systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The increasing incidence of wildfires in the Mediterranean region has raised significant scientific and environmental concerns. This study focuses on a retrospective analysis of wildfire ignition and propagation within the context of the Monte Catillo Natural Reserve in Italy. After conducting a comprehensive review of the current state-of-the-art wildfire susceptibility mapping, propagation modeling, probability assessment, forest vulnerability models, and preventive silvicultural measures, we examine the regulatory framework surrounding wildfires in the national context, with a specific focus on prevention, prediction, and active firefighting measures. A geostatistical model of wildfire occurrence was developed, starting with the characterization of the area vegetation and anthropogenic factors influencing wildfire ignition. After that, wildfire observations from the period between 2010 and 2021 were included. The objective is to generate a wildfire hazard map for two distinct vegetation communities. To accomplish this, a statistical analysis was applied using the Poisson Model, assessing its goodness-of-fit by comparing observed frequencies with experimental data through the chi-square test. In conclusion, this model serves as a valuable tool for characterizing wildfire hazards, including ignition probabilities and propagation scenarios, within the Monte Catillo Natural Reserve. The research significantly contributes to enhancing our understanding of wildfire dynamics and plays a crucial role in the development of effective strategies for wildfire risk management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper proposes a methodology for sentiment analysis with emphasis on the emotional aspects of people visiting the Herculaneum Archaeological Park in Italy during the period of the COVID-19 pandemic. The methodology provides a valuable means of continuous feedback on perceived risk of the site. A semantic analysis on Twitter text messages provided input to the risk management team with which they could respond immediately mitigating any apparent risk and reducing the perceived risk. A two-stage approach was adopted to prune a massively large dataset from Twitter. In the first phase, a social network analysis and visualisation tool NodeXL was used to determine the most recurrent words, which was achieved using polarity. This resulted in a suitable subset. In the second phase, the subset was subjected to sentiment and emotion mapping by survey participants. This led to a hybrid approach of using automation for pruning datasets from social media and using a human approach to sentiment and emotion analysis. Whilst suffering from COVID-19, equally, people suffered due to loneliness from isolation dictated by the World Health Organisation. The work revealed that despite such conditions, people's sentiments demonstrated a positive effect from the online discussions on the Herculaneum site. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]