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Abstract: Bridges can be subjected to damaging environmental actions due to flooding and seismic hazards. Flood actions that result in scour are a leading cause of bridge failure, while seismic actions that induce lateral forces may lead to high ductility demand that exceeds pier capacity. When combined, seismic actions and scour can lead to effects that depend on the governing scour condition affecting a bridge. Loss of stiffness under scour can reduce the ductility capacity of a bridge but can also lead to an increase in flexibility that may reduce seismic inertial forces. Conversely, increased flexibility can lead to deck collapse due to support loss, so there exists some uncertainty about the combined effect of both phenomena. A necessary step towards the performance assessment of bridges under flooding and seismic actions is to calibrate numerical models that can reproduce structural responses under different actions. A further step is verifying the achievement of performance goals defined by codes. Structural health monitoring (SHM) techniques allow the computation of performance parameters that are useful for calibrating numerical models and performing direct checks of performance goal compliance. In this paper, various strategies employed to monitor bridge health against scour and seismic actions are discussed, with a particular focus on vibration-based damage identification methods.
Keywords: scour, seismic, damage, hazard, vibration-based methods
Published in DiRROS: 29.11.2023; Views: 10; Downloads: 3
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Abstract: In fire safety engineering, cost–benefit analysis provides a systematic method to assess whether the projected benefits from a fire safety measure outweigh its costs. However, there remains a wide discrepancy between methods used in the field for cost–benefit analysis, as well as a lack of quantitative data on the costs and economic impact of fire protection in buildings. In a recent research project, a reference methodology was proposed based on Present Net Value evaluation and on a combination of specialized construction database, fire statistics, and numerical modeling for estimation of the cost components. This paper presents the application of the methodology to four case studies. The case studies allow describing the methodology, the collection of data, fire statistics, and loss estimation, as well as illustrating how the methodology can support decision-making when multiple alternatives are compared. Under the assumptions adopted for the single-family house and the residential timber building case studies, it is found that for every 1\$, invested in sprinklers, \$1.06 is saved. This benefit–cost ratio increases with increasing valuation of indirect losses and statistical value of life. Sensitivity analyses are provided to explore the robustness of the investment recommendations. The results of evaluations, adapted from the presented case studies with project-specific inputs, can support decision making for policy makers, insurance companies, and individual building owners.
Keywords: fire safety, cost-benefit analysis, fire protection, fire statistics, sprinklers, compartmentation
Published in DiRROS: 29.11.2023; Views: 29; Downloads: 2
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Abstract: As part of the WOOL2LOOP project, the Slovenian National Building and Civil Engineering Institute (ZAG), in collaboration with Termit d.d. were responsible for the production of façade panels. An initial mix design was developed at ZAG, where alkali-activated façade panels were produced, primarily from stone wool waste, while production took place at Termit. The mix design was changed twice during the pilot production, before a final product with suitable durability was developed. A compressive strength of up to 60 MPa and bending strength of approximately 20 MPa was achieved. The mechanical properties, however, varied, due to the unevenly milled batches of the milled mineral wool. Milling on a larger scale is very challenging, and it is difficult to obtain consistent quality of the milled material. Once the correct curing process had been found, however, the panels produced showed good performance. Moreover, the results from leaching tests showed that the elevated concentrations of certain elements (Cr, As and Mo) did not exceed the legal limits for non- hazardous waste.
Keywords: waste mineral wool, alkali activated material, façade panels, pilot production, circular economy
Published in DiRROS: 28.11.2023; Views: 24; Downloads: 6
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Abstract: Za odkrivanje ostankov materialnih sledi se na dobro ohranjenih predmetih lahko opravijo forenzične preiskave. V Breznu v Debliških livadah je bilo odkritih večje število predmetov, ki so bili odvrženi v jamo v maju in juniju 1945. Med odkritim materialom so bile tudi vojaške čutare. Nekatere izmed čutar so še vsebovale tekočino, nekatere pa tudi poltrdo, gelasto oborino. Tekočina in oborina iz čutar sta vsebovali kovine, ki so se najverjetneje s časom izlužile iz kovinske posode. Korozija čutar nakazuje prisotnost minerala hematita. Vsebina čutar je nadalje vsebovala nekaj raztopljene organske snovi (celotni organski ogljik – TOC v tekočini 9,22 mg/l, v tekočini ekstrahirane oborine 34,1 mg/l), nekaj mikrobne biomase ter relativno visoke koncentracije nitrata (240 mg/l v tekočini, 55 mg/l v ekstrahirani oborini) in sulfata (18mg/l v tekočini, 836 mg/l v ekstrahirani oborini). Bakterijskih indikatorjev, Escherichia coli in enterokokov, ki bi kazali na fekalno kontaminacijo vsebine, v vzorcih nismo zaznali. Raztopina in oborina sta izkazovali podobno stopnjo toksičnosti, okrog 20%inhibicijo bioluminiscence bakterije Vibrio fischeri. Glede na Pravilnik o pitni vodi tekočina s sedanjimi kemijskimi lastnostmi ni primerna za uživanje. Rezultati ne kažejo nujno na toksičnost izvornih tekočin iz časa, ko so bile čutare odvržene v jamo, ampak bi se toksičnost lahko razvila postopoma zaradi izluževanja kovin iz posode, zlasti aluminija, in (bio)kemijskih reakcij. Navkljub stabilnim jamskim razmeram, ki so jim bile izpostavljene čutare, ugotovljeni parametri ne podpirajo dolgoročne ohranitve stabilne DNA za morebitne nadaljnje forenzične analize.
Keywords: jame, vojaški material, toksičnost
Published in DiRROS: 23.11.2023; Views: 24; Downloads: 11
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Abstract: In order to expand the use of titania indoor as well as to increase its overall performance, narrowing the band gap is one of the possibilities to achieve this. Modifying with rare earths (REs) has been relatively unexplored, especially the modification of rutile with rare earth cations. The aim of this study was to find the influence of the modification of TiO2 with rare earths on its structural, optical, morphological, and photocatalytic properties. Titania was synthesized using TiOSO4 as the source of titanium via hydrothermal synthesis procedure at low temperature (200 °C) and modified with selected rare earth elements, namely, Ce, La, and Gd. Structural properties of samples were determined by X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), and the phase ratio was calculated using the Rietveld method. Optical properties were analyzed by ultraviolet and visible light (UV-Vis) spectroscopy. Field emission scanning electron microscope (FE-SEM) was used to determine the morphological properties of samples and to estimate the size of primary crystals. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) was used to determine the chemical bonding properties of samples. Photocatalytic activity of the prepared photocatalysts as well as the titania available on the market (P25) was measured in three different setups, assessing volatile organic compound (VOC) degradation, NOx abatement, and water purification. It was found out that modification with rare earth elements slows down the transformation of anatase and brookite to rutile. Whereas the unmodified sample was composed of only rutile, La- and Gd-modified samples contained anatase and rutile, and Ce-modified samples consisted of anatase, brookite, and rutile. Modification with rare earth metals has turned out to be detrimental to photocatalytic activity. In all cases, pure TiO2 outperformed the modified samples. Cerium-modified TiO2 was the least active sample, despite having a light absorption tail up to 585 nm wavelength. La- and Gd-modified samples did not show a significant shift in light absorption when compared to the pure TiO2 sample. The reason for the lower activity of modified samples was attributed to a greater Ti3+/Ti4+ ratio and a large amount of hydroxyl oxygen found in pure TiO2. All the modified samples had a smaller Ti3+/Ti4+ ratio and less hydroxyl oxygen
Keywords: TiO2, photocatalytic activity, rare earths, modification, visible light activity
Published in DiRROS: 22.11.2023; Views: 47; Downloads: 22
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