10 research outputs found
Field Simulation Technique to Enhance the Mechanical Strength and Elemental Composition of Soft Clay Soil Using Thermal Treatment
No full textThis paper aims to improve the strength of soft clay soil using thermal treatment through a laboratory study that simulates the field application. The laboratory work consisted of preparing a soft clay (Cu = 14 kPa) inside a metal box (92.5 × 92.5 × 92.5) cm3. Boreholes of diameter 43 mm, with different lengths, spacing, and arrangements, were made inside the soil to work as a guide for heating pipes which connected to a controlled heating system. A novel heating system, using gas as a heat source, was developed and manufactured. After the end of the treatment periods, a load was applied until failure on a (20 × 20) cm2 square footing. Various parameter spacings (3, 4, and 5 times the outer diameter of the borehole), depths (1, 1.5, 2, and 2.5 times the width of the model footing), arrangements (square, circular, and triangular), and heating periods (2, 4, 6, 8, and 10 h) were investigated. The results showed the strength and behavior of the soil when subjected to the heated boreholes at different spacings, depths, and heating times, which were determined to be three times the outer diameter of the borehole, two times the width of the square footing, and eight hours, respectively, while the effect of the arrangement of the heated borehole casings was small. Also, a cone penetration probe (CPT) conducted on the heated soil showed that the unconsolidated shear strength (Cu) increased from 14 to 360 kPa and then decreased to 140 kPa (as an average with depth). In contrast, the average angle of internal friction (Ø) increased from 0 to 52 degrees and decreased to 16 degrees (as an average with depth) from the center of the heating model to the furthest point affected by heating. The EDS formula showed that components such as silicon, aluminum, and iron decreased at 300 °C and increased at 400 °C in the treated soils. The calcium content increased at 200 °C and then decreased sharply at 400 °C. The carbon percentage increased at 300 °C and decreased at 400 °C. The elemental proportions showed little change or remained stable at temperatures between 400 °C and 600 °C
BEARING CAPACITY OF SOFT CLAY IMPROVED BY HEATING THROUGH DIFFERENT SPACING CASED BOREHOLES
No full textThis paper presents the effect of heat treatment on ultimate bearing capacity and total settlement of soft clay. The soft clay that was used in this study was prepared by mixing Baghdad’s clay with sufficient water content which gives a shear strength of 7 kPa.Seven model tests were carried out on soft clay inside a cubic steel box of 750 mm side length after heat treatment, two of which were used as a reference without treatment for comparison. A special heating system was designed and manufactured for this purpose by using the gas as a source of heating through boreholes. Four square patterns casing boreholes having 3.5 cm in diameter and 30cm in length with spacing 3d, 4d, 5d, 6d and 7d (were d is the diameter of the borehole) and the time of heating was six hours for each model. A monotonic load was applied on an aluminum square model footing of 150 mm length and 20 mm thick placed on the center of surface area of the soft clay until the settlement exceeds 10% of the width footing. The results showed that the bearing capacity increases and the settlement decreases with spacing increasing until some limiting value (5d) then the bearing capacity decreases and the settlement increases. The 5d spacing is the best one where the bearing capacity increases nine times and the settlement decreases to one tenth compared with that without heating
Lysimeter experiments of landfill liner enhanced with magnesium oxide
No full textLysimeters are frequently employed to replicate environmental conditions in landfill scenarios due to their relatively economical nature and brief study duration. Lysimeters frequently exhibit varying geometrical characteristics that modify the physical and thermodynamic attributes, potentially influencing waste material's decomposition rate and leaching dynamics. Based on the results of the lysimeter tests, lysimeters effectively evaluate and predict the impact of magnesium oxide (Mgo), a material suitable for constructing landfill liners. The findings substantiate that lysimeter investigations can significantly contribute to landfill engineering by identifying optimal strategies for waste containment and selecting appropriate materials for fabricating landfill barriers. Throughout the experimental procedure, the lysimeter was subjected to leachate application. In each hour of the experiment, the quantities of moisture, electric conductivity value (EC), temperature, settlement, pressure reaching the liner, and the total volume and pH of the obtained effluents were measured each week. This research explores and analyzes the role of magnesium oxide (C-M) in reducing permeability and measuring the shear strength properties of the composite material by utilizing a triaxial test. The sensor results demonstrated that MgO-enhanced liners provided superior long-term performance compared to clay. EC sensors showed MgO liners had lower and more stable conductivity. Moisture content sensors indicated that MgO-treated soil maintained better moisture regulation, reducing leachate. LVDT sensors revealed that MgO liners had minimal settlement, while clay experienced greater and prolonged settlement. Temperature sensors confirmed MgO's consistent thermal stability. In contrast, pressure, Total Dissolved Solid (TDS), pH, and flow rate sensors highlighted MgO's better structural integrity, lower dissolved solids, and controlled permeability over time
Experimental and Numerical Study on Seismic Performance of Batter Pile Groups in Loose Sand: No subtitle
No full textPile foundations are critical for maintaining structural integrity under seismic loading, and batter piles, being inclined elements, offer enhanced resistance to combined vertical and lateral forces compared to conventional vertical piles. The objective of this study is to investigate the seismic performance of negative and positive batter pile groups in loose sand. The research employed experimental and numerical approaches: shaking table tests were conducted on 3×3 pile groups embedded in sand with a relative density of 31.2%, subjected to the El Centro and Kobe earthquakes, while finite element modeling was performed to validate the experimental outcomes. The analysis compared the responses of piles with batter angles of -5°, 0°, and +5° in terms of lateral displacement, vertical displacement, and acceleration. Findings revealed that negative battering substantially amplifies pile group displacements, as demonstrated by a 22.085% increase in maximum lateral displacement and a 23.061% rise in vertical displacement for the El Centro motion when the batter angle shifted from 0° to -5°. Conversely, positive battering reduced displacements by up to 4.765%. The novelty of this work lies in experimentally and numerically quantifying the seismic drawbacks of negative battered piles, thereby providing new insights for optimizing pile group design in seismic regions
Determination of the Adequate Thickness of Granular Subbase Beneath Foundations
No full textWhere the native soils have poor structural qualities or are expansive, the soil investigation report may recommend importation of soils better suited to providing a subbase for structures. This requires considering two soil layers in bearing capacity calculations. Calculation of the ultimate bearing capacity of shallow footing on a two layered system of soil depends on the pattern of the failure surface that develops below the footing. For a weak clay layer overlaid by a top dense sand layer, previous studies assumed that the failure surface is a punching shear failure through the upper sand layer and Prandtl's failure mode in the bottom weak clay layer. In this paper, the bearing capacity of subbase layer underneath by a soft clay layer is investigated. The properties of the subbase material are measured in the laboratory. Design charts were obtained which can be used to select the suitable thickness of the subbase layer for a design allowable bearing capacity
Enhancement of Expansive Soil Properties by Water Treatment Sludge Ash in Landfill Liners
No full textThis study aims to enhance the suitability of expansive clayey soils for use as landfill liners by incorporating water treatment sludge ash (WTSA). Expansive soils, prone to swelling and desiccation cracking, compromise landfill liner integrity, increasing the risk of groundwater contamination. Local soils often do not meet the requirements for hydraulic conductivity and stability, prompting the use of additives like bentonite. However, bentonite-treated soils still face challenges in tropical regions due to moisture loss and cracking. This research investigates the effects of adding WTSA to bentonite-treated soils to mitigate swelling and shrinkage issues. Several geotechnical tests were conducted, including hydraulic conductivity, free swell percentage, swelling pressure, volumetric shrinkage, and desiccation cracking. Results show that WTSA significantly reduces hydraulic conductivity, free swell percentage, and swelling pressure, meeting the standard requirements for liners (hydraulic conductivity of at least 1í—10-9m/s and volumetric shrinkage of at least 4%). Moreover, WTSA addition reduces desiccation cracking to acceptable levels, demonstrating its potential as an effective reinforcement material. This study introduces an innovative approach to using WTSA, a waste product, as a sustainable alternative to conventional liner materials, reducing environmental impact and enhancing landfill liner performance. Doi: 10.28991/CEJ-2024-010-11-04 Full Text: PD
Mortality from gastrointestinal congenital anomalies at 264 hospitals in 74 low-income, middle-income, and high-income countries: a multicentre, international, prospective cohort study
No full textBackground: Congenital anomalies are the fifth leading cause of mortality in children younger than 5 years globally. Many gastrointestinal congenital anomalies are fatal without timely access to neonatal surgical care, but few studies have been done on these conditions in low-income and middle-income countries (LMICs). We compared outcomes of the seven most common gastrointestinal congenital anomalies in low-income, middle-income, and high-income countries globally, and identified factors associated with mortality. Methods: We did a multicentre, international prospective cohort study of patients younger than 16 years, presenting to hospital for the first time with oesophageal atresia, congenital diaphragmatic hernia, intestinal atresia, gastroschisis, exomphalos, anorectal malformation, and Hirschsprung's disease. Recruitment was of consecutive patients for a minimum of 1 month between October, 2018, and April, 2019. We collected data on patient demographics, clinical status, interventions, and outcomes using the REDCap platform. Patients were followed up for 30 days after primary intervention, or 30 days after admission if they did not receive an intervention. The primary outcome was all-cause, in-hospital mortality for all conditions combined and each condition individually, stratified by country income status. We did a complete case analysis. Findings: We included 3849 patients with 3975 study conditions (560 with oesophageal atresia, 448 with congenital diaphragmatic hernia, 681 with intestinal atresia, 453 with gastroschisis, 325 with exomphalos, 991 with anorectal malformation, and 517 with Hirschsprung's disease) from 264 hospitals (89 in high-income countries, 166 in middle-income countries, and nine in low-income countries) in 74 countries. Of the 3849 patients, 2231 (58·0%) were male. Median gestational age at birth was 38 weeks (IQR 36–39) and median bodyweight at presentation was 2·8 kg (2·3–3·3). Mortality among all patients was 37 (39·8%) of 93 in low-income countries, 583 (20·4%) of 2860 in middle-income countries, and 50 (5·6%) of 896 in high-income countries (p<0·0001 between all country income groups). Gastroschisis had the greatest difference in mortality between country income strata (nine [90·0%] of ten in low-income countries, 97 [31·9%] of 304 in middle-income countries, and two [1·4%] of 139 in high-income countries; p≤0·0001 between all country income groups). Factors significantly associated with higher mortality for all patients combined included country income status (low-income vs high-income countries, risk ratio 2·78 [95% CI 1·88–4·11], p<0·0001; middle-income vs high-income countries, 2·11 [1·59–2·79], p<0·0001), sepsis at presentation (1·20 [1·04–1·40], p=0·016), higher American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) score at primary intervention (ASA 4–5 vs ASA 1–2, 1·82 [1·40–2·35], p<0·0001; ASA 3 vs ASA 1–2, 1·58, [1·30–1·92], p<0·0001]), surgical safety checklist not used (1·39 [1·02–1·90], p=0·035), and ventilation or parenteral nutrition unavailable when needed (ventilation 1·96, [1·41–2·71], p=0·0001; parenteral nutrition 1·35, [1·05–1·74], p=0·018). Administration of parenteral nutrition (0·61, [0·47–0·79], p=0·0002) and use of a peripherally inserted central catheter (0·65 [0·50–0·86], p=0·0024) or percutaneous central line (0·69 [0·48–1·00], p=0·049) were associated with lower mortality. Interpretation: Unacceptable differences in mortality exist for gastrointestinal congenital anomalies between low-income, middle-income, and high-income countries. Improving access to quality neonatal surgical care in LMICs will be vital to achieve Sustainable Development Goal 3.2 of ending preventable deaths in neonates and children younger than 5 years by 2030. Funding: Wellcome Trust
