Change in Grain-Size Composition of Lignite under Cyclic Freezing-Thawing and Wetting-Drying

The paper presents the change in grain-size composition of lignite under cyclic freezing-thawing (FTC) and wetting-drying (WDC). The article shows that in the spring and autumn periods the lignites can be subjected to repeated freezing-thawing and wetting-drying, which determines the possibility of changing their grain-size composition and structure. Experimental studies in laboratory conditions on the influence of cyclic freezing-thawing (FTC) and wetting-drying (WDC) on the quality indicators of lignites have been carried out, their granulometric (fractional) composition has been studied. Freezing-thawing cycle conditions are as follows (FTC): minimum exposure temperature: -20°C;maximum: +5°C;relative humidity: 30%;number of processing cycles: 3. Wetting-drying cycles are as follows (WDC): drying temperatures are +20, +40, +60, +80°C, drying time 90 minutes, the coals are further subjected to rain (soaking) for a period of water saturation to humidity of 30% - 40% and dry again. The number of wetting-drying cycles is 3 times. The tests have revealed the destructive effects of FTC and WDC on the samples of lower metamorphic grade coal, and the cycles of wet-dry lead to the much higher yield of fine sizes (-6+0;-13+0 mm) than the cycles of freeze-thaw. Furthermore, it is found that the increase in the yield of fines depends on the heating temperature: coal disintegration proceeds more intensively at a higher temperature of drying.

Effect of SAP on Properties of High Performance Concrete under Marine Wetting and Drying Cycles

The internal curing effect of superabsorbent polymer(SAP) on the properties of high performance concrete(HPC) under marine wetting and drying cycles(WD cycles) was investigated. Compressive strength, hydration and chloride migration were experimentally investigated and the results were evaluated by compasison with those under fresh water curing(FW). Water absorption and porosity were also evaluated only under WD cycles. The results showed the important influence of wetting and drying cycles on the properties of SAP modified HPC properties. Carefully designed, SAP minimized the long-term compressive strength of HPC under marine WD cycles. The hydration rate was faster in the initial curing, but became lower as compared with that cured in FW. In addition, SAP improved the long-term water absorption resistance and chloride migration resistance of HPC under marine WD cycles. The examination of the porosity showed a lower increase of the volume of capillary pores in SAP modified HPC under long term WD cycles compared with that without SAP. Therefore, internal curing by SAP could improve the durability properties of HPC under marine WD cycles.

Chloride Ion Transmission Model under the Drying-wetting Cycles and Its Solution

The chloride ion transmission model considering diffusion and convection was established respectively for different zones in concrete by analyzing chloride ion transmission mechanism under the dryingwetting cycles. The finite difference method was adopted to solve the model. The equation of chloride ion transmission model in the convection and diffusion zone of concrete was discreted by the group explicit scheme with right single point （GER method） and the equation in diffusion zone was discreted by FTCS difference scheme. According to relative humidity characteristics in concrete under drying-wetting cycles, the seepage velocity equation was formulated based on Kelvin Equation and Darcy＇s Law. The time-variant equations of chloride ion concentration of concrete surface and the boundary surface of the convection and diffusion zone were established. Based on the software MATLAB the numerical calculation was carried out by using the model and basic material parameters from the experiments. The calculation of chloride ion concentration distribution in concrete is in good agreement with the drying-wetting cycles experiments. It can be shown that the chloride ion transmission model and the seepage velocity equation are reasonable and practical. Studies have shown that the chloride ion transmission in concrete considering convection and diffusion under the drying-wetting cycles is the better correlation with the actual situation than that only considering the diffusion.

Temporal Microbial Response to Wetting-Drying Cycles in Soils within and Outside the Influence of a Shrub in the Sahel

Piliostigma reticulatum is a native woody shrub found in cropped fields in the Sahel and has been shown to increase crop productivity and soil quality. Frequently occurring drying and rewetting cycles (DRW) may alter the soil quality beneath these shrubs. We investigated the effect of DRW cycles on microbial community in soil beneath and outside the P. reticulatum canopy and the roles of this shrub in the adaptation of the microbial community to abiotic stress. Soils were incubated in a climate controlled chamber for 45 days, after exposure to 10 consecutive days of DRW cycles at 75% of water holding capacity (WHC). Basal respiration, β-glucosidase activity, microbial biomass carbon (MBC), and available nitrogen (;) were measured at 2, 30, and 45 days after soil exposed to the DRW cycles. MBC increased significantly two days after the DRW cycles and was greater for soil beneath the shrub canopy compared with soil outside the shrub canopy. PCA analysis based on basal respiration, microbial biomass carbon, available nitrogen, and β-Glucosidase activity resulted in a tight clustering in the beneath shrub soil samples. Soils incubated for more than 30 days after DRW cycles had higher available nitrogen content than soils incubated for less than 30 days. Soil from beneath the shrub canopy significantly improved soil resilience based on β-glucosidase activity. Soil from beneath the shrub canopy also had higher nutrient levels and greater microbial activity even when subjected to DRW cycles, potentially improving the ability of crops to withstand in-season drought when they are adjacent to shrubs. The work should bring our scientific community into a more comprehensive assessment of potential effects of a crop-shrub intercropping that may allow for increased crop yields in semi-arid ecosystems under drought conditions.

Asymmetric Drying and Wetting Trends in Eastern and Western China

As an important factor that directly affects agricultural production, the social economy, and policy implementation,observed changes in dry/wet conditions have become a matter of widespread concern. However, previous research has mainly focused on the long-term linear changes of dry/wet conditions, while the detection and evolution of the non-linear trends related to dry/wet changes have received less attention. The non-linear trends of the annual aridity index, obtained by the Ensemble Empirical Mode Decomposition(EEMD) method, reveal that changes in dry/wet conditions in China are asymmetric and can be characterized by contrasting features in both time and space in China. Spatially, most areas in western China have experienced transitions from drying to wetting, while opposite changes have occurred in most areas of eastern China. Temporally, the transitions occurred earlier in western China compared to eastern China. Research into the asymmetric spatial characteristics of dry/wet conditions compensates for the inadequacies of previous studies, which focused solely on temporal evolution;at the same time, it remedies the inadequacies of traditional research on linear trends over centennial timescales. Analyzing the non-linear trend also provides for a more comprehensive understanding of the drying/wetting changes in China.

Wetting alternating with partial drying during grain filling increases lysine biosynthesis in inferior rice grain

Lysine content is a criterion of the nutritional quality of rice.Understanding the process of lysine biosynthesis in early-flowering superior grain(SG)and late-flowering inferior grain(IG)of rice would advance breeding and cultivation to improve nutritional quality.However,little information is available on differences in lysine anabolism between SG and IG and the underlying mechanism,and whether and how irrigation regimes affect lysine anabolism in these grains.A japonica rice cultivar was grown in the field and two irrigation regimes,continuous flooding(CF)and wetting alternating with partial drying(WAPD),were imposed from heading to the mature stage.Lysine content and activities of key enzymes of lysine biosynthesis,and levels of brassinosteroids(BRs)were lower in the IG than in the SG at the early grainfilling stage but higher at middle and late grain-filling stages.WAPD increased activities of these key enzymes,BR levels,and contents of lysine and total amino acids in IG,but not SG relative to CF.Application of 2,4-epibrassinolide to rice panicles in CF during early grain filling reproduced the effects of WAPD,but neither treatment altered the activities of enzymes responsible for lysine catabolism in either SG or IG.WAPD and elevated BR levels during grain filling increased lysine biosynthesis in IG.Improvement in lysine biosynthesis in rice should focus on IG.

Effect of cyclic drying and wetting on engineering properties of heavy metal contaminated soils solidified/stabilized with fly ash

Solidification/stabilization （S/S） is one of the most effective methods of dealing with heavy metal contaminated soils. The effects of cyclic wetting and drying on solidified/stabilized contaminated soils were investigated. A series of test program, unconfined compressive strength （UCS） test, TCLP leaching test and scanning electron microscopy （SEM） test, were performed on lead and zinc contaminated soils solidified/stabilized by fly ash. Test results show that UCS and the leaching characteristics of heavy metal ions of S/S contaminated soils are significantly improved with the increase of fly ash content. UCS of S/S soils firstly increases with the increase of the times of drying and wetting cycles, after reaching the peak, it decreases with it. When the pollutant content is lower （1 000 mg/kg）, the TCLP concentration first slightly decreases under cyclic drying and wetting, then increases, but the change is minor. The TCLP concentration is higher under a high pollutant content of 5 000 mg/kg, and increases with the increase of the times of drying and wetting cycles. The results of scanning electron microscopy （SEM） test are consistent with UCS tests and TCLP leaching tests, which reveals the micro-mechanism of the variations of engineering properties of stabilized contaminated soils after drying and wetting cycles.

Hydraulic and volume change behaviors of compacted highly expansive soil under cyclic wetting and drying

The wide engineered application of compacted expansive soils necessitates understanding their behavior under field conditions.The results of this study demonstrate how seasonal climatic variation and stress and boundary conditions individually or collectively influence the hydraulic and volume change behavior of compacted highly expansive soils.The cyclic wetting and drying(CWD)process was applied for two boundary conditions,i.e.constant stress(CS)and constant volume(CV),and for a wide range of axial stress states.The adopted CWD process affected the hydraulic and volume change behaviors of expansive soils,with the first cycle of wetting and drying being the most effective.The CWD process under CS conditions resulted in shrinkage accumulation and reduction in saturated hydraulic conductivity(k sat).On the other hand,CWD under CV conditions caused a reduction of swell pressure while has almost no impact on k sat.An elastic response to CWD was achieved after the third cycle for saturated hydraulic conductivity(k sat),the third to fourth cycle for the volume change potential under the CV conditions,and the fourth to fifth cycle for the volume change potential under the CS conditions.Finally,both swell pressure(s s)and saturated hydraulic conductivity(k sat)are not fundamental parameters of the expansive soil but rather depend on stress,boundary and wetting conditions.

Concrete deterioration under the coupling effects of flexural load, cyclic wetting and drying, and sulfate

Our research focused on the analy sis of concrete deterioration mechan ism under the coup ling effects of flexural load,cy clic wetting and dry ing, and sulfate. The relative dy namic modulus of elasticity of a corroded concrete samp le was tested, and scannin g electron microscop e was used to observe the microstructure of concrete under the coup ling effects of flexural load,cy clic wetting and dry ing, and sulf ate. Results manif ested that flexur al load and cy clic wetting and dry ing durin g the concrete service chan ged the corrosion p rocess of the sulfate mediu m in con crete and enh anced the deterioration of con crete p erforman ce.Furthermore, the influencin g p atterns of strength grade of concr ete, mass concentration of sulfate solution, and mineral admixtures on the degree of concrete deterioration were identified.

Influences of different modifiers on the disintegration of improved granite residual soil under wet and dry cycles

The disintegration of granite residual soil is especially affected by variations in physical and chemical properties. Serious geologic hazards or engineering problems are closely related to the disintegration of granite residual soil in certain areas. Research on the mechanical properties and controlling mechanisms of disintegration has become a hot issue in practical engineering. In this paper, the disintegration characteristics of improved granite residual soil are studied by using a wet and dry cycle disintegration instrument, and the improvement mechanism is analyzed. The results show that the disintegration amounts and disintegration ratios of soil samples treated with different curing agents are obviously different. The disintegration process of improved granite residual soil can be roughly divided into 5 stages:the forcible water intrusion stage, microcrack and fissure development stage, curing and strengthening stage, stable stage, and sudden disintegration stage. The disintegration of granite residual soil is caused by the weakening of the cementation between soil particles under the action of water. When the disintegration force is greater than the anti-disintegration force of soil, the soil will disintegrate. Cement and lime mainly rely on ion exchange agglomeration, the inclusion effect of curing agents on soil particles, the hard coagulation reaction and carbonation to strengthen granite residual soil. Kaolinite mainly depends on the reversibility of its own cementation to improve and strengthen granite residual soil. The reversibility of kaolinite cementation is verified by investigating pure kaolinite with a tensile, soaking, drying and tensile test cycle. Research on the disintegration characteristics and disintegration mechanism of improved granite residual soil is of certain reference value for soil modification.

Grain yield and water use efficiency of super rice under soil water deficit and alternate wetting and drying irrigation

This study investigated if super rice could better cope with soil water deficit and if it could have better yield performance and water use efficiency （WUE） under alternate wetting and drying （AWD） irrigation than check rice. Two super rice cultivars and two elite check rice cultivars were grown in pots with three soil moisture levels, well watered （WW）, moderate water deficit （MWD） and severe water deficit （SWD）. Two cultivars, each for super rice and check rice, were grown in field with three irrigation regimes, alternate wetting and moderate drying （AWMD）, alternate wetting and severe drying （AWSD） and conventional irrigation （CI）. Compared with that under WW, grain yield was significantly decreased under MWD and SWD treatments, with less reduction for super rice than for check rice. Super rice had higher percentage of productive tillers, deeper root distribution, higher root oxidation activity, and greater aboveground biomass production at mid and late growth stages than check rice, especially under WMD and WSD. Compared with CI,AWMD increased, whereasAWSD decreased grain yield, with more increase or less decrease for super rice than for check rice. Both MWD and SWD treatments and eitherAWMD orAWSD regime significantly increased WUE compared with WW treatment or CI regime, with more increase for super rice than for check rice. The results suggest that super rice has a stronger ability to cope with soil water deficit and holds greater promising to increase both grain yield and WUE by adoption of moderate AWD irrigation.

Moderate wetting and drying increases rice yield and reduces water use, grain arsenic level, and methane emission

To meet the major challenge of increasing rice production to feed a growing population under increasing water scarcity,many water-saving regimes have been introduced in irrigated rice,such as an aerobic rice system,non-flooded mulching cultivation,and alternate wetting and drying(AWD).These regimes could substantially enhance water use efficiency(WUE) by reducing irrigation water.However,such enhancements greatly compromise grain yield.Recent work has shown that moderate AWD,in which photosynthesis is not severely inhibited and plants can rehydrate overnight during the soil drying period,or plants are rewatered at a soil water potential of-10 to-15 k Pa,or midday leaf potential is approximately-0.60 to-0.80 MPa,or the water table is maintained at 10 to 15 cm below the soil surface,could increase not only WUE but also grain yield.Increases in grain yield WUE under moderate AWD are due mainly to reduced redundant vegetative growth;improved canopy structure and root growth;elevated hormonal levels,in particular increases in abscisic acid levels during soil drying and cytokinin levels during rewatering;and enhanced carbon remobilization from vegetative tissues to grain.Moderate AWD could also improve rice quality,including reductions in grain arsenic accumulation,and reduce methane emissions from paddies.Adoption of moderate AWD with an appropriate nitrogen application rate may exert a synergistic effect on grain yield and result in higher WUE and nitrogen use efficiency.Further research is needed to understand root–soil interaction and evaluate the long-term effects of moderate AWD on sustainable agriculture.

Agronomic performance of drought-resistance rice cultivars grown under alternate wetting and drying irrigation management in southeast China

Compared to drought-susceptible rice cultivars(DSRs),drought-resistance rice cultivars(DRRs)could drastically reduce the amount of irrigation water input and simultaneously result in higher grain yield under water-saving irrigation conditions.However,the mechanisms underlying these properties are unclear.We investigated how improved agronomic traits contribute to higher yield and higher water use efficiency(WUE)in DRRs than in DSRs under alternate wetting and drying(AWD).Two DRRs and two DSRs were field-grown in 2015 and 2016 using two different irrigation regimes:continuous flooding(CF)and AWD.Under CF,no statistical differences in grain yield and WUE were observed between DRRs and DSRs.Irrigation water under the AWD regime was 275–349 mm,an amount 49.8%–56.2% of that(552–620 mm)applied under the CF regime.Compared to CF,AWD significantly decreased grain yield in both DRRs and DSRs,with a more significant reduction in DSRs,and WUE was increased in DRRs,but not in DSRs,by 9.9%–23.0% under AWD.Under AWD,DRRs showed a 20.2%–26.2% increase in grain yield and an 18.6%–24.5% increase in WUE compared to DSRs.Compared to DSRs,DRRs showed less redundant vegetative growth,greater sink capacity,higher grain filling efficiency,larger root biomass,and deeper root distribution under AWD.We conclude that these improved agronomic traits exert positive influences on WUE in DRRs under AWD.

Investigation on microstructure evolution of clayey soils: A review focusing on wetting/drying process

Variability in moisture content is a common condition in natural soils.It influences soil properties significantly.A comprehensive understanding of the evolution of soil microstructure in wetting/drying process is of great significance for interpretation of soil macro hydro-mechanical behavior.In this review paper,methods that are commonly used to study soil microstructure are summarized.Among them are scanning electron microscope(SEM),environmental SEM(ESEM),mercury intrusion porosimetry(MIP)and computed tomography(CT)technology.Moreover,progress in research on the soil microstructure evolution during drying,wetting and wetting/drying cycles is summarized based on reviews of a large body of research papers published in the past several decades.Soils compacted on the wet side of op-timum water content generally have a matrix-type structure with a monomodal pore size distribution(PSD),whereas soils compacted on the dry side of optimum water content display an aggregate structure that exhibits bimodal PSD.During drying,decrease in soil volume is mainly caused by the shrinkage of inter-aggregate pores.During wetting,both the intra-and inter-aggregate pores increase gradually in number and sizes.Changes in the characteristics of the soil pore structure significantly depend on stress state as the soil is subjected to wetting.During wetting/drying cycles,soil structural change is not completely reversible,and the generated cumulative swelling/shrinkage deformation mainly derives from macro-pores.Furthermore,based on this analysis and identified research needs,some important areas of research focus are proposed for future work.These areas include innovative methods of sample preparation,new observation techniques,fast quantitative analysis of soil structure,integration of microstructural parameters into macro-mechanical models,and soil microstructure evolution charac-teristics under multi-field coupled conditions.

Influence of Seed Priming on Performance and Water Productivity of Direct Seeded Rice in Alternating Wetting and Drying

Direct seeded rice is promising alternative to traditional transplanting, but requires appropriate crop and water management to maintain yield performance and achieve high water productivity. Present study evaluated the effect of seed priming and irrigation on crop establishment, tillering, agronomic traits, paddy yield, grain quality and water productivity of direct seeded rice in alternate wetting and drying （DSR-AWD） in comparison with direct seeded rice at field capacity （DSR- FC）. Seed priming treatments were osmo-priming with KCI （2.2%）, CaCI2 （2.2%） and moringa leaf extracts （MLE, 3.3%） including hydro-priming as control. Among the treatments, seed osmo-primed with MLE emerged earlier and had higher final emergence, followed by osmo-priming with CaCI2. Tillering emergence rate and number of tillers per plant were the highest for seed priming with CaCI2 in DSR- AWD. Total productive and non-productive tillers, panicle length, biological and grain yields, harvest index were highest for seed priming with MLE or CaCI2 in DSR-AWD. Similarly, grain quality, estimated in terms of normal grains, abortive and chalky grains, was also the highest in DSR-AWD with MLE osmo-priming. Benefit cost ratio and water productivity was also the highest in DSR-AWD for seed priming with MLE. In conclusion, seed priming with MLE or CaCI2 can be successfully employed to improve the direct seeded rice performance when practiced with alternate wetting and drying irrigation.

Simulation of Wetting and Drying Processes in A Depth Integrated Shallow Water Flow Model by Slot Method

A particular porosity method named ＂slot method＂ is implemented in a depth-integrated shallow water flow model （DIVAST） to simulate wetting and drying processes. Discussed is the relationship between the shape factors of the ＂slot＂ and the preset depth used in ＂wetting-drying＂ algorithm. Two typical tests are conducted to examine the performance of the method with the effect of the shape factors of the ＂slot＂ being checked in detail in the first test. Numerical results demonstrate that： 1 ） no additional effort to improve the finite difference scheme is needed to implement ＂slot method＂ in DIVAST, and 2） ＂slot method＂ will simulate wetting and diying processes correctly if the shape factors of the ＂slot＂ being selected properly.

Diversity of Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi Associated with Six Rice Cultivars in Italian Agricultural Ecosystem Managed with Alternate Wetting and Drying

Alternate wetting and drying(AWD)system,in which water has been reduced by approximately 35%with an increased occurrence of beneficial arbuscular mycorrhizal(AM)symbiosis and no negative impact on rice yield,was proposed to utilize water and nutrients more sustainable.In this study,we selected six rice cultivars(Centauro,Loto,Selenio,Vialone nano,JSendra and Puntal)grown under AWD conditions,and investigated their responsiveness to AM colonization and how they select diverse AM taxa.In order to investigate root-associated AM fungus communities,molecular cloning-Sanger sequencing on small subunit rDNA data were obtained from five out of the six rice cultivars and compared with Next Generation Sequencing(NGS)data,which were previously obtained in Vialone nano.The results showed that all the cultivars were responsive to AM colonization with the development of AM symbiotic structures,even if with differences in the colonization and arbuscule abundance in the root systems.We identified 16 virtual taxa(VT)in the soil compartment and 7 VT in the root apparatus.We emphasized that the NGS analysis gives additional value to the results thanks to a more in-depth reading of the less represented AM fungus taxa.

The Quantification of Micro-structural Damage of Weak Muddy Intercalation in Dry-wet Cycles Combining in-situ SEM and DIP

In order to reflect truly the damage evolution mechanism of weak muddy intercalation in dry-wet cycles, two typical weak muddy intercalations were selected for dry-wet cycles. The mineral changes of specimens were analyzed via X-ray diffraction after dry-wet cycles. By combining in-situ SEM and digital image processing(DIP), the damage evolution process and damage characteristic parameters of each stage were obtained. The experimental results indicate that the hydration and dissolution of minerals can not be a determinant factor in structure damage. The micro-structural damage is due to disintegration of mineral aggregates, leading to changes in the number and size of cracks and pores. The damage degree of specimens is related to its initial structure, and the micro-structural damage intensifies and finally tends to stabilize with cycle times increased.

Performance of Concrete Subjected to Severe Multiple Actions of Composite Salts Solution under Wet-Dry Cycles and Flexural Loading in Lab

Several action regimes were employed, namely, those exposed to solutions containing single and/or composite chloride and sulfate salts, and under wet-dry cycles and/or flexural loading. The variations in dynamic modulus of elasticity（Erd values） were monitored, as well as the key factor impacting on the chloride ingress when concrete subjected to multiple action regimes was identified by the method of Grey Relation Analysis（GRA）. The changes in micro-structures and mineral products of interior concrete after different action regimes were investigated by means of X-ray diffraction（XRD）, mercury intrusion technique（MIP）, and scanning electron microscopy（SEM）. The test results showed that the cyclic wet-dry accelerated the deterioration of OPC concrete more than the action of 35% flexural loading based on the results of Erd values and the GEA. The analyses from micro-structures could give certain explanations to the change in Erd values under different action regimes.

Investigation of Sulfate Attack Resistance of Shotcrete under Dry-wet Cycles

In order to research the sulfate attack resistance of shotcrete, the sulfate attack of shotcrete in the presence and absence of steel fiber was experimentally studied by using dry-wet cycle method. Meanwhile, compared with ordinary concrete by the same mixture, the difference of sulfate attack resistance of shotcrete was studied. The experimental results showed that, with dry-wet cycles increasing, the changes of loss rate of relative dynamic elastic modulus and mass loss rate of specimens included three stages： initial descent stage, stable stage, and rapid descent stage, respectively. However, the changes of mechanical properties first increased and then decreased. Furthermore, the corrosion products of shotcrete after sulfate attack were observed by using the method of XRD, thermal analysis, and SEM, respectively, and the failure mode of shotcrete turned from ettringite destruction to ettringite-gypsum comprehensive failure. Meanwhile, the contents of ettringite and gypsum increased with increasing dry-wet cycle. Simultaneously, the stratified powders drilled from shotcrete under 150＇s dry-wet cycle were analyzed for the mineral phase composition and thermal analysis. With the drywet cycle increasing, the content of ettringite first increased and then decreased and tended to stable. However, the determination of gypsum decreased gradually and even to 0 when the depth was more than 12 mm.