Effects of rock mass anisotropy on deformations and stresses around tunnels during excavation

rock mass where the in situ state of stress is uniform. The rock mass was assumed to behave elastically and two cases were examined: whether the rock mass has an isotropic elastic property or not. A two-dimensional plain strain elastic-plastic Jointed Rock model was used to study the response of the rock mass to excavation. The elastic behaviour of the rock mass was assured in the model by simply providing adequate cohesion. The study reveals that the distribution of excavation-inducedstresses and deformations in the space surrounding rock mass having anisotropic properties differs from that obtained under the assumption of isotropic properties. The neglect of the effect of elastic anisotropy can result in a significant underestimation of stresses and displacements in rock and thus also in the design of support measures and the final pressure tunnel linings. Additionally, when the tunnel geometry is circular and the rock mass contains one joint set where the plane of elastic anisotropy strikes to the tunnel axis, the results obtained for one dip angle will be identical to another dip angle by rotating the x- and y-axis accordingl

Design of pressure tunnels using a finite element model

In this study, a two-dimensional plane strain finite element model is used for the prediction of mechanical and hydraulic behaviour of pre-stressed concrete-lined pressure tunnels. Results obtained from numerical models are presented and compared with the one calculated using analytival solutions

Mechanical-hydraulic interaction in the lining cracking process of pressure tunnels

Pressure tunnels are in operation subjected to internal water pressure. When the hoop tensile stress acting at the lining intrados exceeds the tensile strength of concrete, longitudinal cracks occur in the concrete lining. As a consequence of crack openings, the internal water pressure will act at the lining extrados and cause high local water losses. If left untreated, these losses will induce the washing out of joint fillings and increase the risk of hydro-jacking of the surrounding rock mass. When pressure tunnels are situated close to valley slopes, excessive water losses can endanger the stability of the rock mass and provoke landslide. Whether or not the internal water pressure is fully effective at the lining extrados, it depends predominantly on the number of cracks and the width of crack openings. The width of cracks can be estimated based on the total circumferential deformation of the rock mass, which is governed not only by mechanical boundary pressures, but also by seepage pressures. In turn, seepage pressures generate water losses from the tunnel, which are depending not only on the permeability of the rock mass, the grouted zone, and the concrete lining, but also, if any, on the width of the crack openings. The estimation of pressures transmitted to the rock mass requires therefore solutions using iterative methods dealing with this coupling behaviour. This paper presents a method to estimate the distribution of seepage pressures and water losses around concretelined pressure tunnels pre-stressed by grouting, which considers the lining cracking process due to a high internal water pressure. The mechanical and hydraulic behaviour of cracked concrete-lined pressure tunnels is presented so as a first step for more elaborate numerical studies

Large carnivore expansion in Europe is associated with human population density and land cover changes

Aim: The recent recovery of large carnivores in Europe has been explained as resulting from a decrease in human persecution driven by widespread rural land abandonment, paralleled by forest cover increase and the consequent increase in availability of shelter and prey. We investigated whether land cover and human population density changes are related to the relative probability of occurrence of three European large carnivores: the grey wolf (Canis lupus), the Eurasian lynx (Lynx lynx) and the brown bear (Ursus arctos). Location: Europe, west of 64° longitude. Methods: We fitted multi-temporal species distribution models using >50,000 occurrence points with time series of land cover, landscape configuration, protected areas, hunting regulations and human population density covering a 24-year period (1992–2015). Within the temporal window considered, we then predicted changes in habitat suitability for large carnivores throughout Europe. Results: Between 1992 and 2015, the habitat suitability for the three species increased in Eastern Europe, the Balkans, North-West Iberian Peninsula and Northern Scandinavia, but showed mixed trends in Western and Southern Europe. These trends were primarily associated with increases in forest cover and decreases in human population density, and, additionally, with decreases in the cover of mosaics of cropland and natural vegetation. Main conclusions: Recent land cover and human population changes appear to have altered the habitat suitability pattern for large carnivores in Europe, whereas protection level did not play a role. While projected changes largely match the observed recovery of large carnivore populations, we found mismatches with the recent expansion of wolves in Central and Southern Europe, where factors not included in our models may have played a dominant role. This suggests that large carnivores’ co-existence with humans in European landscapes is not limited by habitat availability, but other factors such as favourable human tolerance and policy

Position Paper on Water, Energy, Food and Ecosystem (WEFE) Nexus and Sustainable development Goals (SDGs)

The EU and the international community is realising that the Water, Energy, Food and Ecosystem components are interlinked and require a joint planning in order to meet the daunting global challenges related to Water, Energy and Food security and maintaining the ecosystem health and in this way, reach the SDGs. If not dealt with, the world will not be able to meet the demand for water, energy and food in a not too far future and, in any case, in a not sustainable way. The strain on the ecosystems resulting from unsustainable single-sector planning will lead to increasing poverty, inequality and instability. The Nexus approach is fully aligned with and supportive of the EU Consensus on Development. Key elements of the Consensus will require collaborative efforts across sectors in ways that can be supported/implemented by a Nexus approach. In this way, transparent and accountable decision-making, involving the civil society is key and common to the European Consensus on Development and the Nexus approach. The Nexus approach will support the implementation of the SDG in particular SDG 2 (Food), SDG 6 (Water) and SDG 7 (Energy), but most SDGs have elements that link to food, water and energy in one or other way, and will benefit from a Nexus approach. The SDGs are designed to be cross-cutting and be implemented together, which is also reflected in a WEFE Nexus approach. A Nexus approach offers a sustainable way of addressing the effects of Climate Change and increase resilience. The WEFE Nexus has in it the main drivers of climate change (water, energy and food security) and the main affected sectors (water and the environment). Decisions around policy, infrastructure, … developed based on the WEFE Nexus assessments will be suitable as elements of climate change mitigation and adaptation. In fact, it is difficult to imagine solutions to the climate change issue that are not built on a form of Nexus approach. The Nexus approach is being implemented around the world, as examples in the literature demonstrate. These examples together with more examples from EU and member state development cooperation will help build experience that can be consolidated and become an important contribution to a Toolkit for WEFE Nexus Implementation. From the expert discussions, it appears that because of the novelty of the approach, a Toolkit will be an important element in getting the Nexus approach widely used. This should build on experiences from practical examples of NEXUS projects or similar inter-sectorial collaboration projects; and, there are already policy, regulation and practical experience to allow institutions and countries to start applying the Nexus concept.JRC.D.2-Water and Marine Resource

Editorial

Editoria

Damming Trans-boundary Rivers: A Welfare Analysis of Conflict and Cooperation

Dams are essential for water storage and hydropower generation, but change river flow patterns and endanger local environments. Dam projects may further exacerbate already existing problems in trans-boundary rivers. We consider three scenarios of institutional factors: (1) each country pursues its own interests, (2) efficient cooperation along the river and (3) partial cooperation among neighboring countries. We conduct cost-benefit analyses for these scenarios incorporating dam projects and their externalities. We demonstrate our approach for the Mekong River incorporating expert hydrological knowledge regarding installed hydropower capacity and dam location instead of the standard economic assumptions of such costs. Our results show that cooperation between Laos and Cambodia internalizes the negative impacts of dam construction in Laos on fishery in Cambodia, and Laos refrains from building some planned dams. Our results also hint that the 1995 Mekong agreement among Thailand, Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam is internally stable

Unsteady seepage behavior of an earthfill dam during drought-flood cycles

Climate change with extreme hydrological conditions, such as drought and flood, bring new challenges to seepage behavior and the stability of earthfill dams. Taking a drought-stricken earthfill dam of China as an example, the influence of drought-flood cycles on dam seepage behavior is analyzed. This paper includes a clay sample laboratory experiment and an unsteady finite element method seepage simulation of the mentioned dam. Results show that severe drought causes cracks on the surface of the clay soil sample. Long-term drought causes deeper cracks and induces a sharp increase of suction pressure, indicating that the cracks would become channels for rain infiltration into the dam during subsequent rainfall, increasing the potential for internal erosion and decreasing dam stability. Measures to prevent infiltration on the dam slope surface are investigated, for the prevention of deep crack formation during long lasting droughts. Unsteady seepage indicators including instantaneous phreatic lines, equipotential lines and pore pressure gradient in the dam, are calculated and analyzed under two assumed conditions with different reservoir water level fluctuations. Results show that when the water level changes rapidly, the phreatic line is curved and constantly changing. As water level rises, equipotential lines shift upstream, and the pore pressure gradient in the dam’s main body is larger than that of steady seepage. Furthermore, the faster the water level rises, the larger the pore pressure gradient is. This may cause internal erosion. Furthermore, the case of a cracked upstream slope is modelled via an equivalent permeability coefficient, which shows that the pore pressure gradient in the zone beneath the cracks increases by 5.9% at the maximum water level; this could exacerbate internal erosion. In addition, results are in agreement with prior literature that rapid drawdown of the reservoir water level is detrimental to the stability of the upstream slope based on embankment slope stability as calculated by the Simplified Bishop Method. It is concluded that fluctuations of reservoir water level should be strictly controlled during drought-flood cycles; both the drawdown rate and the fill rate must be regulated to avoid the internal erosion of earthfill dams

Pressure tunnels in non-uniform in situ stress conditions

The bearing capacity of prestressed concrete-lined pressure tunnels is governed by the in situ stress of rock mass, which generally has different magnitudes in the vertical and horizontal direction. Two cases were distinguished, based on whether the vertical stress is greater than the horizontal stress or not. By means of a finite element model (FEM), the resulting distribution of stresses, strains and deformations due to tunnelling processes was revealed. The bearing capacity of pressure tunnels was determined based on the superposition principle. The results obtained demonstrate the significance of horizontal-tovertical stress coefficients in the bearing capacity of pressure tunnels prestressed by grouting. Favourite locations where crack openings in the final lining may occur are identified, which is useful for taking measures regarding the tunnel tightness and stability