Multi-scale and multi-physics deterioration modelling for design and assessment of reinforced concrete structures

This paper discusses the need for reliable and valid multi-scale and multi-physics prediction models to support the design of new as well as the assessment, maintenance, and repair of existing reinforced concrete structures. A multi-physics and multi-scale deterioration model for chloride-induced corrosion of reinforced concrete has been established. Ongoing work includes extension of the model to 3D as well as modelling of the impact of the steel-concrete interface characteristics and electrochemical potential on chloride thresholds. Identified challenges include, among others, the improved understanding and modelling of single- and multi-deterioration mechanisms, environmental exposure, and data for validation. We envision that next generation maintenance and management of reinforced concrete infrastructure will combine numerical simulations based on multi-scale and multi-physics principles and extensive in-situ monitoring, allowing continuous Bayesian updating of 4D simulations of functional performance

A novel haptic model and environment for maxillofacial surgical operation planning and manipulation

This paper presents a practical method and a new haptic model to support manipulations of bones and their segments during the planning of a surgical operation in a virtual environment using a haptic interface. To perform an effective dental surgery it is important to have all the operation related information of the patient available beforehand in order to plan the operation and avoid any complications. A haptic interface with a virtual and accurate patient model to support the planning of bone cuts is therefore critical, useful and necessary for the surgeons. The system proposed uses DICOM images taken from a digital tomography scanner and creates a mesh model of the filtered skull, from which the jaw bone can be isolated for further use. A novel solution for cutting the bones has been developed and it uses the haptic tool to determine and define the bone-cutting plane in the bone, and this new approach creates three new meshes of the original model. Using this approach the computational power is optimized and a real time feedback can be achieved during all bone manipulations. During the movement of the mesh cutting, a novel friction profile is predefined in the haptical system to simulate the force feedback feel of different densities in the bone

3D and 4D Simulations for Landscape Reconstruction and Damage Scenarios. GIS Pilot Applications

The project 3D and 4D Simulations for Landscape Reconstruction and Damage Scenarios: GIS Pilot Applications has been devised with the intention to deal with the demand for research, innovation and applicative methodology on the part of the international programme, requiring concrete results to increase the capacity to know, anticipate and respond to a natural disaster. This project therefore sets out to develop an experimental methodology, a wide geodatabase, a connected performant GIS platform and multifunctional scenarios able to profitably relate the added values deriving from different geotechnologies, aimed at a series of crucial steps regarding landscape reconstruction, event simulation, damage evaluation, emergency management, multi-temporal analysis. The Vesuvius area has been chosen for the pilot application owing to such an impressive number of people and buildings subject to volcanic risk that one could speak in terms of a possible national disaster. The steps of the project move around the following core elements: creation of models that reproduce the territorial and anthropic structure of the past periods, and reconstruction of the urbanized area, with temporal distinctions; three-dimensional representation of the Vesuvius area in terms of infrastructuralresidential aspects; GIS simulation of the expected event; first examination of the healthcareepidemiological consequences; educational proposals. This paper represents a proactive contribution which describes the aims of the project, the steps which constitute a set of specific procedures for the methodology which we are experimenting, and some thoughts regarding the geodatabase useful to “package” illustrative elaborations. Since the involvement of the population and adequate hazard preparedness are very important aspects, some educational and communicational considerations are presented in connection with the use of geotechnologies to promote the knowledge of risk

Analysis of Flood Patterns in Adams County, Pennsylvania Utilizing Drone Technology and Computer Simulations

Drone imagery and photogrammetry models of the Gettysburg College campus and the terrain at Boyer Nurseries and Orchards were utilized to study flood patterns in Adams County, Pennsylvania. Gettysburg College has lower-sloped land and moderately built infrastructure while Boyer Orchards has drastically sloped land with many patches of abundant vegetation. The two locations were selected due to the fact that they have starkly different surface features, while the bedrock geology of the areas are very similar. The terrain of the models was isolated before a 3D carver and 3D printer were used to construct physical models to further analyze potential water flow and speed through virtual, modeled flood simulations. The models were used to compare real world rainfall data and flood events in the investigated areas from the months of June to August in 2018. I hypothesized that the Gettysburg College campus would experience more severe flooding that would take longer to subside in comparison to Boyer Orchards due to the steeper slope of the orchards’ terrain. The research revealed that Boyer Orchards experienced more extreme flooding and rainfall than Gettysburg College but was able to neutralize the effects due to plentiful vegetation and physio-graphic differences. Modeled flood simulations demonstrated less rainfall in comparison to actual rainfall values: there were differences of 0.78 cm and 1.32 cm between the actual and simulated rainfall amounts for Gettysburg and the Boyer Orchards area, respectively

How to achieve sustainability : regulatory challenges

The importance of designing sustainable buildings is gaining greater acceptance worldwide. Evidence of this is how regulators are incorporating sustainable design principles into building regulations and requirements. The aim being to increase the number of sustainable buildings and move from a traditional voluntary compliance to one that is mandatory. However, developing regulations that actually achieve these aims can be a difficult exercise. Several countries in South East Asia, such as Singapore and Malaysia, have performance based building regulations that are supplemented by prescriptive measures for achieving the desired performance. Australia too has similar building regulations and has had energy efficiency regulations within the Building Code of Australia for over a decade. This paper explores some of the difficulties and problems that Australian regulators have experienced with the performance-based method and the prescriptive or “deemed-to-comply” method and measures that have been taken to try and overcome these problems. These experiences act as a useful guide to all regulators considering the incorporation of sustainable design measures into their countries building regulations. The paper also speculates on future environmental requirements being incorporated into regulations, including the possibility of non-residential buildings being required to meet minimum energy efficiency requirements, and the possible systems that would need to be in place before such requirements were included. Finally, the paper looks at a possible way forward using direct assessment from electronic designs and introduces several software tools that are currently being developed that move towards achieving this goal. Keywords: Sustainable buildings, Performance-based, Regulations, Energy efficiency, Assessment tools

Monte Carlo Simulation in Environmental Risk Assessment--Science, Policy and Legal Issues

Dr. Poulter notes that agencies should anticipate judicial requirements for justification of Monte Carlo simulations and, meanwhile, should consider, e.g., whether their use will make risk assessment policy choices more opaque or apparent

Global modelling of the early Martian climate under a denser CO2 atmosphere: Water cycle and ice evolution

We discuss 3D global simulations of the early Martian climate that we have performed assuming a faint young Sun and denser CO2 atmosphere. We include a self-consistent representation of the water cycle, with atmosphere-surface interactions, atmospheric transport, and the radiative effects of CO2 and H2O gas and clouds taken into account. We find that for atmospheric pressures greater than a fraction of a bar, the adiabatic cooling effect causes temperatures in the southern highland valley network regions to fall significantly below the global average. Long-term climate evolution simulations indicate that in these circumstances, water ice is transported to the highlands from low-lying regions for a wide range of orbital obliquities, regardless of the extent of the Tharsis bulge. In addition, an extended water ice cap forms on the southern pole, approximately corresponding to the location of the Noachian/Hesperian era Dorsa Argentea Formation. Even for a multiple-bar CO2 atmosphere, conditions are too cold to allow long-term surface liquid water. Limited melting occurs on warm summer days in some locations, but only for surface albedo and thermal inertia conditions that may be unrealistic for water ice. Nonetheless, meteorite impacts and volcanism could potentially cause intense episodic melting under such conditions. Because ice migration to higher altitudes is a robust mechanism for recharging highland water sources after such events, we suggest that this globally sub-zero, `icy highlands' scenario for the late Noachian climate may be sufficient to explain most of the fluvial geology without the need to invoke additional long-term warming mechanisms or an early warm, wet Mars.Comment: Minor revisions to text, one new table, figs. 1,3 11 and 18 redon

Modelling the Eddy Pattern in the harbour of Zeebrugge

Hydrodynamic