ARTICULATED CONCRETE BLOCK STABILITY TESTING1

ABSTRACT: An articulated concrete block revetment system was developed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to test and evaluate the practicability of the protocols for overtopping and channelized flow conditions. Test facilities were constructed, prototype articulated concrete blocks were fabricated and installed into the facilities, and the blocks were tested using the established protocols. The test results indicated that both the overtopping and channel flow tests yielded similar results: the blocks reached a point of instability at approximately the same velocity and shear stresses. The similar test results indicate that only one protocol is required to evaluate an articulated concrete block system. It was demonstrated that both protocols can be effectively conducted. It is recommended that the overtopping test be adapted as a standard test procedure because of its reduced construction costs and its efficiency compared to the channelized test.     

DEVELOPING CONFIDENCE IN CONCRETE REVETMENT PRODUCTS FOR BANK STABILIZATION1

ABSTRACT: There is a need to provide flood protection while maintaining stable bed and bank conditions in the riverine system, to stabilize earth embankment dams and spiliways, and to stabilize highway or railway embankments and levee systems. One approach to providing erosion protection and stabilization of channel banks, embankments and spill conveyances is with articulated concrete block systems. Numerous articulated concrete block systems are available for bank stabilization. However, prior to field installations few means are available to evaluate how well these block systems perform. To assist the designer in predicting site specific suitability, a series of hydraulic testing protocols have been developed to analyze block system performance. Two articulated block system testing protocols are presented to indicate how block hydraulic characteristics may be determined and provide performance assurance to both the designer and the owner.     

Microsatellites and artificial neural networks: tools for the discrimination between natural and hatchery brown trout (Salmo trutta, L.) in Atlantic populations

Artificial Neural Networks (ANN) were applied to microsatellite data (highly variable genetic markers) to separate genetically differentiated forms of brown trout (Salmo trutta) in south-western France. A classic feed-forward network with one hidden layer was used. Training was performed using a back-propagation algorithm and reference samples representing the different genetic types. The hold-out and the leave-one-out procedures were used to test the validity of the network. They were chosen according to the populations and the questions analysed. The informative content of the different variables used for the distinction (the alleles of the different loci) was also evaluated using the Garson–Goh algorithm. The results of learning gave high percentages of well-classified individuals (up to 95% for the test with the hold-out analysis). This confirms that ANNs are suitable for such genetic analyses of populations. From a biological point of view, the study enabled evaluation of the genetic composition and differentiation of different river populations and of the impact of stocking.     

AN EVALUATION OF TWO HYDROLOGIC MODELS FOR CLIMATE CHANGE SCENARIOS1

ABSTRACT: Understanding the effects of climate change on water resources requires coupling atmospheric and hydrologic models. With the wide array of hydrologic models, from simple empirical to complex physically based, it is not clear which is preferable to simulate hydrologic variations over long time scales. To address this issue, a black-box artificial neural network (ANN) model was compared to a distributed parameter conceptual Geographic Information System based Hydrologic Modeling System (GIS-HMS). Both models computed daily direct surface runoff in four sub-basins of the West Branch of the Susquehanna River Basin, Pennsylvania and were evaluated with five objective functions. Overall, results were comparable between models. However, the ANN was favored in the larger sub-basins, while GIS-HMS was more accurate in the smaller catchments. Both models were impaired by the poor spatial and temporal resolution of precipitation data and the simplified representation of antecedent soil-moisture conditions. In the context of climate change, where simulations are limited by computing power, results suggest that both models are appropriate. When detailed simulations are essential, GIS-HMS is a preferable model to use. On the other hand, the ANN model is more suitable when multiple scenarios require immediate analysis and the distributed qualities of runoff are not required.     

Measuring and explaining the EU’s effect on national climate performance

ABSTRACT

To what extent has the European Union (EU) had a benign or retarding effect on what its member states would have undertaken in the absence of EU climate policies during 2008–2012? A measurement tool for the EU policy’s effect is developed and shows a benign average EU effect with considerable variation across countries. The EU’s policy effectiveness vis-à-vis its member states is explained by the EU’s non-compliance mechanism, the degree of usage of the Kyoto flexible mechanisms, and national pre-Kyoto emission reduction goals. Time-series cross-sectional analyses show that the EU’s non-compliance mechanism has no effect, while the ex-ante plans for using Kyoto flexible mechanisms and/or the ambitious pre-Kyoto emission reduction targets allow member states to escape constraints imposed by EU climate policy.     

民航空管质量安全监察人员胜任能力模型研究

以空管政事分离改革后民航空管质量安全监察人员胜任事业单位内部质量安全监察职责为目标,从教育、培训、技能和经验四个方面分析构成民航空管质量安全监察人员胜任能力的因素,并构建了胜任能力指标体系.运用网络分析法(ANP)构建了民航质量安全监察人员胜任能力的网络结构模型;利用三角模糊数(FUZZY)对网络结构模型中各个因素进行重要度比较,得到权重向量.鉴于评价指标之间存在的较强的关联性,利用非线性加权综合法,构建了民航空管质量安全监察人员胜任能力模型,该模型对评价指标中取值较小的指标反应灵敏,能够更好地体现不同监察人员之间胜任能力的差异.利用该模型对某空管单位来自于不同背景的5名监察人员进行评价,结果与上一年度该空管单位的绩效考核结果一致,证明了模型的合理性.     

流域水环境监测质量管理系统设计与实现

目前的水环境监测工作需要建立统一的水环境监测质量管理系统,这对于各级、各地水环境监测质量控制信息的规范化录入和分级汇总统计、信息共享具有重要的意义.在分析目前水环境监测质量管理存在问题的基础上,基于网络服务、地理信息等技术,设计实现了水环境监测质量管理系统.利用该系统,各级、各地水环境监测质量管理部门能够进行监测机构、持证人员、监测项目、仪器设备等信息的录入和定期维护,同时共享监测方法、政策法规、标准规范、标准物质等信息.同时上级管理部门能够查看、统计所辖部门的水环境监测质量控制信息,从而为流域水环境突发事件应急资源调配、辅助决策等提供信息支撑.     

污染场地土壤通用评估基准建立的理论和常用模型

污染场地土壤通用评估基准的建立与每个国家的经济水准及社会发展紧密相关.从国际相关领域的发展趋势来看,场地基准的建立基于风险基础之上.我国正在颁布污染场地风险评估技术导则(C-RAG),表明我国已选择风险基础上的污染场地管理模式.文章回顾了污染场地土壤通用评估基准建立的理论、方法及通用模型,并推荐污染场地评估的模型框架,...     

浅谈国家环境监测网建设

总结了“十一五”期间我国环境监测网络建设的成绩,提出了“十二五”国家环境监测网建设的指导思想和发展目标以及当前应当重点做好的几项工作.     

环渤海滨海湿地土壤磷形态特征研究

利用SMT分级方法和液相31P核磁共振分析方法,研究了环渤海典型滨海湿地表层土壤磷形态.结果发现,湿地土壤中总磷在410.35~691.57 mg·kg-1之间,其中以HCl-P为主,占总磷的46.67%~82.95%;较易释放的Na OH-P含量较少,占4.98%~22.31%;同时,由于有机质含量丰富,有机磷含量也较高,在受水产养殖污染的湿地中,有机磷含量明显偏高.使用31P-NMR技术在湿地土壤中共检测到6类磷化合物:正磷酸盐(Ortho-P)、磷酸单酯(Mono-P)、磷脂(Lipid-P)、DNA磷(DNA-P)、焦磷酸盐(Pyro-P)及膦酸盐(Phon-P),其中以正磷酸盐为主,含量在181.69~350.64 mg·kg-1之间;磷酸单酯为有机磷的主要组分,占总量的5.25%~37.17%.渤海湾南部湿地土壤中有机磷含量明显高于北部湿地,以稳定性较高的磷酸单酯为主,同时,DNA磷较多地存在于南部湿地,北部湿地含量极少,说明南部湿地微生物活性较高.