<p>Developing a reliable in-situ non-destructive testing method to determine the strength of in-place concrete is critical because a fast-paced construction schedule exposes concrete pavement and/or structures undergoing substantial loading conditions, even at their early ages. Conventional destructive testing methods, such as compressive and flexural tests, are very time-consuming, which may cause construction delays or cost overruns. Moreover, the curing conditions of the tested cylindrical samples and the in-place concrete pavement/structures are quite different, which may result in different strength values. An NDT method that could directly correlate the mechanical properties of cementitious materials with the sensing results, regardless of the curing conditions, mix design, and size effect is needed for the in-situ application.</p><p>The piezoelectric sensor-based electromechanical impedance (EMI) technique has shown promise in addressing this challenge as it has been used to both monitor properties and detect damages on the concrete structure. Due to the direct and inverse effects of piezoelectric, this material can act as a sensor, actuator, and transducer. This research serves as a comprehensive study to investigate the feasibility and efficiency of using piezoelectric sensor-based EMI to evaluate the strength of newly poured concrete. To understand the fundamentals of this method and enhance the durability of the sensor for in-situ monitoring, this work started with sensor fabrication. It has studied two types of polymer coating on the effect of the durability of the sensor to make it practical to be used in the field.</p><p>The mortar and concrete samples with various mix designs were prepared to ascertain whether the results of the proposed sensing technique were affected by the different mixtures. The EMI measurement and compressive strength testing methods (ASTM C39, ASTM C109) were conducted in the laboratory. The experimental results of mortar samples with different water-to-cement ratios (W/C) and two types of cement (I and III) showed that the correlation coefficient (R²) is higher than 0.93 for all mixes. In the concrete experiments, the correlation coefficient between the EMI sensing index and compressive strength of all mixes is higher than 0.90. The empirical estimation function was established through a concrete slab experiment. Moreover, several trial implementations on highway construction projects (I-70, I-74, and I-465) were conducted to monitor the real-time strength development of concrete. The data processing method and the reliable index of EMI sensing were developed to establish the regression model to correlate the sensing results with the compressive strength of concrete. It has been found that the EMI sensing method and its related statistical index can effectively reflect the compressive strength gain of in-place concrete at different ages.</p><p>To further investigate the in-situ compressive strength of concrete for large-scale structures, we conducted a series of large concrete slabs with the dimension of 8 feet × 12 feet × 8 inches in depth was conducted at outdoor experiments field to simulate real-world conditions. Different types of compressive strength samples, including cast-in-place (CIP) cylinder (4” × 6”) – (ASTM C873), field molded cylinder (4” × 8”) – (ASTM C39), and core drilled sample (4” × 8”) – (ASTM C42) were prepared to compare the compressive strength of concrete. The environmental conditions, such as ambient temperatures and relative humidity, were also recorded. The in-situ EMI monitoring of concrete strength was also conducted. The testing ages in this study were started from 6 hours after the concrete cast was put in place to investigate the early age results and continued up to 365 days (one year) later for long-term monitoring. The results indicate that the strength of the CIP sample is higher than the 4” x 8” molded cylinder , and that core drilled concrete is weaker than the two aforementioned. The EMI results obtained from the slab are close to those obtained from CIP due to similar curing conditions. The EMI results collected from 4 × 8-inch cylinder samples are lower than slab and CIP, which aligns with the mechanical testing results and indicates that EMI could capture the strength gain of concrete over time.</p><p>The consequent database collected from the large slab tests was used to build a prediction model for concrete strength. The Artificial Neuron Network (ANN) was investigated and experimented with to optimize the prediction of performances. Then, a sensitivity analysis was conducted to discuss and understand the critical parameters to predict the mechanical properties of concrete using the ML model. A framework using Generative Adversarial Network (GAN) based on algorithms was then proposed to overcome real data usage restrictions. Two types of GAN algorithms were selected for the data synthesis in the research: Tabular Generative Adversarial Networks (TGAN) and Conditional Tabular Generative Adversarial Networks (CTGAN). The testing results suggested that the CTGAN-NN model shows improved testing performances and higher computational efficiency than the TGAN model. In conclusion, the AI-guided concrete strength sensing and prediction approaches developed in this dissertation will be a steppingstone towards accomplishing the reliable and intelligent assessment of in-situ concrete structures.</p><br>

Throughout the scientific world the topic of cannabis usage and its link with psychosis seems to be discussed intensively. Considering the fact that the Czech Republic is a country with one of the highest prevalence of cannabis usage in the world it becomes a sensitive issue even in our circumstances. In the theoretical part of the work we attempted to review current knowledge of a link between cannabinoid system, canabis usage and psychosis and to point out possible future therapeutic potential of cannabinoids in the treatment of psychotic diseases. In the practical part of the work we focused on verification of propsychotic features of THC in animal model with particular attention to validation of acute subcutaneous admonistration of this drug as a novel cannabinoid model of psychosis. At the same time we tried to elucidate antipsychotic effect of CBD in this model. We tested these hypotheses in two behavioral tests (open field test, PPI ASR) and electrophysiologically (quantitative EEG). The whole analysis is enriched with pharmacokinetic data from subcutanneous and oral administration of cannabinoids. Powered by TCPDF (www.tcpdf.org)

[pt] um depósito de solos muito moles da Barra da Tijuca (Baixada de Jacarepaguá), que pertence a uma planície costeira do Rio de Janeiro (RJ). O perfil de solos muito moles de fundação possuía até 17 m de espessura, caracterizados pelo Nspt igual a 0. O aterro foi construído em etapas e os recalques foram acelerados com a instalação de drenos verticais pré-fabricados na fundação. A construção do aterro durou cerca de 1,5 ano e foi monitorada por meio de instrumentação geotécnica. Campanhas de ensaios de campo e laboratório foram realizadas para determinação das características geotécnicas dos solos. Dez amostras foram coletadas em dois furos verticais de duas localidades virgens do depósito. Para evitar o amolgamento, cada etapa do processo de amostragem, desde a coleta até a moldagem dos corpos de prova, foi conduzida tomando-se cuidados especiais. Os corpos de prova foram moldados nas condições indeformada (horizontal e vertical) e completamente amolgada. Os procedimentos de moldagem dos corpos de prova foram associados à excelente qualidade da maioria dos corpos de prova moldados e por isso foram descritos detalhadamente. Todas as conclusões do trabalho levaram em consideração apenas os resultados dos ensaios realizados com corpos de prova considerados de excelente qualidade. Os ensaios de campo foram realizados em furos adjacentes aos furos onde foram coletadas as amostras indeformadas e na mesma região em que foram instalados grupos de instrumentos geotécnicos. A análise dos resultados dos ensaios de campo e laboratório e dos registros da instrumentação revela a existência de dois horizontes de solos muito moles que exibem características distintas e são separados por uma lente de areia contínua. O solo do horizonte superior (até 5 m de profundidade), que provavelmente foi formado após um período geológico de descarregamento do horizonte inferior, é caracterizado pelas condições de baixas tensões efetivas. O solo do horizonte inferior também está sob baixas tensões efetivas, contudo com uma tensão de préadensamento caracterizada pela diferença sp - sv0 25 kPa (constante com a profundidade), a qual pode ser associada ao mecanismo de carregamento e descarregamento mecânico. Uma correlação entre OCR (obtidas em ensaios de adensamento) e a razão Su/s’v0 (obtidas de ensaios de palheta e CPTu) foi atualizada para os solos do depósito. A alta compressibilidade dos solos foi confirmada pelos dados da instrumentação do aterro que mostraram recalques superficiais da ordem de 50 por cento da espessura do aterro (4,5 m). Os valores de Ca/Cc para os solos do depósito foram superiores aos valores característicos da maioria dos solos que se tem registro. Relações práticas para descrever a permeabilidade dos solos foram atualizadas. Os coeficientes de adensamento dos solos foram determinados por diversas formas e os resultados dos mesmos, apesar de apresentarem grande variabilidade (até dez vezes), não mostraram tendência quando os valores de campo (ensaios e dados de instrumentação) e laboratório foram comparados. O amolgamento dos corpos de prova afetou as características de permeabilidade e compressibilidade (primária e secundária) dos solos de ambos horizontes, mas os efeitos do mesmo foram mais severos nos solos do horizonte inferior. Uma previsão numérica, na qual se adotou um modelo para solo mole com fluência e foram considerados os parâmetros de laboratório, superestimaram levemente os recalques do aterro com o tempo. / [en] This work presents a settlement analysis of an embankment built on a very soft soil deposit in Barra da Tijuca (Baixada de Jacarepaguá), which is located in Rio de Janeiro’s coast. The geotechnical profile shows a very soft soil with thickness reaching 17 m, with Nspt equal 0. The embankment was built in stages and its settlements were accelerated with prefabricated drains. The construction lasted about 1,5 year and was monitored by means geotechnical instrumentation. Field and laboratory test programs were carried out to define the geotechnical characteristics of the soil. Ten samples were collected from two vertical boreholes before any loading was applied to the soil. To avoid disturbance, each stage of sample process, from sampling to specimen preparation, was conducted with special procedures. Tests have been carried out both in undisturbed (vertical and horizontal directions) and completely disturbed conditions. The specimen preparation procedures are described in detail. Conclusions considered only the results of tests conducted on specimens with excellent quality. The in-situ tests were performed in vertical boreholes next to boreholes where the undisturbed samples were collected and in the same location in which geotechnical instruments group were installed. The analysis of the field and laboratory tests and instrumentation data revealed the existence of two very soft soil layers exhibiting distinct characteristics which are separated by a continuous sand lens. The upper soil layer (from surface down to about 5 m depth), that was probably formed after an unloading geological period of the underlying layer, is characterized by low effective in situ stresses. The underlying soil is also under low in-situ effective stresses, but with a preconsolidation pressure characterized by the difference s’p - s’v0 25 kPa (constant with depth). A correlation between OCR (from consolidation tests) and Su/sv0 ratio (from vane and CPTU tests) for similar soils has been updated. The high compressibility of soils was confirmed by the embankment instrumentation data. Ca/Cc values, higher than usual for most known soils, were found. Practical relationships have been updated to describe the permeability of the deposit. Soil consolidation coefficients were estimated in different ways and values, even though have showed large difference (up to ten times), did not showed tendency when laboratory or field (tests and instrumentation data) values were compared. Disturbance affected the permeability and compressibility (primary and secondary) characteristic of the soils of both layers, but its effects were more severe in the underlying layer. A numerical prediction, in which a creep-soft-soil model was used and parameters obtained from the laboratory tests were considered, lightly overestimated the embankment settlements with time.

[pt] O objetivo do presente trabalho é estudar a compressibilidade de um aterro de grandes dimensões construído há 18 anos na Barra da Tijuca (Rio de Janeiro) sobre de solo extremamente mole com aproximadamente 4 metros de espessura, onde foram observados recalques pós-construtivos de grande magnitude. A espessura constante do aterro e pouca variabilidade de espessura da camada mole envolvida permitem assumir condições de compressão próximas da unidimensional. Para o estudo, foi instalada instrumentação para medição de recalques por nivelamento geométrico de precisão. Um procedimento específico foi desenvolvido para possibilitar a medição de baixíssimas variações no desnível. Esse acompanhamento transcorreu por um período de 21 meses e mostrou que o aterro lançado 18 anos atrás continua em compressão. Foi realizada, também, uma campanha de ensaios de campo, contemplando CPTu (piezocone), dissipação e palheta, ensaios de caracterização completa em laboratório, incluindo ensaios químicos e mineralógicos, e ensaios oedométricos de longa duração em amostras indeformadas tipo Shelby. Por fim, com base em todas essas informações, procurou-se estimar os recalques ainda por ocorrer, especulando, ao final, sobre o tempo necessário para a estabilização dos recalques. / [en] The aim of this work is to study the compressibility of a large dimension embankment built 18 years ago at Barra da Tijuca (Rio de Janeiro) over a layer of extremely soft soil with thickness of about 4 meters, where large post-constructive settlements were observed. The constant thickness of the embankment and the low variability of the soft soil thickness allow one dimensional condition to be assumed. Geotechnical instrumentation has been installed for monitoring settlements by optical levelling. A specific procedure has been developed which allows measurement of very small settlement changes. Monitoring took place over 21 months and showed that the embankment built 18 years ago is still settling. Field tests have been carried out comprising CPTu with dissipation, vane shear test. Characterization tests, including chemical and mineralogical, and oedometric consolidation long term tests on undisturbed Shelby tube samples have also been carried out. Based on the collected data, an attempt at forecasting future settlements has been carried out including speculations about the time needed for the stabilization of the settlements.

Rockfalls is a major problem around the world, if they occur in populated areas, they can cause major damage to infrastructure, injure or kill people. For this reason, it is important to be able to predict where the risk of rockfalls and how to prevent and protect populated areas from them. However, it is no easy task to predict rockfalls. Although if an area with potential area for rockfall is localized it may seem easy to construct protective meshing or bolting potential blocks down. But in many cases this is not easy to do due to practical issues or economic reasons, for example in rock cuts on older railways in Sweden. Fall heights from rock cuts like that are not particularly high but the risk of damage to the trains and infrastructure in the track area is high, however, it is unknown how extensive the damage may be. Trafikverket, the Swedish authority responsible for Sweden's roads and railways, has for some years investigated a new method for classifying and minimize the risk of rockfalls from rock cuts next to the railways. This study include aims to include the potential maximum distance of a block from the rockfall can travel to the existing method. This master's work is part of the investigation and will include full scale field test where the rockfalls are examined by filming them and then evaluate the “bounce coefficient”, coefficient of restitution, from the individual rockfalls using photogrammetric methods. During the field study, a geotechnical testing equipment, DCP test rig, to be evaluated for its ability of an easy way in the field to produce an estimated value on the coefficient of restitution. During the evaluation, two rockfall simulating software be used to investigate how well the results from them match the true blocks movements. / Stenras är ett stort problem runtom i världen, om de inträffar i bebyggda områden kan de leda till stora skador på infrastruktur, skador eller dödsfall. Av den anledningen är det viktigt att kunna förutse vart det finns risk för stenras och hur man kan förebygga dem och skydda bebyggda områden från dem. Dock är det ingen lätt uppgift att förutse stenras. Även om det finns ett potentiellt område för stenras kan det tyckas lätt att placera ut skyddsnät eller bulta fast potentiella block. Men i många fall är detta inte praktiskt, eller ekonomiskt, till exempel i bergsskärningar på äldre järnvägar i Sverige. Fallhöjderna här är inte speciellt höga men risken för skador på tåg och infrastruktur i spårområdet är hög, dock är det okänt hur omfattande skadorna kan bli. Trafikverket, den svenska myndigheten som ansvarar för Sveriges vägar och järnvägar, har under flera år utrett en ny metod för att klassificera och minimera riskerna för stenras från bergskärningar bredvid järnvägar. Denna utredning syftar bland annat till att till att väga in det potentiella maximalt avstånd ett block från stenras kan färdas i den befintliga modellen. Det här mastersarbetet är en del i den utredningen och kommer att innefatta ett fullskaligt fältförsök där stenras undersöks genom att de filmas och sedan utvärderas studskoefficienten, coefficient of restitution, från de enskilda rasen i stereo. Under fältstudien kommer en geoteknisk testutrustning, DCP test rigg, att utvärderas för sin förmåga att lätt i fält få fram ett uppskattat värde på studskoefficienten. Under utvärderingen kommer två stenrassimuleringsprogram att användas för att undersöka hur väl de stämmer med de verkliga blockens rörelser.

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[pt] O acompanhamento dos recalques de aterros, por meio de nivelamento topográfico periódico, permite estimar a evolução dos mesmos, bem como retroanalisar os parâmetros adotados em determinado projeto. Neste trabalho, recalques foram medidos em um aterro experimental sobre um depósito com 12 m de espessura de solos moles em Camboinhas, Niteroi (RJ), construído entre o final de 1977 e o início de 1978. O aterro serviu como modelo em escala real para a realização de estudos geotécnicos diversos na PUC-Rio, auxiliando o projeto de um empreendimento imobiliário da época. A obra foi embargada pouco tempo após seu início e, desde então, nenhum empreendimento foi realizado. Em 2013, novas amostras Shelby foram extraídas, para a realização dos ensaios de laboratório desta pesquisa. Ensaios de campo também foram realizados. Verificou-se que os recalques causados pela construção do aterro ainda estão ocorrendo, 37 anos após sua execução. Compararam-se, também, os valores de OCR de laboratório com os obtidos por meio de correlações empíricas com os resultados de campo. Por fim, foram feitas previsões da evolução do recalque médio com o tempo e da magnitude do valor total médio. / [en] Monitoring of embankment settlements using periodic topographic leveling allows one to preview their evolution, and to assess the parameters used in a specific design. In this research, settlements of an experimental embankment constructed between the end of 1977 and the beginning of 1978, over a 12 m thick soft soils deposit in Camboinhas, Niteroi (RJ), were monitored. At that time, the embankment served as large model to help designing of a commercial housing development. The work was hampered shortly after the end of embankment s construction and, since then, no enterprise was held. In 2013, in this research, new Shelby samples were obtained in order to carry out series of laboratory tests. Settlements due to the embankment construction were noted to be still progressing. Also, OCR values from laboratory tests were compared to those empirically evaluated from field results. Finally, the magnitude of total settlement and its progress with time were estimated.

PFAS are anthropogenic substances used in many different industrial operations and products because of their unique properties. Due to their negative impact on human health and environmental bioaccumulative characteristics different authorities have addressed the issue. In Sweden the limit is4 ng/L for four different PFAS in drinking water. Another risk to human health is elevated concentrations of toxic elements, causing Sweden to include them in the drinking water regulations withlimits such as 5 µg/L for arsenic, 25 µg/L for chromium and 5 µg/L for lead.This study is a continuation of an investigation for PFAS remediation in contaminated water by sorption to pine and spruce bark. The earlier study was a laboratory scale and implied that pine and spruce have some sorption capacity for long-chain PFAS. In this study pine and spruce bark were used as sorbent at an industrial site. The analysis was performed by weak-anion exchange extraction followed bysupercritical fluid chromatography coupled with a tandem mass spectrometer (SFC-MS/MS) and liquid chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometer (LC-MS/MS) for instrumental analyses of target ultra-short-chain PFAS, short- and long chain PFAS and branched PFOS isomers. An elemental analysis was executed with inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. The obtained results indicated removal for certain long-chain PFAS, potential for sorption of a specific ultra-short-chain PFAS and the elemental analysis implied some reduction of the chromium concentrations.