Characterization of rock slopes through slope mass rating using 3D point clouds

Rock mass classification systems are widely used tools for assessing the stability of rock slopes. Their calculation requires the prior quantification of several parameters during conventional fieldwork campaigns, such as the orientation of the discontinuity sets, the main properties of the existing discontinuities and the geo-mechanical characterization of the intact rock mass, which can be time-consuming and an often risky task. Conversely, the use of relatively new remote sensing data for modelling the rock mass surface by means of 3D point clouds is changing the current investigation strategies in different rock slope engineering applications. In this paper, the main practical issues affecting the application of Slope Mass Rating (SMR) for the characterization of rock slopes from 3D point clouds are reviewed, using three case studies from an end-user point of view. To this end, the SMR adjustment factors, which were calculated from different sources of information and processes, using the different softwares, are compared with those calculated using conventional fieldwork data. In the presented analysis, special attention is paid to the differences between the SMR indexes derived from the 3D point cloud and conventional field work approaches, the main factors that determine the quality of the data and some recognized practical issues. Finally, the reliability of Slope Mass Rating for the characterization of rocky slopes is highlighted.This work was partially funded by the University of Alicante (vigrob-157 Project and GRE1404 Project), the Generalitat Valenciana (Projects GV/2011/044 and ACOMP/2014/136), the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness (MINECO) and EU FEDER under Projects TEC2011-28201-C02-02 and TIN2014-55413-C2-2-P

Removal of mineral oil and wastewater pollutants using hard coal

This study investigates the use of hard coal as an adsorbent for removal of mineral oil from wastewater. In order to determine the efficiency of hard coal as an adsorbent of mineral oil, process parameters such as sorption capacity (in static and dynamic conditions), temperature, pH, contact time, flow rate, and chemical pretreatment were evaluated in a series of batch and continuous flow experiments. There were significant differences in the mineral oil removal for various pH values examined. The adsorption of mineral oil increased as pH values diverged from 7 (neutral). At lower temperatures, the adsorption was notably higher. The wastewater flow rate was adjusted to achieve optimal water purification. Equilibrium was reached after 10 h in static conditions. At that time, more than 99% of mineral oil had been removed. At the beginning of the filtering process, the adsorption rate increased rapidly, only to show a minor decrease afterwards. Equilibrium data were fitted to Freundlich models to determine the water-hard coal partitioning coefficient. Physical adsorption caused by properties of the compounds was the predominant mechanism in the removal process

Udjeli ukupnih fenola, flavan-3-ola i proantocijanidina te oksidacijska stabilnost i antioksidacijski kapacitet čokolade tijekom skladištenja

Antioxidant (AO) capacity of chocolates with 27, 44 and 75 % cocoa was assessed after production and during twelve months of storage by direct current (DC) polarographic assay, based on the decrease of anodic current caused by the formation of hydroxo-perhydroxyl mercury(II) complex (HPMC) in alkaline solutions of hydrogen peroxide at potentials of mercury oxidation, and two spectrophotometric assays. Relative antioxidant capacity index (RACI) was calculated by taking the average value of the AO assay (the sample mass in all assays was identical). Oxidative stability of chocolate fat was determined by differential scanning calorimetry. Measured parameters and RACI were correlated mutually and with the content of total phenols (Folin-Ciocalteu assay), flavan-3-ols (vanillin and p-dimethylaminocinnamaldehyde assay) and proanthocyanidins (modified Bate-Smith assay). During storage, the studied functional and health-related characteristics remained unchanged. Amongst applied AO assays, the DC polarographic one, whose validity was confirmed by two-way ANOVA and F-test, correlated most significantly with oxidative stability (oxidation onset temperature and induction time). In addition, principal component analysis was applied to characterise chocolate types.Antioksidacijski kapacitet čokolade s 27, 44 i 75 % kakaa ispitan je odmah nakon proizvodnje te tijekom dvanaest mjeseci skladištenja, i topolarografskom metodom praćenja smanjenja anodne struje uslijed nastajanja kompleksa žive(II) s hidroksilnim i perhidroksilnim radikalima u alkalnim otopinama vodikovog peroksida pri elektrodnom potencijalu žive, te dvjema spektrofometrijskim metodama. Relativni antioksidacijski kapacitet čokolade izračunat je iz prosječnih rezultata dobivenih pojedinom metodom. Oksidacijska je stabilnost masti u čokoladi određena diferencijalnom pretražnom kalorimetrijom. Dobiveni rezultati uspoređeni su s ukupnim udjelom fenola (određenim pomoću metode Folin-Ciocalteu), flavan-3-ola (određenim pomoću vanilina i p-dimetilaminocinamaldehida) i proantocijanidina (određenim pomoću modificirane Bate-Smith metode). Funkcionalna svojstva i antioksidacijski kapacitet čokolade nisu se mijenjali tijekom skladištenja. Rezultati dobiveni polarografskom metodom uz pomoć jednosmjerne struje, obrađeni dvosmjernim ANOVA testom i F-testom, pokazali su najveću korelaciju s oksidacijskom stabilnosti, tj.temperaturom na kojoj započinje oksidacija i indukcijskim vremenom oksidacije. Analizom glavnih komponenata okarakterizirani su svi uzorci čokolade

A Spectral Moore Bound for Bipartite Semiregular Graphs

Let $b(k,\ell,\theta)$ be the maximum number of vertices of valency $k$ in a $(k,\ell)$-semiregular bipartite graph with second largest eigenvalue $\theta$. We obtain an upper bound for $b(k,\ell,\theta)$ for $0 < \theta < \sqrt{k-1} + \sqrt{\ell-1}$. This bound is tight when there exists a distance-biregular graph with particular parameters, and we develop the necessary properties of distance-biregular graphs to prove this.Comment: 20 page

P-Polynomial and Bipartite Coherent Configurations

We introduce the notion of P-polynomial coherent configurations and show that they can have at most two fibres. We then introduce a class of two-fibre coherent configurations which have two distinguished bases for the coherent algebra, similar to the Bose-Mesner algebra of an association scheme. Examples of these bipartite coherent configurations include the P-polynomial class of distance-biregular graphs, as well as quasi-symmetric designs and strongly regular designs.Comment: 34 page

ECONOMIC EFFICIENCY OF MAIN SOIL TYPES FROM BÂRZAVA PLAIN FOR WHEAT AND CORN CROPS

This paper represents an economic study of the main soil types in Plain Bârzava forwheat and corn. Studying the economic efficiency of soil is important because according to it we can draw conclusions about the effectiveness and profitability of crops.Knowing evaluation notes I could find natural production potential of soils that wheat and corn crops by multiplying the grade of evaluation with 60 kg / point for wheat and 75 kg / point to corn.Economic comparison was obtained by multiplying production by 0.7 lei / kg forwheat crop and 0.8 lei / kg for corn, amounts representing the price / kg practiced in the summer of 2011

Using eCognition Definiens for automated detection of snow avalanches from optical imagery

Detection of avalanches from remotely collected optical imagery has been tested through analysis of image properties such as brightness, contrast, and different measures of texture. There have been few publications on the subject, providing an excellent opportunity for new developments. The work conducted at NGI in 2011 aimed at detecting fresh snow avalanches from very-high resolution (VHR) optical imagery. The research presented in this Technical Note has been supported by the Ministry of Petroleum and Energy (OED) through the Norwegian Water Resources and Energy Directorate (NVE).Norges Forskningsråd (NFR

Using eCognition Definiens for automated detection of snow avalanche deposits from very high resolution optical imagery - New developments

The identification of snow avalanche deposits from high resolution optical satellite imagery had been the focus of the project "avalRS” which NGI, together with the Norwegian Computing Centre and Statens Veivesen, had carried out for the European Space Agency (2008-2011; e.g., Frauenfelder et al., 2011). The algorithms developed have produced variable results, often working well in certain situations and poorly in others. In 2011 using the object oriented image processing software eCognition, NGI developed two prototype algorithms on its own. The two algorithms were developed for (i) QuickBird satellite imagery, and (ii) Leica ADS-40 airborne imagery (cf. Lato and Frauenfelder, 2012).Aspart of the continuation of this research program, the algorithms developed in 2011 were published in the journal *Natural Hazards and Earth System Sciences* (Lato et al., 2012a) as well as presented at International conferences, e.g., at the "International Snow Science Workshop 2012” in Anchorage, Alaska (Lato et al., 2012b). Overall the developments have been accepted well within the community, the preliminary results demonstrate the possibility of numerous research and commercial applications. In parallel with the publication and presentation of the research results in 2012, new satellite images containing snow avalanche deposits were tested with the algorithms in eCognition. An overview of the data, the region it represents, as well as a discussion of the results is included in this document.Norges vassdrags- og energidirektorat (NVE), Region Ves