Stress-Strain State of Weak Saturated Clay Beds of Embankments

Results are presented for laboratory and field tests of weak saturated soils serving as beds for embankments in Ho Chi Min City and various regions of the Mekong River Delta (Vietnam). A method is outlined for quantitative evaluation of the stress-strain state (SSS) of the weak saturated clayey beds (plane problem). A method is described for quantitative evaluation of the deformation and stability of weak beds in the initial, intermediate, and stabilized stages of the formation and transformation of the SSS. __________ Translated from Osnovaniya, Fundamenty i Mekhanika Gruntov, No. 5, pp. 2–6, September–October, 2005.     

Lead contamination in tap water of households with children in Lower Saxony, Germany

Lead has numerous acute and chronic adverse effects on human beings. This is especially true for infants and children. The main path of lead ingestion in children can be different according to housing and living situation. The intake of lead through drinking water is commonly due to metal corrosion. The users plumbing can be an important factor. In recent years, many lead pipes in Germany have been replaced by pipes made of an alternative material. The aim of this study is to assess the present state of drinking water contamination and the resulting exposure of infants to lead. For this purpose mothers of new-born babies were offered a free examination of their drinking water. After a written declaration of consent had been obtained and after the infant in question had reached an age of 3 months, a stagnation sample of cold tap-water after overnight stagnation together with a random daytime sample was obtained from the family. The collected samples were analysed by atomic absorption spectrometry for their lead concentration. In total, 1485 samples from households were collected. Of the 1434 stagnation samples, 3.1% had lead concentrations greater than 0.01 mg/l (recommended limit of the WHO) and 0.6% had concentrations above the limit of the German drinking water regulation (0.04 mg/l). The values for the 1474 random daytime samples were 2.1% above 0.01 mg/l and 0.2% greater than 0.04 mg/l, respectively. By region, the areas Bovenden, Friedland, Duderstadt, Northeim and Rosdorf were particularly affected. The highest measured concentrations of lead in the stagnation samples were 0.11 mg/l and 0.15 mg/l in the random daytime samples, respectively.     

Energy and environmental comparison of three variants of a family house during its whole life span

The aim of this study is to analyse and compare three variants of a family house in order to evaluate the total environmental impacts produced during the whole building life cycle. The first variant corresponds to the standard in force in Switzerland, the second alternative to the requirements of a quality control label for houses with low energy consumption and the third case is a very low energy consumption building. The three variants have the same architectural aspect but different insulation thicknesses and types, different energy production systems and the use of different renewable energies. The calculation of the environmental impacts is carried out by means of a life cycle analysis, which includes not only the impact related to the energy consumption during the occupancy stage, but also the materials manufacture, transport, replacement and elimination at the end of the building lifetime. The results are expressed with the Swiss and the UCTE (Union for the Co-ordination of Transmission of Electricity) electricity mix to analyse how they influence the building impact.     

幕墙中埋件节点类型探讨

对幕墙结构中常见的8种钢结构埋件节点以及不同节点连接形式的受力特点进行了介绍和分析,探讨了节点的工作机理、力学性能和优缺点。说明所列举的不同构造形式的埋件节点均满足实际工程中不同连接形式的需要,为工程设计中应用提供了有益的参考,同时针对埋件节点的工程设计提出了一些建议。     

砖混结构屋顶构架的抗震计算

本文通过对非结构构件地震作用计算的分析和实例计算 ,介绍用“建筑结构三维分析与设计软件 TAT”,对砖混结构屋顶构架进行抗震计算的方法     

混凝土中钢筋锈蚀的电化学检测方法

综合分析了混凝土中钢筋锈蚀的非破损检测方法，在此基础上，着重剖析了常用电化学检测方法的优缺点、适用场合及其应用情况，指出了今后的发展方向。     

屈曲约束支撑极限承载力研究方法探讨

屈曲约束支撑极限承载力的研究方法目前集中在试验和理论分析方面,这些技术都是基于对实际结构进行大量的假设和简化,但简化和假设很难完全符合实际,特别是对于支撑的约束条件以及初始缺陷等会影响结构极限承载力的因素。提出用有限元技术来研究初始几何缺陷对屈曲约束支撑极限承载力的影响,以其与试验和理论相佐证。     

Air monitoring network program in Saudi Arabia

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has initiated a program to install air quality network stations throughout the country in order to measure concentration of the ambient air pollutants. The site selection of these stations is an important objective to be accomplished and must be done based on scientific and rational work. To accomplish this objective, a modified version of atmospheric transport and dispersion model, known as air resources laboratories - atmospheric transport and dispersion (ARLATAD) model, is used to evaluate long range transport and diffusion of air pollutants from major pollution causing sources such as refineries, open-air burning of associated gases of oil fields and major industries.Hourly meteorological data for a period of three years (from 1977 to 1979) on wind speed, wind direction, pressure, and temperature from 20 synoptic stations in Saudi Arabia is processed and used as model input. In addition to these, meteorological data from three upper air stations is also processed in order to determine base and top of critical inversion heights.Various pollution causing sources are identified within the study area. Air trajectories are drawn with sources as the origins of the trajectories and the dispersion characteristics is studied with distance and time. Based on long term meteorological records, the adversely affected zones are statistically identified for potential station sites.     

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.