Elastoplastic finite-element analysis of the bearing capacity of beds of reconstructed entities

A method is presented for determination of the coefficients that take into account the increase in angle of internal friction and specific cohesion of silty-clayey soils in predicting variation in the bearing capacity of beds after the long-term effect of the consolidating service-induced loads. __________ Translated From Osnovaniya, Fundamenty i Mekhanika Gruntov, No. 2, Pp. 18–21, March–April, 2007.     

Radionuclide contamination of foods imported into Iraq following the Chernobyl nuclear reactor accident

Since early 1986, a monitoring program for radionuclides in imported foods has been carried out by the Iraqi Atomic Energy Commission. After the Chernobyl nuclear reactor accident in the Soviet Union, the program was expanded; our laboratory was officially designated by the Iraqi Government to measure radionuclide activity concentrations in foodstuff imported from countries known to be severely contaminated by Chernobyl radioactive fallout. Gamma-spectrometric analysis was used. Food items such as powdered milk, lamb meat, poultry, cereals and grains imported into Iraq before the Chernobyl accident did not contain any detectable fission products. However, all lamb meat, 81% of the lentil, 44% of the powdered milk and chick-pea, and 17% of the roast beef samples were contaminated with 137Cs or 134Cs and 137Cs. The highest 137Cs contamination levels found were 82, 147, 420, 6 and 4 Bq kg-1, respectively. Contamination by 134Cs was approximately 50% of the values given above.     

Congratulations to Valerii Viktorovich Mikheev

Anniversaries and Memorable Dates

Congratulations to Valerii Viktorovich Mikheev Candidate of Technical Sciences, honorable builder of the Russian Federation, and recipient of the prize awarded by the Council of Ministers of the USSR     

Comparative study of dark patinas on granitic outcrops and buildings

Formation of dark patinas on rocky surfaces is mainly related to the deposition of gases and particles and to sulphation mechanisms. In the present study, samples of dark patinas taken from granitic outcrops and from granitic buildings were examined in an attempt to understand the mechanisms of their formation. The outcrops are located in non-polluted areas and are characterized by the absence of any extraneous material that provides calcium, such as e.g. mortar. The buildings are located in areas with low levels of pollution. The climate in the study area favours proliferation of microorganisms. Important differences between the patinas sampled from outcrops and from buildings were observed, as the former are of biological origin and the latter of anthropogenic origin. Although the levels of pollution are low in the sampling area, sulphur was present in all of the samples from urban buildings. Sulphur was not present in patinas from outcrops or in patinas from monuments that are assumed to behave as outcrops (dolmens), although the latter are also of anthropogenic origin. Finally, the patinas were found to be formed by elements accumulated on the surface and not from elements contained within the rock itself.     

The impact of preoxidation of SAS on biosorption efficiency on activated carbon

We have studied the process of a prolonged dynamic filtration on activated carbon in two biosorption systems — without preoxidation treatment of the initial matter and after ozonization. It has been shown that given the uniform load on activated carbon terms of the organic matter the efficiency of the biosorption process after preozonization is 2.3 times as small compared with that that without pretreatment, which correlates with the change of adsorption free energy.     

Impact of the River Maine Drainage Scheme on Hydro-Power Generation

A comparison is made between pre- and post-drainage scheme river flows recorded on the River Maine, Co. Antrim. A method of using five-year reference periods has been applied to the mean daily flows to smooth and eliminate, as far as possible, variations due to climatic changes.
Any loss of energy production which might have been due to changes in river flow was examined for turbine installations at a factory at Cullybackey. The quantities of usable water, and hence potential energy production, were calculated for each of the post-scheme five-year periods and compared with a pre-scheme five-year reference period. Any potential loss was then represented by a depreciation factor. It was found that no measurable loss of potential energy production has occurred on the River Maine in the post-scheme period.     

The Effect of Energy-Supply and Performance Indicators on the Performance of Traction-Resource Management Centers

Russian Electrical Engineering - This paper presents the results of a study of the effect of the characteristics of the traction power-supply system on the indicator of the energy supply of...     

Test facility for investigation of heat transfer of promising coolants for the nuclear power industry

The results are presented of experimental investigations into liquid metal heat transfer performed by the joint research group consisting of specialist in heat transfer and hydrodynamics from NIU MPEI and JIHT RAS. The program of experiments has been prepared considering the concept of development of the nuclear power industry in Russia. This concept calls for, in addition to extensive application of water-cooled, water-moderated (VVER-type) power reactors and BN-type sodium cooled fast reactors, development of the new generation of BREST-type reactors, fusion power reactors, and thermonuclear neutron sources. The basic coolants for these nuclear power installations will be heavy liquid metals, such as lead and lithium-lead alloy. The team of specialists from NRU MPEI and JIHT RAS commissioned a new RK-3 mercury MHD-test facility. The major components of this test facility are a unique electrical magnet constructed at Budker Nuclear Physics Institute and a pressurized liquid metal circuit. The test facility is designed for investigating upward and downward liquid metal flows in channels of various cross-sections in a transverse magnetic field. A probe procedure will be used for experimental investigation into heat transfer and hydrodynamics as well as for measuring temperature, velocity, and flow parameter fluctuations. It is generally adopted that liquid metals are the best coolants for the Tokamak reactors. However, alternative coolants should be sought for. As an alternative to liquid metal coolants, molten salts, such as fluorides of lithium and beryllium (so-called FLiBes) or fluorides of alkali metals (so-called FLiNaK) doped with uranium fluoride, can be used. That is why the team of specialists from NRU MPEI and JIHT RAS, in parallel with development of a mercury MHD test facility, is designing a test facility for simulating molten salt heat transfer and hydrodynamics. Since development of this test facility requires numerical predictions and verification of numerical codes, all examined configurations of the MHD flow are also investigated numerically.