Field trial of a reinforced landfill cover system: performance and failure

The geotechnical stability of an inclined multilayer capping depends on the shear strength available along the various interfaces. If the slope is very steep an additional reinforcing geosynthetic may be used to obtain a safer condition. Full-scale field trials can provide better resolution data on the reinforcement behaviour than conventional calculation methods based only on laboratory tests. The paper deals with a field trial carried out on multilayer capping, reinforced with a geogrid, in an Italian landfill. The geogrid behaviour was monitored for a month using displacement sensors and pressure cells located along the slope and in the anchor trench. Subsequently, the cover system was led to collapse by cutting the reinforcement and an analysis of the reinforcement behaviour and its relevance in the system stability were studied. This paper discusses in detail the setup of the field trial and the experimental data recorded during installation, monitoring, and failure phases of the system. The deformation behaviour of the geogrid during the entire test was recorded and analysed. The resulting data highlight the effects of the construction process on the geogrid behaviour including the contribution of geogrid creep characteristics until the failure.     

Opportunities for combining data of Estonian and Russian monitoring to reflect on water quality in large transboundary Lake Peipsi

Lake Peipsi, one of the world’s largest lakes, is shared between Estonia and Russia. The water quality in different parts of the lake has so far been assessed independently. Here we explore opportunities for combining data of Estonian and Russian monitoring. For that, we 1) analysed the compatibility of data for some water quality variables; 2) estimated the potential effects of the differences in sampling frequency; 3) provided a few regression models to calculate the missing data for months not sampled by the Russian side. Data of the concurrent Estonian and Russian sampling indicated a good compatibility. Estonian data analysis suggested that water quality assessment results are sensitive to sampling frequency. For example, total phosphorus (TP) in the largest basin showed a long-term decreasing trend in three month data that disappeared when data for other months were added. Disregarding some months may lead to under- or overestimation of certain factors with no consistency in the response of different basins. Hence, data of the whole ice-free period are recommended for an adequate water quality assessment. Furthermore, we demonstrated that monthly values of the water quality variables of the same year are autocorrelated. Based on this, we filled the gaps in the long-term data and compiled a dataset for the whole lake that enables its most comprehensive use in water quality assessment and management. Long-term data revealed no water quality improvement of Lake Peipsi. Further reduction of the external nutrient load is needed. Eutrophication is sustained by high internal phosphorus load.     

Condition based maintenance of the two-beam laser welding in high volume manufacturing of piezoelectric pressure sensor

Two-beam laser welding (TBLW) is an advanced process for precise, low distortion joining of cylindrical miniature parts. The process is composed of a laser source, optics and various actuators, which form a sophisticated system for control and maintenance in high volume manufacturing. A well-established method for identifying welding defects and ensuring welding quality is the monitoring of plasma light emission in TBLW. Although such monitoring systems can detect a change in process status, they are not able to diagnose the nature of the fault. The main challenge in this research was to extend the use of quality-based monitoring systems to measure additional deterioration-related parameters and to estimate system deterioration from them by using expert knowledge.This paper shows a novel condition-based maintenance (CBM) for the TBLW system, which performs condition identification using online monitoring of plasma light emission in combination with offline inspection of the seam macrographs. A combination of quality parameters derived from seam macrographs of defective parts is used to identify process deterioration, such as contamination of the optics, misalignment of the optomechanical system, or reduced laser power. The information obtained is used to make predefined process adjustments based on expert domain knowledge. The implementation of the developed CBM in high volume manufacturing of piezoelectric pressure sensors resulted in more predictable TBLW by reducing system failures as well as shorter diagnosis times.     

Vertical oscillations of the thermocline caused by internal waves modify coldwater pelagic fish distribution: Results from a large stratified lake

Fishes typically occupy a species-specific temperature range, with their occupied depth being related to the lake’s temperature profile. When a fish’s preferred temperature range coincides with the thermocline, the location of their preferred thermal habitat is influenced by the rise and fall of internal waves, leading to possible changes in fish depth. These internal waves are common in large, stratified lakes, yet we do not know how they affect the spatial distribution and behavior of freshwater fishes. We conducted nighttime hydroacoustic surveys in a large, deep embayment of a large thermally stratified lake to observe whether pelagic fish respond to vertical oscillations of the thermocline caused by internal waves. The coldwater pelagic fish in our study (primarily cisco, Coregonus artedi) typically occupied a narrow vertical band approximately 5–8 m thick and temperatures between 10.8 ± 0.8–13.6 ± 1.6 °C (fishes sized 106–500 mm), just below the thermocline (centered around 15–17 °C). Importantly, the upper bound of fish depth varied in response to vertical thermocline movements associated with internal waves, suggesting fish respond to changes in their physical environment on timescales commensurate with basin-scale internal wave periods (hours to days), to remain within their preferred thermal habitat. Dissolved-oxygen levels were typically above avoidance thresholds of these fish, thus not likely exerting a strong influence on fish location. Our findings emphasize the need to account for internal waves when designing hydroacoustic and netting surveys, as thermocline movements can influence where fish are located.     

‘I am not a number’: Conceptualising identity in digital surveillance

Surveillance, now a commonplace phenomenon in everyday life, has been explored from various disciplines over three decades. Today's surveillance practices depend primarily upon many software technologies that collect, store and process personal data for the purposes of influence, management, protection or detection. The identification and categorisation of data have thus emerged as the technical signature of surveillance. An individual has many identities belonging to different contexts of his/her life, but in this paper, we explore the relationship between surveillance and identity in virtual contexts only. We argue that an understanding of identity purely as data is fundamental to understanding surveillance. We propose abstract general definitions of surveillance and identity that together create a conceptual framework, capturing key features common to many disparate surveillance situations. Our work concludes that the essence of surveillance is that of a surveillance context, which is precisely and solely defined by the availability of data about the behaviour and identity of its entities. The data that distinguishes the entities of the context we call identifiers; we explore the creation, provenance, comparison and transformation of identifiers. Abstractly, surveillance is a process that tests for properties of data, and sorts identifiers into categories.     

Development of autonomous monitoring and performance evaluation system of grid-tied photovoltaic station

This work aims to improve the existing monitoring systems MS for two grid-connected PV stations GCPVS of URERMS ADRAR, to eliminate its limitations. This improvement consists of developing an MS which is used for two PV stations with different configurations. This MS contains new LabVIEW-based monitoring software for visualizing real-time measured data and evaluating GCPVS performance. In addition, it illustrates the 2D and 3D real-time relationships of PV system parameters, which allow us to understand the dynamic behavior of PV system components. This developed monitoring software synchronizes also the various data acquisition units DAU of GCPVS, allowing simultaneous data access.To perform a reliable performance analysis and a comparative study of different GCPVS based on accurate measurements, the sensor's calibration is performed with its DAU. The MS autonomy is ensured by integrating developed PV-UPS. A graphical user interface is provided for the evaluation of PV-UPS performance.     

Distance and height of attraction by walking and flying beetles to traps with simultaneous use of the aggregation pheromones from Tribolium castaneum (Herbst) (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae) and Rhyzopertha dominica (F.) (Coleoptera: Bostrychidae)

Adults of Tribolium castaneum (Herbst) and Rhyzopertha dominica (F.) biosynthesize aggregation pheromones 4,8-dimethyldecanal and dominicalure-1/dominicalure-2, respectively. These pheromones are commonly used independently, and their simultaneous use has not been adequately studied. Furthermore, information on trapping flying R. dominica in pheromone traps is minimum. Therefore, the objectives were to evaluate distance of attraction of T. castaneum and R. dominica adults to traps having both pheromones, and height of R. dominica adult attraction to traps with its pheromone lure alone. In first experiment, both pheromones were deployed simultaneously inside a commercial pitfall trap. One-month-old 20 T. castaneum and R. dominica adults were released every 30 cm from the pheromone trap. The adults trapped were recorded at 4 and 24 h following their release. Adults of both species released were captured in higher percentages at 24 h than 4 h. At 30 cm distance, these values were 45.5% for T. castaneum and 10–12% for R. dominica for 24 h whereas they were 40.5% for T. castaneum and 5–7.5% for R. dominica following 4 h exposure. The maximum trap capture was at 30 cm for T. castaneum and 30–60 cm for R. dominica. In second experiment, a trap with two rubber septa containing dominicalure-1 and dominicalure-2 was placed at different heights inside cage, and R. dominica adults were released at the bottom. In each experiment, four replicates were tested. After 24 h, flying R. dominica adults were captured in progressively lower percentages as trap height increased up to 40 cm above the bottom of cage. Trap heights above 10 cm exhibited decreased trap capture of R. dominica compared to those at 3 cm. We conclude that simultaneous use of both aggregation pheromones better facilitates trapping of walking T. castaneum and R. dominica. Traps above 10 cm show decreased captures of flying R. dominica.     

Hydraulics and bridges: A French case study of monitoring of a bridge affected by scour

Bridges are one of the oldest types of civil engineering structures and the interaction between the transport and hydrographic networks represents a significant issue in a country such as France. Recently, various cases highlight the importance and vulnerability of civil transport works in relation to their environmental hazards, e.g. floods, and therefore the need to develop integrated observation tools and warning systems in the aim both of optimizing the management system and of increasing the knowledge on real scour processes. This paper reports on the “field approach” task of a research project aiming at improving continuous monitoring in order to follow the evolution of the scour processes of a given bridge or abutment. The first step has been to identify a pilot site, representative of scour vulnerability. After a report of the scour parameters to be monitored, the benchmark study and the choice of monitoring devices available on the market are detailed. Instrumentation, sensor adaptability, limitations (actual measurement ranges, ergonomics, energy supply limits …) and in situ implementation are then presented and discussed. Finally, preliminary measurements, post-treatments and interpretation are detailed.     

Agent-based monitoring service for management of disruptive events in supply chains

Schedules of supply chains are generated with buffers to absorb the effect of disruptive events that could occur during their execution. Schedules can be systematically repaired through specific modifications within buffers by using appropriate decision models that consider the distributed nature of a supply chain. To this aim, information of disruptive events at occurrence or in advance allows decision models to make better decisions. To detect and predict disruptive events along a schedule execution, a service-oriented monitoring subsystem that uses a reference model for defining monitoring models was proposed. This subsystem offers services for collecting execution data of a schedule and environment data, and assessing them to detect/anticipate disruptive events. Because of the distributed nature and the complexity of these services functionalities, this paper presents an agent-based approach for their implementation. This technology allows dealing with supply chain monitoring by structuring monitoring subsystem functionalities as a set of autonomous entities. These entities are able to perform tailored plans created at execution time to concurrently monitor different schedules. A case study is described to try out the implemented prototype system.     

Improved TARP development based upon mine specific data

The trigger action response plans(TARPs) are inherent to managing the multiple hazards such as: high gas content with multiple coal seams, high spontaneous combustion(sponcom) propensity, heat and ventilation. TARPs aim to provide assurance and guidance when the situation deviates from the original plan or there is a change conditions that could be hazardous. Over the years, learnings from various incidents has continuously required the coal operations to re-visit the TARP trigger values that were based on historic data or based on guidance values from the industry. In most cases, the background to the basis of TARP statistical data, viz., average, maximum, hourly, daily for the monitoring or sampling location is also unknown. Introduction of real-time monitoring devices to monitor the gases and airflows has provided greater understanding of the hazard scenarios and their controls. This paper analyses the carbon monoxide data from operating longwall mines and compares these with the historic trigger values to understand the changes and determine improvement opportunities while setting trigger levels in the TARPs.As an example of setting trigger values, those used in during the sealing of a panel are explored in terms of setting values based upon the sampling location and the level of risk. It is envisaged that the learning's shared herein would further enhance the understanding and management of multiple hazards in Australian coal mines.