Search

Construction of structures on weak soft soils is always a great challenge to geotechnical engineers. Among various ground improvement techniques, stone columns are widely used in many soil types and foundation situations. They are inexpensive, easy to construct and environmentally satisfactory. This paper discusses the construction methods, the failure mechanism and the most important factors affecting the behavior of stone columns. It further summarizes recent published work that focus on the performance of single and grouped encased stone columns in different types of soils. A compilation of the key findings and a summary table that simplify the retrieval of data from previous experimental, numerical and field studies are also presented in this paper. The results of these studies show that encasing stone columns with geosynthetics material is a successful solution that can be used to improve the load-settlement conduct of stone column foundations. The literature review indicate a lack of studies that investigate the effect of floating encased stone columns in reducing the collapse settlement of collapsible soils. Therefore, there is a necessity to conduct a detailed study highlighting key aspects, which affect the overall performance of this technique in such soils. This might help in finding the optimum design of the floating encased stone columns and evaluate the reduction in collapse settlement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The excavation of large-scale lacustrine soft soil in natural state in the Chengmenshan Copper mine, Jiujiang, China, is a challenging work and is illustrated in this paper. A geometrical model of the lacustrine soft soil was built based on data from more than 150 boreholes. A series of tests were conducted on the natural soft soil including compaction, consolidation and common test, and also remolded samples containing water contents of 10%, 13%, 16%, 21%, 25%, 30% and 37% were tested. Results showed that the cohesion and friction angle decrease rapidly with the increase in water content, but the consolidation pressure played a positive role to the increase in shear strength. To properly manage the soil properties and optimize the surcharge program, settlement and uplift during the infill construction were numerically analyzed by means of SIGMA/W. Based on the test and numerical simulation results, a long term in situ improvement method was proposed and performed. Finally, drilling sampling tests, settlement monitoring and slope stability analysis were conducted to evaluate the overall effects of the surcharge. The properties of the soft soil were improved greatly under the infill surcharge, especially the cohesion and frictional increased by 279.3% and 152.8% and almost reached the value of remolded soil after consolidation under pressure 300 kPa. The settlement rate decreased with the surcharge duration. The safety factor of slope after improvement also met the design requirement. Furthermore, the method proposed in this paper which have given consideration to economic conservation and environmental protection is significant for the soft soil excavation projects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The release of intracellular water during degradation process contributes to the great leachate production and settlement of landfilled high kitchen waste content MSW (HKWC-MSW). An oven-drying and absorbent-paper combined method was proposed to measure the intracellular and interparticle water contents of HKWC-MSW. Two degradation experiments were carried out to study the release process of intracellular water and its effect on the hydro-mechanical behaviors of HKWC-MSW. It was found that the two degradation experiments showed similar degradation behaviors with BOD/COD decreasing with time in the early stage. In the first degradation experiment, most intracellular water was released during the first two months, and the degradation of degradable matter in kitchen waste (KW) was much slower than the release process of intracellular water. The particle size became smaller and the overall grain specific gravity increased during the fast release process of intracellular water. In the second degradation experiment, after two-year degradation, the total leachate production was about 45.2% of the initial wet weight of HKWC-MSW specimen. Water retention capacity θf increased from 0.23 to 0.58 during 1–69 d, which might be caused by the decrease of particle size and compression of waste skeleton. As almost all the intracellular water was released after 80-day degradation, during the latter stage of leachate drainage under gravity, θf decreased and was close to the total volumetric water content. The total compression strain was about 0.39. The secondary compression strain during 1–80 d (i.e., about 0.07) was considered to be mainly resulted by the release of intracellular water and the subsequent drainage of leachate, and it accounted for about 22.6% of the total secondary compression strain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Human activities in the marginal zone of the Changtang Plateau (CTP) uninhabited area are important research topics in China and globally. Based on the core-periphery theory of geography, this paper selected three counties in the marginal zone of the CTP uninhabited area with significant transitional physical geography features and socio-economic conditions as case areas. We used the data set of settlement patches identified by visual interpretation in Google Earth Pro, combining them with field survey data to study the evolution of human settlements on the CTP, the characteristics of settlement layout, and their socio-economic roots. The study found that: (1) Since the democratic reform in Tibet, the production mode of herders on the CTP has transitioned from four-season nomadic herding to cold-season sedentary grazing, warm-season rotational grazing, and then to a combination of sedentary grazing and forage supplementation. In structural changes of grassroots organizations, village boundaries were clarified, grazing ranges were fixed, and settlement systems were formed. (2) On a large scale, the settlement layout on the CTP showed a certain degree of agglomeration in local areas, but the settlements' spatial agglomeration decreased as the observation scale decreased. The settlement size structure matched the typical rank-size rule of rural settlements. (3) The settlement layout of the CTP showed significant traffic lines and dominant location orientation. These orientation characteristics revealed "core-periphery" regional differences. Changes in production conditions, such as artificial grass cultivation and part-time employment, affected the dependence on traditional grazing points. Settlements moved from resource dependence to dependence on multiple elements, such as resources and facilities. The religious, cultural heritage of the sacred mountains, lakes, and temples influenced the settlement layout, leading to clustering in local areas and to group format. This study expands our understanding of the settlement pattern in the marginal zone of uninhabited areas and provides valuable references for advancing the optimization of the CTP human settlement system in the new era. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we investigate how loss aversion affects people's behavior in private litigation. We find that a loss-averse plaintiff demands a higher settlement for intermediate claims to maintain her threat to proceed to trial following rejection compared to a loss-neutral plaintiff. For larger claims, a loss-averse plaintiff demands a lower offer to increase the settlement probability as loss pains her extra in trial. We also investigate how various policies affect loss-averse litigants' settlement decisions. Only a reduction in the asymmetry of information about trial odds uniformly leads to higher settlement rates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The settlement caused by excavating twin tunnels on a slope is regarded as a critical aspect in assuring asymmetric twin tunnel safety. In this paper, both physical model test and numerical analysis (FEM) were carried out to investigate the settlement and stress characteristics due to excavation of twin tunnels in a fill slope. First, a small scale 3D model (prototype) test was constructed to study the maximum settlement points and the vertical stress distribution during the excavation. Then, a numerical model was implemented based on the physical model for verifying the settlement and stress response obtained from the model test. The results show good agreement between the model test results and the numerical analysis. In addition, the interaction between three tunnels have been investigated numerically in two different configurations using four sequential excavations to investigate the influence of this sequence on the settlement behavior. The results of the interaction process between the three tunnels have been revealed that different cover depth of the slope in different sections cause a variation in the settlement value. However, excavating the three tunnels at the same time cause the maximum settlement value in the whole sections and scenarios. Highlight: A model test with numerical simulation for twin tunnels in a (fill -rock) slope has been done. The settlement due to excavate the twin tunnels has been investigated. The interaction between three tunnels also has been included in this paper in two main scenarios: The first one when the three tunnels are at the same level (located on the same line). The second one when the three tunnels make a triangle configuration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper summarises the equivalent pier method for estimating the settlement of a pile group or a piled raft. Such an approach is very useful for preliminary estimates of settlement, and also for checking on the results of more refined analysis methods. Some suggestions for assessing the properties of the equivalent pier and the supporting soil are provided. A series of finite element analyses are presented in chart form for the settlement of a pier within a two-layer soil system. The accuracy of these analyses has been checked via comparison with some published closed form solutions for a uniform soil mass. Examples of the application of the equivalent pier method are presented for some published case histories to demonstrate that the method is capable of providing adequate preliminary settlement estimates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Settlement deformation control of loess high fill is the key and difficult point in engineering construction. In this paper, the deformation characteristics of remolded loess under self-weight stress and water content change are summarized by indoor lateral confined compression test and humidification test. Based on the idea of layered summation method, the Gunary stress-strain model and secant modulus method are introduced to divide the settlement of loess high fill foundation into the settlement during construction caused by loading and the settlement after construction caused by water content change, and the calculation method of settlement deformation of loess high fill foundation is put forward. Combined with the actual engineering background, the settlement deformation of high fill engineering is predicted. The results show that the main source of the settlement of high loess fill is the settlement caused by the loading during the construction period. With the increase of fill height, the proportion of post-construction settlement to total settlement increases gradually. Under the condition of optimum moisture content, the exhaust consolidation of soil can be completed when the compaction degree during the construction period reaches more than 95 %, and the later stage of construction is the drainage consolidation of soil. The control of compactness is crucial to high fill engineering. The higher the compactness, the smaller the total settlement. The research results of this paper enrich the calculation theory of settlement deformation of loess high fill foundation, and provide theoretical basis for the study of post-construction settlement and collapsible settlement of loess high fill; it has certain reference value for the construction and post-construction settlement control of loess high fill engineering. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The stability of circular footings under eccentric vertical loads is a significant problem in geotechnical engineering. Therefore, this paper shows the results of experimental tests carried out on an eccentrically loaded circular foundation on sand soil. The focus of this research is on examining how eccentric loads affect the behavior of circular footings on sand soil, both with and without skirts. Various load eccentricities (e) equals zero, 2.50, 5.00, 7.50, 10.00, 12.50, 15.00, 17.50 and 20.00 mm are used. In addition to, a 60 mm-diameter circular foundation and sand with an 85% relative density (Dr) are used in this experimental study. To study the effect of changing the skirts depth on the load-settlement response skirts with different depths (h) = 60 mm, 150 mm, 240 mm are used for vertical reinforcement. In comparison to the unreinforced condition, test findings show an improvement in ultimate bearing capacity. When the skirts are positioned at the ideal embedment depth L/D = 4, it is found that the circular footing's load-settlement behavior is enhanced by 92% and 93% in case of using (e/D) ratio = 0.125 and 0.25 compared to the unreinforced case. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Rare Metals is the property of Springer Nature and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

This paper aims to develop a relatively simple approach to examining the interaction among multiple foundation systems for closely spaced high-rise structures, termed here "urban forests", and to assess the extent to which this interaction can influence the foundation performance of a building within this "forest". To simplify the analysis and avoid undue numerical complexity, each foundation system is modelled as an equivalent pier, representing the deep foundations, the connecting mat or raft, and the soil contained within the piled raft system. The behaviour of a single equivalent pier is considered first, with the surrounding foundations being represented by an axisymmetric smeared ring outside the pier. After examining some general behavioural characteristics, a simplified approach using the concept of interaction factors is developed to facilitate estimation of settlement interaction between multiple adjacent foundations. The accuracy of this simplified approach is assessed via comparison with the axisymmetric approach. The significance of the interaction among foundations is examined for some simple cases. It is found that the settlement interaction depends largely on the characteristics of the foundations surrounding the building being examined. When all buildings are supported on foundations extending to a relatively stiff layer, the interaction effects tend to be relatively small. However, if one or more of the buildings is founded on a relatively short foundation system, interaction effects may be more significant. An example is provided to illustrate the application of the approach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Erosion behavior at the interface of different layers is a critical consideration in pavement design and construction. Especially, this issue poses a particular challenge in dispersive clays, which are prone to excessive erosion. The current paper focuses on evaluating the effectiveness of nanoclay in stabilizing and mitigating the contact erosion behavior of dispersive clays. To do so, a range of experimental testing, including double hydrometer, pinhole, contact erosion and unconfined compressive strength (UCS) tests was employed. The findings revealed that incorporating 0.75% nanoclay content yielded significant results, leading to a remarkable 391% increase in the UCS, a notable 58% reduction in dispersivity potential (DP), a 53% decrease in eroded soil mass, and a 29% decrease in the dispersive clay settlement after a 28-day curing period. Additionally, new exponential correlations were successfully developed between soil dispersivity and contact erosion parameters (CEPs) with high coefficients of determination using over 50 contact erosion test results. To facilitate the estimation of CEPs, the values were made dimensionless including the ratios of eroded soil mass (m/m0), settlement (S/H), and void ratio (ef-e0/e0). Finally, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and microstructural image processing (MIP) confirmed the filling between soil particles and the reduction of the number of voids due to nanoclay incorporation into dispersive clays. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sockets are often constructed into weak rock mass to improve their axial response to applied compressive or tensile loads. This paper first establishes two separate load test databases for the side and base resistances in in situ socket load tests in weak rocks. The databases include the rock socket geometry, rock socket load–displacement response and the rock mass properties. The paper then reviews the available models for the prediction of (i) the axial resistance (compression or uplift), and (ii) axial deformation. The databases are used to evaluate the existing predictive models for axial resistance and axial deformation, and to evaluate the behavior of drilled shafts in weak rock mass. The load test databases are also used to evaluate the effect of rock mass variability on the reliability of foundations in weak rock. Based on the results of the analysis presented, the applicability of the existing models and approaches to the study of socket behavior in weak rocks are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Oyster larvae initially have an eyespot on settlement stage (pediveligers). This study investigated the eyespot with light wavelength-dependent absorbance, and its functional details for settlement in the Pacific oyster Magallana gigas larvae. Eyespot efficiently absorbed 500–650 nm of light wavelength. Based on the eyespot absorbance, pediveligers were subjected to different light conditions with light-emitting diodes (LEDs): near ultraviolet (NUV), blue, white, green, red, and near infrared (NIR), set at 3 intensities (5, 15, 25 W/m2, except for NIR, which was at 25, 50, 100 lux). LEDs modulated at each intensity were continuously irradiated for 2 days, and the number of settled larvae on a substrate of shell chips was counted daily. NUV at 15, 25 W/m2, and white and green light at 5, 15 W/m2 disrupted larval settlement, whereas red at 25 W/m2 and NIR at 100 lux showed strong settlement-inducing activities. Red and NIR were further tested with ceramic paper substrates; inert substrates. These lights maintained their performance, with settlement rates higher than controls in darkness. Our findings contribute to the further understanding of the function of eyespot in the settlement of oyster larvae, and to establish criteria to evaluate light pollution levels for protecting benthic ecosystem. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Determining the extent to which parties have agreed to submit their disputes to arbitration is a matter of contract interpretation. It is very rare that an international arbitration convention or national legislation on international arbitration provides specific rules pertaining to interpretation of the scope of arbitration agreements. Therefore, general rules of contract interpretation are usually used as a starting point to construe the scope of international commercial arbitration agreements. Developing specific principles for interpretation is left to courts and arbitral tribunals. This paper focuses on the practice of courts regarding this matter in two countries, i.e., Switzerland and Turkey. The paper firstly provides an overview of the general principles adopted by the courts in the two countries. Then case law in both countries is compared and contrasted with regard to selected scenarios frequently occurring in practice. The comparison of case law reveals how courts’ differing approaches to arbitration can make a difference in practice, even where very similar rules are applied. The comparison confirms the reputation of Swiss courts for adopting a pro-arbitration approach. Turkish courts, on the other hand, seem to be more reluctant in construing the scope of international commercial arbitration agreements broadly. This paper argues that the current practice in Turkey does not reflect the legislator’s intent and courts should change their practice and adopt a more liberal approach in line with contemporary trends in international commercial arbitration practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Mesolithic communities of northwest Europe have generally been considered inherently mobile, and all the material evidence associated with them has been interpreted accordingly. This has resulted in entrenched, theoretically polemical and largely hypothetical mobility models, focusing on seasonal rounds and extraction activities. However, recent reanalyses of the ethnographic sources, and discoveries of both substantial and ephemeral Mesolithic structures, as well as new data from recent innovative lithic and scientific analyses (including DNA, isotope research on human remains, and geochemical analyses of lithic artefacts), have forced us to rethink the rather static models of Mesolithic mobility strategies. This paper, examining Mesolithic hunter-gatherer mobility and settlement models from Britain and Ireland, is part of that reassessment. In particular, it assesses the impact of the multiple lines of consilience on our understanding of Mesolithic habitation of landscapes. These include the archaeological evidence and the efficacy of recent theoretical and methodological approaches that have been employed to interpret it. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Small cities tend to have modest immigrant settlement services and cultural amenities, engendering a distinct sense of place among immigrants and impacting their wellbeing differently from large cities. To study the impacts of place characteristics on settlement needs, this photovoice research examines the sense of place among immigrant women through their attribution of meanings to places of comfort and discomfort as they settled in a small city in Canada. Thirty-two immigrant women of different immigration admission statuses, i.e., economic, family, and refugee classes, ranging in age from 19 to 48, took photographs of places that they considered to be either comfortable or uncomfortable. Most participants were from Asia, Africa, and South America, and they had lived in Canada for less than 10 years. Findings indicated that these women appreciated the warmth and support extended to them by settlement services provider organizations, libraries, and faith-based organizations, attesting to the relational nature of the place. Nevertheless, immigrant women dreaded harsh winter conditions and felt unsafe in downtown areas. A close read of these women's photo stories revealed that their apprehensions about punitive winter conditions are closely linked to their role as primary household caregivers who take their children to public places. Their sense of vulnerability towards downtown areas demonstrates female subordination and their distaste for public spaces. Immigrant women sought comfort in locales that this paper terms "restorative space," showing their creative use of private and public spaces for relaxation. This study contributes to our understanding of the gendered and interwoven nature of the self, social, and physical spaces. The findings from this study call for settlement policies that attend to distinct characteristics of local places to better serve the settlement needs of immigrants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is well known that the calculation of consolidation settlements of clayey soils shall consider creep compression in both "primary" consolidation and so-called secondary consolidation periods. Rigorous Hypothesis B method is a coupled method and can consider creep compression in the two periods. But this method needs to solve a set of nonlinear partial differential equations with a proper elastic viscoplastic (EVP) constitutive model so that this method is not easy to be used by engineers. Recently, Yin and his coworkers have proposed a simplified Hypothesis B method for single and two layers of soils. But this method cannot consider complicated loadings such as loading, unloading and reloading. This paper proposes and verifies a general simple method with a new logarithmic function for calculating consolidation settlements of viscous clayey soils without or with vertical drains under staged loadings such as loading, unloading and reloading. This new logarithmic function is suitable to cases of zero or very small initial effective stress. Equations of this simple method are derived for complicated loading conditions. This method is then used to calculate consolidation settlements of clayey soils in three typical cases: Case 1 is a single soil layer without vertical drains under loading only; Case 2 is a two-layered soil profile with vertical drains subjected to loading, unloading and reloading; and Case 3 is a real case of a test embankment on seabed of four soil layers installed with vertical drains under three stages of loading. Settlements of all three cases using the new general simple methods are compared with values calculated using rigorous fully coupled finite element method (FEM) with an elastic viscoplastic (EVP) constitutive model (Cases 1 and 2) and measured data for Case 3. It is found that the calculated settlements are in good agreement with values from FEM and/or measured data. It is concluded that the general simple method is suitable for calculating consolidation settlements of layered viscous clayey soils without or with vertical drains under complicated loading conditions with good accuracy and also easy to use by engineers using spreadsheet calculation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper is an introduction to the topical collection dealing with the Post-glacial human subsistence and settlement patterns: insights from bones. The context of the Lateglacial and Early Holocene (ca. 16,000–6000 cal BP) in Europe offers the possibility to examine the response of terrestrial ecosystems to dramatic climatic changes and the evolution of subsistence among hunter-gatherers facing phases of environmental instabilities. The contributors of this special issue developed and applied diverse approaches to provide regional and chronological elements to the knowledge of the available biotopes and their exploitation by human populations over the Lateglacial and Early Holocene in Europe. Their studies provide local information on animal recolonization of septentrional areas in Europe, change in habitat of large games, and human dietary adaptation to new biotopes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is a critical concern to properly manage the risks associated with the stability of tailings and dredge sludge dams. This requires the knowledge of the pore water pressure (PWP) within a slurried material during and after the deposition. The evaluation of the PWP can also help to estimate the settlement, which is important for the water management and design of the storage facility. An analytical solution based on the Gibson model has been proposed by the authors to evaluate the excess PWP during the slurry deposition. However, there is no solution available to estimate the excess PWP and volume of draining water after the end of slurry deposition. In this paper, a new solution is proposed to evaluate the PWP, settlement, and volume of draining water after the slurry deposition on a pervious base. The proposed PWP solution is partly validated by numerical modeling with SIGMA/W and laboratory results. The influence of the consolidation coefficient and filling rate on the distribution and evolution of PWP is analyzed. The solution development for estimating the excess PWP, volume of draining water and settlement after slurry deposition on an impervious base has been presented in a companion paper (part I). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on the construction of Zhengzhou Metro Line 4 (Huozhan Street Station–Hanghai East Road Station) under-crossing Longhai Railway, this paper investigated the interaction between railway train operation and shield tunneling. A three-dimensional coupled finite element model of track-roadbed-soil, using the finite element software MIDAS/GTS NX, was established to simulate the stages of the shield tunnel construction and analyze the influence on the existing railway. During different stages of the shield tunnel construction, the ground subsidence caused by the passing of single train was analyzed by simplifying the train loads as vibration loads, and the numerical simulation results were compared with the field monitoring data. The results show that: (1) the maximum settlement of the railway is about 3.39 mm without train passing, which is less than the control standard range of 6 mm, and so the shield tunnel construction can ensure the normal operation of the upper railway; (2) vehicle-induced vibration will lead to additional subsidence of the railway, which is only 0.20 mm when the upper train has the speed of 160 km/h, so the total settlement is 3.59 mm, which is also less than the control standard range of 6 mm. In conclusion, the upper train doesn't need to be limited with velocity in the process of shield tunnel construction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In coastal engineering, the storage of dredged sludge needs the construction of containment structures. In mining engineering, the surface disposal of tailings slurry requires the construction of tailings dam. In both cases, one needs to estimate the excess pore water pressure (PWP), draining water and settlement of the slurry during and after the deposition. An analytical solution presented by the authors based on a model proposed by Gibson in 1958 can be used to evaluate the excess PWP during slurry deposition. The equation given by Gibson in 1958 for assessing the excess PWP after the end of slurry deposition cannot be used because it contains an error. In addition, there is no existing solution to estimate the settlement and volume of draining water after the end of slurry deposition. In this paper, a new solution based on the Gibson's governing equation is proposed to evaluate the excess PWP, settlement and volume of draining water after the end of slurry deposition on an impervious base. The proposed solution is partly validated by numerical and laboratory test results. The solution for estimating the excess PWP, settlement and volume of draining water after the end of slurry deposition on a pervious base is presented in a companion paper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dewatering of the foundation pit is an important measure to ensure the safety of the excavation. Accurate prediction of the effect of dewatering on adjacent pile foundations is an important prerequisite for the safety of surrounding buildings. This paper presents a procedure which can consider water insulation effect of retaining structures to estimate the drawdown, the soil consolidation settlement, the negative friction on the pile shaft and the additional pile settlement, induced by dewatering. The well document calculation results are used to examine the efficiency and accuracy of the proposed analytical approach. The good agreement shows that the analytical approach presented in this study displays a satisfied consistence with the existing methods in calculating the settlement of surrounding soil and pile top. The influence factors of the pile settlement are also analyzed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of Zhejiang University: Science A is the property of Springer Nature and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Iberian 'warrior' stelae have captured the imagination of researchers and the public for more than a century. Traditionally, stelae were considered 'de-contextualised' monuments, and research typically focused on the study of their iconography, paying little or no attention to their immediate contexts. As a result, despite the large number of these stelae known to date (c. 140) and the ample body of literature that has dealt with them, fundamental questions remain unanswered. This paper aims to demonstrate the potential of a multidisciplinary and contextual approach to push forward the research agenda on these monuments through a case study. Firstly, we introduce the Mirasiviene stela and the methods deployed for its investigation, which include a variety of digital imaging techniques, petrography, pXRF, intensive survey and multiscalar spatial analysis. Secondly, we discuss the results in relation to three main topics: stela biography, social practices and landscape context. Comparisons to the well-known nearby Bronze Age and Iron Age site of Setefilla are made throughout the discussion. Ultimately, this paper makes a case for the stelae of Mirasiviene and Setefilla being polyvalent monuments made by local artisans, that served both as landmarks and memorials in connection with dense late second and early first millennium BCE settlement patterns in the region. Probably linked to elites, 'houses' or kin groups of this time, stelae were set in symbolically charged places, liminal spaces nearby water, burials and pathways, attracting a range of ritual activities throughout the centuries. The study of the newly discovered Mirasiviene stela shows that multidisciplinary, cutting-edge non-destructive archaeology can shed significant new light on these prehistoric monuments, thus providing a glimpse of what in our opinion is a paradigm shift in the research of similar monuments throughout Europe. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent research in earthquake geotechnical engineering has experienced considerable development focusing mainly on the liquefaction mitigation measures applications. However, various conventional methods such as soil replacement, densification, and grouting, used for soil liquefaction mitigation are uneconomic, and environmentally unfriendly. This paper investigates the performance and application of wall-type gravel and rubber drains in liquefaction mitigation of Firoozkuh NO.161 sand by calculating the settlements, and induced excess pore water pressure (PWP) s using a series of 1 g shaking table tests. To this end, the number and width of walls, materials of drainage walls including gravel and rubber, input acceleration, and also soil relative density was changed and studied. The obtained results showed that increasing the width and number of the wall-type gravel and rubber drains in the liquefiable sand reduces the settlement and liquefaction-induced deformations, as well as the excess PWP and eventually increases the sand liquefaction resistance. Moreover, it was observed that at high input acceleration and relative density of 30%, the seismic performance of reinforced sand with rubber wall-type drain is slightly better than that with gravel wall-type drain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An institutional auditing program typically consists of the following steps: a sample audit, the decision to move to the full audit, a settlement offer, and the full audit. Statistical sampling techniques are often used to estimate the overbilling percentage and amount. This paper discusses the optimal settlement offer, the net recovery through auditing, the condition for the auditors to move to the full audit, and how an auditing program can be truly cost-effective. This paper provides an evaluation for the statistical sampling techniques to an auditing program. The economic incentives of a contractor to overbill are also identified. Finally, it presents the key metrics and the managerial implications for auditing managers to design or enhance their auditing programs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Melen Dam is located on Big Melen Stream. It is about 25 km away from Düzce. Dam body is designed as a roller compacted concrete (RCC) gravity structure with 944 m crest length. The project is built to supply water to the city of Istanbul. The dam body started cracking when the dam height reached about 98 m from the foundation level in October 2016. It was initially thought that cracks were due to shrinkage resulting from the cooling of dam concrete; therefore, the construction of the dam body was not stopped but displacement measuring devices were placed on certain parts of the dam to measure movements in three directions. DSI's (State Hydraulic Works of Turkey) remedial proposal is to construct rockfill buttressing at the downstream side of the dam to increase sliding factor of safety, to build a cutoff wall near the heel of the dam to control seepage water, and to add an upstream membrane to existing dam to prevent leakage through the dam. It is the aim of this paper to discuss the remedial proposal developed by DSI. Geotechnical parameters at the dam site are evaluated under the light of investigations, tests, and observations. Dam behavior and observed settlements are explained by relating settlements to foundation properties and geology. After studying geological and tectonic setting of the dam area together with the active faults around the region, remedial measures are evaluated by considering observed settlements upon dam body completion, by estimating settlements upon dam buttressing and impounding together with possible changes in the properties of dam foundation because of excessive settlements and saturation, and by comparing similar rockfill buttressing solutions applied to other dams around the world with the proposed one for Melen Dam. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Shielings are the historically known form of transhumance in Scandinavia, where livestock were moved from the farmstead to sites in the outlands for summer grazing. Pollen analysis has provided a valuable insight into the history of shielings. This paper presents a vegetation reconstruction and archaeological survey from the shieling Kårebolssätern in northern Värmland, western Sweden, a renovated shieling that is still operating today. The first evidence of human activities in the area near Kårebolssätern are Hordeum- and Cannabis-type pollen grains occurring from ca. 100 bc. Further signs of human impact are charcoal and sporadic occurrences of apophyte pollen from ca. ad 250 and pollen indicating opening of the canopy ca. ad 570, probably a result of modification of the forest for grazing. A decrease in land use is seen between ad 1000 and 1250, possibly in response to a shift in emphasis towards large scale commodity production in the outlands. Emphasis on bloomery iron production and pitfall hunting may have caused a shift from agrarian shieling activity. The clearest changes in the pollen assemblage indicating grazing and cultivation occur from the mid-thirteenth century, coinciding with wetter climate at the beginning of the Little Ice Age. The earliest occurrences of anthropochores in the record predate those of other shieling sites in Sweden. The pollen analysis reveals evidence of land use that predates the results of the archaeological survey. The study highlights how pollen analysis can reveal vegetation changes where early archaeological remains are obscure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Inland waters are the main medium transporting microplastics to the ocean. Aggregation, vertical settlement, and horizontal transport will occur when microplastics enter the inland waterbodies. This paper reviews these behaviors of microplastics in inland waters and their influencing factors. The aggregation of microplastics were divided into homogeneous aggregation and heterogeneous aggregation, which are critical for the settlement of microplastics. The settlement of microplastics in inland water bodies is influenced by microplastic properties (size, density, and shapes) and environmental conditions (microorganisms, sedimental properties, hydraulic conditions, and so on). Horizontal transport of microplastics in water is influenced by hydrologic conditions, rainfall, river morphologies, dams, vegetation, etc. Future perspectives including laboratory simulations and numerical models involving multiple factors, the behaviors of degradable plastics, and the influence of hydrologic conditions have been proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on Winkler elastic foundation beam theory, Peck modified formula and Laplace transform are used to solve the approximate differential equation of the deflection curve. The settlement calculation method for important homogeneous structures where the tunnel passes underneath is studied. The analytical solution for the settlement of the homogeneous structure is derived and verified. The field monitoring and numerical analysis results are compared. Laplace transform method requires fewer parameters to solve the approximate differential equation of the deflection curve, and its calculation efficiency is high, and the result is the same as that of the classical literature. The method can be applied to practical engineering, and satisfactory results can be obtained. The analytical process in this paper provides a reference for solving similar problems, and the solution can be used for ground settlement and providing an early warning for settlement when the underground engineering passes through the important homogeneous structure from below. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Albania is located in the Alpine fold belt extending to the central part of the Dinarides–Hellenides arc in a zone characterized by intense tectonic-seismic activity that has a considerable influence in shaping the geo-environment of the area. Historically, strong earthquakes occurred in this region and triggered lots of mass movements causing considerable damages such as life loss, destruction of properties and disruption of the geo-environment. This paper introduces several earthquake-triggered mass movement events in Albania that occurred during 1850–2019. It was achieved through collection and analysis of data from historical studies and authors' field investigations. The results show that soil type, slope inclination and seismic activity have a direct influence in the occurrence of these movements consistent with similar parameters occurred worldwide. Earthquake's magnitude and degree of mass movement is well correlated. Mass movements such as lateral earth spread, rock fall, debris slides, sand boils, sand fluidization, cracks and settlement were triggered by earthquakes with a magnitude of 6.0 or higher. On the other hand, lateral rock spread needs a higher seismic magnitude to occur. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper investigates the settlement in a pavement due to soil liquefaction. Four 1-g shaking table tests were performed on saturated sand bed-pavement model to understand the factors affecting the liquefaction-induced settlements and their relation to the pavement thickness and width. All the tests were performed with a base acceleration of 320 gal in a laminar box. The shaking table tests revealed that the total settlement reduced with the increase in the pavement thickness. The pavement with the same thickness but different width showed that the total settlement reduced with the increase in the pavement width. The co-seismic settlement and post-seismic settlement depend upon the thickness and width of the pavement, and the maximum contribution of the sand ejecta is around 7.7% in the total settlement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, the behaviour of the pipe roof method with different pipe roofs disposition schemes including the pipe roof gate system and L-shaped system is discussed in terms of ground settlement reduction in the condition of underground space construction adjacent to the existing structure by using numerical simulation method. Considering the construction sequences of parallel underground tunnels with rectangular cross sections, the appropriate parameters and ground response characteristics of the corresponding pipe roof methods are evaluated by the ground surface displacement. The results indicated that the construction impacts from new buildings can be reduced by the pipe roof method. However, the theoretical performance of pipe roofs is highly dependent on the spacing between two structures. Generally, the L-shaped system is more effective in case of the distance (D) that is less than or equal to 1/2 width of box culvert (R) under the condition of a new structure constructed nearby the existing building. When two structures are constructed simultaneously, the excavation and the construction of structures influence each other reciprocally. The conclusions could provide a reference for the pipe roof method with the application scenario of adjacent building protection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of Central South University is the property of Springer Nature and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Raft and pile foundations are combined with the twofold aim of increasing the overall bearing capacity and reduce the average/differential settlements. This results in a complex system and gives rise to significant soil–structure interaction mechanisms. In the last years, both bearing capacity and settlements of piled raft have been usually expected on the basis of empirical formulas, analytical relationships, and numerical analyses. The conventional design methods currently used in practice are based upon relatively conservative assumptions of raft–soil–pile interaction; as a result, they are in many cases inaccurate and unlikely to result in optimum design. Thus, resorting to numerical analyses seems to be the most reliable method, mainly because of the multiple interactions and the three-dimensional geometry that must be considered in most cases. In this context, 3D finite difference analyses were performed to investigate the behavior of piled raft foundation system in drained conditions of soft clays. The overall objective of the present paper focuses on the load response and effects of multiple interactions of piled raft subjected to vertical loading. For this purpose, several types of foundations were considered including piled raft, group of piles and unpiled raft. For optimization purposes, the behavior of the piled raft was also investigated by varying some parameters as pile number and piling configuration. The concluded observations from the parametric study provide further insight into the mechanical response of piled raft and aim at helping the engineers in taking a logical path in an iterative design process for a piled raft foundation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Scholars see Israel as a settler state, comparable with North American, South African and Oceanian cases. But how was Jewish settlement-colonization in pre-Israel Palestine even possible? In the North American, Oceanian and South African cases, European settlers did not encounter diseases like malaria that scholars argue impede settlement. Palestine, however, had high malaria morbidity rates. The disease incapacitated and killed settlers and was one of the most serious threats to Jewish settlement and political economic development. I argue that the exigencies caused by malaria are exactly what fostered Jewish settlement-colonization in Palestine because they prompted the formation of socio-technical arrangements in order to combat the disease. These arrangements included, among other things, people, organizations, scientific knowledge, procedures and larvicides as well as considering the agency of mosquitos and other elements in the environment in disrupting settlement. These arrangements were marshalled by medical-national and political institutions that developed to combat malaria. Only then were Jewish settlers able to effectively colonize Palestine, make their colonies economically viable and make Palestine habitable for future Jewish immigrants. I demonstrate this argument by drawing on archival and library materials that describe the work of an important Zionist Malaria Research Unit (MRU) as well as malaria control efforts in Hefer Valley in the 1930s–1940s, after the unit's disbandment. Then, I discuss the theoretical implications of this paper to settler-colonial and state-building literatures that, for the most part, neglected the socio-technical nature of state-building and settlement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the present work, a simplified model has been developed to study the behavior of stone column-supported embankment under axi-symmetric loading condition. The rate of consolidation of stone column-reinforced soft ground under axi-symmetric condition has also been presented in the paper. Mechanical model elements such as Pasternak shear layer, spring-dashpot system are used to model the different components such as granular layer, soft soil, stone columns etc. The governing differential equations are solved by finite difference technique. Parametric study has also been carried out to show the effect of different model variables on the settlement, stress concentration ratio of the foundation system. It is observed that for lower diameter ratio, at a particular time, the degree of consolidation predicted by the present method for axi-symmetric loading condition is almost same or lower than the degree of consolidation obtained by unit cell approach, but as the diameter ratio increases present analysis predicts higher degree of consolidation as compared to the unit cell approach. The maximum settlement decreases as the modular ratio increases and beyond the modular ratio value 30, the reduction rate of settlement decreases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The European Commission has recently launched a new project intended to create a Capital Markets Union. One obstacle in the way of the Commission's vision is the current market infrastructure for holding securities. This infrastructure is inefficient because it prevents investors from exercising voting rights and from claiming against issuers. It also exposes investors to the risk of shortfalls, which increases with the number of custodians that operate between issuers and investors. This article also shows that the regulatory regime as it stands fails to remedy this inefficiency or to contain the risk. It points to possible avenues for law reform but concludes that these, too, are unlikely to improve the situation. The conclusion is that investors should receive information about the identity of all sub-custodians that operate between them and the issuer and about their terms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper deals with the re-assessment of foundation settlements for the Burj Khalifa Tower in Dubai. The foundation system for the tower is a piled raft, founded on deep deposits of calcareous rocks. Two computer programs, Geotechnical Analysis of Raft with Piles (GARP) and Non-linear Analysis of Piled Rafts (NAPRA) have been used for the settlement analyses, and the paper outlines the procedure adopted to re-assess the foundation settlements based on a careful interpretation of load tests on trial piles in which the interaction effects of the pile test set-up are allowed for. The paper then examines the influence of a series of factors on the computed settlements. In order to obtain reasonable estimates of differential settlements within the system, it is found desirable to incorporate the effects of the superstructure stiffness which act to increase the stiffness of the overall foundation system. Values of average and differential settlements for the piled raft calculated with GARP and NAPRA were found to be in reasonable agreement with measured data on settlements taken near the end of construction of the tower. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The discrete element method (DEM) is used according to the discreteness of the gravel layer to analysis the gravel particle. This paper presents simulations of tri-axial experiment tests and settlement of gravel layer. The stress-strain curves of gravel layer were analysed with different confining pressure through tri-axial numerical test, and the effect with different particle parameters and confining pressures was analysed. The numerical model of gravel layer after the excavation was established by the DEM to statistically analyse the settlement of gravel layer. The analyses results show that confining pressure corresponds to axial pressure that be destroyed of gravel particle model. The static friction coefficient has little effect on the failure of the tri-axial confining experimental model. The experiment model with various particle sizes need higher axial stress that be destroyed than the same particle size. During the collapse of the gravel stratum, the gravels are closer to the top of the hole which have a larger shift of settlement and a faster sedimentation rate. If the gravel are further away from top of the hole which have a smaller shift of settlement and slower sedimentation rate. The settlement of gravel causes the forces variation in all directions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of African Archaeological Review is the property of Springer Nature and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

As a composite column, stiffened deep mixed (SDM) column is formed by inserting a precast concrete core pile into the center of a deep mixed (DM) column. The SDM columns have been successfully used to support highway and railway embankments and buildings over soft soil. However, there has been still a lack of feasible method to calculate the settlement SDM column-reinforced soft soil under an embankment load. This paper developed a theoretical solution to calculate the settlement of SDM column-supported embankment over soft soil. Based on the unit cell concept, the total settlement of the SDM column-reinforced soft soil consisted of three components, i.e., the compression of soil within the length of stiffened core pile, the compression of soil from the core pile base to the SDM column base, and the compression of soil below the SDM column base. The upward and downward penetrations of stiffened core pile were considered in the analysis. The analytical solution was verified by a comparison with the results computed by three-dimensional finite element analyses. A parametric study based on the derived solution was conducted to investigate the influence factors of modulus, length and diameter of DM column, length and diameter of core pile, and interface friction angle between DM column and core pile on the settlement of SDM column-reinforced soil, and some recommendations were proposed for its application in practice. The design charts for settlement calculation were developed for the ease of use in design. The design method was applied to two case histories of SDM column-supported embankments, and good agreements were found between the predicted settlements and the field measurements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Refugees who try to settle in sparsely populated areas often leave these areas for major metropolitan areas within a few years of arrival in Canada. The refugees often feel discouraged by the lack of satisfactory employment possibilities. If refugees settle in a rural area longer than 2 years, however, they are likely to remain there long-term (Carter et. al., International Journal of Migration and Integration 9:161-183, 2008; Donato et al., Rural Sociology 72:537-559, 2007; Fonseca, Population, Space and Place 14:525-535, 2008; Hugo, Population, Space and Place 14:553-571, 2008; Krahn et al., International Migration Review 39:872-894, 2005). For New Brunswick, this statistic is particularly important. New Brunswick is the only province in Canada with a declining population, and this demographic situation deeply worries the provincial government (Government of New Brunswick 2014). The province of New Brunswick sees refugee reception as a way to grow the population. However, the province suffers from high unemployment rates, which brings the issue of refugee retention into sharp focus for the region. This paper investigates the extent to which refugee experiences of settlement in New Brunswick correspond with evidence about the barriers and opportunities found in research regarding immigration settlement in rural communities and welcoming communities in other areas of the country. It then details the evidence collected from 40 refugee respondents in New Brunswick through semi-structured interviews (in Fredericton, Moncton, and Saint John) and one focus group (in Fredericton). The respondents identified several key systematic problems that impeded their settlement in the province, as well as suggested solutions to these problems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper presents the investigation on the model unskirted/skirted footings (plus and the double box) on sand. Skirt depth, sand relative density, footing interface condition and skirted footing type were varied parameters. Skirt depth (Ds) varied in this investigation was from 0.25 B to 1.5 B (B, footing width). The results show that the footing geometry and the skirt increased the bearing capacity and improved the overall behaviour. The results further revealed that the lowest percentage improvement for the square shaped footing with Ds/B = 0.25 was 26.08% at a relative density of 60%, whereas the highest improvement for the double box shaped footing with Ds/B = 1.50 was 364.12% at a relative density of 30%. The settlement reduction factors with the use of skirt from this investigation ranged from 0.16 to 1.0 and depended on the pressure applied and the depth ratio of the skirt. Finally, for the settlement reduction factor, an empirical equation was developed. This expression can be used to calculate the settlement of the plus and double box shaped skirted footings on sand. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to complexities in soil–foundation interaction and nonlinear behavior of subsoil, considerable uncertainty is involved in the foundation settlement evaluation. In the present paper, a new analytical approach is proposed to estimate the foundation settlement based on soil behavior classification charts developed from CPT records. The approach is founded on the Janbu nonlinear stress–strain method. However, instead of using fixed parameters in the Janbu method, the variable coefficients are used depending on geomaterial properties. Also, in the proposed approach, the scale effect is taken into account for foundation width considering soil stiffness. The proposed procedure is calibrated and verified by a data bank containing 46 case histories including 22 square, 17 circular and 7 rectangular foundations with widths varying between 0.3 and 2.4 m in conjunction with CPT data. Furthermore, the numerical finite difference analysis using a CPT-based stress characteristics method is carried out to validate the proposed approach for the prediction of foundation settlement. The accuracy of the calculations done by the proposed and some available common methods is investigated. Comparisons based on statistical and probabilistic methods apparently reveal that the proposed approach calculates the foundation settlement promisingly. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A number of methods for predicting land subsidence and monitoring deformation under high-speed railway tracks exist, and are divided into three categories: layer-wise summation, numerical calculations based on consolidation theory, and curve fitting. One of these, curve fitting, including the hyperbola, expanded hyperbola, three-point fitting and Asaoka methods, is widely used because it is computationally simple and applicable in many situations. In this paper, we analyze the performance of the four classical curve fitting methods using field data and propose a novel approach to estimate land subsidence. The new method integrates three-point fitting, which is computationally simple whilst stringent in terms of correlation restrictions, with the Asaoka method to significantly improve performance in practical applications. Our experimental results indicate the average relative error of the modified method is reduced by 35.3 % than that of three-point fitting, and the mean correlation coefficient remains within acceptable bounds and even was enhanced by 1.48 %, so that this modified method can substantially improve prediction precision. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Among various methods for modification and treatment of saturated loose deposits, blast densification (BD) or explosive compaction is known as an efficient deep soil improvement method. Due to no depth restrictions, simplicity, and inexpensive equipment through controllable environmental effects, BD has more advantages than other approaches for loose deposits compaction. In this paper, 14 different BD projects from USA, Canada, France, Poland, Nigeria, Russia, Belgium, and India have been compiled and studied. Owing to existence of saturated loose deposit layers in various depth and liquefaction hazard, BD was employed for treatment, and CPT records were utilized for site investigation and performance evaluation. The consequences of BD include increased relative density in all sites and volume changes approximately about 2-10 % in loose deposit layers. Analysis on the compiled database focuses on the role of powder factor in induced settlement due to explosion. In addition, observations indicate that after blasting, cone tip resistance (q) doubled in a few sites, and q increased considerably for most of the cases. Therefore, BD implementation resulted in improvement of strength parameters and significant reduction of liquefaction hazard. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In today's urban development, Earth Pressure Balance (EPB) Tunnel Boring Machines (TBMs) play a vital role. It's crucial to design a comprehensive monitoring system to control surface settlement and prevent damage to surface structures. This study focuses on creating prediction models for estimating ground surface settlement. Two soft computing techniques, namely ANN-CFB and ANN-BP, were used for this purpose. The models were validated using operational data from the Qom metro Line A, specifically the section between A14 and A10 stations. Additional input parameters were incorporated using an image processing approach to include soil properties for each segment. As a result, the most accurate ANN technique was employed to predict ground surface settlements for the mentioned project. The correlation coefficients for training, testing, validation, and the overall result were found to be 0.99439, 0.97873, 0.96381, and 0.98824, respectively. Through sensitivity analysis, the study explored the connections between different parameters and ground surface settlement. The outcomes reveal strong agreement between predicted values and real data. Notably, the parameter 'cutter head torque' exhibited the highest impact on surface settlement (8.48%), while 'Pressiometric Modulus (Ep)' had the least impact (4.24%). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Innovation in limpet production requires knowledge of the optimal qualities and limitations of the culture vessels. Two limpet species from Madeira fishery, Patella aspera and P. ordinaria, were used to evaluate the influence of culture vessel shape (microtubes, test tubes, centrifuge tubes, specimen cups, disposable cups, vials, flasks and beakers), composition (polypropylene and glass), volume (1.5 ml to 1.5 L) and stocking density on oocyte incubation and larval culture through nine assays. Moreover, three assays evaluated the use of microtubes and the isolation of trochophores, instead of pediveligers, for eventual settlement induction. The results showed effective hatching in most culture vessels regardless of composition or volume, except when the shape of the bottom caused oocyte clustering. Larval culture was not influenced by any variable under scrutiny (shape, composition, volume or rearing density). Microtubes were useful for settlement, while the placement of trochophores in the settling vessels, instead of pediveligers, proved inefficient and even led to failed cultures. The best settlement was obtained when the pediveligers were isolated from the water column of the beakers and transferred to clean vessels with renewed water and coralline algae as substrate. The current findings could be extrapolated to other marine invertebrates that share similar life stage requirements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]