EPA 600/B-14/235 I March 2015 I www.epa.gov/researc
United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
                   Waste Estimation  Support Tool User
                   Guide
                   VERSION 2
Office of Research and Development
National Homeland Security Research Center

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                   U.S. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
Waste Estimation Support Tool User Guide
                            U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
                          National Homeland Security Research Center
                      Decontamination and Consequence Management Division
                             Research Triangle Park, NC 27711
                                    Disclaimer
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency through its Office of Research and Development managed the research described here.
 It has been subjected to the Agency's review and has been approved for publication. Note that approval does not signify that the
                        contents necessarily reflect the views of the Agency.

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Introduction	1
How to Use This Manual	1
Description	2
Design	3
Geospatial Analysis	3
Waste Spreadsheet	3
Scenario Reuse	4
Installation & Setup	5
Minimum System & Software Requirements	5
WEST Installation	6
File List	6
User Guide	7
Creating a Hazus-MH Scenario	7
Creating a WEST Scenario	8
Geospatial Analysis	9
The Wizard	11
Building a Spreadsheet Scenario	12
Spreadsheet Scenario Options	13
Waste Results	15
Exporting Results	16
Troubleshooting	18
Bibliography	19

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INTRODUCTION
 Introduction

Decision support software for rapidly estimating waste inventories and levels of radioactivity
generated from a radiological incident based on decontamination and demolition decision
       The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA's) Waste Estimation Support Tool (WEST) is a
       novel tool for estimating the type and amount of waste generated from cleanup after a radiological
       incident.  The WEST was developed to support responders and planners by generating a first-order
       estimate of the quantity and characteristics  of waste resulting from a radiological incident as a
function of remediation choices.
    CON  KEY
                    How to Use This Manual
\TJ Valuable information  'j*]ie pujpOse of this manual is to provide you with the necessary information to operate
J^ Optional         the main WEST functionality. Described in this manual are methods for installing,
  Exampie         configuring, and operating WEST. Before operating WEST, you should have a basic
                   knowledge and understanding of geographic information systems (GISs).  It is highly
recommended that users have previous  experience  in using  ArcGIS,  FEMA's  Hazus-MH, and Microsoft
Excel . The "icon key" to the left contains symbols intended to provide  support within a particular area. Look
for these symbols throughout this guide for important information and additional guidance.

               Point of Contact
               Paul M. Lemieux, PhD
               US EPA Office of Research and Development
               National Homeland Security Research Center
               Associate Division Director
               NHSRC/DCMD
               919-541-0962
               919-541-0496 fax
               lemieux.paul@,epa.gov

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INTRODUCTION
Description

Historically,  disaster-planning efforts  have focused primarily on  emergency response,  often  ignoring the
management of the large quantities of waste that might result from  the  incident itself as well as  from
subsequent response activities. For emergency planners and federal responders  to scope out the waste and
debris management issues resulting from a radiological response and recovery effort, it is critical to understand
not only the quantity, characteristics, and level of residual contamination of the waste and/or debris, but also
the implications of response and cleanup approaches regarding waste generation [1]. The formulation of waste
estimates via traditional means is often time consuming and relies heavily on historical data, which, in the case
of a wide-area radiological incident, are not available. By developing a standardized method for quickly assessing
site-specific conditions (i.e., infrastructure, surface type, radionuclide activity) as a  function of decontamination
strategies, decision makers may gain a better understanding of scope, impact, and implications of radiological
incidents and will hopefully be able to mount a more effective response, both in terms of being protective of
public health and the environment and in terms of cost effectiveness.

For these purposes, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) developed a dynamic tool capable of
addressing such gaps. The EPA's Waste Estimation Support Tool (WEST) is a novel application of the Federal
Emergency  Management Agency (FEMA)  Hazus-MH  software   that enables  users  to  estimate the
characteristics, amount, and residual radioactivity of waste generated from remediation and cleanup activities
after a  radiological incident, including  radiological dispersal devices (HDDs),  improvised nuclear devices
(INDs), and nuclear power plant (NPP) accidents [2]. WEST focuses on waste and how it plays an important
role in a remediation strategy.  In spite  of the importance of waste in a remediation strategy, WEST  is not
limited to recovery operations. In fact,  WEST could successfully be used as a planning tool for resource
projections,  decontamination, demolition,  waste  management strategies, and policymaking  [3]. The WEST
methodology is shown in Figure 1.
                            Autonomous SurfaceDetectionTool
                                                ^ "X
                                                    IW.E.S.T.
                                                      Waste Estimation Support Tools
                               EARTHQUAKE • WIND • FLOOD
                               Database Tool
                               Building Stock Extraction Tool
                                                                 Waste Estimates:
                                                                 • Mass
                                                                 • Volume
                                                                 • Activity
                             Figure 1. WEST DATA FLOW CONCEPT

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INTRODUCTION
 WEST is composed of an array of applications and scripts that span multiple application platforms, including
 several standalone applications. These processes are integrated by means of a user-friendly graphical user
 interface (GUI), with the intent of simplifying the process of processing the data for the user [4]. The intended
 WEST users include waste management decision makers, technical working groups, on-scene coordinators,
 and other remediation  professionals who may not have in-depth  GIS expertise, but who have a basic
 understanding of the principles  of geospatial  analysis and who have access to the necessary suite of software
 that WEST requires to operate.  The GUI  is used to create, edit, or delete scenarios, and to rapidly and
 automatically perform the complex series of geospatial analysis operations that would otherwise require more
 significant GIS expertise. Upon creating an initial scenario using Hazus-MH, a wizard, consisting of a sequence
 of dialog boxes, is used to walk the end-user through the processes described below.

 There are three types of nested scenarios used by WEST: 1) the Hazus-MH Scenario  that describes the plumes
 and underlying census tracts; 2)  the WEST Wizard Scenario, that takes the Hazus-MH scenario and adds the
 underlying infrastructure and outdoor surface estimates; and 3) the  WEST Spreadsheet Scenario, which takes
 the two  previously mentioned scenario types and incorporates information about the contamination source
 and decontamination/demolition strategies. Unless the underlying information in 1) or 2) above changes, then
 only MS Excel® is needed to  create and manipulate the Spreadsheet scenarios, further reducing the resource
 and software requirements for the user.

Geospatial Analysis

WEST uses plumes shape files (i.e., polygons) to  define geographical areas representing various levels  of
contamination. These files are typically generated by the National Atmospheric Release Advisory Committee
(NARAC); however, the plume shape files can be created in dispersion modeling programs or even manually
drawn in GIS applications [4]. WEST relies heavily  on ESRI's ArcGIS to process these complex geometries
and often requires a specialist to operate if the plume shape files are not delivered to the user in the required
format that NARAC uses.  To mitigate this constraint, GIS scripts were developed to verify shape file formats,
automatically calculate the area of the plume,  and intersect its boundaries with those of census tracts that are
later used to query infrastructure  data from the FEMA Hazus-MH database.

When spatially assessing contaminated areas, there are two regions  of concern: 1) the affected infrastructure;
and 2) the surfaces between the pieces of infrastructure. WEST characterizes the spaces between the buildings
by analyzing overhead  satellite  imagery and, based on the colors within the affected areas, estimates the
composition of the spaces between the  buildings.  In parallel to this process, WEST utilizes the HAZUS
database  to quantify underlying infrastructure  according to specific occupancy types, aggregated at the census
tract level. Based on the geospatial analysis  described above, a custom executable queries  the Hazus-MH
database. The resulting data are imported to Microsoft Excel®, which is used to generate waste estimates.

Waste Spreadsheet

The WEST uses a Visual Basic for Applications (VBA)-based Microsoft Excel  spreadsheet that provides  an
interface  for end-users to specify various required inputs, modify default parameters, and subsequently view the
results. Upon opening the spreadsheet, the end-user is given the option of opening an existing scenario  or
creating a new one. When creating a new scenario, the end-user must establish three sets of parameters: 1)

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INTRODUCTION
geospatial contamination data, 2) time and activity, and 3) decontamination strategy. These parameters are
described in further detail below [1]:

    •  Geospatial Data: this input represents the data generated by the geospatial analysis referenced above.
       The Geospatial Data input  contains information on plume boundaries, infrastructure, and detected
       surfaces. This input cannot be modified from within the spreadsheet.

    •  Time and Activity: end-users can define the radionuclide(s) deposited at various activities (based on
       three deposition zone boundaries) from the incident epicenter at a given elapsed time since initial
       deposition.

    •  Decontamination Strategy: end-users can specify the type of decontamination technology to be used on
       various surfaces in each deposition zone or can choose to model the demolition of a fraction of user-
       specific  occupancy types in any given zone. The decontamination technologies described are derived
       from published operational  data. These data were acquired by EPA through testing real radioactive
       materials in a laboratory environment.

These three types of data can be used independently of each other; for example, a given  Decontamination
Strategy could be applied to any number of Geospatial Data sets.

Once the demolition and/or decontamination parameters have been specified, the WEST then generates a
scenario containing the amount and activity of contaminated waste that is estimated to be generated based on
the parameters define above. The waste estimates include  building materials and ground surface materials as
well as the wastewater that is generated during decontamination  activities. Optionally, results from the WEST
can be subjected to sensitivity analysis using Microsoft Excel® add-ons such as Crystal Ball® to identify impacts
of decisions on such output variables as amount/activity of waste, type of waste, or remediation costs.

Time to Produce Results

Since the release of Version 1.0 of WEST, significant advancements have been made in reducing the amount of
time it takes to generate waste estimates, particularly in the process  of generating the  Geospatial Data. These
advancements are attributed to the significant automation of the data processing steps and the simplicity of the
user interface. Using the current version of WEST (Version 2.0),  approximately ten minutes from beginning to
end are needed to generate waste estimates.  This ten  minute requirement is a considerable improvement in
comparison to the earlier run times of 6+  hours using WEST Version 1.0. By not being time-constrained for
replacing the Geospatial Data component of the waste  estimation, a much more diverse set of scenarios can be
analyzed.

Scenario Reuse

WEST scenarios consist of a number of inputs (i.e., GIS,  time and  activity, source, and decontamination
approach). Although GIS inputs are scenario-specific, the hazard-specific inputs (i.e., time and activity, source,
and decontamination approach) can be interchanged or reused to  evaluate options or event magnitude. The
GIS inputs should be revised when the source location, plume boundaries, or infrastructure are updated. If the
GIS inputs must be changed, it is highly recommended that you recreate your Hazus  and WEST  scenario.

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INSTALLATION  & SETUP
Installation & Setup
Below you will find step-by-step instructions to download and install W^EST
T
       his chapter explains how to install and set up WEST. Before installation, confirm that your system
       meets or exceeds the recommended hardware and software requirements. It is highly recommended
that you remove previous versions of WEST (using the standard Windows application uninstall procedure)
before continuing. If you have earlier versions of ArcGIS and Hazus-MH, those should be removed as well
prior to installation of WEST, again, using the standard Windows application uninstall procedure.
     Note
      WEST requires specific software and hardware to operate
Minimum System & Software Requirements

This section  provides  the minimum system requirements and required software for WEST. Meeting the
minimum system requirements does not guarantee that WEST will operate as intended. Memory requirements
are  dependent on  study region size and configuration.  WEST has been tested with  study regions that
encompass several counties in Colorado and Pennsylvania, but it is possible that study regions could be selected
that could be large enough to result in instability, which would likely manifest itself as memory errors and
unexpected application terminations.

Table 1. Minimum Hardware Requirements
Processor
RAM
Screen Resolution
Operating System
Disk Space
                          Pentium 4/M or equivalent
                          3GB
                          1024x768 pixels
                          Windows XP/7
                          45 GB (includes required software)

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INSTALLATION  &  SETUP
Table 2. Software Requirements
Ha2us-MH 2.1
ArcGIS 10 Service Pack 3
Microsoft Excel® 2007 or later
LabVIEW 2012 runtime
                   Note

                   It is  important that you  install ArcMap and Hazus-MH before
                   installing WEST
WEST Installation
To install WEST:
    •   Download the latest version of WEST from the following location:
            o   http://cfpub.epa.gov/si/si public file download.cfmpp  download id=517917
    •   Double-click the file and go through the installation process
    •   You should now be able to run WEST by going to Start > Programs > Waste Estimation Support
        Tool icon

File List
The following files will be  installed on your computer. It is  highly recommended that you do not modify or
delete these files:
                   Item
                                   Description
            en
            rt
            n
            tl
            en
            P-.
            3
            PO
            P-.
            O
            O
            i-t
            rt-
            o:
            o
            rt
            P-
            CD
                   Decou (Folder)
GIS_Scenarios (Folder)

SS_Scenarios (Folder)

TA (Folder)
BuildPlume.py (Python File)

CalculatePlume.py (Python File)

Capturelmage.py (Python File)

DESC.txt (Text File)

HazLoc.txt (Text File)

Help.txt (Text File)

RegionLoc.txt (Text File)
SS_Interface.xlsm (Excel File)

WEST Readme.rtf (Text File)

WEST Tools.tbx (Esn Toolbox File)

WEST.exe (Executable File)

WESTDirectory.txt (Text File)
Decontamination Files

GIS Files
Scenario Files

Time and Activity Files

Plume Continuity

Plume and Census Tract Distribution

Aerial Imagery Collection
Scenario Description Repository

Hazus Install Directory

Help Repository (Currently not Used)

Hazus Region Folder Location

WEST Spreadsheet

File information

Python File Repository

WEST Scenario Management

Active WEST Directory
WESTTrainingSet-Trained.txt (Text File)    Neural Network Training Set

Where Hazus.exe (Executable File)         Define Hazus Directory

Winzard.exe (Executable File)            Guided Scenario Setup
                                                     6

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USER  GUIDE
 User Guide


A quick start guide for creating a WEST scenario

          WEST consists of two major elements: 1) Geographic Information Systems (GIS) modules to assess
          the affected area, and 2) a macro-enabled spreadsheet to calculate waste quantity and characteristics
          as a function of decontamination strategy, based on data developed from the GIS modules. WEST
          operates by exploiting plume models depicting deposition and concentration levels, outdoor surface
classification capabilities based on aerial imagery and building stock data  (i.e., building quantity, size, square
footage, and construction materials). Although the underlying calculations are complex, WEST features a user
friendly interface to simplify these processes. This chapter provides  the necessary steps  to create a WEST
scenario from beginning to end.

      Note

      WEST requires that a Hazus-MH scenario be created before creating a scenario


Creating a Hazus-MH Scenario

WEST  operates  as  an extension  of Hazus-MH, FEMA's  program  for modeling  potential losses  from
earthquakes, floods and wind events.  Hazus-MH operates within  the ArcGIS application framework. This
section will explain how to  create a Hazus-MH  scenario for use in WEST.  WEST uses the Hazus-MH
earthquake module to create scenarios.

                  before proceeding, confirm that you have downloaded and extracted the state inventory
                  database of interest from the Ha^us website orHa^us Data DVD tojourHa^us Data
                 folder.

    1.  Double click the Hazus-MH 2.1 icon located on the desktop.

    2.  From the Hazus-MH startup menu, select "Create a new region" and click "OK".

    3.  Enter a study region name and region description (optional) and press "Next".

    4.  From the Hazard Type menu, select "Earthquake" and press "Next".

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USER GUIDE
    5.  From the Aggregation Level menu, select "County" and press "Next".

    6.  From the State Selection menu, select state(s) of interest and click "Next".

    7.  From the County Selection menu, selection "Show Map".

    8.  From the toolbar, select the "Add Data" button and with the "Add" button add the low-

       concentration, largest-area plume file.


                  You may use the ^pom function located in the toolbar to ^oom in on the area of interest.


    9.  From the toolbar, select the "Select Features" button, select the counties that intersect your

       plume, and press "Selection Done." The counties you previously selected should now be

       highlighted in the Counties menu. Press "Next" to continue.

    10. Press "Finish" to finalize your selections. Hazus will now generate your Study Region, which may

       take a few minutes. A dialog box will appear saying "Region Aggregation Successful". Press

       "OK".


Creating a WEST Scenario

WEST functions as a standalone add-on that performs  a complex series of operations necessary to extract
infrastructure data and analyze outdoor surface areas. The following procedures describe how to create a
basic WEST scenario.

    1.  Once your Hazus-MH Study Region has finished processing, double click the Waste Estimation

       Support Tool icon located on the desktop.

    2.  Click the "Create a scenario"  radio button and press "OK".

    3.  Give your scenario a name and assign the region name you created in the Hazus tool.


                  Optional: Give jour scenario a description.
                                               8

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USER  GUIDE
    4.  Select "Use Default Building Scheme" and select "Done".


     Note

      WEST utilizes the pre-defined infrastructure types  of Hazus-MH to generate waste estimates.
      WEST allows you to customize your own building scheme based on grouping the Hazus-MH
      occupancy types into a reduced list of occupancy types based on  potential occupancy-based
      remediation strategies (e.g., grouping residence types or school types together).


    5.  When prompted that the scenario was created successfully, click "OK".

    6.  Click "Open a Scenario" and press "OK" then select the scenario that you created and click

       "Open".

    7.  The applet will close and the WEST Wizard will now open.


Geospatial Analysis

WEST scenarios are site-specific because the gathered infrastructure and surface data are based on the
user's area of interest, and therefore require an array of analytical tools. The following steps describe how
to complete the necessary geospatial analysis  procedures.

    1.  Reopen the Hazus-MH software.

    2.  Select "Open a region", press "OK",  then "Next".

    3.  Select your name as the region, click "Next", and click "Finish".


     Note

      Be patient; ArcGIS will now load. Loading ArcGIS may take up to 5 minutes or longer


    4.  If the Arc Toolbox tab is not already displayed, click the "Arc Toolbox Tab"
        [5] ArcToolbox I IH=1 Table OF Contents I
                                      (located at the bottom left), and expand the WEST Tools

       Toolbox by clicking the "+" sign to expand the menu.  If "West Tools is not visible in the list,

       right click on "Arc Toolbox" in the sidebar and navigate to your WEST folder (e.g., in Windows
                                              9

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USER  GUIDE


       7 this would be C:\Program Files (x86)\Waste Estimation Support Tool).  Once there select the

       "West Tools.tbx" file and click "Open".

    5.  Double click the "Build Plume" icon to open the Build Plume script.


                   WEST requires that the plume be a multi-layered shapefile with three regions or three
                   separate shapefiles.  If you have more than three plumes, select which plumes best represent
                  your area of interest or remediation strategy. These regions become the "%pnes" used
         throughout WEST. Zone 1 is typically the smallest, most contaminated %pne; Zone 2 is typically
         contaminated with an intermediate level of contamination and is larger than Zone 1, and Zone 3 is
         typically the area with the lowest level of contamination and is the largest geographically.

    6.  Load the shapefile using the "Plume" option only if the shapefile contains  exactly three polygons

       (i.e., zones);  otherwise, you must select the "Build Plume" option, and load three separate

       shapefiles by order of contamination (i.e., zone  1 being the most contaminated).

    7.  Click "Ok"  and once the script has finished executing, click "Close".

    8.  Double click the "Calculate Plume" icon to open the Calculate Plume script.

    9.  From the "Plume" dropdown list, select the "Plume_" shapefile with the user-assigned scenario

       name attached.

    10. From the "Census Tract Region" dropdown list, select the "Study Region Tract" shapefile.

    11. Click "Ok" and once the script has finished executing, click "Close".


                   WEST uses aerial imagery to estimate outdoor surface types. This user guide contains
                   instructions on how to add default ArcGIS imagery. You may add jour own imagery by
                   simply adding that imagery via the "Add Data" button before running the Capture Image
                   script.

    12. Click the down arrow next to the "Add Data" button (located in the toolbar up top) and click

       "Add Basemap" or add your own imagery.

    13. Within the Add Basemap dialog, select the "Imagery" button and click "Add".

    14. Click the "Table of Contents" tab (located at the bottom  left) to  display the available layers.
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USER GUIDE


    15. Uncheck all layers (except for the  Basemap  and associated "Imagery" layer) by clicking the

       checkbox next to each layer (i.e., no layers should be displayed expect for the aerial imagery).

    16. Click the "Arc Toolbox Tab" (located at the bottom left) to return to ArcToolbox.

    17. Double click the "Capture Image" icon  to open the Capture Image script.

    18. From the "Plume" dropdown list, select "Plume" shapefile with the user assigned scenario name

       attached.

    19. Click "Ok" and once the script has finished executing, click the "Close" button.

    20. Close ArcGIS.

    21. When prompted to save, click the "No" button.


The Wizard

The wizard consists of a sequence of dialog boxes used to assist the user interactively through a series of post-
processing operations. The following procedure describes how to complete the necessary procedures.

    1.  If Wizard is already running in your taskbar, skip to step 2. If Wizard is not already opened,

       launch WEST.

    2.  Click the "Open Scenario" radio button and press "OK".

    3.  Select your scenario and press "Open".

    4.  From the Wizard, click the "Next" button.

    5.  Click the "Confirm" button to confirm the existence of the required GIS files and click "Next".

    6.  When prompted, acknowledge that you have closed Hazus-MH/ArcGIS by click the "I have

       closed all non-essential programs" button.


     Note

      The Wizard requires an extensive amount of processing power and, at times, may become
      temporarily unresponsive.  The  surface recognition algorithms require significant amounts  of
      memory, thus the requirement to close other memory-intensive applications.


                                              11

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USER  GUIDE
    7.  Once enabled, click the "Next" button to proceed. The next process will begin automatically.

    8.  The image analysis software will now run, once enabled; click the "Next" button to proceed.

    9.  Click the "Launch Waste Tool" button to launch the spreadsheet.
                  The spreadsheet may take a moment to launch. Once loaded, the Wizard will
                  automatically close.
Building a Spreadsheet Scenario
The build scenario screen not only allows the user to configure their scenario based on a number of
parameters but also allows the user to alternate data files between runs. This particularly useful when
comparing decontamination strategies. The following procedures describe how to configure a WEST
                 scenario.

                 Steps 1 through 3 apply in cases where security options for MS Office are set to initially disable
                 macros. If macros are not disabled, then go straight to Step 4-.
    \.  From the WEST Spreadsheet, click the "Options" button.

    2.  Click the "Enable this content" radio button and press "OK".

    3.  Click the "Start" button.

    4.  Click the "Build Scenario" button.

    5.  Enter a scenario name in the "Scenario Name" text box.

    6.  If necessary, enter a description in the "Comments" text box.


                  The WEST is preloaded with example "Time Elapsed and Radionuclide Activity" and
                  "Decontamination Strategy" data files. You may use these files, edit them as you see fit, or
                  create your own from scratch.


    7.  Under "WEST Output and Contamination Data Files" highlight/select the scenario you just

       created.

    8.  Under "Time Elapsed and Radionuclide Activity Data Files", select "Sample Release".
                                               12

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USER  GUIDE


                   The Time Elapsed Since Initial Deposition window allows you to establish time (in
                   months) elapsed since initial deposition, preferred units, and relevant radionuclide(s) and
                   their associated activities. You may also include daughter pro ducts resultingfrom the
                   radioactive decay process.

    9.  Under "Decontamination Strategy Data Files", select either "Extensive Decon" or "Limited

       Decon" (both of those decontamination strategies are examples with different decontamination

       choices).


                   The Decontamination Strategy Parameters window allows you to establish jour overall
                   decontamination strategy for a select type of surface media within each %pne.


    10. Under the Create Scenario section at the top of the screen, click the "Create Scenario" button.

       Wait for the tool to build the scenario. Once completed, the new scenario (your newly created

       scenario) will appear in the Existing Scenarios list.


Spreadsheet Scenario Options

One of the major benefits of WEST is the ability to estimate waste as your decontamination and
demolition strategy evolves to find the most effective solution for a specific incident. The following
procedures describe how to establish your decontamination strategy.

    1.  Ensure your scenario file is highlighted and click the "Open" button. Wait for the scenario file to

       open. Once the file opens, the Scenario Information screen will appear.

    2.  Under the "Partitioning and Remaining Activity" menu, you may view the calculated deposition

       activities for various ground surfaces and building surfaces in each zone by selecting "Activity at

       Deposition" under "Data Type" and selecting the zone of interest. You may also view the

       calculated activities at 365 days by selecting "Remaining Activity at t"  under Data Type.


                   You may change the time elapsed since initial deposition by clicking the "Modify Time
                   Elapsed Since Initial Deposition " button in the second row of buttons at the top of the
                   screen.
                                                13

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USER  GUIDE


                    The deposition activities mil be recalculated if the default source partitioningfactors are
                    modified (by selecting the "View/Modify Source Partitioning Factors" button at the tap
                    of the screen).

                    The remaining activities at 365 days (or other elapsed time if modified) will be
                    recalculated if the default weathering correction factors are modified (by selecting the
                    "View I Modify Weathering Correction Factors" button at the top of the screen).

    3.  Under the  Decon/Demo Parameters" menu you may view the estimated percentages of total

       ground area comprised of asphalt, concrete, and soil that are populated based on the data

       generated from the creation of the GIS scenario. These "default" values may be modified by

       typing in new values. The total percentage of the three surface types for each zone must equal

       100%.


                   Percentages may slightly vary by scenario. Zones not totaling 100% are accountingfor
                   water (i.e., this is normal).

                   Should you want to go back to the initial values generated from the surface area analysis
                   during creation of the GIS scenario, you may click the "Restore Initial Values" button.


    4.  Click the "Buildings" button in the second  row of buttons at the top of the screen. The

       percentages of all buildings in each zone, regardless of occupancy classification that will be

       demolished or decontaminated are populated based on the data from the Decontamination

       Strategy File used to create the scenario and are used as default values for all occupancy

       classifications. Should you desire  to refine your estimates further by specifying different

       demolition and decontamination  percentages for different occupancy classifications in each zone,

       the default values may be modified by typing in new values. The total percentage of the three

       surface types for each zone must not exceed 100% but can be less than 100% (to account for

       buildings that will not be demolished or decontaminated)

    5.  Click the "Decontamination Strategy" button in  the third row of buttons  from the top of the

       screen. Similar to the  demolition and decontamination percentages, the percentage of the  surface


                                                  14

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USER  GUIDE
       area for each four building surface types that will have a particular decontamination method

       applied (regardless of occupancy classification) are populated based on the data from the

       Decontamination Strategy File used to create the scenario and are used as default values for all

       occupancy classifications. Should you desire to refine your estimates further by specifying

       different percentages of each surface type for different occupancy classifications in each zone, the

       default values may be modified by typing in new values.  The total percentage of the area of each

       surface type for which any mix of decontamination techniques may be applied must not exceed

       100 %, but can be less than 100 % (to account for surface areas that will not be decontaminated).
                   Each decontamination technology uses a set of default parameters that affects the waste
                   results. Those decontamination technique parameters may be modified by clicking the
                   "View/Modify Decontamination Technique Properties" button  in the second
                   row of buttons from the top of the screen
Waste Results

Your decontamination strategy, up to this point, influences the overall waste results. The following
procedures describe how to view those results.

    1.  Click the "Waste Results" button at the top of the screen.

    2.  Waste results are available in three different formats:

       •   Summary Data: solid and liquid waste estimates from both demolition and decontamination

           activities.

       •   Decontamination Detail Data: solid waste mass, volume, and activities for various solid waste

           streams, and liquid waste mass, volume, and activity.

       •   Demolition Detail  Data: solid and liquid waste mass, volume, and estimated activity.

    3.  Click the "Waste Graphs" button at the top of the screen.

    4.  Waste results are available as pie charts in four different formats:

       •   Solid Waste Volume Percentage — All Zones.

                                                15

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USER  GUIDE


       •  Liquid Waste Volume Percentage — All Zones.

       •  Estimated Solid Waste Activity (uCi/m3) by Volume Percent — All Zones.

       •  Estimated Aqueous Waste Activity (uCi/m3) by Volume Percent — All Zones.

    5.  Click the "Home" button at the top of the screen.

    6.  Click the "Exit" button at the top of the screen.


Exporting Results

Because WEST is based on Microsoft Office Excel®, the spreadsheets, calculations, and results can be
viewed in a tabular form. This feature enables users to run Excel  plugins like Crystal Ball  to perform
further analysis of decontamination and demolition decisions. It is highly recommended that users back
up or copy the scenario file before making any modifications. Failure to do so may corrupt the scenario
file.

               It is recommended that only advanced users utiR^e the export spreadsheet capability.


    1.  Navigate to your WEST operating directory  (in the case of Windows 7, this would be:

       C:\Program Files (x86)\Waste Estimation Support Tool).

    2.  Open the "SS_Folder" directory.

    3.  Locate the Excel  file (i.e., .xlsx) containing the name of the scenario you wish to edit and double

       click to open.

    4.  From Excel®, select the "View" button located in the "Menu Bar".

    5.  In the "Window" menu, click "Unhide", select your scenario, and click "Ok".

    6.  All previously hidden sheets are now revealed. From here, you may explore the sheets, view or

       modify the algorithms, or create personalized graphs and tables. Please note that modifying the

       spreadsheets may affect your final results or even corrupt the scenario file. It is highly

       recommended that you back up the file before making any modifications.
                                              16

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USER GUIDE
                  Congratulations, you have  completed  your  first WEST scenario.  Be sure  to provide
                  feedback so we can  continue  to  improve WEST. Thank you for your interest.
                                              17

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TROUBLESHOOTING
Troubleshooting
A
T
his chapter provides solutions to commonly found problems that users may encounter using
WEST. It is recommended that you confirm software and hardware compatibility (information
found in Chapter 1 of this document) before continuing.
PROBLEM
                   CAUSE
REMEDY
WEST or Hazus crashes
unexpectedly
with/without error
"unable to access file".
Software becomes
unresponsive for an
extended period of time.

The BuildPlume script
crashes or fails.
The WEST Spreadsheet
crashes when creating or
building a scenario.
                   Software lacks the rights
                   necessary to read or write files
                   in the root directory.

                   WEST  requires the user have at
                   least  3  gigabytes  of memory to
                   run.

                   WEST  requires  the  plume be
                   projected  and clear of errors
                   before running BuildPlume.

                   The   spreadsheet    is  either
                   corrupt   or  macros  are   not
                   enabled.
Launch both WEST and Hazus as
administrator.
Install  WEST  on   an   alternate
machine with upgraded memory.
Define a projection and check for
errors  or ask a GIS expert for
help.

Enable macros  from the options
menu upon starting the spreadsheet.
If enabling macros fails to resolve
the issues, reinstall WEST.
                                            18

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BIBLIOGRAPHY
Bibliography

A list of references

    1.  Lemieux, P., T. Boe, D. Schultheisz, T. Peake and C. Hayes (2014). Integrating Decontamination
       Strategies into a Waste Estimation Support Tool for Radiological Incidents.  Waste Management
       2014 Conference Paper. Phoenix, AZ

    2.  Boe, T., P.  Lemieux, D. Schultheisz,  T.  Peake and C. Hayes  (2013). A Planning Tool  for
       Estimating Waste  Generated by a Radiological  Incident and  Subsequent  Decontamination
       Efforts. Waste Management 2013 Conference Paper. Phoenix, AZ.

    3.  U.S. EPA (2012). Radiological Dispersal Device (ROD) Waste Estimation Support Tool Version
       1.2 (Final Report, Spreadsheet, GIS Scripts)

    4.  Lemieux, P., J. Wood, E. Snyder, T. Boe, D. Schultheisz, T. Peake, M. lerardi, C. Hayes and M.
       Rodgers (2011). GIS-Based  Tools  to Identify Tradeoffs between Waste Management and
       Remediation  Strategies  from  Radiological  Dispersal Device  Events.  Conference  Paper,
       Proceedings  of the Conference on  Waste  Management, Decommissioning and Environmental
       Restoration for Canada's Nuclear Activities. Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
                                U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
                             National Homeland Security Research Center
                         Decontamination and Consequence Management Division
                                 Research Triangle Park, NC 27711
                                               19

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United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
PRESORTED STANDARD
 POSTAGE & FEES PAID
         EPA
   PERMIT NO. G-35
Office of Research and Development (8101R)
Washington, DC 20460

Official Business
Penalty for Private Use
$300

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