In the context of transitioning toward more sustainable construction materials,this study explores the impact of incorporating millet husks as an alternative to sand on the physical,mechanical,and thermal performance ...In the context of transitioning toward more sustainable construction materials,this study explores the impact of incorporating millet husks as an alternative to sand on the physical,mechanical,and thermal performance of lightweight concrete.Through a mixture design approach,five formulations were selected and thoroughly characterized.The analysis of iso-response curves enabled an in-depth assessment of the cross-effects between formulation parameters and their interactions on the final properties of the material.The results show that integrating millet husks leads to a significant reduction in density,reaching up to 21%,while maintaining notable mechanical performance.A balanced formulation of sand and fibers achieved a maximum compressive strength of 12.11 MPa,demonstrating that,under specific conditions,plant fibers actively contribute to the structural integrity of the composite.In tensile strength,the positive influence of fibers is even more pronounced,with a maximum resistance of 8.62 MPa,highlighting their role in enhancing material cohesion.From a thermal perspective,millet husks reduce both thermal conductivity and effusivity,thereby limiting heat transfer and accumulation within the composite.Iso-response curve analysis reveals that these effects are directly linked to the proportions of the constituents and that achieving an optimal balance between sand,fibers,and cement is key to maximizing performance.These findings demonstrate that the adopted approach allows moving beyond conventional substitution methods by identifying optimal configurations for the design of lightweight bio-based concretes that are both strong and insulating,thereby confirming the potential of millet husks in developing lightweight concretes suitable for sustainable construction applications.展开更多
The impact of different global and local variables in urban development processes requires a systematic study to fully comprehend the underlying complexities in them.The interplay between such variables is crucial for...The impact of different global and local variables in urban development processes requires a systematic study to fully comprehend the underlying complexities in them.The interplay between such variables is crucial for modelling urban growth to closely reflects reality.Despite extensive research,ambiguity remains about how variations in these input variables influence urban densification.In this study,we conduct a global sensitivity analysis(SA)using a multinomial logistic regression(MNL)model to assess the model’s explanatory and predictive power.We examine the influence of global variables,including spatial resolution,neighborhood size,and density classes,under different input combinations at a provincial scale to understand their impact on densification.Additionally,we perform a stepwise regression to identify the significant explanatory variables that are important for understanding densification in the Brussels Metropolitan Area(BMA).Our results indicate that a finer spatial resolution of 50 m and 100 m,smaller neighborhood size of 5×5 and 3×3,and specific density classes—namely 3(non-built-up,low and high built-up)and 4(non-built-up,low,medium and high built-up)—optimally explain and predict urban densification.In line with the same,the stepwise regression reveals that models with a coarser resolution of 300 m lack significant variables,reflecting a lower explanatory power for densification.This approach aids in identifying optimal and significant global variables with higher explanatory power for understanding and predicting urban densification.Furthermore,these findings are reproducible in a global urban context,offering valuable insights for planners,modelers and geographers in managing future urban growth and minimizing modelling.展开更多
Expansive soils, prone to being influenced by the environmental conditions, undergo expansion when water is introduced and shrinkage upon drying. This persistent volumetric fluctuation can induce differential movement...Expansive soils, prone to being influenced by the environmental conditions, undergo expansion when water is introduced and shrinkage upon drying. This persistent volumetric fluctuation can induce differential movements and result in cracking of structures erected upon them. The present research focuses on characterizing the behavior of pavements erected on expansive clays subjected to swelling and shrinkage cycles. Direct shear tests and oedometer tests were conducted in the laboratory on samples of expansive soils undergoing swelling-shrinkage cycles. The experimental data reveal a significant decrease in shear strength, evidenced by a reduction in shear parameters (internal friction angle, cohesion) and a decrease in the modulus of elasticity as the number of cycles increases. A numerical model based on the finite element method was developed to simulate the behavior of a pavement on an expansive clay substrate. The model results indicate an increase in total displacements with the increase in the number of shrinkage-swelling cycles, demonstrating a progressive degradation of the soil’s mechanical behavior. This study contributes to a better understanding of the complex phenomena governing the behavior of expansive soils and serves as a foundation for developing effective management and mitigation strategies for road infrastructures.展开更多
In this study, the solar thermochemical reactor performance for CO_2 utilization into synthesis gas(H_2+ CO) based on CH_4 reforming process was investigated in the context of carbon capture and utilization(CCU) techn...In this study, the solar thermochemical reactor performance for CO_2 utilization into synthesis gas(H_2+ CO) based on CH_4 reforming process was investigated in the context of carbon capture and utilization(CCU) technologies. The P1 radiation heat transfer model is adopted to establish the heat and mass transfer model coupled with thermochemical reaction kinetics. The reactor thermal behavior with direct heat transfer between gaseous reactant and products evolution and the effects of different structural parameters were evaluated. It was found that the reactor has the potential to utilize by ～60% of CO_2 captured with 40% of CH_4 co-fed into syngas(72.9% of H_2 and 27.1% of CO) at 741.31 k W/mof incident radiation heat flux. However, the solar irradiance heat flux and temperature distribution were found to significantly affect the reactant species conversion efficiency and syngas production. The chemical reaction is mainly driven by the thermal energy and higher species conversion into syngas was observed when the temperature distribution at the inner cavity of the reactor was more uniform. Designed a solar thermochemical reactor able to volumetric store concentrated irradiance could highly improve CCU technologies for producing energy-rich chemicals. Besides, the mixture gas inlet velocity, operating pressure and CO_2/CH_4 feeding ratio were crucial to determining the efficiency of CO_2 utilization to solar fuels. Catalytic CO_2-reforming of CH_4 to chemical energy is a promising strategy for an efficient utilization of CO_2 as a renewable carbon source.展开更多
For the reduction of atmospheric effects,observed gravity has initially been corrected by using the computed barometric admittance k of the in situ measured pressure,expressed in nms-2/hPa units and estimated by least...For the reduction of atmospheric effects,observed gravity has initially been corrected by using the computed barometric admittance k of the in situ measured pressure,expressed in nms-2/hPa units and estimated by least squares method.However,the local pressure changes alone cannot account for the atmospheric mass attraction and loading when the coherent pressure field exceeds a specific size,i.e.,with increasing periodicities.To overcome this difficulty,it is necessary to compute the total atmospheric effect at each station using the global pressure field.However,the direct subtraction of the total gravity effect,provided by the models of pressure correction,is not yet satisfactory for S2 and other tidal components,such as K2 and P1,which include solar heating pressure tides.This paper identifies the origin of the problem and presents strategies to obtain a satisfactory solution.First,we set up a difference vector between the tidal factors of M2 and S2 after correction of the pressure and ocean tides effects.This vector,hereafter denoted as RES,presents the advantage of being practically insensitive to calibration errors.The minimum discrepancy between the tidal parameters of M2 and S2 corresponds to the minimum of the RES vector norm d.Secondly we adopt the hybrid pressure correction method,separating the local and the global pressure contribution of the models and replacing the local contribution by the pressure measured at the station multiplied by an admittance kATM.We tested this procedure on 8 stations from the IGETS superconducting gravimeters network(former GGP network).For stations at an altitude lower than 1000 m,the value of dopt is always smaller than0.0005.The discrepancy between the tidal parameters of the M2 and S2 waves is always lower than0.05% on the amplitude factors and 0.025° on the phases.For these stations,a correlation exists between the altitude and the value kopt.The results at the three Central European stations Conrad,Pecny and Vienna are in excellent agreement(0.05%) with the DDW99NH model for all the main tidal waves.展开更多
Comoros Islands suffering from energy stress due to rolling power cuts in the country mainly due to problems with failures heat engines fuelled with diesel. These blackouts induce shortages of energy while demand for ...Comoros Islands suffering from energy stress due to rolling power cuts in the country mainly due to problems with failures heat engines fuelled with diesel. These blackouts induce shortages of energy while demand for energy does not cease to grow with the population. An alternative way for the Comoros Islands to get out of this energy crisis is to exploit the existing energy renewable sources, in particular to invest in the hybrid energy, a promising technology in terms of economic efficiency. The north of Ngazidja Island, in the region of Mitsamiouli, is considered among the economic lungs of this Island. It is spread in the field of tourism but also an area developed in agriculture and fishing. The Village of Koua Mitsamiouli located in rural area of this region is well known for its efficient yield in agricultural production, although the latter suffers from an energy stress in its last years. This lack of energy and water permanently to farmers has caused its production capacity to fall. In order to increase its agricultural profitability, and to satisfy the needs of the population for their activities such as trade, health, education, banking transactions, product preserving in retail stores, the energy autonomy of this village is more than necessary. It is important to notice that, the use of renewable energies in Comoros is very limited by photovoltaic (PV) solar panels. Hybrid technology and other renewable energy sources are not yet developed in Comoros Island. The main objective of this work is to propose the best possible sizing of a hybrid system for the production of electricity from renewable and non-renewable energy resources in order to satisfy the electrical needs in a reliable manner of the remote of village, Koua Mitsamiouli, for energetic autonomy. Indeed, two energy resources, composed by solar photovoltaic (PV) system and diesel generator are considered in the hybrid system. This study estimates the community demand with HOMER analysis. In order to check the performance of the overall system combination photovoltaic (PV)/generator, several numerical simulations were performed with the HOMER software using data from the national meteorological agency in Comoros and the results obtained by authors are satisfactory in terms of cost and reliability of the system.展开更多
Different types of carbon-silica fillers were prepared via pyrolysis-cum-water vapor of waste green tires tread and impregnation method. Dual phase fillers have been characterized by energy dispersive X-ray (EDX) spec...Different types of carbon-silica fillers were prepared via pyrolysis-cum-water vapor of waste green tires tread and impregnation method. Dual phase fillers have been characterized by energy dispersive X-ray (EDX) spectroscopy in a scanning transmission electron microscope (STEM) or STEM-EDX. Phase distribution in hybrid fillers for rubber was investigated. The results achieved show that the conditions of obtaining influence the distribution and the location of the phases in the carbon-silica hybrid fillers as well as their most essential characteristics including specific area, oil absorption number, iodine adsorption number, ash content and others.展开更多
Since 2008 a network of five sea-level monitoring stations was progressively installed in French Polynesia.The stations are autonomous and data,collected at a sampling rate of 1 or 2 min,are not only recorded locally,...Since 2008 a network of five sea-level monitoring stations was progressively installed in French Polynesia.The stations are autonomous and data,collected at a sampling rate of 1 or 2 min,are not only recorded locally,but also transferred in real time by a radio-link to the NOAA through the GOES satellite.The new ET34-ANA-V80 version of ETERNA,initially developed for Earth Tides analysis,is now able to analyze ocean tides records.Through a two-step validation scheme,we took advantage of the flexibility of this new version,operated in conjunction with the preprocessing facilities of the Tsoft software,to recover co rrected data series able to model sea-level variations after elimination of the ocean tides signal.We performed the tidal analysis of the tide gauge data with the highest possible selectivity(optimal wave grouping)and a maximum of additional terms(shallow water constituents).Our goal was to provide corrected data series and modelled ocean tides signal to compute tide-free sea-level variations as well as tidal prediction models with centimeter precision.We also present in this study the characteristics of the ocean tides in French Polynesia and preliminary results concerning the non-tidal variations of the sea level concerning the tide gauge setting.展开更多
The Comoros is an archipelago in the Indian Ocean located in the Mozambique Channel between the African continent and Madagascar. Geographically Comoros is composed of four islands: Grande Comores, Anjouan, Mohél...The Comoros is an archipelago in the Indian Ocean located in the Mozambique Channel between the African continent and Madagascar. Geographically Comoros is composed of four islands: Grande Comores, Anjouan, Mohéli and Mayotte (under French administration). Apart from Mayotte, the others three independent islands commonly known as the Union of the Comoros are suffering from energy stress since their independence year 1975 until nowadays. The energy supplied and distributed by the national electricity company, SONELEC produced by diesel engines, is not stable with so much load shedding all the time. This instability energy leads to a lack of a phone network in some telecommunications towers connected to grid. The majority of telecommunications towers are located in rural areas not connected to grid and running on diesel generators, which once again leads to a problem with the telecommunications network when diesel engines fail. The two competing companies which operate in the field of telecommunications in the Comoros, namely Comores Télécom, a national public company and Telma, the private one, are still unable to ensure the provision of the telecommunications network on a regular basis. This is why we propose in the present work, a sizing of hybrid system composed essentially of a diesel generator, a wind turbine and a photovoltaic solar system with storage in batteries for supplying telecommunications towers in order to permanently ensure the provision of the telecommunications network for the well-being of the population. Our future energy must be based on non-polluting energies with significant resources. Renewable energies are the best candidates but with intermittent production especially in rural areas not connected to the national electricity grid whose energy demand is more important to meet the needs of the population. The aim of this work is the sizing of a hybrid system composed of a diesel generator, a wind turbine and a photovoltaic solar system with storage in batteries for supplying telecommunications towers located in rural areas in the Comoros. In fact, to verify the performance of the hybrid system, a numerical study has been carried out with the HOMER 2.68 Beta software using meteorological data from the Comoros. The results obtained show that this hybrid combination is more profitable in the margin of economic cost and environmental assessments with a less expensive investment. These results also show a better optimization of Wind/PV/Battery of the hybrid system used, satisfying the demand and contributing to the preservation of the environment to fight against climate change with a low cost of energy.展开更多
Outdoor air quality, building materials, HVAC （Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning） systems and people activity are important factors in human exposition of polluted indoor air. The degree of signification varies...Outdoor air quality, building materials, HVAC （Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning） systems and people activity are important factors in human exposition of polluted indoor air. The degree of signification varies in dependence on pollution character and its sources. Buildings eliminate significantly people exposition of outdoor pollutants, but on the other hand, buildings are significant source of indoor pollution. The contamination of indoor air is largely from the use of gas for heating and cooking appliances. A comprehensive analysis of indoor air pollution by nitrogen oxides shows that the extent of indoor air pollution and consequent exposure varies as a result of many factors mainly the differing dislribution of appliances and their level of use. This study aims to formulate a mathematical model for the production of nitrogen oxides indoors. The physical processes that determine the concentrations of indoor nitrogen oxides as a function of outdoor concentrations, indoor emission rates and building characteristics have been mathematically described. The mathematical model developed has been parameterized for typical Slovak residences. The modeling of the occurrence of indoor nitrogen oxides and verification of the model is presented in this paper.展开更多
In tropical areas,palm oil production generates significant amounts of waste,including palm kernel shells.The use of this waste in the civil engineering sector,presents a very challenging task.In the present study,the...In tropical areas,palm oil production generates significant amounts of waste,including palm kernel shells.The use of this waste in the civil engineering sector,presents a very challenging task.In the present study,the production of lateritic soil(A-2 in GTR classification and A-7-6(9)in HRB classification)reinforced with palm kernel shells is considered.In order to improve their performances,these materials are mixed using the Fuller’s parabolic law.Moreover,experimental tests are used to characterize the physical and mechanical geotechnical properties of the lateritic soil.After characterizing the matrix(i.e.,lateritic soil)and the inclusions(i.e.,palm kernel shells)in their natural state,it is found that Avrankou’s lateritic soil has a high level of fine particles(56.6%),high plasticity(PI=21%)and low lift(ICBR=17%);which makes it unusable in the pavement layer.Results also prove that the mixture composed of 39%of lateritic soil volume and 61%of PKS with a CBR index equals to 30 and the mixture composed of 45%of lateritic soil,40%PKS and 15%of lagoon sand with a CBR index equals to 41 can be used as sub-base layer for roads for low and medium traffic,respectively.展开更多
To contribute to the enhancement of unconventional local materials used for road construction,this study characterizes a crushed sand 0/5,a clayey soil and the litho-stabilized material without and with hydraulic bind...To contribute to the enhancement of unconventional local materials used for road construction,this study characterizes a crushed sand 0/5,a clayey soil and the litho-stabilized material without and with hydraulic binder and determines their use in accordance with some reference specifications(CEBTP 1984).It is shown that the different components are not usable alone in pavement base.Indeed,the plasticity index obtained for the clayey soil is 21%,a value higher than the imposed standards.In addition,the grading of the 0/5 crushed sand does not fit into the range proposed by CEBTP.A combination of these two(02)components is therefore considered to obtain a suitable material usable for the sub-base.This new material does not enter any class of the CEBTP lateritic soils.In order to be used in base layer,a treatment with hydraulic binder is carried out with the intention to improve its mechanical performances.The optimal dosage of hydraulic binder to achieve the desired mechanical performance is obtained by studying the evolution of the mechanical characteristics of the mixture.After this treatment,the Bearing Ratio index of the mix increases from 37 to 223 for the optimal dosage and the dry compaction density decreases from 2.11 to 2.06 g/cm3 while the optimal water content increases from 9%to 10.1%.展开更多
In this work,we present a feasibility study for a new hybrid power plant(PV-Wind-Diesel-Storage)directly connected to the electrical grid.Several simulations are performed to verify the performance of the hybrid syste...In this work,we present a feasibility study for a new hybrid power plant(PV-Wind-Diesel-Storage)directly connected to the electrical grid.Several simulations are performed to verify the performance of the hybrid system under different scenarios using real meteorological data.It is shown that the performances of the hybrid system connected to the electrical network depend obviously on the available energy resources and constraints because the renewable energies are intermittent.In addition,the price of the kWh of electricity supplied by the hybrid system is determined,which amounts to$0.209/kWh,which is very cost effective and satisfactory for the considered sample conditions(Comoros Island).展开更多
This work focuses on the development of local building materials in Benin for their efficient use in buildings. It aims to make mud bricks lightened with good mechanical, thermal and sound properties and enhance the w...This work focuses on the development of local building materials in Benin for their efficient use in buildings. It aims to make mud bricks lightened with good mechanical, thermal and sound properties and enhance the waste polystyrene. This article is the result of experimental work on a broad field of applied sciences： building mechanics. The study is focused on BTS （blocks of stabilized earth） chosen as reference materials to which we linked polystyrene. The percentage of polystyrene varies from 0% to 100% starting from a constant volume of each reference material. The results showed that the increase in polystyrene percentage lowers mechanical properties. These results also showed that the gradual addition of polystyrene to the laterite-cement mixture has a significant influence on the density and mechanical resistances of the final composite material.展开更多
The promotion and the popularization of the micro concrete tiles in any locality obligation with a will of durable development pass by a standard of quality, which is based on the results of scientific and technical r...The promotion and the popularization of the micro concrete tiles in any locality obligation with a will of durable development pass by a standard of quality, which is based on the results of scientific and technical research taking account of local specificities. This work proposes to study the porosity of the micro concrete by micro structural analysis. From this study, it comes out that the variation of porosity compared to the ratio of the fine gravels (s/(s + g)) is decreasing. Indeed more the granular ratio increases less low is the density of pores of material. The decrease of porosity according to the granular rate is not infinite;it tends towards a minimum starting from a rate of fine gravel close to 50%. The results obtained justify well the ratio of fine gravel practised by tileries.展开更多
In this study,we estimate the absolute vertical land motions at three tidal stations with collocated Global Navigation Satellite System(GNSS)receivers over French Polynesia during the period 2007-2020,and obtain,as an...In this study,we estimate the absolute vertical land motions at three tidal stations with collocated Global Navigation Satellite System(GNSS)receivers over French Polynesia during the period 2007-2020,and obtain,as ancillary results,estimates of the absolute changes in sea level at the same locations.To verify our processing approach to determining vertical motion,we first modeled vertical motion at the International GNSS Service(IGS)THTI station located in the capital island of Tahiti and compared our estimate with previous independent determinations,with a good agreement.We obtained the following estimates for the vertical land motions at the tide gauges:Tubuai island,Austral Archipelago-0.92±0.17 mm/yr,Vairao village,Tahiti Iti:-0.49±0.39 mm/yr,Rikitea,Gambier Archipelago-0.43±0.17 mm/yr.The absolute variations of the sea level are:Tubuai island,Austral Archipelago 5.25±0.60 mm/yr,Vairao village,Tahiti Iti:3.62±0.52 mm/yr,Rikitea,Gambier Archipelago 1.52±0.23 mm/yr.We discuss these absolute values in light of the values obtained from altimetric measurements and other means in French Polynesia.展开更多
An analytical investigation is conducted to study the effect of magnetic field on convection heat transfer through packed porous beds which consists of a horizontal fluid layer (river bed) and a porous zone with aniso...An analytical investigation is conducted to study the effect of magnetic field on convection heat transfer through packed porous beds which consists of a horizontal fluid layer (river bed) and a porous zone with anisotropic permeability and underlined by a surface heated by a constant temperature T1. The free surface of the fluid layer overlying the horizontal porous layer receives solar rays to length of day and is then considered heated isothermally at temperature T2 such as T1 T2. Flow in porous medium is assumed to be governed by the generalized Brinkman-extended Darcy law and in the fluid layer by the Navier-Stokes model. The Beavers-Joseph condition is applied at the interface between the two layers. The influence of Hartmann number and hydrodynamic anisotropy on the convective phenomenon is investigated analytically. It is found that the magnetic field, the anisotropic permeability and the thickness of the porous lining, ε, have a strong influence of the geothermal convective flow and the heat transfer rate.展开更多
The effects of hydrodynamic anisotropy on the mixed-convection in a vertical porous channel heated on its plates with a thermal radiation are investigated analytically for fully developed flow regime. The porous mediu...The effects of hydrodynamic anisotropy on the mixed-convection in a vertical porous channel heated on its plates with a thermal radiation are investigated analytically for fully developed flow regime. The porous medium is anisotropic in permeability whose principal axes are oriented in a direction that is oblique to the gravity. The generalized Brinkman-extended Darcy model which allows the no-slip boundary-condition on solid wall is used in the formulation of the problem. The flow reversal, the thermal radiation influence for natural, and forced convection are considered in the limiting cases for low and high porosity media. It was found that the anisotropic permeability ratio, the orientation angle of the principal axes of permeability and the radiation parameter affected significantly the flow regime and the heat transfer.展开更多
Climate change effect can be either positive or negative on the human. Its impact on the energy consumption of a country for space heating and cooling purposes depends on the current and future regional climate, the r...Climate change effect can be either positive or negative on the human. Its impact on the energy consumption of a country for space heating and cooling purposes depends on the current and future regional climate, the required thermal comfort inside buildings, and the technical building features such as thermal insulation quality and occupants’ habits. The aim of this research is to study the variation of the air temperature in several regions of Madagascar and then to simulate the impact of climate change on the need for energy consumption in household cooling and heating systems using degree-day index. The results showed that the temperature changes more rapidly in the rainy season than in the dry season. The energy demand for cooling is constantly growing in all the regions of Madagascar. Besides, an average around of 526 degree-day is expected in several regions of island by 2050. In the same year, air temperature is estimated to reach up to 2℃.展开更多
文摘In the context of transitioning toward more sustainable construction materials,this study explores the impact of incorporating millet husks as an alternative to sand on the physical,mechanical,and thermal performance of lightweight concrete.Through a mixture design approach,five formulations were selected and thoroughly characterized.The analysis of iso-response curves enabled an in-depth assessment of the cross-effects between formulation parameters and their interactions on the final properties of the material.The results show that integrating millet husks leads to a significant reduction in density,reaching up to 21%,while maintaining notable mechanical performance.A balanced formulation of sand and fibers achieved a maximum compressive strength of 12.11 MPa,demonstrating that,under specific conditions,plant fibers actively contribute to the structural integrity of the composite.In tensile strength,the positive influence of fibers is even more pronounced,with a maximum resistance of 8.62 MPa,highlighting their role in enhancing material cohesion.From a thermal perspective,millet husks reduce both thermal conductivity and effusivity,thereby limiting heat transfer and accumulation within the composite.Iso-response curve analysis reveals that these effects are directly linked to the proportions of the constituents and that achieving an optimal balance between sand,fibers,and cement is key to maximizing performance.These findings demonstrate that the adopted approach allows moving beyond conventional substitution methods by identifying optimal configurations for the design of lightweight bio-based concretes that are both strong and insulating,thereby confirming the potential of millet husks in developing lightweight concretes suitable for sustainable construction applications.
基金funded by the INTER program and cofunded by the Fond National de la Recherche,Luxembourg(FNR)and the Fund for Scientific Research-FNRS,Belgium(F.R.S-FNRS),T.0233.20-‘Sustainable Residential Densification’project(SusDens,2020–2024).
文摘The impact of different global and local variables in urban development processes requires a systematic study to fully comprehend the underlying complexities in them.The interplay between such variables is crucial for modelling urban growth to closely reflects reality.Despite extensive research,ambiguity remains about how variations in these input variables influence urban densification.In this study,we conduct a global sensitivity analysis(SA)using a multinomial logistic regression(MNL)model to assess the model’s explanatory and predictive power.We examine the influence of global variables,including spatial resolution,neighborhood size,and density classes,under different input combinations at a provincial scale to understand their impact on densification.Additionally,we perform a stepwise regression to identify the significant explanatory variables that are important for understanding densification in the Brussels Metropolitan Area(BMA).Our results indicate that a finer spatial resolution of 50 m and 100 m,smaller neighborhood size of 5×5 and 3×3,and specific density classes—namely 3(non-built-up,low and high built-up)and 4(non-built-up,low,medium and high built-up)—optimally explain and predict urban densification.In line with the same,the stepwise regression reveals that models with a coarser resolution of 300 m lack significant variables,reflecting a lower explanatory power for densification.This approach aids in identifying optimal and significant global variables with higher explanatory power for understanding and predicting urban densification.Furthermore,these findings are reproducible in a global urban context,offering valuable insights for planners,modelers and geographers in managing future urban growth and minimizing modelling.
文摘Expansive soils, prone to being influenced by the environmental conditions, undergo expansion when water is introduced and shrinkage upon drying. This persistent volumetric fluctuation can induce differential movements and result in cracking of structures erected upon them. The present research focuses on characterizing the behavior of pavements erected on expansive clays subjected to swelling and shrinkage cycles. Direct shear tests and oedometer tests were conducted in the laboratory on samples of expansive soils undergoing swelling-shrinkage cycles. The experimental data reveal a significant decrease in shear strength, evidenced by a reduction in shear parameters (internal friction angle, cohesion) and a decrease in the modulus of elasticity as the number of cycles increases. A numerical model based on the finite element method was developed to simulate the behavior of a pavement on an expansive clay substrate. The model results indicate an increase in total displacements with the increase in the number of shrinkage-swelling cycles, demonstrating a progressive degradation of the soil’s mechanical behavior. This study contributes to a better understanding of the complex phenomena governing the behavior of expansive soils and serves as a foundation for developing effective management and mitigation strategies for road infrastructures.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 51522601)Chang Jiang Young Scholars Program of China (Q2016186)the Fok Ying Tong Education Foundation of China (No. 141055)
文摘In this study, the solar thermochemical reactor performance for CO_2 utilization into synthesis gas(H_2+ CO) based on CH_4 reforming process was investigated in the context of carbon capture and utilization(CCU) technologies. The P1 radiation heat transfer model is adopted to establish the heat and mass transfer model coupled with thermochemical reaction kinetics. The reactor thermal behavior with direct heat transfer between gaseous reactant and products evolution and the effects of different structural parameters were evaluated. It was found that the reactor has the potential to utilize by ～60% of CO_2 captured with 40% of CH_4 co-fed into syngas(72.9% of H_2 and 27.1% of CO) at 741.31 k W/mof incident radiation heat flux. However, the solar irradiance heat flux and temperature distribution were found to significantly affect the reactant species conversion efficiency and syngas production. The chemical reaction is mainly driven by the thermal energy and higher species conversion into syngas was observed when the temperature distribution at the inner cavity of the reactor was more uniform. Designed a solar thermochemical reactor able to volumetric store concentrated irradiance could highly improve CCU technologies for producing energy-rich chemicals. Besides, the mixture gas inlet velocity, operating pressure and CO_2/CH_4 feeding ratio were crucial to determining the efficiency of CO_2 utilization to solar fuels. Catalytic CO_2-reforming of CH_4 to chemical energy is a promising strategy for an efficient utilization of CO_2 as a renewable carbon source.
基金supported by Major Program of the National Natural Science Foundation of China (42192535)。
文摘For the reduction of atmospheric effects,observed gravity has initially been corrected by using the computed barometric admittance k of the in situ measured pressure,expressed in nms-2/hPa units and estimated by least squares method.However,the local pressure changes alone cannot account for the atmospheric mass attraction and loading when the coherent pressure field exceeds a specific size,i.e.,with increasing periodicities.To overcome this difficulty,it is necessary to compute the total atmospheric effect at each station using the global pressure field.However,the direct subtraction of the total gravity effect,provided by the models of pressure correction,is not yet satisfactory for S2 and other tidal components,such as K2 and P1,which include solar heating pressure tides.This paper identifies the origin of the problem and presents strategies to obtain a satisfactory solution.First,we set up a difference vector between the tidal factors of M2 and S2 after correction of the pressure and ocean tides effects.This vector,hereafter denoted as RES,presents the advantage of being practically insensitive to calibration errors.The minimum discrepancy between the tidal parameters of M2 and S2 corresponds to the minimum of the RES vector norm d.Secondly we adopt the hybrid pressure correction method,separating the local and the global pressure contribution of the models and replacing the local contribution by the pressure measured at the station multiplied by an admittance kATM.We tested this procedure on 8 stations from the IGETS superconducting gravimeters network(former GGP network).For stations at an altitude lower than 1000 m,the value of dopt is always smaller than0.0005.The discrepancy between the tidal parameters of the M2 and S2 waves is always lower than0.05% on the amplitude factors and 0.025° on the phases.For these stations,a correlation exists between the altitude and the value kopt.The results at the three Central European stations Conrad,Pecny and Vienna are in excellent agreement(0.05%) with the DDW99NH model for all the main tidal waves.
文摘Comoros Islands suffering from energy stress due to rolling power cuts in the country mainly due to problems with failures heat engines fuelled with diesel. These blackouts induce shortages of energy while demand for energy does not cease to grow with the population. An alternative way for the Comoros Islands to get out of this energy crisis is to exploit the existing energy renewable sources, in particular to invest in the hybrid energy, a promising technology in terms of economic efficiency. The north of Ngazidja Island, in the region of Mitsamiouli, is considered among the economic lungs of this Island. It is spread in the field of tourism but also an area developed in agriculture and fishing. The Village of Koua Mitsamiouli located in rural area of this region is well known for its efficient yield in agricultural production, although the latter suffers from an energy stress in its last years. This lack of energy and water permanently to farmers has caused its production capacity to fall. In order to increase its agricultural profitability, and to satisfy the needs of the population for their activities such as trade, health, education, banking transactions, product preserving in retail stores, the energy autonomy of this village is more than necessary. It is important to notice that, the use of renewable energies in Comoros is very limited by photovoltaic (PV) solar panels. Hybrid technology and other renewable energy sources are not yet developed in Comoros Island. The main objective of this work is to propose the best possible sizing of a hybrid system for the production of electricity from renewable and non-renewable energy resources in order to satisfy the electrical needs in a reliable manner of the remote of village, Koua Mitsamiouli, for energetic autonomy. Indeed, two energy resources, composed by solar photovoltaic (PV) system and diesel generator are considered in the hybrid system. This study estimates the community demand with HOMER analysis. In order to check the performance of the overall system combination photovoltaic (PV)/generator, several numerical simulations were performed with the HOMER software using data from the national meteorological agency in Comoros and the results obtained by authors are satisfactory in terms of cost and reliability of the system.
文摘Different types of carbon-silica fillers were prepared via pyrolysis-cum-water vapor of waste green tires tread and impregnation method. Dual phase fillers have been characterized by energy dispersive X-ray (EDX) spectroscopy in a scanning transmission electron microscope (STEM) or STEM-EDX. Phase distribution in hybrid fillers for rubber was investigated. The results achieved show that the conditions of obtaining influence the distribution and the location of the phases in the carbon-silica hybrid fillers as well as their most essential characteristics including specific area, oil absorption number, iodine adsorption number, ash content and others.
基金funding from the“Talent Introduction Scientific Research Start-Up Fund”of Shandong University of Science and Technology(Grant number 0104060510217)the“Open Fund of State Key Laboratory of Geodesy and Earth’s Dynamics”(Grant number SKLGED2021-3-5)。
文摘Since 2008 a network of five sea-level monitoring stations was progressively installed in French Polynesia.The stations are autonomous and data,collected at a sampling rate of 1 or 2 min,are not only recorded locally,but also transferred in real time by a radio-link to the NOAA through the GOES satellite.The new ET34-ANA-V80 version of ETERNA,initially developed for Earth Tides analysis,is now able to analyze ocean tides records.Through a two-step validation scheme,we took advantage of the flexibility of this new version,operated in conjunction with the preprocessing facilities of the Tsoft software,to recover co rrected data series able to model sea-level variations after elimination of the ocean tides signal.We performed the tidal analysis of the tide gauge data with the highest possible selectivity(optimal wave grouping)and a maximum of additional terms(shallow water constituents).Our goal was to provide corrected data series and modelled ocean tides signal to compute tide-free sea-level variations as well as tidal prediction models with centimeter precision.We also present in this study the characteristics of the ocean tides in French Polynesia and preliminary results concerning the non-tidal variations of the sea level concerning the tide gauge setting.
文摘The Comoros is an archipelago in the Indian Ocean located in the Mozambique Channel between the African continent and Madagascar. Geographically Comoros is composed of four islands: Grande Comores, Anjouan, Mohéli and Mayotte (under French administration). Apart from Mayotte, the others three independent islands commonly known as the Union of the Comoros are suffering from energy stress since their independence year 1975 until nowadays. The energy supplied and distributed by the national electricity company, SONELEC produced by diesel engines, is not stable with so much load shedding all the time. This instability energy leads to a lack of a phone network in some telecommunications towers connected to grid. The majority of telecommunications towers are located in rural areas not connected to grid and running on diesel generators, which once again leads to a problem with the telecommunications network when diesel engines fail. The two competing companies which operate in the field of telecommunications in the Comoros, namely Comores Télécom, a national public company and Telma, the private one, are still unable to ensure the provision of the telecommunications network on a regular basis. This is why we propose in the present work, a sizing of hybrid system composed essentially of a diesel generator, a wind turbine and a photovoltaic solar system with storage in batteries for supplying telecommunications towers in order to permanently ensure the provision of the telecommunications network for the well-being of the population. Our future energy must be based on non-polluting energies with significant resources. Renewable energies are the best candidates but with intermittent production especially in rural areas not connected to the national electricity grid whose energy demand is more important to meet the needs of the population. The aim of this work is the sizing of a hybrid system composed of a diesel generator, a wind turbine and a photovoltaic solar system with storage in batteries for supplying telecommunications towers located in rural areas in the Comoros. In fact, to verify the performance of the hybrid system, a numerical study has been carried out with the HOMER 2.68 Beta software using meteorological data from the Comoros. The results obtained show that this hybrid combination is more profitable in the margin of economic cost and environmental assessments with a less expensive investment. These results also show a better optimization of Wind/PV/Battery of the hybrid system used, satisfying the demand and contributing to the preservation of the environment to fight against climate change with a low cost of energy.
文摘Outdoor air quality, building materials, HVAC （Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning） systems and people activity are important factors in human exposition of polluted indoor air. The degree of signification varies in dependence on pollution character and its sources. Buildings eliminate significantly people exposition of outdoor pollutants, but on the other hand, buildings are significant source of indoor pollution. The contamination of indoor air is largely from the use of gas for heating and cooking appliances. A comprehensive analysis of indoor air pollution by nitrogen oxides shows that the extent of indoor air pollution and consequent exposure varies as a result of many factors mainly the differing dislribution of appliances and their level of use. This study aims to formulate a mathematical model for the production of nitrogen oxides indoors. The physical processes that determine the concentrations of indoor nitrogen oxides as a function of outdoor concentrations, indoor emission rates and building characteristics have been mathematically described. The mathematical model developed has been parameterized for typical Slovak residences. The modeling of the occurrence of indoor nitrogen oxides and verification of the model is presented in this paper.
文摘In tropical areas,palm oil production generates significant amounts of waste,including palm kernel shells.The use of this waste in the civil engineering sector,presents a very challenging task.In the present study,the production of lateritic soil(A-2 in GTR classification and A-7-6(9)in HRB classification)reinforced with palm kernel shells is considered.In order to improve their performances,these materials are mixed using the Fuller’s parabolic law.Moreover,experimental tests are used to characterize the physical and mechanical geotechnical properties of the lateritic soil.After characterizing the matrix(i.e.,lateritic soil)and the inclusions(i.e.,palm kernel shells)in their natural state,it is found that Avrankou’s lateritic soil has a high level of fine particles(56.6%),high plasticity(PI=21%)and low lift(ICBR=17%);which makes it unusable in the pavement layer.Results also prove that the mixture composed of 39%of lateritic soil volume and 61%of PKS with a CBR index equals to 30 and the mixture composed of 45%of lateritic soil,40%PKS and 15%of lagoon sand with a CBR index equals to 41 can be used as sub-base layer for roads for low and medium traffic,respectively.
文摘To contribute to the enhancement of unconventional local materials used for road construction,this study characterizes a crushed sand 0/5,a clayey soil and the litho-stabilized material without and with hydraulic binder and determines their use in accordance with some reference specifications(CEBTP 1984).It is shown that the different components are not usable alone in pavement base.Indeed,the plasticity index obtained for the clayey soil is 21%,a value higher than the imposed standards.In addition,the grading of the 0/5 crushed sand does not fit into the range proposed by CEBTP.A combination of these two(02)components is therefore considered to obtain a suitable material usable for the sub-base.This new material does not enter any class of the CEBTP lateritic soils.In order to be used in base layer,a treatment with hydraulic binder is carried out with the intention to improve its mechanical performances.The optimal dosage of hydraulic binder to achieve the desired mechanical performance is obtained by studying the evolution of the mechanical characteristics of the mixture.After this treatment,the Bearing Ratio index of the mix increases from 37 to 223 for the optimal dosage and the dry compaction density decreases from 2.11 to 2.06 g/cm3 while the optimal water content increases from 9%to 10.1%.
文摘In this work,we present a feasibility study for a new hybrid power plant(PV-Wind-Diesel-Storage)directly connected to the electrical grid.Several simulations are performed to verify the performance of the hybrid system under different scenarios using real meteorological data.It is shown that the performances of the hybrid system connected to the electrical network depend obviously on the available energy resources and constraints because the renewable energies are intermittent.In addition,the price of the kWh of electricity supplied by the hybrid system is determined,which amounts to$0.209/kWh,which is very cost effective and satisfactory for the considered sample conditions(Comoros Island).
文摘This work focuses on the development of local building materials in Benin for their efficient use in buildings. It aims to make mud bricks lightened with good mechanical, thermal and sound properties and enhance the waste polystyrene. This article is the result of experimental work on a broad field of applied sciences： building mechanics. The study is focused on BTS （blocks of stabilized earth） chosen as reference materials to which we linked polystyrene. The percentage of polystyrene varies from 0% to 100% starting from a constant volume of each reference material. The results showed that the increase in polystyrene percentage lowers mechanical properties. These results also showed that the gradual addition of polystyrene to the laterite-cement mixture has a significant influence on the density and mechanical resistances of the final composite material.
文摘The promotion and the popularization of the micro concrete tiles in any locality obligation with a will of durable development pass by a standard of quality, which is based on the results of scientific and technical research taking account of local specificities. This work proposes to study the porosity of the micro concrete by micro structural analysis. From this study, it comes out that the variation of porosity compared to the ratio of the fine gravels (s/(s + g)) is decreasing. Indeed more the granular ratio increases less low is the density of pores of material. The decrease of porosity according to the granular rate is not infinite;it tends towards a minimum starting from a rate of fine gravel close to 50%. The results obtained justify well the ratio of fine gravel practised by tileries.
基金the University of French Polynesiafunding by several successive“Decision Aide a la Recherche”(DAR)grants to the Geodesy Observatory of Tahiti from the French Space Agency(CNES)+2 种基金fundings from the local government of French Polynesia(Observatoire Polynesien du Rechauffement Climatique)funding by“National Natural Science Foundation of China”(Grand No.41931075)funding by“the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities"(Grand No.2042022kf1198)。
文摘In this study,we estimate the absolute vertical land motions at three tidal stations with collocated Global Navigation Satellite System(GNSS)receivers over French Polynesia during the period 2007-2020,and obtain,as ancillary results,estimates of the absolute changes in sea level at the same locations.To verify our processing approach to determining vertical motion,we first modeled vertical motion at the International GNSS Service(IGS)THTI station located in the capital island of Tahiti and compared our estimate with previous independent determinations,with a good agreement.We obtained the following estimates for the vertical land motions at the tide gauges:Tubuai island,Austral Archipelago-0.92±0.17 mm/yr,Vairao village,Tahiti Iti:-0.49±0.39 mm/yr,Rikitea,Gambier Archipelago-0.43±0.17 mm/yr.The absolute variations of the sea level are:Tubuai island,Austral Archipelago 5.25±0.60 mm/yr,Vairao village,Tahiti Iti:3.62±0.52 mm/yr,Rikitea,Gambier Archipelago 1.52±0.23 mm/yr.We discuss these absolute values in light of the values obtained from altimetric measurements and other means in French Polynesia.
文摘An analytical investigation is conducted to study the effect of magnetic field on convection heat transfer through packed porous beds which consists of a horizontal fluid layer (river bed) and a porous zone with anisotropic permeability and underlined by a surface heated by a constant temperature T1. The free surface of the fluid layer overlying the horizontal porous layer receives solar rays to length of day and is then considered heated isothermally at temperature T2 such as T1 T2. Flow in porous medium is assumed to be governed by the generalized Brinkman-extended Darcy law and in the fluid layer by the Navier-Stokes model. The Beavers-Joseph condition is applied at the interface between the two layers. The influence of Hartmann number and hydrodynamic anisotropy on the convective phenomenon is investigated analytically. It is found that the magnetic field, the anisotropic permeability and the thickness of the porous lining, ε, have a strong influence of the geothermal convective flow and the heat transfer rate.
文摘The effects of hydrodynamic anisotropy on the mixed-convection in a vertical porous channel heated on its plates with a thermal radiation are investigated analytically for fully developed flow regime. The porous medium is anisotropic in permeability whose principal axes are oriented in a direction that is oblique to the gravity. The generalized Brinkman-extended Darcy model which allows the no-slip boundary-condition on solid wall is used in the formulation of the problem. The flow reversal, the thermal radiation influence for natural, and forced convection are considered in the limiting cases for low and high porosity media. It was found that the anisotropic permeability ratio, the orientation angle of the principal axes of permeability and the radiation parameter affected significantly the flow regime and the heat transfer.
文摘Climate change effect can be either positive or negative on the human. Its impact on the energy consumption of a country for space heating and cooling purposes depends on the current and future regional climate, the required thermal comfort inside buildings, and the technical building features such as thermal insulation quality and occupants’ habits. The aim of this research is to study the variation of the air temperature in several regions of Madagascar and then to simulate the impact of climate change on the need for energy consumption in household cooling and heating systems using degree-day index. The results showed that the temperature changes more rapidly in the rainy season than in the dry season. The energy demand for cooling is constantly growing in all the regions of Madagascar. Besides, an average around of 526 degree-day is expected in several regions of island by 2050. In the same year, air temperature is estimated to reach up to 2℃.
