Special emphasis is given to the constitutive behaviour of rock material, including rock mechanics and partial saturation, chemo-mechanics, thermo-hydro-mechanics, weathering and creep. Theoretical concepts, laboratory and field experiments and numerical simulations are discussed. Multiphysics coupling and long-term behaviour has practical applicat

This publication contains the papers presented at the 15th European Conference on Soil Mechanics and Geotechnical Engineering (ECSMGE), held in Athens, Greece. Considerable progress has been made in recent decades in understanding the engineering behavior of those hard soils and weak rocks that clearly fall into either the field of soil or of rock mechanics, and there have been important developments in design and construction methods to cope with them. Progress would be even more desirable, however, for those materials which fall into the ‘grey’ area between soils and rocks. They present particular challenges due to their diversity, the difficulties and problems arising in their identification and classification, their sampling and testing and in the establishment of suitable models to adequately describe their behavior. The publication aims to provide an updated overview of the existing worldwide knowledge of the geological features, engineering properties and behavior of such hard soils and weak rocks, with particular reference to the design and construction methods and problems associated with these materials. Part 4 was published post-conference and includes Conference Reports.

This book discusses all aspects of librarianship, emphasizing the most important issues facing the profession today. Librarians are a group of specialists tasked with ensuring the authenticity of information and safeguarding their consumers from the negative epistemic consequences of erroneous knowledge, entirely committed to information literacy. The book is richly illustrated, often with stunning illustrations and clear schematic diagrams for simple understanding of the subject matter.

Reservoir quality is studied using a wide range of similar techniques in both sandstones and carbonates. Sandstone and carbonate reservoir quality both benefit from the study of modern analogues and experiments, but modelling approaches are currently quite different for these two types of reservoirs. There are many common controls on sandstone and carbonate reservoir quality, but also distinct differences due primarily to mineralogy. Numerous controversies remain including the question of oil inhibition, the key control on pressure solution and geochemical flux of material to or from reservoirs. This collection of papers contains case-study-based examples of sandstone and carbonate reservoir quality prediction as well as modern analogue, outcrop analogue, modelling and advanced analytical approaches.

Squeezing ground represents a challenging operating environment as it may slow down or obstruct TBM operation. Due to the geometrical constraints of the equipment, relatively small convergences of 10-20 cm may lead to considerable difficulties in the machine area (sticking of the cutter head, jamming of the shield) or in the back-up area (e.g., jamming of the back-up equipment, inadmissible convergences of the bored profile, damage to the tunnel support). Depending on the number and the length of the critical stretches, squeezing conditions may even call into question the feasibility of a TBM drive. On account of this, and bearing in mind the steady increase in the number of tunnels excavated with TBMs through so-called "difficult ground conditions", the topic investigated in this PhD thesis is of great practical relevance.Based upon case histories reported in the literature, Part I sets out firstly to give an overview of the specific problems of TBM tunnelling under squeezing conditions. Part II presents a computational model which simulates accurately and efficiently the advancing TBM and the installed tunnel support in one single computational step applying the so-called "steady state method". Part III advances a number of theory-based decision aids, which will support rapid, initial assessments to be made of thrust force requirements. Part IV investigates the complex problem of the interaction between the advancing TBM, the consolidating ground and the lining. Emphasis is thereby placed on the effect of the gross advance rate and the effect of ground permeability on shield loading during regular TBM operation (the boring process including short standstills) and during a long standstill.

Featuring contributions from major technology vendors, industry consortia, and government and private research establishments, the Industrial Communication Technology Handbook, Second Edition provides comprehensive and authoritative coverage of wire- and wireless-based specialized communication networks used in plant and factory automation, automotive applications, avionics, building automation, energy and power systems, train applications, and more. New to the Second Edition: 46 brand-new chapters and 21 substantially revised chapters Inclusion of the latest, most significant developments in specialized communication technologies and systems Addition of new application domains for specialized networks The Industrial Communication Technology Handbook, Second Edition supplies readers with a thorough understanding of the application-specific requirements for communication services and their supporting technologies. It is useful to a broad spectrum of professionals involved in the conception, design, development, standardization, and use of specialized communication networks as well as academic institutions engaged in engineering education and vocational training.

Unsaturated Soils: Research and Applications contains 247 papers presented at 6th International Conference on Unsaturated Soils (UNSAT2014, Sydney, Australia, 2-4 July 2014). The two volumes provide an overview of recent experimental and theoretical advances in a wide variety of topics related to unsaturated soil mechanics:- Unsaturated Soil Behavi