The sustainability and assessment of drystone retaining walls

The art of drystone walling is a highly sustainable traditional practice which uses local materials and craftsmen. As no
mortar is used they have low embodied carbon, and much repair work or rebuilding can be carried out using very little if any new
materials. However local practices developed to suit local materials, leading to a range of construction styles, making them difficult to
assess. This paper examines a range of construction styles of drystone retaining walls in use across the United Kingdom.
Understanding of the substantial variations of construction style is essential to enable proper assessment of these structures. Different
frictional and weathering characteristics, and the naturally occurring shapes of stone found in an area, all affect the ways in which the
stones have traditionally been assembled into walls. Ease of construction also plays a part, as the craftsman will naturally wish to
achieve a robust construction in a way that is economical of time and effort. Aesthetics may be very important, for both client and
craftsman. It is also shown that construction style is influenced by the location and function of the structures, with harbour walls
particularly likely to have unique characteristics, and the reasons for this are explored.

Evolving techniques for characterising and monitoring the stability of infrastructure slopes

Landslides and debris flows, commonly triggered by rainfall, pose a geotechnical risk causing disruption to transport routes and incur significant financial expenditure. With infrastructure maintenance budgets becoming ever more constrained, this paper provides an overview of some of the developing methods being implemented by Queen’s University, Belfast in collaboration with the Department for Regional Development to monitor the stability of two distinctly different infrastructure slopes in Northern Ireland. In addition to the traditional, intrusive ground investigative and laboratory testing methods, aerial LiDAR, terrestrial LiDAR, geophysical techniques and differential Global Positioning Systems have been used to monitor slope stability. Finally, a comparison between terrestrial LiDAR, pore water pressure and soil moisture deficit (SMD) is presented to outline the processes for a more informed management regime and to highlight the season relationship between landslide activity and the aforementioned parameters.

Complex-order dynamics in hexapod locomotion

This paper studies the dynamics of foot–ground interaction in hexapod locomotion systems. For that objective the robot motion is characterized in terms of several locomotion variables and the ground is modelled through a non-linear spring-dashpot system, with parameters based on the studies of soil mechanics. Moreover, it is adopted an algorithm with foot-force feedback to control the robot locomotion. A set of model-based experiments reveals the influence of the locomotion velocity on the foot–ground transfer function, which presents complex-order dynamics.

Armourstone revetments : will standard design criteria prevent failure? /

Bank stabilization structures are used to prevent the loss of valuable land within the urban environment and the decision for the type of structure used depends on the properties of the stream. In the urban areas of Southern Ontario there is a preference for the use of armourstone blocks as bank stabilization. The armourstone revetment is a free standing stone structure with large blocks of stone layered vertically and offset from one another. During fieldwork at Forty Mile Creek in Grimsby, Ontario armourstone failure was identified by the removal of two stones within one column from the wall. Since the footer stones were still in place, toe scour was eliminated as a cause of failure. Through theoretical, field, and experimental work the process of suction has been identified as a mode of failure for the armourstone wall and the process of suction works similarly to quarrying large blocks of rock off bedrock streambeds. The theory of lateral suction has previously not been taken into consideration for the design of these walls. The physical and hydraulic evidence found in the field and studied during experimental work indicate that the armourstone wall is vulnerable to the process of suction. The forces exerted by the flow and the resistance of the block determine the stability of the armourstone block within the wall. The design of the armourstone wall, high surface velocities, and short pulses of faster flowing water within the profile could contribute to armourstone failure by providing the forces needed for suction to occur, therefore adjustments to the design of the wall should be made in order to limit the effect.

La relació entre el valor N30 de L'SPT i la resistència a la compressió simple

The unconfined compression strength is a geotechnical parameter frequently used to determine the bearing capacity of foundations on clayey soils. Its value can be obtained from the unconfined compression test and, among several in situ tests, the standard penetration test (SPT). However, a comparison between the values of such a strength determined by both tests in CL, CL-ML and CH soils shows that it does not exist an approximate relationship. In any case it is remarkable that values of the test conducted in the laboratory fit between the lower and the higher ones calculated from the standard penetration number. This is very important for those geotechnical reports in which the unconfined compression strength is only based on the SPT. In this way, if the lower value is taken to evaluate the ultimate soilbearing capacity the result will not be very accurate but it will probably be by the side of safety

Fundações superficiais para linhas de transmissão em argilas moles saturadas

As fundações empregadas para linhas de transmissão de alta tensão em depósitos de argilas moles saturadas são geralmente estacas. No Rio Grande do Sul, projetos alternativos com fundações superficiais foram empregados em forma experimental para torres de suspensão, as quais apresentaram bom desempenho com menor custo. Esta pesquisa visa apontar critérios racionais da mecânica dos solos que permitam projetar, a partir do conhecimento do perfil de resistência não drenada, fundações superficiais em depósitos de argilas moles saturadas com maior confiabilidade. Para a determinaçao do perfil de resistência não drenada foi desenvolvido um cone manual com leituras elétricas, o qual foi testado apresentando bons resultados. A vantagem do uso deste equipamento reside no fato de que pode ser transportado manualmente a locais de difícil acesso, onde são implantadas as torres de alta tensão. Os demais parâmetros de solos do local de estudo, situado no município de Canoas no Rio Grande do Sul, foram obtidos a partir de ensaios de compressão triaxial do tipo adensado isotropicamente não drenado (CIU) com medida de poro pressão e de ensaios de adensamento. Foram analisadas as fundações superficiais das torres de suspensão projetadas, empregando teorias analíticas convencionais, baseadas no conhecimento da resistência não drenada, e o método de elementos finitos. A partir deste estudo, é sugerida uma metodologia para projetos de fundações superficiais de torres de suspensão em argilas moles saturadas.

Efeito da compactação do solo no desenvolvimento aéreo e radicular de cultivares de milho

O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar o desenvolvimento aéreo e radicular de duas cultivares de milho (Zea mays L.), em solo submetido a quatro níveis de compactação. Utilizou-se um Latossolo Vermelho-Escuro distroférrico de textura média, em vasos montados com anéis de PVC sobrepostos, com diâmetro interno de 14,5 cm e altura de 35 cm. Os níveis de compactação utilizados em subsuperfície foram caracterizados pelas densidades do solo de 1,28, 1,42, 1,56 e 1,69 Mg m³. As cultivares de milho foram o híbrido AG-5011 e a variedade Sol da Manhã. Aos 40 dias após a emergência das plantas, determinaram-se as massas da matéria seca da parte aérea e das raízes, a densidade do comprimento radicular e o diâmetro médio radicular. A compactação do solo comprometeu o desenvolvimento das plantas de milho híbrido e da variedade na mesma intensidade. Apesar de alterar a distribuição do sistema radicular ao longo do perfil do solo, o impedimento físico em subsuperfície não diminuiu a produção total de raízes de milho. O diâmetro médio radicular apresentou alta correlação com o crescimento de raízes no solo compactado. O sistema radicular do milho não é capaz de romper uma camada compactada de solo com resistência mecânica da ordem de 1,4 MPa.

Performance of low/correct pressure radial ply tires

Extensive field testes were conducted using the UCD single wheel tester employing three large radial ply tractor tires in two different soils, four different soil conditions, two axle load levels, and three levels of tire inflation pressures in order to quantify the benefits of using low/correct inflation pressures. During these tests slip, net traction, gross traction, and dynamic axle load were recorded. Furthermore, soil moisture content, cone index, and dry bulk density data were obtained at test locations. The results of the analysis showed a significant increase in net traction and traction efficiency when low/correct inflation was used. Benefits of using low/correct pressure was higher in tilled soil conditions.

Recuperação de povoamento de Eucalyptus urophylla com aplicações de nitrogênio, potássio e calcário dolomítico

A plantation of Eucalyptus urophylla, established in 1984 on a Quartzpsamment Soil, at Altinopolis, São Paulo State, presented in 1989 an medium increment of the cylindrical volume of the trees of 13.97 m 3/ha/year and also showed deficiency symptoms of potassium, calcium and magnesium. At 4.33 years after planting were applied two doses of nitrogen (0 and 10 g/tree of N), potassium (0 and 20 g/tree of K 2O) and of dolomitic lime (0 and 500 g/tree), combined in a randomized block design arranged in a factorial way (2 × 2 × 2), with four replications, in order to study the recuperation of the tree growth rate. Evaluations of the trees growth were performed at 4.33, 5.67, 6.75 and at 7.58 years when cutting the plantation was done. The soil fertility and leaf concentrations of N, K, Ca and Mg were analyzed before and after the application of the treatments. The accumulation and distribution of biomass and of these nutrients in the tree components and in the litter, and the economic studies referring to the volumes of wood were also evaluated 7.58 years after planting. Potassium fertilization increased the mass of potassium in stemwood, stembark, foliage, fruits and litter, but the increase was greater in foliage and in the stembark. Liming increased the mass of magnesium in stemwood, stembark, foliage and litter, but the increase was greater in the litter. There was no isolated effect of nitrogen fertilization. The growth rate of trees was recovered with the potassium application, which increased the mean annual increment (MAI) of cylindrical volume from 13.85 m 3/ha/year without fertilizer to 16.82 m 3/ha/year. At 7.58 years after planting, there was observed an effect of the N x K x dolomitic lime interaction in the wood production. In the absence of nitrogen and dolomitic lime, the application of potassium increased the real volume of 43% and there was a gain of US$ 86.79/ha.

Erosão hídrica de Latossolo Vermelho muito argiloso relevo ondulado em área de pós-plantio de eucalipto no Vale do Rio Doce, região Centro Leste do Estado de Minas Gerais

The erosion caused by running water constitutes important cause of environmental degradation and productivity reduction, which justifies its evaluation in areas of eucalypt commercial plantations, mainly in ondulated slope conditions. The present study was intended to evaluate the influence of different management systems, in an undulated eucalypt pos-planting area, upon soil and water losses by erosion. The experiment was installed in a very clayey Red Latosol (Oxisol) under three eucalypt management systems (downhill planting with burning of crop residues - EDq; downhill planting with maintenance of crop residues on soil surface - ED; level planting with maintenance of crop residues on soil surface - EN), native forest (FN), bare soil (SD), and native pasture (PN). The soil and water losses evaluations were performed in standard plots installed in the field. All eucalypt systems presented very low values of soil losses in relation to the established tolerance limit, indicating the adequacy of these management systems concerning water erosion. The sustainability of these environments regarding erosion is indicated by the fact that soil losses in eucalipt were very close to those observed in native forest (reference).

Method for estimating railroad track settlements due to dynamic traffic loads

This paper is the result of real-scale physical modeling study designed to simulate the load-deformation characteristics of railroad foundation systems that include the railroad ties, the ballast, and the sub-base layers of a railroad embankment. The study presents comparisons of the application of dynamic loads of 100kN on the rails, and the resulting deformations during a 500,000 cycle testing period for three rail support systems; wood, concrete and steel. The results show that the deformation curve has an exponential shape, with the larger portion of the deformation occurring during the first 50,000 load cycles followed by a tendency to stabilize between 100,000 to 500,000 cycles. These results indicate that the critical phase of deformations of a new railroad is within the first 50,000 cycles of loading, and after that, it slowly attenuates as it approaches a stable value. The paper also presents empirically derived formulations for the estimation of the deformations of the rail supports as a result of rail traffic.

Fontes de potássio não trocável e potássio total em quatro solos do Estado do Ceará

The mineralogical composition of the soil plow layer (0-20 cm) was analyzed for the following soil suborders (according to the Brazilian soil taxonomy): Neossolo Quartzarênico. Argissolo Vermelho-Amarelo, Cambissolo Háplico and Latossolo Vermelho-Amarelo which samples were collected from different regions of the Ceará State. The present study had the objectives of identifying potential sources of both total and non-exchangeable potassium forms for plants located at the different soil fractions. Then highest content of K occurred in the Cabissolo Háplico soil, including both the total and non-exchangeable K forms. In the Neossolo Quartzarênico. Argissolo Vermelho-Amarelo and Latossolo Vermelho-Amarelo, the highest contents of both forms of potassium were impregnated at the sand fraction. The amount of potassium found in the both sand and silt fractions has its origin in the orthoclase mineral which was detected in the mineralogical analysis. In the clay fractio, the origin of the potassium is illite and a inter-stratified mineral (mica+montmorillonite). As compared with the total content, the amount of non-exchangeable potassium is low for all the four soils. It was more concentrated at clay fraction of the Cambissolo soil. The potassium content sequence in the soil was the following: Cambissolo Háplico > Argissolo Vermelho-Amarelo > Neossolo Quartzarênico > Latossolo Vermelho-Amarelo. The results showed that the distribution of the forms of potassium among the soils differ as a function of the nature of the dominating minerals detected in the mineralogical analysis (illite and orthoclase) which was discussed above.