Distribution, health and ecological risk assessments of trace elements in Nigerian oil sands

The Nigerian oil sands represent the largest oil sand deposit in Africa, yet there is little published information on the distribution and potential health and ecological risks of trace elements in the oil resource. In the present study, we investigated the distribution pattern of 18trace elements(including biophile and chalcophile elements) as well as the estimated risks associated with exposure to these elements. The results of the study indicated that Fe was the most abundant element, with a mean concentration of 22,131 mg/kg while Br had the lowest mean concentration of 48 mg/kg. The high occurrence of Fe and Ti suggested a possible occurrence of ilmenite(Fe TiO_(3)) in the oil sands. Source apportionment using positive matrix factorization showed that the possible sources of detected elements in the oil sands were geogenic, metal production, and crustal. The contamination factor, geo-accumulation index, modified degree of contamination, pollution load index, and Nemerow pollution index indicated that the oil sands are heavily polluted by the elements. Health risk assessment showed that children were relatively more susceptible to the potentially toxic elements in the oil sands principally via ingestion exposure route(HQ > 1E-04). Cancer risks from inhalation are unlikely due to CR < 1E-06 but ingestion and dermal contact pose severe risks(CR > 1E-04). The high concentrations of the elements pose serious threats due to the potential for atmospheric transport, bioaccessibility, and bioavailability.

Study on the clogging mechanism of punching screen in sand control by the punching structure parameters

As an independent sand control unit or a common protective shell of a high-quality screen,the punching screen is the outermost sand retaining unit of the sand control pipe which is used in geothermal well or oil and gas well.However,most screens only consider the influence of the internal sand retaining medium parameters in the sand control performance design while ignoring the influence of the plugging of the punching screen on the overall sand retaining performance of the screen.To explore the clogging mechanism of the punching screen,this paper established the clogging mechanism calculation model of a single punching screen sand control unit by using the computational fluid mechanics-discrete element method(CFD-DEM)combined method.According to the combined motion of particles and fluids,the influence of the internal flow state on particle motion and accumulation was analyzed.The results showed that(1)the clogging process of the punching sand control unit is divided into three stages:initial clogging,aggravation of clogging and stability of clogging.In the initial stage of blockage,coarse particles form a loose bridge structure,and blockage often occurs preferentially at the streamline gathering place below chamfering inside the sand control unit.In the stage of blockage intensification,the particle mass develops into a relatively complete sand bridge,which develops from both ends of the opening to the center of the opening.In the stable plugging stage,the sand deposits show a“fan shape”and form a“V-shaped”gully inside the punching slot element.(2)Under a certain reservoir particle-size distribution,The slit length and opening height have a large influence on the permeability and blockage rate,while the slit width size has little influence on the permeability and blockage rate.The microscopic clogging mechanism and its law of the punching screen prevention unit are proposed in this study,which has some field guidance significance for the design of punching screen and sand prevention selection.

An Investigation into the Compressive Strength,Permeability and Microstructure of Quartzite-Rock-Sand Mortar

River sand is an essential component used as a fine aggregate in mortar and concrete.Due to unrestrained exploitation,river sand resources are gradually being exhausted.This requires alternative solutions.This study deals with the properties of cement mortar containing different levels of manufactured sand(MS)based on quartzite,used to replace river sand.The river sand was replaced at 20%,40%,60%and 80%with MS(by weight or volume).The mechanical properties,transfer properties,and microstructure were examined and compared to a control group to study the impact of the replacement level.The results indicate that the compressive strength can be improved by increasing such a level.The strength was improved by 35.1%and 45.5%over that of the control mortar at replacement levels of 60%and 80%,respectively.Although there was a weak link between porosity and gas permeability in the mortars with manufactured sand,the gas permeability decreased with growing the replacement level.The microstructure of the MS mortar was denser,and the cement paste had fewer microcracks with increasing the replacement level.

New Data on Coal, Gypsum, Iron and Silica Sand Deposits and Geochemical Exploration (Pakistan): Revision of 25 Years History of Dinosaur Discoveries from Pakistan

Discoveries of many coal seams at depths by drilling carried by Geological Survey of Pakistan in Sor Range and Harnai Gochina, extended the coal seams at depth which is challenge for mine owners to exploit feasibly. Bed to bed gypsum samplings (and their chemical analyses) of huge gypsum deposits from Sulaiman foldbelt is a base for industrialist and also planers to develop cement and gypsum industries to increase export and foreign exchange for the development of area and Pakistan. Low and high grade sedimentary iron deposits, silica sand and uranium host rocks and their extensions in Sulaiman and Kirthar foldbelts are presented. Anomalies of a few base metals arise as a result of geochemical exploration carried at part of Loralai District of Balochistan. Theropod dinosaurs were frequent in India, while Poripuchian titanosaurs (Sauropoda, Dinosauria) were frequent in Pakistan. Besides some ichnotaxa, many bone taxa such as 1 titanosauriform, 14 titanosaurian sauropod (including one new titanosaur), and 3 theropod dinosaurs are established from Pakistan. Among these 12 titanosaur species and 3 theropod species are named in about 10 km2 area of Vitakri dome and 2 titanosaur species are named in about a few hundred square meter area of Mari Bohri (Kachi Bohri) which is about 10 km westward from Vitakri dome. Pakistan is a unique country which discoverd 14 diversified titanosaurs in a short area and also in a short period (67 - 66 million years ago/Ma). About 400 bones found from a few meter thick upper part of upper shale horizon of latest Maastrichtian Vitakri Formation which is base for titanosaur taxa. Cranial material is in low fraction (but include significant diverse snouts), caudal vertebrae are prominent, the cervicals, dorsals and sacrals have significant numbers, forelimb and hind limb bones have balanced fraction. Humeri, femora and tibiae are most common. To know the position of Pakistani titanosaurs among titanosaurs and sauropods, there is a need to extend list of characters for phylogenetic analyses. This broad feature list should include main characters of titanosaurs from Pakistan and also from global world.

Formation and ecological response of sand patches in the protection system of Shapotou section of the Baotou-Lanzhou railway,China

The development of bare patches typically signifies a process of ecosystem degradation.Within the protection system of Shapotou section of the Baotou-Lanzhou railway,the extensive emergence of bare sand patches poses a threat to both stability and sustainability.However,there is limited knowledge regarding the morphology,dynamic changes,and ecological responses associated with these sand patches.Therefore,we analyzed the formation and development process of sand patches within the protection system and its effects on herbaceous vegetation growth and soil nutrients through field observation,survey,and indoor analysis methods.The results showed that sand patch development can be divided into three stages,i.e.,formation,expansion,and stabilization,which correspond to the initial,actively developing,and semi-fixed sand patches,respectively.The average dimensions of all sand patch erosional areas were found to be 7.72 m in length,3.91 m in width,and 0.32 m in depth.The actively developing sand patches were the largest,and the initial sand patches were the smallest.Throughout the stage of formation and expansion,the herbaceous community composition changed,and the plant density decreased by more than 50.95%.Moreover,the coverage and height of herbaceous plants decreased in the erosional area and slightly increased in the depositional lobe;and the fine particles and nutrients of soils in the erosional area and depositional lobe showed a decreasing trend.In the stabilization phases of sand patches,the area from the inlet to the bottom of sand patches becomes initially covered with crusts.Vegetation and 0-2 cm surface soil condition improved in the erosional area,but this improvement was not yet evident in the depositional lobe.Factors such as disturbance,climate change,and surface resistance to erosion exert notable influences on the formation and dynamics of sand patches.The results can provide evidence for the future treatment of sand patches and the management of the protection system of Shapotou section of the Baotou-Lanzhou railway.

Liquefaction and post-liquefaction behaviors of sands affected by immersion-induced degradation of crushed mudstone

A series of undrained triaxial tests was conducted to investigate the effect of crushed mudstone with the immersion-induced degradation on the liquefaction and post-liquefaction properties,and the undrained shearing behavior without precedent cyclic-loading histories of sands containing crushed mudstone.The tested materials with a main particle diameter of 2-0.85 mm were prepared by mixing sands and crushed mudstone to reach the prescribed mudstone content defined by dry mass ranging from 0% to 50%.The mixtures were subjected to immersion under a certain stress level and were subsequently tested.In addition,one-dimensional compression tests were also supplementally performed to visually observe the immersion-induced degradation of crushed mudstone.The test results mainly showed that: (1) the liquefaction resistance,the post-liquefaction undrained strength,and the undrained strength without a precedent cyclic-loading history decreased significantly with increasing mudstone content,M c ,up to 20%;(2) even a small amount of crushed mudstone affected these strengths;(3) the above-mentioned large reductions in the strengths were attributed to the immersion-induced degradation of crushed mudstone;(4) at M_(c) >20%,the liquefaction resistance increased while the significant increase in the undrained static strengths with and without precedent cyclic-loading histories was not observed;and (5) the increase in the liquefaction resistance at M_(c) >20% may have been attributed to both the gradual increase in the plasticity and the formation of the soil aggregates among deteriorated crushed mudstone,while the increase in the specimen density did not play an important role in such behavior.

Data-driven casting defect prediction model for sand casting based on random forest classification algorithm

The complex sand-casting process combined with the interactions between process parameters makes it difficult to control the casting quality,resulting in a high scrap rate.A strategy based on a data-driven model was proposed to reduce casting defects and improve production efficiency,which includes the random forest(RF)classification model,the feature importance analysis,and the process parameters optimization with Monte Carlo simulation.The collected data includes four types of defects and corresponding process parameters were used to construct the RF model.Classification results show a recall rate above 90% for all categories.The Gini Index was used to assess the importance of the process parameters in the formation of various defects in the RF model.Finally,the classification model was applied to different production conditions for quality prediction.In the case of process parameters optimization for gas porosity defects,this model serves as an experimental process in the Monte Carlo method to estimate a better temperature distribution.The prediction model,when applied to the factory,greatly improved the efficiency of defect detection.Results show that the scrap rate decreased from 10.16% to 6.68%.

A Transient-Pressure-Based Numerical Approach for Interlayer Identification in Sand Reservoirs

Almost all sandstone reservoirs contain interlayers. The identification and characterization of these interlayers iscritical for minimizing the uncertainty associated with oilfield development and improving oil and gas recovery.Identifying interlayers outside wells using identification methods based on logging data and machine learning isdifficult and seismic-based identification techniques are expensive. Herein, a numerical model based on seepageand well-testing theories is introduced to identify interlayers using transient pressure data. The proposed modelrelies on the open-source MATLAB Reservoir Simulation Toolbox. The effects of the interlayer thickness, position,and width on the pressure response are thoroughly investigated. A procedure for inverting interlayer parametersin the reservoir using the bottom-hole pressure is also proposed. This method uses only transient pressuredata during well testing and can effectively identify the interlayer distribution near the wellbore at an extremelylow cost. The reliability of the model is verified using effective oilfield examples.

Numerical simulation on sand sedimentation and erosion characteristics around HDPE sheet sand barrier under different wind angles

For the safety of railroad operations,sand barriers are utilized to mitigate wind-sand disaster effects.These disasters,characterized by multi-directional wind patterns,result in diverse angles among the barriers.In this study,using numerical simulations,we examined the behavior of High Density Polyethylene(HDPE)sheet sand barriers under different wind angles,focusing on flow field distribution,windproof efficiency,and sedimentation erosion dynamics.This study discovered that at a steady wind speed,airflow velocity varies as the angle between the airflow and the HDPE barrier changes.Specifically,a 90°angle results in the widest low-speed airflow area on the barrier’s downwind side.If the airflow is not perpendicular to the barrier,it prompts a lateral airflow movement which decreases as the angle expands.The windproof efficiency correlates directly with this angle but inversely with the wind’s speed.Notably,with a wind angle of 90°,wind speed drops by 81%.The minimum wind speed is found at 5.1H(the sand barrier height)on the barrier’s downwind side.As the angle grows,the barrier’s windproof efficiency improves,extending its protective reach.Sedimentation is most prominent on the barrier’s downwind side,as the wind angle shifts from 30°to 90°,the sand sedimentation area on the barrier’s downwind side enlarges by 14.8H.As the angle grows,sedimentation intensifies,eventually overtakes the forward erosion and enlarges the sedimentation area.

Experimental study on workability and permeability of sandy soils conditioned with thickened foam

Water spewing and muck plugging often occur during earth pressure balance(EPB)shield machines tunnelling in water-rich sandy strata,even though the conventional foam has been employed to condition sandy soils.In this study,a novel thickened foaming agent suitable for EPB shield tunnelling in water-rich sandy strata is developed.In contrast to conventional foam-conditioned sands,the thickened foam-conditioned sand has a low permeability due to the consistent filling of soil pores with the thickened foam,and the initial permeability coefficient decreases by approximately two orders of magnitude.It also exhibits a suitable workability,which is attributed to the enhanced capability of the thickened foam to condition sandy soils.In addition,the effect of concentration on the stability of the foam is explained by the Gibbs-Marangoni effect,and conditioning mechanisms for the thickened foam on sands are discussed from the evolution of foam bubbles.

Flow field, sedimentation, and erosion characteristics around folded linear HDPE sheet sand fence: Numerical simulation study

Wind and sand hazards are serious in the Milan Gobi area of the Xinjiang section of the Korla Railway. In order to ensure the safe operation of railroads, there is a need for wind and sand protection in heavily sandy areas. The wind and sand flow in the region is notably bi-directional. To shield railroads from sand, a unique sand fence made of folded linear high-density polyethylene(HDPE) is used, aligning with the principle that the dominant wind direction is perpendicular to the fence. This study employed field observations and numerical simulations to investigate the effectiveness of these HDPE sand fences in altering flow field distribution and offering protection. It also explored how these fences affect the deposition and erosion of sand particles. Findings revealed a significant reduction in wind speed near the fence corner;the minimum horizontal wind speed on the leeward side of the first sand fence(LSF) decreased dramatically from 3 m/s to 0.64 m/s. The vortex area on the LSF markedly impacted horizontal wind speeds. Within the LSF, sand deposition was a primary occurrence. As wind speeds increased, the deposition zone shrank, whereas the positive erosion zone expanded. Close to the folded corners of the HDPE sand fence, there was a notable shift from the positive erosion zone to a deposition zone. Field tests and numerical simulations confirmed the high windproof efficiency(WE) and sand resistance efficiency(SE) in the HDPE sand fence. Folded linear HDPE sheet sand fence can effectively slow down the incoming flow and reduce the sand content, thus achieving good wind and sand protection. This study provides essential theoretical guidance for the design and improvement of wind and sand protection systems in railroad engineering.

Bearing capacity of circular footings on multi-layered sand-waste tire shreds reinforced with geogrids

The presence of waste tires poses an environmental challenge as they occupy a significant amount of land and are expensive to dispose in landfills.However,reusing waste tires can address this issue when waste tires are used in geotechnical applications.To determine the viability of this approach,laboratoryscale tests were conducted to investigate load-bearing capacity of circular footings on sand-tire shred(STS)mixtures with shredded waste tire contents of 5%e15%by weight and three different widths of shreds.The investigation focused on analyzing the thickness of layers composed of STS mixtures,the soil cap,and the impact of geogrids on bearing capacity.The results indicate that a specific mixture of sand and tire shreds provides the highest footing-bearing capacity.In addition,the optimal shred content and size were found to be 10%by weight and 2 cm×10 cm,respectively.Furthermore,for a given tire shred width,a particular length provides the largest bearing capacity.The results agree well with that of previous research conducted by the first author and his colleagues in direct shear and California bearing ratio(CBR)tests.The primary finding of this research is that the use of two-layered STS mixtures reinforced by geogrids significantly enhances the bearing capacity.

Experimental and simulation research on hollow AZ31 magnesium alloy three-channel joint by hot extrusion forming with sand mandrel

Magnesium alloy is one of the lightest metal structural materials.The weight is further reduced through the hollow structure.However,the hollow structure is easily damaged during processing.In order to maintain the hollow structure and to transfer the stresses during the high temperature deformation,the sand mandrel is proposed.In this paper,the hollow AZ31 magnesium alloy three-channel joint is studied by hot extrusion forming.Sand as one of solid granule medium is used to fill the hollow magnesium alloy.The extrusion temperatures are 230℃ and 300℃,respectively.The process parameters(die angle,temperature,bottom thickness,sidewall thickness,edge-to-middle ratio in bottom,bottom shape)of the hollow magnesium alloy are analyzed based on the results of experiments and the finite element method.The results are shown that the formability of the hollow magnesium alloy will be much better when the ratio of sidewall thickness to the bottom thickness is 1:1.5.Also when edge-to-middle ratio in bottom is about 1:1.5,a better forming product can be received.The best bottom shape in these experiments will be convex based on the forming results.The grain will be refined obviously after the extrusion.Also the microstructures will be shown as streamlines.And these lines will be well agreement with the mold in the corner.

Microscopic Analysis of Cementitious Sand and Gravel Damming Materia

The mechanical properties of cementitious sand and gravel damming material have been experimentally determined by means of microscopic SEM(Scanning Electron Microscopy)image analysis.The results show that the combination of fly ash and water can fill the voids in cemented sand and gravel test blocks because of the presence of hydrated calcium silicate and other substances;thereby,the compactness and mechanical properties of these materials can be greatly improved.For every 10 kg/m^(3) increase in the amount of cementitious material,the density increases by about 2%,and the water content decreases by 0.2%.The amount of cementitious material used in the sand and gravel in these tests was 80-110 kg/m^(3),the water-binder ratio was 1-1.50.Moreover,the splitting tensile strength was 1/10 of the compressive strength,and the maximum strength was 7.42 MPa at 90 d.The optimal mix ratio has been found to be 50 kg of cement,60 kg of fly ash and 120 kg of water(C50F60W120).The related dry density was 2.6 g/cm^(3),the water content was 6%,and the water-binder ratio was 1.09.

Utilizing sediment grain size characteristics to assess the effectiveness of clay–sand barriers in reducing aeolian erosion in Minqin desert area,China

The clay–sand barriers in Minqin desert area,China,represent a pioneering windbreak and sand fixation project with a venerable history of 60 a.However,studies on evaluating the long-term effectiveness of clay–sand barriers against aeolian erosion,particularly from the perspective of surface sediment grain size,are limited and thus insufficient to ascertain the protective impact of these barriers on regional aeolian activities.This study focused on the surface sediments(topsoil of 0–3 cm depth)of clay–sand barriers in Minqin desert area to explain their erosion resistance from the perspective of surface sediment grain size.In March 2023,six clay–sand barrier sampling plots with clay–sand barriers of different deployment durations(1,5,10,20,40,and 60 a)were selected as experimental plots,and one control sampling plot was set in an adjacent mobile sandy area without sand barriers.Surface sediment samples were collected from the topsoil of each sampling plot in the study area in April 2023 and sediment grain size characteristics were analyzed.Results indicated a predominance of fine and medium sands in the surface sediments of the study area.The deployment of clay–sand barriers cultivated a fine quality in grain size composition of the regional surface sediments,increasing the average contents of very fine sand,silt,and clay by 30.82%,417.38%,and 381.52%,respectively.This trend became markedly pronounced a decade after the deployment of clay–sand barriers.The effectiveness of clay–sand barriers in erosion resistance was manifested through reduced wind velocity,the interception of sand flow,and the promotion of fine surface sediment particles.Coarser particles such as medium,coarse,and very coarse sands predominantly accumulated on the external side of the barriers,while finer particles such as fine and very fine sands concentrated in the upwind(northwest)region of the barriers.By contrast,the contents of finest particles such as silt and clay were higher in the downwind(southeast)region of the sampling plots.For the study area,the deployment of clay–sand barriers remains one of the most cost-effective engineering solutions for aeolian erosion control,with sediment grain size parameters serving as quantitative indicators for the assessment of these barriers in combating desertification.The results of this study provide a theoretical foundation for the construction of windbreak and sand fixation systems and the optimization of artificial sand control projects in arid desert areas.

Biological soil crusts and their potential applications in the sand land over Qinghai-Tibet Plateau

The Qinghai-Tibet Plateau is now experiencing ecological degradation risks as a result of climate change and human activities.The alpine grassland ecology in permafrost zones is fragile and susceptible to deterioration due to its high altitude,low temperature,and limited oxygen,which complicates the repair of damaged land.Biological soil crusts(BSCs)are crucial for land restoration in plateau regions because they can thrive in harsh conditions and have environmentally beneficial traits.Inoculated biological soil crust(IBSC)has shown success in low-altitude desert regions,but may not be easily duplicated to the plateau environment.Therefore,it is essential to do a comprehensive and multifaceted analysis of the basic theoretical comprehension and practical application of BSCs on the Tibetan Plateau.This review article aims to provide a brief summary of the ecological significance and the mechanisms related to the creation,growth,and progression of BSCs.It discusses the techniques used for cultivating BSCs in laboratories and using them in the field,focusing on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau circumstance.We thoroughly discussed the potential and the required paths for further studies.This study may be used as a basis for selecting suitable microbial strains and accompanying supplemental actions for implementing IBSCs in the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau.

A novel relationship between elastic modulus and void ratio associated with principal stress for coral calcareous sand

Elastic moduli,e.g.shear modulus G and bulk modulus K,are important parameters of geotechnical materials,which are not only the indices for the evaluation of the deformation ability of soils but also the important basic parameters for the development of the constitutive models of geotechnical materials.In this study,a series of triaxial loading-unloading-reloading shear tests and isotropic loading-unloadingreloading tests are conducted to study several typical mechanical properties of coral calcareous sand(CCS),and the void ratio evolution during loading,unloading and reloading.The test results show that the stress-strain curves during multiple unloading processes are almost parallel,and their slopes are much greater than the deformation modulus at the initial stage of loading.The relationship between the confining pressure and the volumetric strain can be defined approximately by a hyperbolic equation under the condition of monotonic loading of confining pressure.Under the condition of confining pressure unloading,the evolution of void ratio is linear in the e-lnp0 plane,and these lines are a series of almost parallel lines if there are multiple processes of unloading.Based on the experimental results,it is found that the modified Hardin formulae for the elastic modulus estimation have a significant deviation from the tested values for CCS.Based on the experimental results,it is proposed that the elastic modulus of soils should be determined by the intersection line of two spatial surfaces in the G/K-e-p’/pa space(pa:atmosphere pressure).“Ye formulation”is further proposed for the estimation of the elastic modulus of CCS.This new estimation formulation for soil elastic modulus would provide a new method to accurately describe the mechanical behavior of granular soils.

Study of Sands from Bamendou-West Cameroon: Valorization for Concrete Mix Design

Bamendou (West Cameroon), has a huge potential in natural resources, especially sands. However, the use of these materials in civil engineering works leads to the appearance of numerous pathologies which in some cases lead to the total ruin of the works. In order to overcome these infrastructural problems, the main objective of this study is set at the improvement of the service life of structures built in Cameroon using local materials formed under climatic, geological and geotechnical conditions similar to those of materials in Bamendou. Eight sand samples were taken from the most representative and exploited quarries. The identification and classification of the sand taken from the most representative quarries in the study area show that they are mainly clayey, with an average sand equivalent of 57.54. In terms of granulometry, the curves of several sand samples do not fall within the granular range of sands used in the formulation of concrete. The modulus of fineness obtained by particle size analysis varies from 2.91 to 3.92 with an average of 3.31.

The Impact of Black Sea Sand Treatment Effectively Reducing Different Type of Pain

Purpose: Low back pain (LBP), Gonarthrosis, knee, and Carpal Tunnel Syndrome have been regarded as affecting more than three-quarters’ of individuals in their lifetime. The aim of this study was conducted to determine and compare the effects of topical patients with sand compared with control related to Gonarthrosis, LBP, knee, and Carpal Tunnel Syndrome pain. Methods: This is a prospective case and control designed study based on 101 pain case with Sand and 101 control subjects. The interventional groups in addition either topical sand or without sand 2 months after the intervention were assessed. We assessed tolerability of an established pain perception scale by the Numeric Rating Scale (NRS). Categorical variables were compared using the chi-square (χ2) test. The paired t-test was used to compare the two groups before and after the intervention. One-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) was employed for comparison of several group means. Results: The study was based on 202 patients, 41 males (20.3%) and 161 females (79.7%). There were statistically significant differences between subjects with and without Sand in term of Gonarthrosis, Rheumatoid Arthritis LBP, knee, and Carpal Tunnel Syndrome pain (p = 0.033). Majority of patients were over age 55 years old (55%) and females 78 (77.2%). The mean score of total pain experience before and after the intervention was 7.41 ± 1.1 for black sand, and 4.24 ± 2.38 for without sand as control group. The mean scores of these 5 groups were highly significant before and after the intervention (p There was statistically highly significant in regarding subjects with Sand as compared with those before Sand after treatment mean score specifically with gonarthrosis before pain 7.23 ± 1.86 vs after treatment 4.54 ± 2.18 p < 0.001;rheumatoid arthritis before 8.28 ± 1.48 vs after treatment 4.80 ± 3.71 p < 0.001;Low Back Pain before 8.42 ± 1.83 vs after treatment 4.37 ± 1.52 p < 0.001;knee pain before 8.93 ± 0.89 vs after treatment 4.24 ± 0.24 p < 0.001;Carpal Tunnel Syndrome before 7.664 ± 1.04 vs after treatment 4.26 ± 1.03 p Conclusion: The current study has revealed that the topical treatments with sand could have a significant effect on the perception of pain compared to those in the control group with respect of gonarthrosis, rheumatoid arthritis, LBP, knee, and Carpal Tunnel Syndrome pain .

Shear Resistance of Siltous Sands Improved with Bridelia Tannins

The ruin of several civil engineering works occurs due to shear rupture of the ground. When the stress is greater than the shear resistance, the internal friction angle and the cohesion of the soil loosen and rupture occurs. Cement and lime are often used to stabilize soils and improve soil strength. The costs and environmental problems of these technologies raise concerns and challenge researchers to innovate with clean, inexpensive materials, accessible to the most disadvantaged social classes. The question that this study seeks to answer is whether the binders derived from plant tannins, which also stabilize soils, improve the shear resistance of these soils. To do this, we determined for silty sand the shear parameters, notably the cohesion and the angle of internal friction in the non-stabilized state and when they are stabilized with the powder of the bark of the Bridelia under different water states. The results show that the addition of Bridelia powder to silty sand increases the cohesion of the soil by nearly 70.71% and the friction angle by 4.31%. But in unfavourable water conditions, the cohesion and internal friction angle of the silty sand material improved with Bridelia bark powder drops drastically by nearly 81.56%. but does not dissolve completely as for the same material. When it is not stabilized. This information is an invaluable contribution in the search for solutions to increase the durability of earthen constructions by improving the water-repellent properties of soils.