Assessment of landfill protection systems in Japan - a case study

Landfilling of untreated waste is still seen as an acceptable practice in many developed countries. Sanitary landfills are facilities for the disposal of untreated mixed municipal solid waste as a major waste stream. The Waste Management and Public Cleansing Act of 1970 is the main waste legislation in Japan. Waste management methods differ in Japan from the European Union and other countries. As waste incineration is prevalent in Japan, the final waste disposal rate in landfills is extremely low, occupying less than 5% of the waste generated. In Japan, there are obligatory barrier systems, treatment facilities for leachate and concrete structures for major facilities (waste storage structures, barriers, and leachate treatment facilities), landfill operations (dumping and soil covering) and management facilities (weighing and monitoring equipment) which are identified in the Guideline Manual of Landfill Site. This work examines the landfill protection systems in Japan based on two case studies from selected research facilitiesO

Fragmentation and biodiversity change in urban vegetation: A case study of tram lines

This study explores the vegetation composition along various tram line sections in Bydgoszcz, Poland, with a focus on understanding the impact of usage, maintenance, and historical development on urban vegetation dynamics. This study addresses this knowledge gap by investigating how these factors influence plant species composition, leading to variations in the prevalence of native and non-native species. The aim of this study is to contribute to urban ecological knowledge and inform vegetation management strategies. The investigation centers on five tram line sites representing different usage and maintenance scenarios: Unused line, New line, Loop rec, Loop old, and Old line. Through phytocoenological relevés conducted in 2020 and 2021, we measured the plant taxa coverage. Detrended Correspondence Analysis (DCA) and Canonical Correspondence Analysis (CCA) revealed relationships between plant species and tram line sites. The results indicated the presence of 107 plant taxa, with graphical representations highlighting the prevalent species on each tram line section. Older sections showed a higher representation of non-native plant species, whereas new sections exhibited native species dominance. Moisture-indicative values suggest an affinity for soils with average moisture content. CCA provides insights into the relationships between plant taxa and site variants and offers valuable implications for urban vegetation management and conservation strategies. The novelty of this study lies in its holistic approach for understanding how multiple factors interact to shape urban vegetation. By illuminating urban ecological dynamics and informing decision-making processes, this study contributes to urban planning, ecology, and biodiversity conservation. Additionally, this study fills a knowledge gap by providing insights into the unique ecological dynamics and species composition of tram lines in urban environments. Unlike previous research in Central European countries focusing on planted vegetation, this study explored the spontaneous spread of plants and successional patterns along tram lines, enhancing our understanding of the environmental conditions created by tram lines that influence vegetation composition and development.OA-hybri

A Comprehensive Analysis of the Use of SFRC in Structures and Its Current State of Development in the Construction Industry

In recent years, concrete technology has advanced, prompting engineers and researchers to adopt advanced materials to improve strength and durability. Steel-fiber-reinforced concrete (SFRC) represents the substantial modification of concrete materials to improve their structural properties, particularly their flexural and tensile strength. Whether SFRC is stronger than conventional concrete depends on a variety of variables, including the volume, size, percentage, shape, and distribution of fibers. This article provides a comprehensive discussion of the properties of SFRC, such as durability, fire resistance, and impact resistance or blast loading, as well as the application of SFRC in structural members including beams, columns, slabs, and walls. The application of steel fibers in various types of concrete, including pre-stressed, pre-cast, self-compacting, and geopolymer concrete, was also examined in this comparative analysis review, and recommendations for the future scope of SFRC were identified.O

The owner, the provider and the subcontractors : how to handle accountability and liability management for 5G end to end service

The adoption of 5G services depends on the capacity to provide high-value services. In addition to enhanced performance, the capacity to deliver Security Service Level Agreements (SSLAs) and demonstrate their fulfillment would be a great incentive for the adoption of 5G services for critical 5G Verticals (e.g., service suppliers like Energy or Intelligent Transportation Systems) subject to specific industrial safety, security or service level rules and regulations (e.g., NIS or SEVESO Directives). Yet, responsibilities may be difficult to track and demonstrate because 5G infrastructures are interconnected and complex, which is a challenge anticipated to be exacerbated in future 6G networks. This paper describes a demonstrator and a use case that shows how 5G Service Providers can deliver SSLAs to their customers (Service Owners) by leveraging a set of network enablers developed in the INSPIRE-5Gplus project to manage their accountability, liability and trust placed in subcomponents of a service (subcontractors). The elaborated enablers are in particular a novel sTakeholder Responsibility, AccountabIity and Liability deScriptor (TRAILS), a Liability-Aware Service Management Referencing Service (LASM-RS), an anomaly detection tool (IoT-MMT), a Root Cause Analysis tool (IoT-RCA), two Remote Attestation mechanisms (Systemic and Deep Attestation), and two Security-by-Orchestration enablers (one for the 5G Core and one for the MEC)

A comprehensive investigation of geoenvironmental pollution and health effects from municipal solid waste landfills

This study investigates human health risks associated with heavy metals (HMs) occurrence in municipal solid waste (MSW) landfills. For testing of selected MSW landfills steps were involved, including site characterization, soil sampling and chemical testing, statistical analysis, as well as health risk assessment, carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic effects. For the Polish landfill (Radiowo) the average HMs concentrations were found in the following order: Zn (52.74 mg/kg DM) > Pb (28.32 mg/kg DM) > Cu (12.14 mg/kg DM) > Ni (4.50 mg/kg DM) > Cd (3.49 mg/kg DM), while for the Czech landfill (Zdounky): Zn (32.05 mg/kg DM) > Cu (14.73 mg/kg DM) > Ni (4.73 mg/kg DM) > Pb (0.10 mg/kg DM) = Cd (0.10 mg/kg DM). Strong positive correlations between selected HMs demonstrated identical origins. Principal component analysis (PCA) performed for the Radiowo landfill transferred the soil parameters into three principal components (PCs), accounting for 87.12% of the total variance. The results of the PCA analysis for the Zdounky landfill revealed three PCs responsible for 95.16% of the total variance. The exposure pathways of HMs for landfills were in the following order: ingestion > dermal absorption > inhalation. For both landfills, the values of hazard quotient were lower than 1, indicating no potential negative health effects. In terms of the hazard index (HI), for both landfills, no adverse human health effects occur (HI < 1). The incremental lifetime cancer risk (ILCR) values indicated negligible or acceptable carcinogenic risk of HMs (average ILCR in the range from 5.01EMINUS SIGN 10 to 5.19EMINUS SIGN 06).OA-hybri

Impact of Cigarette Butts on Plant Germination Based on Sinapis alba L. and Hordeum vulgare L. Seeds

Cigarette butts (CBs) have only recently begun to be considered environmentally harmful waste. CBs are common waste in the environment, that can cause air, soil, and water pollution and pose a threat to the living. CBs should be treated as toxic and hazardous waste due to its slow decomposition and accumulation of many toxic substances. There is a lack of research on the adaptation of CBs to the environment and what impact they have on vegetation. Therefore, the present work aimed to understand the toxicity of smoked CBs. Leachates of various concentrations were assessed with ecotoxicological tests. The effect of CBs on germination and development of plants at their early stage of growth was determined. Seeds of Sinapis alba L. and Hordeum vulgare L. were used in the CBs toxicity test. Two-way ANOVA was conducted to compare the main effects on plants. From the results, it is evident that low concentrations of toxic substances contained in CBs have a positive effect on plants; however, Hordeum vulgare L. expresses higher toxic resistance than Sinapis alba L. It has been proven that high concentrations of CBs in a water solution have negative effects on seed germination and radical growth. This research shows that varied plant species can cope with different levels of contamination by hazardous elements. CBs are an important source of contamination for the environment and the hazardous elements that are released from them when inappropriately disposed of can impair the development of plants and accumulate in them

A Comprehensive Analysis of the Use of SFRC in Structures and Its Current State of Development in the Construction Industry

In recent years, concrete technology has advanced, prompting engineers and researchers to adopt advanced materials to improve strength and durability. Steel-fiber-reinforced concrete (SFRC) represents the substantial modification of concrete materials to improve their structural properties, particularly their flexural and tensile strength. Whether SFRC is stronger than conventional concrete depends on a variety of variables, including the volume, size, percentage, shape, and distribution of fibers. This article provides a comprehensive discussion of the properties of SFRC, such as durability, fire resistance, and impact resistance or blast loading, as well as the application of SFRC in structural members including beams, columns, slabs, and walls. The application of steel fibers in various types of concrete, including pre-stressed, pre-cast, self-compacting, and geopolymer concrete, was also examined in this comparative analysis review, and recommendations for the future scope of SFRC were identified

Influence of land use on plant community composition in Vysocina Region grasslands, Czech Republic

Human disturbance is an important factor in forming vegetation. According to our hypothesis, anthropogenic activity and changes in the species composition of grass communities occur in the process of co-evolution. Understanding co-evolution, to better predict future changes in the entire ecosystem. Five grassland sites were selected with different methods of use and hence different anthropogenic disturbance regimes. The results show that the composition of grassland communities responds to the methods of their use. The needs and demands of our civilization are changing. Humans co-create plant communities the preservation of which depends on their use by humans

Advancements in Solar Panel Technology in Civil Engineering for Revolutionizing Renewable Energy Solutions—A Review

Globally, solar energy has become a major contributor to the rapid adoption of renewable energy. Significant energy savings have resulted from the widespread utilization of solar energy in the industrial, residential, and commercial divisions. This review article comprises research conducted over the past 15 years (2008–2023), utilizing a comprehensive collection of 163 references. Significantly, a considerable focus is directed towards the period from 2020 to 2023, encompassing an extensive investigation into the latest developments in solar panel technology in civil engineering. The article examines the incorporation of solar panels into building designs and addresses installation-related structural considerations. In addition, the present review examines the applications of solar panels in terms of innovative infrastructure development applications of solar panels, such as photovoltaic parking lot canopies and photovoltaic noise barriers, which contribute to improved energy efficiency. It also emphasizes their role in water management systems, including water treatment plants, water pumping and irrigation systems, energy-efficient solar desalination technologies, and promoting sustainable water practices. In addition, this study examines how solar panels have been incorporated into urban planning, including smart cities and public parks, thereby transforming urban landscapes into greener alternatives. This study also examined the use of solar panels in building materials, such as façade systems and solar-powered building envelope solutions, demonstrating their versatility in the construction industry. This review explores the diverse applications of solar energy, which promotes sustainable practices in various industries. Owing to the ongoing research, solar energy holds great promise for a greener and cleaner future