scholarly journals Porosity distribution in a heterogeneous clay-rich fault core by image processing of 14C-PMMA autoradiographs and Scanning Electron Microscopy

MRS Advances ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 3 (21) ◽  
pp. 1167-1173
Author(s):  
Ville Nenonen ◽  
Juuso Sammaljärvi ◽  
Bo Johanson ◽  
Mikko Voutilainen ◽  
Emilie L’Hôpital ◽  
...  

AbstractShale formations are considered by a number of countries as the most suitable media to dispose of high-level radioactive waste. This is mainly due to the impermeable, self-sealing, chemical reducing, and sorption properties that tend to retard radionuclide migration. However, shale formations can also contain highly connected fault zones with permeabilities that can differ of several orders of magnitudes with respect to the undeformed host rock. The objective of this work is to use the 14C-PMMA autoradiography method combined with SEM-EDS measurements to understand the porosity variations in and around fault gouges and to define their relationship to mechano-chemical processes. The studied samples were taken from a low permeability shale in a small-scale vertical strike-slip fault at the Tournemire underground research laboratory. Results display significant variations in porosity and mineralogy along the studied gouge zone due to polyphased tectonics and paleo-fluid circulations.

2019 ◽  
pp. 68-72
Author(s):  
E. A. Volkova

A monograph “Vegetation and biotopes of the “Narochansky” National Park was published in Minsk, Belarus in 2017, edited by A. V. Pugachevsky (Grummo et al., 2017). It includes the Map of terrestrial vegetation (S. 1 : 60 000) and the Map of biotopes (S. 1 : 60 000). Some small-scale maps such as the Map of changes in forest cover of the “Narochansky” National Park for the period 1985–2016, the Map of forest loss in the “Narochansky” National Park for the period 1985–2016 and a series of inventory and analytical maps on the basin of the Naroch Lake are given. This monograph can be considered as a small regional Atlas with detailed explanatory texts to the maps. It presents the experience on vegetation mapping accumulated in the Laboratory of Geobotany and Vegetation mapping of the Institute of Experimental Botany of the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus. Despite some critical comments, mainly concerning the biotope map, this publication of Belarusian geobotanists deserves an approval. They received the full answers to the questions posed: “What do we protect?” and “What is a current state of the vegetation of the National Park and the main trends of its dynamics? Cartographic design is made at a high level; the maps have both scientific and practical importance in the planning of environmental and economic activities.


2021 ◽  
Vol 42 (1) ◽  
pp. 104-115
Author(s):  
Chungmann Kim ◽  
Peter Goldsmith

Background: The ability for women to operate as food entrepreneurs presents opportunities to leverage at-home production technologies that not only support family nutrition but also generate income. To these ends, the Feed the Future Malawi Agriculture Diversification Activity recently launched a development project involving a new technology, the Soy Kit. The Activity, a USAID (United States Agency for International Development) funded effort, sought to improve nutrition utilizing an underutilized local and highly nutritious feedstuff, soybean, through a woman’s entrepreneurship scheme. Objective: The USAID funded effort provides the overarching research question, whether the Soy Kit is a sustainable technology for delivering nutrition and income through a women’s entrepreneurship scheme. If true, then development practitioners will have a valuable tool, and the associated evidence, to address the important crosscutting themes, of nutrition, poverty, entrepreneurship, and women’s empowerment. To answer this research question, the research team first evaluates the underlying production economics of the kit to measure profitability, return on investment, and operational performance. Second, the team qualitatively and quantitatively assesses the kit’s overall appropriateness as a technology for the developing world. Methods: The team follows the schema of Bower and Brown and utilizes descriptive statistics, and financial techniques to conduct an assessment of the economics and technical appropriateness of the Soy Kit technology. Results: The results show a high level of appropriateness across a number of metrics. For example, the payback period from cash flow is under 6 months and the annual return on capital is 163% when entrepreneurs utilize a domestically sourced kit valued at US$80. Conclusion: The technology matches well with the rhythm of household economy, in particular women’s labor availability and resource base. Businesses earn significant returns on capital thus appear to be sustainable without donor subsidy. At the same time, available capital to finance kit entrepreneurs appears to be scarce. More research needs to take place to address the credit access question, in order to make small-scale kit entrepreneur truly self-reliant; the effects on poverty reduction at the household and village level; and nutrition improvement among the consumers.


Author(s):  
Masashi Nakayama ◽  
Haruo Sato ◽  
Yutaka Sugita ◽  
Seiji Ito ◽  
Masashi Minamide ◽  
...  

In Japan, any high level radioactive waste (HLW) repository is to be constructed at over 300 m depth below surface. Tunnel support is used for safety during the construction and operation, and shotcrete and concrete lining are used as the tunnel support. Concrete is a composite material comprised of aggregate, cement and various admixtures. Low alkaline cement has been developed for the long term stability of the barrier systems whose performance could be negatively affected by highly alkaline conditions arising due to cement used in a repository. Japan Atomic Energy Agency (JAEA) has developed a low alkaline cement, named as HFSC (Highly Fly-ash Contained Silicafume Cement), containing over 60 wt% of silica-fume (SF) and fly-ash (FA). HFSC was used experimentally as the shotcrete material in construction of part of the 140m deep gallery in the Horonobe Underground Research Laboratory (URL). The objective of this experiment was to assess the performance of HFSC shotcrete in terms of mechanics, workability, durability, and so on. HFSC used in this experiment is composed of 40 wt% OPC (Ordinary Portland Cement), 20 wt% SF, and 40 wt% FA. This composition was determined based on mechanical testing of various mixes of the above components. Because of the low OPC content, the strength of HFSC tends to be lower than that of OPC. The total length of tunnel using HFSC shotcrete is about 73 m and about 500 m3 of HFSC was used. The workability of HFSC shotcrete was confirmed in this experimental construction.


2011 ◽  
Vol 502 (3-4) ◽  
pp. 315-327 ◽  
Author(s):  
Li-Wei Kuo ◽  
Sheng-Rong Song ◽  
Lin Huang ◽  
En-Chao Yeh ◽  
Huei-Fen Chen

Author(s):  
Angela Nastevska ◽  
Jovana Jovanova ◽  
Mary Frecker

Abstract Large scale structures can benefit from the design of compliant joints that can provide flexibility and adaptability. A high level of deformation is achieved locally with the design of flexures in compliant mechanisms. Additionally, by introducing contact-aided compliant mechanisms, nonlinear bending stiffness is achieved to make the joints flexible in one direction and stiff in the opposite one. All these concepts have been explored in small scale engineering design, but they have not been applied to large scale structures. In this paper the design of a large scale compliant mechanism is proposed for novel design of a foldable shipping container. The superelasticity of nickel titanium is shown to be beneficial in designing the joints of the compliant mechanism.


2019 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
pp. 10-12
Author(s):  
Lawal Muhammad

This research set out to analyze the women entrepreneurs and survival of small–scale enterprises in Nigeria. The objective of this paper is to determine the extent of women entrepreneurs and survival of SSEs in Nigeria. One Hundred and Twenty Eight (128) questionnaires were retrieved for analysis. Data collected were analyzed using multiple regressions. The results revealed that Women entrepreneurs experience and women entrepreneurs’ level of education have significant effect on the survival of small scale enterprises in Nigeria. The study therefore, concluded that an increase in training or improvement in the activities of women entrepreneurship will lead to a significant increase in the maintenance and sustainability of SSEs in Nigeria. This paper recommended that since, women entrepreneurs experience and high level of education led to the survival of SSEs in Nigeria therefore, the Nigerian government should provide an avenue for adequate funding, training on entrepreneurship, provision of infrastructural facilities and enabling environment in order to enhance the women entrepreneurial activities as this would translate to increase in an income generation, provision of employment and reduction of poverty in Nigeria.  Keywords: Entrepreneurship, Women Entrepreneurs, Small Scale Enterprises, Women Entrepreneurship and Survival.


2020 ◽  
Vol 36 (1) ◽  
pp. 71-80
Author(s):  
S. A Dattijo

Due to many ways by which they are exploited, insects and their products could be a very big business. They are sold for agricultural protection, crop pollination, as well as human, livestock and pet nutrition. In addition, their products are sold for pharmaceuticals, health, and the implements for research, art works and a host of other uses. This review focused on commercialization of insects and their products with a view of sharing existing knowledge on global commerce of various insects and their products. Available literature revealed that there was an increase in demand for edible insects in the United States of America and prices were as high as $150 kg-1. Similarly, between 2010 and 2015, animal feed market in the United Kingdom grew at 3.5% annually and is currently worth £5 billion. Because of its scarcity, high demand, and recognition of its healing properties, royal jelly, one of the most sought after from bee products commands astronomical price internationally. In addition, no any other industry could generate high level of employment as sericulture, especially in rural areas where it takes 11 workdays to produce a Kg of raw silk. The contribution insects and their products can give to improve the economy of a developing country such as Nigeria is considerable, but underestimated or neglected. Insects are unlikely to make a major contribution in the near future, but the idea that they are potential source of overcoming the economic problems is not as farfetched as it seemed. Therefore, there is the need to adopt an added value approach to insects and their products and sensitize as well as encourage small-scale farmers, who are disadvantaged in international market participation due to lack of access to information, services, technology or the capacity, to produce larger volumes of quality insect products.


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