Procedure for predicting settlements of thawing bases for engineering calculations

It was shown that in order to compute the settlement of thawing cohesive soil under a load in time it is necessary to experimentally determine the consolidation coefficient. A procedure is suggested for determining this coefficient, as well as use of the classical solution of a differential equation for seepage consolidation to describe the settlement of soil, thawing of which can occur according to any law.State All-Union Scientific Research Institute of Roads. Translated from Osnovaniya, Fundamenty i Mekhanika Gruntov, No. 4, pp. 5–7, July–August, 1993.     

A steady-state model for the rotating biological disc reactor

A steady-state model for substrate removal in a rotating biological disc reactor is presented. The model considers the consumption of substrate by micro-organisms in the biofilm attached to the rotating disc, and mass transfer from the attached liquid film to the biofilm. A mass balance on substrate over the liquid in the trough provides an expression for effluent substrate in terms of the microbial kinetic constants, the geometry of the system and the operating conditions. In order to simplify the solution of the equations in the model, first order kinetics are assumed for the rate of microbial growth and substrate utilization. This simplified model can be solved, for example, by using a programmable calculator. The model predicts that the fractional removal of substrate per stage is strongly dependent on the hydraulic loading rate per unit disc area but independent of feed substrate concentration. It predicts constant removal independent of disc size provided the hydraulic loading per unit area is kept constant. The rotational speed has only a slight predicted effect on the rate of substrate removal. The predictions of the model are compared with published data from the literature for both domestic wastewater and some industrial wastes. Trends observed in the field are predicted qualitatively by the model.     

Continuous monitoring of short term dissolved oxygen and algal dynamics

Dissolved oxygen (DO) in coastal bays with frequent algal blooms can undergo significant diurnal changes. Short-term DO and algal dynamics in a sub-tropical, nitrogen-limited, marine ecosystem are studied by means of a specially designed telemetry system. The high resolution data show clearly the importance of the vertical DO structure, and its relationship with environmental variables (solar radiation, water temperature, wind, tidal current) and phytoplankton dynamics. The design, instrumentation and calibration, and operational experience of the system are described. The simple and robust system has proved useful in (i) providing continuous data for full testing of water quality models, and (ii) the planning of field experiments to study algal dynamics.     

Concurrent denitrification and oxygen uptake in microbial films

Mixed microbial films were grown on the inner walls of a tubular reactor with recirculation of the reactor contents and continuous flow-through of nutrient solution. The loss of total oxidized nitrogen was correlated to the film population, the nitrite concentration and the dissolved oxygen concentration in the reactor. When film population was greater than 0.5 × 10⁹ cells cm⁻², reactor dissolved oxygen concentration greater than 1 mg l⁻¹ had little effect on the nitrate loss. Nitrate loss declined for film populations greater than 2 × 10⁹ cells cm⁻². Models based on Monod and zero-order microbial kinetics were calibrated using these data and a nonlinear least squares method. There was little difference in the residual errors with these methods.     

Indirect check of aggregate pore effects on concrete

It is very difficult to quantify aggregate pores directly in a way that allows pore/water interaction to be accurately related to hardened concrete properties. This work examines, a number of aggregates through water absorption checks and gives results of tests on some concretes made with them. Three especially relevant concrete properties are examined, initial surface absorption, freeze/thaw behaviour and drying shrinkage; it is shown that aggregate absorption is reflected in these properties.     

Tunnelling projects in Southern Africa

Until some thirty years ago tunnelling in southern Africa for civil engineering purposes had been on a relatively small scale and of a sporadic nature. The first major tunnel to be built in the region was the 82 km long Orange-Fish Tunnel. Since 1970 more than 175 tunnels with an aggregate length of just over 400 km have been built. Much of the first phase of the Lesotho Highlands Water Project, which will have more than 100 km of tunnels, is about to be completed. The last thirty years represent the busiest period of tunnelling by civil engineers that southern Africa has ever known. The paper starts by summarising the early history of tunnelling in the region, and goes onto describe recent and current tunnelling projects. It also gives an indication of the possible demand for tunnels in the future.     

Effect of chlorination practice on soluble organics

As the practice of chlorination for the disinfection of waste effluents is apparently to be extended, this study was initiated to examine the possibility that chlorinated organics could be formed in the disinfection process. A group of pure compounds that had been demonstrated to be susceptible to chlorination were examined under conditions likely to apply under normal disinfection practice.From the results obtained, it appears only organics with ring structures and electron activating substituents, or amino groupings are capable of chlorination. The frequent presence of ammonia or amino groups means that chloramine formation with its asociated toxicity is likely. However, the presence of ammonia or amino groups will retard the reaction with other compounds making chlorination of these unlikely.     

A research about a method for restoration of traditional lime mortars and plasters: A staging system approach

Turkey is quite rich with historical buildings. Depending on various factors like time, increasing air pollution due to technological improvements of the present era together with insufficiency of inspection leads to the formation of damages on these buildings which are part of our historical heritage. Conservation of such buildings which are as important as historical documents should be the first and foremost target of any project. Where maintenance is insufficient, conservation and restoration attempts should replace it. What is necessary in restoration is the use of material which resembles the original material to the closest degree or, producing appropriate material which is compatible with the properties of the original material. The first dimension of the current problem is the insufficiency of resources while the second dimension stems from the lack of proper evaluation of the material to be used in conservation and restoration. This study defines the importance of mortars and plasters along with their history and the reasons of deterioration. In addition, it sets up the information flow of mortar and plaster within a systematic decision making process. The necessary experimental methods for the production of new repair mortar or plaster that can be used in determining the character analysis of original mortar and deterioration morphology are also analyzed. Thus, a method that can be used in the conservation and restoration studies is determined with this paper.     

Conceptual aspects of water re-use

A simplified model of a municipal water recycle system is presented and gives a clear picture of the relationship between process variables such as the intensity of the treatment, the accumulation of pollutants and the number of times the water is re-used. The model can be used to determine the necessary requirements for the treatment process in order to reach a certain desired drinking water quality. This model is extended to cover a variety of practical conditions. It is also shown that accumulation under practical conditions is limited, even if there is no treatment. The model predicts that the recycle system can utilise a low quality supplementary supply, e.g. brackish water. Although the model is derived for a recycle system for domestic water supply it can be used for any closed loop water system.     

Determination of flexibility of beam-to-column connectors used in thin walled cold-formed steel pallet racking systems

This paper describes a new test to determine flexibility of beam-to-column connectors used in conventional pallet racking systems. In this study, two different ways were used to find the flexibility of a connector. The connector developed was tested using the conventional cantilever method [Bajoria, KM. Three dimensional progressive collapse of warehouse racking, PhD Thesis, University of Cambridge, UK 1986], and then also using a newly proposed double cantilever method. To verify the results obtained from both the tests, a full scale frame test was carried out. In the double cantilever test the connector is subjected to three types of forces namely moment, shear and the axial pull by the beams, thereby giving behavior close to practical usage of connectors. Non-linear finite element analysis of both the tests and also of the full scale test were carried out using ANSYS [ANSYS 7.0—User's Manual, ANSYS Inc., 2005] software. The results obtained from the double cantilever test were found to match well with the full scale frame test. The experimental results and the finite element results are compared in this paper.