Academic literature on the topic 'Beirut port explosion'

Chemical explosions are ground truth events that provide data, which, in turn, can enhance the understanding of wave propagation, damage assessment, and yield estimation. On 4 August 2020, Beirut, Lebanon was shocked by a catastrophic explosion, which caused devastating damage to the Mediterranean city. A second strong chemical explosion took place at the Xiangshui, China chemical plant on 21 March 2019. Both events generated shock waves that transitioned to infrasound waves, seismic waves, as well as hydroacoustic signals with accompanying T-phases in the case of the Beirut event. In this work, the seismo-acoustic signatures, yields, and associated damage of the two events are investigated. The differentiainterferometry synthetic aperture radar analysis quantified the surface damage and the estimated yield range, equivalent to 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene [C7H5(NO2)3] (TNT), through a “boom” relation of the peak overpressure was evaluated. Infrasound propagation modeling identified a strong duct in the stratosphere with the propagation to the west in the case of the Beirut-Port explosion. In the case of the Xiangshui explosion, the modeling supports the tropospheric propagation toward the Kochi University of Technology (KUT) sensor network in Japan. Although the Beirut yield (202–270 ± 100 tons) was slightly larger than the Xiangshui yield (201 ± 83.5 tons), the near-source damage areas are almost the same based on the distribution of damaged buildings surrounding the explosions.

Abstract Rapid, accurate assessment of the yield of a large-scale urban explosion will assist in implementing emergency response plans, will facilitate better estimates of areas at risk of high damage and casualties, and will provide policy makers and the public with more accurate information about the event. On 4 August 2020, an explosion occurred in the Port of Beirut, Lebanon. Shortly afterwards, a number of videos were posted to social media showing the moment of detonation and propagation of the resulting blast wave. In this article, we present a method to rapidly calculate explosive yield based on analysis of 16 videos with a clear line-of-sight to the explosion. The time of arrival of the blast is estimated at 38 distinct positions, and the results are correlated with well-known empirical laws in order to estimate explosive yield. The best estimate and reasonable upper limit of the 2020 Beirut explosion determined from this method are 0.50 kt TNT and 1.12 kt TNT, respectively.

Abstract On 4 August 2020 Lebanon’s capital, Beirut, was rocked by a sequence of colocated fires and chemical explosions that left hundreds of people dead, thousands injured and homeless, demolished the city’s seaport, and heavily damaged the surrounding neighborhoods and businesses. The event was well recorded by many regional seismic stations in and around the eastern Mediterranean Sea. Using a network of 58 stations, 105 regional seismic phases, and a Bayesian methodology places the event at 1.8 km south of the ground-truth location, the seaport warehouse. Achieving this accuracy is significant, considering very limited local seismic data were available to use in this study. The location bias is attributed, in large part, to a small but statistically significant difference in the Moho velocity for sea paths compared with continental paths. The depth to the Moho is generally consistent with the iasp91 model. Concurrent to the port explosion is a series of unrelated small explosions, 11 s apart, attributed to a seismic survey that was being carried out at the time in the eastern Mediterranean Sea using air guns.

The COVID-19 pandemic in Lebanon has been compounded by the economic collapse and devastating ‎Beirut port explosion, leading to a severe humanitarian crisis. This study aimed to assess the satisfaction of ‎the Lebanese population with the government's response to the pandemic and evaluate the public ‎perception of the economic crisis and the Beirut port blast's impact on the COVID-19 situation. This is a web-based cross-sectional study that utilized a self-administered questionnaire comprising closed-ended ‎questions with predefined response options. To identify predictors of the governmental response score, a ‎multiple linear regression analysis was conducted. A total of 2,384 participants were enrolled, with a mean ‎COVID-SCORE of 15.38 ± 5.28 (out of 40 points). The majority of participants‎‏ ‏‎ (2,163, 90.7%) expressed ‎mistrust in the Lebanese government's ability to effectively address unexpected health threats related to the ‎COVID-19 pandemic. Two-thirds of the participants (1,849, 77.6%) ‎ believed that the economic crisis had ‎impacted the government's response to the pandemic. Nearly 70% of the participants perceived that the ‎Beirut port explosion contributed to COVID-19 transmission. Government mistrust, along with the ‎economic crisis impact, were significantly associated with lower satisfaction scores (P < 0.001). This study ‎revealed a significant level of dissatisfaction among the Lebanese population regarding the government's ‎response to the COVID-19 pandemic, underscoring a lack of trust in its ability to effectively manage the ‎crisis. The compounding challenges arising from the Beirut port explosion, economic collapse, and depleted ‎resources have further impeded Lebanon's ability to navigate the pandemic successfully. Urgent ‎interventions and collaborative efforts are required to effectively manage the economic and political ‎repercussions, rebuild a resilient healthcare system, and alleviate the humanitarian crisis in Lebanon. ‎

Air pollution is an important cause of concern and has a significant impact on health as well as the environment. Air pollutants are released into the atmosphere by various sources, and the concentration in cities is mainly due to anthropogenic sources like emissions from industries, factories, vehicles, fossil fuel combustion, waste production, etc. But certain high episodes of air pollution can be witnessed in cities which can cause serious threats to human beings and the environment. Remote sensing is one of the sustainable measures, which allows the integration and presentation of useful information at various temporal and spatial scales. This tool can be helpful in understanding and managing natural disasters and man-made risks contributing to air pollution. Analyzing the cause of such high pollution episodes can help to take necessary steps to reduce the emissions, and damage or to take precautions to avoid man-made disasters. One such incident of an explosion of ammonium nitrate in a port had a long-lasting impact on the air quality in Beirut where the average concentration of air pollution already exceeds WHO threshold limits. This paper explores the concentration of aerosols and NO2, before and after the incident of an explosion that took place in Beirut. Assessment of the damage near the port caused by the explosion in Beirut was done using a change detection technique for which an algorithm was developed. Due to the non-availability of field data for the study area of Beirut, the algorithm was developed and validated for Chennai city and extended to Beirut. The aerosol and NO2 concentration data were extracted from sentinel-5p/TROPOMOI and validated with ground data through regression analysis. The results obtained from this study can be used as an early warning system and decision support system for mitigating loss due to the explosion.

Blast loadings have become the subject of research in recent decades due to the threats they pose to the surrounding medium. On 4 August 2020, a huge explosion occurred in the Port of Beirut that led to massive damages in the medium surrounding it. Researchers have conducted studies in order to estimate the equivalent explosive mass as well as the damage extent left on structures; however, the studies considered the soil–structure interaction by simple methods. For that, this paper aims to understand the effect of explosion on the grain silo structure present at the port with an emphasis on the soil–structure interaction effects. The structure consists of a group of silos resting on a raft footing that is supported by group of driven piles. A soil–structure model analysis is performed in order to investigate the soil behavior, the damage extent in piles, and the soil–structure interaction due to the Beirut explosion using the CEL (Coupled Eulerian–Lagrangian) approach that suits events involving large deformation. The analysis is performed using the ABAQUS/Explicit FEM software (version 6.14) taking into account the properties of soil medium, the contact algorithm at the soil–structure interface, and the boundary conditions in order to better simulate the real field conditions and ensure accurate results. The work is primarily validated through site data such as the crater size and silo damage.

Contexte : Cette thèse se concentre sur les essais cliniques au Liban, un sujet peu exploré jusqu'à présent. La conduite d'essais cliniques reste indispensable pour faire progresser la recherche scientifique. Ces trois dernières années, le Liban a été confronté à une série de crises majeures, notamment la crise socio-économique, la pandémie de Covid-19 et l'explosion du port de Beyrouth en août 2020. Il est probable que les essais cliniques aient été significativement impactés par ces événements en raison de la détérioration du système de santé. Dans ce contexte, ce travail examine les enjeux éthiques entourant les essais cliniques au Liban, en mettant l'accent sur les perspectives des médecins, acteurs clés de ces essais, dans un environnement socio-économique, juridique et politique complexe. Méthode : Dans le but de compléter l'analyse exploratoire de la littérature, qui s'est avérée insuffisante pour répondre à notre question de recherche, nous avons opté pour une étude qualitative basée sur des entretiens dirigés. Cette méthode permet d'explorer la problématique en évaluant les représentations des médecins quant à la possibilité de réaliser encore des essais cliniques, en particulier face aux enjeux éthiques, dans le contexte actuel de crise. Grâce à cette approche, les motivations et les préoccupations des médecins pourront être mieux comprises. Résultats : Dans le contexte de la crise économique, politique et sanitaire au Liban, les médecins ont adopté des attitudes mitigées vis-à-vis des essais cliniques. Certains médecins restent intéressés par les essais cliniques ; ils les voient comme une opportunité d'accéder à des traitements innovants pour leurs patients et de contribuer à l'avancement de la recherche médicale malgré les défis auxquels ils sont confrontés. D'autres, cependant, sont préoccupés par les difficultés liées à la conduite des essais cliniques dans un environnement instable, avec des ressources limitées et une pénurie de médicaments et de matériel. En outre, la charge de travail accrue et le stress émotionnel liés à l'insécurité financière, la pandémie de Covid-19 et l'explosion du port de Beyrouth semblent contribuer à un manque de motivation chez les médecins. De plus, l'émigration de médecins qualifiés a rendu difficile la conduite des essais. Selon plusieurs médecins de l'étude, la corruption et l'instabilité politico-économique, ont également conduit à des préoccupations émergentes et une méfiance quant aux conditions de sécurité et d'éthique dans lesquelles les essais sont menés. Discussion : Au Liban, malgré les différentes crises qui ont secoué le pays ces trois dernières années, les essais cliniques sont encore possibles. Cependant, en état de crise, les essais cliniques présentent de nouveaux enjeux éthiques tels que la pertinence des sujets de recherche, la sécurité des participants à l'étude, la qualité de leur information et de leur consentement libre et éclairé, ainsi que l'équité dans leur recrutement. La pression économique sur les établissements de recherche et les chercheurs peut aboutir à une négligence des aspects éthiques de la recherche, telle qu'une supervision inadéquate. La priorisation des essais cliniques dans le contexte de la crise sanitaire peut également entraîner des conflits d'intérêts entre la nécessité de répondre aux besoins urgents de la population et l'évaluation rigoureuse des risques et des avantages de ces essais. Les enjeux éthiques de la recherche clinique au Liban en état de crise nécessitent donc une attention particulière et une application appropriée de la régulation pour assurer la sécurité et le respect des droits des participants. Il convient de noter que les priorités changent en période de crise, et que les besoins en termes d'accès aux soins de base peuvent être plus urgents que les besoins en recherche clinique. Dans ces circonstances, il peut être difficile de trouver un équilibre entre les priorités concurrentes
Context: This thesis focuses on clinical trials in Lebanon, a topic that has been little explored until now. Conducting clinical trials remains essential for advancing scientific research. Over the past three years, Lebanon has faced a series of major crises, including the socio-economic crisis, the Covid-19 pandemic, and the explosion at the port of Beirut in August 2020. It is likely that clinical trials have been significantly impacted by these events due to the deterioration of the healthcare system. In this context, this work examines the ethical issues surrounding clinical trials in Lebanon, with a focus on the perspectives of physicians, key actors in these trials, in a complex socio-economic, legal, and political environment. Method: In order to supplement the exploratory analysis of the literature, which proved insufficient to answer our research question, we opted for a qualitative study based on directed interviews. This method allows us to explore the problem by evaluating the representations of physicians regarding the possibility of still conducting clinical trials, particularly in the face of ethical issues, in the current crisis context. Through this approach, the motivations and concerns of physicians can be better understood. Results: In the context of the economic, political, and health crisis in Lebanon, physicians have adopted mixed attitudes towards clinical trials. Some physicians remain interested in clinical trials; they see them as an opportunity to access innovative treatments for their patients and to contribute to the advancement of medical research despite the challenges they face. Others, however, are concerned about the difficulties associated with conducting clinical trials in an unstable environment, with limited resources and a shortage of drugs and medical equipment. In addition, the increased workload and emotional stress associated with financial insecurity, the Covid-19 pandemic, and the explosion at the port of Beirut appear to contribute to a lack of motivation among physicians. Moreover, the emigration of qualified physicians has made it difficult to conduct trials. According to several physicians in the study, corruption and political-economic instability have also led to emerging concerns and mistrust regarding the safety and ethical conditions under which trials are conducted. Discussion: In Lebanon, despite the various crises that have shaken the country over the past three years, clinical trials are still possible. However, in a state of crisis, clinical trials present new ethical issues such as the relevance of research subjects, the safety of study participants, the quality of their information and free and informed consent, as well as equity in their recruitment. Economic pressure on research institutions and researchers can result in neglect of ethical aspects of research, such as inadequate supervision and poor personnel training. The prioritization of clinical trials in the context of the health crisis can also lead to conflicts of interest between the need to respond to the urgent needs of the population and the rigorous evaluation of the risks and benefits of these trials. The ethical issues of clinical research in Lebanon in a state of crisis therefore require special attention and appropriate regulatory enforcement to ensure the safety and respect for the rights of participants. It should be noted that priorities change in times of crisis, and that the need for access to basic healthcare may be more urgent than the need for clinical research. In these circumstances, it can be difficult to find a balance between competing priorities

This thesis analyzes the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on relationships between international and local humanitarian actors responding to the 4 August 2020 Beirut Port Explosion. The concepts of “the local”, localization, inequality, and remote management provide a theoretical framework for this analysis. Data collection for this case study research includes a review of published and grey literature, and five video interviews with staff of local and international humanitarian organizations in Beirut. Empirical findings show that local-international inequalities—in the forms of limited access, recognition,and control—have been observed in Beirut and Lebanon for decades, and persisted during the port explosion response. This research further suggests that COVID-19 has contributed to an increase in inequality, most notably by reducing the participation of local actors in humanitarian coordination meetings, and disproportionately transferring risk from international to local actors due to a reliance on remote management. Findings also show that the port explosion caused an influx of funding that was disproportionately directed to international actors, and the economic crisis created a currency devaluation that has exacerbated local-international wage disparities and threatened to limit the reach of local NGO activities. Despite the strength of the civil society—shaped by a strong education system, decades of working through crisis, and government inaction—local actors have often been excluded from humanitarian practice in Beirut and Lebanon. At the same time, findings highlight increases in equality: some local actors adapted more quickly than international actors to COVID-19 and were able to leverage their strengths to receive more funding and greater leadership in the port explosion response. These movements demonstrate adaptability in humanitarian practice that would be critically required in any future reform. This thesis concludes with two recommendations: (1) the use of remote management due to COVID-19 is likely problematic and requires further research to identify best practices; and (2) critical localization provides a useful framework to analyze and mitigate the persistence of local-international inequalities infuture humanitarian responses, and helps to find a meaningful way forward.

During a multi-level crisis—economic, health and security—post-explosion of the Port of Beirut, Lebanese entrepreneurs are opting for changes that allow them to survive. The authors studied the experiences of 14 entrepreneurs during crises and carried out a qualitative analysis which made it possible to identify the different variables, highlighting the application of the war strategies as written by Robert Greene. The most marked variables are the date of creation of the entrepreneurial activity, the sector (nature of the activity), the availability of financial resources, the level of change, the subjective well-being, the work-life balance, and the entrepreneur's optimism regarding the development of the business in the future. These variables were reviewed through Robert Greene's strategies of war: the controlled chaos strategy, mind flexibility (management like water), the power of fire, the counterbalance strategy, fighting the present war, and the detached buddha tactic.

"This paper explores the links between Lebanese urban communities’ reception of the destruction of heritage and post-war recovery practices related to it. Starting with the Lebanese armed conflict of 1975-1990 and the subsequent rehabilitation of the National Museum of Beirut, located on the old demarcation line, this contribution addresses the semantic transformations of the scars of war within the built environment of Beirut. Omnipresent in the early 1990s, such traces are today scattered throughout the city. Their gradual disappearance may symbolize a social need to forget a traumatic past, but it also seems to have been caused by the ongoing regeneration of a city reshaping its urban landscape. How did perceptions of these explosive traces evolve during the conflict? What meanings did they embody before repair operations and what values had they acquired at the end of the Lebanese war? To what extent has the ongoing process of writing the history of the war been reflected in the reconstruction of monumental heritage? While focusing on evolving perceptions of trauma in post-war reconstruction, this article examines how the history of war can evolve from a focus on evil to a cooperative negativity."

Abstract. Ammonium nitrate(V) (AN, NH4NO3) is widely and widely used in the chemical industry, in agriculture as a fertilizer, explosive for military and civil purposes (e.g. in mining) or as a solid propellant [1, 2]. Storage of ammonium nitrate poses many problems, as it may be hazardous. This was proven, for example, by the explosion in 2020 in Beirut. Ammonium nitrate was stored in a warehouse at the port among other wares and an unfortunate turn of events caused a huge explosion. The explosion contributed to the formation of a 140-meter crater and an earthquake with a magnitude of 3.3 on the Richter scale. This explosion was classified as the third most destructive urban explosion of all time, after the atomic bombs in Hiroshima and Nagasaki at the end of World War II [3, 4], as the mixtures of oils (fuel or gas) and a concentrated form of nitrogen fertilizer  ammonium nitrate form explosives [5]. The dangerous properties of AN have been extensively studied. It is known that pure AN is stable at room temperature but may explode when mixed with impurities in a confined space or under fire-hazard conditions [1]. The research aimed to analyze the changes occurring in two-component mixtures with ammonium nitrate and powdered or fine-grained materials and to assess the effect of such an admixture on the fertilizer. Thermal analysis was used to carry out the TG-DSC tests.