Surface mining is a major industry in eastern Tennessee that removes much of the native forest. To restore the forest, reclamation practices are used. These include planting a ground cover species with native hardwoods. Competition between the ground cover and tree species for soil resources could hinder growth and decrease survival of the trees. Northern red oak (Quercus rubra) was used for this study to examine the possible effects of this competition and the relationships between root growth and soil moisture through a field and a greenhouse experiment. A field experiment was designed using four different ground cover treatments (Soldiago nemoralis, Medicago sativa, Panicum virgatum, and bare ground) with four different hardwood species. Northern red oak was measured for this study. The results showed that the site physical factors (slope position, soil temperature, and soil moisture) were not related to each other. Soil moisture varied by depth with the lower depths (46 cm to 76 cm) was much higher than the upper depths (0 to 46 cm). Root growth did not differ by treatment or percent cover. Both soil temperature and ground cover percentage increased over the growing season. Root growth showed a relationship with depth with the upper depths of soil having more roots than the lower depths. Annual rye was used as well as switchgrass, alfalfa, and bare ground treatments for a green house study. Two-year-old Northern red oak seedlings were first planted in pots and then ground covers were established and grown for 9 weeks. Then water stress was imposed over two dry down periods during which transpiration and soil moisture were measured. Root growth was measured after harvest. The results showed a relationship between transpiration and soil moisture. Soil moisture was highest in the bare ground treatment and lowest in the annual rye treatment. Fine root development of trees was greatest in the bare and alfalfa and lowest in the annual rye. Switchgrass had the second highest soil moisture and third highest fine root development. Root growth was related to both soil moisture and transpiration.

Cette thèse, à dominante expérimentale, tente de décrire, de comprendre et de quantifier le transport sédimentaire pour un système torrentiel caractérisé par une forte pente et des conditions hydrauliques faibles. Une plateforme expérimentale a été mise en place et instrumentée. Elle permet de contrôler quatre paramètres du système : la pente du canal, le débit hydraulique, le débit solide et la granulométrie. La durée des expériences est suffisamment longue pour couvrir l'ensemble des fluctuations gouvernant le transport. L'étude de l'évolution d'un même mélange granulaire soumis à un forçage hydraulique fort, (Shield = 1.37 Shield critique) ou à un forçage hydraulique faible (Shield = 0.94 Shield critique) a permis de mettre en évidence, au sein des structures sédimentaires observées, deux classes de comportement différentes. Pour l'expérience à Faible Transport, le lit est globalement pavé au cours de la durée de l'expérience qui est de 110 heures. Des structures de type step-pools sont présentes et très stables, et contrôlent la dynamique de transport du système à court terme et à long terme. A court terme, le transport solide n'est pas uniforme mais s'effectue à travers des processus transitoires d'érosion et de dépôt « de proche en proche », associés respectivement à la destruction et à la formation de step-pools dans le système. A long terme, les step-pools conduisent à un pavage uniforme sur l'ensemble du canal. Des destructions périodiques de ce pavage de surface sont également observées et sont associées à une capacité de transport pour le système pouvant atteindre jusqu'à 15 fois le débit solide moyen. Pour l'expérience à Fort Transport, d'une durée de 92 heures, la morphologie du lit fluctue entre deux états extrêmes. Un lit plat dont la surface est formée de particules fines, à forte capacité de transport et un lit pavé à forte pente et à faible capacité de transport. Les step-pools ne sont, ici, que des états éphémères associés à la phase de transition du système qui sont rapidement détruits par les nappes de charriage. Ces dernières sont le mode principal de transport pour le système et expliquent les évolutions cycliques mesurées à court et à long terme. Enfin, nous avons étudié les conséquences des phénomènes décrits ci-dessus en conditions hors équilibre à forte pente. Nous avons pour cela réalisé deux expériences : une première expérience où nous étudions le cas d'un système en phase d'aggradation et une seconde où nous prenons le cas d'un système contrôlé par deux seuils de correction torrentielle. La première a nécessité une longue période afin que le système atteigne une condition d'équilibre dynamique : plus que 210 heures. L'équilibre local du système est atteint progressivement de l'amont vers l'aval, les parties les plus proches de l'alimentation atteignant en premiers l'état d'équilibre. De plus, pendant l'aggradation les fluctuations du système autour de la moyenne sont inférieures à celles mesurées pour un système à l'équilibre. La seconde expérience a montré que l'aménagement d'un système torrentiel avec des seuils peut avoir un impact non négligeable sur la quantité maximum de matériau transporté au cours d'un seul événement. Néanmoins, l'intensité maximale instantanée du transport et le comportement global du système à long terme ne sont en rien affectés par la présence de seuils. / This experimental thesis aims to describe, understand and quantify the sediment dynamics of a torrential system, characterized by steep slope and low hydraulic conditions. An experimental platform has been developed and instrumented for monitoring the channel slope, the water discharge, the feed solid discharge and the bed grain size distribution. The duration of the experiments were sufficiently long to cover all the fluctuations governing the bedload transport phenomenon. Two flow conditions were considered, in order to observe the bed dynamic under different forcing. A strong hydraulic forcing capable to move the bed pavement (Shield parameter = 1.37 Critical Shield parameter) was compared to a low hydraulic forcing supposed to not disturb the bed pavement (Shield Parameter = 0.94 Critical Shield Parameter). We measured for each case the sediment dynamic and associated bedforms. For the “Low Transport” experiment the bed was generally paved over all the duration of the experiment (110 hours). Bedforms similar to step-pools developed and were present for all the duration of the run. These macroforms seems to control the transport dynamic of the system in the short and long term. In the short term, bedload transport was not uniform. Instead, transient processes of erosion / deposition associated with the formation / destruction of step-pools were observed. In the long term, step-pools lead to the formation of a uniform paved bed on the whole channel length. Periodic destruction of bed pavement was also observed and associated with a transport capacity that could reach 15 times the value of average measured bedload transport. For the “High Transport” experiment (92 hours) the channel morphology fluctuates between two extremes. A flat bed characterised by highly mobile fine sediments and high transport capacity, and a steep paved bed corresponding to a low transport capacity. For this experiment step-pools were just a transitory state associated with the transition between the two extremes and they are quickly destroyed by the bedload sheets propagation. Bedload sheets were the main transport mode for the system. Their formation and propagation can explain the cyclical evolution of the system in the short and long term. We finally studied the consequences of the observed phenomena for non-equilibrium systems on steep slopes. We conducted two experiments: one in order to reproduce an aggradational system and the second to reproduce the dynamic of a system controlled by two check dams. A very long duration was necessary for reaching the dynamic equilibrium condition with the aggradational system (more than 210 hours). The local equilibrium was achieved gradually from upstream to downstream, with the flume sections closest to the feeding device attaining first the dynamic equilibrium. Experiments with check dams showed that this kind of slope correction can have a significant impact on the maximum amount of material transported during a single event. However, the maximum instantaneous transport and the long term sediment behaviour of the system are not affected by the presence of the check dams.

Apesar das vantagens relacionadas ao uso de estruturas de contenção em solo reforçado, a maioria das obras em nosso país ainda é executada por soluções convencionais. A ausência de um conhecimento mais profundo sobre o real comportamento das estruturas em solo reforçado, principalmente em termos de deslocamentos, certamente impede uma utilização mais intensa desse tipo de obra no Brasil. Com isso, para contribuir para um melhor entendimento do desempenho de estruturas em solo reforçado, foram construídos oito protótipos de estrutura de contenção em solo reforçado com geotêxtil, com 4,0 m de altura cada. Todas as estruturas foram instrumentadas, principalmente visando os deslocamentos, para avaliar o comportamento de campo. Adicionalmente, foi realizada a análise, em longo prazo, de um talude íngreme com 15,3 m de altura, construído no estado americano de Idaho, em que foram realizadas leituras até cinco anos após o fim da construção. Esse trabalho apresenta os resultados de cada protótipo construído, juntamente com os resultados do talude íngreme em Idaho, tanto em curto, quanto em longo prazo. As análises desenvolvidas compreendem, além da avaliação dos resultados individuais de cada estrutura, uma análise paramétrica entre todos os protótipos, investigando entre outros fatores, o tipo de solo, tipo de geossintético e geometria interna das estruturas. Além disso, foi realizada uma abordagem especial sobre a análise em longo prazo do protótipo 7. Dentre as conclusões mais importantes obtidas nesta pesquisa, podem-se citar as grandes deformações de fluência registradas no protótipo 7, a tendência de formação de uma superfície potencial de ruptura linear para os protótipos construídos com solo granular e de espiral logarítmica para os protótipos construídos com solos coesivos, a importância da coesão no bom comportamento das estruturas e a redução das movimentações verticais das estruturas com o acréscimo do teor de areia na granulometria do solo / Despite the important advantages associated with the use of geotextiles as reinforcement, most retaining walls in Brazil still use more conventional. The lack of field monitoring data regarding the internal and face displacements of these structures has certainly prevented broader use of this reinforced soil technology. This study addresses several aspects related to the behavior of geotextile-reinforced soil structures, such as the deformability of reinforcement materials under the confinement of soil, and quantification of the actual failure mechanisms. To achieve these goals, eight 4.0 m high geotextile-reinforced soil retaining wall prototypes were built and instrumented in order to quantify their behavior under ambient atmospheric conditions. Granular and poorly draining backfills were used in this study. Innovative construction methods and instrumentation were developed specifically for this research program. A significant laboratory testing program was conducted to quantify the stress-strain properties of the soils and geosynthetics involved in the construction of the walls. As a reference, the behaviors of these prototype structures were compared with that of a long term analysis of a steep slope in Idaho, USA. This wall is 15.3 m high, with displacement measurements carried out until five years after the end of the construction. A parametric analysis was conducted for the prototypes, in order to investigate the effects of soil type, reinforcement type and internal geometry of the structures. Among the most important conclusions obtained in this research, it is the large creep strains observed in prototype 7, the tendency of a linear potential slip surface observed for the walls constructed with granular backfills, and a log spiral slip surface for the prototypes constructed with cohesive backfills, the importance of the apparent cohesion in the behavior of the structures, and the reduction of the vertical movements of the structures with the increase of the amount of sand in the grain size distribution of the soil

Apesar das vantagens relacionadas ao uso de estruturas de contenção em solo reforçado, a maioria das obras em nosso país ainda é executada por soluções convencionais. A ausência de um conhecimento mais profundo sobre o real comportamento das estruturas em solo reforçado, principalmente em termos de deslocamentos, certamente impede uma utilização mais intensa desse tipo de obra no Brasil. Com isso, para contribuir para um melhor entendimento do desempenho de estruturas em solo reforçado, foram construídos oito protótipos de estrutura de contenção em solo reforçado com geotêxtil, com 4,0 m de altura cada. Todas as estruturas foram instrumentadas, principalmente visando os deslocamentos, para avaliar o comportamento de campo. Adicionalmente, foi realizada a análise, em longo prazo, de um talude íngreme com 15,3 m de altura, construído no estado americano de Idaho, em que foram realizadas leituras até cinco anos após o fim da construção. Esse trabalho apresenta os resultados de cada protótipo construído, juntamente com os resultados do talude íngreme em Idaho, tanto em curto, quanto em longo prazo. As análises desenvolvidas compreendem, além da avaliação dos resultados individuais de cada estrutura, uma análise paramétrica entre todos os protótipos, investigando entre outros fatores, o tipo de solo, tipo de geossintético e geometria interna das estruturas. Além disso, foi realizada uma abordagem especial sobre a análise em longo prazo do protótipo 7. Dentre as conclusões mais importantes obtidas nesta pesquisa, podem-se citar as grandes deformações de fluência registradas no protótipo 7, a tendência de formação de uma superfície potencial de ruptura linear para os protótipos construídos com solo granular e de espiral logarítmica para os protótipos construídos com solos coesivos, a importância da coesão no bom comportamento das estruturas e a redução das movimentações verticais das estruturas com o acréscimo do teor de areia na granulometria do solo / Despite the important advantages associated with the use of geotextiles as reinforcement, most retaining walls in Brazil still use more conventional. The lack of field monitoring data regarding the internal and face displacements of these structures has certainly prevented broader use of this reinforced soil technology. This study addresses several aspects related to the behavior of geotextile-reinforced soil structures, such as the deformability of reinforcement materials under the confinement of soil, and quantification of the actual failure mechanisms. To achieve these goals, eight 4.0 m high geotextile-reinforced soil retaining wall prototypes were built and instrumented in order to quantify their behavior under ambient atmospheric conditions. Granular and poorly draining backfills were used in this study. Innovative construction methods and instrumentation were developed specifically for this research program. A significant laboratory testing program was conducted to quantify the stress-strain properties of the soils and geosynthetics involved in the construction of the walls. As a reference, the behaviors of these prototype structures were compared with that of a long term analysis of a steep slope in Idaho, USA. This wall is 15.3 m high, with displacement measurements carried out until five years after the end of the construction. A parametric analysis was conducted for the prototypes, in order to investigate the effects of soil type, reinforcement type and internal geometry of the structures. Among the most important conclusions obtained in this research, it is the large creep strains observed in prototype 7, the tendency of a linear potential slip surface observed for the walls constructed with granular backfills, and a log spiral slip surface for the prototypes constructed with cohesive backfills, the importance of the apparent cohesion in the behavior of the structures, and the reduction of the vertical movements of the structures with the increase of the amount of sand in the grain size distribution of the soil

Submitted by Renata Lopes (renatasil82@gmail.com) on 2015-12-07T12:18:46Z No. of bitstreams: 1 catarinamattosbarbosadeoliveira.pdf: 10196740 bytes, checksum: bcd6015af6ac1fe57d36299302b84bbf (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Adriana Oliveira (adriana.oliveira@ufjf.edu.br) on 2015-12-07T21:40:03Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 catarinamattosbarbosadeoliveira.pdf: 10196740 bytes, checksum: bcd6015af6ac1fe57d36299302b84bbf (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2015-12-07T21:40:03Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 catarinamattosbarbosadeoliveira.pdf: 10196740 bytes, checksum: bcd6015af6ac1fe57d36299302b84bbf (MD5) Previous issue date: 2015-01-26 / Sabendo-se que grande parte da população mundial vive em áreas geologicamente desfavoráveis e desprovidas de qualquer planejamento, esta dissertação apresenta uma pesquisa cuja temática é atual e de grande relevância no contexto urbano. Tal fato foi e continua sendo determinado pelo crescimento acelerado do processo de urbanização aliado à falta de controle e planejamento adequados ao uso do solo urbano. O objetivo principal deste trabalho é propor alternativas para a gestão das águas pluviais em comunidades de risco, estabelecidas em assentamentos precários, localizadas em áreas com infraestrutura insatisfatória e ambiente degradado, que contribuam para a redução de riscos da comunidade. A metodologia aplicada inicialmente é baseada em uma revisão bibliográfica multidisciplinar, que explora o contexto histórico, a formação, a natureza, as relações, os valores sociais e políticos, os conceitos, os riscos dos desastres naturais. Num segundo momento e tendo como base os conceitos teóricos sobre as soluções técnicas para drenagem superficial das águas pluviais e as condicionantes teóricas que validam essas soluções, foi aplicada uma nova metodologia através da elaboração de uma matriz de decisão adaptada da Metodologia para Desenvolvimento do Produto. Através da seleção de conceitos de produto, o somatório dos valores adotados para as condicionantes da matriz de decisão determinou o produto ou o conjunto de produtos passíveis de serem aplicados na gestão das águas pluviais em encostas acentuadas. Após a identificação das soluções viáveis, foi elaborada uma proposição de intervenção em local específico, tendo como base para a seleção da região, os dados das áreas de grau de risco a deslizamentos determinados pela Subsecretaria de Defesa Civil do município. / Given that much of the world's population lives in geologically unfavorable areas and devoid of any planning, this dissertation presents a research whose theme is current and highly relevant in the urban context. This fact has been and continues to be determined by the rapid growth of urbanization together with the lack of control and planning appropriate to the use of urban land. The main objective of this work is to propose alternatives for the management of stormwater at risk communities, established in slums located in areas with poor infrastructure and degraded environment, contributing to the community risk reduction. The methodology applied is initially based on a multidisciplinary literature review, which explores the historical background, training, nature, relationships, social and political values, concepts, the risks of natural disasters. Secondly, and based on the theoretical concepts of technical solutions for surface drainage of rainwater and the theoretical conditions that validate these solutions was applied a new methodology by developing a tailored decision matrix methodology for product development. By selecting product concepts, the sum of the values adopted for the constraints of decision matrix determined the product or set of products which can be applied in the management of rainwater on steep slopes. After the identification of viable solutions, an intervention proposition in a specific location was drawn up, taking as a basis for selection of the region, the data of risk degree of areas to mudslides determined by the Civil Defence Secretariat of the municipality.