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.

Doctor of Philosophy / Civil Engineering / Kyle Riding / Air voids are purposefully entrained in concrete to provide freeze-thaw durability of prestressed concrete railroad ties. Durability assurance requires consistent provision of an air void system comprised of small, well-distributed bubbles in sufficient quantity for durability and a quality control method for testing tie freeze-thaw durability. Manufacturing processes at three concrete manufacturing plants were investigated in order to determine the effects of process variability on resulting concrete air void system variability. Variation in the concrete air void system and other rheological properties occurred as results of the manufacturing process and vibration. Freezing and thawing durability testing of prestressed concrete ties is currently performed by applying ASTM C666 on 3 x 4 x 11 to 16 in. specimens cut from the shoulders of concrete ties. However, excising these specimens from prestressed concrete could lead to stress changes in the sample and cracking, potentially causing false interpretations of results. Therefore, testing was undertaken to understand the effects of prestressing and sample extraction on freeze-thaw durability measured by ASTM C666. In order to assess the effects of sampling and testing procedures on freeze-thaw quality control testing results of prestressed concrete railroad ties, full ties, half ties, and 3 x 4 x 11 in. excised samples were tested. Freeze-thaw testing included determination of the optimal method to measure freeze-thaw deterioration in large sections, the effects of saw-cutting, and the presence of reinforcement. Results indicated that the Ultrasonic Pulse Velocity accurately represented deterioration in large sections. The presence of reinforcement in excised samples led to faster deterioration compared to cast ASTM C666 samples, while saw-cutting without reinforcement did not significantly affect freeze-thaw durability.

Não consta resumo na publicação. / Abstract not available.

Au Québec, lors de la période de gel et dégel, l’enrobé bitumineux, constituant le revêtement de la chaussée, est soumis à des conditions sévères qui le dégradent. Ces conditions sont : précipitations de pluie et fontes de neige générant une saturation partielle du matériau, présence de sel déverglaçant, passages de véhicule lourd sollicitant mécaniquement le matériau, variations de températures engendrant la création de déformations et de contraintes au sein du revêtement, et présence de cycles de gel-dégel.A cet effet, la revue de la littérature porte sur l’étude : des conditions sévères (sollicitations mécaniques, climatiques, hydriques et chimiques), et des caractéristiques physiques de l’enrobé qui affectent sa durabilité, ses comportements mécaniques (viscoélastique linéaire et en fatigue) et thermomécaniques (coefficient de dilatation-contraction thermique).Notamment, un programme expérimental de laboratoire a été réalisé en vue de vérifier l’influence de ces conditions sévères sur la dégradation et le comportement de l’enrobé. Premièrement, des essais thermiques, incluant des cycles de gel et dégel, ont été réalisés sur des éprouvettes d’enrobé à l’état sec et partiellement saturé en eau ou en saumures. Les éprouvettes sont instrumentées d’une jauge axiale et de deux thermocouples. L’éprouvette partiellement saturée en eau, comparativement à celles partiellement saturées en saumures, est soumise à des dilatations et des contractions nettement plus importantes lors de la formation et la fonte de la glace. De +10 à +23°C, les coefficients de dilatation linéique des éprouvettes partiellement saturées sont assez similaires, mais supérieurs à celui de l’enrobé à l’état sec, ce qui implique que l’enrobé partiellement saturé se contracte et se dilate un peu plus que celui a l’état sec à ces températures.Deuxièmement, les éprouvettes ont été soumises à des essais mécaniques, de module complexe, afin d’évaluer l’évolution de leur endommagement suite aux cycles de gel et dégel. Les résultats des essais et du modèle rhéologique 2S2P1D ont été utilisés afin de simuler le comportement de l’enrobé selon les divers états. Au fil des cycles de gel et dégel, un endommagement est observable pour l’ensemble des éprouvettes, mais nettement supérieur pour l’éprouvette partiellement saturée en eau. De plus, pour les éprouvettes partiellement saturées, un comportement distinct est observable en dessous et au-dessus de la température de solidification des liquides.Pour terminer, l’étude du comportement à la fatigue de l’enrobé suivant l’état sec et partiellement saturé en eau est réalisée. A +10°C et 10Hz, seules des diminutions légères ont été observées au niveau du module (3%) et de la résistance à la fatigue (ɛ6 de 105 vs 109ƒμdef) pour l’enrobé partiellement saturé en eau. Ces faibles diminutions sont attribuables à la faible période d’immersion des éprouvettes d’enrobé dans l’eau, à la faible température de l’eau et de l’essai, à la faible teneur en vides des éprouvettes, au bitume modifié et aux granulats de qualité utilisés / During winter and spring in the province of Quebec, hot mix asphalt (HMA) pavement could be subjected to sever conditions over their design life. These conditions are: 1) rainfall and snowmelt, which generates the partial saturation of the HMA, 2) winter maintenance requiring the presence of de-icing salt, which acting chemically on HMA, 3) traffic, which acting mechanically on HMA, and 4) temperature changes and presence of freeze-thaw cycles (FTC) creating thermal stress and deformation (thermo-mechanical coupling) within the pavement, and pressure, within the material, generated by freezing water or brines. More specifically, the literature review of this work focuses on the study of: 1) severe conditions such as climatic, chemical and mechanical solicitations, 2) physical characteristics of HMAthat affect its durability, mechanical properties (viscoelastic and fatigue) and thermomechanical properties (coefficient of thermal contraction).An experimental laboratory program was conducted to verify the influence of these severe conditions on the degradation and behavior of HMA. First, thermal testing (-18 to +23°C), including freeze-thaw cycles (FTC, -18 to +10°C) were performed on samples under dry (D)and partially saturated (PS), with water or brine, states. The samples were instrumented with an axial gauge and two thermocouples. During FTC (-18 to +10°C), sample partially saturated with water, compared to those partially saturated with brines, is subject to expansions and contractions significantly greater during formation and melting of ice. In the temperature range from +10 to +23°C, the linear coefficients of thermal contraction of partially saturated samples are quite similar, but higher than that of HMA in dry state. At such temperature range, this implies that the partially saturated HMA contracts and expands a little more than that in dry state. Secondly, the samples were subjected to mechanical testing.The complex modulus test was performed in order to evaluate the damage of samples due to FTC. The test results and rheological model 2S2P1D were used to simulate the behavior of the HMA according to the various states. Over FTC, damage is observed for all samples, butmuch higher for the PS sample with water. Moreover, for PS samples, a distinct behavior is observable below and above the solidification temperature of the liquid. Finally, the study of the fatigue behavior of HMA under PS, with water, and D states is performed. At +10°C and 10Hz, only slight decreases were observed for complex modulus (3%) and fatigue (ε6 = 105 vs 109μstrain) for HMA partially saturated with water. These small decreases are due to the low period of immersion of samples in water, lowers temperatures of water and test, low void content of the samples, modified bitumen and good aggregates used.

Abstract Deciduous shrubs form the tallest type of vegetation in arctic-alpine areas and are important for ecosystem function. In the southern part of the Eurasian tundra zone, willows (Salix spp.) are the most common species in the shrub layer. In the alpine areas of Northern Fennoscandia, willow shrubs are characteristic to areas between tree line and treeless tundra heaths. Vertical structure and composition of willow-characterized tundra vegetation is affected by a variety of ecological factors including climate and herbivory. In turn, the abundance of the willow canopy affects understory species in several ways that still remain inadequately understood. In this PhD work I describe compositional differentiation of willow-characterized vegetation by using a large data set spanning from north-western Fennoscandia to the Yamal Peninsula in north-western Siberia. I studied environmental factors affecting willow-characterized vegetation and willow growth by using correlative analyses. The factors under investigation were latitude, distance from the sea, depth of thaw, position in the slope, industrial disturbance and reindeer grazing. In addition, I examined the relationships between the shrub biomass estimate and composition and species richness of understory vegetation. The effects of reindeer grazing on vegetation in an alpine forest-tundra ecotone were studied experimentally using reindeer-proof exclosures. I found that willow-characterized vegetation is floristically variable and comprises at least eight vegetation types. The most abundant willow thickets typically have a forb-rich understory. The growth of willow increased along with increasing summer temperatures. However the height of willow was more determined by distance from the sea, thaw depth and slope position. Reindeer grazing decreased the abundance of willow and changed the composition of understory vegetation. In addition, industrial activities were detected to have destructed shrub vegetation and turned it into graminoid-dominated vegetation. Shrub canopies facilitated forbs but decreased the cover of all the other groups including dwarf shrubs, bryophytes and lichens. The species richness of vegetation decreased along with increasing shrub abundance. My study shows that arctic-alpine willow vegetation is more diverse than previously thought. There is a predictable relationship between summer temperatures and willow growth. However, the results also show that there are many factors, both physical and anthropogenic, that are likely to complicate this pattern. Most important of these counteracting effects are industrial activities and reindeer grazing. In the areas where shrubs grow in abundance, the species richness of understory vegetation is likely to decrease and forbs are likely to replace other tundra species.

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.

This dissertation presents the study of freeze-thaw resistance of carbonated, low-lime calcium silicate cement based paste, mortar, and concrete and the pore system of these materials characterized by MIP, SEM, and image J analysis.

This dissertation is a study of the experimental artistic practice of the group called Dvizhenie (The Movement) that was active in Moscow between 1964 and 1976 and associated with the Kinetic movement. The period of the group’s activity coincided with a political transition in the USSR from later stages of The Khrushchev’s Thaw characterised by cultural liberation and political reforms into The Stagnation era already defined by Leonid Brezhnev’s rule and subsequently a more conservative and stricter governmental attitude towards artistic production. In this period of a little more than a decade, The Movement group was a single experimental union in the USSR that enjoyed public success and achieved a rapid transformation of their activities from small-scale exhibitions into public state commissions. In the course of this transition, the members of the group formed an entirely new artistic language that was neither similar to Socialist Realism nor to the tendencies of Abstract painting, which gained importance in the circles of experimental Soviet artists at the time. Instead, they turned to the aesthetics of Kinetic art, science- fiction and design and found inspiration in a dialogue with Russian Avant-garde tradition. The narrative of the dissertation follows the specificity of the experimental group’s development in the defined stages and analyses how the group met with the challenges of censorship and opportunities of ideological collaborations. On a broader scale, the dissertation offers an investigation into the functions of experimental thinking in the USSR in the 1960s and evaluates the role of futuristic planning and artists’ dialogue with the restored tradition of the 1920s Avant-garde projects.:Table of Contents List of illustrations...............................................................................................5 Acknowledgements...........................................................................................13 Introduction.....................................................................................................15 State of Research.............................................................................................21 Methodology....................................................................................................29 Chapter I. 1960s Alternative Culture: in the USSR and Abroad...................................53 1.1. Defence of individualism: The Thaw (1954–1968)...........................................53 1.2. Open work against individualism: 1960s movement of Kinetic art......................65 1.3. In transition to Kinetic art: the formation of The Movement group.......................71 Chapter II. Theory and Practice Of The Movement...................................................81 2.1.Theoretical principles of the group: synthesis, symmetry, and movement.............81 2.2.“Towards Synthesis In Arts”, 1964, Moscow...................................................90 2.3.Architects or artists, 1965, Leningrad..........................................................102 2.4. Kurchatov Institute of Atomic Energy, 1966, Moscow.....................................107 Chapter III. The Movement’s Performances and Theatre Productions........................115 3.1.Artistic strategies of performance in The Movement’s practice..........................115 3.2.Humans and machines............................................................................123 3.3. Manifestation of the synthesis principle in performances................................135 3.4.The symbolism of history in The Movement’s productions...............................139 3.5.Escapism of the nature performances.........................................................143 3.6.The strategy of an artefact in Infante’s work.................................................150 Chapter IV. Sciences, State, and Culture..............................................................154 4.1.Kinetic art in urban and exhibition designs...................................................154 4.2. Agitational art at the 1967 October Festival.................................................159 4.3. Value of creativity and designs for “Orlenok”, 1968.......................................170 4.4.Exhibition designs..................................................................................172 4.5.Art and the Stagnation period in the USSR..................................................182 Chapter V. Futurism In The Movement’s Projects..................................................187 5.1. Artificial environments of the next century....................................................187 5.2. The future is cybernetic...........................................................................192 5.3. The power of play..................................................................................195 5.4. Rationalising the unknown: transhumanism and space travel in The Movement’s futurism.........................................................................................................199 3 5.5. Why we need another utopia?..................................................................207 Chapter VI. The Movement: Separate and Abroad.................................................217 6.1. The Movement as a part of the global network.............................................217 6.2. The Movement as a part of dissident art and contemporary interpretations........222 6.3. Separate ways: Infante, Nussberg, Koleichuk..............................................231 Epilogue........................................................................................................243 Bibliography...................................................................................................252 Illustrations....................................................................................................265

This dissertation is a study of the experimental artistic practice of the group called Dvizhenie (The Movement) that was active in Moscow between 1964 and 1976 and associated with the Kinetic movement. The period of the group’s activity coincided with a political transition in the USSR from later stages of The Khrushchev’s Thaw characterised by cultural liberation and political reforms into The Stagnation era already defined by Leonid Brezhnev’s rule and subsequently a more conservative and stricter governmental attitude towards artistic production. In this period of a little more than a decade, The Movement group was a single experimental union in the USSR that enjoyed public success and achieved a rapid transformation of their activities from small-scale exhibitions into public state commissions. In the course of this transition, the members of the group formed an entirely new artistic language that was neither similar to Socialist Realism nor to the tendencies of Abstract painting, which gained importance in the circles of experimental Soviet artists at the time. Instead, they turned to the aesthetics of Kinetic art, science- fiction and design and found inspiration in a dialogue with Russian Avant-garde tradition. The narrative of the dissertation follows the specificity of the experimental group’s development in the defined stages and analyses how the group met with the challenges of censorship and opportunities of ideological collaborations. On a broader scale, the dissertation offers an investigation into the functions of experimental thinking in the USSR in the 1960s and evaluates the role of futuristic planning and artists’ dialogue with the restored tradition of the 1920s Avant-garde projects.:Table of Contents List of illustrations...............................................................................................5 Acknowledgements...........................................................................................13 Introduction.....................................................................................................15 State of Research.............................................................................................21 Methodology....................................................................................................29 Chapter I. 1960s Alternative Culture: in the USSR and Abroad...................................53 1.1. Defence of individualism: The Thaw (1954–1968)...........................................53 1.2. Open work against individualism: 1960s movement of Kinetic art......................65 1.3. In transition to Kinetic art: the formation of The Movement group.......................71 Chapter II. Theory and Practice Of The Movement...................................................81 2.1.Theoretical principles of the group: synthesis, symmetry, and movement.............81 2.2.“Towards Synthesis In Arts”, 1964, Moscow...................................................90 2.3.Architects or artists, 1965, Leningrad..........................................................102 2.4. Kurchatov Institute of Atomic Energy, 1966, Moscow.....................................107 Chapter III. The Movement’s Performances and Theatre Productions........................115 3.1.Artistic strategies of performance in The Movement’s practice..........................115 3.2.Humans and machines............................................................................123 3.3. Manifestation of the synthesis principle in performances................................135 3.4.The symbolism of history in The Movement’s productions...............................139 3.5.Escapism of the nature performances.........................................................143 3.6.The strategy of an artefact in Infante’s work.................................................150 Chapter IV. Sciences, State, and Culture..............................................................154 4.1.Kinetic art in urban and exhibition designs...................................................154 4.2. Agitational art at the 1967 October Festival.................................................159 4.3. Value of creativity and designs for “Orlenok”, 1968.......................................170 4.4.Exhibition designs..................................................................................172 4.5.Art and the Stagnation period in the USSR..................................................182 Chapter V. Futurism In The Movement’s Projects..................................................187 5.1. Artificial environments of the next century....................................................187 5.2. The future is cybernetic...........................................................................192 5.3. The power of play..................................................................................195 5.4. Rationalising the unknown: transhumanism and space travel in The Movement’s futurism.........................................................................................................199 3 5.5. Why we need another utopia?..................................................................207 Chapter VI. The Movement: Separate and Abroad.................................................217 6.1. The Movement as a part of the global network.............................................217 6.2. The Movement as a part of dissident art and contemporary interpretations........222 6.3. Separate ways: Infante, Nussberg, Koleichuk..............................................231 Epilogue........................................................................................................243 Bibliography...................................................................................................252 Illustrations....................................................................................................265

No description available.