Underground Pipeline Identification into a Non-Destructive Case Study Based on Ground-Penetrating Radar Imaging

Ground-penetrating radar (GPR) has become one of the key technologies in subsurface sensing and, in general, in nondestructive testing (NDT), since it is able to detect both metallic and nonmetallic targets. GPR has proven its ability to work in electromagnetic frequency range for subsoil investigations, and it is a risk-reduction strategy for surveying underground various targets and their identification and detection. This paper presents the results of a case study which exceeds the laboratory level being realized in the field in a real case where the scanning conditions are much more difficult using GPR signals for detecting and assessing underground drainage metallic pipes which cross an area with large buildings parallel to the riverbed. The two urban drainage pipes are detected based on GPR imaging. This provides an approximation of their location and depth which are convenient to find from the reconstructed profiles of both simulated and practical GPR signals. The processing of data recorded with GPR tools requires appropriate software for this type of measurement to detect between different reflections at multiple interfaces located at different depths below the surface. In addition to the radargrams recorded and processed with the software corresponding to a GPR device, the paper contains significant results obtained using techniques and algorithms of the processing and post-processing of the signals (background removal and migration) that gave us the opportunity to estimate the location, depth, and profile of pipes, placed into a concrete duct bank, under a structure with different layers, including pavement, with good accuracy.

APPLICATION OF INCLINED LONGITUDINAL ULTRASONIC WAVES TO IMPROVE THE EFFICIENCY OF RAIL FLAW DETECTION

The article is devoted to the question of rail ultrasonic testing confidence. At present there is a range of flaw orientation angles in within which the testing is absent and, therefore such flaws can be lost. To except this drawback the current sound testing scheme in flaw detector railcars is to be supplemented with inclined probes exciting longitudinal wave. Experimental checks using echomethod showed the good results on an October railway section with flaw models and on a loaded Zabaycalskaya railway section. The next step was idea of mirror-shadow method using as well as echomethod by turning of probes towards each other. Envelope analysis of bottom signals allows receiving additional information about flaws: location depth of its center and form. But using of pair of probes was not enough for unambiguous definition of other geometric flaws characteristics. That is why the bottom signal envelope of straight probe was to be analyzed additionally. A mobile (as well removable) searching system of rail checking means has such probe as a rule. In the process of writing the article previously obtained formulas to calculate depth, inclination angle and plane size of revealed flaw were modified. Values changing during testing process are absent now. Algorithm of flaws identification on the basis of bottom signals envelope is given. The approach is confirmed by mathematical modeling in CIVA-UT.

Design Optimisation Analysis of Isolating Wall for Separated Widening Embankment on Soft Ground

In this paper, the typical cases of subgrade separated widening project in China are summarised. The research progress of subgrade separated widening and isolating wall applications are reviewed in highway reconstruction and extension. A numerical model is established based on the PLAXIS finite element software, considering both material nonlinearity and geometric nonlinearity. The effect mechanism of the isolating wall is discussed on the settlement control of the new and existing embankment on soft ground. The effect rule of the core design parameters of the isolating wall is revealed on the settlement disturbance of the existing embankment, such as location, depth, thickness and elastic modulus, and the weight rank of the influence is analysed. The results indicate that the isolating wall effectively reduces the lateral displacement and vertical settlement of the existing embankment, and there is an optimal design location for the isolating wall. In addition, with the increase of design parameters of the isolating wall, including depth, thickness and elastic modulus, the overall settlement of the existing embankment tends to be uniform, and there are optimal values. Furthermore, the depth of isolating wall is given priority, compared to location, thickness and elastic modulus during the isolating wall design process. The research results lay a theoretical foundation for the design optimisation of the isolating wall in the separated widening project of soft ground.

Aquatic plant diversity of lakes around Gondia city, Maharashtra, India

Gondia is one of the centrally located districts of India. It is famous for its lakes and water bodies. These water bodies exhibit enormous diversity of plants according to geographical location, depth of water body, water regime, chemistry of water, soil and sediment characteristics. Very little work has been done so far on the flora of the water bodies of Gondia district. Therefore, a study has carried out to understand the aquatic plants diversity of selected 5 lakes around Gondia city. For this, well-planned surveys were carried out at selected sites frequently. During visits, data like habit, life span, local names, and life forms of all the plant species present in the water body were collected. During the study, 44 species of 37 genera belonging to 26 families have been recorded from selected sites. Most dominant family was Hydrocharitaceae with 4 genera and 4 species, followed by Asteraceae, Poaceae, Convolvulaceae and Potamogetonaceae with 3 species each. Jaccard and Sorenson similarity indexes showed that Lake I and Lake II have maximum similarity and highest diversity as compared to other sites. The present work revealed the database of aquatic plants in water bodies around Gondia, which will help in future work for the conservation, preservation and growth of the local biodiversity.

Modeling Coral Bleaching Mitigation Potential of Water Vertical Translocation – An Analogue to Geoengineered Artificial Upwelling

Artificial upwelling (AU) is a novel geoengineering technology that brings seawater from the deep ocean to the surface. Within the context of global warming, AU techniques are proposed to reduce sea surface temperature at times of thermal stress around coral reefs. A computationally fast but coarse 3D Earth System model (3.6° longitude × 1.8° latitude) was used to investigate the environmental impacts of hypothetically implemented AU strategies in the Great Barrier Reef, South China Sea, and Hawaiian regions. While omitting the discussion on sub-grid hydrology, we simulated in our model a water translocation from either 130 or 550 m depth to sea surface at rates of 1 or 50 m3 s–1 as analogs to AU implementation. Under the Representative Concentration Pathway 8.5 emissions scenario from year 2020 on, the model predicted a prevention of coral bleaching until the year 2099 when AU was implemented, except under the least intense AU scenario (water from 130 m depth at 1 m3 s–1). Yet, intense AU implementation (water from 550 m depth at 50 m3 s–1) will likely have adverse effects on coral reefs by overcooling the surface water, altering salinity, decreasing calcium carbonate saturation, and considerably increasing nutrient levels. Our result suggests that if we utilize AU for mitigating coral bleaching during heat stress, AU implementation needs to be carefully designed with respect to AU’s location, depth, intensity and duration so that undesirable environmental effects are minimized. Following a proper installation and management procedure, however, AU has the potential to decelerate destructive bleaching events and buy corals more time to adjust to climate change.

GEOPHYSICAL INVESTIGATION OF POTENTIAL FELDSPAR DEPOSITS IN MOKWA, NIGERIA FOR ECONOMIC BENEFITS

The geophysical technique of Electrical Resistivity in mineral rocks investigation has been found to be one of the very effective and convenient methods. It was therefore applied using Schlumberger configuration to investigate the location, depth and the economic viability of Feldspar mineral deposits at the study location in Mokwa, Niger State, Nigeria. This research is aimed at determining the location and economic viability of Feldspar deposits in Mokwa that can serve as Industrial fillers or induce the development and sustainability of both small and medium scale paint, plastic, rubber and adhesive Industries within and outside the study area. 30 Vertical Electrical Soundings (VES) were acquired in 6 profiles using ABEM SAS 4000 Terrameter with 50 m spacing in between each profiles. The results revealed that Profile 1 VES point 5, profile 2 VES point 2, profile 4 VES point 4 and profile 5 VES point 5 are underlined with rocks of Low electrical resistivity values which implied possible Feldspar deposits. The highest Feldspar Deposits with average thickness of 7.87 m was discovered in profile 1, while profile 4 exhibited the lowest deposits with thickness of 2.50 m. On the average, the depths of these minerals rocks from the surface fell in the interval of 0.06 m to 8.00 m. However, the discovered feldspar deposits are not of much economically viable for Industrial filler exploration capable of influencing any Industrial development in either small or medium scale capacity.

Location Depth and Mineralization Change of Ground Waters in Irrigated Meadow-Grey Soils of the Salyan Plain

The article presents thorough information about the results of the research in the irrigated meadowgrey soils of the area where the grain was planted in the Salyan plain. The research shows that strong differences between the subsoil waters mineralization and change of their location levels were not observed in the experimental area in 2015–2018. However, in 2015 the location levels of subsoil waters changed by 2.40–2.55 m, their mineralization was – 1.244 – 2.577 q/l. These indicators changed to 2.40–2.60 m and 1.210–2.430 d/l in 2016; 2.50–2.55 m and 1.030–2.320 g/l in 2017; 2.45–2.55 m and 1.183 – 2.159 g/l in 2018. During the research the author studied the waters of Akusha canal, water-collector and drains which are used with the purpose of irrigation. It has been determined that their mineralization was 0.81 g/l, 6.663 g/l and 4.834–5.242 g/l in 2015. These indicators changed as follows: 0.675 g/l; 6.003 g/l and 4.651–4.823 g/l in 2016; 0.612 g/l; 5.872 g/l and 4.731–4.602 g/l in 2017 and 0.578 g/l; 5.752 g/l and 4.651–4.513 g/l in 2018. The agromeliorative measures have been offered for the purpose of subsoil waters decrease and their mineralization increase in the same zone taking into account all the indicators.

A Global Archive of Coseismic DInSAR Products Obtained Through Unsupervised Sentinel-1 Data Processing

We present an automatic and unsupervised tool for the systematic generation of Sentinel-1 (S1) differential synthetic aperture radar interferometry (DInSAR) coseismic products. In particular, the tool first retrieves the location, depth, and magnitude of every seismic event from interoperable online earthquake catalogs (e.g., the United States Geological Survey (USGS) and the Italian National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology (INGV) and then, for significant (with respect to a set of selected thresholds) earthquakes, it automatically triggers the downloading of S1 data and their interferometric processing over the area affected by the earthquake. The automatic system we developed has also been implemented within a Cloud-Computing (CC) environment, specifically the Amazon Web Services, with the aim of creating a global database of DInSAR S1 coseismic products, which consist of displacement maps and the associated wrapped interferograms and spatial coherences. This information will progressively be made freely available through the European Plate Observing System (EPOS) Research Infrastructure, thus providing the scientific community with a large catalog of DInSAR data that can be helpful for investigating the dynamics of surface deformation in the seismic zones around the Earth. The developed tool can also support national and local authorities during seismic crises by quickly providing information on the surface deformation induced by earthquakes.

Features of the arrangement of lagoons for agricultural purposes

At present, in large cities, cities - millionaires, there is a tendency to build a large volume of residential multi-storey buildings entertainment complexes on undeveloped, free from construction areas of urban territory To meet the food needs of the population, it becomes necessary to create large livestock complexes. Ukraine, having a significant natural resource, has created conditions for the arrival of large international investors. That’s why in recent years, there is a renewal of material and technical agricultural base, which contributes to the revival of almost abandoned in the 90s, one of the main activities and specialization of our country - agriculture, which allows to assure the needs of the population and industry of our and neighboring countries with quality organic products and materials. In such conditions, modernization, renewal, re-equipment of not only outdated, inefficient equipment, but also production processes, and as a consequence of buildings, structures, complexes. This leads to the emergence of new engineering objects, classification, features of construction, design and operation of which need to be studied, covered in the literature, taken into account at different stages of their operation. "Lagoons" is one of such objects. This publication presents the main definition of a special agricultural building - lagoon, presents their classification by various parameters: location, depth, shape and size in plan, in terms of interaction with the environment, by material. The main technological processes influencing the design, construction and operation of lagoons are given. The basic requirements to materials (geotextiles, geomembrane), and also the basic requirements to their storage, use and the device at creation of waterproof screens at construction of lagoons are reflected.

Surgical removal of large mucocele in a young patient: case report

ABSTRACT Mucocele is a term applied to the clinical manifestation of phenomena that may affect the minor salivary glands. There are different forms of treatment reported in the literature, including total enucleation. The objective of this study is to describe a surgical technique for removal of Mucocele in a teenage patient. A 16-years-old, female, attended the sector of Pediatric Dentistry of Camilo Castelo Branco University - campus São Paulo / SP. The patient’s main complaint was “a bubble in the mouth that punchs and fills again, feeling salty taste.” At the clinical examination, a circumscribed, mucosa-like, floating-palpation lesion was observed, with a 1.7 cm diameter in the lower lip, with characteristics similar to Mucocele. In the planning of the case, we opted for the surgical removal treatment with anatomopathological analysis. The prognosis for the surgical removal of the lesion was very favorable due to some established criteria: age of the patient, location, depth and size of the lesion.