Prediction of Seaward Slope Recession in Berm Breakwaters Using M5' Machine Learning Approach

In the design process of berm breakwaters, their front slope recession has an inevitable rule in large number of model tests, and this parameter being studied. This research draws its data from Moghim’s and Shekari’s experiment results. These experiments consist of two different 2D model tests in two wave flumes, in which the berm recession to different sea state and structural parameters have been studied. Irregular waves with a JONSWAP spectrum were used in both test series. A total of 412 test results were used to cover the impact of sea state conditions such as wave height, wave period, storm duration and water depth at the toe of the structure, and structural parameters such as berm elevation from still water level, berm width and stone diameter on berm recession parameters. In this paper, a new set of equations for berm recession is derived using the M5'' model tree as a machine learning approach. A comparison is made between the estimations by the new formula and the formulae recently given by other researchers to show the preference of new M5'' approach.     

Identification of modal parameters of non‐classically damped linear structures under multi‐component earthquake loading

A method for parametric system identification of classically damped linear system in frequency domain is adopted and extended for non‐classically damped linear systems subjected up to six components of earthquake ground motions. This method is able to work in multi‐input/multi‐output (MIMO) case. The response of a two‐degree‐of‐freedom model with non‐classical damping, excited by one‐component earthquake ground motion, is simulated and used to verify the proposed system identification method in the single‐input/multi‐output case. Also, the records of a 10 storey real building during the Northridge earthquake is used to verify the proposed system identification method in the MIMO case. In this case, at first, a single‐input/multi‐output assumption is considered for the system and modal parameters are identified, then other components of earthquake ground motions are added, respectively, and the modal parameters are identified again. This procedure is repeated until all four components of earthquake ground motions which are measured at the base level of the building are included in the identification process. The results of identification of real building show that consideration of non‐classical damping and inclusion of the multi‐components effect of earthquake ground motions can improve the least‐squares match between the finite Fourier transforms of recorded and calculated acceleration responses. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Resource allocation for regional earthquake risk mitigation: a case study of Tehran,Iran

This paper presents a new optimization model to help cities in seismically active developing countries decide (1) How much to spend on pre-earthquake mitigation versus waiting until after an event and paying for reconstruction or simply not rebuilding damaged buildings? (2) Which buildings to mitigate and how? and (3) Which buildings to reconstruct and how? It extends previously developed optimization models to consider the particular issues that arise in such countries. First, the model allows for the possibility that some damaged buildings will not be reconstructed immediately and keeps track of any lost building inventory. Second, buildings can be mitigated to, or when damaged, reconstructed to, any appropriate structural type and seismic design level. Finally, the model objectives include minimizing the chance of an extremely high death toll in any one earthquake and minimizing the average annual death toll across earthquakes. The model is illustrated through a case study analysis for Tehran, Iran.     

Removal of chromium (VI) from aqueous solutions using Lewatit FO36 nano ion exchange resin

The removal of the chromium (VI) ion from aqueous solutions with the Lewatit FO36 ion-exchange resin is described at different conditions. The effects of adsorbent dose, initial metal concentration, contact time and pH on the removal of chromium (VI) were investigated. The batch ion exchange process was relatively fast and it reached equilibrium after about 90 min of contact. The ion exchange process, which is pH dependent showed maximum removal of chromium (VI) in the pH range 5.0–8.0 for an initial chromium (VI) concentration of 0.5 mg/dm³. The equilibrium related to Lewatit FO36 ion- exchange capacity and the amounts of the ion exchange were obtained using the plots of the Langmuir adsorption isotherm. It was observed that the maximum ion exchange capacity of 0.29 mmol of chromium (VLVg for Lewatit FO36 was achieved at optimum pH value of 6.0. The ion exchange of chromium (VI) on this cation-exchange resin followed first-order reversible kinetics.     

Calculation of periodic roof weighting interval in longwall mining using finite element method

The state of periodic loading and the interval of periodic roof weighting have an important role in geomechanical stability and, hence, in the continuity of longwall mining operations. In this paper, the mechanism of roof caving in longwall mining—together with the effect of engineering and geomechanical properties of surrounding rock masses on the magnitude and timing of periodic loading—is studied. For this purpose, a longwall mine is first modeled using Phase2 software, and then, by simulating the roof caving process, the periodic roof weighting intervals is calculated. Based on the numerical modeling, the first roof weighting interval and the periodic roof weighting interval are calculated as 27.2 and 12.1 m, respectively. Sensitivity analysis is then applied to determine the effect of changes in the mechanical properties of the rock mass, especially in the main roof and immediate roof. The results of the analysis show that as GSI and quality of the immediate roof increases, the periodic roof weighting interval also increases. Hence, the applied algorithm in this research study can effectively be utilized to calculate the periodic roof weighting interval in the longwall mining method.     

Optimization of Flue Gas Composition to Maximize Base Gas Replacement During UGS Process

Natural Resources Research - Base gas replacement by a cheap gas is one of the approved methods to reduce the cost of investment in underground gas storage process. Maximizing the amount of...     

Cu (II) removal intensification using Fe<Subscript>3</Subscript>O<Subscript>4</Subscript> nanoparticles under inert gas and magnetic field in a microchannel

In the present study, Cu (II) ions removal from aqueous solution was intensified by exciting magnetic nanoparticles under inert gas, magnetic field and combination of these two mixing methods in a T-type microchannel. The flow patterns and liquid–liquid two-phase mass transfer were studied in three different magnet distances from mixing channel (3, 6 and 10 mm) and also in the presence of different inert gas flow rates (1, 3 and 5 mL/min). Depending on the mixing method and the flow rate of both phases, several distinct flow patterns were observed including slugs, droplet, parallel and dispersed flows. The performances of mixing techniques for mass transfer enhancement based on relative removal efficiency ratio (λ) and mass transfer coefficient ratio (γ) were compared with simple layout (without nanoparticles, magnetic field and inert gas). The results showed that simultaneous using of inert gas and magnetic field can drive the nanoparticles as mixer. Liquid–liquid mass transfer with 27–62% enhancement in E and 235–285% in K _L a compared with plain one was observed.     

Probabilistic data integration for characterization of spatial distribution of residual LNAPL

The spatial distribution of residual light non-aqueous phase liquid (LNAPL) is an important factor in reactive solute transport modeling studies. There is great uncertainty associated with both the areal limits of LNAPL source zones and smaller scale variability within the areal limits. A statistical approach is proposed to construct a probabilistic model for the spatial distribution of residual NAPL and it is applied to a site characterized by ultra-violet-induced-cone-penetration testing (CPT–UVIF). The uncertainty in areal limits is explicitly addressed by a novel distance function (DF) approach. In modeling the small-scale variability within the areal limits, the CPT–UVIF data are used as primary source of information, while soil texture and distance to water table are treated as secondary data. Two widely used geostatistical techniques are applied for the data integration, namely sequential indicator simulation with locally varying means (SIS–LVM) and Bayesian updating (BU). A close match between the calibrated uncertainty band (UB) and the target probabilities shows the performance of the proposed DF technique in characterization of uncertainty in the areal limits. A cross-validation study also shows that the integration of the secondary data sources substantially improves the prediction of contaminated and uncontaminated locations and that the SIS–LVM algorithm gives a more accurate prediction of residual NAPL contamination. The proposed DF approach is useful in modeling the areal limits of the non-stationary continuous or categorical random variables, and in providing a prior probability map for source zone sizes to be used in Monte Carlo simulations of contaminant transport or Monte Carlo type inverse modeling studies.     

Evaluating the effectiveness of a hybrid sorbent resin in removing fluoride from water

In some regions of the world, the concentration of fluoride in groundwater is high. To reduce the amount of fluoride to acceptable drinking water standard, it is highly recommended to treat the water. Fluoride adsorption in aqueous solution by a hybrid resin was studied in this research because of its functional groups likeness with goethite. Kinetic data showed that F adsorption was rapid in the beginning and maximum uptake occurred in within 10 min and equilibrium reached within 100 min. The experimental results showed that fluoride adsorption was influenced by pH of solution and optimum operating pH was in the range of 3 to 5.5. Langmuir model was applicable to the present study and F ions were exchanged with hydroxide ions in nano-scaled structure on the surface of sorbent. This adsorbent with 61 % efficiency is suitable for the regions where F concentration is less than 4 mg/L.     

Comparative study on the equivalent linear and the fully nonlinear site response analysis approaches

Seismic site effect has been a major issue in the field of earthquake engineering due to the large local amplification of the seismic motion. This paper presents the importance of an appropriate soil behavior model to simulate earthquake site response and gives an overview of the field of site response analysis. Some of the well-known site response analysis methods are discussed. The objective of this paper is to investigate the influences of nonlinearity on the site response analysis by means of a more precise numerical model. In this respect, site responses of four different types of one-layered soil deposit, based on various shear wave velocities with the assumption of linear and rigid base bedrock, were analyzed by using the equivalent linear and fully nonlinear approaches. Nonlinear analyses?? results were compared with those of the linear method, and both of the similarities and differences are discussed. It is concluded that in the case of nonlinearity of soil under strong ground motions, 1-D equivalent linear modeling overestimates the amplification patterns in terms of absolute amplification level, and cannot correctly account for resonant frequencies and hysteric soil behavior. Therefore, more practical and appropriate numerical techniques for ground response analysis should be surveyed.