The total embankment settlement consists of three stages: the initial settlement, the primary consolidation settlement, and the secondary consolidation settlement. The total embankment settlement is largely controlled by the primary consolidation settlement, which is usually computed with numerical models that implement Biot's theory of consolidation. The key parameter that affects the primary consolidation time is the coefficient of permeability. Due to the complex stress and strain states in the foundation soil under the embankment, to be able to predict the consolidation time more precisely, aside from porosity-dependency, the strain-dependency of the coefficient of permeability should be also taken into account in numerical analyses. In this paper, we propose a two-dimensional plane strain numerical model of embankment primary consolidation, which implements Biot's theory of consolidation with both porosity-dependent and strain-dependent coefficient of permeability. We perform several numerical simulations. First, we demonstrate the influence of the strain-dependent coefficient of permeability on the computed results. Next, we validate our numerical model by comparing computed results against in-situ measurements for two road embankments: one near the city of Saga, and the other near the city of Boston. Finally, we give our concluding remarks.

The aim of the work presented in this paper is development of numerical model for prediction of temperature distribution in pavement according to the measured meteorological parameters, with introduction of non-linear heat transfer coefficient which is a function of temerature difference between the air and the pavement. Developed model calculates heat radiated from the pavement back in the air, which is an important part of the heat trasfer process in the open air surfaces. Temperature of the pavement surface, heat radiation together with many meteorological parameters were measured in series during two years in order to validate the model and calibrate model parameters. Special finite element method for temperature heat transfer towards the soil together with the time integration scheme are used to solve the governing equation. It is proved that non-linear heat transfer coefficient, which is a function of time and temperature difference between the air and the pavement, is required to decribe this phenomena. Proposed model includes heat tranfer coefficient callibration for specific climate region, through the iterative inverse procedure.

Wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) are designed and built to remove contaminants from wastewater. WWTPs are composed of various facilities equipped with hydro-mechanical and electrical equipment. This paper presents a comparison of two different approaches for WWTPs modelling. Static modelling is suitable for determining the dimensions of facilities and equipment capacity. The special significance of this approach is for the design of new plants, i.e., when a very small number of input data on the quantities and composition of the influent wastewater is available. Dynamic modelling is expensive, time consuming and requires great expertise in the use of simulators, models and very good understanding of the treatment processes. Also, dynamic modelling is very important to use for optimization, consideration of future scenarios and also possible scenarios on the plant. The comparison of two approaches was made on the input data from the biggest and most important plant in Bosnia and Herzegovina (B&H)-WWTP Butila (Sarajevo). The main idea is to show the differences between two demanding accesses. It is important to know how to apply an adequate approach to research and solve the set task. The II phase of the plant Butila, which includes the removal of nutrients, is planned in several years and therefore the importance of research has increased.

The accurate prediction of elastoplasticity under prescribed workloads is essential in the optimization of engineering structures. Mechanical experiments are carried out with the goal of obtaining reliable sets of material parameters for a chosen constitutive law via inverse identification. In this work, two sample geometries made of high strength steel plates were evaluated to determine the optimal configuration for the identification of Ludwik's nonlinear isotropic hardening law. Finite element model updating(FEMU) was used to calibrate the material parameters. FEMU computes the parameter changes based on the Hessian matrix, and the sensitivity fields that report changes of computed fields with respect to material parameter changes. A sensitivity analysis was performed to determine the influence of the sample geometry on parameter identifiability. It was concluded that the sample with thinned gauge region with a large curvature radius provided more reliable material parameters.

Peltier cells have low efficiency, but they are becoming attractive alternatives for affordable and environmentally clean cooling. In this line, the current article develops closed-form and semianalytical solutions to improve the temperature distribution of Bi₂Te₃ thermoelements. From the distribution, the main objective of the current work-the optimal electric intensity to maximize cooling-is inferred. The general one-dimensional differential coupled equation is integrated for linear and quadratic geometry of thermoelements, under temperature constant properties. For a general shape, a piece-wise solution based on heat flux continuity among virtual layers gives accurate analytical solutions. For variable properties, another piece-wise solution is developed but solved iteratively. Taking advantage of the formulae, the optimal intensity is directly derived with a minimal computational cost; its value will be of utility for more advanced designs. Finally, a parametric study including straight, two linear, barrel, hourglass and vase geometries is presented, drawing conclusions on how the shape of the thermoelement affects the coupled phenomena. A specially developed coupled and non-linear finite element research code is run taking into account all the materials of the cell and using symmetries and repetitions. These accurate results are used to validate the analytical ones.

In this paper we deal with classical instability problems of heterogeneous Euler beam under conservative loading. It is chosen as the model problem to systematically present several possible solution methods from simplest deterministic to more complex stochastic approach, both of which that can handle more complex engineering problems. We first present classical analytic solution along with rigorous definition of the classical Euler buckling problem starting from homogeneous beam with either simplified linearized theory or the most general geometrically exact beam theory. We then present the numerical solution to this problem by using reduced model constructed by discrete approximation based upon the weak form of the instability problem featuring von Karman (virtual) strain combined with the finite element method. We explain how such numerical approach can easily be adapted to solving instability problems much more complex than classical Euler's beam and in particular for heterogeneous beam, where analytic solution is not readily available. We finally present the stochastic approach making use of the Duffing oscillator, as the corresponding reduced model for heterogeneous Euler's beam within the dynamics framework. We show that such an approach allows computing probability density function quantifying all possible solutions to this instability problem. We conclude that increased computational cost of the stochastic framework is more than compensated by its ability to take into account beam material heterogeneities described in terms of fast oscillating stochastic process, which is typical of time evolution of internal variables describing plasticity and damage.