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American Society for Testing and Materials

This chapter introduces the finite element method (FEM) as a tool for solution of classical electromagnetic problems. Although we discuss the main points in the application of the finite element method to electromagnetic design, including formulation and implementation, those who seek deeper understanding of the finite element method should consult some of the works listed in the bibliography section.

Introduction to the Finite Element Method

Sustainability assessment is being increasingly viewed as an important tool to aid in the shift towards sustainability. However, this is a new and evolving concept and there remain very few examples of effective sustainability assessment processes implemented anywhere in the world. Sustainability assessment is often described as a process by which the implications of an initiative on sustainability are evaluated, where the initiative can be a proposed or existing policy, plan, programme, project, piece of legislation, or a current practice or activity. However, this generic definition covers a broad range of different processes, many of which have been described in the literature as 'sustainability assessment'. This article seeks to provide some clarification by reflecting on the different approaches described in the literature as being forms of sustainability assessment, and evaluating them in terms of their potential contributions to sustainability. Many of these are actually examples of 'integrated assessment', derived from environmental impact assessment (EIA) and strategic environmental assessment (SEA), but which have been extended to incorporate social and economic considerations as well as environmental ones, reflecting a 'triple bottom line' (TBL) approach to sustainability. These integrated assessment processes typically either seek to minimise 'unsustainability', or to achieve TBL objectives. Both aims may, or may not, result in sustainable practice. We present an alternative conception of sustainability assessment, with the more ambitious aim of seeking to determine whether or not an initiative is actually sustainable. We term such processes 'assessment for sustainability'. 'Assessment for sustainability' firstly requires that the concept of sustainability be well-defined. The article compares TBL approaches and principles-based approaches to developing such sustainability criteria, concluding that the latter are more appropriate, since they avoid many of the inherent limitations of the triple-bottom-line as a conception of sustainability.

Conceptualising sustainability assessment

Superabsorbent polymers (SAPs) are organic materials with lightly crosslinked three-dimensional structure possessing high to very high swelling capacity in aqueous media. These are in fact the most commercially successful members of the hydrogel family. The SAP production for personal care products (baby diapers and feminine incontinence products) accounts for about 80% of the overall hydrogel production. Research during the past 30 years, although not affected the commercial status of SAPs, has led to more and more understanding of superabsorbent structures, their properties, and potential uses. Beyond the hygienic use, the SAPs have found very wide applications from the agricultural formulations to pharmaceutical dosage forms. Since hygiene applications of SAPs are very well established and well reviewed, this article reviews and highlights the SAP applications in other sectors, such as in agriculture, pharmaceutics, separation technology, fibers/textiles, water-swelling rubbers, soft actuators/valves, electrical and construction.

Advances in non-hygienic applications of superabsorbent hydrogel materials

This report presents information on the characterization of cementitiously stabilized layers and the properties that influence pavement performance. It also contains recommended performance-related procedures for characterizing these layers and performance-prediction models for incorporation into the mechanistic–empirical pavement analysis methods. Individual chapters highlight pavement distresses of hot-mix asphalt pavements and concrete pavements, laboratory tests and model development, and model calibration. The material contained in the report will be of immediate interest to state materials, pavement, and construction engineers and others involved in the different aspects of pavement design and construction.

Characterization of Cementitiously Stabilized Layers for Use in Pavement Design and Analysis

Three important mechanisms that contribute to the compression of municipal solid waste are instantaneous compression in response to applied load, secondary mechanical creep, and time-dependent biological decomposition. A composite compressibility model that explicitly takes these mechanisms into account was developed and implemented in a computer program to calculate landfill settlements. The model performance was assessed using data from the Bandeirantes Landfill, which is a well-documented landfill located in Sao Paulo, Brazil, and upon which an instrumented test fill was constructed. Model parameter values were obtained by nonlinear regression analysis, and it was found that the composite model tracked observed patterns of landfill settlement very well. Furthermore, the average parameter values from nonlinear regression analyses for 20 instruments exhibited small deviations between calculated and observed settlements, indicating that a single set of parameter values can provide reasonably good representation of all the waste in the vicinity of the test fill. Recommendations for applying the model to other landfills are provided.

Composite Compressibility Model for Municipal Solid Waste

This paper summarizes the construction details and findings of laboratory and field tests of a new generation of precast composite piles used for the first time in the construction of the substructure of the Route 40 highway bridge over the Nottoway River in Virginia. The piles consisted of 24.6 in. (625 mm) diameter concrete-filled glass fiber reinforced polymer (GFRP) circular tubes, with a 0.21 in. (5.3 mm) wall thickness. The composite piles extended above the ground level and were directly embedded into the reinforced concrete cap beam supporting the superstructure. Laboratory tests included two full-scale composite piles loaded to failure using four-point bending configuration. Field testing included a full-scale precast composite pile and a conventional 20 in. (508 mm) square concrete pile prestressed with fourteen 1/2 in. (12.7 mm) diameter strands. This paper presents details of the construction and driving of the piles, comparisons between the behavior of the composite and prestressed concrete piles under axial and lateral loading, the observed failure modes, and the details of the connection between the piles and the reinforced concrete cap beam.

Precast piles for Route 40 bridge in Virginia using concrete filled FRP tubes

This report provides background on deep mixing for U.S. transportation projects and provides further information on design and construction aspects. This report also includes guidelines required for U.S. transportation engineers to plan, design, construct, and monitor deep mixing projects for embankment and foundation support applications. Considerations for secondary associated applications such as excavation support and liquefaction mitigation are also discussed.

https://rosap.ntl.bts.gov/view/dot/37379/dot_37379_DS1.pdf

Federal Highway Administration Design Manual: Deep Mixing for Embankment and Foundation Support

Progressive failure can occur along geosynthetic interfaces in lined waste landfills when peak strengths are greater than residual strengths. A displacement-softening formulation for geosynthetic interfaces was used in finite-element analyses of lined waste impoundments to evaluate the significance of progressive failure effects. First, the Kettleman Hills landfill was analyzed, and good agreement was found between the calculated and observed failure heights. Next, parametric analyses of municipal solid waste landfills were performed. Progressive failure was significant in all cases. Limit equilibrium analyses were also performed, and recommendations are provided for incorporating progressive failure effects in limit equilibrium analyses of municipal solid waste landfills.

George M. Filz

Papers

Composite Compressibility Model for Municipal Solid Waste

Precast piles for Route 40 bridge in Virginia using concrete filled FRP tubes

Federal Highway Administration Design Manual: Deep Mixing for Embankment and Foundation Support

Progressive Failure of Lined Waste Impoundments

Influence of Clay Compressibility on Geosynthetic Loads in Bridging Layers for Column-Supported Embankments