Pradip Luitel*, RC Tiwari, P Makaju, P Panthi and S Lamsal
Landslides in Nepal pose a significant threat due to the country's active tectonics, delicate geology, rugged topography, and uncertain climate. The Jure landslide that occurred on August 2, 2014, has garnered particular attention due to the unprecedented loss of life and properties. This paper investigates the influence of soil saturation and seismic load on slope behavior in the post-landslide jure slope, Nepal utilizing RocScience phase-2, finite element analysis software. The study is performed by geomechanical stimulation of the slope model using shear strength reduction method, appropriate boundary conditions and Mohr column and Hoek-Brown failure criteria. The results show that higher saturation levels lead to reduced shear strength and increased displacement, while positive horizontal seismic loads decrease the critical strength reduction factor, increasing susceptibility of the slope to failure. Remedial measures developed accordingly can protect the affected region from future landslides during heavy rainfall and earthquakes. By enhancing our understanding of slope behavior, this study helps to improve disaster preparedness and resilience in similar regions facing natural hazards.
Tsigabu Hailu*
The efficient management of water distribution networks is crucial for ensuring reliable water supply in urban areas. This study focuses on the analysis of the existing water distribution network for the Endagebrial subsystem in Mekelle city, Ethiopia. The primary objective is to evaluate the current performance of the network and identify areas for improvement to meet the growing water demand. Using EPANET 2.0, widely used hydraulic simulation software, the study models the water distribution network to assess its hydraulic performance. Key parameters such as pressure, flow rate, and velocity are analyzed under various demand scenarios. The network’s ability to maintain adequate pressure and flow during peak demand periods is a critical aspect of the analysis. The results indicate that certain sections of the network experience low pressure, particularly during peak hours, which can lead to insufficient water supply to end-users. Additionally, the study identifies areas with high head loss, suggesting the need for pipe replacement or resizing to enhance the network’s efficiency. The analysis also highlights the impact of aging infrastructure on the network’s performance, emphasizing the importance of regular maintenance and upgrades. Recommendations for improving the water distribution network include the installation of pressure-regulating valves, upgrading undersized pipes, and implementing a more robust maintenance schedule. These measures are expected to enhance the overall reliability and efficiency of the water supply system, ensuring that it can meet the future demands of Mekelle city’s growing population. This study provides valuable insights into the current state of the Endagebrial subsystem’s water distribution network and offers practical solutions for its improvement. The findings can serve as a reference for urban planners and water utility managers in Mekelle city and other similar urban settings, contributing to the sustainable management of water resources.
Kolli Bhava Sai Vaishnavi*, S Sharmila, T Lokesh, K Rajendra and Chava Srinivas
The paper discusses the historical use of fencing poles constructed from diverse materials like timber, wood, stone, RCC and plastic. It highlights the drawbacks of certain materials, such as timber being susceptible to termites. In modern times, RCC (Reinforced Cement Concrete) fencing poles are extensively used, but they lack high flexural strength. The study proposes adding fibres (coconut and steel) to the concrete to enhance flexural strength, addressing the weakness of concrete in tension. The goal is to produce economical and eco-friendly concrete poles with improved properties compared to conventional ones. The research involves casting poles with different fibre types and volume fractions, conducting tests on compressive and flexural strength with M25 grade concrete. Overall, the study aims to provide a better alternative to traditional concrete poles by incorporating fibres and optimizing their proportions for enhanced strength and durability.
Aim of this paper is software package utilized towards a practical application by considering problem of natural draught hyperbolic cooling towers. This paper deals with the study of hyperbolic cooling tower of 120 m high above ground level. This cooling tower has been analyzed for wind load using ANSYS by assuming fixity at the shell base. For this analysis a single case of the tower with alternative ‘I’ and ‘V’ supports is taken up. The wind load on this cooling towers has been calculated in the form of pressure by using the circumferentially distributed design wind pressure coefficients as given in IS: 11504-1985 code along with the design wind pressures at different levels as per IS: 875 (Part 3)-1987 code. The analysis has been carried out using and 4-noded shell element. The vertical distribution of membrane forces along and the circumferential distributions at base, throat and top levels have been studied for the cooling tower.
Nancy Mittal, Diwakar Velu
The continuing growth of population density in urban areas around the world has placed greater emphasis on the utilization and development of underground space to meet the increasing demands of the city. Due to limited land space available in downtown areas, many cities in the world are also embarking on integration of major construction projects of metro infrastructure, commercial developments and residential estates etc., to meet the growing demand of infrastructure. Construction project in an urban area necessitates the involvement of internal and external stakeholders in the planning phase of the project and requires managing the expectations of the stakeholders throughout the project. This paper will present a case study to depict the ways for managing the stakeholders affected due to the construction project in an urban environment. Stakeholder management in construction projects which are of national importance is even more challenging and complex than private projects. To make the project successful, it is very important to identify all the stakeholders and engage them in early phases of project. The very task of managing the different priorities and requirements of internal and external stakeholder groups at various stages of project is tedious in itself. This paper will describe the different strategies and present 2 case studies to manage the expectations of various stakeholders during the construction works in a densely populated area.
P Sivakumar*, D Prabhakaran and M Thirumarimurugan
The world produces 50 million tons of electronic and electrical waste (e-waste) per year, according to a recent UN report, but only 20% is formally recycled. The rest ends up in landfill, or is recycled informally in developing nations. E-waste recycling market in India is predominantly controlled by unorganized sector due to absence of stringent laws and policy framework. Electronics products in the country are reaching their end of life sooner than expected, which has created immense pressure on the government to come up with appropriate laws to promote e-waste recycling and management. Most electronics that are improperly thrown away contain some form of harmful materials such as beryllium, cadmium, mercury and lead. These materials might be trace elements, but when added up in volume, the threat to the environment is significant. However electronic waste also contains fair percentage of precious metals like Cu, Ag, Au, Pt etc. These metals can be recovered from e-waste at cheaper cost than from the usual ores. Several techniques are used to recover precious metals like copper, silver and gold. This paper deals with the collection and segregation of precious metal rich e-waste scrap and leaches zinc and Aluminium effectively by adopting the technique namely Electrodeposition. The composition of Zinc and Aluminium present in the resultant leached product from each technique is analyzed by EDS. A manual comparison of purity, yield percentage, energy consumption will be tabulated and optimization for the three processes will be simulated using Response Surface Methods (RSM) in design-expert software v.11.
Journal of Civil and Environmental Engineering received 1798 citations as per Google Scholar report