Orientador: Sílvio Jorge Coelho Simões / Coorientadora: Isabel Cristina de Barros Trannin / Banca: Luiz Fernando Costa Nascimento / Banca: Marcelo dos Santos Targa / Banca: Paulo Augusto Romera e Silva / Banca: Suely Yoshinaga Pereira / Resumo: Conhecer o potencial de produção de sedimentos é imprescindível na análise da viabilidade de implantação de uma Pequena Central Hidrelétrica (PCH), para que não haja comprometimento da longevidade e da eficiência do empreendimento. Esse estudo foi desenvolvido na bacia hidrográfica contribuinte da PCH Costa Rica (MS), de aproximadamente 1.200 km², que apresenta escassez de dados de séries históricas de dados hidrológicos e hidrossedimentológicos, o que consiste em desafio para a obtenção de resultados com grau de confiabilidade e passíveis de serem replicados. O objetivo desse estudo foi avaliar o potencial de perda de solo e produção de sedimentos por meio de modelagem utilizando o software Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) e geotecnologias de Sistemas de Informações Geográficas (SIG). Os resultados demonstraram uma elevada produção de sedimentos na bacia contribuinte da PCH Costa Rica, com valores totais que alcançaram 1.049.522 Mg ano-1, o correspondente a 8,43 Mg ha-1ano-1 e equivalente a perda de uma camada contínua de solo de 0,0566 mm por ano. A modelagem pelo SWAT e o uso de geotecnologias foram eficientes na avaliação e quantificação do potencial de perdas de solo e de contribuição para o assoreamento de reservatórios de hidrelétricas, mesmo em cenário de escassez de dados de séries históricas. A utilização do SWAT para a modelagem da bacia apresentou nos valores dos dados simulados e observados uma correlação ou momento de Pearson forte e positiva (acima de 0,6) e moderada positiva (entre 0,3 e 0,6) para calibração e validação respectivamente, o que permite utilizar os dados quantitativos de sedimentos gerados na bacia e identificar quais sub-bacias apresentam maiores taxas de produção de sedimentos. A avaliação das mudanças no uso do solo entre os anos de 1984 e 2011 demonstrou que além ...( Resumo completo, clicar acesso eletrônico abaixo) / Abstract: Knowledge about potential sediment production is essential for the feasibility analysis to implement a Small Hydropower Plant (PCH, in Portuguese) for long term efficient operation. This study was developed in the PCH Costa Rica (MS) watershed, with approximately 1,200 km² that has limited historical series of hydrological and hydrosedimentological data what make reliable estimations and replication of results difficult. This study aimed to predict the potential soil loss and sediment yield using a model based on the software Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) and Geographic Information Systems (GIS) techniques. The results showed that the PCH Costa Rica watershed has a high potential to produce sediments, with total amount reaching 1,049,522 Mg year-1, corresponding to 8.43 Mg ha-1 yr-1 and a continuous loss of soil layer of 0.0566 mm yr-1. SWAT modeling and geo-technologies were efficient in the evaluation and quantification of potential soil loss and sediment production in this watershed, even in a scenario of limited data. Modeling watershed using SWAT resulted in strong positive range (above 0.6) of Pearson correlation between simulated and observed values and moderate positive values (0.3 to 0.6) for the calibration and validation, respectively. This allows quantitative estimations of sediments generated in the watershed and identification of sub-basins with higher rates of sediment production by modeling. The assessment of changes in land use between 1984 and 2011 showed that in addition to the natural vulnerability of physical environment, the conversion of Savannah vegetation to agricultural use, without conservation practices, increased the erosion rates in recent decades, compromising the performance of PCH Costa Rica for energy production / Doutor

Soil-reinforcement technology has become an acceptable approach for constructing earth structures. Development in the industry of polymer based reinforcements (geosynthetics) provided the necessary products to advance this technology Limit state design of soil-reinforced continuum does not account for the characteristic kinematic and constitutive behavior of the different elements that constitute a reinforced-soil mass. In the mean time, finite element modeling, which is a powerful numerical tool, provides a scheme of analysis that is capable of predicting the overall performance of a reinforced-soil continuum. Different finite element models have been reported in the literature for modeling soil/geosynthetic interaction in reinforced-earth structures. However, most of these attempts do not fully represent the possible modes of shear mobilization that may develop along different types of soil/geosynthetic interfaces. Possible numerical problems were also associated with most of these models This research provides a new approach for the finite element modeling of soil/geosynthetic interaction in reinforced earth works. The proposed approach is based on the actual interaction behavior experienced in different experimental and theoretical studies presented in the literature over the past three decades The model was numerically tested versus the results of actual laboratory and field tests conducted on soil/geotextile and soil/geogrid pullout tests. The results of the numerical analyses complied with the actual measurements indicating the reliability of the model. A new computer program, TU-INTERACT incorporating the new model, was developed to simulate the behavior of full-scale reinforced-earth structures. The program was used to perform a class-C prediction for the field behavior of a full-scale test section of a levee located in New Orleans, Louisiana. The numerical model yielded good predictions of the field measurements A parametric study was conducted on virtual scenarios to investigate the effect of the different control parameters of soil/geosynthetic interactions on the overall behavior of reinforced-soil masses, and to further examine the sensitivity of the proposed model to the changes in such parameters. Results of this study yielded logical behavior that conformed with the expected real performance of reinforced earth structures / acase@tulane.edu

abstract: A new analytical method is proposed for measuring the deuterium to hydrogen ratio (D/H) of non-stoichiometric water in hydrous minerals via pyrolysis facilitated gas-chromatography - isotope ratio mass spectrometry (GC-IRMS). Previously published analytical methods have reported a poorly understood nonlinear dependence of D/H on sample size, for which any accurate correction is difficult. This sample size effect been variously attributed to kinetic isotope fractionation within the mass spectrometer and peripheral instruments, ion source linearity issues, and an unstable H_3^+-factor or incorrect H_3^+-factor calculations. The cause of the sample size effect is here identified by examinations of individual chromatograms as well as bulk data from chromatographic peaks. It is here determined that it is primarily an artifact of the calculations employed by the manufacturer's computer program, used to both monitor the functions of the mass spectrometer and to collect data. Ancillary causes of the sample size effect include a combination of persistent background interferences and chromatographic separation of the isotopologues of molecular hydrogen. Previously published methods are evaluated in light of these findings. A new method of H_3^+-factor and D/H calculation is proposed which makes portions of the Isodat software as well as other published calculation methods unnecessary. Using this new method, D/H is measured in non-stoichiometric water in chert from the Cretaceous Edwards Group, Texas, as well as the Precambrian Kromberg Formation, South Africa, to assess hydrological conditions as well as to estimate the maximum average surface temperature during precipitation of the chert. Data from Cretaceous chert are consistent with previously published data and interpretations, based upon conventional analyses of large samples. Data from Precambrian chert are consistent with maximum average surface temperatures approaching 65°C during the Archean, instead of the much lower temperatures derived from erroneous methods of sample preparation and analysis. D/H is likewise measured in non-stoichiometric water in silicified basalt from the Precambrian Hooggenoeg Complex, South Africa. Data are shown to be consistent with D/H of the Archean ocean similar to present day values. / Dissertation/Thesis / M.S. Geological Sciences 2011

abstract: A method for evaluating the integrity of geosynthetic elements of a waste containment system subject to seismic loading is developed using a large strain finite difference numerical computer program. The method accounts for the effect of interaction between the geosynthetic elements and the overlying waste on seismic response and allows for explicit calculation of forces and strains in the geosynthetic elements. Based upon comparison of numerical results to experimental data, an elastic-perfectly plastic interface model is demonstrated to adequately reproduce the cyclic behavior of typical geomembrane-geotextile and geomembrane-geomembrane interfaces provided the appropriate interface properties are used. New constitutive models are developed for the in-plane cyclic shear behavior of textured geomembrane/geosynthetic clay liner (GMX/GCL) interfaces and GCLs. The GMX/GCL model is an empirical model and the GCL model is a kinematic hardening, isotropic softening multi yield surface plasticity model. Both new models allows for degradation in the cyclic shear resistance from a peak to a large displacement shear strength. The ability of the finite difference model to predict forces and strains in a geosynthetic element modeled as a beam element with zero moment of inertia sandwiched between two interface elements is demonstrated using hypothetical models of a heap leach pad and two typical landfill configurations. The numerical model is then used to conduct back analyses of the performance of two lined municipal solid waste (MSW) landfills subjected to strong ground motions in the Northridge earthquake. The modulus reduction "backbone curve" employed with the Masing criterion and 2% Rayleigh damping to model the cyclic behavior of MSW was established by back-analysis of the response of the Operating Industries Inc. landfill to five different earthquakes, three small magnitude nearby events and two larger magnitude distant events. The numerical back analysis was able to predict the tears observed in the Chiquita Canyon Landfill liner system after the earthquake if strain concentrations due to seams and scratches in the geomembrane are taken into account. The apparent good performance of the Lopez Canyon landfill geomembrane and the observed tension in the overlying geotextile after the Northridge event was also successfully predicted using the numerical model. / Dissertation/Thesis / Ph.D. Civil and Environmental Engineering 2011

abstract: The structural design of pavements in both highways and airfields becomes complex when one considers environmental effects and ground water table variation. Environmental effects have been incorporated on the new Mechanistic-Empirical Pavement Design Guide (MEPDG) but little has been done to incorporate environmental effects on airfield design. This work presents a developed code produced from this research study called ZAPRAM, which is a mechanistically based pavement model based upon Limiting Strain Criteria in airfield HMA pavement design procedures. ZAPRAM is capable of pavement and airfield design analyses considering environmental effects. The program has been coded in Visual Basic and implemented in an event-driven, user-friendly educational computer program, which runs in Excel environment. Several studies were conducted in order to insure the validity of the analysis as well as the efficiency of the software. The first study yielded the minimum threshold number of computational points the user should use at a specific depth within the pavement system. The second study was completed to verify the correction factor for the Odemark's transformed thickness equation. Default correction factors were included in the code base on a large comparative study between Odemark's and MLET. A third study was conducted to provide a comparison of flexible airfield pavement design thicknesses derived from three widely accepted design procedures used in practice today: the Asphalt Institute, Shell Oil, and the revised Corps of Engineering rutting failure criteria to calculate the thickness requirements necessary for a range of design input variables. The results of the comparative study showed that there is a significant difference between the pavement thicknesses obtained from the three design procedures, with the greatest deviation found between the Shell Oil approach and the other two criteria. Finally, a comprehensive sensitivity study of environmental site factors and the groundwater table depth upon flexible airfield pavement design and performance was completed. The study used the newly revised USACE failure criteria for subgrade shear deformation. The methodology utilized the same analytical methodology to achieve real time environmental effects upon unbound layer modulus, as that used in the new AASHTO MEPDG. The results of this effort showed, for the first time, the quantitative impact of the significant effects of the climatic conditions at the design site, coupled with the importance of the depth of the groundwater table, on the predicted design thicknesses. Significant cost savings appear to be quite reasonable by utilizing principles of unsaturated soil mechanics into the new airfield pavement design procedure found in program ZAPRAM. / Dissertation/Thesis / M.S. Civil and Environmental Engineering 2011

Geoengineering has attracted large attention over recent years as to being a possible way to ameliorate some of the effects of climate change. One of the proposals, involving injecting sulphate aerosols into the stratosphere in order to cool Earth's temperature back to pre-industrial levels, has been assessed as one of the leading geoengineering proposals. Despite this, large uncertainties remain in both the physical and social sciences. Small scale trials of sulphate aerosol injection are not seen as ways to provide large amounts of useful data to inform on the climate response to stratospheric sulphate aerosol loading (whilst also facing many social and ethical barriers). Large scale trials involving injecting amounts of aerosol more comparable to what would be required to cool the Earth's temperature back to pre-industrial levels are viewed as too risky. Assessments of the climate effects of sulphate aerosol geoengineering by the scientific community therefore have largely relied on climate modelling studies. The thesis begins by reviewing sulphate aerosol geoengineering and the modelling that have been conducted to date. In light of the need to verify modelling results with observations the thesis seeks to understand the effects of nature's analogue to sulphate aerosol geoengineering: large volcanic eruptions. When a volcano erupts it can inject large amounts of SO2 gas into the stratosphere, which then undergo conversion to form sulphate aerosol, cooling the Earth in a way analogous to sulphate aerosol engineering. The ability of the climate models submitted to the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project 5 (CMIP5) database is assessed, with a particular focus on dynamical changes in the Northern Hemisphere winter period. These models fail to capture the observed NH dynamical response following eruptions, which is of concern for the accuracy of geoengineering modelling studies that assess the atmospheric response to sulphate aerosol geoengineering. Simulations of volcanic eruptions are then performed with high-top and low-top configurations of the HadGEM2-CC climate model. The high-top version of HadGEM2-CC, with enhanced vertical resolution and model height, gives a markedly improved and statistically significant post-volcanic winter dynamical simulation to its low-top counterpart. The post-winter dynamical simulation in the high-top model agrees with the observed response following volcanic eruptions. Accordingly, mechanisms involved in the dynamical changes are analysed and it is concluded that the HadGEM2-CC high-top model would give more confident simulations of sulphate aerosol geoengineering over its low-top counterpart. Given the identification of a more suitable model for geoengineering simulations following extensive investigation, the final chapter analyses simulations of the HadGEM2-CC high-top model for asymmetries between the climate response to an immediate onset of geoengineering and a rapid cessation of geoengineering - known as a 'termination' of geoengineering. The project is summarised and discussed, and future work is proposed, involving a large host of projects.

Made available in DSpace on 2015-12-10T14:24:32Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2015-08-27. Added 1 bitstream(s) on 2015-12-10T14:30:45Z : No. of bitstreams: 1 000851858.pdf: 11950164 bytes, checksum: f65771d80b292da7905a518775f2d6c5 (MD5) / Conhecer o potencial de produção de sedimentos é imprescindível na análise da viabilidade de implantação de uma Pequena Central Hidrelétrica (PCH), para que não haja comprometimento da longevidade e da eficiência do empreendimento. Esse estudo foi desenvolvido na bacia hidrográfica contribuinte da PCH Costa Rica (MS), de aproximadamente 1.200 km², que apresenta escassez de dados de séries históricas de dados hidrológicos e hidrossedimentológicos, o que consiste em desafio para a obtenção de resultados com grau de confiabilidade e passíveis de serem replicados. O objetivo desse estudo foi avaliar o potencial de perda de solo e produção de sedimentos por meio de modelagem utilizando o software Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) e geotecnologias de Sistemas de Informações Geográficas (SIG). Os resultados demonstraram uma elevada produção de sedimentos na bacia contribuinte da PCH Costa Rica, com valores totais que alcançaram 1.049.522 Mg ano-1, o correspondente a 8,43 Mg ha-1ano-1 e equivalente a perda de uma camada contínua de solo de 0,0566 mm por ano. A modelagem pelo SWAT e o uso de geotecnologias foram eficientes na avaliação e quantificação do potencial de perdas de solo e de contribuição para o assoreamento de reservatórios de hidrelétricas, mesmo em cenário de escassez de dados de séries históricas. A utilização do SWAT para a modelagem da bacia apresentou nos valores dos dados simulados e observados uma correlação ou momento de Pearson forte e positiva (acima de 0,6) e moderada positiva (entre 0,3 e 0,6) para calibração e validação respectivamente, o que permite utilizar os dados quantitativos de sedimentos gerados na bacia e identificar quais sub-bacias apresentam maiores taxas de produção de sedimentos. A avaliação das mudanças no uso do solo entre os anos de 1984 e 2011 demonstrou que além ...( Resumo completo, clicar acesso eletrônico abaixo) / Knowledge about potential sediment production is essential for the feasibility analysis to implement a Small Hydropower Plant (PCH, in Portuguese) for long term efficient operation. This study was developed in the PCH Costa Rica (MS) watershed, with approximately 1,200 km² that has limited historical series of hydrological and hydrosedimentological data what make reliable estimations and replication of results difficult. This study aimed to predict the potential soil loss and sediment yield using a model based on the software Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) and Geographic Information Systems (GIS) techniques. The results showed that the PCH Costa Rica watershed has a high potential to produce sediments, with total amount reaching 1,049,522 Mg year-1, corresponding to 8.43 Mg ha-1 yr-1 and a continuous loss of soil layer of 0.0566 mm yr-1. SWAT modeling and geo-technologies were efficient in the evaluation and quantification of potential soil loss and sediment production in this watershed, even in a scenario of limited data. Modeling watershed using SWAT resulted in strong positive range (above 0.6) of Pearson correlation between simulated and observed values and moderate positive values (0.3 to 0.6) for the calibration and validation, respectively. This allows quantitative estimations of sediments generated in the watershed and identification of sub-basins with higher rates of sediment production by modeling. The assessment of changes in land use between 1984 and 2011 showed that in addition to the natural vulnerability of physical environment, the conversion of Savannah vegetation to agricultural use, without conservation practices, increased the erosion rates in recent decades, compromising the performance of PCH Costa Rica for energy production

Made available in DSpace on 2015-07-13T12:10:26Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2014-04-14. Added 1 bitstream(s) on 2015-07-13T12:25:12Z : No. of bitstreams: 1 000837546.pdf: 2047695 bytes, checksum: 0361cdd91f7713227ddfe1240708c3fb (MD5) / Este trabalho adapta o equipamento que realiza ensaio de fluência confinada em conjunto com a elevação da temperatura para que ele possa realizar ensaios de resistência à tração nas mesmas condições (confinada-aquecida). O objetivo desta pesquisa visa à modificação do equipamento fazendo com que este possibilite a comparação do comportamento de resistência à tração do geossintético em variados formatos de ensaio e em diferentes configurações de amostras. O equipamento também traz a possibilidade de verificar como ocorre a deformação do material ao decorrer do carregamento. Os ensaios foram realizados em geogrelhas biaxiais e divididos em duas baterias: a primeira avaliou o comportamento do material em diferentes temperaturas de forma confinada e isolada; na segunda, os materiais foram testados de forma isolada e em temperatura ambiente (sem elevação da temperatura de ensaio no sistema). Os ensaios confinados resultaram em valores mais elevados de resistência à tração que os ensaios convencionais. Pode-se observar também que a temperatura não altera de forma significativa os resultados quando o material é exposto a ela durante um curto período de tempo. A variabilidade dos corpos de prova pouco influenciou nos resultados. Por outro lado, o comportamento da geogrelha se mostrou diferenciado quando observada áreas distintas do material através dos métodos de aquisição de dados utilizados / This study adapting equipment that performs the confined creep tests simultaneously with the rise in temperature so that it can perform tensile strength tests under the same conditions (confined-heated). This research aims at the modification of the equipment causing it enables the comparison of geosynthetic tensile performance in various tests formats and in different settings samples. The device also brings the possibility of check how is the material strain during the loading. The tests were performed in biaxial geogrids and divided into two types of test: the first evaluated the performance of the material confined in different temperatures and isolation; in the second, the materials were tested in isolation and at room temperature (without elevation of the test temperature in the system). Confined tests resulted in higher values of tensile strength than conventional ones. It can also be seen that the temperature did not fundamentally modify the results when the material is exposed to it for a short period of time. The variability of the samples had small effect on the results. Moreover, the geogrid showed different behavior observed when different areas of the material through the data acquisition methods

Orientador: José Augusto de Lollo / Co-orientador: Fagner Alexandre Nunes de França / Banca: Adriano Souza / Banca: Fernando Henrique Martins Portelinha / Resumo: Este trabalho adapta o equipamento que realiza ensaio de fluência confinada em conjunto com a elevação da temperatura para que ele possa realizar ensaios de resistência à tração nas mesmas condições (confinada-aquecida). O objetivo desta pesquisa visa à modificação do equipamento fazendo com que este possibilite a comparação do comportamento de resistência à tração do geossintético em variados formatos de ensaio e em diferentes configurações de amostras. O equipamento também traz a possibilidade de verificar como ocorre a deformação do material ao decorrer do carregamento. Os ensaios foram realizados em geogrelhas biaxiais e divididos em duas baterias: a primeira avaliou o comportamento do material em diferentes temperaturas de forma confinada e isolada; na segunda, os materiais foram testados de forma isolada e em temperatura ambiente (sem elevação da temperatura de ensaio no sistema). Os ensaios confinados resultaram em valores mais elevados de resistência à tração que os ensaios convencionais. Pode-se observar também que a temperatura não altera de forma significativa os resultados quando o material é exposto a ela durante um curto período de tempo. A variabilidade dos corpos de prova pouco influenciou nos resultados. Por outro lado, o comportamento da geogrelha se mostrou diferenciado quando observada áreas distintas do material através dos métodos de aquisição de dados utilizados / Abstract: This study adapting equipment that performs the confined creep tests simultaneously with the rise in temperature so that it can perform tensile strength tests under the same conditions (confined-heated). This research aims at the modification of the equipment causing it enables the comparison of geosynthetic tensile performance in various tests formats and in different settings samples. The device also brings the possibility of check how is the material strain during the loading. The tests were performed in biaxial geogrids and divided into two types of test: the first evaluated the performance of the material confined in different temperatures and isolation; in the second, the materials were tested in isolation and at room temperature (without elevation of the test temperature in the system). Confined tests resulted in higher values of tensile strength than conventional ones. It can also be seen that the temperature did not fundamentally modify the results when the material is exposed to it for a short period of time. The variability of the samples had small effect on the results. Moreover, the geogrid showed different behavior observed when different areas of the material through the data acquisition methods / Mestre

abstract: The objective of the research is to develop guidelines for identifying when settlement or seismic loading presents a threat to the integrity of geosynthetic elements for both side slope and cover systems in landfills, and advance further investigation for parameters which influence the strains in the barrier systems. A numerical model of landfill with different side slope inclinations are developed by the two-dimensional explicit finite difference program FLAC 7.0, beam elements with a hyperbolic stress-strain relationship, zero moment of inertia, and interface elements on both sides were used to model the geosynthetic barrier systems. The resulting numerical model demonstrates the load-displacement behavior of geosynthetic interfaces, including whole liner systems and dynamic shear response. It is also through the different results in strains from the influences of slope angle and interface friction of geosynthetic liners to develop implications for engineering practice and recommendations for static and seismic design of waste containment systems. / Dissertation/Thesis / M.S. Civil Engineering 2013