A multidecadal oscillation in precipitation and temperature series is pronounced in low flow series from Puget Sound streams

In Pacific Northwest streams, summer low flows limit water available to competing instream (salmon) and out-of-stream (human) uses, creating broad interest in how and why low flows are trending. Analyses that assumed linear (monotonic) change over the last ~60 years revealed declining low flow trends in minimally disturbed streams. Here, polynomials were used to model flow trends between 1929 and 2015. A multidecadal oscillation was observed in flows, which increased initially from the 1930s until the 1950s, declined until the 1990s, and then increased again. A similar oscillation was detected in precipitation series, and opposing oscillations in surface temperature, Pacific Decadal Oscillation, and Interdecadal Pacific Oscillation series. Multidecadal oscillations with similar periods to those described here are well known in climate indices. Fitted model terms were consistent with flow trends being influenced by at least two drivers, one oscillating and the other monotonic. Anthropogenic warming is a candidate driver for the monotonic decline, and variation in (internal) climatic circulation for the oscillating trend, but others were not ruled out. The recent upturn in streamflows suggests that anthropogenic warming has not been the dominant factor driving streamflow trends, at least until 2015. Climate projections based on simulations that omit drivers of multidecadal variation are likely to underestimate the range, and rate of change, of future climatic variation.     

Investigation of long-term river water quality variations using different urbanization indices and assessment of common scientific perspectives of urbanization on water quality

This study investigated the water quality variation spanning 30 years (1986–2017) in 16 catchments of Hong Kong against different urbanization indices, namely, built area fraction; population; and product of population and built area fraction. Pearson correlations of three different periods of time (1988–1990, 1998–2000, and 2015–2017) indicated that water quality trends were dependent on the urbanization index. Total solids, nitrite-nitrogen, total phosphorus, electrical conductivity, dissolved oxygen, and flow rate had significant deteriorative trends (Pearson r > 0.5 and p < 0.05) with population and product of built area and population. Results also interpreted that built area fraction and product of built area and population were the worst and best indices that represented urbanization and/or its impacts, respectively. Mann-Kendall test for the entire 30 year period showed that water quality had improved with time with respect to certain water quality parameters (e.g., dissolved oxygen, ammoniacal nitrogen and total suspended solids). The results portrayed that although the urbanization of catchments had increased with time, the river water quality with respect to many parameters showed signs of improvement and the legislative measures implemented seemed to be effective in controlling pollution.     

Validation of a booted finite element model of the WIAMan ATD lower limb in component and whole-body vertical loading impacts with an assessment of the boot influence model on response

Objective: A novel anthropomorphic test device (ATD) representative of the 50th percentile male soldier is being developed to predict injuries to a vehicle occupant during an underbody blast (UBB). The main objective of this study was to develop and validate a finite element (FE) model of the ATD lower limb outfitted with a military combat boot and to insert the validated lower limb into a model of the full ATD and simulate vertical loading experiments.

Methods: A Belleville desert combat boot model was assigned contacts and material properties based on previous experiments. The boot model was fit to a previously developed model of the barefoot ATD. Validation was performed through 6 matched pair component tests conducted on the Vertically Accelerated Loads Transfer System (VALTS). The load transfer capabilities of the FE model were assessed along with the force-mitigating properties of the boot. The booted lower limb subassembly was then incorporated into a whole-body model of the ATD. Two whole-body VALTS experiments were simulated to evaluate lower limb performance in the whole body.

Results: The lower limb model accurately predicted axial loads measured at heel, tibia, and knee load cells during matched pair component tests. Forces in booted simulations were compared to unbooted simulations and an amount of mitigation similar to that of experiments was observed. In a whole-body loading environment, the model kinematics match those recorded in experiments. The shape and magnitude of experimental force–time curves were accurately predicted by the model. Correlation between the experiments and simulations was backed up by high objective rating scores for all experiments.

Conclusion: The booted lower limb model is accurate in its ability to articulate and transfer loads similar to the physical dummy in simulated underbody loading experiments. The performance of the model leads to the recommendation to use it appropriately as an alternative to costly ATD experiments.     

The place of nature in conservation conflicts

Conservation conflicts are gaining importance in contemporary conservation scholarship such that conservation may have entered a conflict hype. We attempted to uncover and deconstruct the normative assumptions behind such studies by raising several questions: what are conservation conflicts, what justifies the attention they receive, do conservation-conflict studies limit wildlife conservation, is scientific knowledge stacked against wildlife in conservation conflicts, do conservation-conflict studies adopt a specific view of democracy, can laws be used to force conservation outcomes, why is flexibility needed in managing conservation conflicts, can conservation conflicts be managed by promoting tolerance, and who needs to compromise in conservation conflicts? We suggest that many of the intellectual premises in the field may defang conservation and prevent it from truly addressing the current conservation crisis as it accelerates. By framing conservation conflicts as conflicts between people about wildlife or nature, the field insidiously transfers guilt, whereby human activities are no longer blamed for causing species decline and extinctions but conservation is instead blamed for causing social conflicts. When the focus is on mitigating social conflicts without limiting in any powerful way human activities damaging to nature, conservation-conflict studies risk keeping conservation within the limits of human activities, instead of keeping human activities within the limits of nature. For conservation to successfully stop the biodiversity crisis, we suggest the alternative goal of recognizing nature's right to existence to maintenance of ecological functions and evolutionary processes. Nature being a rights bearer or legal person would imply its needs must be explicitly taken into account in conflict adjudication. If, even in conservation, nature's interests come second to human interests, it may be no surprise that conservation cannot succeed.     

Laboratory investigation of Waelz slag stabilization

Electric Arc Furnace dusts are considered hazardous waste due to their high heavy metals content (zinc, lead, etc.). The Waelz process is one of the most efficient technologies, in terms of capacity and quality, able to recover nearly the 90% of zinc contained in such EAF dusts. Unfortunately, the resulting slag still has eco-compatibility problems, although its mechanical and chemical properties are suitable for civil engineering applications. Stabilization tests, by quartz addition, were performed on EAF dusts in a laboratory furnace. Temperature, treatment time and cooling rate were varied in order to define the best conditions for regulating the formation of a stable microstructure able to hinder the release of substances. Microstructural characterization was carried-out using SEM and XRD analysis. Leaching tests were performed according to EN 12457-2 standards and water analyses were performed using ICP-OES. The best chemical stability was achieved when dust powders were mixed with 20% of silica and water-cooled.     

硫酸雾测试方法若干问题思考

简述了我国硫酸雾测试方法的发展历史,分析和总结了《固定污染源废气硫酸雾的测定离子色谱法》(HJ 544—2016)存在的一些争议和问题,包括硫酸雾的定义、测试方法的干扰控制等。分析认为,相比《硫酸工业污染物排放标准》(GB 26132—2010),HJ 544—2016对硫酸雾的定义更加合理。实验结果表明:硫酸盐是测试方法条件下的目标物,滤筒可以显著地捕捉硫酸盐。9组样品滤筒中,被测目标物所占比例为7.9%~69.1%;滤筒和前吸收液中,被测目标物所占比例为93.7%~97.8%。HJ 544—2016新增加的两级串联碱液吸收瓶可以较完全地捕集穿透滤筒后的硫酸雾,同时也会捕集SO2。SO2会对硫酸雾测试产生正干扰,约42.9%的SO2在被吸收后转化为硫酸雾。     

长庆油田4731B型非金属集输管道老化特性实验研究

为推广非金属复合管在油田集输油领域的应用，明确其在集输环境中的老化特性是关键问题。基于集输油现场的工程条件，针对长庆油田试用的4731B型钢丝缠绕增强复合管，以采出原油、采出水为实验介质，通过挂片实验、水压爆破实验，借助电镜扫描、拉伸测试对复合管内衬层老化行为、拉伸性能以及复合管极限承压与老化特性进行研究。结果表明:采出原油与采出水均可渗透扩散进入内衬层内部，还会发生局部深入渗透；采出原油、采出水的局部渗透速率分别可达3.4，10.6 mm/a；在某些工况下，内衬层表面产生裂纹；短时间（168 h）内的介质渗透甚至裂纹对其机械性能影响较小，而光氧老化影响显著；现场服役813 d后，复合管极限承压下降2.79%，表明复合管承压性能稳定。     

中义隧道片理化玄武岩段大变形控制技术研究*

为进一步探究高地应力隧道软岩大变形控制技术，以中义隧道主洞片理化玄武岩段为工程背景，提出大变形Ⅰ型支护、大变形Ⅱ型支护、大变形Ⅱ型支护（围岩加固）3种大变形控制方案，以现场试验段监测为辅助验证，采用数值仿真对3种控制方案的控制效果进行对比分析。结果表明:适宜的支护成环时间具有减缓大变形的作用；在衬砌各部位累计最大变形控制方面，控制方案3较其他方案衬砌最大变形最少减小20.8%，且变形时程曲线最终收敛；围岩最大日变形量控制方面，经过开挖断面的进一步优化以及边墙部位塑性区围岩自承能力的提高，控制方案3最大日变形量较其他支护方案至少减小20.8%。结果显示控制方案3能够稳定控制片理化玄武岩大变形，且效果最好，研究结果可为类似工程提供设计依据。     

金属丝网对甲烷/空气预混火焰管道内传播的影响

为研究管道内金属丝网对甲烷/空气预混火焰传播的影响，通过实验和三维数值模拟研究安装金属丝网的管道内火焰传播特性以及流场、温度场的变化。结果表明:40目4层的金属丝网可以使火焰淬熄，30目4层的金属丝网无法淬熄，但可以使火焰停滞3 ms；大涡模型可以很好地对管道内火焰淬熄现象进行模拟；当火焰穿过30目4层金属丝网时，速度增大，在Kelvin Helmholtz不稳定和Rayleigh Taylor不稳定的耦合作用下形成湍流；金属丝网的目数会影响热量在丝网层中的扩散，当金属丝网为30目4层时，火焰热量扩散快，而当金属丝网为40目4层时，火焰热量扩散慢且温度大幅度衰减，衰减率达到83%。     

基于多孔环形喷嘴的可燃爆粉尘分散特征的密度效应研究*

为了研究不同密度的可燃爆粉尘在内置多孔环形喷嘴的20 L爆炸特性测试装置中的分散特征，基于负载粒子流方法、耦合DPM动量平衡方程和时间平均 Navier Stokes控制方程组，实现3种不同密度的煤粉、铝粉和锆粉在20 L爆炸测试装置中粉尘分散全过程的数值模拟。研究结果表明:多孔环形喷嘴的分散较为均匀，但是约束管道末端存在局部粉尘残留区，致使爆炸仓内真实粉尘浓度远低于形式浓度；爆炸仓中心位置的最大湍动能随着粉尘密度的增加而减小，只有显著地变化粉尘密度才能展示区分度较高的浓度峰值和抵达浓度峰值的时间。