PROCEDURES FOR THE EVALUATION OF ENGINEERING ALTERNATIVES1

ABSTRACT: This paper describes a method of analyzing the nonquantifiable parameters which should be considered in the evaluation of engineering alternatives. The nonquantifiable parameters can include environmental impact, feasibility of implementation, and performance. The method considers rating all the alternatives on the basis of a set of criteria which reflect these parameters. A procedure is discussed for obtaining review and guidance in the evaluation of engineering alternatives from the local elected officials or governing bodies and for obtaining the views and desires of the local communities. This is achieved through the formation of project review committees and an evaluation procedure which allows for the technical rating of alternatives by the engineer and the weighing of the evaluation criteria by the political and social groups. With the growing environmental concern and the high cost of engineering projects, the involvement of the public during the evaluation of engineering projects is becoming increasingly important to the final success of the project.     

Dynamic of functional microbial groups during mesophilic composting of agro-industrial wastes and free-living (N2)-fixing bacteria application

Although several reports are available concerning the composition and dynamics of the microflora during the composting of municipal solid wastes, little is known about the microbial diversity during the composting of agro-industrial refuse. For this reason, the first parts of this study included the quantification of microbial generic groups and of the main functional groups of C and N cycle during composting of agro-industrial refuse. After a generalized decrease observed during the initial phases, a new bacterial growth was observed in the final phase of the process. Ammonifiers and (N₂)-fixing aerobic groups predominated outside of the piles whereas, nitrate-reducing group increased inside the piles during the first 23 days of composting. Ammonia-oxidizing bacteria (AOB) and nitrite-oxidizing bacteria (NOB), showed an opposite trend of growth since ammonia oxidation decreased with the increase of the nitrite oxidation activity. Pectinolytics, amylolytics and aerobic cellulolytic were present in greater quantities and showed an upward trend in both the internal and external part of the heaps.Several free-living (N₂)-fixing bacteria were molecularly identify as belonging especially to uncommon genera of nitrogen-fixing bacteria as Stenotrophomonas, Xanthomonas, Pseudomonas, Klebsiella, Alcaligenes, Achromobacter and Caulobacter. They were investigated for their ability to fix atmospheric nitrogen to employ as improvers of quality of compost. Some strains of Azotobacter chrococcum and Azotobacter salinestris were also tested. When different diazotrophic bacterial species were added in compost, the increase of total N ranged from 16% to 27% depending on the selected microbial strain being used. Such microorganisms may be used alone or in mixtures to provide an allocation of plant growth promoting rhizobacteria in soil.     

Digit ratios (2D:4D), secondary sexual characters and cell-mediated immunity in house sparrows <Emphasis Type="Italic">Passer domesticus</Emphasis>

Homeobox genes regulate development of digits, and it has been suggested that the ratio of length of second to length of fourth digit reflects such genetic effects in a sex-specific manner. We show that digit ratios in the sexually dichromatic house sparrow Passer domesticus differ between sexes, with males having higher ratios than females, and that individuals produce consistent ratios on the two feet. If Homeobox or other genes had pleiotropic effects on development of digits, behavior, and physiology of males and females, we would expect secondary sexual characters and immunity to be related to digit ratio in a sex-specific manner. The size of the visible part of the black badge in February (a secondary sexual character), but not total badge size, was positively correlated with digit ratios, suggesting that males with more male-like digit ratios had larger visible badges. Because of sex-specific effects of development on secondary sexual characters and immunity, we predicted sex-specific differences in immune response to be related to digit ratio. House sparrows with large digit ratios had weaker T cell-mediated immune response than individuals with small digit ratios, particularly in females, implying that females with more male-like digit ratios had weak immune responses. These findings are consistent with the hypothesis that early development, as reflected by digit ratios, and genetics affect the expression of adult characters that are supposedly strongly contributing to fitness.     

基于矿井通风三维仿真系统软件的矿用空气幕选型方法

根据矿井风流调节的具体要求,合理选择矿用空气幕的型号是应用矿用空气幕技术的关键。在分析矿用空气幕选型依据及原理的基础上,应用矿井通风三维仿真系统软件模拟矿用空气幕运行的效果,来研究确定矿用空气幕的选型参数及影响因素。结果表明,应用矿井通风三维仿真系统软件所选择的矿用空气幕与理论推导的计算结果一致,此方法能够最大限度地反映矿山实际情况,具有直观、高效等特点。     

改进突变理论在井下排水方案优选中的应用

为了更精确合理地对新桥硫铁矿排水方案进行优选,对利用突变理论的方法进行优化,建立突变理论和熵权法相结合的改进模型。从经济和工程量方面出发,综合考虑了影响排水方案优选的3个层次的12个指标,统计样本数据。运用熵权法分层确定同一上层变量下各指标的客观权重,导入突变理论中,建立综合评价结构模型,消除了主观因素的影响。同时运用突变理论和EM-TOPSIS进行方案优选,通过对比3种方法的优选结果,证明了改进突变理论的可靠性与合理性。     

基于Matlab分析的台阶式场地平整方案优化设计

在某市餐厨垃圾处理厂场地平整设计中,利用Matlab软件对台阶式场地平整方案进行优化设计,即在Auto CAD环境下用等高线法计算各级台阶的土方量,用Matlab软件拟合出台阶设计高程和土方量的函数关系式,在约束条件下求解,得到了最优设计高程和基于土方挖填平衡条件下场地平整的最小土方工程量,为工程总平面布置提供优化方案。其分析设计方法可为工业企业台阶式场地的总平面布置设计提供借鉴。     

生态旅游环境教育解说系统优化研究——以莫尔道嘎国家森林公园为例

环境教育功能是生态旅游区别于非生态旅游的根本特点,伴随生态旅游的迅速发展,生态环境的保护问题越发受到关注,而完善的环境教育解说系统对于生态旅游区的影响日渐凸显.以莫尔道嘎国家森林公园为例,通过调查分析指出环境教育解说系统存在着解说媒介、解说形式、解说功能与解说管理的缺失等问题,并提出环境解说媒介多元化、环境解说形式活态化、环境解说功能化及环境解说管理规范化等优化路径,以期生态旅游的环境教育功能得到有效发挥.     

纳氏试剂比色法测定氨氮的市售试剂检查方法研究

纳氏试剂比色法是测定水中氨氮的常用方法,分析所用的市售试剂纳氏试剂和酒石酸钾钠品种较多,选择国产与进口两种纳氏试剂和三种国产酒石酸钾钠批次试剂进行了筛选实验.通过不同反应时间校准曲线分析、检出限、加标回收率、外观、试剂杂质含量等多方面考察了试剂测定水体氨氮的适用性,初步确定了适合水样氨氮监测的试剂,并为市售试剂的可靠性提供了可行的检验方法,对实验室样品分析过程中的试剂控制具有一定的指导意义.     

随机价格下杉木人工林的碳汇收益及最优轮伐期确定

发展林业碳汇是应对全球气候变化及实现中国2060年碳中和的重要举措。基于改进的Faustmann-Hartman模型,以中国南方浙江、福建和江西三个省份杉木人工林为研究对象,使用时间序列模型拟合并预测中国碳排放权交易市场的碳汇价格,通过蒙特卡洛模拟确定最优轮伐期及碳汇收益。研究结果表明：（1）依次纳入木材收益、地上生物量碳汇收益和死亡有机质碳汇收益时,杉木人工林的最优轮伐期分别为21.85年、22.98年和22.88年;（2）上述三种情景下,林地期望价值的净现值分别为20408.20元/hm²、24587.29元/hm²和28101.11元/hm²;（3）全面考虑包含死亡有机质碳库在内的林业碳汇效益,能够稳定提高林地所有者收益约7.02%~21.61%。此外,应进一步考虑多轮伐期下税收政策及自然风险等因素对碳汇营林的影响,这是确定最优轮伐期和碳汇收益后续研究值得重视的问题。