Desert ecological control and ecological industrial construction: Practice and inspiration from China

Desertification poses significant threats to the ecological security and sustainable economic and social development of countries worldwide. In China, existing desertified land primarily lies between 35°–50°N, covering arid and semi-arid regions and a total area of 1.688×106 km^(2), which represents 17.58%of the total territorial area of the country (Fig. 1).

Consideration of the Application and Risk Prevention of VAT Tax Rebate Policy for Construction Enterprises at the End of the Period

The“Announcement on Deepening the Value-Added Tax Reform”clearly outlines the preferential policy regarding incremental retention tax rebates.With the advancement of value-added tax(VAT)reform and the improvement of VAT legislation in China,VAT tax planning for construction enterprises,particularly related to retained tax credits,has become routine.This paper,focusing on the characteristics of construction enterprises,analyzes VAT retained tax credits at the end of the period,the status of tax refunds,practical issues,and related processes,and offers suggestions for policy application and risk prevention.

Analyzing the Form-Finding of a Large-Span Transversely Stiffened Suspended Cable System: A Method Considering Construction Processes

The precise control of the shape of transversely stiffened suspended cable systems is crucial. However, existing form-finding methods primarily rely on iterative calculations that treat loads as fixed known conditions. These methods are inefficient and fail to accurately control shape results. In this study, we propose a form-finding method that analyzes the load response of models under different sag and stress levels, taking into account the construction process. To analyze the system, a structural finite element model was established in ANSYS, and geometric nonlinear analysis was conducted using the Newton-Raphson method. The form-finding analysis results demonstrate that the proposed method achieves precise control of shape, with a maximum shape error ranging from 0.33% to 0.98%. Furthermore, the relationships between loads and tension forces are influenced by the deformed shape of the structures, exhibiting significant geometric nonlinear characteristics. Meanwhile, the load response analysis reveals that the stress level of the self-equilibrium state in the transversely stiffened suspended cable system is primarily governed by strength criteria, while shape is predominantly controlled by stiffness criteria. Importantly, by simulating the initial tensioning process as an initial condition, this method solves for a counterweight that satisfies the requirements and achieves a self-equilibrium state with the desired shape. The shape of the self-equilibrium state is precisely controlled by simulating the construction process. Overall, this work presents a new method for analyzing the form-finding process of large-span transversely stiffened suspended cable system, considering the construction process which was often overlooked in previous studies.

Life-Cycle Bearing Capacity for Pre-Stressed T-beams Based on Full-Scale Destructive Test

To investigate the evolution of load-bearing characteristics of pre-stressed beams throughout their service life and to provide a basis for accurately assessing the actual working state of damaged pre-stressed concrete T-beams,destructive tests were conducted on full-scale pre-stressed concrete beams.Based on the measurement and ana-lysis of beam deflection,strain,and crack development under various loading levels during the research tests,combined with the verification coefficient indicators specified in the codes,the verification coefficients of bridges at different stages of damage can be examined.The results indicate that the T-beams experience complete,incom-plete linear,and non-linear stages during the destructive test process.In the complete linear elastic stage,both the deflection and bottom strain verification coefficients comply with the specifications,indicating a good structural load-bearing capacity no longer adheres to the code’s requirements.In the non-linear stage,both coefficients exhi-bit a sharp increase,resulting in a further decrease in the structure’s load-bearing capacity.According to the pro-visions of the current code,the beam can be in the incomplete linear stage when both values fall within the code’s specified range.The strain verification coefficient sourced from the compression zone at the bottom of theflange is not recommended for assessing the bridge’s load-bearing capacity.

Vibration safety assessment and parameter analysis of buried oil pipelines based on vibration isolation holes under strong surface impact

Strong surface impact will produce strong vibration,which will pose a threat to the safety of nearby buried pipelines and other important lifeline projects.Based on the verified numerical method,a comprehensive numerical parameter analysis is conducted on the key influencing factors of the vibration isolation hole(VIH),which include hole diameter,hole net spacing,hole depth,hole number,hole arrangement,and soil parameters.The results indicate that a smaller ratio of net spacing to hole diameter,the deeper the hole,the multi-row hole,the hole adoption of staggered arrangements,and better site soil conditions can enhance the efficiency of the VIH barrier.The average maximum vibration reduction efficiency within the vibration isolation area can reach 42.2%.The vibration safety of adjacent oil pipelines during a dynamic compaction projection was evaluated according to existing standards,and the measurement of the VIH was recommended to reduce excessive vibration.The single-row vibration isolation scheme and three-row staggered arrangement with the same hole parameters are suggested according to different cases.The research findings can serve as a reference for the vibration safety analysis,assessment,and control of adjacent underground facilities under the influence of strong surface impact loads.

Thoughts on the Development of Bridge Technology in China

In the history of bridge engineering, demand has always been the primary driving force for development. Driven by the huge demand for construction since China’s reform and opening-up, Chinese bridge has leapt forward both quantitatively and qualitatively in three major stages, by completing the transition from “follower” to “competitor,” and nally to “leader.” A new future is emerging for Chinese bridge engi- neering. As an important part of China’s transportation infrastructure, the bridge engineering industry is facing challenges in this new era on how to support the construction of a new form of transportation. This paper provides a summary of the status of bridge technology in China, based on a basic analysis of stock demand, incremental demand, and management demand. It is our belief that the Chinese bridge engi- neering industry must ful ll three outstanding requirements: construction ef ciency, management effec- tiveness, and long-term service. Intelligent technology based on information technology provides a new opportunity for innovation in bridge engineering. As a result, the development path of bridge engineering needs to be changed. This paper puts forward the idea of developing a third-generation bridge project that is characterized by intelligence, and discusses this project’s implications, development focus, and plan. In this way, this work provides a direction for the improvement of the core competitiveness of China’s bridge engineering industry.

Estimation of Methane Emissions from Municipal Solid Waste Landfills in China Based on Point Emission Sources

The methane(CH4) emissions from municipal solid waste(MSW) landfills in China in 2007 were estimated based on database of the three-dimensional emission factors matrix and point sources, by an IPCC recommended FOD(firstorder decay) model. The location, capacity and age of landfills constitute the three dimensions of the emission factors matrix, which were obtained by laboratory analysis and in situ investigation. Key parameters such as waste composition,degradable organic carbon ratio, CH4 correction factor, oxidation factor and recovery rate, were carefully analyzed in terms of these three dimensions. The point sources database consists of 2,107 MSW landfills in cities and towns of China in 2007. The results show that the CH4 emissions from MSW landfills were 1.186 Mt in 2007. Compared with the CH4 emissions of 2.20 Mt in 2005, the significant discrepancy mainly comes from statistical data of landfills, e.g., number of landfills and amount of waste disposed in landfills. CH4 emissions were lower than 700 t for most of the landfills, whereas there were 279 landfills with emissions larger than 1,000 t, and only 10 landfills with emissions larger than 10,000 t.Jiangsu province ranks the largest emitter with 98,700 t while Tibet is the smallest emitter with 2,100 t. In general,the emissions from eastern provinces, such as Jiangsu, Guangdong and Zhejiang, were larger than those from western provinces, such as Ningxia, Tibet and Qinghai.

Numerical study on settlement of high-fill airports in collapsible loess geomaterials:A case study of Lüliang Airport in Shanxi Province,China

Foundation settlement is of great significance for high-fill engineering in collapsible loess areas.To predict the construction settlement of Lüliang Airport located in Shanxi Province,China,a plane strain finite element method considering the linear variation in the modulus,was carried out in this paper based on the results of geotechnical tests.The stress and deformation of four typical sections caused by layered fill are simulated,and then the settlement of the high-fill airport is calculated and analyzed by inputting three sets of parameters.The relative soft parameters of loess geomaterials produce more settlement than the relatively hard parameters.The thicker the filling body is,the greater the settlement is.The filling body constrained by mountains on both sides produces less settlement than the filling body constrained by a mountain on only one side even the filling thickness is almost the same.The settlement caused by the original subbase accounts for 56%−77%of the total settlement,while the fill soils themselves accounts for 23%−44%of the total settlement,which is approximately consistent with the field monitoring results.It provides a good reference for predicting the settlement of similar high-fill engineering.

Measurements of in situ stress and mining-induced stress in Beiminghe Iron Mine of China

In order to obtain the distribution rules of in situ stress and mining-induced stress of Beiminghe Iron Mine, the stress relief method by overcoring was used to measure the in situ stress, and the MC type bore-hole stress gauge was adopted to measure the mining-induced stress. In the in situ stress measuring, the technique of improved hollow inclusion cells was adopted, which can realize complete temperature compensation. Based on the measuring results, the distribution model of in situ stress was established and analyzed. The in situ stress measuring result shows that the maximum horizontal stress is 1.75-2.45 times of vertical stress and almost 1.83 times of the minimum horizontal stress in this mineral field. And the mining-induced stress measuring result shows that, according to the magnitude of front abutment pressure the stress region can be separated into stress-relaxed area, stress- concentrated area and initial stress area. At the -50 m mining level of this mine, the range of stress-relaxed area is 0-3 m before mining face; the range of stress-concentrated area is 3-55 m before mining face, and the maximum mining-induced stress is 16.5-17.5 MPa, which is 15-20 m from the mining face. The coefficient of stress concentration is 1.85.

Endothelial Nitric Oxide Synthase Gene Polymorphisms Associated with Susceptibility to High Altitude Pulmonary Edema in Chinese Railway Construction Workers at Qinghai-Tibet over 4500 Meters above Sea Level

Objective To examine whether the polymorphisms of endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) gene are associated with the susceptibility to high altitude pulmonary edema (HAPE) in Chinese railway construction workers at Qinghai-Tibet where the altitude is over 4 500 m above sea level. Methods A case-control study was conducted including 149 HAPE patients in the construction workers and 160 healthy controls randomly recruited from their co-workers, matching the patients in ethnicity, age, sex, lifestyle, and working conditions. Three polymorphisms of eNOS gene, T-786C in promoter, 894G/T in exon 7, and 27bp variable number tandem repeat (VNTR) in intron 4, were genotyped using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and confirmed with DNA sequencing. Results The frequencies of 894T allele and heterozygous G/T of the 894G/T variant were significantly higher in HAPE patients group than in the control group (P=0.0028 and P=0.0047, respectively). However, the frequencies of the T-786C in promoter and the 27bp VNTR in intron 4 were not significantly different between the two groups. Haplotypic analysis revealed that the frequencies of two haplotypes (H3,T-T-b, b indicates 5 repeats of 27 bp VNTR; H6, C-G-a, a indicates 4 repeats of 27 bp VNTR) were significantly higher in HAPE patients (both P<0.0001). On the contrary, the frequencies of H1 (T-G-b) and H2 (T-G-a) were lower in HAPE patients than in healthy controls (both P<0.001). Conclusions Two haplotypes (T-T-b and C-G-a) may be strongly associated with susceptibility to HAPE. Compared with the individual alleles of eNOS gene, the interaction of multiple genetic markers within a haplotype may be a major determinant for the susceptibility to HAPE.

High-altitude gastrointestinal bleeding:An observation in Qinghai-Tibetan railroad construction workers on Mountain Tanggula

AIM: To investigate the gastrointestinal bleeding (GIB) in people from lowland to high altitude and in workers on Mountain Tanggula and its causes as well as treatment and prophylaxis.METHODS: From 2001 to October 2003, we studied GIB in 13 502 workers constructing the railroad on Mountain Tanggula which is 4905 m above the sea level. The incidence of GIB in workers at different altitudes was recorded. Endoscopy was performed when the workers evacuated to Golmud (2808 m) and Xining (2261 m). The available data on altitude GIB were analyzed.RESULTS: The overall incidence of GIB was 0.49% in 13 502 workers. The incidence increased with increasing altitude. The onset of symptoms in most patients was within three weeks after arrival at high altitude. Bleeding manifested as hematemesis, melaena or hematochezia, and might be occult. Endoscopic examination showed that the causes of altitude GIB included hemorrhage gastritis, gastric ulcer, duodenal ulcer, and gastric erosion. Experimental studies suggested that acute gastric mucosal lesion (AGML) could be induced by hypoxic and cold stress, which might be the pathogenesis of altitude GIB. Those who consumed large amount of alcohol, aspirin or dexamethasone were at a higher risk of developing GIB. Persons who previously suffered from peptic ulcer or high-altitude polycythemia were also at risk of developing GIB. Early diagnosis, evacuation, and treatment led to early recovery. CONCLUSION: GIB is a potentially life threatening disease, if it is not treated promptly and effectively. Early diagnosis, treatment and evacuation lead to an early recovery. Death due to altitude GIB can be avoided if early symptoms and signs are recognized.

Geographical Differences and Influencing Factors of Rural Energy Consumption in Southwest Mountain Areas in China:A Case Study of Zhaotong City

China is a mountainous country,and Southwest mountain areas cover the most mountain areas in China and have the most serious problems.Taking Zhaotong city as the study area,based on 902 rural household questionnaires of 11 villages in 2 counties and Tobit model,this paper analyzes the geographical differences and influencing factors of energy consumption for non-production purposes of rural households living in different terrain conditions.This research finds that:(1) Coal takes up the main part of energy consumption in valley areas and coal consumption is mainly affected by per capita cultivated land area,household income,proportion of rural household energy expenditure in total expenditure,coal price,and family population size.Firewood takes up the main part of energy consumption in high mountain areas and firewood consumption is mainly affected by per capita firewood forest area,distance to purchase coal,household income,electricity price,and coal price.(2) Only when the distance is greater than 20 kilometers,that is the average distance of rural households living in middle mountain areas(1,600m^1,800m) to purchase coal,the transportation condition has a significant impact on coal consumption.(3) In high mountain areas,prices of coal and electricity are the main factors influencing energy consumption choice of rural households.Too high prices of coal and electricity would to some extent lead rural households to choose firewood as the main energy consumption type.Compared to coal,rural households prefer to choose electricity.

Design and construction of Sutong Bridge deep-water main-pylon foundations

This paper,from three aspects including construction conditions,foundation design and construction,introduces some considerations in the designing of main-pylon foundations and some practical measures to deal with certain unfavorable construction conditions,such as deep water,tidal effect,soft stratum and heavy traffic,during the construction of main-pylon foundations.

Thermal Comfort Measurement and Landscape Reconstruction Strategy of Street Space Based on Decomposition Grid Method:A Case Study of Yangmeizhu Street

As an important public space in the city,street space is the second residence of people.Taking Yangmeizhu Street as the research object,this study established a street microclimate model in Beijing through microclimate measurement and simulation,and then calculated thermal comfort index of the street and evaluated thermal comfort of the street space and distribution model.The evaluation method used grid method to decompose and study and made several 10m×10m grids for inner space of the street,so as to compare deeply difference of microclimate environment in the street and analyze quantitatively relevance between street space elements(street pavement,street greening,building shadow coverage)and thermal comfort(physiological equivalent temperature PET)in the data.Finally,adaptive strategy of microclimate on street level was put forward to improve the environmental quality of public space in the old city by means of landscape design,aiming at creating a resilient and humanized street space and improving adaptability of microclimate and thermal comfort for living.

Research on vertical deformation during construction of Shanghai World Financial Center

Shanghai World Financial Center is one of the highest buildings in the world, of which cumulation of vertical deformation during construction is significant and worth investigating. A refined finite element model was developed to conduct full-process analysis of construction of super-high rise buildings like Shanghai World Financial Center, in which the discrete analysis method of time-varying structures and age-adjusted effective modulus method were both used. In the finite element analysis, the whole construction process was divided into a series of stages, each with a structural system that is a part of the whole structure and with different material parameters, geometrical parameters, loading and boundary conditions. The whole construction process of Shanghai World Financial Center in consideration of creep of concrete was simulated successfully by using the finite element model and the analytical method developed. With respect to different construction stage, the total vertical deformation, inter-floor compression deformation and the relative deformation between the outer frame and the core-wall were obtained through the analysis. The comparison between the results from the stage-wise full-process analysis of construction with and without considering the creep and the results from the conventional analysis of the whole building under the total load from all self-weight and construction applied to the structure "in one go" shows that the cumulative effect on the deformation from the construction process and the creep effect need to be considered in analyzing the deformation of Shanghai World Financial Center, and the super-high rise buildings suchlike. Finally, the simulation results correlate well with the monitoring results-a proof of the feasibility and the validity of this paper.

CHINA'S BANKING REFORM in Progress

The World Bank （1997） once claimed that China＇s financial sector was the soft-belly in the economy. Financial sector reform has long been argued as neces- sary to raise efficiency in the use of the capital and in rebalancing the economy toward consumption-based growth, with- out which the country＇s growth sustain- ability is in jeopardy （see Lardy （1998）; Prasad （2007））. Indeed, not too long ago, China＇s state banks were deemed “techni-cally insolvent” and their survival hinged solely on the nation＇s abundant liquidity. However, after the launching of banking reform, strong profitability has returned to state commercial banks recently. The aim of this paper is not to evaluate the effect of banking reform on bank performance, which is better tackled after the completion of a full credit cycle. Rather, our aim is to take stock on the progress in reforming China＇s state banks by reviewing the banking reform strategy and analyzing their recent strong post-reform financial performance which, however, cannot be entirely separated from reform efforts undertaken thus far.

CHINA'S BANKING REFORM in Progress(PartⅡ)

Ⅱ.2 Operating Income in 2007 Operating income sustained high growth into 2007 on account of rapid increases in both net interest income and fee and commission income.For the four listed state commercial banks,operating income reached RMB 716.6 billion in 2007,an increase of 37.7%over 2006（Table 2）.Net interest income reached RMB 623.7 billion,an increase of 34.1%over 2006,on account both higher loan growth and greater interest margin,2.77%in 2007 up by 0.01 percentage points

Construction Technology of Roof Membrane for World Cup Main Stadium

Based on the installation of the roof membrane of Lusail Stadium which is the main stadium of Qatar World Cup in 2022, a series of key technical challenges in the design and construction of the roof PTFE membrane of large stadiums are studied. Based on the analysis of the roof cable net system, the study formulated the overall sequence of membrane installation, and defined the construction method of membrane lifting and unfolding. Focusing on membrane fixing techniques with the tension rings, compression rings, and horizontal cable nodes, it also optimized membrane connection methods with arch and horizontal cable, and provided waterproof construction methods. According to the findings, the construction of stadium roof membranes should follow a logical sequence. The membranes’ fixing, connection and waterproof construction will have an important impact on the final quality.

Chebyshev Spectral Element Analysis for Pore-Pressure of ERDs during Construction Period

Chebyshev spectral elements are applied to dissipation analysis of pore-pressure of roller compaction earth-rockfilled dams (ERD) during their construction. Nevertheless, the conventional finite element, for its excellent adaptability to complex geometrical configuration, is the most common way of spatial discretization for the pore-pressure solution of ERDs now [1]. The spectral element method, by means of the spectral isoparametric transformation, surmounts the disadvantages of disposing with complex geometry. According to the illustration of numerical examples, one can conclude that the spectral element methods have the following obvious advantages: 1) large spectral elements can be used in spectral element methods for the domains of homogeneous material;2) in the application of large spectral elements to spatial discretization, only a few leading terms of Chebyshev interpolation polynomial are taken to arrive at the solutions of better accuracy;3) spectral element methods have excellent convergence as well-known. Spectral method also is used to integrate the evolution equation in time to avoid the limitation of conditional stability of time-history

Key Construction Technology of Super Large Diaphragm Wall Reinforcement Cage

The longest reinforcement cage of the Shenzhen LNG Receiving Station’s underground continuous wall is 59.5 m,and the total lifting weight is more than 110 t.It is a super large reinforcement cage,which is extremely tough to construct and lift.The quality of reinforcement cage processing is guaranteed by adopting the mold frame and a reasonable processing procedure.Feasible technical scheme and quality and safety assurance measures are put forward from the aspects of site layout,hoisting equipment selection,hoisting point layout and hoisting process control to ensure the safe implementation of super large underground continuous wall reinforcement cage hoisting operation.Combined with the project example,the construction challenge of super large underground continuous wall reinforcement cage is solved by adopting the construction technology of integral fabrication and hoisting.