The effective elastic thickness of the India Plate from receiver function imaging, gravity anomalies and thermomechanical modelling

The range and the meaning of the effective elastic thickness (EET) in continental areas have been subject to controversy over the last two decades. Here we take advantage of the new data set from the Hi-CLIMB seismological experiment to re-estimate the EET of the India Plate along a south-north profile extending from the Ganges basin to central Tibet. Receiver functions give a high-resolution image of the base of the foreland basin at similar to 5 km depth and constrain the crustal thickness, which increases northwards from similar to 35 km beneath the indo-gangetic plain to similar to 70 km in southern Tibet. Together with available data sets including seismic profiles, seismological images from both INDEPTH and HIMNT experiments, deep well measurements and Bouguer anomaly profiles, we interpret this new image with 2-D thermomechanical modelling solutions, using different type of crustal and mantle rheologies. We find that (1) the EET of the India Plate decreases northwards from 60-80 to 20-30 km as it is flexed down beneath Himalaya and Tibet, due to thermal and flexural weakening; (2) the only resistant layer of the India Plate beneath southern Tibet is the upper mantle, which serves as a support for the topographic load and (3) the most abrupt drop in the EET, located around 200 km south of the MFT, is associated with a gradual decoupling between the crust and the mantle. We show that our geometrical constraints do not allow to determine if the upper and lower crust are coupled or not. Our results clearly reveal that a rheology with a weak mantle is unable to explain the geometry of the lithosphere in this region, and they are in favour of a rheology in which the mantle is strong

Vertex dynamics during domain growth in three-state models

Topological aspects of interfaces are studied by comparing quantitatively the evolving three-color patterns in three different models, such as the three-state voter, Potts and extended voter models. The statistical analysis of some geometrical features allows to explore the role of different elementary processes during distinct coarsening phenomena in the above models.Comment: 4 pages, 5 figures, to be published in PR

Temperature dependent load bearing capacity of laminated glass panes

An experimental programme with numerous single and laminated glass specimens was carried out to study the temperature dependent behaviour of laminated glasses. The difference of load bearing capacities between the laminate manufactured from ordinary float (laminated glass) or tempered glass layers (safety laminated glass) were also studied in four-point bending. When glass laminate fractures, the interlayer can keep the fragments in place. Different types of interlayer materials, both resin and foil (type EVA) were studied in safety and non safety laminated glass specimens. Glasses are used not only in the interior but also in exterior places. Therefore, the effect of temperature of -20o C, +23\r C and +60o C were investigated on bending characteristics of glasses. The main influencing factors on the load bearing capacity and bending characteristics of the glass specimens were investigated e.g. tempering, laminating and temperature

DEGREE OF DETERIORATION DUE TO FIRE IN LARGE CONCRETE HALLS

Present paper deals with the engineering consequences of the fire attack in three halls in Budapest, Hungary. Material and structural behaviour are analysed under high temperature, which is %are based on practical observations reached even 800 \circC in some cases. These fire attacks were again lessons, which are important to be analysed

FIRE RESISTANCE FOR THIN-WEBBED CONCRETE AND MASONRY ELEMENTS

Deterioration of material characteristics and structural performance highly depends on constituents and temperature history. Material composition can also highly influence structural behaviour of elements. Thickness of web can be critical for high temperatures. The same situation is for interjoist elements (concrete or brick) between precast roof girders.First part of our study was to improve fire resistance by structural elements with a typical thin web. Our experimental study included fire tests on various concrete mixes and fire tests of the girder with simultaneous application of load. Second part of our study was to summarize the result of real fire cases for girder-slab systems with concrete or brick interjoists

Near surface mounted FRP reinforcement for strengthening of concrete structures

This paper is based on literature review regarding fibre reinforced polymers (FRP) used as near surface mounted (NSM) reinforcement for strengthening of concrete structures. Strengthening of structures is a complex task. Different systems can be used in order to utilize the fibre reinforced polymer in the most efficient way. Near surface mounted reinforcement is practical alternative to externally bounded reinforcement while it has many advantages

Cardiac Magnetic Resonance Imaging of the Myocardium in Chronic Kidney Disease

Early stages of chronic kidney disease (CKD) are often underdiagnosed, while their deleterious effects on the cardiovascular (CV) system are already at work. Thus, the assessment of early CV damage is of crucial importance in preventing major CV events. Myocardial fibrosis is one of the major consequences of progressive CKD, as it may lead to reentry arrhythmias and long-term myocardial dysfunction predisposing to sudden death and/or congestive heart failure. Subclinical myocardial fibrosis, with a potential key role in the development of uraemic cardiac disease, can be measured and characterised by appropriate cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) techniques. Fibrosis detection was initially based on the contrast agent gadolinium, due to the superiority in sensitivity and accuracy of contrast-based methods in fibrosis assessment relative to native techniques. However, the severe consequences of gadolinium administration in uraemia (nephrogenic systemic fibrosis) have forced practitioners to re-evaluate the methodology. In the present overview, we review the possible contrast-based and contrast agent-free CMR techniques, including native T1 relaxation time, extracellular volume and global longitudinal strain measurement. The review also summarises their potential clinical relevance in CKD patients based on recently published studies