Bioelectrochemical treatment of contaminated groundwater

To remove these pollutants from groundwater, different technologies can be used. Currently, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) considers ion exchange, reverse osmosis and reverse electrodialysis to be effective methods for the decrease of their concentrations, below their limit in drinking water. These technologies have some drawbacks, such as low selectivity towards the target pollutant, high energy or chemicals requirements, and the generation of waste brine (pollutants are separated from water, not treated), which require an additional treatment. Bio Electro Chemical Systems (BES) could fill this nich

La concordança del participi en el català de Mallorca

Aquest article pretén descriure el comportament de la concordança del participi (CP) en el català de Mallorca, molt especialment quan l'objecte roman in situ (en la seva posició canònica postverbal), tot comparant-lo amb el d'altres parlars romànics i posant èmfasi en un fet no destacat fins ara, i és que la CP amb l'objecte in situ no sempre és reeixida: l'accepten els esdeveniments dinàmics tèlics, però la rebutgen les situacions estatives —a excepció feta de certes construccions dinàmiques tèliques fetes a partir d'alguns verbs estatius— i també la rebutgen algunes construccions dinàmiques atèliques; però, crucialment, no totes. Per a tractar d'explicar-ho des d'un punt de vista teòric, es proposa que és imprescindible que en l'estructura oracional hi sigui present un nucli funcional (Asp) relacionat amb l'anomenat aspecte intern.This article aims to describe the behaviour of past participle agreement (PPA) in Majorcan Catalan, especially when the object is left in situ (in its canonical post-verbal position), in comparison with other Romance dialects. It emphasises a fact that has not been up examined until now, that namely that PPA with a non-moved object is not always successful. It is accepted in telic dynamic events but is forbidden in stative situations —except for certain telic dynamic constructions built with some stative verbs— as well as in some ate- lic dynamic constructions, but, crucially, not in all of them. In order to develop a theoretical explanation for this behaviour, it is proposed that it is imperative for a specific functional head (Asp) related to so-called inner aspect to be present in the clausal structure

A thermo-hygro-mechanical model for concrete shrinkage: preliminary study

The concrete shrinkage is a common effect of the concrete material behavior during concrete strengthening. The shrinkage is usually a function of the particular concrete material features, its quality, curing process, structural element size, and thermal-hydraulic boundary conditions during the working stress life-time conditions. Typically, grid-geometry steel bars with reinforcement function (rebar) are placed close to the concrete contour surface (coating spacing) to avoid the undesired shrinkage cracks with consequent material section loss. In addition to the solution through classical steel-grid rebar, there are other alternatives considering new materials and methodologies during concrete casting which are still under development (as the use of master fibers is) and may be also appropriate to avoid concrete shrinkage cracking with reducing material and installation costs.The concrete shrinkage is a common effect of the concrete material behavior during concrete strengthening. The shrinkage is usually a function of the particular concrete material features, its quality, curing process, structural element size, and thermal-hydraulic boundary conditions during the working stress life-time conditions. Typically, grid-geometry steel bars with reinforcement function (rebar) are placed close to the concrete contour surface (coating spacing) to avoid the undesired shrinkage cracks with consequent material section loss. In addition to the solution through classical steel-grid rebar, there are other alternatives considering new materials and methodologies during concrete casting which are still under development (as the use of master fibers is) and may be also appropriate to avoid concrete shrinkage cracking with reducing material and installation costs.Preprin

Disseny i simulació d'un convertidor DC/DC híbrid integrat

L’objectiu d’aquest Treball de Fi de Grau, és fer el disseny i simulació d’un convertidor híbrid DC/DC integrat. Híbrid perquè constarà d’un reductor de tensió estàtic, o buck, i un regulador lineal de tensió, i integrat, perquè s’utilitzarà la tecnologia AMS035 de transistors per poder fer-ne d’aquí un xip integrat. El corrent desitjat és de 100 mA, i la tensió de sortida d’1,8 V, pensat per a alimentar un conjunt de sensors capacitius

3D simulations of gas injection on callovo-oxfordian claystone assuming spatial heterogeneity and anisotropy

A series of gas injection tests on Callovo-Oxfordian (COx) claystone from the Bure underground research laboratory (URL) in France were carried out at the British Geological Survey (BGS). The tests were performed using a triaxial apparatus specifically designed to capture small volumetric strains induced by the injected gas flow and consequent material dilatancy. The long-duration experiments were monitored throughout. Measurements also included pressure, stresses (axial and radial stresses prescribed for each test stage), rate of gas inflow, gas outflow volume as well as pore-pressures observed at various points of the sample. A coupled hydro-gas-mechanical 3D numerical model has been developed to simulate the tests. Initial permeability is assumed heterogeneous throughout the specimen and embedded fractures are incorporated in the formulation. Gas pressure-induced deformations during the test lead to variations of permeability due to changes in matrix porosity and, especially, fracture aperture as well as fracture orientation due to material anisotropy. A programme of sensitivity analyses involving the variation of different aspects and parameters of the model contributes to a better understanding of the phenomena and highlights its complexity. The model is able to reproduce the observed behaviour of the tests.DECOVALEX is an international research project comprising participants from industry, government and academia, focusing on development of understanding, models and codes in complex coupled problems in sub-surface geological and engineering applications; DECOVALEX-2019 is the current phase of the project. The authors appreciate and thank Andra for funding this work, as well as all DECOVALEX-2019 Funding Organizations Andra, BGR/UFZ, CNSC, US DOE, ENSI, JAEA, IRSN, KAERI, NWMO, RWM, SÚRAO, SSM and Taipower for their financial and technical support of the work described in this report. The authors wish to acknowledge Elena Tamayo-Mas, Jon Harrington, Jean Talandier, Gilles Armand and Alex Bond for their constructive comments and discussions during the modelling work carried out in the context of DECOVALEX-2019, as well as the reviewers of the manuscript during the submission process of this study, which allowed to substantially improve the paper in a clear way. The authors wish also to acknowledge the support of the International Centre for Numerical Methods in Engineering (CIMNE) and the funding received from the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness through the “Severo Ochoa Programme for Centres of Excellence in R&D” (CEX2018-000797-S). The statements made in the report are, however, solely those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect those of the Funding Organizations.Peer ReviewedPostprint (published version

Three dimensional thermo-hydraulic modelling for KBS-3H alternative

The KBS-3H disposal alternative is composed by horizontally placed supercontainers comprising the canisters with the spent nuclear fuel surrounded in both drift axis and radial directions by compacted bentonite blocks (buffer) enclosed in a perforated shell. The different internal gaps between the supercontainer components and the one between the buffer blocks and the host rock have direct effects on the buffer behaviour. This paper presents a Thermo-Hydraulic (TH) Three-Dimensional (3D) numerical model developed to analyse a particular geometry assuming three different gap state conditions and providing results of the temperature, liquid pressure, and evolution of the degree of saturation. The material parameters, constitutive models, and assumptions made were carefully selected with regards to laboratory measurements reported in directly-related bibliography. The modelling settles the importance of understanding the groundwater flow through the rock mass and from fractures in the rock in order to achieve reliable predictions regarding buffer saturation, since it is known that the saturation times could range from few years to one thousand years depending on the hydrogeological conditions in the rock. The obtained results lead to full saturation times of 50 to 100 years. In addition to the rock hydraulic conductivity and fracture transmissivity, the saturation process was directly affected by the material properties of the buffer and gap presence between the buffer blocks and the host rock. Finally, in connection with thermal evolution, the thermal conductivity of repository components and the behaviour of air gaps in the buffer were key variables.Peer ReviewedPostprint (author's final draft

A bridge foundation analysis

This document presents the analysis with CODE_BRIGHT finite element program of a geotechnical case. The problem analyzed is related to a mechanical analysis of soil structure interaction considering different alternatives for the foundation of a bridge in El Prat de Llobregat (Highway A-2)i. The comparison of displacements shows that an alternative solution using shallow foundations can be considered in addition to the originally proposed, composed by sheet walls.Peer Reviewe

Thermo-hydro-mechanical viscoplastic constitutive model for polyester strap reinforcement long-term response

Polymeric materials have been shown to be rate-dependent materials, that is, their response will vary depending on the conditions to which they are subjected. The present work details the formulation, validation and implementation of a viscoplastic constitutive model with stress, strain, temperature, and relative humidity dependencies aimed to simulate the long-term response of polymeric materials, particularly that of polyester. The model is capable of predicting primary and secondary creep, often observed in geosynthetic materials. Both creep mechanisms can be modelled independently if needed. For calibration, a wide data-set of polyester strap reinforcement creep measurements was used. The validation process was done using parameters for load-, product-, and material-specific scenarios. Load- and product-specific scenarios showed suitable agreement between simulated and measured data. The coupled capabilities of the model are shown via variable temperature and relative humidity boundary conditions. Due to lack of data, temperature and relative humidity dependencies represent idealized scenarios. Simulations of stress-relaxation response for constant rate of strain scenarios are also provided. The proposed formulation is aimed at modelling the mechanical response of reinforced soil structures while accounting for the effect of in-air or in-soil conditions to which reinforcement materials can be exposed to throughout the structure’s life-cycle.Peer ReviewedPostprint (published version

Marca rieral : intervención en la infraestructura y el patrimonio como soporte a la comunidad hortícola del Rieral

El Rieral es una comunidad hortícola situada al sur del municipio de Castellar del Vallès donde, tras el cese de actividad de la fábrica del Rieral, se ha ido consolidando un abandono claro por parte de la administración pública. El resultado se traduce en una clara deficiencia en la comunicación entre el núcleo urbano y el Rieral, la instalación de sistemas irregulares en la toma de agua y de electricidad, la proliferación de autoconstrucciones sin control que poco a poco han ido degradando el paisaje a ojos de la administración, y el abandono total del patrimonio industrial protegido que acoge la zona. Marca Rieral busca poner en valor esta zona mediante la mejora de las infraestructuras, la consolidación de las comunicaciones y la recuperación de su patrimonio, donde se instala un programa que fomenta el intercambio de conocimientos y la implantación de técnicas innovadoras para el sector agrario, ayuda a la creación de una marca propia de la comunidad y permite la comercialización y conserva de sus cosechas, mejorando la calidad del producto y ayudando a potenciar el comercio Km0. A su vez da servicio directo a sus usuarios en materia de seguridad para almacenar sus herramientas (reduciendo el sentido de las autoconstrucciones), crea espacios comunes y les permite sacar el máximo rendimiento a sus huertos. Marca Rieral funciona como una unidad, en la que todos los elementos que conforman el proyecto se nutren unos de otros. La regularización del riego y la protección de herramientas de cultivo asegura una producción constante que a su vez ha sido mejorada y especializada por la formación impartida en la fábrica, la cual además puede tratarse e intercambiarse tanto entre los propios usuarios como con el resto del municipio, mejorando la conexión que ayuda a poner en valor el paisaje natural que ofrece el Rieral y fomentando la relación social entre hortelanos. Un paisaje que pretende volver a ser puramente agrícola