Optimum Design of Highway Excavation Slope Angle: Evidence from Dawu Section of Jingzhu Highway

The optimum design of the highway excavation slope angle is one of the most important problems to the highway construction and to the slope improvement. The Dawu Section of Jingzhu (Beijing Zhuhai) Highway is taken as an example to illustrate the study method for excavation slope angle design. The analysis of the engineering condition from different angles with different factors shows that the stability of the slope is calculated by using residual pushing force and the Sarma method. Then the sensitive analysis of the slope stability is conducted by using residual pushing force method. Finally, the optimum angle of design is presented on the precondition of ensuring the whole stability of slope and the economic reasonability. The study results show that the most sensitive factors are the shear strength parameter and the seismic force, and that the optimum excavation slope angle is 60°.

Optimization of Slope Angle and Its Seismic Stability: A Case Study for the Proposed Open Pit Coalmine in Phulbari,NW Bangladesh

The present study reflects upon the results of substantial program of two-dimensional Finite Element Method （FEM） numerical analyses of the open pit that links to slope angle optimization associated with the safety factor of the pit slope of a coal mine in Bangladesh. In the present analyses, two types of models have been presented. The first model estimates safety factor without seismic effect on the overall pit slope of the model; the second model incorporates safety factor with seismic stability of the model. The calculated optimum slope angle of the first model is 31% with a rational safety factor of 1.51, prior to the seismic effect. However, the value is reduced to 0.93, 0.82, and 0.72, after we applies the seismic effect in the second model with M6, M6.5, and M7, respectively. Finally, our modeling results emphasize that for the case of the proposed Phulbari coalmine, there is extremely high prospect for causing massive slope failure along the optimum pit slope angle with 31% if the mine area felt seismic shaking, like the Sikkim （in northern India） earthquake with M6.9 on September 18, 2011.

Solar Energy Resource Characteristics of Photovoltaic Power Station in Shandong Province

[Objective] The aim was to analyze characters of solar energy in photo- voltaic power stations in Shandong Province. [Method] The models of total solar radiation and scattered radiation were determined, and solar energy resources in pho-tovoltaic power stations were evaluated based on illumination in horizontal plane and cloud data in 123 counties or cities and observed information in Jinan, Fushan and Juxian in 1988-2008. [Result] Solar energy in northern regions in Shandong proved most abundant, which is suitable for photovoltaic power generation; the optimal angle of tilt of photovoltaic array was at 35°, decreasing by 2°-3° compared with local latitude. Total solar radiation received by the slope with optimal angle of tilt exceeded 1 600 kw.h/（m2.a）, increasing by 16% compared with horizontal planes. The maximal irradiance concluded by WRF in different regions tended to be volatile in 1 020-1 060 W/m2. [Conclusion] The research provides references for construction of photovoltaic power stations in Shandong Province.

Theoretical Comparative Energy Efficiency Analysis of Dual Axis Solar Tracking Systems

This paper developed a theoretical model substantially based on the principle that only the normal component of solar radiation is actually converted into electrical energy. This theoretical model helped to predict minimum and maximum daily energy gain (compared to static PV system tilted with certain angle) when using dual axis PV solar tracking systems, at any given location on earth without prior experimental data. Based on equations derived from model, minimum and maximum energy gain is computed and summarized in tables of minimum and maximum. Furthermore, the model equations could be used to set up future experimental studies related to the matter.