Tertiary creep in concrete

Time dependent concrete fracture is simulated using a rate type creep model coupled with a discrete concrete model. The numerical study uses experimental data, of various tests, three point bending, relaxation, tensile, performed on concrete. This contribution demonstrates the capability of the model to capture the time dependent fracture behavior of concrete, and predicts the critical time of failure

Advancement of a Soil Parameters Geodatabase for the Modeling Assessment of Conservation Practice Outcomes in the United States

US-ModSoilParms-TEMPLE is a database composed of a set of geographic databases functionally storing soil-spatial units and soil hydraulic, physical, and chemical parameters for three agriculture management simulation models, SWAT, APEX, and ALMANAC. This paper introduces the updated US-ModSoilParms-TEMPLE, which covers the entire United States and is organized as a framework of 22 nested and hydrologically-ordered regional geographic databases with internal spatial segmentation drainage-defined at a conveniently manageable tile (Watershed Boundary Dataset’s, WBD, 8-digit Subbasin) level. Spatial features are stored in multiple formats (raster and vector) and resolutions (10-meter and 30-meter), while being in direct relationship with the table of attributes storing the models’ parameters. A significant number of former parameter voids, determined by the local incompleteness of the source datasets, were filled using a methodology leveraging upon the hierarchy of the Soil Taxonomy information and the geographic location of the gaps. The functionality of each geographic database was extended by adding customized tools, which streamline the incorporation into geoprocessing workflows, the aggregation and extraction of data sets, and finally the export to other model support software user environments. These tools are attached and conveniently distributed along with detailed metadata documentation within each of the developed regional geographic databases. The system hosting this framework is developed using a proprietary software format (ESRI® File Geodatabase), however, a companion version of the framework of 8-digit tiles is also developed and provided using openly accessible formats. The experience shared in this paper might help other efforts in developing hydrology-oriented geographical databases

A Soil Parameters Geodatabase for the Modeling Assessment of Agricultural Conservation Practices Effects in the United States

Soil parameters for hydrology modeling in cropland dominated areas, from the regional to local scale, are part of critical biophysical information whose deficiency may increase the uncertainty of simulated conservation effects and predicting potential. Despite this importance, soil physical and hydraulic parameters lack common, wide-coverage repositories combined to digital maps as required by various hydrology-based agricultural water quality models. This paper describes the construction of a geoprocessing workflow and the resultant hydrology-structured soil hydraulic, physical, and chemical parameters geographic database for the entire United States, named US-SOILM-CEAP. This database is designed to store a-priori values for a suit of models, such as SWAT (Soil and Water Assessment Tool), APEX (Agricultural Policy Environmental EXtender) and ALMANAC (Agricultural Land Management Alternatives with Numerical Assessment Criteria), which are commonly used for the across scale assessment of agricultural hydrology and conservation practice scenarios. The Soil Survey Geographic (SSURGO) database developed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture provided the main source data for this development. Additional spatial information, a geographic information system platform and Python computer programming language code were used to create hydrology-based tile coverage of the areal soil units linked to the specific and detailed attributes required by each model. The created repository adds value to the source soil survey data, while maintaining and extending the detailed information necessary for the across scale and combined application of the models. Ultimately, our multi-model database provides a comprehensive product achieving joined informational-mapping-geoprocessing functionality with the explicit maintenance of the original conceptual links between soil series and composing soil layers, allowing for efficient data retrieval, analysis and service as input for modeling conservation effects

ArcView Interface for SWAT 2000

AVSWAT-2000 (version 1.0) (Di Luzio et al., 2002) is an ArcView extension and a graphical user interface for the SWAT (Soil and Water Assessment Tool) model (Arnold et al., 1998). SWAT is a river basin, or watershed, scale model developed to predict the impact of land management practices on water, sediment, and agricultural chemical yields in large, complex watersheds with varying soils, land use, and management conditions over long periods of time. The model is physically based and computationally efficient, uses readily available inputs, and enables users to study long-term impacts

Geophysical study of the hydrothermal reservoir in the Panza area (Ischia, Italy)

The aim of the present work is the reconstruction of the main geometric pattern and the characterisation with geophysical parameters of geological structures lying at small and medium depths in an area of the Ischia island (Italy), where a sensible hydrothermal activity is present

Macroseismic effects highlight site response in Rome and its geological signature

A detailed analysis of the earthquake effects on the urban area of Rome has been conducted for the L’Aquila sequence, which occurred in April 2009, by using an on-line macroseismic questionnaire. Intensity residuals calculated using the mainshock and four aftershocks are analyzed in the light of a very accurate and original geological reconstruction of the subsoil of Rome based on a large amount of wells. The aim of this work is to highlight ground motion amplification areas and to find a correlation with the geological settings at a sub-regional scale, putting in evidence the extreme complexity of the phenomenon and the difficulty of making a simplified model. Correlations between amplification areas and both near-surface and deep geology were found. Moreover, the detailed scale of investigation has permitted us to find a correlation between seismic amplification in recent alluvial settings and subsiding zones, and between heard seismic sound and Tiber alluvial sediments

Usefulness of transesophageal echocardiography in the assessment of aortic dissection

The acute dissection of the ascending aorta requires prompt and reliable diagnosis to reduce the high risk of mortality; in addition, prognosis is influenced by longterm complications. The aim of this article is to discuss transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) and (1) its diagnostic accuracy in the presurgical evaluation of patients, (2) its role in reducing time of diagnosis and surgery, and (3) its ability to reduce hospital mortality. TEE has also been tested as a screening method in the postsurgical follow-up of these patients. The retrospective investigation concerns a sample of 80 cases of acute dissection of the aorta, submitted for surgical intervention from April 1986 to February 1999. TEE has allowed a precise estimation of aortic diameters and optimal visualization of intimal flap and tear entry with a fine distinction between true and false lumen. A direct comparison of the results of TEE and of transthoracic echocardiography has demonstrated that some elements (visualization of flap and diameters in descending aorta, sites of entry and reentry, direction of let trough intimal tears, phasic intimal flap movement, diastolic collapse of flap on the valvular plane, false lumen thrombosis, coronary involvement, intramural hematoma, and aortic fissuration) were identified only by TEE, whereas other additional diagnostic elements (cardiac tamponade, aortic valve insufficiency, left ventricular function) show a similar pattern of significance. Routine employment of this method has confirmed a reduction of hospitalization time (about 1.5 hours of waiting time), and hospital mortality has changed from 42.8% to 17.3%. In the follow-up of patients operated on for aortic dissection, fundamental information may be obtained from TEE (assessment of the progression of thrombosis in the false lumen with its complete obliteration and modifications in aortic diameter with a consequent, possible worsening of aortic valve insufficiency). In conclusion, our study demonstrated that TEE may provide fast and efficient detection of acute aortic dissection. In the postsurgical follow-up, TEE has confirmed detection of major complications that can influence long-term prognosis and may be proposed as a method with easy access-one that is repeatable and inexpensive for the screening of aortic dissection surgical patients. (C) 2000 by Excerpta Medica, Inc

Double Heterozygous Mutations Involving Both HNF1A/MODY3 and HNF4A/MODY1 Genes: A case report

none9Abstract We describe the first MODY case with mutations involving both HNF4A and HNF1A genes. History and Examination. A male patient was diagnosed with diabetes at age 17; the metabolic control rapidly worsened to insulin requirement. At that time no relatives were known to be affected by diabetes, which was diagnosed years later in both parents (father at age 50, mother at age 54) and the sister (age 32 during pregnancy). Investigations. The genetic screening showed a double heterozygosity for the mutation p.E508K in HNF1A/MODY3 gene and the novel variant p.R80Q in HNF4A/MODY1 gene. The genetic testing of the family showed that the father carried the MODY3 mutation while the mother, the sister and her two children carried the MODY1 mutation. Conclusions. MODY1 and MODY3 mutations may interact by chance to give a more severe form of diabetes (younger age at presentation, early need of insulin therapy to control hyperglycemia).mixedG. Forlani; S. Zucchini; A. Di Rocco; R. Di Luzio; M. Scipione; E. Marasco; G. Romeo; G. Marchesini Reggiani; V. MantovaniG. Forlani; S. Zucchini; A. Di Rocco; R. Di Luzio; M. Scipione; E. Marasco; G. Romeo; G. Marchesini Reggiani; V. Mantovan