A exodontia de terceiros molares inclusos produz um grau significativo de traumatismo para os tecidos moles e estruturas ósseas da cavidade oral, consequentemente resultando em uma reação inflamatória. Esta reação gera diversos sinais e sintomas clínicos pós operatórios como: dor, edema e limitação de abertura bucal que fazem parte da resposta inflamatória reparadora, mas que se exacerbada pode levar a grandes desconfortos. O objetivo do presente estudo foi verificar comparativamente a piezocirurgia e a técnica convencional rotatória quanto a variabilidade dos principais parâmetros clínicos, sistêmicos e locais, no pré, trans e no pós operatório da exodontias de terceiros molares inferiores. Foi realizado um estudo clínico randomizado, cruzado em 20 pacientes saudáveis com necessidade de exodontia de terceiros molares inclusos e/ou impactados bilateralmente de mesma dificuldade cirúrgica. O lado a ser operado foi alocado randomicamente para técnica ultrassônica ou rotatória. Foram analisadas as alterações hemodinâmicas, pressão arterial, frequência cardíaca e saturação de oxigênio pré, trans e pós operatórias. Os desfechos locais foram coletados no dia do procedimento e 24 horas após a cirurgia, nesse contexto foi investigada a máxima abertura bucal em milímetros e o edema facial em pontos anatômicos pré estabelecidos. A análise de dor foi registrada pelo próprio paciente por meio da escala visual analógica em ficha padronizada, assim como a quantidade de analgésicos consumida e os níveis de ansiedade. Os resultados mostraram que o tempo trans operatório pelo uso da piezocirurgia foi maior. Não houve grande variabilidade nos parâmetros hemodinâmicos. A técnica ultrassônica provocou limitação de abertura de boca semelhante à técnica convencional. Gerou menor edema pós operatório em uma das dimensões lineares. Não promoveu níveis menores de dor pós operatória, além disso pode aumentar o grau de ansiedade do paciente. Concluímos que para as osteotomias nas exodontias de terceiros molares inferiores, a piezocirurgia mostrou ser comparável a técnica convencional. O emprego de uma ou outra técnica deve ser uma opção pessoal do cirurgião. / The removal of third molars leads a significant degree of trauma to soft tissues and bone structures of oral cavity, consequently results in an inflammatory reaction. This reaction generates several clinical signs and post-operative symptoms such as: pain, edema and oral aperture limitation that are part of the inflammatory response. If exacerbated, this response can lead to a great discomfort. The aim of this study was to compare, systemic and local parameters variations, between the piezosurgery and the conventional rotational technique for third molar removal. A randomized, crossover clinical trial was carried out in 20 healthy patients with the necessity for bilateral impacted third molars extraction with the same surgical difficulty. The side to be operated was allocated randomly for ultrasonic or conventional rotatory technique. Hemodynamic variations as: blood pressure, heart rate and oxygen saturation were analyzed in different moments. The local outcomes: maximum oral aperture and facial edema were measured on the day of the procedure and 24 hours after the surgery. Post-operative pain scores were recorded by the patient using a visual analogical scale in standardized diary, as well as anxiety levels and the number of painkillers intake. The results showed that the trans-operative period with the use of piezosurgery was higher. There was no great variability at the hemodynamic parameters. The ultrasonic technique caused a mouth-aperture limitation like the conventional technique and it generated minor post-operative edema in one of the linear dimensions. It did not promote minor levels of post-operative pain, moreover it can increase the anxiety level of the patient. We concluded that for osteotomies in the third molar surgery, piezosurgery shows to be equivalent to conventional technique. The employment of one or another technique should be a personal decision of the surgeon.

The solvent-induced swelling behaviour of Victorian brown coals was examined in detail to probe the bonding mechanisms in very low rank coals (in this case Victorian brown coal). Correlation of solvent properties with differences in observed swelling behaviour were interpreted in terms of the coal structure, and means of predicting the observed behaviour were considered. Modification of the coal structure via physical compression (briquetting), chemical digestion, thermal modification, and functional group alkylation was used to further elucidate those structural features which govern the swelling behaviour of Victorian brown coals. Briquette weathering (i.e. swelling and disintegration of briquettes when exposed to variations in humidity and temperature) was examined by making alterations to briquette feed material and observing the effects on swelling in water. The application of solubility parameter alone to prediction of coal swelling was rejected due to the many exceptions to any proposed trend. Brown coal swelling showed a minimum when the solvent electron-donor number (DN) minus its electron-acceptor number (AN) was closest to zero, i.e. when DN and AN were of similar magnitude. The degree of swelling increased either side of this point, as predicted by theory. In contrast to the solubility parameter approach (which suffers from the uncertainty caused by specific interaction between coal and solvent), the electron donor/acceptor approach is about specific interactions. It was concluded that a combination of total and three-dimensional solubility parameters and solvent electron donor/acceptor numbers may be used to predict solvent swelling of unextracted brown coals with some success. Solvent access to chemically densified coal was found to be insensitive to a reduction in pore volume, and chemical effects were dominant. Thermal modification of the digested coal resulted in reduced swelling for all solvents, indicating that the structure had adopted a minimum energy configuration due to decarboxylation and replacement of hydrogen bonds with additional covalent bonds. Swelling of oxygen-alkylated coals demonstrated that the more polar solvents are able to break relatively weak hydrogen bonded crosslinks. The large difference between the rate and extent of swelling in water (and hence weathering) of Yallourn and Morwell briquettes was shown to be almost entirely attributable to exchanged magnesium. Magnesium exchange significantly increases the rate and extent of swelling of Yallourn coal. It was also shown that the swelling of briquettes due to uptake of water by magnesium-exchanged coals is reduced significantly with controlled ageing of the briquettes. The solvent swelling behaviour of Victorian brown coals is consistent with the notion that coal is a both covalently and non-covalently crosslinked and entangled macromolecular network comprising extractable species, which are held within the network by a wide range of non-covalent, polar, electron donor/acceptor interactions. Solvents capable of significant extraction of whole brown coals are also capable of significant swelling, but not dissolution, of the macromolecular coal network, which supports the view that the network is comprised of both covalent and ionic bonding. Victorian brown coals have also been shown to exhibit polyelectrolytic behaviour due to a high concentration of ionisable surface functionalities.

En el caso del almacenamiento de los residuos radioactivos los flujos osmóticos pueden ser relevantes y requieren un análisis en detalle. El residuo nuclear bituminizado (BW) será almacenado mediante contenedores en cavidades excavadas en la Boom Clay, que es una arcilla marina que presenta propiedades favorables para limitar y retrasar la migración de los contaminantes radioactivos. La interacción entre los dos materiales es un proceso acoplado químico-hidro-mecánico y depende de la respuesta hidromecánica de la Boom Clay y del BW. En condiciones de almacenamiento, el contacto del BW, que contienen cantidades importantes de NaNO3, con el agua subterránea induce la hidratación por gradientes osmóticos y el consiguiente hinchamiento, además de la difusión de la sal disuelta hacia la Boom Clay. Se pueden distinguir dos tipos de afecciones: la perturbación geomecánica causada por el hinchamiento del BW y el aumento de presión en el BW y cambio de las distribución de tensiones en la roca, y la perturbación físico química por la migración de grandes cantidades de sales. El objetivo de esta tesis es: (i) Mejorar la comprensión de los procesos que controlan la absorción de agua y el consecuente hinchamiento del BW que contengan sales (NaNO3), y (ii) Investigar los posibles efectos de la concentración de fluidos de los poros sobre el hinchamiento, la compresibilidad y comportamiento de corte de la Boom Clay. En primer lugar, se ha desarrollado una formulación para el análisis de la deformación inducida por la disolución de sales en medio poroso con contacto con agua. Las ecuaciones planteadas incluyen los flujos acoplados de agua y soluto. Se presenta también un trabajo teórico que ayuda a la comprensión del comportamiento mecánico del BW. Se considera este material como una mezcla de bitumen y cristales de NaNO3. Se ha desarrollado un modelo elasto-viscoplástico que describe el comportamiento de fluencia del BW considerando el comportamiento de fluencia de sus constituyentes. El modelo constitutivo elasto-viscoplástico ha sido implementado en el programa CODE_BRIGHT. Los resultados se han comparado con observaciones experimentales. Se ha estudiado el comportamiento a largo plazo del BW en contacto con agua al simular ensayos de hinchamiento por absorción de agua bajo condiciones confinadas. El análisis numérico ha demostrado ser capaz de proporcionar una representación satisfactoria de los principales patrones observados en su comportamiento. En lo que respecta al segundo objetivo de la tesis, se ha propuesto una formulación para el análisis de las deformaciones inducidas por procesos osmóticos en un medio poroso de doble estructura. Esta formulación distingue dentro del material un nivel micro-estructural y otro macro-estructural con cambios químicos que tienen un efecto significativo en la micro-estructura. Se han obtenido las ecuaciones básicas que describen los flujos acoplados de agua y solutos y el transporte de sus componentes a través de los macroporos así como las ecuaciones de balance de masa para agua y soluto en los macroporos y microporos. La formulación propuesta ha sido aplicada particularmente para analizar cualitativamente el efecto de la succión osmótica sobre el hinchamiento de los suelos arcillosos. Se han analizado los efectos a corto y largo plazo. Se ha investigado también la influencia del aumento de la concentración del fluido en los poros sobre las propiedades geotécnicas y el comportamiento de la Boom Clay no saturada. Se ha llevado a cabo un programa sistemático de investigación experimental, con control de succión osmótica y matricial, con el fin de investigar el efecto del incremento de la concentración del fluido de poros sobre la resistencia de corte y el cambio volumétrico bajo condiciones edométricas. Se ha observado, que bajo condiciones parcialmente saturadas, un cambio en la salinidad provoca una disminución en la compresibilidad y en la resistencia de corte del material. / For deep storage of high-level nuclear waste osmotic flows can be significant and so require a careful analysis. In Belgium, The bituminized nuclear waste (BW) named Eurobitum contained in metallic drums will be placed inside a tunnel or a shaft excavated in the Boom Clay, which is 100 m thick marine clay presenting favourable properties to limit and delay the migration of the leached radionuclides over extended periods of time. In Geological disposal conditions, contact of the bituminized radioactive waste which contains high amounts of highly soluble salt (NaNO3) with groundwater will result in water uptake and swelling of the waste and in subsequent diffusion of the dissolved salt through the host clay formation. Basically, two types of disturbance can be distinguished: A geo-mechanical perturbation, caused by the swelling of the waste and the increase of the pressure in and around the waste and a physico-chemical perturbation by the release of large amounts of NaNO3 and other soluble salts. In this context the aim of this thesis is: (i) to improve the understanding of the processes controlling the water uptake and the subsequent swelling of bituminized waste containing soluble salts (NaNO3), and (ii) to investigate of the possible effects of the increase of pore fluid concentration on swelling, compressibility and shear behaviour of Boom Clay. A formulation has been proposed for the analysis of deformation induced by dissolution of salts in porous media in contact with water. The equations include the effect of coupled transport phenomena and the formulation has been included as an extension in the coupled THM program CODE_BRIGHT. A theoretical and experimental work aiming at understanding the mechanical behaviour of the Bituminized Waste has been presented.This material is considered for this purpose as a mixture of bitumen and crystals of NaNO3. An elasto-viscoplastic model has been developed that describes the creep behaviour of BW considering the constituents' creep behaviour. The elasto-viscoplastic constitutive model has been implemented into CODE_BRIGHT. The modelling results have been compared with the experimental data. The impact of osmotic forces on the swelling of the material has been investigated by simulating water uptake swelling tests under confined conditions and comparing the predictions with experimental results. The numerical analysis has proven to be able to furnish a satisfactory representation of the main observed patterns of the behaviour. In regard to the second objective of this thesis, a formulation has been proposed for the analysis of deformations induced by osmotic processes in double structure porous media. The formulation is based on the distinction within the material of a microstructural and a macrostructural levels with chemical changes having a significant effect on the microstructure. A macroscopic description of the system is provided. Then the basic equations describing coupled flows of water and solutes and the transport of its components through macropores and mass balance equations for water and solute in macro and micro pores have been obtained. The proposed formulation has been particularly applied to analyze qualitatively the effect of osmotic suction on swelling of clayey soils. Transient and long term effects have been analyzed. The influence of pore fluid concentration on the geotechnical properties and behavior of Boom Clay under partially saturated conditions has been investigated. A systematic experimental research program involving osmotic suction and matric suction controlled experiments has been carried to investigate the effect of the increase of pore fluid concentration on shear strength and on the volume change behaviour under odometer stress state conditions. It has been observed that under partially saturated conditions a change in salinity causes a decrease in compressibility and shear strength.

No description available.

No description available.

Einleitung: Die Ausbildung eines Netzhautödems ist eine Hauptursache für die Verschlechterung des Sehvermögens bei ischämisch-hypoxischen und inflammatorischen Netzhauterkrankungen. Neben der erhöhten Permeabilität der Blut-Retina-Schranke trägt eine Wasserakkumulation in Netzhautzellen zur Ausbildung eines Netzhautödems bei. Müllerzellen regulieren die retinale Ionen- und Osmohomöostase, indem sie einen transzellulären Ionen- und Wassertransport vermitteln. Zudem kontrollieren Müllerzellen die Größe des Extrazellularraumes, indem sie bei neuronaler Aktivität eine Zellkörperschwellung – ausgelöst durch eine Verkleinerung der extrazellulären Osmolarität – verhindern. Unter pathologischen Bedingungen ist die Volumenregulation gestört, sodass Müllerzellen bei Hypoosmolarität anschwellen. Diese Müllerzellschwellung und eine Glutamat-induzierte Schwellung retinaler Neurone tragen zur Ausbildung eines zytotoxischen Netzhautödems bei. Neuroprotektive Faktoren wie BDNF (brain-derived neurotrophic factor) und bFGF (basic fibroblast growth factor) stimulieren das Überleben retinaler Neurone und verzögern so die retinale Degeneration. Zielstellung: Es war zu zu ermitteln, ob BDNF die zytotoxische Schwellung von Müller- und Bipolarzellen der Rattennetzhaut verhindert. Material und Methoden: Es wurden Netzhautschnitte und isolierte Müller- und Bipolarzellen von 55 adulten Long-Evans-Ratten (durchschnittlich 8-15 Zellen pro Versuchsreihe) verwendet. Eine osmotische Schwellung von Müller- und Bipolarzellen wurde durch eine Superfusion der Schnitte oder der Zellen mit einer 60%igen hypoosmolaren Lösung in Ab- oder Anwesenheit von Bariumchlorid induziert. Die maximale Querschnittsfläche von Müller- und Bipolarzellsomata wurde vor und nach einer vierminütigen Superfusion mit einem konfokalen Laserscanningmikroskop aufgezeichnet. Die nach der Superfusion ermittelte Querschnittsfläche wurde zu den anfänglich gemittelten Kontrollwerten in Beziehung gesetzt und prozentual als Mittelwert mit Standardfehler bestimmt. Mit Hilfe des Prism-Statistikprogramms (Graphpad) wurden die Ergebnisse mittels einem one-way ANOVA Test und einem nachfolgenden Bonferroni\'s multiple comparison Test sowie durch einen Mann-Whitney U Test statistisch analysiert. Ergebnisse: Bei Anwesenheit von BDNF wurde die osmotische Schwellung von Müllerzellen konzentrationsabhängig sowohl in Netzhautschnitten als auch in isolierten Zellen inhibiert. Ebenso inhibierte BDNF konzentrationsabhängig die Schwellung von Bipolarzellen in Netzhautschnitten, jedoch nicht in isolierten Zellen. In Schnitten von postischämischen Netzhäuten bewirkte BDNF eine Schwellungsinhibition von Müllerzellen, nicht aber von Bipolarzellen. Mit pharmakologischen Blockern wurde die durch BDNF induzierte Signalkaskade untersucht. Die BDNF-Schwellungsinhibition von Müllerzellen wurde durch eine Aktivierung von TrkB bewirkt. Die TrkB-Aktivierung führte in Müllerzellen zu einer Transaktivierung von FGF-Rezeptoren sowie zu einer Aktivierung einer glutamatergen-purinergen Signalkaskade, von der bekannt ist, dass sie die osmotische Müllerzellschwellung unterdrückt. Da bFGF die osmotische Müllerzellschwellung inhibiert, wird die Transaktivierung der FGF-Rezeptoren wahrscheinlich durch eine BDNF-induzierte Freisetzung von bFGF aus Müllerzellen vermittelt. Die Ergebnisse lassen vermuten, dass BDNF indirekt auf Bipolarzellen wirkt, indem es eine Freisetzung von Faktoren wie bFGF aus Müllerzellen induziert. Schlussfolgerungen: Die Schwellungsinhibition von Müller- und Bipolarzellen könnte ein neuroprotektiver Mechanismus von BDNF in der Netzhaut darstellen. Während BDNF direkt TrkB auf Müllerzellen aktiviert, ist die Inhibition der Bipolarzellschwellung indirekt und durch die Ausschüttung von glialen Faktoren wie bFGF vermittelt. Der Verlust des Effektes von BDNF auf die Bipolarzellschwellung in ischämischen Netzhäuten könnte darauf zurückzuführen sein, dass gliotische Müllerzellen keine glialen Faktoren mehr in Reaktion auf BDNF freisetzen. Der Verlust des glialen Einflusses auf die Bipolarzellvolumenhomöostase könnte zur Neurodegeneration in der ischämischen Netzhaut beitragen. / Introduction: Tissue edema is a major blinding complication of ischemic-hypoxic and inflammatory retinal diseases. In addition to the hyperpemeability of the blood-retinal barrier, water accumulation in retinal cells resulting in cellular swelling may contribute to the development of retinal edema. Müller glial cells regulate the retinal ion and water homeostasis by allowing transcellular ion and water fluxes. During neuronal activity Müller cells control the extracellular space volume by autocrine inhibition of cellular swelling caused by the reduction of extracellular osmolarity. However, under pathological conditions, Müller cells are not capable to regulate their volume so that they swell rapidly under hypoosmolarity. The osmotic swelling of Müller glial cells and the glutamate induced swelling of retinal neurons contribute to the development of cytotoxic retinal edema. Various neuroprotective factors including brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) stimulate the survival of retinal neurons and thus delay the retinal degeneration. Objective: The objective of the study is to determine whether BDNF inhibits the osmotic swelling of Müller and bipolar cells of the rat retina. Material and Methods: Retinal slices and freshly isolated Müller and bipolar cells of 55 adult Long-Evans rats (in average 8-15 cells per trial) were used. Osmotic swelling of Müller and bipolar cells was induced by superfusion of retinal slices or isolated cells with a 60% hypoosmotic extracellular solution in the absence or presence of barium chloride. The maximal cross-sectional area of Müller and bipolar cell somata was recorded before and after a four minute-long superfusion by using a laser scanning microscope. To determine the extent of cell soma swelling, the cross-sectional area of the cell body extent after superfusion was related to the former averaged cross-sectional area. Results were given as means with standard error as percent values. Statistical analysis was made with Prism (Graphpad) and the significance was determined by the One-way ANOVA test followed by Bonferroni\'s multiple comparison test and the Mann-Whitney U test, respectively. Results: We found that BDNF inhibits dose-depending the osmotic swelling of Müller cells in retinal slices and of isolated cells. BDNF also inhibited dose-depending the osmotic swelling of bipolar cells in retinal slices; however, it did not inhibit the osmotic swelling in isolated bipolar cells. In slices of postischemic retinas, BDNF inhibited the swelling of Müller cells but not the swelling of bipolar cells. The BDNF induced signal transduction cascade was examined by simultaneous administration of blocking agents with the receptor agonists in the hypoosmotic solution. The BDNF-induced inhibition of the osmotic Müller cell swelling was mediated by activation of TrkB. Activation of TrkB in Müller cells results in transactivation of FGF receptors and in an activation of a glutamatergic-purinergic signal transduction cascade which is known to inhibit the osmotic swelling of the cells. Since bFGF also inhibits the osmotic swelling of Müller cells, it can be assumed that the transactivation of FGF receptors is mediated by a BDNF-induced release of bFGF from Müller cells. The results suggest that the effect of BDNF on bipolar cells is indirect by inducing a subsequent release of glial factor from Müller cells such as bFGF. Conclusion: The results show that BDNF inhibits the osmotic swelling of Müller and bipolar cells. The inhibition of cytotoxic cell swelling may contribute to the neuroprotective action of BDNF in the retina. While BDNF acts directly in Müller cells, the BDNF-induced inhibition of the bipolar cell swelling is indirect and mediated by the release of glial factors such as bFGF from Müller cells. The abrogation of the BDNF-induced inhibition of the osmotic bipolar cell swelling in the postischemic retina could be explained with the impairment of the release of glial factors by Müller cells. The abrogation of the Müller cell-mediated regulation of the bipolar cell volume could contribute to the neuronal degeneration in the ischemic retina.

The build–up of 6Li and 3He, that is, the strong thermal neutron absorbers or the so called "neutron poisons", in the beryllium reflector changes the physical characteristics of the reactor, such as reactivity, neutron spectra, neutron flux level, power distribution, etc.; furthermore,gaseous isotopes such as 3H and 4He induce swelling and embrittlement of the reflector. The SAFARI–1 research reactor, operated by Necsa at Pelindaba in South Africa, uses a beryllium reflector on three sides of the core, consisting of 19 beryllium reflector elements in total. This MTR went critical in 1965, and the original beryllium reflectors are still used. The individual neutron irradiation history of each beryllium reflector element, as well as the impact of beryllium poisoning on reactor parameters, were never well known nor investigated before. Furthermore, in the OSCAR{3 code system used in predictive neutronic calculations for SAFARI–1, beryllium reflector burn–up is not accounted for; OSCAR models the beryllium reflector as a non–burnable, 100% pure material. As a result, the poisoning phenomenon is not accounted for. Furthermore, the criteria and hence the optimum replacement time of the reflector has never been developed. This study presents detailed calculations, using MCNP, FISPACT and the OSCAR{3 code system, to quantify the influence of impurities that were originally present in the fresh beryllium reflector, the beryllium reflector poisoning phenomenon, and further goes on to propose the reflector's replacement criteria based on the calculated fluence and predicted swelling. Comparisons to experimental low power flux measurements and effects of safety parameters are also established. The study concludes that, to improve the accuracy and reliability of the predictive OSCAR code calculations, beryllium re flector burn–up should undoubtedly be incorporated in the next releases of OSCAR. Based on this study, the inclusion of the beryllium reflector burn–up chains is planned for implementation in the currently tested OSCAR–4 code system. In addition to beryllium reflector poisoning, the replacement criteria of the reflector is developed. It is however crucial that experimental measurements on the contents of 3H and 4He be conducted and thus swelling of the reflector be quantifed. In this way the calculated results could be verified and a sound replacement criteria be developed. In the absence of experimental measurements on the beryllium reflector, the analysis and quantifcation of the calculated results is reserved for future studies. / Thesis (M.Sc. Engineering Sciences (Nuclear Engineering))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2011.

The build–up of 6Li and 3He, that is, the strong thermal neutron absorbers or the so called "neutron poisons", in the beryllium reflector changes the physical characteristics of the reactor, such as reactivity, neutron spectra, neutron flux level, power distribution, etc.; furthermore,gaseous isotopes such as 3H and 4He induce swelling and embrittlement of the reflector. The SAFARI–1 research reactor, operated by Necsa at Pelindaba in South Africa, uses a beryllium reflector on three sides of the core, consisting of 19 beryllium reflector elements in total. This MTR went critical in 1965, and the original beryllium reflectors are still used. The individual neutron irradiation history of each beryllium reflector element, as well as the impact of beryllium poisoning on reactor parameters, were never well known nor investigated before. Furthermore, in the OSCAR{3 code system used in predictive neutronic calculations for SAFARI–1, beryllium reflector burn–up is not accounted for; OSCAR models the beryllium reflector as a non–burnable, 100% pure material. As a result, the poisoning phenomenon is not accounted for. Furthermore, the criteria and hence the optimum replacement time of the reflector has never been developed. This study presents detailed calculations, using MCNP, FISPACT and the OSCAR{3 code system, to quantify the influence of impurities that were originally present in the fresh beryllium reflector, the beryllium reflector poisoning phenomenon, and further goes on to propose the reflector's replacement criteria based on the calculated fluence and predicted swelling. Comparisons to experimental low power flux measurements and effects of safety parameters are also established. The study concludes that, to improve the accuracy and reliability of the predictive OSCAR code calculations, beryllium re flector burn–up should undoubtedly be incorporated in the next releases of OSCAR. Based on this study, the inclusion of the beryllium reflector burn–up chains is planned for implementation in the currently tested OSCAR–4 code system. In addition to beryllium reflector poisoning, the replacement criteria of the reflector is developed. It is however crucial that experimental measurements on the contents of 3H and 4He be conducted and thus swelling of the reflector be quantifed. In this way the calculated results could be verified and a sound replacement criteria be developed. In the absence of experimental measurements on the beryllium reflector, the analysis and quantifcation of the calculated results is reserved for future studies. / Thesis (M.Sc. Engineering Sciences (Nuclear Engineering))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2011.

Expansive clays undergo a large swell when they are subjected to water. Thus, expansive clay is one of the most abundant problems faced in geotechnical engineering applications. It causes heavy damages in structures, especially in water conveyance canals, lined reservoirs, highways, airport runways etc., unless appropriate measures are taken. In this thesis, Granulated Blast Furnace Slag (GBFS), GBFS - Lime combinations and GBFS Cement (GBFSC) were utilized to overcome or to limit the expansion of an artificially prepared expansive soil sample (Sample A). GBFS and GBFSC were added to Sample A in proportions of 5 to 25 percent. Different GBFS-Lime combinations were added to Sample A by keeping the total addition at 15 percent. Effect of stabilizers on grain size distribution, Atterberg limits, swelling percentage and rate of swell of soil samples were determined. Effect of curing on swelling percentage and rate of swell of soil samples were also determined. Leachate analysis of GBFS, GBFSC and samples stabilized by 25 percent GBFS and GBFSC was performed. Use of stabilizers successfully decreased the amount of swell while increasing the rate of swell. Curing samples for 7 and 28 days resulted in less swell percentages and higher rate of swell.

Les réactions de gonflements internes (RGI) sont des pathologies qui dégradent le béton de certains ouvrages tels que des barrages en étant à l'origine de gonflements. Electricité De France (EDF) doit assurer la sûreté des personnes et des biens situés à l'aval de ses structures. Ce travail a pour but d'améliorer la modélisation des phénomènes physiques liés à ces dégradations notamment l'interaction entre le produit gonflant et le squelette solide. La contrainte intraporeuse générée par la pression du produit peut créer un endommagement. Dans le modèle proposé, la fissuration peut avoir lieu à deux échelles : - Au niveau microscopique c'est le produit gonflant qui comble le volume libre autour du site de réaction avant de mettre en traction le matériau jusqu'à fissuration, ce qui provoque une baisse des caractéristiques du matériau (résistances en traction et en compression, module d'Young). Un critère de plasticité anisotrope et une loi d'écrouissage positif sont proposés pour modéliser ce phénomène. - Au niveau macroscopique, des gradients de gonflements peuvent se développer à l'intérieur d'ouvrages dont les états de contraintes et les conditions d'humidité et de température ne sont pas homogènes. Une fissuration localisée peut alors s'initier. Elle est la source de risques de dislocations des structures pouvant mener à leur ruine, de concentrations de contraintes dans les aciers structuraux, de chemins facilités pour les agents agressifs extérieurs et pour l'eau, composé essentiel au développement rapide de ces pathologies. La prise en compte des couplages hydro-poro-mécaniques est nécessaire à la simulation de ces phénomènes. Cette fissuration est modélisée par un critère plastique de Rankine anisotrope dont l'énergie dissipée par la fissuration est régularisée par la méthode d'Hillerborg. Après avoir présenté ce modèle, il est validé et appliqué à différentes échelles pour des états de contraintes et des conditions environnementales diverses, sur : - des éprouvettes soumises à des contraintes et des blocages multi-axiaux, - des poutres de laboratoire plus ou moins armées subissant des gradients d'humidité importants, - des barrages dans des conditions réelles construits dans les années 1950. Les résultats obtenus avec le modèle permettent de retrouver les déplacements, les contraintes et les résistances de ces structures après vieillissement. Pour les poutres atteintes de réaction alcali-silice, les résultats numériques obtenus montrent notamment une prise en compte réaliste des contraintes induites par la présence d'armatures, ce qui est confirmé par la validation du comportement à rupture. Néanmoins, des difficultés de calage subsistent pour les poutres subissant la réaction sulfatique interne. Elles sont issues des grandes amplitudes d'expansion et des couplages diffusion-fissuration qui rendent spécifique le comportement de ces structures par rapport à des structures subissant des expansions moins importantes. Ce modèle est un outil pour la requalification des ouvrages dans le but d'assurer leur sûreté. Il peut également servir de base de calcul à la simulation de diverses réhabilitations et travaux de confortements. / Internal swelling reactions (ISR) damage the concrete of structures such as dams. Electricité De France (EDF) must ensure the safety of the people and goods located below the dam. This work aims to improve the modeling of the physical phenomena related to these damages, especially the interaction between the swelling product and the solid skeleton. The intraporous stress generated by the product pressure can create cracking, which, in the proposed model, can occur at two scales: - At a microscopic scale, the swelling product fills the gaps around the reaction site, which induces cracking and a decrease of the materials' characteristics (tensile and compression strengths, Young's modulus). Numerically, an anisotropic plastic criteria and a hardening law allow modelling this phenomenon. - At a macroscopic level, swelling gradients can develop inside concrete structures whose stress states and climatic conditions (humidity and temperature) are not homogeneous. A localized cracking can begin. It is a source of structure dislocation risks and stress concentrations in structural reinforcement. It may ease the way in for outside aggressive agents and water, an essential component for these reactions. Hydro-poro-mechanical couplings need to be taken into account when simulating these phenomena. The cracking is modelled by a Rankine plastic criterion whose dissipated energy is regularized by the Hillerborg's method. After presenting the model, several stress states and environmental conditions are applied to the model in order to validate it on: - samples under multi-axial stresses and restraints, - plain and reinforced beams submitted to moisture gradients in laboratory, - 1950s dams in real conditions. The results of the model make it possible to reproduce the displacements, the stresses and residual strength of these structures after aging. For the beams submitted to alkali aggregate reaction, the numerical results show a relevant prediction of the stress induced by reinforcement, confirmed by the failure behaviour. Nevertheless, the model encounters calibration difficulties for beams affected by delayed ettringite formation. They come from large swelling amplitude and diffusion-cracking coupling which are inherent to these structure behaviours. This model is a tool for concrete structure requalification in order to ensure their safety. It can also be a basis for diverse rehabilitations and reinforcement works simulation.