Developing social impact assessment guidelines in a pre-existing policy context

Few jurisdictions have translated internationally agreed social impact assessment (SIA) principles into statutory provisions. Governments and regulatory bodies tend to provide developers with high-level frameworks, or require that social impacts be ‘considered’, without specifying how this is to be done. In Australia, this lack of clarity leaves all parties uncertain about requirements for SIA. The New South Wales (NSW) Government’s 2017 release of the SIA guideline for State-significant mining, petroleum and extractive industry development represents an attempt to clarify requirements and provide guidance. In this paper, we describe the process of bringing this guideline to fruition from the perspective of being directly involved in its development, and highlight the challenges involved in integrating leading-practice principles into the state’s pre-existing policy framework. While the guideline represents a significant advance in policy-based SIA guidance, some aspects leave room for improvement. The real test of the guideline’s impact will lie in its influence on SIA practice in NSW, and ultimately in social outcomes for communities affected by resources projects.     

冲击载荷下TC18钛合金力学性能模拟研究

TC18钛合金在退火状态下的屈服强度非常高,进行动态力学性能测试存在一定困难,可优先考虑采用数值模拟方法对其动态力学性能进行研究,而数值模拟结果的精确性主要取决于合金本构方程的精确性。为了减少数值模拟与实验结果之间的差异,在Johnson-Cook模型的基础上做了调整,利用ABAQUS软件的子程序接口自定义了材料本构子程序UMAT,以代码的形式来扩展ABAQUS程序的功能。通过与ABAQUS/Standard软件分析结果以及实验结果的对比,验证了自定义材料本构子程序UMAT计算结果的精确性与可靠性。该研究可为TC18钛合金的结构设计提供参考。     

辐照用小尺寸样品力学性能表征技术研究进展

由于辐照空间尺寸限制、降低样品放射性和提高辐照参数精度等原因，小尺寸样品被广泛应用于核反应堆材料的辐照后力学性能表征。本文就国内外小尺寸拉伸、冲击、断裂韧性、疲劳、蠕变和小冲杆等测试表征技术的研究现状进行了综合论述，分析了小尺寸样品测试中的关键影响因素以及数据归一化方法，总结了小尺寸样品存在的问题，并结合我国需求对小尺寸样品技术的发展进行了分析和展望，以期为小尺寸样品技术及测试分析数据进一步规范化和工程应用发展提供参考。     

圆柱形带壳推进剂装药枪击响应特性

为研究某圆柱形带壳推进剂装药的枪击响应特性,设计了一种12.7 mm子弹撞击试验。利用高速摄影机记录带壳装药在子弹撞击下的响应过程,并测试不同距离、方位处的空气超压及壳体破片速度,同时进行带壳装药在理想爆轰条件下的数值计算,得到了带壳装药的能量释放率。一共开展了四次圆柱形带壳装药的枪击试验,前三次装药发生了爆燃反应,第四次几乎无反应。结果表明:子弹撞击位置对圆柱形带壳装药的反应和能量释放率有较大影响,当子弹垂直入射带壳装药轴线后,推进剂发生点火、冒烟、熄火和低压燃烧的时序响应,其相对能量释放率为1.146%;而当子弹撞击位置偏离轴线一定距离时,推进剂几乎无反应,其相对能量释放率仅为0.473%;推进剂的反应对壳体破片有加速效应,带壳装药发生爆燃反应时的破片速度可达428.6 m·s~(-1),而几乎无反应时的最高破片速度仅有70.1 m·s~(-1)。     

Short‐term effects in a reduced flow stretch: The case of the Antas River in South Brazil

The building of adduction channels (penstocks) that conduct water from reservoirs to turbines, which are located kilometres from the dam, is becoming common, optimizing the electricity generation in small dams. This design creates a river stretch with reduced discharge between the dam and the powerhouse. This study evaluates the short‐term impacts of the below‐dam decrease in river flow on fish assemblages. Samples were collected in the reduced flow stretch of the Castro Alves Hydropower Plant (Antas River, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil) before the reservoir started operating (January 2008; mean discharge of 103.7 m³/s) and immediately after operation began (March 2008; mean discharge of 12.4 m³/s). Sampling was conducted in distinct habitats of the reduced flow stretch (slow waters—gillnets, sand beaches—seining nets, structured littoral—electrofishing, and fast waters—cast nets) with a strongly standardized effort. The attributes of the fish assemblages were not negatively affected by the flow reduction in any habitat sampled. However, distinct changes in the spatial structure were observed considering the different types of habitat predominantly used by the species, which represents an entire reorganization of the fish assemblages in the short term. It is fundamental that these short‐term aspects be considered in the licensing of hydropower plants in addition to the long‐term changes.     

Uncertain location–allocation decisions for a bi-objective two-stage supply chain network design problem with environmental impacts

In the cases that the historical data of an uncertain event is not available, belief degree-based uncertainty theory is a useful tool to reflect such uncertainty. This study focuses on uncertain bi-objective supply chain network design problem with cost and environmental impacts under uncertainty. As such network may be designed for the first time in a geographical region, this problem is modelled by the concepts of belief degree-based uncertainty theory. This article is almost the first study on belief degree-based uncertain supply chain network design problem with environmental impacts. Two approaches such as expected value model and chance-constrained model are applied to convert the proposed uncertain problem to its crisp form. The obtained crisp forms are solved by some multi-objective optimization approaches of the literature such as TH, Niroomand, MMNV. A deep computational study with several test problems are performed to study the performance of the crisp models and the solution approaches. According to the results, the obtained crisp formulations are highly sensitive to the changes in the value of the cost parameters. On the other hand, Niroomand and MMNV solution approaches perform better than other solution approaches from the solution quality point of view.     

Social impact assessment of investment activities in the China–Pakistan economic corridor

In order to analyze potential social risks, and achieve smooth implementation of investment activities in the China–Pakistan economic corridor (CPEC), we attempt to establish social impact and risk indicators. Both the impacts on the projects and the impacts of the projects are used to develop risk indicators in accordance with the literature review, reality and international standard principles. Using an analytic hierarchy process (AHP) and average value to analyze questionnaires of both Chinese and Pakistani respondents, we identify the importance of various risk indicators. The primary social risks of the western high mountain region include tribal obstacles and religious extremism. The social risks to the southeast coastal plains include preserving the historical and cultural heritage of the area and international protection of national parks. The social risks in north Kashmir include disputes, extremist threats, religious and cultural differences, and the protection of natural reserves. The social risks of the Xinjiang region primarily involve social issues faced by ethnic minorities and environmental pressures.     

热处理工艺对15CrMoR钢带状组织和冲击性能的影响

利用光学显微镜、扫描电镜和冲击试验机等仪器研究了15CrMoR钢中带状组织在热处理过程中的演变及其对冲击性能的影响。结果表明:奥氏体化后缓冷会出现铁素体-珠光体带状组织, 快冷则可以抑制带状组织的出现,但快冷会导致粒状贝氏体等非平衡组织形成。粒状贝氏体组织中的贝氏体铁素体基体和马氏体-奥氏体岛在回火过程中逐渐沿Cr、Mo等碳化物形成元素偏聚的区域分解出碳化物,形成富碳化物带,降低钢的横向冲击性能。15CrMoR钢加热到1100 ℃并保温7 h后可消除带状组织,改善钢的横向冲击性能。