Centrifuge modeling of buried continuous pipelines subjected to normal faulting

Seismic ground faulting is the greatest hazard for continuous buried pipelines.Over the years,researchers have attempted to understand pipeline behavior mostly via numerical modeling such as the finite element method.The lack of well-documented field case histories of pipeline failure from seismic ground faulting and the cost and complicated facilities needed for full-scale experimental simulation mean that a centrifuge-based method to determine the behavior of pipelines subjected to faulting is best to verify numerical approaches.This paper presents results from three centrifuge tests designed to investigate continuous buried steel pipeline behavior subjected to normal faulting.The experimental setup and procedure are described and the recorded axial and bending strains induced in a pipeline are presented and compared to those obtained via analytical methods.The influence of factors such as faulting offset,burial depth and pipe diameter on the axial and bending strains of pipes and on ground soil failure and pipeline deformation patterns are also investigated.Finally,the tensile rupture of a pipeline due to normal faulting is investigated.     

Simultaneous Determination of 11 Sulfonamides by HPLC–UV and Application for Fast Screening of Their Aerobic Elimination and Biodegradation in a Simple Test

Sulfonamides (SAs) are one of the most frequently used antibiotics. SAs have been found in various environmental compartments. If SAs are not degraded in the environment, they can affect bacteria by their antibiotic properties and contribute to bacterial antibiotic resistance. Therefore, the biodegradability of 11 SAs (sulfanilamide, sulfaguanidine monohydrate, sulfadiazine, sulfathiazole, sulfapyridine, sulfamerazine, sulfamethoxypyridazine, sulfachloropyridazine, sulfamethazine, sulfamethoxazole, and sulfadimethoxine) was studied. For this purpose, the Closed Bottle Test (CBT, OECD 301D) was performed, which includes a toxicity control. In order to monitor the environmental fate of the parent compound and to check for transformation products, a simple, efficient, and reliable HPLC–UV method for the simultaneous determination of these SAs has been developed. Acetonitrile and water (with 0.1% formic acid) were used as mobile phase solvents for gradient elution. The method was validated in terms of precision, detection and quantitation limits, selectivity, and analytical solution stability. In the CBT, none of these SAs was readily biodegradable. The HPLC–UV analysis confirmed that no degradation of any SA took place. In the toxicity control, these SAs showed no toxic effect in the used concentration of environmental bacteria applied in the test.     

Late Proterozoic older granitoids from the North Eastern desert of Egypt: petrogenesis and geodynamic implications

Major, trace, and REE data for three localities of calc?Calkaline older granitoid rocks exposed in the north Eastern Desert of Egypt are presented. These rocks were selected to cover wide compositional spectrum of the Egyptian older granitoid varieties. They are petrographically represented by granodiorite, tonalite, quartz?Cdiorite, and quartz?Cmonzodiorite. The rocks are comparable with the peraluminous, unfractionated calc?Calkaline suites and fall within the volcanic arc and I-type granite fields. So, they can be regarded as belonging to the volcanic arc collision stage (665?C614?Ma). The granitoids are geochemically similar to other rocks recorded from continental margin arc-systems being exhibit light-REE enriched patterns with variable but chiefly positive Eu anomaly. The latter has reverse relationship with the ??REE, which was attributed to the fractionation of hornblende during partial melting. These patterns are comparable with models involving partial melting of amphibolitic source. This source must represent basalts, gabbros, or volcanics of an island arc system that were transformed to the level of the island arc crust during continental growth where the P?CT conditions are suitable for partial melting. Thus, it is plausible that the studied rocks were derived by partial melting of LREE-enriched, garnet-free, and amphibole-bearing (i.e., hydrated) mafic source. Wadi Milaha granitoids are consistent with the derivation by a high degree of partial melting (30?C40%) of amphibolite protolith in the deep crust. However, the two other localities (Wadi Umm Anab and West Gharib) are matching with 20?C30% partial melting. Within each locality, variation in rock types from granodiorite to tonalite is said to be dominated by variable degree of restite separation during magma ascent. The high water and volatile contents in Wadi Milaha granitoids allowed higher degree of partial melting (30?C40%). Moreover, the lower volatile contents in the other two localities (Wadi Umm Anab and West Gharib) gave lower degrees of partial melting (20?C30%). These processes may resemble important geodynamic features of the Arabo-Nubian Shield evolution in the north Eastern Desert of Egypt.     

Effect of Macrophysical Parameters of Clouds on Broadband Solar Radiation (295-2800 nm) at a Subtropical Location

The present study describes the effect of clouds(macro-physical parameters) on global solar radiation(G).Data from four years of hourly measurements of G on a horizontal surface were used.These data were collected at the South Valley University(SVU) meteorological research station(26.2°N,32.7°E,96 m above mean see level.In addition,the cloud modification factor for G(CMFG) was estimated in three cases:high-level,mid-level,and low-level clouds.For every level,the variation of hourly CMFG as a function of cloud amount(CA) was illustrated.A third-order polynomial between hourly values of CMFG and CA was established.Furthermore,the effect of CA in the attenuation of G relative to its corresponding value in cloudless conditions is discussed.For cloud cover > 88%,G was reduced by 54%,34%,and 28% by low-,mid-,and high-level clouds,respectively.     

Indirect Effects of Salinity and Temperature on Kuwait’s Shrimp Stocks

Discharge of the Shatt Al-Arab is believed to be a dominating component of the northern Arabian Gulf’s ecology and largely responsible for productivity of Kuwait’s fisheries. With major construction of dams on the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers in Turkey, river discharge has been substantially reduced, and flooding essentially eliminated. We attempted to relate river flow and shrimp landings indirectly by correlating 19 years of salinity and temperature data from Kuwait’s waters with corresponding annual shrimp landings. For green tiger prawns (Penaeus semisulcatus), the combination of October salinities and January temperatures provided the best correlation (r = 0.67) with landings in the following shrimping season. For the combined landings of jinga and kiddi shrimps (Metapenaeus affinis and Parapenaeopsis stylifera, respectively), December salinity during season and May temperature prior to season resulted in the best correlation (r = 0.87). Landings of these two species also correlated well with spring and summer temperatures. Under normal conditions, late winter or early spring temperatures prior to fishing season influence recruitment of the green tiger prawn, whereas December salinities during harvest season influence the abundance of jinga–kiddi shrimps. With further reductions in the Shatt Al-Arab discharge and the elimination of flood events, Kuwait’s shrimp landings will most likely decrease over time.     

Study on infiltration rate based on primary particle size distribution data in arid and semiarid region soils

Soil particle size distribution (PSD) is used to estimate some soil processes, soil moisture characteristics, and infiltration rate (IR). Prediction of infiltration rate from soil texture data requires an accurate characterization of PSD. The objective of this study was to determine more important primary particle diameters that control IR. The experiments were conducted using double-ring method with constant head of 5 cm in 15 different soils and three replications. The range of measured IR for studied soils varied from 1.6 to 30.66 cm h^?1. The results indicated that the primary PSD had a significant influence on IR. In other words, most D _n fractions had significant positive effect on the final IR. Among different fractions, D ₃₀, D ₄₀, and D ₆₀ showed higher relationships with IR than the others. These diameters are attributed to particles with diameter of 0.05, 0.08, and 0.16 mm, respectively. The results also showed that increasing the percent of sand have intensified influence on increasing the final IR. Reversely, clay and silt contents showed negative effects on final IR. Furthermore, the CaCO₃ had a meaningful effect on the IR that showed the importance of lime in arid and semiarid regions. Finally, it is revealed that the role of texture was important, especially in behavior of infiltration, runoff, and production capability.     

A 2-year study of soil tillage and cattle manure application effects on soil fauna populations under Zea Mays cultivation, in western Iran (Sanandaj)

The absence of environmentally sensitive soil management systems can be considered as one of the major risks to sustainability of agricultural soils in Iran. Tillage is the most critical operation in soil management designed to achieve high crop yield, but it can adversely affect the soil fauna in several ways. In the present study, assessment of soil fauna was carried out in Western Iran in 2008 and 2009 in soil subjected to conventional (CT), minimum (MT) and no (NT)-tillage systems and amended with three levels of cattle manure (CM). Earthworm, mite, springtail and nematode populations were measured as indicators of macro, meso and micro fauna groups, respectively. Soil moisture and bulk density were also determined. Generally, low populations of soil fauna were observed consistent with expectations under similar conditions for this region. Earthworm populations were low and had a patchy distribution. Tillage and CM were found to have no effects on soil mites in both years. Soil springtails were reduced by soil tillage, indicating their sensivity to soil disturbance induced by tillage. In 2008, the nematode population was greater with application of 40 ton ha^?1 CM applications (113 N.100 g soil^?1). Soil tillage-induced disturbance reduced nematode population in 2009 (214 N.100 g soil^?1 at CT). Minimum seedbed preparation besides less soil disturbance makes MT a proper tillage system for Zea mays cultivation. Cattle manure application increased Z. mays’ biomass, but according to our results its annual application is not recommended. There were no changes in BD in both years. We conclude that in short-term studies, soil nematode populations are suitable biological indices (under similar soil and climatic conditions) for the ecological comparison of agricultural management systems in Iran.