Mature fine tailings (MFT), as a mixture of residual bitumen, sand, silt, fine clay particles and water, are a byproduct of oil sands extraction. The large volume, and poor consolidation and water release ability of MFT have been causing significant economic and environmental concerns. Therefore, several studies have been implemented on finding innovative dewatering/disposal techniques. As a result, different methods have been introduced and tested at a laboratory or a field scale, yet very few of these are commercially used in the oil sands industries. Despite the extensive research, an optimal solution has not been found due to the lack of technical or economic feasibility. In the present study, a novel approach that consists of the rapid dewatering of MFT by using a super absorbent polymer (SAP) to produce dense MFT is proposed. A comprehensive laboratory investigation on the geotechnical characteristics and behavior before and after treatment of MFT is conducted. The effects of SAP based dewatering and freeze/thaw cycles on the undrained shear strength of dewatered MFT by using a vane shear apparatus are studied. Furthermore, the ability of recycled SAP to dewater and densify MFT is assessed. Finally, this study provides the results of consolidation and hydraulic conductivity testing to evaluate the void ratio versus effective stress and hydraulic conductivity of MFT. The effects on the behavior and characteristics of MFT after amendment with usage of recycled SAP are also investigated. The results indicate that SAP has the ability to significantly dewater, densify and increase the undrained shear strength of MFT. Furthermore, when subjected to freeze/thaw cycles, the MFT dewatered with SAP shows an additional increase in strength and solid content. It is also found to be possible to regenerate the polymer (still within sachets) through light thermal drying, and the regenerated SAP can still significantly dewater and thus increase the shear strength and solid content of the MFT. In addition, the obtained high solid content affects and improves the compressibility of the material, thus resulting in low initial void ratios. On the other hand, low hydraulic permeability that is derived from low initial void ratios and consolidation is improved by the freeze/thaw process due to the interconnected voids created during the freezing process.

Mature fine tailings (MFT), as a mixture of residual bitumen, sand, silt, fine clay particles and water, are a byproduct of oil sands extraction. The large volume, and poor consolidation and water release ability of MFT have been causing significant economic and environmental concerns. Therefore, several studies have been implemented on finding innovative dewatering/disposal techniques. As a result, different methods have been introduced and tested at a laboratory or a field scale, yet very few of these are commercially used in the oil sands industries. Despite the extensive research, an optimal solution has not been found due to the lack of technical or economic feasibility. In the present study, a novel approach that consists of the rapid dewatering of MFT by using a super absorbent polymer (SAP) to produce dense MFT is proposed. A comprehensive laboratory investigation on the geotechnical characteristics and behavior before and after treatment of MFT is conducted. The effects of SAP based dewatering and freeze/thaw cycles on the undrained shear strength of dewatered MFT by using a vane shear apparatus are studied. Furthermore, the ability of recycled SAP to dewater and densify MFT is assessed. Finally, this study provides the results of consolidation and hydraulic conductivity testing to evaluate the void ratio versus effective stress and hydraulic conductivity of MFT. The effects on the behavior and characteristics of MFT after amendment with usage of recycled SAP are also investigated. The results indicate that SAP has the ability to significantly dewater, densify and increase the undrained shear strength of MFT. Furthermore, when subjected to freeze/thaw cycles, the MFT dewatered with SAP shows an additional increase in strength and solid content. It is also found to be possible to regenerate the polymer (still within sachets) through light thermal drying, and the regenerated SAP can still significantly dewater and thus increase the shear strength and solid content of the MFT. In addition, the obtained high solid content affects and improves the compressibility of the material, thus resulting in low initial void ratios. On the other hand, low hydraulic permeability that is derived from low initial void ratios and consolidation is improved by the freeze/thaw process due to the interconnected voids created during the freezing process.

Orientador: Ana Maria Rodrigues Cassiolato / Banca: Luiz Antonio Graciolli / Banca: Gilberto Colodro / Resumo: O solo é um meio que engloba diferentes substâncias químicas e colóides e uma alta diversidade biológica. Estes componentes apresentam íntima relação funcional para sustentabilidade dos ecossistemas e, sua degradação, geralmente causada pela ação antrópica, acarreta um grande prejuízos ambientais e socioeconômicos para as gerações atuais e um enorme risco para as gerações futuras. Para reverter um processo como este, são necessárias intervenções por meio de estratégias como a revegetação. O objetivo do trabalho foi avaliar crescimento e colonização micorrízica do pinhão manso em solo decaptado que recebeu inoculo de fungos micorrizicos arbusculares, hidrogel e materiais orgânicos. O experimento foi conduzido de maio de 2008 a maio 2009, na Fazenda de Ensino, Pesquisa e Extensão (FEPE) da UNESP - Universidade Estadual Paulista, Campus de Ilha Solteira, no município de Selvíria-MS. O delineamento experimental foi o em blocos casualizado, em esquema fatorial 4x2x2, ou seja, 3 tratamentos com material orgânico (aguapé, composto e aguapé+composto), 2 tratamentos com hidrogel (com e sem adição) e 2 tratamentos de inoculação (com e sem inoculação) empregando solo proveniente de uma área preservada de cerrado como fonte de microrganimos, incluíndo fungos micorrízicos arbusculares, com 4 repetições e 5 plantas por tratamentos. O composto foi preparado com materiais de poda e esterco de bovino. Avaliou-se: o crescimento das plantas em 7 épocas diferentes, a caracterização química e número de esporos em 4 épocas, além da porcentagem de colonização micorrízica, presença de flores, número de ramos e de folhas e peso fresco e seco da parte aérea. O tratamento com hidrogel não mostrou interferência no crescimento de plantas, mas, assim como o solo-inóculo, aumentou a esporulação, a colonização micorrízica e a produção de matéria seca... (Resumo completo, clicar acesso eletrônico abaixo) / Abstract: The soil is a medium that contain different chemical substances and colloids and a high biological diversity. These components have functional relationship on the sustainability of ecosystems and their degradation, usually caused by human action, which causes great socio-economic damage to the present generations and an enormous risk for the future generations. To reverse such process, action is needed using strategies, such as, revegetation. The objective of this study was to evaluate the growth and mycorrhiza colonization of Jatropha on decapitated soil that received organic materials and hydrogel. The experiment was conducted from May 2008 to May 2009, the Farm Education, Research and Extension (FEPE), UNESP - Univ. Estadual Paulista, Ilha Solteira Campus, located at Selvíria city-MS, Brazil. The experimental design was randomized blocks in factorial scheme 3x2x2, i.e., 3 treatments with organic materials (water hyacinth, compost and water hyacinth + compost), 2 hydrogel treatments (with and without addition) and 2 inoculations treatments (with and without inoculation) using natural soil from a preserved 'cerrado' area as a source of microorganisms, including mycorrhizal fungi, with 4 replications and 5 plants per each. The compound was prepared with materials pruning and cow dung. The growth of plants in 7 different times, the chemical characterization and number of spores in 4 times, and the percentage of mycorrhizal colonization, presence of flowers, branches and leaves and fresh and dry weight of air part was evaluated. Treatment with hydrogel showed no interference with the growth of plants; however, as well as the soilinoculum, they increased sporulation, root colonization and production of dry matter. The organic materials treatments positively altered the condition of the ground, plant growth, mycorrhizal colonization and sporulation; the improved performances... (Complete abstract click electronic access below) / Mestre

Made available in DSpace on 2014-06-11T19:29:42Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2010-01-15Bitstream added on 2014-06-13T20:39:15Z : No. of bitstreams: 1 santos_aa_me_ilha.pdf: 676511 bytes, checksum: f49f6d1a9f6dfba6539f793f9e93426c (MD5) / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES) / O solo é um meio que engloba diferentes substâncias químicas e colóides e uma alta diversidade biológica. Estes componentes apresentam íntima relação funcional para sustentabilidade dos ecossistemas e, sua degradação, geralmente causada pela ação antrópica, acarreta um grande prejuízos ambientais e socioeconômicos para as gerações atuais e um enorme risco para as gerações futuras. Para reverter um processo como este, são necessárias intervenções por meio de estratégias como a revegetação. O objetivo do trabalho foi avaliar crescimento e colonização micorrízica do pinhão manso em solo decaptado que recebeu inoculo de fungos micorrizicos arbusculares, hidrogel e materiais orgânicos. O experimento foi conduzido de maio de 2008 a maio 2009, na Fazenda de Ensino, Pesquisa e Extensão (FEPE) da UNESP – Universidade Estadual Paulista, Campus de Ilha Solteira, no município de Selvíria-MS. O delineamento experimental foi o em blocos casualizado, em esquema fatorial 4x2x2, ou seja, 3 tratamentos com material orgânico (aguapé, composto e aguapé+composto), 2 tratamentos com hidrogel (com e sem adição) e 2 tratamentos de inoculação (com e sem inoculação) empregando solo proveniente de uma área preservada de cerrado como fonte de microrganimos, incluíndo fungos micorrízicos arbusculares, com 4 repetições e 5 plantas por tratamentos. O composto foi preparado com materiais de poda e esterco de bovino. Avaliou-se: o crescimento das plantas em 7 épocas diferentes, a caracterização química e número de esporos em 4 épocas, além da porcentagem de colonização micorrízica, presença de flores, número de ramos e de folhas e peso fresco e seco da parte aérea. O tratamento com hidrogel não mostrou interferência no crescimento de plantas, mas, assim como o solo-inóculo, aumentou a esporulação, a colonização micorrízica e a produção de matéria seca... / The soil is a medium that contain different chemical substances and colloids and a high biological diversity. These components have functional relationship on the sustainability of ecosystems and their degradation, usually caused by human action, which causes great socio-economic damage to the present generations and an enormous risk for the future generations. To reverse such process, action is needed using strategies, such as, revegetation. The objective of this study was to evaluate the growth and mycorrhiza colonization of Jatropha on decapitated soil that received organic materials and hydrogel. The experiment was conducted from May 2008 to May 2009, the Farm Education, Research and Extension (FEPE), UNESP - Univ. Estadual Paulista, Ilha Solteira Campus, located at Selvíria city-MS, Brazil. The experimental design was randomized blocks in factorial scheme 3x2x2, i.e., 3 treatments with organic materials (water hyacinth, compost and water hyacinth + compost), 2 hydrogel treatments (with and without addition) and 2 inoculations treatments (with and without inoculation) using natural soil from a preserved ‘cerrado’ area as a source of microorganisms, including mycorrhizal fungi, with 4 replications and 5 plants per each. The compound was prepared with materials pruning and cow dung. The growth of plants in 7 different times, the chemical characterization and number of spores in 4 times, and the percentage of mycorrhizal colonization, presence of flowers, branches and leaves and fresh and dry weight of air part was evaluated. Treatment with hydrogel showed no interference with the growth of plants; however, as well as the soilinoculum, they increased sporulation, root colonization and production of dry matter. The organic materials treatments positively altered the condition of the ground, plant growth, mycorrhizal colonization and sporulation; the improved performances... (Complete abstract click electronic access below)

The diploma thesis deals with self-healing of concrete composite. In the theoretical part, it represents the effect of polymer microfibers on reducing the development of cracks and on improving self-healing properties. It also describes the most commonly used types of bacteria used to enhance the self-healing process and their effect both alone and in interaction with fibers, calcium sources and absorbent additives. It also represents auxiliary additives in the form of superabsorbent polymers. In the practical part, it verifies the influence of the above elements and describes how much the self-healing of concrete has been enhanced by the use of combinations of fibers, absorbent polymers and a source of calcium in the form of calcium lactate. It also indicates whether the self-healing properties used were not improved at the expense of deteriorating the mechanical properties of the composite.