Fire-resistance, physical, and mechanical characterization of particleboard containing Oceanic Posidonia waste

In this work, particleboards manufactured with Oceanic Posidonia waste and bonded with cement are investigated. The particleboards are made with 3/1.5/0.5 parts of cement per part of Posidonia waste. The physical properties of bulk density, swelling, surface absorption, and dimensional changes due to relative humidity as well as the mechanical properties of modulus of elasticity, bending strength, surface soundness, perpendicular tensile strength and impact resistance are studied. In terms of the above properties, the best results were obtained for particleboards with high cement content and when the waste “leaves” are treated (crushed) before board fabrication, due to internal changes to the board structure under these conditions. Based on the results of fire tests, the particleboard is non-flammable without any fire-resistant treatment.

Plant regeneration functional groups modulate the response to fire of soil enzyme activities in a Mediterranean shrubland

Soil enzymes are critical to soil nutrient cycling function but knowledge on the factors that control their response to major disturbances such as wildfires remains very limited. We evaluated the effect of fire-related plant functional traits (resprouting and seeding) on the resistance and resilience to fire of two soil enzyme activities involved in phosphorus and carbon cycling (acid phosphatase and β-glucosidase) in a Mediterranean shrublands in SE Spain. Using experimental fires, we compared four types of shrubland microsites: SS (vegetation patches dominated by seeder species), RR (patches dominated by resprouter species), SR (patches co-dominated by seeder and resprouter species), and IP (shrub interpatches). We assessed pre- and post-fire activities of the target soil enzymes, available P, soil organic C, and plant cover dynamics over three years after the fire. Post-fire regeneration functional groups (resprouter, seeder) modulated both pre- and post-fire activity of acid phosphatase and β-glucosidase, with higher activity in RR and SR patches than in SS patches and IP. However, we found no major differences in enzyme resistance and resilience between microsite types, except for a trend towards less resilience in SS patches. Fire similarly reduced the activity of both enzymes. However, acid phosphatase and β-glucosidase showed contrasting post-fire dynamics. While β-glucosidase proved to be rather resilient to fire, fully recovering three years after fire, acid phosphatase showed no signs of recovery in that period. Overall, the results indicate a positive influence of resprouter species on soil enzyme activity that is very resistant to fire. Long-lasting decrease in acid phosphatase activity probably resulted from the combined effect of P availability and post-fire drought. Our results provide insights on how plant functional traits modulate soil biochemical and microbiological response to fire in Mediterranean fire-prone shrublands.

Evaluating the Effectiveness of Post Fire Emergency Rehabilitation Treatments on Soil Degradation and Erosion Control in Semi-Arid Mediterranean Areas of the Spanish South East

In this study, we seeded a native plant species and applied a mulch of chopped wood originating from the same burned area to avoid the establishment of invasive species. We evaluated four treatments: (1) seeding, (2) mulch, (3) seeding and mulch, and (4) control. Our objective was to increase plant recovery and to minimize the soil erosion and degradation. The study was conducted in Alicante, Spain in Torremanzanas forest of the semi-arid Mediterranean bioclimatic area after the wildfire of November, 2002. During three years of monitoring, we find that combined treatment: seeding and mulch increased the post fire plant recovery 20% approximately more than the rest of treatments and the control plots. We also found that seven months after treating mulch and seeding and mulch treatments presented a gain of soil: +5.18 to + 5.24 mm while the seeding treatment and control plots presented soil loss rates of: −0.48 to −0.49 mm. In addition, mulch treatment significantly decreased soil compaction to the half, and increased the infiltration capacity to 40 ml.mn−1 more than in plots without mulch, as well as increased the soil respiration to the double compared with no mulch plots. Work in progress confirms the positive effect of chopped wood as mulching treatment with or without seeding on the soil protection against soil erosion, and the amelioration of bio-physical properties after wildfires in the Mediterranean semi-arid burned areas.

How can an invasive grass affect fire behavior in a tropical savanna? A community and individual plant level approach

Some invasive grasses have been reported to change fire behavior in invaded plant communities. Urochloa brizantha is an aggressive invasive grass in the Brazilian Cerrado, an ecosystem where fire is a common disturbance. We investigated the effects of U. brizantha on fire behavior in an open Cerrado physiognomy in Central Brazil. Using experimental burnings we compared fire behavior at both the community and the individual plant level in invaded (UJ) and non-invaded (NJ) areas burned in July. We also assessed the effect of fire season in invaded areas by comparing July (UJ) and October (UO) burnings. We evaluated the following variables: fuel load, fuel moisture, combustion efficiency, maximum fire temperature, flame height, and fire intensity. Additionally, we evaluated the temperatures reached under invasive and native grass tussocks in both seasons. Fuel load, combustion efficiency, and fire intensity were higher in NJ than in UJ, whilst flame height showed the opposite trend. Fuel amount and fire intensity were higher in October than in July. At the individual plant level, U. brizantha moisture was higher than that of native species, however, temperatures reaching ≥600 °C at ground level were more frequent under U. brizantha tussocks than under native grasses. At the community level, the invasive grass modified fire behavior towards lower intensity, lower burning efficiency, and higher flame height. These results provide essential information for the planning of prescribed burnings in invaded Cerrado areas.

Compressive behaviour of a tire recycled steel and textil fiber concrete subjected to fire

The use of rubber aggregates, steel and textile fibres recycled from tires in concrete is a solution that it is being studied by several authors around the world. A few works have been carried out at room temperature but very scarce at high temperatures. This paper presents the results of a research with the aim to evaluate the behaviour at high temperatures of a concrete made with different amounts of recycled textile and steel fibres from tires. The study considered five concrete compositions, with the same water/cement ratio (W/C=0.43), differing only in the type and quantity of fibers incorporated in the mixture. Thus, a reference composition (0% fiber), two compositions with 30 and 70kg/m3 of steel fibers and a composition with 2 and 4kg/m3 of textile fibers from tires were tested. The concrete was tested for a load level of 0.5fcd and different maximum temperature levels (20, 300, 500 and 700ºC).

Experimental research on the residual mechanical properties of an ordinary concretes after fire

This paper summarizes the results of an experimental research to assess the residual mechanical properties of an ordinary concrete after fire. It was studied the influence of the cooling process, the maximum temperature that the concrete was subjected to and the loading level on the residual mechanical properties of calcareous and granite aggregate concretes. The properties studied were the residual compressive, tensile, splitting and flexural strengths and modulus of elasticity. Four levels of temperature; 20, 300, 500 and 700ºC; two loading levels (0.3f and 0.7fcd) and two cooling processes (cooling in the air and by water jet) were tested. The high temperatures attained and the sudden cooling down process on the concrete showed a negative effect on its residual mechanical properties. This effect was more notorious on the residual compression strength than in the other mechanical properties

"An account of books belonging to the late library wch were in the hands of the senior sophisters when it was consumed by fire," ca. 1764

This list appears to be in the hand of Andrew Eliot, Librarian from 1763 to 1767. Books are listed according to format (folio, quarto, octavo) and entries indicate the surname of the student who checked the book out, its author and title, and whether or not the book had since been "returned and sent down." Some entries indicate unusual locations, including "says he returned it to the Pres[ident]" and "Dr. Marsh has it."