Experimental study on the physico-mechanical properties of Tamusu mudstone – A potential host rock for high-level radioactive waste in Inner Mongolia of China

Tamusu mudstone, located in Bayin Gobi Basin in Inner Mongolia of China, has been selected as a potential host rock for high-level radioactive waste (HLW) disposal in China. A series of tests has been carried out, including X-ray diffraction (XRD) tests, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) tests, disintegration tests, permeability tests and triaxial compression tests, to estimate the physico-mechanical properties of Tamusu mudstone in this work. The mineral composition of Tamusu mudstone was analyzed and it was considered as a stable rock due to its low disintegration rate, i.e. approximately 0.11% after several wet/dry cycles. Based on the results of permeability test, it was found that Tamusu mudstone has a low permeability, with the magnitude of about 10^–20 m². The low permeability makes the mudstone well prevent nuclide migration and diffusion, and might be influenced by temperature. The triaxial tests show that Tamusu mudstone is a stiff mudstone with high compressive strength, which means that the excavation disturbed zone would be smaller compared to other types of mudstone due to construction and operation of HLW repositories. Finally, the properties of Tamusu mudstone were compared with those of Opalinus clay, Callovo-Oxfordian (COx) argillite, and Boom clay to further discuss the possibility of using Tamusu mudstone as a potential nuclear waste disposal medium.     

Hydrochemical impact of construction of the western section of the Hallandsås rail tunnel in Sweden

Bulletin of Engineering Geology and the Environment - This paper presents a study of the hydrochemical changes that took place during construction of a section of the Hallandsås rail tunnel in...     

Satellite‐derived estimates of evapotranspiration in the arid and semi –arid region of Mongolia

Estimating evapotranspiration (ET) is of the highest importance for understanding and eventually intervening in the water cycle of natural systems. ET is one of the major factors influencing climate change at local, regional and global levels. In this study, a surface energy balance method, which combines meteorological observations with spectral data derived from remote sensing measurements, was used to estimate the ET. The Surface Energy Balance Algorithm for Land (SEBAL) has been applied to Landsat+ETM and NOAA‐AVHRR sensors for the estimation of ET in Mongolia, a large arid and semi‐arid region with homogeneous surface conditions, on 10 August 1999. Actual ET was computed during satellite overpass and integrated for 24‐h on pixel‐by‐pixel basis for daily ET distribution. As a result, a daily ET map over the arid and semi‐arid region of Mongolia was analysed some observation data, such as radiations and surface temperature, was compared with estimated data.     

Economic analysis and energy valorisation of by-products of the wine supply chain: the case of the ‘Mamertino wine PDO’

The paper reports the analysis of biomass derived from maintenance of a vineyard, to assess its potential as an alternative energy source, instead of the usual disposal of the wine supply chain’s residuals. The site studied is within the province of Messina, Sicily, in the area of Mamertino wine PDO, a wine of superior quality. The analysis suggests that use of this kind of biomass may allow a fossil fuel such as liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) to be replaced by a wine wood chip biomass boiler, thus meeting economic and environmental criteria by reason of recycling for sustainability.     

Geotechnical basis for failure of sections of the Lagos–Ibadan expressway, south western Nigeria

 A number of geotechnical properties of the subgrade soils in some sections of the Ibadan end of the Lagos–Ibadan expressway were investigated with a view to elucidating the geotechnical basis, if any, for the instability of sections of the flexible highway pavement. The results of the investigations show that the subgrade soils below the stable sections have a higher maximum dry density, unsoaked California bearing ratio (CBR) and uncured, unconfined compressive strength than those below unstable sections. In addition, the soils below stable sections have both a lower proportion of fines and clay-sized fraction and a lower optimum moisture content and linear shrinkage than the material below the unstable sections. Surprisingly, the soils below the unstable pavements not only have a lower plasticity index and higher soaked CBRs than those below the stable pavements but also are more mechanically stable. The investigations have shown that significant differences need not exist between the geotechnical properties of soils below stable zones and unstable sections before such parameters can serve as bases for predicting the stability of flexible highway pavements in the tropics. Received: 12 February 1998 · Accepted: 16 August 1999     

Is intrinsic energy efficiency reflected in the pricing of office leases?

This paper investigates whether the intrinsic energy efficiency rating of an office building has a significant impact on its rental value. A sample of 817 transactions for offices with Energy Performance Certificates (EPCs) in the UK is used to assess whether a pricing differential can be identified, depending on the energy rating. While previous analyses of this topic have typically relied on appraisal-based and/or asking rent data, the dataset used in this research contains actual contract rents as well as information on lease terms. The results indicate a significant rental premium for energy-efficient buildings. However, it is found that this premium appears to be mainly driven by the youngest cohort of state-of-the-art energy-efficient buildings. The results also show that tenants of more energy-efficient buildings tend to pay a lower service charge, but this link appears to be rather weak and limited to newer buildings. Hence, it is argued that the information contained in the EPC is still not fully taken into account in the UK commercial property market with the possible exception of both the highest and the lowest EPC ratings.

Il est présenté une enquête visant à savoir si le classement d'efficacité énergétique intrinsèque d'un immeuble de bureaux a un impact significatif sur sa valeur locative. Un échantillon de 817 transactions relatives à des bureaux disposant de Certificats de Performance Energétique (CPE) au Royaume-Uni est utilisé pour examiner si un écart de prix peut être identifié, en fonction du classement énergétique. Alors que les analyses précédentes sur ce sujet se sont généralement appuyées sur des données basées sur des évaluations et/ou sur les loyers demandées, l'ensemble de données utilisé dans cette étude contient les loyers contractuels réels, ainsi que des informations sur la durée des baux. Les résultats indiquent une prime locative significative pour les immeubles à haut rendement énergétique. Il est cependant constaté que cette prime apparaît être essentiellement induite par la cohorte la plus jeune des immeubles de pointe à faible consommation énergétique. Les résultats montrent également que les locataires des immeubles ayant la plus grande efficacité énergétique ont tendance à payer moins de charges locatives, mais ce lien apparaît être plutôt faible et limité aux immeubles les plus récents. Il est par conséquent soutenu que les informations contenues dans le CPE ne sont pas encore pleinement prises en compte dans le marché britannique de l'immobilier commercial, à l'exception possible des classements CPE à la fois les plus élevés et les plus faibles.

Mots clés: bureaux commerciaux, éco-labellisation, efficacité énergétique, Certificat de Performance Energétique, modélisation hédoniste, prime locative, valeurs locatives     

Anticipating the “Bilbao effect”: Transformations of the city of Arles before the opening of the Luma Foundation

By analyzing data from the 2006/07 and 2013 French census as well as data extracted from the Yellow Pages, this paper seeks to understand how the French city of Arles is preparing for the arrival of Frank O. Gehry’s Luma Foundation landmark building in 2019, and how a big-scale construction site, still devoid of its future aesthetics and cultural function, impacts the urban core. To do this, we consider three hypotheses: (1) The Rise of New Audiences: a landmark building attracts the new populations to the pre-existing urban cultural core, (2) Residential Pattern: a landmark building induces social transformation of surrounding neighborhoods, (3) Mobility: a landmark building induces the arrival of the “most talented and educated” people. After testing these hypotheses with cartographical and statistical methods, our findings demonstrate strong support for Mobility, and mixed support for The Rise of New Audiences and Residential Pattern. Even though the causal links between the landmark building and new urban dynamics are difficult to prove, our results reveal that Arles is “customizing” itself to the forthcoming cultural and aesthetic dimensions of the Luma Foundation.     

Experimental investigation of the aerodynamic stability of the “Endless Column”, Romania

Wind tunnel tests have been performed on several models of the “Endless Column”, a 30 m tall sculpture, created by C. Brancusi in 1938. In spite of its slenderness, the Column, located in Targul Jiu, Romania, has shown a great stability against wind. In order to clarify if the symmetric, original shape has influence upon its stability, we have carried out tests on section models of “Endless Column” shape (EC models) and square shape (SQ models), of various Sc numbers. Across-wind response was determined in smooth flow for wind speeds in wind tunnel of 1–10 m/s (Re=4000–46,000) for angles of attack 0°, 10° and 45°. Furthermore, an aerolastic full model was created and tests under smooth and turbulent flow conditions were performed for angles of attack between 0° and 45°. For low wind speeds, in the area of vortex-induced vibrations, the EC models had similar response with the SQ models; however, for higher wind speeds the EC models proved to be more stable. Based on measurements of aerodynamic drag and lift coefficients and by a verification of Glauert den Hartog criterion, it could be concluded that is a very low possibility for EC model to encounter galloping; for extremely high wind speeds though, this might not be impossible.     

A consideration of the “no-black-hole” condition

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the economic interpretation of the no-black-hole condition (NBHC) described in the Chapt. 4 of the book by Fujita, Krugman and Venables (1999), under the context of a more general model. The main findings are as follows. First, there is the case in which the NBHC does not hold even though the real wage falls at the symmetric equilibrium. Secondly, the NBHC in the more general model requires both a reduction in profits in response to an increase in the number of firms and a fall in the real wage rate in response to an increase in labor at the symmetric equilibrium. Thirdly, we show that NBHCs obtained in some analyses are special cases of our model. Moreover, we show that the NBHC includes the stability condition for the short-run equilibrium. Therefore the NBHC is not affected by relative speed of labor movement and entry/exit of firms.Received: November 2002/Accepted: March 2004     

Is it all about collaborative governance? Alternative ways of understanding the success of energy regions

This paper calls into question a main assumption of governance research that the success of regional energy transitions depends to a large extent on collaborative governance structures. The role of network-based governance in two regions, Lüchow-Dannenberg and Prignitz, is analysed. Alternative ways of understanding the success of energy transitions are discussed with the help of three strands of critical governance literature: debates about ‘socio-materiality’, the often neglected role of power and key individuals. Especially power and the ‘material’ dimension of energy regions may help to explain interregional differences in the success of energy governance.     

The impact of the integration of renewable energy sources in the electricity price formation: is the Merit-Order Effect occurring in Portugal?

This study investigates the relationship between wholesale electricity price behaviour and the integration of new renewable energy sources in the electricity system in Portugal. The research analyses two different samples, namely: the significant deployment of wind power versus the abrupt increase in the installed capacity of solar photovoltaic. Daily data from 2011 until 2019 and, a SARMAX/EGARCH approach has been conducted to assess the merit-order effect. The main results suggest that electricity production from wind power is decreasing the price of electricity but increasing its volatility. In addition, there is evidence for the leverage effect in electricity price.     

A Review of “Miami: Mistress of the Americas”

Coastal zone management arose as a response to pervasive conflict between the increasingly well-recognized environmental values of the coastal zone and various development activities. In enacting the 1972 federal Coastal Zone Management Act, Congress explicitly called for a balancing of developmental and environmental concerns, leaving the states and territories considerable leeway in how the balance would be struck. The result has been great variation among the states both in the methods of weighing environmental and developmental objectives and in the emphasis given to each in implementation.     

Coordination between clean energy generation and thermal power generation under the policy of “direct power-purchase for large users” in China

The inefficient utilization of clean energy and distorted pricing mechanism are the most critical problems that have hampered the reform of China's electric power industry for many years. A large number of clean energy generators have recently been constructed, but water spillage at hydroelectric facilities and wind curtailment persist due to integration challenges. The adjustment of electricity price has relied on executive orders of the Chinese government and the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC). Distorted prices that are not derived from a market economy have seriously hampered the development of China's electricity market. Therefore, in recent years, the Chinese government has issued a number of reform measures concerning “direct power-purchase for large users”. The main idea of this pricing mechanism is to form direct negotiations between large users and generators to determine the electricity price. To a certain extent, this pricing mechanism is conducive to the electricity market reform in China. However, the coordination between clean energy generation and thermal power generation under the policy of “direct power-purchase for large users” has become the key issue in China's electric power industry. This paper summarizes the policies of “direct power-purchase for large users” in different provinces in China. The electricity market in Yunnan, for which the contradiction between thermal power generation and hydropower generation is increasingly severe, is the focus of the research. At last, a feasible electricity market scheme has been derived to coordinate thermal power generation and hydropower generation. This scheme has considerable theoretical and practical significance to the future of China's electricity market reform.     

On the Question of Using the Concept ‘Slum Tourism’ for Urban Tourism in Stigmatised Neighbourhoods in Inner City Johannesburg

Since 2012, there has been a significant growth in tourism in inner city Johannesburg. Some of this tourism materialises as walking tours in disadvantaged and relatively poor inner city neighbourhoods, some of which were until recently considered no-go areas. In a paper published in Urban Forum in 2014 (Frenzel 2014), I have analysed this new phenomenon in the context of slum tourism. I define slum tourism as such forms of tourism where poverty and associated signifiers become central themes and (part of the) attraction of the visited destination. Following a broad empirical research project, Hoogendoorn and Giddy (2017) have questioned whether the concept slum tourism should be used when discussing tourism in inner city Johannesburg. This paper forms a response to the paper of Hoogendoorn and Giddy (2017).     

On the “Geotechical Category of Construction Projects”

The concept of the Geotechnical category of a construction project has arisen as a result of the development by representatives of 11 European countries of a document regulating problems of the geomechanics, surveys, design, and installation of beds and underground structures. We have developed a regulation for use of this concept in practice involving domestic standardization, design, and installation of beds, foundations, and underground structures.