Investigation of Cycle Time Segments of Dragline Operation in Surface Coal Mine: A Statistical Approach

Dragline is highly capital intensive equipment to procure, operate and maintain in any surface mining operation. Given this, every second of operation of this capital intensive equipment is absolutely important. Improvement of even a single second in the total cycle time has a tremendous bearing on the overall performance of this equipment. In this light, the present paper is an endeavour to critically analyze the cycle time of dragline operations in a major surface coal mine in India. Rigorous statistical analysis has been performed on individual cycle time segments, of complete dragline cycle. The segmental cycle times have been found to be statistically significant and appear to be best represented by lognormal, normal and beta distributions. Furthermore, the mean time of the statistical distribution for segmental cycle time of dragline has revealed the dependence of cycle time on cut geometry and depth. Results have been illustrated in the form of figures, graphs and tables.     

Behavior of Shallow Strip Footing on Twin Voids

This paper numerically examines the bearing capacity and failure mechanism of a shallow strip foundation constructed above twin voids. The voids may refer to caves, caverns, underground aqueduct or tunnels due to water seepage, chemical reaction or deliberately excavated in soil deposit. The ability of numerical model to accurately predict the system behavior is evaluated by performing verification analyses on existing researches. Subsequently, a parametric study carried out to reveal the influence of size of footing/voids and their location (i.e. depth, spacing, eccentricity) on the bearing capacity of footing. To clarify the failure mechanism, the distribution of shear strain in the soil for different scenarios is assessed. The parametric study provided a new framework to determine the bearing capacity and the mode of failure for footings on voids. Based on the results, a criterion can be issued to avoid collapse of footing/voids regarding the shape, location and size of voids. The results can also be used to design construction of a footing on existing voids while the acquired failure mechanisms can be appointed to develop analytical solutions for this problem. Results demonstrated that a critical depth for voids and a critical distance between them exist where the influence on the ultimate bearing capacity of footing disappears.     

Shield Tunneling in Rock–Soil Interface Composite Formations

With increased demand for the tunnel construction in rock–soil interface composite formations, the influence on surrounding environment especially the excavation face instability during construction and ground settlement in the long term has gained great attention. The researches about environmental disturbance by shield tunneling construction in single ground as the soil or rock conditions have been developed continuously. However, due to the complexity and uncertainty of the interaction between rock–soil interface composite formations and shield machines, works on these special conditions have not been carried out sufficiently. In this paper the theoretical, experimental and numerical researches on the excavation face stability and ground settlement are discussed while the in situ datum are used to support them. First, the typical projects in rock–soil interface composite formations are listed and the difficulties met are summarized. Second, the failure model of excavation face and support pressure from the tunneling shield in rock–soil interface composite formations are discussed. Then, a comprehensive survey of the factors of ground settlement during and after construction and some effective prediction models are made. Finally, the existing problems and directions for future research are introduced.     

Parametric Study and Centrifuge-Test Verification for Amplification and Bending Moment of Clay–Pile System Subject to Earthquakes

This paper examines seismic effects on fixed-head, end-bearing piles installed through soft clay. The numerical analyses were conducted using ABAQUS with a hypoelastic constitutive model for the clay. The dimensionless parameters involving the major parameters such as pile modulus, soil modulus, slenderness ratio, natural frequencies of clay layer and pile–raft, superstructure mass, density of the soil and peak ground acceleration were obtained from the parametric studies. The relationships for the amplification of ground motions and the maximum bending moment in the pile were developed based on regression of the numerical data. The computed results from the proposed relationships were compared with the results reported in the past studies.     

A multi-dimensional assessment of urban vulnerability to climate change in Sub-Saharan Africa

In this paper, we develop and apply a multi-dimensional vulnerability assessment framework for understanding the impacts of climate change-induced hazards in Sub-Saharan African cities. The research was carried out within the European/African FP7 project CLimate change and Urban Vulnerability in Africa, which investigated climate change-induced risks, assessed vulnerability and proposed policy initiatives in five African cities. Dar es Salaam (Tanzania) was used as a main case with a particular focus on urban flooding. The multi-dimensional assessment covered the physical, institutional, attitudinal and asset factors influencing urban vulnerability. Multiple methods were applied to cover the full range of vulnerabilities and to identify potential response strategies, including: model-based forecasts, spatial analyses, document studies, interviews and stakeholder workshops. We demonstrate the potential of the approach to assessing several dimensions of vulnerability and illustrate the complexity of urban vulnerability at different scales: households (e.g., lacking assets); communities (e.g., situated in low-lying areas, lacking urban services and green areas); and entire cities (e.g., facing encroachment on green and flood-prone land). Scenario modeling suggests that vulnerability will continue to increase strongly due to the expected loss of agricultural land at the urban fringes and loss of green space within the city. However, weak institutional commitment and capacity limit the potential for strategic coordination and action. To better adapt to urban flooding and thereby reduce vulnerability and build resilience, we suggest working across dimensions and scales, integrating climate change issues in city-level plans and strategies and enabling local actions to initiate a ‘learning-by-doing’ process of adaptation.     

Research on comprehensive carrying capacity of Beijing–Tianjin–Hebei region based on state-space method

Based on state-space method and component analysis, this paper builds a comprehensive evaluation system of carrying capacity for the Beijing–Tianjin–Hebei region from four aspects, namely economy, environment, ecology and energy. The results show that the comprehensive carrying capacity in this region gradually rises in recent years and the economic carrying capacity plays an important role in this situation. Ecological and environmental carrying capacity are gradually enhanced but still affected by water shortages. The energy carrying capacity of this region is low, which is the major factor restricting its sustainable development. Based on the empirical results, following policy suggestions should be adopted: Firstly, local government should accelerate technological progress, promoting the optimization and upgrading of industrial structure; Secondly, the contradiction between supply and demand of water resource should be solved gradually; thirdly, government should develop recycling economy, realizing the coordinated development of economy and environment; last but not least, saving energy and improving energy efficiency.     

Compromise not consensus: designing a participatory process for landslide risk mitigation

With the escalating costs of landslides, the challenge for local authorities is to develop institutional arrangements for landslide risk management that are viewed as efficient, feasible and fair by those affected. For this purpose, the participation of stakeholders in the decision-making process is mandated by the European Union as a way of improving its perceived legitimacy and transparency. This paper reports on an analytical-deliberative process for selecting landslide risk mitigation measures in the town of Nocera Inferiore in southern Italy. The process was structured as a series of meetings with a group of selected residents and several parallel activities open to the public. The preparatory work included a literature/media review, semi-structured interviews carried out with key local stakeholders and a survey eliciting residents’ views on landslide risk management. The main point of departure in the design of this process was the explicit elicitation and structuring of multiple worldviews (or perspectives) among the participants with respect to the nature of the problem and its solution. Rather than eliciting preferences using decision analytical methods (e.g. utility theory or multi-criteria evaluation), this process built on a body of research—based on the theory of plural rationality—that has teased out the limited number of contending and socially constructed definitions of problem-and-solution that are able to achieve viability. This framing proved effective in structuring participants’ views and arriving at a compromise recommendation (not, as is often aimed for, a consensus) on measures for reducing landslide risk. Experts played a unique role in this process by providing a range of policy options that corresponded to the different perspectives held by the participants.     

Geological Characteristics and Stability Evaluation of Wanjia Middle School Slope in Wenchuan Earthquake Area

To investigate the formation mechanism and the stability of Wanjia middle school slope in Wenchuan Earthquake Area, the macroscopic geological characteristics and the failure process of the landslide are researched by engineering geology analysis method, limit equilibrium method, and finit element method. The results show that after the Wenchuan Earthquake, retaining walls, houses and other infrastructure on the foot of Wanjia middle school slope were severely destroyed, 10 cm wide tension fracture appeared at the trailing edge of the slope. Wanjia middle school slope is a type of medium-sized soil landslide. The area of the deformation body is about 19,314 m², the total volume of the deformation body is about 23 × 10⁴ m³. There may be two potential sliding surfaces in the unstable slope: shallow and deep landslide. The analysis results of the limit equilibrium method and the finite element method show that: under dead weight, dead weight + rainstorm, dead weight + earthquake conditions, the plastic zone occurs mainly at the middle part or the trailing edge of the slope, and it doesn’t fully cut through the deep landslide body, so the deep landslide is stable. However, under rainstorm or earthquake conditions, the plastic zone almost completely cut thorough the shallow landslide body, it shows that the shallow landslide is in the understable–basic stable state. It is found that the results of finite element method is concordant with the results of the limit equilibrium method (F _s = 1.06–1.29, the shallow landslide is in the basic stable–stable state). The calculation results show that shallow landslides are likely to occur in Wanjia middle school slope during a rainstorm or an earthquake, so monitoring and control of the slope should be strengthened. The shallow landslide should be managed by some measures, such as anti slide pile retaining structures and drainage works, and the dangerous rock bodies on the slope surface should be cleaned up.