Field Verification Tests Research Articles

Multi-Chemical Regulation Technology Applied to Dryland Maize (Zea mays L.) Production in Northern China

<abstract> <b><sc>Abstract.</sc></b> Multi-chemical regulation technology uses three common chemical preparations, i.e., polyacrylamide (PAM), superabsorbent polymer (SAP), and fulvic acid (FA), applied in agricultural production to regulate the use of water and fertilizer in a soil-crop system. The goal of this technology is to increase the efficiency of water and fertilizer utilization for crops and improve crop yield, which is constructively significant to agriculture in the arid lands of northern China. In this article, a local crop of rainfed maize ( L.) in the dry farmland in northern China was selected as the research subject. Nine types of combined application modes using PAM, SAP, and FA and twenty types of combined application modes using SAP and FA were designed to study the effect of multi-chemical regulation technology on soil water, fertilizer usage, and crop yield. The duration of the field experiment was three years (i.e., 2012 to 2014), and the experiment assessed the overall effects of multi-chemical regulation technology. The results showed that the treatment groups exhibited significant effects on the water and fertilizer content in the soil and on the crop yield compared to the control group that received no chemical preparations. Applications using a combination of SAP and FA produced the highest yield increase in the rainfed maize field and effectively reduced the amount of irrigation and fertilizer needed to produce the crop. Based on the developed regression model, a combination of 93.38 kg km^-2 SAP, 23.03 kg km^-2 FA, and 376.88 kg km^-2 fertilizer was expected to produce the highest maize yield (i.e., 1.36 kg m^-2); this optimal configuration was verified with a field verification test (RMSE = 0.03).

A specific rod model based efficient analysis and design of hanger installation for self-anchored suspension bridges with 3D curved cables

Hanger installation is important in constructing self-anchored suspension bridges. The installation plan is obtained from comparative studies of concerned information in tentative construction steps. The comparisons are generally performed manually using detailed nonlinear finite element method (NFEM), particularly for those with 3D curved cables. However, the procedure is complex and time consuming. Thus, this study proposes an efficient method to analyze mainly concerned parameters of hanger installation plan, through which automatically optimized strategy of updating ideal construction steps is developed to yield the plan totally by linear coordinate iteration. To realize it, an indiscrimination coordinate rod model (ICRM) combined with coordinate iteration-based methods (CIMs) is proposed for the modeling of the construction steps. The ICRM simulates the major deformation system of the total bridge with specific rods, and then the CIMs identify its equilibrium by linear algorithms to solve the coordinates directly. On the basis, NFEM can be avoided and the design efficiency is greatly improved for the plan. The effectiveness of the proposed method is demonstrated by comparison case studies, field test verification and application discussion in a real-scale bridge.

Bayesian model updating of a coupled-slab system using field test data utilizing an enhanced Markov chain Monte Carlo simulation algorithm

Markov chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) simulation is applied for model updating of the coupled-slab system of a building structure based on field test data following the Bayesian theory. It is found that the identifiability of the model updating problem depends very much on the complexity of the class of models. By MCMC, the same algorithm can be used no matter the model updating problem is locally identifiable or not. The posterior joint probability density function (PDF) of model parameters is derived with consideration of the uncertainties from both the measurement noise and modeling error. To obtain a posterior PDF that is not analytically available in the complicated parameter space, an MCMC algorithm is proposed to sample a set of models in high-probability regions for the representation (or approximation) of the posterior PDF. The sampling process is divided into multiple levels, and individual bridge PDFs are constructed at each level that finally converged to the target posterior PDF. The samples move smoothly through each level and finally arrive at the important region of the target posterior PDF. A novel stopping criterion for the MCMC algorithm is proposed from the insight of the derivation of the posterior PDF. In the field test verification, the posterior marginal PDFs conditional on two model classes are obtained by the proposed MCMC algorithm, which provide valuable information about the identifiability of different model parameters.

고속철도 AF궤도회로경계구간 케이블길이 변화에 따른 전기특성 분석연구

It has been often occurred for the outside components(BU, SVaC, DB) of UM71c AF track circuits to be broken down caused by some pieces of falling ice in the winter time or by infrastructure repairing equipments while facility maintenance works since 2004, opening of Kyeongbu High Speed Rail Express. In this paper, we proposed that we could move the outside components of UM71c track circuit out of wayside from present place. Then we can assure that the life time of those components would be extended. So we simulated the electrical characteristics by changing cable length using MATLAB Simulinks and we designed the compensation capacitor. Also, we obtained the same results as those of simulation by field demonstration test on site. The design specifications obtained from this field verification test could be applied in the absent section of track circuit, if only have a little more intensified research to compensate changed electrical characteristics and to redesign inner impedance of the track circuit.

SECARB CO2 injection test in mature coalbed methane reservoirs of the Black Warrior Basin, Blue Creek Field, Alabama

The SECARB Black Warrior field verification test employed a diverse suite of well testing and monitoring procedures designed to determine the injectivity, capacity, heterogeneity, and performance of mature coalbed methane reservoirs. A total of 3250bbl of water and 252t of CO2 were injected into coal in a battery of slug tests. These tests demonstrate that significant injectivity exists in Black Warrior coalbed methane reservoirs and that reservoir heterogeneity is a critical factor to consider when implementing CO2 sequestration and CO2-enhanced recovery programs.The primary test well produces coalbed methane at wellhead pressures just above atmospheric, and yet desorption testing indicates that less than 20% of the original gas in place has been recovered by primary production. Injection of CO2 was conducted at sustained rates of about 90t/d of CO2. Reservoir pressure declined exponentially following the emplacement of each CO2 slug. Slug and pressure-buildup tests verify that permeability decreases exponentially with depth and also decreased during injection.Monitoring operations included multi-zone pressure logging and gas sampling in deep observation wells and groundwater sampling in a shallow observation well. Results indicate that significant permeability anisotropy exists in each coal group. In the Black Creek coal, pressure response was greatest in the dominant natural fracture direction. In the Pratt coal group, pressure response was dominated by hydrofractures. CO2 broke through to the observation wells only in the Pratt coal group and only along the major fracture directions. No significant flow of CO2 out of zone was detected, and no impact on shallow groundwater resources was identified.

Innovative Closure Law for Pump-Turbines and Field Test Verification

Based on numerical simulation of hydraulic transients in a pump storage power station (PSP), different closure laws are investigated for use when a high-head pump-turbine load rejection occurs. According to the characteristics of the pump-turbine and main inlet valve (MIV), a novel closure law, combining closure of wicket gates (WG) and MIV, is presented. The proposed closure law can reduce the effects of S-shaped characteristics of a pump-turbine, and the maximum pressure in the spiral case, the maximum rotating speed of the runner, and the minimum pressure in the draft tube during the transient process can be mitigated. A simultaneous load rejection test on a double unit is conducted, and the numerical predictions agree well with the field test data.

변단면 콘크리트 주탑공사의 슬립폼 시스템 적용을 위한 설계기술 연구

이 논문에서는 콘크리트 고주탑 시공을 위한 최첨단 공법이라 할 수 있는 슬립폼 시스템 공법의 기술자립을 목적으로 슬립폼 설계기술을 연구하였다. 대상 주탑은 10m의 높이를 갖으며 보통 케이블 교량의 주탑에서 적용하는 사각 중공 형상으로 계획하였다. 슬립폼 시스템은 콘크리트의 연속 타설을 고려하여 슬립폼이 연속적으로 단면의 치수변화와 두께변화에 대응할 수 있도록 설계하였다. 또한 시공시 슬립폼에 작용하는 다양한 하중에 대한 안전성을 검토하고, BIM에 의한 가상 시공으로 실용성을 사전 검증하였다. 설계된 제작 도면을 바탕으로 슬립폼 시스템을 제작하고 10m 높이의 주탑을 성공적으로 시공함으로써 개발된 변단면 슬립폼 시스템의 효율성을 입증하는 성과를 얻을 수 있었다. This paper studied design of slip form system considering the erection of a pylon mock-up. The height of the pylon is 10 m. A rectangular hollow cross-section was considered. The outer and inner dimensions of the pylons were varied with respect to the height. The thickness of 1 sides among the 4 faces were varied. Accordingly the slip form was designed to respond to continuous changes in its dimensions and thickness. Structural analysis was conducted to examine structural safety of the slip form. Virtual construction by BIM proved its practicality. The developed design technologies were successfully applied to the erection of a 10m high pylon executed for field verification test.

Full Scale Up-Flo Filter Field Verification Tests

Full scale field tests of the Up-Flo filter have been conducted at the Bama Belle Riverwalk parking lot test site in Tuscaloosa, Alabama for the past several y…

Airborne Integrated Vision/Inertial Navigation System for Landing on Aircraft Carrier

It is a very difficult task to land on aircraft carrier, because of limits of the carrier runway during rough sea. In this article, a new algorithm of aircraft carrier landing is proposed utilizing airborne infrared camera/inertial integrated system, which can provide the relative positions and orientation of the aircraft with respect to the carrier so as to help aircrafts semi-auto or auto landing. The mathematic relationship between guidance parameters and imaging information was modeled, and then the relative position and attitude information between the carrier and the aircraft were estimated through Newton iteration method. From that information, the pitching, rolling and heave movement of the carrier were estimated and compensated, so the touchdown point could be predicted and provided to the pilot so as to control aircraft landing. On the ground of the theoretic research, the field verification tests were carried out, which adopted the minification scheme to simulate the process of aircraft carrier landing. In the experiments, the runway simulator simulated the motion of the carrier runway and the land vehicle was used as the aircraft. The results verify the landing guidance system scheme is feasible and effective, and lay the technical foundation for the flight test, improving its safety.

기초근가와 기존근가의 하중에 따른 변위 비교분석

In this paper, we compared and analyzed for safety 1.2m rectangular anchor block and arch-type root anchor block. First, numerical analysis was performed three-dimensional nonlinear method by numerical model test using finite element analysis program Visual FEA. Then, measure displacement of the surface of the earth after construct each anchor block at 14M electric pole and increase loads through field verification tests for safety evaluation.

Scale Effects and Field Applications for Continuous Intrusion Miniature Cone Penetrometer

콘관입시험은 현장조사 시험법으로 사용 빈도가 증가되고 있다. 그러나 콘관입시험은 콘크기와 용량 등에 따라 적용 가능한 현장조건이 제한되는 단점이 있다. 소형콘의 감소된 단면적은 시스템 용량을 증대시켜 적용성을 향상시킬 수 있으며, 코일식 롯드를 이용한 연속관입 시스템은 신속하고 경제적인 지반조사를 가능하게 한다. 본 연구에서는 국내 여러 현장에서 연속관입형 소형콘관입시험 시스템의 성능을 표준 콘관입시험 시스템과의 비교시험을 통하여 평가하였다. 소형콘관입시험 장비는 기존의 표준콘관입시험 장비와 비교하여 지반정수 도출 및 지반분류에 동일한 성능을 발휘하는 것을 확인하였으며, 장비의 기동성 및 적용대상 토질 확대 등의 장점을 나타내는 것으로 평가되었다. 크기효과 검증을 위한 현장시험 결과 기존 시험 방법에 비해 콘저항력의 경우는 약 10% 과대평가하는 것으로 나타났다. 차량 형태의 조사장비는 표층이 연약하거나 진입이 어려운 경우에는 조사의 한계가 있으므로, 궤도장치에 탑재된 연속관입형 소형콘관입시험 시스템으로 개선하여 적용성을 확대시켰다. 따라서 개선된 연속관입형 소형콘관입시험 시스템은 연약지반 심도탐지 및 흙분류시 경제적이고 신뢰성 높은 지반조사 방법으로 활용할 수 있다. Cone penetration tests (CPTs) have been increasingly used for site characterizations. However, the site investigations using CPTs are often limited due to soil conditions depending on the cone size and capacity of the CPT system. The small sectional area of a miniature cone improves the applicability of the CPT system due to the increased capacity of the CPT system. A continuous intrusion system using a coiled rod allows fast and cost effective site investigation. In this study, the performance of the continuous intrusion miniature cone penetration test (CIMCPT) system has been evaluated by comparison tests with the standard CPT system at several construction sites in Korea. The results show that the CIMCPT system has a same performance with the CPT system and has advantages on the mobility and applicability. According to field verification tests for scale effect evaluation, the cone tip resistance evaluated by CIMCPT overestimates by 10% comparing to standard CPTs. A crawler mounted with the CIMCPT system has been implemented to improve accessibility to soft ground, and has shown improvement over the truck type CIMCPT system. Therefore, the improved CIMCPT system can be utilized as a cost effective and highly reliable soil investigation methodology to detect the depth of soft ground and to evaluate soil classification.

Following Straightly Control Strategy and Testing for Split Platform in Roadway

On the basis of two pilots operating the split truck in the roadway, study control strategy of the single-pilot operating powering vehicle and flatbed walking and following straight; establish the kinematic model of the control method and field test verification; detect angles of the rod and powering vehicle、flatbed vehicle; improve the control performance of the truck, supply the theoretical and practical basis for similar products, and further corner’s following.

Special Issue on Nondestructive Evaluation and Testing for Bridge Inspection and Evaluation

Special Issue on Nondestructive Evaluation and Testing for Bridge Inspection and Evaluation

Vibration-Based Method and Sensor for Monitoring of Bridge Scour

Scour is the major cause for many bridge failures and damage to piers and abutments. Scour is not easily discernible because it is hidden under the channel flow. Over the years, a number of sensors have been developed for detection of scour depth. Development, testing, and field implementation of a new and simple type of scour sensor is described in this paper. The scour depth detection concept is based on measuring the fundamental frequency of vibration of a rod embedded in the riverbed. The sensor uses a single fiber-optic Bragg grating (FBG) sensor for transduction of the vibration frequency. The inverse relationship between the fundamental frequency and the length of the sensor rod is used for detection of the scour depth. A computational approach is developed based on the Winkler spring reaction soil model for automated calibration of the scour sensor during installation in the riverbed. The scope of the research included development of the theoretical basis for the sensor, establishment of the computational methodology for detection of the riverbed foundation properties, proof-of-concept laboratory tests, small-scale field verification tests, and installation and remote monitoring of scour in a multispan scour critical bridge in Illinois. The results include laboratory test data from the measurements in soil, simulated scour tests in a hydraulic flume, and real-time data from remote monitoring of scour at the bridge site.

Adaptive Voltage Control With Distributed Energy Resources: Algorithm, Theoretical Analysis, Simulation, and Field Test Verification

Distributed energy resources (DE) or distributed generators (DG) with power electronics interfaces and logic control using local measurements are capable of providing reactive power related ancillary system services. In particular, local voltage regulation has drawn much attention in regards to power system reliability and voltage stability, especially from past major cascading outages. This paper addresses the challenges of controlling DEs to regulate local voltage in distribution systems. An adaptive voltage control method has been proposed to dynamically modify control parameters to respond to system changes. Theoretical analysis shows that there exists a corresponding formulation of the dynamic control parameters; hence the adaptive control method is theoretically solid. Both simulation and field experiment test results at the Distributed Energy Communications and Controls (DECC) Laboratory confirm that this method is capable of satisfying the fast response requirement for operational use without causing oscillation, inefficiency, or system equipment interference. Since this method has a high tolerance to real-time data shortage and is widely adaptive to variable power system operational situations, it is quite suitable for broad utility application.

1100 kV substation ‐ basic design/specifications of GIS for UHV AC and its verification test and site

AbstractIn Japan, to satisfy the steadily increasing demand for electricity in urban areas, 1100 kV substation equipment have been developed, and a part of the 1100 kV transmission lines were constructed. 1100 kV substations would be located in the mountainous areas, so they must be made as compact as possible to meet installation space constraints and to harmonize with the natural environment. Thus, 1100 kV substations adopt Gas Insulated Switchgear (GIS) as the main circuit from transmission line entrance to transformer bushings. Because the substation is one of the most important items in a 1100 kV system, the equipment in 1100 kV substations requires to be of extremely high reliability. Additionally, various technologies that have not been used in 500 kV and lower systems are applied. To establish carefully the 1100 kV equipment technologies, TEPCO constructed a UHV Equipment Test Station (in the 500 kV Shin‐Haruna substation), which has the minimum component of a 1100 kV substation‐3 single‐phase transformers (3000 MVA bank) and 1 bay of GIS (8000 A). Connecting these facilities to the actual grid in 1996, a field verification test has been carried out. Copyright © 2009 Institute of Electrical Engineers of Japan. Published by John Wiley &amp; Sons, Inc.

Field Verification Test for Lightweight Thrust Restraint Using Geogrid

筆者らは，圧力管曲部に作用するスラスト力の対策工法として，ジオグリッドを用いた軽量なスラスト防護工法を提案し，これまでに模型実験，数値解析，大規模模型埋設実験験ならびに振動台実験などによって当提案工法がスラスト対策工法として有効であり，耐震性に優れていることを明らかにしてきた．本研究では，サイホン部緊急布設替えの施工に際して，当提案工法を採用し，管内水圧，周辺地盤の土圧，ジオグリッドの発生ひずみを計測した．計測結果から，現場においても当提案工法の有効性が実証された．

Reduction of Ammonia Emissions from Stored Laying Hen Manure Through Topical Application of Zeolite, Al+ Clear, Ferix-3, or Poultry Litter Treatment

SUMMARY Practical means to decrease aerial emissions will enhance the ability of the US egg industry to improve environmental stewardship while continuing to provide consumers safe and affordable eggs. Ammonia emissions from manure-belt laying hen houses have been shown to be less than 10% of the emissions from high-rise counterparts where manure is stored in-house for a year. However, on-farm manure storage for manure-belt houses also emits NH3, which is a part of the total farm emissions. Nevertheless, treating manure in storage sheds to decrease NH3 emissions may be more readily implemented than treatment inside the layer houses because of potential bird health concerns and possible detrimental effects of the treatment on the housing equipment. The laboratory-scale experiments reported here examined the efficacy of 4 commercially available treatment agents, topically applied to laying hen manure at 3 different dosages, in decreasing NH3 emissions from the manure storage. The treatment agents included zeolite, 2 forms of Al + Clear (aluminum sulfate, 48.5% liquid and granular), Ferix-3 (ferric sulfate), and Poultry Litter Treatment (PLT, sodium bisulfate). All the tested agents showed appreciable NH3 emission reduction of 33 to 94%. In all cases, the greatest application dosage provided little additional NH3 reduction as compared with the medium dosage (P > 0.70). Comparison among the dry granular Al + Clear, Ferix-3, and PLT in reduction of NH3 emission over a 7-d manure storage period showed no significant difference when the agents were applied at 0.5 kg/m 2 of manure surface area (P = 0.40) but greater reduction for Al + Clear (92 ± 3%) and Ferix-3 (90 ± 1%) as compared with PLT (81 ± 2%) when applied at 1.0 kg/m 2 (P < 0.01). Further field verification tests of the laboratory-scale findings are warranted.

Combination of radio frequency identification (RFID) and field verification tests of interior decorating materials

In recent years, Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) has been considered an important technology affecting the development of industries around the world and is valued in many fields. In the construction industry, RFID benefits construction engineering and management by improving efficiency and control. This study describes the influence of combination manners of RFID and interior decorating materials on RFID system recognition by identifying appropriate combination manners and tag space layouts. The main study results include (1) building materials' influence on effects of RFID, (2) readable distance between tags and readers, and (3) electronic wave penetration of passive tags. Limitations of the RFID applications on material management were also identified.

The strain field method for structural damage identification using Brillouin optical fibersensing

The theory of the strain field (SF) method using Brillouin optical fiber sensing(BOFS) is proposed for structural damage identification in this paper. Field testverification of this method was carried out by implementing a destructive loadingtest to an existing prestressed concrete bridge. A series of structural damagescenarios were thus produced for identification. A sub-matrix featuring the damagescenarios was first extracted from the space–time matrix to obtain the strain fielddistribution in space–time coordinates. Furthermore, other feature extractionoperations, including row vector extraction, column vector extraction and boundaryextraction, were performed to characterize the structural damage behavior anddamage evolution patterns. Finally, damage localization and quantification weresuccessfully implemented in both space and time domains in terms of a damageindex vector array. The investigation results demonstrated the SF method usingBOFS is a feasible and efficient approach for structural damage identification.