Numerical model applied to the reassessment of the serviceability and safety of AAR-affected power-plant

ICAAR 2016 - 15th International Conference on Alkali-Aggregate Reaction, Sao Paulo, BRESIL, 03-/07/2016 - 07/07/2016Veytaux power-plant is a hydraulic facility affected by AAR. The concrete deformations of the structure are transmitted to sensitive equipments connected to it with major consequences on the serviceability and safety. Predicting the amplitude and rate of future displacements is an essential condition to choose the manager's strategy: adaptation of the equipment, repair or strengthening of the structure... The main difficulty lies in the heterogeneous moisture distribution which induces complex expansion gradients and the complex interactions between chemically-induced swelling and mechanical resistance of less-affected parts of the structure. Hence, the prediction of the displacement transmitted to the equipments requires a complete chemo-mechanical model of the structure. A macroscopic model is used and takes into account various coupling with moisture, temperature and stress states in the concrete. Its fitting requires several data: material samples from the structure for laboratory tests, monitoring devices for measuring displacements, moisture and temperature.... The resulting heterogeneous displacements in the concrete structure allow to re-assess the stress-state generated in the anchored equipment, especially in the 130-m long main distributor pipe

Training Symbol-Based Equalization for Quadrature Duobinary PDM-FTN Systems

A training symbol-based equalization algorithm is proposed for polarization de-multiplexing in quadrature duobinary (QDB) modulated polarization division multiplexedfaster-than-Nyquist (FTN) coherent optical systems. The proposed algorithm is based on the least mean square algorithm, and multiple location candidates of a symbol are considered in order to make use of the training symbols with QDB modulation.Results show that an excellent convergence performance is obtained using the proposed algorithm under different polarization alignment scenarios. The optical signal-to-noise ratio required to attain a bit error rate of 2*10-2 is reduced by 1.7 and 1.8 dB using the proposed algorithm, compared to systems using the constant modulus algorithm with differential coding for 4-ary quadrature amplitude modulation(4-QAM) and 16-QAM systems with symbol-by-symbol detection, respectively.Furthermore, comparisons with the Tomlinson-Harashima precoding-based FTN systems illustrate that QDB is preferable when 4-QAM is utilized

Technological developments as an answer to bridge management challenges

IABSE Symposium 2019, Towards a Resilient Built Environment - Risk and Asset Management, GUIMARAES, PORTUGAL, 27-/03/2019 - 29/03/2019Bridge management is a challenge as owners have to deal with limited financial resources to maintain the functionalities and safety of ageing structures. Demands on transportation networks change, due to regulatory developments, society's evolution and shifts with high expectations on the operational performance of roadway bridges with reduced congestion, delay, and accidents. To minimize intrusion in the transport flow, inspection and monitoring methods should be non?destructive, minimally invasive. They should be capable of yielding rapid and accurate inspection results allowing an adequate response from the asset manager. Research aims at including autonomously operating equipment (e.g. robotics), non?intrusive (remote or proximity) observation techniques, or other methods that ensure quality and performance control of the roadway bridges in time, more safely, more quickly and/or to a higher degree of accuracy and precision.The innovation subgroup in COST action TU1406 investigates novel condition monitoring and sensing technologies for the assessment of structural serviceability and safety. Advanced, integrated, cost-effective and reliable instrumentation solutions, techniques and concepts are looked at with the aim to provide data, that will be used to compute innovative performance indicators. In this context, this paper briefly reminds some significant challenges associated with bridge management and presents three examples of innovation in bridge monitoring and NDT investigation techniques

Expertise - Quelles perspectives pour les territoires wallons dans l'ère post-covid? (E.1)

Dans sa DPR 2019-2024, le Gouvernement wallon affiche sa volonté de faire de la Wallonie une terre de transition écologique sociale, économique et démocratique. Cette transition doit ainsi permettre d’aboutir à un nouveau modèle de société dans lequel les Wallonnes et les Wallons vivent mieux et plus heureux. Cette problématique des transitions fait également partie des priorités européennes comme le Green Deal qui dresse notamment les orientations à conduire pour faire face aux changements climatiques. À l’autre bout de l’échelle, l’évolution des comportements des acteurs, tant au niveau des citoyens qu’au niveau des entreprises, et la numérisation croissante de la société impactent toujours davantage les modes de vie et différents projets concrets se mettent en place. La convergence entre les mutations sectorielles apparait comme un élément critique de réussite des transitions. Or le développement territorial peut jouer un rôle majeur pour favoriser ces convergences. Néanmoins, l’apparition en début d’année 2020 d’une crise sanitaire face à laquelle nous luttons toujours aujourd’hui agit comme un catalyseur des mutations sociétales et amplifie les défis socio-économiques et territoriaux. Des évolutions radicales sont déjà perceptibles, telles que la désertion des centres villes et des commerces de détail, et une forte expansion de la demande pour les immeubles de toute nature en milieu rural et péri-urbain « vert ». L’ampleur de la crise attendue est telle que les territoires pourraient être fortement impactés et déstructurés. Un diagnostic pluridisciplinaire sera effectué (janvier-février 2021), mobilisant les compétences économiques, sociales et environnementales disponibles, et les acteurs représentatifs. Sur base de celui-ci, des perspectives d’actions et de mise en place de dispositifs correctifs seront dégagés au travers de trois séminaires à tenir avant fin juin 2021, sur trois thèmes : - Quelles perspectives pour l’attractivité des centres-villes et leurs activités commerciales ? - Quelles tendances observées et attendues sur les marchés foncier et immobilier (principalement à vocation résidentielle) ? - Quelles évolutions en matière de répartition modale, notamment en regard de la vision FAST et de la progression du télétravail

Peri-operative red blood cell transfusion in neonates and infants: NEonate and Children audiT of Anaesthesia pRactice IN Europe: A prospective European multicentre observational study

BACKGROUND: Little is known about current clinical practice concerning peri-operative red blood cell transfusion in neonates and small infants. Guidelines suggest transfusions based on haemoglobin thresholds ranging from 8.5 to 12 g dl-1, distinguishing between children from birth to day 7 (week 1), from day 8 to day 14 (week 2) or from day 15 (≥week 3) onwards. OBJECTIVE: To observe peri-operative red blood cell transfusion practice according to guidelines in relation to patient outcome. DESIGN: A multicentre observational study. SETTING: The NEonate-Children sTudy of Anaesthesia pRactice IN Europe (NECTARINE) trial recruited patients up to 60 weeks' postmenstrual age undergoing anaesthesia for surgical or diagnostic procedures from 165 centres in 31 European countries between March 2016 and January 2017. PATIENTS: The data included 5609 patients undergoing 6542 procedures. Inclusion criteria was a peri-operative red blood cell transfusion. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The primary endpoint was the haemoglobin level triggering a transfusion for neonates in week 1, week 2 and week 3. Secondary endpoints were transfusion volumes, 'delta haemoglobin' (preprocedure - transfusion-triggering) and 30-day and 90-day morbidity and mortality. RESULTS: Peri-operative red blood cell transfusions were recorded during 447 procedures (6.9%). The median haemoglobin levels triggering a transfusion were 9.6 [IQR 8.7 to 10.9] g dl-1 for neonates in week 1, 9.6 [7.7 to 10.4] g dl-1 in week 2 and 8.0 [7.3 to 9.0] g dl-1 in week 3. The median transfusion volume was 17.1 [11.1 to 26.4] ml kg-1 with a median delta haemoglobin of 1.8 [0.0 to 3.6] g dl-1. Thirty-day morbidity was 47.8% with an overall mortality of 11.3%. CONCLUSIONS: Results indicate lower transfusion-triggering haemoglobin thresholds in clinical practice than suggested by current guidelines. The high morbidity and mortality of this NECTARINE sub-cohort calls for investigative action and evidence-based guidelines addressing peri-operative red blood cell transfusions strategies. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov, identifier: NCT02350348

Editorial GC'2009 Cycle de vie des ouvrages : une approche globale

Le cycle de vie des ouvrages : une approche globale, thème développé sous 3 sessions