• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• 제58권1호
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• pp.21-38
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• 2016

Many studies have been carried out to investigate the important factors in calculating the realistic entropy amount of water distribution networks, but none of them have considered both mechanical and hydraulic characteristics of the networks. Also, the entropy difference in various networks has not been calculated exactly. Therefore, this study suggested a modified entropy function to calculate the informational entropy of water distribution networks so that the order of demand nodes and entropy difference among various networks could be calculated by taking into account both mechanical and hydraulic characteristics of the network. This modification was performed through defining a coefficient in the entropy function as the amount of outflow at each node to all dissipated power in the network. Hence, a more realistic method for calculating entropy was presented by considering both mechanical and hydraulic characteristics of network while keeping simplicity. The efficiency of the suggested method was evaluated by calculating the entropy of some sample water networks using the modified function.

• Computers and Concrete
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• 제14권1호
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• pp.91-107
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• 2014

Using the principle of damage mechanics, zero-thickness pore pressure cohesive elements (PPCE) are used to simulate the casing-cement interface (CCI) and cement-rock interface (CRI). The traction-separation law describes the emergence and propagation of the PPCE. Mohr-coulomb criteria determines the elastic and plastic condition of cement sheath and rock. The finite element model (FEM) of delamination fractures emergence and propagation along the casing-cement-rock (CCR) interfaces during hydraulic fracturing is established, and the emergence and propagation of fractures along the wellbore axial and circumferential direction are simulated. Regadless of the perforation angle (the angle between the perforation and the max. horizontal principle stress), mirco-annulus will be produced alonge the wellbore circumferential direction when the cementation strength of the CCI and the CRI is less than the rock tensile strength; the delamination fractures are hard to propagate along the horizontal wellbore axial direction; emergence and propagation of delamination fractures are most likely produced on the shallow formation when the in-situ stresses are lower; the failure mode of cement sheath in the deep well is mainly interfaces seperation and body damange caused by cement expansion and contraction, or pressure testing and well shut-in operations.

• Geomechanics and Engineering
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• 제2권3호
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• pp.213-227
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• 2010

Compacted layers of sand-bentonite mixtures have been proposed and used in a variety of geotechnical projects as engineered barriers for the enhancement of impervious landfill liners, cores of zoned earth dams and radioactive waste repository systems. This paper presents a study on the valorization of local materiel such as dune sand from Laghouat region and mine bentonite intended for the realization of liner base layers in the conception of insulation barriers for hazardous waste centers. In the practice we try to get an economical mixture that satisfies the hydraulic and mechanical properties specified by regulation rules. The effect of the bentonite additions on the mixture is reflected by its capability of clogging the matrix pores upon swelling. In order to get an adequate dune sand-bentonite mixture, an investigation on hydraulic and mechanical behaviours is carried out in this study for different mixtures. Using oedometer test, the adequate bentonite addition to the mixture, which satisfies the conditions on permeability, is found to be around 12% to 15%. These results are also confirmed by direct measurement using triaxial cell.

• Computers and Concrete
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• 제18권2호
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• pp.267-278
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• 2016

In order to observe the internal damage of concrete in real time, we introduced acoustic emission nondestructive detecting technology into a series of fracture tests; the test results revealed the whole process that concrete undergoes when it sustains damage that leads to failure, according to the change rules of the acoustic emission parameters. The results showed that both the initiation and unstable loads can be accurately determined using the abrupt change of the acoustic emission rate curves and the turning point of the acoustic emission parameters' accumulative curves. The whole process, from damage to failure, includes five phases, beginning with damage, such as cracking, a stable crack growth process, a critical unstable stage, and unstable propagation. The brittle fracture characteristics of concrete change when steel bars are joined, because the steel bars and the concrete structure bond, which causes an increase in the acoustic emission signals within the fracture process of the reinforced concrete. The unstable propagation stage is also extended. Our research results provide a valid methodology and technical explanations, which can help researchers to monitor the cracking process of concrete structures, in real time, during actual projects.

• Membrane and Water Treatment
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• 제8권2호
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• pp.185-199
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• 2017

Low-pressure membrane filtration is increasingly used for tertiary treatment of wastewater effluent organic matter (EfOM), mainly comprising organic base/neutral compounds. In-line coagulation with underdosing, charge neutralization, and sweep floc conditions prior to ultrafiltration (UF) was studied to determine removals of the EfOM components and consequent reduction of fouling using polyethersulfone membranes. Coagulation and UF substantially reduced fouling for all coagulation conditions while removing from 7 to 38% of EfOM organic acids. From 7 to 16% of EfOM organic base/neutrals were removed at neutral pH but there was no significant removal for slightly acid coagulation conditions even though fouling was substantially reduced. Sweep floc produced the lowest resistance to filtration but may be inappropriate for in-line use due to the large added volume of solids. Charge-neutralization resulted in poor recovery of the initial flux with hydraulic cleaning. Under-dosing paralleled sweep floc in reducing hydraulic resistance to filtration (for sub-critical flux) and the initial flux was also easily recovered with hydraulic cleaning. Hydrophobic and hydrophilic base/neutrals were identified on the fouled membranes but as previously reported the extent of fouling was not correlated with accumulation of organic base/neutrals.

• Wind and Structures
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• 제29권1호
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• pp.43-53
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• 2019

Vortex-induced vibration of three circular cylinders (each of diameter D) in an equilateral triangular arrangement is investigated using the immersed boundary method. The cylinders, with one placed upstream and the other two side-by-side downstream, are free to vibrate in the cross-flow direction. The cylinder center-to-center spacing L is adopted as L/D = 2.0. Other parameters include the Reynolds number Re = 100, mass ratio $m^*=2.0$, reduced velocity $U_r=2{\sim}15$ and damping ratio ${\zeta}=0$. Cylinder vibration responses are dependent on $U_r$ and classified into five regimes, i.e. Regime I ($U_r{\leq}3.2$), Regime II ($3.2<U_r{\leq}5.0$), Regime III ($5.0<U_r{\leq}6.4$), Regime IV ($6.4<U_r{\leq}9.2$) and Regime V ($U_r>9.2$). Different facets of vibration amplitude, hydrodynamic forces, wake patterns and displacement spectra are extracted and presented in detail for each regime.

• Geomechanics and Engineering
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• 제17권3호
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• pp.271-278
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• 2019

In recent years, the crack accidents of earth and rockfill dams occur frequently. It is urgent to study the tensile strength and tensile failure mechanism of the gravelly soil in the core for the anti-crack design of the actual high earth core rockfill dam. Based on the self-developed uniaxial tensile test device, a series of uniaxial tensile test was carried out on gravelly soil with different gravel content. The compaction test shows a good linear relationship between the optimum water content and gravel content, and the relation curve of optimum water content versus maximum dry density can be fitting by two times polynomial. For the gravelly soil under its optimum water content and maximum dry density, as the gravel content increased from 0% to 50%, the tensile strength of specimens decreased from 122.6 kPa to 49.8 kPa linearly. The peak tensile strain and ultimate tensile strain all decrease with the increase of the gravel content. From the analysis of fracture energy, it is proved that the tensile capacity of gravelly soil decreases slightly with the increasing gravel content. In the case that the sample under the maximum dry density and the water content higher than the optimum water content, the comprehensive tensile capacity of the sample is the strongest. The relevant test results can provide support for the anti-crack design of the high earth core rockfill dam.

• Advances in concrete construction
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• 제14권1호
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• pp.57-70
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• 2022

The spiral case concrete (SCC) used in the underground powerhouse of large hydropower stations is complex, difficult to pour, and has high requirements for temperature control and crack prevention. In this study, based on the closed-loop control theory of "multi-source sensing, real analysis, and intelligent control", a new intelligent cooling control system (ICCS) suitable for the SCC is developed and is further applied to the Wudongde large-scale underground powerhouse. By employing the site monitoring data, numerical simulation, and field investigation, the temperature control quality of the SCC is evaluated. The results show that the target temperature control curve can be accurately tracked, and the temperature control indicators such as the maximum temperature can meet the design requirements by adopting the ICCS. Moreover, the numerical results and site investigation indicate that a safety factor of the spiral case structure was sure, and no cracking was found in the concrete blocks, by which the effectiveness of the system for improving the quality of temperature control of the SCC is verified. Finally, an intelligent cooling control procedure suitable for the SCC is proposed, which can provide a reference for improving the design and construction level for similar projects.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• 제54권1호
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• pp.121-133
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• 2015

The aluminum dome has been widely used in natatorium, oil storage tank, power plant, coal, as well as other industrial buildings and structures. However, few research has focused on the structural behavior and design method of this dome. At present, most designs of aluminum alloy domes have referred to theories and methods of steel spatial structures. However, aluminum domes and steel domes have many differences, such as elasticity moduli, roof structures, and joint rigidities, which make the design and analysis method of steel spatial structures not fully suitable for aluminum alloy dome structures. In this study, a stability analysis method, which can consider structural imperfection, member initial curvature, semi-rigid joint, and skin effect, was presented and used to study the stability behavior of aluminum dome structures. In addition, some meaningful conclusions were obtained, which could be used in future designs and analyses of aluminum domes.

• Structural Monitoring and Maintenance
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• 제2권1호
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• pp.49-64
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• 2015

This paper presents a method for assessing the risk of wave run-up and overtopping of existing coastal defences and for analysing the probability of failure of the structures under future hydraulic conditions. The recent UK climate projections are employed in the investigations of the influence of changing environments on the long-term performance of sea defences. In order to reduce the risk of wave run-up and overtopping caused by rising sea level and to maintain the present-day allowances for wave run-up height and overtopping discharge, the future necessary increase in crest level of existing structures is investigated. Various critical failure mechanisms are considered for reliability analysis, i.e., erosion of crest by wave overtopping, failure of seaside revetment, and internal erosions within earth sea dykes. The time-dependent reliability of sea dykes is analysed to give probability of failure with time. The results for an example earth dyke section show that the necessary increase in crest level is approximately double of sea level rise to maintain the current allowances. The probability of failure for various failure modes of the earth dyke has a significant increase with time under future hydraulic conditions.