Reuse Projects Research Articles

Enhancing project delivery performances in construction through experiential learning and personal constructs: competency development

Schedule delays and cost overruns are common events in construction. The construction industry predominantly suffers from deficient project knowledge management. This paper seeks to develop a conceptual framework to enhance project delivery performances in construction projects adopting project learning approach. The existing patterns, themes and issues correlated with overruns causation and knowledge management in the construction industry are studied to appraise the development of the conceptual framework. It is propagated that if project performance in construction projects is to improve, then experiential learning and personal constructs of project personnel will form an integral part of reusable project knowledge. Continuous project learning ultimately improve competency in project management. Collaborative working environment enriches the quality and quantity of learning in construction settings. Project learning prevents the wastage of time and resources in the reinvention of the same knowledge, minimise rework, inhibit the reoccurrence of past mistakes and repeat project success. The conceptualised project learning framework provides a theoretically corroborated explanation of project performance, underpinned by experiential learning theory and personal construct theory and exploitation of reusable project knowledge.

Secolarizzazione, memoria e nuovi revivals: la difficile riscrittura del presente

The architectural project of re-use, in a context full of historical, cultural and environmental values ​​such as the Alpine one, must inevitably confront with the list of conceptualizations elaborated during the twentieth-century modernity. First of all we have to think about memory which is the main raw material of architecture and its history, a theme on which the culture of restoration has been built, and on which the rhetoric of re-use has been shaped in recent times, with the gradual addition of other contemporaneity values such as soil consumption, sustainability, zero growth. The theme of memory seems in some cases to negotiate the one of secularization, a term that often comes to coincide with modernity. The modernity that has standardized and flattened the Alpine territory, raising questions about the meaning of the “encounter”, its ability to question prejudices, beliefs, and consolidated rhetorics. The “encounter” that takes place in the moment in which the contemporary urban culture succeeds in crossing landscape and Alpine architecture issues, creating disorientation, reopening the eyes of the observer and rebooting history by questioning the present. The “rewriting of the existent” therefore raises issues that are difficult to make explicit, such as the recognition and critical knowledge that are the basis of design responsibility. This is accompanied by the threat caused by a prescriptive approach which, in light of the aspects of control and of technological and environmental management of the mountain context, can lead to the drift of the practice which must be avoided only through the assumption of risk linked to the design itself.

A methodology to analyze the net environmental impacts and building’s cost performance of an adaptive reuse project: a case study of the Waterloo County Courthouse renovations

Adaptive reuse of buildings is considered a superior alternative for the renewal of today’s built environment. However, little research has been done for assessing adaptive reuse building projects in terms of life cycle and Circular Economy. Because of the great impact that the building industry has on the environment, failing to optimize buildings’ useful life can result in their residual life cycle expectancy not being fully exploited, and with it, wasting the resources embedded therein, such as Primary Energy Demand. The aim of this study is to develop and test a methodology to analyze the net environmental impacts as well as the building’s cost performance of an adaptive reuse project. This paper focuses on the analysis of the structural system. Results show that the adaptive reuse of the building structure produces a considerable decrease in the environmental impacts and the construction building cost. Distribution of cost among materials and equipment is different from those for a new building, while the distribution cost for labor remains the similar. This study objectively demonstrates the considerable benefits of the adaptive reuse of the structure of an existing asset. In contrast, the non-structural building subsystems have been identified as an area with high potential for improving the existing inefficiencies during the adaptive reuse process.

Le architetture del fallimento. Strategie e tecniche per il riuso dei progetti incompiuti

The increase in the rate of insolvency of mortgage loans, due to the context of global crisis, has increased the number of unfinished buildings. These areas are financially deficits and sources of negative externalities from an urban point of view. The solution can be offered by reuse projects that transform the forms and functions of previous projects, which have proved incapable of generating utility and profitability. The research investigates whether from some project experiences in Italy it is possible to find valid strategies for the category. Two guidelines for intervention are outlined: reuse or demolition. The choice also exploits the potential of urban planning tools that, conceived for the expansion phase of cities, offer new possibilities even in the regeneration phase.

The Role of Reactive Nitrogen Species in Sensitized Photolysis of Wastewater-Derived Trace Organic Contaminants.

Under conditions typically encountered in the aquatic environment, the absorption of sunlight by nitrite and nitrate leads to the transformation of trace organic contaminants. In addition to the well understood mechanism through which hydroxyl radical (·OH) produced by nitrate and nitrite photolysis oxidizes contaminants, absorption of light also results in the formation of reactive nitrogen species that transform organic contaminants. To assess the importance of this process on the fate of trace organic contaminants, radical quenchers and transformation product analysis were used to discriminate among potential reaction pathways. For sulfamethoxazole, an antibiotic that is frequently detected in municipal wastewater effluent, nitrate and nitrite-sensitized photolysis pathways resulted in production of transformation products that were not detected during direct photolysis or reaction with ·OH. The reactivity of sulfamethoxazole with the reactive species produced when nitrite absorbed sunlight was affected by the presence of hydroxyl radical scavengers, indicating the likely involvement of nitrogen dioxide, which forms when nitrite reacts with hydroxyl radical. Reactive nitrogen species also reacted with emtricitabine, propranolol, and other trace organic contaminants commonly detected in wastewater effluent, indicating the potential importance of this process to the fate of other trace organic contaminants. A kinetic model indicated that reactive nitrogen species could be important to the phototransformation of trace organic contaminants when relatively high concentrations of nitrite are present (e.g., in surface waters receiving reverse osmosis concentrate from potable water reuse projects or in agricultural runoff).

GEOMATICS AND ARCHAEOMETRIC INVESTIGATIONS FOR THE SUSTAINABLE REUSE OF RUINS. THE SANTA CHIARA CONVENT RUIN IN CAGLIARI (SARDINIA)

Abstract. The ruined convent of Santa Chiara, a nodal urban space connecting three historic quarters of Cagliari, has had a key role in the urban life of the city since medieval age. After the suppression of the mendicant orders in 1864 and the violent bombings during the World War II, this monument become a neglected and ruined shell of masonry with no roofs and floors, losing its central role. Several interventions for its conversion as temporal local market and the following restoration and integration works have contributed to stratify these structures nowadays not accessible but valuable benchmarks for reconstructing the history and evolution of the fabric, still unclear. Starting from the archival and bibliographic investigations, then a geomatics and archaeometric investigations of the fabric have allowed to understand and study the building’s forms, geometries, materials, developments, and chronologies. They have also permitted to recognise characteristic features or anomalies, structural morphology, and other structural issues, significant for the definition of sustainable project of reuse.

Usage of Interface Management System in Adaptive Reuse of Buildings

Adaptive reuse of buildings is considered a superior alternative for new construction in terms of sustainability and a disruptive practice in the current capital project delivery model for the renewal of today’s built environment. In comparison to green-field construction projects, adaptive reuse projects require distinct stages, definition of interfaces, decision gates, and planning methods in order to secure the success of the building project. Unfortunately, little research has been done regarding establishing feasible systems for the planning, assessment, and management of adaptive reuse projects, leading to underperforming building projects outcomes. Interface management (IM) can improve renovation projects outcomes by defining appropriate ways to identify, record, monitor, and track project interfaces. IM has the potential of bringing cost and time benefits during adaptive reuse projects execution. The aim of this study is to develop a reference framework for implementing IM for adaptive reuse projects. First, the inefficiencies of redevelopment projects are explained inside of a circular economy (CE) context. Second, an ontology of IM for adaptive reuse projects is defined based on the current barriers to adaptive reuse and the most common interface problems in construction projects. Third, the defined ontology is expanded through a case study by showing examples of adaptive reuse barriers on a case project, and how IM could have been part of the solution for these problems. Finally, this study concludes with the suggestions on interface management systems (IMS) implementation for future adaptive reuse projects.

Linguistic Distribution-Based Optimization Approach for Large-Scale GDM With Comparative Linguistic Information: An Application on the Selection of Wastewater Disinfection Technology

Managing comparative linguistic expressions (CLEs) information is a key issue in group decision-making (GDM). A transformation approach has been previously defined to convert CLEs into hesitant fuzzy linguistic terms sets (HFLTSs). However, it is noted that the occurring possibilities of the linguistic terms in the HFLTSs are assumed equal. This assumption might sometimes not capture the real opinions of the decision makers. Linguistic distribution assessments (LDAs) are an effective way to deal with this issue. This paper develops a linguistic distribution-based optimization approach for converting CLEs into LDAs, in which we assume that decision makers provide their opinions using preference relations with CLEs. Particularly, the proposed optimization approach is based on the use of a consistency-driven methodology, which seeks to minimize the inconsistency level of LDA preference relations obtained by transforming the original CLE preference relations elicited from decision makers. The linguistic distribution-based optimization approach is further developed to transform CLEs into interval LDAs to increase their flexibility. Moreover, society and technology trends make it possible to involve and manage large groups of decision makers in GDM environment. Therefore, a large-scale GDM framework with CLE information is designed based on the linguistic distribution-based optimization approach. To justify the effectiveness and applicability of the proposed methodology, it is applied to solve a real large-scale GDM problem, pertaining the selection of the best sustainable disinfection technique for wastewater reuse projects. A comparison against a baseline method is likewise provided to highlight the advantages and innovations of our proposal.

Water reuse as an incentive to promote sustainable agriculture in Lebanon: Stakeholders' perspectives.

While technical and economic feasibility of water reuse projects is requisite for implementation, issues in relation to cultural values, public acceptability, and perceptions should not be marginalized. This research focuses on examining the Lebanese stakeholders' knowledge, perception, and attitude toward the reuse of treated wastewater and on exploring potential enabling factors. Accordingly, in-depth interviews were conducted with stakeholders from concerned ministries, Lebanese Farmers Syndicate, farmers, and religious figures. The reported perceived barriers are categorized into ethical, religious, social, and economical. Various enabling factors that can ameliorate the management of potential perceived barriers are recommended, including enforcing laws, setting new regulations and quality standards, involving the public all through the project process, ensuring regular monitoring and evaluation, and developing financial policies and mechanisms. Integr Environ Assess Manag 2019;00:000-000. © 2019 SETAC.

Identification and quantification of antibiotic resistant bacteria & Genes in an aquaculture facility which uses a novel bioactive filtering system

The Advanced Biotechnology for Intensive-Freshwater Aquaculture Wastewater Reuse (ABAWARE) project, which is part of the European Commission’s Water Joint Programming Initiative 2016 Joint Call, aims to increase the efficiency and resilience of water use in aquaculture and minimise its negative impact on the environment and human health. This research, which forms one part of the total ABAWARE project, aimed to ascertain the impact of using microbiota and certain plant species, in conjuncture with a more traditional Recirculated Aquaculture System (RAS), as a filtering system had on the arb and G abundance in various samples taken from an aquaculture facility. Sediment and water samples were taken from the inflow, the main fish basin, after the bioactive ponds before filtration, and after filtration. The resistance genes present in these samples were detected using the Wafergen smartchip real-time qPCR system. This system allows for the simultaneous quantification of 348 distinct Antibiotic Resistance Genes for each sample. The samples also underwent microbiome analysis via 16S rRNA metagenomic sequencing. Mothur was used to analyse the sequencing data. This data informs us of the changes in the microbial population changes that are enacted by the various stages within the aquaculture facility.

Hunan University Campus “Teaching and Research Building Two” Preservation and Reuse Design

Hunan University Campus is an architecturally and historically relevant academic facility complex set in the city of Changsha, in People’s Republic of China Hunan Province. Its modern era masterplan construction started in the 1920s, Teaching and Research Building Two” was the first building finished in 1926. In 2015 has been enlisted in “China Sites of Cultural Relics Protected at National Level” lists. As an international and multidisciplinary team the authors were, with different roles, called to study the building history, define its problems and decay episodes, and design solutions for its preservation and social and functional reactivation. In this scenario the present work will outline the results of the researches done on the building giving a brief overall view but mainly focusing on those aspects that had major impact on many choices in the subsequent phases. Then the general field diagnostic on the building will be presented, focusing again briefly on the general methodologies and results, then getting more specific into those aspects that had major influence in the project part. The design phase will be constituted by two aspects: The Preservation and the Reuse Design. As it might be evident, the first will concentrate on removing the most prominent decay episodes and their causes from the structure, the second will focus on the insertion of new functions and the subsequent user needs to ensure a contemporary life to the building. Apart from these basics it will be though evident that the reuse design strategies that are intended to enhance the user experience are directly connected to the conservation guidelines, trying to trace a common “minimum intervention driven” and “immediate awareness of the contemporary additions in the palimpsest” design strategy that will not hinder the problem solving aims nor the contemporary standards and expectations. In fact these two design aspects, even if presented as separate chapters for better comprehension, will appear as solidly interwoven: the common conservation aim and the firm interdependence of the strategies between the preservation and the reuse project as well as how these strategies are intermixed in the historical palimpsest layers of the building will possibly result as one of the most interesting aspect of this paper, and potentially an interesting case-study in modern building preservation design methodologies panorama.

Preservation Practice between Identity and Social Issues: The Case of Gayantou Ethnic Village in Yongzhou, China

Ganyantou village is located in the southern part of the Hunan Province in China. The village is located between Jingshui river and Xianshui river, not casually, Ganyantou means “village positioned between two rivers”. The Black Gate House, the studied site, is one of the six ancient rural residential complexes of the village. It was built in 1638, during the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), and belonged to the Zhou family. In the last decades the Hunan Province Administration has been facing the decline of the cities’ quality of life, being overcrowding-related problems one of the main social issues in big cities. As an attempt to solve the problem the Administration in collaboration with Hunan University, is trying to encourage rural village residents to remain in the countryside by building new villages – with appealing urban standards – or in the best cases, by restoring the existing buildings. The aim of the research was also to investigate the site regarding its materials, its construction techniques and, above all, the problems and causes of its deterioration and its structural instability, resulting in a conservation and reuse draft project afterwards. The specificity of the survey was its limited use of technology, in order to give students a replicable methodology for any similar case study. The geometric, material and deterioration survey in fact, was carried out on a simple and traditional way, with precise and scientifically correct techniques. Students were able to learn a fast and low-cost, yet correct methodology concerning direct data acquisition, an essential phase prior a conservation and reuse project proposal.

Seeds of Progress

Kindergarteners are encouraged to plant seeds in little cups and watch them grow. As they record the changes, they may learn things that are not dissimilar to when organizations pick a strategy, plant a strategic “seed,” and then after some time look at the organizational “plant” that has grown. Such is the case for AWWA's commitment to Total Water Solutions (TWS), which was a seed planted five years ago by the AWWA board in support of its strategy to invest, advance, and expand knowledge resources for drinking water and total water solutions. What is exciting is how this TWS seed is now providing solutions to the entire water sector. While there are many examples I can highlight, I will focus on only three here. Some introductory context may be helpful. When AWWA committed to TWS, it did so with the realization that all waters (i.e., wastewater, stormwater, reuse, and others) eventually become source water for drinking water. Because AWWA cares deeply about protecting and improving source water, it committed to developing solutions-based approaches that would span traditional water sector silos. Also, AWWA knew that, for years, the top two concerns of the water sector have been replacing aging infrastructure and financing it—AWWA wants TWS to help solve these problems as well. My first TWS example is the Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act (WIFIA). WIFIA is a low-interest-rate loan program administered by the US Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) that provides financing solutions for all types of water infrastructure projects. AWWA was the original architect of this financing program, which began at USEPA as a pilot program and has since moved out of its pilot stage. Demand for WIFIA loans has surpassed expectations. USEPA has already closed on six of the 12 loans from the first round of offerings and now, with greater funding, is evaluating the second round of applications. In response to applications from 2017 and 2018, USEPA is poised to offer loans totaling $7.4 billion to 51 entities. Over half of the funding targets solutions for wastewater infrastructure, 20% targets drinking water infrastructure, 12% supports water reuse projects, and the remaining funds are spread across stormwater, state revolving fund, and multi-purpose infrastructure projects. Another huge benefit of WIFIA is the savings communities will realize. USEPA estimates that for the first six loans it has made, the communities will save just shy of $700 million by using WIFIA funding. The TWS benefits—for all waters—speak for themselves. The second TWS example is the $4 billion allocation in the Farm Bill, which will help protect drinking source water. To achieve this historic outcome, AWWA undertook a multi-year, coordinated effort that included a close partnership with the US Department of Agriculture (USDA), testimony before Congressional committees, and public outreach. The result was legislation that included robust funding over a 10-year period for farming conservation practices that protect drinking water sources and benefits for farmers who employ practices that benefit downstream water. Importantly, the funding allows community water systems to work with state technical committees to identify local priority areas for source water protection. AWWA's partnership with the USDA was key to this extraordinary outcome and is a powerful example of the benefits that can be gained by working collaboratively across historical silos. The TWS benefit of this partnership fits neatly into the framework that all waters—including nonpoint source agricultural water—eventually become source water for drinking water. Finally, I'd like to briefly highlight the Partnership for Clean Water (PCW). The PCW is a wastewater utility optimization and recognition program that began in 2016. The program has 60 utility subscribers that collectively serve more than eight million people. It is modeled after the Partnership for Safe Water, which has successfully helped drinking water utilities optimize performance for more than 20 years. The PCW was developed by wastewater professionals to focus on wastewater treatment plant optimization, with the goal of improving effluent water quality through operations rather than capital investment. It also strives to provide a margin of safety beyond current regulatory requirements—and to achieve this in as energy-efficient a manner as possible. For example, after performing an energy audit, one of the subscribers expects to save over a quarter-million dollars a year in energy costs from just one of its wastewater plants—an 18 mgd facility—and it has several others to which the optimization may be scaled. There are many other examples of how AWWA's TWS seed has grown, and each in its own way demonstrates the importance of taking a risk, having a strategy, envisioning a goal, and working hard to achieve it. TWS may not yet be the equivalent of Jack's fabled bean stalk, but who knows—one day, it just might be.

INTEGRATED 3D SURVEY AND DIAGNOSTIC ANALYSIS FOR THE BUILDING ENGINEERING: THE FORMER KINDERGARTEN SAN FILIPPO NERI IN DALMINE

Abstract. The paper aims to emphasise the positive contribution that the 3D laser scanning and digital photogrammetry survey, integrated with diagnostic analysis techniques, can make in the field of construction engineering. The case study of the former kindergarten San Filippo Neri in Dalmine intends to contribute to the development of methodologies and operational tools related to the knowledge and conservation of modern and contemporary heritage. After archival research aimed at retracing the building's technical-constructive evolution, the study was extended out through the metric and morphological survey of both its external walls and internal spaces, paying special attention to the analysis of the deformations of the large horizontal surfaces, such as floors and ceilings. Diagnostic investigations – thermographic and microclimatic – have completed the survey campaign, so allowed to read both the envelope and the substance of the building, and to identify the critical issues. This work adopts and shows the correct glide slope to succeed in an adaptive reuse project in which the design stage can result solely from the in-depth study of the building.

Assessment of Adaptive Reuse Practices through User Experiences: Traditional Houses in the Walled City of Nicosia

The conservation of traditional residential architecture is crucial in terms of sociocultural continuity. When the traditional houses are no longer used for residential purposes, new functions should be assigned to them for the continuity of the heritage buildings. However, new functions should respect the originality of the heritage building. This research focuses on the conservation and reuse of traditional houses located in the walled city of Nicosia. The walled city is divided into two parts as north and south with a buffer zone between the two. This paper includes case studies of re-functioned traditional houses from the two parts. The study questions the appropriateness of the new functions that have been assigned to the traditional houses both in the northern and southern parts of the city. This research aims to measure and compare the success of the adaptive reuse practices through user experiences. As the method of study, the literature survey was carried out to identify different aspects of adaptive reuse projects. Then, selected buildings were observed through site surveys in order to discover the current condition of the adaptive reuse projects. The third step was to complete the questionnaires with different users in order to question the success of the adaptive reuse projects through the user experience. Finally, the collected data were evaluated and discussed. The respondents were asked to answer questions about each building, which are organized under the three categories of sociocultural, economic, and physical aspects of the heritage buildings. As observed with the evaluated case studies, heritage buildings that are re-functioned with the public use, such as commercial, cultural, and educational use, are more successful in contributing to the sociocultural and economic development of the city. The preservation and reuse of abandoned traditional houses in the walled city contribute to the continuity and livability of the city. For the continuity of the heritage buildings, sociocultural, economic, and physical aspects should be taken into consideration with a holistic approach.

Interpreting Farmers’ Perceptions of Risks and Benefits Concerning Wastewater Reuse for Irrigation: A Case Study in Emilia-Romagna (Italy)

Water recycling is becoming progressively more important as the need for Integrated Urban Water Management (IUWM) is increasing to ensure a transition towards a more sustainable use for water. Perceptions and public acceptance of water reuse are recognised as paramount factors for the successful introduction of wastewater reuse projects, regardless of the strength of scientific evidence in their favour. This article analyses perceptions of risks and benefits of using treated wastewater for irrigation purposes in agriculture when dealing with different crops. Data from an original farmer survey are analysed through descriptive statistics and a classification tree approach. The study reveals limited knowledge of wastewater treatment, yet a good level of openness towards the reuse of wastewater for irrigation. A lower risk perception and a higher acceptance level are mainly explained by positive expectations with regard to the environmental characteristics of effluent water, higher education, and specific cropping choices. Enhancing information availability is also found to positively affect social acceptance. The ease of converting current water-management practices to the new water source explains the perceived benefits of reusing water.

Purifying Water: Responding to Public Opposition to the Implementation of Direct Potable Reuse in California

Direct Potable Reuse (DPR) is a method of recycling wastewater to create a potable water source. DPR is a particularly useful technology in arid, drought-prone regions, including California, because it is a self-sustaining water source. Despite being safe, efficient, and useful, potable reuse methods, including DPR, have faced intense public opposition. Such opposition has stopped several projects in California.In January 2018, California State Assembly Bill 574 (AB 574) took effect. AB 574 requires California’s State Water Resources Control Board to adopt regulations for DPR by 2023, so long as the regulations are found to adequately protect public health. Once adopted, California would become the first state to have uniform regulations for DPR. But while uniform regulations will be an important step toward the realization of DPR technology, California’s success in implementing DPR will ultimately depend on public acceptance of DPR as a legitimate source of water.This Comment seeks to provide California’s state and local governments with strategies to garner public support for DPR projects. First, this Comment provides a framework for gaining public acceptance of DPR. Second, this Comment explains why California is well-suited to the adoption of DPR technology, and describes California’s history with potable reuse. Third, this Comment illustrates the main obstacle to DPR—public opposition—through a series of case studies. Fourth and finally, this Comment applies the framework for gaining public acceptance to the case studies to illustrate a holistic approach to legitimizing DPR. “When was sewage ever classified as being pure?” asked the Revolting Grandmas, a San Diego grassroots group.[1] The Grandmas were revolting against recycling wastewater for potable use, also known as ‘potable reuse.’ They feared waterborne illness, distrusted the purification technology, and were simply disgusted by the idea of drinking water that once went down someone’s toilet.[2] And they were not alone in their concerns. Public opposition to recycled wastewater has stopped several potable reuse projects in California. Public concerns about recycled wastewater derive, in part, from an ancient human fear of waterborne disease that has complicated mankind’s relationship with water: “[t]here is no life without water. Indeed, we use its presence as an indicator for the possibility of life beyond the earth. But drinking water can kill, and always has.”[3] [1]. See Cal. Dep’t of Water Res., Water Recycling 2030: Recommendations of California’s Recycled Water Task Force app. at G-52 (2003), https://water.ca.gov/LegacyFiles/pubs/use/water_recycling_2030/recycled_water_tf_report_2003.pdf [https://perma.cc/9MQ2-Y54H]. [2]. Seeid. app. at G-58. [3]. James Salzman, Drinking Water: A History 21 (2012).

A technical-economical approach to promote the water treatment & reuse processes

Despite the emergency of water scarcity, the man's choices have always been directed towards the mismanagement of this vital resource; drinking water is far from being a right for everyone and is rather scarce and poorly distributed in many areas of the world. The aim of this work is to set up a water cost evaluation methodology based on the energetic equivalence among all the possible treatment strategies, water sources and water end-uses. An economic incentive is proposed on the basis of the thermodynamic and process analysis of a Wastewater Treatment & Reuse (WWTR) Plant. The analysis extends our previous approach to the whole panorama of the water-cycle related technologies. The energy use intensity of different (in-series) process of a water reuse project has been addressed: from the COD and nutrient removal, to the energy harvesting and to the separation of dissolved ions. The incentive is able to reward the processes having the goal of low energy consumption and low carbon emissions. The methodology has been applied to WWTR projects at different scales. The results showed that it is possible to obtain an acceptable Return of Investment (ROI), even for a low plant productivity (around 200 m3/day). Moreover, based on the profitability of the WWTR Project, the calculation of the “true value” of the “water source” has been presented. An acceptable price of waster (as a commodity) is evaluated for both wastewater and seawater by varying the potentiality of the water reclamation plant. This calculation could be implemented to evaluate the economic benefit of public investment as well as to reduce the use of water from non-renewable sources.

Unsaturated behaviour of a stabilized marine sediment: A comparison of cement and GGBS binders

In order to ascertain the contaminant-encapsulation potential of stabilized soil, an understanding of its unsaturated hydraulic behaviour, specifically the Soil Water Retention Curve (SWRC), is paramount. In this paper, centrifuge testing was used to obtain SWRCs for sediment dredged from an Irish harbour, stabilized with Ordinary Portland cement (OPC) and Ground Granulated Blast Furnace Slag (GGBS) binders. The effects of the different binder proportions and different curing times on both the Unconfined Compressive Strength (UCS) and SWRC were investigated, with the support of Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) data. The Fredlund and Xing (1994) empirical model was found to provide the best fit to the stabilized sediment SWRCs. The water holding capacity was found to increase with increased binder content, increased GGBS proportion in the binder and increased curing time, suggesting that high-GGBS binders are most suitable for locking in contaminants. An examination of relationships between one of the model parameters (Air Entry Value, AEV) and UCS further highlights differences in strength and water retention mechanisms between the two binder combinations. In addition to its well-known environmental credentials, this research highlights the technical merits in using GGBS in contaminated sediment reuse projects.

1st INCF Workshop on Mouse and Rat Brain Digital Atlasing Systems

The recommendations of this workshop group center around the mission of INCF “to contribute to the development of scalable, portable, and extensible digital applications that can be used by neuroscience laboratories to further knowledge of the human brain and related diseases.” Our expectation is that in the near future, research will involve intense interactions among scientists and computer networks at the level of ideas and dynamic reusable data. Neuroscientists will place greater reliance on stable web-enabled knowledgebases and will move away from rigid legacy models involving static research summaries and one-way non-digital communication. Atlases and spatial indexes will play a fundamental role in this shifting research landscape and will evolve into critical resources for gathering, securing, analyzing, and communicating research. In the next decade, the standard bearer of scientific progress— the primary research paper—is likely to transition from a sleek and static synopsis of results and conclusions to a more complete, dynamic, and re-computable encapsulation of data and interpretation. This transition is already evident in the fields of genomics and bioinformatics in which papers are often pointers to massive data sets, analytic tools, and other appendix material. It is likely that a typical 3rd-millenium neuroscience communication/publication will include accessible data sets with full metadata, far more complete details on experimental design, and an enriched discussion section including interactive content such as a forum for genuine discussion between the lead authors and a larger community of reviewers and commentators. Web-accessible brain atlases and spatial indexes will undoubtedly be among the most important tools needed to transition gracefully from our static synopsis mode of publication to a data-rich, dynamic, multidimensional mode of scientific interaction. Atlases will be key query tools as they appeal to our preference for visual exploration of complex data sets. Thus, this is a crucial time for an international community of neuroscientists to begin to converge on a lingua franca for digital neuroscience atlases, less with the goal of enforcing conformity, than with the goal of building resources and tools that translate among existing and future atlasing systems and their terminologies. This kind of transnational and translational activity ideally matches the mission of the INCF in the domain of digital atlasing. With these longer-term objectives in mind, the 1st INCF Mouse and Rat Atlasing Workshop was held in Stockholm in February 2007. Our first objective was to survey current activities and plans related to mouse and rat brain digital atlasing systems and to produce a broad international inventory of resources and ongoing efforts. The second objective was to review the range of techniques that are being used to build, normalize, segment, and label atlases and to examine what aspects of this technical work are redundant, compatible, and compliant across platforms. The third objective was to forge an international network to foster increased collaboration and interoperability across national, linguistic, and funding barriers and to examine how to promote international collaborations in the future. The final and most important objective of this workshop was to improve the impact of atlasing projects in the near term (5 years) while reducing costs and redundancy of these efforts. Funds spent in support of the INCF secretariat and the national nodes should ultimately be leveraged many times over. Atlasing efforts in each member country should be able to accomplish more as part of a coordinated INCF activity than they would in isolation. To attain this goal, the INCF secretariat and the supporting nodes strongly encourage integration, code reuse, and joint projects. Researcher goals and platforms differ, and all participants at this workshop accept, and even encourage, a wide variety of approaches to brain atlasing. However, all participants also appreciate the enormous benefits that may be gained by combining and integrating across diverse resources.