CENTRIFUGE MODELING OF ONE-DIMENSIONAL SUBSURFACE CONTAMINATION1

ABSTRACT: One-dimensional contaminant transport through a saturated soil is modeled using a 1.2-m radius geotechnical centrifuge. Small-scale physical modeling in the centrifuge is achieved in relatively short time, at stress distributions that are similar to those experienced in the prototype (actual site). A 0.05 mol/l of sodium chloride solution is used as a contaminant and conductivity cells measure the concentration of the contaminant throughout the porous medium. Scaling analysis for centrifuge modeling and 1-g modeling are briefly discussed and it is concluded that centrifuge modeling simulates the effect of molecular diffusion; however, scaling of the effect of mechanical dispersion may be violated in the centrifuge if the interstitial fluid velocity is high. Centrifuge test results show good agreement with the predicted relationship between the coefficient of hydrodynamic dispersion and the Peclet number using column tests. Centrifuge modeling can be used as a complement of numerical modeling although the effect of mechanical dispersion may be overestimated in the former.     

基于可拓学的尾矿库安全评价

为综合评价尾矿库的安全状态,基于尾矿库灾变机理和大量工程实践构建了一套包括3级指标、22个因素的评价指标体系,并确定了评价指标的等级量值区间。采用EAHP和熵权法结合的方式确定指标权重,基于可拓理论评价尾矿库的安全等级。以湖南黄金集团责任有限公司旗下的7座尾矿库为案例,评价其安全状态,根据蒙特卡洛模拟基本理论,基于Crystal Ball对案例进行敏感性分析,找出具体敏感因素,为后期尾矿库安全管理提供简单有效的控制方法。     

OFF-LINE STORMWATER DETENTION SYSTEMS1

ABSTRACT: This paper looks at the use of off-line detention systems as a means of stormwater management. Conventional detention basins are typically designed and built as in-line systems in which all runoff is directed to the basin. Off-line systems are designed so that only a portion of the runoff is directed to the basin. Several simulation experiments were run to examine the behavior of in-line and off-line systems designed to reduce the peak flow from a developed area to the pre-development level. The results demonstrate that off-line systems require considerably less storage than in-line systems to achieve the same management goal. The results also show that off-line and in-line systems have significantly different flow-duration characteristics with the off-line system generally producing lower flows over longer periods. Unfortunately, off-line systems may exacerbate downstream flooding problems, especially when used in the upper portions of a watershed. Nevertheless, an off-line system can be an alternative to in-line detention in many cases.     

Numerical parametric study of a new earth-air heat exchanger configuration designed for hot and arid climates

ABSTRACT

Thermal potential for cooling and heating can be achieved by new configuration of earth–air heat exchanger (EAHE). This paper presents a numerical investigation of thermal performance of a spiral-shaped configuration of EAHE intended for the summer cooling in hot and arid regions of Algeria. A commercial finite volume software (ANSYS FLUENT) has been used to carry out the transient three-dimensional simulations and the obtained results have been validated using the experimental and numerical data obtained from the literature. The agreement between our simulation results and those from literature is very satisfactory. A parametric analysis of the new geometry of (EAHE) has been performed to investigate the effect of pitch, depth, pipe length and of the flow velocity on the outlet air temperature and the EAHE’s mean efficiency as well as its coefficient of performance (COP). It has been shown that when the pitch space varies between 0.2 and 2 m the difference of outlet air temperature increases by 6 ^°C. When the air velocity increases from 2 to 5 m/s the mean efficiency decreases from 60 % to 33 % and the COP of the EAHE decreases from 2.84 to 0.46.     

EFFECTS OF SIMULATED CLOUD SEEDING ON STREAMFLOW OF SELECTED WATERSHEDS IN PENNSYLVANIA1

A mathematical model was developed to simulate the hydrologic behavior of five small watersheds in central Pennsylvania. Continuous hydrographs for the 6-month period, April to September 1964, were simulated. Synthesized rainfall cycles consisting of increasing rainfall by 10, 20, and 30 percent to simulate the effects of cloud seeding were processed through the watershed model to determine the effects on low flow augmentation. Other rainfall cycles used consisted of increasing every third storm by 30 percent and of developing a rainfall cycle by processing daily radiosonde data through a mathematical cumulus cloud model to obtain a prediction of rainfall following seeding. A comparison of actual and predicted hydrographs indicated that simulated cloud seeding resulted in significant monthly and seasonal water yields. In general, the results of the study appear to indicate that on a theoretical basis cloud seeding would be a feasible method of augmenting low stream-flow during the summer months on watersheds in the northern Appalachian region.     

SIMULATION OF SPATIAL AND TEMPORAL CHANGES IN WATER QUALITY WITHIN A HYDROLOGIC UNIT1

Water quality must be considered in the development and planning aspects of water resource management. To accomplish this, the decision-maker needs to have at his disposal a systematized procedure for simulating water quality changes in both time and space. The simulation model should be capable of representing changes in several parameters of water quality as they are influenced by natural and human factors impinging on the hydrologic system. The objective of this work is two-fold. The first goal is to demonstrate the feasibility of developing and utilizing a water quality simulation model in conjunction with a hydrologic simulation model. The model represents water quality changes in both time and space in response to changing atmospheric and hydrologic conditions and time-varying waste discharges at various points in the system. This model has been developed from and verified with actual field data from a prototype system selected for this purpose. The second aim is to set forth procedural guidelines to assist in the development of water quality simulation models as tools for use in the quality-quantity management of a hydrologic unit.     

地震复杂性成因的数值模拟

以最简单的弹簧滑块模型为理论基础,由完全确定性的动力学公式出发,采用细胞自动机技术,研究模拟地震序列时、空、强复杂性的成因。当模型中仅有非线性动力学因素时,模拟序列的时空强特征十分复杂,当引入弹性结构的不均匀性,模拟大事件的空间和强度特征明显受控于断层的不均匀性。由模拟结果推测认为地震的复杂性是由于地球的不均匀性和断层破裂的非线性动力学相互作用而引起的。     

A respirometric method to measure mineralization of polymeric materials in a matured compost environment

A respirometric method was developed to measure the mineralization of polymeric materials in a matured compost environment. For the purpose of evaluating the method, results obtained for the mineralization of glucose and cellulose are presented. The matured compost, in addition to supplied nutrients, micronutrients, and an inoculum, serves as the matrix which supports the microbial activity. Recovery of the substrate carbon in the form of carbon dioxide from the glucose and cellulose added to test vessels was 68 and 70%, respectively. A statistical evaluation of the results obtained on substrate mineralization was carried out and showed acceptable reproducibility between replicate test vessels and test runs. The testing protocol developed has the following important characteristics: (1) the test reactors are maintained at 53 °C at a high solids loading (60% moisture), which has certain characteristics that are similar to a thermophilic compost environment; (2) the test matrix providing microbial activity is derived from readily available organic materials to facilitate reproducibility of the method in different laboratories; (3) the equipment required to perform this test is relatively inexpensive; and (4) the information obtained on polymer mineralization is vital to the study and development of biodegradable polymeric materials.Guest Editor: Dr. Graham Swift, Rohm & Haas.     

EFFECT OF SIMULATED CLIMATE CHANGE ON SNOWMELT RUNOFF MODELING IN SELECTED BASINS1

ABSTRACT: The projected increase in the concentration of CO₂ and other greenhouse gases in the atmosphere is likely to result in a global temperature increase. This paper reports on the probable effects of a temperature increase and changes in transpiration on basin discharge in two different mountain snowmelt regions of the western United States. The hydrological effects of the climate changes are modeled with a relatively simple conceptual, semi-distributed snowmelt runoff model. Based on the model results, it may be concluded that increased air temperatures will result in a shift of snowmelt runoff to earlier in the snowmelt season. Furthermore, it is shown that it is very important to include the expected change in climate-related basin conditions resulting from the modeled temperature increase in the runoff simulation. The effect of adapting the model parameters to reflect the changed basin conditions resulted in a further shift of streamflow to April and an even more significant decrease of snowmelt runoff in June and July. If the air temperatures increase by approximately 5°C and precipitation and accumulated snow amounts remain about the same, runoff in April and May, averaged for the two basins, is expected to increase by 185 percent and 26 percent, respectively. The runoff in June and July will decrease by about 60 percent each month. Overall, the total seasonal runoff decreases by about 6 percent. If increased CO₂ concentrations further change basin conditions by reducing transpiration by the maximum amounts reported in the literature, then, combined with the 5°C temperature increase, the April, May, June, and July changes would average +230 percent, +40 percent, ?55 percent, and ?45 percent, respectively. The total seasonal runoff change would be +11 percent.     

VALIDATION OF AGNPS FOR SMALL WATERSHEDS USING AN INTEGRATED AGNPS/GIS SYSTEM1

ABSTRACT: The AGNPS (AGricultural NonPoint Source) model was evaluated for predicting runoff and sediment delivery from small watersheds of mild topography. Fifty sediment yield events were monitored from two watersheds and five nested subwater-sheds in East Central Illinois throughout the growing season of four years. Half of these events were used to calibrate parameters in the AGNPS model. Average calibrated parameters were used as input for the remaining events to obtain runoff and sediment yield data. These data were used to evaluate the suitability of the AGNPS model for predicting runoff and sediment yield from small, mild-sloped watersheds. An integrated AGNPS/GIS system was used to efficiently create the large number of data input changes necessary to this study. This system is one where the AGNPS model was integrated with the GRASS (Geographic Resources Analysis Support System) GIS (Geographical Information System) to develop a decision support tool to assist with management of runoff and erosion from agricultural watersheds. The integrated system assists with the development of input GIS layers to AGNPS, running the model, and interpretation of the results.