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Sample records for root hydraulic properties

  1. Water movement through plant roots - exact solutions of the water flow equation in roots with linear or exponential piecewise hydraulic properties

    Science.gov (United States)

    Meunier, Félicien; Couvreur, Valentin; Draye, Xavier; Zarebanadkouki, Mohsen; Vanderborght, Jan; Javaux, Mathieu

    2017-12-01

    In 1978, Landsberg and Fowkes presented a solution of the water flow equation inside a root with uniform hydraulic properties. These properties are root radial conductivity and axial conductance, which control, respectively, the radial water flow between the root surface and xylem and the axial flow within the xylem. From the solution for the xylem water potential, functions that describe the radial and axial flow along the root axis were derived. These solutions can also be used to derive root macroscopic parameters that are potential input parameters of hydrological and crop models. In this paper, novel analytical solutions of the water flow equation are developed for roots whose hydraulic properties vary along their axis, which is the case for most plants. We derived solutions for single roots with linear or exponential variations of hydraulic properties with distance to root tip. These solutions were subsequently combined to construct single roots with complex hydraulic property profiles. The analytical solutions allow one to verify numerical solutions and to get a generalization of the hydric behaviour with the main influencing parameters of the solutions. The resulting flow distributions in heterogeneous roots differed from those in uniform roots and simulations led to more regular, less abrupt variations of xylem suction or radial flux along root axes. The model could successfully be applied to maize effective root conductance measurements to derive radial and axial hydraulic properties. We also show that very contrasted root water uptake patterns arise when using either uniform or heterogeneous root hydraulic properties in a soil-root model. The optimal root radius that maximizes water uptake under a carbon cost constraint was also studied. The optimal radius was shown to be highly dependent on the root hydraulic properties and close to observed properties in maize roots. We finally used the obtained functions for evaluating the impact of root maturation

  2. Water movement through plant roots – exact solutions of the water flow equation in roots with linear or exponential piecewise hydraulic properties

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    F. Meunier

    2017-12-01

    Full Text Available In 1978, Landsberg and Fowkes presented a solution of the water flow equation inside a root with uniform hydraulic properties. These properties are root radial conductivity and axial conductance, which control, respectively, the radial water flow between the root surface and xylem and the axial flow within the xylem. From the solution for the xylem water potential, functions that describe the radial and axial flow along the root axis were derived. These solutions can also be used to derive root macroscopic parameters that are potential input parameters of hydrological and crop models. In this paper, novel analytical solutions of the water flow equation are developed for roots whose hydraulic properties vary along their axis, which is the case for most plants. We derived solutions for single roots with linear or exponential variations of hydraulic properties with distance to root tip. These solutions were subsequently combined to construct single roots with complex hydraulic property profiles. The analytical solutions allow one to verify numerical solutions and to get a generalization of the hydric behaviour with the main influencing parameters of the solutions. The resulting flow distributions in heterogeneous roots differed from those in uniform roots and simulations led to more regular, less abrupt variations of xylem suction or radial flux along root axes. The model could successfully be applied to maize effective root conductance measurements to derive radial and axial hydraulic properties. We also show that very contrasted root water uptake patterns arise when using either uniform or heterogeneous root hydraulic properties in a soil–root model. The optimal root radius that maximizes water uptake under a carbon cost constraint was also studied. The optimal radius was shown to be highly dependent on the root hydraulic properties and close to observed properties in maize roots. We finally used the obtained functions for evaluating the impact

  3. Ethylene sensitivity and relative air humidity regulate root hydraulic properties in tomato plants.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Calvo-Polanco, Monica; Ibort, Pablo; Molina, Sonia; Ruiz-Lozano, Juan Manuel; Zamarreño, Angel María; García-Mina, Jose María; Aroca, Ricardo

    2017-11-01

    The effect of ethylene and its precursor ACC on root hydraulic properties, including aquaporin expression and abundance, is modulated by relative air humidity and plant sensitivity to ethylene. Relative air humidity (RH) is a main factor contributing to water balance in plants. Ethylene (ET) is known to be involved in the regulation of root water uptake and stomatal opening although its role on plant water balance under different RH is not very well understood. We studied, at the physiological, hormonal and molecular levels (aquaporins expression, abundance and phosphorylation state), the plant responses to exogenous 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid (ACC; precursor of ET) and 2-aminoisobutyric acid (AIB; inhibitor of ET biosynthesis), after 24 h of application to the roots of tomato wild type (WT) plants and its ET-insensitive never ripe (nr) mutant, at two RH levels: regular (50%) and close to saturation RH. Highest RH induced an increase of root hydraulic conductivity (Lp o ) of non-treated WT plants, and the opposite effect in nr mutants. The treatment with ACC reduced Lp o in WT plants at low RH and in nr plants at high RH. The application of AIB increased Lp o only in nr plants at high RH. In untreated plants, the RH treatment changed the abundance and phosphorylation of aquaporins that affected differently both genotypes according to their ET sensitivity. We show that RH is critical in regulating root hydraulic properties, and that Lp o is affected by the plant sensitivity to ET, and possibly to ACC, by regulating aquaporins expression and their phosphorylation status. These results incorporate the relationship between RH and ET in the response of Lp o to environmental changes.

  4. Linking root hydraulic properties to carbon allocation patterns in annual plant

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hosseini, A.; Ewers, B. E.; Adjesiwor, A. T.; Kniss, A. R.

    2017-12-01

    Incorporation of root structure and function into biophysical models is an important tool to predict plant water and nutrient uptake from the soil, plant carbon (C) assimilation, partitioning and release to the soils. Most of the models describing root water uptake (RWU) are based on semi-empirical (i.e. built on physiological hypotheses, but still combined with empirical functions) approaches and hydraulic parameters involved are hardly available. Root conductance is essential to define the interaction between soil-to-root and canopy-to-atmosphere. Also root hydraulic limitations to water flow can impact gas exchange rates and plant biomass partitioning. In this study, sugar beet (B. vulgaris) seeds under two treatments, grass (Kentucky bluegrass) and no grass (control), were planted in 19 L plastic buckets in June 2016. Photosynthetic characteristics (e.g. gas exchange and chlorophyll fluorescence), leaf morphology and anatomy, root morphology and above and below ground biomass of the plants was monitored at 15, 30, 50, 70 and 90 days after planting (DAP). Further emphasis was placed on the limits to water flow by coupling of hydraulic conductance (k) whole root-system with water relation parameters and gas exchange rates in fully established plants.

  5. Impact of root growth and root hydraulic conductance on water availability of young walnut trees

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jerszurki, Daniela; Couvreur, Valentin; Hopmans, Jan W.; Silva, Lucas C. R.; Shackel, Kenneth A.; de Souza, Jorge L. M.

    2015-04-01

    Walnut (Juglans regia L.) is a tree species of high economic importance in the Central Valley of California. This crop has particularly high water requirements, which makes it highly dependent on irrigation. The context of decreasing water availability in the state calls for efficient water management practices, which requires improving our understanding of the relationship between water application and walnut water availability. In addition to the soil's hydraulic conductivity, two plant properties are thought to control the supply of water from the bulk soil to the canopy: (i) root distribution and (ii) plant hydraulic conductance. Even though these properties are clearly linked to crop water requirements, their quantitative relation remains unclear. The aim of this study is to quantitatively explain walnut water requirements under water deficit from continuous measurements of its water consumption, soil and stem water potential, root growth and root system hydraulic conductance. For that purpose, a greenhouse experiment was conducted for a two month period. Young walnut trees were planted in transparent cylindrical pots, equipped with: (i) rhizotron tubes, which allowed for non-invasive monitoring of root growth, (ii) pressure transducer tensiometers for soil water potential, (iii) psychrometers attached to non-transpiring leaves for stem water potential, and (iv) weighing scales for plant transpiration. Treatments consisted of different irrigation rates: 100%, 75% and 50% of potential crop evapotranspiration. Plant responses were compared to predictions from three simple process-based soil-plant-atmosphere models of water flow: (i) a hydraulic model of stomatal regulation based on stem water potential and vapor pressure deficit, (ii) a model of plant hydraulics predicting stem water potential from soil-root interfaces water potential, and (iii) a model of soil water depletion predicting the water potential drop between the bulk soil and soil-root interfaces

  6. Xylem hydraulic properties of roots and stems of nine Mediterranean woody species.

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    Martínez-Vilalta, Jordi; Prat, Ester; Oliveras, Imma; Piñol, Josep

    2002-09-01

    We studied the hydraulic architecture and water relations of nine co-occurring woody species in a Spanish evergreen oak forest over the course of a dry season. Our main objectives were to: (1) test the existence of a trade-off between hydraulic conductivity and security in the xylem, and (2) establish the safety margins at which the species operated in relation to hydraulic failure, and compare these safety margins between species and tissues (roots vs. stems). Our results showed that the relationship between specific hydraulic conductivity (K s) and resistance to cavitation followed a power function with exponent ≈-2, consistent with the existence of a trade-off between conductivity and security in the xylem, and also consistent with a linear relationship between vessel diameter and the size of inter-vessel pores. The diameter of xylem conduits, K s and vulnerability to xylem embolism were always higher in roots than in stems of the same species. Safety margins from hydraulic failure were narrower in roots than in stems. Among species, the water potential (Ψ) at which 50% of conductivity was lost due to embolism ranged between -0.9 and Cistus albidus=Ilex aquifolium>Phillyrea latifolia>Juniperus oxycedrus. Gas exchange and seasonal Ψ minima were in general correlated with resistance to xylem embolism. Hydraulic safety margins differed markedly among species, with some of them (J. oxycedrus, I. aquifolium, P. latifolia) showing a xylem overly resistant to cavitation. We hypothesize that this overly resistant xylem may be related to the shape of the relationship between K s and security we have found.

  7. Hydraulic root water uptake models: old concerns and new insights

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    Couvreur, V.; Carminati, A.; Rothfuss, Y.; Meunier, F.; Vanderborght, J.; Javaux, M.

    2014-12-01

    Root water uptake (RWU) affects underground water dynamics, with consequences on plant water availability and groundwater recharge. Even though hydrological and climate models are sensitive to RWU parameters, no consensus exists on the modelling of this process. Back in the 1940ies, Van Den Honert's catenary approach was the first to investigate the use of connected hydraulic resistances to describe water flow in whole plants. However concerns such as the necessary computing when architectures get complex made this approach premature. Now that computing power increased dramatically, hydraulic RWU models are gaining popularity, notably because they naturally produce observed processes like compensatory RWU and hydraulic redistribution. Yet major concerns remain. Some are more fundamental: according to hydraulic principles, plant water potential should equilibrate with soil water potential when the plant does not transpire, which is not a general observation when using current definitions of bulk or average soil water potential. Other concerns regard the validation process: water uptake distribution is not directly measurable, which makes it hard to demonstrate whether or not hydraulic models are more accurate than other models. Eventually parameterization concerns exist: root hydraulic properties are not easily measurable, and would even fluctuate on an hourly basis due to processes like aquaporin gating. While offering opportunities to validate hydraulic RWU models, newly developed observation techniques also make us realize the increasing complexity of processes involved in soil-plant hydrodynamics, such as the change of rhizosphere hydraulic properties with soil drying. Surprisingly, once implemented into hydraulic models, these processes do not necessarily translate into more complex emerging behavior at plant scale, and might justify the use of simplified representations of the soil-plant hydraulic system.

  8. Root Hydraulics and Root Sap Flow in a Panamanian Low-Land Tropical Forest

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    Bretfeld, M.; Ewers, B. E.; Hall, J. S.; Ogden, F. L.; Beverly, D.; Speckman, H. N.

    2017-12-01

    In the tropics, trees are subjected to increasingly frequent and severe droughts driven by climate change. Given the hydrological benefits associated with tropical forests, such as reduced peak runoff during high precipitation events and increased base flow during drought periods ("sponge-effect"), the underlying plant-hydrological processes at the soil-plant interface have become the focus of recent research efforts. In Panama, the 2015/16 El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) event ranks amongst the driest and hottest periods on record, thus providing an excellent opportunity to study the effects of drought on tropical forests. Starting in 2015, we instrumented 76 trees with heat-ratio sap flow sensors in regrowing secondary forest (8-, 25-, and 80-year old stands) in the 15 km2 Agua Salud study area, located in central Panama. Of those trees, 16 individuals were instrumented with additional sap flow sensors on three roots each. Data were logged every 30 minutes and soil moisture was measured at 10, 30, 50, and 100 cm depth. Meteorological data were taken from a nearby met-station. Rooting depth and root density were assessed in eight 2×2×2 m soil pits. In April 2017, we measured hydraulic conductance and vulnerability to cavitation of eight species using the centrifuge technique. Trees in 8-year old forest limited transpiration during the drought whereas no such limitation was evident in trees of the 80-year old forest. Root sap flow data show seasonal shifts in water uptake between individual roots of a given tree, with sap flow decreasing in some roots while simultaneously increasing in other roots during the wet-dry season transition. Roots followed a typical log distribution along the profile, with overall root densities of 46, 43, and 52 roots m-2 in the 8-, 25-, and 80-yo stand, respectively. Roots were found up to 200 cm depth in all forests, with roots >5 cm occurring at lower depths (>125 cm) only in 25- and 80-year old forests. Maximum hydraulic

  9. Hydraulic properties and fine root mass of Larix sibirica along forest edge-interior gradients

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    Chenlemuge, Tselmeg; Dulamsuren, Choimaa; Hertel, Dietrich; Schuldt, Bernhard; Leuschner, Christoph; Hauck, Markus

    2015-02-01

    At its southernmost distribution limit in Inner Asia, the boreal forest disintegrates into forest fragments on moist sites (e.g. north-facing slopes), which are embedded in grasslands. This landscape mosaic is characterized by a much higher forest edge-to-interior ratio than in closed boreal forests. Earlier work in the forest-steppe ecotone of Mongolia has shown that Larix sibirica trees at forest edges grow faster than in the forest interior, as the more xeric environment at the edge promotes self-thinning and edges are preferentially targeted by selective logging and livestock grazing. Lowered stand density reduces competition for water in these semi-arid forests, where productivity is usually limited by summer drought. We studied how branch and coarse root hydraulic architecture and xylem conductivity, fine root biomass and necromass, and fine root morphology of L. sibirica respond to sites differing in water availability. Studying forest edge-interior gradients in two regions of western Mongolia, we found a significant reduction of branch theoretical (Kp) and empirical conductivity (Ks) in the putatively more drought-affected forest interior in the Mongolian Altai (mean precipitation: 120 mm yr-1), while no branch xylem modification occurred in the moister Khangai Mountains (215 mm yr-1). Kp and Ks were several times larger in roots than in branches, but root hydraulics were not influenced by stand density or mean annual precipitation. Very low fine root biomass: necromass ratios at all sites, and in the forest interior in particular, suggest that L. sibirica seeks to maintain a relatively high root conductivity by producing large conduits, which results in high root mortality due to embolism during drought. Our results suggest that L. sibirica is adapted to the semi-arid climate at its southernmost distribution limit by considerable plasticity of the branch hydraulic system and a small but apparently dynamic fine root system.

  10. Elevational trends in hydraulic efficiency and safety of Pinus cembra roots.

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    Losso, Adriano; Nardini, Andrea; Nolf, Markus; Mayr, Stefan

    2016-04-01

    In alpine regions, elevational gradients in environmental parameters are reflected by structural and functional changes in plant traits. Elevational changes in plant water relations have also been demonstrated, but comparable information on root hydraulics is generally lacking. We analyzed the hydraulic efficiency (specific hydraulic conductivity k s, entire root system conductance K R) and vulnerability to drought-induced embolism (water potential at 50 % loss of conductivity Ψ 50) of the roots of Pinus cembra trees growing along an elevational transect of 600 m. Hydraulic parameters of the roots were compared with those of the stem and related to anatomical traits {mean conduit diameter (d), wall reinforcement [(t/b)(2)]}. We hypothesized that temperature-related restrictions in root function would cause a progressive limitation of hydraulic efficiency and safety with increasing elevation. We found that both root k s and K R decreased from low (1600 m a.s.l.: k s 5.6 ± 0.7 kg m(-1) s(-1) MPa(-1), K R 0.049 ± 0.005 kg m(-2) s (-1) MPa(-1)) to high elevation (2100 m a.s.l.: k s 4.2 ± 0.6 kg m(-1) s(-1) MPa(-1), K R 0.035 ± 0.006 kg m(-2) s(-1) MPa(-1)), with small trees showing higher K R than large trees. k s was higher in roots than in stems (0.5 ± 0.05 kg m(-1)s(-1)MPa(-1)). Ψ 50 values were similar across elevations and overall less negative in roots (Ψ 50 -3.6 ± 0.1 MPa) than in stems (Ψ 50 -3.9 ± 0.1 MPa). In roots, large-diameter tracheids were lacking at high elevation and (t/b)(2) increased, while d did not change. The elevational decrease in root hydraulic efficiency reflects a limitation in timberline tree hydraulics. In contrast, hydraulic safety was similar across elevations, indicating that avoidance of hydraulic failure is important for timberline trees. As hydraulic patterns can only partly be explained by the anatomical parameters studied, limitations and/or adaptations at the pit level are likely.

  11. ROOT HYDRAULIC CONDUCTIVITY AND PHOTOSYNTHETIC CAPACITY OF EUCALYPT CLONAL CUTTINGS WITH ROOT MALFORMATION INDUCTIONS

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    Fábio Afonso Mazzei Moura de Assis Figueiredo

    2014-06-01

    Full Text Available http://dx.doi.org/10.5902/1980509814566The gain reduction of wood biomass in trees has been assigned to root deformations even in the nursery phase. The objective of this work was the evaluation of the root system hydraulic conductivity, gas exchanges and photochemical efficiency of eucalypt clonal cuttings with and without root deformation inductions. The treatments were: 1 operational cuttings without root malformation inductions (grown according to the used methodology of Fibria Cellulose S.A.; 2 root deformation inductions. These inductions did not promote decrease in the root volume. However, the deformations brought reduction of the root system hydraulic conductivity. Lower photosynthetic rates were also observed along the day in the cuttings in the root deformed cuttings. This decreasing rate is connected to stomatal and non stomatal factors.

  12. Environmental and management impacts on temporal variability of soil hydraulic properties

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    Bodner, G.; Scholl, P.; Loiskandl, W.; Kaul, H.-P.

    2012-04-01

    Soil hydraulic properties underlie temporal changes caused by different natural and management factors. Rainfall intensity, wet-dry cycles, freeze-thaw cycles, tillage and plant effects are potential drivers of the temporal variability. For agricultural purposes it is important to determine the possibility of targeted influence via management. In no-till systems e.g. root induced soil loosening (biopores) is essential to counteract natural soil densification by settling. The present work studies two years of temporal evolution of soil hydraulic properties in a no-till crop rotation (durum wheat-field pea) with two cover crops (mustard and rye) having different root systems (taproot vs. fibrous roots) as well as a bare soil control. Soil hydraulic properties such as near-saturated hydraulic conductivity, flow weighted pore radius, pore number and macroporosity are derived from measurements using a tension infiltrometer. The temporal dynamics are then analysed in terms of potential driving forces. Our results revealed significant temporal changes of hydraulic conductivity. When approaching saturation, spatial variability tended to dominate over the temporal evolution. Changes in near-saturated hydraulic conductivity were mainly a result of changing pore number, while the flow weighted mean pore radius showed less temporal dynamic in the no-till system. Macroporosity in the measured range of 0 to -10 cm pressure head ranged from 1.99e-4 to 8.96e-6 m3m-3. The different plant coverage revealed only minor influences on the observed system dynamics. Mustard increased slightly the flow weighted mean pore radius, being 0.090 mm in mustard compared to 0.085 mm in bare soil and 0.084 mm in rye. Still pore radius changes were of minor importance for the overall temporal dynamics. Rainfall was detected as major driving force of the temporal evolution of structural soil hydraulic properties at the site. Soil hydraulic conductivity in the slightly unsaturated range (-7 cm to -10

  13. Root water extraction and limiting soil hydraulic conditions estimated by numerical simulation

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Jong van Lier, de Q.; Metselaar, K.; Dam, van J.C.

    2006-01-01

    Root density, soil hydraulic functions, and hydraulic head gradients play an important role in the determination of transpiration-rate-limiting soil water contents. We developed an implicit numerical root water extraction model to solve the Richards equation for the modeling of radial root water

  14. Trade-offs between xylem hydraulic properties, wood anatomy and yield in Populus.

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    Hajek, Peter; Leuschner, Christoph; Hertel, Dietrich; Delzon, Sylvain; Schuldt, Bernhard

    2014-07-01

    Trees face the dilemma that achieving high plant productivity is accompanied by a risk of drought-induced hydraulic failure due to a trade-off in the trees' vascular system between hydraulic efficiency and safety. By investigating the xylem anatomy of branches and coarse roots, and measuring branch axial hydraulic conductivity and vulnerability to cavitation in 4-year-old field-grown aspen plants of five demes (Populus tremula L. and Populus tremuloides Michx.) differing in growth rate, we tested the hypotheses that (i) demes differ in wood anatomical and hydraulic properties, (ii) hydraulic efficiency and safety are related to xylem anatomical traits, and (iii) aboveground productivity and hydraulic efficiency are negatively correlated to cavitation resistance. Significant deme differences existed in seven of the nine investigated branch-related anatomical and hydraulic traits but only in one of the four coarse-root-related anatomical traits; this likely is a consequence of high intra-plant variation in root morphology and the occurrence of a few 'high-conductivity roots'. Growth rate was positively related to branch hydraulic efficiency (xylem-specific conductivity) but not to cavitation resistance; this indicates that no marked trade-off exists between cavitation resistance and growth. Both branch hydraulic safety and hydraulic efficiency significantly depended on vessel size and were related to the genetic distance between the demes, while the xylem pressure causing 88% loss of hydraulic conductivity (P88 value) was more closely related to hydraulic efficiency than the commonly used P50 value. Deme-specific variation in the pit membrane structure may explain why vessel size was not directly linked to growth rate. We conclude that branch hydraulic efficiency is an important growth-influencing trait in aspen, while the assumed trade-off between productivity and hydraulic safety is weak. © The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved

  15. Changes in wood density, wood anatomy and hydraulic properties of the xylem along the root-to-shoot flow path in tropical rainforest trees.

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    Schuldt, Bernhard; Leuschner, Christoph; Brock, Nicolai; Horna, Viviana

    2013-02-01

    It is generally assumed that the largest vessels are occurring in the roots and that vessel diameters and the related hydraulic conductance in the xylem are decreasing acropetally from roots to leaves. With this study in five tree species of a perhumid tropical rainforest in Sulawesi (Indonesia), we searched for patterns in hydraulic architecture and axial conductivity along the flow path from small-diameter roots through strong roots and the trunk to distal sun-canopy twigs. Wood density differed by not more than 10% across the different flow path positions in a species, and branch and stem wood density were closely related in three of the five species. Other than wood density, the wood anatomical and xylem hydraulic traits varied in dependence on the position along the flow path, but were unrelated to wood density within a tree. In contrast to reports from conifers and certain dicotyledonous species, we found a hump-shaped variation in vessel diameter and sapwood area--specific conductivity along the flow path in all five species with a maximum in the trunk and strong roots and minima in both small roots and twigs; the vessel size depended on the diameter of the organ. This pattern might be an adaptation to the perhumid climate with a low risk of hydraulic failure. Despite a similar mean vessel diameter in small roots and twigs, the two distal organs, hydraulically weighted mean vessel diameters were on average 30% larger in small roots, resulting in ∼ 85% higher empirical and theoretical specific conductivities. Relative vessel lumen area in percent of sapwood area decreased linearly by 70% from roots to twigs, reflecting the increase in sclerenchymatic tissue and tracheids in acropetal direction in the xylem. Vessel size was more closely related to the organ diameter than to the distance along the root-to-shoot flow path. We conclude that (i) the five co-occurring tree species show convergent patterns in their hydraulic architecture despite different growth

  16. Soil water availability and rooting depth as determinants of hydraulic architecture of Patagonian woody species

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    Sandra J. Bucci; Fabian G. Scholz; Guillermo Goldstein; Frederick C. Meinzer; Maria E. Arce

    2009-01-01

    We studied the water economy of nine woody species differing in rooting depth in a Patagonian shrub steppe from southern Argentina to understand how soil water availability and rooting depth determine their hydraulic architecture. Soil water content and potentials, leaf water potentials (Leaf) hydraulic conductivity, wood density (Pw), rooting depth, and specific leaf...

  17. Predicting saturated hydraulic conductivity using soil morphological properties

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Gülay Karahan

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Many studies have been conducted to predict soil saturated hydraulic conductivity (Ks by parametric soil properties such as bulk density and particle-size distribution. Although soil morphological properties have a strong effect on Ks, studies predicting Ks by soil morphological properties such as type, size, and strength of soil structure; type, orientation and quantity of soil pores and roots and consistency are rare. This study aimed at evaluating soil morphological properties to predict Ks. Undisturbed soil samples (15 cm length and 8.0 cm id. were collected from topsoil (0-15 cm and subsoil (15-30 cm (120 samples with a tractor operated soil sampler at sixty randomly selected sampling sites on a paddy field and an adjecent grassland in Central Anatolia (Cankırı, Turkey. Synchronized disturbed soil samples were taken from the same sampling sites and sampling depths for basic soil analyses. Saturated hydraulic conductivity was measured on the soil columns using a constant-head permeameter. Following the Ks measurements, the upper part of soil columns were covered to prevent evaporation and colums were left to drain in the laboratory. When the water flow through the column was stopped, a subsample were taken for bulk density and then soil columns were disturbed for describing the soil morphological properties. In addition, soil texture, bulk density, pH, field capacity, wilting point, cation exchange capacity, specific surface area, aggregate stability, organic matter, and calcium carbonate were measured on the synchronized disturbed soil samples. The data were divided into training (80 data values and validation (40 data values sets. Measured values of Ks ranged from 0.0036 to 2.14 cmh-1 with a mean of 0.86 cmh-1. The Ks was predicted from the soil morphological and parametric properties by stepwise multiple linear regression analysis. Soil structure class, stickiness, pore-size, root-size, and pore-quantity contributed to the Ks prediction

  18. Comparison between gradient-dependent hydraulic conductivities of roots using the root pressure probe: the role of pressure propagations and implications for the relative roles of parallel radial pathways.

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    Bramley, Helen; Turner, Neil C; Turner, David W; Tyerman, Stephen D

    2007-07-01

    Hydrostatic pressure relaxations with the root pressure probe are commonly used for measuring the hydraulic conductivity (Lp(r)) of roots. We compared the Lp(r) of roots from species with different root hydraulic properties (Lupinus angustifolius L. 'Merrit', Lupinus luteus L. 'Wodjil', Triticum aestivum L. 'Kulin' and Zea mays L. 'Pacific DK 477') using pressure relaxations, a pressure clamp and osmotic gradients to induce water flow across the root. Only the pressure clamp measures water flow under steady-state conditions. Lp(r) determined by pressure relaxations was two- to threefold greater than Lp(r) from pressure clamps and was independent of the direction of water flow. Lp(r) (pressure clamp) was two- to fourfold higher than for Lp(r) (osmotic) for all species except Triticum aestivum where Lp(r) (pressure clamp) and Lp(r) (osmotic) were not significantly different. A novel technique was developed to measure the propagation of pressure through roots to investigate the cause of the differences in Lp(r). Root segments were connected between two pressure probes so that when root pressure (P(r)) was manipulated by one probe, the other probe recorded changes in P(r). Pressure relaxations did not induce the expected kinetics in pressure in the probe at the other end of the root when axial hydraulic conductance, and probe and root capacitances were accounted for. An electric circuit model of the root was constructed that included an additional capacitance in the root loaded by a series of resistances. This accounted for the double exponential kinetics for intact roots in pressure relaxation experiments as well as the reduced response observed with the double probe experiments. Although there were potential errors with all the techniques, we considered that the measurement of Lp(r) using the pressure clamp was the most unambiguous for small pressure changes, and provided that sufficient time was allowed for pressure propagation through the root. The differences in

  19. Bole girdling affects metabolic properties and root, trunk and branch hydraulics of young ponderosa pine trees.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Domec, Jean-Christophe; Pruyn, Michele L

    2008-10-01

    Effects of trunk girdling on seasonal patterns of xylem water status, water transport and woody tissue metabolic properties were investigated in ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa Dougl. ex P. Laws.) trees. At the onset of summer, there was a sharp decrease in stomatal conductance (g(s)) in girdled trees followed by a full recovery after the first major rainfall in September. Eliminating the root as a carbohydrate sink by girdling induced a rapid reversible reduction in g(s). Respiratory potential (a laboratory measure of tissue-level respiration) increased above the girdle (branches and upper trunk) and decreased below the girdle (lower trunk and roots) relative to control trees during the growing season, but the effect was reversed after the first major rainfall. The increase in branch respiratory potential induced by girdling suggests that the decrease in g(s) was caused by the accumulation of carbohydrates above the girdle, which is consistent with an observed increase in leaf mass per area in the girdled trees. Trunk girdling did not affect native xylem embolism or xylem conductivity. Both treated and control trunks experienced loss of xylem conductivity ranging from 10% in spring to 30% in summer. Girdling reduced xylem growth and sapwood to leaf area ratio, which in turn reduced branch leaf specific conductivity (LSC). The girdling-induced reductions in g(s) and transpiration were associated with a decrease in leaf hydraulic conductance. Two years after girdling, when root-to-shoot phloem continuity had been restored, girdled trees had a reduced density of new wood, which increased xylem conductivity and whole-tree LSC, but also vulnerability to embolism.

  20. Overexpression of Laccaria bicolor aquaporin JQ585595 alters root water transport properties in ectomycorrhizal white spruce (Picea glauca) seedlings.

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    Xu, Hao; Kemppainen, Minna; El Kayal, Walid; Lee, Seong Hee; Pardo, Alejandro G; Cooke, Janice E K; Zwiazek, Janusz J

    2015-01-01

    The contribution of hyphae to water transport in ectomycorrhizal (ECM) white spruce (Picea glauca) seedlings was examined by altering expression of a major water-transporting aquaporin in Laccaria bicolor. Picea glauca was inoculated with wild-type (WT), mock transgenic or L. bicolor aquaporin JQ585595-overexpressing (OE) strains and exposed to root temperatures ranging from 5 to 20°C to examine the root water transport properties, physiological responses and plasma membrane intrinsic protein (PIP) expression in colonized plants. Mycorrhization increased shoot water potential, transpiration, net photosynthetic rates, root hydraulic conductivity and root cortical cell hydraulic conductivity in seedlings. At 20°C, OE plants had higher root hydraulic conductivity compared with WT plants and the increases were accompanied by higher expression of P. glauca PIP GQ03401_M18.1 in roots. In contrast to WT L. bicolor, the effects of OE fungi on root and root cortical cell hydraulic conductivities were abolished at 10 and 5°C in the absence of major changes in the examined transcript levels of P. glauca root PIPs. The results provide evidence for the importance of fungal aquaporins in root water transport of mycorrhizal plants. They also demonstrate links between hyphal water transport, root aquaporin expression and root water transport in ECM plants. © 2014 The Authors. New Phytologist © 2014 New Phytologist Trust.

  1. Changes of Root Hydraulic Conductivity and Root/Shoot Ratio of Durum Wheat and Barley in Relation to Nitrogen Availability and Mercury Exposure

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Celestino Ruggiero

    2007-09-01

    Full Text Available The aim of this research was to verify, on whole plant level and during all the plant cycle, the hypothesis that nitrogen deficiency reduces root hydraulic conductivity through the water channels (aquaporins activity, and that the plant reacts by changing root/shoot ratio. Root hydraulic conductivity, plant growth, root/shoot ratio and plant water status were assessed for durum wheat (Triticum durum Desf. and barley (Hordeum vulgare L., as influenced by nitrogen availability and HgCl2 treatment. On both species during the plant cycle, nitrogen deficiency induced lower root hydraulic conductivity (-49 and -66% respectively for barley and wheat and lower plant growth. On wheat was also observed cycle delay, lower plant nitrogen content, but not lower leaf turgor pressure and epidermic cell dimension. The lower plant growth was due to lower plant dimension and lower tillering. Root /shoot ratio was always higher for nitrogen stressed plants, whether on dry matter or on surface basis. This was due to lower effect of nitrogen stress on root growth than on shoot growth. On wheat HgCl2 treatment determined lower plant growth, and more than nitrogen stress, cycle delay and higher root/shoot ratio. The mercury, also, induced leaf rolling, lower turgor pressure, lower NAR, higher root cell wall lignification and lower epidermic cell number per surface unity. In nitrogen fertilized plants root hydraulic conductivity was always reduced by HgCl2 treatment (-61 and 38%, respectively for wheat and barley, but in nitrogen unfertilized plants this effect was observed only during the first plant stages. This effect was higher during shooting and caryopsis formation, lower during tillering. It is concluded that barley and durum wheat react to nitrogen deficiency and HgCl2 treatment by increasing the root/shoot ratio, to compensate water stress due to lower water root conductivity probably induced by lower aquaporin synthesis or inactivation. However, this

  2. Changes of Root Hydraulic Conductivity and Root/Shoot Ratio of Durum Wheat and Barley in Relation to Nitrogen Availability and Mercury Exposure

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Giovanna Angelino

    2011-02-01

    Full Text Available The aim of this research was to verify, on whole plant level and during all the plant cycle, the hypothesis that nitrogen deficiency reduces root hydraulic conductivity through the water channels (aquaporins activity, and that the plant reacts by changing root/shoot ratio. Root hydraulic conductivity, plant growth, root/shoot ratio and plant water status were assessed for durum wheat (Triticum durum Desf. and barley (Hordeum vulgare L., as influenced by nitrogen availability and HgCl2 treatment. On both species during the plant cycle, nitrogen deficiency induced lower root hydraulic conductivity (-49 and -66% respectively for barley and wheat and lower plant growth. On wheat was also observed cycle delay, lower plant nitrogen content, but not lower leaf turgor pressure and epidermic cell dimension. The lower plant growth was due to lower plant dimension and lower tillering. Root /shoot ratio was always higher for nitrogen stressed plants, whether on dry matter or on surface basis. This was due to lower effect of nitrogen stress on root growth than on shoot growth. On wheat HgCl2 treatment determined lower plant growth, and more than nitrogen stress, cycle delay and higher root/shoot ratio. The mercury, also, induced leaf rolling, lower turgor pressure, lower NAR, higher root cell wall lignification and lower epidermic cell number per surface unity. In nitrogen fertilized plants root hydraulic conductivity was always reduced by HgCl2 treatment (-61 and 38%, respectively for wheat and barley, but in nitrogen unfertilized plants this effect was observed only during the first plant stages. This effect was higher during shooting and caryopsis formation, lower during tillering. It is concluded that barley and durum wheat react to nitrogen deficiency and HgCl2 treatment by increasing the root/shoot ratio, to compensate water stress due to lower water root conductivity probably induced by lower aquaporin synthesis or inactivation. However, this

  3. Convergence of the effect of root hydraulic functioning and root hydraulic redistribution on ecosystem water and carbon balance across divergent forest ecosystems

    Science.gov (United States)

    domec, J.; King, J. S.; Ogée, J.; Noormets, A.; Warren, J.; Meinzer, F. C.; Sun, G.; Jordan-Meille, L.; Martineau, E.; Brooks, R. J.; Laclau, J.; Battie Laclau, P.; McNulty, S.

    2012-12-01

    INVITED ABSTRACT: Deep root water uptake and hydraulic redistribution (HR) play a major role in forest ecosystems during drought, but little is known about the impact of climate change on root-zone processes influencing HR and its consequences on water and carbon fluxes. Using data from two old growth sites in the western USA, two mature sites in the eastern USA, one site in southern Brazil, and simulations with the process-based model MuSICA, our objectives were to show that HR can 1) mitigate the effects of soil drying on root functioning, and 2) have important implications for carbon uptake and net ecosystem exchange (NEE). In a dry, old-growth ponderosa pine (USA) and a eucalyptus stand (Brazil) both characterized by deep sandy soils, HR limited the decline in root hydraulic conductivity and increased dry season tree transpiration (T) by up to 30%, which impacted NEE through major increases in gross primary productivity (GPP). The presence of deep-rooted trees did not necessarily imply high rates of HR unless soil texture allowed large water potential gradients to occur, as was the case in the wet old-growth Douglas-fir/mixed conifer stand. At the Duke mixed hardwood forest characterized by a shallow clay-loam soil, modeled HR was low but not negligible, representing annually up to 10% of T, and maintaining root conductance high. At this site, in the absence of HR, it was predicted that annual GPP would have been diminished by 7-19%. At the coastal loblolly pine plantation, characterized by deep organic soil, HR limited the decline in shallow root conductivity by more than 50% and increased dry season T by up to 40%, which increased net carbon gain by the ecosystem by about 400 gC m-2 yr-1, demonstrating the significance of HR in maintaining the stomatal conductance and assimilation capacity of the whole ecosystem. Under future climate conditions (elevated atmospheric [CO2] and temperature), HR is predicted to be reduced by up to 50%; reducing the resilience of

  4. Patterns in hydraulic architecture from roots to branches in six tropical tree species from cacao agroforestry and their relation to wood density and stem growth.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kotowska, Martyna M; Hertel, Dietrich; Rajab, Yasmin Abou; Barus, Henry; Schuldt, Bernhard

    2015-01-01

    For decades it has been assumed that the largest vessels are generally found in roots and that vessel size and corresponding sapwood area-specific hydraulic conductivity are acropetally decreasing toward the distal twigs. However, recent studies from the perhumid tropics revealed a hump-shaped vessel size distribution. Worldwide tropical perhumid forests are extensively replaced by agroforestry systems often using introduced species of various biogeographical and climatic origins. Nonetheless, it is unknown so far what kind of hydraulic architectural patterns are developed in those agroforestry tree species and which impact this exerts regarding important tree functional traits, such as stem growth, hydraulic efficiency and wood density (WD). We investigated wood anatomical and hydraulic properties of the root, stem and branch wood in Theobroma cacao and five common shade tree species in agroforestry systems on Sulawesi (Indonesia); three of these were strictly perhumid tree species, and the other three tree species are tolerating seasonal drought. The overall goal of our study was to relate these properties to stem growth and other tree functional traits such as foliar nitrogen content and sapwood to leaf area ratio. Our results confirmed a hump-shaped vessel size distribution in nearly all species. Drought-adapted species showed divergent patterns of hydraulic conductivity, vessel density, and relative vessel lumen area between root, stem and branch wood compared to wet forest species. Confirming findings from natural old-growth forests in the same region, WD showed no relationship to specific conductivity. Overall, aboveground growth performance was better predicted by specific hydraulic conductivity than by foliar traits and WD. Our study results suggest that future research on conceptual trade-offs of tree hydraulic architecture should consider biogeographical patterns underlining the importance of anatomical adaptation mechanisms to environment.

  5. Patterns in hydraulic architecture from roots to branches in six tropical tree species from cacao agroforestry and their relation to wood density and stem growth

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Martyna Malgorzata Kotowska

    2015-03-01

    Full Text Available For decades it has been assumed that the largest vessels are generally found in roots and that vessel size and corresponding sapwood area-specific hydraulic conductivity are acropetally decreasing towards the distal twigs. However, recent studies from the perhumid tropics revealed a hump-shaped vessel size distribution. Worldwide tropical perhumid forests are extensively replaced by agroforestry systems often using introduced species of various biogeographical and climatic origins. Nonetheless, it is unknown so far what kind of hydraulic architectural patterns are developed in those agroforestry tree species and which impact this exerts regarding important tree functional traits, such as stem growth, hydraulic efficiency and wood density. We investigated wood anatomical and hydraulic properties of the root, stem and branch wood in Theobroma cacao and five common shade tree species in agroforestry systems on Sulawesi (Indonesia; three of these were strictly perhumid tree species, and the other three tree species are tolerating seasonal drought. The overall goal of our study was to relate these properties to stem growth and other tree functional traits such as foliar nitrogen content and sapwood to leaf area ratio. Our results confirmed a hump-shaped vessel size distribution in nearly all species. Drought-adapted species showed divergent patterns of hydraulic conductivity, vessel density and relative vessel lumen area between root, stem and branch wood compared to wet forest species. Confirming findings from natural old-growth forests in the same region, wood density showed no relationship to specific conductivity. Overall, aboveground growth performance was better predicted by specific hydraulic conductivity than by foliar traits and wood density. Our study results suggest that future research on conceptual trade-offs of tree hydraulic architecture should consider biogeographical patterns underlining the importance of anatomical adaptation

  6. Reactive transport modelling to infer changes in soil hydraulic properties induced by non-conventional water irrigation

    Science.gov (United States)

    Valdes-Abellan, Javier; Jiménez-Martínez, Joaquín; Candela, Lucila; Jacques, Diederik; Kohfahl, Claus; Tamoh, Karim

    2017-06-01

    The use of non-conventional water (e.g., treated wastewater, desalinated water) for different purposes is increasing in many water scarce regions of the world. Its use for irrigation may have potential drawbacks, because of mineral dissolution/precipitation processes, such as changes in soil physical and hydraulic properties (e.g., porosity, permeability), modifying infiltration and aquifer recharge processes or blocking root growth. Prediction of soil and groundwater impacts is essential for achieving sustainable agricultural practices. A numerical model to solve unsaturated water flow and non-isothermal multicomponent reactive transport has been modified implementing the spatio-temporal evolution of soil physical and hydraulic properties. A long-term process simulation (30 years) of agricultural irrigation with desalinated water, based on a calibrated/validated 1D numerical model in a semi-arid region, is presented. Different scenarios conditioning reactive transport (i.e., rainwater irrigation, lack of gypsum in the soil profile, and lower partial pressure of CO2 (pCO2)) have also been considered. Results show that although boundary conditions and mineral soil composition highly influence the reactive processes, dissolution/precipitation of carbonate species is triggered mainly by pCO2, closely related to plant roots. Calcite dissolution occurs in the root zone, precipitation takes place under it and at the soil surface, which will lead a root growth blockage and a direct soil evaporation decrease, respectively. For the studied soil, a gypsum dissolution up to 40 cm depth is expected at long-term, with a general increase of porosity and hydraulic conductivity.

  7. Roots bridge water to nutrients: a study of utilizing hydraulic redistribution through root systems to extract nutrients in the dry soils

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yan, J.; Ghezzehei, T. A.

    2017-12-01

    The rhizosphere is the region of soil that surrounds by individual plant roots. While its small volume and narrow region compared to bulk soil, the rhizosphere regulates numerous processes that determine physical structure, nutrient distribution, and biodiversity of soils. One of the most important and distinct functions of the rhizosphere is the capacity of roots to bridge and redistribute soil water from wet soil layers to drier layers. This process was identified and defined as hydraulic lift or hydraulic redistribution, a passive process driven by gradients in water potentials and it has attracted much research attention due to its important role in global water circulation and agriculture security. However, while previous studies mostly focused on the hydrological or physiological impacts of hydraulic redistribution, limited research has been conducted to elucidate its role in nutrient cycling and uptake. In this study, we aim to test the possibility of utilizing hydraulic redistribution to facilitate the nutrient movement and uptake from resource segregated zone. Our overarching hypothesis is that plants can extract nutrients from the drier but nutrient-rich regions by supplying sufficient amounts of water from the wet but nutrient-deficient regions. To test our hypothesis, we designed split-root systems of tomatoes with unequal supply of water and nutrients in different root compartments. More specifically, we transplanted tomato seedlings into sand or soil mediums, and grew them under conditions with alternate 12-h lightness and darkness. We continuously monitored the temperature, water and nutrient content of soils in these separated compartments. The above and below ground biomass were also quantified to evaluate the impacts on the plant growth. The results were compared to a control with evenly supply of water and nutrients to assess the plant growth, nutrient leaching and uptake without hydraulic redistribution.

  8. Assessing the influence of the rhizosphere on soil hydraulic properties using X-ray computed tomography and numerical modelling.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Daly, Keith R; Mooney, Sacha J; Bennett, Malcolm J; Crout, Neil M J; Roose, Tiina; Tracy, Saoirse R

    2015-04-01

    Understanding the dynamics of water distribution in soil is crucial for enhancing our knowledge of managing soil and water resources. The application of X-ray computed tomography (CT) to the plant and soil sciences is now well established. However, few studies have utilized the technique for visualizing water in soil pore spaces. Here this method is utilized to visualize the water in soil in situ and in three-dimensions at successive reductive matric potentials in bulk and rhizosphere soil. The measurements are combined with numerical modelling to determine the unsaturated hydraulic conductivity, providing a complete picture of the hydraulic properties of the soil. The technique was performed on soil cores that were sampled adjacent to established roots (rhizosphere soil) and from soil that had not been influenced by roots (bulk soil). A water release curve was obtained for the different soil types using measurements of their pore geometries derived from CT imaging and verified using conventional methods, such as pressure plates. The water, soil, and air phases from the images were segmented and quantified using image analysis. The water release characteristics obtained for the contrasting soils showed clear differences in hydraulic properties between rhizosphere and bulk soil, especially in clay soil. The data suggest that soils influenced by roots (rhizosphere soil) are less porous due to increased aggregation when compared with bulk soil. The information and insights obtained on the hydraulic properties of rhizosphere and bulk soil will enhance our understanding of rhizosphere biophysics and improve current water uptake models. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society for Experimental Biology.

  9. Root water uptake and lateral interactions among root systems in a temperate forest

    Science.gov (United States)

    Agee, E.; He, L.; Bisht, G.; Gough, C. M.; Couvreur, V.; Matheny, A. M.; Bohrer, G.; Ivanov, V. Y.

    2016-12-01

    A growing body of research has highlighted the importance of root architecture and hydraulic properties to the maintenance of the transpiration stream under water limitation and drought. Detailed studies of single plant systems have shown the ability of root systems to adjust zones of uptake due to the redistribution of local water potential gradients, thereby delaying the onset of stress under drying conditions. An open question is how lateral interactions and competition among neighboring plants impact individual and community resilience to water stress. While computational complexity has previously hindered the implementation of microscopic root system structure and function in larger scale hydrological models, newer hybrid approaches allow for the resolution of these properties at the plot scale. Using a modified version of the PFLOTRAN model, which represents the 3-D physics of variably saturated soil, we model root water uptake in a one-hectare temperate forest plot under natural and synthetic forcings. Two characteristic hydraulic architectures, tap roots and laterally sprawling roots, are implemented in an ensemble of simulations. Variations of root architecture, their hydraulic properties, and degree of system interactions produce variable local response to water limitation and provide insights on individual and community response to changing meteorological conditions. Results demonstrate the ability of interacting systems to shift areas of active uptake based on local gradients, allowing individuals to meet water demands despite competition from their peers. These results further illustrate how inter- and intra-species variations in root properties may influence not only individual response to water stress, but also help quantify the margins of resilience for forest ecosystems under changing climate.

  10. [Root anatomical structure and hydraulic traits of three typical shrubs on the sandy lands of northern Shaanxi Province, China].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ai, Shao-shui; Li, Yang-yang; Chen, Jia-cun; Chen, Wei-yue

    2015-11-01

    Root xylem anatomical structure and hydraulic traits of three typical shrubs, i.e., Salix psammophila, Caragana korshinskii and Hippophae rhamnoides, within two soil layers (0-20 cm and 30-50 cm) were compared. The results showed that S. psammophila had a higher leaf water potential than C. korshinskii and H. rhamnoides, the average maximum and minimum lumen diameter (d(max) and d(min), respectively), the average lumen area of vessels (Alum) and the ratio of lumen area of all vessels to xylem area (Aves/Axyl) in S. psammophila roots were also significantly higher than those in C. korshinskii and H. rhamnoides, and the root vessel density (VD) in S. psammophila was the same as that in H. rhamnoides but significantly higher than that in C. korshinskii. Root hydraulic conductivity in S. psammophila was 5 times of C. korshinskii and 2.8 times of H. hamnoides. The vulnerability index in S. psammophila roots was similar to that in C. korshinskii but higher than that in H. hamnoides. S. psammophila belonged to a water-spending species, whereas both C. korshinskii and H. rhamnoides were water-saving species, and C. korshinskii was more drought-resistant than H. rhamnoides. There was no difference of d(max), d(min) and Alum between roots in two soil layers, but roots within in the 30-50 cm soil layer had larger VD and Aves/Axyl. The root specific hydraulic conductivity within the 30-50 cm soil layer was significantly higher than within the surface soil layer, whereas the vulnerability index within the 30-50 cm soil layer was smaller, indicating roots in deep soil layers had higher hydraulic transport efficiency and lower hydraulic vulnerability.

  11. NATIVE ROOT XYLEM EMBOLISM AND STOMATAL CLOSURE IN STANDS OF DOUGLAS-FIR AND PONDEROSA PINE: MITIGATION BY HYDRAULIC REDISTRIBUTION

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hydraulic redistribution (HR), the passive movement of water via roots from moist to drier portions of the soil, occurs in many ecosystems, influencing both plant and ecosystem-water use. We examined the effects of HR on root hydraulic functioning during drought in young and old-...

  12. Stabilization of soil hydraulic properties under a long term no-till system

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Luis Alberto Lozano

    2014-08-01

    Full Text Available The area under the no-tillage system (NT has been increasing over the last few years. Some authors indicate that stabilization of soil physical properties is reached after some years under NT while other authors debate this. The objective of this study was to determine the effect of the last crop in the rotation sequence (1st year: maize, 2nd year: soybean, 3rd year: wheat/soybean on soil pore configuration and hydraulic properties in two different soils (site 1: loam, site 2: sandy loam from the Argentinean Pampas region under long-term NT treatments in order to determine if stabilization of soil physical properties is reached apart from a specific time in the crop sequence. In addition, we compared two procedures for evaluating water-conducting macroporosities, and evaluated the efficiency of the pedotransfer function ROSETTA in estimating the parameters of the van Genuchten-Mualem (VGM model in these soils. Soil pore configuration and hydraulic properties were not stable and changed according to the crop sequence and the last crop grown in both sites. For both sites, saturated hydraulic conductivity, K0, water-conducting macroporosity, εma, and flow-weighted mean pore radius, R0ma, increased from the 1st to the 2nd year of the crop sequence, and this was attributed to the creation of water-conducting macropores by the maize roots. The VGM model adequately described the water retention curve (WRC for these soils, but not the hydraulic conductivity (K vs tension (h curve. The ROSETTA function failed in the estimation of these parameters. In summary, mean values of K0 ranged from 0.74 to 3.88 cm h-1. In studies on NT effects on soil physical properties, the crop effect must be considered.

  13. Hydraulic properties of rice and the response of gas exchange to water stress.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Stiller, Volker; Lafitte, H Renee; Sperry, John S

    2003-07-01

    We investigated the role of xylem cavitation, plant hydraulic conductance, and root pressure in the response of rice (Oryza sativa) gas exchange to water stress. In the field (Philippines), the percentage loss of xylem conductivity (PLC) from cavitation exceeded 60% in leaves even in watered controls. The PLC versus leaf water potential relationship indicated diurnal refilling of cavitated xylem. The leaf water potential causing 50 PLC (P(50)) was -1.6 MPa and did not differ between upland versus lowland rice varieties. Greenhouse-grown varieties (Utah) were more resistant to cavitation with a 50 PLC of -1.9 MPa but also showed no difference between varieties. Six-day droughts caused concomitant reductions in leaf-specific photosynthetic rate, leaf diffusive conductance, and soil-leaf hydraulic conductance that were associated with cavitation-inducing water potentials and the disappearance of nightly root pressure. The return of root pressure after drought was associated with the complete recovery of leaf diffusive conductance, leaf-specific photosynthetic rate, and soil-leaf hydraulic conductance. Root pressure after the 6-d drought (61.2 +/- 8.8 kPa) was stimulated 7-fold compared with well-watered plants before drought (8.5 +/- 3.8 kPa). The results indicate: (a) that xylem cavitation plays a major role in the reduction of plant hydraulic conductance during drought, and (b) that rice can readily reverse cavitation, possibly aided by nocturnal root pressure.

  14. Root morphology, hydraulic conductivity and plant water relations of high-yielding rice grown under aerobic conditions.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kato, Yoichiro; Okami, Midori

    2011-09-01

    Increasing physical water scarcity is a major constraint for irrigated rice (Oryza sativa) production. 'Aerobic rice culture' aims to maximize yield per unit water input by growing plants in aerobic soil without flooding or puddling. The objective was to determine (a) the effect of water management on root morphology and hydraulic conductance, and (b) their roles in plant-water relationships and stomatal conductance in aerobic culture. Root system development, stomatal conductance (g(s)) and leaf water potential (Ψ(leaf)) were monitored in a high-yielding rice cultivar ('Takanari') under flooded and aerobic conditions at two soil moisture levels [nearly saturated (> -10 kPa) and mildly dry (> -30 kPa)] over 2 years. In an ancillary pot experiment, whole-plant hydraulic conductivity (soil-leaf hydraulic conductance; K(pa)) was measured under flooded and aerobic conditions. Adventitious root emergence and lateral root proliferation were restricted even under nearly saturated conditions, resulting in a 72-85 % reduction in total root length under aerobic culture conditions. Because of their reduced rooting size, plants grown under aerobic conditions tended to have lower K(pa) than plants grown under flooded conditions. Ψ(leaf) was always significantly lower in aerobic culture than in flooded culture, while g(s) was unchanged when the soil moisture was at around field capacity. g(s) was inevitably reduced when the soil water potential at 20-cm depth reached -20 kPa. Unstable performance of rice in water-saving cultivations is often associated with reduction in Ψ(leaf). Ψ(leaf) may reduce even if K(pa) is not significantly changed, but the lower Ψ(leaf) would certainly occur in case K(pa) reduces as a result of lower water-uptake capacity under aerobic conditions. Rice performance in aerobic culture might be improved through genetic manipulation that promotes lateral root branching and rhizogenesis as well as deep rooting.

  15. Plasticity of rhizosphere hydraulic properties as a key for efficient utilization of scarce resources

    Science.gov (United States)

    Carminati, Andrea; Vetterlein, Doris

    2013-01-01

    Background It is known that the soil near roots, the so-called rhizosphere, has physical and chemical properties different from those of the bulk soil. Rhizosphere properties are the result of several processes: root and soil shrinking/swelling during drying/wetting cycles, soil compaction by root growth, mucilage exuded by root caps, interaction of mucilage with soil particles, mucilage shrinking/swelling and mucilage biodegradation. These processes may lead to variable rhizosphere properties, i.e. the presence of air-filled gaps between soil and roots; water repellence in the rhizosphere caused by drying of mucilage around the soil particles; or water accumulation in the rhizosphere due to the high water-holding capacity of mucilage. The resulting properties are not constant in time but they change as a function of soil condition, root growth rate and mucilage age. Scope We consider such a variability as an expression of rhizosphere plasticity, which may be a strategy for plants to control which part of the root system will have a facilitated access to water and which roots will be disconnected from the soil, for instance by air-filled gaps or by rhizosphere hydrophobicity. To describe such a dualism, we suggest classifying rhizosphere into two categories: class A refers to a rhizosphere covered with hydrated mucilage that optimally connects roots to soil and facilitates water uptake from dry soils. Class B refers to the case of air-filled gaps and/or hydrophobic rhizosphere, which isolate roots from the soil and may limit water uptake from the soil as well water loss to the soil. The main function of roots covered by class B will be long-distance transport of water. Outlook This concept has implications for soil and plant water relations at the plant scale. Root water uptake in dry conditions is expected to shift to regions covered with rhizosphere class A. On the other hand, hydraulic lift may be limited in regions covered with rhizosphere class B. New

  16. In situ separation of root hydraulic redistribution of soil water from liquid and vapor transport

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jeffrey M. Warren; J. Renée Brooks; Maria I. Dragila; Frederick C. Meinzer

    2011-01-01

    Nocturnal increases in water potential and water content in the upper soil profile are often attributed to root water efflux, a process termed hydraulic redistribution (HR). However, unsaturated liquid or vapor flux of water between soil layers independent of roots also contributes to the daily recovery in water content, confounding efforts to determine the actual...

  17. The symbiosis with the arbuscular mycorrhizal fungus Rhizophagus irregularis drives root water transport in flooded tomato plants.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Calvo-Polanco, Monica; Molina, Sonia; Zamarreño, Angel María; García-Mina, Jose María; Aroca, Ricardo

    2014-05-01

    It is known that the presence of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi within the plant roots enhances the tolerance of the host plant to different environmental stresses, although the positive effect of the fungi in plants under waterlogged conditions has not been well studied. Tolerance of plants to flooding can be achieved through different molecular, physiological and anatomical adaptations, which will affect their water uptake capacity and therefore their root hydraulic properties. Here, we investigated the root hydraulic properties under non-flooded and flooded conditions in non-mycorrhizal tomato plants and plants inoculated with the arbuscular mycorrhizal fungus Rhizophagus irregularis. Only flooded mycorrhizal plants increased their root hydraulic conductivity, and this effect was correlated with a higher expression of the plant aquaporin SlPIP1;7 and the fungal aquaporin GintAQP1. There was also a higher abundance of the PIP2 protein phoshorylated at Ser280 in mycorrhizal flooded plants. The role of plant hormones (ethylene, ABA and IAA) in root hydraulic properties was also taken into consideration, and it was concluded that, in mycorrhizal flooded plants, ethylene has a secondary role regulating root hydraulic conductivity whereas IAA may be the key hormone that allows the enhancement of root hydraulic conductivity in mycorrhizal plants under low oxygen conditions.

  18. Hydraulic Properties related to Stream Reaeration

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Tsivoglou, E. C.; Wallace, J. R. [School of Civil Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA (United States)

    1970-09-15

    The paper reports the results of recent and current field tracer experiments designed to investigate the relationships between the reaeration capacity of a flowing stream and the stream's hydraulic properties. The purpose of the studies is to develop models for the accurate prediction of stream reaeration capacity on the basis of observation of the associated hydraulic properties. The ability of a flowing stream to absorb oxygen from the overlying atmosphere is the principal process by which the stream is able to recover its dissolved oxygen resources once they have been depleted by bacterial degradation of organic wastes. Accurate knowledge of stream reaeration capacity is therefore a necessity in determining the required degree of waste treatment, and the associated costs, in any specific case. Oxygen absorption can only occur at the air-water interface, hence reaeration is a direct function of the rate of surface water replacement due to turbulent mixing. The latter is not directly observable, and so reaeration capacity has not been observable before the quite recent development of a gaseous radiotracer technique for field measurement of reaeration. This procedure involves the simultaneous use of three tracers, namely a fluorescent dye for time of flow, tritiated water for accurate dispersion measurement, and dissolved krypton-85 for measurement of gas transfer. Field results obtained by this technique are highly reproducible. Field tracer studies of the reaeration capacities of three medium-sized streams have been conducted over a total of about fifty river miles. Associated hydraulic properties such as stream flow, cross-sectional area, depth, velocity, hydraulic gradient and dispersion have also been measured. Features such as waterfalls, rapids and pools are included, and more than eighty observations of the reaeration capacities of individual stream reaches have been made. The paper reports the observed relationships between stream reaeration capacity and

  19. Hydraulic properties related to stream reaeration

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Tsivoglou, E C; Wallace, J R [School of Civil Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA (United States)

    1970-09-15

    The paper reports the results of recent and current field tracer experiments designed to investigate the relationships between the reaeration capacity of a flowing stream and the stream's hydraulic properties. The purpose of the studies is to develop models for the accurate prediction of stream reaeration capacity on the basis of observation of the associated hydraulic properties. The ability of a flowing stream to absorb oxygen from the overlying atmosphere is the principal process by which the stream is able to recover its dissolved oxygen resources once they have been depleted by bacterial degradation of organic wastes. Accurate knowledge of stream reaeration capacity is therefore a necessity in determining the required degree of waste treatment, and the associated costs, in any specific case. Oxygen absorption can only occur at the air-water interface, hence reaeration is a direct function of the rate of surface water replacement due to turbulent mixing. The latter is not directly observable, and so reaeration capacity has not been observable before the quite recent development of a gaseous radiotracer technique for field measurement of reaeration. This procedure involves the simultaneous use of three tracers, namely a fluorescent dye for time of flow, tritiated water for accurate dispersion measurement, and dissolved krypton-85 for measurement of gas transfer. Field results obtained by this technique are highly reproducible. Field tracer studies of the reaeration capacities of three medium-sized streams have been conducted over a total of about fifty river miles. Associated hydraulic properties such as stream flow, cross-sectional area, depth, velocity, hydraulic gradient and dispersion have also been measured. Features such as waterfalls, rapids and pools are included, and more than eighty observations of the reaeration capacities of individual stream reaches have been made. The paper reports the observed relationships between stream reaeration capacity and

  20. Abscisic Acid Regulation of Root Hydraulic Conductivity and Aquaporin Gene Expression Is Crucial to the Plant Shoot Growth Enhancement Caused by Rhizosphere Humic Acids.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Olaetxea, Maite; Mora, Verónica; Bacaicoa, Eva; Garnica, María; Fuentes, Marta; Casanova, Esther; Zamarreño, Angel M; Iriarte, Juan C; Etayo, David; Ederra, Iñigo; Gonzalo, Ramón; Baigorri, Roberto; García-Mina, Jose M

    2015-12-01

    The physiological and metabolic mechanisms behind the humic acid-mediated plant growth enhancement are discussed in detail. Experiments using cucumber (Cucumis sativus) plants show that the shoot growth enhancement caused by a structurally well-characterized humic acid with sedimentary origin is functionally associated with significant increases in abscisic acid (ABA) root concentration and root hydraulic conductivity. Complementary experiments involving a blocking agent of cell wall pores and water root transport (polyethylenglycol) show that increases in root hydraulic conductivity are essential in the shoot growth-promoting action of the model humic acid. Further experiments involving an inhibitor of ABA biosynthesis in root and shoot (fluridone) show that the humic acid-mediated enhancement of both root hydraulic conductivity and shoot growth depended on ABA signaling pathways. These experiments also show that a significant increase in the gene expression of the main root plasma membrane aquaporins is associated with the increase of root hydraulic conductivity caused by the model humic acid. Finally, experimental data suggest that all of these actions of model humic acid on root functionality, which are linked to its beneficial action on plant shoot growth, are likely related to the conformational structure of humic acid in solution and its interaction with the cell wall at the root surface. © 2015 American Society of Plant Biologists. All Rights Reserved.

  1. Effect of Root Moisture Content and Diameter on Root Tensile Properties

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yang, Yuanjun; Chen, Lihua; Li, Ning; Zhang, Qiufen

    2016-01-01

    The stabilization of slopes by vegetation has been a topical issue for many years. Root mechanical characteristics significantly influence soil reinforcement; therefore it is necessary to research into the indicators of root tensile properties. In this study, we explored the influence of root moisture content on tensile resistance and strength with different root diameters and for different tree species. Betula platyphylla, Quercus mongolica, Pinus tabulaeformis, and Larix gmelinii, the most popular tree species used for slope stabilization in the rocky mountainous areas of northern China, were used in this study. A tensile test was conducted after root samples were grouped by diameter and moisture content. The results showedthat:1) root moisture content had a significant influence on tensile properties; 2) slightly loss of root moisture content could enhance tensile strength, but too much loss of water resulted in weaker capacity for root elongation, and consequently reduced tensile strength; 3) root diameter had a strong positive correlation with tensile resistance; and4) the roots of Betula platyphylla had the best tensile properties when both diameter and moisture content being controlled. These findings improve our understanding of root tensile properties with root size and moisture, and could be useful for slope stabilization using vegetation. PMID:27003872

  2. Soil hydraulic properties of Cuban soils

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ruiz, M.E.; Medina, H.

    2004-01-01

    Because soil hydraulic properties are indispensable for determining soil water retention and soil water movement, their input for deterministic crop simulation models is essential. From these models is possible to access the effect of the weather changes, soil type or different irrigation schedules on crop yields. With these models, possibilities are provided to answer questions regarding virtual 'what happen if' experiments with a minimum of fieldwork. Nevertheless, determining soil hydraulic properties can be very difficult owing to unavailability of necessary equipment or the lack of personal with the proper knowledge for those tasks. These deficiencies are a real problem in developing countries, and even more so when there is not enough financial possibilities for research work. This paper briefly presents the way these properties have been accessed for Cuban soils, which methods have been used and the work now in progress. (author)

  3. In situ separation of root hydraulic redistribution of soil water from liquid and vapor transport

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Warren, Jeffrey [ORNL; Brooks, J Renee [U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Corvallis, OR; Dragila, Maria [Oregon State University, Corvallis; Meinzer, Rick [USDA Forest Service

    2011-01-01

    Nocturnal increases in water potential ( ) and water content (WC) in the upper soil profile are often attributed to root water efflux into the soil, a process termed hydraulic lift or hydraulic redistribution (HR). We have previously reported HR values up to ~0.29 mm day-1 in the upper soil for a seasonally dry old-growth ponderosa pine site. However, unsaturated liquid or vapor flux of water between soil layers independent of roots also contributes to the diurnal patterns in WC, confounding efforts to determine the actual magnitude of HR. In this study, we estimated liquid (Jl) and vapor (Jv) soil water fluxes and their impacts on quantifying HR in situ by applying existing data sets of , WC, temperature (T) and soil physical properties to soil water transport equations. Under moist conditions, Jl between layers was estimated to be larger than necessary to account for measured nocturnal increases in WC of upper soil layers. However, as soil drying progressed unsaturated hydraulic conductivity declined rapidly such that Jl was irrelevant (< 2E-06 cm hr-1 at 0-60 cm depths) to total water flux by early August. In surface soil at depths above 15 cm, large T fluctuations can impact Jv leading to uncertainty concerning the role, if any, of HR in nocturnal WC dynamics. Vapor flux was estimated to be the highest at the shallowest depths measured (20 - 30 cm) where it could contribute up to 40% of hourly increases in nocturnal soil moisture depending on thermal conditions. While both HR and net soil water flux between adjacent layers contribute to WC in the 15-65 cm soil layer, HR was the dominant process and accounted for at least 80% of the diurnal increases in WC. While the absolute magnitude of HR is not easily quantified, total diurnal fluctuations in upper soil water content can be quantified and modeled, and remain highly applicable for establishing the magnitude and temporal dynamics of total ecosystem water flux.

  4. The grapevine root-specific aquaporin VvPIP2;4N controls root hydraulic conductance and leaf gas exchange under well-watered conditions but not under water stress.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Perrone, Irene; Gambino, Giorgio; Chitarra, Walter; Vitali, Marco; Pagliarani, Chiara; Riccomagno, Nadia; Balestrini, Raffaella; Kaldenhoff, Ralf; Uehlein, Norbert; Gribaudo, Ivana; Schubert, Andrea; Lovisolo, Claudio

    2012-10-01

    We functionally characterized the grape (Vitis vinifera) VvPIP2;4N (for Plasma membrane Intrinsic Protein) aquaporin gene. Expression of VvPIP2;4N in Xenopus laevis oocytes increased their swelling rate 54-fold. Northern blot and quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction analyses showed that VvPIP2;4N is the most expressed PIP2 gene in root. In situ hybridization confirmed root localization in the cortical parenchyma and close to the endodermis. We then constitutively overexpressed VvPIP2;4N in grape 'Brachetto', and in the resulting transgenic plants we analyzed (1) the expression of endogenous and transgenic VvPIP2;4N and of four other aquaporins, (2) whole-plant, root, and leaf ecophysiological parameters, and (3) leaf abscisic acid content. Expression of transgenic VvPIP2;4N inhibited neither the expression of the endogenous gene nor that of other PIP aquaporins in both root and leaf. Under well-watered conditions, transgenic plants showed higher stomatal conductance, gas exchange, and shoot growth. The expression level of VvPIP2;4N (endogenous + transgene) was inversely correlated to root hydraulic resistance. The leaf component of total plant hydraulic resistance was low and unaffected by overexpression of VvPIP2;4N. Upon water stress, the overexpression of VvPIP2;4N induced a surge in leaf abscisic acid content and a decrease in stomatal conductance and leaf gas exchange. Our results show that aquaporin-mediated modifications of root hydraulics play a substantial role in the regulation of water flow in well-watered grapevine plants, while they have a minor role upon drought, probably because other signals, such as abscisic acid, take over the control of water flow.

  5. A simple three-dimensional macroscopic root water uptake model based on the hydraulic architecture approach

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    V. Couvreur

    2012-08-01

    Full Text Available Many hydrological models including root water uptake (RWU do not consider the dimension of root system hydraulic architecture (HA because explicitly solving water flow in such a complex system is too time consuming. However, they might lack process understanding when basing RWU and plant water stress predictions on functions of variables such as the root length density distribution. On the basis of analytical solutions of water flow in a simple HA, we developed an "implicit" model of the root system HA for simulation of RWU distribution (sink term of Richards' equation and plant water stress in three-dimensional soil water flow models. The new model has three macroscopic parameters defined at the soil element scale, or at the plant scale, rather than for each segment of the root system architecture: the standard sink fraction distribution SSF, the root system equivalent conductance Krs and the compensatory RWU conductance Kcomp. It clearly decouples the process of water stress from compensatory RWU, and its structure is appropriate for hydraulic lift simulation. As compared to a model explicitly solving water flow in a realistic maize root system HA, the implicit model showed to be accurate for predicting RWU distribution and plant collar water potential, with one single set of parameters, in dissimilar water dynamics scenarios. For these scenarios, the computing time of the implicit model was a factor 28 to 214 shorter than that of the explicit one. We also provide a new expression for the effective soil water potential sensed by plants in soils with a heterogeneous water potential distribution, which emerged from the implicit model equations. With the proposed implicit model of the root system HA, new concepts are brought which open avenues towards simple and mechanistic RWU models and water stress functions operational for field scale water dynamics simulation.

  6. A Catalog of Vadose Zone Hydraulic Properties for the Hanford Site

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Freeman, Eugene J.; Khaleel, Raziuddin; Heller, Paula R.

    2002-09-30

    To predict contaminant release to the groundwater, it is necessary to understand the hydraulic properties of the material between the release point and the water table. Measurements of the hydraulic properties of the Hanford unsaturated sediments that buffer the water table are available from many areas of the site; however, the documentation is not well cataloged nor is it easily accessible. The purpose of this report is to identify what data is available for characterization of the unsaturated hydraulic properties at Hanford and Where these data can be found.

  7. Modeling multidomain hydraulic properties of shrink-swell soils

    Science.gov (United States)

    Stewart, Ryan D.; Abou Najm, Majdi R.; Rupp, David E.; Selker, John S.

    2016-10-01

    Shrink-swell soils crack and become compacted as they dry, changing properties such as bulk density and hydraulic conductivity. Multidomain models divide soil into independent realms that allow soil cracks to be incorporated into classical flow and transport models. Incongruously, most applications of multidomain models assume that the porosity distributions, bulk density, and effective saturated hydraulic conductivity of the soil are constant. This study builds on a recently derived soil shrinkage model to develop a new multidomain, dual-permeability model that can accurately predict variations in soil hydraulic properties due to dynamic changes in crack size and connectivity. The model only requires estimates of soil gravimetric water content and a minimal set of parameters, all of which can be determined using laboratory and/or field measurements. We apply the model to eight clayey soils, and demonstrate its ability to quantify variations in volumetric water content (as can be determined during measurement of a soil water characteristic curve) and transient saturated hydraulic conductivity, Ks (as can be measured using infiltration tests). The proposed model is able to capture observed variations in Ks of one to more than two orders of magnitude. In contrast, other dual-permeability models assume that Ks is constant, resulting in the potential for large error when predicting water movement through shrink-swell soils. Overall, the multidomain model presented here successfully quantifies fluctuations in the hydraulic properties of shrink-swell soil matrices, and are suitable for use in physical flow and transport models based on Darcy's Law, the Richards Equation, and the advection-dispersion equation.

  8. Root induced changes of effective 1D hydraulic properties in a soil column.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Scholl, P; Leitner, D; Kammerer, G; Loiskandl, W; Kaul, H-P; Bodner, G

    Roots are essential drivers of soil structure and pore formation. This study aimed at quantifying root induced changes of the pore size distribution (PSD). The focus was on the extent of clogging vs. formation of pores during active root growth. Parameters of Kosugi's lognormal PSD model were determined by inverse estimation in a column experiment with two cover crops (mustard, rye) and an unplanted control. Pore dynamics were described using a convection-dispersion like pore evolution model. Rooted treatments showed a wider range of pore radii with increasing volumes of large macropores >500 μm and micropores <2.5 μm, while fine macropores, mesopores and larger micropores decreased. The non-rooted control showed narrowing of the PSD and reduced porosity over all radius classes. The pore evolution model accurately described root induced changes, while structure degradation in the non-rooted control was not captured properly. Our study demonstrated significant short term root effects with heterogenization of the pore system as dominant process of root induced structure formation. Pore clogging is suggested as a partial cause for reduced pore volume. The important change in micro- and large macropores however indicates that multiple mechanic and biochemical processes are involved in root-pore interactions.

  9. Effects of model layer simplification using composite hydraulic properties

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kuniansky, Eve L.; Sepulveda, Nicasio; Elango, Lakshmanan

    2011-01-01

    Groundwater provides much of the fresh drinking water to more than 1.5 billion people in the world (Clarke et al., 1996) and in the United States more that 50 percent of citizens rely on groundwater for drinking water (Solley et al., 1998). As aquifer systems are developed for water supply, the hydrologic system is changed. Water pumped from the aquifer system initially can come from some combination of inducing more recharge, water permanently removed from storage, and decreased groundwater discharge. Once a new equilibrium is achieved, all of the pumpage must come from induced recharge and decreased discharge (Alley et al., 1999). Further development of groundwater resources may result in reductions of surface water runoff and base flows. Competing demands for groundwater resources require good management. Adequate data to characterize the aquifers and confining units of the system, like hydrologic boundaries, groundwater levels, streamflow, and groundwater pumping and climatic data for recharge estimation are to be collected in order to quantify the effects of groundwater withdrawals on wetlands, streams, and lakes. Once collected, three-dimensional (3D) groundwater flow models can be developed and calibrated and used as a tool for groundwater management. The main hydraulic parameters that comprise a regional or subregional model of an aquifer system are the hydraulic conductivity and storage properties of the aquifers and confining units (hydrogeologic units) that confine the system. Many 3D groundwater flow models used to help assess groundwater/surface-water interactions require calculating ?effective? or composite hydraulic properties of multilayered lithologic units within a hydrogeologic unit. The calculation of composite hydraulic properties stems from the need to characterize groundwater flow using coarse model layering in order to reduce simulation times while still representing the flow through the system accurately. The accuracy of flow models with

  10. Variation of Desert Soil Hydraulic Properties with Pedogenic Maturity

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nimmo, J. R.; Perkins, K. S.; Mirus, B. B.; Schmidt, K. M.; Miller, D. M.; Stock, J. D.; Singha, K.

    2006-12-01

    Older alluvial desert soils exhibit greater pedogenic maturity, having more distinct desert pavements, vesicular (Av) horizons, and more pronounced stratification from processes such as illuviation and salt accumulation. These and related effects strongly influence the soil hydraulic properties. Older soils have been observed to have lower saturated hydraulic conductivity, and possibly greater capacity to retain water, but the quantitative effect of specific pedogenic features on the soil water retention or unsaturated hydraulic conductivity (K) curves is poorly known. With field infiltration/redistribution experiments on three different-aged soils developed within alluvial wash deposits in the Mojave National Preserve, we evaluated effective hydraulic properties over a scale of several m horizontally and to 1.5 m depth. We then correlated these properties with pedogenic features. The selected soils are (1) recently deposited sediments, (2) a soil of early Holocene age, and (3) a highly developed soil of late Pleistocene age. In each experiment we ponded water in a 1-m-diameter infiltration ring for 2.3 hr. For several weeks we monitored subsurface water content and matric pressure using surface electrical resistance imaging, dielectric-constant probes, heat-dissipation probes, and tensiometers. Analysis of these data using an inverse modeling technique gives the water retention and K properties needed for predictive modeling. Some properties show a consistent trend with soil age. Progressively more developed surface and near-surface features such as desert pavement and Av horizons are the likely cause of an observed consistent decline of infiltration capacity with soil age. Other properties, such as vertical flow retardation by layer contrasts, appear to have a more complicated soil-age dependence. The wash deposits display distinct depositional layering that has a retarding effect on vertical flow, an effect that may be less pronounced in the older Holocene soil

  11. HYDRAULIC AND PHYSICAL PROPERTIES OF SALTSTONE GROUTS AND VAULT CONCRETES

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Dixon, K.; Harbour, J.; Phifer, M.

    2008-01-01

    The Saltstone Disposal Facility (SDF), located in the Z-Area of the Savannah River Site (SRS), is used for the disposal of low-level radioactive salt solution. The SDF currently contains two vaults: Vault 1 (6 cells) and Vault 4 (12 cells). Additional disposal cells are currently in the design phase. The individual cells of the saltstone facility are filled with saltstone. Saltstone is produced by mixing the low-level radioactive salt solution, with blast furnace slag, fly ash, and cement (dry premix) to form a dense, micro-porous, monolithic, low-level radioactive waste form. The saltstone is pumped into the disposal cells where it subsequently solidifies. Significant effort has been undertaken to accurately model the movement of water and contaminants through the facility. Key to this effort is an accurate understanding of the hydraulic and physical properties of the solidified saltstone. To date, limited testing has been conducted to characterize the saltstone. The primary focus of this task was to estimate the hydraulic and physical properties of three types of saltstone and two vault concretes. The saltstone formulations included saltstone premix batched with (1) Deliquification, Dissolution, and Adjustment (DDA) salt simulant (w/pm 0.60), (2) Actinide Removal Process (ARP)/Modular Caustic Side Solvent Extraction Unit (MCU) salt simulant (w/pm 0.60), and (3) Salt Waste Processing Facility (SWPF) salt simulant (w/pm 0.60). The vault concrete formulations tested included the Vault 1/4 concrete and two variations of the Vault 2 concrete (Mix 1 and Mix 2). Wet properties measured for the saltstone formulations included yield stress, plastic viscosity, wet unit weight, bleed water volume, gel time, set time, and heat of hydration. Hydraulic and physical properties measured on the cured saltstone and concrete samples included saturated hydraulic conductivity, moisture retention, compressive strength, porosity, particle density, and dry bulk density. These properties

  12. Arbuscular Mycorrhiza Improves Substrate Hydraulic Conductivity in the Plant Available Moisture Range Under Root Growth Exclusion.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bitterlich, Michael; Franken, Philipp; Graefe, Jan

    2018-01-01

    Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) proliferate in soils and are known to affect soil structure. Although their contribution to structure is extensively investigated, the consequences of those processes for soil water extractability and transport has, so far, gained surprisingly little attention. Therefore we asked, whether AMF can affect water retention and unsaturated hydraulic conductivity under exclusion of root ingrowth, in order to minimize plant driven effects. We carried out experiments with tomato inoculated with Rhizoglomus irregulare in a soil substrate with sand and vermiculite that created variation in colonization by mixed pots with wild type (WT) plants and mycorrhiza resistant (RMC) mutants. Sampling cores were introduced and used to assess substrate moisture retention dynamics and modeling of substrate water retention and hydraulic conductivity. AMF reduced the saturated water content and total porosity, but maintained air filled porosity in soil spheres that excluded root ingrowth. The water content between field capacity and the permanent wilting point (6-1500 kPa) was only reduced in mycorrhizal substrates that contained at least one RMC mutant. Plant available water contents correlated positively with soil protein contents. Soil protein contents were highest in pots that possessed the strongest hyphal colonization, but not significantly affected. Substrate conductivity increased up to 50% in colonized substrates in the physiologically important water potential range between 6 and 10 kPa. The improvements in hydraulic conductivity are restricted to substrates where at least one WT plant was available for the fungus, indicating a necessity of a functional symbiosis for this effect. We conclude that functional mycorrhiza alleviates the resistance to water movement through the substrate in substrate areas outside of the root zone.

  13. Environmental and management influences on temporal variability of near saturated soil hydraulic properties.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bodner, G; Scholl, P; Loiskandl, W; Kaul, H-P

    2013-08-01

    Structural porosity is a decisive property for soil productivity and soil environmental functions. Hydraulic properties in the structural range vary over time in response to management and environmental influences. Although this is widely recognized, there are few field studies that determine dominant driving forces underlying hydraulic property dynamics. During a three year field experiment we measured temporal variability of soil hydraulic properties by tension infiltrometry. Soil properties were characterized by hydraulic conductivity, effective macroporosity and Kosugi's lognormal pore size distribution model. Management related influences comprised three soil cover treatment (mustard and rye vs. fallow) and an initial mechanical soil disturbance with a rotary harrow. Environmental driving forces were derived from meteorological and soil moisture data. Soil hydraulic parameters varied over time by around one order of magnitude. The coefficient of variation of soil hydraulic conductivity K(h) decreased from 69.5% at saturation to 42.1% in the more unsaturated range (- 10 cm pressure head). A slight increase in the Kosugi parameter showing pore heterogeneity was observed under the rye cover crop, reflecting an enhanced structural porosity. The other hydraulic parameters were not significantly influenced by the soil cover treatments. Seedbed preparation with a rotary harrow resulted in a fourfold increase in macroporosity and hydraulic conductivity next to saturation, and homogenized the pore radius distribution. Re-consolidation after mechanical loosening lasted over 18 months until the soil returned to its initial state. The post-tillage trend of soil settlement could be approximated by an exponential decay function. Among environmental factors, wetting-drying cycles were identified as dominant driving force explaining short term hydraulic property changes within the season (r 2  = 0.43 to 0.59). Our results suggested that beside considering average

  14. Scaling the flood regime with the soil hydraulic properties of the catchment

    Science.gov (United States)

    Peña Rojas, Luis Eduardo; Francés García, Félix; Barrios Peña, Miguel

    2015-04-01

    The spatial land cover distribution and soil type affect the hydraulic properties of soils, facilitating or retarding the infiltration rate and the response of a catchment during flooding events. This research analyzes: 1) the effect of land cover use in different time periods as a source of annual maximum flood records nonstationarity; 2) the scalability of the relationship between soil hydraulic properties of the catchment (initial abstractions, upper soil capillary storage and vertical and horizontal hydraulic conductivity) and the flood regime. The study was conducted in Combeima River basin in Colombia - South America and it was modelled the changes in the land uses registered in 1991, 2000, 2002 and 2007, using distributed hydrological modelling and nonparametric tests. The results showed that changes in land use affect hydraulic properties of soil and it has influence on the magnitude of flood peaks. What is a new finding is that this behavior is scalable with the soil hydraulic properties of the catchment flood moments have a simple scaling behavior and the peaks flow increases with higher values of capillary soil storage, whereas higher values, the peaks decreased. Finally it was applied Generalized Extreme Values and it was found scalable behavior in the parameters of the probability distribution function. The results allowed us to find a relationship between soil hydraulic properties and the behavior of flood regime in the basin studied.

  15. Experimental Determination of Hydraulic Properties of Unsaturated Calcarenites

    Science.gov (United States)

    Turturro, Antonietta Celeste; Andriani, Gioacchino Francesco; Clementina Caputo, Maria; Maggi, Sabino

    2013-04-01

    Understanding hydraulic properties is essential in the modeling of flow and solute transport through the vadose zone, to which problems of soil and groundwater pollution are related. The vadose zone, in fact, is of great importance in controlling groundwater recharge and transport of contaminants into and through the subsoil. The aim of this work is to determine experimentally in laboratory the hydraulic properties of unsaturated calcarenites using an approach including petrophysical determinations and methods for measuring water retention. For this purpose, samples of calcarenites belonging to the Calcarenite di Gravina Fm.(Pliocene-early Pleistocene), came from two different quarry districts located in Southern Italy (Canosa di Puglia and Massafra), were utilized. The water retention function, θ(h), which binds the water content, θ, to water potential, h, was determined in the laboratory by means two different experimental methods: the WP4-T psychrometer and the suction table. At last, a simple mathematical equation represented by van Genuchten's model is fitted to the experimental data and the unknown empirical parameters of this model are determined. Textural analysis on thin sections using optical petrographic microscopy and evaluation of total and effective porosity by means of standard geotechnical laboratory tests, mercury intrusion porosimetry and image analysis were also performed. In particular, a comparison between mercury porosimetry data and results of photomicrograph computer analysis through the methods of quantitative stereology was employed for providing pore size distributions. The results of this study identify the relationship between the hydraulic behavior, described by the water retention function, and pore size distribution for the calcarenites that are not easy to hydraulically characterize. This relationship could represent a useful tool to infer the unsaturated hydraulic properties of calcarenites and in general this approach could be

  16. Study on the Tribological Properties of MC Nylon Composites Filled with Hydraulic Oil

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yuan, S.; Li, Y.; Wen, J.; Yin, L.; Zhang, Q.

    2018-03-01

    Mechanical parts utilized in machinery, such as nylon slider and pulley, should have certain mechanical properties and good tribological properties, so that equipments’ stability and smoothness can be assured. A kind of MC nylon (monomer cast nylon) composites filled with hydraulic oil was studied in this paper. The addition of hydraulic oil changed nylon’s mechanical properties and tribological properties significantly, and improved the material’s toughness and coefficient of friction. The composites have excellent strength, toughness and relatively low coefficient of friction when the content of the hydraulic oil is 4wt%.

  17. Root hydraulic vulnerability regulation of whole-plant conductance along hillslope gradients within subalpine and montane forests

    Science.gov (United States)

    Beverly, D.; Speckman, H. N.; Ewers, B. E.

    2017-12-01

    Ecosystem-scale models often rely on root vulnerability or whole-plant conductance for simulating seasonal evapotranspiration declines via constraints of water uptake and vegetation mortality. Further, many of these ecosystem models rely on single, unvarying, hydraulic parameter estimates for modeling large areas. Ring-porous species have shown seasonal variability in root vulnerability (percent loss of conductivity; PLC) and whole-plant conductance (Kw) but simulations of coniferous forest typically rely on point measurements. This assumption for coniferous forest is not likely true because of seasonal variability caused by phenology and environmental stresses and the potential for cavitation fatigue is not considered. Moreover, many of these dynamics have only been considered for stems even though roots are often the most vulnerable segments of the pathway for conifers. We hypothesized that seasonally dynamic whole-plant conductance along hillslope gradients in coniferous forests are regulated by cavitation fatigue within the roots resulting in seasonal increases in vulnerability. To test the hypothesis, a subalpine mixed forest (3000 m.a.s.l) and montane forest (2550 m.a.s.l.) were monitored between 2015-2017 to quantify PLC and Kw along the hillslope gradients of 300 m and 50 m, respectively. Forest plots were instrumented with 35 Granier-type sapflow sensors. Seasonal sampling campaigns occurred to quantify PLC through centrifuge techniques and Kw through Darcy's law approximations with pre-dawn and diurnal leaf water potentials. Downslope roots exhibit a 33% decrease in maximal conductivity corresponding to the approximately 50% decrease in whole-plant conductance suggesting seasonal soil dry-down limitations within the downslope stands. Upslope stands had no to little change in root vulnerability or decrease in whole-plant conductance as soil water limitations occur immediately following snowmelt, thus limiting hydraulic conductance throughout the growing

  18. Hydraulic redistribution of soil water by roots affects whole-stand evapotranspiration and net ecosystem carbon exchange

    Science.gov (United States)

    J.-C. Domec; J.S. King; A. Noormets; E. Treasure; M.J. Gavazzi; G. Sun; S.G. McNulty

    2010-01-01

    Hydraulic redistribution (HR) of water via roots from moist to drier portions of the soil occurs in many ecosystems, potentially influencing both water use and carbon assimilation. By measuring soil water content, sap flow and eddy covariance, we investigated the temporal variability of HR in a loblolly pine (Pinus taeda) plantation during months of...

  19. Patterns of nocturnal rehydration in root tissues of Vaccinium corymbosum L. under severe drought conditions.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Valenzuela-Estrada, Luis R; Richards, James H; Diaz, Andres; Eissensat, David M

    2009-01-01

    Although roots in dry soil layers are commonly rehydrated by internal hydraulic redistribution during the nocturnal period, patterns of tissue rehydration are poorly understood. Rates of nocturnal rehydration were examined in roots of different orders in Vaccinium corymbosum L. 'Bluecrop' (Northern highbush blueberry) grown in a split-pot system with one set of roots in relatively moist soil and the other set of roots in dry soil. Vaccinium is noted for a highly branched and extremely fine root system. It is hypothesized that nocturnal root tissue rehydration would be slow, especially in the distal root orders because of their greater hydraulic constraints (smaller vessel diameters and fewer number of vessels). Vaccinium root hydraulic properties delayed internal water movement. Even when water was readily available to roots in the wet soil and transpiration was minimal, it took a whole night-time period of 12 h for the distal finest roots (1st to 4th order) under dry soil conditions to reach the same water potentials as fine roots in moist soil (1st to 4th order). Even though roots under dry soil equilibrated with roots in moist soil, the equilibrium point reached before sunrise was about -1.2 MPa, indicating that tissues were not fully rehydrated. Using a single-branch root model, it was estimated that individual roots exhibiting the lowest water potentials in dry soil were 1st order roots (distal finest roots of the root system). However, considered at the branch level, root orders with the highest hydraulic resistances corresponded to the lowest orders of the permanent root system (3rd-, 4th-, and 5th-order roots), thus indicating possible locations of hydraulic safety control in the root system of this species.

  20. Determination of hydraulic properties of unsaturated soil via inverse modeling

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kodesova, R.

    2004-01-01

    The method for determining the hydraulic properties of unsaturated soil with inverse modeling is presented. A modified cone penetrometer has been designed to inject water into the soil through a screen, and measure the progress of the wetting front with two tensiometer rings positioned above the screen. Cumulative inflow and pressure head readings are analyzed to obtain estimates of the hydraulic parameters describing K(h) and θ(h). Optimization results for tests at one side are used to demonstrate the possibility to evaluate either the wetting branches of the soil hydraulic properties, or the wetting and drying curves simultaneously, via analysis of different parts of the experiment. The optimization results are compared to the results of standard laboratory and field methods. (author)

  1. Moss and peat hydraulic properties are optimized to maximise peatland water use efficiency

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kettridge, Nicholas; Tilak, Amey; Devito, Kevin; Petrone, Rich; Mendoza, Carl; Waddington, Mike

    2016-04-01

    Peatland ecosystems are globally important carbon and terrestrial surface water stores that have formed over millennia. These ecosystems have likely optimised their ecohydrological function over the long-term development of their soil hydraulic properties. Through a theoretical ecosystem approach, applying hydrological modelling integrated with known ecological thresholds and concepts, the optimisation of peat hydraulic properties is examined to determine which of the following conditions peatland ecosystems target during this development: i) maximise carbon accumulation, ii) maximise water storage, or iii) balance carbon profit across hydrological disturbances. Saturated hydraulic conductivity (Ks) and empirical van Genuchten water retention parameter α are shown to provide a first order control on simulated water tensions. Across parameter space, peat profiles with hypothetical combinations of Ks and α show a strong binary tendency towards targeting either water or carbon storage. Actual hydraulic properties from five northern peatlands fall at the interface between these goals, balancing the competing demands of carbon accumulation and water storage. We argue that peat hydraulic properties are thus optimized to maximise water use efficiency and that this optimisation occurs over a centennial to millennial timescale as the peatland develops. This provides a new conceptual framework to characterise peat hydraulic properties across climate zones and between a range of different disturbances, and which can be used to provide benchmarks for peatland design and reclamation.

  2. Water flow and solute transport in floating fen root mats

    Science.gov (United States)

    Stofberg, Sija F.; EATM van der Zee, Sjoerd

    2015-04-01

    Floating fens are valuable wetlands, found in North-Western Europe, that are formed by floating root mats when old turf ponds are colonized by plants. These terrestrialization ecosystems are known for their biodiversity and the presence of rare plant species, and the root mats reveal different vegetation zones at a small scale. The vegetation zones are a result of strong gradients in abiotic conditions, including groundwater dynamics, nutrients and pH. To prevent irreversible drought effects such as land subsidence and mineralization of peat, water management involves import of water from elsewhere to maintain constant surface water levels. Imported water may have elevated levels of salinity during dry summers, and salt exposure may threaten the vegetation. To assess the risk of exposure of the rare plant species to salinity, the hydrology of such root mats must be understood. Physical properties of root mats have scarcely been investigated. We have measured soil characteristics, hydraulic conductivity, vertical root mat movement and groundwater dynamics in a floating root mat in the nature reserve Nieuwkoopse Plassen, in the Netherlands. The root mat mostly consists of roots and organic material, in which the soil has a high saturated water content, and strongly varies in its stage of decomposition. We have found a distinct negative correlation between degree of decomposition and hydraulic conductivity, similar to observations for bogs in the literature. Our results show that the relatively young, thin edge of the root mat that colonizes the surface water has a high hydraulic conductivity and floats in the surface water, resulting in very small groundwater fluctuations within the root mat. The older part of the root mat, that is connected to the deeper peat layers is hydrologically more isolated and the material has a lower conductivity. Here, the groundwater fluctuates strongly with atmospheric forcing. The zones of hydraulic properties and vegetation, appear to

  3. Compatibility between Hydraulic and Mechanical Properties of Ceramic Water Filters

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Riyadh Z. Al Zubaidy

    2017-05-01

    Full Text Available In this paper, ceramic water filters were produced by using ten mixtures of different ratios of red clay and sawdust under different production conditions. The physical properties of these filters were tested. The production conditions include five press pressures ranged from 10 to 50MPa and a firing schedule having three different final temperatures of 1000, 1070, and 1100˚C. The tests results of the physical properties were used to obtain best compatibility between the hydraulic and the mechanical properties of these filters. Results showed that as the press pressure and the firing temperature are increased, the bulk density and the compressive and bending strengths of the produced filters are increased, while, the porosity and absorption are decreased. As the sawdust content is increased the bulk density and the compressive and bending strengths are decreased, while, the porosity and absorption are increased. High hydraulic conductivity is obtained at a firing temperature of 1070˚C when the sawdust content is less than 10%. Otherwise, it is increased as sawdust content and the firing temperature are increased. Filters made of mixture 92.5% red clay and 7.5% sawdust formed . under a press pressure of 20MPa and a firing temperature of 1070˚C gave the best compatibility between hydraulic and mechanical properties. In this case, the hydraulic conductivity was 50mm/day, the compressive strength was 14MPa, and the bending strength was 10.8MPa.

  4. Assessment the effect of homogenized soil on soil hydraulic properties and soil water transport

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mohawesh, O.; Janssen, M.; Maaitah, O.; Lennartz, B.

    2017-09-01

    Soil hydraulic properties play a crucial role in simulating water flow and contaminant transport. Soil hydraulic properties are commonly measured using homogenized soil samples. However, soil structure has a significant effect on the soil ability to retain and to conduct water, particularly in aggregated soils. In order to determine the effect of soil homogenization on soil hydraulic properties and soil water transport, undisturbed soil samples were carefully collected. Five different soil structures were identified: Angular-blocky, Crumble, Angular-blocky (different soil texture), Granular, and subangular-blocky. The soil hydraulic properties were determined for undisturbed and homogenized soil samples for each soil structure. The soil hydraulic properties were used to model soil water transport using HYDRUS-1D.The homogenized soil samples showed a significant increase in wide pores (wCP) and a decrease in narrow pores (nCP). The wCP increased by 95.6, 141.2, 391.6, 3.9, 261.3%, and nCP decreased by 69.5, 10.5, 33.8, 72.7, and 39.3% for homogenized soil samples compared to undisturbed soil samples. The soil water retention curves exhibited a significant decrease in water holding capacity for homogenized soil samples compared with the undisturbed soil samples. The homogenized soil samples showed also a decrease in soil hydraulic conductivity. The simulated results showed that water movement and distribution were affected by soil homogenizing. Moreover, soil homogenizing affected soil hydraulic properties and soil water transport. However, field studies are being needed to find the effect of these differences on water, chemical, and pollutant transport under several scenarios.

  5. Control of water uptake by rice ( Oryza sativa L.): role of the outer part of the root.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ranathunge, Kosala; Steudle, Ernst; Lafitte, Renee

    2003-06-01

    A new pressure-perfusion technique was used to measure hydraulic and osmotic properties of the outer part of roots (OPR) of 30-day-old rice plants (lowland cultivar: IR64, and upland cultivar: Azucena). The OPR comprised rhizodermis, exodermis, sclerenchyma and one cortical cell layer. The technique involved perfusion of aerenchyma of segments from two different root zones (20-50 mm and 50-100 mm from the tip) at precise rates using aerated nutrient solution. The hydraulic conductivity of the OPR (Lp(OPR)=1.2x10(-6) m s(-1) MPa(-1)) was larger by a factor of 30 than the overall hydraulic conductivity (Lp(r)=4x10(-8) m s(-1) MPa(-1)) as measured by pressure chamber and root pressure probe. Low reflection coefficients were obtained for mannitol and NaCl for the OPR (sigma(sOPR)=0.14 and 0.09, respectively). The diffusional water permeability ( P(dOPR)) estimated from isobaric flow of heavy water was smaller by three orders of magnitude than the hydraulic conductivity (Lp(OPR)/ P(fOPR)). Although detailed root anatomy showed well-defined Casparian bands and suberin lamellae in the exodermis, the findings strongly indicate a predominantly apoplastic water flow in the OPR. The Lp(OPR) of heat-killed root segments increased by a factor of only 2, which is in line with the conclusion of a dominating apoplastic water flow. The hydraulic resistance of the OPR was not limiting the passage of water across the root cylinder. Estimations of the hydraulic properties of aerenchyma suggested that the endodermis was rate-limiting the water flow, although the aerenchyma may contribute to the overall resistance. The resistance of the aerenchyma was relatively low, because mono-layered cortical septa crossing the aerenchyma ('spokes') short-circuited the air space between the stele and the OPR. Spokes form hydraulic bridges that act like wicks. Low diffusional water permeabilities of the OPR suggest that radial oxygen losses from aerenchyma to medium are also low. It is concluded that

  6. Summary and evaluation of available hydraulic property data for the Hanford Site unconfined aquifer system

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Thorne, P.D.; Newcomer, D.R.

    1992-11-01

    Improving the hydrologic characterization of the Hanford Site unconfined aquifer system is one of the objectives of the Hanford Site Ground-Water Surveillance Project. To help meet this objective, hydraulic property data available for the aquifer have been compiled, mainly from reports published over the past 40 years. Most of the available hydraulic property estimates are based on constant-rate pumping tests of wells. Slug tests have also been conducted at some wells and analyzed to determine hydraulic properties. Other methods that have been used to estimate hydraulic properties of the unconfined aquifer are observations of water-level changes in response to river stage, analysis of ground-water mound formation, tracer tests, and inverse groundwater flow models

  7. Effects of biochars on hydraulic properties of clayey soil

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhen, Jingbo; Palladino, Mario; Lazarovitch, Naftali; Bonanomi, Giuliano; Battista Chirico, Giovanni

    2017-04-01

    Biochar has gained popularity as an amendment to improve soil hydraulic properties. Since biochar properties depend on feedstocks and pyrolysis temperatures used for its production, proper selection of biochar type as soil amendment is of great importance for soil hydraulic properties improvement. This study investigated the effects of eight types of biochar on physical and hydraulic properties of clayey soil. Biochars were derived from four different feedstocks (Alfalfa hay, municipal organic waste, corn residues and wood chip) pyrolyzed at two different temperatures (300 and 550 °C). Clayey soil samples were taken from Leone farm (40° 26' 15.31" N, 14° 59' 45.54" E), Italy, and were oven-dried at 105 °C to determine dry bulk density. Biochars were mixed with the clayey soil at 5% by mass. Bulk densities of the mixtures were also determined. Saturated hydraulic conductivities (Ks) of the original clayey soil and corresponding mixtures were measured by means of falling-head method. Soil water retention measurements were conducted for clayey soil and mixtures using suction table apparatus and Richards' plate with the pressure head (h) up to 12000 cm. van Genuchten retention function was selected to evaluate the retention characteristics of clayey soil and mixtures. Available water content (AWC) was calculated by field capacity (h = - 500 cm) minus wilting pointing (h = -12000 cm). The results showed that biochar addition decreased the bulk density of clayey soil. The Ks of clayey soil increased due to the incorporation of biochars except for waste and corn biochars pyrolyzed at 550 °C. AWC of soils mixed with corn biochar pyrolyzed at 300 °C and wood biochar pyrolyzed at 550 °C, increased by 31% and 7%, respectively. Further analysis will be conducted in combination of biochar properties such as specific surface area and total pore volume. Better understanding of biochar impact on clayey soil will be helpful in biochar selection for soil amendment and

  8. Research Note:Determination of soil hydraulic properties using pedotransfer functions in a semi-arid basin, Turkey

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    M. Tombul

    2004-01-01

    Full Text Available Spatial and temporal variations in soil hydraulic properties such as soil moisture q(h and hydraulic conductivity K(q or K(h, may affect the performance of hydrological models. Moreover, the cost of determining soil hydraulic properties by field or laboratory methods makes alternative indirect methods desirable. In this paper, various pedotransfer functions (PTFs are used to estimate soil hydraulic properties for a small semi-arid basin (Kurukavak in the north-west of Turkey. The field measurements were a good fit with the retention curve derived using Rosetta SSC-BD for a loamy soil. To predict parameters to describe soil hydraulic characteristics, continuous PTFs such as Rosetta SSC-BD (Model H3 and SSC-BD-q33q1500 (Model H5 have been applied. Using soil hydraulic properties that vary in time and space, the characteristic curves for three soil types, loam, sandy clay loam and sandy loam have been developed. Spatial and temporal variations in soil moisture have been demonstrated on a plot and catchment scale for loamy soil. It is concluded that accurate site-specific measurements of the soil hydraulic characteristics are the only and probably the most promising method to progress in the future. Keywords: soil hydraulic properties, soil characteristic curves, PTFs

  9. HYDRAULIC CONCRETE COMPOSITION AND PROPERTIES CONTROL SYSTEM

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    O. M. Pshinko

    2015-08-01

    Full Text Available Purpose. Scientific work aims at the development and testing of information system to meet the challenges of concrete composition design and control (for railway structures and buildings based on the physico-analytical method algorithm for hydraulic concrete composition calculation. Methodology. The proposed algorithm of hydraulic concrete composition calculation is based on the physicochemical mechanics and in particular on the rheology of elastic–viscous–plastic bodies. The system of canonical equations consists of the equations for concrete strength, absolute volume, concrete mix consistency as well as the equation for optimal concrete saturation with aggregates while minimizing cement content. The joint solution of these four equations related to composition allows determining for the materials the concrete composition of required strength, concrete workability with minimum cement content. The procedure for calculation of hydraulic concrete composition according to the physico-analytical method consists of two parts: 1 physical, which is laboratory testing of concrete mix components in different concrete compositions; 2 analytical, which represents the calculation algorithm for concrete compositions equivalent in concrete strength and workability that comply with the specific conditions of concrete placing. Findings. To solve the problem of designing the concrete composition with the desired properties for railway structures and buildings it was proposed to use the information technology in the form of a developed computer program whose algorithm includes the physico-analytical method for hydraulic concrete composition determination. Originality. The developed concrete composition design method takes into account the basic properties of raw materials, concrete mix and concrete, which are pre-determined. The distinctive feature of physico-analytical method is obtaining of a set of equivalent compositions with a certain concrete mix

  10. Quantifying the contribution of root systems to community and individual drought resilience in the Amazon rainforest

    Science.gov (United States)

    Agee, E.; Ivanov, V. Y.; Oliveira, R. S.; Brum, M., Jr.; Saleska, S. R.; Bisht, G.; Prohaska, N.; Taylor, T.; Oliveira Junior, R. C.; Restrepo-Coupe, N.

    2017-12-01

    The increased intensity and severity of droughts within the Amazon Basin region has emphasized the question of vulnerability and resilience of tropical forests to water limitation. During the recent 2015-2016 drought caused by the anomalous El Nino episode, we monitored a large, diverse sample of trees within the Tapajos National Forest, Brazil, in the footprint of the K67 eddy covariance tower. The observed trees exhibited differential responses in terms of stem water potential and sap flow among species: their regulation of ecophysiological strategies varied from very conservative (`isohydric') behavior, to much less restrained, atmosphere-controlled (`anisohydric') type of response. While much attention has been paid to forest canopies, it remains unclear how the regulation of individual tree root system and root spatial interactions contribute to the emergent individual behavior and the ecosystem-scale characterization of drought resilience. Given the inherent difficulty in monitoring below-ground phenomena, physically-based models are valuable for examining different strategies and properties to reduce the uncertainty of characterization. We use a modified version of the highly parallel DOE PFLOTRAN model to simulate the three-dimensional variably saturated flows and root water uptake for over one thousand individuals within a two-hectare area. Root morphology and intrinsic hydraulic properties are assigned based on statistical distributions developed for tropical trees, which account for the broad spectrum of hydraulic strategies in biodiverse environments. The results demonstrate the dynamic nature of active zone of root water uptake based on local soil water potential gradients. The degree of the corresponding shifts in uptake and root collar potential depend not only on assigned hydraulic properties but also on spatial orientation and size relative to community members. This response highlights the importance of not only tree individual hydraulic traits

  11. Relations between soil hydraulic properties and burn severity

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Moody, J.A.; Ebel, B.A.; Stoof, C.R.; Nyman, P.; Martin, D.A.; McKinley, R.

    2016-01-01

    Wildfire can affect soil hydraulic properties, often resulting in reduced infiltration. The magnitude of change in infiltration varies depending on the burn severity. Quantitative approaches to link burn severity with changes in infiltration are lacking. This study uses controlled laboratory

  12. Root anatomical phenes predict root penetration ability and biomechanical properties in maize (Zea Mays)

    OpenAIRE

    Chimungu, Joseph G.; Loades, Kenneth W.; Lynch, Jonathan P.

    2015-01-01

    The ability of roots to penetrate hard soil is important for crop productivity but specific root phenes contributing to this ability are poorly understood. Root penetrability and biomechanical properties are likely to vary in the root system dependent on anatomical structure. No information is available to date on the influence of root anatomical phenes on root penetrability and biomechanics. Root penetration ability was evaluated using a wax layer system. Root tensile and bending strength we...

  13. Quantifying the Effects of Biofilm on the Hydraulic Properties of Unsaturated Soils

    Science.gov (United States)

    Volk, E.; Iden, S.; Furman, A.; Durner, W.; Rosenzweig, R.

    2017-12-01

    Quantifying the effects of biofilms on hydraulic properties of unsaturated soils is necessary for predicting water and solute flow in soil with extensive microbial presence. This can be relevant to bioremediation processes, soil aquifer treatment and effluent irrigation. Previous works showed a reduction in the hydraulic conductivity and an increase in water content due to the addition of biofilm analogue materials. The objective of this research is to quantify soil hydraulic properties of unsaturated soil (water retention and hydraulic conductivity) using real soil biofilm. In this work, Hamra soil was incubated with Luria Broth (LB) and biofilm-producing bacteria (Pseudomonas Putida F1). Hydraulic conductivity and water retention were measured by the evaporation method, Dewpoint method and a constant head permeameter. Biofilm was quantified using viable counts and the deficit of TOC. The results show that the presence of biofilms increases soil retention in the `dry' range of the curve and reduces the hydraulic conductivity (see figure). This research shows that biofilms may have a non-negligible effect on flow and transport in unsaturated soils. These findings contribute to modeling water flow in biofilm amended soil.

  14. Aquaporin-mediated increase in root hydraulic conductance is involved in silicon-induced improved root water uptake under osmotic stress in Sorghum bicolor L.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, Peng; Yin, Lina; Deng, Xiping; Wang, Shiwen; Tanaka, Kiyoshi; Zhang, Suiqi

    2014-09-01

    The fact that silicon application alleviates water deficit stress has been widely reported, but the underlying mechanism remains unclear. Here the effects of silicon on water uptake and transport of sorghum seedlings (Sorghum bicolor L.) growing under polyethylene glycol-simulated osmotic stress in hydroponic culture and water deficit stress in sand culture were investigated. Osmotic stress dramatically decreased dry weight, photosynthetic rate, transpiration rate, stomatal conductance, and leaf water content, but silicon application reduced these stress-induced decreases. Although silicon application had no effect on stem water transport capacity, whole-plant hydraulic conductance (Kplant) and root hydraulic conductance (Lp) were higher in silicon-treated seedlings than in those without silicon treatment under osmotic stress. Furthermore, the extent of changes in transpiration rate was similar to the changes in Kplant and Lp. The contribution of aquaporin to Lp was characterized using the aquaporin inhibitor mercury. Under osmotic stress, the exogenous application of HgCl2 decreased the transpiration rates of seedlings with and without silicon to the same level; after recovery induced by dithiothreitol (DTT), however, the transpiration rate was higher in silicon-treated seedlings than in untreated seedlings. In addition, transcription levels of several root aquaporin genes were increased by silicon application under osmotic stress. These results indicate that the silicon-induced up-regulation of aquaporin, which was thought to increase Lp, was involved in improving root water uptake under osmotic stress. This study also suggests that silicon plays a modulating role in improving plant resistance to osmotic stress in addition to its role as a mere physical barrier. © The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society for Experimental Biology.

  15. Experimental Investigation on Hydraulic Properties of Granular Sandstone and Mudstone Mixtures

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Dan Ma

    2018-01-01

    Full Text Available The caved zone during longwall mining has high permeability, resulting in a mass of groundwater storage which causes a threat of groundwater inrush hazard to the safe mining. To investigate the hazard mechanism of granular sandstone and mudstone mixture (SMM in caved zone, this paper presents an experimental study on the effect of sandstone particle (SP and mudstone particle (MP weight ratio on the non-Darcy hydraulic properties evolution. A self-designed granular rock seepage experimental equipment has been applied to conduct the experiments. The variation of particle size distribution was induced by loading and water seepage during the test, which indicated that the particle crushing and erosion properties of mudstone were higher than those of sandstone. Porosity evolution of SMM was strongly influenced by loading (sample height and SP/MP weight ratio. The sample with higher sample height and higher weight ratio of SP achieved higher porosity value. In particular, a non-Darcy equation, for hydraulic properties (permeability κ and non-Darcy coefficient ζ calculation, was sufficient to fit the relation between the hydraulic gradient and seepage velocity. The test results indicated that, due to the absence and narrowing of fracture and void during loading, the permeability κ decreases and the non-Darcy coefficient ζ increases. The variation of the hydraulic properties of the sample within the same particle size and SP/MP weight ratio indicated that groundwater inrush hazard showed a higher probability of occurrence in sandstone strata and crushed zone (e.g., faults. Moreover, isolated fractures and voids were able to achieve the changeover from self-extension to interconnection at the last loading stage, which caused the fluctuation tendency of κ and ζ. Fluctuation ability in mudstone was higher than that in sandstone. The performance of an empirical model was also investigated for the non-Darcy hydraulic properties evolution prediction of

  16. Variable conductivity and embolism in roots, trunks and branches of tree species growing under future atmospheric CO2 concentration (DUKE FACE site): impacts on whole-plant hydraulic performance and carbon assimilation

    Science.gov (United States)

    domec, J.; Palmroth, S.; Oren, R.; Johnson, D. M.; Ward, E. J.; McCulloh, K.; Gonzalez, C.; Warren, J.

    2013-12-01

    Anatomical and physiological acclimation to water stress of the tree hydraulic system involves tradeoffs between maintenance of stomatal conductance and loss of hydraulic conductivity, with short-term impacts on photosynthesis and long-term consequences to survival and growth. Here we study the role of variations in root, trunk and branch maximum hydraulic specific conductivity (Ks-max) under high and low soil moisture in determining whole-tree hydraulic conductance (Ktree) and in mediating stomatal control of gas exchange in loblolly pine trees growing under ambient and elevated CO2 (CO2a and CO2e). We hypothesized that Ktree would adjust to CO2e, through an increase in root and branch Ks-max in response to anatomical adjustments. Embolism in roots explained the loss of Ktree and therefore indirectly constituted a hydraulic signal involved in stomatal regulation and in the reduction of canopy conductance and carbon assimilation. Across roots, trunk and branches, the increase in Ks-max was associated with a decrease resistance to drought, a consequence of structural acclimation such as larger conduits and lower wood density. In loblolly pine, higher xylem dysfunction under CO2e might impact tree performance in a future climate when increased evaporative demand could cause a greater loss of hydraulic function. The results contributed to our knowledge of the physiological and morphological mechanisms underpinning the responses of tree species to drought and more generally to global change.

  17. Estimation of runoff mitigation by morphologically different cover crop root systems

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yu, Yang; Loiskandl, Willibald; Kaul, Hans-Peter; Himmelbauer, Margarita; Wei, Wei; Chen, Liding; Bodner, Gernot

    2016-07-01

    Hydrology is a major driver of biogeochemical processes underlying the distinct productivity of different biomes, including agricultural plantations. Understanding factors governing water fluxes in soil is therefore a key target for hydrological management. Our aim was to investigate changes in soil hydraulic conductivity driven by morphologically different root systems of cover crops and their impact on surface runoff. Root systems of twelve cover crop species were characterized and the corresponding hydraulic conductivity was measured by tension infiltrometry. Relations of root traits to Gardner's hydraulic conductivity function were determined and the impact on surface runoff was estimated using HYDRUS 2D. The species differed in both rooting density and root axes thickness, with legumes distinguished by coarser axes. Soil hydraulic conductivity was changed particularly in the plant row where roots are concentrated. Specific root length and median root radius were the best predictors for hydraulic conductivity changes. For an intensive rainfall simulation scenario up to 17% less rainfall was lost by surface runoff in case of the coarsely rooted legumes Melilotus officinalis and Lathyrus sativus, and the densely rooted Linum usitatissimum. Cover crops with coarse root axes and high rooting density enhance soil hydraulic conductivity and effectively reduce surface runoff. An appropriate functional root description can contribute to targeted cover crop selection for efficient runoff mitigation.

  18. A global data set of soil hydraulic properties and sub-grid variability of soil water retention and hydraulic conductivity curves

    Science.gov (United States)

    Montzka, Carsten; Herbst, Michael; Weihermüller, Lutz; Verhoef, Anne; Vereecken, Harry

    2017-07-01

    Agroecosystem models, regional and global climate models, and numerical weather prediction models require adequate parameterization of soil hydraulic properties. These properties are fundamental for describing and predicting water and energy exchange processes at the transition zone between solid earth and atmosphere, and regulate evapotranspiration, infiltration and runoff generation. Hydraulic parameters describing the soil water retention (WRC) and hydraulic conductivity (HCC) curves are typically derived from soil texture via pedotransfer functions (PTFs). Resampling of those parameters for specific model grids is typically performed by different aggregation approaches such a spatial averaging and the use of dominant textural properties or soil classes. These aggregation approaches introduce uncertainty, bias and parameter inconsistencies throughout spatial scales due to nonlinear relationships between hydraulic parameters and soil texture. Therefore, we present a method to scale hydraulic parameters to individual model grids and provide a global data set that overcomes the mentioned problems. The approach is based on Miller-Miller scaling in the relaxed form by Warrick, that fits the parameters of the WRC through all sub-grid WRCs to provide an effective parameterization for the grid cell at model resolution; at the same time it preserves the information of sub-grid variability of the water retention curve by deriving local scaling parameters. Based on the Mualem-van Genuchten approach we also derive the unsaturated hydraulic conductivity from the water retention functions, thereby assuming that the local parameters are also valid for this function. In addition, via the Warrick scaling parameter λ, information on global sub-grid scaling variance is given that enables modellers to improve dynamical downscaling of (regional) climate models or to perturb hydraulic parameters for model ensemble output generation. The present analysis is based on the ROSETTA PTF

  19. Soil hydraulic material properties and layered architecture from time-lapse GPR

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jaumann, Stefan; Roth, Kurt

    2018-04-01

    Quantitative knowledge of the subsurface material distribution and its effective soil hydraulic material properties is essential to predict soil water movement. Ground-penetrating radar (GPR) is a noninvasive and nondestructive geophysical measurement method that is suitable to monitor hydraulic processes. Previous studies showed that the GPR signal from a fluctuating groundwater table is sensitive to the soil water characteristic and the hydraulic conductivity function. In this work, we show that the GPR signal originating from both the subsurface architecture and the fluctuating groundwater table is suitable to estimate the position of layers within the subsurface architecture together with the associated effective soil hydraulic material properties with inversion methods. To that end, we parameterize the subsurface architecture, solve the Richards equation, convert the resulting water content to relative permittivity with the complex refractive index model (CRIM), and solve Maxwell's equations numerically. In order to analyze the GPR signal, we implemented a new heuristic algorithm that detects relevant signals in the radargram (events) and extracts the corresponding signal travel time and amplitude. This algorithm is applied to simulated as well as measured radargrams and the detected events are associated automatically. Using events instead of the full wave regularizes the inversion focussing on the relevant measurement signal. For optimization, we use a global-local approach with preconditioning. Starting from an ensemble of initial parameter sets drawn with a Latin hypercube algorithm, we sequentially couple a simulated annealing algorithm with a Levenberg-Marquardt algorithm. The method is applied to synthetic as well as measured data from the ASSESS test site. We show that the method yields reasonable estimates for the position of the layers as well as for the soil hydraulic material properties by comparing the results to references derived from ground

  20. Effects of native forest restoration on soil hydraulic properties, Auwahi, Maui, Hawaiian Islands

    Science.gov (United States)

    Perkins, Kimberlie S.; Nimmo, John R.; Medeiros, Arthur C.

    2012-01-01

    Over historic time Hawai'i's dryland forests have been largely replaced by grasslands for grazing livestock. On-going efforts have been undertaken to restore dryland forests to bring back native species and reduce erosion. The reestablishment of native ecosystems on land severely degraded by long-term alternative use requires reversal of the impacts of erosion, organic-matter loss, and soil structural damage on soil hydraulic properties. This issue is perhaps especially critical in dryland forests where the soil must facilitate native plants' optimal use of limited water. These reforestation efforts depend on restoring soil ecological function, including soil hydraulic properties. We hypothesized that reforestation can measurably change soil hydraulic properties over restoration timescales. At a site on the island of Maui (Hawai'i, USA), we measured infiltration capacity, hydrophobicity, and abundance of preferential flow channels in a deforested grassland and in an adjacent area where active reforestation has been going on for fourteen years. Compared to the nearby deforested rangeland, mean field-saturated hydraulic conductivity in the newly restored forest measured by 55 infiltrometer tests was greater by a factor of 2.0. Hydrophobicity on an 8-point scale increased from average category 6.0 to 6.9. A 4-point empirical categorization of preferentiality in subsurface wetting patterns increased from an average 1.3 in grasslands to 2.6 in the restored forest. All of these changes act to distribute infiltrated water faster and deeper, as appropriate for native plant needs. This study indicates that vegetation restoration can lead to ecohydrologically important changes in soil hydraulic properties over decadal time scales.

  1. Variability and scaling of hydraulic properties for 200 Area soils, Hanford Site

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Khaleel, R.; Freeman, E.J.

    1995-10-01

    Over the years, data have been obtained on soil hydraulic properties at the Hanford Site. Much of these data have been obtained as part of recent site characterization activities for the Environmental Restoration Program. The existing data on vadose zone soil properties are, however, fragmented and documented in reports that have not been formally reviewed and released. This study helps to identify, compile, and interpret all available data for the principal soil types in the 200 Areas plateau. Information on particle-size distribution, moisture retention, and saturated hydraulic conductivity (K{sub s}) is available for 183 samples from 12 sites in the 200 Areas. Data on moisture retention and K{sub s} are corrected for gravel content. After the data are corrected and cataloged, hydraulic parameters are determined by fitting the van Genuchten soil-moisture retention model to the data. A nonlinear parameter estimation code, RETC, is used. The unsaturated hydraulic conductivity relationship can subsequently be predicted using the van Genuchten parameters, Mualem`s model, and laboratory-measured saturated hydraulic conductivity estimates. Alternatively, provided unsaturated conductivity measurements are available, the moisture retention curve-fitting parameters, Mualem`s model, and a single unsaturated conductivity measurement can be used to predict unsaturated conductivities for the desired range of field moisture regime.

  2. Use of tracer tests to evaluate hydraulic properties of constructed wetlands

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wachniew, P.; Czuprynski, P.; Maloszewski, P.

    2004-01-01

    Knowledge of hydraulic properties is a perquisite for studies of constructed wetlands functioning. Bromide ions and tritium were used as a tracers to derive RTDs for two constructed wetlands: a reed bed with subsurface flow and a Lemna pond. Quantitative hydraulic characteristics (mean travel time of water, dispersion number) of the wetlands were evaluated from RTDs (Residence Time Distributions) by means of a mathematical model of waste water flow. (author)

  3. Effect of physical property of supporting media and variable hydraulic loading on hydraulic characteristics of advanced onsite wastewater treatment system.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sharma, Meena Kumari; Kazmi, Absar Ahmad

    2015-01-01

    A laboratory-scale study was carried out to investigate the effects of physical properties of the supporting media and variable hydraulic shock loads on the hydraulic characteristics of an advanced onsite wastewater treatment system. The system consisted of two upflow anaerobic reactors (a septic tank and an anaerobic filter) accommodated within a single unit. The study was divided into three phases on the basis of three different supporting media (Aqwise carriers, corrugated ring and baked clay) used in the anaerobic filter. Hydraulic loadings were based on peak flow factor (PFF), varying from one to six, to simulate the actual conditions during onsite wastewater treatment. Hydraulic characteristics of the system were identified on the basis of residence time distribution analyses. The system showed a very good hydraulic efficiency, between 0.86 and 0.93, with the media of highest porosity at the hydraulic loading of PFF≤4. At the higher hydraulic loading of PFF 6 also, an appreciable hydraulic efficiency of 0.74 was observed. The system also showed good chemical oxygen demand and total suspended solids removal efficiency of 80.5% and 82.3%, respectively at the higher hydraulic loading of PFF 6. Plug-flow dispersion model was found to be the most appropriate one to describe the mixing pattern of the system, with different supporting media at variable loading, during the tracer study.

  4. The calcium-dependent protein kinase CPK7 acts on root hydraulic conductivity.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Guowei; Boudsocq, Marie; Hem, Sonia; Vialaret, Jérôme; Rossignol, Michel; Maurel, Christophe; Santoni, Véronique

    2015-07-01

    The hydraulic conductivity of plant roots (Lp(r)) is determined in large part by the activity of aquaporins. Mechanisms occurring at the post-translational level, in particular phosphorylation of aquaporins of the plasma membrane intrinsic protein 2 (PIP2) subfamily, are thought to be of critical importance for regulating root water transport. However, knowledge of protein kinases and phosphatases acting on aquaporin function is still scarce. In the present work, we investigated the Lp(r) of knockout Arabidopsis plants for four Ca(2+)-dependent protein kinases. cpk7 plants showed a 30% increase in Lp(r) because of a higher aquaporin activity. A quantitative proteomic analysis of wild-type and cpk7 plants revealed that PIP gene expression and PIP protein quantity were not correlated and that CPK7 has no effect on PIP2 phosphorylation. In contrast, CPK7 exerts a negative control on the cellular abundance of PIP1s, which likely accounts for the higher Lp(r) of cpk7. In addition, this study revealed that the cellular amount of a few additional proteins including membrane transporters is controlled by CPK7. The overall work provides evidence for CPK7-dependent stability of specific membrane proteins. © 2014 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  5. Arbuscular mycorrhizal symbiosis and methyl jasmonate avoid the inhibition of root hydraulic conductivity caused by drought.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sánchez-Romera, Beatriz; Ruiz-Lozano, Juan Manuel; Zamarreño, Ángel María; García-Mina, José María; Aroca, Ricardo

    2016-02-01

    Hormonal regulation and symbiotic relationships provide benefits for plants to overcome stress conditions. The aim of this study was to elucidate the effects of exogenous methyl jasmonate (MeJA) application on root hydraulic conductivity (L) of Phaseolus vulgaris plants which established arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) symbiosis under two water regimes (well-watered and drought conditions). The variation in endogenous contents of several hormones (MeJA, JA, abscisic acid (ABA), indol-3-acetic acid (IAA), salicylic acid (SA)) and the changes in aquaporin gene expression, protein abundance and phosphorylation state were analyzed. AM symbiosis decreased L under well-watered conditions, which was partially reverted by the MeJA treatment, apparently by a drop in root IAA contents. Also, AM symbiosis and MeJA prevented inhibition of L under drought conditions, most probably by a reduction in root SA contents. Additionally, the gene expression of two fungal aquaporins was upregulated under drought conditions, independently of the MeJA treatment. Plant aquaporin gene expression could not explain the behaviour of L. Conversely, evidence was found for the control of L by phosphorylation of aquaporins. Hence, MeJA addition modified the response of L to both AM symbiosis and drought, presumably by regulating the root contents of IAA and SA and the phosphorylation state of aquaporins.

  6. Effect of biocrust: study of mechanical and hydraulic properties and erodibility

    Science.gov (United States)

    Slavík, Martin; Bruthans, Jiří; Schweigstillová, Jana

    2016-04-01

    It is well-known that lichens and other organisms forming crust on soil or rock surface play important role in weathering but may also protect underlying material from fast erosion. So far, there have been only few measurements comparing mechanical or hydraulic properties of biocrust with its subsurface on locked sand and friable sandstones, so the overall effect of the biocrust is not well-understood. Objective of our study is to quantify the effect of the biocrust on mechanical and hydraulic properties of friable sandstone and locked sand of Cretaceous age in six different localities with varying aspect and inclination and age of exposure in sandpit Strelec (Czech Rep.). On the artificial exposures, biocrust developed within last 10-30 years. Beside measurements of mechanical and hydraulic properties, SEM and mercury intrusion porosimetry in crust and subsurface was performed. Drilling resistance technique was found an excellent method to distinguish the biocrust from its subsurface (~3 mm thick biocrust has up to 12 times higher drilling resistance than underlying material). Surface zone with the biocrust has 3 - 25 times higher tensile strength than the subsurface material (1 - 25 kPa). In comparison with the subsurface, the biocrust is considerably less erodible (based on water jet testing). Biocrust saturated hydraulic conductivity is 15 - 240 times lower than the subsurface (6*10 -5 - 1*10 -4 m/s) and its permeability for water vapor is 4 - 9 times lower than subsurface. Presence of the biocrust slows down capillary absorption of water 4 - 25 times. The biocrust is thus forming firm surface which protects underlying material from rain and flowing water erosion and which considerably modifies its hydraulic properties. Material with crust exposed to calcination, leaching by concentrated peroxide and experiments with zymoliase enzyme strongly indicate that major contribution to crust hardening is provided by organic matter. Based on DNA sequencing the crust is

  7. Hydrology and Hydraulic Properties of a Bedded Evaporite Formation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    BEAUHEIM, RICHARD L.; ROBERTS, RANDALL M.

    2000-01-01

    The Permian Salado Formation in the Delaware Basin of New Mexico is an extensively studied evaporite deposit because it is the host formation for the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant, a repository for transuranic wastes. Geologic and hydrologic studies of the Salado conducted since the mid-1970's have led to the development of a conceptual model of the hydrogeology of the formation that involves far-field permeability in anhydrite layers and at least some impure halite layers. Pure halite layers and some impure halite layers may not possess an interconnected pore network adequate to provide permeability. Pore pressures are probably very close to lithostatic pressure. In the near field around an excavation, dilation, creep, and shear have created and/or enhanced permeability and decreased pore pressure. Whether flow occurs in the far field under natural gradients or only after some threshold gradient is reached is unknown. If far-field flow does occur, mean pore velocities are probably on the order of a meter per hundreds of thousands to tens of millions of years. Flow dimensions inferred from most hydraulic-test responses are subradial, which is believed to reflect channeling of flow through fracture networks, or portions of fractures, that occupy a diminishing proportion of the radially available space, or through percolation networks that are not ''saturated'' (fully interconnected). This is probably related to the directional nature of the permeability created or enhanced by excavation effects. Inferred values of permeability cannot be separated from their associated flow dimensions. Therefore, numerical models of flow and transport should include heterogeneity that is structured to provide the same flow dimensions as are observed in hydraulic tests. Modeling of the Salado Formation around the WIPP repository should also include coupling between hydraulic properties and the evolving stress field because hydraulic properties change as the stress field changes

  8. Pedotransfer functions estimating soil hydraulic properties using different soil parameters

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Børgesen, Christen Duus; Iversen, Bo Vangsø; Jacobsen, Ole Hørbye

    2008-01-01

    Estimates of soil hydraulic properties using pedotransfer functions (PTF) are useful in many studies such as hydrochemical modelling and soil mapping. The objective of this study was to calibrate and test parametric PTFs that predict soil water retention and unsaturated hydraulic conductivity...... parameters. The PTFs are based on neural networks and the Bootstrap method using different sets of predictors and predict the van Genuchten/Mualem parameters. A Danish soil data set (152 horizons) dominated by sandy and sandy loamy soils was used in the development of PTFs to predict the Mualem hydraulic...... conductivity parameters. A larger data set (1618 horizons) with a broader textural range was used in the development of PTFs to predict the van Genuchten parameters. The PTFs using either three or seven textural classes combined with soil organic mater and bulk density gave the most reliable predictions...

  9. Property ($T$) for groups graded by root systems

    CERN Document Server

    Ershov, Mikhail; Kassabov, Martin

    2017-01-01

    The authors introduce and study the class of groups graded by root systems. They prove that if \\Phi is an irreducible classical root system of rank \\geq 2 and G is a group graded by \\Phi, then under certain natural conditions on the grading, the union of the root subgroups is a Kazhdan subset of G. As the main application of this theorem the authors prove that for any reduced irreducible classical root system \\Phi of rank \\geq 2 and a finitely generated commutative ring R with 1, the Steinberg group {\\mathrm St}_{\\Phi}(R) and the elementary Chevalley group \\mathbb E_{\\Phi}(R) have property (T). They also show that there exists a group with property (T) which maps onto all finite simple groups of Lie type and rank \\geq 2, thereby providing a "unified" proof of expansion in these groups.

  10. Assessing Tillage Effects on Soil Hydraulic Properties via Inverse Parameter Estimation using Tension Infiltrometry

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schwen, Andreas; Bodner, Gernot; Loiskandl, Willibald

    2010-05-01

    Hydraulic properties are key factors controlling water and solute movement in soils. While several recent studies have focused on the assessment of the spatial variability of hydraulic properties, the temporal dynamics are commonly not taken into account, primarily because its measurement is costly and time-consuming. However, there is extensive empirical evidence that these properties are subject to temporal changes, particularly in the near-saturated range where soil structure strongly influences water flow. One main source of temporal variability is soil tillage. It can improve macroporosity by loosening the soil and thereby changing the pore-size distribution. Since these modifications are quite unstable over time, the pore space partially collapses after tillage. This effect should be largest for conventional tillage (CT), where the soil is ploughed after harvest every year. Assessing the effect of different tillage treatments on the temporal variability of hydraulic properties requires adequate measurement techniques. Tension infiltrometry has become a popular and convenient method providing not only the hydraulic conductivity function but also the soil rentention properties. The inverse estimation of parameters from infiltration measurements remains challenging, despite some progress since the first approach of Šimůnek et al. (1998). Measured data like the cumulative infiltration, the initial and final volumetric water content, as well as independently measured retention data from soil core analysis with laboratory methods, have to be considered to find an optimum solution describing the soil's pore space. In the present study we analysed tension infiltration measurements obtained several times between August 2008 and December 2009 on an arable field in the Moravian Basin, Lower Austria. The tillage treatments were conventional tillage including ploughing (CT), reduced tillage with chisel only (RT), and no-tillage treatment using a direct seeding

  11. Can we manipulate root system architecture to control soil erosion?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ola, A.; Dodd, I. C.; Quinton, J. N.

    2015-09-01

    Soil erosion is a major threat to soil functioning. The use of vegetation to control erosion has long been a topic for research. Much of this research has focused on the above-ground properties of plants, demonstrating the important role that canopy structure and cover plays in the reduction of water erosion processes. Less attention has been paid to plant roots. Plant roots are a crucial yet under-researched factor for reducing water erosion through their ability to alter soil properties, such as aggregate stability, hydraulic function and shear strength. However, there have been few attempts to specifically manipulate plant root system properties to reduce soil erosion. Therefore, this review aims to explore the effects that plant roots have on soil erosion and hydrological processes, and how plant root architecture might be manipulated to enhance its erosion control properties. We demonstrate the importance of root system architecture for the control of soil erosion. We also show that some plant species respond to nutrient-enriched patches by increasing lateral root proliferation. The erosional response to root proliferation will depend upon its location: at the soil surface dense mats of roots may reduce soil erodibility but block soil pores thereby limiting infiltration, enhancing runoff. Additionally, in nutrient-deprived regions, root hair development may be stimulated and larger amounts of root exudates released, thereby improving aggregate stability and decreasing erodibility. Utilizing nutrient placement at specific depths may represent a potentially new, easily implemented, management strategy on nutrient-poor agricultural land or constructed slopes to control erosion, and further research in this area is needed.

  12. HYDRAULIC AND PHYSICAL PROPERTIES OF MCU SALTSTONE

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Dixon, K; Mark Phifer, M

    2008-01-01

    The Saltstone Disposal Facility (SDF), located in the Z-Area of the Savannah River Site (SRS), is used for the disposal of low-level radioactive salt solution. The SDF currently contains two vaults: Vault 1 (6 cells) and Vault 4 (12 cells). Additional disposal cells are currently in the design phase. The individual cells of the saltstone facility are filled with saltstone., Saltstone is produced by mixing the low-level radioactive salt solution, with blast furnace slag, fly ash, and cement or lime to form a dense, micro-porous, monolithic, low-level radioactive waste form. The saltstone is pumped into the disposal cells where it subsequently solidifies. Significant effort has been undertaken to accurately model the movement of water and contaminants through the facility. Key to this effort is an accurate understanding of the hydraulic and physical properties of the solidified saltstone. To date, limited testing has been conducted to characterize the saltstone. The primary focus of this task was to estimate the hydraulic and physical properties of MCU (Modular Caustic Side Solvent Extraction Unit) saltstone relative to two permeating fluids. These fluids included simulated groundwater equilibrated with vault concrete and simulated saltstone pore fluid. Samples of the MCU saltstone were prepared by the Savannah River National Laboratory (SRNL) and allowed to cure for twenty eight days prior to testing. These samples included two three-inch diameter by six inch long mold samples and three one-inch diameter by twelve inch long mold samples

  13. HYDRAULIC AND PHYSICAL PROPERTIES OF MCU SALTSTONE

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Dixon, K; Mark Phifer, M

    2008-03-19

    The Saltstone Disposal Facility (SDF), located in the Z-Area of the Savannah River Site (SRS), is used for the disposal of low-level radioactive salt solution. The SDF currently contains two vaults: Vault 1 (6 cells) and Vault 4 (12 cells). Additional disposal cells are currently in the design phase. The individual cells of the saltstone facility are filled with saltstone., Saltstone is produced by mixing the low-level radioactive salt solution, with blast furnace slag, fly ash, and cement or lime to form a dense, micro-porous, monolithic, low-level radioactive waste form. The saltstone is pumped into the disposal cells where it subsequently solidifies. Significant effort has been undertaken to accurately model the movement of water and contaminants through the facility. Key to this effort is an accurate understanding of the hydraulic and physical properties of the solidified saltstone. To date, limited testing has been conducted to characterize the saltstone. The primary focus of this task was to estimate the hydraulic and physical properties of MCU (Modular Caustic Side Solvent Extraction Unit) saltstone relative to two permeating fluids. These fluids included simulated groundwater equilibrated with vault concrete and simulated saltstone pore fluid. Samples of the MCU saltstone were prepared by the Savannah River National Laboratory (SRNL) and allowed to cure for twenty eight days prior to testing. These samples included two three-inch diameter by six inch long mold samples and three one-inch diameter by twelve inch long mold samples.

  14. Novel evaporation experiment to determine soil hydraulic properties

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    K. Schneider

    2006-01-01

    Full Text Available A novel experimental approach to determine soil hydraulic material properties for the dry and very dry range is presented. Evaporation from the surface of a soil column is controlled by a constant flux of preconditioned air and the resulting vapour flux is measured by infrared absorption spectroscopy. The data are inverted under the assumptions that (i the simultaneous movement of water in the liquid and vapour is represented by Richards' equation with an effective hydraulic conductivity and that (ii the coupling between the soil and the well-mixed atmosphere can be modelled by a boundary layer with a constant transfer resistance. The optimised model fits the data exceptionally well. Remaining deviations during the initial phase of an experiment are thought to be well-understood and are attributed to the onset of the heat flow through the column which compensates the latent heat of evaporation.

  15. Contribution to solving the problem of determining the hydraulic properties of bentonite; Prispevok k rieseniu problemu stanovenia hydraulickych vlastnosti bentonitov

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Dano, M.; Galambos, M. [Univerzita Komenskeho, Prirodovedecka fakulta, Katedra jadrovej chemie, 84215 Bratislava (Slovakia); Kurek, M.; Jesenak, K. [Univerzita Komenskeho, Prirodovedecka fakulta, Katedra anorganickej chemie, 84215 Bratislava (Slovakia)

    2013-04-16

    Large hydraulic resistance of clay minerals is the most used property. In this regard, bentonite is the most frequent mineral used for sealing barrier purposes in construction and building various types of waste dumps. Large hydraulic resistance of clays is often the cause of various complications of determining these properties. This report inform, how to use equipment that has been designed just for determining the hydraulic properties of particulate materials with high hydraulic resistance. It also shows its advantages and limitations in flow experiments using layers of bentonite Stara Kremnicka - Jelsovy potok. (authors)

  16. A selection of sensing techniques for mapping soil hydraulic properties

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Knotters, M.; Egmond, van F.M.; Bakker, G.; Walvoort, D.J.J.; Brouwer, F.

    2017-01-01

    Data on soil hydraulic properties are needed as input for many models, such as models to predict unsaturated water movement and crop growth, and models to predict leaching of nutrients and pesticides to groundwater. The soil physics database of the Netherlands shows several lacunae, and a

  17. Investigation on the effect of seawater to hydraulic property and wetting process of bentonite

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hasegawa, Takuma

    2004-01-01

    On high-level waste disposal, bentonite is one of the most promising material for buffer and backfill material. The hydraulic properties and wetting process of bentonite are important not only for barrier performance assessment but also for prediction of waste disposal environment, such as resaturation time and thermal distribution. In Japan, we should consider the effect of seawater for bentonite, because radioactive waste will be disposed of in coastal area and in marine sediment where seawater remained. However, it is not enough to understand the effect of seawater. Therefore, experimental study was conducted to investigate the effect of seawater on the hydraulic conductivity and wetting process of bentonite. The effect of seawater on hydraulic conductivity is significant for Na-bentonite, the hydraulic conductivity of Na-bentonite in seawater is one order to magnitude higher than that in distilled water. On the other hand, the hydraulic conductivity of Ca-bentonite is not influenced by seawater. The hydraulic conductivity of bentonite decreases as effective montmorillonite density increases. The effective montmorillonite density is ratio between the weight of montmorillonite and volume of porosity and montmorillonite. The hydraulic conductivity of bentonite is close related to swelling property since the hydraulic conductivity decrease as the swelling pressure increase. Wetting process of compacted bentonite could be evaluated by diffusion phenomena since infiltration rate and change of saturation rate and represented by diffusion equation. The effect of seawater on water diffusivity is significant for Na-type bentonite with low effective montmorillonite density. Except for that condition, the water diffusivity of bentonite is almost constant and is not influenced by effective montmorillonite density and seawater. (author)

  18. Experimental investigation of the dielectric properties of soil under hydraulic loading

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bittner, Tilman; Bore, Thierry; Karlovšek, Jurij; Scheuermann, Alexander; Wagner, Norman

    2017-01-01

    An experimental set-up was developed in order to determine the coupled hydraulic, dielectric and mechanical properties of granular media under hydraulic loading. The set-up consisted of a modified column for permeability tests involving a flow meter and pressure transducers along the sample to quantify the hydraulic gradient. A newly developed open-ended coaxial probe allowed the measurement of the frequency dependent dielectric permittivity of the material under test. The shear strength of the sample within the column was measured using a conventional vane shear device. In this paper, the overall set-up is introduced with focus on the open-ended coaxial probe. The design and calibration of the probe are introduced in detail. A numerical study showed that the sensitive cylindrical volume of the probe was approximately 150 mm in diameter with a depth of 65 mm. An investigation with glass beads showed that the set-up allowed the parameterization of the hydraulic, mechanic and dielectric parameters of granular materials under the influence of vertical flow. A satisfactorily good correlation between porosity and the real part of the dielectric permittivity was detected. The critical hydraulic gradient defining the transition of a fixed bed of particles to fluidization was characterized by a sharp peak in the evolution of the hydraulic conductivity and could easily be determined from the measurements. The shear strength of the material under test reduces linearly with increasing hydraulic gradient. Future investigations will be carried out to provide the required parameterizations for experimental and numerical investigations of the internal erosion of granular media. (paper)

  19. The Importance of Deep Roots and Hydraulic Redistribution to Amazonian Rainforest Resilience and Response to Hydro-Climatic Variability: A Simulation Analysis

    Science.gov (United States)

    Drewry, D.; Kumar, P.; Sivapalan, M.; Long, S.; Liang, X.

    2008-12-01

    Amazonian rain forests are a crucial component of the terrestrial biosphere, acting as a significant sink of anthropogenic carbon emissions, as well as playing a key role in driving tropical climate patterns through surface energy partitioning and significant precipitation recycling. Recent studies using remotely-sensed indices of canopy functioning (ie. canopy greeness, canopy water storage and photosynthetic capacity) have raised questions regarding the response of deep-rooted Amazonian vegetation functioning to short-term hydro-climatic forcing anomalies. Climate model predictions show an increase in ENSO-driven drought for eastern Amazonia in the coming decades. In this context, we utilize a multi-layer process-based model that represents the complex set of interactions and feedbacks between the canopy, soil and root subsystems to examine the impacts of drought on deep-rooted Amazonian rainforests. The model canopy is partitioned into several layers, allowing for resolution of the shortwave and longwave radiation regimes that drive photosynthesis, stomatal conductance and leaf energy balance in each layer, along with the canopy microclimate. The above-ground component of the model is coupled to a multi-layer soil-root model that computes soil moisture and heat transport, root water uptake, and the passive redistribution of moisture across soil potential gradients by the root system (ie. hydraulic redistribution). Carbon and nitrogen transformations in each layer of the soil system are modulated by microbial activity, and act to provide nutrient constraints on the photosynthetic capacity of the canopy. Model skill in capturing the seasonal and inter-annual variability in canopy-atmosphere exchange is evaluated through multi-year records of canopy- top eddy covariance CO2, water vapor and heat fluxes collected at a field site in eastern Amazonia. A nearby throughfall exclusion experiment provides information on the vertical distribution of soil moisture under

  20. Near-saturated surface soil hydraulic properties under different land uses in the St Denis National Wildlife Area, Saskatchewan, Canada

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bodhinayake, Waduwawatte; Si, Bing Cheng

    2004-10-01

    Surface soil hydraulic properties are key factors controlling the partition of rainfall and snowmelt into runoff and soil water storage, and their knowledge is needed for sound land management. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of three land uses (native grass, brome grass and cultivated) on surface soil hydraulic properties under near-saturated conditions at the St Denis National Wildlife Area, Saskatchewan, Canada. For each land use, water infiltration rates were measured using double-ring and tension infiltrometers at -0.3, -0.7, -1.5 and -2.2 kPa pressure heads. Macroporosity and unsaturated hydraulic properties of the surface soil were estimated. Mean field-saturated hydraulic conductivity (Kfs), unsaturated hydraulic conductivity at -0.3 kPa pressure head, inverse capillary length scale () and water-conducting macroporosity were compared for different land uses. These parameters of the native grass and brome grass sites were significantly (p 1.36 × 10-4 m in diameter in the three land uses. Land use modified near-saturated hydraulic properties of surface soil and consequently may alter the water balance of the area by changing the amount of surface runoff and soil water storage.

  1. Hydraulic properties from pumping tests data of aquifers in Azare ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Pumping test data from twelve boreholes in Azare area were analysed to determine the hydraulic properties of the aquifers, and the availability of water to meet the conjugate demands of the increasing population. The values of the aquifer constants obtained from the Cooper-Jacob's non-equilibrium graphical method were ...

  2. Analysis of static characteristic roots and propagation of disturbance of adjustable centrifuge cascade

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Li Weijie; Wu Zhongdi; Nong Guowei; Zeng Shi

    2014-01-01

    The hydraulic characteristic roots of a centrifuge cascade represent an important property of the cascade performance. Regulators and centrifuges are the key components that have a significant influence on the cascade hydraulic performance. The method used in diffusion cascades was adopted to obtain the static characteristic roots by solving the small disturbance equation for an adjustable centrifuge cascade in which all stages have the same fluid parameters. As the light stream flowrate of a centrifuge is irrelevant to the pressure at the outlet of the light flow, and the heavy stream flows at the speed of sound, there are only 2 static characteristic roots in the centrifuge cascade: the first root Z_1 is the main characteristic root and the second one Z_2 comes into play only when there exists a feed. The value of the main characteristic root is influenced by the amplification factor of the regulators, the fluid resistance in the main feed pipe and other factors. When Z_1 is smaller than 1, it increases with the fluid resistance. A large enough amplification factor has little impact on Z_1. The same distribution of the relative changes of the light fraction along the cascade is obtained by an analytical and a numerical method. (authors)

  3. Improved understanding of the relationship between hydraulic properties and streaming potentials

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cassiani, G.; Brovelli, A.

    2009-12-01

    Streaming potential (SP) measurements have been satisfactorily used in a number of recent studies as a non-invasive tool to monitor fluid movement in both the vadose and the saturated zone. SPs are generated from the coupling between two independent physical processes oc-curring at the pore-level, namely water flow and excess of ions at the negatively charged solid matrix-water interface. The intensity of the measured potentials depends on physical proper-ties of the medium, including the internal micro-geometry of the system, the charge density of the interface and the composition of the pore fluid, which affects its ionic strength, pH and redox potential. The goal of this work is to investigate whether a relationship between the intensity of the SPs and the saturated hydraulic conductivity can be identified. Both properties are - at least to some extent - dependent on the pore-size distribution and connectivity of the pores, and there-fore some degree of correlation is expected. We used a pore-scale numerical model previously developed to simulate both the bulk hydraulic conductivity and the intensity of the SPs gener-ated in a three-dimensional pore-network. The chemical-physical properties of both the inter-face (Zeta-potential) and of the aqueous phase are computed using an analytical, physically based model that has shown good agreement with experimental data. Modelling results were satisfactorily compared with experimental data, showing that the model, although simplified retains the key properties and mechanisms that control SP generation. A sensitivity analysis with respect to the key geometrical and chemical parameters was conducted to evaluate how the correlation between the two studied variables changes and to ascertain whether the bulk hydraulic conductivity can be estimated from SP measurements alone.

  4. Correlated evolution of stem and leaf hydraulic traits in Pereskia (Cactaceae).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Edwards, Erika J

    2006-01-01

    Recent studies have demonstrated significant correlations between stem and leaf hydraulic properties when comparing across species within ecological communities. This implies that these traits are co-evolving, but there have been few studies addressing plant water relations within an explicitly evolutionary framework. This study tests for correlated evolution among a suite of plant water-use traits and environmental parameters in seven species of Pereskia (Cactaceae), using phylogenetically independent contrasts. There were significant evolutionary correlations between leaf-specific xylem hydraulic conductivity, Huber Value, leaf stomatal pore index, leaf venation density and leaf size, but none of these traits appeared to be correlated with environmental water availability; only two water relations traits - mid-day leaf water potentials and photosynthetic water use efficiency - correlated with estimates of moisture regime. In Pereskia, it appears that many stem and leaf hydraulic properties thought to be critical to whole-plant water use have not evolved in response to habitat shifts in water availability. This may be because of the extremely conservative stomatal behavior and particular rooting strategy demonstrated by all Pereskia species investigated. These results highlight the need for a lineage-based approach to understand the relative roles of functional traits in ecological adaptation.

  5. Effects of subsoil compaction on hydraulic properties and preferential flow in a Swedish clay soil

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Mossadeghi-Björklund, M; Arvidsson, J.; Keller, Thomas

    2016-01-01

    in saturated hydraulic conductivity, air permeability and number of macropores at the second site. At this site, the traffic also significantly reduced the strength of preferential flow, presumably due to compaction-induced disruption of macropore continuity. In apparent contrast, some previous studies have shown......Soil compaction by vehicular traffic modifies the pore structure and soil hydraulic properties. These changes potentially influence the occurrence of preferential flow, which so far has been little studied. Our aim was to study the effect of compaction on soil hydraulic and transport properties...... transport derived from non-reactive tracer breakthrough curves and measurements of saturated hydraulic conductivity (Ks) and air permeability at the field moisture content (Ka). Although the traffic treatment did not cause any compaction effects at one of the two sites, it did result in significant reductions...

  6. Spatial Bias in Field-Estimated Unsaturated Hydraulic Properties

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    HOLT,ROBERT M.; WILSON,JOHN L.; GLASS JR.,ROBERT J.

    2000-12-21

    Hydraulic property measurements often rely on non-linear inversion models whose errors vary between samples. In non-linear physical measurement systems, bias can be directly quantified and removed using calibration standards. In hydrologic systems, field calibration is often infeasible and bias must be quantified indirectly. We use a Monte Carlo error analysis to indirectly quantify spatial bias in the saturated hydraulic conductivity, K{sub s}, and the exponential relative permeability parameter, {alpha}, estimated using a tension infiltrometer. Two types of observation error are considered, along with one inversion-model error resulting from poor contact between the instrument and the medium. Estimates of spatial statistics, including the mean, variance, and variogram-model parameters, show significant bias across a parameter space representative of poorly- to well-sorted silty sand to very coarse sand. When only observation errors are present, spatial statistics for both parameters are best estimated in materials with high hydraulic conductivity, like very coarse sand. When simple contact errors are included, the nature of the bias changes dramatically. Spatial statistics are poorly estimated, even in highly conductive materials. Conditions that permit accurate estimation of the statistics for one of the parameters prevent accurate estimation for the other; accurate regions for the two parameters do not overlap in parameter space. False cross-correlation between estimated parameters is created because estimates of K{sub s} also depend on estimates of {alpha} and both parameters are estimated from the same data.

  7. Saturated hydraulic conductivity in relation to physical properties of soils in the Nsukka Plains, SE Nigeria

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mbagwu, J.S.C.

    1994-05-01

    The objective of the study is to develop and validate statistical models for estimating the saturated hydraulic conductivity of soils with high water intake rates from more easily-determined properties and to test the hypothesis that it is equal to Philip transmissivity term and the steady infiltration rate. The results of the study show that the dominant physical property influencing saturated hydraulic conductivity of the investigated soils is the macroporosity. 37 refs, 6 figs, 5 tabs

  8. Comparison of the rheological properties of four root canal sealers

    Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

    Seok Woo Chang; Kwang Shik Bae; Young-Kyu Lee; Qiang Zhu; Won Jun Shon; Woo Cheol Lee; Kee Yeon Kum; Seung Ho Baek; In Bog Lee; Bum-Soon Lim

    2015-01-01

    The flowability of a root canal sealer is clinically important because it improves the penetration of the sealer into the complex root canal system. The purpose of this study was to compare the flowabilities of four root canal sealers, measured using the simple press method (ISO 6876), and their viscosities, measured using a strain-controlled rheometer. A newly developed, calcium phosphate-based root canal sealer (Capseal) and three commercial root canal sealers (AH Plus, Sealapex and Pulp Canal Sealer EWT) were used in this study. The flowabilities of the four root canal sealers were measured using the simple press method (n55) and their viscosities were measured using a strain-controlled rheometer (n55). The correlation between these two values was statistically analysed using Spearman’s correlation test. The flow diameters and the viscosities of the root canal sealers were strongly negatively correlated (r520.8618). The viscosity of Pulp Canal Sealer EWT was the lowest and increased in the following order:AH Plus,Sealapex,Capseal (P,0.05). All of the tested root canal sealers showed characteristic time-and temperature-dependent changes in their rheological properties. The viscosities measured using the strain-controlled rheometer were more precise than the flowabilities measured using the simple press method, suggesting that the rheometer can accurately measure the rheological properties of root canal sealers.

  9. Evaluation of Regression and Neuro_Fuzzy Models in Estimating Saturated Hydraulic Conductivity

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    J. Behmanesh

    2015-06-01

    Full Text Available Study of soil hydraulic properties such as saturated and unsaturated hydraulic conductivity is required in the environmental investigations. Despite numerous research, measuring saturated hydraulic conductivity using by direct methods are still costly, time consuming and professional. Therefore estimating saturated hydraulic conductivity using rapid and low cost methods such as pedo-transfer functions with acceptable accuracy was developed. The purpose of this research was to compare and evaluate 11 pedo-transfer functions and Adaptive Neuro-Fuzzy Inference System (ANFIS to estimate saturated hydraulic conductivity of soil. In this direct, saturated hydraulic conductivity and physical properties in 40 points of Urmia were calculated. The soil excavated was used in the lab to determine its easily accessible parameters. The results showed that among existing models, Aimrun et al model had the best estimation for soil saturated hydraulic conductivity. For mentioned model, the Root Mean Square Error and Mean Absolute Error parameters were 0.174 and 0.028 m/day respectively. The results of the present research, emphasises the importance of effective porosity application as an important accessible parameter in accuracy of pedo-transfer functions. sand and silt percent, bulk density and soil particle density were selected to apply in 561 ANFIS models. In training phase of best ANFIS model, the R2 and RMSE were calculated 1 and 1.2×10-7 respectively. These amounts in the test phase were 0.98 and 0.0006 respectively. Comparison of regression and ANFIS models showed that the ANFIS model had better results than regression functions. Also Nuro-Fuzzy Inference System had capability to estimatae with high accuracy in various soil textures.

  10. Modeling Water and Nutrient Transport through the Soil-Root-Canopy Continuum: Explicitly Linking the Below- and Above-Ground Processes

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kumar, P.; Quijano, J. C.; Drewry, D.

    2010-12-01

    Vegetation roots provide a fundamental link between the below ground water and nutrient dynamics and above ground canopy processes such as photosynthesis, evapotranspiration and energy balance. The “hydraulic architecture” of roots, consisting of the structural organization of the root system and the flow properties of the conduits (xylem) as well as interfaces with the soil and the above ground canopy, affect stomatal conductance thereby directly linking them to the transpiration. Roots serve as preferential pathways for the movement of moisture from wet to dry soil layers during the night, both from upper soil layer to deeper layers during the wet season (‘hydraulic descent’) and vice-versa (‘hydraulic lift’) as determined by the moisture gradients. The conductivities of transport through the root system are significantly, often orders of magnitude, larger than that of the surrounding soil resulting in movement of soil-moisture at rates that are substantially larger than that through the soil. This phenomenon is called hydraulic redistribution (HR). The ability of the deep-rooted vegetation to “bank” the water through hydraulic descent during wet periods for utilization during dry periods provides them with a competitive advantage. However, during periods of hydraulic lift these deep-rooted trees may facilitate the growth of understory vegetation where the understory scavenges the hydraulically lifted soil water. In other words, understory vegetation with relatively shallow root systems have access to the banked deep-water reservoir. These inter-dependent root systems have a significant influence on water cycle and ecosystem productivity. HR induced available moisture may support rhizosphere microbial and mycorrhizal fungi activities and enable utilization of heterogeneously distributed water and nutrient resources To capture this complex inter-dependent nutrient and water transport through the soil-root-canopy continuum we present modeling

  11. The Impact of Rhizosphere Processes on Water Flow and Root Water Uptake

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schwartz, Nimrod; Kroener, Eva; Carminati, Andrea; Javaux, Mathieu

    2015-04-01

    For many years, the rhizosphere, which is the zone of soil in the vicinity of the roots and which is influenced by the roots, is known as a unique soil environment with different physical, biological and chemical properties than those of the bulk soil. Indeed, in recent studies it has been shown that root exudate and especially mucilage alter the hydraulic properties of the soil, and that drying and wetting cycles of mucilage result in non-equilibrium water dynamics in the rhizosphere. While there are experimental evidences and simplified 1D model for those concepts, an integrated model that considers rhizosphere processes with a detailed model for water and roots flow is absent. Therefore, the objective of this work is to develop a 3D physical model of water flow in the soil-plant continuum that take in consideration root architecture and rhizosphere specific properties. Ultimately, this model will enhance our understanding on the impact of processes occurring in the rhizosphere on water flow and root water uptake. To achieve this objective, we coupled R-SWMS, a detailed 3D model for water flow in soil and root system (Javaux et al 2008), with the rhizosphere model developed by Kroener et al (2014). In the new Rhizo-RSWMS model the rhizosphere hydraulic properties differ from those of the bulk soil, and non-equilibrium dynamics between the rhizosphere water content and pressure head is also considered. We simulated a wetting scenario. The soil was initially dry and it was wetted from the top at a constant flow rate. The model predicts that, after infiltration the water content in the rhizosphere remained lower than in the bulk soil (non-equilibrium), but over time water infiltrated into the rhizosphere and eventually the water content in the rhizosphere became higher than in the bulk soil. These results are in qualitative agreement with the available experimental data on water dynamics in the rhizosphere. Additionally, the results show that rhizosphere processes

  12. Impact of land management on soil structure and soil hydraulic properties

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Kodešová, R.; Jirků, V.; Nikodem, A.; Mühlhanselová, M.; Žigová, Anna

    2010-01-01

    Roč. 12, - (2010) ISSN 1029-7006. [European Geosciences Union General Assembly 2010. 02.05.2010-07.05.2010, Wienna] R&D Projects: GA ČR GA526/08/0434 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z30130516 Keywords : land management * soil structure * soil hydraulic properties * micromorphology Subject RIV: DF - Soil Science

  13. Interactive effects of nocturnal transpiration and climate change on the root hydraulic redistribution and carbon and water budgets of southern United States pine plantations

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jean-Christophe Domec; Jérôme Ogée; Asko Noormets; Julien Jouangy; Michael Gavazzi; Emrys Treasure; Ge Sun; Steve G. McNulty; John S. King

    2012-01-01

    Deep root water uptake and hydraulic redistribution (HR) have been shown to play a major role in forest ecosystems during drought, but little is known about the impact of climate change, fertilization and soil characteristics on HR and its consequences on water and carbon fluxes. Using data from three mid-rotation loblolly pine plantations, and simulations with the...

  14. Decoupling the influence of leaf and root hydraulic conductances on stomatal conductance and its sensitivity to vapour pressure deficit as soil dries in a drained loblolly pine plantation

    Science.gov (United States)

    J.-C. Domec; A. Noormets; Ge Sun; J. King; Steven McNulty; Michael Gavazzi; Johnny Boggs; Emrys Treasure

    2009-01-01

    The study examined the relationships between whole tree hydraulic conductance (Ktree) and the conductance in roots (Kroot) and leaves (Kleaf) in loblolly pine trees. In addition, the role of seasonal variations in Kroot and Kleaf in mediating stomatal...

  15. Improved Saturated Hydraulic Conductivity Pedotransfer Functions Using Machine Learning Methods

    Science.gov (United States)

    Araya, S. N.; Ghezzehei, T. A.

    2017-12-01

    Saturated hydraulic conductivity (Ks) is one of the fundamental hydraulic properties of soils. Its measurement, however, is cumbersome and instead pedotransfer functions (PTFs) are often used to estimate it. Despite a lot of progress over the years, generic PTFs that estimate hydraulic conductivity generally don't have a good performance. We develop significantly improved PTFs by applying state of the art machine learning techniques coupled with high-performance computing on a large database of over 20,000 soils—USKSAT and the Florida Soil Characterization databases. We compared the performance of four machine learning algorithms (k-nearest neighbors, gradient boosted model, support vector machine, and relevance vector machine) and evaluated the relative importance of several soil properties in explaining Ks. An attempt is also made to better account for soil structural properties; we evaluated the importance of variables derived from transformations of soil water retention characteristics and other soil properties. The gradient boosted models gave the best performance with root mean square errors less than 0.7 and mean errors in the order of 0.01 on a log scale of Ks [cm/h]. The effective particle size, D10, was found to be the single most important predictor. Other important predictors included percent clay, bulk density, organic carbon percent, coefficient of uniformity and values derived from water retention characteristics. Model performances were consistently better for Ks values greater than 10 cm/h. This study maximizes the extraction of information from a large database to develop generic machine learning based PTFs to estimate Ks. The study also evaluates the importance of various soil properties and their transformations in explaining Ks.

  16. Modelling water uptake efficiency of root systems

    Science.gov (United States)

    Leitner, Daniel; Tron, Stefania; Schröder, Natalie; Bodner, Gernot; Javaux, Mathieu; Vanderborght, Jan; Vereecken, Harry; Schnepf, Andrea

    2016-04-01

    Water uptake is crucial for plant productivity. Trait based breeding for more water efficient crops will enable a sustainable agricultural management under specific pedoclimatic conditions, and can increase drought resistance of plants. Mathematical modelling can be used to find suitable root system traits for better water uptake efficiency defined as amount of water taken up per unit of root biomass. This approach requires large simulation times and large number of simulation runs, since we test different root systems under different pedoclimatic conditions. In this work, we model water movement by the 1-dimensional Richards equation with the soil hydraulic properties described according to the van Genuchten model. Climatic conditions serve as the upper boundary condition. The root system grows during the simulation period and water uptake is calculated via a sink term (after Tron et al. 2015). The goal of this work is to compare different free software tools based on different numerical schemes to solve the model. We compare implementations using DUMUX (based on finite volumes), Hydrus 1D (based on finite elements), and a Matlab implementation of Van Dam, J. C., & Feddes 2000 (based on finite differences). We analyse the methods for accuracy, speed and flexibility. Using this model case study, we can clearly show the impact of various root system traits on water uptake efficiency. Furthermore, we can quantify frequent simplifications that are introduced in the modelling step like considering a static root system instead of a growing one, or considering a sink term based on root density instead of considering the full root hydraulic model (Javaux et al. 2008). References Tron, S., Bodner, G., Laio, F., Ridolfi, L., & Leitner, D. (2015). Can diversity in root architecture explain plant water use efficiency? A modeling study. Ecological modelling, 312, 200-210. Van Dam, J. C., & Feddes, R. A. (2000). Numerical simulation of infiltration, evaporation and shallow

  17. Measurement of unsaturated hydraulic properties and evaluation of property-transfer models for deep sedimentary interbeds, Idaho National Laboratory, Idaho

    Science.gov (United States)

    Perkins, Kimberlie; Johnson, Brittany D.; Mirus, Benjamin B.

    2014-01-01

    Operations at the Idaho National Laboratory (INL) have the potential to contaminate the underlying Eastern Snake River Plain (ESRP) aquifer. Methods to quantitatively characterize unsaturated flow and recharge to the ESRP aquifer are needed to inform water-resources management decisions at INL. In particular, hydraulic properties are needed to parameterize distributed hydrologic models of unsaturated flow and transport at INL, but these properties are often difficult and costly to obtain for large areas. The unsaturated zone overlying the ESRP aquifer consists of alternating sequences of thick fractured volcanic rocks that can rapidly transmit water flow and thinner sedimentary interbeds that transmit water much more slowly. Consequently, the sedimentary interbeds are of considerable interest because they primarily restrict the vertical movement of water through the unsaturated zone. Previous efforts by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) have included extensive laboratory characterization of the sedimentary interbeds and regression analyses to develop property-transfer models, which relate readily available physical properties of the sedimentary interbeds (bulk density, median particle diameter, and uniformity coefficient) to water retention and unsaturated hydraulic conductivity curves.

  18. Circadian patterns of xylem sap properties and their covariation with plant hydraulic traits in hybrid aspen.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Meitern, Annika; Õunapuu-Pikas, Eele; Sellin, Arne

    2017-06-01

    Physiological processes taking place in plants are subject to diverse circadian patterns but some of them are poorly documented in natural conditions. The daily dynamics of physico-chemical properties of xylem sap and their covariation with tree hydraulic traits were investigated in hybrid aspen (Populus tremula L.×P. tremuloides Michx) in field conditions in order to clarify which environmental drivers govern the daily variation in these parameters. K + concentration ([K + ]), electrical conductivity (σ sap ), osmolality (Osm) and pH of the xylem sap, as well as branch hydraulic traits, were measured in the field over 24-h cycles. All studied xylem sap properties and hydraulic characteristics including whole-branch (K wb ), leaf blade (K lb ) and petiole hydraulic conductances (K P ) showed clear daily dynamics. Air temperature (T A ) and photosynthetic photon flux density (PPFD), but also water vapour pressure deficit (VPD) and relative humidity (RH), had significant impacts on K wb K lb , K P , [K + ] and σ sap . Osm varied only with light intensity, while K B varied depending on atmospheric evaporative demand expressed as T A , VPD or RH. Xylem sap pH depended inversely on soil water potential (Ψ S ) and during daylight also on VPD. Although soil water content was close to saturation during the study period, Ψ S influenced also [K + ] and σ sap . The present study presents evidence of coupling between circadian patterns of xylem sap properties and plant hydraulic conductance providing adequate water supply to foliage under environmental conditions characterised by diurnal variation. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

  19. Development and use of a database of hydraulic properties of European soils

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Wösten, J.H.M.; Nemes, A.; Lilly, A.; Bas, Le C.

    1999-01-01

    Many environmental studies on the protection of European soil and water resources make use of soil water simulation models. A major obstacle to the wider application of these models is the lack of easily accessible and representative soil hydraulic properties. In order to overcome this apparent lack

  20. Hydraulic properties of buffer and backfill materials for high-level nuclear waste disposal

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Komine, Hideo; Ogata, Nobuhide

    2001-01-01

    The design and development of buffer and backfill materials, which fill up the disposal facility, are important for developing the technology of high-level nuclear wastes disposal. The compacted bentonite and sand-bentonite mixture are attracting greater attention as buffer and backfill materials because they have impermeable and swelling properties. This study investigated the hydraulic-conductivities at the different sand-bentonite mass ratio and dry density, which are the specifications of material, by the experimental works. This study also obtained the experimental data of hydraulic conductivities of the materials for 120 days at the farthest, and the permeability changes before and after swelling. Furthermore, this study proposed the evaluation method for hydraulic conductivity using the parameter 'Swelling volumetric strain of montmorillonite', which was proposed by the author. The evaluation method can obtain the hydraulic conductivity of buffer and backfill materials at various dry densities and bentonite contents. Therefore, the evaluation method can be used for designing the bentonite content and compaction density from the viewpoint of 'impermeability'. (author)

  1. Comparison of the mineralogical composition, physical, swelling and hydraulic properties of untreated sodium bentonites from Canada, the United States and Japan

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Dixon, D.A.; Miller, S.H.

    1995-11-01

    A large variety of commercial grade sodium bentonite products are available from suppliers in North America and Japan. This report generally characterizes the products available for environmental engineering applications. A compilation of the swelling capacity and hydraulic properties of the available products, together with their basic mineralogical composition, physical and engineering properties is presented. This report identifies the range of materials available commercially and documents the basic physical properties of these products. The geological origins and locations of bentonite-ore deposits are discussed with reference to the availability and variability of this material. The hydraulic and swelling characteristics of 17 different bentonite products from 9 different producers were compared. Considerable variation was noted in the free-swell capacity of these clays but this was not reflected in the swelling pressure or hydraulic conductivity of densely compacted specimens. The density -hydraulic conductivity relationship was found to be independent of product for untreated sodium bentonite clays with hydraulic conductivity decreasing with increasing clay density (for materials tested at high (>500) hydraulic gradients). A large body of hydraulic conductivity data was obtained from the literature to supplement the data generated by this study. The literature values further supported the results of this study. Hydraulic conductivity and swelling pressure performance at high density are consistent when sodium bentonites of similar quality are densely compacted prior to use. (author) 27 refs., 5 tabs., 17 figs

  2. Effect of polyacrylamide on soil physical and hydraulic properties

    Science.gov (United States)

    Albalasmeh, Ammar; Gharaibeh, Mamoun; Hamdan, Enas

    2017-04-01

    The effect of polyacrylamide (PAM), as a soil conditioner, on selected soil physical and hydraulic properties (infiltration rate (f(t)), hydraulic conductivity (HC), soil moisture content, aggregate stability (AS), and soil aggregation) was studied. Two types of anionic PAM were used: Low molecular weight (LPAM) (1×105 g/mol) with medium charge density (33-43) and high molecular weight (HPAM) (1-6×106 g/mol) with medium charge density (33-43). Sandy loam soil was packed into plastic columns; PAM solutions at different concentrations (100, 250, 500, and 1000 mg L-1) were used every two weeks in four wetting and drying cycles. The highest infiltration rate value was 0.16 mm s-1 at 1000 mg/L low molecular weight PAM while the highest value of infiltration rate in high PAM molecular weight was 0.11 mm s-1 compared to the control (0.01 mm s-1). Soil HC was about 3.00 cm h-1 for LPAM at 1000 mg L-1 PAM, while the highest value for HPAM was about 2 cm h-1 for the same concentration, compared to the control. The amount of water that can be held by soil increased with the addition of PAM compared to the control. Differences in water content were more pronounced in LPAM compared to HPAM. The addition of LPAM increased aggregate stability proportional to PAM concentration. Moreover, 1000 mg L-1 produced the highest aggregate stability (19{%}) compared to HPAM and control (7{%} and 5{%}), respectively. As PAM concentration increased, the geometric mean diameter (GMD) increased for both PAM molecular weights compared to control (0.4 mm). At 1000 mg L-1 the GMD values were 0.88 mm and 0.79 mm for LPAM and HPAM, respectively. The addition of PAM improved soil physical and hydraulic properties, with an advantage to LPAM owing that to its ability to penetrate soil aggregates and therefore stabilizing them.

  3. Measurement of Physical and Hydraulic Properties of Organic Soil Using Computed Tomographic Imagery

    Science.gov (United States)

    Blais, K. E.; Quinton, W. L.; Heck, R. J.; Price, J. S.; Schmidt, M. G.

    2005-12-01

    The Lower Liard River valley is located within the continental northern boreal region and the zone of discontinuous permafrost. Lying in the centre of the Mackenzie basin, this valley is an extensive flat headwater region with a high density of open water and peatlands. Several standard methods of measuring the physical properties of organic soils exist, although many of them have several drawbacks that limit their use. Organic soils, in particular, have unique properties that require special attention to ensure that the measured hydrological characteristics are represented as they exist in nature. The goal of this research was to devise an improved method of analyzing and measuring the physical and hydraulic properties of organic soil using MicroCT imagery. Specifically, this research seeks to determine if two and three-dimensional images of peat can be used to accurately characterize air-filled porosity, active porosity, pore size distribution, pore saturated area and capillarity of porous Sphagnum cells. Results indicate that measurements derived from these images are consistent with current literature. They also suggest that this non-destructive method is a valuable tool for measuring peat physical and hydraulic properties and that there is potential for additional research using CT technology.

  4. Assessment of grass root effects on soil piping in sandy soils using the pinhole test

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bernatek-Jakiel, Anita; Vannoppen, Wouter; Poesen, Jean

    2017-10-01

    Soil piping is an important land degradation process that occurs in a wide range of environments. Despite an increasing number of studies on this type of subsurface erosion, the impact of vegetation on piping erosion is still unclear. It can be hypothesized that vegetation, and in particular plant roots, may reduce piping susceptibility of soils because roots of vegetation also control concentrated flow erosion rates or shallow mass movements. Therefore, this paper aims to assess the impact of grass roots on piping erosion susceptibility of a sandy soil. The pinhole test was used as it provides quantitative data on pipeflow discharge, sediment concentration and sediment discharge. Tests were conducted at different hydraulic heads (i.e., 50 mm, 180 mm, 380 mm and 1020 mm). Results showed that the hydraulic head was positively correlated with pipeflow discharge, sediment concentration and sediment discharge, while the presence of grass roots (expressed as root density) was negatively correlated with these pipeflow characteristics. Smaller sediment concentrations and sediment discharges were observed in root-permeated samples compared to root-free samples. When root density exceeds 0.5 kg m- 3, piping erosion rates decreased by 50% compared to root-free soil samples. Moreover, if grass roots are present, the positive correlation between hydraulic head and both sediment discharge and sediment concentration is less pronounced, demonstrating that grass roots become more effective in reducing piping erosion rates at larger hydraulic heads. Overall, this study demonstrates that grass roots are quite efficient in reducing piping erosion rates in sandy soils, even at high hydraulic head (> 1 m). As such, grass roots may therefore be used to efficiently control piping erosion rates in topsoils.

  5. Integrated assessment of space, time, and management-related variability of soil hydraulic properties

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Es, H.M. van; Ogden, C.B.; Hill, R.L.; Schindelbeck, R.R.; Tsegaye, T.

    1999-12-01

    Computer-based models that simulate soil hydrologic processes and their impacts on crop growth and contaminant transport depend on accurate characterization of soil hydraulic properties. Soil hydraulic properties have numerous sources of variability related to spatial, temporal, and management-related processes. Soil type is considered to be the dominant source of variability, and parameterization is typically based on soil survey databases. This study evaluated the relative significance of other sources of variability: spatial and temporal at multiple scales, and management-related factors. Identical field experiments were conducted for 3 yr. at two sites in New York on clay loam and silt loam soils, and at two sites in Maryland on silt loam and sandy loam soils, all involving replicated plots with plow-till and no-till treatments. Infiltrability was determined from 2054 measurements using parameters, and Campbell's a and b parameters were determined based on water-retention data from 875 soil cores. Variance component analysis showed that differences among the sites were the most important source of variability for a (coefficient of variation, CV = 44%) and b (CV = 23%). Tillage practices were the most important source of variability for infiltrability (CV = 10%). For all properties, temporal variability was more significant than field-scale spatial variability. Temporal and tillage effects were more significant for the medium- and fine-textured soils, and correlated to initial soil water conditions. The parameterization of soil hydraulic properties solely based on soil type may not be appropriate for agricultural lands since soil-management factors are more significant. Sampling procedures should give adequate recognition to soil-management and temporal processes at significant sources of variability to avoid biased results.

  6. The Influence of Syndepositional Macropores on the Hydraulic Integrity of Thick Alluvial Clay Aquitards

    Science.gov (United States)

    Timms, Wendy A.; Acworth, R. Ian; Crane, Richard A.; Arns, Christoph H.; Arns, Ji-Youn; McGeeney, Dayna E.; Rau, Gabriel C.; Cuthbert, Mark O.

    2018-04-01

    Clay-rich deposits are commonly assumed to be aquitards which act as natural hydraulic barriers due to their low hydraulic connectivity. Postdepositional weathering processes are known to increase the permeability of aquitards in the near surface but not impact on deeper parts of relatively thick formations. However, syndepositional processes affecting the hydraulic properties of aquitards have previously received little attention in the literature. Here, we analyze a 31 m deep sediment core recovered from an inland clay-rich sedimentary sequence using a combination of techniques including particle size distribution and microscopy, centrifuge dye tracer testing and micro X-ray CT imaging. Subaerial deposition of soils within these fine grained alluvial deposits has led to the preservation of considerable macropores (root channels or animal burrows). Connected pores and macropores thus account for vertical hydraulic conductivity (K) of 4.2×10-9 m/s (geometric mean of 13 samples) throughout the thick aquitard, compared to a matrix K that is likely sediment was deposited must be considered when aquitards are investigated as potential natural hydraulic barriers and illustrate the value of combining multiple investigation techniques for characterizing clay-rich deposits.

  7. Handbook of hydraulic fluid technology

    CERN Document Server

    Totten, George E

    2011-01-01

    ""The Handbook of Hydraulic Fluid Technology"" serves as the foremost resource for designing hydraulic systems and for selecting hydraulic fluids used in engineering applications. Featuring new illustrations, data tables, as well as practical examples, this second edition is updated with essential information on the latest hydraulic fluids and testing methods. The detailed text facilitates unparalleled understanding of the total hydraulic system, including important hardware, fluid properties, and hydraulic lubricants. Written by worldwide experts, the book also offers a rigorous overview of h

  8. Soil hydraulic properties of topsoil along two elevation transects affected by soil erosion

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Nikodem, A.; Kodešová, R.; Jakšík, O.; Jirků, V.; Fér, M.; Klement, A.; Žigová, Anna

    2013-01-01

    Roč. 15, - (2013) ISSN 1607-7962. [EGU General Assembly /10./. 07.04.2013-12.04.2013, Vienna] Institutional support: RVO:67985831 Keywords : topsoil * hydraulic properties * erosion processes Subject RIV: DF - Soil Science http://meetingorganizer.copernicus.org/EGU2013/EGU2013-7924.pdf

  9. Changes in soil hydraulic properties caused by construction of a simulated waste trench at the Idaho National Engineering Laboratory, Idaho

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Shakofsky, S.

    1995-03-01

    In order to assess the effect of filled waste disposal trenches on transport-governing soil properties, comparisons were made between profiles of undisturbed soil and disturbed soil in a simulated waste trench. The changes in soil properties induced by the construction of a simulated waste trench were measured near the Radioactive Waste Management Complex at the Idaho National Engineering Laboratory (INEL) in the semiarid southeast region of Idaho. The soil samples were collected, using a hydraulically-driven sampler to minimize sample disruption, from both a simulated waste trench and an undisturbed area nearby. Results show that the undisturbed profile has distinct layers whose properties differ significantly, whereas the soil profile in the simulated waste trench is, by comparison, homogeneous. Porosity was increased in the disturbed cores, and, correspondingly, saturated hydraulic conductivities were on average three times higher. With higher soil-moisture contents (greater than 0.32), unsaturated hydraulic conductivities for the undisturbed cores were typically greater than those for the disturbed cores. With lower moisture contents, most of the disturbed cores had greater hydraulic conductivities. The observed differences in hydraulic conductivities are interpreted and discussed as changes in the soil pore geometry

  10. Effect of soil properties on Hydraulic characteristics under subsurface drip irrigation

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fan, Wangtao; Li, Gang

    2018-02-01

    Subsurface drip irrigation (SDI) is a technique that has a high potential in application because of its high efficiency in water-saving. The hydraulic characteristics of SDI sub-unit pipe network can be affected by soil physical properties as the emitters are buried in soils. The related research, however, is not fully explored. The laboratory tests were carried out in the present study to determine the effects of hydraulic factors including operating pressure, initial soil water content, and bulk density on flow rate and its sensitivity to each hydraulic factor for two types of SDI emitters (PLASSIM emitter and Heping emitter). For this purpose, three soils with contrasting textures (i.e., light sand, silt loam, and light clay) were repacked with two soil bulk density (1.25 and1.40 g cm-3) with two initial soil water content (12% and 18%) in plexiglass columns with 40 cm in diameter and 40 cm in height. Drip emitters were buried at depth of 20 cm to measure the flow rates under seven operating pressures (60, 100, 150, 200, 250, 300, and 370 kPa). We found that the operating pressure was the dominating factor of flow rate of the SDI emitter, and flow rate increased with the increase of operating pressure. The initial soil water content and bulk density also affected the flow rate, and their effects were the most notable in the light sand soil. The sensitivity of flow rate to each hydraulic factor was dependent on soil texture, and followed a descending order of light sand>silt loam>light clay for both types of emitters. Further, the sensitivity of flow rate to each hydraulic factor decreased with the increase of operating pressure, initial soil water content, and bulk density. This study may be used to guide the soil specific-design of SDI emitters for optimal water use and management.

  11. Comparison among monitoring strategies to assess water flow dynamic and soil hydraulic properties in agricultural soils

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Valdes-Abellan, J.; Jiménez-Martínez, J.; Candela, L.; Tamoh, K.

    2015-07-01

    Irrigated agriculture is usually performed in semi-arid regions despite scarcity of water resources. Therefore, optimal irrigation management by monitoring the soil is essential, and assessing soil hydraulic properties and water flow dynamics is presented as a first measure. For this purpose, the control of volumetric water content, θ, and pressure head, h, is required. This study adopted two types of monitoring strategies in the same experimental plot to control θ and h in the vadose zone: i) non-automatic and more time-consuming; ii) automatic connected to a datalogger. Water flux was modelled with Hydrus-1D using the data collected from both acquisition strategies independently (3820 daily values for the automatic; less than 1000 for the non-automatic). Goodness-of-fit results reported a better adjustment in case of automatic sensors. Both model outputs adequately predicted the general trend of θ and h, but with slight differences in computed annual drainage (711 mm and 774 mm). Soil hydraulic properties were inversely estimated from both data acquisition systems. Major differences were obtained in the saturated volumetric water content, θs, and the n and α van Genuchten model shape parameters. Saturated hydraulic conductivity, Ks, shown lower variability with a coefficient of variation range from 0.13 to 0.24 for the soil layers defined. Soil hydraulic properties were better assessed through automatic data acquisition as data variability was lower and accuracy was higher. (Author)

  12. Comparison among monitoring strategies to assess water flow dynamic and soil hydraulic properties in agricultural soils

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Javier Valdes-Abellan

    2015-03-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Irrigated agriculture is usually performed in semi-arid regions despite scarcity of water resources. Therefore, optimal irrigation management by monitoring the soil is essential, and assessing soil hydraulic properties and water flow dynamics is presented as a first measure. For this purpose, the control of volumetric water content, θ, and pressure head, h, is required. This study adopted two types of monitoring strategies in the same experimental plot to control θ and h in the vadose zone: i non-automatic and more time-consuming; ii automatic connected to a datalogger. Water flux was modelled with Hydrus-1D using the data collected from both acquisition strategies independently (3820 daily values for the automatic; less than 1000 for the non-automatic. Goodness-of-fit results reported a better adjustment in case of automatic sensors. Both model outputs adequately predicted the general trend of θ and h, but with slight differences in computed annual drainage (711 mm and 774 mm. Soil hydraulic properties were inversely estimated from both data acquisition systems. Major differences were obtained in the saturated volumetric water content, θs, and the n and α van Genuchten model shape parameters. Saturated hydraulic conductivity, Ks, shown lower variability with a coefficient of variation range from 0.13 to 0.24 for the soil layers defined. Soil hydraulic properties were better assessed through automatic data acquisition as data variability was lower and accuracy was higher.

  13. Physical, Hydraulic, and Transport Properties of Sediments and Engineered Materials Associated with Hanford Immobilized Low-Activity Waste

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Rockhold, Mark L. [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States); Zhang, Z. F. [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States); Meyer, Philip D. [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States); Thomle, Jonathan N. [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States)

    2015-02-28

    Current plans for treatment and disposal of immobilized low-activity waste (ILAW) from Hanford’s underground waste storage tanks include vitrification and storage of the glass waste form in a nearsurface disposal facility. This Integrated Disposal Facility (IDF) is located in the 200 East Area of the Hanford Central Plateau. Performance assessment (PA) of the IDF requires numerical modeling of subsurface flow and reactive transport processes over very long periods (thousands of years). The models used to predict facility performance require parameters describing various physical, hydraulic, and transport properties. This report provides updated estimates of physical, hydraulic, and transport properties and parameters for both near- and far-field materials, intended for use in future IDF PA modeling efforts. Previous work on physical and hydraulic property characterization for earlier IDF PA analyses is reviewed and summarized. For near-field materials, portions of this document and parameter estimates are taken from an earlier data package. For far-field materials, a critical review is provided of methodologies used in previous data packages. Alternative methods are described and associated parameters are provided.

  14. Estimating saturated hydraulic conductivity and air permeability from soil physical properties using state-space analysis

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Poulsen, Tjalfe; Møldrup, Per; Nielsen, Don

    2003-01-01

    and gaseous chemicals in the vadose zone. In this study, three modeling approaches were used to identify the dependence of saturated hydraulic conductivity (K-S) and air permeability at -100 cm H2O soil-water potential (k(a100)) on soil physical properties in undisturbed soil: (i) Multiple regression, (ii......) ARIMA (autoregressive integrated moving average) modeling, and (iii) State-space modeling. In addition to actual soil property values, ARIMA and state-space models account for effects of spatial correlation in soil properties. Measured data along two 70-m-long transects at a 20-year old constructed......Estimates of soil hydraulic conductivity (K) and air permeability (k(a)) at given soil-water potentials are often used as reference points in constitutive models for K and k(a) as functions of moisture content and are, therefore, a prerequisite for predicting migration of water, air, and dissolved...

  15. Temperature effects on geotechnical and hydraulic properties of bentonite hydrated with inorganic salt solutions

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Rashid, H. M. A.; Kawamoto, K.; Saito, T.

    2015-01-01

    © 2015, International Journal of GEOMATE. This study investigated the combined effect of temperature and single-species salt solutions on geotechnical properties (swell index and liquid limit) and hydraulic conductivity of bentonite applying different cation types, concentrations, and temperatures...

  16. Can differences in root responses to soil drying and compaction explain differences in performance of trees growing on landfill sites?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liang, Jiansheng; Zhang, Jianhua; Chan, Gilbert Y. S.; Wong, M. H.

    1999-07-01

    Two tropical woody species, Acacia confusa Merrill and Litsea glutinosa (Lour.) C.B. Robinson, were grown under controlled conditions in PVC pipes filled with John Innes No. 2 soil. To investigate root distribution, physiological characteristics and hydraulic conductivity, four soil treatments were imposed-well-watered and noncompacted (control), well-watered and compacted; unwatered and noncompacted, and unwatered and compacted. In L. glutinosa, rooting depth and root elongation were severely restricted when soil bulk density increased from around 1.12 to 1.62 g cm(-3), whereas soil compaction had little effect on these parameters in A. confusa. As soil drying progressed, root water potential and osmotic potential declined more slowly in L. glutinosa than in A. confusa. Both the soil drying and compaction treatments significantly stimulated the accumulation of root abscisic acid (ABA) in both species. Soil drying damaged the root cell membrane of A. confusa, but had little influence on the root cell membrane of L. glutinosa. Soil drying had a greater effect on root hydraulic conductivity (L(p)) in L. glutinosa than in A. confusa, whereas the effect of soil compaction on L(p) was less in L. glutinosa than in A. confusa. Soil drying enhanced the effects of soil compaction on root L(p). We conclude that soil drying and compaction have large species-specific effects on the distribution, growth and physiology of roots. The relationships of these root properties to the species' ability to tolerate unfavorable soil conditions were examined.

  17. Uncertainty in the determination of soil hydraulic parameters and its influence on the performance of two hydrological models of different complexity

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    G. Baroni

    2010-02-01

    Full Text Available Data of soil hydraulic properties forms often a limiting factor in unsaturated zone modelling, especially at the larger scales. Investigations for the hydraulic characterization of soils are time-consuming and costly, and the accuracy of the results obtained by the different methodologies is still debated. However, we may wonder how the uncertainty in soil hydraulic parameters relates to the uncertainty of the selected modelling approach. We performed an intensive monitoring study during the cropping season of a 10 ha maize field in Northern Italy. The data were used to: i compare different methods for determining soil hydraulic parameters and ii evaluate the effect of the uncertainty in these parameters on different variables (i.e. evapotranspiration, average water content in the root zone, flux at the bottom boundary of the root zone simulated by two hydrological models of different complexity: SWAP, a widely used model of soil moisture dynamics in unsaturated soils based on Richards equation, and ALHyMUS, a conceptual model of the same dynamics based on a reservoir cascade scheme. We employed five direct and indirect methods to determine soil hydraulic parameters for each horizon of the experimental profile. Two methods were based on a parameter optimization of: a laboratory measured retention and hydraulic conductivity data and b field measured retention and hydraulic conductivity data. The remaining three methods were based on the application of widely used Pedo-Transfer Functions: c Rawls and Brakensiek, d HYPRES, and e ROSETTA. Simulations were performed using meteorological, irrigation and crop data measured at the experimental site during the period June – October 2006. Results showed a wide range of soil hydraulic parameter values generated with the different methods, especially for the saturated hydraulic conductivity Ksat and the shape parameter α of the van Genuchten curve. This is reflected in a variability of

  18. Soil-root Shear Strength Properties of Some Slope Plants

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Normaniza Osman; Mohamad Nordin Abdullah; Faisal Haji Ali

    2011-01-01

    Rapid development in hilly areas in Malaysia has become a trend that put a stress to the sloping area. It reduces the factor of safety by reducing the resistant force and therefore leads to slope failure. Vegetation plays a big role in reinforcement functions via anchoring the soils and forms a binding network within the soil layer that tied the soil masses together. In this research, three plant species namely Acacia mangium, Dillenia suffruticosa and Leucaena leucocaphala were assessed in term of their soil-root shear strength properties. Our results showed that Acacia mangium had the highest shear strength values, 30.4 kPa and 50.2 kPa at loads 13.3 kPa and 24.3 kPa, respectively. Leucaena leucocaphala showed the highest in cohesion factor, which was almost double the value in those of Dillenia suffruticosa and Acacia mangium. The root profile analysis indicated Dillenia suffruticosa exhibited the highest values in both root length density and root volume, whilst Leucaena leucocaphala had the highest average of root diameter. (author)

  19. Hydraulic concrete composition and properties control system

    OpenAIRE

    PSHINKO O.M.; KRASNYUK A.V.; HROMOVA O.V.

    2015-01-01

    Purpose. Scientific work aims at the development and testing of information system to meet the challenges of concrete composition design and control (for railway structures and buildings) based on the physico-analytical method algorithm for hydraulic concrete composition calculation. Methodology. The proposed algorithm of hydraulic concrete composition calculation is based on the physicochemical mechanics and in particular on the rheology of elastic–viscous–plastic bodies. The system of canon...

  20. Characterisation of the hydraulic properties within the EDZ around drifts at level -490 m of the Meuse/Haute-Marne URL: A methodology for consistent interpretation of hydraulic tests

    Science.gov (United States)

    Baechler, S.; Lavanchy, J. M.; Armand, G.; Cruchaudet, M.

    In order to investigate potential changes of the hydraulic properties of the EDZ over time in the Meuse/Haute-Marne underground research laboratory (URL), several hydraulic tests campaigns have been carried out between 2005 and 2008 in dedicated boreholes. After several test series, inconsistencies were noticed in the results, indicating, in particular cases, erratic, inexplicable property changes over time and spatial contrasts. It was therefore difficult to determine reliably potential trends of the EDZ hydraulic properties. It appeared necessary to re-evaluate both the interpretation concepts and assumptions applied to the numerical analyses of test data on the EDZ, trying to better constrain the flow model and the parameter variables. In order to improve the understanding of the geometrical, geomechanical and hydraulic properties of the EDZ, independent information from other investigation methods has been used to critically revise the conceptual model and formation parameters. In particular, results from a diffusion experiment and ultrasonic measurements allowed constraining the extent of the mechanical damaged zone around the borehole (BDZ). Storativity parameters were fitted due to their expected variability. Indeed, high storativity values can be presumed under the unsaturated conditions of the EDZ. The results of the reanalyses, performed with the numerical borehole simulator MULTISIM, demonstrated the good quality and consistency of the revised conceptual model with constrained BDZ and variable storativity. Overall the new simulation results obtained from selected test series are now very consistent. The revised conceptual model demonstrated its capacity to better represent the evolution and extension of the EDZ around a drift in Meuse/Haute-Marne URL. Further consistency checks are proposed to confirm the new model assumptions and the estimates of the single phase flow model in the EDZ.

  1. Characterisation of the hydraulic properties within the EDZ around drifts at level -490 m of the Meuse/Haute-Marne URL: A methodology for consistent interpretation of hydraulic tests

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Baechler, S.; Lavanchy, J. M.; Armand, G.; Cruchaudet, M.

    2011-01-01

    In order to investigate potential changes of the hydraulic properties of the EDZ over time in the Meuse/Haute-Marne underground research laboratory (URL), several hydraulic tests campaigns have been carried out between 2005 and 2008 in dedicated boreholes. After several test series, inconsistencies were noticed in the results, indicating, in particular cases, erratic, inexplicable property changes over time and spatial contrasts. It was therefore difficult to determine reliably potential trends of the EDZ hydraulic properties. It appeared necessary to re-evaluate both the interpretation concepts and assumptions applied to the numerical analyses of test data on the EDZ, trying to better constrain the flow model and the parameter variables. In order to improve the understanding of the geometrical, geomechanical and hydraulic properties of the EDZ, independent information from other investigation methods has been used to critically revise the conceptual model and formation parameters. In particular, results from a diffusion experiment and ultrasonic measurements allowed constraining the extent of the mechanical damaged zone around the borehole (BDZ). Storativity parameters were fitted due to their expected variability. Indeed, high storativity values can be presumed under the unsaturated conditions of the EDZ. The results of the reanalyses, performed with the numerical borehole simulator MULTISIM, demonstrated the good quality and consistency of the revised conceptual model with constrained BDZ and variable storativity. Overall the new simulation results obtained from selected test series are now very consistent. The revised conceptual model demonstrated its capacity to better represent the evolution and extension of the EDZ around a drift in Meuse/Haute-Marne URL. Further consistency checks are proposed to confirm the new model assumptions and the estimates of the single phase flow model in the EDZ. (authors)

  2. A parametric study on hydraulic conductivity and self-healing properties of geotextile clay liners used in landfills.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Parastar, Fatemeh; Hejazi, Sayyed Mahdi; Sheikhzadeh, Mohammad; Alirezazadeh, Azam

    2017-11-01

    Nowadays, the raise of excessive generation of solid wastes is considered as a major environmental concern due to the fast global population growth. The contamination of groundwater from landfill leachate compromises every living creature. Geotextile clay liner (GCL) that has a sandwich structure with two fibrous sheets and a clay core can be considered as an engineered solution to prevent hazardous pollutants from entering into groundwater. The main objective of the present study is therefore to enhance the performance of GCL structures. By changing some structural factors such as clay type (sodium vs. calcium bentonite), areal density of clay, density of geotextile, geotextile thickness, texture type (woven vs. nonwoven), and needle punching density a series of GCL samples were fabricated. Water pressure, type of cover soil and overburden pressure were the environmental variables, while the response variables were hydraulic conductivity and self-healing rate of GCL. Rigid wall constant head permeability test was conducted on all the samples. The outlet water flow was measured and evaluated at a defined time period and the hydraulic conductivity was determined for each sample. In the final stage, self-healing properties of samples were investigated and an analytical model was used to explain the results. It was found that higher Montmorillonite content of clay, overburden pressure, needle punching density and areal density of clay poses better self-healing properties and less hydraulic conductivity, meanwhile, an increase in water pressure increases the hydraulic conductivity. Moreover, the observations were aligned with the analytical model and indicated that higher fiber inclusion as a result of higher needle-punching density produces closer contact between bentonite and fibers, reduces hydraulic conductivity and increases self-healing properties. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  3. Measurement of unsaturated flow below the root zone at an arid site

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kirkham, R.R.; Gee, G.W.

    1983-12-01

    We measured moisture content changes below the root zone of a grass-covered area at the Hanford Site in Washington State and determined that drainage exceeded 5 cm or 20% of the total precipitation for November 1982 through October 1983. Although the average annual rainfall at the Hanford Site is 16 cm, the test year precipitation exceeded 24 cm with nearly 75% of the precipitation occurring during November through April. The moisture content at all depths in the soil reached a maximum and the monthly average potential evapotranspiration reached a minimum during this period of time. Moisture content profiles were measured at depth on biweekly intervals from January through October; these data were used to estimate drainage from the profile. Grass roots were not found below 1 m, hence moisture changes below 1 m were assumed to be entirely due to drainage. Upward capillary flow was considered to be negligible since the soil was a coars sand and the water table was below 10 m. The large amount of drainage from this arid site is attributed to rainfall distribution pattern, shallow root-zone, and soil drainage characteristics. Unsaturated flow model simulations predicted about 5-cm drainage from the grass site using daily climatic data, estimated soil hydraulic properties, and estimated transpiration parameters for cheatgrass at the Hanford Site. Improvements in the comparisons between measured and predicted drainage are anticipated with field-measured hydraulic properties and more realistic estimates of grass cover transpiration. However, both measurements and model predictions support the conclusion that under conditions where the majority of the rainfall occurs during periods of low potential evaporation and where soils are coarse textured, significant drainage can occur from the root zone of vegetated areas at Hanford or similar arid zone sites

  4. Strontium effects on root dentin tubule occlusion and nanomechanical properties.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Saeki, Kuniko; Marshall, Grayson W; Gansky, Stuart A; Parkinson, Charles R; Marshall, Sally J

    2016-02-01

    Dentin hypersensitivity often is treated by promotion of dentin tubule occlusion. In this in vitro study we evaluated nanomechanical properties and degree of tubule occlusion conferred to sound and demineralized human root dentin following treatment with a 10% (w/w) strontium acetate solution and its relation to the treatment duration and delivery method. 24 human cervical root dentin disks (8 groups of 3) were polished through 0.25 μm. 12 disks were subjected to an acid challenge (1% citric acid, pH 3.8) for 2 min. The specimens were incubated in artificial saliva, treated by soaking or brushing with deionized (DI) water or a solution of 10% strontium acetate for 2 min twice a day for 28 days. The occlusion percent and nanomechanical properties were determined at the baseline, 5, 14 and 28 days. Cross-sectioned specimens were prepared to evaluate the depth affected by strontium acetate / dentin interaction by SEM. Statistical analysis was performed using linear mixed effects models. A 10% strontium acetate treatment over 5-28 days significantly increased tubule occlusion for normal root dentin and to a lesser extent for demineralized dentin and increased the AFM based nanomechanical properties of demineralized dentin. Brushing was more effective than soaking in recovery of properties of demineralized dentin when treated with strontium. No difference in tubuleocclusion was found between the two delivery methods. Strontium acetate itself proved to have the ability to occlude dentin tubules and result in small changes in the mechanical properties of dentin. Copyright © 2015 Academy of Dental Materials. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  5. Tree Hydraulics: How Sap Rises

    Science.gov (United States)

    Denny, Mark

    2012-01-01

    Trees transport water from roots to crown--a height that can exceed 100 m. The physics of tree hydraulics can be conveyed with simple fluid dynamics based upon the Hagen-Poiseuille equation and Murray's law. Here the conduit structure is modelled as conical pipes and as branching pipes. The force required to lift sap is generated mostly by…

  6. Hydraulic architecture and tracheid allometry in mature Pinus palustris and Pinus elliottii trees.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gonzalez-Benecke, C A; Martin, T A; Peter, G F

    2010-03-01

    Pinus palustris Mill. (longleaf pine, LL) and Pinus elliottii Engelm. var. elliottii (slash pine, SL) frequently co-occur in lower coastal plain flatwoods of the USA, with LL typically inhabiting slightly higher and better-drained microsites than SL. The hydraulic architecture and tracheid dimensions of roots, trunk and branches of mature LL and SL trees were compared to understand their role in species microsite occupation. Root xylem had higher sapwood-specific hydraulic conductivity (k(s)) and was less resistant to cavitation compared with branches and trunk sapwood. Root k(s) of LL was significantly higher than SL, whereas branch and trunk k(s) did not differ between species. No differences in vulnerability to cavitation were observed in any of the organs between species. Across all organs, there was a significant but weak trade-off between water conduction efficiency and safety. Tracheid hydraulic diameter (D(h)) was strongly correlated with k(s) across all organs, explaining >73% of the variation in k(s). In contrast, tracheid length (L(t)) explained only 2.4% of the variability. Nevertheless, for trunk xylem, k(s) was 39.5% higher at 20 m compared with 1.8 m; this increase in k(s) was uncorrelated with D(h) and cell-wall thickness but was strongly correlated with the difference in L(t). Tracheid allometry markedly changed between sapwood of roots, trunks and branches, possibly reflecting different mechanical constraints. Even though vulnerability to cavitation was not different for sapwood of roots, branches or the trunks of LL and SL, higher sapwood to leaf area ratio and higher maximum sapwood-specific hydraulic conductivity in roots of LL are functional traits that may provide LL with a competitive advantage on drier soil microsites.

  7. Neutron Imaging Reveals Internal Plant Hydraulic Dynamics

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Warren, Jeffrey [ORNL; Bilheux, Hassina Z [ORNL; Kang, Misun [ORNL; Voisin, Sophie [ORNL; Cheng, Chu-Lin [ORNL; Horita, Jusuke [ORNL; Perfect, Edmund [ORNL

    2013-01-01

    Many terrestrial ecosystem processes are constrained by water availability and transport within the soil. Knowledge of plant water fluxes is thus critical for assessing mechanistic processes linked to biogeochemical cycles, yet resolution of root structure and xylem water transport dynamics has been a particularly daunting task for the ecologist. Through neutron imaging, we demonstrate the ability to non-invasively monitor individual root functionality and water fluxes within Zea mays L. (maize) and Panicum virgatum L. (switchgrass) seedlings growing in a sandy medium. Root structure and growth were readily imaged by neutron radiography and neutron computed tomography. Seedlings were irrigated with water or deuterium oxide and imaged through time as a growth lamp was cycled on to alter leaf demand for water. Sub-millimeter scale resolution reveals timing and magnitudes of root water uptake, redistribution within the roots, and root-shoot hydraulic linkages, relationships not well characterized by other techniques.

  8. Water hydraulic applications in hazardous environments

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Siuko, M.; Koskinen, K.T.; Vilenius, M.J.

    1996-01-01

    Water hydraulic technology provides several advantages for devices operating in critical environment. Though water hydraulics has traditionally been used in very rough applications, gives recent strong development of components possibility to build more sophisticated applications and devices with similar capacity and control properties than those of oil hydraulics without the disadvantages of oil hydraulic systems. In this paper, the basic principles, possibilities and advantages of water hydraulics are highlighted, some of the most important design considerations are presented and recent developments of water hydraulic technology are presented. Also one interesting application area, ITER fusion reactor remote handling devices, are discussed. (Author)

  9. Hydraulic Conductivity of Residual Soil-Cement Mix

    Science.gov (United States)

    Govindasamy, P.; Taha, M. R.

    2016-07-01

    In Malaysia, although there are several researches on engineering properties of residual soils, however study on the hydraulic conductivity properties of metasedimentary residual soils is still lacking. Construction of containment walls like slurry wall techniques can be achieved with hydraulic conductivity of approximately 5 x 10-7cm/sec. The objectives of the study were to determine the physical properties of metasedimentary residual soils and to determine the influence of 1%, 3%, 5% and 10% of cement on hydraulic conductivity parameters. The coefficient of hydraulic conductivity of the soil naturally and soil-cement mixtures were determined by using the falling head test. According to the test, the hydraulic conductivity of the original soil was 4.16 x 10-8 m/s. The value decreases to 3.89 x 10-8 m/s, 2.78 x 10-8 m/s then 6.83 x 10-9 m/s with the addition of 1%, 3% and 5% of cement additives, respectively. During the hydration process, cement hydrates is formed followed by the increase in pH value and Ca(OH)2 which will alter the modification of pores size and distribution. When the quantity of cement increases, the pores size decrease. But, the addition of 10% cement gives an increased hydraulic conductivity value to 2.78 x 10-8 m/s. With 10%, the pore size increase might due to flocculation and agglomeration reaction. The generated hydraulic conductivity values will indirectly become a guide in the preliminary soil cement stabilization to modify the properties of the soil to become more like the properties of a soft rock.1. Introduction

  10. Design of a welltest for determining two-phase hydraulic properties

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Finsterle, S.

    1995-01-01

    This report describes the design of a well test to determine two-phase hydraulic properties of a low permeability, low porosity formation. Estimation of gas-related parameters in such formations is difficult using standard pumping tests mainly because of the strong fluctuations in the pressure and flow rate data which are a consequence of gas bubbles evolving in the test interval. Even more important is the fact that the data do not allow distinguishing among alternative conceptual models. The estimated parameters are therefore uncertain, highly correlated, and ambiguous. In this study we examine a test sequence that could be appended to a standard hydraulic testing program. It is shown that performing a series of water and gas injection tests significantly reduces parameter correlations, thus decreasing the estimation error. Moreover, the extended test sequence makes possible the identification of the model that describes relative permeabilities and capillary pressures. This requires, however, that data of high accuracy are collected under controlled test conditions. The purpose of this report is to describe the modeling approach, assumptions and limitations of the procedure, and to provide practical recommendations for future testing

  11. Synthesis of soil-hydraulic properties and infiltration timescales in wildfire-affected soils

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ebel, Brian A.; Moody, John A.

    2017-01-01

    We collected soil-hydraulic property data from the literature for wildfire-affected soils, ash, and unburned soils. These data were used to calculate metrics and timescales of hydrologic response related to infiltration and surface runoff generation. Sorptivity (S) and wetting front potential (Ψf) were significantly different (lower) in burned soils compared with unburned soils, whereas field-saturated hydraulic conductivity (Kfs) was not significantly different. The magnitude and duration of the influence of capillarity during infiltration was greatly reduced in burned soils, causing faster ponding times in response to rainfall. Ash had large values of S and Kfs but moderate values of Ψf, compared with unburned and burned soils, indicating ash has long ponding times in response to rainfall. The ratio of S2/Kfs was nearly constant (~100 mm) for unburned soils but more variable in burned soils, suggesting that unburned soils have a balance between gravity and capillarity contributions to infiltration that may depend on soil organic matter, whereas in burned soils the gravity contribution to infiltration is greater. Changes in S and Kfs in burned soils act synergistically to reduce infiltration and accelerate and amplify surface runoff generation. Synthesis of these findings identifies three key areas for future research. First, short timescales of capillary influences on infiltration indicate the need for better measurements of infiltration at times less than 1 min to accurately characterize S in burned soils. Second, using parameter values, such as Ψf, from unburned areas could produce substantial errors in hydrologic modeling when used without adjustment for wildfire effects, causing parameter compensation and resulting underestimation of Kfs. Third, more thorough measurement campaigns that capture soil-structural changes, organic matter impacts, quantitative water repellency trends, and soil-water content along with soil-hydraulic properties could drive the

  12. The radial flow method: constraints from laboratory experiments on the evolution of hydraulic properties of fractures during frictional sliding experiments

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kewel, M.; Renner, J.

    2017-12-01

    The variation of hydraulic properties during sliding events is of importance for source mechanics and analyses of the evolution in effective stresses. We conducted laboratory experiments on samples of Padang granite to elucidate the interrelation between shear displacement on faults and their hydraulic properties. The cylindrical samples of 30 mm diameter and 75 mm length were prepared with a ground sawcut, inclined 35° to the cylindrical axis and accessed by a central bore of 3 mm diameter. The conventional triaxial compression experiments were conducted at effective pressures of 30, 50, and 70 MPa at slip rates of 2×10-4 and 8×10-4 mm s-1. The nominally constant fluid pressure of 30 MPa was modulated by oscillations with an amplitude of up to 0.5 MPa. Permeability and specific storage capacity of the fault were determined using the oscillatory radial-flow method that rests on an analysis of amplitude ratio and phase shift between the oscillatory fluid pressure and the oscillatory fluid flow from and into the fault plane. This method allowed us to continuously monitor the hydraulic evolution during elastic loading and frictional sliding. The chosen oscillation period of 60 s guaranteed a resolution of hydraulic properties for slip increments as small as 20 μm. The determined hydraulic properties show a fairly uniform dependence on normal stress at hydrostatic conditions and initial elastic loading. The samples exhibited stable frictional sliding with modest strengthening with increasing strain. Since not all phase-shift values fell inside the theoretical range for purely radial pressure diffusion during frictional sliding, the records of equivalent hydraulic properties exhibit some gaps. In the phases with evaluable phase-shift values, permeability fluctuates by almost one order of magnitude over slip intervals of as little as 100 μm. We suppose that the observed fluctuations are related to comminution and reconfiguration of asperities on the fault planes

  13. Test speed and other factors affecting the measurements of tree root properties used in soil reinforcement models

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Cofie, P.; Koolen, A.J.

    2001-01-01

    Measured values of the mechanical properties of tree roots are found to be affected by a number of factors. Shear properties of tree roots are found to be partly influenced by size of the testing equipment, level of soil compaction, deformation of the root material and estimated width of the shear

  14. Carbofuran biodegradation in brackish groundwater and its effect on the hydraulic properties of the porous medium

    Science.gov (United States)

    Amiaz, Yanai; Ronen, Zeev; Adar, Eilon; Weisbrod, Noam

    2015-04-01

    A chalk fractured aquitard beneath an industrial site is subjected to intense contamination due to percolation of contaminants from the different facilities operating at the site. In order to reduce further contamination, draining trenches were excavated and filled with coarse gravel (3-4 cm in diameter) forming a porous medium, to which the contaminated groundwater discharges from the fractures surrounding the trenches. This research is aimed at establishing a biodegrading process of high efficiency and performance within the draining trenches. The research includes both field and laboratory experiments. An experimental setup of five columns (50 cm length and 4.5 cm in diameter) was constructed under highly controlled conditions. Over the course of the experiments, the columns were filled with different particle sizes and placed in a temperature controlled chamber. Filtered groundwater (0.2 µm) from the site groundwater, enriched by a model contaminant carbofuran (CRF), was injected to the columns; as two of the columns were inoculated by CRF degrading microorganisms native in the site's groundwater, two columns were inoculated by CRF degrading bacteria from the external environment, and one column was used as a control. During the experiment, measurements were taken from different locations along each column. These include: (a) CRF concentration and (b) hydraulic pressure and solution viscosity (in order to obtain the changes in permeability). A tracer test using uranine was carried out in parallel, in order to obtain the changes in hydraulic parameters. Correlating CRF concentration variations to changes of hydraulic parameters enable the deduction due to the effect that biological activity (under different temperature regimes) has on the hydraulic properties of the porous medium and its effect on the process of contaminant groundwater bodies' remediation. Preliminary results suggest that although biodegradation occurs, microbial activity has minor effect on

  15. Effects of sand compaction and mixing on pore structure and the unsaturated soil hydraulic properties

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Mahmoodlu, Mojtaba Ghareh; Raoof, A.; Sweijen, T.; van Genuchten, M. Th

    2016-01-01

    The hydraulic properties of unsaturated porous media very much depend on their pore structure as defined by the size, arrangement, and connectivity of pores. Several empirical and quasi-empirical approaches have been used over the years to derive pore structure information from the particle size

  16. Uncertainty in hydraulic tests in fractured rock

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ji, Sung-Hoon; Koh, Yong-Kwon

    2014-01-01

    Interpretation of hydraulic tests in fractured rock has uncertainty because of the different hydraulic properties of a fractured rock to a porous medium. In this study, we reviewed several interesting phenomena which show uncertainty in a hydraulic test at a fractured rock and discussed their origins and the how they should be considered during site characterisation. Our results show that the estimated hydraulic parameters of a fractured rock from a hydraulic test are associated with uncertainty due to the changed aperture and non-linear groundwater flow during the test. Although the magnitude of these two uncertainties is site-dependent, the results suggest that it is recommended to conduct a hydraulic test with a little disturbance from the natural groundwater flow to consider their uncertainty. Other effects reported from laboratory and numerical experiments such as the trapping zone effect (Boutt, 2006) and the slip condition effect (Lee, 2014) can also introduce uncertainty to a hydraulic test, which should be evaluated in a field test. It is necessary to consider the way how to evaluate the uncertainty in the hydraulic property during the site characterisation and how to apply it to the safety assessment of a subsurface repository. (authors)

  17. The hydraulic properties of fracture zones and tracer tests with non-reactive elements in Studsvik

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Klockars, C.-E.; Persson, O.; Landstroem, O.

    1982-04-01

    Tracer technique was applied in a rock formation within the Studsvik Energiteknik area in order to study hydrodynamic properties of discrete fracture zones between boreholes. The two hole method was applied in these studies; a nonreactive tracer is injected in one hole into a fracture zone which is in hydraulic contact with a central pump hole (observation hole). Hydraulic tests and TV inspection were carried out in the fracture zones. Chemical composition of the groundwater was determined. In summary, the following hydraulic properties were found for the fracture zones between the boreholes B1N-B6N and B5N-B6N respectively, under the prevailing conditions: 1) The fracture zones studied consists of a number of transport pathways with different mean transit times, varying from 100 to 1200 hours. 2) The fracture zone between boreholes B1N and B6N has a mean hydraulic conductivity of 6-7 x 10 -5 m/s and the fracture zone between boreholes B5N and B6N, 2 x 10 -4 m/s. 3) The kinematic porosity of the fracture zones studied, calculated as the ratio between the hydraulic conductivity of the rock mass and that of the fracture zone, is 2 x 10 -3 and 5 x 10 -3 , respectively. 4) The roughness factor β, which expresses the ratio between measured and theoretically calculated (plane-parallel) fracture conductivity for the fracture zones studied, is approximately 0.04 and 0.06, respectively. 5) Dispersivity for the flow channels within the fracture zones is of the order of 0.3-0.8 m. 6) The groundwater encountered is a nearly neutral, probably reducing, Na-Ca-HCO 3 water. The results of the tracer tests reveal the following: I-131 is a suitable nonreactive tracer for the test area. A test with simultaneous injection of I-131 and T (tritium) gave comparable breakthrough curves. (Author)

  18. Soil hydraulic properties near saturation, an improved conductivity model

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Børgesen, Christen Duus; Jacobsen, Ole Hørbye; Hansen, Søren

    2006-01-01

    of commonly used hydraulic conductivity models and give suggestions for improved models. Water retention and near saturated and saturated hydraulic conductivity were measured for a variety of 81 top and subsoils. The hydraulic conductivity models by van Genuchten [van Genuchten, 1980. A closed-form equation...... for predicting the hydraulic conductivity of unsaturated soils. Soil Sci. Soc. Am. J. 44, 892–898.] (vGM) and Brooks and Corey, modified by Jarvis [Jarvis, 1991. MACRO—A Model of Water Movement and Solute Transport in Macroporous Soils. Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences. Department of Soil Sciences....... Optimising a matching factor (k0) improved the fit considerably whereas optimising the l-parameter in the vGM model improved the fit only slightly. The vGM was improved with an empirical scaling function to account for the rapid increase in conductivity near saturation. Using the improved models...

  19. Virtual Plants Need Water Too: Functional-Structural Root System Models in the Context of Drought Tolerance Breeding.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ndour, Adama; Vadez, Vincent; Pradal, Christophe; Lucas, Mikaël

    2017-01-01

    Developing a sustainable agricultural model is one of the great challenges of the coming years. The agricultural practices inherited from the Green Revolution of the 1960s show their limits today, and new paradigms need to be explored to counter rising issues such as the multiplication of climate-change related drought episodes. Two such new paradigms are the use of functional-structural plant models to complement and rationalize breeding approaches and a renewed focus on root systems as untapped sources of plant amelioration. Since the late 1980s, numerous functional and structural models of root systems were developed and used to investigate the properties of root systems in soil or lab-conditions. In this review, we focus on the conception and use of such root models in the broader context of research on root-driven drought tolerance, on the basis of root system architecture (RSA) phenotyping. Such models result from the integration of architectural, physiological and environmental data. Here, we consider the different phenotyping techniques allowing for root architectural and physiological study and their limits. We discuss how QTL and breeding studies support the manipulation of RSA as a way to improve drought resistance. We then go over the integration of the generated data within architectural models, how those architectural models can be coupled with functional hydraulic models, and how functional parameters can be measured to feed those models. We then consider the assessment and validation of those hydraulic models through confrontation of simulations to experimentations. Finally, we discuss the up and coming challenges facing root systems functional-structural modeling approaches in the context of breeding.

  20. Virtual Plants Need Water Too: Functional-Structural Root System Models in the Context of Drought Tolerance Breeding

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Adama Ndour

    2017-09-01

    Full Text Available Developing a sustainable agricultural model is one of the great challenges of the coming years. The agricultural practices inherited from the Green Revolution of the 1960s show their limits today, and new paradigms need to be explored to counter rising issues such as the multiplication of climate-change related drought episodes. Two such new paradigms are the use of functional-structural plant models to complement and rationalize breeding approaches and a renewed focus on root systems as untapped sources of plant amelioration. Since the late 1980s, numerous functional and structural models of root systems were developed and used to investigate the properties of root systems in soil or lab-conditions. In this review, we focus on the conception and use of such root models in the broader context of research on root-driven drought tolerance, on the basis of root system architecture (RSA phenotyping. Such models result from the integration of architectural, physiological and environmental data. Here, we consider the different phenotyping techniques allowing for root architectural and physiological study and their limits. We discuss how QTL and breeding studies support the manipulation of RSA as a way to improve drought resistance. We then go over the integration of the generated data within architectural models, how those architectural models can be coupled with functional hydraulic models, and how functional parameters can be measured to feed those models. We then consider the assessment and validation of those hydraulic models through confrontation of simulations to experimentations. Finally, we discuss the up and coming challenges facing root systems functional-structural modeling approaches in the context of breeding.

  1. Physical properties and fiber dimension in Stem, Branch and root of Alder Wood

    OpenAIRE

    Moya-Roque, Roger; Kiaei, Majid

    2015-01-01

    The aim of this study was to determine physical properties and fiber dimensions in stem, branch and root wood for alder (Alnus glutinosa L) species. For this purpose, three normal alder trees were selected from Khanican forest in north of Iran. Disks were taken from three parts such as stem, branch and root of trees. Testing samples were randomly taken at disk surfaces to examine the physical properties (according to the ISO standard for oven-dry density and volumetric shrinkage) and fiber di...

  2. Root-induced Changes in the Rhizosphere of Extreme High Yield Tropical Rice: 2. Soil Solution Chemical Properties

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mitsuru Osaki

    2012-09-01

    Full Text Available Our previous studies showed that the extreme high yield tropical rice (Padi Panjang produced 3-8 t ha-1 without fertilizers. We also found that the rice yield did not correlate with some soil properties. We thought that it may be due to ability of root in affecting soil properties in the root zone. Therefore, we studied the extent of rice root in affecting the chemical properties of soil solution surrounding the root zone. A homemade rhizobox (14x10x12 cm was used in this experiment. The rhizobox was vertically segmented 2 cm interval using nylon cloth that could be penetrated neither root nor mycorrhiza, but, soil solution was freely passing the cloth. Three soils of different origins (Kuin, Bunipah and Guntung Papuyu were used. The segment in the center was sown with 20 seeds of either Padi Panjang or IR64 rice varieties. After emerging, 10 seedlings were maintained for 5 weeks. At 4 weeks after sowing, some chemical properties of the soil solution were determined. These were ammonium (NH4+, nitrate (NO3-, phosphorus (P and iron (Fe2+ concentrations and pH, electric conductivity (EC and oxidation reduction potential (ORP. In general, the plant root changed solution chemical properties both in- and outside the soil rhizosphere. The patterns of changes were affected by the properties of soil origins. The release of exudates and change in ORP may have been responsible for the changes soil solution chemical properties.

  3. Physical properties of root cementum: Part I. A new method for 3-dimensional evaluation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Malek, S; Darendeliler, M A; Swain, M V

    2001-08-01

    Cementum is a nonuniform connective tissue that covers the roots of human teeth. Investigation of the physical properties of cementum may help in understanding or evaluating any possible connection to root resorption. A variety of engineering tests are available to investigate these properties. However, the thickness of the cementum layer varies, and this limits the applicability of these techniques in determining the physical properties of cementum. Hardness testing with Knoop and Vickers indentations overcame some of these limitations, but they prohibited the retrieval and retesting of the sample and therefore the testing was restricted to one area or section of the tooth. Another limiting factor with the existing techniques was the risk of artifacts related to the embedding material such as acrylic. A new method to investigate the physical properties of human premolar cementum was developed to obtain a 3-dimensional map of these properties with the Ultra Micro Indentation System (UMIS-2000; Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization, Campbell, Australia). UMIS-2000 is a nano-indentation instrument for investigation of the properties of the near-surface region of materials. Premolars were harvested from orthodontic patients requiring extractions and then mounted on a newly designed surveyor that allowed sample retrieval and 3-dimensional rotation. This novel method enabled the quantitative testing of root surface cementum, on all 4 root surfaces, extending from the apex to the cementoenamel junction at 60 different sites.

  4. Hydroponic root mats for wastewater treatment-a review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Zhongbing; Cuervo, Diego Paredes; Müller, Jochen A; Wiessner, Arndt; Köser, Heinz; Vymazal, Jan; Kästner, Matthias; Kuschk, Peter

    2016-08-01

    Hydroponic root mats (HRMs) are ecotechnological wastewater treatment systems where aquatic vegetation forms buoyant filters by their dense interwoven roots and rhizomes, sometimes supported by rafts or other floating materials. A preferential hydraulic flow is created in the water zone between the plant root mat and the bottom of the treatment system. When the mat touches the bottom of the water body, such systems can also function as HRM filter; i.e. the hydraulic flow passes directly through the root zone. HRMs have been used for the treatment of various types of polluted water, including domestic wastewater; agricultural effluents; and polluted river, lake, stormwater and groundwater and even acid mine drainage. This article provides an overview on the concept of applying floating HRM and non-floating HRM filters for wastewater treatment. Exemplary performance data are presented, and the advantages and disadvantages of this technology are discussed in comparison to those of ponds, free-floating plant and soil-based constructed wetlands. Finally, suggestions are provided on the preferred scope of application of HRMs.

  5. Hydraulic properties of alluvial soil of the ebb tide of Flocos Dam in Tuparetama - Pernambuco State, Brazil

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Souza, Eduardo S.; Montenegro, Abelardo A.A.

    2000-01-01

    The soil hydraulic properties, i.e., the soil-moisture characteristic curve, Θ(h), and the hydraulic conductivity, K(h), were determined for an alluvial soil from Flocos Dam, located at Tuparetama, state of Pernambuco, Brazil. The soil characteristic curves were determined through the functional adjustment, proposed by van Genuchten, to the values obtained in field measurements with tensiometers and neutron probes, and to values obtained in laboratory in a 'pressure pan' with a porous plate. The infiltration tests were performed for the depths of 0, 20, 40, 60, and 80 cm using an infiltration disk with a diameter of 80 mm, applying water at a potential of 0, -3, -6 and -12 cm. The hydraulic conductivity of the soil was determined through the VG method proposed by Zhang, which requires the previous knowledge of the soil-moisture characteristic curve. The determination of the soil-moisture characteristic curve by the two methods, using field or laboratory measurements, yielded similar results within the range of common pressure, from -300 to -100 cm, and indicates that the experimental results are sound and coherent. The heterogeneity of soil hydraulic properties within the soil profile can be explained by the variability in soil texture and dry bulk density throughout the profile. By using the diameter of the infiltration disk and the pressure applied to the soil, it was possible to characterize the porous matrix within the clayey layer. (author)

  6. Hydraulic and mechanical properties of young Norway spruce clones related to growth and wood structure

    Science.gov (United States)

    ROSNER, SABINE; KLEIN, ANDREA; MÜLLER, ULRICH; KARLSSON, BO

    2011-01-01

    Summary Stem segments of eight five-year-old Norway spruce (Picea abies (L.) Karst.) clones differing in growth characteristics were tested for maximum specific hydraulic conductivity (ks100), vulnerability to cavitation and behavior under mechanical stress. The vulnerability of the clones to cavitation was assessed by measuring the applied air pressure required to cause 12 and 50% loss of conductivity (Ψ12, Ψ50) and the percent loss of conductivity at 4 MPa applied air pressure (PLC4MPa). The bending strength and stiffness and the axial compression strength and stiffness of the same stem segments were measured to characterize wood mechanical properties. Growth ring width, wood density, latewood percentage, lumen diameter, cell wall thickness, tracheid length and pit dimensions of earlywood cells, spiral grain and microfibril angles were examined to identify structure–function relationships. High ks100 was strongly and positively related to spiral grain angle, which corresponded positively to tracheid length and pit dimensions. Spiral grain may reduce flow resistance of the bordered pits of the first earlywood tracheids, which are characterized by rounded tips and an equal distribution of pits along the entire length. Wood density was unrelated to hydraulic vulnerability parameters. Traits associated with higher hydraulic vulnerability were long tracheids, high latewood percentage and thick earlywood cell walls. The positive relationship between earlywood cell wall thickness and vulnerability to cavitation suggest that air seeding through the margo of bordered pits may occur in earlywood. There was a positive phenotypic and genotypic relationship between ks100 and PLC4MPa, and both parameters were positively related to tree growth rate. Variability in mechanical properties depended mostly on wood density, but also on the amount of compression wood. Accordingly, hydraulic conductivity and mechanical strength or stiffness showed no tradeoff. PMID:17472942

  7. Bayesian estimation of the hydraulic and solute transport properties of a small-scale unsaturated soil column

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Moreira, Paulo H S; Van Genuchten, Martinus Th; Orlande, Helcio R B; Cotta, Renato M.

    2016-01-01

    In this study the hydraulic and solute transport properties of an unsaturated soil were estimated simultaneously from a relatively simple small-scale laboratory column infiltration/outflow experiment. As governing equations we used the Richards equation for variably saturated flow and a physical

  8. Influence of irrigation and fertilization on transpiration and hydraulic properties of Populus deltoides.

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Samuelson, Lisa, J.; Stokes, Thomas, A.; Coleman, Mark, D.

    2007-02-01

    Summary Long-term hydraulic acclimation to resource availability was explored in 3-year-bld Populus deltoides Bartr. ex Marsh. clones by examining transpiration. leaf-specific hydraulic conductance (GL), canopy stomatal conductance (Gs) and leaf to sapwood area ratio (AL:Asi)n response to imgation (13 and 551 mm year in addition to ambient precipitation) and fertilization (0 and 120 kg N ha-' year-'). Sap flow was measured continuously over one growing season with thermal dissipation probes. Fertilization had a greater effect on growth and hydraulic properties than imgation, and fertilization effects were independent of irrigation treatment. Transpiration on a ground area basis (E) ranged between 0.3 and 1.8 mm day-', and increased 66% and 90% in response to imgation and fertilization, respectively. Increases in GL, Gs at a reference vapor pressure deficit of 1 kPa, and transpiration per unit leaf areain response to increases in resource availability were associated with reductions in AL:As and consequently a minimal change in the water potential gradient from soil to leaf. Imgation and fertilization increased leaf area index similarly, from an average 1.16 in control stands to 1.45, but sapwood area was increased from 4.0 to 6.3 m ha-' by irrigation and from 3.7 to 6.7 m2 ha-' by fertilization. The balance between leaf area and sapwood area was important in understanding long-term hydraulic acclimation to resource availability and mechanisms controlling maximum productivity in Populus deltoides.

  9. Water infiltration and hydraulic conductivity in a natural Mediterranean oak forest: impacts of hydrology-oriented silviculture on soil hydraulic properties

    Science.gov (United States)

    Di Prima, Simone; Bagarello, Vincenzo; Bautista, Inmaculada; Cerdà, Artemi; Cullotta, Sebastiano; del Campo, Antonio; González-Sanchis, María; Iovino, Massimo; Maetzke, Federico

    2016-04-01

    In the last years researchers reported an increasing need to have more awareness on the intimate link between land use and soil hydrological properties (soil organic matter storage, water infiltration, hydraulic conductivity) and their possible effects on water retention (e.g., Bens et al., 2006; del Campo et al., 2014; González-Sanchis et al., 2015; Molina and del Campo, 2012). In the Mediterranean ecosystems, special attention needs to be paid to the forest-water relationships due to the natural scarcity of water. Adaptive forest management (AFM) aims to adapt the forest to water availability by means of an artificial regulation of the forest structure and density in order to promote tree and stand resilience through enhancing soil water availability (del Campo et al., 2014). The opening of the canopy, due to the removal of a certain number of trees, is an important practice for the management of forests. It results in important modifications to the microclimatic conditions that influence the ecophysiological functioning of trees (Aussenac and Granier, 1988). However, the effect of thinning may vary depending on the specific conditions of the forest (Andréassian, 2004; Brooks et al., 2003; Cosandey et al., 2005; Lewis et al., 2000; Molina and del Campo, 2012). Different authors reported that a reduction in forest cover increases water yield due to the subsequent reduction in evapotranspiration (Brooks et al., 2003; González-Sanchis et al., 2015; Hibbert, 1983; Zhang et al., 2001). On the other hand, the water increase may be easily evaporated from the soil surface (Andréassian, 2004). In this context, determining soil hydraulic properties in forests is essential for understanding and simulating the hydrological processes (Alagna et al., 2015; Assouline and Mualem, 2002), in order to adapt a water-saving management to a specific case, or to study the effects of a particular management practice. However, it must be borne in mind that changes brought about by

  10. Fertilization with urea, ammonium and nitrate produce different effects on growth, hydraulic traits and drought tolerance in Pinus taeda seedlings.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Faustino, Laura I; Moretti, Ana P; Graciano, Corina

    2015-10-01

    Urea fertilization decreases Pinus taeda L. growth in clay soils of subtropical areas. The negative effect of urea is related to changes in some hydraulic traits, similar to those observed in plants growing under drought. The aims of this work were (i) to determine whether different sources of nitrogen applied as fertilizers produce similar changes in growth and hydraulic traits to those observed by urea fertilization and (ii) to analyze the impact of those changes in plant drought tolerance. Plants fertilized with urea, nitrate [Formula: see text] or ammonium [Formula: see text] were grown well watered or with reduced water supply. Urea and [Formula: see text] fertilization reduced plant growth and increased root hydraulic conductance scaled by root dry weight (DW). [Formula: see text] fertilization did not reduce plant growth and increased shoot hydraulic conductance and stem hydraulic conductivity. We conclude that [Formula: see text] is the ion involved in the changes linked to the negative effect of urea fertilization on P. taeda growth. [Formula: see text] fertilization does not change drought susceptibility and it produces changes in shoot hydraulic traits, therefore plants avoid the depressive effect of fertilization. Urea and [Formula: see text] fertilizers induce changes in DW and root hydraulic conductance and consequently plants are less affected by drought. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

  11. Variation of surficial soil hydraulic properties across land uses in the southern Blue Ridge Mountains, North Carolina, USA

    Science.gov (United States)

    Katie Price; C. Rhett Jackson; Albert J. Parker

    2010-01-01

    A full understanding of hydrologic response to human impact requires assessment of land-use impacts on key soil physical properties such as saturated hydraulic conductivity, bulk density, and moisture retention. Such properties have been shown to affect watershed hydrology by influencing pathways and transmission rates of precipitation to stream networks. Human land...

  12. Effective soil hydraulic properties in space and time: some field data analysis and modeling concepts

    Science.gov (United States)

    Soil hydraulic properties, which control surface fluxes and storage of water and chemicals in the soil profile, vary in space and time. Spatial variability above the measurement scale (e.g., soil area of 0.07 m2 or support volume of 14 L) must be upscaled appropriately to determine “effective” hydr...

  13. Physico-empirical approach for mapping soil hydraulic behaviour

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    G. D'Urso

    1997-01-01

    Full Text Available Abstract: Pedo-transfer functions are largely used in soil hydraulic characterisation of large areas. The use of physico-empirical approaches for the derivation of soil hydraulic parameters from disturbed samples data can be greatly enhanced if a characterisation performed on undisturbed cores of the same type of soil is available. In this study, an experimental procedure for deriving maps of soil hydraulic behaviour is discussed with reference to its application in an irrigation district (30 km2 in southern Italy. The main steps of the proposed procedure are: i the precise identification of soil hydraulic functions from undisturbed sampling of main horizons in representative profiles for each soil map unit; ii the determination of pore-size distribution curves from larger disturbed sampling data sets within the same soil map unit. iii the calibration of physical-empirical methods for retrieving soil hydraulic parameters from particle-size data and undisturbed soil sample analysis; iv the definition of functional hydraulic properties from water balance output; and v the delimitation of soil hydraulic map units based on functional properties.

  14. A Bayesian inverse modeling approach to estimate soil hydraulic properties of a toposequence in southeastern Amazonia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Stucchi Boschi, Raquel; Qin, Mingming; Gimenez, Daniel; Cooper, Miguel

    2016-04-01

    Modeling is an important tool for better understanding and assessing land use impacts on landscape processes. A key point for environmental modeling is the knowledge of soil hydraulic properties. However, direct determination of soil hydraulic properties is difficult and costly, particularly in vast and remote regions such as one constituting the Amazon Biome. One way to overcome this problem is to extrapolate accurately estimated data to pedologically similar sites. The van Genuchten (VG) parametric equation is the most commonly used for modeling SWRC. The use of a Bayesian approach in combination with the Markov chain Monte Carlo to estimate the VG parameters has several advantages compared to the widely used global optimization techniques. The Bayesian approach provides posterior distributions of parameters that are independent from the initial values and allow for uncertainty analyses. The main objectives of this study were: i) to estimate hydraulic parameters from data of pasture and forest sites by the Bayesian inverse modeling approach; and ii) to investigate the extrapolation of the estimated VG parameters to a nearby toposequence with pedologically similar soils to those used for its estimate. The parameters were estimated from volumetric water content and tension observations obtained after rainfall events during a 207-day period from pasture and forest sites located in the southeastern Amazon region. These data were used to run HYDRUS-1D under a Differential Evolution Adaptive Metropolis (DREAM) scheme 10,000 times, and only the last 2,500 times were used to calculate the posterior distributions of each hydraulic parameter along with 95% confidence intervals (CI) of volumetric water content and tension time series. Then, the posterior distributions were used to generate hydraulic parameters for two nearby toposequences composed by six soil profiles, three are under forest and three are under pasture. The parameters of the nearby site were accepted when

  15. Quasi-open loop hydraulic ram incremental actuator with power conserving properties

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Raymond, E.T.; Robinson, C.W.

    1982-01-01

    An electric stepping motor, operated by command signals from a computer or a microprocessor, rotates a rotary control member of a distributor valve, for sequencing hydraulic pressure and hence flow to the cylinders of an axial piston hydraulic machine. A group of the cylinders are subjected to pressure and flow and the remaining cylinders are vented to a return line. Rotation of the rotary control valve member sequences pressurization by progressively adding a cylinder to the forward edge to the pressurized group and removing a cylinder from the trailing edge of the pressurized group. The double ended pistons of each new pressurized group function to drive a wobble plate into a new position of equilibrium and then hold it in such position until another change in the makeup of the pressurized group. These pistons also displace hydraulic fluid from the opposite cylinder head which serves as the output of a pumping element. An increment of displacement of the wobble plate occurs in direct response to each command pulse that is received by the stepping motor. Wobble plate displacement drives the rotary valve of the hydraulic power transfer unit, causing it to transfer hydraulic fluid from a first expansible chamber on one side of a piston in a hydraulic ram to a second expansible chamber on the opposite side of the piston. Reverse drive of the hydraulic power transfer unit reverses the direction of transfer of hydraulic fluid between the two expansible chambers

  16. Hydraulic characterization of hydrothermally altered Nopal tuff

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Green, R.T.; Meyer-James, K.A. [Southwest Research Institute, San Antonio, TX (United States); Rice, G. [George Rice and Associates, San Antonio, TX (United States)

    1995-07-01

    Understanding the mechanics of variably saturated flow in fractured-porous media is of fundamental importance to evaluating the isolation performance of the proposed high-level radioactive waste repository for the Yucca Mountain site. Developing that understanding must be founded on the analysis and interpretation of laboratory and field data. This report presents an analysis of the unsaturated hydraulic properties of tuff cores from the Pena Blanca natural analog site in Mexico. The basic intent of the analysis was to examine possible trends and relationships between the hydraulic properties and the degree of hydrothermal alteration exhibited by the tuff samples. These data were used in flow simulations to evaluate the significance of a particular conceptual (composite) model and of distinct hydraulic properties on the rate and nature of water flow.

  17. Hydraulic characterization of hydrothermally altered Nopal tuff

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Green, R.T.; Meyer-James, K.A.; Rice, G.

    1995-07-01

    Understanding the mechanics of variably saturated flow in fractured-porous media is of fundamental importance to evaluating the isolation performance of the proposed high-level radioactive waste repository for the Yucca Mountain site. Developing that understanding must be founded on the analysis and interpretation of laboratory and field data. This report presents an analysis of the unsaturated hydraulic properties of tuff cores from the Pena Blanca natural analog site in Mexico. The basic intent of the analysis was to examine possible trends and relationships between the hydraulic properties and the degree of hydrothermal alteration exhibited by the tuff samples. These data were used in flow simulations to evaluate the significance of a particular conceptual (composite) model and of distinct hydraulic properties on the rate and nature of water flow

  18. Properties of estimated characteristic roots

    OpenAIRE

    Bent Nielsen; Heino Bohn Nielsen

    2008-01-01

    Estimated characteristic roots in stationary autoregressions are shown to give rather noisy information about their population equivalents. This is remarkable given the central role of the characteristic roots in the theory of autoregressive processes. In the asymptotic analysis the problems appear when multiple roots are present as this implies a non-differentiablity so the δ-method does not apply, convergence rates are slow, and the asymptotic distribution is non-normal. In finite samples ...

  19. Coarse and fine root plants affect pore size distributions differently

    OpenAIRE

    Bodner, G.; Leitner, D.; Kaul, H.-P.

    2014-01-01

    Aims Small scale root-pore interactions require validation of their impact on effective hydraulic processes at the field scale. Our objective was to develop an interpretative framework linking root effects on macroscopic pore parameters with knowledge at the rhizosphere scale. Methods A field experiment with twelve species from different families was conducted. Parameters of Kosugi?s pore size distribution (PSD) model were determined inversely from tension infiltrometer data. Measured root tr...

  20. Characterization of thermal, hydraulic, and gas diffusion properties in variably saturated sand grades

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Deepagoda Thuduwe Kankanamge Kelum, Chamindu; Smits, Kathleen; Ramirez, Jamie

    2016-01-01

    porous media transport properties, key transport parameters such as thermal conductivity and gas diffusivity are particularly important to describe temperature-induced heat transport and diffusion-controlled gas transport processes, respectively. Despite many experimental and numerical studies focusing...... transport models (thermal conductivity, saturated hydraulic conductivity, and gas diffusivity). An existing thermal conductivity model was improved to describe the distinct three-region behavior in observed thermal conductivity–water saturation relations. Applying widely used parametric models for saturated......Detailed characterization of partially saturated porous media is important for understanding and predicting vadose zone transport processes. While basic properties (e.g., particle- and pore-size distributions and soil-water retention) are, in general, essential prerequisites for characterizing most...

  1. Hydraulic fracturing of rock-fill dam

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jun-Jie WANG

    2016-02-01

    Full Text Available The condition in which hydraulic fracturing in core of earth-rock fill dam maybe induced, the mechanism by which the reason of hydraulic fracturing canbe explained, and the failure criterion by which the occurrence of hydraulicfracturing can be determined, were investigated. The condition dependson material properties such as, cracks in the core and low permeability ofcore soil, and “water wedging” action in cracks. An unsaturated core soiland fast impounding are the prerequisites for the formation of “waterwedging” action. The mechanism of hydraulic fracturing can be explainedby fracture mechanics. The crack propagation induced by water pressuremay follow any of mode I, mode II and mixed mode I-II. Based on testingresults of a core soil, a new criterion for hydraulic fracturing was suggested,from which mechanisms of hydraulic fracturing in the core of rock-fill damwere discussed. The results indicated that factors such as angle betweencrack surface and direction of principal stress, local stress state at thecrack, and fracture toughness KIC of core soil may largely affect theinduction of hydraulic fracturing and the mode of the propagation of thecrack.The condition in which hydraulic fracturing in core of earth-rock fill dam maybe induced, the mechanism by which the reason of hydraulic fracturing canbe explained, and the failure criterion by which the occurrence of hydraulicfracturing can be determined, were investigated. The condition dependson material properties such as, cracks in the core and low permeability ofcore soil, and “water wedging” action in cracks. An unsaturated core soiland fast impounding are the prerequisites for the formation of “waterwedging” action. The mechanism of hydraulic fracturing can be explainedby fracture mechanics. The crack propagation induced by water pressuremay follow any of mode I, mode II and mixed mode I-II. Based on testingresults of a core soil, a new criterion for hydraulic fracturing

  2. Greenland Analogue Project - Hydraulic properties of deformation zones and fracture domains at Forsmark, Laxemar and Olkiluoto for usage together with Geomodel version 1

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Follin, Sven; Stigsson, Martin; Rhen, Ingvar; Engstroem, Jon; Klint, Knut Erik

    2011-05-01

    The database of the GAP site is under development. In order to meet the data needs of the different modelling teams working with groundwater flow modelling it has been decided to compile trial data sets comprising structural-hydraulic properties suitable for flow modelling on different scales. The properties provided in this report are based on data and groundwater flow modelling studies conducted for three sites located in the Fennoscandian Shield, two of which are studied by SKB, Forsmark and Laxemar, and one by Posiva, Olkiluoto. The provided hydraulic properties provided here are simplified to facilitate a readily usage together with the GAP Geomodel version 1

  3. Greenland Analogue Project - Hydraulic properties of deformation zones and fracture domains at Forsmark, Laxemar and Olkiluoto for usage together with Geomodel version 1

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Follin, Sven (SF GeoLogic AB (Sweden)); Stigsson, Martin (Swedish Nuclear Fuel and Waste Management Co., Stockholm (Sweden)); Rhen, Ingvar (Sweco Environment AB (Sweden)); Engstroem, Jon (Geologian tutkimuskeskus (Finland)); Klint, Knut Erik (De Nationale Geologiske Undersoegelser for Danmark og Groenland (Denmark))

    2011-05-15

    The database of the GAP site is under development. In order to meet the data needs of the different modelling teams working with groundwater flow modelling it has been decided to compile trial data sets comprising structural-hydraulic properties suitable for flow modelling on different scales. The properties provided in this report are based on data and groundwater flow modelling studies conducted for three sites located in the Fennoscandian Shield, two of which are studied by SKB, Forsmark and Laxemar, and one by Posiva, Olkiluoto. The provided hydraulic properties provided here are simplified to facilitate a readily usage together with the GAP Geomodel version 1.

  4. Dual regulation of root hydraulic conductivity and plasma membrane aquaporins by plant nitrate accumulation and high-affinity nitrate transporter NRT2.1.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Guowei; Tillard, Pascal; Gojon, Alain; Maurel, Christophe

    2016-04-01

    The water status and mineral nutrition of plants critically determine their growth and development. Nitrate (NO3(-)), the primary nitrogen source of higher plants, is known to impact the water transport capacity of roots (root hydraulic conductivity, Lpr). To explore the effects and mode of action of NO3(-) on Lpr, we used an extended set of NO3(-) transport (nrt1.1, nrt1.2, nrt1.5 and nrt2.1), signaling (nrt1.1 and nrt2.1) and metabolism (nia) mutants in Arabidopsis, grown under various NO3(-) conditions. First, a strong positive relationship between Lpr and NO3(-) accumulation, in shoots rather than in roots, was revealed. Secondly, a specific 30% reduction of Lpr in nrt2.1 plants unraveled a major role for the high-affinity NO3(-) transporter NRT2.1 in increasing Lpr These results indicate that NO3(-)signaling rather than nitrogen assimilation products governs Lpr in Arabidopsis. Quantitative real-time reverse transcription-PCR and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISAs) were used to investigate the effects of NO3(-) availability on plasma membrane aquaporin (plasma membrane intrinsic protein; PIP) expression. Whereas PIP regulation mostly occurs at the post-translational level in wild-type plants, a regulation of PIPs at both the transcriptional and translational levels was uncovered in nrt2.1 plants. In conclusion, this work reveals that control of Arabidopsis Lpr and PIP functions by NO3(-) involves novel shoot to root signaling and NRT2.1-dependent functions. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Japanese Society of Plant Physiologists. All rights reserved. For permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

  5. Effects of non-linearity of material properties on the coupled mechanical-hydraulic-thermal behavior in rock mass

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kobayashi, Akira; Ohnishi, Yuzo

    1986-01-01

    The nonlinearity of material properties used in the coupled mechanical-hydraulic-thermal analysis is investigated from the past literatures. Some nonlinearity that is respectively effective for the system is introduced into our computer code for analysis such a coupling problem by using finite element method. And the effects of nonlinearity of each material property on the coupled behavior in rock mass are examined for simple model and Stripa project model with the computer code. (author)

  6. Palaeo-adaptive properties of the xylem of Metasequoia: mechanical/hydraulic compromises.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jagels, Richard; Visscher, George E; Lucas, John; Goodell, Barry

    2003-07-01

    The xylem of Metasequoia glyptostroboides Hu et Cheng is characterized by very low density (average specific gravity = 0.27) and tracheids with relatively large dimensions (length and diameter). The microfibril angle in the S2 layer of tracheid walls is large, even in outer rings, suggesting a cambial response to compressive rather than tensile stresses. In some cases, this compressive stress is converted to irreversible strain (plastic deformation), as evidenced by cell wall corrugations. The heartwood is moderately decay resistant, helping to prevent Brazier buckling. These xylem properties are referenced to the measured bending properties of modulus of rupture and modulus of elasticity, and compared with other low-to-moderate density conifers. The design strategy for Metasequoia is to produce a mechanically weak but hydraulically efficient xylem that permits rapid height growth and crown development to capture and dominate a wet site environment. The adaptability of these features to a high-latitude Eocene palaeoenvironment is discussed.

  7. Palaeo‐adaptive Properties of the Xylem of Metasequoia: Mechanical/Hydraulic Compromises

    Science.gov (United States)

    JAGELS, RICHARD; VISSCHER, GEORGE E.; LUCAS, JOHN; GOODELL, BARRY

    2003-01-01

    The xylem of Metasequoia glyptostroboides Hu et Cheng is characterized by very low density (average specific gravity = 0·27) and tracheids with relatively large dimensions (length and diameter). The microfibril angle in the S2 layer of tracheid walls is large, even in outer rings, suggesting a cambial response to compressive rather than tensile stresses. In some cases, this compressive stress is converted to irreversible strain (plastic deformation), as evidenced by cell wall corrugations. The heartwood is moderately decay resistant, helping to prevent Brazier buckling. These xylem properties are referenced to the measured bending properties of modulus of rupture and modulus of elasticity, and compared with other low‐to‐moderate density conifers. The design strategy for Metasequoia is to produce a mechanically weak but hydraulically efficient xylem that permits rapid height growth and crown development to capture and dominate a wet site environment. The adaptability of these features to a high‐latitude Eocene palaeoenvironment is discussed. PMID:12763758

  8. Estimation of Hydraulic properties of a sandy soil using ground-based active and passive microwave remote sensing

    KAUST Repository

    Jonard, François

    2015-06-01

    In this paper, we experimentally analyzed the feasibility of estimating soil hydraulic properties from 1.4 GHz radiometer and 0.8-2.6 GHz ground-penetrating radar (GPR) data. Radiometer and GPR measurements were performed above a sand box, which was subjected to a series of vertical water content profiles in hydrostatic equilibrium with a water table located at different depths. A coherent radiative transfer model was used to simulate brightness temperatures measured with the radiometer. GPR data were modeled using full-wave layered medium Green\\'s functions and an intrinsic antenna representation. These forward models were inverted to optimally match the corresponding passive and active microwave data. This allowed us to reconstruct the water content profiles, and thereby estimate the sand water retention curve described using the van Genuchten model. Uncertainty of the estimated hydraulic parameters was quantified using the Bayesian-based DREAM algorithm. For both radiometer and GPR methods, the results were in close agreement with in situ time-domain reflectometry (TDR) estimates. Compared with radiometer and TDR, much smaller confidence intervals were obtained for GPR, which was attributed to its relatively large bandwidth of operation, including frequencies smaller than 1.4 GHz. These results offer valuable insights into future potential and emerging challenges in the development of joint analyses of passive and active remote sensing data to retrieve effective soil hydraulic properties.

  9. Root respiration in citrus acclimates to temperature and slows during drought

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Bryla, D.R.; Bouma, T.J.; Eissenstat, D.M.

    1997-01-01

    Citrus seedlings were grown in soil columns in which the root system was hydraulically separated into tyro equal layers; this enabled us to maintain roots in the upper layer without water for 110 d, The columns were placed into waterbaths modified so that soil temperatures in the top layer could be

  10. Impacts of the physiochemical properties of chlorinated solvents on the sorption of trichloroethylene to the roots of Typha latifolia

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Ma Xingmao [Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Southern Illinois University Carbondale, 1230 Lincoln Drive, Carbondale, IL 62901 (United States)], E-mail: ma@engr.siu.edu; Wang Chen [Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Southern Illinois University Carbondale, 1230 Lincoln Drive, Carbondale, IL 62901 (United States)

    2009-03-15

    Sorption to plant roots is the first step for organic contaminants to enter plant tissues. Mounting evidence is showing that sorption to plant roots is nonlinear and competitive. The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of physiochemical properties of homologous chlorinated ethenes and ethanes on the competitive sorption of trichloroethylene (TCE) to the roots of Typha latifolia (cattail). The results showed that chlorinated ethenes exerted significantly stronger competition on the sorption of TCE than chlorinated ethanes. Individual physiochemical properties of organic compounds could be related to the competitive capacity of chlorinated ethenes, but the roles appeared secondary, with molecular structures showing primary effects. Based on these observations, a two-step sorption mechanism was proposed, consisting of the interactions between organic compounds and functional groups on the root surface and subsequent pore filling and absorption to the hydrophobic domains in the composition of roots. - Molecular structures and physiochemical properties of homologous chlorinated aliphatics are important factors affecting competitive sorption of TCE to plant roots.

  11. Impacts of the physiochemical properties of chlorinated solvents on the sorption of trichloroethylene to the roots of Typha latifolia

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ma Xingmao; Wang Chen

    2009-01-01

    Sorption to plant roots is the first step for organic contaminants to enter plant tissues. Mounting evidence is showing that sorption to plant roots is nonlinear and competitive. The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of physiochemical properties of homologous chlorinated ethenes and ethanes on the competitive sorption of trichloroethylene (TCE) to the roots of Typha latifolia (cattail). The results showed that chlorinated ethenes exerted significantly stronger competition on the sorption of TCE than chlorinated ethanes. Individual physiochemical properties of organic compounds could be related to the competitive capacity of chlorinated ethenes, but the roles appeared secondary, with molecular structures showing primary effects. Based on these observations, a two-step sorption mechanism was proposed, consisting of the interactions between organic compounds and functional groups on the root surface and subsequent pore filling and absorption to the hydrophobic domains in the composition of roots. - Molecular structures and physiochemical properties of homologous chlorinated aliphatics are important factors affecting competitive sorption of TCE to plant roots

  12. Linking hydraulic properties of fire-affected soils to infiltration and water repellency

    Science.gov (United States)

    Moody, John A.; Kinner, David A.; Úbeda, Xavier

    2009-12-01

    SummaryHeat from wildfires can produce a two-layer system composed of extremely dry soil covered by a layer of ash, which when subjected to rainfall, may produce extreme floods. To understand the soil physics controlling runoff for these initial conditions, we used a small, portable disk infiltrometer to measure two hydraulic properties: (1) near-saturated hydraulic conductivity, K f and (2) sorptivity, S( θ i), as a function of initial soil moisture content, θ i, ranging from extremely dry conditions ( θ i ash, reference soils, soils unaffected by fire, and fire-affected soils. Each has a different degrees of water repellency that influences K f and S( θ i). Values of K f ranged from 4.5 × 10 -3 to 53 × 10 -3 cm s -1 for ash; from 0.93 × 10 -3 to 130 × 10 -3 cm s -1 for reference soils; and from 0.86 × 10 -3 to 3.0 × 10 -3 cm s -1, for soil unaffected by fire, which had the lowest values of K f. Measurements indicated that S( θ i) could be represented by an empirical non-linear function of θ i with a sorptivity maximum of 0.18-0.20 cm s -0.5, between 0.03 and 0.08 cm 3 cm -3. This functional form differs from the monotonically decreasing non-linear functions often used to represent S( θ i) for rainfall-runoff modeling. The sorptivity maximum may represent the combined effects of gravity, capillarity, and adsorption in a transitional domain corresponding to extremely dry soil, and moreover, it may explain the observed non-linear behavior, and the critical soil-moisture threshold of water repellent soils. Laboratory measurements of K f and S( θ i) are the first for ash and fire-affected soil, but additional measurements are needed of these hydraulic properties for in situ fire-affected soils. They provide insight into water repellency behavior and infiltration under extremely dry conditions. Most importantly, they indicate how existing rainfall-runoff models can be modified to accommodate a possible two-layer system in extremely dry conditions. These

  13. River channel morphology and hydraulics properties due to introduction of plant basket hydraulic structures for river channel management

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kałuża, Tomasz; Radecki-Pawlik, Artur; Plesiński, Karol; Walczak, Natalia; Szoszkiewicz, Krzysztof; Radecki-Pawlik, Bartosz

    2016-04-01

    In the present time integrated water management is directly connected with management and direct works in river channels themselves which are taking into account morphological processes in rivers and improve flow conditions. Our work focused on the hydraulic and hydrodynamic consequences upon the introduction of the concept of the improvement of the hydromorphological conditions of the Flinta River in a given reach following river channel management concept. Based on a comprehensive study of the hydromorphological state of the river, four sections were selected where restoration measures can efficiently improve river habitat conditions in the river. For each section a set of technical and biological measures were proposed and implemented in practice. One of the proposed solutions was to construct plant basket hydraulic structures (PBHS) within the river channel, which are essentially plant barriers working as sediment traps, changing river channel morphology and are in line with concepts of Water Framework Directive. These relatively small structures work as crested weirs and unquestionably change the channel morphology. Along our work we show the results of three-year long (2013-2015) systematic measurements that provided information on the morphological consequences of introducing such structures into a river channel. Our main conclusions are as follows: 1. Plant basket hydraulic structures cause changes in hydrodynamic conditions and result in sediment accumulation and the formation of river backwaters upstream and downstream the obstacle; 2. The introduced plant basket hydraulic structures cause plant debris accumulation which influences the hydrodynamic flow conditions; 3. The installation of plant basket hydraulic structures on the river bed changes flow pattern as well as flow hydrodynamic conditions causing river braiding process; 4. The erosion rate below the plant basket hydraulic structures is due to the hydraulic work conditions of the PBHS and its

  14. Understanding the influence of biofilm accumulation on the hydraulic properties of soils: a mechanistic approach based on experimental data

    Science.gov (United States)

    Carles Brangarí, Albert; Sanchez-Vila, Xavier; Freixa, Anna; Romaní, Anna M.; Fernàndez-Garcia, Daniel

    2017-04-01

    The distribution, amount, and characteristics of biofilms and its components govern the capacity of soils to let water through, to transport solutes, and the reactions occurring. Therefore, unraveling the relationship between microbial dynamics and the hydraulic properties of soils is of concern for the management of natural systems and many technological applications. However, the increased complexity of both the microbial communities and the geochemical processes entailed by them causes that the phenomenon of bioclogging remains poorly understood. This highlights the need for a better understanding of the microbial components such as live and dead bacteria and extracellular polymeric substances (EPS), as well as of their spatial distribution. This work tries to shed some light on these issues, providing experimental data and a new mechanistic model that predicts the variably saturated hydraulic properties of bio-amended soils based on these data. We first present a long-term laboratory infiltration experiment that aims at studying the temporal variation of selected biogeochemical parameters along the infiltration path. The setup consists of a 120-cm-high soil tank instrumented with an array of sensors plus soil and liquid samplers. Sensors measured a wide range of parameters in continuous, such as volumetric water content, electrical conductivity, temperature, water pressure, soil suction, dissolved oxygen, and pH. Samples were kept for chemical and biological analyses. Results indicate that: i) biofilm is present at all depths, denoting the potential for deep bioclogging, ii) the redox conditions profile shows different stages, indicating that the community was adapted to changing redox conditions, iii) bacterial activity, richness and diversity also exhibit zonation with depth, and iv) the hydraulic properties of the soil experienced significant changes as biofilm proliferated. Based on experimental evidences, we propose a tool to predict changes in the

  15. Quantification of root water uptake in soil using X-ray computed tomography and image-based modelling.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Daly, Keith R; Tracy, Saoirse R; Crout, Neil M J; Mairhofer, Stefan; Pridmore, Tony P; Mooney, Sacha J; Roose, Tiina

    2018-01-01

    Spatially averaged models of root-soil interactions are often used to calculate plant water uptake. Using a combination of X-ray computed tomography (CT) and image-based modelling, we tested the accuracy of this spatial averaging by directly calculating plant water uptake for young wheat plants in two soil types. The root system was imaged using X-ray CT at 2, 4, 6, 8 and 12 d after transplanting. The roots were segmented using semi-automated root tracking for speed and reproducibility. The segmented geometries were converted to a mesh suitable for the numerical solution of Richards' equation. Richards' equation was parameterized using existing pore scale studies of soil hydraulic properties in the rhizosphere of wheat plants. Image-based modelling allows the spatial distribution of water around the root to be visualized and the fluxes into the root to be calculated. By comparing the results obtained through image-based modelling to spatially averaged models, the impact of root architecture and geometry in water uptake was quantified. We observed that the spatially averaged models performed well in comparison to the image-based models with <2% difference in uptake. However, the spatial averaging loses important information regarding the spatial distribution of water near the root system. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  16. Role of vegetation type on hydraulic conductivity in urban rain gardens

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schott, K.; Balster, N. J.; Johnston, M. R.

    2009-12-01

    Although case studies report improved control of urban stormwater within residential rain gardens, the extent to which vegetation type (shrub, turf, prairie) affects the saturated hydraulic conductivity (Ksat) of these depressions has yet to be investigated in a controlled experiment. We hypothesized that there would be significant differences in hydraulic conductivity by vegetation type due to differences in soil physical characteristics and rooting dynamics such that Ksat of shrub gardens would exceed that of prairie, followed by turf. To test this hypothesis, we measured changes in Ksat relative to the above vegetation types as well as non-vegetative controls, each of which were replicated three times for a total of 12 rain gardens. Ksat was calculated using a published method for curve-fitting to single-ring infiltration with a two-head approach where the shape factor is independent of ponding depth. Constant-head infiltration rates were measured at two alternating ponding depths within each garden twice over the growing season. Root core samples were also taken to qualify belowground characteristics including soil bulk density and rooting dynamics relative to differences in Ksat. We found the control and shrub gardens had the lowest mean Ksat of 3.56 (SE = 0.96) and 3.73 (1.22) cm3 hr-1, respectively. Prairie gardens had the next highest mean Ksat of 12.18 (2.26) cm3 hr-1, and turf had the highest mean value of 23.63 (1.81) cm3 hr-1. These data suggest that a denser rooting network near the soil surface may influence saturated hydraulic conductivity. We applied our observed flow rates to a Glover solution model for 3-dimensional flow, which revealed considerably larger discrepancies in turf gardens than beneath prairie or shrub. This indicated that lateral flow conditions in the turf plots could be the explanation for our observed infiltration rates.

  17. Analysis of INDOT current hydraulic policies : [technical summary].

    Science.gov (United States)

    2011-01-01

    Hydraulic design often tends to be on a conservative side for safety reasons. Hydraulic structures are typically oversized with the goal being reduced future maintenance costs, and to reduce the risk of property owner complaints. This approach leads ...

  18. Hydraulic testing around Room Q: Evaluation of the effects of mining on the hydraulic properties of Salado Evaporites

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Domski, P.S.; Upton, D.T. [INTERA, Inc., Albuquerque, NM (United States); Beauheim, R.L. [Sandia National Laboratories, Albuquerque, NM (United States)

    1996-03-01

    Room Q is a 109-m-long cylindrical excavation in the Salado Formation at the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) site. Fifteen boreholes were drilled and instrumented around Room Q so that tests could be conducted to determine the effects of room excavation on the hydraulic properties of the surrounding evaporate rocks. Pressure-buildup and pressure-pulse tests were conducted in all of the boreholes before Room Q was mined. The data sets from only eight of the boreholes are adequate for parameter estimation, and five of those are of poor quality. Constant-pressure flow tests and pressure-buildup tests were conducted after Room Q was mined, producing eleven interpretable data sets, including two of poor quality. Pre-mining transmissivities interpreted from the three good-quality data sets ranged from 1 x 10{sup -15} to 5 x 10{sup -14} m{sup 2}/s (permeability-thickness products of 2 x 10{sup -22} to 9 x 10{sup -21} m{sup 3}) for test intervals ranging in length from 0.85 to 1.37 m. Pre-mining average permeabilities, which can be considered representative of undisturbed, far-field conditions, were 6 x 10{sup -20} and 8 x 10{sup -20} m{sup 2} for anhydrite, and 3 x 10{sup -22} m{sup 2} for halite. Post-mining transmissivities interpreted from the good-quality data sets ranged from 1 x 10{sup -16} to 3 x 10{sup -13} m{sup 2}/s (permeability-thickness products of 2 x 10{sup -23} to 5 x 10{sup -20} m{sup 3}). Post-mining average permeabilities for anhydrite ranged from 8 x 10{sup -20} to 1 x 10{sup -19} m{sup 2}. The changes in hydraulic properties and pore pressures that were observed can be attributed to one or a combination of three processes: stress reduction, changes in pore connectivity, and flow towards Room Q. The effects of the three processes cannot be individually quantified with the available data.

  19. Hydraulic testing around Room Q: Evaluation of the effects of mining on the hydraulic properties of Salado Evaporites

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Domski, P.S.; Upton, D.T.; Beauheim, R.L.

    1996-03-01

    Room Q is a 109-m-long cylindrical excavation in the Salado Formation at the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) site. Fifteen boreholes were drilled and instrumented around Room Q so that tests could be conducted to determine the effects of room excavation on the hydraulic properties of the surrounding evaporate rocks. Pressure-buildup and pressure-pulse tests were conducted in all of the boreholes before Room Q was mined. The data sets from only eight of the boreholes are adequate for parameter estimation, and five of those are of poor quality. Constant-pressure flow tests and pressure-buildup tests were conducted after Room Q was mined, producing eleven interpretable data sets, including two of poor quality. Pre-mining transmissivities interpreted from the three good-quality data sets ranged from 1 x 10 -15 to 5 x 10 -14 m 2 /s (permeability-thickness products of 2 x 10 -22 to 9 x 10 -21 m 3 ) for test intervals ranging in length from 0.85 to 1.37 m. Pre-mining average permeabilities, which can be considered representative of undisturbed, far-field conditions, were 6 x 10 -20 and 8 x 10 -20 m 2 for anhydrite, and 3 x 10 -22 m 2 for halite. Post-mining transmissivities interpreted from the good-quality data sets ranged from 1 x 10 -16 to 3 x 10 -13 m 2 /s (permeability-thickness products of 2 x 10 -23 to 5 x 10 -20 m 3 ). Post-mining average permeabilities for anhydrite ranged from 8 x 10 -20 to 1 x 10 -19 m 2 . The changes in hydraulic properties and pore pressures that were observed can be attributed to one or a combination of three processes: stress reduction, changes in pore connectivity, and flow towards Room Q. The effects of the three processes cannot be individually quantified with the available data

  20. Co-occurring woody species have diverse hydraulic strategies and mortality rates during an extreme drought: Belowground hydraulic failure during drought

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Johnson, Daniel M. [College of Natural Resources, University of Idaho, Moscow ID 83844 USA; Domec, Jean-Christophe [Bordeaux Sciences Agro, UMR INRA-ISPA 1391, Gradignan 33195 France; Nicholas School of the Environment, Duke University, Durham NC 27708 USA; Carter Berry, Z. [College of Natural Resources, University of Idaho, Moscow ID 83844 USA; Department of Natural Resources and the Environment, University of New Hampshire, Durham NH 03824 USA; Schwantes, Amanda M. [Nicholas School of the Environment, Duke University, Durham NC 27708 USA; McCulloh, Katherine A. [Department of Botany, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison WI 53705 USA; Woodruff, David R. [US Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Research Station, Corvallis OR 97331 USA; Wayne Polley, H. [Grassland, Soil & Water Research Laboratory USDA-Agricultural Research Service, Temple TX 76502 USA; Wortemann, Remí [INRA Nancy, UMR INRA-UL 1137 Ecologie et Ecophysiologie Forestières, Champenoux 54280 France; Swenson, Jennifer J. [Nicholas School of the Environment, Duke University, Durham NC 27708 USA; Scott Mackay, D. [Department of Geography, State University of New York, Buffalo NY 14261 USA; McDowell, Nate G. [Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland WA 99352 USA; Jackson, Robert B. [Department of Earth System Science, Woods Institute for the Environment, and Precourt Institute for Energy, Stanford University, Stanford CA 94305 USA

    2018-01-29

    From 2011 to 2013, Texas experienced its worst drought in recorded history. This event provided a unique natural experiment to assess species-specific responses to extreme drought and mortality of four co-occurring woody species: Quercus fusiformis, Diospyros texana, Prosopis glandulosa and Juniperus ashei. We examined hypothesized mechanisms that could promote these species’ diverse mortality patterns using post-drought measurements on surviving trees coupled to retrospective process modeling. The species exhibited a wide range of gas exchange responses, hydraulic strategies, and mortality rates. Multiple proposed indices of mortality mechanisms were not consistent with the observed mortality patterns across species, including measures of iso/anisohydry, photosynthesis, carbohydrate depletion, and hydraulic safety margins. Large losses of growing season whole-tree conductance (driven by belowground losses of conductance), and shallower rooting depths, were associated with species that exhibited greater mortality. Based on this retrospective analysis, we suggest that species more vulnerable to drought were more likely to have succumbed to hydraulic failure belowground.

  1. Overproduction of abscisic acid in tomato increases transpiration efficiency and root hydraulic conductivity and influences leaf expansion.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Thompson, Andrew J; Andrews, John; Mulholland, Barry J; McKee, John M T; Hilton, Howard W; Horridge, Jon S; Farquhar, Graham D; Smeeton, Rachel C; Smillie, Ian R A; Black, Colin R; Taylor, Ian B

    2007-04-01

    Overexpression of genes that respond to drought stress is a seemingly attractive approach for improving drought resistance in crops. However, the consequences for both water-use efficiency and productivity must be considered if agronomic utility is sought. Here, we characterize two tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) lines (sp12 and sp5) that overexpress a gene encoding 9-cis-epoxycarotenoid dioxygenase, the enzyme that catalyzes a key rate-limiting step in abscisic acid (ABA) biosynthesis. Both lines contained more ABA than the wild type, with sp5 accumulating more than sp12. Both had higher transpiration efficiency because of their lower stomatal conductance, as demonstrated by increases in delta(13)C and delta(18)O, and also by gravimetric and gas-exchange methods. They also had greater root hydraulic conductivity. Under well-watered glasshouse conditions, mature sp5 plants were found to have a shoot biomass equal to the wild type despite their lower assimilation rate per unit leaf area. These plants also had longer petioles, larger leaf area, increased specific leaf area, and reduced leaf epinasty. When exposed to root-zone water deficits, line sp12 showed an increase in xylem ABA concentration and a reduction in stomatal conductance to the same final levels as the wild type, but from a different basal level. Indeed, the main difference between the high ABA plants and the wild type was their performance under well-watered conditions: the former conserved soil water by limiting maximum stomatal conductance per unit leaf area, but also, at least in the case of sp5, developed a canopy more suited to light interception, maximizing assimilation per plant, possibly due to improved turgor or suppression of epinasty.

  2. Comparative study of methods to estimate hydraulic parameters in the hydraulically undisturbed Opalinus Clay (Switzerland)

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Yu, C.; Matray, J.-M. [Institut de Radioprotection et de Sûreté Nucléaire, Fontenay-aux-Roses, (France); Yu, C.; Gonçalvès, J. [Aix Marseille Université UMR 6635 CEREGE Technopôle Environnement Arbois-Méditerranée Aix-en-Provence, Cedex 4 (France); and others

    2017-04-15

    The deep borehole (DB) experiment gave the opportunity to acquire hydraulic parameters in a hydraulically undisturbed zone of the Opalinus Clay at the Mont Terri rock laboratory (Switzerland). Three methods were used to estimate hydraulic conductivity and specific storage values of the Opalinus Clay formation and its bounding formations through the 248 m deep borehole BDB-1: application of a Poiseuille-type law involving petrophysical measurements, spectral analysis of pressure time series and in situ hydraulic tests. The hydraulic conductivity range in the Opalinus Clay given by the first method is 2 × 10{sup -14}-6 × 10{sup -13} m s{sup -1} for a cementation factor ranging between 2 and 3. These results show low vertical variability whereas in situ hydraulic tests suggest higher values up to 7 × 10{sup -12} m s{sup -1}. Core analysis provides economical estimates of the homogeneous matrix hydraulic properties but do not account for heterogeneities at larger scale such as potential tectonic conductive features. Specific storage values obtained by spectral analysis are consistent and in the order of 10{sup -6} m{sup -1}, while formulations using phase shift and gain between pore pressure signals were found to be inappropriate to evaluate hydraulic conductivity in the Opalinus Clay. The values obtained are globally in good agreement with the ones obtained previously at the rock laboratory. (authors)

  3. Antioxidant, antimicrobial, toxicity and analgesic properties of ethanol extract of Solena amplexicaulis root

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Md Golam Kabir

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available BACKGROUND: This study was subjected to investigate different pharmacological properties of ethanol extract ofSolena amplexicaulis root. RESULTS: The extract contains flavonoid, alkaloid, saponin and steroid compounds. The extract exhibited excellent antioxidant activity in DPPH radical scavenging activity. The extract also showed potent activity in brine shrimp lethality bioassay. The LC50 value was found to 44.677 µg/ml. The extract showed better anti-bacterial activity against gram-negative bacteria. In antifungal assay, the maximum 79.31% of anti-mycotic activity was observed against Aspergillus ochraceus while minimum 44.2% against Rhizopus oryzae. MIC value ranged between 1500 - 3000 µg/ml. The extract was found moderately toxic with a 24-hr LD50 value of 81.47 mg/kg in Swiss albino mice. The degree of inhibition by the ethanolic extract of the root was found less than that of standard analgesic drug diclofenac sodium. The extract also showed moderate anti-inflammatory and antinociceptive activity and anti-diabetic property. Reducing power of the extract was comparable with standard ascorbic acid. Moderate in vitro thrombolytic activity, lipid peroxidation inhibition property, metal chelating ability and stress-protective activity was also observed. CONCLUSION: Ethanol extract of Solena amplexicaulis root can be valuable for treatment of different diseases.

  4. Hydraulic redistribution of water from Pinus ponderosa trees to seedlings: evidence for an ectomycorrhizal pathway.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Warren, Jeffrey M; Brooks, J Renée; Meinzer, Frederick C; Eberhart, Joyce L

    2008-01-01

    While there is strong evidence for hydraulic redistribution (HR) of soil water by trees, it is not known if common mycorrhizal networks (CMN) can facilitate HR from mature trees to seedlings under field conditions. Ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa) seedlings were planted into root-excluding 61-microm mesh barrier chambers buried in an old-growth pine forest. After 2 yr, several mature trees were cut and water enriched in D(2)O and acid fuchsin dye was applied to the stumps. Fine roots and mycorrhizal root tips of source trees became heavily dyed, indicating reverse sap flow in root xylem transported water from stems throughout root systems to the root hyphal mantle that interfaces with CMN. Within 3 d, D(2)O was found in mesh-chamber seedling foliage > 1 m from source trees; after 3 wk, eight of 10 mesh-chamber seedling stem samples were significantly enriched above background levels. Average mesh-chamber enrichment was 1.8 x greater than that for two seedlings for which the connections to CMN were broken by trenching before D(2)O application. Even small amounts of water provided to mycorrhizas by HR may maintain hyphal viability and facilitate nutrient uptake under drying conditions, which may provide an advantage to seedlings hydraulically linked by CMN to large trees.

  5. Unit Root Properties of Seasonal Adjustment and Related Filters: Special Cases

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Bell William.R.

    2017-03-01

    Full Text Available Bell (2012 catalogued unit root factors contained in linear filters used in seasonal adjustment (model-based or from the X-11 method but noted that, for model-based seasonal adjustment, special cases could arise where filters could contain more unit root factors than was indicated by the general results. This article reviews some special cases that occur with canonical ARIMA model based adjustment in which, with some commonly used ARIMA models, the symmetric seasonal filters contain two extra nonseasonal differences (i.e., they include an extra (1 - B(1 - F. This increases by two the degree of polynomials in time that are annihilated by the seasonal filter and reproduced by the seasonal adjustment filter. Other results for canonical ARIMA adjustment that are reported in Bell (2012, including properties of the trend and irregular filters, and properties of the asymmetric and finite filters, are unaltered in these special cases. Special cases for seasonal adjustment with structural ARIMA component models are also briefly discussed.

  6. Environmental and management influences on temporal variability of near saturated soil hydraulic properties☆

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bodner, G.; Scholl, P.; Loiskandl, W.; Kaul, H.-P.

    2013-01-01

    Structural porosity is a decisive property for soil productivity and soil environmental functions. Hydraulic properties in the structural range vary over time in response to management and environmental influences. Although this is widely recognized, there are few field studies that determine dominant driving forces underlying hydraulic property dynamics. During a three year field experiment we measured temporal variability of soil hydraulic properties by tension infiltrometry. Soil properties were characterized by hydraulic conductivity, effective macroporosity and Kosugi's lognormal pore size distribution model. Management related influences comprised three soil cover treatment (mustard and rye vs. fallow) and an initial mechanical soil disturbance with a rotary harrow. Environmental driving forces were derived from meteorological and soil moisture data. Soil hydraulic parameters varied over time by around one order of magnitude. The coefficient of variation of soil hydraulic conductivity K(h) decreased from 69.5% at saturation to 42.1% in the more unsaturated range (− 10 cm pressure head). A slight increase in the Kosugi parameter showing pore heterogeneity was observed under the rye cover crop, reflecting an enhanced structural porosity. The other hydraulic parameters were not significantly influenced by the soil cover treatments. Seedbed preparation with a rotary harrow resulted in a fourfold increase in macroporosity and hydraulic conductivity next to saturation, and homogenized the pore radius distribution. Re-consolidation after mechanical loosening lasted over 18 months until the soil returned to its initial state. The post-tillage trend of soil settlement could be approximated by an exponential decay function. Among environmental factors, wetting-drying cycles were identified as dominant driving force explaining short term hydraulic property changes within the season (r2 = 0.43 to 0.59). Our results suggested that beside considering average

  7. Derivation of site-specific relationships between hydraulic parameters and p-wave velocities based on hydraulic and seismic tomography

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Brauchler, R.; Doetsch, J.; Dietrich, P.; Sauter, M.

    2012-01-10

    In this study, hydraulic and seismic tomographic measurements were used to derive a site-specific relationship between the geophysical parameter p-wave velocity and the hydraulic parameters, diffusivity and specific storage. Our field study includes diffusivity tomograms derived from hydraulic travel time tomography, specific storage tomograms, derived from hydraulic attenuation tomography, and p-wave velocity tomograms, derived from seismic tomography. The tomographic inversion was performed in all three cases with the SIRT (Simultaneous Iterative Reconstruction Technique) algorithm, using a ray tracing technique with curved trajectories. The experimental set-up was designed such that the p-wave velocity tomogram overlaps the hydraulic tomograms by half. The experiments were performed at a wellcharacterized sand and gravel aquifer, located in the Leine River valley near Göttingen, Germany. Access to the shallow subsurface was provided by direct-push technology. The high spatial resolution of hydraulic and seismic tomography was exploited to derive representative site-specific relationships between the hydraulic and geophysical parameters, based on the area where geophysical and hydraulic tests were performed. The transformation of the p-wave velocities into hydraulic properties was undertaken using a k-means cluster analysis. Results demonstrate that the combination of hydraulic and geophysical tomographic data is a promising approach to improve hydrogeophysical site characterization.

  8. A tensor approach to the estimation of hydraulic conductivities in ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Based on the field measurements of the physical properties of fractured rocks, the anisotropic properties of hydraulic conductivity (HC) of the fractured rock aquifer can be assessed and presented using a tensor approach called hydraulic conductivity tensor. Three types of HC values, namely point value, axial value and flow ...

  9. Vegetation-zonation patterns across a temperate mountain cloud forest ecotone are not explained by variation in hydraulic functioning or water relations.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Berry, Z Carter; Johnson, Daniel M; Reinhardt, Keith

    2015-09-01

    Many studies have demonstrated linkages between the occurrence of fog and ecophysiological functioning in cloud forests, but few have investigated hydraulic functioning as a determining factor that explains sharp changes in vegetation. The objective of this study was to compare the plant water status during cloud-immersed and non-immersed conditions and hydraulic vulnerability in branches and roots of species across a temperate, mountain fog ecotone. Because cloud forests are often dark, cool and very moist, we expected cloud forest species to have less drought-tolerant characteristics (i.e., lower Pe and P50-the pressures required to induce a 12 and 50% loss in hydraulic conductivity, respectively) relative to non-cloud forest species in adjacent (lower elevation) forests. Additionally, due to the ability of cloud forest species to absorb cloud-fog water, we predicted greater improvements in hydraulic functioning during fog in cloud forest species relative to non-cloud forest species. Across the cloud forest ecotone, most species measured were very resistant to losses in conductivity with branch P50 values from -4.5 to -6.0 MPa, hydraulic safety margins (Ψmin - P50) >1.5 MPa and low calculated hydraulic conductivity losses. Roots had greater vulnerabilities, with P50 values ranging from -1.4 to -2.5 MPa, leading to greater predicted losses in conductivity (∼20%). Calculated values suggested strong losses of midday leaf hydraulic conductance in three of the four species, supporting the hydraulic segmentation hypothesis. In both cloud forest and hardwood species, Ψs were greater on foggy days than sunny days, demonstrating the importance of fog periods to plant water balance across fog regimes. Thus, frequent fog did not result in systemic changes in hydraulic functioning or vulnerability to embolism across our temperate cloud forest ecotone. Finally, roots functioned with lower hydraulic conductivity than branches, suggesting that they may serve as more

  10. Towards soil property retrieval from space: Proof of concept using in situ observations

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bandara, Ranmalee; Walker, Jeffrey P.; Rüdiger, Christoph

    2014-05-01

    Soil moisture is a key variable that controls the exchange of water and energy fluxes between the land surface and the atmosphere. However, the temporal evolution of soil moisture is neither easy to measure nor monitor at large scales because of its high spatial variability. This is mainly a result of the local variation in soil properties and vegetation cover. Thus, land surface models are normally used to predict the evolution of soil moisture and yet, despite their importance, these models are based on low-resolution soil property information or typical values. Therefore, the availability of more accurate and detailed soil parameter data than are currently available is vital, if regional or global soil moisture predictions are to be made with the accuracy required for environmental applications. The proposed solution is to estimate the soil hydraulic properties via model calibration to remotely sensed soil moisture observation, with in situ observations used as a proxy in this proof of concept study. Consequently, the feasibility is assessed, and the level of accuracy that can be expected determined, for soil hydraulic property estimation of duplex soil profiles in a semi-arid environment using near-surface soil moisture observations under naturally occurring conditions. The retrieved soil hydraulic parameters were then assessed by their reliability to predict the root zone soil moisture using the Joint UK Land Environment Simulator model. When using parameters that were retrieved using soil moisture observations, the root zone soil moisture was predicted to within an accuracy of 0.04 m3/m3, which is an improvement of ∼0.025 m3/m3 on predictions that used published values or pedo-transfer functions.

  11. Aquifer test to determine hydraulic properties of the Elm aquifer near Aberdeen, South Dakota

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schaap, Bryan D.

    2000-01-01

    The Elm aquifer, which consists of sandy and gravelly glacial-outwash deposits, is present in several counties in northeastern South Dakota. An aquifer test was conducted northeast of Aberdeen during the fall of 1999 to determine the hydraulic properties of the Elm aquifer in that area. An improved understanding of the properties of the aquifer will be useful in the possible development of the aquifer as a water resource. Historical water-level data indicate that the saturated thickness of the Elm aquifer can change considerably over time. From September 1977 through November 1985, water levels at three wells completed in the Elm aquifer near the aquifer test site varied by 5.1 ft, 9.50 ft, and 11.1 ft. From June 1982 through October 1999, water levels at five wells completed in the Elm aquifer near the aquifer test site varied by 8.7 ft, 11.4 ft, 13.2 ft, 13.8 ft, and 19.7 ft. The water levels during the fall of 1999 were among the highest on record, so the aquifer test was affected by portions of the aquifer being saturated that might not be saturated during drier times. The aquifer test was conducted using five existing wells that had been installed prior to this study. Well A, the pumped well, has an operating irrigation pump and is centrally located among the wells. Wells B, C, D, and E are about 70 ft, 1,390 ft, 2,200 ft, and 3,100 ft, respectively, in different directions from Well A. Using vented pressure transducers and programmable data loggers, water-level data were collected at the five wells prior to, during, and after the pumping, which started on November 19, 1999, and continued a little over 72 hours. Based on available drilling logs, the Elm aquifer near the test area was assumed to be unconfined. The Neuman (1974) method theoretical response curves that most closely match the observed water-level changes at Wells A and B were calculated using software (AQTESOLV for Windows Version 2.13-Professional) developed by Glenn M. Duffield of Hydro

  12. Comparison of empirical models and laboratory saturated hydraulic ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Numerous methods for estimating soil saturated hydraulic conductivity exist, which range from direct measurement in the laboratory to models that use only basic soil properties. A study was conducted to compare laboratory saturated hydraulic conductivity (Ksat) measurement and that estimated from empirical models.

  13. Bayesian estimation of the hydraulic and solute transport properties of a small-scale unsaturated soil column

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Moreira Paulo H. S.

    2016-03-01

    Full Text Available In this study the hydraulic and solute transport properties of an unsaturated soil were estimated simultaneously from a relatively simple small-scale laboratory column infiltration/outflow experiment. As governing equations we used the Richards equation for variably saturated flow and a physical non-equilibrium dual-porosity type formulation for solute transport. A Bayesian parameter estimation approach was used in which the unknown parameters were estimated with the Markov Chain Monte Carlo (MCMC method through implementation of the Metropolis-Hastings algorithm. Sensitivity coefficients were examined in order to determine the most meaningful measurements for identifying the unknown hydraulic and transport parameters. Results obtained using the measured pressure head and solute concentration data collected during the unsaturated soil column experiment revealed the robustness of the proposed approach.

  14. Photoinhibition of stem elongation by blue and red light: effects on hydraulic and cell wall properties

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kigel, J.; Cosgrove, D. J.

    1991-01-01

    The underlying mechanism of photoinhibition of stem elongation by blue (BL) and red light (RL) was studied in etiolated seedlings of pea (Pisum sativum L. cv Alaska). Brief BL irradiations resulted in fast transient inhibition of elongation, while a delayed (lag approximately 60 minutes) but prolonged inhibition was observed after brief RL. Possible changes in the hydraulic and wall properties of the growing cells during photoinhibition were examined. Cell sap osmotic pressure was unaffected by BL and RL, but both irradiations increased turgor pressure by approximately 0.05 megapascal (pressure-probe technique). Cell wall yielding was analyzed by in vivo stress relaxation (pressure-block technique). BL and RL reduced the initial rate of relaxation by 38 and 54%, while the final amount of relaxation was decreased by 48 and 10%, respectively. These results indicate that RL inhibits elongation mainly by lowering the wall yield coefficient, while most of the inhibitory effect of BL was due to an increase of the yield threshold. Mechanical extensibility of cell walls (Instron technique) was decreased by BL and RL, mainly due to a reduction in the plastic component of extensibility. Thus, photoinhibitions of elongation by both BL and RL are achieved through changes in cell wall properties, and are not due to effects on the hydraulic properties of the cell.

  15. [Effects of biochar and PAM application on saline soil hydraulic properties of coastal reclamation region].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cao, Yu Tong; She, Dong Li

    2017-11-01

    Disc infiltration tests were carried out to study the soil infiltration characteristics under different rates of soil amendments application, and to investigate the effects of biochar and polyacrylamide (PAM) application on saline soil hydraulic properties, pore characteristics and contribution of each pore to soil water flow in coastal reclamation region. The results showed that soil satura-ted hydraulic conductivity increased by 46.4% when biochar was applied at 2% compared with the control, and decreased with increasing PAM application. The total effective soil porosity and r>100 μm pores were increased by 8.3% and 10.2% (PPAM application. Particularly, the total effective soil porosity decreased markedly when PAM was applied at 1‰ and the reduction was up to 88%. With the application of biochar and PAM, the contribution of r500 μm played a major role in determining water flows.

  16. An Improved Rate-Transient Analysis Model of Multi-Fractured Horizontal Wells with Non-Uniform Hydraulic Fracture Properties

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Youwei He

    2018-02-01

    Full Text Available Although technical advances in hydraulically fracturing and drilling enable commercial production from tight reservoirs, oil/gas recovery remains at a low level. Due to the technical and economic limitations of well-testing operations in tight reservoirs, rate-transient analysis (RTA has become a more attractive option. However, current RTA models hardly consider the effect of the non-uniform production on rate decline behaviors. In fact, PLT results demonstrate that production profile is non-uniform. To fill this gap, this paper presents an improved RTA model of multi-fractured horizontal wells (MFHWs to investigate the effects of non-uniform properties of hydraulic fractures (production of fractures, fracture half-length, number of fractures, fracture conductivity, and vertical permeability on rate transient behaviors through the diagnostic type curves. Results indicate obvious differences on the rate decline curves among the type curves of uniform properties of fractures (UPF and non-uniform properties of fractures (NPF. The use of dimensionless production integral derivative curve magnifies the differences so that we can diagnose the phenomenon of non-uniform production. Therefore, it’s significant to incorporate the effects of NPF into the RDA models of MFHWs, and the model proposed in this paper enables us to better evaluate well performance based on long-term production data.

  17. The hydraulic conductivity of sediments: A pore size perspective

    KAUST Repository

    Ren, X.W.

    2017-12-06

    This article presents an analysis of previously published hydraulic conductivity data for a wide range of sediments. All soils exhibit a prevalent power trend between the hydraulic conductivity and void ratio. Data trends span 12 orders of magnitude in hydraulic conductivity and collapse onto a single narrow trend when the hydraulic conductivity data are plotted versus the mean pore size, estimated using void ratio and specific surface area measurements. The sensitivity of hydraulic conductivity to changes in the void ratio is higher than the theoretical value due to two concurrent phenomena: 1) percolating large pores are responsible for most of the flow, and 2) the larger pores close first during compaction. The prediction of hydraulic conductivity based on macroscale index parameters in this and similar previous studies has reached an asymptote in the range of kmeas/5≤kpredict≤5kmeas. The remaining uncertainty underscores the important role of underlying sediment characteristics such as pore size distribution, shape, and connectivity that are not measured with index properties. Furthermore, the anisotropy in hydraulic conductivity cannot be recovered from scalar parameters such as index properties. Overall, results highlight the robustness of the physics inspired data scrutiny based Hagen–Poiseuille and Kozeny-Carman analyses.

  18. Evaluating the hydraulic and transport properties of peat soil using pore network modeling and X-ray micro computed tomography

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gharedaghloo, Behrad; Price, Jonathan S.; Rezanezhad, Fereidoun; Quinton, William L.

    2018-06-01

    Micro-scale properties of peat pore space and their influence on hydraulic and transport properties of peat soils have been given little attention so far. Characterizing the variation of these properties in a peat profile can increase our knowledge on the processes controlling contaminant transport through peatlands. As opposed to the common macro-scale (or bulk) representation of groundwater flow and transport processes, a pore network model (PNM) simulates flow and transport processes within individual pores. Here, a pore network modeling code capable of simulating advective and diffusive transport processes through a 3D unstructured pore network was developed; its predictive performance was evaluated by comparing its results to empirical values and to the results of computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations. This is the first time that peat pore networks have been extracted from X-ray micro-computed tomography (μCT) images of peat deposits and peat pore characteristics evaluated in a 3D approach. Water flow and solute transport were modeled in the unstructured pore networks mapped directly from μCT images. The modeling results were processed to determine the bulk properties of peat deposits. Results portray the commonly observed decrease in hydraulic conductivity with depth, which was attributed to the reduction of pore radius and increase in pore tortuosity. The increase in pore tortuosity with depth was associated with more decomposed peat soil and decreasing pore coordination number with depth, which extended the flow path of fluid particles. Results also revealed that hydraulic conductivity is isotropic locally, but becomes anisotropic after upscaling to core-scale; this suggests the anisotropy of peat hydraulic conductivity observed in core-scale and field-scale is due to the strong heterogeneity in the vertical dimension that is imposed by the layered structure of peat soils. Transport simulations revealed that for a given solute, the effective

  19. Sensitivity of transpiration to subsurface properties: Exploration with a 1-D model

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vrettas, Michail D.; Fung, Inez Y.

    2017-06-01

    The amount of moisture transpired by vegetation is critically tied to the moisture supply accessible to the root zone. In a Mediterranean climate, integrated evapotranspiration (ET) is typically greater in the dry summer when there is an uninterrupted period of high insolation. We present a 1-D model to explore the subsurface factors that may sustain ET through the dry season. The model includes a stochastic parameterization of hydraulic conductivity, root water uptake efficiency, and hydraulic redistribution by plant roots. Model experiments vary the precipitation, the magnitude and seasonality of ET demand, as well as rooting profiles and rooting depths of the vegetation. The results show that the amount of subsurface moisture remaining at the end of the wet winter is determined by the competition among abundant precipitation input, fast infiltration, and winter ET demand. The weathered bedrock retains ˜30% of the winter rain and provides a substantial moisture reservoir that may sustain ET of deep-rooted (>8 m) trees through the dry season. A small negative feedback exists in the root zone, where the depletion of moisture by ET decreases hydraulic conductivity and enhances the retention of moisture. Hence, hydraulic redistribution by plant roots is impactful in a dry season, or with a less conductive subsurface. Suggestions for implementing the model in the CESM are discussed.

  20. Examining the information content of time-lapse crosshole GPR data collected under different infiltration conditions to estimate unsaturated soil hydraulic properties

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Scholer, M.; Irving, J.; Zibar, Majken Caroline Looms

    2013-01-01

    Time-lapse geophysical data acquired during transient hydrological experiments are being increasingly employed to estimate subsurface hydraulic properties at the field scale. In particular, crosshole ground-penetrating radar (GPR) data, collected while water infiltrates into the subsurface either...... by natural or artificial means, have been demonstrated in a number of studies to contain valuable information concerning the hydraulic properties of the unsaturated zone. Previous work in this domain has considered a variety of infiltration conditions and different amounts of time-lapse GPR data...... of time-lapse zero-offset-profile (ZOP) GPR traveltime data, collected under three different infiltration conditions, for the estimation of van Genuchten–Mualem (VGM) parameters in a layered subsurface medium. Specifically, we systematically analyze synthetic and field GPR data acquired under natural...

  1. Quantifying in situ phenotypic variability in the hydraulic properties of four tree species across their distribution range in Europe

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    González-Muñoz, N.; Sterck, F.; Torres-Ruiz, J.M.; Petit, G.; Cochard, H.; Arx, von G.; Lintunen, A.; Caldeira, M.C.; Capdeville, G.; Copini, P.; Gebauer, R.; Grönlund, L.; Hölttä, T.; Lobo-do-Vale, R.; Peltoniemi, M.; Stritih, A.; Urban, J.; Delzon, S.

    2018-01-01

    Many studies have reported that hydraulic properties vary considerably between tree species, but little is known about their intraspecific variation and, therefore, their capacity to adapt to a warmer and drier climate. Here, we quantify phenotypic divergence and clinal variation for embolism

  2. High Bulk Modulus of Ionic Liquid and Effects on Performance of Hydraulic System

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Milan Kambic

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available Over recent years ionic liquids have gained in importance, causing a growing number of scientists and engineers to investigate possible applications for these liquids because of their unique physical and chemical properties. Their outstanding advantages such as nonflammable liquid within a broad liquid range, high thermal, mechanical, and chemical stabilities, low solubility for gases, attractive tribological properties (lubrication, and very low compressibility, and so forth, make them more interesting for applications in mechanical engineering, offering great potential for new innovative processes, and also as a novel hydraulic fluid. This paper focuses on the outstanding compressibility properties of ionic liquid EMIM-EtSO4, a very important physical chemically property when IL is used as a hydraulic fluid. This very low compressibility (respectively, very high Bulk modulus, compared to the classical hydraulic mineral oils or the non-flammable HFDU type of hydraulic fluids, opens up new possibilities regarding its usage within hydraulic systems with increased dynamics, respectively, systems’ dynamic responses.

  3. High bulk modulus of ionic liquid and effects on performance of hydraulic system.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kambic, Milan; Kalb, Roland; Tasner, Tadej; Lovrec, Darko

    2014-01-01

    Over recent years ionic liquids have gained in importance, causing a growing number of scientists and engineers to investigate possible applications for these liquids because of their unique physical and chemical properties. Their outstanding advantages such as nonflammable liquid within a broad liquid range, high thermal, mechanical, and chemical stabilities, low solubility for gases, attractive tribological properties (lubrication), and very low compressibility, and so forth, make them more interesting for applications in mechanical engineering, offering great potential for new innovative processes, and also as a novel hydraulic fluid. This paper focuses on the outstanding compressibility properties of ionic liquid EMIM-EtSO4, a very important physical chemically property when IL is used as a hydraulic fluid. This very low compressibility (respectively, very high Bulk modulus), compared to the classical hydraulic mineral oils or the non-flammable HFDU type of hydraulic fluids, opens up new possibilities regarding its usage within hydraulic systems with increased dynamics, respectively, systems' dynamic responses.

  4. In Vitro Evaluation of Dentin Hydraulic Conductance After 980 nm Diode Laser Irradiation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rizzante, Fabio A P; Maenosono, Rafael M; Duarte, Marco A H; Furuse, Adilson Y; Palma-Dibb, Regina G; Ishikiriama, Sérgio K

    2016-03-01

    Dentin hypersensitivity treatments are based on the physical obliteration of the dentinal tubules to reduce hydraulic conductance. The aim of the present study is to evaluate the hydraulic conductance of bovine root dentin after irradiation with a 980-nm diode laser, with or without associated fluoride varnish. Sixty bovine root dentin specimens were divided into six groups (n = 10 in each group): G1, G3, and G5 (0.5 W, 0.7 W, and 1 W diode laser, respectively); G2, G4, and G6 (fluoride varnish application + 0.5 W, 0.7 W, and 1 W diode laser, respectively). The dentin hydraulic conductance was evaluated at four time periods with a fluxmeter: 1) with smear layer, 2) after 37% phosphoric acid etching, 3) after the treatments, and 4) after 6% citric acid challenge. After the dentinal fluid flow measurements, specimens were also evaluated for mineral composition using energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS). Analysis demonstrated a better result with increased irradiation power (P diode laser irradiation was associated with the application of fluoride varnish (P laser irradiation, the 1 W group was superior when compared with the 0.5 W and 0.7 W irradiated groups immediately after treatment (P laser treatments. Laser irradiation of exposed dentin promoted significant reduction in the dentin hydraulic conductance, mainly with higher energy densities and association with fluoride varnish.

  5. Suberized transport barriers in Arabidopsis, barley and rice roots: From the model plant to crop species.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kreszies, Tino; Schreiber, Lukas; Ranathunge, Kosala

    2018-02-07

    Water is the most important prerequisite for life and plays a major role during uptake and transport of nutrients. Roots are the plant organs that take up the major part of water, from the surrounding soil. Water uptake is related to the root system architecture, root growth, age and species dependent complex developmental changes in the anatomical structures. The latter is mainly attributed to the deposition of suberized barriers in certain layers of cell walls, such as endo- and exodermis. With respect to water permeability, changes in the suberization of roots are most relevant. Water transport or hydraulic conductivity of roots (Lp r ) can be described by the composite transport model and is known to be very variable between plant species and growth conditions and root developmental states. In this review, we summarize how anatomical structures and apoplastic barriers of roots can diversely affect water transport, comparing the model plant Arabidopsis with crop plants, such as barley and rice. Results comparing the suberin amounts and water transport properties indicate that the common assumption that suberin amount negatively correlates with water and solute transport through roots may not always be true. The composition, microstructure and localization of suberin may also have a great impact on the formation of efficient barriers to water and solutes. Copyright © 2018 The Authors. Published by Elsevier GmbH.. All rights reserved.

  6. Analysis of the relationship between rusty root incidences and soil properties in Panax ginseng

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Q. X.; Xu, C. L.; Sun, H.; Ma, L.; Li, L.; Zhang, D. D.; Zhang, Y. Y.

    2016-08-01

    Rusty root is a serious problem in ginseng cultivation that limits the production and quality of ginseng worldwide. The Changbai Mountains are the most famous area for ginseng cultivation in China. To clarify the relationship between rusty root and soil characteristics, physico-chemical properties and enzymatic activities of soil collected from five different fields in the Changbai Mountains were analyzed and a controlled experiment carried out by increasing the concentration of Fe (II). Soil bulk density, moisture, total iron (Fe) and total manganese (Mn) concentrations and polyphenol oxidase (PPO) activity were significantly higher in rusty root than healthy root groups (two-sample test, Ptest showed that there was a significant positive correlation between rusty root index and pH, N, Fe, Mn, Al, Zn and Ca of soil samples collected from fields (P<0.05 or P<0.01), and a significant positive correlation also occurred between rusty root index and Fe (II) added to soil in Fe (II) inducing rusty root (P<0.01). Physiological factors may be very important roles giving rise to ginseng rusty root. Fe (III) reduction and Fe (II) oxidation could be important in increasing the incidence of rusty root. Soil moisture and bulk density of non-rhizosphere soil not attached to the root surface, and pH, N and PPO content of rhizosphere soils attached to the root surface were heavily involved in the reduction, oxidation and sequestration of metal ions.

  7. Modeling coupled nitrogen and water use strategies of plant productivity through hydraulic traits

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mackay, D. S.; Savoy, P.; Pleban, J. R.; Tai, X.; Ewers, B. E.; Sperry, J.; Weinig, C.

    2016-12-01

    Changes in heat, nutrient, and drought stresses create novel environments that threaten the health of forests and viability of crop production. Here a trait-based conceptual model finds tradeoffs in maximum hydraulic conductance (Kmax), root to leaf area ratio (RLA) and vulnerability to cavitation (VC) based on the energy costs of acquiring water and nitrogen (N) to support gross primary production (GPP). The atmosphere supplies carbon to and demands water from plants via their stomata. The demand for water increases at higher temperatures due to increased vapor pressure deficits. The lost water is replenished by a passive wicking process that pulls water and N from the soil into roots and up water-filled xylem tubes. When water is in short supply the cost of getting it is high as measured by a decline in K and stomatal closure. Soil N dynamics also influence plant water use. When N is abundant, plants grow low VC fine roots with lower specific root length (m g-1), low Kmax, and maintain a relatively low RLA. In low N environments, N is costly and fine roots gain efficiency by building less robust (or higher VC) xylem with higher Kmax and higher RLA. What happens when the cost of acquiring water changes from high to low under low and high N costs? We incorporated the conceptual model into TREES, which couples whole plant hydraulics to carbon allocation, root-rhizosphere expansion/contraction and, also new for this study, a rhizosphere-root centric microbe-plant N dynamics. We used two experimental studies (drought, N) and two drought-prone fluxnet sites to test the conceptual model at individual plant and regional scales, respectively, and with frequent short versus infrequent long dry periods. When water was not limiting the hydraulic tradeoffs suppressed differences in GPP between the N use strategies. When water was in short supply, however, low RLA&VC plants dropped GPP early during drought because of low Kmax. Since these plants had low VC roots they also

  8. Birth of a hydraulic jump

    Science.gov (United States)

    Duchesne, Alexis; Bohr, Tomas; Andersen, Anders

    2017-11-01

    The hydraulic jump, i.e., the sharp transition between a supercritical and a subcritical free-surface flow, has been extensively studied in the past centuries. However, ever since Leonardo da Vinci asked it for the first time, an important question has been left unanswered: How does a hydraulic jump form? We present an experimental and theoretical study of the formation of stationary hydraulic jumps in centimeter wide channels. Two starting situations are considered: The channel is, respectively, empty or filled with liquid, the liquid level being fixed by the wetting properties and the boundary conditions. We then change the flow-rate abruptly from zero to a constant value. In an empty channel, we observe the formation of a stationary hydraulic jump in a two-stage process: First, the channel fills by the advancing liquid front, which undergoes a transition from supercritical to subcritical at some position in the channel. Later the influence of the downstream boundary conditions makes the jump move slowly upstream to its final position. In the pre-filled channel, the hydraulic jump forms at the injector edge and then moves downstream to its final position.

  9. Cavitation of intercellular spaces is critical to establishment of hydraulic properties of compression wood of Chamaecyparis obtusa seedlings.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nakaba, Satoshi; Hirai, Asami; Kudo, Kayo; Yamagishi, Yusuke; Yamane, Kenichi; Kuroda, Katsushi; Nugroho, Widyanto Dwi; Kitin, Peter; Funada, Ryo

    2016-03-01

    When the orientation of the stems of conifers departs from the vertical as a result of environmental influences, conifers form compression wood that results in restoration of verticality. It is well known that intercellular spaces are formed between tracheids in compression wood, but the function of these spaces remains to be clarified. In the present study, we evaluated the impact of these spaces in artificially induced compression wood in Chamaecyparis obtusa seedlings. We monitored the presence or absence of liquid in the intercellular spaces of differentiating xylem by cryo-scanning electron microscopy. In addition, we analysed the relationship between intercellular spaces and the hydraulic properties of the compression wood. Initially, we detected small intercellular spaces with liquid in regions in which the profiles of tracheids were not rounded in transverse surfaces, indicating that the intercellular spaces had originally contained no gases. In the regions where tracheids had formed secondary walls, we found that some intercellular spaces had lost their liquid. Cavitation of intercellular spaces would affect hydraulic conductivity as a consequence of the induction of cavitation in neighbouring tracheids. Our observations suggest that cavitation of intercellular spaces is the critical event that affects not only the functions of intercellular spaces but also the hydraulic properties of compression wood. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Annals of Botany Company. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

  10. Characterization of natural porous media by NMR and MRI techniques. High and low magnetic field studies for estimation of hydraulic properties

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Stingaciu, Laura-Roxana

    2010-07-01

    The aim of this thesis is to apply different NMR techniques for: i) understanding the relaxometric properties of unsaturated natural porous media and ii) for a reliable quantification of water content and its spatial and temporal change in model porous media and soil cores. For that purpose, porous media with increasing complexity and heterogeneity were used (coarse and fine sand and different mixture of sand/clay) to determine the relaxation parameters in order to adapt optimal sequence and parameters for water imaging. Conventional imaging is mostly performed with superconducting high field scanners but low field scanners promise longer relaxation times and therefore smaller loss of signal from water in small and partially filled pores. By this reason high and low field NMR experiments were conducted on these porous media to characterize the dependence on the magnetic field strength. Correlations of the NMR experiments with classical soil physics method like mercury intrusion porosimetry; water retention curves (pF) and multi-step-outflow (MSO) were performed for the characterization of the hydraulic properties of the materials. Due to the extensive research the experiments have been structured in three major parts as follows. In the first part a comparison study between relaxation experiments in high and low magnetic field was performed in order to observe the influence of the magnetic field on the relaxation properties. Due to these results, in the second part of the study only low field relaxation experiments were used in the attempt of correlations with classical soil physics methods (mercury intrusion porosimetry and water retention curves) for characterizing the hydraulic behavior of the samples. Further, the aim was to combine also MRI experiments (2D and 3D NMR) with classical soil physics methods (multi-step-outflow, MSO) for the same purpose of investigating the hydraulic properties. Because low field MRI systems are still under developing for the

  11. Characterization of natural porous media by NMR and MRI techniques. High and low magnetic field studies for estimation of hydraulic properties

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Stingaciu, Laura-Roxana

    2010-01-01

    The aim of this thesis is to apply different NMR techniques for: i) understanding the relaxometric properties of unsaturated natural porous media and ii) for a reliable quantification of water content and its spatial and temporal change in model porous media and soil cores. For that purpose, porous media with increasing complexity and heterogeneity were used (coarse and fine sand and different mixture of sand/clay) to determine the relaxation parameters in order to adapt optimal sequence and parameters for water imaging. Conventional imaging is mostly performed with superconducting high field scanners but low field scanners promise longer relaxation times and therefore smaller loss of signal from water in small and partially filled pores. By this reason high and low field NMR experiments were conducted on these porous media to characterize the dependence on the magnetic field strength. Correlations of the NMR experiments with classical soil physics method like mercury intrusion porosimetry; water retention curves (pF) and multi-step-outflow (MSO) were performed for the characterization of the hydraulic properties of the materials. Due to the extensive research the experiments have been structured in three major parts as follows. In the first part a comparison study between relaxation experiments in high and low magnetic field was performed in order to observe the influence of the magnetic field on the relaxation properties. Due to these results, in the second part of the study only low field relaxation experiments were used in the attempt of correlations with classical soil physics methods (mercury intrusion porosimetry and water retention curves) for characterizing the hydraulic behavior of the samples. Further, the aim was to combine also MRI experiments (2D and 3D NMR) with classical soil physics methods (multi-step-outflow, MSO) for the same purpose of investigating the hydraulic properties. Because low field MRI systems are still under developing for the

  12. Handbook on lead-bismuth eutectic alloy and lead properties, materials compatibility, thermal-hydraulics and technologies

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    2007-01-01

    As part of the development of advanced nuclear systems, including accelerator-driven systems (ADS) proposed for high-level radioactive waste transmutation and generation IV reactors, heavy liquid metals such as lead (Pb) or lead-bismuth eutectic (LBE) are under evaluation as reactor core coolant and ADS neutron target material. Heavy liquid metals are also being envisaged as target materials for high-power neutron spallation sources. The objective of this handbook is to collate and publish properties and experimental results on Pb and LBE in a consistent format in order to provide designers with a single source of qualified properties and data and to guide subsequent development efforts. The handbook covers liquid Pb and LBE properties, materials compatibility and testing issues, key aspects of the thermal-hydraulics and system technologies, existing test facilities, open issues and perspectives. (author)

  13. Analysis of soil hydraulic and thermal properties for land surface modeling over the Tibetan Plateau

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhao, Hong; Zeng, Yijian; Lv, Shaoning; Su, Zhongbo

    2018-06-01

    Soil information (e.g., soil texture and porosity) from existing soil datasets over the Tibetan Plateau (TP) is claimed to be inadequate and even inaccurate for determining soil hydraulic properties (SHP) and soil thermal properties (STP), hampering the understanding of the land surface process over TP. As the soil varies across three dominant climate zones (i.e., arid, semi-arid and subhumid) over the TP, the associated SHP and STP are expected to vary correspondingly. To obtain an explicit insight into the soil hydrothermal properties over the TP, in situ and laboratory measurements of over 30 soil property profiles were obtained across the climate zones. Results show that porosity and SHP and STP differ across the climate zones and strongly depend on soil texture. In particular, it is proposed that gravel impact on porosity and SHP and STP are both considered in the arid zone and in deep layers of the semi-arid zone. Parameterization schemes for porosity, SHP and STP are investigated and compared with measurements taken. To determine the SHP, including soil water retention curves (SWRCs) and hydraulic conductivities, the pedotransfer functions (PTFs) developed by Cosby et al. (1984) (for the Clapp-Hornberger model) and the continuous PTFs given by Wösten et al. (1999) (for the Van Genuchten-Mualem model) are recommended. The STP parameterization scheme proposed by Farouki (1981) based on the model of De Vries (1963) performed better across the TP than other schemes. Using the parameterization schemes mentioned above, the uncertainties of five existing regional and global soil datasets and their derived SHP and STP over the TP are quantified through comparison with in situ and laboratory measurements. The measured soil physical properties dataset is available at https://data.4tu.nl/repository/uuid:c712717c-6ac0-47ff-9d58-97f88082ddc0" target="_blank">https://data.4tu.nl/repository/uuid:c712717c-6ac0-47ff-9d58-97f88082ddc0.

  14. Laboratory Characterization of Chemico-osmotic, Hydraulic and Diffusion Properties of Rocks: Apparatus Development

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Takeda, M.; Hiratsuka, T.; Ito, K.

    2009-01-01

    Excess fluid pressures induced by chemical osmosis in natural formations may have a significant influence on groundwater systems in a geological time scale. Examinations of the possibility and duration times require characterization of the chemico-osmotic, hydraulic and diffusion properties of representative formation media under field conditions. To develop a laboratory apparatus for chemical osmosis experiments that simulates in-situ conditions, typical litho-static and background pore pressures, a fundamental concept of the chemical osmosis experiment using a closed fluid circuit system (referred to as a closed system hereafter) was revisited. Coupled processes in the experiment were examined numerically. In preliminary experiments at atmospheric pressure a chemical osmosis experiment using the closed system was demonstrated. An approximation method for determining the chemico-osmotic property was attempted. Based on preliminary examinations, an experimental system capable of loading the confining and pore pressures on the sample was thus developed. (authors)

  15. Visualization of physico-chemical properties and microbial distribution in soil and root microenvironments

    Science.gov (United States)

    Eickhorst, Thilo; Schmidt, Hannes

    2016-04-01

    Plant root development is influenced by soil properties and environmental factors. In turn plant roots can also change the physico-chemical conditions in soil resulting in gradients between roots and the root-free bulk soil. By releasing a variety of substances roots facilitate microbial activities in their direct vicinity, the rhizosphere. The related microorganisms are relevant for various ecosystem functions in the root-soil interface such as nutrient cycling. It is therefore important to study the impact and dynamics of microorganisms associated to different compartments in root-soil interfaces on a biologically meaningful micro-scale. The analysis of microorganisms in their habitats requires microscopic observations of the respective microenvironment. This can be obtained by preserving the complex soil structure including the root system by resin impregnation resulting in high quality thin sections. The observation of such sections via fluorescence microscopy, SEM-EDS, and Nano-SIMS will be highlighted in this presentation. In addition, we will discuss the combination of this methodological approach with other imaging techniques such as planar optodes or non-invasive 3D X-ray CT to reveal the entire spatial structure and arrangement of soil particles and roots. When combining the preservation of soil structure via resin impregnation with 16S rRNA targeted fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) single microbial cells can be visualized, localized, and quantified in the undisturbed soil matrix including the root-soil interfaces. The simultaneous use of multiple oligonucleotide probes thereby provides information on the spatial distribution of microorganisms belonging to different phylogenetic groups. Results will be shown for paddy soils, where management induced physico-chemical dynamics (flooding and drying) as well as resulting microbial dynamics were visualized via correlative microscopy in resin impregnated samples.

  16. A low cost apparatus for measuring the xylem hydraulic conductance in plants

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Luciano Pereira

    2012-01-01

    Full Text Available Plant yield and resistance to drought are directly related to the efficiency of the xylem hydraulic conductance and the ability of this system to avoid interrupting the flow of water. In this paper we described in detail the assembling of an apparatus proposed by TYREE et al. (2002, and its calibration, as well as low cost adaptations that make the equipment accessible for everyone working in this research area. The apparatus allows measuring the conductance in parts of roots or shoots (root ramifications or branches, or in the whole system, in the case of small plants or seedlings. The apparatus can also be used to measure the reduction of conductance by embolism of the xylem vessels. Data on the hydraulic conductance of eucalyptus seedlings obtained here and other reports in the literature confirm the applicability of the apparatus in physiological studies on the relationship between productivity and water stress.

  17. Hydraulic testing in crystalline rock

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Almen, K.E.; Andersson, J.E.; Carlsson, L.; Hansson, K.; Larsson, N.A.

    1986-12-01

    Swedish Geolocical Company (SGAB) conducted and carried out single-hole hydraulic testing in borehole Fi 6 in the Finnsjoen area of central Sweden. The purpose was to make a comprehensive evaluation of different methods applicable in crystalline rocks and to recommend methods for use in current and scheduled investigations in a range of low hydraulic conductivity rocks. A total of eight different methods of testing were compared using the same equipment. This equipment was thoroughly tested as regards the elasticity of the packers and change in volume of the test section. The use of a hydraulically operated down-hole valve enabled all the tests to be conducted. Twelve different 3-m long sections were tested. The hydraulic conductivity calculated ranged from about 5x10 -14 m/s to 1x10 -6 m/s. The methods used were water injection under constant head and then at a constant rate-of-flow, each of which was followed by a pressure fall-off period. Water loss, pressure pulse, slug and drill stem tests were also performed. Interpretation was carried out using standard transient evaluation methods for flow in porous media. The methods used showed themselves to be best suited to specific conductivity ranges. Among the less time-consuming methods, water loss, slug and drill stem tests usually gave somewhat higher hydraulic conductivity values but still comparable to those obtained using the more time-consuming tests. These latter tests, however, provided supplementary information on hydraulic and physical properties and flow conditions, together with hydraulic conductivity values representing a larger volume of rock. (orig./HP)

  18. Interaction Among Machine Traffic, Soil Physical Properties and Loblolly Pine Root Prolifereation in a Piedmont Soil

    Science.gov (United States)

    Emily A. Carter; Timothy P. McDonald

    1997-01-01

    The impact of forwarder traffic on soil physical properties was evaluated on a Gwinnett sandy loam, a commonly found soil of the Piedmont. Soil strength and saturated hydraulic conductivity were significantly altered by forwarder traffic, but reductions in air-filled porosity also occurred. Bulk density did not increase significantly in trafficked treatments. The...

  19. Evaluating lysimeter drainage against soil deep percolation modeled with profile soil moisture, field tracer propagation, and lab measured soil hydraulic properties

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Vasquez, Vicente; Thomsen, Anton Gårde; Iversen, Bo Vangsø

    them have been reported. To compare among methods, one year of four large-scale lysimeters drainage (D) was evaluated against modeled soil deep percolation using either profile soil moisture, bromide breakthrough curves from suction cups, or measured soil hydraulic properties in the laboratory....... Measured volumetric soil water content (q) was 3-4% higher inside lysimeters than in the field probably due to a zero tension lower boundary condition inside lysimeters. D from soil hydraulic properties measured in the laboratory resulted in a 15% higher evapotranspiration and 12% lower drainage...... predictions than the model calibrated with field measured q. Bromide (Br) breakthrough curves indicated high variability between lysimeters and field suction cups with mean Br velocities at first arrival time of 110 and 33 mm/d, respectively. D was 520 mm/yr with lysimeters, 613 mm/yr with the calibrated...

  20. Hydraulic gradients in rock aquifers

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Dahlblom, P.

    1992-05-01

    This report deals with fractured rock as a host for deposits of hazardous waste. In this context the rock, with its fractures containing moving groundwater, is called the geological barrier. The desired properties of the geological barrier are low permeability to water, low hydraulic gradients and ability to retain matter dissolved in the water. The hydraulic gradient together with the permeability and the porosity determines the migration velocity. Mathematical modelling of the migration involves calculation of the water flow and the hydrodynamic dispersion of the contaminant. The porous medium approach can be used to calculate mean flow velocities and hydrodynamic dispersion of a large number of fractures are connected, which means that a large volume have to be considered. It is assumed that the porous medium approach can be applied, and a number of idealized examples are shown. It is assumed that the groundwater table is replenished by percolation at a constant rate. One-dimensional analytical calculations show that zero hydraulic gradients may exist at relatively large distance from the coast. Two-dimensional numerical calculations show that it may be possible to find areas with low hydraulic gradients and flow velocities within blocks surrounded by areas with high hydraulic conductivity. (au)

  1. Water Infiltration and Hydraulic Conductivity in Sandy Cambisols

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Bens, Oliver; Wahl, Niels Arne; Fischer, Holger

    2006-01-01

    from pure Scots pine stands towards pure European beech stands. The water infiltration capacity and hydraulic conductivity (K) of the investigated sandy-textured soils are low and very few macropores exist. Additionally these pores are marked by poor connectivity and therefore do not have any...... of the experimental soils. The results indicate clearly that soils play a crucial role for water retention and therefore, in overland flow prevention. There is a need to have more awareness on the intimate link between the land use and soil properties and their possible effects on flooding.......Soil hydrological properties like infiltration capacity and hydraulic conductivity have important consequences for hydrological properties of soils in river catchments and for flood risk prevention. They are dynamic properties due to varying land use management practices. The objective...

  2. Determining the Role of Hydraulic Redistribution Regimes in the Critical Zone

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lee, E.; Kumar, P.; Barron-Gafford, G.; Scott, R. L.; Hendryx, S.; Sanchez-Canete, E. P.

    2015-12-01

    A primary challenge in critical zone science is to understand and predict the interaction between aboveground and belowground ecohydrologic processes. We study the role of hydraulic redistribution (HR) by roots as a mechanism for facilitating aboveground-belowground interactions that drive water and carbon dynamics and the development of emergent spatial patterns of soil moisture and vegetation distribution. By linking field measurements of stem, taproot, and lateral root sap flux, with a shared resource model where the soil is a common reservoir, we examine competitive and facilitative dependencies between the co-occurring plant species. We used trenching as a means of severing any HR connectivity between overstory and understory plants in a subset of plots. We monitored leaf- level transpiration, photosynthesis, sub-canopy ET, NEE, soil evaporation, and soil respiration for trenched and un-trenched (control) trees in a dryland savanna that lacks access to stable soil moisture sources. HR in the trees at the site is detected, but the implications of HR on overstory-understory interactions and resulting spatial patterns and gradients remain untested. During an inter-storm period of the rainy season, we observed hydraulic lift, which may be increasing water availability to understory. Understory grasses may survive inter-storm dry periods by way of facilitative dependency on water resources supplied by overstory trees. On the other hand, immediately after storms we observe hydraulic descent that may be reducing water availability for the understory. Modeling is incorporated to capture the competitive and facilitative interaction between aboveground and belowground as detected in the field. This study provides deep insights for dryland regions, which enables broader generalizations regarding the interaction between groundwater, vegetation roots and aboveground assemblage and their role in whole-ecosystem performance.

  3. Differences in hydraulic architecture between mesic and xeric Pinus pinaster populations at the seedling stage.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Corcuera, Leyre; Gil-Pelegrín, Eustaquio; Notivol, Eduardo

    2012-12-01

    We studied the intraspecific variability of maritime pine in a set of morphological and physiological traits: soil-to-leaf hydraulic conductance, intrinsic water-use efficiency (WUE, estimated by carbon isotope composition, δ(13)C), root morphology, xylem anatomy, growth and carbon allocation patterns. The data were collected from Pinus pinaster Aiton seedlings (25 half-sib families from five populations) grown in a greenhouse and subjected to water and water-stress treatments. The aims were to relate this variability to differences in water availability at the geographic location of the populations, and to study the potential trade-offs among traits. The drought-stressed seedlings demonstrated a decrease in hydraulic conductance and root surface area and increased WUE and root tip number. The relationships among the growth, morphological, anatomical and physiological traits changed with the scale of study: within the species, among/within populations. The populations showed a highly significant relationship between the percentage reduction in whole-plant hydraulic conductance and WUE. The differences among the populations in root morphology, whole-plant conductance, carbon allocation, plant growth and WUE were significant and consistent with dryness of the site of seed origin. The xeric populations exhibited lower growth and a conservative water use, as opposed to the fast-growing, less water-use-efficient populations from mesic habitats. The xeric and mesic populations, Tamrabta and San Cipriano, respectively, showed the most contrasting traits and were clustered in opposite directions along the main axis in the canonical discriminant analysis under both the control and drought treatments. The results suggest the possibility of selecting the Arenas population, which presents a combination of traits that confer increased growth and drought resistance.

  4. Influence of soil texture on hydraulic properties and water relations of a dominant warm-desert phreatophyte.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hultine, K R; Koepke, D F; Pockman, W T; Fravolini, A; Sperry, J S; Williams, D G

    2006-03-01

    We investigated hydraulic constraints on water uptake by velvet mesquite (Prosopis velutina Woot.) at a site with sandy-loam soil and at a site with loamy-clay soil in southeastern Arizona, USA. We predicted that trees on sandy-loam soil have less negative xylem and soil water potentials during drought and a lower resistance to xylem cavitation, and reach E(crit) (the maximum steady-state transpiration rate without hydraulic failure) at higher soil water potentials than trees on loamy-clay soil. However, minimum predawn leaf xylem water potentials measured during the height of summer drought were significantly lower at the sandy-loam site (-3.5 +/- 0.1 MPa; all errors are 95% confidence limits) than at the loamy-clay site (-2.9 +/- 0.1 MPa). Minimum midday xylem water potentials also were lower at the sandy-loam site (-4.5 +/- 0.1 MPa) than at the loamy-clay site (-4.0 +/- 0.1 MPa). Despite the differences in leaf water potentials, there were no significant differences in either root or stem xylem embolism, mean cavitation pressure or Psi(95) (xylem water potential causing 95% cavitation) between trees at the two sites. A soil-plant hydraulic model parameterized with the field data predicted that E(crit) approaches zero at a substantially higher bulk soil water potential (Psi(s)) on sandy-loam soil than on loamy-clay soil, because of limiting rhizosphere conductance. The model predicted that transpiration at the sandy-loam site is limited by E(crit) and is tightly coupled to Psi(s) over much of the growing season, suggesting that seasonal transpiration fluxes at the sandy-loam site are strongly linked to intra-annual precipitation pulses. Conversely, the model predicted that trees on loamy-clay soil operate below E(crit) throughout the growing season, suggesting that fluxes on fine-textured soils are closely coupled to inter-annual changes in precipitation. Information on the combined importance of xylem and rhizosphere constraints to leaf water supply across soil

  5. FORTRAN routines for calculating water thermodynamic properties for use in transient thermal-hydraulics codes

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Green, C.

    1979-12-01

    A set of FORTRAN subroutines is described for calculating water thermodynamic properties. These were written for use in a transient thermal-hydraulics program, where speed of execution is paramount. The choice of which subroutines to optimise depends on the primary variables in the thermal-hydraulics code. In this particular case the subroutine which has been optimised is the one which calculates pressure and specific enthalpy given the specific volume and the specific internal energy. Another two subroutines are described which complete a self-consistent set. These calculate the specific volume and the temperature given the pressure and the specific enthalpy, and the specific enthalpy and the specific volume given the pressure and the temperature (or the quality). The accuracy is high near the saturation lines, typically less than 1% relative error, and decreases as the fluid becomes more subcooled in the liquid region or more superheated in the steam region. This behaviour is inherent in the method which uses quantities defined on the saturation lines and assumes that certain derivatives are constant for excursions away from these saturation lines. The accuracy and speed of the subroutines are discussed in detail in this report. (author)

  6. Inhibitory effects of Urtica dioica L. root on electrophysiological properties of isolated rabbit atrioventricular node

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    A. Enayati

    2017-11-01

    Full Text Available Background and objectives: The ideal drug for treatment of a wide range of supraventricular arrhythmia hasn't yet been developed. Previous studies have shown antihypertensive and negative inotropic effects of the Urtica dioica L. (nettle. Therefore, the aim of present study is to determine the rate dependent inhibitory effects of ethanol extract of nettle root and investigate the role of adrenoceptors in the anti-arrhythmic mechanism of nettle on the isolated rabbit atrio-ventricular node. Methods: Urtica dioica roots were collected from Gorgan (Golestan, Iran. Male New Zealand rabbits (n=7 were used in all of the experiments. Experimental stimulation protocols (WBCL; Recovery, Facilitation, Fatigue were applied to assess electrophysiological properties of Node. All protocols were repeated in the presence and absence (control of different concentration (0.25-0.5 w/v % of nettle and 1 μM nadolol. Data were shown as Mean±SE, difference between groups statistically were assessed by SPSS software. Results: Nettle (0.5 w/v significantly decreased basic and functional properties of node as WBCL, ERP, FRP, AVCT and magnitude of fatigue (∆AH significantly increased but ∆FRP significantly decreased. In the presence of nadolol (1μM as a nonselective β-blocker, nettle (0.3 mg/L could not repeat its effects on electrophysiological properties of AV-node. Conclusion: The results showed the modifying properties of Urtica dioica root extract. It may be considered as a candidate for the treatment of supraventicular arrhythmias.

  7. The influence of thermodynamic state of mineral hydraulic oil on flow rate through radial clearance at zero overlap inside the hydraulic components

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Knežević Darko M.

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available In control hydraulic components (servo valves, LS regulators, etc. there is a need for precise mathematical description of fluid flow through radial clearances between the control piston and body of component at zero overlap, small valve opening and small lengths of overlap. Such a mathematical description would allow for a better dynamic analysis and stability analysis of hydraulic systems. The existing formulas in the literature do not take into account the change of the physical properties of the fluid with a change of thermodynamic state of the fluid to determine the flow rate through radial clearances in hydraulic components at zero overlap, a small opening, and a small overlap lengths, which leads to the formation of insufficiently precise mathematical models. In this paper model description of fluid flow through radial clearances at zero overlap is developed, taking into account the changes of physical properties of hydraulic fluid as a function of pressure and temperature. In addition, the experimental verification of the mathematical model is performed.

  8. Efficient numerical method for district heating system hydraulics

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Stevanovic, Vladimir D.; Prica, Sanja; Maslovaric, Blazenka; Zivkovic, Branislav; Nikodijevic, Srdjan

    2007-01-01

    An efficient method for numerical simulation and analyses of the steady state hydraulics of complex pipeline networks is presented. It is based on the loop model of the network and the method of square roots for solving the system of linear equations. The procedure is presented in the comprehensive mathematical form that could be straightforwardly programmed into a computer code. An application of the method to energy efficiency analyses of a real complex district heating system is demonstrated. The obtained results show a potential for electricity savings in pumps operation. It is shown that the method is considerably more effective than the standard Hardy Cross method still widely used in engineering practice. Because of the ease of implementation and high efficiency, the method presented in this paper is recommended for hydraulic steady state calculations of complex networks

  9. Optimal Choice of Soil Hydraulic Parameters for Simulating the Unsaturated Flow: A Case Study on the Island of Miyakojima, Japan

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ken Okamoto

    2015-10-01

    Full Text Available We examined the influence of input soil hydraulic parameters on HYDRUS-1D simulations of evapotranspiration and volumetric water contents (VWCs in the unsaturated zone of a sugarcane field on the island of Miyakojima, Japan. We first optimized the parameters for root water uptake and examined the influence of soil hydraulic parameters (water retention curve and hydraulic conductivity on simulations of evapotranspiration. We then compared VWCs simulated using measured soil hydraulic parameters with those using pedotransfer estimates obtained with the ROSETTA software package. Our results confirm that it is important to always use soil hydraulic parameters based on measured data, if available, when simulating evapotranspiration and unsaturated water flow processes, rather than pedotransfer functions.

  10. A Computational Model of Hydraulic Volume Displacement Drive

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    V. N. Pil'gunov

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available The paper offers a computational model of industrial-purpose hydraulic drive with two hydraulic volume adjustable working chamber machines (pump and motor. Adjustable pump equipped with the pressure control unit can be run together with several adjustable hydraulic motors on the principle of three-phase hydraulic socket-outlet with high-pressure lines, drain, and drainage system. The paper considers the pressure-controlled hydrostatic transmission with hydraulic motor as an output link. It shows a possibility to create a saving hydraulic drive using a functional tie between the adjusting parameters of the pump and hydraulic motor through the pressure difference, torque, and angular rate of the hydraulic motor shaft rotation. The programmable logic controller can implement such tie. The Coulomb and viscous frictions are taken into consideration when developing a computational model of the hydraulic volume displacement drive. Discharge balance considers external and internal leakages in equivalent clearances of hydraulic machines, as well as compression loss volume caused by hydraulic fluid compressibility and deformation of pipe walls. To correct dynamic properties of hydraulic drive, the paper offers that in discharge balance are included the additional regulated external leakages in the open circuit of hydraulic drive and regulated internal leakages in the closed-loop circuit. Generalized differential equations having functional multipliers and multilinked nature have been obtained to describe the operation of hydraulic positioning and speed drive with two hydraulic volume adjustable working chamber machines. It is shown that a proposed computational model of hydraulic drive can be taken into consideration in development of LS («Load-Sensing» drives, in which the pumping pressure is tuned to the value required for the most loaded slave motor to overcome the load. Results attained can be used both in designing the industrial-purpose heavy

  11. Use of LANDSAT images of vegetation cover to estimate effective hydraulic properties of soils

    Science.gov (United States)

    Eagleson, Peter S.; Jasinski, Michael F.

    1988-01-01

    The estimation of the spatially variable surface moisture and heat fluxes of natural, semivegetated landscapes is difficult due to the highly random nature of the vegetation (e.g., plant species, density, and stress) and the soil (e.g., moisture content, and soil hydraulic conductivity). The solution to that problem lies, in part, in the use of satellite remotely sensed data, and in the preparation of those data in terms of the physical properties of the plant and soil. The work was focused on the development and testing of a stochastic geometric canopy-soil reflectance model, which can be applied to the physically-based interpretation of LANDSAT images. The model conceptualizes the landscape as a stochastic surface with bulk plant and soil reflective properties. The model is particularly suited for regional scale investigations where the quantification of the bulk landscape properties, such as fractional vegetation cover, is important on a pixel by pixel basis. A summary of the theoretical analysis and the preliminary testing of the model with actual aerial radiometric data is provided.

  12. The role of defoliation and root rot pathogen infection in driving the mode of drought-related physiological decline in Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Aguadé, D; Poyatos, R; Gómez, M; Oliva, J; Martínez-Vilalta, J

    2015-03-01

    Drought-related tree die-off episodes have been observed in all vegetated continents. Despite much research effort, however, the multiple interactions between carbon starvation, hydraulic failure and biotic agents in driving tree mortality under field conditions are still not well understood. We analysed the seasonal variability of non-structural carbohydrates (NSCs) in four organs (leaves, branches, trunk and roots), the vulnerability to embolism in roots and branches, native embolism (percentage loss of hydraulic conductivity (PLC)) in branches and the presence of root rot pathogens in defoliated and non-defoliated individuals in a declining Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) population in the NE Iberian Peninsula in 2012, which included a particularly dry and warm summer. No differences were observed between defoliated and non-defoliated pines in hydraulic parameters, except for a higher vulnerability to embolism at pressures below -2 MPa in roots of defoliated pines. No differences were found between defoliation classes in branch PLC. Total NSC (TNSC, soluble sugars plus starch) values decreased during drought, particularly in leaves. Defoliation reduced TNSC levels across tree organs, especially just before (June) and during (August) drought. Root rot infection by the fungal pathogen Onnia P. Karst spp. was detected but it did not appear to be associated to tree defoliation. However, Onnia infection was associated with reduced leaf-specific hydraulic conductivity and sapwood depth, and thus contributed to hydraulic impairment, especially in defoliated pines. Infection was also associated with virtually depleted root starch reserves during and after drought in defoliated pines. Moreover, defoliated and infected trees tended to show lower basal area increment. Overall, our results show the intertwined nature of physiological mechanisms leading to drought-induced mortality and the inherent difficulty of isolating their contribution under field conditions. © The

  13. Verifying the prevalence, properties, and congruent hydraulics of at-many-stations hydraulic geometry (AMHG) for rivers in the continental United States

    Science.gov (United States)

    Barber, Caitline A.; Gleason, Colin J.

    2018-01-01

    Hydraulic geometry (HG) has long enabled daily discharge estimates, flood risk monitoring, and water resource and habitat assessments, among other applications. At-many-stations HG (AMHG) is a newly discovered form of HG with an evolving understanding. AMHG holds that there are temporally and spatially invariant ('congruent') depth, width, velocity, and discharge values that are shared by all stations of a river. Furthermore, these river-wide congruent hydraulics have been shown to link at-a-station HG (AHG) in space, contrary to previous expectation of AHG as spatially unpredictable. To date, AMHG has only been thoroughly examined on six rivers, and its congruent hydraulics are not well understood. To address the limited understanding of AMHG, we calculated AMHG for 191 rivers in the United States using USGS field-measured data from over 1900 gauging stations. These rivers represent nearly all geologic and climatic settings found in the continental U.S. and allow for a robust assessment of AMHG across scales. Over 60% of rivers were found to have AMHG with strong explanatory power to predict AHG across space (defined as r2 > 0.6, 118/191 rivers). We also found that derived congruent hydraulics bear little relation to their observed time-varying counterparts, and the strength of AMHG did not correlate with any available observed or congruent hydraulic parameters. We also found that AMHG is expressed at all fluvial scales in this study. Some statistically significant spatial clusters of rivers with strong and weak AMHG were identified, but further research is needed to identify why these clusters exist. Thus, this first widespread empirical investigation of AMHG leads us to conclude that AMHG is indeed a widely prevalent natural fluvial phenomenon, and we have identified linkages between known fluvial parameters and AMHG. Our work should give confidence to future researchers seeking to perform the necessary detailed hydraulic analysis of AMHG.

  14. Evaluation of bacterial leakage of four root- end filling materials: Gray Pro Root MTA, White Pro Root MTA, Root MTA and Portland Cement (type I

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Zarabian M.

    2005-07-01

    Full Text Available Background and Aim: Today several materials have been used for root- end filling in endodontic surgery. Optimal properties of Pro Root MTA in in-vitro and in-vivo studies has been proven. On the other hand, based on some studies, Root MTA (Iranian Pro Root MTA and Portland cement are similar to Pro Root MTA in physical and biologic properties. The aim of this study was to evaluate bacterial leakage (amount and mean leakage time of four root- end filling materials. Materials and Methods: In this experimental in-vitro study, seventy six extracted single- rooted human teeth were randomly divided into six groups for root-end filling with gray Pro Root MTA, white Pro Root MTA, Root MTA (Iranian Pro Root MTA, Portland Cement (type I and positive and negative control groups. Root canals were instrumented using the step- back technique. Root- end filling materials were placed in 3mm ultra sonic retro preparations. Samples and microleakage model system were sterilized in autoclave. The apical 3-4 mm of the roots were immersed in phenol red with 3% lactose broth culture medium. The coronal access of each specimen was inoculated every 24h with a suspension of Streptococcus sanguis (ATCC 10556. Culture media were observed every 24h for colour change indicating bacterial contamination for 60 days. Statistical analysis was performed using log- rank test with P<0.05 as the limit of significance. Results: At the end of study 50%, 56.25%, 56.25% and 50% of specimens filled with Gray Pro Root MTA, White Pro Root MTA. Root MTA and Portland Cement (type I had evidence of leakage respectively. The mean leakage time was 37.19±6.29, 36.44±5.81, 37.69±5.97 and 34.81±6.67 days respectively. Statistical analysis of data showed no significant difference among the leakage (amount and mean leakage time of the four tested root- end filling materials (P=0.9958. Conclusion: Based on the results of this study, there were no significant differences in leakage among the four

  15. Hydraulic tests for the Excavation Disturbed Zone in NATM drift of North Extension

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Matsuoka, Eiken

    1997-03-01

    Investigation for characterization of rock properties of the Excavation Disturbed Zone (EDZ) were carried out in NATM drift of North Extension in the Tono Mine. As a part of this investigation, hydraulic tests were performed by means of the hydraulic measuring instrument, which had been developed by PNC Tono Geoscience Center. The purpose of this tests is to characterize the change in hydraulic properties of the EDZ caused by drift excavation using machine (boom header). The hydraulic tests were performed in the burials MH-1,2,3, in which hydraulic tests had been performed before the drift excavation in 1994. The test results indicate that the measured values of pore water pressure have decreased after excavation of the drift. The values ranged from -0.037 kgf/cm 2 to 0.039 kgf/cm 2 . The measured hydraulic conductivities ranged from 2.2*10 -11 cm/s to 9.1*10 -11 cm/s for mud stone and from 2.8*10 -9 cm/s to 2.4*10 -7 cm/s for conglomerate. The measured hydraulic conductivities for mud stone are below the lower limit of the instrument, and the change in the hydraulic conductivities for conglomerate is little. The hydraulic conductivities for conglomerate and mad stone (reference values) are interpreted. The change in hydraulic conductivities measured before and after excavation of the drift is insignificant. (author)

  16. Suitability of parametric models to describe the hydraulic properties of an unsaturated coarse sand and gravel

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mace, Andy; Rudolph, David L.; Kachanoski , R. Gary

    1998-01-01

    The performance of parametric models used to describe soil water retention (SWR) properties and predict unsaturated hydraulic conductivity (K) as a function of volumetric water content (θ) is examined using SWR and K(θ) data for coarse sand and gravel sediments. Six 70 cm long, 10 cm diameter cores of glacial outwash were instrumented at eight depths with porous cup ten-siometers and time domain reflectometry probes to measure soil water pressure head (h) and θ, respectively, for seven unsaturated and one saturated steady-state flow conditions. Forty-two θ(h) and K(θ) relationships were measured from the infiltration tests on the cores. Of the four SWR models compared in the analysis, the van Genuchten (1980) equation with parameters m and n restricted according to the Mualem (m = 1 - 1/n) criterion is best suited to describe the θ(h) relationships. The accuracy of two models that predict K(θ) using parameter values derived from the SWR models was also evaluated. The model developed by van Genuchten (1980) based on the theoretical expression of Mualem (1976) predicted K(θ) more accurately than the van Genuchten (1980) model based on the theory of Burdine (1953). A sensitivity analysis shows that more accurate predictions of K(θ) are achieved using SWR model parameters derived with residual water content (θr) specified according to independent measurements of θ at values of h where θ/h ∼ 0 rather than model-fit θr values. The accuracy of the model K(θ) function improves markedly when at least one value of unsaturated K is used to scale the K(θ) function predicted using the saturated K. The results of this investigation indicate that the hydraulic properties of coarse-grained sediments can be accurately described using the parametric models. In addition, data collection efforts should focus on measuring at least one value of unsaturated hydraulic conductivity and as complete a set of SWR data as possible, particularly in the dry range.

  17. Soil Systems for Upscaling Saturated Hydraulic Conductivity (Ksat) for Hydrological Modeling in the Critical Zone

    Science.gov (United States)

    Successful hydrological model predictions depend on appropriate framing of scale and the spatial-temporal accuracy of input parameters describing soil hydraulic properties. Saturated soil hydraulic conductivity (Ksat) is one of the most important properties influencing water movement through soil un...

  18. Modeling Thermal Pressurization Around Shallow Dikes Using Temperature-Dependent Hydraulic Properties: Implications for Deformation Around Intrusions

    Science.gov (United States)

    Townsend, Meredith R.

    2018-01-01

    Pressurization and flow of groundwater around igneous intrusions depend in part on the hydraulic diffusivity of the host rocks and processes that enhance diffusivity, such as fracturing, or decrease diffusivity, such as mineral precipitation during chemical alteration. Characterizing and quantifying the coupled effects of alteration, pore pressurization, and deformation have significant implications for deformation around intrusions, geothermal energy, contact metamorphism, and heat transfer at mid-ocean ridges. Fractures around dikes at Ship Rock, New Mexico, indicate that pore pressures in the host rocks exceeded hydrostatic conditions by at least 15 MPa following dike emplacement. Hydraulic measurements and petrographic analysis indicate that mineral precipitation clogged the pores of the host rock, reducing porosity from 0.25 to reducing permeability by 5 orders of magnitude. Field data from Ship Rock are used to motivate and constrain numerical models for thermal pore fluid pressurization adjacent to a meter-scale dike, using temperature-dependent hydraulic properties in the host rock as a proxy for porosity loss by mineral precipitation during chemical alteration. Reduction in permeability by chemical alteration has a negligible effect on pressurization. However, reduction in porosity by mineral precipitation increases fluid pressure by constricting pore volume and is identified as a potentially significant source of pressure. A scaling relationship is derived to determine when porosity loss becomes important; if permeability is low enough, pressurization by porosity loss outweighs pressurization by thermal expansion of fluids.

  19. Full vessel CFD analysis on thermal-hydraulic characteristics of CPR1000 PWR

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chao Yanmeng; Yang Lixin; Zhang Mingqian

    2014-01-01

    To obtain flow distributions and thermal-hydraulic properties in a full vessel PWR under limited computation ability and time, a full vessel simulation model of CPR1000 was built based on two simplification methods. One simplified the inner geometry of the control rod guide tubes using equivalent flow area. Another substituted the core by a porous domain to maintain the pressure drop and temperature rise. After the computation, global and localized flow distributions, hydraulic loads of some main assemblies were obtained, as well as other thermal-hydraulic properties. The results indicate the flow distribution in the full vessel is asymmetrical. Therefore it is essential to use the full vessel model to simulate. The calculated thermal-hydraulic characteristics agree well with the operation statistics, providing the reference data for the reactor safety operation. (authors)

  20. Hydraulic conductivity in sugar cane cultivated in soils previous vin aza application

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Musso, M.; Pereira, S.; Fajardo, L.

    2012-01-01

    This work analyzes the hydraulic conductivity in soil clay loams developed in Libertad formation in Bella Union where grows sugar cane with vinaza. In the agricultural activities are used different chemical additives such as organic and inorganic fertilizers, herbicides and pesticides, which interact with the biotic (roots, soil microbiology) and abiotic (clay, soil solution, etc.) elements

  1. Petrophysics at the rock matrix scale: hydraulic properties and petrographic interpretation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Montoto, M.

    2003-01-01

    The main objective of this publication is to review, summarize and make comprehensive the hydraulic properties of rocks, at the rock matrix or in tact rock scale. Also to describe how to petrographically interpret those properties. For this purpose, the procedures for the characterization and visualisation of the rock-forming components and in special the water path-ways at that scale are explained. Further more, to establish a methodological approach for an appropriate petrographic interpretation of all the mentioned properties is intended. This Technical Report is applied to the geological solution for the final disposal of high level radioactive wastes. In any case, most of the aspects covered here are of scientific and technical interest for any researcher interested in the behaviour of water in rocks and vice versa, also in the potential fluid- rock interactions. The document is divided into six Chapters, mainly theoretical and methodological, and six Appen - dixes, more focussed to practical tests and procedures for rock characterization. Two significant rock types in high level radioactive waste, HLW, granites and clays, have been used for illustrating most of the examples here included. Under a wide geological perspective, it must be stated that in any geological scenario two different systems or scales coexist; the rock massif (with fractures of about m to km) and the rock matrix (with internal discontinuities such as fissures and cracks to the order of Fm to dm). Their different behaviour is considered in Chapter 1 as well as the specific role played by the rock matrix in the long- and short-term period. General considerations about physical properties of rocks and comparative advantages and disadvantages of the main candidate rocks for radioactive repositories are also included. (Author)

  2. Advantages of Oscillatory Hydraulic Tomography

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kitanidis, P. K.; Bakhos, T.; Cardiff, M. A.; Barrash, W.

    2012-12-01

    Characterizing the subsurface is significant for most hydrogeologic studies, such as those involving site remediation and groundwater resource explo¬ration. A variety of hydraulic and geophysical methods have been developed to estimate hydraulic conductivity and specific storage. Hydraulic methods based on the analysis of conventional pumping tests allow the estimation of conductivity and storage without need for approximate petrophysical relations, which is an advantage over most geophysical methods that first estimate other properties and then infer values of hydraulic parameters. However, hydraulic methods have the disadvantage that the head-change signal decays with distance from the pumping well and thus becomes difficult to separate from noise except in close proximity to the source. Oscillatory hydraulic tomography (OHT) is an emerging technology to im¬age the subsurface. This method utilizes the idea of imposing sinusoidally varying pressure or discharge signals at several points, collecting head observations at several other points, and then processing these data in a tomographic fashion to estimate conductivity and storage coefficients. After an overview of the methodology, including a description of the most important potential advantages and challenges associated with this approach, two key promising features of the approach will be discussed. First, the signal at an observation point is orthogonal to and thus can be separated from nuisance inputs like head fluctuation from production wells, evapotranspiration, irrigation, and changes in the level of adjacent streams. Second, although the signal amplitude may be weak, one can extract the phase and amplitude of the os¬cillatory signal by collecting measurements over a longer time, thus compensating for the effect of large distance through longer sampling period.

  3. What plant hydraulics can tell us about responses to climate-change droughts.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sperry, John S; Love, David M

    2015-07-01

    Climate change exposes vegetation to unusual drought, causing declines in productivity and increased mortality. Drought responses are hard to anticipate because canopy transpiration and diffusive conductance (G) respond to drying soil and vapor pressure deficit (D) in complex ways. A growing database of hydraulic traits, combined with a parsimonious theory of tree water transport and its regulation, may improve predictions of at-risk vegetation. The theory uses the physics of flow through soil and xylem to quantify how canopy water supply declines with drought and ceases by hydraulic failure. This transpiration 'supply function' is used to predict a water 'loss function' by assuming that stomatal regulation exploits transport capacity while avoiding failure. Supply-loss theory incorporates root distribution, hydraulic redistribution, cavitation vulnerability, and cavitation reversal. The theory efficiently defines stomatal responses to D, drying soil, and hydraulic vulnerability. Driving the theory with climate predicts drought-induced loss of plant hydraulic conductance (k), canopy G, carbon assimilation, and productivity. Data lead to the 'chronic stress hypothesis' wherein > 60% loss of k increases mortality by multiple mechanisms. Supply-loss theory predicts the climatic conditions that push vegetation over this risk threshold. The theory's simplicity and predictive power encourage testing and application in large-scale modeling. © 2015 The Authors. New Phytologist © 2015 New Phytologist Trust.

  4. Thermo-Hydraulic Modelling of Buffer and Backfill

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Pintado, X.; Rautioaho, E.

    2013-09-01

    The temporal evolution of saturation, liquid pressure and temperature in the components of the engineered barrier system was studied using numerical methods. A set of laboratory tests was conducted to calibrate the parameters employed in the models. The modelling consisted of thermal, hydraulic and thermo-hydraulic analysis in which the significant thermo-hydraulic processes, parameters and features were identified. CODE B RIGHT was used for the finite element modelling and supplementary calculations were conducted with analytical methods. The main objective in this report is to improve understanding of the thermo-hydraulic processes and material properties that affect buffer behaviour in the Olkiluoto repository and to determine the parametric requirements of models for the accurate prediction of this behaviour. The analyses consisted of evaluating the influence of initial canister temperature and gaps in the buffer, and the role played by fractures and the rock mass located between fractures in supplying water for buffer and backfill saturation. In the thermo-hydraulic analysis, the primary processes examined were the effects of buffer drying near the canister on temperature evolution and the manner in which heat flow affects the buffer saturation process. Uncertainties in parameters and variations in the boundary conditions, modelling geometry and thermo-hydraulic phenomena were assessed with a sensitivity analysis. The material parameters, constitutive models, and assumptions made were carefully selected for all the modelling cases. The reference parameters selected for the simulations were compared and evaluated against laboratory measurements. The modelling results highlight the importance of understanding groundwater flow through the rock mass and from fractures in the rock in order to achieve reliable predictions regarding buffer saturation, since saturation times could range from a few years to tens of thousands of years depending on the hydrogeological

  5. Tree shoot bending generates hydraulic pressure pulses: a new long-distance signal?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lopez, Rosana; Badel, Eric; Peraudeau, Sebastien; Leblanc-Fournier, Nathalie; Beaujard, François; Julien, Jean-Louis; Cochard, Hervé; Moulia, Bruno

    2014-05-01

    When tree stems are mechanically stimulated, a rapid long-distance signal is induced that slows down primary growth. An investigation was carried out to determine whether the signal might be borne by a mechanically induced pressure pulse in the xylem. Coupling xylem flow meters and pressure sensors with a mechanical testing device, the hydraulic effects of mechanical deformation of tree stem and branches were measured. Organs of several tree species were studied, including gymnosperms and angiosperms with different wood densities and anatomies. Bending had a negligible effect on xylem conductivity, even when deformations were sustained or were larger than would be encountered in nature. It was found that bending caused transient variation in the hydraulic pressure within the xylem of branch segments. This local transient increase in pressure in the xylem was rapidly propagated along the vascular system in planta to the upper and lower regions of the stem. It was shown that this hydraulic pulse originates from the apoplast. Water that was mobilized in the hydraulic pulses came from the saturated porous material of the conduits and their walls, suggesting that the poroelastic behaviour of xylem might be a key factor. Although likely to be a generic mechanical response, quantitative differences in the hydraulic pulse were found in different species, possibly related to differences in xylem anatomy. Importantly the hydraulic pulse was proportional to the strained volume, similar to known thigmomorphogenetic responses. It is hypothesized that the hydraulic pulse may be the signal that rapidly transmits mechanobiological information to leaves, roots, and apices.

  6. Electric and Hydraulic Properties of Carbon Felt Immersed in Different Dielectric Liquids.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kossenko, Alexey; Lugovskoy, Svetlana; Averbukh, Moshe

    2018-04-23

    Electroconductive carbon felt (CF) material, having a permeable structure and significant electroconductive surface, is widely used for electrodes in numerous electrochemical applications such as redox flow batteries, fuel cells, electrochemical desalination apparatus, etc. The internal structure of CF is composed of different lengths of carbon filaments bonded together. This structure creates a large number of stochastically oriented and stochastically linked channels that have different lengths and cross sections. Therefore, the CF hydraulic permeability is similar to that of porous media and is determined by the internal empty volume and arrangement of carbon fibers. Its electroconductivity is ensured by the conductivity of the carbon filaments and by the electrical interconnections between fibers. Both of these properties (permeability and electrical conductivity) are extremely important for the efficient functioning of electrochemical devices. However, their influences counter each other during CF compressing. Increasing the stress on a felt element provides supplementary electrical contacts of carbon filaments, which lead to improved electrical conductivity. Thus, the active surface of the felt electrode is increased, which also boosts redox chemical reactions. On the other hand, compressed felt possesses reduced hydrodynamic permeability as a result of a diminished free volume of porous media and intrinsic channels. This causes increasing hydrodynamic expenditures of electrolyte pumping through electrodes and lessened cell (battery) efficiency. The designer of specific electrochemical systems has to take into account both of these properties when selecting the optimal construction for a cell. This article presents the results of measurements and novel approximating expressions of electrical and hydraulic characteristics of a CF during its compression. Since electrical conductivity plays a determining role in providing electrochemical reactions, it was

  7. Electric and Hydraulic Properties of Carbon Felt Immersed in Different Dielectric Liquids

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Alexey Kossenko

    2018-04-01

    Full Text Available Electroconductive carbon felt (CF material, having a permeable structure and significant electroconductive surface, is widely used for electrodes in numerous electrochemical applications such as redox flow batteries, fuel cells, electrochemical desalination apparatus, etc. The internal structure of CF is composed of different lengths of carbon filaments bonded together. This structure creates a large number of stochastically oriented and stochastically linked channels that have different lengths and cross sections. Therefore, the CF hydraulic permeability is similar to that of porous media and is determined by the internal empty volume and arrangement of carbon fibers. Its electroconductivity is ensured by the conductivity of the carbon filaments and by the electrical interconnections between fibers. Both of these properties (permeability and electrical conductivity are extremely important for the efficient functioning of electrochemical devices. However, their influences counter each other during CF compressing. Increasing the stress on a felt element provides supplementary electrical contacts of carbon filaments, which lead to improved electrical conductivity. Thus, the active surface of the felt electrode is increased, which also boosts redox chemical reactions. On the other hand, compressed felt possesses reduced hydrodynamic permeability as a result of a diminished free volume of porous media and intrinsic channels. This causes increasing hydrodynamic expenditures of electrolyte pumping through electrodes and lessened cell (battery efficiency. The designer of specific electrochemical systems has to take into account both of these properties when selecting the optimal construction for a cell. This article presents the results of measurements and novel approximating expressions of electrical and hydraulic characteristics of a CF during its compression. Since electrical conductivity plays a determining role in providing electrochemical

  8. Mind the Roots: Phenotyping Below-Ground Crop Diversity and Its Influence on Final Yield

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nieters, C.; Guadagno, C. R.; Lemli, S.; Hosseini, A.; Ewers, B. E.

    2017-12-01

    Changes in global climate patterns and water regimes are having profound impacts on worldwide crop production. An ever-growing population paired with increasing temperatures and unpredictable periods of severe drought call for accurate modeling of future crop yield. Although novel approaches are being developed in high-throughput, above-ground image phenotyping, the below-ground plant system is still poorly phenotyped. Collection of plant root morphology and hydraulics are needed to inform mathematical models to reliably estimate yields of crops grown in sub-optimal conditions. We used Brassica rapa to inform our model as it is a globally cultivated crop with several functionally diverse cultivars. Specifically, we use 7 different accessions from oilseed (R500 and Yellow Sarson), leafy type (Pac choi and Chinese cabbage), a vegetable turnip, and two Wisconsin Fast Plants (Imb211 and Fast Plant self-compatible), which have shorter life cycles and potentially large differences in allocation to roots. Bi-weekly, we harvested above and below-ground biomass to compare the varieties in terms of carbon allocation throughout their life cycle. Using WinRhizo software, we analyzed root system length and surface area to compare and contrast root morphology among cultivars. Our results confirm that root structural characteristics are crucial to explain plant water use and carbon allocation. The root:shoot ratio reveals a significant (p physiological traits such as gas exchange, chlorophyll content, and chlorophyll a fluorescence. A thorough analysis of the root system will clarify carbon dynamics and hydraulics at the whole-plant level, improving final yield predictions.

  9. The Criteria for the Selection of Wells for Hydraulic Fracturing

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    O.V. Salimov

    2017-12-01

    Full Text Available Various methods of selection of wells for hydraulic fracturing are analyzed. It is established that all methods can be divided into three large groups: criteria in the table form of boundary values of parameters, statistical methods of pattern recognition, methods of engineering calculation. The complication or use of additional parameters only leads to a reduction in the number of wells at which hydraulic fracturing is possible. It is shown that the use of reservoir properties of rocks, which are already used by hydraulic fracturing simulators, is not practicable as selection criteria. It is required to include in the selection criteria only those additional factors on which the effectiveness of hydraulic fracturing depends directly.

  10. Impact of hydraulic redistribution on multispecies vegetation water use in a semi-arid ecosystem: An experimental and modeling synthesis

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lee, E.; Kumar, P.; Barron-Gafford, G.; Scott, R. L.; Hendryx, S. M.; Sanchez-Canete, E. P.; Minor, R. L.; Colella, A.

    2017-12-01

    A key challenge in critical zone science is to understand and predict the interaction between aboveground and belowground ecohydrologic processes. One of the links that facilitates the interaction is hydraulic redistribution (HR), a phenomenon by which roots serve as preferential pathways for water movement from wet to dry soil layers. We use a multi-layer canopy model in conjunction with experimental data to examine the influence of HR on eco-hydrologic processes, such as transpiration, soil evaporation, and soil moisture, which characterize the competitive and facilitative dynamics between velvet mesquite and understory bunchgrass. Both measured and simulated results show that hydraulic descent (HD) dominates sap flux during the wet monsoon season, whereas hydraulic lift (HL) occurs between precipitation events. About 17% of precipitation is absorbed as soil-moisture, with the rest of the precipitation returning to the atmosphere as evapotranspiration. In the wet season, 13% of precipitation is transferred to deep soil (>2m) through mesquite roots, and in the dry season, 9% of this redistributed water is transported back to shallow soil depth (competitive advantage over understory bunchgrass through HR.

  11. Changes in the chemical properties and swelling coefficient of alfalfa root cell walls in the presence of toluene as a toxic agent.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sharifi, M; Khoshgoftarmanesh, A H; Hadadzadeh, H

    2016-04-01

    The influence of toluene pollution on the chemical properties and swelling coefficient of root cell walls in alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) was investigated. Two sets of alfalfa seedlings were selected and one set was treated with 450 mg L(-1) toluene in the nutrient solution under hydroponic culture. Thirty days after treatment with toluene, alfalfa plants were harvested and the root cell walls were isolated. Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy was carried out for the characterization of the root cell walls composition. The cation exchange capacity (CEC) and the swelling coefficient of the root cell walls (Kcw) were estimated at various pH values. The toluene contamination significantly reduced the mass of the cell wall material in the alfalfa roots. According to the FTIR spectra, the toluene pollution can change the alfalfa root cell wall properties by reducing the cell wall functional groups. These functional groups are probably related to the proteins and polysaccharides in the cell wall. Also, toluene pollution strongly reduced CEC and Kcw of the root cell walls. The results show that the decrease in the active sites of adsorption on the root cell walls as a response to toluene pollution can affect the water flow rate and the mineral nutrients uptake by roots.

  12. Inverse estimation of soil hydraulic properties and water repellency following artificially induced drought stress

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Filipović Vilim

    2018-06-01

    Full Text Available Global climate change is projected to continue and result in prolonged and more intense droughts, which can increase soil water repellency (SWR. To be able to estimate the consequences of SWR on vadose zone hydrology, it is important to determine soil hydraulic properties (SHP. Sequential modeling using HYDRUS (2D/3D was performed on an experimental field site with artificially imposed drought scenarios (moderately M and severely S stressed and a control plot. First, inverse modeling was performed for SHP estimation based on water and ethanol infiltration experimental data, followed by model validation on one selected irrigation event. Finally, hillslope modeling was performed to assess water balance for 2014. Results suggest that prolonged dry periods can increase soil water repellency. Inverse modeling was successfully performed for infiltrating liquids, water and ethanol, with R2 and model efficiency (E values both > 0.9. SHP derived from the ethanol measurements showed large differences in van Genuchten-Mualem (VGM parameters for the M and S plots compared to water infiltration experiments. SWR resulted in large saturated hydraulic conductivity (Ks decrease on the M and S scenarios. After validation of SHP on water content measurements during a selected irrigation event, one year simulations (2014 showed that water repellency increases surface runoff in non-structured soils at hillslopes.

  13. Hydraulic structures

    CERN Document Server

    Chen, Sheng-Hong

    2015-01-01

    This book discusses in detail the planning, design, construction and management of hydraulic structures, covering dams, spillways, tunnels, cut slopes, sluices, water intake and measuring works, ship locks and lifts, as well as fish ways. Particular attention is paid to considerations concerning the environment, hydrology, geology and materials etc. in the planning and design of hydraulic projects. It also considers the type selection, profile configuration, stress/stability calibration and engineering countermeasures, flood releasing arrangements and scouring protection, operation and maintenance etc. for a variety of specific hydraulic structures. The book is primarily intended for engineers, undergraduate and graduate students in the field of civil and hydraulic engineering who are faced with the challenges of extending our understanding of hydraulic structures ranging from traditional to groundbreaking, as well as designing, constructing and managing safe, durable hydraulic structures that are economical ...

  14. Hydraulic System Design of Hydraulic Actuators for Large Butterfly Valves

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ye HUANG

    2014-09-01

    Full Text Available Hydraulic control systems of butterfly valves are presently valve-controlled and pump-controlled. Valve-controlled hydraulic systems have serious power loss and generate much heat during throttling. Pump-controlled hydraulic systems have no overflow or throttling losses but are limited in the speed adjustment of the variable-displacement pump, generate much noise, pollute the environment, and have motor power that does not match load requirements, resulting in low efficiency under light loads and wearing of the variable-displacement pump. To overcome these shortcomings, this article designs a closed hydraulic control system in which an AC servo motor drives a quantitative pump that controls a spiral swinging hydraulic cylinder, and analyzes and calculates the structure and parameters of a spiral swinging hydraulic cylinder. The hydraulic system adjusts the servo motor’s speed according to the requirements of the control system, and the motor power matches the power provided to components, thus eliminating the throttling loss of hydraulic circuits. The system is compact, produces a large output force, provides stable transmission, has a quick response, and is suitable as a hydraulic control system of a large butterfly valve.

  15. The study of crosslinked fluid leakoff in hydraulic fracturing physical simulations

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Grothe, Vinicius Perrud; Ribeiro, Paulo Roberto [Universidade Estadual de Campinas, SP (Brazil). Faculdade de Engenharia Mecanica. Dept. de Engenharia de Petroleo; Sousa, Jose Luiz Antunes de Oliveira e [Universidade Estadual de Campinas, SP (Brazil). Faculdade de Engenharia. Dept. de Estruturas; Fernandes, Paulo Dore [PETROBRAS S.A., Rio de Janeiro, RJ (Brazil). Centro de Pesquisas

    2000-07-01

    The fluid loss plays an important role in the design and execution of hydraulic fracturing treatments. The main objectives of this work were: the study of the fluid loss associated with the propagation of hydraulic fractures generated at laboratory; and the comparison of two distinct methods for estimating leakoff coefficients - Nolte analysis and the filtrate volume vs. square root of time plot. Synthetic rock samples were used as well as crosslinked hydroxypropyl guar (HPG) fluids in different polymer concentrations. The physical simulations comprised the confinement of (0.1 x 0.1 x 0.1) m{sup 3} rock samples in a load cell for the application of an in situ stress field. Different flow rates were employed in order to investigate shear effects on the overall leakoff coefficient. Horizontal radial fractures were hydraulically induced with approximate diameters, what was accomplished by controlling the injection time. Leakoff coefficients determined by means of the pressure decline analysis were compared to coefficients obtained from static filtration tests, considering similar experimental conditions. The research results indicated that the physical simulation of hydraulic fracturing may be regarded as an useful tool for evaluating the effectiveness of fracturing fluids and that it can supply reliable estimates of fluid loss coefficients. (author)

  16. The divining root: moisture-driven responses of roots at the micro- and macro-scale.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Robbins, Neil E; Dinneny, José R

    2015-04-01

    Water is fundamental to plant life, but the mechanisms by which plant roots sense and respond to variations in water availability in the soil are poorly understood. Many studies of responses to water deficit have focused on large-scale effects of this stress, but have overlooked responses at the sub-organ or cellular level that give rise to emergent whole-plant phenotypes. We have recently discovered hydropatterning, an adaptive environmental response in which roots position new lateral branches according to the spatial distribution of available water across the circumferential axis. This discovery illustrates that roots are capable of sensing and responding to water availability at spatial scales far lower than those normally studied for such processes. This review will explore how roots respond to water availability with an emphasis on what is currently known at different spatial scales. Beginning at the micro-scale, there is a discussion of water physiology at the cellular level and proposed sensory mechanisms cells use to detect osmotic status. The implications of these principles are then explored in the context of cell and organ growth under non-stress and water-deficit conditions. Following this, several adaptive responses employed by roots to tailor their functionality to the local moisture environment are discussed, including patterning of lateral root development and generation of hydraulic barriers to limit water loss. We speculate that these micro-scale responses are necessary for optimal functionality of the root system in a heterogeneous moisture environment, allowing for efficient water uptake with minimal water loss during periods of drought. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society for Experimental Biology. All rights reserved. For permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

  17. Influence of root-water-uptake parameterization on simulated heat transport in a structured forest soil

    Science.gov (United States)

    Votrubova, Jana; Vogel, Tomas; Dohnal, Michal; Dusek, Jaromir

    2015-04-01

    Coupled simulations of soil water flow and associated transport of substances have become a useful and increasingly popular tool of subsurface hydrology. Quality of such simulations is directly affected by correctness of its hydraulic part. When near-surface processes under vegetation cover are of interest, appropriate representation of the root water uptake becomes essential. Simulation study of coupled water and heat transport in soil profile under natural conditions was conducted. One-dimensional dual-continuum model (S1D code) with semi-separate flow domains representing the soil matrix and the network of preferential pathways was used. A simple root water uptake model based on water-potential-gradient (WPG) formulation was applied. As demonstrated before [1], the WPG formulation - capable of simulating both the compensatory root water uptake (in situations when reduced uptake from dry layers is compensated by increased uptake from wetter layers), and the root-mediated hydraulic redistribution of soil water - enables simulation of more natural soil moisture distribution throughout the root zone. The potential effect on heat transport in a soil profile is the subject of the present study. [1] Vogel T., M. Dohnal, J. Dusek, J. Votrubova, and M. Tesar. 2013. Macroscopic modeling of plant water uptake in a forest stand involving root-mediated soil-water redistribution. Vadose Zone Journal, 12, 10.2136/vzj2012.0154. The research was supported by the Czech Science Foundation Project No. 14-15201J.

  18. Estimation of hydraulic properties and development of a layered conceptual model for the Snake River plain aquifer at the Idaho National Engineering Laboratory, Idaho

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Frederick, D.B.; Johnson, G.S.

    1996-02-01

    The Idaho INEL Oversight Program, in association with the University of Idaho, Idaho Geological Survey, Boise State University, and Idaho State University, developed a research program to determine the hydraulic properties of the Snake River Plain aquifer and characterize the vertical distribution of contaminants. A straddle-packer was deployed in four observation wells near the Idaho Chemical Processing Plant at the Idaho National Engineering Laboratory. Pressure transducers mounted in the straddle-packer assembly were used to monitor the response of the Snake River Plain aquifer to pumping at the ICPP production wells, located 2600 to 4200 feet from the observation wells. The time-drawdown data from these tests were used to evaluate various conceptual models of the aquifer. Aquifer properties were estimated by matching time-drawdown data to type curves for partially penetrating wells in an unconfined aquifer. This approach assumes a homogeneous and isotropic aquifer. The hydraulic properties of the aquifer obtained from the type curve analyses were: (1) Storativity = 3 x 10 -5 , (2) Specific Yield = 0.01, (3) Transmissivity = 740 ft 2 /min, (4) Anisotropy (Kv:Kh)= 1:360

  19. Tradeoffs between hydraulic and mechanical stress responses of mature Norway spruce trunk wood.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rosner, Sabine; Klein, Andrea; Müller, Ulrich; Karlsson, Bo

    2008-08-01

    We tested the effects of growth characteristics and basic density on hydraulic and mechanical properties of mature Norway spruce (Picea abies (L.) Karst.) wood from six 24-year-old clones, grown on two sites in southern Sweden differing in water availability. Hydraulic parameters assessed were specific hydraulic conductivity at full saturation (ks100) and vulnerability to cavitation (Psi50), mechanical parameters included bending strength (sigma b), modulus of elasticity (MOE), compression strength (sigma a) and Young's modulus (E). Basic density, diameter at breast height, tree height, and hydraulic and mechanical parameters varied considerably among clones. Clonal means of hydraulic and mechanical properties were strongly related to basic density and to growth parameters across sites, especially to diameter at breast height. Compared with stem wood of slower growing clones, stem wood of rapidly growing clones had significantly lower basic density, lower sigma b, MOE, sigma a and E, was more vulnerable to cavitation, but had higher ks100. Basic density was negatively correlated to Psi50 and ks100. We therefore found a tradeoff between Psi50 and ks100. Clones with high basic density had significantly lower hydraulic vulnerability, but also lower hydraulic conductivity at full saturation and thus less rapid growth than clones with low basic density. This tradeoff involved a negative relationship between Psi50 and sigma b as well as MOE, and between ks100 and sigma b, MOE and sigma a. Basic density and Psi50 showed no site-specific differences, but tree height, diameter at breast height, ks100 and mechanical strength and stiffness were significantly lower at the drier site. Basic density had no influence on the site-dependent differences in hydraulic and mechanical properties, but was strongly negatively related to diameter at breast height. Selecting for growth may thus lead not only to a reduction in mechanical strength and stiffness but also to a reduction in

  20. Mechanical properties of tree roots for soil reinforcement models

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Cofie, P.

    2001-01-01

    Evidence from forestry has shown that part of the forest floor bearing capacity is delivered by tree roots. The beneficial effect however varies and diminishes with increasing number of vehicle passes. Roots potential for reinforcing the soil is known to depend among others on root

  1. Hydraulic Arm Modeling via Matlab SimHydraulics

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Věchet, Stanislav; Krejsa, Jiří

    2009-01-01

    Roč. 16, č. 4 (2009), s. 287-296 ISSN 1802-1484 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z20760514 Keywords : simulatin modeling * hydraulics * SimHydraulics Subject RIV: JD - Computer Applications, Robotics

  2. A simplified transfer function for estimating saturated hydraulic conductivity of porous drainage filters

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Canga, Eriona; Iversen, Bo Vangsø; Kjærgaard, Charlotte

    2013-01-01

    Knowledge of the saturated hydraulic conductivity (Ksat) of porous filters used in water treatment technologies is important for optimizing the retention of nutrients and pollutants. This parameter determines the hydraulic capacity, which together with the Chemical properties of the filter media...

  3. Saturated hydraulic conductivity of US soils grouped according textural class and bulk density

    Science.gov (United States)

    Importance of the saturated hydraulic conductivity as soil hydraulic property led to the development of multiple pedotransfer functions for estimating it. One approach to estimating Ksat was using textural classes rather than specific textural fraction contents as pedotransfer inputs. The objective...

  4. Development of hydraulic conductivity evaluation of rocks using EK (Electro Kinetic) phenomenon (Part 2). Experimental study on hydraulic conductivity evaluation by propagation velocity of EK potential

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kubota, Kenji; Suzuki, Koichi

    2012-01-01

    Hydraulic conductivity is one of the most important engineering properties to investigate geological structure for high level radioactive waste (HLW) disposal and/or carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) geological storage. We are developing an estimation method of hydraulic conductivity by geophysical methods cost-effectively. When an elastic wave is propagated into rocks, a weak potential is generated. This is called EK (Electro Kinetic) potential, which may have a correlation with hydraulic conductivity. Hydraulic conductivity can be estimated by measuring the propagation velocity of the EK potential. We conducted laboratory measurements of propagation velocity of EK potential by using soil and rock samples. The results demonstrated that the velocity of EK potential increased as frequency increased, and the velocity increased as hydraulic conductivity of each sample increased at the same frequency condition. These tendencies corresponded to a theory of EK potential. We calculated hydraulic conductivity by comparing measured and theoretical velocity of the EK potential based on its frequency characteristics. The differences between calculated and sample hydraulic conductivity were under one order when hydraulic conductivity of the sample was from 10 -6 m/s to 10 -4 m/s. This suggests that hydraulic conductivity from 10 -6 m/s to 10 -4 m/s can be estimated by velocity of the EK potential. (author)

  5. Geometric properties of hydraulic-relevant tidal bedforms

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Winter, Christian; Ferret, Yann; Lefebvre, Alice

    2013-01-01

    of bedform genesis and dynamics is not yet available, various empirical descriptors have been formulated based on extensive data compilations (e.g. Allen, 1968; Flemming, 1988; Francken, 2004). Mean bedform heights H and lengths L were found to scale, e.g H = a * L b in which a=0.03-0.07 and b=0.7-0.9. Due...... on the tidal stage: Whereas the secondary bedforms act as roughness elements throughout the tidal cycle, the large primary bedforms dominate the hydraulics when the tidal flow is in the (dominant) direction of the bedform orientation (e.g. ebb-directed primary bedforms act during ebb currents) when...

  6. Antihyperglycemic and antihyperlipidemic properties of aqueous root extract of Icacina senegalensis in alloxan induced diabetic rats

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    GC Akuodor

    2014-01-01

    Conclusions: The results suggest that the root extract of I. senegalensis possesses antidiabetic and hypolipidemic properties, which might be a potential source for isolation of new orally active agent in the treatment of diabetes and its associated complications.

  7. Bouldering: an alternative strategy to long-vertical climbing in root-climbing hortensias.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Granados Mendoza, Carolina; Isnard, Sandrine; Charles-Dominique, Tristan; Van den Bulcke, Jan; Rowe, Nick P; Van Acker, Joris; Goetghebeur, Paul; Samain, Marie-Stéphanie

    2014-10-06

    In the Neotropics, the genus Hydrangea of the popular ornamental hortensia family is represented by climbing species that strongly cling to their support surface by means of adhesive roots closely positioned along specialized anchoring stems. These root-climbing hortensia species belong to the nearly exclusive American Hydrangea section Cornidia and generally are long lianescent climbers that mostly flower and fructify high in the host tree canopy. The Mexican species Hydrangea seemannii, however, encompasses not only long lianescent climbers of large vertical rock walls and coniferous trees, but also short 'shrub-like' climbers on small rounded boulders. To investigate growth form plasticity in root-climbing hortensia species, we tested the hypothesis that support variability (e.g. differences in size and shape) promotes plastic responses observable at the mechanical, structural and anatomical level. Stem bending properties, architectural axis categorization, tissue organization and wood density were compared between boulder and long-vertical tree-climbers of H. seemannii. For comparison, the mechanical patterns of a closely related, strictly long-vertical tree-climbing species were investigated. Hydrangea seemannii has fine-tuned morphological, mechanical and anatomical responses to support variability suggesting the presence of two alternative root-climbing strategies that are optimized for their particular environmental conditions. Our results suggest that variation of some stem anatomical traits provides a buffering effect that regulates the mechanical and hydraulic demands of two distinct plant architectures. The adaptive value of observed plastic responses and the importance of considering growth form plasticity in evolutionary and conservation studies are discussed. © 2014 The Author(s) Published by the Royal Society. All rights reserved.

  8. Soil properties and root biomass responses to prescribed burning in young Corsican pine (Pinus nigra Arn.) stands.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tufekcioglu, Aydin; Kucuk, Mehmet; Saglam, Bulent; Bilgili, Ertugrul; Altun, Lokman

    2010-05-01

    Fire is an important tool in the management of forest ecosystems. Although both prescribed and wildland fires are common in Turkey, few studies have addressed the influence of such disturbances on soil properties and root biomass dynamics. In this study, soil properties and root biomass responses to prescribed fire were investigated in 25-year-old corsican pine (Pinus nigra Arn.) stands in Kastamonu, Turkey. The stands were established by planting and were subjected to prescribed burning in July 2003. Soil respiration rates were determined every two months using soda-lime method over a two-year period. Fine (0-2 mm diameter) and small root (2-5 mm diameter) biomass were sampled approximately bimonthly using sequential coring method. Mean daily soil respiration ranged from 0.65 to 2.19 g Cm(-2) d(-1) among all sites. Soil respiration rates were significantly higher in burned sites than in controls. Soil respiration rates were correlated significantly with soil moisture and soil temperature. Fine root biomass was significantly lower in burned sites than in control sites. Mean fine root biomass values were 4940 kg ha(-1) for burned and 5450 kg ha(-1) for control sites. Soil pH was significantly higher in burned sites than in control sites in 15-35 cm soil depth. Soil organic matter content did not differ significantly between control and burned sites. Our results indicate that, depending on site conditions, fire could be used successfully as a tool in the management of forest stands in the study area.

  9. A methodology for the parametric modelling of the flow coefficients and flow rate in hydraulic valves

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Valdés, José R.; Rodríguez, José M.; Saumell, Javier; Pütz, Thomas

    2014-01-01

    Highlights: • We develop a methodology for the parametric modelling of flow in hydraulic valves. • We characterize the flow coefficients with a generic function with two parameters. • The parameters are derived from CFD simulations of the generic geometry. • We apply the methodology to two cases from the automotive brake industry. • We validate by comparing with CFD results varying the original dimensions. - Abstract: The main objective of this work is to develop a methodology for the parametric modelling of the flow rate in hydraulic valve systems. This methodology is based on the derivation, from CFD simulations, of the flow coefficient of the critical restrictions as a function of the Reynolds number, using a generalized square root function with two parameters. The methodology is then demonstrated by applying it to two completely different hydraulic systems: a brake master cylinder and an ABS valve. This type of parametric valve models facilitates their implementation in dynamic simulation models of complex hydraulic systems

  10. Evaluation of land surface model simulations of evapotranspiration over a 12 year crop succession: impact of the soil hydraulic properties

    Science.gov (United States)

    Garrigues, S.; Olioso, A.; Calvet, J.-C.; Martin, E.; Lafont, S.; Moulin, S.; Chanzy, A.; Marloie, O.; Desfonds, V.; Bertrand, N.; Renard, D.

    2014-10-01

    transpiration at the end of the crop cycles. The overestimation of the soil moisture at saturation triggers the underestimation of the soil evaporation during the wet soil periods. The use of field capacity values derived from laboratory retention measurements leads to inaccurate simulation of soil evaporation due to the lack of representativeness of the soil structure variability at the field scale. The most accurate simulation is achieved with the values of the soil hydraulic properties derived from field measured soil moisture. Their temporal analysis over each crop cycle provides meaningful estimates of the wilting point, the field capacity and the rooting depth to represent the crop water needs and accurately simulate the evapotranspiration over the crop succession. We showed that the uncertainties in the eddy-covariance measurements are significant and can explain a large part of the unresolved random differences between the simulations and the measurements of evapotranspiration. Other possible model shortcomings include the lack of representation of soil vertical heterogeneity and root profile along with inaccurate energy balance partitioning between the soil and the vegetation at low LAI.

  11. Prediction of spatially variable unsaturated hydraulic conductivity using scaled particle-size distribution functions

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Nasta, P.; Romano, N.; Assouline, S; Vrugt, J.A.; Hopmans, J.W.

    2013-01-01

    Simultaneous scaling of soil water retention and hydraulic conductivity functions provides an effective means to characterize the heterogeneity and spatial variability of soil hydraulic properties in a given study area. The statistical significance of this approach largely depends on the number of

  12. Effect of Hydraulic Pressure on Warm Hydro Mechanical Deep Drawing of Magnesium Alloy Sheet

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, Wei; Wu, Linzhi; Yuan, Shijian

    The uniaxial tensile test and hydraulic bulging test of AZ31 magnesium alloy sheets were applied to study the influence of temperature on the material properties and obtain the forming limit curves at different temperatures. Numerical simulations of warm hydro mechanical deep drawing were carried out to investigate the effect of hydraulic pressure on the formability of a cylindrical cup, and the simplified hydraulic pressure profiles were used to simulate the loading procedure of hydraulic pressure. The optimal hydraulic pressure at different temperatures were given and verified by experimental studies at temperature 100°C and 170V.

  13. Physical simulation study on the hydraulic fracture propagation of coalbed methane well

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wu, Caifang; Zhang, Xiaoyang; Wang, Meng; Zhou, Longgang; Jiang, Wei

    2018-03-01

    As the most widely used technique to modify reservoirs in the exploitation of unconventional natural gas, hydraulic fracturing could effectively raise the production of CBM wells. To study the propagation rules of hydraulic fractures, analyze the fracture morphology, and obtain the controlling factors, a physical simulation experiment was conducted with a tri-axial hydraulic fracturing test system. In this experiment, the fracturing sample - including the roof, the floor, and the surrounding rock - was prepared from coal and similar materials, and the whole fracturing process was monitored by an acoustic emission instrument. The results demonstrated that the number of hydraulic fractures in coal is considerably higher than that observed in other parts, and the fracture morphology was complex. Vertical fractures were interwoven with horizontal fractures, forming a connected network. With the injection of fracturing fluid, a new hydraulic fracture was produced and it extended along the preexisting fractures. The fracture propagation was a discontinuous, dynamic process. Furthermore, in-situ stress plays a key role in fracture propagation, causing the fractures to extend in a direction perpendicular to the minimum principal stress. To a certain extent, the different mechanical properties of the coal and the other components inhibited the vertical propagation of hydraulic fractures. Nonetheless, the vertical stress and the interfacial property are the major factors to influence the formation of the "T" shaped and "工" shaped fractures.

  14. Hydraulic Actuators with Autonomous Hydraulic Supply for the Mainline Aircrafts

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    I. S. Shumilov

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available Applied in the aircraft control systems, hydraulic servo actuators with autonomous hydraulic supply, so-called, hydraulic actuators of integrated configuration, i.e. combination of a source of hydraulic power and its load in the single unit, are aimed at increasing control system reliability both owing to elimination of the pipelines connecting the actuator to the hydraulic supply source, and owing to avoidance of influence of other loads failure on the actuator operability. Their purpose is also to raise control system survivability by eliminating the long pipeline communications and their replacing for the electro-conductive power supply system, thus reducing the vulnerability of systems. The main reason for a delayed application of the hydraulic actuators in the cutting-edge aircrafts was that such aircrafts require hydraulic actuators of considerably higher power with considerable heat releases, which caused an unacceptable overheat of the hydraulic actuators. Positive and negative sides of the hydraulic actuators, their alternative options of increased reliability and survivability, local hydraulic systems as an advanced alternative to independent hydraulic actuators are considered.Now to use hydraulic actuators in mainline aircrafts is inexpedient since there are the unfairly large number of the problems reducing, first and last, safety of flights, with no essential weight and operational advantages. Still works to create competitive hydraulic actuators ought to be continued.Application of local hydraulic systems (LHS will allow us to reduce length of pressure head and drain pipelines and mass of pipelines, as well as to raise their general fail-safety and survivability. Application of the LHS principle will allow us to use a majority of steering drive advantages. It is necessary to allocate especially the following:- ease of meeting requirements for the non-local spread of the engine weight;- essentially reducing length and weight of

  15. Hydraulic properties of 3D rough-walled fractures during shearing: An experimental study

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yin, Qian; Ma, Guowei; Jing, Hongwen; Wang, Huidong; Su, Haijian; Wang, Yingchao; Liu, Richeng

    2017-12-01

    This study experimentally analyzed the influence of shear processes on nonlinear flow behavior through 3D rough-walled rock fractures. A high-precision apparatus was developed to perform stress-dependent fluid flow tests of fractured rocks. Then, water flow tests on rough-walled fractures with different mechanical displacements were conducted. At each shear level, the hydraulic pressure ranged from 0 to 0.6 MPa, and the normal load varied from 7 to 35 kN. The results show that (i) the relationship between the volumetric flow rate and hydraulic gradient of rough-walled fractures can be well fit using Forchheimer's law. Notably, both the linear and nonlinear coefficients in Forchheimer's law decrease during shearing; (ii) a sixth-order polynomial function is used to evaluate the transmissivity based on the Reynolds number of fractures during shearing. The transmissivity exhibits a decreasing trend as the Reynolds number increases and an increasing trend as the shear displacement increases; (iii) the critical hydraulic gradient, critical Reynolds number and equivalent hydraulic aperture of the rock fractures all increase as the shear displacement increases. When the shear displacement varies from 0 to 15 mm, the critical hydraulic gradient ranges from 0.3 to 2.2 for a normal load of 7 kN and increases to 1.8-8.6 for a normal load of 35 kN; and (iv) the Forchheimer law results are evaluated by plotting the normalized transmissivity of the fractures during shearing against the Reynolds number. An increase in the normal load shifts the fitted curves downward. Additionally, the Forchheimer coefficient β decreases with the shear displacement but increases with the applied normal load.

  16. Effects of Root Debridement With Hand Curettes and Er:YAG Laser on Chemical Properties and Ultrastructure of Periodontally-Diseased Root Surfaces Using Spectroscopy and Scanning Electron Microscopy

    Science.gov (United States)

    Amid, Reza; Gholami, Gholam Ali; Mojahedi, Masoud; Aghalou, Maryam; Gholami, Mohsen; Mirakhori, Mahdieh

    2017-01-01

    Introduction: The efficacy of erbium-doped yttrium aluminum garnet (Er:YAG) laser for root debridement in comparison with curettes has been the subject of many recent investigations. Considering the possibility of chemical and ultra-structural changes in root surfaces following laser irradiation, this study sought to assess the effects of scaling and root planing (SRP) with curettes and Er:YAG laser on chemical properties and ultrastructure of root surfaces using spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Methods: In this in vitro experimental study, extracted sound human single-rooted teeth (n = 50) were randomly scaled using manual curettes alone or in conjunction with Er:YAG laser at 100 and 150 mJ/pulse output energies. The weight percentages of carbon, oxygen, phosphorous and calcium remaining on the root surfaces were calculated using spectroscopy and the surface morphology of specimens was assessed under SEM. Data were analyzed using one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA). Results: No significant differences (P > 0.05) were noted in the mean carbon, oxygen, phosphorous and calcium weight percentages on root surfaces following SRP using manual curettes with and without laser irradiation at both output energies. Laser irradiation after SRP with curettes yielded rougher surfaces compared to the use of curettes alone. Conclusion: Although laser irradiation yielded rougher surfaces, root surfaces were not significantly different in terms of chemical composition following SRP using manual curettes with and without Er:YAG laser irradiation. Er:YAG laser can be safely used as an adjunct to curettes for SRP. PMID:28652898

  17. Thermal and hydraulic properties of the concrete used in the ILW repository of El Cabril (Spain). Preliminary laboratory tests

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Villar, Maria Victoria

    2012-01-01

    This work is a contribution to the understanding of the behaviour of concrete barriers in surface (low and intermediate-level) waste disposal facilities, in particular in the Spanish disposal facility of El Cabril, where the waste containers are placed inside concrete cells. The durability of concrete and its mechanical properties are intrinsically bound to moisture transport effects, especially when it is subjected to repeated wetting and drying regimes, and that is why a detailed thermo-hydraulic characterisation is necessary to model its behaviour. The concrete used in this experimental work has a characteristic strength of 350 kp/cm 2 and uses ordinary Portland cement, resistant to sulphates and seawater, with a water/cement ratio of 0.43. Its average pore size is 0.03 micrometer. In addition to the determination of the thermal conductivity of concrete as a function of water content, a hydraulic characterisation - including determination of saturated permeability, permeability to gas for different degrees of saturation and water retention curves - has been performed

  18. Hydraulic properties of groundwater systems in the saprolite and sediments of the wheatbelt, Western Australia

    Science.gov (United States)

    George, Richard J.

    1992-01-01

    Hydraulic properties of deeply weathered basement rocks and variably weathered sedimentary materials were measured by pumping and slug-test methods. Results from over 200 bores in 13 catchments, and eight pumping-test sites across the eastern and central wheatbelt of Western Australia were analysed. Measurements were made in each of the major lithological units, and emphasis placed on a ubiquitous basal saprolite aquifer. Comparisons were made between alternative drilling and analytical procedures to determine the most appropriate methods of investigation. Aquifers with an average hydraulic conductivity of 0.55 m day -1 occur in variably weathered Cainozoic sediments and poorly weathered saprolite grits (0.57 m day -1). These aquifers are separated by an aquitard (0.065 m day -1) comprising the mottled and pallid zones of the deeply weathered profile. Locally higher values of hydraulic conductivity occur in the saprolite aquifer, although after prolonged periods of pumping the values decrease until they are similar to those obtained from the slug-test methods. Hydraulic conductivities measured in bores drilled with rotary auger rigs were approximately an order of magnitude lower than those measured in the same material with bores drilled by the rotary air-blast method. Wheatbelt aquifers range from predominantly unconfined (Cainozoic sediments), to confined (saprolite grit aquifer). The poorly weathered saprolite grit aquifer has moderate to high transmissivities (4-50 m 2 day -1) and is capable of producing from less than 5 to over 230 kl day -1 of ground water, which is often of a quality suitable for livestock. Yields are influenced by the variability in the permeability of isovolumetrically weathered materials from which the aquifer is derived. The overlying aquitard has a low transmissivity (< 1 m 2 day -1), especially when deeply weathered, indurated and silicified. The transmissivity of the variably weathered sedimentary materials ranges from less than 0.5 m

  19. ESRC guide vanes of hydraulic turbine for Three Gorges project

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Rui CHEN

    2005-05-01

    Full Text Available The mechanical properties and internal quality of low carbon martensite Electroslag Remelting Casting (ESRCstainless steel castings are superior to that of sand casting ones. The key technologies for the equipments and ESRC processes have been resolved during the experimental research period of guide vanes of hydraulic turbines for Three Gorges project. And ESRC guide vanes of hydraulic turbines for Three Gorges project have been produced successfully.

  20. Hydraulic turbines

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Meluk O, G.

    1998-01-01

    The hydraulic turbines are defined according to the specific speed, in impulse turbines and in reaction turbines. Currently, the Pelton turbines (of impulse) and the Francis and Kaplan turbines (of reaction), they are the most important machines in the hydroelectric generation. The hydraulic turbines are capable of generating in short times, large powers, from its loads zero until the total load and reject the load instantly without producing damages in the operation. When the hydraulic resources are important, the hydraulic turbines are converted in the axle of the electric system. Its combination with thermoelectric generation systems, it allow the continuing supply of the variations in demand of energy system. The available hydraulic resource in Colombia is of 93085 MW, of which solely 9% is exploited, become 79% of all the electrical country generation, 21% remaining is provided by means of the thermoelectric generation

  1. ROOT.NET: Using ROOT from .NET languages like C# and F#

    Science.gov (United States)

    Watts, G.

    2012-12-01

    ROOT.NET provides an interface between Microsoft's Common Language Runtime (CLR) and .NET technology and the ubiquitous particle physics analysis tool, ROOT. ROOT.NET automatically generates a series of efficient wrappers around the ROOT API. Unlike pyROOT, these wrappers are statically typed and so are highly efficient as compared to the Python wrappers. The connection to .NET means that one gains access to the full series of languages developed for the CLR including functional languages like F# (based on OCaml). Many features that make ROOT objects work well in the .NET world are added (properties, IEnumerable interface, LINQ compatibility, etc.). Dynamic languages based on the CLR can be used as well, of course (Python, for example). Additionally it is now possible to access ROOT objects that are unknown to the translation tool. This poster will describe the techniques used to effect this translation, along with performance comparisons, and examples. All described source code is posted on the open source site CodePlex.

  2. ROOT.NET: Using ROOT from .NET languages like C and F

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Watts, G

    2012-01-01

    ROOT.NET provides an interface between Microsoft's Common Language Runtime (CLR) and .NET technology and the ubiquitous particle physics analysis tool, ROOT. ROOT.NET automatically generates a series of efficient wrappers around the ROOT API. Unlike pyROOT, these wrappers are statically typed and so are highly efficient as compared to the Python wrappers. The connection to .NET means that one gains access to the full series of languages developed for the CLR including functional languages like F (based on OCaml). Many features that make ROOT objects work well in the .NET world are added (properties, IEnumerable interface, LINQ compatibility, etc.). Dynamic languages based on the CLR can be used as well, of course (Python, for example). Additionally it is now possible to access ROOT objects that are unknown to the translation tool. This poster will describe the techniques used to effect this translation, along with performance comparisons, and examples. All described source code is posted on the open source site CodePlex.

  3. Estimation of Hydraulic Parameters and Aquifer Properties for a Managed Aquifer Recharge Pilot Study in The Lower Mississippi River Basin

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ozeren, Y.; Rigby, J.; Holt, R. M.

    2017-12-01

    Mississippi River Valley Alluvial Aquifer (MRVAA) is the major irrigation water resource in the in the lower Mississippi River basin. MRVAA has been significantly depleted in the last two decades due to excessive pumping. A wide range of measures to ensure sustainable groundwater supply in the region is currently under investigation. One of the possible solution under consideration is to use Managed Aquifer Recharge (MAR) by artificial recharge. The proposed artificial recharge technique in this study is to collect water through bank filtration, transfer water via pipeline to the critically low groundwater areas by a set of injection wells. A pilot study in the area is underway to investigate the possibility of artificial recharge in the area. As part of this study, a pumping test was carried out on an existing irrigation well along banks of Tallahatchie River near Money, MS. Geophysical surveys were also carried out in the pilot study area. Hydraulic response of the observation wells was used to determine stream bed conductance and aquifer parameters. The collected hydraulic parameters and aquifer properties will provide inputs for small-scale, high-resolution engineering model for abstraction-injection hydraulics along river. Here, preliminary results of the pilot study is presented.

  4. Hydraulic adjustment of Scots pine across Europe

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Martínez-Vilalta, J.; Cochard, H.; Mencuccini, M.; Sterck, F.J.; Herrero, A.; Korhonen, J.F.J.; Llorens, P.; Nikinmaa, E.; Nolè, A.; Poyatos, R.; Ripullone, F.; Sass-Klaassen, U.; Zweifel, R.

    2009-01-01

    The variability of branch-level hydraulic properties was assessed across 12 Scots pine populations covering a wide range of environmental conditions, including some of the southernmost populations of the species. The aims were to relate this variability to differences in climate, and to study the

  5. Prediction of the saturated hydraulic conductivity from Brooks and Corey’s water retention parameters

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Nasta, P.; Vrugt, J.A.; Romano, N.

    2013-01-01

    Prediction of flow through variably saturated porous media requires accurate knowledge of the soil hydraulic properties, namely the water retention function (WRF) and the hydraulic conductivity function (HCF). Unfortunately, direct measurement of the HCF is time consuming and expensive. In this

  6. Saturated hydraulic conductivity of US soils grouped according to textural class and bulk density

    Science.gov (United States)

    Importance of the saturated hydraulic conductivity as soil hydraulic property led to the development of multiple pedotransfer functions for estimating it. One approach to estimating Ksat was using textural classes rather than specific textural fraction contents as pedotransfer inputs. The objective...

  7. Influence factors of sand-bentonite mixtures on hydraulic conductivity

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chen Yonggui; Ye Weimin; Chen Bao; Wan Min; Wang Qiong

    2008-01-01

    Buffer material is a very important part of the engineering barrier for geological disposal of high-level radioactive nuclear waste. Compacted bentonite is attracting greater attention as buffer and backfill material because it offer impermeability and swelling properties, but the pure compacted bentonite strength decreases with increasing hydration and these will reduce the buffer capability. To solve this problem, sand is often used to form compacted sand-bentonite mixtures (SBMs) providing high thermal conductivity, excellent compaction capacity, long-time stability, and low engineering cost. As to SBMs, hydraulic conductivity is a important index for evaluation barrier capability. Based on the review of research results, the factors affecting the hydraulic conductivity of SBMs were put forward including bentonite content, grain size distribution, moisture content, dry density, compacting method and energy, and bentonite type. The studies show that the hydraulic conductivity of SBMs is controlled by the hydraulic conductivity of the bentonite, it also decreases as dry density and bentonite content increase, but when the bentonite content reach a critical point, the influence of increasing bentonite to decrease the hydraulic conductivity is limited. A fine and well-graded SBMs is likely to have a lower hydraulic conductivity than a coarse and poorly graded material. The internal erosion or erodibility based on the grain size distribution of the SBMs has a negative effect on the final hydraulic conductivity. The lowest hydraulic conductivity is gained when the mixtures are compacted close to optimum moisture content. Also, the mixtures compacted at moisture contents slightly above optimum values give lower hydraulic conductivity than when compacted at slightly under the optimum moisture content. Finally, discussion was brought to importance of compaction method, compacting energy, and bentonite type to the hydraulic conductivity of SBMs. (authors)

  8. Modeling and stability of electro-hydraulic servo of hydraulic excavator

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jia, Wenhua; Yin, Chenbo; Li, Guo; Sun, Menghui

    2017-11-01

    The condition of the hydraulic excavator is complicated and the working environment is bad. The safety and stability of the control system is influenced by the external factors. This paper selects hydraulic excavator electro-hydraulic servo system as the research object. A mathematical model and simulation model using AMESIM of servo system is established. Then the pressure and flow characteristics are analyzed. The design and optimization of electro-hydraulic servo system and its application in engineering machinery is provided.

  9. Genotypic variation in tolerance to drought stress is highly coordinated with hydraulic conductivity-photosynthesis interplay and aquaporin expression in field-grown mulberry (Morus spp.).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Reddy, Kanubothula Sitarami; Sekhar, Kalva Madhana; Reddy, Attipalli Ramachandra

    2017-07-01

    Hydraulic conductivity quantifies the efficiency of a plant to transport water from root to shoot and is a major constriction on leaf gas exchange physiology. Mulberry (Morus spp.) is the most economically important crop for sericulture industry. In this study, we demonstrate a finely coordinated control of hydraulic dynamics on leaf gas exchange characteristics in 1-year-old field-grown mulberry genotypes (Selection-13 (S13); Kollegal Local (KL) and Kanva-2 (K2)) subjected to water stress by withholding water for 20 days and subsequent recovery for 7 days. Significant variations among three mulberry genotypes have been recorded in net photosynthetic rates (Pn), stomatal conductance and sap flow rate, as well as hydraulic conductivity in stem (KS) and leaf (KL). Among three genotypes, S13 showed significantly high rates of Pn, KS and KL both in control as well as during drought stress (DS) and recovery, providing evidence for superior drought-adaptive strategies. The plant water hydraulics-photosynthesis interplay was finely coordinated with the expression of certain key aquaporins (AQPs) in roots and leaves. Our data clearly demonstrate that expression of certain AQPs play a crucial role in hydraulic dynamics and photosynthetic carbon assimilation during DS and recovery, which could be effectively targeted towards mulberry improvement programs for drought adaptation. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

  10. The Influence of Hydraulic Fracturing on Carbon Storage Performance

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fu, Pengcheng; Settgast, Randolph R.; Hao, Yue; Morris, Joseph P.; Ryerson, Frederick J.

    2017-12-01

    Conventional principles of the design and operation of geologic carbon storage (GCS) require injecting CO2 below the caprock fracturing pressure to ensure the integrity of the storage complex. In nonideal storage reservoirs with relatively low permeability, pressure buildup can lead to hydraulic fracturing of the reservoir and caprock. While the GCS community has generally viewed hydraulic fractures as a key risk to storage integrity, a carefully designed stimulation treatment under appropriate geologic conditions could provide improved injectivity while maintaining overall seal integrity. A vertically contained hydraulic fracture, either in the reservoir rock or extending a limited height into the caprock, provides an effective means to access reservoir volume far from the injection well. Employing a fully coupled numerical model of hydraulic fracturing, solid deformation, and matrix fluid flow, we study the enabling conditions, processes, and mechanisms of hydraulic fracturing during CO2 injection. A hydraulic fracture's pressure-limiting behavior dictates that the near-well fluid pressure is only slightly higher than the fracturing pressure of the rock and is insensitive to injection rate and mechanical properties of the formation. Although a fracture contained solely within the reservoir rock with no caprock penetration, would be an ideal scenario, poroelastic principles dictate that sustaining such a fracture could lead to continuously increasing pressure until the caprock fractures. We also investigate the propagation pattern and injection pressure responses of a hydraulic fracture propagating in a caprock subjected to heterogeneous in situ stress. The results have important implications for the use of hydraulic fracturing as a tool for managing storage performance.

  11. Hydraulic properties of domestic bentonite-sand mixture as a backfill material in the high-level waste repository

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Cho, Won Jin; Lee, Jae Owan; Kang, Chul Hyung [Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute, Taejeon (Korea)

    2000-02-01

    This study is intended to investigate the effect of dry density and sand content on hydraulic conductivities of bentonite-sand mixtures. The hydraulic conductivities of bentonite-sand mixtures with dry densities of 1.6 and 1.8 Mg/m{sup 3} are lower than 10{sup -11} m/s if their sand contents are less than 70 wt%. However at the sand content of 90 wt%, the hydraulic conductivities increase sharply. In the case of sand contents not exceeding 70 wt%, the logarithm of the hydraulic conductivity of bentonite-sand mixture increase linearly with increasing sand content. The hydraulic conductivity of the mixture can be explained using 'effective clay dry density' concept. 16 refs., 21 figs., 5 tabs. (Author)

  12. GLO-Roots: an imaging platform enabling multidimensional characterization of soil-grown root systems

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rellán-Álvarez, Rubén; Lobet, Guillaume; Lindner, Heike; Pradier, Pierre-Luc; Sebastian, Jose; Yee, Muh-Ching; Geng, Yu; Trontin, Charlotte; LaRue, Therese; Schrager-Lavelle, Amanda; Haney, Cara H; Nieu, Rita; Maloof, Julin; Vogel, John P; Dinneny, José R

    2015-01-01

    Root systems develop different root types that individually sense cues from their local environment and integrate this information with systemic signals. This complex multi-dimensional amalgam of inputs enables continuous adjustment of root growth rates, direction, and metabolic activity that define a dynamic physical network. Current methods for analyzing root biology balance physiological relevance with imaging capability. To bridge this divide, we developed an integrated-imaging system called Growth and Luminescence Observatory for Roots (GLO-Roots) that uses luminescence-based reporters to enable studies of root architecture and gene expression patterns in soil-grown, light-shielded roots. We have developed image analysis algorithms that allow the spatial integration of soil properties, gene expression, and root system architecture traits. We propose GLO-Roots as a system that has great utility in presenting environmental stimuli to roots in ways that evoke natural adaptive responses and in providing tools for studying the multi-dimensional nature of such processes. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.07597.001 PMID:26287479

  13. Effect of hydraulic hysteresis on the stability of infinite slopes under steady infiltration

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Pan; Mirus, Benjamin B.; Lu, Ning; Godt, Jonathan W.

    2017-01-01

    Hydraulic hysteresis, including capillary soil water retention (SWR), air entrapment SWR, and hydraulic conductivity, is a common phenomenon in unsaturated soils. However, the influence of hydraulic hysteresis on suction stress, and subsequently slope stability, is generally ignored. This paper examines the influence of each of these three types of hysteresis on slope stability using an infinite slope stability analysis under steady infiltration conditions. First, hypothetical slopes for representative silty and sandy soils are examined. Then a monitored hillslope in the San Francisco Bay Area, California is assessed, using observed rainfall conditions and measured hydraulic and geotechnical properties of the colluvial soil. Results show that profiles of suction stress and the corresponding factor of safety are generally strongly affected by hydraulic hysteresis. Results suggest that each of the three types of hydraulic hysteresis may play a major role in the occurrence of slope failure, indicating that ignoring hydraulic hysteresis will likely lead to underestimates of failure potential and hence to inaccurate slope stability analysis.

  14. Physicochemical and biological properties of a novel injectable polyurethane system for root canal filling

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Wang J

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available Jian Wang,1 Yi Zuo,1 Minghui Zhao,1 Jiaxing Jiang,1 Yi Man,2 Jun Wu,3 Yunjiu Hu,3 Changlei Liu,4 Yubao Li,1 Jidong Li11Research Center for Nano-Biomaterials, Analytical and Testing Center, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, People’s Republic of China; 2College of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, People’s Republic of China; 3Department of Orthopedics, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, People’s Republic of China; 4College of Chemistry, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, People’s Republic of ChinaAbstract: A root canal sealer with antibacterial activity can be efficacious in preventing reinfection that results from residual microorganisms and/or the leakage of microorganisms. In the present study, a series of injectable, self-curing polyurethane (PU-based antibacterial sealers with different concentrations of silver phosphate (Ag3PO4 were fabricated. Subsequently, their physicochemical properties, antibacterial abilities, and preliminary cytocompatibilities were evaluated. The results indicated that the fabricated PU-based sealers can achieve a high conversion rate in a short amount of time. More than 95% of the isocyanate group of PU sealers with 3 wt% (PU3 and 5 wt% (PU5 concentrations of Ag3PO4 were included in the curing reaction after 7 hours. With the exception of those for film thickness for PU5, the results of setting time, film thickness, and solubility were able to meet the requirements of the International Organization for Standardization. The antibacterial tests showed that PU3 and PU5 exhibit stronger antimicrobial effects than that achieved with 1 wt% Ag3PO4 (PU1 and AH Plus (positive control against Streptococcus mutans. The cytocompatibility evaluation revealed that the PU1 and PU3 sealers possess good cytocompatibility and low cytotoxicity. These results demonstrate that the PU3 sealer offers good physicochemical and antimicrobial properties along with cytocompatibility, which may hold great

  15. [Hydraulic limitation on photosynthetic rate of old Populus simonii trees in sandy soil of north Shaanxi Province].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zuo, Li-Xiang; Li, Yang-Yang; Chen, Jia-Cun

    2014-06-01

    'Old and dwarf trees' on the loess plateau region mainly occurred among mature trees rather than among small trees. To elucidate the mechanism of tree age on 'old and dwarf trees' formation, taking Populus simonii, a tree species that accounted for the largest portion of 'old and dwarf trees' on the loess plateau, as an example, the growth, photosynthesis and hydraulic traits of P. simonii trees with different ages (young: 13-15 years, mid-aged: 31-34 years, and old: 49-54 years) were measured. The results showed that the dieback length increased, and net photosynthetic rate, stomatal conductance, transpiration rate, and whole plant hydraulic conductance decreased significantly with the increasing tree age. Both net photosynthetic rate and stomatal conductance measured at different dates were significantly and positively related to the whole plant hydraulic conductance, suggesting that the decreasing photosynthetic rate of old trees was possibly caused by the declined hydraulic conductance. Although the resistance to cavitation in stems and leaves was stronger in old trees than in young and mid-aged trees, there were no differences in midday native stem embolization degree and leaf hydraulic conductance based on the vulnerability curve estimation, suggesting that the increased hydraulic resistance of the soil-root system is probably the most important reason for decreasing the whole plant hydraulic conductance of old trees.

  16. Sample dimensions effect on prediction of soil water retention curve and saturated hydraulic conductivity

    Science.gov (United States)

    Soil water retention curve (SWRC) and saturated hydraulic conductivity (SHC) are key hydraulic properties for unsaturated zone hydrology and groundwater. Not only are the SWRC and SHC measurements time-consuming, their results are scale dependent. Although prediction of the SWRC and SHC from availab...

  17. Hydraulic design of Three Gorges right bank powerhouse turbine for improvement of hydraulic stability

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Shi, Q

    2010-01-01

    This paper presents the hydraulic design of Three Gorges Right Bank Powerhouse turbine for improvement of hydraulic stability. The technical challenges faced in the hydraulic design of the turbine are given. The method of hydraulic design for improving the hydraulic stability and particularly for eliminating the upper part load pressure pulsations is clarified. The final hydraulic design results of Three Gorges Right Bank Powerhouse turbine based on modern hydraulic design techniques are presented.

  18. Hydraulic design of Three Gorges right bank powerhouse turbine for improvement of hydraulic stability

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Shi, Q, E-mail: qhshi@dfem.com.c [Dong Fang Electrical Machinery Co., Ltd., DEC 188, Huanghe West Road, Deyang, 618000 (China)

    2010-08-15

    This paper presents the hydraulic design of Three Gorges Right Bank Powerhouse turbine for improvement of hydraulic stability. The technical challenges faced in the hydraulic design of the turbine are given. The method of hydraulic design for improving the hydraulic stability and particularly for eliminating the upper part load pressure pulsations is clarified. The final hydraulic design results of Three Gorges Right Bank Powerhouse turbine based on modern hydraulic design techniques are presented.

  19. Variable conductivity and embolism in roots and branches of four contrasting tree species and their impacts on whole-plant hydraulic performance under future atmospheric CO2 concentration

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Domec, J.C.; North Carolina State Univ., Raleigh, NC; Schafer, K.; Oren, R.; Kim, H.S.; McCarthy, H.R.

    2010-01-01

    Tree growth and wood quality are being affected by changes in atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) concentrations and precipitation regimes. Plant photosynthesis is likely to be higher under elevated atmospheric CO 2 concentrations, thereby increasing the availability of carbohydrates for growth. This study quantified the effect of elevated CO 2 concentration on anatomical and functional traits related to water transport, gas exchange, water economy and drought tolerance. The conditions under which embolism in the xylem of roots and branches are most likely to occur were investigated on 4 tree species at the Duke Forest free-air CO 2 enrichment (FACE) facility. The trees occupied different canopy strata and represented different xylem types. The study determined whether different xylem anatomies result in a wide range of hydraulic conductance and difference in resistance to cavitation. The link between liquid and gas-phase transport and how it is affected by elevated CO 2 was then quantified. Physiological changes observed under elevated CO 2 were not clearly related to structural change in the xylem of any of the species. The study showed that in some species, elevated CO 2 changed the hydraulic pathways, most likely structurally, thereby affecting the liquid phase transport and reducing stomatal conductance. The results provided a better understanding of the physiological and anatomical mechanisms that determine the responses of tree species to drought, and more generally to global change. 96 refs., 3 tabs., 8 figs.

  20. Hydraulic adjustments underlying drought resistance of Pinus halepensis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Klein, Tamir; Cohen, Shabtai; Yakir, Dan

    2011-06-01

    Drought-induced tree mortality has increased over the last decades in forests around the globe. Our objective was to investigate under controlled conditions the hydraulic adjustments underlying the observed ability of Pinus halepensis to survive seasonal drought under semi-arid conditions. One hundred 18-month saplings were exposed in the greenhouse to 10 different drought treatments, simulating combinations of intensities (fraction of water supply relative to control) and durations (period with no water supply) for 30 weeks. Stomata closed at a leaf water potential (Ψ(l)) of -2.8 MPa, suggesting isohydric stomatal regulation. In trees under extreme drought treatments, stomatal closure reduced CO(2) uptake to -1 µmol m(-2) s(-1), indicating the development of carbon starvation. A narrow hydraulic safety margin of 0.3 MPa (from stomatal closure to 50% loss of hydraulic conductivity) was observed, indicating a strategy of maximization of CO2 uptake in trees otherwise adapted to water stress. A differential effect of drought intensity and duration was observed, and was explained by a strong dependence of the water stress effect on the ratio of transpiration to evapotranspiration T/ET and the larger partitioning to transpiration associated with larger irrigation doses. Under intense or prolonged drought, the root system became the main target for biomass accumulation, taking up to 100% of the added biomass, while the stem tissue biomass decreased, associated with up to 60% reduction in xylem volume.

  1. Effect of pore structure on chemico-osmotic, diffusion and hydraulic properties of mud-stones

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Takeda, M.; Manaka, M.; Ito, K.; Miyoshi, S.; Tokunaga, T.

    2012-01-01

    Document available in extended abstract form only. An in-situ experiment by Neuzil (2000) has obtained the substantial proof of chemical osmosis in natural clayey formation. Chemical osmosis in clayey formations has thus received attention in recent years in the context of geological disposal of radioactive waste. Chemical osmosis is the diffusion of water through a semi-permeable membrane driven by the difference of chemical potentials between solutions to compensate the difference of water potentials, increasing the other potential differences, such as the pressure difference. Accordingly, the chemical osmosis could generate localized, abnormal fluid pressures in geological formations where formation media act as semi-permeable membranes and groundwater salinity is not uniform. Without taking account of the chemical osmosis, groundwater flow modeling may mislead the prediction of the groundwater flow direction. Therefore the possibility of chemical osmosis needs to be identified for potential host formations for radioactive waste repositories. The chemico-osmotic property of formation media is an essential parameter to identify the possibility of chemical osmosis in the formation; however, the diffusion and hydraulic properties are also fundamental parameters to estimate the duration of chemical osmosis since they control the spatial variation of salinity and the dissipation of osmotically induced pressures. In order to obtain the chemico-osmotic, diffusion and hydraulic parameters from a rock sample, this study developed a laboratory experimental system capable of performing chemical osmosis and permeability experiments. A series of experiments were performed on mud-stones. The chemico-osmotic parameter of each rock sample was further interpreted by the osmotic efficiency model proposed by Bresler (1973) to examine the pore structure inherent in rocks. Diatomaceous and siliceous mud-stone samples were obtained from drill cores taken from the Koetoi and Wakkanai

  2. Thermal Hydraulic Design of PWT Accelerating Structures

    CERN Document Server

    Yu, David; Chen Ping; Lundquist, Martin; Luo, Yan

    2005-01-01

    Microwave power losses on the surfaces of accelerating structures will transform to heat which will deform the structures if it is not removed in time. Thermal hydraulic design of the disk and cooling rods of a Plane Wave Transformer (PWT) structure is presented. Experiments to measure the hydraulic (pressure vs flow rate) and cooling (heat removed vs flow rate) properties of the PWT disk are performed, and results compared with simulations using Mathcad models and the COSMOSM code. Both experimental and simulation results showed that the heat deposited on the structure could be removed effectively using specially designed water-cooling circuits and the temperature of the structure could be controlled within the range required.

  3. Antioxidant Properties of Berberis aetnensis C. Presl (Berberidaceae Roots Extract and Protective Effects on Astroglial Cell Cultures

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Agata Campisi

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available Berberis aetnensis C. Presl (Berberidaceae is a bushy-spiny shrub common on Mount Etna (Sicily. We demonstrated that the alkaloid extract of roots of B. aetnensis C. Presl contains prevalently berberine and berbamine, possesses antimicrobial properties, and was able to counteract the upregulation evoked by glutamate of tissue transglutaminase in primary rat astroglial cell cultures. Until now, there are no reports regarding antioxidant properties of B. aetnensis C. Presl collected in Sicily. Air-dried, powdered roots of B. aetnensis C. Presl were extracted, identified, and quantified by HPLC. We assessed in cellular free system its effect on superoxide anion, radicals scavenging activity of antioxidants against free radicals like the 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl radical, and the inhibition of xanthine oxidase activity. In primary rat astroglial cell cultures, exposed to glutamate, we evaluated the effect of the extract on glutathione levels and on intracellular production of reactive oxygen species generated by glutamate. The alkaloid extract of B. aetnensis C. Presl inhibited superoxide anion, restored to control values, the decrease of GSH levels, and the production of reactive oxygen species. Potent antioxidant activities of the alkaloid extract of roots of B. aetnensis C. Presl may be one of the mechanisms by which the extract is effective against health disorders associated to oxidative stress.

  4. Antioxidant properties of Berberis aetnensis C. Presl (Berberidaceae) roots extract and protective effects on astroglial cell cultures.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Campisi, Agata; Acquaviva, Rosaria; Bonfanti, Roberta; Raciti, Giuseppina; Amodeo, Andrea; Mastrojeni, Silvana; Ragusa, Salvatore; Iauk, Liliana

    2014-01-01

    Berberis aetnensis C. Presl (Berberidaceae) is a bushy-spiny shrub common on Mount Etna (Sicily). We demonstrated that the alkaloid extract of roots of B. aetnensis C. Presl contains prevalently berberine and berbamine, possesses antimicrobial properties, and was able to counteract the upregulation evoked by glutamate of tissue transglutaminase in primary rat astroglial cell cultures. Until now, there are no reports regarding antioxidant properties of B. aetnensis C. Presl collected in Sicily. Air-dried, powdered roots of B. aetnensis C. Presl were extracted, identified, and quantified by HPLC. We assessed in cellular free system its effect on superoxide anion, radicals scavenging activity of antioxidants against free radicals like the 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl radical, and the inhibition of xanthine oxidase activity. In primary rat astroglial cell cultures, exposed to glutamate, we evaluated the effect of the extract on glutathione levels and on intracellular production of reactive oxygen species generated by glutamate. The alkaloid extract of B. aetnensis C. Presl inhibited superoxide anion, restored to control values, the decrease of GSH levels, and the production of reactive oxygen species. Potent antioxidant activities of the alkaloid extract of roots of B. aetnensis C. Presl may be one of the mechanisms by which the extract is effective against health disorders associated to oxidative stress.

  5. Regolith properties under trees and the biomechanical effects caused by tree root systems as recognized by electrical resistivity tomography (ERT)

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pawlik, Łukasz; Kasprzak, Marek

    2018-01-01

    Following previous findings regarding the influence of vascular plants (mainly trees) on weathering, soil production and hillslope stability, in this study, we attempted to test a hypothesis regarding significant impacts of tree root systems on soil and regolith properties. Different types of impacts from tree root system (direct and indirect) are commonly gathered under the key term of "biomechanical effects". To add to the discussion of the biomechanical effects of trees, we used a non-invasive geophysical method, electrical resistivity tomography (ERT), to investigate the profiles of four different configurations at three study sites within the Polish section of the Outer Western Carpathians. At each site, one long profile (up to 189 m) of a large section of a hillslope and three short profiles (up to 19.5 m), that is, microsites occupied by trees or their remnants, were made. Short profiles included the tree root zone of a healthy large tree, the tree stump of a decaying tree and the pit-and-mound topography formed after a tree uprooting. The resistivity of regolith and bedrock presented on the long profiles and in comparison with the short profiles through the microsites it can be seen how tree roots impact soil and regolith properties and add to the complexity of the whole soil/regolith profile. Trees change soil and regolith properties directly through root channels and moisture migration and indirectly through the uprooting of trees and the formation of pit-and-mound topography. Within tree stump microsites, the impact of tree root systems, evaluated by a resistivity model, was smaller compared to microsites with living trees or those with pit-and-mound topography but was still visible even several decades after the trees were windbroken or cut down. The ERT method is highly useful for quick evaluation of the impact of tree root systems on soils and regolith. This method, in contrast to traditional soil analyses, offers a continuous dataset for the entire

  6. Hydraulic fracturing in shales: the spark that created an oil and gas boom

    Science.gov (United States)

    Olson, J. E.

    2017-12-01

    In the oil and gas business, one of the valued properties of a shale was its lack of flow capacity (its sealing integrity) and its propensity to provide mechanical barriers to hydraulic fracture height growth when exploiting oil and gas bearing sandstones. The other important property was the high organic content that made shale a potential source rock for oil and gas, commodities which migrated elsewhere to be produced. Technological advancements in horizontal drilling and hydraulic fracturing have turned this perspective on its head, making shale (or other ultra-low permeability rocks that are described with this catch-all term) the most prized reservoir rock in US onshore operations. Field and laboratory results have changed our view of how hydraulic fracturing works, suggesting heterogeneities like bedding planes and natural fractures can cause significant complexity in hydraulic fracture growth, resulting in induced networks of fractures whose details are controlled by factors including in situ stress contrasts, ductility contrasts in the stratigraphy, the orientation and strength of pre-existing natural fractures, injection fluid viscosity, perforation cluster spacing and effective mechanical layer thickness. The stress shadowing and stress relief concepts that structural geologists have long used to explain joint spacing and orthogonal fracture pattern development in stratified sequences are key to understanding optimal injection point spacing and promotion of more uniform length development in induced hydraulic fractures. Also, fracture interaction criterion to interpret abutting vs crossing natural fracture relationships in natural fracture systems are key to modeling hydraulic fracture propagation within natural fractured reservoirs such as shale. Scaled physical experiments provide constraints on models where the physics is uncertain. Numerous interesting technical questions remain to be answered, and the field is particularly appealing in that better

  7. Review : Hydraulic head measurements - New technologies, classic pitfalls

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Post, E.A.P.; Von Asmuth, J.R.

    2013-01-01

    The hydraulic head is one of the most important metrics in hydrogeology as it underlies the interpretation of groundwater flow, the quantification of aquifer properties and the calibration of flow models. Heads are determined based on water-level measurements in wells and piezometers. Despite the

  8. Characterisation of hydraulically-active fractures in a fractured ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    ... in the initial stage of a site investigation to select the optimal site location or to evaluate the hydrogeological properties of fractures in underground exploration studies, such as those related geothermal reservoir evaluation and radioactive waste disposal. Keywords: self-potential method, hydraulically-conductive fractures, ...

  9. Profile constructing and elevation design of soil reclaimed by hydraulic dredge pump in mining areas

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Longqian, C.; Aiqin, S.; Tianjian, Z. [China Univ. of Mining and Technology, Xuzhou, Jiangsu (China). School of Environmental Science and Spatial Informatics; Mei, L. [China Univ. of Mining and Technology, Xuzhou, Jiangsu (China)

    2007-07-01

    Underground coal mining is the main method of coal mining in China. The hydraulic dredge pump reclamation method is the basic method used for repairing hydraulic erosion. This paper reviewed land reclamation by hydraulic dredge pump in the Yi'an coal mine of Xuzhou mining area in the east of China, and analyzed the constructing theory of soil profiling. It examined factors such as the height of the ground-water table; the thickness of plough horizon; the length of crops root and the state of soil erosion; and the methods of profile construction and elevation design of soil reclaimed by hydraulic dredge pump. A relevant mathematical model was also developed. The paper discussed the general situation of the study site as well as the basic theory of profile constructing and the profile constructing method. The paper also discussed the elevation design of the reclaimed land. It was concluded that the practice has proved that the methods can make the reclaimed soil keep a similar characteristics to that of original cropped soil, and meet the requirements for elevation of reclaimed land. 8 refs., 1 tab., 2 figs.

  10. Thermally Actuated Hydraulic Pumps

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jones, Jack; Ross, Ronald; Chao, Yi

    2008-01-01

    Thermally actuated hydraulic pumps have been proposed for diverse applications in which direct electrical or mechanical actuation is undesirable and the relative slowness of thermal actuation can be tolerated. The proposed pumps would not contain any sliding (wearing) parts in their compressors and, hence, could have long operational lifetimes. The basic principle of a pump according to the proposal is to utilize the thermal expansion and contraction of a wax or other phase-change material in contact with a hydraulic fluid in a rigid chamber. Heating the chamber and its contents from below to above the melting temperature of the phase-change material would cause the material to expand significantly, thus causing a substantial increase in hydraulic pressure and/or a substantial displacement of hydraulic fluid out of the chamber. Similarly, cooling the chamber and its contents from above to below the melting temperature of the phase-change material would cause the material to contract significantly, thus causing a substantial decrease in hydraulic pressure and/or a substantial displacement of hydraulic fluid into the chamber. The displacement of the hydraulic fluid could be used to drive a piston. The figure illustrates a simple example of a hydraulic jack driven by a thermally actuated hydraulic pump. The pump chamber would be a cylinder containing encapsulated wax pellets and containing radial fins to facilitate transfer of heat to and from the wax. The plastic encapsulation would serve as an oil/wax barrier and the remaining interior space could be filled with hydraulic oil. A filter would retain the encapsulated wax particles in the pump chamber while allowing the hydraulic oil to flow into and out of the chamber. In one important class of potential applications, thermally actuated hydraulic pumps, exploiting vertical ocean temperature gradients for heating and cooling as needed, would be used to vary hydraulic pressures to control buoyancy in undersea research

  11. Physical-hydraulic properties of a sandy loam typic paleudalf soil under organic cultivation of 'montenegrina' mandarin (Citrus deliciosa Tenore¹

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Caroline Valverde dos Santos

    2014-12-01

    Full Text Available Citrus plants are the most important fruit species in the world, with emphasis to oranges, mandarins and lemons. In Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, most fruit production is found on small properties under organic cultivation. Soil compaction is one of the factors limiting production and due to the fixed row placement of this crop, compaction can arise in various manners in the interrows of the orchard. The aim of this study was to evaluate soil physical properties and water infiltration capacity in response to interrow management in an orchard of mandarin (Citrus deliciosa Tenore 'Montenegrina' under organic cultivation. Interrow management was performed through harrowing, logs in em "V", mowing, and cutting/knocking down plants with a knife roller. Soil physical properties were evaluated in the wheel tracks of the tractor (WT, between the wheel tracks (BWT, and in the area under the line projection of the canopy (CLP, with undisturbed soil samples collected in the 0.00-0.15, 0.15-0.30, 0.30-0.45, and 0.45-0.60 m layers, with four replicates. The soil water infiltration test was performed using the concentric cylinder method, with a maximum time of 90 min for each test. In general, soil analysis showed a variation in the physical-hydraulic properties of the Argissolo Vermelho-Amarelo distrófico arênico (sandy loam Typic Paleudalf in the three sampling sites in all layers, regardless of the management procedure in the interrows. Machinery traffic leads to heterogeneity in the soil physical-hydraulic properties in the interrows of the orchard. Soil porosity and bulk density are affected especially in the wheel tracks of the tractor (WT, which causes a reduction in the constant rate of infiltration and in the accumulated infiltration of water in this sampling site. The use of the disk harrow and mower leads to greater harmful effects on the soil, which can interfere with mandarin production.

  12. Hydraulic Limits on Maximum Plant Transpiration

    Science.gov (United States)

    Manzoni, S.; Vico, G.; Katul, G. G.; Palmroth, S.; Jackson, R. B.; Porporato, A. M.

    2011-12-01

    Photosynthesis occurs at the expense of water losses through transpiration. As a consequence of this basic carbon-water interaction at the leaf level, plant growth and ecosystem carbon exchanges are tightly coupled to transpiration. In this contribution, the hydraulic constraints that limit transpiration rates under well-watered conditions are examined across plant functional types and climates. The potential water flow through plants is proportional to both xylem hydraulic conductivity (which depends on plant carbon economy) and the difference in water potential between the soil and the atmosphere (the driving force that pulls water from the soil). Differently from previous works, we study how this potential flux changes with the amplitude of the driving force (i.e., we focus on xylem properties and not on stomatal regulation). Xylem hydraulic conductivity decreases as the driving force increases due to cavitation of the tissues. As a result of this negative feedback, more negative leaf (and xylem) water potentials would provide a stronger driving force for water transport, while at the same time limiting xylem hydraulic conductivity due to cavitation. Here, the leaf water potential value that allows an optimum balance between driving force and xylem conductivity is quantified, thus defining the maximum transpiration rate that can be sustained by the soil-to-leaf hydraulic system. To apply the proposed framework at the global scale, a novel database of xylem conductivity and cavitation vulnerability across plant types and biomes is developed. Conductivity and water potential at 50% cavitation are shown to be complementary (in particular between angiosperms and conifers), suggesting a tradeoff between transport efficiency and hydraulic safety. Plants from warmer and drier biomes tend to achieve larger maximum transpiration than plants growing in environments with lower atmospheric water demand. The predicted maximum transpiration and the corresponding leaf water

  13. Hydraulic fracture propagation modeling and data-based fracture identification

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhou, Jing

    Successful shale gas and tight oil production is enabled by the engineering innovation of horizontal drilling and hydraulic fracturing. Hydraulically induced fractures will most likely deviate from the bi-wing planar pattern and generate complex fracture networks due to mechanical interactions and reservoir heterogeneity, both of which render the conventional fracture simulators insufficient to characterize the fractured reservoir. Moreover, in reservoirs with ultra-low permeability, the natural fractures are widely distributed, which will result in hydraulic fractures branching and merging at the interface and consequently lead to the creation of more complex fracture networks. Thus, developing a reliable hydraulic fracturing simulator, including both mechanical interaction and fluid flow, is critical in maximizing hydrocarbon recovery and optimizing fracture/well design and completion strategy in multistage horizontal wells. A novel fully coupled reservoir flow and geomechanics model based on the dual-lattice system is developed to simulate multiple nonplanar fractures' propagation in both homogeneous and heterogeneous reservoirs with or without pre-existing natural fractures. Initiation, growth, and coalescence of the microcracks will lead to the generation of macroscopic fractures, which is explicitly mimicked by failure and removal of bonds between particles from the discrete element network. This physics-based modeling approach leads to realistic fracture patterns without using the empirical rock failure and fracture propagation criteria required in conventional continuum methods. Based on this model, a sensitivity study is performed to investigate the effects of perforation spacing, in-situ stress anisotropy, rock properties (Young's modulus, Poisson's ratio, and compressive strength), fluid properties, and natural fracture properties on hydraulic fracture propagation. In addition, since reservoirs are buried thousands of feet below the surface, the

  14. Descendant root volume varies as a function of root type: estimation of root biomass lost during uprooting in Pinus pinaster.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Danjon, Frédéric; Caplan, Joshua S; Fortin, Mathieu; Meredieu, Céline

    2013-01-01

    Root systems of woody plants generally display a strong relationship between the cross-sectional area or cross-sectional diameter (CSD) of a root and the dry weight of biomass (DWd) or root volume (Vd) that has grown (i.e., is descendent) from a point. Specification of this relationship allows one to quantify root architectural patterns and estimate the amount of material lost when root systems are extracted from the soil. However, specifications of this relationship generally do not account for the fact that root systems are comprised of multiple types of roots. We assessed whether the relationship between CSD and Vd varies as a function of root type. Additionally, we sought to identify a more accurate and time-efficient method for estimating missing root volume than is currently available. We used a database that described the 3D root architecture of Pinus pinaster root systems (5, 12, or 19 years) from a stand in southwest France. We determined the relationship between CSD and Vd for 10,000 root segments from intact root branches. Models were specified that did and did not account for root type. The relationships were then applied to the diameters of 11,000 broken root ends to estimate the volume of missing roots. CSD was nearly linearly related to the square root of Vd, but the slope of the curve varied greatly as a function of root type. Sinkers and deep roots tapered rapidly, as they were limited by available soil depth. Distal shallow roots tapered gradually, as they were less limited spatially. We estimated that younger trees lost an average of 17% of root volume when excavated, while older trees lost 4%. Missing volumes were smallest in the central parts of root systems and largest in distal shallow roots. The slopes of the curves for each root type are synthetic parameters that account for differentiation due to genetics, soil properties, or mechanical stimuli. Accounting for this differentiation is critical to estimating root loss accurately.

  15. Influence of material deterioration on strength properties of hydraulic timber structures

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Gard, W.F.; Van de Kuilen, J.W.G.; Cabrera de Diego, M.

    2014-01-01

    Hydraulic timber structures such as mooring poles, fenders, lock gates and jetties are widely-used in inner and sea harbours all over the world. In general these structures give satisfactory performance with regard to the technical requirements. Because of the harsh exposure conditions such as

  16. Hydraulic effects on nitrogen removal in a tidal spring-fed river

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hensley, Robert T.; Cohen, Matthew J.; Korhnak, Larry V.

    2015-03-01

    Hydraulic properties such as stage and residence time are important controls on riverine N removal. In most rivers, these hydraulic properties vary with stochastic precipitation forcing, but in tidal rivers, hydraulics variation occurs on a predictable cycle. In Manatee Springs, a highly productive, tidally influenced spring-fed river in Florida, we observed significant reach-scale N removal that varied in response to tidally driven variation in hydraulic properties as well as sunlight-driven variation in assimilatory uptake. After accounting for channel residence time and stage variation, we partitioned the total removal signal into assimilatory (i.e., plant uptake) and dissimilatory (principally denitrification) pathways. Assimilatory uptake was strongly correlated with primary production and ecosystem C:N was concordant with tissue stoichiometry of the dominant autotrophs. The magnitude of N removal was broadly consistent in magnitude with predictions from models (SPARROW and RivR-N). However, contrary to model predictions, the highest removal occurred at the lowest values of τ/d (residence time divided by depth), which occurred at low tide. Removal efficiency also exhibited significant counterclockwise hysteresis with incoming versus outgoing tides. This behavior is best explained by the sequential filling and draining of transient storage zones such that water that has spent the longest time in the storage zone, and thus had the most time for N removal, drains back into the channel at the end of an outgoing tide, concurrent with shortest channel residence times. Capturing this inversion of the expected relationship between channel residence time and N removal highlights the need for nonsteady state reactive transport models.

  17. Roots Withstanding their Environment: Exploiting Root System Architecture Responses to Abiotic Stress to Improve Crop Tolerance

    Science.gov (United States)

    Koevoets, Iko T.; Venema, Jan Henk; Elzenga, J. Theo. M.; Testerink, Christa

    2016-01-01

    To face future challenges in crop production dictated by global climate changes, breeders and plant researchers collaborate to develop productive crops that are able to withstand a wide range of biotic and abiotic stresses. However, crop selection is often focused on shoot performance alone, as observation of root properties is more complex and asks for artificial and extensive phenotyping platforms. In addition, most root research focuses on development, while a direct link to the functionality of plasticity in root development for tolerance is often lacking. In this paper we review the currently known root system architecture (RSA) responses in Arabidopsis and a number of crop species to a range of abiotic stresses, including nutrient limitation, drought, salinity, flooding, and extreme temperatures. For each of these stresses, the key molecular and cellular mechanisms underlying the RSA response are highlighted. To explore the relevance for crop selection, we especially review and discuss studies linking root architectural responses to stress tolerance. This will provide a first step toward understanding the relevance of adaptive root development for a plant’s response to its environment. We suggest that functional evidence on the role of root plasticity will support breeders in their efforts to include root properties in their current selection pipeline for abiotic stress tolerance, aimed to improve the robustness of crops. PMID:27630659

  18. Mine drivage in hydraulic mines

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Ehkber, B Ya

    1983-09-01

    From 20 to 25% of labor cost in hydraulic coal mines falls on mine drivage. Range of mine drivage is high due to the large number of shortwalls mined by hydraulic monitors. Reducing mining cost in hydraulic mines depends on lowering drivage cost by use of new drivage systems or by increasing efficiency of drivage systems used at present. The following drivage methods used in hydraulic mines are compared: heading machines with hydraulic haulage of cut rocks and coal, hydraulic monitors with hydraulic haulage, drilling and blasting with hydraulic haulage of blasted rocks. Mining and geologic conditions which influence selection of the optimum mine drivage system are analyzed. Standardized cross sections of mine roadways driven by the 3 methods are shown in schemes. Support systems used in mine roadways are compared: timber supports, roof bolts, roof bolts with steel elements, and roadways driven in rocks without a support system. Heading machines (K-56MG, GPKG, 4PU, PK-3M) and hydraulic monitors (GMDTs-3M, 12GD-2) used for mine drivage are described. Data on mine drivage in hydraulic coal mines in the Kuzbass are discussed. From 40 to 46% of roadways are driven by heading machines with hydraulic haulage and from 12 to 15% by hydraulic monitors with hydraulic haulage.

  19. Basic hydraulics

    CERN Document Server

    Smith, P D

    1982-01-01

    BASIC Hydraulics aims to help students both to become proficient in the BASIC programming language by actually using the language in an important field of engineering and to use computing as a means of mastering the subject of hydraulics. The book begins with a summary of the technique of computing in BASIC together with comments and listing of the main commands and statements. Subsequent chapters introduce the fundamental concepts and appropriate governing equations. Topics covered include principles of fluid mechanics; flow in pipes, pipe networks and open channels; hydraulic machinery;

  20. Physical root-soil interactions

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kolb, Evelyne; Legué, Valérie; Bogeat-Triboulot, Marie-Béatrice

    2017-12-01

    Plant root system development is highly modulated by the physical properties of the soil and especially by its mechanical resistance to penetration. The interplay between the mechanical stresses exerted by the soil and root growth is of particular interest for many communities, in agronomy and soil science as well as in biomechanics and plant morphogenesis. In contrast to aerial organs, roots apices must exert a growth pressure to penetrate strong soils and reorient their growth trajectory to cope with obstacles like stones or hardpans or to follow the tortuous paths of the soil porosity. In this review, we present the main macroscopic investigations of soil-root physical interactions in the field and combine them with simple mechanistic modeling derived from model experiments at the scale of the individual root apex.

  1. Final Technical Report for Department of Energy Award DE-SC0010857, “Towards parameterization of root-rock hydrologic interactions in the Earth System Model”

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Fung, Inez [Univ. of California, Berkeley, CA (United States)

    2016-12-05

    The goal of the project is to understand how plants survive droughts, as the decimation of transpiration could shift the surface energy balance from latent heat to sensible heat, leading to warming of the lower atmosphere and amplification of drought. The hypothesis we investigated is that there is a store of moisture in the weathered bedrock below the organic soil mantle, so that plants that have roots deep enough to access this moisture reservoir could survive drought. We developed a new stochastic parameterization of hydraulic conductivity that introduces heterogeneity into the traditional formulation and captures the preferential flow through the weathered bedrock (Vrettas and Fung, 2015). With the new parameterization in the Richards equation, we succeeded in reproducing the fluctuations of the water table in seven well locations over six years. We also and carried out a series of model experiments that explore how subsurface properties impact evapotranspiration (ET) in a Mediterranean climate where a significant portion of ET is observed to take place in the dry and sunny summer when the precipitation is insufficient to meet the demand. Our results show that hydraulic redistribution is important for sustaining ET in the dry seasons when the vertical gradient in water potential is large. The results highlight the importance of lithology, species composition and root function for ET, especially under dry conditions.

  2. Hydraulics and gas exchange recover more rapidly from severe drought stress in small pot-grown grapevines than in field-grown plants.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Romero, Pascual; Botía, Pablo; Keller, Markus

    2017-09-01

    Modifications of plant hydraulics and shoot resistances (R shoot ) induced by water withholding followed by rewatering, and their relationships with plant water status, leaf gas exchange and water use efficiency at the leaf level, were investigated in pot-grown and field-grown, own-rooted Syrah grapevines in an arid climate. Water stress induced anisohydric behavior, gradually reducing stomatal conductance (g s ) and leaf photosynthesis (A) in response to decreasing midday stem water potential (Ψ s ). Water stress also rapidly increased intrinsic water-use efficiency (A/g s ); this effect persisted for many days after rewatering. Whole-plant (K plant ), canopy (K canopy ), shoot (K shoot ) and leaf (K leaf ) hydraulic conductances decreased during water stress, in tune with the gradual decrease in Ψ s , leaf gas exchange and whole plant water use. Water-stressed vines also had a lower Ψ gradient between stem and leaf (ΔΨ l ), which was correlated with lower leaf transpiration rate (E). E and ΔΨ l increased with increasing vapour pressure deficit (VPD) in non-stressed control vines but not in stressed vines. Perfusion of xylem-mobile dye showed that water flow to petioles and leaves was substantially reduced or even stopped under moderate and severe drought stress. Leaf blade hydraulic resistance accounted for most of the total shoot resistance. However, hydraulic conductance of the whole root system (K root ) was not significantly reduced until water stress became very severe in pot-grown vines. Significant correlations between K plant , K canopy and Ψ s , K canopy and leaf gas exchange, K leaf and Ψ s , and K leaf and A support a link between water supply, leaf water status and gas exchange. Upon re-watering, Ψ s recovered faster than gas exchange and leaf-shoot hydraulics. A gradual recovery of hydraulic functionality of plant organs was also observed, the leaves being the last to recover after rewatering. In pot-grown vines, K canopy recovered rather

  3. Visualization of root water uptake: quantification of deuterated water transport in roots using neutron radiography and numerical modeling.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zarebanadkouki, Mohsen; Kroener, Eva; Kaestner, Anders; Carminati, Andrea

    2014-10-01

    Our understanding of soil and plant water relations is limited by the lack of experimental methods to measure water fluxes in soil and plants. Here, we describe a new method to noninvasively quantify water fluxes in roots. To this end, neutron radiography was used to trace the transport of deuterated water (D2O) into roots. The results showed that (1) the radial transport of D2O from soil to the roots depended similarly on diffusive and convective transport and (2) the axial transport of D2O along the root xylem was largely dominated by convection. To quantify the convective fluxes from the radiographs, we introduced a convection-diffusion model to simulate the D2O transport in roots. The model takes into account different pathways of water across the root tissue, the endodermis as a layer with distinct transport properties, and the axial transport of D2O in the xylem. The diffusion coefficients of the root tissues were inversely estimated by simulating the experiments at night under the assumption that the convective fluxes were negligible. Inverse modeling of the experiment at day gave the profile of water fluxes into the roots. For a 24-d-old lupine (Lupinus albus) grown in a soil with uniform water content, root water uptake was higher in the proximal parts of lateral roots and decreased toward the distal parts. The method allows the quantification of the root properties and the regions of root water uptake along the root systems. © 2014 American Society of Plant Biologists. All Rights Reserved.

  4. RootAnalyzer: A Cross-Section Image Analysis Tool for Automated Characterization of Root Cells and Tissues.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Joshua Chopin

    Full Text Available The morphology of plant root anatomical features is a key factor in effective water and nutrient uptake. Existing techniques for phenotyping root anatomical traits are often based on manual or semi-automatic segmentation and annotation of microscopic images of root cross sections. In this article, we propose a fully automated tool, hereinafter referred to as RootAnalyzer, for efficiently extracting and analyzing anatomical traits from root-cross section images. Using a range of image processing techniques such as local thresholding and nearest neighbor identification, RootAnalyzer segments the plant root from the image's background, classifies and characterizes the cortex, stele, endodermis and epidermis, and subsequently produces statistics about the morphological properties of the root cells and tissues. We use RootAnalyzer to analyze 15 images of wheat plants and one maize plant image and evaluate its performance against manually-obtained ground truth data. The comparison shows that RootAnalyzer can fully characterize most root tissue regions with over 90% accuracy.

  5. Hydraulic Properties of Porous Media Saturated with Nanoparticle-Stabilized Air-Water Foam

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Xianglei Zheng

    2016-12-01

    Full Text Available The foam generated by the mixture of air and water has a much higher viscosity and lower mobility than those of pure water or gas that constitutes the air-water foam. The possibility of using the air-water foam as a flow barrier for the purpose of groundwater and soil remediation is explored in this paper. A nanoparticle-stabilized air-water foam was fabricated by vigorously stirring the nano-fluid in pressurized condition. The foam bubble size distribution was analyzed with a microscope. The viscosities of foams generated with the solutions with several nanoparticle concentrations were measured as a function of time. The breakthrough pressure of foam-saturated microfluidic chips and sand columns were obtained. The hydraulic conductivity of a foam-filled sand column was measured after foam breakthrough. The results show that: (1 bubble coalescence and the Ostwald ripening are believed to be the reason of bubble size distribution change; (2 the viscosity of nanoparticle-stabilized foam and the breakthrough pressures decreased with time once the foam was generated; (3 the hydraulic conductivity of the foam-filled sand column was almost two orders of magnitude lower than that of a water-saturated sand column even after the foam-breakthrough. Based on the results in this study, the nanoparticle-stabilized air-water foam could be injected into contaminated soils to generate vertical barriers for temporary hydraulic conductivity reduction.

  6. Impact of soil texture and water availability on the hydraulic control of plant and grape-berry development

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sara Tramontini; Cornelis van Leeuwen; Jean-Christophe Domec; Agnès Destrac-Irvine; Cyril Basteau; Marco Vitali; Olaf Mosbach-Schulz; Claudio Lovisolo

    2013-01-01

    All components of the soil-plant-atmosphere (s-p-a) continuum are known to control berry quality in grapevine (Vitis vinifera L.) via ecophysiological interactions between water uptake by roots and water loss by leaves. The scope of the present work was to explore how the main hydraulic components of grapevine influence fruit quality through changes...

  7. Root growth and hydraulic conductivity of southern pine seedlings in response to soil temperature and water availability after planting

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mary Anne Sword Sayer; John C. Brissette; James P. Barnett

    2005-01-01

    Comparison of the root system growth and water transport of southern pine species after planting in different root-zone environments is needed to guide decisions regarding when, and what species to plant. Evaluation of how seed source affects root system responses to soil conditions will allow seed sources to be matched to planting conditions. The root growth and...

  8. Summary and evaluation of hydraulic property data available for the Hanford Site upper basalt confined aquifer system

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Spane, F.A. Jr.; Vermeul, V.R.

    1994-09-01

    Pacific Northwest Laboratory, as part of the Hanford Site Ground-Water Surveillance Project, examines the potential for offsite migration of contamination within the upper basalt confined aquifer system. For the past 40 years, hydrologic testing of the upper basalt confined aquifer has been conducted by a number of Hanford Site programs. Hydraulic property estimates are important for evaluating aquifer flow characteristics (i.e., ground-water flow patterns, flow velocity, transport travel time). Presented are the first comprehensive Hanford Site-wide summary of hydraulic properties for the upper basalt confined aquifer system (i.e., the upper Saddle Mountains Basalt). Available hydrologic test data were reevaluated using recently developed diagnostic test analysis methods. A comparison of calculated transmissivity estimates indicates that, for most test results, a general correspondence within a factor of two between reanalysis and previously reported test values was obtained. For a majority of the tests, previously reported values are greater than reanalysis estimates. This overestimation is attributed to a number of factors, including, in many cases, a misapplication of nonleaky confined aquifer analysis methods in previous analysis reports to tests that exhibit leaky confined aquifer response behavior. Results of the test analyses indicate a similar range for transmissivity values for the various hydro-geologic units making up the upper basalt confined aquifer. Approximately 90% of the calculated transmissivity values for upper basalt confined aquifer hydrogeologic units occur within the range of 10 0 to 10 2 m 2 /d, with 65% of the calculated estimate values occurring between 10 1 to 10 2 m 2 d. These summary findings are consistent with the general range of values previously reported for basalt interflow contact zones and sedimentary interbeds within the Saddle Mountains Basalt

  9. Disposal of coal combustion wastes in the hydraulic backfill process

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pierzyna, Piotr

    2017-11-01

    This article presents the results of studies regarding the physical properties of selected combustion by-products (CCPs) currently produced in the energy production industry. These properties have been compared with the requirements of the technologies applied in the Polish underground mines. The article gives special consideration to the application of the products in the hydraulic backfill technology. The possibility of using bottom-ashes and slags was considered. The amount of CCPs disposed in Polish hard coal mines is approximately 1.1 million Mg and the tendency is decreasing. In the past two years, approximately 100-150 thousand Mg of CCPs was used in the hydraulic backfill technology. The percentage of the fraction smaller than 0.1 mm is determining for the possibility of using a given type of CCPs in the backfill material. This practically excludes the possibility of using any fly ashes in that technology. In slags from conventional boilers and bottom ashes from fluidized bed boilers the fraction below 0.1 mm constitutes 25% of the total at maximum, which allows for their use in the materials used in hydraulic backfill as a component comprising from 30% to 60%, respectively. Slags (10 01 01) are characterized by the lack of bonding properties, which, in case of open backfill systems that are exposed to atmospheric conditions, constitutes an advantage in comparison to bottom ashes (10 01 24), which in turn definitely exhibit bonding properties. The solution of the problem of using bottom ashes is their supply and application on a current basis.

  10. Development of lotus root fermented sugar syrup as a functional food supplement/condiment and evaluation of its physicochemical, nutritional and microbiological properties.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shukla, Shruti; Park, Juyeon; Park, Jung Hyun; Lee, Jong Suk; Kim, Myunghee

    2018-02-01

    Lotus ( Nelumbo nucifera ) root has been used as an edible vegetable in East Asia for thousands of years. The present research was aimed to explore the physicochemical, nutritional and microbiological safety of lotus root fermented sugar syrup as a fermented food supplement or condiment for human health benefits. In this study, the physicochemical, nutritional and microbiological safety properties of lotus root syrup fermented with 57° Brix brown sugar at different time periods until 6 months (180 days) was investigated. There was a significant improvement as compared to 57° Brix brown sugar broth (as a control) in the total acceptability and physicochemical properties of lotus root sugar syrup samples such as pH and color improvement. The red color values of 180 days lotus root fermented sugar syrup samples were significantly enhanced (6.85 ± 0.58) when compared with the control (0.20 ± 0.15). In addition, the total protein content was increased from 8.27 ± 0.86 to 392.33 ± 7.19 μg/mL, along with the increase in fermentation time reaching to the level of consumption acceptability. All the lotus root fermented sugar syrup samples were subjected to microbiological analysis. It was found that the coliform, Bacillus cereus , Escherichia coli , Salmonella and Staphylococcus aureus counts were not detected in majority of the samples, confirming the high degree of hygiene processing of lotus root fermented sugar syrup samples for its use as a food supplement or condiment.

  11. Numerical Modeling of Water Fluxes in the Root Zone of Irrigated Pecan

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shukla, M. K.; Deb, S.

    2010-12-01

    Information is still limited on the coupled liquid water, water vapor, heat transport and root water uptake for irrigated pecan. Field experiments were conducted in a sandy loam mature pecan field in Las Cruces, New Mexico. Three pecan trees were chosen to monitor diurnal soil water content under the canopy (approximately half way between trunk and the drip line) and outside the drip line (bare spot) along a transect at the depths of 5, 10, 20, 40, and 60 cm using TDR sensors. Soil temperature sensors were installed at an under-canopy locations and bare spot to monitor soil temperature data at depths of 5, 10, 20, and 40 cm. Simulations of the coupled transport of liquid water, water vapor, and heat with and without root water uptake were carried out using the HYDRUS-1D code. Measured soil hydraulic and thermal properties, continuous meteorological data, and pecan characteristics, e.g. rooting depth, leaf area index, were used in the model simulations. Model calibration was performed for a 26-day period from DOY 204 through DOY 230, 2009 based on measured soil water content and soil temperature data at different soil depths, while the model was validated for a 90-day period from DOY 231 through DOY 320, 2009 at bare spot. Calibrated parameters were also used to apply the model at under-canopy locations for a 116-day period from DOY 204 to 320. HYDRUS-1D simulated water contents and soil temperatures correlated well with the measured data at each depth. Numerical assessment of various transport mechanisms and quantitative estimates of isothermal and thermal water fluxes with and without root water uptake in the unsaturated zone within canopy and bare spot is in progress and will be presented in the conference.

  12. Hydraulic manipulator research at ORNL

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kress, R.L.; Jansen, J.F.; Love, L.J.

    1997-01-01

    Recently, task requirements have dictated that manipulator payload capacity increase to accommodate greater payloads, greater manipulator length, and larger environmental interaction forces. General tasks such as waste storage tank cleanup and facility dismantlement and decommissioning require manipulator life capacities in the range of hundreds of pounds rather than tens of pounds. To meet the increased payload capacities demanded by present-day tasks, manipulator designers have turned once again to hydraulics as a means of actuation. In order to successfully design, build, and deploy a new hydraulic manipulator (or subsystem), sophisticated modeling, analysis, and control experiments are usually needed. Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) has a history of projects that incorporate hydraulics technology, including mobile robots, teleoperated manipulators, and full-scale construction equipment. In addition, to support the development and deployment of new hydraulic manipulators, ORNL has outfitted a significant experimental laboratory and has developed the software capability for research into hydraulic manipulators, hydraulic actuators, hydraulic systems, modeling of hydraulic systems, and hydraulic controls. The purpose of this article is to describe the past hydraulic manipulator developments and current hydraulic manipulator research capabilities at ORNL. Included are example experimental results from ORNL's flexible/prismatic test stand

  13. Hydraulic manipulator research at ORNL

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kress, R.L.; Jansen, J.F. [Oak Ridge National Lab., TN (United States); Love, L.J. [Oak Ridge Inst. for Science and Education, TN (United States)

    1997-03-01

    Recently, task requirements have dictated that manipulator payload capacity increase to accommodate greater payloads, greater manipulator length, and larger environmental interaction forces. General tasks such as waste storage tank cleanup and facility dismantlement and decommissioning require manipulator life capacities in the range of hundreds of pounds rather than tens of pounds. To meet the increased payload capacities demanded by present-day tasks, manipulator designers have turned once again to hydraulics as a means of actuation. In order to successfully design, build, and deploy a new hydraulic manipulator (or subsystem), sophisticated modeling, analysis, and control experiments are usually needed. Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) has a history of projects that incorporate hydraulics technology, including mobile robots, teleoperated manipulators, and full-scale construction equipment. In addition, to support the development and deployment of new hydraulic manipulators, ORNL has outfitted a significant experimental laboratory and has developed the software capability for research into hydraulic manipulators, hydraulic actuators, hydraulic systems, modeling of hydraulic systems, and hydraulic controls. The purpose of this article is to describe the past hydraulic manipulator developments and current hydraulic manipulator research capabilities at ORNL. Included are example experimental results from ORNL`s flexible/prismatic test stand.

  14. Theoretical aspects concerning working fluids in hydraulic systems

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Tița Irina

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available Among the properties of working fluid, viscosity is the most important as it regards especially to pumps. In order to study the behavior of hydrostatic transmission it is important to create a reliable research instrument for dynamic simulation. Our research expertise being in SimHydraulics consequently this instrument is the suitable block diagram. The purpose of this paper is to present the possible ways to customize the properties of the working fluid in the block diagram.

  15. Influence of Cultivar and UGmax on Antioxidative Properties of Carrot Roots (Daucus Carota L. and their Stability During Freezing Process

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Keutgen Anna J.

    2014-12-01

    Full Text Available In the present experiment, the significance of cultivar (convention-al and coloured and of the application of the soil fertility enhancer UGmax on health-promoting properties of carrot roots subjected to the freezing process of carrot cubes after water blanching was investigated. The selection of cultivar turned out to be highly signif-icant with respect to the development of health-promoting properties of carrot roots. The highest antioxidant properties were found in the purple cultivar ‘Deep Purple’. Its mean antioxidant capacity accounted for 5.31 mmol Fe+2 · kg–1 f.m. Essential for health-promoting properties were the contents of anthocyanins (R2 = 0.83, chlorogenic acid (R2 = 0.81 and total polyphenolics (R2 = 0.71. The application of the biological agent UGmax improved the qual-ity of carrot significantly, increasing the content of total carotenoids and reducing the losses of ascorbic acid during processing. The freezing process negatively influenced the antioxidative properties of carrot irrespective of cultivar and applied agro-technique (use of UGmax, especially in the case of water-soluble antioxidants such as anthocyanins and ascorbic acid.

  16. Fault Diagnosis for Nonlinear Hydraulic-Mechanical Drilling Pipe Handling System

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Choux, Martin; Blanke, Mogens

    2011-01-01

    Leakage and increased friction are common faults in hydraulic cylinders that can have serious consequences if they are not detected at early stage. In this paper, the design of a fault detector for a nonlinear hydraulic mechanical system is presented. By considering the system in steady state, two...... residual signals are generated and analysed with a composite hypothesis test which accommodates for unknown parameters. The resulting detector is able to detect abrupt changes in leakage or friction given the noisy pressure and position measurements. Test rig measurements validate the properties...

  17. Application study of magnetic fluid seal in hydraulic turbine

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yu, Z Y; Zhang, W

    2012-01-01

    The waterpower resources of our country are abundant, and the hydroelectric power is developed, but at present the main shaft sealing device of hydraulic turbine is easy to wear and tear and the leakage is great. The magnetic fluid seal has the advantages of no contact, no wear, self-healing, long life and so on. In this paper, the magnetic fluid seal would be used in the main shaft of hydraulic turbine, the sealing structure was built the model, meshed the geometry, applied loads and solved by using MULTIPHYSICS in ANSYS software, the influence of the various sealing structural parameters such as tooth width, height, slot width, sealing gap on the sealing property were analyzed, the magnetic fluid sealing device suitable for large-diameter shaft and sealing water was designed, the sealing problem of the hydraulic turbine main shaft was solved effectively which will bring huge economic benefits.

  18. Controls on deep drainage beneath the root soil zone in snowmelt-dominated environments

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hammond, J. C.; Harpold, A. A.; Kampf, S. K.

    2017-12-01

    Snowmelt is the dominant source of streamflow generation and groundwater recharge in many high elevation and high latitude locations, yet we still lack a detailed understanding of how snowmelt is partitioned between the soil, deep drainage, and streamflow under a variety of soil, climate, and snow conditions. Here we use Hydrus 1-D simulations with historical inputs from five SNOTEL snow monitoring sites in each of three regions, Cascades, Sierra, and Southern Rockies, to investigate how inter-annual variability on water input rate and duration affects soil saturation and deep drainage. Each input scenario was run with three different soil profiles of varying hydraulic conductivity, soil texture, and bulk density. We also created artificial snowmelt scenarios to test how snowmelt intermittence affects deep drainage. Results indicate that precipitation is the strongest predictor (R2 = 0.83) of deep drainage below the root zone, with weaker relationships observed between deep drainage and snow persistence, peak snow water equivalent, and melt rate. The ratio of deep drainage to precipitation shows a stronger positive relationship to melt rate suggesting that a greater fraction of input becomes deep drainage at higher melt rates. For a given amount of precipitation, rapid, concentrated snowmelt may create greater deep drainage below the root zone than slower, intermittent melt. Deep drainage requires saturation below the root zone, so saturated hydraulic conductivity serves as a primary control on deep drainage magnitude. Deep drainage response to climate is mostly independent of soil texture because of its reliance on saturated conditions. Mean water year saturations of deep soil layers can predict deep drainage and may be a useful way to compare sites in soils with soil hydraulic porosities. The unit depth of surface runoff often is often greater than deep drainage at daily and annual timescales, as snowmelt exceeds infiltration capacity in near-surface soil layers

  19. Shaping an Optimal Soil by Root-Soil Interaction.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jin, Kemo; White, Philip J; Whalley, William R; Shen, Jianbo; Shi, Lei

    2017-10-01

    Crop production depends on the availability of water and mineral nutrients, and increased yields might be facilitated by a greater focus on roots-soil interactions. Soil properties affecting plant growth include drought, compaction, nutrient deficiency, mineral toxicity, salinity, and submergence. Plant roots respond to the soil environment both spatially and temporally by avoiding stressful soil environments and proliferating in more favorable environments. We observe that crops can be bred for specific root architectural and biochemical traits that facilitate soil exploration and resource acquisition, enabling greater crop yields. These root traits affect soil physical and chemical properties and might be utilized to improve the soil for subsequent crops. We argue that optimizing root-soil interactions is a prerequisite for future food security. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  20. Spatial variability in alluvium properties at a low-level nuclear waste site

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Istok, J.D.; Blout, D.O.; Barker, L.; Johnejack, K.R.; Hammermeister, D.P.

    1994-01-01

    Geological and statistical models for the spatial variability of soil properties are needed to predict field-scale water flow and solute transport but only limited information is currently available on unsaturated soils below the root zone. Spatial variability of selected physical and hydrologic properties was quantified for fine- and coarse-grained alluvial deposits at a low-level nuclear waste disposal site on the Nevada Test Site. Gravimetric water content (w), bulk density (ρ b ), saturated hydraulic conductivity (K a ), and particle-size distribution were determined for vertical and horizontal core specimens and bulk samples collected from 183-m-long horizontal transects in two existing waste disposal trenches located on a single alluvial fan. The transects were approximately aligned parallel and perpendicular to the principal direction of sediment transport. Properties were modeled as either normally or lognormally distributed random variables. Sample coefficients of variation were smallest for ρ b and largest for log(K a ); a weak correlation was identified between log(K a ) and the grain-size parameter d 10 . Particle-size distributions for the fine- and coarse-grained materials were different and significant differences in the natural logarithm of saturated hydraulic conductivity, log(K a ), existed between coarse and fine layers in an excavation aligned with the principal direction of alluvium deposition but not in a perpendicular direction. 37 refs., 7 figs., 11 tabs

  1. Hydraulic behaviour of a representative structural volume for containment buildings

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Jason, Ludovic; Pijaudier-Cabot, Gilles; Ghavamian, Shahrokh; Huerta, Antonio

    2007-01-01

    For particular structures like containment buildings of nuclear power plants, the study of the hydraulic behaviour is of great concern. These structures are indeed the third barrier used to protect the environment in case of accidents. The evolution of the leaking rate through the porous medium is closely related to the changes in the permeability during the ageing process of the structure. It is thus essential to know the relation between concrete degradation and the transfer property when the consequences of a mechanical loading on the hydraulic behaviour have to be evaluated. A chained approach is designed for this purpose. The mechanical behaviour is described by an elastic plastic damage formulation, where damage is responsible for the softening evolution while plasticity accounts for the development of irreversible strains. The drying process is evaluated according to a non-linear equation of diffusion. From the knowledge of the damage and the degree of saturation, a relation is proposed to calculate the permeability of concrete. Finally, the non-homogeneous distribution of the hydraulic conductivity is included in the hydraulic problem which is in fact the association of the mass balance equation for gas phase and Darcy law. From this methodology, it is shown how an indicator for the hydraulic flows can be deduced

  2. New parameters influencing hydraulic runner lifetime

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sabourin, M; Bouffard, D A; Thibault, D; Levesque, M

    2010-01-01

    Traditionally, hydraulic runner mechanical design is based on calculation of static stresses. Today, validation of hydraulic runner design in terms of reliability requires taking into account the fatigue effect of dynamics loads. A damage tolerant approach based on fracture mechanics is the method chosen by Alstom and Hydro-Quebec to study fatigue damage in runners. This requires a careful examination of all factors influencing material fatigue behavior. Such material behavior depends mainly on the chemical composition, microstructure and thermal history of the component, and on the resulting residual stresses. Measurement of fracture mechanics properties of various steels have demonstrated that runner lifetime can be significantly altered by differences in the manufacturing process, although remaining in accordance with agreed practices and standards such as ASTM. Carbon content and heat treatment are suspected to influence fatigue lifetime. This will have to be investigated by continuing the current research.

  3. New parameters influencing hydraulic runner lifetime

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Sabourin, M; Bouffard, D A [Alstom Hydro Canada Inc, Hydraulic Engineering, 1350 chemin St-Roch, Sorel-Tracy (Quebec), J3P 5P9 (Canada); Thibault, D [Hydro-Quebec, Institut de Recherche d' Hydro-Quebec 1800 boul. Lionel-Boulet, Varennes (Quebec), J3X 1S1 (Canada); Levesque, M, E-mail: michel.sabourin@power.alstom.co [Ecole Polytechnique de Montreal, Departement de genie mecanique C.P.6079, succ. Centre-ville, Montreal (Quebec), H3C 3A7 (Canada)

    2010-08-15

    Traditionally, hydraulic runner mechanical design is based on calculation of static stresses. Today, validation of hydraulic runner design in terms of reliability requires taking into account the fatigue effect of dynamics loads. A damage tolerant approach based on fracture mechanics is the method chosen by Alstom and Hydro-Quebec to study fatigue damage in runners. This requires a careful examination of all factors influencing material fatigue behavior. Such material behavior depends mainly on the chemical composition, microstructure and thermal history of the component, and on the resulting residual stresses. Measurement of fracture mechanics properties of various steels have demonstrated that runner lifetime can be significantly altered by differences in the manufacturing process, although remaining in accordance with agreed practices and standards such as ASTM. Carbon content and heat treatment are suspected to influence fatigue lifetime. This will have to be investigated by continuing the current research.

  4. Improving the support characteristics of hydraulic fill

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Corson, D. R.; Dorman, K. R.; Sprute, R. H.

    1980-05-15

    Extensive laboratory and field testing has defined the physical properties of hydraulic fill. Effect of void ratio on percolation rate has been quantified, and tests were developed to estimate waterflow through fill material in a given state underground. Beneficial effect on fill's support capability through addition of cement alone or in conjunction with vibratory compaction has been investigated. Two separate field studies in operating cut-and-fill mines measured vein-wall deformation and loads imposed on backfilled stopes. Technology has been developed that will effectively and efficiently dewater and densify ultra-fine-grained slurries typical of metal mine hydraulic backfill. At least two operators are using this electrokinetic technique to dewater slimes collected in underground sumps or impoundments. This technique opens up the possibility of using the total unclassified tailings product as a hydraulic backfill. Theoretical enhancement of ground support and rock-burst control through improved support capability will be tested in a full-scale mine stope installation. Both a horizontal layer and a vertical column of high modulus fill will be placed in an attempt to reduce stope wall closure, support more ground pressure, and lessen rock-burst occurrence.

  5. Root exudation and root development of lettuce (Lactuca sativa L. cv. Tizian) as affected by different soils

    OpenAIRE

    Neumann, G.; Bott, S.; Ohler, M. A.; Mock, H.-P.; Lippmann, R.; Grosch, R.; Smalla, K.

    2014-01-01

    Development and activity of plant roots exhibits high adaptive variability. Although it is well-documented, that physicochemical soil properties can strongly influence root morphology and root exudation, particularly under field conditions, a comparative assessment is complicated by the impact of additional factors, such as climate and cropping history. To overcome these limitations, in this study, field soils originating from an unique experimental plot system with three different soil types...

  6. Control rod drive hydraulic device

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Takekawa, Toru.

    1994-01-01

    The device of the present invention can reliably prevent a possible erroneous withdrawal of control rod driving mechanism when the pressure of a coolant line is increased by isolation operation of hydraulic control units upon periodical inspection for a BWR type reactor. That is, a coolant line is connected to the downstream of a hydraulic supply device. The coolant line is connected to a hydraulic control unit. A coolant hydraulic detection device and a pressure setting device are disposed to the coolant line. A closing signal line and a returning signal line are disposed, which connect the hydraulic supply device and a flow rate control valve for the hydraulic setting device. In the device of the present invention, even if pressure of supplied coolants is elevated due to isolation of hydraulic control units, the elevation of the hydraulic pressure can be prevented. Accordingly, reliability upon periodical reactor inspection can be improved. Further, the facility is simplified and the installation to an existent facility is easy. (I.S.)

  7. Study on Characteristics of Hydraulic Servo System for Force Control of Hydraulic Robots

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kim, Hyo-gon; Han, Changsoo; Lee, Jong-won; Park, Sangdeok

    2015-01-01

    Because a hydraulic actuator has high power and force densities, this allows the weight of the robot's limbs to be reduced. This allows for good dynamic characteristics and high energy efficiency. Thus, hydraulic actuators are used in some exoskeleton robots and quadrupedal robots that require high torque. Force control is useful for robot compliance with a user or environment. However, force control of a hydraulic robot is difficult because a hydraulic servo system is highly nonlinear from a control perspective. In this study, a nonlinear model was used to develop a simulation program for a hydraulic servo system consisting of a servo valve, transmission lines, and a cylinder. The problems and considerations with regard to the force control performance for a hydraulic servo system were investigated. A force control method using the nonlinear model was proposed, and its effect was evaluated with the simulation program

  8. Study on Characteristics of Hydraulic Servo System for Force Control of Hydraulic Robots

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kim, Hyo-gon; Han, Changsoo [Hanyang University, Seoul (Korea, Republic of); Lee, Jong-won [Korea University of Science and Technology, Seoul (Korea, Republic of); Park, Sangdeok [Korea Institute of Industrial Technology, Seoul (Korea, Republic of)

    2015-02-15

    Because a hydraulic actuator has high power and force densities, this allows the weight of the robot's limbs to be reduced. This allows for good dynamic characteristics and high energy efficiency. Thus, hydraulic actuators are used in some exoskeleton robots and quadrupedal robots that require high torque. Force control is useful for robot compliance with a user or environment. However, force control of a hydraulic robot is difficult because a hydraulic servo system is highly nonlinear from a control perspective. In this study, a nonlinear model was used to develop a simulation program for a hydraulic servo system consisting of a servo valve, transmission lines, and a cylinder. The problems and considerations with regard to the force control performance for a hydraulic servo system were investigated. A force control method using the nonlinear model was proposed, and its effect was evaluated with the simulation program.

  9. Unit root properties of crude oil spot and futures prices

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Maslyuk, Svetlana; Smyth, Russell

    2008-01-01

    In this article, we examine whether WTI and Brent crude oil spot and futures prices (at 1, 3 and 6 months to maturity) contain a unit root with one and two structural breaks, employing weekly data over the period 1991-2004. To realise this objective we employ Lagrange multiplier (LM) unit root tests with one and two endogenous structural breaks proposed by Lee and Strazicich [2003. Minimum Lagrange multiplier unit root test with two structural breaks. Review of Economics and Statistics, 85, 1082-1089; 2004. Minimum LM unit root test with one structural break. Working Paper no. 04-17, Department of Economics, Appalachian State University]. We find that each of the oil price series can be characterised as a random walk process and that the endogenous structural breaks are significant and meaningful in terms of events that have impacted on world oil markets

  10. Root system markup language: toward a unified root architecture description language.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lobet, Guillaume; Pound, Michael P; Diener, Julien; Pradal, Christophe; Draye, Xavier; Godin, Christophe; Javaux, Mathieu; Leitner, Daniel; Meunier, Félicien; Nacry, Philippe; Pridmore, Tony P; Schnepf, Andrea

    2015-03-01

    The number of image analysis tools supporting the extraction of architectural features of root systems has increased in recent years. These tools offer a handy set of complementary facilities, yet it is widely accepted that none of these software tools is able to extract in an efficient way the growing array of static and dynamic features for different types of images and species. We describe the Root System Markup Language (RSML), which has been designed to overcome two major challenges: (1) to enable portability of root architecture data between different software tools in an easy and interoperable manner, allowing seamless collaborative work; and (2) to provide a standard format upon which to base central repositories that will soon arise following the expanding worldwide root phenotyping effort. RSML follows the XML standard to store two- or three-dimensional image metadata, plant and root properties and geometries, continuous functions along individual root paths, and a suite of annotations at the image, plant, or root scale at one or several time points. Plant ontologies are used to describe botanical entities that are relevant at the scale of root system architecture. An XML schema describes the features and constraints of RSML, and open-source packages have been developed in several languages (R, Excel, Java, Python, and C#) to enable researchers to integrate RSML files into popular research workflow. © 2015 American Society of Plant Biologists. All Rights Reserved.

  11. Hydraulic Hybrid Vehicles

    Science.gov (United States)

    EPA and the United Parcel Service (UPS) have developed a hydraulic hybrid delivery vehicle to explore and demonstrate the environmental benefits of the hydraulic hybrid for urban pick-up and delivery fleets.

  12. The hydraulic wheel

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Alvarez Cardona, A.

    1985-01-01

    The present article this dedicated to recover a technology that key in disuse for the appearance of other techniques. It is the hydraulic wheel with their multiple possibilities to use their energy mechanical rotational in direct form or to generate electricity directly in the fields in the place and to avoid the high cost of transport and transformation. The basic theory is described that consists in: the power of the currents of water and the hydraulic receivers. The power of the currents is determined knowing the flow and east knowing the section of the flow and its speed; they are given you formulate to know these and direct mensuration methods by means of floodgates, drains and jumps of water. The hydraulic receivers or properly this hydraulic wheels that are the machines in those that the water acts like main force and they are designed to transmit the biggest proportion possible of absolute work of the water, the hydraulic wheels of horizontal axis are the common and they are divided in: you rotate with water for under, you rotate with side water and wheels with water for above. It is analyzed each one of them, their components are described; the conditions that should complete to produce a certain power and formulate them to calculate it. There are 25 descriptive figures of the different hydraulic wheels

  13. Hydraulic performance of Compacted Clay Liners (CCLs) under combined temperature and leachate exposures.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Aldaeef, A A; Rayhani, M T

    2014-12-01

    Experimental investigations were carried out to investigate the effect of thermo-chemical exposures on the hydraulic performance of Compacted Clay Liners (CCLs) in landfills. Hydraulic conductivity of most CCL specimens was increased by two to three times their initial values when exposed to 55 °C for 75 days. CCL specimens also experienced increases in their hydraulic conductivities when exposed to leachate at room temperature. This behaviour could be due to the decrease in viscosity when the permeant was changed from tap water to leachate. However, as the leachate exposure time exceeded the first 15 days, hydraulic conductivity readings decreased to as much as one order of magnitude after 75 days of leachate permeation at room temperature. The gradual decrease in the CCLs hydraulic conductivities was most likely due to chemical precipitation and clogging of pore voids within the soils which seemed to reduce the effective pore volume. The rate of hydraulic conductivity reduction due to leachate permeation was slower at higher temperatures, which was attributed to the lower permeant viscosity and lower clogging occurrence. The observed hydraulic behaviours were correlated to the physical, mineral, and chemical properties of the CCLs and described below. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  14. Water Hydraulic Systems

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Conrad, Finn

    2005-01-01

    The paper presents research results using IT-Tools for CAD and dynamic modelling, simulation, analysis, and design of water hydraulic actuators for motion control of machines, lifts, cranes and robots. Matlab/Simulink and CATIA are used as IT-Tools. The contributions include results from on......-going research projects on fluid power and mechatronics based on tap water hydraulic servovalves and linear servo actuators and rotary vane actuators for motion control and power transmission. Development and design a novel water hydraulic rotary vane actuator for robot manipulators. Proposed mathematical...... modelling, control and simulation of a water hydraulic rotary vane actuator applied to power and control a two-links manipulator and evaluate performance. The results include engineering design and test of the proposed simulation models compared with IHA Tampere University’s presentation of research...

  15. Determining hydraulic parameters of a karst aquifer using unique ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Although karst aquifers constitute some of the most important water resources worldwide, generally accepted methods for reliably characterising their hydraulic properties are still elusive. This paper aims at contributing to the discussion by a first-ever attempt to utilise various sets of unique historical data derived from ...

  16. Cavitation vulnerability in roots and shoots: does Populus euphratica Oliv., a poplar from arid areas of Central Asia, differ from other poplar species?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hukin, D; Cochard, H; Dreyer, E; Le Thiec, D; Bogeat-Triboulot, M B

    2005-08-01

    Populus euphratica is a poplar species growing in arid regions of Central Asia, where its distribution remains nevertheless restricted to river-banks or to areas with an access to deep water tables. To test whether the hydraulic architecture of this species differs from that of other poplars with respect to this ecological distribution, the vulnerability to cavitation of P. euphratica was compared with that of P. alba and of P. trichocarpa x koreana. The occurrence of a potential hydraulic segmentation through cavitation was also investigated by assessing the vulnerability of roots, stems, and leaf mid-rib veins. Cryo-scanning electron microscopy (cryo-SEM) was used to assess the level of embolism in fine roots and leaf mid-ribs and a low pressure flowmeter (LPFM) was used for stems and main roots. The cryo-SEM technique was validated against LPFM measurements on paired samples. In P. alba and P. trichocarpa x koreana, leaf mid-ribs were more vulnerable to cavitation than stems and roots. In P. euphratica, leaf mid-ribs and stems were equally vulnerable and, contrary to what has been observed in other species, roots were significantly less vulnerable than shoots. P. euphratica was by far the most vulnerable. The water potential inducing 50% loss of conductivity in stems was close to -0.7 MPa, against approximately -1.45 MPa for the two others species. Such a large vulnerability was confirmed by recording losses of conductivity during a gradual drought. Moreover, significant stem embolism was recorded before stomatal closure, indicating the lack of an efficient safety margin for hydraulic functions in this species. Embolism was not reversed by rewatering. These observations are discussed with respect to the ecology of P. euphratica.

  17. A Generic Model Based Tracking Controller for Hydraulic Valve-Cylinder Drives

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Hansen, Anders Hedegaard; Schmidt, Lasse; Pedersen, Henrik Clemmensen

    2016-01-01

    in the entire range of operation, rather than reducing stationary errors, and may be parameterized from the desired gain margin, as well as linear model parameters. The proposed control design approaches are evaluated in an experimentally validated, nonlinear simulation model of a hydraulic valve-cylinder drive......The control of hydraulic valve-cylinder drives is still an active subject of research, and various linear and particularly nonlinear approaches has been proposed, especially in the last two-three decades. In many cases the proposed controllers appear to produce excellent tracking ability due...... generally has failed to break through in industry. This paper discusses the dominant properties necessary to take into account when considering position tracking control of hydraulic valve-cylinder drives, and presents two generally applicable, generic control design approaches that combines non...

  18. Nonlinear, Adaptive and Fault-tolerant Control for Electro-hydraulic Servo Systems

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Choux, Martin

    is designed and implemented on the test bed that successfully diagnoses internal or external leakages, friction variations in the actuator or fault related to pressure sensors. The presented algorithm uses the position and pressure measurements to detect and isolate faults, avoiding missed detection and false...... numerous attractive properties, hydraulic systems are always subject to potential leakages in their components, friction variation in their hydraulic actuators and deciency in their sensors. These violations of normal behaviour reduce the system performances and can lead to system failure...... if they are not detected early and handled. Moreover, the task of controlling electro hydraulic systems for high performance operations is challenging due to the highly nonlinear behaviour of such systems and the large amount of uncertainties present in their models. This thesis focuses on nonlinear adaptive fault...

  19. Gas diffusion-derived tortuosity governs saturated hydraulic conductivity in sandy soils

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Masis Melendez, Federico; Deepagoda Thuduwe Kankanamge Kelum, Chamindu; de Jonge, Lis Wollesen

    2014-01-01

    Accurate prediction of saturated hydraulic conductivity (Ksat) is essential for the development of better distributed hydrological models and area-differentiated risk assessment of chemical leaching. The saturated hydraulic conductivity is often estimated from basic soil properties such as particle......, potential relationships between Ksat and Dp/Do were investigated. A total of 84 undisturbed soil cores were extracted from the topsoil of a field site, and Dp/Do and Ksat were measured in the laboratory. Water-induced and solids-induced tortuosity factors were obtained by applying a two-parameter Dp...

  20. 3D Simulation of Multiple Simultaneous Hydraulic Fractures with Different Initial Lengths in Rock

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tang, X.; Rayudu, N. M.; Singh, G.

    2017-12-01

    Hydraulic fracturing is widely used technique for extracting shale gas. During this process, fractures with various initial lengths are induced in rock mass with hydraulic pressure. Understanding the mechanism of propagation and interaction between these induced hydraulic cracks is critical for optimizing the fracking process. In this work, numerical results are presented for investigating the effect of in-situ parameters and fluid properties on growth and interaction of multi simultaneous hydraulic fractures. A fully coupled 3D fracture simulator, TOUGH- GFEM is used for simulating the effect of different vital parameters, including in-situ stress, initial fracture length, fracture spacing, fluid viscosity and flow rate on induced hydraulic fractures growth. This TOUGH-GFEM simulator is based on 3D finite volume method (FVM) and partition of unity element method (PUM). Displacement correlation method (DCM) is used for calculating multi - mode (Mode I, II, III) stress intensity factors. Maximum principal stress criteria is used for crack propagation. Key words: hydraulic fracturing, TOUGH, partition of unity element method , displacement correlation method, 3D fracturing simulator

  1. Characteristic Length Scales in Fracture Networks: Hydraulic Connectivity through Periodic Hydraulic Tests

    Science.gov (United States)

    Becker, M.; Bour, O.; Le Borgne, T.; Longuevergne, L.; Lavenant, N.; Cole, M. C.; Guiheneuf, N.

    2017-12-01

    Determining hydraulic and transport connectivity in fractured bedrock has long been an important objective in contaminant hydrogeology, petroleum engineering, and geothermal operations. A persistent obstacle to making this determination is that the characteristic length scale is nearly impossible to determine in sparsely fractured networks. Both flow and transport occur through an unknown structure of interconnected fracture and/or fracture zones making the actual length that water or solutes travel undetermined. This poses difficulties for flow and transport models. For, example, hydraulic equations require a separation distance between pumping and observation well to determine hydraulic parameters. When wells pairs are close, the structure of the network can influence the interpretation of well separation and the flow dimension of the tested system. This issue is explored using hydraulic tests conducted in a shallow fractured crystalline rock. Periodic (oscillatory) slug tests were performed at the Ploemeur fractured rock test site located in Brittany, France. Hydraulic connectivity was examined between three zones in one well and four zones in another, located 6 m apart in map view. The wells are sufficiently close, however, that the tangential distance between the tested zones ranges between 6 and 30 m. Using standard periodic formulations of radial flow, estimates of storativity scale inversely with the square of the separation distance and hydraulic diffusivity directly with the square of the separation distance. Uncertainty in the connection paths between the two wells leads to an order of magnitude uncertainty in estimates of storativity and hydraulic diffusivity, although estimates of transmissivity are unaffected. The assumed flow dimension results in alternative estimates of hydraulic parameters. In general, one is faced with the prospect of assuming the hydraulic parameter and inverting the separation distance, or vice versa. Similar uncertainties exist

  2. BWR 9 X 9 Fuel Assembly Thermal-Hydraulic Tests (2): Hydraulic Vibration Test

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yoshiaki Tsukuda; Katsuichiro Kamimura; Toshiitsu Hattori; Akira Tanabe; Noboru Saito; Masahiko Warashina; Yuji Nishino

    2002-01-01

    Nuclear Power Engineering Corporation (NUPEC) conducted thermal-hydraulic projects for verification of thermal-hydraulic design reliability for BWR high-burnup 8 x 8 and 9 x 9 fuel assemblies, entrusted by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI). As a part of the NUPEC thermal-hydraulic projects, hydraulic vibration tests using full-scale test assemblies simulating 9 x 9 fuel assemblies were carried out to evaluate BWR fuel integrity. The test data were applied to development of a new correlation for the estimation of fuel rod vibration amplitude. (authors)

  3. On König's root finding algorithms

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Buff, Xavier; Henriksen, Christian

    2003-01-01

    In this paper, we first recall the definition of a family of root-finding algorithms known as König's algorithms. We establish some local and some global properties of those algorithms. We give a characterization of rational maps which arise as König's methods of polynomials with simple roots. We...

  4. Square-root measurement for pure states

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Huang Siendong

    2005-01-01

    Square-root measurement is a very useful suboptimal measurement in many applications. It was shown that the square-root measurement minimizes the squared error for pure states. In this paper, the least squared error problem is reformulated and a new proof is provided. It is found that the least squared error depends only on the average density operator of the input states. The properties of the least squared error are then discussed, and it is shown that if the input pure states are uniformly distributed, the average probability of error has an upper bound depending on the least squared error, the rank of the average density operator, and the number of the input states. The aforementioned properties help explain why the square-root measurement can be effective in decoding processes

  5. Cracking up (and down): Linking multi-domain hydraulic properties with multi-scale hydrological processes in shrink-swell soils

    Science.gov (United States)

    Stewart, R. D.; Rupp, D. E.; Abou Najm, M. R.; Selker, J. S.

    2017-12-01

    Shrink-swell soils, often classified as Vertisols or vertic intergrades, are found on every continent except Antarctica and within many agricultural and urban regions. These soils are characterized by cyclical shrinking and swelling, in which bulk density and porosity distributions vary as functions of time and soil moisture. Crack networks that form in these soils act as dominant environmental controls on the movement of water, contaminants, and gases, making it important to develop fundamental understanding and tractable models of their hydrologic characteristics and behaviors. In this study, which took place primarily in the Secano Interior region of South-Central Chile, we quantified soil-water interactions across scales using a diverse and innovative dataset. These measurements were then utilized to develop a set of parsimonious multi-domain models for describing hydraulic properties and hydrological processes in shrink-swell soils. In a series of examples, we show how this model can predict porosity distributions, crack widths, saturated hydraulic conductivities, and surface runoff (i.e., overland flow) thresholds, by capturing the dominant mechanisms by which water moves through and interacts with clayey soils. Altogether, these models successfully link small-scale shrinkage/swelling behaviors with large-scale thresholds, and can be applied to describe important processes such as infiltration, overland flow development, and the preferential flow and transport of fluids and gases.

  6. Comparative analysis of physicochemical properties of root perforation sealer materials

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Maura Cristiane Gonçales Orçati Dorileo

    2014-08-01

    Full Text Available Objectives This study evaluated the solubility, dimensional alteration, pH, electrical conductivity, and radiopacity of root perforation sealer materials. Materials and Methods For the pH test, the samples were immersed in distilled water for different periods of time. Then, the samples were retained in plastic recipients, and the electrical conductivity of the solution was measured. The solubility, dimensional alteration, and radiopacity properties were evaluated according to Specification No. 57 of the American National Standards Institute/American Dental Association (ANSI/ADA. Statistical analyses were carried out using analysis of variance (ANOVA and Tukey's test at a significance level of 5%. When the sample distribution was not normal, a nonparametric ANOVA was performed with a Kruskal-Wallis test (α = 0.05. Results The results showed that white structural Portland cement (PC had the highest solubility, while mineral trioxide aggregate (MTA-based cements, ProRoot MTA (Dentsply-Tulsa Dental and MTA BIO (Ângelus Ind. Prod., had the lowest values. MTA BIO showed the lowest dimensional alteration values and white PC presented the highest values. No differences among the tested materials were observed in the the pH and electrical conductivity analyses. Only the MTA-based cements met the ANSI/ADA recommendations regarding radiopacity, overcoming the three steps of the aluminum step wedge. Conclusions On the basis of these results, we concluded that the values of solubility and dimensional alteration of the materials were in accordance with the ANSI/ADA specifications. PCs did not fulfill the ANSI/ADA requirements regarding radiopacity. No differences were observed among the materials with respect to the pH and electrical conductivity analyses.

  7. Informational Entropy and Bridge Scour Estimation under Complex Hydraulic Scenarios

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pizarro, Alonso; Link, Oscar; Fiorentino, Mauro; Samela, Caterina; Manfreda, Salvatore

    2017-04-01

    Bridges are important for society because they allow social, cultural and economic connectivity. Flood events can compromise the safety of bridge piers up to the complete collapse. The Bridge Scour phenomena has been described by empirical formulae deduced from hydraulic laboratory experiments. The range of applicability of such models is restricted by the specific hydraulic conditions or flume geometry used for their derivation (e.g., water depth, mean flow velocity, pier diameter and sediment properties). We seek to identify a general formulation able to capture the main dynamic of the process in order to cover a wide range of hydraulic and geometric configuration, allowing to extend our analysis in different contexts. Therefore, exploiting the Principle of Maximum Entropy (POME) and applying it on the recently proposed dimensionless Effective flow work, W*, we derived a simple model characterized by only one parameter. The proposed Bridge Scour Entropic (BRISENT) model shows good performances under complex hydraulic conditions as well as under steady-state flow. Moreover, the model was able to capture the evolution of scour in several hydraulic configurations even if the model contains only one parameter. Furthermore, results show that the model parameter is controlled by the geometric configurations of the experiment. This offers a possible strategy to obtain a priori model parameter calibration. The BRISENT model represents a good candidate for estimating the time-dependent scour depth under complex hydraulic scenarios. The authors are keen to apply this idea for describing the scour behavior during a real flood event. Keywords: Informational entropy, Sediment transport, Bridge pier scour, Effective flow work.

  8. Hydraulic properties and scale effects investigation in regional rock aquifers, south-western Quebec, Canada

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nastev, M.; Savard, M. M.; Lapcevic, P.; Lefebvre, R.; Martel, R.

    This paper reports on the characterization of hydraulic properties of regional rock aquifers carried out within a groundwater resources assessment project in the St. Lawrence Lowlands of south-western Quebec. To understand the aquifer behavior at both the fracture level and at field scale, hydraulic investigations were carried out using various aquifer tests. The groundwater flow at the local scale is controlled mostly by the fracture system. Results of the constant-head injection tests show a weak decreasing trend of hydraulic conductivity with depth indicating that a major part of the groundwater flow occurs in the first meters of the rock sequence. At the regional scale, the equivalent porous media approach is applicable. The hydraulic conductivity measurements were correlated to the scale of the aquifer tests expressed with the investigated aquifer volume. A simple interpolation procedure for the hydraulic conductivity field was developed based on the distance between field measurements and the tested aquifer volumes. The regional distribution of the hydraulic conductivity for the major fractured aquifer units indicates that dolostone is the most permeable whereas sandstone and crystalline rocks are the least permeable units. Este artículo trata de la caracterización de las propiedades hidráulicas en acuíferos regionales rocosos, la cual se llevó a cabo dentro del proyecto de evaluación de los recursos de agua subterránea en St. Lawrence Lowlands al suroeste de Quebec. Para entender el comportamiento del acuífero tanto a nivel de fractura como a escala del campo, se ejecutaron investigaciones hidráulicas usando varias pruebas de acuífero. El flujo del agua subterránea a escala local está controlado principalmente por el sistema de fracturas. Los resultados de las pruebas de inyección con cabeza constante muestran una tendencia decreciente débil de la conductividad hidráulica con la profundidad, indicando que la mayor parte del flujo de agua

  9. Characterization of unsaturated hydraulic parameters for homogeneous and heterogeneous soils

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Wildenschild, Dorthe

    1997-09-01

    Application of numerical models for predicting future spreading of contaminants into ground water aquifers is dependent on appropriate characterization of the soil hydraulic properties controlling flow and transport in the unsaturated zone. This thesis reviews the current knowledge on two aspects of characterization of unsaturated hydraulic parameters; estimation of the basic hydraulic parameters for homogeneous soils and statistical representation of heterogeneity for spatially variable soils. The retention characteristic is traditionally measured using steady-state procedures, but new ideas based on dynamic techniques have been developed that reduce experimental efforts and that produce retention curves which compare to those measured by traditional techniques. The unsaturated hydraulic conductivity is difficult to establish by steady-state procedures, and extensive research efforts have been focused on alternative methods that are based on inverse estimation. The inverse methods have commonly been associated with problems of numerical instability and ill-posedness of the parameter estimates, but recent investigations have shown that the uniqueness of parameter estimates can be improved by including additional, independent information on, for instance, the retention characteristic. Also, uniqueness may be improved by careful selection of experimental conditions are parametric functions. (au) 234 refs.

  10. Power Management in Mobile Hydraulic Applications - An Approach for Designing Hydraulic Power Supply Systems

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Pedersen, Henrik Clemmensen

    2004-01-01

    Throughout the last three decades energy consumption has become one of the primary design aspects in hydraulic systems, especially for mobile hydraulic systems, as power and cooling capacity here is at limited disposal. Considering the energy usage, this is dependent on component efficiency, but ...... the hydraulic power supply in the most energy efficient way, when considering a number of load situations. Finally an example of the approach is shown to prove its validity.}......Throughout the last three decades energy consumption has become one of the primary design aspects in hydraulic systems, especially for mobile hydraulic systems, as power and cooling capacity here is at limited disposal. Considering the energy usage, this is dependent on component efficiency...

  11. Uncertainty Evaluation of the SFR Subchannel Thermal-Hydraulic Modeling Using a Hot Channel Factors Analysis

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Choi, Sun Rock; Cho, Chung Ho; Kim, Sang Ji

    2011-01-01

    In an SFR core analysis, a hot channel factors (HCF) method is most commonly used to evaluate uncertainty. It was employed to the early design such as the CRBRP and IFR. In other ways, the improved thermal design procedure (ITDP) is able to calculate the overall uncertainty based on the Root Sum Square technique and sensitivity analyses of each design parameters. The Monte Carlo method (MCM) is also employed to estimate the uncertainties. In this method, all the input uncertainties are randomly sampled according to their probability density functions and the resulting distribution for the output quantity is analyzed. Since an uncertainty analysis is basically calculated from the temperature distribution in a subassembly, the core thermal-hydraulic modeling greatly affects the resulting uncertainty. At KAERI, the SLTHEN and MATRA-LMR codes have been utilized to analyze the SFR core thermal-hydraulics. The SLTHEN (steady-state LMR core thermal hydraulics analysis code based on the ENERGY model) code is a modified version of the SUPERENERGY2 code, which conducts a multi-assembly, steady state calculation based on a simplified ENERGY model. The detailed subchannel analysis code MATRA-LMR (Multichannel Analyzer for Steady-State and Transients in Rod Arrays for Liquid Metal Reactors), an LMR version of MATRA, was also developed specifically for the SFR core thermal-hydraulic analysis. This paper describes comparative studies for core thermal-hydraulic models. The subchannel analysis and a hot channel factors based uncertainty evaluation system is established to estimate the core thermofluidic uncertainties using the MATRA-LMR code and the results are compared to those of the SLTHEN code

  12. Influence of soil particle shape on saturated hydraulic conductivity

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Zięba Zofia

    2017-03-01

    Full Text Available The aim of this paper is to define the correlation between the geometry of grains and saturated hydraulic conductivity of soils. The particle shape characteristics were described by the ζ0C index (Parylak, 2000, which expresses the variability of several shape properties, such as sphericity, angularity and roughness.

  13. Determination of hydraulic characteristics of an aquifer capacity from ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Constant rate, single well pumping tests were conducted using boreholes located in four communities in the study area with the aim of determining the aquifer hydraulic properties using the Cooper Jacob method. Fractured shales yielded groundwater into the wells whose depths ranged from 26 to 35m while the static water ...

  14. Hydraulic Yaw System

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Stubkier, Søren; Pedersen, Henrik C.; Mørkholt, M.

    a hydraulic soft yaw system, which is able to reduce the loads on the wind turbine significantly. A full scale hydraulic yaw test rig is available for experiments and tests. The test rig is presented as well as the system schematics of the hydraulic yaw system....... the HAWC2 aeroelastic code and an extended model of the NREL 5MW turbine combined with a simplified linear model of the turbine, the parameters of the soft yaw system are optimized to reduce loading in critical components. Results shows that a significant reduction in fatigue and extreme loads to the yaw...... system and rotor shaft when utilizing the soft yaw drive concept compared to the original stiff yaw system. The physical demands of the hydraulic yaw system are furthermore examined for a life time of 20 years. Based on the extrapolated loads, the duty cycles show that it is possible to construct...

  15. Hydraulic lifter of a drilling unit

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Velikovskiy, L S; Demin, A V; Shadchinov, L M

    1979-01-08

    The invention refers to drilling equipment, in particular, devices for lowering and lifting operations during drilling. A hydraulic lifter of the drilling unit is suggested which contains a hydraulic cylinder, pressure line and hollow plunger whose cavities are hydraulically connected. In order to improve the reliability of the hydraulic lifter by balancing the forces of compression in the plunger of the hydraulic cylinder, a closed vessel is installed inside the plunger and rigidly connected to its ends. Its cavity is hydraulically connected to the pressure line.

  16. Vibration of hydraulic machinery

    CERN Document Server

    Wu, Yulin; Liu, Shuhong; Dou, Hua-Shu; Qian, Zhongdong

    2013-01-01

    Vibration of Hydraulic Machinery deals with the vibration problem which has significant influence on the safety and reliable operation of hydraulic machinery. It provides new achievements and the latest developments in these areas, even in the basic areas of this subject. The present book covers the fundamentals of mechanical vibration and rotordynamics as well as their main numerical models and analysis methods for the vibration prediction. The mechanical and hydraulic excitations to the vibration are analyzed, and the pressure fluctuations induced by the unsteady turbulent flow is predicted in order to obtain the unsteady loads. This book also discusses the loads, constraint conditions and the elastic and damping characters of the mechanical system, the structure dynamic analysis, the rotor dynamic analysis and the system instability of hydraulic machines, including the illustration of monitoring system for the instability and the vibration in hydraulic units. All the problems are necessary for vibration pr...

  17. Effect of Chemical Remediation of Crude-Oil-Polluted Agricultural Land on Soil Properties and Crop Performance

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    O. E. Essien

    2010-06-01

    Full Text Available Chemical degreaser with detergent was used to wash crude-oil-polluted agricultural soil and restore it to 83% -93% of the unpolluted soil's status for sustainable productivity. Comparison of reclaimed soil's properties with unpolluted soil sample of the significant differences (p=0.05 between their values for soil moisture content, soil pH, evapotranspiration, root elongation and soil fertility. Root elongation at 1.1 cm/day in the reclaimed soil compared with 1.29 cm/day in unpolluted soil indicated 83% recovery. Saturated hydraulic conductivity also had 83% recovery. However, infiltration rate showed a low recovery of 30%, perhaps, due to the wetness of the reclaimed soil's surface prior to the reclamation process. The soil macro/microspores were unblocked by the degreaser enabling the root pores to overcome the osmotic problem caused by oil-molecules' blockade and conduct moisture through to the phloem and leaves to sustain evapotranspiration, leaves turgidity chemical reclamation by degreaser with detergent is highly recommended for short-duration in-situ remediation of crude-oil-polluted agricultural land.

  18. Use of Plant Hydraulic Theory to Predict Ecosystem Fluxes Across Mountainous Gradients in Environmental Controls and Insect Disturbances

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ewers, B. E.; Pendall, E.; Reed, D. E.; Barnard, H. R.; Whitehouse, F.; Frank, J. M.; Massman, W. J.; Brooks, P. D.; Biederman, J. A.; Harpold, A. A.; Naithani, K. J.; Mitra, B.; Mackay, D. S.; Norton, U.; Borkhuu, B.

    2011-12-01

    While mountainous areas are critical for providing numerous ecosystem benefits at the regional scale, the strong gradients in environmental controls make predictions difficult. A key part of the problem is quantifying and predicting the feedback between mountain gradients and plant function which then controls ecosystem cycling. The emerging theory of plant hydraulics provides a rigorous yet simple platform from which to generate testable hypotheses and predictions of ecosystem pools and fluxes. Plant hydraulic theory predicts that plant controls over carbon, water, energy and nutrient fluxes can be derived from the limitation of plant water transport from the soil through xylem and out of stomata. In addition, the limit to plant water transport can be predicted by combining plant structure (e.g. xylem diameters or root-to-shoot ratios) and plant function (response of stomatal conductance to vapor pressure deficit or root vulnerability to cavitation). We evaluate the predictions of the plant hydraulic theory by testing it against data from a mountain gradient encompassing sagebrush steppe through subalpine forests (2700 to 3400 m). We further test the theory by predicting the carbon, water and nutrient exchanges from several coniferous trees in the same gradient that are dying from xylem dysfunction caused by blue-stain fungi carried by bark beetles. The common theme of both of these data sets is a change in water limitation caused by either changing precipitation along the mountainous gradient or lack of access to soil water from xylem-occluding fungi. Across all of the data sets which range in scale from individual plants to hillslopes, the data fit the predictions of plant hydraulic theory. Namely, there was a proportional tradeoff between the reference canopy stomatal conductance to water vapor and the sensitivity of that conductance to vapor pressure deficit that quantitatively fits the predictions of plant hydraulic theory. Incorporating this result into

  19. Measuring and Modeling Root Distribution and Root Reinforcement in Forested Slopes for Slope Stability Calculations

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cohen, D.; Giadrossich, F.; Schwarz, M.; Vergani, C.

    2016-12-01

    Roots provide mechanical anchorage and reinforcement of soils on slopes. Roots also modify soil hydrological properties (soil moisture content, pore-water pressure, preferential flow paths) via subsurface flow path associated with root architecture, root density, and root-size distribution. Interactions of root-soil mechanical and hydrological processes are an important control of shallow landslide initiation during rainfall events and slope stability. Knowledge of root-distribution and root strength are key components to estimate slope stability in vegetated slopes and for the management of protection forest in steep mountainous area. We present data that show the importance of measuring root strength directly in the field and present methods for these measurements. These data indicate that the tensile force mobilized in roots depends on root elongation (a function of soil displacement), root size, and on whether roots break in tension of slip out of the soil. Measurements indicate that large lateral roots that cross tension cracks at the scarp are important for slope stability calculations owing to their large tensional resistance. These roots are often overlooked and when included, their strength is overestimated because extrapolated from measurements on small roots. We present planned field experiments that will measure directly the force held by roots of different sizes during the triggering of a shallow landslide by rainfall. These field data are then used in a model of root reinforcement based on fiber-bundle concepts that span different spacial scales, from a single root to the stand scale, and different time scales, from timber harvest to root decay. This model computes the strength of root bundles in tension and in compression and their effect on soil strength. Up-scaled to the stand the model yields the distribution of root reinforcement as a function of tree density, distance from tree, tree species and age with the objective of providing quantitative

  20. Hydraulic characteristics of sedimentary deposits at the J-PARC proton-accelerator, Japan

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Marui Atsunao

    2007-12-01

    Full Text Available Hydraulic characteristics of sediments were investigated at J-PARC for the purpose of site characterization in relation with the construction of Japan's largest proton-accelerator. A total of 340 samples extracted from 9 exploratory wells were examined by standard laboratory tests and complemented with statistical analyses to quantitatively determine the main terrain attributes. Two main hydro-geological units were recognized, although a number of embedded layers defined a
    multilevel aquifer. Grain-size distribution derived from sieve analysis and the coefficient of uniformity showed that soils are poorly sorted. On the other hand, hydraulic conductivity was measured by a
    number of parameters such as a log-normal distribution. Conductivity was also predicted by empirical formulas, yielding values up to three orders of magnitude higher. Discrepancies were explained in
    terms of soil anisotropy and intrinsic differences in the calculation methods. Based on the Shepherd's approach, a power relationship between permeability and grain size was found at 2 wells. Hydraulic
    conductivity was also correlated to porosity. However, this  nterdependence was not systematic and therefore, properties at many parts of the profile were considered to be randomly distributed. Finally,
    logs of electrical conductivity suggested that variations of soil hydraulic properties can be associated to changes in water quality. In spite of the remaining uncertainties, results yielded from the study are useful to better understand the numerical modelling of the subsurface system in the site.

  1. Hydraulic Structures : Caissons

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Voorendt, M.Z.; Molenaar, W.F.; Bezuyen, K.G.

    These lecture notes on caissons are part of the study material belonging to the course 'Hydraulic Structures 1' (code CTB3355), part of the Bachelor of Science education and the Hydraulic Engineering track of the Master of Science education for civil engineering students at Delft University of

  2. Hydraulic Performance of Lined Permeable Pavement Systems in the Built Environment

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jan Støvring

    2018-05-01

    Full Text Available The hydraulic performance of permeable pavement (PP systems has been well demonstrated when based on full or partial on-site infiltration, while there is only limited research on lined PP systems built to provide detention and volume reduction by evaporation only. In this study, we tested the performance of commercially available PP components when constructed as lined PP systems with un-throttled discharge to explore basic hydraulic function in a real-life-setting. Four types of PP surface products and three types of sub-base aggregates were tested in six unique combinations, built as side-by-side parking lots into an existing parking area, each stall having a size of 25 m2 and 0.5 m of depth with individual lining. Based on 12 months of monitoring precipitation and discharge from each stall, total volume reduction ranged from 3% to 37%. Analysis of up to 22 single events, representing return periods of up to two years, revealed marked detention capacities, expressed as median volume reduction of 40%, spanning 27–69% and median lag time of 1:38 h, spanning 0:39–3:16 h, across all stalls. The considerable range in hydraulic properties can be ascribed to both surface and sub-base properties.

  3. Solution strengthened ferritic ductile iron ISO 1083/JS/500-10 provides superior consistent properties in hydraulic rotators

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Dr. Richard Larker

    2009-11-01

    Full Text Available Consistent mechanical and machining properties are essential in many applications where ductile irons offer the most cost-effective way to produce structural parts. In the production of hydraulic rotators, dimensional tolerances are typically 20 μm to obtain designated performance. For castings where intermediate strength and ductility is required, it is common knowledge that conventional ferritic-pearlitic ductile irons such as ISO 1083/500-7 show large hardness variations. These are mainly caused by the notoriously varying pearlite content, both at different locations within a part and between parts in the same or different batches. Cooling rate variations due to different wall thickness and position in the molding box, as well as varying amounts of pearlite-stabilizing elements, all contribute to detrimental hardness variations. The obvious remedy is to avoid pearlite formation, and instead obtain the necessary mechanical properties by solution strengthening of the ferritic matrix by increasing silicon content to 3.7wt% –3.8wt%. The Swedish development in this fi eld 1998 resulted in a national standardization as SS 140725, followed in 2004 by ISO 1083/JS/500-10. Indexator AB decided 2005 to specify JS/500-10 for all new ductile iron parts and to convert all existing parts. Improvements include reduction by 75% in hardness variations and increase by 30% in cutting tool life, combined with consistently better mechanical properties.

  4. Using scaling factors for evaluating spatial and temporal variability of soil hydraulic properties within one elevation transect

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nikodem, Antonín; Kodešová, Radka; Jakšík, Ondřej; Fér, Miroslav; Klement, Aleš

    2016-04-01

    This study was carried out in Southern Moravia, in the Czech Republic. The original soil unit in the wider area is a Haplic Chernozem developed on loess. The intensive agricultural exploitation in combination with terrain morphology has resulted in a highly diversified soil spatial pattern. Nowadays the original soil unit is preserved only on top of relatively flat parts, and is gradually transformed by water erosion up to Regosols on the steepest slopes, while colluvial soils are formed in terrain depressions and at toe slopes due to sedimentation of previously eroded material. Soils within this area has been intensively investigated during the last several years (e.g. Jakšík et al., 2015; Vašát et al., 2014, 2015a,b). Soil sampling (disturbed and undisturbed 100-cm3 soil samples) was performed at 5 points of one elevation transect in November 2010 (after wheat sowing) and August 2011 (after wheat harvest). Disturbed soil samples were used to determine basic soil properties (grain size distribution and organic carbon content etc.). Undisturbed soil samples were used to determine the soil water retention curves and the hydraulic conductivity functions using the multiple outflow tests in Tempe cells and a numerical inversion with HYDRUS 1-D. Scaling factors (alpha-h for pressure head, alpha-theta for soil water contents and alpha-k for hydraulic conductivities) were used here to express soil hydraulic properties variability. Evaluated scaling factors reflected position within the elevation transect as well as time of soil sampling. In general large values of alpha-h, lower values of alpha-k and similar values of alpha-theta were obtained in 2010 in comparison to values obtained in 2011, which indicates development of soil structure during the vegetation season. Jakšík, O., Kodešová, R., Kubiš, A., Stehlíková, I., Drábek, O., Kapička, A. (2015): Soil aggregate stability within morphologically diverse areas. Catena, 127, 287-299. Vašát, R., Kode

  5. Automated software for hydraulic simulation of pipeline operation

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hurgin Roman

    2018-01-01

    Full Text Available Design of modern water supply systems of large cities as well as their management via renovation of hydraulic models poses time-consuming tasks to researchers, and coping with this task requires specific approaches. When tackling these tasks, water services companies come across a lot of information about various objects of water infrastructure, the majority of which is located underground. In those cases, modern computer-aided design systems containing various components come to help. These systems help to solve a wide array of problems using existing information regarding pipelines, analysis and optimization of their basic parameters. CAD software is becoming an integral part of water supply systems management in large cities, and its capabilities allow engineering and operating companies to not only collect all the necessary data concerning water supply systems in any given city, but also to conduct research aimed at improving various parameters of these systems, including optimization of their hydraulic properties which directly determine the quality of water. This paper contains the analysis of automated CAD software for hydraulic design and management of city water supply systems in order to provide safe and efficient operation of these water supply systems. Authors select the most suitable software that might be used to provide hydraulic compatibility of old and new sections of water supply ring mains after selective or continuous draw-in renovation and decrease in diameter of distribution networks against the background of water consumption decrease in the cities.

  6. Determining the Conditions for the Hydraulic Impacts Emergence at Hydraulic Systems

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mazurenko A.S.

    2017-08-01

    Full Text Available This research aim is to develop a method for modeling the conditions for the critical hydrau-lic impacts emergence on thermal and nuclear power plants’ pipeline systems pressure pumps depart-ing from the general provisions of the heat and hydrodynamic instability theory. On the developed method basis, the conditions giving rise to the reliability-critical hydraulic impacts emergence on pumps for the thermal and nuclear power plants’ typical pipeline system have been determined. With the flow characteristic minimum allowable (critical sensitivity, the flow velocity fluctuations ampli-tude reaches critical values at which the pumps working elements’ failure occurs. The critical hydrau-lic impacts emergence corresponds to the transition of the vibrational heat-hydrodynamic instability into an aperiodic one. As research revealed, a highly promising approach as to the preventing the criti-cal hydraulic impacts related to the foreground use of pumps having the most sensitive consumption (at supply network performance (while other technical characteristics corresponding to that parame-ter. The research novelty refers to the suggested method elaborated by the authors’ team, which, in contrast to traditional approaches, is efficient in determining the pump hydraulic impact occurrence conditions when the vibrational heat-hydrodynamic instability transition to the aperiodic instability.

  7. Ground-water flow directions and estimation of aquifer hydraulic properties in the lower Great Miami River Buried Valley aquifer system, Hamilton Area, Ohio

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sheets, Rodney A.; Bossenbroek, Karen E.

    2005-01-01

    The Great Miami River Buried Valley Aquifer System is one of the most productive sources of potable water in the Midwest, yielding as much as 3,000 gallons per minute to wells. Many water-supply wells tapping this aquifer system are purposely placed near rivers to take advantage of induced infiltration from the rivers. The City of Hamilton's North Well Field consists of 10 wells near the Great Miami River, all completed in the lower Great Miami River Buried Valley Aquifer System. A well-drilling program and a multiple-well aquifer test were done to investigate ground-water flow directions and to estimate aquifer hydraulic properties in the lower part of the Great Miami River Buried Valley Aquifer System. Descriptions of lithology from 10 well borings indicate varying amounts and thickness of clay or till, and therefore, varying levels of potential aquifer confinement. Borings also indicate that the aquifer properties can change dramatically over relatively short distances. Grain-size analyses indicate an average bulk hydraulic conductivity value of aquifer materials of 240 feet per day; the geometric mean of hydraulic conductivity values of aquifer material was 89 feet per day. Median grain sizes of aquifer material and clay units were 1.3 millimeters and 0.1 millimeters, respectively. Water levels in the Hamilton North Well Field are affected by stream stage in the Great Miami River and barometric pressure. Bank storage in response to stream stage is evident. Results from a multiple-well aquifer test at the well field indicate, as do the lithologic descriptions, that the aquifer is semiconfined in some areas and unconfined in others. Transmissivity and storage coefficient of the semiconfined part of the aquifer were 50,000 feet squared per day and 5x10-4, respectively. The average hydraulic conductivity (450 feet per day) based on the aquifer test is reasonable for glacial outwash but is higher than calculated from grain-size analyses, implying a scale effect

  8. Thermal-Hydraulic Aspects of Changing the Nuclear Fuel-Cladding Materials from Zircaloy to Silicon Carbides

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Niceno, Bojan; Pouchon, Manuel

    2014-01-01

    The accident in Fukushima has drastically shown the drawbacks of Zircaloy claddings despite their beneficial properties in normal use. The effect of the lack of cooling and the production of hydrogen would not have been so strong if the fuel cladding had not consisted of a zirconium (or metal) alloy. International activities have been started to search for an alternative to Zircaloy, however, still on a limited basis. A project sponsored by Swissnuclear has been conducted at Paul Scherrer Institute (PSI) with the aim to close the gap in knowledge on application of silicon carbides (SiC) as potential replacement for Zircaloys as material for nuclear fuel cladding. The work was interdisciplinary, result of collaboration between different laboratories at PSI, and has focused on SiC cladding material properties, implication of its usage on neutronics and on thermal-hydraulics. This paper summarizes thermal-hydraulic aspects of changing Zircaloy for SiC as the cladding material. The change of cladding material inevitably changes the surface properties thus making a significant impact on boiling curve, and critical heat flux (CHF). Low chemical reactivity of SiC means fewer particles in the flow (less crud), which leads to fewer failures, but also decreases the CHF. Due to differences in physical properties between SiC and Zircaloys, higher brittleness of SiC in particular, might have impact on fuel-rod assembly design, which has direct influence on flow patterns and heat transfer in the fuel assembly. Higher melting (i.e. decomposition) point for SiC means that severe accident management guidelines (SAMG) should have to be re-assessed. Not only would the core degrade later than in the case of conventional fuels, but the production of hydrogen would be quite different as well. All these issues are explored in this work in two steps; first the SiC properties which may have influence on thermal-hydraulics are outlined, then each thermal-hydraulic issues is explained from

  9. An XFEM Model for Hydraulic Fracturing in Partially Saturated Rocks

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Salimzadeh Saeed

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Hydraulic fracturing is a complex multi-physics phenomenon. Numerous analytical and numerical models of hydraulic fracturing processes have been proposed. Analytical solutions commonly are able to model the growth of a single hydraulic fracture into an initially intact, homogeneous rock mass. Numerical models are able to analyse complex problems such as multiple hydraulic fractures and fracturing in heterogeneous media. However, majority of available models are restricted to single-phase flow through fracture and permeable porous rock. This is not compatible with actual field conditions where the injected fluid does not have similar properties as the host fluid. In this study we present a fully coupled hydro-poroelastic model which incorporates two fluids i.e. fracturing fluid and host fluid. Flow through fracture is defined based on lubrication assumption, while flow through matrix is defined as Darcy flow. The fracture discontinuity in the mechanical model is captured using eXtended Finite Element Method (XFEM while the fracture propagation criterion is defined through cohesive fracture model. The discontinuous matrix fluid velocity across fracture is modelled using leak-off loading which couples fracture flow and matrix flow. The proposed model has been discretised using standard Galerkin method, implemented in Matlab and verified against several published solutions. Multiple hydraulic fracturing simulations are performed to show the model robustness and to illustrate how problem parameters such as injection rate and rock permeability affect the hydraulic fracturing variables i.e. injection pressure, fracture aperture and fracture length. The results show the impact of partial saturation on leak-off and the fact that single-phase models may underestimate the leak-off.

  10. Root - shoot - signaling in Chenopodium rubrum L. as studied by 15O labeled water uptake

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ohya, T.; Hayashi, Y.; Tanoi, K.; Rai, H.; Nakanishi, T.M.; Suzuki, K.; Albrechtova, J.T.P.; Wagner, E.

    2005-01-01

    Full text: It has been demonstrated with C. rubrum that the different organ systems are transmitting surface action potentials which might be the basis for systemic signal transduction. Shoot tip respectively root generated action potentials travel along the stem axis. Shoot tip generated action potentials arriving at the basis can be reflected and travel upwards. The radioactive labeling technique was established at the NIRS in Inage, Japan. About 2 GBq of 15 O labeled Hoagland's solution was supplied to the plant root or cut stem in a phytotron at 25 o C with 45 % of relative humidity and continuous light. By cutting the shoot apical bud and the apices of main side branches the uptake of 15 O labeled water was inhibited in plants with intact roots but not in plants with roots cut. Because of the short half-life of 15 O (2 min), experiments could be repeated in hourly intervals. Cutting the apex probably limits root water uptake via a hydraulic-electrochemical signal. The results are discussed with respect to the significance of a continuous communication between the root system and the shoot apical meristem(s) in the adaptation of plants to their environment. (author)

  11. Computerized hydraulic scanning system for quantitative non destructive examination

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gundtoft, H.E.

    1982-01-01

    A hydraulic scanning system with five degrees of freedom is described. It is primarily designed as a universal system for fast and accurate ultrasonic inspection of materials for their internal variation in properties. The whole system is controlled by a minicomputer which also is used for evaluating and presenting of the results of the inspection. (author)

  12. Cradle modification for hydraulic ram

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Koons, B.M.

    1995-01-01

    The analysis of the cradle hydraulic system considers stress, weld strength, and hydraulic forces required to lift and support the cradle/pump assembly. The stress and weld strength of the cradle modifications is evaluated to ensure that they meet the requirements of the American Institute for Steel Construction (AISC 1989). The hydraulic forces are evaluated to ensure that the hydraulic system is capable of rotating the cradle and pump assembly to the vertical position (between 70 degrees and 90 degrees)

  13. Percolation Theory and Modern Hydraulic Fracturing

    Science.gov (United States)

    Norris, J. Q.; Turcotte, D. L.; Rundle, J. B.

    2015-12-01

    During the past few years, we have been developing a percolation model for fracking. This model provides a powerful tool for understanding the growth and properties of the complex fracture networks generated during a modern high volume hydraulic fracture stimulations of tight shale reservoirs. The model can also be used to understand the interaction between the growing fracture network and natural reservoir features such as joint sets and faults. Additionally, the model produces a power-law distribution of bursts which can easily be compared to observed microseismicity.

  14. Specific storage and hydraulic conductivity tomography through the joint inversion of hydraulic heads and self-potential data

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ahmed, A. Soueid; Jardani, A.; Revil, A.; Dupont, J. P.

    2016-03-01

    Transient hydraulic tomography is used to image the heterogeneous hydraulic conductivity and specific storage fields of shallow aquifers using time series of hydraulic head data. Such ill-posed and non-unique inverse problem can be regularized using some spatial geostatistical characteristic of the two fields. In addition to hydraulic heads changes, the flow of water, during pumping tests, generates an electrical field of electrokinetic nature. These electrical field fluctuations can be passively recorded at the ground surface using a network of non-polarizing electrodes connected to a high impedance (> 10 MOhm) and sensitive (0.1 mV) voltmeter, a method known in geophysics as the self-potential method. We perform a joint inversion of the self-potential and hydraulic head data to image the hydraulic conductivity and specific storage fields. We work on a 3D synthetic confined aquifer and we use the adjoint state method to compute the sensitivities of the hydraulic parameters to the hydraulic head and self-potential data in both steady-state and transient conditions. The inverse problem is solved using the geostatistical quasi-linear algorithm framework of Kitanidis. When the number of piezometers is small, the record of the transient self-potential signals provides useful information to characterize the hydraulic conductivity and specific storage fields. These results show that the self-potential method reveals the heterogeneities of some areas of the aquifer, which could not been captured by the tomography based on the hydraulic heads alone. In our analysis, the improvement on the hydraulic conductivity and specific storage estimations were based on perfect knowledge of electrical resistivity field. This implies that electrical resistivity will need to be jointly inverted with the hydraulic parameters in future studies and the impact of its uncertainty assessed with respect to the final tomograms of the hydraulic parameters.

  15. Proofs of certain properties of irrational roots

    OpenAIRE

    Belbas, S. A.

    2009-01-01

    We give two elementary proofs, at a level understandable by students with only pre-calculus knowledge of Algebra, of the well known fact that an irreducible irrational n-th root of a positive rational number cannot be solution of a polynomial of degree less than n with rational coefficients. We also state and prove a few simple consequences.

  16. Relationship between root water uptake and soil respiration: A modeling perspective

    Science.gov (United States)

    Teodosio, Bertrand; Pauwels, Valentijn R. N.; Loheide, Steven P.; Daly, Edoardo

    2017-08-01

    Soil moisture affects and is affected by root water uptake and at the same time drives soil CO2 dynamics. Selecting root water uptake formulations in models is important since this affects the estimation of actual transpiration and soil CO2 efflux. This study aims to compare different models combining the Richards equation for soil water flow to equations describing heat transfer and air-phase CO2 production and flow. A root water uptake model (RWC), accounting only for root water compensation by rescaling water uptake rates across the vertical profile, was compared to a model (XWP) estimating water uptake as a function of the difference between soil and root xylem water potential; the latter model can account for both compensation (XWPRWC) and hydraulic redistribution (XWPHR). Models were compared in a scenario with a shallow water table, where the formulation of root water uptake plays an important role in modeling daily patterns and magnitudes of transpiration rates and CO2 efflux. Model simulations for this scenario indicated up to 20% difference in the estimated water that transpired over 50 days and up to 14% difference in carbon emitted from the soil. The models showed reduction of transpiration rates associated with water stress affecting soil CO2 efflux, with magnitudes of soil CO2 efflux being larger for the XWPHR model in wet conditions and for the RWC model as the soil dried down. The study shows the importance of choosing root water uptake models not only for estimating transpiration but also for other processes controlled by soil water content.

  17. Physical properties of root cementum: Part 26. Effects of micro-osteoperforations on orthodontic root resorption: A microcomputed tomography study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chan, Emmanuel; Dalci, Oyku; Petocz, Peter; Papadopoulou, Alexandra K; Darendeliler, M Ali

    2018-02-01

    Studies have demonstrated the potential efficacy of micro-osteoperforations in accelerating tooth movement by amplifying the expression of inflammatory markers. The aim of this investigation was to examine the effects of micro-osteoperforations on orthodontic root resorption with microcomputed tomography. This prospective controlled clinical trial involved 20 subjects requiring extraction of the maxillary first premolars as part of their orthodontic treatment. A buccal tipping force of 150 g was applied to both premolars. Using the Propel appliance (Propel Orthodontics, San Jose, Calif), micro-osteoperforations were applied at a depth of 5 mm on the mesial and distal aspects in the midroot region of the experimental side of the first premolar root; the contralateral side served as the control. After 28 days, both premolars were extracted. The teeth were scanned under microcomputed tomography, and the volumes of root resorption craters were calculated and compared. Premolars treated with micro-osteoperforation exhibited significantly greater average total amounts of root resorption than did the control teeth (0.576 vs 0.406 mm 3 ). The total average volumetric root loss of premolars treated with micro-osteoperforation was 42% greater than that of the control teeth. This 28-day trial showed that micro-osteoperforations resulted in greater orthodontic root resorption. However, these results should be verified in patients who are undergoing full-length orthodontic treatment. Copyright © 2017 American Association of Orthodontists. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  18. Assessing soil hydraulic characteristics using HYPROP and BEST: a comparison

    Science.gov (United States)

    Leitinger, Georg; Obojes, Nikolaus; Lassabatère, Laurent

    2015-04-01

    Knowledge of ecohydrological characteristics with high spatial resolution is a prerequisite for large-scale hydrological modelling. Data on soil hydraulic characteristics are of major importance, but measurements are often seen as time consuming and costly. In order to accurately model grassland productivity and in particular evapotranspiration, soil sampling and infiltration experiments at 25 grassland sites ranging from 900m to 2300m a.s.l. were conducted in the long term socio-ecological research (LTSER) site Stubai Valley, Tyrolean Alps, Austria, covering 265 km². Here we present a comparison of two methods to determine important hydrological properties of soils: (1) the evaporation method HYPROP (Hydraulic Property Analyzer; UMS Munich, 2010), and (2) the BEST-model (Beerkan Estimation of Soil Transfer Parameters; Lassabatère et al. (2006)), each determining the soil hydraulic characteristics and in particular the water retention curve. For the most abundant soil types we compared the pf-curves calculated from HYPROP data suing the Van Genuchten equation to the ones resulting from the comparatively time efficient BEST approach to find out if the latter is a suitable method to determine pf curves of alpine grassland soils. Except for the soil type Rendzina, the comparison of HYPROP and BEST showed slightly variations in the pF curves and resulting hydraulic characteristics. At the starting point BEST curves presented a slower dehydration, HYPROP a fast and continuous water loss. HYPROP analyses showed the highest variability in the measured values of Rendzina. Regarding BEST, the Alluvial Soils showed the highest variability. To assess equivalence between HYPROP and BEST we deduced several hydraulic characteristics from the pF curves, e.g. saturated water content, field capacity, permanent wilting point, pore size distribution, and minimum water retention. The comparison of HYPROP and BEST revealed that the results of soil water characteristics may depend on

  19. Quasi‐steady centrifuge method for unsaturated hydraulic properties

    Science.gov (United States)

    Caputo, Maria C.; Nimmo, John R.

    2005-01-01

    We have developed the quasi‐steady centrifuge (QSC) method as a variation of the steady state centrifuge method that can be implemented simply and inexpensively with greater versatility in terms of sample size and other features. It achieves these advantages by somewhat relaxing the criterion for steadiness of flow through the sample. This compromise entails an increase in measurement uncertainty but to a degree that is tolerable in most applications. We have tested this new approach with an easily constructed apparatus to establish a quasi‐steady flow of water in unsaturated porous rock samples spinning in a centrifuge, obtaining measurements of unsaturated hydraulic conductivity and water retention that agree with results of other methods. The QSC method is adaptable to essentially any centrifuge suitable for hydrogeologic applications, over a wide range of sizes and operating speeds. The simplified apparatus and greater adaptability of this method expands the potential for exploring situations that are common in nature but have been the subject of few laboratory investigations.

  20. Quasi-steady centrifuge method for unsaturated hydraulic properties

    Science.gov (United States)

    Caputo, Maria C.; Nimmo, John R.

    2005-11-01

    We have developed the quasi-steady centrifuge (QSC) method as a variation of the steady state centrifuge method that can be implemented simply and inexpensively with greater versatility in terms of sample size and other features. It achieves these advantages by somewhat relaxing the criterion for steadiness of flow through the sample. This compromise entails an increase in measurement uncertainty but to a degree that is tolerable in most applications. We have tested this new approach with an easily constructed apparatus to establish a quasi-steady flow of water in unsaturated porous rock samples spinning in a centrifuge, obtaining measurements of unsaturated hydraulic conductivity and water retention that agree with results of other methods. The QSC method is adaptable to essentially any centrifuge suitable for hydrogeologic applications, over a wide range of sizes and operating speeds. The simplified apparatus and greater adaptability of this method expands the potential for exploring situations that are common in nature but have been the subject of few laboratory investigations.

  1. 3D Hydraulic tomography from joint inversion of the hydraulic heads and self-potential data. (Invited)

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jardani, A.; Soueid Ahmed, A.; Revil, A.; Dupont, J.

    2013-12-01

    Pumping tests are usually employed to predict the hydraulic conductivity filed from the inversion of the head measurements. Nevertheless, the inverse problem is strongly underdetermined and a reliable imaging requires a considerable number of wells. We propose to add more information to the inversion of the heads by adding (non-intrusive) streaming potentials (SP) data. The SP corresponds to perturbations in the local electrical field caused directly by the fow of the ground water. These SP are obtained with a set of the non-polarising electrodes installed at the ground surface. We developed a geostatistical method for the estimation of the hydraulic conductivity field from measurements of hydraulic heads and SP during pumping and injection experiments. We use the adjoint state method and a recent petrophysical formulation of the streaming potential problem in which the streaming coupling coefficient is derived from the hydraulic conductivity allowed reducing of the unknown parameters. The geostatistical inverse framework is applied to three synthetic case studies with different number of the wells and electrodes used to measure the hydraulic heads and the streaming potentials. To evaluate the benefits of the incorporating of the streaming potential to the hydraulic data, we compared the cases in which the data are coupled or not to map the hydraulic conductivity. The results of the inversion revealed that a dense distribution of electrodes can be used to infer the heterogeneities in the hydraulic conductivity field. Incorporating the streaming potential information to the hydraulic head data improves the estimate of hydraulic conductivity field especially when the number of piezometers is limited.

  2. Vertical and horizontal root distribution of mature aspen clones: mechanisms for resource acquisition

    Science.gov (United States)

    Landhäusser, S. M.; Snedden, J.; Silins, U.; Devito, K. J.

    2012-04-01

    Spatial root distribution, root morphology, and intra- and inter-clonal connections of mature boreal trembling aspen clones (Populus tremuloides Michx.) were explored to shed light on the functional relationships between vertical and horizontal distribution of roots and the variation in soil water availability along hill slopes. Root systems of mature aspen were hydraulically excavated in large plots (6 m wide and 12 m long) and to a depth of 30 cm. Most aspen roots were located in the upper 20 cm of the soil and fine and coarse root occupancy was highest in the lower slope positions and lowest towards the upper hill slope position likely because of soil moisture availability. Observation of the root system distribution along the hill slope correlated well with the observation of greater leaf area carried by trees growing at the lower portion of the hill slope. Interestingly, trees growing at the bottom of the slope required also less sapwood area to support the same amount of leaf area of trees growing at the top of a slope. These observations appear to be closely related to soil moisture availability and with that greater productivity at the bottom of the slope. However, trees growing on the upper slope tended to have long lateral roots extending downslope, which suggests long distance water transport through these lateral feeder roots. Genetic analysis indicated that both intra- and inter-clonal root connections occur in aspen, which can play a role in the sharing of resources along moisture gradients. Root systems of boreal aspen growing on upper slope positions exhibited a combination of three attributes (1) asymmetric lateral root systems, that are skewed downslope, (2) deeper taproots, and (3) intra and inter-clonal root connections, which can all be considered adaptive strategies to avoid drought stress in upper slope positions.

  3. Hydraulic Shearing and Hydraulic Jacking Observed during Hydraulic Stimulations in Fractured Geothermal Reservoir in Pohang, Korea

    Science.gov (United States)

    Min, K. B.; Park, S.; Xie, L.; Kim, K. I.; Yoo, H.; Kim, K. Y.; Choi, J.; Yoon, K. S.; Yoon, W. S.; Lee, T. J.; Song, Y.

    2017-12-01

    Enhanced Geothermal System (EGS) relies on sufficient and irreversible enhancement of reservoir permeability through hydraulic stimulation and possibility of such desirable change of permeability is an open question that can undermine the universality of EGS concept. We report results of first hydraulic stimulation campaign conducted in two deep boreholes in fractured granodiorite geothermal reservoir in Pohang, Korea. Borehole PX-1, located at 4.22 km, was subjected to the injection of 3,907 m3 with flow rate of up to 18 kg/s followed by bleeding off of 1,207 m3. The borehole PX-2, located at 4.35 km, was subjected to the injection of 1,970 m3 with flow rate of up to 46 kg/sIn PX-1, a sharp distinct decline of wellhead pressure was observed at around 16 MPa of wellhead pressure which was similar to the predicted injection pressure to induce hydraulic shearing. Injectivity interpretation before and after the hydraulic shearing indicates that permanent increase of permeability was achieved by a factor of a few. In PX-2, however, injectivity was very small and hydraulic shearing was not observed due possibly to the near wellbore damage made by the remedying process of lost circulation such as using lost circulation material during drilling. Flow rate of larger than 40 kg/s was achieved at very high well head pressure of nearly 90 MPa. Hydraulic jacking, that is reversible opening and closure of fracture with change of injection pressure, was clearly observed. Although sharp increase of permeability due to fracture opening was achieved with elevated injection pressure, the increased permeability was reversed with decreased injection pressure.Two contrasting response observed in the same reservoir at two different boreholes which is apart only 600 m apart provide important implication that can be used for the stimulation strategy for EGS.This work was supported by the New and Renewable Energy Technology Development Program of the Korea Institute of Energy Technology

  4. Adaptive fuzzy PID control of hydraulic servo control system for large axial flow compressor

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Yannian; Wu, Peizhi; Liu, Chengtao

    2017-09-01

    To improve the stability of the large axial compressor, an efficient and special intelligent hydraulic servo control system is designed and implemented. The adaptive fuzzy PID control algorithm is used to control the position of the hydraulic servo cylinder steadily, which overcomes the drawback that the PID parameters should be adjusted based on the different applications. The simulation and the test results show that the system has a better dynamic property and a stable state performance.

  5. Development of control system of coating of rod hydraulic cylinders

    Science.gov (United States)

    Aizhambaeva, S. Zh; Maximova, A. V.

    2018-01-01

    In this article, requirements to materials of hydraulic cylinders and methods of eliminating the main factors affecting the quality of the applied coatings rod hydraulic cylinders. The chromium plating process - one of ways of increase of anti-friction properties of coatings rods, stability to the wear and corrosion. The article gives description of differences of the stand-speed chromium plating process from other types of chromium plating that determines a conclusion about cutting time of chromium plating process. Conducting the analysis of technological equipment suggested addressing the modernization of high-speed chromium plating processes by automation and mechanization. Control system developed by design of schematic block diagram of a modernized and stand-speed chromium plating process.

  6. Effects of prescribed burning on ecophysiological, anatomical and stem hydraulic properties in Pinus pinea L.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Battipaglia, Giovanna; Savi, Tadeja; Ascoli, Davide; Castagneri, Daniele; Esposito, Assunta; Mayr, Stefan; Nardini, Andrea

    2016-08-01

    Prescribed burning (PB) is a widespread management technique for wildfire hazard abatement. Understanding PB effects on tree ecophysiology is key to defining burn prescriptions aimed at reducing fire hazard in Mediterranean pine plantations, such as Pinus pinea L. stands. We assessed physiological responses of adult P. pinea trees to PB using a combination of dendroecological, anatomical, hydraulic and isotopic analyses. Tree-ring widths, xylem cell wall thickness, lumen area, hydraulic diameter and tree-ring δ(13)C and δ(18)O were measured in trees on burned and control sites. Vulnerability curves were elaborated to assess tree hydraulic efficiency or safety. Despite the relatively intense thermal treatment (the residence time of temperatures above 50 °C at the stem surface ranged between 242 and 2239 s), burned trees did not suffer mechanical damage to stems, nor significant reduction in radial growth. Moreover, the PB did not affect xylem structure and tree hydraulics. No variations in (13)C-derived water use efficiency were recorded. This confirmed the high resistance of P. pinea to surface fire at the stem base. However, burned trees showed consistently lower δ(18)O values in the PB year, as a likely consequence of reduced competition for water and nutrients due to the understory burning, which increased both photosynthetic activity and stomatal conductance. Our multi-approach analysis offers new perspectives on post-fire survival strategies of P. pinea in an environment where fires are predicted to increase in frequency and severity during the 21st century. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

  7. Water transport through tall trees: A vertically-explicit, analytical model of xylem hydraulic conductance in stems.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Couvreur, Valentin; Ledder, Glenn; Manzoni, Stefano; Way, Danielle A; Muller, Erik B; Russo, Sabrina E

    2018-05-08

    Trees grow by vertically extending their stems, so accurate stem hydraulic models are fundamental to understanding the hydraulic challenges faced by tall trees. Using a literature survey, we showed that many tree species exhibit continuous vertical variation in hydraulic traits. To examine the effects of this variation on hydraulic function, we developed a spatially-explicit, analytical water transport model for stems. Our model allows Huber ratio, stem-saturated conductivity, pressure at 50% loss of conductivity, leaf area, and transpiration rate to vary continuously along the hydraulic path. Predictions from our model differ from a matric flux potential model parameterized with uniform traits. Analyses show that cavitation is a whole-stem emergent property resulting from nonlinear pressure-conductivity feedbacks that, with gravity, cause impaired water transport to accumulate along the path. Because of the compounding effects of vertical trait variation on hydraulic function, growing proportionally more sapwood and building tapered xylem with height, as well as reducing xylem vulnerability only at branch tips while maintaining transport capacity at the stem base, can compensate for these effects. We therefore conclude that the adaptive significance of vertical variation in stem hydraulic traits is to allow trees to grow tall and tolerate operating near their hydraulic limits. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

  8. Hydraulic Stability of Accropode Armour

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Jensen, T.; Burcharth, H. F.; Frigaard, Peter

    The present report describes the hydraulic model tests of Accropode armour layers carried out at the Hydraulics Laboratory at Aalborg University from November 1995 through March 1996. The objective of the model tests was to investigate the hydraulic stability of Accropode armour layers...... with permeable core (crushed granite with a gradation of 5-8 mm). The outcome of this study is described in "Hydraulic Stability of Single-Layer Dolos and Accropode Armour Layers" by Christensen & Burcharth (1995). In January/February 1996, Research Assistant Thomas Jensen carried out a similar study...

  9. SHynergie: Development of a virtual project laboratory for monitoring hydraulic stimulations

    Science.gov (United States)

    Renner, Jörg; Friederich, Wolfgang; Meschke, Günther; Müller, Thomas; Steeb, Holger

    2016-04-01

    Hydraulic stimulations are the primary means of developing subsurface reservoirs regarding the extent of fluid transport in them. The associated creation or conditioning of a system of hydraulic conduits involves a range of hydraulic and mechanical processes but also chemical reactions, such as dissolution and precipitation, may affect the stimulation result on time scales as short as hours. In the light of the extent and complexity of these processes, the steering potential for the operator of a stimulation critically depends on the ability to integrate the maximum amount of site-specific information with profound process understanding and a large spectrum of experience. We report on the development of a virtual project laboratory for monitoring hydraulic stimulations within the project SHynergie (http://www.ruhr-uni-bochum.de/shynergie/). The concept of the laboratory envisioned product that constitutes a preparing and accompanying rather than post-processing instrument ultimately accessible to persons responsible for a project over a web-repository. The virtual laboratory consists of a data base, a toolbox, and a model-building environment. Entries in the data base are of two categories. On the one hand, selected mineral and rock properties are provided from the literature. On the other hand, project-specific entries of any format can be made that are assigned attributes regarding their use in a stimulation problem at hand. The toolbox is interactive and allows the user to perform calculations of effective properties and simulations of different types (e.g., wave propagation in a reservoir, hydraulic test). The model component is also hybrid. The laboratory provides a library of models reflecting a range of scenarios but also allows the user to develop a site-specific model constituting the basis for simulations. The laboratory offers the option to use its components following the typical workflow of a stimulation project. The toolbox incorporates simulation

  10. Assimilation of temperature and hydraulic gradients for quantifying the spatial variability of streambed hydraulics

    Science.gov (United States)

    Huang, Xiang; Andrews, Charles B.; Liu, Jie; Yao, Yingying; Liu, Chuankun; Tyler, Scott W.; Selker, John S.; Zheng, Chunmiao

    2016-08-01

    Understanding the spatial and temporal characteristics of water flux into or out of shallow aquifers is imperative for water resources management and eco-environmental conservation. In this study, the spatial variability in the vertical specific fluxes and hydraulic conductivities in a streambed were evaluated by integrating distributed temperature sensing (DTS) data and vertical hydraulic gradients into an ensemble Kalman filter (EnKF) and smoother (EnKS) and an empirical thermal-mixing model. The formulation of the EnKF/EnKS assimilation scheme is based on a discretized 1D advection-conduction equation of heat transfer in the streambed. We first systematically tested a synthetic case and performed quantitative and statistical analyses to evaluate the performance of the assimilation schemes. Then a real-world case was evaluated to calculate assimilated specific flux. An initial estimate of the spatial distributions of the vertical hydraulic gradients was obtained from an empirical thermal-mixing model under steady-state conditions using a constant vertical hydraulic conductivity. Then, this initial estimate was updated by repeatedly dividing the assimilated specific flux by estimates of the vertical hydraulic gradients to obtain a refined spatial distribution of vertical hydraulic gradients and vertical hydraulic conductivities. Our results indicate that optimal parameters can be derived with fewer iterations but greater simulation effort using the EnKS compared with the EnKF. For the field application in a stream segment of the Heihe River Basin in northwest China, the average vertical hydraulic conductivities in the streambed varied over three orders of magnitude (5 × 10-1 to 5 × 102 m/d). The specific fluxes ranged from near zero (qz < ±0.05 m/d) to ±1.0 m/d, while the vertical hydraulic gradients were within the range of -0.2 to 0.15 m/m. The highest and most variable fluxes occurred adjacent to a debris-dam and bridge pier. This phenomenon is very likely

  11. Parametric Assessment of Perchloroethylene Hydraulic Behaviour in a Two-Phase System

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chatrenour, M.; Homaee, M.; Asadi Kapourchal, S.; Mahmoodian Shoshtari, M.

    2016-01-01

    Quantitative description of soil hydraulic properties is crucial for preventing organic contamination entering into the soil and groundwater. In order to assess the hydraulic behaviour of Perchloroethylene as a toxic chlorinated contaminant in soil, the retention curves for Perchloroethylene and water were determined. The Saturated hydraulic conductivity of both fluids examined was determined by the constant head method. The Perchloroethylene and water hydraulic conductivities obtained were 492.84 and 450.27 cm day-1, respectively. The porous medium retention parameters were obtained based on the van Genuchten, Brooks-Corey and Kosugi retention models. Further, the unsaturated hydraulic conductivity for both fluids was obtained based on the Mualem-Brooks-Corey, Mualem-van Genuchten and Mualem-Kosugi models. The accuracy performance of the models was assessed using some statistics including ME, RMSE, EF, CD and CRM. Results indicated that the van Genuchten model provided better estimations than other models when the fluid studied was Perchloroethylene. The results further indicated that the magnitudes of the pore-size distribution parameters and the bubbling pressure parameters are reduced more in a water-air system compared to a Perchloroethylene-air system. This can be attributed to the high viscosity of water and its considerable resistance against flow. This implies that more suction is needed to drain water out from a porous medium than Perchloroethylene. Consequently, a porous medium provides less retention for Perchloroethylene at a given quantity of fluid than water. Owing to lower Perchloroethylene viscosity, the saturated and unsaturated porous medium hydraulic conductivity of Perchloroethylene was greater than that of water. Since Perchloroethylene has lower retention and larger hydraulic conductivity than water, its infiltration into a porous medium would lead to its faster movement towards groundwater.

  12. Monitoring Hydraulic Fracturing Using Ground-Based Controlled Source Electromagnetics

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hickey, M. S.; Trevino, S., III; Everett, M. E.

    2017-12-01

    Hydraulic fracturing allows hydrocarbon production in low permeability formations. Imaging the distribution of fluid used to create a hydraulic fracture can aid in the characterization of fracture properties such as extent of plume penetration as well as fracture azimuth and symmetry. This could contribute to improving the efficiency of an operation, for example, in helping to determine ideal well spacing or the need to refracture a zone. A ground-based controlled-source electromagnetics (CSEM) technique is ideal for imaging the fluid due to the change in field caused by the difference in the conductive properties of the fluid when compared to the background. With advances in high signal to noise recording equipment, coupled with a high-power, broadband transmitter we can show hydraulic fracture extent and azimuth with minimal processing. A 3D finite element code is used to model the complete well casing along with the layered subsurface. This forward model is used to optimize the survey design and isolate the band of frequencies with the best response. In the field, the results of the modeling are also used to create a custom pseudorandom numeric (PRN) code to control the frequencies transmitted through a grounded dipole source. The receivers record the surface voltage across two grounded dipoles, one parallel and one perpendicular to the transmitter. The data are presented as the displays of amplitude ratios across several frequencies with the associated spatial information. In this presentation, we show multiple field results in multiple basins in the United States along with the CSEM theory used to create the survey designs.

  13. Digital switched hydraulics

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pan, Min; Plummer, Andrew

    2018-06-01

    This paper reviews recent developments in digital switched hydraulics particularly the switched inertance hydraulic systems (SIHSs). The performance of SIHSs is presented in brief with a discussion of several possible configurations and control strategies. The soft switching technology and high-speed switching valve design techniques are discussed. Challenges and recommendations are given based on the current research achievements.

  14. Study of binding properties of lanthanum to wheat roots by INAA

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zhang, Z.Y.; Li, F.L.; Xiao, H.Q.; Chai, Z.F.; Xu, L.; Liu, N.

    2004-01-01

    Chemical behavior of lanthanum in root tips excized from wheat seedlings growing at both promotional and inhibitory levels of LaCl 3 in culture solutions was investigated by a sequential leaching procedure combined with instrumental neutron activation analysis. The results indicate that most of La exists in non-exchangeable species and the binding of La 3+ to the root tips is extremely stable. The root tips during growing at the inhibitory level of LaCl 3 absorb much more La than those at the promotional level. However, the La proportion in each fraction is similar for both groups. (author)

  15. Hydraulic hoisting and backfilling

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sauermann, H. B.

    In a country such as South Africa, with its large deep level mining industry, improvements in mining and hoisting techniques could result in substantial savings. Hoisting techniques, for example, may be improved by the introduction of hydraulic hoisting. The following are some of the advantages of hydraulic hoisting as against conventional skip hoisting: (1) smaller shafts are required because the pipes to hoist the same quantity of ore hydraulically require less space in the shaft than does skip hoisting equipment; (2) the hoisting capacity of a mine can easily be increased without the necessity of sinking new shafts. Large savings in capital costs can thus be made; (3) fully automatic control is possible with hydraulic hoisting and therefore less manpower is required; and (4) health and safety conditions will be improved.

  16. Hydraulic Property and Soil Textural Classification Measurements for Rainier Mesa, Nevada Test Site, Nevada

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ebel, Brian A.; Nimmo, John R.

    2010-01-01

    This report presents particle size analysis, field-saturated hydraulic conductivity measurements, and qualitative descriptions of surficial materials at selected locations at Rainier Mesa, Nevada. Measurements and sample collection were conducted in the Rainier Mesa area, including unconsolidated sediments on top of the mesa, an ephemeral wash channel near the mesa edge, and dry U12n tunnel pond sediments below the mesa. Particle size analysis used a combination of sieving and optical diffraction techniques. Field-saturated hydraulic conductivity measurements employed a single-ring infiltrometer with analytical formulas that correct for falling head and spreading outside the ring domain. These measurements may prove useful to current and future efforts at Rainier Mesa aimed at understanding infiltration and its effect on water fluxes and radionuclide transport in the unsaturated zone.

  17. Probability Models Based on Soil Properties for Predicting Presence-Absence of Pythium in Soybean Roots.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zitnick-Anderson, Kimberly K; Norland, Jack E; Del Río Mendoza, Luis E; Fortuna, Ann-Marie; Nelson, Berlin D

    2017-10-01

    Associations between soil properties and Pythium groups on soybean roots were investigated in 83 commercial soybean fields in North Dakota. A data set containing 2877 isolates of Pythium which included 26 known spp. and 1 unknown spp. and 13 soil properties from each field were analyzed. A Pearson correlation analysis was performed with all soil properties to observe any significant correlation between properties. Hierarchical clustering, indicator spp., and multi-response permutation procedures were used to identify groups of Pythium. Logistic regression analysis using stepwise selection was employed to calculate probability models for presence of groups based on soil properties. Three major Pythium groups were identified and three soil properties were associated with these groups. Group 1, characterized by P. ultimum, was associated with zinc levels; as zinc increased, the probability of group 1 being present increased (α = 0.05). Pythium group 2, characterized by Pythium kashmirense and an unknown Pythium sp., was associated with cation exchange capacity (CEC) (α < 0.05); as CEC increased, these spp. increased. Group 3, characterized by Pythium heterothallicum and Pythium irregulare, were associated with CEC and calcium carbonate exchange (CCE); as CCE increased and CEC decreased, these spp. increased (α = 0.05). The regression models may have value in predicting pathogenic Pythium spp. in soybean fields in North Dakota and adjacent states.

  18. Nonlinear adaptive robust back stepping force control of hydraulic load simulator: Theory and experiments

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yao, Jianyong; Jiao, Zongxia; Yao, Bin

    2014-01-01

    High performance robust force control of hydraulic load simulator with constant but unknown hydraulic parameters is considered. In contrast to the linear control based on hydraulic linearization equations, hydraulic inherent nonlinear properties and uncertainties make the conventional feedback proportional-integral-derivative (PID) control not yield to high performance requirements. Furthermore, the hydraulic system may be subjected to non-smooth and discontinuous nonlinearities due to the directional change of valve opening. In this paper, based on a nonlinear system model of hydraulic load simulator, a discontinuous projection-based nonlinear adaptive robust back stepping controller is developed with servo valve dynamics. The proposed controller constructs a novel stable adaptive controller and adaptation laws with additional pressure dynamic related unknown parameters, which can compensate for the system nonlinearities and uncertain parameters, meanwhile a well-designed robust controller is also synthesized to dominate the model uncertainties coming from both parametric uncertainties and uncertain nonlinearities including unmodeled and ignored system dynamics. The controller theoretically guarantee a prescribed transient performance and final tracking accuracy in presence of both parametric uncertainties and uncertain nonlinearities; while achieving asymptotic output tracking in the absence of unstructured uncertainties. The implementation issues are also discussed for controller simplification. Some comparative results are obtained to verify the high-performance nature of the proposed controller.

  19. Nonlinear adaptive robust back stepping force control of hydraulic load simulator: Theory and experiments

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Yao, Jianyong [Nanjing University of Science and Technology, Nanjing (China); Jiao, Zongxia [Beihang University, Beijing (China); Yao, Bin [Purdue University, West Lafayette (United States)

    2014-04-15

    High performance robust force control of hydraulic load simulator with constant but unknown hydraulic parameters is considered. In contrast to the linear control based on hydraulic linearization equations, hydraulic inherent nonlinear properties and uncertainties make the conventional feedback proportional-integral-derivative (PID) control not yield to high performance requirements. Furthermore, the hydraulic system may be subjected to non-smooth and discontinuous nonlinearities due to the directional change of valve opening. In this paper, based on a nonlinear system model of hydraulic load simulator, a discontinuous projection-based nonlinear adaptive robust back stepping controller is developed with servo valve dynamics. The proposed controller constructs a novel stable adaptive controller and adaptation laws with additional pressure dynamic related unknown parameters, which can compensate for the system nonlinearities and uncertain parameters, meanwhile a well-designed robust controller is also synthesized to dominate the model uncertainties coming from both parametric uncertainties and uncertain nonlinearities including unmodeled and ignored system dynamics. The controller theoretically guarantee a prescribed transient performance and final tracking accuracy in presence of both parametric uncertainties and uncertain nonlinearities; while achieving asymptotic output tracking in the absence of unstructured uncertainties. The implementation issues are also discussed for controller simplification. Some comparative results are obtained to verify the high-performance nature of the proposed controller.

  20. CRITICALITY CURVES FOR PLUTONIUM HYDRAULIC FLUID MIXTURES

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    WITTEKIND WD

    2007-01-01

    This Calculation Note performs and documents MCNP criticality calculations for plutonium (100% 239 Pu) hydraulic fluid mixtures. Spherical geometry was used for these generalized criticality safety calculations and three geometries of neutron reflection are: (sm b ullet)bare, (sm b ullet)1 inch of hydraulic fluid, or (sm b ullet)12 inches of hydraulic fluid. This document shows the critical volume and critical mass for various concentrations of plutonium in hydraulic fluid. Between 1 and 2 gallons of hydraulic fluid were discovered in the bottom of HA-23S. This HA-23S hydraulic fluid was reported by engineering to be Fyrquel 220. The hydraulic fluid in GLovebox HA-23S is Fyrquel 220 which contains phosphorus. Critical spherical geometry in air is calculated with 0 in., 1 in., or 12 inches hydraulic fluid reflection

  1. Temporal variability of structure and hydraulic properties of topsoil of three soil types

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Jirků, V.; Kodešová, R.; Nikodem, A.; Mühlhanselová, M.; Žigová, Anna

    204/205, August (2013), s. 43-58 ISSN 0016-7061 R&D Projects: GA ČR GA526/08/0434 Institutional support: RVO:67985831 Keywords : aggragate stability * soil -water retention curve * hydraulic conductivity * soil micromorphology * seasonal and annual variability Subject RIV: DF - Soil Science Impact factor: 2.509, year: 2013

  2. Hydraulic Hybrid Vehicle Publications | Transportation Research | NREL

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hydraulic Hybrid Vehicle Publications Hydraulic Hybrid Vehicle Publications The following technical papers and fact sheets provide information about NREL's hydraulic hybrid fleet vehicle evaluations . Refuse Trucks Project Startup: Evaluating the Performance of Hydraulic Hybrid Refuse Vehicles. Bob

  3. Hydraulic Yaw System for Wind Turbines with New Compact Hydraulic Motor Principle

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Sørensen, Rasmus Mørk; Hansen, Michael Rygaard; Mouritsen, Ole Ø.

    2011-01-01

    This paper presents a new hydraulic yaw system for wind turbines. The basic component is a new type of hydraulic motor characterized by an extraordinary high specific displacement yielding high output torque in a compact form. The focus in the paper is the volumetric efficiency of the motor, which...

  4. Swelling and hydraulic properties of Ca-bentonite for the buffer of a waste repository

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lee, J.O.; Cho, W.J.; Kang, C.H.; Chun, K.S.

    2001-01-01

    Swelling and hydraulic tests were carried out to provide the information for the selection of buffer material in a radioactive waste repository. Ca-bentonite and de-ionized water were used for the tests. The swelling pressures of compacted bentonite were in the wide range of 0.7 Kg/cm 2 to 190.2 Kg/cm 2 , and they largely increased with an increase in the dry density and bentonite content. However, the swelling pressures decreased with increasing the initial water content and beyond about 12 wt.% of the initial water content, leveled off to a nearly constant value. The hydraulic conductivities were lower than 10 -11 m/s for the compacted bentonite with the dry density higher than 1.4 Mg/m 3 . They increased with increasing temperature in the range of 20 deg. C to 150 deg. C. (author)

  5. Surrogate-based optimization of hydraulic fracturing in pre-existing fracture networks

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Mingjie; Sun, Yunwei; Fu, Pengcheng; Carrigan, Charles R.; Lu, Zhiming; Tong, Charles H.; Buscheck, Thomas A.

    2013-08-01

    Hydraulic fracturing has been used widely to stimulate production of oil, natural gas, and geothermal energy in formations with low natural permeability. Numerical optimization of fracture stimulation often requires a large number of evaluations of objective functions and constraints from forward hydraulic fracturing models, which are computationally expensive and even prohibitive in some situations. Moreover, there are a variety of uncertainties associated with the pre-existing fracture distributions and rock mechanical properties, which affect the optimized decisions for hydraulic fracturing. In this study, a surrogate-based approach is developed for efficient optimization of hydraulic fracturing well design in the presence of natural-system uncertainties. The fractal dimension is derived from the simulated fracturing network as the objective for maximizing energy recovery sweep efficiency. The surrogate model, which is constructed using training data from high-fidelity fracturing models for mapping the relationship between uncertain input parameters and the fractal dimension, provides fast approximation of the objective functions and constraints. A suite of surrogate models constructed using different fitting methods is evaluated and validated for fast predictions. Global sensitivity analysis is conducted to gain insights into the impact of the input variables on the output of interest, and further used for parameter screening. The high efficiency of the surrogate-based approach is demonstrated for three optimization scenarios with different and uncertain ambient conditions. Our results suggest the critical importance of considering uncertain pre-existing fracture networks in optimization studies of hydraulic fracturing.

  6. Hydraulic characterization of volcanic rocks in Pahute Mesa using an integrated analysis of 16 multiple-well aquifer tests, Nevada National Security Site, 2009–14

    Science.gov (United States)

    Garcia, C. Amanda; Jackson, Tracie R.; Halford, Keith J.; Sweetkind, Donald S.; Damar, Nancy A.; Fenelon, Joseph M.; Reiner, Steven R.

    2017-01-20

    An improved understanding of groundwater flow and radionuclide migration downgradient from underground nuclear-testing areas at Pahute Mesa, Nevada National Security Site, requires accurate subsurface hydraulic characterization. To improve conceptual models of flow and transport in the complex hydrogeologic system beneath Pahute Mesa, the U.S. Geological Survey characterized bulk hydraulic properties of volcanic rocks using an integrated analysis of 16 multiple-well aquifer tests. Single-well aquifer-test analyses provided transmissivity estimates at pumped wells. Transmissivity estimates ranged from less than 1 to about 100,000 square feet per day in Pahute Mesa and the vicinity. Drawdown from multiple-well aquifer testing was estimated and distinguished from natural fluctuations in more than 200 pumping and observation wells using analytical water-level models. Drawdown was detected at distances greater than 3 miles from pumping wells and propagated across hydrostratigraphic units and major structures, indicating that neither faults nor structural blocks noticeably impede or divert groundwater flow in the study area.Consistent hydraulic properties were estimated by simultaneously interpreting drawdown from the 16 multiple-well aquifer tests with an integrated groundwater-flow model composed of 11 well-site models—1 for each aquifer test site. Hydraulic properties were distributed across volcanic rocks with the Phase II Pahute Mesa-Oasis Valley Hydrostratigraphic Framework Model. Estimated hydraulic-conductivity distributions spanned more than two orders of magnitude in hydrostratigraphic units. Overlapping hydraulic conductivity ranges among units indicated that most Phase II Hydrostratigraphic Framework Model units were not hydraulically distinct. Simulated total transmissivity ranged from 1,600 to 68,000 square feet per day for all pumping wells analyzed. High-transmissivity zones exceeding 10,000 square feet per day exist near caldera margins and extend

  7. Root exudation and root development of lettuce (Lactuca sativa L. cv. Tizian) as affected by different soils.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Neumann, G; Bott, S; Ohler, M A; Mock, H-P; Lippmann, R; Grosch, R; Smalla, K

    2014-01-01

    Development and activity of plant roots exhibit high adaptive variability. Although it is well-documented, that physicochemical soil properties can strongly influence root morphology and root exudation, particularly under field conditions, a comparative assessment is complicated by the impact of additional factors, such as climate and cropping history. To overcome these limitations, in this study, field soils originating from an unique experimental plot system with three different soil types, which were stored at the same field site for 10 years and exposed to the same agricultural management practice, were used for an investigation on effects of soil type on root development and root exudation. Lettuce (Lactuca sativa L. cv. Tizian) was grown as a model plant under controlled environmental conditions in a minirhizotrone system equipped with root observation windows (rhizoboxes). Root exudates were collected by placing sorption filters onto the root surface followed by subsequent extraction and GC-MS profiling of the trapped compounds. Surprisingly, even in absence of external stress factors with known impact on root exudation, such as pH extremes, water and nutrient limitations/toxicities or soil structure effects (use of sieved soils), root growth characteristics (root length, fine root development) as well as profiles of root exudates were strongly influenced by the soil type used for plant cultivation. The results coincided well with differences in rhizosphere bacterial communities, detected in field-grown lettuce plants cultivated on the same soils (Schreiter et al., this issue). The findings suggest that the observed differences may be the result of plant interactions with the soil-specific microbiomes.

  8. Root exudation and root development of lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.cv. Tizian as affected by different soils

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Günter eNeumann

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available Development and activity of plant roots exhibits high adaptive variability. Although it is well-documented, that physicochemical soil properties can strongly influence root morphology and root exudation, particularly under field conditions, a comparative assessment is complicated by the impact of additional factors, such as climate and cropping history. To overcome these limitations, in this study, field soils originating from an unique experimental plot system with three different soil types, which were stored at the same field site for ten years and exposed to the same agricultural management practice, were used for an investigation on effects of soil type on root development and root exudation. Lettuce (Lactuca sativa L. cv. Tizian was used as a model plant, grown under controlled environmental conditions in a minirhizotrone system equipped with root observation windows (rhizoboxes. Root exudates were collected by placing sorption filters onto the root surface followed by subsequent extraction and GC-MS profiling of the trapped compounds. Surprisingly, even in absence of external stress factors with known impact on root exudation, such as pH extremes, water and nutrient limitations/toxicities or soil structure effects (use of sieved soils, root growth characteristics (root length, fine root development as well as profiles of root exudates were strongly influenced by the soil type used for plant cultivation. The results coincided well with differences in rhizosphere bacterial communities, detected in field-grown lettuce plants cultivated on the same soils (Schreiter et al., this issue. The findings suggest that the observed differences may be the result of plant interactions with the soil-specific microbiomes.

  9. Root exudation and root development of lettuce (Lactuca sativa L. cv. Tizian) as affected by different soils

    Science.gov (United States)

    Neumann, G.; Bott, S.; Ohler, M. A.; Mock, H.-P.; Lippmann, R.; Grosch, R.; Smalla, K.

    2014-01-01

    Development and activity of plant roots exhibit high adaptive variability. Although it is well-documented, that physicochemical soil properties can strongly influence root morphology and root exudation, particularly under field conditions, a comparative assessment is complicated by the impact of additional factors, such as climate and cropping history. To overcome these limitations, in this study, field soils originating from an unique experimental plot system with three different soil types, which were stored at the same field site for 10 years and exposed to the same agricultural management practice, were used for an investigation on effects of soil type on root development and root exudation. Lettuce (Lactuca sativa L. cv. Tizian) was grown as a model plant under controlled environmental conditions in a minirhizotrone system equipped with root observation windows (rhizoboxes). Root exudates were collected by placing sorption filters onto the root surface followed by subsequent extraction and GC-MS profiling of the trapped compounds. Surprisingly, even in absence of external stress factors with known impact on root exudation, such as pH extremes, water and nutrient limitations/toxicities or soil structure effects (use of sieved soils), root growth characteristics (root length, fine root development) as well as profiles of root exudates were strongly influenced by the soil type used for plant cultivation. The results coincided well with differences in rhizosphere bacterial communities, detected in field-grown lettuce plants cultivated on the same soils (Schreiter et al., this issue). The findings suggest that the observed differences may be the result of plant interactions with the soil-specific microbiomes. PMID:24478764

  10. Hydraulic turbines and auxiliary equipment

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Luo Gaorong [Organization of the United Nations, Beijing (China). International Centre of Small Hydroelectric Power Plants

    1995-07-01

    This document presents a general overview on hydraulic turbines and auxiliary equipment, emphasizing the turbine classification, in accordance with the different types of turbines, standard turbine series in China, turbine selection based on the basic data required for the preliminary design, general hill model curves, chart of turbine series and the arrangement of application for hydraulic turbines, hydraulic turbine testing, and speed regulating device.

  11. Subsea Hydraulic Leakage Detection and Diagnosis

    OpenAIRE

    Stavenes, Thomas

    2010-01-01

    The motivation for this thesis is reduction of hydraulic emissions, minimizing of process emergency shutdowns, exploitation of intervention capacity, and reduction of costs. Today, monitoring of hydraulic leakages is scarce and the main way to detect leakage is the constant need for filling of hydraulic fluid to the Hydraulic Power Unit (HPU). Leakage detection and diagnosis has potential, which would be adressed in this thesis. A strategy towards leakage detection and diagnosis is given....

  12. Phytochemical and Antibacterial Properties of Root and Leaf ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Antibacterial growth inhibition was determined using Ditch method against ... have examined the effects of plants used traditionally ... and 16 cm wide (Aliyu, 2006). .... India. Likewise, water extracts obtained from the root did not show activity on all the test organisms except .... toxicity studies of Parkinsonia aculeate L.

  13. Simulation of the hydraulic performance of highway filter drains through laboratory models and stormwater management tools.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sañudo-Fontaneda, Luis A; Jato-Espino, Daniel; Lashford, Craig; Coupe, Stephen J

    2017-05-23

    Road drainage is one of the most relevant assets in transport infrastructure due to its inherent influence on traffic management and road safety. Highway filter drains (HFDs), also known as "French Drains", are the main drainage system currently in use in the UK, throughout 7000 km of its strategic road network. Despite being a widespread technique across the whole country, little research has been completed on their design considerations and their subsequent impact on their hydraulic performance, representing a gap in the field. Laboratory experiments have been proven to be a reliable indicator for the simulation of the hydraulic performance of stormwater best management practices (BMPs). In addition to this, stormwater management tools (SMT) have been preferentially chosen as a design tool for BMPs by practitioners from all over the world. In this context, this research aims to investigate the hydraulic performance of HFDs by comparing the results from laboratory simulation and two widely used SMT such as the US EPA's stormwater management model (SWMM) and MicroDrainage®. Statistical analyses were applied to a series of rainfall scenarios simulated, showing a high level of accuracy between the results obtained in laboratory and using SMT as indicated by the high and low values of the Nash-Sutcliffe and R 2 coefficients and root-mean-square error (RMSE) reached, which validated the usefulness of SMT to determine the hydraulic performance of HFDs.

  14. Determination of mechanical and hydraulic properties of PVA hydrogels.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kazimierska-Drobny, Katarzyna; El Fray, Miroslawa; Kaczmarek, Mariusz

    2015-03-01

    In this paper the identification of mechanical and hydraulic parameters of poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) hydrogels is described. The identification method follows the solution of inverse problem using experimental data from the unconfined compression test and the poroelastic creep model. The sensitivity analysis of the model shows significant dependence of the creep curves on investigated parameters. The hydrogels containing 22% PVA and 25% PVA were tested giving: the drained Youngs modulus of 0.71 and 0.9MPa; the drained Poisson's ratio of 0.18 and 0.31; and the permeability of 3.64·10(-15) and 3.29·10(15)m(4)/Ns, respectively. The values of undrained Youngs modulus were determined by measuring short period deformation of samples in the unconfined tests. A discussion on obtained results is presented. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  15. Uncertainty in the determination of soil hydraulic parameters and its influence on the performance of two hydrological models of different complexity

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Baroni, G.; Facchi, A.; Gandolfi, C.; Ortuani, B.; Horeschi, D.; Dam, van J.C.

    2010-01-01

    Data of soil hydraulic properties forms often a limiting factor in unsaturated zone modelling, especially at the larger scales. Investigations for the hydraulic characterization of soils are time-consuming and costly, and the accuracy of the results obtained by the different methodologies is still

  16. Methods of plant root exudates analysis: a review

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Peter Dundek

    2011-01-01

    Full Text Available The aim of this review is to summarise current knowledge on methods being used to determine individual compounds and properties of water-soluble plant root exudates. These compounds include amino acids, organic acids and simple sugars, as well as polysaccharides, proteins and organic substances. Qualitative composition of water-soluble root exudates and exudation rate are commonly measured with the aim of consequent synthetic preparation of plant root exudates to be supplied to soil to create artificial rhizosphere for different experimental purposes. Root exudates collection usually requires consequent filtration or centrifugation to remove solids, root detritus and microbial cell debris, and consequent concentration using an evaporator, lyophilizator or ultrafiltration. Methods used for analysis of total groups of compounds (total proteins and total carbohydrates and total organic carbon are simple. On the other hand, HPLC or GS/MS are commonly used to analyse individual low molecular weight organic molecules (sugars, organic acids and amino acids with separation using different columns. Other properties such as pH, conductivity or activity of different enzymes as well as gel electrophoresis of proteins are sometimes assessed. All of these methods are discussed in this work.

  17. Development of the foremost light-curable calcium-silicate MTA cement as root-end in oral surgery. Chemical-physical properties, bioactivity and biological behavior.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gandolfi, Maria Giovanna; Taddei, Paola; Siboni, Francesco; Modena, Enrico; Ciapetti, Gabriela; Prati, Carlo

    2011-07-01

    An innovative light-curable calcium-silicate cement containing a HEMA-TEGDMA-based resin (lc-MTA) was designed to obtain a bioactive fast setting root-end filling and root repair material. lc-MTA was tested for setting time, solubility, water absorption, calcium release, alkalinizing activity (pH of soaking water), bioactivity (apatite-forming ability) and cell growth-proliferation. The apatite-forming ability was investigated by micro-Raman, ATR-FTIR and ESEM/EDX after immersion at 37°C for 1-28 days in DPBS or DMEM+FBS. The marginal adaptation of cement in root-end cavities of extracted teeth was assessed by ESEM/EDX, and the viability of Saos-2 cell on cements was evaluated. lc-MTA demonstrated a rapid setting time (2min), low solubility, high calcium release (150-200ppm) and alkalinizing power (pH 10-12). lc-MTA proved the formation of bone-like apatite spherulites just after 1 day. Apatite precipitates completely filled the interface porosities and created a perfect marginal adaptation. lc-MTA allowed Saos-2 cell viability and growth and no compromising toxicity was exerted. HEMA-TEGDMA creates a polymeric network able to stabilize the outer surface of the cement and a hydrophilic matrix permeable enough to allow water absorption. SiO(-)/Si-OH groups from the mineral particles induce heterogeneous nucleation of apatite by sorption of calcium and phosphate ions. Oxygen-containing groups from poly-HEMA-TEGDMA provide additional apatite nucleating sites through the formation of calcium chelates. The strong novelty was that the combination of a hydraulic calcium-silicate powder and a poly-HEMA-TEGDMA hydrophilic resin creates the conditions (calcium release and functional groups able to chelate Ca ions) for a bioactive fast setting light-curable material for clinical applications in dental and maxillofacial surgery. The first and unique/exclusive light-curable calcium-silicate MTA cement for endodontics and root-end application was created, with a potential

  18. Micro Mechanics and Microstructures of Major Subsurface Hydraulic Barriers: Shale Caprock vs Wellbore Cement

    Science.gov (United States)

    Radonjic, M.; Du, H.

    2015-12-01

    Shale caprocks and wellbore cements are two of the most common subsurface impermeable barriers in the oil and gas industry. More than 60% of effective seals for geologic hydrocarbon bearing formations as natural hydraulic barriers constitute of shale rocks. Wellbore cements provide zonal isolation as an engineered hydraulic barrier to ensure controlled fluid flow from the reservoir to the production facilities. Shale caprocks were deposited and formed by squeezing excess formation water and mineralogical transformations at different temperatures and pressures. In a similar process, wellbore cements are subjected to compression during expandable tubular operations, which lead to a rapid pore water propagation and secondary mineral precipitation within the cement. The focus of this research was to investigate the effect of wellbore cement compression on its microstructure and mechanical properties, as well as a preliminary comparison of shale caprocks and hydrated cement. The purpose of comparative evaluation of engineered vs natural hydraulic barrier materials is to further improve wellbore cement durability when in contact with geofluids. The micro-indentation was utilized to evaluate the change in cement mechanical properties caused by compression. Indentation experiments showed an overall increase in hardness and Young's modulus of compressed cement. Furthermore, SEM imaging and Electron Probe Microanalysis showed mineralogical alterations and decrease in porosity. These can be correlated with the cement rehydration caused by microstructure changes as a result of compression. The mechanical properties were also quantitatively compared to shale caprock samples in order to investigate the similarities of hydraulic barrier features that could help to improve the subsurface application of cement in zonal isolation. The comparison results showed that the poro-mechanical characteristics of wellbore cement appear to be improved when inherent pore sizes are shifted to

  19. Development and Demonstration of Material Properties Database and Software for the Simulation of Flow Properties in Cementitious Materials

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Smith, F. [Savannah River Site (SRS), Aiken, SC (United States). Savannah River National Lab. (SRNL); Flach, G. [Savannah River Site (SRS), Aiken, SC (United States). Savannah River National Lab. (SRNL)

    2015-03-30

    This report describes work performed by the Savannah River National Laboratory (SRNL) in fiscal year 2014 to develop a new Cementitious Barriers Project (CBP) software module designated as FLOExcel. FLOExcel incorporates a uniform database to capture material characterization data and a GoldSim model to define flow properties for both intact and fractured cementitious materials and estimate Darcy velocity based on specified hydraulic head gradient and matric tension. The software module includes hydraulic parameters for intact cementitious and granular materials in the database and a standalone GoldSim framework to manipulate the data. The database will be updated with new data as it comes available. The software module will later be integrated into the next release of the CBP Toolbox, Version 3.0. This report documents the development efforts for this software module. The FY14 activities described in this report focused on the following two items that form the FLOExcel package; 1) Development of a uniform database to capture CBP data for cementitious materials. In particular, the inclusion and use of hydraulic properties of the materials are emphasized; and 2) Development of algorithms and a GoldSim User Interface to calculate hydraulic flow properties of degraded and fractured cementitious materials. Hydraulic properties are required in a simulation of flow through cementitious materials such as Saltstone, waste tank fill grout, and concrete barriers. At SRNL these simulations have been performed using the PORFLOW code as part of Performance Assessments for salt waste disposal and waste tank closure.

  20. Combined hydraulic and regenerative braking system

    Science.gov (United States)

    Venkataperumal, R.R.; Mericle, G.E.

    1979-08-09

    A combined hydraulic and regenerative braking system and method for an electric vehicle is disclosed. The braking system is responsive to the applied hydraulic pressure in a brake line to control the braking of the vehicle to be completely hydraulic up to a first level of brake line pressure, to be partially hydraulic at a constant braking force and partially regenerative at a linearly increasing braking force from the first level of applied brake line pressure to a higher second level of brake line pressure, to be partially hydraulic at a linearly increasing braking force and partially regenerative at a linearly decreasing braking force from the second level of applied line pressure to a third and higher level of applied line pressure, and to be completely hydraulic at a linearly increasing braking force from the third level to all higher applied levels of line pressure.

  1. An integrated geophysical and hydraulic investigation to characterize a fractured-rock aquifer, Norwalk, Connecticut

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lane, J.W.; Williams, J.H.; Johnson, C.D.; Savino, D.M.; Haeni, F.P.

    2002-01-01

    The U.S. Geological Survey conducted an integrated geophysical and hydraulic investigation at the Norden Systems, Inc. site in Norwalk, Connecticut, where chlorinated solvents have contaminated a fractured-rock aquifer. Borehole, borehole-to-borehole, surface-geophysical, and hydraulic methods were used to characterize the site bedrock lithology and structure, fractures, and transmissive zone hydraulic properties. The geophysical and hydraulic methods included conventional logs, borehole imagery, borehole radar, flowmeter under ambient and stressed hydraulic conditions, and azimuthal square-array direct-current resistivity soundings. Integrated interpretation of geophysical logs at borehole and borehole-to-borehole scales indicates that the bedrock foliation strikes northwest and dips northeast, and strikes north-northeast to northeast and dips both southeast and northwest. Although steeply dipping fractures that cross-cut foliation are observed, most fractures are parallel or sub-parallel to foliation. Steeply dipping reflectors observed in the radar reflection data from three boreholes near the main building delineate a north-northeast trending feature interpreted as a fracture zone. Results of radar tomography conducted close to a suspected contaminant source area indicate that a zone of low electromagnetic (EM) velocity and high EM attenuation is present above 50 ft in depth - the region containing the highest density of fractures. Flowmeter logging was used to estimate hydraulic properties in the boreholes. Thirty-three transmissive fracture zones were identified in 11 of the boreholes. The vertical separation between transmissive zones typically is 10 to 20 ft. Open-hole and discrete-zone transmissivity was estimated from heat-pulse flowmeter data acquired under ambient and stressed conditions. The open-hole transmissivity ranges from 2 to 86 ft2/d. The estimated transmissivity of individual transmissive zones ranges from 0.4 to 68 ft2/d. Drawdown monitoring

  2. Effects of temperature and thermally-induced microstructure change on hydraulic conductivity of Boom Clay

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    W.Z. Chen

    2017-06-01

    Full Text Available Boom Clay is one of the potential host rocks for deep geological disposal of high-level radioactive nuclear waste in Belgium. In order to investigate the mechanism of hydraulic conductivity variation under complex thermo-mechanical coupling conditions and to better understand the thermo-hydro-mechanical (THM coupling behaviour of Boom Clay, a series of permeability tests using temperature-controlled triaxial cell has been carried out on the Boom Clay samples taken from Belgian underground research laboratory (URL HADES. Due to its sedimentary nature, Boom Clay presents across-anisotropy with respect to its sub-horizontal bedding plane. Direct measurements of the vertical (Kv and horizontal (Kh hydraulic conductivities show that the hydraulic conductivity at 80 °C is about 2.4 times larger than that at room temperature (23 °C, and the hydraulic conductivity variation with temperature is basically reversible during heating–cooling cycle. The anisotropic property of Boom Clay is studied by scanning electron microscope (SEM tests, which highlight the transversely isotropic characteristics of intact Boom Clay. It is shown that the sub-horizontal bedding feature accounts for the horizontal permeability higher than the vertical one. The measured increment in hydraulic conductivity with temperature is lower than the calculated one when merely considering the changes in water kinematic viscosity and density with temperature. The nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR tests have also been carried out to investigate the impact of microstructure variation on the THM properties of clay. The results show that heating under unconstrained boundary condition will produce larger size of pores and weaken the microstructure. The discrepancy between the hydraulic conductivity experimentally measured and predicted (considering water viscosity and density changes with temperature can be attributed to the microstructural weakening effect on the thermal volume change

  3. Root-soil relationships and terroir

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tomasi, Diego

    2015-04-01

    Soil features, along with climate, are among the most important determinants of a succesful grape production in a certain area. Most of the studies, so far, investigated the above-ground vine response to differente edaphic and climate condition, but it is clearly not sufficient to explain the vine whole behaviour. In fact, roots represent an important part of the terroir system (soil-plant-atmosphere-man), and their study can provide better comprehension of vine responses to different environments. The root density and distribution, the ability of deep-rooting and regenerating new roots are good indicators of root well-being, and represents the basis for an efficient physiological activity of the root system. Root deepening and distribution are strongly dependent and sensitive on soil type and soil properties, while root density is affected mostly by canopy size, rootstock and water availability. According to root well-being, soil management strategies should alleviate soil impediments, improving aeration and microbial activity. Moreover, agronomic practices can impact root system performance and influence the above-ground growth. It is well known, for example, that the root system size is largely diminished by high planting densities. Close vine spacings stimulate a more effective utilization of the available soil, water and nutrients, but if the competition for available soil becomes too high, it can repress vine growth, and compromise vineyard longevity, productivity and reaction to growing season weather. Development of resilient rootstocks, more efficient in terms of water and nutrient uptake and capable of dealing with climate and soil extremes (drought, high salinity) are primary goals fore future research. The use of these rootstocks will benefit a more sustainable use of the soil resources and the preservation and valorisation of the terroir.

  4. Long-term control of root growth

    Science.gov (United States)

    Burton, Frederick G.; Cataldo, Dominic A.; Cline, John F.; Skiens, W. Eugene

    1992-05-26

    A method and system for long-term control of root growth without killing the plants bearing those roots involves incorporating a 2,6-dinitroaniline in a polymer and disposing the polymer in an area in which root control is desired. This results in controlled release of the substituted aniline herbicide over a period of many years. Herbicides of this class have the property of preventing root elongation without translocating into other parts of the plant. The herbicide may be encapsulated in the polymer or mixed with it. The polymer-herbicide mixture may be formed into pellets, sheets, pipe gaskets, pipes for carrying water, or various other forms. The invention may be applied to other protection of buried hazardous wastes, protection of underground pipes, prevention of root intrusion beneath slabs, the dwarfing of trees or shrubs and other applications. The preferred herbicide is 4-difluoromethyl-N,N-dipropyl-2,6-dinitro-aniline, commonly known as trifluralin.

  5. Hydraulic lifter for an underwater drilling rig

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Garan' ko, Yu L

    1981-01-15

    A hydraulic lifter is suggested for an underwater drilling rig. It includes a base, hydraulic cylinders for lifting the drilling pipes connected to the clamp holder and hydraulic distributor. In order to simplify the design of the device, the base is made with a hollow chamber connected to the rod cavities and through the hydraulic distributor to the cavities of the hydraulic cylinders for lifting the drilling pipes. The hydraulic distributor is connected to the hydrosphere through the supply valve with control in time or by remote control. The base is equipped with reverse valves whose outlets are on the support surface of the base.

  6. Automated Root Tracking with "Root System Analyzer"

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schnepf, Andrea; Jin, Meina; Ockert, Charlotte; Bol, Roland; Leitner, Daniel

    2015-04-01

    Crucial factors for plant development are water and nutrient availability in soils. Thus, root architecture is a main aspect of plant productivity and needs to be accurately considered when describing root processes. Images of root architecture contain a huge amount of information, and image analysis helps to recover parameters describing certain root architectural and morphological traits. The majority of imaging systems for root systems are designed for two-dimensional images, such as RootReader2, GiA Roots, SmartRoot, EZ-Rhizo, and Growscreen, but most of them are semi-automated and involve mouse-clicks in each root by the user. "Root System Analyzer" is a new, fully automated approach for recovering root architectural parameters from two-dimensional images of root systems. Individual roots can still be corrected manually in a user interface if required. The algorithm starts with a sequence of segmented two-dimensional images showing the dynamic development of a root system. For each image, morphological operators are used for skeletonization. Based on this, a graph representation of the root system is created. A dynamic root architecture model helps to determine which edges of the graph belong to an individual root. The algorithm elongates each root at the root tip and simulates growth confined within the already existing graph representation. The increment of root elongation is calculated assuming constant growth. For each root, the algorithm finds all possible paths and elongates the root in the direction of the optimal path. In this way, each edge of the graph is assigned to one or more coherent roots. Image sequences of root systems are handled in such a way that the previous image is used as a starting point for the current image. The algorithm is implemented in a set of Matlab m-files. Output of Root System Analyzer is a data structure that includes for each root an identification number, the branching order, the time of emergence, the parent

  7. Implications of vegetation hydraulic capacitance as an indicator of water stress and drought recovery

    Science.gov (United States)

    Matheny, A. M.; Bohrer, G.

    2017-12-01

    Above-ground water storage in vegetation plays an integral role in the avoidance of hydraulic impairment to transpiration. New high temporal resolution measurements of dynamic changes in tree hydraulic capacitance are facilitating insights into vegetation water use strategies. Diurnal withdrawal from water storage in leaves, branches, stems, and roots significantly impacts sap flow, stomatal conductance, and transpiration. The ability to store and use water varies based on soil- and root-water availability, tree size, wood vessel anatomy and density, and stomatal response strategy (i.e. isohydricity). We present results from a three-year long study of stem capacitance dynamics in five species in a mixed deciduous forest in Michigan. The site receives 800mm of rainfall annually, but water potential in the well-drained sandy soil nears the permanent wilting point several times annually. We demonstrate radical differences in stored water use between drought tolerant and intolerant species. Red maple, a drought intolerant, isohydric species, showed a strong dependence on stem capacitance for transpiration during both wet and dry periods. Red oak, a more drought hearty, deep rooted, anisohydric species, was much less reliant on withdrawal from water storage during all conditions. During well-watered conditions, withdrawal from storage by red maple was 10 kg day-1, yet storage withdrawal from similarly sized red oaks was 1 kg day-1. Red oaks only drew strongly upon stored water during the driest extremes. Metrics of hydration status derived from capacitance provide a means to explore drought response and recovery. Declines in consecutive days' maximum capacitance indicate an inability to restore lost water and can be used to mark the onset of water stress. Drought recovery can be quantified as the time required for stem water content to return to pre-drought volumes. Capacitance withdrawal and depletion exhibit a clear threshold response to declining soil water

  8. 46 CFR 112.50-3 - Hydraulic starting.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-10-01

    ... POWER SYSTEMS Emergency Diesel and Gas Turbine Engine Driven Generator Sets § 112.50-3 Hydraulic starting. A hydraulic starting system must meet the following: (a) The hydraulic starting system must be a... 46 Shipping 4 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Hydraulic starting. 112.50-3 Section 112.50-3 Shipping...

  9. Evaluation of the root cause for MSR high level trip in Maanshan

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Liao, L.-Y.; Ferng, Y.-M.; Jange, S.J.; Ko, C.M.

    2004-01-01

    Reactor trip due to Moisture Separator Reheater (MSR) high water level has been a long time issue for Maanshan nuclear power plant. The operating experience shows that there are five reactor trips due to MSR high water level. Four out of the five reactor trips are generated when Combined Intermediate valve (CIV) no. 1 is closed during CIV closure test. The fifth reactor trip occurs when the reactor power is increasing from 99% to 100%. An extensive root cause analysis has been performed by Taipower Company. It is concluded that the water accumulated in the cross under leg between the exhaust of high pressure turbine and the inlet of MSR was the water source contributing to the MSR high level trip. Although, Maanshan does not have similar trip after the root cause analysis, it is interested to evaluate the proposed root cause from thermal hydraulic point of view. It is also hoped that some useful guidelines can be established. This paper includes a description of the scenario of reactor trips, a summary of the root cause analysis done by Taipower Company, an examination of possible mechanisms, an identification of key parameters and a presentation of major findings. In addition, the applicability of RELAP5/MOD3 under this condition is discussed. (author)

  10. Impact of Petrophysical Properties on Hydraulic Fracturing and Development in Tight Volcanic Gas Reservoirs

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yinghao Shen

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available The volcanic reservoir is an important kind of unconventional reservoir. The aqueous phase trapping (APT appears because of fracturing fluids filtration. However, APT can be autoremoved for some wells after certain shut-in time. But there is significant distinction for different reservoirs. Experiments were performed to study the petrophysical properties of a volcanic reservoir and the spontaneous imbibition is monitored by nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR and pulse-decay permeability. Results showed that natural cracks appear in the samples as well as high irreducible water saturation. There is a quick decrease of rock permeability once the rock contacts water. The pores filled during spontaneous imbibition are mainly the nanopores from NMR spectra. Full understanding of the mineralogical effect and sample heterogeneity benefits the selection of segments to fracturing. The fast flow-back scheme is applicable in this reservoir to minimize the damage. Because lots of water imbibed into the nanopores, the main flow channels become larger, which are beneficial to the permeability recovery after flow-back of hydraulic fracturing. This is helpful in understanding the APT autoremoval after certain shut-in time. Also, Keeping the appropriate production differential pressure is very important in achieving the long term efficient development of volcanic gas reservoirs.

  11. A survey of root pressure in 53 Asian species of bamboo

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fusheng Wang; Xinli Tian; Yulong Ding; Xianchong Wan; M. T. Tyree

    2011-01-01

    Introduction. Root pressure is a potentially important mechanism for dissolving embolisms in previously cavitated vessels, but the occurrence of root pressure is not a universal property in plants. Material and methods. We suggest that root pressure might be more common in monocots than dicots because in dicots, cambial growth...

  12. Exploratory use of periodic pumping tests for hydraulic characterization of faults

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cheng, Yan; Renner, Joerg

    2018-01-01

    Periodic pumping tests were conducted using a double-packer probe placed at four different depth levels in borehole GDP-1 at Grimselpass, Central Swiss Alps, penetrating a hydrothermally active fault. The tests had the general objective to explore the potential of periodic testing for hydraulic characterization of faults, representing inherently complex heterogeneous hydraulic features that pose problems for conventional approaches. Site selection reflects the specific question regarding the value of this test type for quality control of hydraulic stimulations of potential geothermal reservoirs. The performed evaluation of amplitude ratio and phase shift between pressure and flow rate in the pumping interval employed analytical solutions for various flow regimes. In addition to the previously presented 1-D and radial-flow models, we extended the one for radial flow in a system of concentric shells with varying hydraulic properties and newly developed one for bilinear flow. In addition to these injectivity analyses, we pursued a vertical-interference analysis resting on observed amplitude ratio and phase shift between the periodic pressure signals above or below packers and in the interval by numerical modeling of the non-radial-flow situation. When relying on the same model the order of magnitude of transmissivity values derived from the analyses of periodic tests agrees with that gained from conventional hydraulic tests. The field campaign confirmed several advantages of the periodic testing, for example, reduced constraints on testing time relative to conventional tests since a periodic signal can easily be separated from changing background pressure by detrending and Fourier transformation. The discrepancies between aspects of the results from the periodic tests and the predictions of the considered simplified models indicate a hydraulically complex subsurface at the drill site that exhibits also hydromechanical features in accord with structural information

  13. Hydraulic design development of Xiluodu Francis turbine

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wang, Y L; Li, G Y; Shi, Q H; Wang, Z N

    2012-01-01

    Hydraulic optimization design with CFD (Computational Fluid Dynamics) method, hydraulic optimization measures and model test results in the hydraulic development of Xiluodu hydropower station by DFEM (Dongfang Electric Machinery) of DEC (Dongfang Electric Corporation) of China were analyzed in this paper. The hydraulic development conditions of turbine, selection of design parameter, comparison of geometric parameters and optimization measure of turbine flow components were expatiated. And the measures of improving turbine hydraulic performance and the results of model turbine acceptance experiment were discussed in details.

  14. Triterpene and Flavonoid Biosynthesis and Metabolic Profiling of Hairy Roots, Adventitious Roots, and Seedling Roots of Astragalus membranaceus.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Park, Yun Ji; Thwe, Aye Aye; Li, Xiaohua; Kim, Yeon Jeong; Kim, Jae Kwang; Arasu, Mariadhas Valan; Al-Dhabi, Naif Abdullah; Park, Sang Un

    2015-10-14

    Astragalus membranaceus is an important traditional Chinese herb with various medical applications. Astragalosides (ASTs), calycosin, and calycosin-7-O-β-d-glucoside (CG) are the primary metabolic components in A. membranaceus roots. The dried roots of A. membranaceus have various medicinal properties. The present study aimed to investigate the expression levels of genes related to the biosynthetic pathways of ASTs, calycosin, and CG to investigate the differences between seedling roots (SRs), adventitious roots (ARs), and hairy roots (HRs) using quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). qRT-PCR study revealed that the transcription level of genes involved in the AST biosynthetic pathway was lowest in ARs and showed similar patterns in HRs and SRs. Moreover, most genes involved in the synthesis of calycosin and CG exhibited the highest expression levels in SRs. High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) analysis indicated that the expression level of the genes correlated with the content of ASTs, calycosin, and CG in the three different types of roots. ASTs were the most abundant in SRs. CG accumulation was greater than calycosin accumulation in ARs and HRs, whereas the opposite was true in SRs. Additionally, 40 metabolites were identified using gas chromatography-time-of-flight mass spectrometry (GC-TOF-MS). Principal component analysis (PCA) documented the differences among SRs, ARs, and HRs. PCA comparatively differentiated among the three samples. The results of PCA showed that HRs were distinct from ARs and SRs on the basis of the dominant amounts of sugars and clusters derived from closely similar biochemical pathways. Also, ARs had a higher concentration of phenylalanine, a precursor for the phenylpropanoid biosynthetic pathway, as well as CG. TCA cycle intermediates levels including succinic acid and citric acid indicated a higher amount in SRs than in the others.

  15. Structural stability and hydraulic conductivity of Nkpologu sandy ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    vincent

    Sokoto, and Illela coversand) of Sokoto-Rima river basin area of Sokoto state. ... Morphological properties of the soils revealed a dominant spectral colour hue of 7.5YR ..... roots; sh=shale, ch=channel Fe=ironstone crust, Fec=iron concretion; ...

  16. A pore-size classification for peat bogs derived from unsaturated hydraulic properties

    Science.gov (United States)

    Weber, Tobias Karl David; Iden, Sascha Christian; Durner, Wolfgang

    2017-12-01

    In ombrotrophic peatlands, the moisture content of the acrotelm (vadoze zone) controls oxygen diffusion rates, redox state, and the turnover of organic matter. Thus, variably saturated flow processes determine whether peatlands act as sinks or sources of atmospheric carbon, and modelling these processes is crucial to assess effects of changed environmental conditions on the future development of these ecosystems. We show that the Richards equation can be used to accurately describe the moisture dynamics under evaporative conditions in variably saturated peat soil, encompassing the transition from the topmost living moss layer to the decomposed peat as part of the vadose zone. Soil hydraulic properties (SHP) were identified by inverse simulation of evaporation experiments on samples from the entire acrotelm. To obtain consistent descriptions of the observations, the traditional van Genuchten-Mualem model was extended to account for non-capillary water storage and flow. We found that the SHP of the uppermost moss layer reflect a pore-size distribution (PSD) that combines three distinct pore systems of the Sphagnum moss. For deeper samples, acrotelm pedogenesis changes the shape of the SHP due to the collapse of inter-plant pores and an infill with smaller particles. This leads to gradually more homogeneous and bi-modal PSDs with increasing depth, which in turn can serve as a proxy for increasing state of pedogenesis in peatlands. From this, we derive a nomenclature and size classification for the pore spaces of Sphagnum mosses and define inter-, intra-, and inner-plant pore spaces, with effective pore diameters of > 300, 300-30, and 30-10 µm, respectively.

  17. Spatial Variability and Geostatistical Prediction of Some Soil Hydraulic Coefficients of a Calcareous Soil

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ali Akbar Moosavi

    2017-02-01

    Full Text Available Introduction: Saturated hydraulic conductivity and the other hydraulic properties of soils are essential vital soil attributes that play role in the modeling of hydrological phenomena, designing irrigation-drainage systems, transportation of salts and chemical and biological pollutants within the soil. Measurement of these hydraulic properties needs some special instruments, expert technician, and are time consuming and expensive and due to their high temporal and spatial variability, a large number of measurements are needed. Nowadays, prediction of these attributes using the readily available soil data using pedotransfer functions or using the limited measurement with applying the geostatistical approaches has been receiving high attention. The study aimed to determine the spatial variability and prediction of saturated (Ks and near saturated (Kfs hydraulic conductivity, the power of Gardner equation (α, sorptivity (S, hydraulic diffusivity (D and matric flux potential (Фm of a calcareous soil. Material and Methods: The study was carried out on the soil series of Daneshkadeh located in the Bajgah Agricultural Experimental Station of Agricultural College, Shiraz University, Shiraz, Iran (1852 m above the mean sea level. This soil series with about 745 ha is a deep yellowish brow calcareous soil with textural classes of loam to clay. In the studied soil series 50 sampling locations with the sampling distances of 16, 8 , and 4 m were selected on the relatively regular sampling design. The saturated hydraulic conductivity (Ks, near saturated hydraulic conductivity (Kfs, the power of Gardner equation (α, sorptivity (S, hydraulic diffusivity (D and matric flux potential (Фm of the aforementioned sampling locations was determined using the Single Ring and Droplet methods. After, initial statistical processing, including a normality test of data, trend and stationary analysis of data, the semivariograms of each studied hydraulic attributes were

  18. Variable conductivity and embolism in roots and branches of four contrasting tree species and their impacts on whole-plant hydraulic performance under future atmospheric CO2 concentration

    Science.gov (United States)

    J.-C. Domec; K. Schafer; R. Oren; H. Kim; H. McCarthy

    2010-01-01

    Anatomical and physiological acclimation to water stress of the tree hydraulic system involves trade-offs between maintenance of stomatal conductance and loss of hydraulic conductivity, with short-term impacts on photosynthesis and long-term consequences to survival and growth.

  19. Revisiting hydraulic hysteresis based on long-term monitoring of hydraulic states in lysimeters

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hannes, M.; Wollschläger, U.; Wöhling, T.; Vogel, H.-J.

    2016-05-01

    Hysteretic processes have been recognized for decades as an important characteristic of soil hydraulic behavior. Several studies confirmed that wetting and drying periods cannot be described by a simple functional relationship, and that some nonequilibrium of the water retention characteristics has to be taken into account. A large number of models describing the hysteresis of the soil water retention characteristic were successfully tested on soil cores under controlled laboratory conditions. However, its relevance under field conditions under natural forcings has rarely been investigated. In practice, the modeling of field soils usually neglects the hysteretic nature of soil hydraulic properties. In this study, long-term observations of water content and matric potential in lysimeters of the lysimeter network TERENO-SoilCan are presented, clearly demonstrating the hysteretic behavior of field soils. We propose a classification into three categories related to different time scales. Based on synthetic and long-term monitoring data, three different models of hysteresis were applied to data sets showing different degrees of hysteresis. We found no single model to be superior to the others. The model ranking depended on the degree of hysteresis. All models were able to reflect the general structure of hysteresis in most cases but failed to reproduce the detailed trajectories of state variables especially under highly transient conditions. As an important result we found that the temporal dynamics of wetting and drying significantly affects these trajectories which should be accounted for in future model concepts.

  20. DEVELOPMENT OF VADOSE-ZONE HYDRAULIC PARAMETER VALUES

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    ROGERS PM

    2008-01-21

    Several approaches have been developed to establish a relation between the soil-moisture retention curve and readily available soil properties. Those relationships are referred to as pedotransfer functions. Described in this paper are the rationale, approach, and corroboration for use of a nonparametric pedotransfer function for the estimation of soil hydraulic-parameter values at the yucca Mountain area in Nevada for simulations of net infiltration. This approach, shown to be applicable for use at Yucca Mountain, is also applicable for use at the Hanford Site where the underlying data were collected.

  1. DEVELOPMENT OF VADOSE ZONE HYDRAULIC PARAMETER VALUES

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    ROGERS PM

    2008-01-01

    Several approaches have been developed to establish a relation between the soil-moisture retention curve and readily available soil properties. Those relationships are referred to as pedotransfer functions. Described in this paper are the rationale, approach, and corroboration for use of a nonparametric pedotransfer function for the estimation of soil hydraulic-parameter values at the yucca Mountain area in Nevada for simulations of net infiltration. This approach, shown to be applicable for use at Yucca Mountain, is also applicable for use at the Hanford Site where the underlying data were collected

  2. Origin of honeycombs: Testing the hydraulic and case hardening hypotheses

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bruthans, Jiří; Filippi, Michal; Slavík, Martin; Svobodová, Eliška

    2018-02-01

    Cavernous weathering (cavernous rock decay) is a global phenomenon, which occurs in porous rocks around the world. Although honeycombs and tafoni are considered to be the most common products of this complex process, their origin and evolution are as yet not fully understood. The two commonly assumed formation hypotheses - hydraulic and case hardening - were tested to elucidate the origin of honeycombs on sandstone outcrops in a humid climate. Mechanical and hydraulic properties of the lips (walls between adjacent pits) and backwalls (bottoms of pits) of the honeycombs were determined via a set of established and novel approaches. While the case hardening hypothesis was not supported by the determinations of either tensile strength, drilling resistance or porosity, the hydraulic hypothesis was clearly supported by field measurements and laboratory tests. Fluorescein dye visualization of capillary zone, vapor zone, and evaporation front upon their contact, demonstrated that the evaporation front reaches the honeycomb backwalls under low water flow rate, while the honeycomb lips remain dry. During occasional excessive water flow events, however, the evaporation front may shift to the lips, while the backwalls become moist as a part of the capillary zone. As the zone of evaporation corresponds to the zone of potential salt weathering, it is the spatial distribution of the capillary and vapor zones which dictates whether honeycombs are created or the rock surface is smoothed. A hierarchical model of factors related to the hydraulic field was introduced to obtain better insights into the process of cavernous weathering.

  3. Characterising root density of peach trees in a semi-arid Chernozem to increase plant density

    Science.gov (United States)

    Paltineanu, Cristian; Septar, Leinar; Gavat, Corina; Chitu, Emil; Oprita, Alexandru; Moale, Cristina; Calciu, Irina; Vizitiu, Olga; Lamureanu, Gheorghe

    2016-01-01

    The available information on root system in fully mature peach orchards in semi-arid regions is insufficient. This paper presents a study on the root system density in an irrigated peach orchard from Dobrogea, Romania, using the trench technique. The old orchard has clean cultivation in inter-row and in-row. The objectives of the study were to: test the hypothesis that the roots of fully mature peach trees occupy the whole soil volume; find out if root repulsive effect of adjacent plants occurred for the rootstocks and soil conditions; find relationships between root system and soil properties and analyse soil state trend. Some soil physical properties were significantly deteriorated in inter-row versus in-row, mainly due to soil compaction induced by technological traffic. Density of total roots was higher in-row than inter-row, but the differences were not significant. Root density decreased more intensely with soil depth than with distance from tree trunks. Root density correlated with some soil properties. No repulsive effect of the roots of adjacent peach trees was noted. The decrease of root density with distance from trunk can be used in optimising tree arrangement. The conclusions could also be used in countries with similar growth conditions.

  4. Hydraulic mechanism and time-dependent characteristics of loose gully deposits failure induced by rainfall

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yong Wu

    2015-12-01

    Full Text Available Failure of loose gully deposits under the effect of rainfall contributes to the potential risk of debris flow. In the past decades, researches on hydraulic mechanism and time-dependent characteristics of loose deposits failure are frequently reported, however adequate measures for reducing debris flow are not available practically. In this context, a time-dependent model was established to determine the changes of water table of loose deposits using hydraulic and topographic theories. In addition, the variation in water table with elapsed time was analyzed. The formulas for calculating hydrodynamic and hydrostatic pressures on each strip and block unit of deposit were proposed, and the slope stability and failure risk of the loose deposits were assessed based on the time-dependent hydraulic characteristics of established model. Finally, the failure mechanism of deposits based on infinite slope theory was illustrated, with an example, to calculate sliding force, anti-sliding force and residual sliding force applied to each slice. The results indicate that failure of gully deposits under the effect of rainfall is the result of continuously increasing hydraulic pressure and water table. The time-dependent characteristics of loose deposit failure are determined by the factors of hydraulic properties, drainage area of interest, rainfall pattern, rainfall duration and intensity.

  5. Use of Co speciation and soil properties to explain variation in Co toxicity to root growth of barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) in different soils

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mico, C.; Li, H.F.; Zhao, F.J.; McGrath, S.P.

    2008-01-01

    The influence of soil properties on the bioavailability and toxicity of Co to barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) root elongation was investigated. Ten soils varying widely in soil properties were amended with seven doses of CoCl 2 . Soil properties greatly influenced the expression of Co toxicity. The effective concentration of added Co causing 50% inhibition (EC 50 ) ranged from 45 to 863 mg kg -1 , representing almost 20-fold variation among soils. Furthermore, we investigated Co toxicity in relation to Co concentrations and free Co 2+ activity in soil solution. The EC 50 values showed variation among soils of 17- and 29-fold, based on the Co concentration in soil solution and free Co 2+ activity, respectively. Single regressions were carried out between Co toxicity threshold values and selected soil properties. Models obtained showed that soil effective cation exchange capacity (eCEC) and exchangeable calcium were the most consistent single predictors of the EC 50 values based on soil added Co. - Soil eCEC and exchangeable Ca were found to be the best predictors of the toxicity threshold values of Co to barley root growth on different soils

  6. Unsaturated hydraulic behaviour of a permeable pavement: Laboratory investigation and numerical analysis by using the HYDRUS-2D model

    Science.gov (United States)

    Turco, Michele; Kodešová, Radka; Brunetti, Giuseppe; Nikodem, Antonín; Fér, Miroslav; Piro, Patrizia

    2017-11-01

    An adequate hydrological description of water flow in permeable pavement systems relies heavily on the knowledge of the unsaturated hydraulic properties of the construction materials. Although several modeling tools and many laboratory methods already exist in the literature to determine the hydraulic properties of soils, the importance of an accurate materials hydraulic description of the permeable pavement system, is increasingly recognized in the fields of urban hydrology. Thus, the aim of this study is to propose techniques/procedures on how to interpret water flow through the construction system using the HYDRUS model. The overall analysis includes experimental and mathematical procedures for model calibration and validation to assess the suitability of the HYDRUS-2D model to interpret the hydraulic behaviour of a lab-scale permeable pavement system. The system consists of three porous materials: a wear layer of porous concrete blocks, a bedding layers of fine gravel, and a sub-base layer of coarse gravel. The water regime in this system, i.e. outflow at the bottom and water contents in the middle of the bedding layer, was monitored during ten irrigation events of various durations and intensities. The hydraulic properties of porous concrete blocks and fine gravel described by the van Genuchten functions were measured using the clay tank and the multistep outflow experiments, respectively. Coarse gravel properties were set at literature values. In addition, some of the parameters (Ks of the concrete blocks layer, and α, n and Ks of the bedding layer) were optimized with the HYDRUS-2D model from water fluxes and soil water contents measured during irrigation events. The measured and modeled hydrographs were compared using the Nash-Sutcliffe efficiency (NSE) index (varied between 0.95 and 0.99) while the coefficient of determination R2 was used to assess the measured water content versus the modelled water content in the bedding layer (R2 = 0.81 ÷ 0.87) . The

  7. Proceedings of the 1991 national conference on hydraulic engineering

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Shane, R.M.

    1991-01-01

    This book contains the proceedings of the 1991 National Conference of Hydraulic Engineering. The conference was held in conjunction with the International Symposium on Ground Water and a Software Exchange that facilitated exchange of information on recent software developments of interest to hydraulic engineers. Also included in the program were three mini-symposia on the Exclusive Economic Zone, Data Acquisition, and Appropriate Technology. Topics include sedimentation; appropriate technology; exclusive economic zone hydraulics; hydraulic data acquisition and display; innovative hydraulic structures and water quality applications of hydraulic research, including the hydraulics of aerating turbines; wetlands; hydraulic and hydrologic extremes; highway drainage; overtopping protection of dams; spillway design; coastal and estuarine hydraulics; scale models; computation hydraulics; GIS and expert system applications; watershed response to rainfall; probabilistic approaches; and flood control investigations

  8. Undular Hydraulic Jump

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Oscar Castro-Orgaz

    2015-04-01

    Full Text Available The transition from subcritical to supercritical flow when the inflow Froude number Fo is close to unity appears in the form of steady state waves called undular hydraulic jump. The characterization of the undular hydraulic jump is complex due to the existence of a non-hydrostatic pressure distribution that invalidates the gradually-varied flow theory, and supercritical shock waves. The objective of this work is to present a mathematical model for the undular hydraulic jump obtained from an approximate integration of the Reynolds equations for turbulent flow assuming that the Reynolds number R is high. Simple analytical solutions are presented to reveal the physics of the theory, and a numerical model is used to integrate the complete equations. The limit of application of the theory is discussed using a wave breaking condition for the inception of a surface roller. The validity of the mathematical predictions is critically assessed using physical data, thereby revealing aspects on which more research is needed

  9. Hydro-mechanical coupled simulation of hydraulic fracturing using the eXtended Finite Element Method (XFEM)

    Science.gov (United States)

    Youn, Dong Joon

    This thesis presents the development and validation of an advanced hydro-mechanical coupled finite element program analyzing hydraulic fracture propagation within unconventional hydrocarbon formations under various conditions. The realistic modeling of hydraulic fracturing is necessarily required to improve the understanding and efficiency of the stimulation technique. Such modeling remains highly challenging, however, due to factors including the complexity of fracture propagation mechanisms, the coupled behavior of fracture displacement and fluid pressure, the interactions between pre-existing natural and initiated hydraulic fractures and the formation heterogeneity of the target reservoir. In this research, an eXtended Finite Element Method (XFEM) scheme is developed allowing for representation of single or multiple fracture propagations without any need for re-meshing. Also, the coupled flows through the fracture are considered in the program to account for their influence on stresses and deformations along the hydraulic fracture. In this research, a sequential coupling scheme is applied to estimate fracture aperture and fluid pressure with the XFEM. Later, the coupled XFEM program is used to estimate wellbore bottomhole pressure during fracture propagation, and the pressure variations are analyzed to determine the geometry and performance of the hydraulic fracturing as pressure leak-off test. Finally, material heterogeneity is included into the XFEM program to check the effect of random formation property distributions to the hydraulic fracture geometry. Random field theory is used to create the random realization of the material heterogeneity with the consideration of mean, standard deviation, and property correlation length. These analyses lead to probabilistic information on the response of unconventional reservoirs and offer a more scientific approach regarding risk management for the unconventional reservoir stimulation. The new stochastic approach

  10. The thermal-hydraulic for the new technologies: the micro-fluidics

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Crecy, F. de; Gruss, A.; Bricard, A.; Excoffon, J.

    2000-01-01

    The micro-fluidics can be defined as the fluid flow in little canals. This scale offers a great interest for the biotechnology type. In this paper, the authors present this fluids form and detail the researches performed at the Department of Physics and Thermal-hydraulics of the CEA, in the domain of the physical properties characterization and of the numerical two-phase direct simulation. (A.L.B.)

  11. On the role of model depth and hydraulic properties for groundwater flow modelling during glacial climate conditions

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Vidstrand, Patrik; Rhen, Ingvar

    2011-03-01

    A common assumption in regional groundwater flow simulations of periods with glacial climate conditions is that the salinity at the bottom boundary of the model domain is stable (constant over time). This assumption is partly based on the general fact that water density increases with increasing salinity, but also supported by measurements, e.g. the mobile (fracture water) and immobile (porewater) salinity typically increase with depth, whereas the conductive fracture frequency and fracture transmissivity often decrease with depth. Plausibly, the depth to stable hydrogeological conditions varies between sites, and the question studied here is whether hydrogeological disturbances could occur at 2-4 km depth during glacial climate conditions. With regard to the results of SDM-Site and SR-Site, the hydrogeological conditions at repository depth indicate less groundwater flow during glacial climate conditions at Forsmark than at Laxemar. For this reason, this study uses the Laxemar site as a hypothetical site of potentially more permeable conditions, hence more readily affected during glacial climate conditions. A series of flow simulations conducted with DarcyTools in an approximately 5 km deep, super-regional model domain centred on the Laxemar site are reported. The studied cases (model variants) represent a variety of different property specifications along with variations in initial conditions concerning salinity. The model domain is subjected to a transient top boundary representing an advancing ice sheet margin. The behaviour of the grid cell pressure, Darcy flux and mobile salinity is monitored at four different elevations along a vertical scan line through the centre of the suggested location for a KBS-3 repository at Laxemar. The studied monitoring points are located at -0.5 km, -2.5 km, -3.0 km, and -3.5 km. These elevations are chosen with the objective to study the range of hydrogeological disturbance that could occur at 2-4 km depth. The flow model is run

  12. On the role of model depth and hydraulic properties for groundwater flow modelling during glacial climate conditions

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Vidstrand, Patrik (TerraSolve AB (Sweden)); Rhen, Ingvar (SWECO Environment AB (Sweden))

    2011-03-15

    A common assumption in regional groundwater flow simulations of periods with glacial climate conditions is that the salinity at the bottom boundary of the model domain is stable (constant over time). This assumption is partly based on the general fact that water density increases with increasing salinity, but also supported by measurements, e.g. the mobile (fracture water) and immobile (porewater) salinity typically increase with depth, whereas the conductive fracture frequency and fracture transmissivity often decrease with depth. Plausibly, the depth to stable hydrogeological conditions varies between sites, and the question studied here is whether hydrogeological disturbances could occur at 2-4 km depth during glacial climate conditions. With regard to the results of SDM-Site and SR-Site, the hydrogeological conditions at repository depth indicate less groundwater flow during glacial climate conditions at Forsmark than at Laxemar. For this reason, this study uses the Laxemar site as a hypothetical site of potentially more permeable conditions, hence more readily affected during glacial climate conditions. A series of flow simulations conducted with DarcyTools in an approximately 5 km deep, super-regional model domain centred on the Laxemar site are reported. The studied cases (model variants) represent a variety of different property specifications along with variations in initial conditions concerning salinity. The model domain is subjected to a transient top boundary representing an advancing ice sheet margin. The behaviour of the grid cell pressure, Darcy flux and mobile salinity is monitored at four different elevations along a vertical scan line through the centre of the suggested location for a KBS-3 repository at Laxemar. The studied monitoring points are located at -0.5 km, -2.5 km, -3.0 km, and -3.5 km. These elevations are chosen with the objective to study the range of hydrogeological disturbance that could occur at 2-4 km depth. The flow model is run

  13. Estimating Hydraulic Conductivities in a Fractured Shale Formation from Pressure Pulse Testing and 3d Modeling

    Science.gov (United States)

    Courbet, C.; DICK, P.; Lefevre, M.; Wittebroodt, C.; Matray, J.; Barnichon, J.

    2013-12-01

    In the framework of its research on the deep disposal of radioactive waste in shale formations, the French Institute for Radiological Protection and Nuclear Safety (IRSN) has developed a large array of in situ programs concerning the confining properties of shales in their underground research laboratory at Tournemire (SW France). One of its aims is to evaluate the occurrence and processes controlling radionuclide migration through the host rock, from the disposal system to the biosphere. Past research programs carried out at Tournemire covered mechanical, hydro-mechanical and physico-chemical properties of the Tournemire shale as well as water chemistry and long-term behaviour of the host rock. Studies show that fluid circulations in the undisturbed matrix are very slow (hydraulic conductivity of 10-14 to 10-15 m.s-1). However, recent work related to the occurrence of small scale fractures and clay-rich fault gouges indicate that fluid circulations may have been significantly modified in the vicinity of such features. To assess the transport properties associated with such faults, IRSN designed a series of in situ and laboratory experiments to evaluate the contribution of both diffusive and advective process on water and solute flux through a clay-rich fault zone (fault core and damaged zone) and in an undisturbed shale formation. As part of these studies, Modular Mini-Packer System (MMPS) hydraulic testing was conducted in multiple boreholes to characterize hydraulic conductivities within the formation. Pressure data collected during the hydraulic tests were analyzed using the nSIGHTS (n-dimensional Statistical Inverse Graphical Hydraulic Test Simulator) code to estimate hydraulic conductivity and formation pressures of the tested intervals. Preliminary results indicate hydraulic conductivities of 5.10-12 m.s-1 in the fault core and damaged zone and 10-14 m.s-1 in the adjacent undisturbed shale. Furthermore, when compared with neutron porosity data from borehole

  14. Chemical characterization and prebiotic activity of fructo-oligosaccharides from Stevia rebaudiana (Bertoni) roots and in vitro adventitious root cultures.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sanches Lopes, Sheila Mara; Francisco, Mariane Grigio; Higashi, Bruna; de Almeida, Rafaela Takako Ribeiro; Krausová, Gabriela; Pilau, Eduardo Jorge; Gonçalves, José Eduardo; Gonçalves, Regina Aparecida Correia; Oliveira, Arildo José Braz de

    2016-11-05

    Stevia rebaudiana (Bertoni) is widely studied because of its foliar steviol glycosides. Fructan-type polysaccharides were recently isolated from its roots. Fructans are reserve carbohydrates that have important positive health effects and technological applications in the food industry. The objective of the present study was to isolate and characterize fructo-oligosaccharides (FOSs) from S. rebaudiana roots and in vitro adventitious root cultures and evaluate the potential prebiotic effect of these molecules. The in vitro adventitious root cultures were obtained using a roller bottle system. Chemical analyses (gas chromatography-mass spectrometry, (1)H nuclear magnetic resonance, and off-line electrospray ionization-mass spectrometry) revealed similar chemical properties of FOSs that were obtained from the different sources. The potential prebiotic effects of FOSs that were isolated from S. rebaudiana roots enhanced the growth of both bifidobacteria and lactobacilli, with strains specificity in their fermentation ability. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  15. Selective perceptions of hydraulic fracturing.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sarge, Melanie A; VanDyke, Matthew S; King, Andy J; White, Shawna R

    2015-01-01

    Hydraulic fracturing (HF) is a focal topic in discussions about domestic energy production, yet the American public is largely unfamiliar and undecided about the practice. This study sheds light on how individuals may come to understand hydraulic fracturing as this unconventional production technology becomes more prominent in the United States. For the study, a thorough search of HF photographs was performed, and a systematic evaluation of 40 images using an online experimental design involving N = 250 participants was conducted. Key indicators of hydraulic fracturing support and beliefs were identified. Participants showed diversity in their support for the practice, with 47 percent expressing low support, 22 percent high support, and 31 percent undecided. Support for HF was positively associated with beliefs that hydraulic fracturing is primarily an economic issue and negatively associated with beliefs that it is an environmental issue. Level of support was also investigated as a perceptual filter that facilitates biased issue perceptions and affective evaluations of economic benefit and environmental cost frames presented in visual content of hydraulic fracturing. Results suggested an interactive relationship between visual framing and level of support, pointing to a substantial barrier to common understanding about the issue that strategic communicators should consider.

  16. Hydraulic conductance as well as nitrogen accumulation plays a role in the higher rate of leaf photosynthesis of the most productive variety of rice in Japan.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Taylaran, Renante D; Adachi, Shunsuke; Ookawa, Taiichiro; Usuda, Hideaki; Hirasawa, Tadashi

    2011-07-01

    An indica variety Takanari is known as one of the most productive rice varieties in Japan and consistently produces 20-30% heavier dry matter during ripening than Japanese commercial varieties in the field. The higher rate of photosynthesis of individual leaves during ripening has been recognized in Takanari. By using pot-grown plants under conditions of minimal mutual shading, it was confirmed that the higher rate of leaf photosynthesis is responsible for the higher dry matter production after heading in Takanari as compared with a japonica variety, Koshihikari. The rate of leaf photosynthesis and shoot dry weight became larger in Takanari after the panicle formation and heading stages, respectively, than in Koshihikari. Roots grew rapidly in the panicle formation stage until heading in Takanari compared with Koshihikari. The higher rate of leaf photosynthesis in Takanari resulted not only from the higher content of leaf nitrogen, which was caused by its elevated capacity for nitrogen accumulation, but also from higher stomatal conductance. When measured under light-saturated conditions, stomatal conductance was already decreased due to the reduction in leaf water potential in Koshihikari even under conditions of a relatively small difference in leaf-air vapour pressure difference. In contrast, the higher stomatal conductance was supported by the maintenance of higher leaf water potential through the higher hydraulic conductance in Takanari with the larger area of root surface. However, no increase in root hydraulic conductivity was expected in Takanari. The larger root surface area of Takanari might be a target trait in future rice breeding for increasing dry matter production.

  17. Hydraulic Hybrid Fleet Vehicle Testing | Transportation Research | NREL

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hydraulic Hybrid Fleet Vehicle Evaluations Hydraulic Hybrid Fleet Vehicle Evaluations How Hydraulic Hybrid Vehicles Work Hydraulic hybrid systems can capture up to 70% of the kinetic energy that would -pressure reservoir to a high-pressure accumulator. When the vehicle accelerates, fluid in the high-pressure

  18. Soil moisture causes dynamic adjustments to root reinforcement that reduce slope stability

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tristram C. Hales; Chelcy F. Miniat

    2017-01-01

    In steep soil-mantled landscapes, the initiation of shallow landslides is strongly controlled by the distribution of vegetation, whose roots reinforce the soil. The magnitude of root reinforcement depends on the number, diameter distribution, orientation and the mechanical properties of roots that cross potential failure planes. Understanding how these...

  19. Adult root structure of Mediterranean shrubs: relationship with post-fire regenerative syndrome.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Saura-Mas, S; Lloret, F

    2014-01-01

    Life-history attributes can impose differences on root system structures and properties related to nutrient and water uptake. Here, we assess whether plants with different post-fire regenerative strategies (resprouters, seeders and seeder-resprouters) differ in the topological and morphological properties of their root systems (external path, altitude, magnitude, topological index, specific root length, root length, root-to-shoot biomass ratio, length of the main axis of the root system and link length). To achieve these objectives, we sampled individuals from eight woody species in a shrubland located in the western Mediterranean Basin. We sampled the adult root systems using manual field excavation with the aid of an air compressor. The results indicate that resprouters have a higher root-to-shoot ratio, confirming their higher ability to store water, starch and nutrients and to invest in the belowground biomass. Moreover, this pattern would allow them to explore deeper parts of the soil layers. Seeder species would benefit from a higher specific root length, pointing to increased relative root growth and water uptake rates. This study confirms that seeders and resprouters may differ in nutrient and water uptake ability according to the characteristics of their root system. Species that can both resprout and establish seedlings after fire had different patterns of root system structure; in particular, root:shoot ratio was more similar to resprouters and specific root length was closer to seeders, supporting the distinct functional performance of this type of species. © 2013 German Botanical Society and The Royal Botanical Society of the Netherlands.

  20. ATWS thermal-hydraulic analysis for Krsko Full Scope Simulator validation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Parzer, I.; Kljenak, I.

    2005-01-01

    The purpose of this analysis was to simulate Anticipated Transient without Scram transient for Krsko NPP. The results of these calculations were used for annual ANSI/ANS validation of reactor coolant system thermal-hydraulic response predicted by Krsko Full Scope Simulator. For the thermal-hydraulic analyses the RELAP5/MOD3.3 code and the input model for NPP Krsko, delivered by NPP Krsko, was used. In the presented paper the most severe ATWS scenario has been analyzed, starting with the loss of Main Feedwater at both steam generators. Thus, gradual loss of secondary heat sink occurred. On top of that, control rods were not supposed to scram, leaving the chain reaction to be controlled only by inherent physical properties of the fuel and moderator and eventual actions of the BOP system. The primary system response has been studied assuming AMSAC availability. (author)