Improving Group Member Participation of 4th Year Section A Civil Engineering extension Students in integrated Project Work at Debre Markos University

Group work is a form of voluntary association of members benefiting from cooperative learning,which enhances the total output of the activity.Therefore,group discussion is a way for active participants to explore new ideas.Based on the previously observed practices in 4th year civil engineering students at Debre Markos University,the group member participations was not pleasing.The objective of this study was to identify the core causes of low participation of group members in their project work and to take actions for improving group member participation.The data collection method used questionnaires and interviews and was analyzed using Microsoft Excels.Action research done in civil engineering 4th year Extension courses focused on continuous advising and instruction.These practices have achieved a good understanding of how to increase active participation in their group work activities.Therefore,a main conclusion of this project is that an active learning method helps the students to share skill,knowledge and attitude to each other.

Application of dynamic analysis of strength reduction in the slope engineering under earthquake

At present,the methods of analyzing the stability of slope under earthquake are not accurate and reasonable because of some limitations. Based on the real dynamic tensile-shear failure mechanism of slope,the paper proposes dynamic analysis of strength reduction FEM (finite element method) and takes the reduction of shear strength parameters and tensile strength parameters into consideration. And it comprehensively takes the transfixion of the failure surface,the non-convergence of calculation and mutation of displacement as the criterion of dynamic instability and failure of the slope. The strength reduction factor under limit state is regarded as the dynamic safety factor of the slope under earthquake effect and its advantages are introduced. Finally,the method is applied in the seismic design of anchors supporting and anti-slide pile supporting of the slope. Calculation examples show that the application of dynamic analysis of strength reduction is feasible in the seismic design of slope engineering,which can consider dynamic interaction of supporting structure and rock-soil mass. Owing to its preciseness and great advantages,it is a new method in the seismic design of slope supporting.

Mechanics Principle and Engineering Application of Split Layer and Bed Separation of Mining Overburden

To control land surface subsidence caused the underground mineral exploitation and the catastrophic phenomena such as serious damage of buildings, waterbodies, cultivated lands, railways, bridges caused by land subsidence, bed separation grouting technology of overburden is put forward. To provide theoretical support for the technology, the characteristics and the mechanics mechanism of mining overburden from layer-split to formation of bed separation are studied. On the basis of elastic sheet board theory, calculation formula of rock sheet deflection is presented, and the mechanics criteria of the separation formation and the calculation formula of bed separation volume are set up. Finally, the applications and technics of bed separation grout technology of mining overburden to control land subsidence in china are introduced.

Basic Characteristics of an Appropriate Waste Fillers for Solvent Free and Water-Borne Industrial Polymer Floors and Their Utilization

Recently the manufacture of epoxy coating and flooring materials begun to be under strong pressure to use more environmentally friendly raw materials in its composition.First tendency to reduce of solvents and diluents contained in the materials appeared at the end of 90´s.This situation was supported by the Council of Europe in 2004 to reduce VOC emissions to zero till 2020.Solvent materials were thus largely replaced by solvent free materials from which the volatile substances are not released into the air.But pressure continued to increase,and over the past decade began to take centre stage water-based epoxy.On the Czech market solvent based material is still occasionally used,but predominant are solvent free materials.There are no commonly used materials containing wastes as fillers in new water-borne and solvent-free epoxy materials.Characteristics identification of the waste material as a potential filler is a set of properties that determine the limits of secondary raw materials or waste as a filler.This paper describes the basic characteristics which must be selected to meet the requirements,to affect negatively the workability,sedimentation,properties and behavior of the final floor system.Some materials must comply with special requirements,such as resistance to chemicals,etc.Next part of paper talks about utilization of polymer floors and their mechanical properties.

Evaluation of Rainfall Tendency for the Twentieth Century over Indira Sagar Region in Central India

The study investigates long-term changes in annual and seasonal rainfall patterns in the Indira Sagar Region of Madhya Pradesh, India, from 1901 to 2010. Agriculture sustainability, food supply, natural resource development, and hydropower system reliability in the region rely heavily on monsoon rainfall. Monthly rainfall data from three stations (East Nimar, Barwani, and West Nimar) were analyzed. Initially, the pre-whitening method was applied to eliminate serial correlation effects from the rainfall data series. Subsequently, statistical trends in annual and seasonal rainfall were assessed using both parametric (student-t test) and non-parametric tests [Mann-Kendall, Sen’s slope estimator, and Cumulative Sum (CUSUM)]. The magnitude of the rainfall trend was determined using Theil-Sen’s slope estimator. Spatial analysis of the Mann-Kendall test on an annual basis revealed a statistically insignificant decreasing trend for Barwani and East Nimar and an increasing trend for West Nimar. On a seasonal basis, the monsoon season contributes a significant percentage (88.33%) to the total annual rainfall. The CUSUM test results indicated a shift change detection in annual rainfall data for Barwani in 1997, while shifts were observed in West and East Nimar stations in 1929. These findings offer valuable insights into regional rainfall behavior, aiding in the planning and management of water resources and ecological systems.

一种稳定高效的等效Q值反Q滤波算法及应用

提出了一种基于等效Q值的反Q滤波算法,在补偿高频耗散能量的同时,对速度频散造成的相位畸变也进行了校正。该算法通过光滑的阈值控制增益函数实现稳定性控制,在补偿高频时,引入了一种变频带的计算方法,压制由于频率域的折返效应产生的高频噪声。与一般品质因子Q不同,由于在每一样点的吸收补偿是由该点的Q值唯一决定的,可利用扫描方法直接求取等效Q值。对Q扫描后的叠后反射数据采用对数谱比求频率导数的算法求取等效Q值场,避免了薄层调谐对频谱的不利影响。理论测试与实际资料应用的结果表明,等效Q值反Q滤波算法对含噪地震数据是稳健的,可在保持信噪比的同时提高地震资料的分辨率。

Preparation and Properties of a New Composite of Epoxy Emulsion (EEM) Modified Cement

High performance cement based composite materials was prepared by adding epoxy emulsion. The epoxy emulsion was synthesized with epoxy phosphoric acid ester and poly-glycol in laboratory. This epoxy emulsion has advantages over other emulsion, such as dehydrated slightly, and well film formation abilities. The mechanical properties, corruptness resistance and structure of ep-oxy emulsion modified cement mortars were studied. Experimental results show that the mechanical properties of modified cement mortars are slightly increased with increasing epoxy emulsion content, especially the flexure strength. The corruptness resistance of all modified mortars is better than the unmodified mortar. The polymer film forms the bridge phases between the matrix and the aggregate regions, and forms a three-dimension structure in the cement hydration system , which improves the mechanical properties of modified mortars.

Performance of wastewater sludge ecological stabilization

In this article, wastewater sludge ecological stabilization （WWSES） was presented for sludge dewatering, mineralization, and stabilization, as well as for percolate treatment. Two years of pilot scale experimental results indicated that sludge volatile solid, Wiphenyltetrazolium chloride （TTC）-dehydrogenase activity （DHA）, and moisture content as indicators showed the process and degree of sludge stabilization. The observation on dewatering process showed that dried sludge reached a content of 20%-50% total solid after two years of system operation. Sludge TTC-DHA in the first year was obviously lower than that of the second year, and TTC-DHA tended to decrease with an increase in the drying time of the sludge. Total nitrogen, total phosphorus, and organic contents of sludge decreased gradually from the top to the bottom of dried sludge layer. In comparison with natural stands on stands treated with sewage sludge, individual shoot was significantly higher, and coarse protein, coarse fat, and coarse fiber contents in reed roots, stems, and leaves in the system were higher than that of wild reed, especially coarse protein contents of reed roots in the system （7.38%） were obviously higher than that of wild reeds （3.29%）.

Effects of Citric Acid on Hydration Process and Mechanical Properties of Thermal Decomposed Magnesium Oxychloride Cement

In order to make full use of salt lake magnesium resources and improve the strength of the thermal decomposed magnesium oxychloride cement （TDMOC）, the effects of citric acid on the hydration process and mechanical properties of TDMOC was studied. The hydration heat release at initial 24 h and strengths at 3, 7, and 28 days of TDMOC specimens were conducted. The hydration products and paste microstructure were analyzed by XRD, FT-IR and SEM, respectively. The results showed that citric acid can not only reduce the 24 h hydration heat release and delay the occurring time of second peak of TDMOC, but also produce more 5Mg（OH）z.MgC12.SH20 and less Mg（OH）2 in hydration process of TDMOC. More perfect and slender crystals were observed in the microstructure of the TDMOC pastes with citric acid. The results demonstrated that citric acid as an additive of TDMOC can decrease the hydration heat release and increase the compressive strength and flexural strength of TDMOC. The possible mechanism for the strength enhancement was discussed.

Properties of high calcium fly ash geopolymer pastes with Portland cement as an additive

The effect of Portland cement （OPC） addition on the properties of high calcium fly ash geopolymer pastes was investigated in the paper. OPC partially replaced fly ash （FA） at the dosages of 0, 5%, 10%, and 15% by mass of binder. Sodium silicate （Na2SiO3） and sodium hydroxide （NaOH） solutions were used as the liquid portion in the mixture： NaOH 10 mol/L, Na2SiO3/NaOH with a mass ratio of 2.0, and alkaline liquid/binder （L/B） with a mass ratio of 0.6. The curing at 60℃ for 24 h was used to accelerate the geopolymerization. The setting time of all fresh pastes, porosity, and compressive strength of the pastes at the stages of 1, 7, 28, and 90 d were tested. The elastic modulus and strain capacity of the pastes at the stage of 7 d were determined. It is revealed that the use of OPC as an additive to replace part of FA results-in the decreases in the setting time, porosity, and strain capacity of the paste specimens, while the compressive strength and elastic modulus seem to increase.

Shaking table test and numerical analysis of a 1:12 scale model of a special concentrically braced steel frame with pinned connections

This paper describes shaking table tests of a 1：12 scale model of a special concentrically braced steel frame with pinned connections, which was fabricated according to a one-bay braced frame selected from a typical main factory building of a large thermal power plant. In order to investigate the seismic performance of this type of structure, several ground motion accelerations with different levels for seismic intensity Ⅷ, based on the Chinese Code for Seismic Design of Buildings, were selected to excite the model. The results show that the design methods of the members and the connections are adequate and that the structural system will perform well in regions of high seismicity. In addition to the tests, numerical simulations were also conducted and the results showed good agreement with the test results. Thus, the numerical model is shown to be accurate and the beam element can be used to model this structural system.

Development and Validation of a Laboratory Aging Method for the Accelerated Simulation of Reclaimed Asphalt

The paper presented first results elaborated during the European Research Project Re-road which aims at the development of techniques for increasing the recycling rates of reclaimed asphalt. During service life surface asphalt courses are subjected to aging due to oxidation effects which causes the hardening of the binder and thereby a change in the chemical, physical and mechanical properties of the material. Surface courses often contain highly modified binders as well as special additives for improving the performance characteristics. As these layers inhibit the shortest service lives compared to other road construction layers every year high amounts of reclaimed surface asphalt are available for recycling. The question is raised how the reclaimed asphalt consisting of high quality and costly material components can be recycled for optimal added value. To analyze the asphalt mix service life performance and its recyclability during mix design a laboratory method was developed to simulate the real in-situ aging. First the effects of site aging on the binder and asphalt characteristics were presented. Three laboratory aging methods were discussed which aimed the accelerated aging which meets similar property changes as site aging. At last the effects of two different laboratory aging methods on the same SMA mixture were compared.

Denitrifying phosphorous removal in anaerobic/anoxic SBR system with different startup operation mode

To achieve stable and efficient nitrogen and phosphorus removal and to investigate the characteristics of the A/A SBR enriched with denitrifying phosphorus removal bacteria(DPB),the whole course of startup was studied with two reactors operated in different mode.The reactor I was operated under anaerobic/settling/anoxic/settling mode,and the reactor II was operated under anaerobic/anoxic/settling mode.Differences between the two reactors in removal efficiency of COD,nitrogen and phosphorus were examined.The results indicated that efficient performance could be achieved in both reactors with different startup operation mode,while the phosphorus removal efficiency was improved sooner in reactor I than in reactor II,which suggested that reactor I would supply a more favorable condition for DPB proliferation.Meanwhile,it was observed that the amount of organic substrates consumption had a linear correlation to that of phosphorus release in anaerobic phase when DPB was accumulated in the A/A SBR denitrifying phosphorus removal system.

Finite element analysis of dynamic stability of skeletal structures under periodic loading

This paper addresses the dynamic stability problem of columns and frames subjected to axially applied periodic loads. Such a structure can become unstable under certain combinations of amplitudes and frequencies of the imposed load acting on its columns/beams. These are usually shown in the form of plots which describe regions of instability. The finite element method (FEM) is used in this work to analyse dynamic stability problems of columns. Two-noded beam elements are used for this purpose. The periodic loading is decomposed into various harmonics using Fourier series expansion. Computer codes in C++ using object oriented concepts are developed to determine the stability regions of columns subjected to periodic loading. A number of nu-merical examples are presented to illustrate the working of the program. The direct integration of the equations of motions of the discretised system is carried out using Newmark’s method to verify the results.

Lifeline system network reliability calculation based on GIS and FTA

Lifelines, such as pipeline, transportation, communication, electric transmission and medical rescue systems, are complicated networks that always distribute spatially over large geological and geographic units. The quantification of their reliability under an earthquake occurrence should be highly regarded, because the performance of these systems during a destructive earthquake is vital in order to estimate direct and indirect economic losses from lifeline failures, and is also related to laying out a rescue plan. The research in this paper aims to develop a new earthquake reliability calculation methodology for lifeline systems. The methodology of the network reliability for lifeline systems is based on fault tree analysis （FTA） and geological information system （GIS）. The interactions existing in a lifeline system ale considered herein. The lifeline systems are idealized as equivalent networks, consisting of nodes and links, and are described by network analysis in GIS. Firstly, the node is divided into two types： simple node and complicated node, where the reliability of the complicated node is calculated by FTA and interaction is regarded as one factor to affect performance of the nodes. The reliability of simple node and link is evaluated by code. Then, the reliability of the entilre network is assessed based on GIS and FTA. Lastly, an illustration is given to show the methodology.

The Impermeability Mechanism of Self-compacting Water Proof Concrete

The impermeability mechanism of water-proof self-compacting concrete (WPSCC )w as studied. The mechanism and influential factors, such as water-cement ratio(w /c), dosage of powder, superplasticizer, sand content, aggregate conte nt, fly ash, UEA, PP fiber, on compactibility and crack resistance of WPSCC were analyzed. A type of WPSCC successfully applied in tunnel liner with its validit ies, conveniences and economies by mockup test was developed and optimized. Expe rimental results show that the WPSCC has good workability, mechanical properties and impermeability when reasonable requirements are fulfilled.

Study on Preparation of Rice Husk Ash with High Specific Surface Area and Its Chemical Reactivity

Preparation of rice husk ash with high specific surface area and chemical reactivity of the product are reported in this paper. The amorphous rice husk ash with high specific surface area of 311 m2·g-1 was produced by heating acid treated rice husk at 700℃ for 4 h. The isotherms of rice husk ash are similar in shape to type Ⅱof Brunaner's classification with mesopores being predominant. The rice husk ash has a high chemical reactivity,especially that pretreated with acid. This chemical reactivity depends on ashing temperature and pretreatment conditions. There is an exponential relation between the specific surface area of rice husk ash and the change in the conductivity of saturated Ca(OH)2 solution with rice husk ash, from which the specific surface area can be known according to the conductivity change.

Stability characteristics of shallow landslide triggered by rainfall

Rainfall induced shallow landslides are known to be extremely dangerous since the sliding mass can propagate quickly and travel far from the source. Although the sliding mechanism in sloping ground is simple to understand, the problem may be complicated by unsaturated transient water flow. The flow behavior of rainwater in unsaturated sloping ground and the consequent factor of safety must be clearly understood to assess slope stability under rainfall conditions. A series of laboratory experiments was conducted to examine the critical hydrological states so that assessment of slope stability under rainfall condition can be performed. Based on the test results, a unique relationship between critical hydrological states, rainfall intensity, and soil properties was formulated. Sequential stability analysis provided insights into the stability of slopes subjected to variations in soil properties, slope angles and rainfall intensities, and the consequent variation in the depth of the failure plane, vital in landslide risk assessment, was determined through this analysis.The variation of rainfall intensity was found to strongly affect the depth of the failure plane in cohesionless sloping ground. Furthermore, the influence of rainfall intensity on the depth of the failure plane may be alleviated by a small magnitude of cohesive strength. The results of this study will reinforce knowledge of landslide behavior and help to improve mitigation measures in susceptible areas.

Synthesis, Characterization, and Electrochemical Property of Nanometer Porphyrin Dimer

A nanometer porphyrin dimer was synthesized with fumaryl chloride as a bridge-linked reagent. The characterization was carried out with elemental analyses, ^1H NMR, UV-Vis, and IR spectrometries, and then the electrochemical properties of the porphyrins were studied. The authors found that there was moderate electronic communication between the two porphyrin rings in the nanometer porphyrin dimer.

Effects of Calcination Temperature of Boron-Containing Magnesium Oxide Raw Materials on Properties of Magnesium Phosphate Cement as a Biomaterial

A new magnesium phosphate bone cement （MPBC） was prepared as a byproduct of boroncontaining magnesium oxide （B-MgO） after extracting Li2CO3 from salt lakes. We analyzed the elementary composition of the B-MgO raw materials and the effects of calcination temperature on the performance of MPBC. The phase composition and microstructure of the B-MgO raw materials and the hydration products （KMgPO4.6H2O） of MPBC were analyzed by X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy. The results showed that ionic impurities and the levels of toxic elements were sufficiently low in B-MgO raw materials to meet the medical requirements for MgO （Chinese Pharmacopeia, 2O10 Edition） and for hydroxyapatite surgical implants （GB23101.1-2O08）. The temperature of B-MgO calcination had a marked influence on the hydration and hardening of MPBC pastes. Increasing calcination temperature prolonged the time required for the MPBC slurry to set, significantly decreased the hydration temperature, and prolonged the time required to reach the highest hydration temperature. However, the compressive strength of hardened MPBC did not increase with higher calcination temperatures. In the 900-1 000 ~C temperature range, the hardened MPBC had a higher compressive strength. Imaging analysis suggested that the setting time and the highest hydration temperature of MPBC pastes were dependent on the size and crystal morphology of the B-MgO materials. The production and microstructure compactness of KMgPOa＇6H2O, the main hydration product, determined the compressive strength.