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Knowledge of the performance of river dykes during flooding is necessary when designing governmental assistance plans aimed to reduce both casualties and material damage. This is especially relevant when floods have increased in their frequency during the last decades, together with the resulting material damage and life costs. Most of previous attempts for analyzing dyke breaching during flooding have neglected to consider the soil mechanics component and the influence of infiltration and saturation changes on the failure mechanisms developed in the river dyke. This research project aimed to fill that gap in knowledge by analyzing, in a comprehensive manner, the effect of transient water co...
Squeezing conditions in tunnelling are characterized by the occurrence of large deformations of the opening or high rock pressure that may overstress the lining. Squeezing is associated with poor quality rock. Tunnelling in squeezing ground involves great uncertainties. It is therefore very important to gain a better understanding of the underlying mechanisms. Triaxial testing is the main source of information in order to understand the mechanical features of squeezing ground. Despite the complexity of the squeezing mechanism and the behaviour observed under relatively simple loading conditions, most of previous research work and engineering design practice considers the ground as a linearly...
This PhD thesis investigates the effectiveness of drainage measures with respect to two particularly important problems associated with tunnelling through water-bearing, weak ground: the stability of the tunnel face and the stability and deformation of grouting bodies. Water is an adverse factor with respect to the stability and deformation of underground structures due to the pore water pressure and the seepage forces associated with seepage flow towards the tunnel. Drainage boreholes reduce the pore water pressure and the seepage forces in the vicinity of the cavity. Furthermore, loss of pore water pressure increases the effective stresses and thus the shearing resistance of the ground (â€...
On the variability of squeezing behaviour in tunnelling
Construction on soft soils is always accompanied by the risk of significant, time-dependent settlement and bearing capacity failure. As technical knowledge has advanced, optimised ground improvement has offered significant economic advantages in reducing net settlement and resisting failure by installation of more flexible and cost-effective stone columns or sand compaction piles in the ground, rather than more rigid inclusions such as steel or concrete piles. The stiffness and strength of the subsoil around the columns is greater, and the consolidation time is reduced through shorter (radial) drainage paths.
Cross-border bank lending is a growing source of external finance in developing countries and could play a key role for infrastructure financing. This paper looks at the role of multilateral development banks (MDBs) on the terms of syndicated loan deals, focusing on loan pricing. The results show that MDBs' participation is associated with higher borrowing costs and longer maturities---signaling a greater willingness to finance high risk projects which may not be financed by the private sector---but it is also associated with lower spreads for riskier borrowers. Overall, our findings suggest that MDBs could crowd in private investment in developing countries through risk mitigation.
The development of science over the course of many centuries has shown that there are things in our universe which took incredibly long to form, such as planets or galaxies. While, in contrast, there are processes, for example inside our body, which happen so incredibly fast that they are beyond our ability to fully comprehend. Using examples from different time periods or timescales we aim to give you deeper insight, both visually and with text, into some of the most amazing physical events, cultural developments and biological processes from life. These examples are brought together using three intertwined themes: life, light, and science. This book illustrates the range of timescales that...
This volume is a compilation of extended abstracts of all papers presented at the 14th International Plant Nutrition Colloquium. Over 500 oral and poster presentations illustrate current knowledge and research emphasis in this subject, providing a comprehensive view of the state of plant nutrition research.
Experimental investigations for the modelling of anhydritic swelling claystones