Cover Layer Thickness Research Articles

Three-dimensional numerical study on reservoir sediment flushing through an initially covered bottom tunnel

Sediment flushing through bottom tunnels has been widely applied in engineering practice to alleviate reservoir sedimentation. However, there is limited understanding of whether flushing can be accomplished once the tunnel intake is covered by deposited sediment. Here, a three-dimensional model is used to resolve the hydro-sediment-morphodynamic processes and reveal the physical mechanism for the occurrence of reservoir sediment flushing through an initially covered bottom tunnel. The results demonstrate that the reservoir water level and initial cover layer thickness have a significant impact on the pressure difference between tunnel inlet and outlet and the resistance of tunnel walls, determining the momentum of the water-sediment mixture. If water level is low or cover layer is thick, the pressure is not sufficient to overcome the resistance. The momentum tends to zero, and tunnel blockage occurs. If water level is high or cover layer thickness is small, the scour hole depth will exceed the cover layer thickness and the sediment concentration in tunnel decreases. The resistance is reduced significantly, and sediment flushing is accomplished. The present work facilitates enhanced understanding of sediment flushing, thereby informing reservoir engineers and managers of potential approaches to benefit maximization and sustainable sediment management.

Analytical study of water infiltration and contaminant transport in barrier systems

An analytical model was developed to assess the service time of the barrier system consisting of a two-layer cover system and a cut-off wall. The recursive method is used to evaluate the influence of the variable head loss boundary condition caused by the water infiltration. The impact of the types of cover systems and cut-off walls on the barrier system performance is assessed. The results show that cover system types are more likely to influence the long-time performance of barrier systems. Contaminant concentrations with H1* = 0.5 m and H2* = 0.3 m when t = 40 and 100 years are 1.17 and 1.42 times larger than those with H1* = H2* = 0.5 m, respectively. The decrease in hydraulic conductivity of cut-off wall and the increase in the thicknesses and retardation factors of it can also significantly improve the performance of barrier systems. Among all of the parameters, the cut-off wall thickness poses the most significant influence on the contaminant cumulative concentrations, followed by the retardation factor of the cut-off wall, the thickness and hydraulic conductivity of the lower cover layer, the hydraulic conductivity of the cut-off wall, and the thickness and hydraulic conductivity of the upper cover layer. Additionally, the proposed solution is used for the barrier system design of a mine legacy site. The minimum design thicknesses of the cut-off walls for three different cover system types and service times are obtained.

Penetration resistance of Al2O3 ceramic-ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) composite armor: Experimental and numerical investigations

To enhance the protective performance of ceramic composite armor, ballistic penetration experiments were conducted on Al2O3 ceramic-ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) composite armor with different thickness configurations. The damage and failure modes of hard projectiles and ceramic-fiber composite targets were analyzed. The recovered projectiles and ceramic fragments were sieved and weighed at multiple stages, revealing a positive correlation between the degree of fragmentation of the projectiles and ceramics and the overall ballistic resistance of the composite targets. Numerical simulations were performed using the LS-DYNA finite element software, and the simulation results showed high consistency with the experimental results, confirming the validity of the material parameters. The results indicate that the projectile heads primarily exhibited crushing and abrasive fragmentation. Larger projectile fragments mainly resulted from tensile and shear stress-induced failure. The failure modes of the composite targets included the formation of ceramic cones and radial cracks under high-velocity impacts. The UHMWPE laminated plates exhibited interlayer separation caused by tensile waves, permanent plastic deformation of the rear surface bulging, and perforation failure primarily due to shear forces.Through extended numerical simulations, while maintaining the same areal density and configuration of 9 mm Al2O3 ceramic + 12 mm UHMWPE laminated composite armor, the thickness configurations of the Al2O3 ceramic and UHMWPE laminated backplates were varied, and various thicknesses of UHMWPE laminates were simulated as the cover layer for the ceramic panels. The simulation results indicated that the composite armor configuration of 10 mm Al2O3 ceramic + 8 mm UHMWPE composite armor increased energy absorption by 13.48 %. When altering the cover layer thickness, a 4 mm UHMWPE + 9 mm Al2O3 + 8 mm UHMWPE composite armor demonstrated a 27.11 % improvement in energy absorption, showing a relatively significant enhancement.

Mechanism of slag discharge failures in earth pressure balance shield screw conveyor: A theoretical model-based investigation

The screw conveyor gushing may cause a sudden drop in pressure in the earth chamber, leading to excessive settlement of the surface and nearby buildings or structures, and even catastrophic accidents such as tunnel collapse. This paper presents a comprehensive investigation into slagging failures associated with earth pressure balance shield screw conveyors, categorizing them into rheological failure and permeability failure. Further, a permeability failure theoretical model and a Bingham fluid-based rheological failure model are developed. The above models can describe the conditions and mechanism of screw conveyor spurt taking into account shield parameters, formation characteristics, chamber pressure, and conditioned soil properties. In addition, a sensitivity analysis is conducted on the critical permeability coefficient and critical shear strength of the discharged soil, with a focus on a specific case project. The results underscore the significant impact of the screw conveyor pitch, water head at the entrance, and chamber pressure on the critical permeability coefficient and shear strength. Building on these findings, this paper proposes an anti-surge control index and strategy for shield screw conveyors, taking into account the ratio of shield covering soil thickness to shield diameter. It is recommended that when the shield soil covering layer thickness exceeds twice the shield diameter, real-time modification of the soil parameters, based on the shield tunneling depth, especially the shear strength, is essential for anti-surge control. This study provides engineers with valuable insights into conditioned soil and implements effective surge management strategies for screw conveyors.

Experimental study of reservoir flushing through a bottom tunnel initially covered by cohesive sediment

Reservoir sediment flushing, one of the most effective strategies for alleviating reservoir sedimentation, involves discharging sediment-laden flows downstream through bottom tunnels. However, whether flushing can be accomplished if the intake of a bottom tunnel is initially covered by cohesive sediment remains poorly understood. Here, flume experiments were done to investigate cohesive sediment flushing in a reservoir. It is demonstrated that cohesive sediment in a reservoir is harder to flush than non-cohesive sediment. A higher water level in the reservoir, initially smaller cover layer thickness, and lower dry density of the sediment favor the occurrence of sediment flushing. The flushing process of cohesive sediment is significantly affected by seepage. Under the combined action of gravity erosion and water erosion, the scour hole upstream of the dam is characterized by angular and broken edges. The threshold conditions for flushing of non-cohesive and cohesive sediments are evaluated. Empirical formulas applicable to both non-cohesive and cohesive sediment are proposed to estimate the equilibrium scour depth immediately upstream of the bottom tunnel intake. Also, empirical models are proposed for the time variation of sediment position in the bottom tunnel. The current findings are significant for informing the design and operation of reservoirs on rivers carrying fine-grained cohesive sediment in support of reservoir benefits and capacity preservation.

Method of co-seismic fault displacement estimate based on peak ground acceleration

Based on the results of the seismic hazard survey in Yunnan Province, four exceedance probabilities of peak ground acceleration were converted into earthquake magnitudes using the empirical relationship between epicentral intensity and magnitude. By using logistic regression, earthquake magnitude, source depth, cover layer thickness, and fault type were used as independent variables to calculate the probability of co-seismic displacement for different earthquake magnitudes. Using the magnitude-displacement empirical model in the southwestern region of China, horizontal and vertical displacements were obtained with a 95 % confidence level. The results show that all Holocene faults have the ability to produce surface displacement, but from the perspective of probabilistic hazard, the probability of surface rupture in the short term is low, while the probability of surface rupture for each fault significantly increases over a long time scale. Buildings with different service lives should adopt different avoidance strategies, and buildings with shorter service lives (<50a) can consider not avoiding active faults.

Modelling reservoir sediment flushing through a bottom tunnel with an initially covered intake

Sediment flushing through a bottom tunnel is one of the most effective methods to alleviate reservoir sedimentation. However, the multi-physical hydro-sediment-morphological processes of reservoir sediment flushing through an initially covered bottom tunnel intake have remained poorly understood, and a physically enhanced and practically viable mathematical model is required. The present study uses an integrated model to resolve sediment flushing through an initially covered bottom tunnel intake. The proposed model couples a two-dimensional double layer-averaged model for the reservoir with a one-dimensional model for the bottom tunnel by means of numerical fluxes calculations at the inner boundary. The governing equations are solved synchronously using a well-balanced finite volume method. Several parameters related to boundary resistances and sediment exchange flux need to be determined for model closure. The model is tested against data from a series of physical experiments on reservoir sediment flushing, with sound agreement achieved between computed and measured scour hole geometries. Moreover, the present model successfully predicts the occurrence of tunnel blockage. The results prove that reservoir sediment flushing is best accomplished for high reservoir water level, small cover layer thickness, short tunnel length and steep tunnel slope. The present model facilitates reservoir design and operation to help preserve reservoir capacity.

Numerical modeling of chloride diffusion in cement-based materials considering calcium leaching and external sulfate attack

Chloride-induced corrosion of steel bars can shorten the service life of concrete structures in marine environment. Therefore, a numerical model that can accurately characterize the chloride diffusion in marine concrete can help to evaluate the service durability of structures. In this paper, a novel chloride diffusion model considering the coupling effect of calcium leaching and sulfate attack in cement-based materials is proposed. The model can not only simulate the increase of porosity structure and the desorption of bound chloride caused by calcium leaching, but also characterize the competitive antagonism between sulfate and chloride salts in cement-based matrix, which produces expansive products to fill pores and promotes the desorption of bound chloride. The proposed model was further developed in COMSOL, and verified by two groups of literature experimental data. Then, the verified model was applied to investigate the coupling effect of calcium leaching and external sulfate attack on chloride diffusion process in cement-based materials. The results show that the proposed model can effectively reproduce the chloride diffusion process in both groups of tests well. In contrast to the single influencing factor, the coupling effect of calcium leaching-sulfate attack on the chloride diffusion process in cement-based materials shows that there is a phenomenon of inhibiting chloride diffusion in the early stage of erosion, but it shows a promoting effect in the later stage. Compared with sulfate attack, calcium leaching always dominates the influence of chloride diffusion in cement-based matrix. Furthermore, considering the coupled effect of leaching-sulfate attack, the initial corrosion time of reinforced concrete is about 24.5% earlier than that without considering the coupling effect. Increasing the thickness of steel bar cover layer and reducing the initial porosity of matrix can effectively delay the occurrence of steel bar corrosion in cement-based matrix.

Experimental Investigation on Reservoir Sediment Flushing through a Bottom Tunnel with an Initially Covered Intake

Reservoir sedimentation is of worldwide concern, involving not only reservoir benefits, but environmental and ecological issues. Sediment flushing is one of the most common and effective methods for alleviating sedimentation and its negative impacts. To date, however, it has remained unknown whether sediment flushing can be accomplished through a bottom tunnel once its intake has been covered by sediment deposits. Here, a total of 65 runs of flume experiments were conducted to investigate the threshold conditions for occurrence of sediment flushing. The results demonstrate that higher water level, smaller cover layer thickness, shorter tunnel length, and steeper tunnel slope favor the occurrence of sediment flushing. Physically, as the gate located at the tunnel intake is opened, the sediment deposits immediately upstream of the intake collapse and enter the tunnel, entraining water. A mass of hyperconcentrated water-sediment mixture is generated, in which the amount of sediment depends on the cover layer thickness. If the water level is sufficiently high, the cover layer thickness is low, the tunnel slope is steep, or the tunnel is short, the pressure difference between the inlet and outlet of the tunnel suffices to drive the water-sediment mixture to move down to the outlet, overcoming the resistance due to the tunnel boundary. This way, sediment flushing is accomplished. Based on dimensional analysis of the observed data, a threshold condition is proposed for the occurrence of sediment flushing. It is also shown that an equilibrium scour hole is formed immediately upstream of the tunnel intake, and an empirical model for the scour hole geometry is proposed. The present findings can be exploited to improve sediment-rich reservoir planning, design, and operation for benefit maximization and eco-environmental wellbeing.

Numerical Investigation on Protective Mechanism of Metal Cover Plate for Alumina Armor against Impact of Fragment by FE-Converting-SPH Method.

It is of extreme importance to develop a reliable numerical prediction technique to simulate the ballistic response of ceramic armor subjected to high-velocity impact (HVI) to economize the test cost and shorten the design period. In the present manuscript, a series of experiments on tungsten heavy alloy (WHA) fragment's penetration into 99.5% alumina (AD995) armors are systematically simulated by employing the FE-converting-SPH technique. The numerical results are compared with the experimental counterparts to find that the FE-converting-SPH method is fairly efficient in predicting the depth of penetration, the residual velocity, length and mass of fragment, and reproducing the crack forms of ceramic. The applicability and accuracy of the numerical model in terms of the algorithm, material model parameters and contact definitions are validated. Then, the relevant parameters of the calibrated numerical model are incorporated to explore the influence of cover-layer thickness on the armor performance. A few mechanisms regarding the cover plate have been identified to act on the armor performance, such as the alteration of fracture cone half-angle, proportion of energy absorbed by ceramic, mushrooming deformation of fragment, etc. The result of multi-mechanism superposition is that the best ballistic performance is endued with 1 mm cover-layer armor, which demonstrates a 24.6% improvement over the bi-layer armor with 4.96 g/cm2 area density, only at the cost of 15.7% increase in areal density, when back-plate thickness is held as 2 mm; for a constant area density of 4.96 g/cm2, a 1 mm cover-layer is also expected to be the best choice, with 10.7% improvement in armor performance.

Impact of low-temperature cover layer growth of InAs/GaAs quantum dots on their optical properties

The effect of low-temperature InGaAs/GaAs cover layer growth of InAs quantum dots on their optical and structural properties was investigated. Photoluminescence intensity depended heavily on the growth temperature and thickness of the low-temperature cover layer and decreased as the number of dislocations formed directly above InAs quantum dots increased. These dislocations are formed at the initial stage of high-temperature GaAs growth, originating from pits that remain on the surface after the growth of the low-temperature cover layer and subsequent annealing. To ensure a high-quality InAs quantum dot structure free from dislocations, it is important to obtain a highly flat surface with suppressed pits after low-temperature cover layer growth and subsequent annealing.

The processing workflow of semi-airborne transient electromagnetic data using geological modeling and three-dimensional numerical simulation – A case history in Yunnan, China

To overcome the limitations including the topography in survey area and the complex geometry of the target on conventional transient electromagnetic method (TEM) interpretation, we extend in this paper a workflow for processing semi-airborne TEM data. Based on the digital topography data, geologic sections and well logs, a 3D geologic model was built for numerical simulation. After mapping the geologic model to resistivity mesh, a mimetic finite volume with Krylov subspace method was used for calculating the influence coefficient of topography. This processing workflow was applied on a semi-airborne TEM survey for determining the thickness of cover layer on a hillside in Yunnan, China. The thickness of the cover layer inferred from the processed TEM data is consistent with the local geological sections. This workflow can not only process measured data, but also perform numerical simulation on the target area with complex topography and stratum structure.

Numerical study on dynamic response of submerged tunnel subjected to underwater explosion

Recently, blasting effects on important infrastructures have been considered because of the increasing number of intentional and unintentional explosion events worldwide. In this study, we performed numerical simulations on the dynamic response of a submerged tunnel subjected to underwater explosions. The feasibility and accuracy of the numerical method were verified against the experimental data. The propagation process of the shock waves and dynamic response of the submerged tunnel were obtained. The effects of the cover layer, charge weight, and cover thickness on the response of the submerged tunnel were investigated. The results indicate that the upper part of the tunnel is more vulnerable, and the existence of the cover layer can effectively mitigate blast loads on the tunnel. Additionally, a cover thickness of 25 m should be considered to ensure the safety of a submerged tunnel when subjected to an explosion of 300 kg TNT.

Strengthening of Fire Damaged, Light Weight, High Strength Reinforced Concrete Beam Using SIFCON Jacket

This study aims to extrapolate the behavior of lightweight (LECA) high strength concrete beams subjected to high temperatures. the LECA aggregate was utilized as coarse fraction in the reference mixture. a post development process in terms of jacketing the fire damaged beams with SIFCON materials layer was also investigated. In addition to the reference samples, various parameters of concrete beams and conditioning were conducted, namely, fire duration exposure, concrete cover, and SIFCON layer thickness. In details, two concrete cover thickness, half and one-hour fire duration exposure, and two SIFCON layer thicknesses were the main parameters in this study. the thermal gradient through the beam cross section was captured through installing thermocouples sensors embedded inside at various location. The physical and chemical properties were tested for all used materials in this study. Overall, fourteen concrete beam samples were tested for all the three phases (normal or reference, fire damaged samples, and post enhancement with SIFCON jacket). the level of comparison for the tested samples was focused on several parameters are; maximum shear load capacity and corresponded displacement, ductility index, cracking load, initial and secant stiffness, and energy absorption. The experimental test results under the scope of this research have shown significant improvement for the strengthened beams were observed compared with the damaged samples. Moreover, the results have cleared that the strengthened beams, in term of the mentioned indices were recovered as and comparable to the undamaged (reference beam), except the absorption energy. Where further studies and efforts have to be paid to overcome such issue.

Assessment of the Sustainability of Concrete by Ensuring Performance during Structure Service Life

The article presents an original method to assess the sustainability of concrete. The method uses three parameters, namely, performance, lifetime and environmental impact, to calculate a sustainability index. The originality and simplicity of the proposed method is shown when finding the sustainability index, where the first two factors (service life and performance) are kept constant. This approach is possible within the context of the new proposals that specify the durability of structural concrete in EN 1992 and EN 206. It allows the classification of concrete according to its performance, through environmental action resistance classes (ERC). For this purpose, specific experimental methods were used in order to determine the performance of concrete exposed to carbonation. The concretes were prepared with two cement types with additions (CEM II/A-S and CEM II/A-M (S-LL)). Based on the carbonation resistance classes (first parameter—performance) and exposure classes, the thickness of the concrete cover layer was determined to ensure a certain service lifetime (second parameter—service lifetime). Lastly, the global warming potential was calculated for each composition, allowing the users of the method to select the compositions with the lowest environmental impact.

Problems and suggestions on site classification

The physical meaning of site classification is not clear in the current seismic design code for buildings, at the same time, the boundary of site classification is easy to cause the divergence of design ground motion parameters. For the above problems and deficiencies, some suggestions are given. To solve the problem that the physical meaning of site classification is not clear, on the basis of the current site classification method, according to the site classification index such as the covering layer thickness and the equivalent shear wave velocity, the sites are classified by two-level: the first level classification is consistent with the current one, which classifies sites based on the fundamental period of the site and the thickness of the overburden layer; the second level classification further considers the degree of hardness of the geotechnical medium based on the first level classification, and sub-classification according to equivalent shear wave velocity. Based on the current research on seismic disaster and seismic motion characteristics of thick soft site, combined with the development of long-period constructions, the site classification is expanded from the original four categories to five categories, at the same time, the boundary of each classification, especially the boundary of class II, III and IV sites, is limited from the original open type, which can effectively avoid the problem of divergence of design ground motion parameters caused by site classification. The related research results can provide reference for site classification and determination of design ground motion parameters.

Carbonation Resistance Classes of Concretes

Abstract Concrete carbonation is a phenomenon that occurs by the penetration into the cement stone of CO2 present in the atmosphere. The phenomenon occurs in the presence of water in which CO2 dissolves, forming carbonate ions, which in turn react with calcium ions in the pores of the concrete, resulting in calcium carbonate (calcite). The diffusion of CO2 occurs through pores and surface defects, it thus penetrates deeper into the concrete and the carbonation reaction can occur at a greater depth, eventually exceeding the thickness of the cover, causing corrosion of the reinforcement. [1] In the case of reinforced concrete bridges, corrosion induced by carbonation of concrete is one of the main causes of degradation. Thus, in the design stage of the reinforced concrete bridge structures, the inevitable process of carbonation of the concrete must be taken into account, in the design of the durability, by calculating the thickness of the concrete cover layer. This article aims to present the concept of carbonation resistance class, which will be a major change in the standard based on which the thickness of the concrete cover for reinforcement will be determined. This presentation is made in the context of the European performance approach to durability. In this sense, an analysis of the experimental results obtained in research on concrete prepared with different types of cements, carried out in collaboration with the laboratory of the Reinforced Concrete Structures Department, within the Technical University of Civil Engineering Bucharest. Proposals for classification in the carbonation resistance classes for concretes prepared with two types of cements are also presented.

Comparison between prediction models and monitored data on leachate generation from a sanitary landfill in the metropolitan region of rio de janeiro, Brazil

Estimating leachate generation during a landfill lifespan is a key issue in reducing its potential risk. Hence, a useful tool is represented by empirical and computational models. In order to ratify the applicability of the Swiss Method, most applied tool in Brazil, and the Hydrologic Evaluation of Landfill Performance (HELP), most utilized in USA, the present article carried out a case study in the São Gonçalo Waste Treatment Center (CTR-SG), located in a humid subtropical climate. Firstly, climate data were collected with Brazil’s National Institute of Meteorology, and landfill structural and operational data were assembled with the company responsible for CTR-SG’ management, Foxx-Haztec, from 2014 to 2018. Subsequently, simulations were conducted on both tools, which indicated that: Swiss Method and HELP do not consider relevant variables for leachate prediction, such as: waste composition and moisture content, organic matter decomposition and dumping methods; thus, these techniques results vary mainly according to annual precipitation, landfill surface area and, for HELP, covering layer thickness. In addition, it was verified that the models forecasted approximately half of the actual volume of generated leachate. In this bias, despite the requirement of few and generally known parameters, these are not reliable tools for assertive prediction. Furthermore, it was found that the Swiss Method employs an imprecise variable, the compaction coefficient, which made pertinent the proposal of a new coefficient, suitable to tropical regions, which should be validated in other landfill scenarios.

Dielectric Cover Layer Thickness Effect on Circular Microstrip Antenna Parameters

This paper studies the effect of dielectric cover layer thickness on circular microstrip patch antenna parameters such as gain, bandwidth, beam-width, radiation patterns, return loss and VSWR. The proposed antenna is designed with 2.4GHz frequency in S-Band region. This operating frequency useful in ISM band applications. Circular patch antenna is designed with cavity model analysis and simulated using HFSS simulation software (Electromagnetic simulator). The coaxial probe fed is used for antenna design. In this paper the effect of dielectric cover layer on antenna parameters studied experimentally and comparing their performance characteristics. The simulation results shows that the antenna without dielectric cover layer obtained gain is 4.11dB and antenna with dielectric cover the gain is reduced to 2.87dB to 5.88dB based on thickness of the dielectric cover layer. The antenna bandwidth obtained without dielectric cover is 3% and with dielectric cover its bandwidth is reduced from 0.012GHz to 0.052GHz based on thickness of the cover layer effect. Similarly other parameters are investigated and compared. This proposed circular patch antenna is used in wireless and Wi-Fi applications.

Experimental Study of Bond Behavior Between Rebar and PVA-Engineered Cementitious Composite (ECC) Using Pull-Out Tests

As a novel civil engineering material, Engineered Cementitious Composite (ECC) has attracted more and more attention due to its strain-hardening characteristics, good post-cracking resistance and its unique properties. Bonding between Engineered Cementitious Composite (ECC) and rebar has a great effect on the mechanical behavior of structural members. In this paper, direct pull-out tests were conducted to understand the bond behavior between the ECC and rebar. The test parameters included rebar diameter and type, cover layer thickness, embedment length and fiber volume content. Bond-slip curves, failure and cracking pattern and bond strength were compared and discussed. The test results indicated that the bond strength decreased with the increase of embedded length. Through regression analysis with the test data, the functional relationships between bond strength and cover layer thickness and rebar diameter were fitted well. According to the positive and negative signs of the fitting parameters m and n, the relationship between the bond strength and the cover layer thickness and the rebar diameter could be determined. The bond strength increased obviously with the increase of fiber content. When the fiber volume content was 1, 1.5 and 2%, the bond strength of these specimens were 1.5, 2.5 and 3.1 times that of specimens without polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) fiber.