1. |
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2. |
- Sundell, Jonas, 1984, et al.
(author)
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Economic valuation of hydrogeological information when managing groundwater drawdown
- 2019
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In: Hydrogeology Journal. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1431-2174 .- 1435-0157. ; 27:4, s. 1111-1130
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- © 2019, The Author(s). A procedure is presented for valuation of information analysis (VOIA) to determine the need for additional information when assessing the effect of several design alternatives to manage future disturbances in hydrogeological systems. When planning for groundwater extraction and drawdown in areas where risks—such as land subsidence, wells running dry and drainage of streams and wetlands—are present, the need for risk-reducing safety measures must be carefully evaluated and managed. The heterogeneity of the subsurface calls for an assessment of trade-offs between the benefits of additional information to reduce the risk of erroneous decisions and the cost of collecting this information. A method is suggested that combines existing procedures for inverse probabilistic groundwater modelling with a novel method for VOIA. The method results in (1) a prior analysis where uncertainties regarding the efficiency of safety measures are estimated, and (2) a pre-posterior analysis, where the benefits of expected uncertainty reduction deriving from additional information are compared with the costs for obtaining this information. In comparison with existing approaches for VOIA, the method can assess multiple design alternatives, use hydrogeological parameters as proxies for failure, and produce spatially distributed VOIA maps. The method is demonstrated for a case study of a planned tunnel in Stockholm, Sweden, where additional investigations produce a low number of benefits as a result of low failure rates for the studied alternatives and a cause-effect chain where the resulting failure probability is more dependent on interactions within the whole system rather than on specific features.
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3. |
- Sundell, Jonas, 1984, et al.
(author)
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Comprehensive risk assessment of groundwater drawdown induced subsidence
- 2019
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In: Stochastic Environmental Research and Risk Assessment. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1436-3240 .- 1436-3259. ; 33:2, s. 427-449
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- © 2019, The Author(s). We present a method for risk assessment of groundwater drawdown induced land subsidence when planning for sub-surface infrastructure. Since groundwater drawdown and related subsidence can occur at large distances from the points of inflow, the large spatial extent often implies heterogeneous geological conditions that cannot be described in complete detail. This calls for estimation of uncertainties in all components of the cause-effect chain with probabilistic methods. In this study, we couple four probabilistic methods into a comprehensive model for economic risk quantification: a geostatistical soil-stratification model, an inverse calibrated groundwater model, an elasto-plastic subsidence model, and a model describing the resulting damages and costs on individual buildings and constructions. Groundwater head measurements, hydraulic tests, statistical analyses of stratification and soil properties and an inventory of buildings are inputs to the models. In the coupled method, different design alternatives for risk reduction measures are evaluated. Integration of probabilities and damage costs result in an economic risk estimate for each alternative. Compared with the risk for a reference alternative, the best prior alternative is identified as the alternative with the highest expected net benefit. The results include spatial probabilistic risk estimates for each alternative where areas with significant risk are distinguished from low-risk areas. The efficiency and usefulness of this modelling approach as a tool for communication to stakeholders, decision support for prioritization of risk reducing measures, and identification of the need for further investigations and monitoring are demonstrated with a case study of a planned railway tunnel in Varberg, Sweden.
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4. |
- Garmabaki, Amir H. Soleimani, et al.
(author)
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A Survey on Underground Pipelines and Railway Infrastructure at Cross-Sections
- 2019
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In: Proceedings of the 29th European Safety and Reliability Conference (ESREL 2019). - Singapore : Research Publishing Services. ; , s. 1094-1101
-
Conference paper (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Underground pipelines are an essential part of the transportation infrastructure. The structural deterioration of pipelines crossing railways and their subsequent failures are critical for society and industry resulting in direct and indirect costs for all the related stakeholders. Pipeline failures are complex processes, which are affected by many factors, both static (e.g., pipe material, size, age, and soil type) and dynamic (e.g., traffic load, pressure zone changes, and environmental impacts). These failures have serious impacts on public due to safety, disruption of traffic, inconvenience to society, environmental impacts and shortage of resources. Therefore, continuous and accurate condition assessment is critical for the effective management and maintenance of pipeline networks within transportation infrastructure. The aim of this study is to identify failure modes and consequences related to the crossing of pipelines in railway corridors. Expert opinion have been collected through two set of questionnaires which have been distributed to the 291 municipalities in the whole Sweden. The failure analysis revealed that pipe deformation has higher impact followed by pipe rupture at cross-section with railway infrastructure. For underground pipeline under railway infrastructure, aging and external load gets higher ranks among different potential failure causes to the pipeline.
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5. |
- Mathern, Alexandre, 1986, et al.
(author)
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Concrete Support Structures for Offshore Wind Turbines: Current Status, Challenges, and Future Trends
- 2021
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In: Energies. - : MDPI AG. - 1996-1073 .- 1996-1073. ; 14:7
-
Research review (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Today’s offshore wind turbine support structures market is largely dominated by steel structures, since steel monopiles account for the vast majority of installations in the last decade and new types of multi-leg steel structures have been developed in recent years. However, as wind turbines become bigger, and potential sites for offshore wind farms are located in ever deeper waters and ever further from the shore, the conditions for the design, transport, and installation of support structures are changing. In light of these facts, this paper identifies and categorizes the challenges and future trends related to the use of concrete for support structures of future offshore wind projects. To do so, recent advances and technologies still under development for both bottom-fixed and floating concrete support structures have been reviewed. It was found that these new developments meet the challenges associated with the use of concrete support structures, as they will allow the production costs to be lowered and transport and installation to be facilitated. New technologies for concrete support structures used at medium and great water depths are also being developed and are expected to become more common in future offshore wind installations. Therefore, the new developments identified in this paper show the likelihood of an increase in the use of concrete support structures in future offshore wind farms. These developments also indicate that the complexity of future support structures will increase due to the development of hybrid structures combining steel and concrete. These evolutions call for new knowledge and technical know-how in order to allow reliable structures to be built and risk-free offshore installation to be executed.
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6. |
- van Eldert, Jeroen, 1987-, et al.
(author)
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Application of Measurement While Drilling Technology to Predict Rock Mass Quality and Rock Support for Tunnelling
- 2020
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In: Rock Mechanics and Rock Engineering. - : Springer. - 0723-2632 .- 1434-453X. ; 53:3, s. 1349-1358
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- A tunnelling project is normally initiated with a site investigation to determine the in situ rock mass conditions and to generate the basis for the tunnel design and rock support. However, since site investigations often are based on limited information (surface mapping, geophysical profiles, few bore holes, etc.), the estimation of the rock mass conditions may contain inaccuracies, resulting in underestimating the required rock support. The study hypothesised that these inaccuracies could be reduced using Measurement While Drilling (MWD) technology to assist in the decision-making process. A case study of two tunnels in the Stockholm bypass found the rock mass quality was severely overestimated by the site investigation; more than 45% of the investigated sections had a lower rock mass quality than expected. MWD data were recorded in 25 m grout holes and 6 m blast holes. The MWD data were normalised so that the long grout holes with larger hole diameters and the shorter blast holes with smaller hole diameters gave similar results. With normalised MWD data, it was possible to mimic the tunnel contour mapping; results showed good correlation with mapped Q-value and installed rock support. MWD technology can improve the accuracy of forecasting the rock mass ahead of the face. It can bridge the information gap between the early, somewhat uncertain geotechnical site investigation and the geological mapping done after excavation to optimise rock support.
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7. |
- Talebiahooie, Elahe, et al.
(author)
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Modelling of Railway Sleeper Settlement under Cyclic Loading Using a Hysteretic Ballast Contact Model
- 2021
-
In: Sustainability. - : MDPI. - 2071-1050. ; 13:21
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Ballasted tracks are common in the railway system as a means of providing the necessary support for the sleepers and the rails. To keep them operational, tamping and other maintenance actions are performed based on track geometry measurements. Ballast particle rearrangement, which is caused by train load, is one of the most important factors leading to track degradation. As a result, when planning maintenance, it is vital to predict the behaviour of the ballast under cyclic loading. Since ballast is a granular matter with a nonlinear and discontinuous mechanical behaviour, the discrete element method (DEM) was used in this paper to model the ballast particle rearrangement under cyclic loading. We studied the performance of linear and nonlinear models in simulating the settlement of the sleeper, the lateral deformation of the ballast shoulder and the porosity changes under the sleeper. The models were evaluated based on their ability to mimic the ballast degradation pattern in vertical and lateral direction. The linear contact model and the hysteretic contact model were used in the simulations, and the effect of the friction coefficient and different damping models on the simulations was assessed. An outcome of this study was that a nonlinear model was proposed in which both the linear and the hysteretic contact models are combined. The simulation of the sleeper settlement and the changes in the porosity under the sleeper improved in the proposed nonlinear model, while the computation time required for the proposed model decreased compared to that required for the linear model.
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8. |
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9. |
- Eitzenberger, Andreas
(author)
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Inventory of geomechanical phenomena related to train-induced vibrations from tunnels
- 2008
-
Licentiate thesis (other academic/artistic)abstract
- Banverket is expecting that the number of railway tunnels in densely populated areas will increase over the next 20 years due to the lack of available space on the ground surface, but also since the railway is considered an environmentally friendly solution of transportation for the future. The need for good predictions of vibration and noise levels in dwellings along the planned tunnels is therefore evident. Due to lack of understanding of the propagation of train-induced vibrations from tunnels in rock a research project has been initiated by Banverket. This thesis constitutes the first stage of that project. In this thesis, the propagation of vibrations through a rock mass has been reviewed. The emphasis has been on wave propagation in hard rock masses. Areas, such as the generation of vibrations at the train-rail interface, the response of buildings and humans, national and international recommended noise and vibrations levels, and possible countermeasures are briefly reviewed as well. Finally, suggestions for the continued research are presented. The propagation of waves is influenced by attenuation along the propagation path. The attenuation can either be through geometric spreading, energy loss within the material, or reflection and refraction at boundaries. In a rock mass, where heterogeneities of various scales are present, the attenuation of (train-induced) waves through the ground therefore mainly depends on the properties of the discontinuities. Theoretical models of wave propagation across individual fractures have been presented in the literature. These models can be used to study the attenuation at the fracture for different combinations of joint stiffness, impedance, and angle of incidence. Also multiple parallel joints can be theoretically analysed. The attenuation of low-frequency waves is more prominent in weak rock masses and virtually negligible for hard rock masses. An increased amount of random oriented joints, faults and boundaries increases the attenuation of the waves, but is not possible to study with the aid of theoretical models. The rock mass is in most cases inhomogeneous due to all heterogeneities present. Despite this fact, the rock mass and soil is always treated as an isotropic, homogeneous material in the analyses of ground-borne noise and ground-borne vibrations. This concerns both numerical and empirical methods. Thus, there is a lack of a method that considers the influence of various heterogeneities present in a rock mass on the propagation of waves. Future research regarding train-induced vibrations should focus on combining the models of attenuation in the material with the models of attenuation across joints. Thereafter, conceptual models should be used to determine the propagation of low-frequency waves in a rock mass containing various amounts of heterogeneities (from isotropic to highly inhomogeneous) which should be compared to the theoretical methods available. Once the behaviour of waves in an inhomogeneous rock mass has been established, conceptual models should be used together with measurements from a few well documented cases. From the results of the analysis, guidelines for analysis of railway tunnels with regard to ground-borne noise and ground-borne vibrations should be established.
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10. |
- Eitzenberger, Andreas, et al.
(author)
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Numerical simulation of train-induced vibrations in rock masses
- 2012
-
In: Harmonising rock engineering and the environment. - Leiden : CRC Press/Balkema. - 9780415804448 ; , s. 1189-1194
-
Conference paper (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The vibrations generated by a moving train in a tunnel will radiate into the surrounding ground which, in densely populated areas, will reach nearby buildings and its residents. Analyses are commonly made where the aim is to estimate the ground-borne noise and vibrations levels that may occur in nearby buildings. A common assumption is to treat the rock mass as an isotropic, homogeneous, and linear elastic material. Thus, the influence of discontinuities on the propagation of waves is not considered in the analyses. Within this study, numerical simulations were performed to study the propagation of low-frequency waves through a rock mass near a tunnel. A single period sinusoidal wave was applied as dynamic source on the floor of the tunnel. Observation points were located on the ground surface and around the tunnel. The influence on wave propagation from overburden, position of a discontinuity in relation to the tunnel, and normal and shear stiffness of the discontinuity, was studied by using the Universal Distinct Element Code (UDEC). The results show that increasing overburden reduces the vibration levels on the ground surface. Furthermore, the influence of the normal and shear stiffness of discontinuities depends on where the horizontal discontinuity is positioned in relation to the tunnel. If the horizontal discontinuity is positioned above the dynamic source (e.g. above tunnel or in the tunnel wall) the vibration levels on the ground surface will be reduced but if the horizontal discontinuity is located below the dynamic source (e.g. below the tunnel) the vibration levels on the ground surface will be enhanced. In our analyses, discontinuities only have an impact on the wave propagation if the normal and shear stiffness of is ≤10 GPa/m.
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11. |
- Eitzenberger, Andreas
(author)
-
Train-induced vibrations in tunnels : a review
- 2008
-
Reports (other academic/artistic)abstract
- Banverket is expecting that the number of railway tunnels in densely populated areas will increase over the next 20 years due to the lack of available space on the ground surface. Together with the increased awareness of the residents the need for good prediction of vibration and noise levels in dwellings along the planned tunnels is evident. Consequently, a study of the propagation of vibrations through rock and soil generated by trains operating in tunnels is required in order to make more reliable prognoses. This report constitutes the first stage within a research project aimed at increasing the understanding about ground-borne noise and ground-borne vibrations generated by trains moving in tunnels constructed in rock. In this report, the propagation of vibration through a rock mass is reviewed. The emphasis has been on wave propagation in hard rock, but soil has also been included. Areas, such as the generation of vibration at the train-rail interaction, the response of buildings and humans, national and international recommended noise and vibrations levels, measurement of noise and vibrations, and possible countermeasures are briefly reviewed as well. Finally, suggestions for the continued research within this field are presented. The propagation of waves is influenced by attenuation along the propagation path. The attenuation can either be through geometric spreading, energy loss within the material, or reflection and refraction at boundaries. In a rock mass, where heterogeneities of various scales are present, the attenuation of (train-induced) waves through the ground therefore mainly depends on discontinuities, e.g. joints, faults, cracks, crushed zones, dykes, and boundaries between different rock types or soil. Also the topography - along as well as intersecting tunnels - influences the wave propagation in form of local amplification. An increased amount of joints, faults and boundaries increases the attenuation of the waves. The rock mass is in most cases inhomogeneous due to all heterogeneities present. Despite this fact, the rock mass and soil is always treated as an isotropic, homogeneous material when analyzed with regard to ground-borne noise and ground-borne vibrations. This concerns both numerical and empirical methods. Thus, there is a lack of knowledge regarding the influence of various heterogeneities on the propagation of waves, and thereby vibrations, in non-isotropic ground conditions (e.g. a rock mass) at low frequencies. Future research regarding train-induced vibration should focus on conceptual models used to determine the propagation of low-frequency waves in a rock mass containing various amount of heterogeneities (from isotropic to highly inhomogeneous). Once the behaviour of waves in an inhomogeneous rock mass has been established, conceptual models should be used together with measurements from a few well documented cases. From the results of the analysis, guidelines for analysis of railway tunnels with regard to ground-borne noise and ground-borne vibrations should be established.
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12. |
- Mainali, Ganesh, et al.
(author)
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Tailings dams monitoring in Swedish mines using self-potential and electrical resistivity methods
- 2015
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In: Electronic Journal of Geotechnical Engineering. - : Mete Öner. - 1089-3032. ; 20:13, s. 5859-5875
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Tailings dam failures have been occurring in recent years. Many of these failures have caused human casualties, destruction of property, and damage to environment and huge economic loss to the mining industry. The monitoring of the dam is essential to know the existing state of the dams and to ensure the safety of the dam over its life time. The present study has been conducted to test the applicability of electrical resistivity and self-potential (SP), for detecting anomalous seepage through mine tailings dams in Sweden and monitoring the physical condition of the dam. This study has demonstrated the potential of using geoelectrical methods for monitoring the conditions of the tailing dams related to seepage.
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13. |
- Miskovsky, Karel, et al.
(author)
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Influence of the mineralogical composition and textural properties on the quality of coarse aggregates
- 2004
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In: Journal of materials engineering and performance (Print). - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1059-9495 .- 1544-1024 .- 0000-0000. ; 13:2, s. 144-150
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- To evaluate the influence of the petrographic variables on the quality of coarse aggregates consisting of granitoid (granite to tonalite) rocks, 17 samples selected from the Swedish part of the Baltic shield have been studied concerning their petrographic properties, for example, mineral composition, grain size, grain boundaries, and the frequency of micro-cracks. All of the samples selected also have been studied in mechanical tests used to evaluate the quality of aggregates in Sweden. The quality has been determined by means of flakiness, impact value, abrasion value I, and abrasion value II. An analysis of the influence of the mineral composition and textural properties on the aggregate quality has been performed using statistical correlation and linear models. The results indicate that an increasing content of feldspar negatively influences the strength against impact, while an increasing content of mica (tested to 35 vol.%) combined with a diminishing grain size and more irregular grain boundaries has a positive influence on the resistance of granitoids to mechanical impact. Abrasion value II seems to be mainly influenced negatively by an increasing frequency of micro-cracks. The practical implementation of the results is suggested.
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14. |
- Mathern, Alexandre, 1986, et al.
(author)
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Experimental study of time-dependent properties of a low-pH concrete for deposition tunnels
- 2018
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In: fib Symposium. - 2617-4820. ; , s. 1726-1735
-
Conference paper (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The Swedish Nuclear Fuel and Waste Management Company developed a method for the final disposal of canisters for spent nuclear fuel in tunnels at depths of about 500 meters. The concept for closure of the deposition tunnels is based on a bentonite seal supported by a spherical concrete dome structure. In order to fulfil the requirements specific to the repository concept, a special mix of low-pH self-compacting concrete was developed. A series of large-scale castings and laboratory tests were conducted to gain experience on this low-pH concrete mix, in conjunction with the full-scale demonstration test of an unreinforced concrete dome plug in the underground hard rock laboratory in Äspö, Sweden. The laboratory tests aimed at studying the creep properties under high sustained compressive stresses of the low-pH concrete mix, its shrinkage properties and the properties of the rock-concrete interface. This paper provides an overview of these tests and analyses the latest results of the recently completed creep tests, which include 6 years of measurements. These results allow to improve understanding of the structural behaviour of the concrete plug and to assess the effects of the very high pressure acting on the plug on its deformations, cracking and water tightness.
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15. |
- Acuña, José, 1982-
(author)
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Distributed thermal response tests : New insights on U-pipe and Coaxial heat exchangers in groundwater-filled boreholes
- 2013
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Artistic work (other academic/artistic)abstract
- U-pipe Borehole Heat Exchangers (BHE) are widely used today in ground source heating and cooling systems in spite of their less than optimal performance. This thesis provides a better understanding on the function of U-pipe BHEs and Investigates alternative methods to reduce the temperature difference between the circulating fluid and the borehole wall, including one thermosyphon and three different types of coaxial BHEs.Field tests are performed using distributed temperature measurements along U-pipe and coaxial heat exchangers installed in groundwater filled boreholes. The measurements are carried out during heat injection thermal response tests and during short heat extraction periods using heat pumps. Temperatures are measured inside the secondary fluid path, in the groundwater, and at the borehole wall. These type of temperature measurements were until now missing.A new method for testing borehole heat exchangers, Distributed Thermal Response Test (DTRT), has been proposed and demonstrated in U-pipe, pipe-in-pipe, and multi-pipe BHE designs. The method allows the quantification of the BHE performance at a local level.The operation of a U-pipe thermosyphon BHE consisting of an insulated down-comer and a larger riser pipe using CO2 as a secondary fluid has been demonstrated in a groundwater filled borehole, 70 m deep. It was found that the CO2 may be sub-cooled at the bottom and that it flows upwards through the riser in liquid state until about 30 m depth, where it starts to evaporate.Various power levels and different volumetric flow rates have been imposed to the tested BHEs and used to calculate local ground thermal conductivities and thermal resistances. The local ground thermal conductivities, preferably evaluated at thermal recovery conditions during DTRTs, were found to vary with depth. Local and effective borehole thermal resistances in most heat exchangers have been calculated, and their differences have been discussed in an effort to suggest better methods for interpretation of data from field tests.Large thermal shunt flow between down- and up-going flow channels was identified in all heat exchanger types, particularly at low volumetric flow rates, except in a multi-pipe BHE having an insulated central pipe where the thermal contact between down- and up-coming fluid was almost eliminated.At relatively high volumetric flow rates, U-pipe BHEs show a nearly even distribution of the heat transfer between the ground and the secondary fluid along the depth. The same applies to all coaxial BHEs as long as the flow travels downwards through the central pipe. In the opposite flow direction, an uneven power distribution was measured in multi-chamber and multi-pipe BHEs.Pipe-in-pipe and multi-pipe coaxial heat exchangers show significantly lower local borehole resistances than U-pipes, ranging in average between 0.015 and 0.040 Km/W. These heat exchangers can significantly decrease the temperature difference between the secondary fluid and the ground and may allow the use of plain water as secondary fluid, an alternative to typical antifreeze aqueous solutions. The latter was demonstrated in a pipe-in-pipe BHE having an effective resistance of about 0.030 Km/W.Forced convection in the groundwater achieved by injecting nitrogen bubbles was found to reduce the local thermal resistance in U-pipe BHEs by about 30% during heat injection conditions. The temperatures inside the groundwater are homogenized while injecting the N2, and no radial temperature gradients are then identified. The fluid to groundwater thermal resistance during forced convection was measured to be 0.036 Km/W. This resistance varied between this value and 0.072 Km/W during natural convection conditions in the groundwater, being highest during heat pump operation at temperatures close to the water density maximum.
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16. |
- Darabi, H., et al.
(author)
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Development of a novel hybrid multi-boosting neural network model for spatial prediction of urban flood
- 2021
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In: Geocarto International. - : Taylor and Francis Ltd.. - 1010-6049 .- 1752-0762.
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- In this study, a new hybridized machine learning algorithm for urban flood susceptibility mapping, named MultiB-MLPNN, was developed using a multi-boosting technique and MLPNN. The model was tested in Amol City, Iran, a data-scarce city in an ungauged area which is prone to severe flood inundation events and currently lacks flood prevention infrastructure. Performance of the hybridized model was compared with that of a standalone MLPNN model, random forest and boosted regression trees. Area under the curve, efficiency, true skill statistic, Matthews correlation coefficient, misclassification rate, sensitivity and specificity were used to evaluate model performance. In validation, the MultiB-MLPNN model showed the best predictive performance. The hybridized MultiB-MLPNN model is thus useful for generating realistic flood susceptibility maps for data-scarce urban areas. The maps can be used to develop risk-reduction measures to protect urban areas from devastating floods, particularly where available data are insufficient to support physically based hydrological or hydraulic models.
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17. |
- Al-Madhlom, Qais, et al.
(author)
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Potential use of UTES in Babylon Governorate, Iraq
- 2020
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In: Groundwater for Sustainable Development. - : Elsevier. - 2352-801X. ; 10
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- There is a global attention that the future energy systems will be based on renewable energy like solar and wind. The large-scale utilization of renewables in space heating and cooling requires large Thermal Energy Storage TES to overcome the varying supply and demand. The process of producing the best Underground Thermal Energy Storage UTES system pass through two steps: first, finding the best type of UTES system, second, finding the best locations to install UTES system. Both of these two steps depend extremely on the site specific parameters such that the depth to the groundwater, transmissivity, type of soil, the depth to the bedrock, and seepage velocity. The purpose of this paper is to explain some of the site specific parameters that the type of UTES-system depends on and explain the suitable type of UTES systems. This study considers Babylon province (Iraq) as study area. This province has electricity deficiency due to Heating Ventilating and Air Conditioning HVAC applications. The methodology of this study includes reviewing the literature that consider the study area, and using Arc Map/GIS to visualize some of the in-site parameters. The results indicate that the best type of UTES system for the considered region is either aquifer or pit type, due to the type of the soil and the depth to the crystalline bedrock. The hydraulic conductivity and the seepage velocity in the considered region are (0.0023–2.5) m/d and (1.3 × 10−6 – 3.45 × 10−3) m/d respectively. These conditions satisfy the standards which regard aquifer type.
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18. |
- Al-Madhlom, Qais, et al.
(author)
-
Site Selection Criteria of UTES Systems in Hot Climate
- 2019
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In: Proceedings of the XVII ECSMGE-2019. - Iceland : The Icelandic Geotechnical Society (IGS). ; , s. 1-8
-
Conference paper (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Underground Thermal Energy Storage UTES systems are widely used around the world. The reason is that UTES is essential in utilizing Renewable Energy sources (RE). The efficiency of the energy system relies strongly on the efficiency of the storage system. Therefore, in the installation of a hyper-energy system, a lot of attention is to be paid in improving the storage system. In order to design an efficient storage system, firstly, standard criteria are to be investigated. These explain the process of making high efficiency storage system that must be specified. The criteria, mainly, depends on: best type and best location. These two variables are in high interference with each other. The bond between the two variables is represented by the geological, hydrological, meteorological, soil, hydrogeological properties/factors of the site. These factors are specified by geo-energy mapping. Despite the importance of this type of mapping, there is no specific criteria/formula that defines the choice. This paper aims to: give a brief literature review for UTES systems (types, classification, advantages/disadvantages for each type, and examples of an installed system). In addition, some factors within geo-energy mapping are highlighted and standard criteria to achieve good storage system are suggested. The suggested criterion comprises a process to transfer the quantity values to quality values according to the expert opinion. The suggested criteria are defined through the following stages: selecting the best type of UTES systems according to hydro-geological in site conditions; using the analytical hierarchy process to rank the best location to install the storage system and then using ArcMap (GIS-Software) to provide representative results as maps. Karbala Province (Iraq) is the study area used here
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19. |
- Al-Madhlom, Qais, et al.
(author)
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Site Selection of Aquifer Thermal Energy Storage Systems in Shallow Groundwater Conditions
- 2019
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In: Water. - Switzerland : MDPI. - 2073-4441. ; 11:7
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Underground thermal energy storage (UTES) systems are widely used around the world, due to their relations to heating ventilating and air conditioning (HVAC) applications [1]. To achieve the required objectives of these systems, the best design of these systems should be accessed first. The process of determining the best design for any UTES system has two stages, the type selection stage and the site selection stage. In the type selection stage, the best sort of UTES system is determined. There are six kinds of UTES systems, they are: boreholes, aquifer, bit, tank, tubes in clay, and cavern [2–5]. The selection of a particular type depends on three groups of parameters. They are: Site specific, design, and operation parameters (Figure 1). Apart from site specific parameters, the other two types can be changed through the life time of the system. The site specific parameters, e.g., geological, hydrogeological, and metrological, cannot be changed during the service period of the ystem. Therefore, the design of the best type should depend, at first consideration, on site specific parameters.
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20. |
- Moghadas, Shahab, et al.
(author)
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Laboratory study of infiltration into two frozen engineered (sandy) soils recommended for bioretention
- 2016
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In: Hydrological Processes. - : Wiley. - 0885-6087 .- 1099-1085. ; 30:8, s. 1251-1264
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Infiltration of water into two frozen engineered soils of different gradation was studied in laboratory soil columns 1.2 m long and 0.1 m in diameter. Prior to testing, the soil moisture was adjusted to two levels, described by the gravimetric water content of 5 or 10%, soils were compacted to about 80-90% of the maximum dry density, and refrigerated to temperatures ranging from −8 to −2 °C. Water with temperatures 8-9 °C was thereafter fed on the top of columns at a constant head and the times of water break through the column and reaching a steady percolation rate, as well as the percolation rate, were recorded. The soil water content was a critical factor affecting the thawing process; during freezing, soil moisture was converted into ice, which blocked pores, and its melting required high amounts of energy supplied by infiltrating water. Hence, the thawing of soils with higher initial water content was much slower than in lower moisture soils, and water breakthrough and the attainment of steady percolation required much longer times in higher moisture soils. Heat transfer between infiltrating water, soil ice and frozen soil particles was well described by the energy budget equations, which constitute a parsimonious model of the observed processes. The finer grained soil and more compacted soil columns exhibited reduced porosity and required longer times for soil thawing. Practical implications of study results for design of bioretention facilities (BFs) in cold climate include the use of coarse engineered soils and fitting BFs with a drain facilitating soil drainage before the onset of freezing weather. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
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21. |
- Bin, Jiang, 1965-, et al.
(author)
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Automatic generation of the axial lines of urban environments to capture what we perceive
- 2010
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In: International Journal of Geographical Information Science. - London : Taylor & Francis Group. - 1365-8816 .- 1365-8824 .- 1362-3087. ; 24:4, s. 545-558
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Based on the concepts of isovists and medial axes, we developed a set of algorithms that can automatically generate axial lines for representing individual linearly stretched parts of open space of an urban environment. Open space is the space between buildings, where people can freely move around. The generation of the axial lines has been a key aspect of space syntax research, conventionally relying on hand-drawn axial lines of an urban environment, often called axial map, for urban morphological analysis. Although various attempts have been made towards an automatic solution, few of them can produce the axial map that consists of the least number of longest visibility lines, and none of them really works for different urban environments. Our algorithms provide a better solution than existing ones. Throughout this paper, we have also argued and demonstrated that the axial lines constitute a true skeleton, superior to medial axes, in capturing what we perceive about the urban environment.
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22. |
- Bin, Jiang, 1965-, et al.
(author)
-
Computing the fewest-turn map directions based on the connectivity of natural roads
- 2011
-
In: International Journal of Geographical Information Science. - London : Taylor & Francis Group. - 1365-8816 .- 1365-8824 .- 1362-3087. ; 25:7, s. 1069-1082
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- In this paper, we introduced a novel approach to computing the fewest-turn map directions or routes based on the concept of natural roads. Natural roads are joined road segments that perceptually constitute good continuity. This approach relies on the connectivity of natural roads rather than that of road segments for computing routes or map directions. Because of this, the derived routes posses the fewest turns. However, what we intend to achieve are the routes that not only possess the fewest turns, but are also as short as possible. This kind of map direction is more effective and favorable by people, because they bear less cognitive burden. Furthermore, the computation of the routes is more efficient, since it is based on the graph encoding the connectivity of roads, which is significantly smaller than the graph of road segments. We made experiments applied to eight urban street networks from North America and Europe in order to illustrate the above stated advantages. The experimental results indicate that the fewest-turn routes posses fewer turns and shorter distances than the simplest paths and the routes provided by Google Maps. For example, the fewest-turn-and-shortest routes are on average 15% shorter than the routes suggested by Google Maps, while the number of turns is just half as much. This approach is a key technology behind FromToMap.org - a web mapping service using openstreetmap data.
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23. |
- Barthel, Roland, 1967, et al.
(author)
-
Similarity-based approaches in hydrogeology: proposal of a new concept for data-scarce groundwater resource characterization and prediction
- 2021
-
In: Hydrogeology Journal. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1435-0157 .- 1431-2174. ; 29:5, s. 1693-1709
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- A new concept is proposed for describing, analysing and predicting the dynamic behaviour of groundwater resources based on classification and similarity. The concept makes use of the ideas put forward by the “PUB” (predictions in ungauged basins) initiative in surface-water hydrology. One of the approaches developed in PUB uses the principle that similar catchments, exposed to similar weather conditions, will generate a similar discharge response at the catchment outlet. This way, models developed for well-observed catchments can be used to make predictions for ungauged catchments with similar properties (topography, land use, etc.). The concept proposed here applies the same idea to groundwater systems, with the goal to make predictions of the dynamic behaviour of groundwater in poorly observed systems using similarities to well-observed and understood systems. This paper gives an overview of the main ideas, the methodological background, the progress so far, and the challenges that the authors regard as most crucial for further development. One of the main goals of this article is thus to raise interest for this new concept within the groundwater community. There are a multitude of highly interesting aspects to investigate, and a community effort, as with PUB, is required. A second goal is to foster and exchange ideas between the groundwater and surface water research communities who, while often working on similar problems, have often missed the opportunity to learn from each other.
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24. |
- Bernander, Stig, et al.
(author)
-
Downhill progressive landslides in long natural slopes: triggering agents and landslide phases modeled with a finite difference method
- 2016
-
In: Canadian geotechnical journal (Print). - : Canadian Science Publishing. - 0008-3674 .- 1208-6010. ; 53:10, s. 1565-1582
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- A large landslide in Tuve (Gothenburg, Sweden 1977) initiated the development of a model for slope stability analysis taking the deformation-softening of soft sensitive clays into consideration. The model studies triggering agents and five phases in progressive slope failure are identified: (1) in-situ, (2) disturbance, (3) unstable ‘dynamic’, (4) transitory (or permanent) equilibrium, and (5) ‘global’ failure. The clay resistance in these phases may differ widely; mostly due to different rates of loading. Two time dependent failure criteria are defined: (i) the triggering load condition in the disturbance Phase (2), and (ii) the transitory equilibrium in Phase (4), indicating whether minor downhill displacements or a veritable landslide catastrophe will occur. The analysis explains why downhill landslides tend to spread over vast areas of almost horizontal ground further down-slope. The model has been applied to landslides in Scandinavia and Canada. Three case studies are briefly discussed. The model is a finite difference approach, where local downhill deformations caused by normal forces is maintained compatible with deviatory shear deformations above the potential (or the established) failure surface. Software and an easy-to-use spreadsheet are introduced as well as recent developments. See also Video Abstract.
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25. |
- Hatem, Mohammed, et al.
(author)
-
Rheological Properties of Cement-Based Grouts Determined by Different Techniques
- 2014
-
In: Engineering. - : Scientific Research Publishing, Inc.. - 1947-3931 .- 1947-394X. ; 6:5, s. 217-229
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The rheological properties of cement-based grouts containing talc or palygorskite were investigated for optimizing fluidity and quick strengthening at injection. The fluidity controls the ability of grout to penetrate fractures and can be determined by pipe flow tests, Marsh funnel tests, mini-slump cone tests and rheometer tests. The grouts were 1) Talc for fluidity and strength by reacting with cement, 2) Palygorskite (attapulgite) for early gelation by being thixotropic, and 3) Powdered quartz for chemical integrity. The freshly prepared grouts behaved as Bingham fluids with viscosities from 0.151 to 0.464 Pas and yield stresses 5.2 Pa to 36.7 Pa. Statistical analysis of the flow test data converted Marsh flow time into viscosity. The pipe flow tests gave 26.5% higher values than the viscometer for grout with Portland cement and talc, and about 13.7% lower than the viscometer data for the grout with low-pH cement and talc. The big Marsh funnel gave valuesdiffering by 5.2% - 5.3% from those of the viscometer for grout with talc and Portland, and Merit 5000 cements. For grout with palygorskite the viscosity was at least twice that of the other grouts. Grout fluidity was positively affected by talc and negatively by palygorskite and early cement hydration
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26. |
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27. |
- Silva, Ingrid, et al.
(author)
-
Assessment of internal erosion in the glacial till core of a Swedish dam
- 2017
-
Conference paper (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Zoned embankment dams are a common type of dam in Sweden consisting of an impermeable central glacial till core flanked by zones of filter materials and rockfill shoulders. Dams with internal unstable core material allow fine particles to be transported by seepage, which may result in leakage paths and pore-pressure variations. These last two conditions are signs of initiated internal erosion. However, the effectiveness of the filter zone determines if the internal erosion will continue or not. This paper presents the assessment of internal erosion susceptibility of the glacial till core of a hydropower dam located in northern Sweden. The dam has experienced historical damages mainly in the form of sinkhole and leakage related to internal erosion. The study includes the analysis of the particle size distribution of samples obtained from boreholes, as well as a comparison of the geotechnical properties of the core with the Swedish dam safety guidelines available both during the dam construction in 1958 and today. The capability of the filter to stop the erosion process is not investigated.The results show that a well designed and constructed dams can be affected by local layers of internally unstable (suffusive) material susceptible to internal erosion.The capability of the filter to stop the erosion process is not investigated.The results show that a well-designed and constructed dams can be affected by local layers of internally unstable (suffusive) material susceptible to internal erosion.
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28. |
- Niaz, Rizwan, et al.
(author)
-
A new spatiotemporal two-stage standardized weighted procedure for regional drought analysis
- 2022
-
In: PeerJ. - : PeerJ. - 2167-8359. ; 10
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Drought is a complex phenomenon that occurs due to insufficient precipitation. It does not have immediate effects, but sustained drought can affect the hydrological, agriculture, economic sectors of the country. Therefore, there is a need for efficient methods and techniques that properly determine drought and its effects. Considering the significance and importance of drought monitoring methodologies, a new drought assessment procedure is proposed in the current study, known as the Maximum Spatio-Temporal Two-Stage Standardized Weighted Index (MSTTSSWI). The proposed MSTTSSWI is based on the weighting scheme, known as the Spatio-Temporal Two-Stage Standardized Weighting Scheme (STTSSWS). The potential of the weighting scheme is based on the Standardized Precipitation Index (SPI), Standardized Precipitation Evapotranspiration Index (SPEI), and the steady-state probabilities. Further, the STTSSWS computes spatiotemporal weights in two stages for various drought categories and stations. In the first stage of the STTSSWS, the SPI, SPEI, and the steady-state probabilities are calculated for each station at a 1-month time scale to assign weights for varying drought categories. However, in the second stage, these weights are further propagated based on spatiotemporal characteristics to obtain new weights for the various drought categories in the selected region. The STTSSWS is applied to the six meteorological stations of the Northern area, Pakistan. Moreover, the spatiotemporal weights obtained from STTSSWS are used to calculate MSTTSSWI for regional drought characterization. The MSTTSSWI may accurately provide regional spatiotemporal characteristics for the drought in the selected region and motivates researchers and policymakers to use the more comprehensive and accurate spatiotemporal characterization of drought in the selected region.
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29. |
- Zhang, Kewei
(author)
-
Secure GNSS-based Positioning and Timing : Distance-Decreasing attacks, fault detection and exclusion, and attack detection with the help of opportunistic signals
- 2021
-
Doctoral thesis (other academic/artistic)abstract
- With trillions of devices connected in large scale systems in a wired or wireless manner, positioning and synchronization become vital. Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) is the first choice to provide global coverage for positioning and synchronization services. From small mobile devices to aircraft, from intelligent transportation systems to cellular networks, and from cargo tracking to smart grids, GNSS plays an important role, thus, requiring high reliability and security protection. However, as GNSS signals propagate from satellites to receivers at distance of around 20 000 km, the signal power arriving at the receivers is very low, making the signals easily jammed or overpowered. Another vulnerability stems from that civilian GNSS signals and their specifications are publicly open, so that anyone can craft own signals to spoof GNSS receivers: an adversary forges own GNSS signals and broadcasts them to the victim receiver, to mislead the victim into believing that it is at an adversary desired location or follows a false trajectory, or adjusts its clock to a time dictated by the adversary. Another type of attack is replaying GNSS signals: an adversary transmits a pre-recorded GNSS signal stream to the victim receiver, so that the receiver calculates an erroneous position and time. Recent incidents reported in press show that the GNSS functionalities in a certain area, e.g., Black Sea, have been affected by cyberattacks composed of the above-mentioned attack types. This thesis, thus, studies GNSS vulnerabilities and proposes detection and mitigation methods for GNSS attacks, notably spoofing and replay attacks. We analyze the effectiveness of one important and powerful replay attack, the so-called Distance-decreasing (DD) attacks that were previously investigated for wireless communication systems, on GNSS signals. DD attacks are physical layer attacks, targeting time-of-flight ranging protocols, to shorten the perceived as measured distance between the transmitter and receiver. The attacker first transmits an adversary-chosen data bit to the victim receiver before the signal arrives at the attacker; upon receipt of the GNSS signal, the attacker estimates the data bit based on the early fraction of the bit period, and then switches to transmitting the estimate to the victim receiver. Consequently, the DD signal arrives at the victim receiver earlier than the genuine GNSS signals would have, which in effect shortens the pseudorange measurement between the sender (satellite) and the victim receiver, consequently, affecting the calculated position and time of the receiver. We study how the DD attacks affect the bit error rate (BER) of the received signals at the victim, and analyze its effectiveness, that is, the ability to shorten pseudorange measurements, on different GNSS signals. Several approaches are considered for the attacker to mount a DD attack with high probability of success (without being detected) against a victim receiver, for cryptographically unprotected and protected signals. We analyze the tracking output of the DD signals at the victim receiver and propose a Goodness of Fit (GoF) test and a Generalized Likelihood Ratio Test (GLRT) to detect the attacks. The evaluation of the two tests shows that they are effective, with the result being perhaps more interesting when considering DD attacks against Galileo signals that can be cryptographically protected. Moreover, this thesis investigates the feasibility of validating the authenticity of the GNSS signals with the help of opportunistic signals, which is information readily available in modern communication environments, e.g., 3G, 4G and WiFi. We analyze the time synchronization accuracy of different technologies, e.g., Network Time Protocol (NTP), WiFi and local oscillator, as the basis for detecting a discrepancy with the GNSS-obtained time. Two detection approaches are proposed and one testbench is designed for the evaluation. A synthesized spoofing attack is used to verify the effectiveness of the approaches. Beyond attack detection, we develop algorithms to detect and exclude faulty signals, namely the Clustering-based Solution Separation Algorithm (CSSA) and the Fast Multiple Fault Detection and Exclusion (FM-FDE). They both utilize the redundant available satellites, more than the minimum a GNSS receiver needs for position and time offset calculation. CSSA adopts data clustering to group subsets of positions calculated with different subsets of available satellites. Basically, these positions, calculated with subsets not containing any faulty satellites, should be close to each other, i.e., in a dense area; otherwise they should be scattered. FM-FDE is a more efficient algorithm that uses distances between positions, calculated with fixed-size subsets, as test statistics to detect and exclude faulty satellite signals. As the results show, FM-FDE runs faster than CSSA and other solution-separation fault detection and exclusion algorithms while remaining equally effective.
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30. |
- Norrman, Jenny, 1971, et al.
(author)
-
The significance of planning and management of the subsurface to achieve sustainable cities
- 2020
-
Conference paper (other academic/artistic)abstract
- Introduction: The subsurface is the foundation upon which all cities rest. But the subsurface is not only a construction basis which provide physical space for infrastructure and the possibility to create a better surface living environment: the subsurface is a multifunctional natural resource. Apart from physical space, it provides water, energy, materials, habitats for ecosystems, support for surface life, and a repository for cultural heritage and geological archives. Currently, the subsurface is often utilised according to the “first-come-first-served” principle, which hinders possibilities to take strategic decisions on prioritisation and optimisation of competing subsurface uses, as well as fair inter- and intragenerational distribution of limited natural resources. A great disadvantage is the invisibility of the subsurface and consequently a lack of understanding of it as a multifunctional resource: the recently launched concept of geosystem services could help mitigate its underrating. Methods: In order to better acknowledge and lift forward the significance of the subsurface in achieving a sustainable future, the 17 SDGs are scrutinized in relation to the resources of subsurface, and specifically how better planning and management of the subsurface can contribute in achieving the goals. Results: Subsurface planning and management is relevant to at least seven (3, 6, 7, 9, 11, 12, 13) out of seventeen SDGs. Although the subsurface is not explicitly mentioned in the SDGs (except for aquifers), the subsurface can significantly contribute in achieving several of these goals. Conclusions: Sound planning and management of the subsurface can support the achievement of the mapped SDGs in various ways. The subsurface must be recognised as a precious and multifunctional resource which require careful planning and sensitive management in accordance with its potential and its value to society. Grant support: Swedish Research Council Formas (942-2016-50), Swedish Rock Engineering Research Foundation (BeFo 385), Swedish Institute Visby Programme (23887/2017).
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31. |
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32. |
- Pusch, Roland, et al.
(author)
-
Superior techniques for disposal of highly radioactive waste (HLW)
- 2015
-
In: Environmental Earth Sciences. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1866-6280 .- 1866-6299. ; 73:9, s. 5219-5231
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The Swedish Nuclear Fuel and Waste Management Company (SKB) has recently worked out a concept, KBS-3V, for disposal of highly radioactive waste in the form of spent reactor fuel and asked for the Government's approval and licensing. It implies blasting of tunnels at about 400 m depth and boring of large-diameter canister deposition holes extending vertically from the tunnel floor. The rock stresses will be critically high in the construction phase and lead to failure by spalling when the heat pulse from the canisters evolves. The canisters will be surrounded by dense expansive "buffer" clay for minimizing groundwater flow around and along them but the long-term performance of either of them is not adequately proven and the placement impractical and risky. Four major changes of the concept would make it satisfactory. One involves reorientation of the deposition holes from vertical to 45 degrees inclination in two directions for reducing the risk of rock failure. A second is to prepare ready-made stiff units of "supercontainers" with highly compacted blocks of clay tightly surrounding the canisters for simpler and safer installation of clay blocks and canisters. A third is to surround the supercontainers by clay mud that provides the dense buffer with water from start and supports the surrounding rock when the thermal pulse begins to raise the rock stresses. A fourth is to replace the proposed smectite-rich buffer by clay with higher chemical stability and lower but sufficient expandability. A possible fifth change can be to manufacture homogeneous copper canisters of HIPOW type, which would radically reduce the risk of contamination of groundwater by released radionuclides.
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33. |
- Tafesse, Solomon, 1975-
(author)
-
Physical properties of coarse particles in till coupled to bedrock composition based on new 3D image analysis method
- 2010
-
Licentiate thesis (other academic/artistic)abstract
- The physical properties of the coarse fraction of the till (0.4 to 20 cm) and the surface boulders have been studied at two different sites in Sweden. The research work included: development of a new image analysis software for 3D size and shape measurements of particles; lithological analysis on multiple size fractions in till and magnetic susceptibility survey on coarse till clasts, surface boulders and local bedrock. The new 3D image analysis method provides an enormous amount of size and shape data for each particle in the coarse fraction (2 to 20 cm) in till. The method is suitable for field study, cost effective and the software is executable in Matlab. The field imaging method together with the image analysis software give non subjective results of size and shape of coarse particles and makes it feasible and easy to study representative sample size, which is one tonne for testing clasts of size up to 20 cm. The lithological analysis of the multiple size fraction of the till clasts has been investigated on six different size fractions of the till (0.4 to 20 cm); the result of the different samples from the two sites shows that this method can potentially be used as a stratigraphic tool in the areas where there is no unique indicator lithologies. The magnetic susceptibility has been made on the surface boulders, the 6-20 cm till fraction and on insitu bedrock outcrops near to the study sites. The method has good potential for determining stratigraphic relationships between different till units as well as for determining the provenance ofcoarse clasts and surface boulders.
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34. |
- Elbeltagi, Ahmed, et al.
(author)
-
Data intelligence and hybrid metaheuristic algorithms-based estimation of reference evapotranspiration
- 2022
-
In: Applied water science. - : Springer. - 2190-5487 .- 2190-5495. ; 12:7
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- For developing countries, scarcity of climatic data is the biggest challenge, and model development with limited meteorological input is of critical importance. In this study, five data intelligent and hybrid metaheuristic machine learning algorithms, namely additive regression (AR), AR-bagging, AR-random subspace (AR-RSS), AR-M5P, and AR-REPTree, were applied to predict monthly mean daily reference evapotranspiration (ET0). For this purpose, climatic data of two meteorological stations located in the semi-arid region of Pakistan were used from the period 1987 to 2016. The climatic dataset includes maximum and minimum temperature (Tmax, Tmin), average relative humidity (RHavg), average wind speed (Ux), and sunshine hours (n). Sensitivity analysis through regression methods was applied to determine effective input climatic parameters for ET0 modeling. The results of performed regression analysis on all input parameters proved that Tmin, RHAvg, Ux, and n were identified as the most influential input parameters at the studied station. From the results, it was revealed that all the selected models predicted ET0 at both stations with greater precision. The AR-REPTree model was located furthest and the AR-M5P model was located nearest to the observed point based on the performing indices at both the selected meteorological stations. The study concluded that under the aforementioned methodological framework, the AR-M5P model can yield higher accuracy in predicting ET0 values, as compared to other selected algorithms.
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35. |
- Al-Jabban, Wathiq, et al.
(author)
-
Stabilization of Clayey Silt Soil Using Small Amounts of Petrit T
- 2017
-
In: Engineering. - : Scientific Research Publishing. - 1947-3931 .- 1947-394X. ; 9:6, s. 540-562
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Effects of using small amounts of a Petrit T, a by-product of manufacture sponge iron, to modify clayey silt soil were investigated in this study. Petrit T was added at 2%, 4% and 7% of soil dry weight. A series of unconfined compressive strength tests, consistency limits tests and pH tests were conducted at 7, 14, 28, 60 and 90 days of curing periods to evaluate the physical and mechanical properties of treated soil. Results indicated improving in the unconfined compressive strength, stiffness and workability of treated soil directly after treatment and over time. Increasing in soil density and decreasing in water content were observed, with increasing Petrit T content and curing time. The pH value was immediately increasing after treatment and then gradually decreased over time. Failure mode gradually changed from plastic to brittle behavior with increasing binder content and curing time. The outcomes of this research show a promising way of using a new by-product binder to stabilize soft soils in various engineering projects in order to reduce the costs which are associated with of excavation and transportation works.
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36. |
- Chabuk, Ali, et al.
(author)
-
Soil Characteristics in Selected Landfill Sites in the Babylon Governorate, Iraq
- 2017
-
In: Journal of Civil Engineering and Architecture. - : David Publishing Company. - 1934-7359 .- 1934-7367. ; 11:4, s. 348-363
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The Babylon Governorate is situated in the middle of Iraq. It covers an area of 5,315 km2 and has 2,092,998 inhabitants distributed throughout its five major cities (Qadhaa). Presently, there is no landfill site in the governorate that meets the environmental criteria for the disposal of municipal and industrial waste. Consequently, GIS (geographic information system) and methods of multi-criteria decision making were used here to select the best sites in each city in the Babylon Governorate that would fulfil the environmental requirements. Two sites were chosen in each city. As the groundwater is very shallow in this area, the design should ensure against groundwater pollution by leachate from these sites. To avoid this problem, soil investigation was conducted at these sites so that the most suitable landfill design could be accomplished. The results of soil investigation in these sites include the soil profile, groundwater depth, chemical properties, allowable bearing capacity, Atterberg limits test results and material characteristics of the soil strata. From the research, it is believed that the best design is one that puts the landfill above ground.
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37. |
- Hintze, Staffan, et al.
(author)
-
Effektivare hantering av geotekniska risker i infrastrukturprojekt
- 2006
-
In: Bygg och Teknik. - 0281-658X .- 2002-8350. ; :2, s. 22-28
-
Journal article (other academic/artistic)abstract
- Under de senaste årtionden har många infrastrukturprojekt blivit väsentligt dyrare och tagit längre tid att genomföra än beräknat. En stor del av projekten har dessutom orsakat kostsamma tvister för flera parter i projektet och för samhället. Kostnaderna för skador på grund av bristande hänsyn till de geotekniska faktorerna står för en betydande del av totalkostnaden.
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38. |
- Jia, Yu, et al.
(author)
-
Geotechnical and chemical characterization of field-applied fly ash as sealing material over mine tailings
- 2019
-
In: International Journal of Environmental Science and Technology. - : Springer. - 1735-1472 .- 1735-2630. ; 16:3, s. 1701-1710
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The present study addresses the geotechnical and chemical properties of sealing materials using a paper mill by-product, fly ash, on top of sulfide-bearing mine waste tailings after 5 years of field application. From a geotechnical perspective, the low in situ bulk density (≤ 1500 kg/m3) ensured a high degree of water saturation (90.2%) for the field-applied ash. The chemical characteristics and behaviors of the fly ash samples reflected a high long-term leaching capacity (liquid-to-solid ratio of 10 cm3/g) and high alkalinity (liquid-to-solid ratio of up to 500 cm3/g). The laboratory leaching results suggested that none of the elements released from the field-applied ash exceeded the EU limits for inert materials, and the concentrations of elements were far below the limits for hazardous materials at landfill sites. Based on the in situ and laboratory characterizations of the field-applied ash, the fly ash sealing material was considered geotechnically stable. However, a number of geotechnical parameters could not be measured due to the cementation of the ash. Moreover, the chemical composition of the field-applied ash exhibited considerable variations when compared with that of the raw ash generated from the same paper mill. Overall, the field-applied ash displayed high alkalinity and effectively buffered the acid generated from sulfidic tailings for long-term sealing purposes.
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39. |
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40. |
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41. |
- Löfgren, Simon
(author)
-
Set-Based Design of Frame Bridges - Development and Implementation
- 2020
-
Reports (other academic/artistic)abstract
- The traditional design process of bridges in structural engineering is based on the design approach called Point-Based design. To minimize environmental impact and industrialize the design process, the theory of Set-Based design (SBD) has been recognized as a promising approach. Since frame bridges is one of the most common bridge types in Sweden, the main objective of this thesis is to develop and implement a SBD tool for frame bridges. To be able to evaluate the different design alternatives generated by the design tool, evaluation criteria within buildability and sustainability are identified. Buildability is a concept within building industry that aims to improve productivity and safety within on-site production while also reducing the costs of the construction process. The building industry is one of the major contributors regarding impact on its surrounding. Therefore, there is a huge potential in improving the sustainability within the building industry. Sustainability is divided in Environment, Social and Economy aspects. The design tool allows performing an automated and iterative structural preliminary design of several frame bridge alternatives specified within ranges of design parameters. The design alternatives are analyzed with Finite Element Analysis (FEA) and evaluated according to predefined evaluation criteria. By scripting the design tool in programing language Python, it is possible to control an FEA program, such as Brigade Plus, from the design tool as well as performing a preliminary design of frame bridges. The preliminary design is performed according to requirements in national building codes, Eurocode. Finally, a case study is performed to investigate how a SBD tool can be implemented in an infrastructure project containing several frame bridges. In a large infrastructure project and with a SBD tool it is possible to find one optimum bridge solution that fulfills the need of several bridges in a set of bridges. The contractor can then industrialize parts of the construction of frame bridges, hopefully leading to a more sustainable and cost-effective building of frame bridges.
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42. |
- Müller, Rasmus, et al.
(author)
-
Stability for a high embankment founded on sulphide clay
- 2013
-
In: Proceedings of the Institution of Civil Engeneers. - : Thomas Telford Ltd.. - 1353-2618 .- 1751-8563. ; 166:1, s. 31-48
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- During staged construction of embankments on clay foundations, the undrained shear strength s(u) increases due to consolidation during the construction process. The increase is usually related to the pre-consolidation pressure sigma'(p) by way of the ratio s(u)/sigma'(p) and is important when assessing the stability of an embankment. Properties controlling the increase are usually associated with various unknowns that can be difficult to predict before construction. A case involving a large embankment built on vertically drained sulfide clay is presented. Empirical knowledge and experience of similar constructions on sulfide clay were limited, therefore there were uncertainties of the soil-drain interaction and how the soil would behave under the embankment load. A trial embankment was built to gather knowledge and experience of this particular soil and the observational method was adopted. The study presents how embankment stability was predicted at design stage and controlled during construction. It highlights the importance and usefulness of obtaining measurement data from different types of measurements. Laboratory tests and a large number of in situ tests at different stages during construction were performed to assess s(u)/sigma'(p) ratios in the sulfide clay. The mean s(u)/sigma'(p) ratio was estimated by means of statistical analysis to 0.25 for a large stress interval.
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43. |
- Pusch, Roland, et al.
(author)
-
Long-term function of on-ground repositories for hazardous waste : Mechanisms in cyclicdrying/wetting of top clay liners
- 2017
-
In: Journal of Earth Sciences and Geotechnical Engineering. - : Scientific Press International Limited. - 1792-9040 .- 1792-9660. ; 7:2, s. 45-62
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Landfills of hazardous waste like radioactive rest products with low activity, or ashes from incinerated organic waste, need to have top clay liners for minimizing penetration and percolation of precipitated rain and meltwater. Temperature and dry weather vary interchangeably with wet periods making the clay desiccate and fissure, and subsequently wetted etc. Top liners are commonly made of smectite clay, which is the best isolating soil material, undergoing swelling and shrinkage to an extent that depends on the clay content and density. The most important question is whether such liners, in unfrozen condition and covered by erosionresisting coarse soil, maintain their coherence and tightness after centuries of hydration/dehydration cycles. The present study, made on physically confined soft Iraqi clay with about 30% smectite indicates that initially homogeneous dense clay shrinks and desiccates and becomes fissured at 30oC and room RH, but partly recovers by becoming water saturated by infiltrated water. A limited number of drying and wetting sequences seem to give approximately the same change, suggesting that, under common weather conditions and lack of external disturbance, such liners retain a considerable part of their initial water tightness. Thick liners with moderately to high density and exposed to loading by overlying coarse fill are expected to serve particularly well.
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44. |
- Sissakian, Varoujan K., et al.
(author)
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Defects in Foundation Design Due to Miss-Interpretation of the Geological Data : A Case Study of Mosul Dam
- 2017
-
In: Engineering. - : Scientific Research Publishing. - 1947-3931 .- 1947-394X. ; 9:7, s. 683-702
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Existing engineering problems in Mosul Dam and their background are discussed in this paper. A thorough review of the available geological reports was made. These reports covered many decades of investigations from 1953 up to the investigations performed during the construction of the dam. A large volume of geological information was accumulated during these investigations, but it is unfortunate to see that some of the basic facts were not interpreted correctly. This applies to the incorrect correlation of the encountered beds in the exploration boreholes and miss-understanding of the actual stratigraphic succession at the dam site. This misinterpretation contributed to misleading results regarding the true karst zones and the type of rocks and their thicknesses in the foundation zone and surrounding area. As a result, the dam was placed on problematic foundations consisting of brecciated and highly kartsified gypsum/anhydrite rocks and/or conglomerates in which gypsum forms the main constituent as cementing materials. Karstified beds were not recognized in some depths and were described as normal marl and/or breccias. This also added to the use of improper method of foundation treatment by adopting a deep grout curtain as the main anti-seepage measure instead of using a more positive measure by constructing a diaphragm wall. The mentioned misinterpretations are discussed here in details together with their consequences, and a more accurate picture of the geology is presented.
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45. |
- Zainy, Maher T., et al.
(author)
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The Tectonic and Structural Classifications of the Western Part of the Zagros Fold and Thrust Belt, North Iraq, Review and Discussion
- 2017
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In: Journal of Earth Sciences and Geotechnical Engineering. - New Zealand : Scientific Press International Limited. - 1792-9040 .- 1792-9660. ; 7:2, s. 71-89
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The Zagros fold and thrust belt represents a tectonically significant area, and one of the richest areas in oil and gas reservoirs in the world. The Zagros fold and thrust belt is the deformational product of the Cretaceous-present day convergence of the Arabian and Iranian (Eurasian) plates (subduction and collision). The belt extends more than 2000 km from southern Turkey through the north and northeastern Iraq to the Strait of Hormuz in southwestern Iran. The Zagros fold and thrust belt is divided into two parts which are; Western part within Iraqi region and Eastern part within Iranian region. The western part of the Zagros fold and thrust belt has been traditionally subdivided into several structural zones that are generally striking parallel to the plate boundary. This is characterized by exposure of Late Ordovician to Pliocene - Pliestocene formations with different types of Quaternary Sediments. This research will concentrate on Western part of Zagros fold and thrust belt and the styles of structural classifications, which will aid to clarify and better understand the tectonic and structural history and evolution of the region. We have considered the last version of structural classification as the most relevant one to the reality, especially within outer platform (Unstable shelf). Where it divides the region into four structural zones, which are: Low Folded zone, High Folded Zone, Imbricate Zone, and Zagros Suture Zone and these zones were further divided to several subzones. This classification is based on the structural style and intensity of deformation, stratigraphy, mechanicalstratigraphy and tectono-stratigraphy of the deformed sequences, Age of deformation, surface physiography and morphology. The data used in the classification is more reliable, up to date and relevant.
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46. |
- Zardari, Muhammad Auchar, et al.
(author)
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Numerical Analyses of Earthquake Induced Liquefaction and Deformation Behaviour of an Upstream Tailings Dam
- 2017
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In: Advances in Materials Science and Engineering. - : Hindawi Publishing Corporation. - 1687-8434 .- 1687-8442. ; 2017
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Much of the seismic activity of northern Sweden consists of micro-earthquakes occurring near postglacial faults. However, larger magnitude earthquakes do occur in Sweden, and earthquake statistics indicate that a magnitude 5 event is likely to occur once every century. This paper presents dynamic analyses of the effects of larger earthquakes on an upstream tailings dam at the Aitik copper mine in northern Sweden. The analyses were performed to evaluate the potential for liquefaction and to assess stability of the dam under two specific earthquakes: a commonly occurring magnitude 3.6 event and a more extreme earthquake of magnitude 5.8. The dynamic analyses were carried out with the finite element program PLAXIS using a recently implemented constitutive model called UBCSAND. The results indicate that the magnitude 5.8 earthquake would likely induce liquefaction in a limited zone located below the ground surface near the embankment dikes. It is interpreted that stability of the dam may not be affected due to the limited extent of the liquefied zone. Both types of earthquakes are predicted to induce tolerable magnitudes of displacements. The results of the postseismic slope stability analysis, performed for a state after a seismic event, suggest that the dam is stable during both the earthquakes
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47. |
- Sundell, Jonas, 1984, et al.
(author)
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A probabilistic approach to soil layer and bedrock-level modelling for risk assessment of groundwater drawdown induced land subsidence
- 2016
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In: Engineering Geology. - : Elsevier BV. - 0013-7952. ; 203, s. 126-139
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Sub-surface construction in urban areas generally involves drainage of groundwater, which can induce subsidence in soil deposits. Knowledge of where compressible sediments are located and how thick these are is essential for estimating subsidence risk. A probabilistic method for coupled bedrock-level and soil-layer modeling to detect compressible sediments is presented. The method is applied in an area in central Stockholm, where clay is the compressible sediment layer. First, a bedrock-level model was constructed from three sources of information: (a) geotechnical drillings reaching the bedrock; (b) drillings not reaching the bedrock; and (c) mapped bedrock outcrops. Input data for the probabilistic bedrock-level model was generated by a stepwise Kriging procedure. Second, a three layer soil model was constructed, including the following materials: (a) coarse grained post glacial and filling material below the ground surface; (b) glacial and post-glacial clays; and (c) coarse grained glaciofluvial and glacial till deposits above the bedrock. Layer thicknesses were transformed to proportions of the total soil thickness. Since Kriging requires data to be normally distributed, the proportions were transformed from proportions (P) to standard normal quantiles (z). In each iteration of a Monte-Carlo simulation, a spatial distribution of the bedrock level was simulated together with the transformed values for the soil-layer proportions. From the iterations, the probability density of the clay thickness (compressible sediments) at each grid cell was calculated. The results of the case study map the expected value (mean) and the 95th percentile of the probability of compressible sediments at specific locations. The resulting model is geologically realistic and validated through a cross-validation procedure in order to be in good agreement with a reference dataset. The case study showed that the method can efficiently handle large amounts of data and requires little manual adjustment. Moreover, the mapped results can provide useful decision support when planning risk-reducing measures and when communicating with stakeholders. Although this novel method is developed for risk assessment of groundwater drawdown induced subsidence, it is useful for other applications involving spatial soil strata modeling.
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48. |
- Haaf, Ezra, 1985, et al.
(author)
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Data-Driven Estimation of Groundwater Level Time-Series at Unmonitored Sites Using Comparative Regional Analysis
- 2023
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In: Water Resources Research. - 0043-1397 .- 1944-7973. ; 59:7
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- A new method is presented to efficiently estimate daily groundwater level time series at unmonitored sites by linking groundwater dynamics to local hydrogeological system controls. The proposed approach is based on the concept of comparative regional analysis, an approach widely used in surface water hydrology, but uncommon in hydrogeology. Using physiographic and climatic site descriptors, the method utilizes regression analysis to estimate cumulative frequency distributions of groundwater levels (groundwater head duration curves, HDC) at unmonitored locations. The HDC is then used to construct a groundwater hydrograph using time series from distance-weighted neighboring monitored (donor) locations. For estimating times series at unmonitored sites, in essence, spatio-temporal interpolation, stepwise multiple linear regression (MLR), extreme gradient boosting (XGB), and nearest neighbors are compared. The methods were applied to 10-year daily groundwater level time series at 157 sites in unconfined alluvial aquifers in Southern Germany. Models of HDCs were physically plausible and showed that physiographic and climatic controls on groundwater level fluctuations are nonlinear and dynamic, varying in significance from “wet” to “dry” aquifer conditions. XGB yielded a significantly higher predictive skill than nearest neighbor and MLR. However, donor site selection is of key importance. The study presents a novel approach for regionalization and infilling of groundwater level time series that also aids conceptual understanding of controls on groundwater dynamics, both central tasks for water resources managers.
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49. |
- Liebana, Raquel, 1986, et al.
(author)
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Resistance of aerobic granular sludge microbiomes to periodic loss of biomass
- 2023
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In: Biofilm. - 2590-2075. ; 6
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Granular sludge is a biofilm process used for wastewater treatment which is currently being implemented worldwide. It is important to understand how disturbances affect the microbial community and performance of reactors. Here, two acetate-fed replicate reactors were inoculated with acclimatized sludge and the reactor performance, and the granular sludge microbial community succession were studied for 149 days. During this time, the microbial community was challenged by periodically removing half of the reactor biomass, subsequently increasing the food-to-microorganism (F/M) ratio. Diversity analysis together with null models show that overall, the microbial communities were resistant to the disturbances, observing some minor effects on polyphosphate-accumulating and denitrifying microbial communities and their associated reactor functions. Community turnover was driven by drift and random granule loss, and stochasticity was the governing ecological process for community assembly. These results evidence the aerobic granular sludge process as a robust system for wastewater treatment.
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50. |
- Abdel-Hameed, Amal Mohamed, et al.
(author)
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Estimation of Potato Water Footprint Using Machine Learning Algorithm Models in Arid Regions
- 2024
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In: Potato Research. - : Springer Nature. - 0014-3065 .- 1871-4528.
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Precise assessment of water footprint to improve the water consumption and crop yield for irrigated agricultural efficiency is required in order to achieve water management sustainability. Although Penman-Monteith is more successful than other methods and it is the most frequently used technique to calculate water footprint, however, it requires a significant number of meteorological parameters at different spatio-temporal scales, which are sometimes inaccessible in many of the developing countries such as Egypt. Machine learning models are widely used to represent complicated phenomena because of their high performance in the non-linear relations of inputs and outputs. Therefore, the objectives of this research were to (1) develop and compare four machine learning models: support vector regression (SVR), random forest (RF), extreme gradient boost (XGB), and artificial neural network (ANN) over three potato governorates (Al-Gharbia, Al-Dakahlia, and Al-Beheira) in the Nile Delta of Egypt and (2) select the best model in the best combination of climate input variables. The available variables used for this study were maximum temperature (Tmax), minimum temperature (Tmin), average temperature (Tave), wind speed (WS), relative humidity (RH), precipitation (P), vapor pressure deficit (VPD), solar radiation (SR), sown area (SA), and crop coefficient (Kc) to predict the potato blue water footprint (BWF) during 1990–2016. Six scenarios (Sc1–Sc6) of input variables were used to test the weight of each variable in four applied models. The results demonstrated that Sc5 with the XGB and ANN model gave the most promising results to predict BWF in this arid region based on vapor pressure deficit, precipitation, solar radiation, crop coefficient data, followed by Sc1. The created models produced comparatively superior outcomes and can contribute to the decision-making process for water management and development planners.
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