bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Brillouin neutron spectroscopy as a probe to investigate collective density fluctuations in bio-molecules hydration water
Authors: Russo D.  , Orecchini A.  , De Francesco A.  , Formisano F.  , Laloni A.  , Petrillo C.  , Sacchetti F.
Published: February 2025

The role of water in the behaviour of biomolecules is well recognized. The coupling of motions between water and biomolecules has been studied in a wide time scale for the self part while collective dynamics is still quite unexplored. Self dynamics provide information about the diffusion processes of water molecules and relaxation processes of the protein structure. Collective density fluctuations might provide important insight on the transmission of information possibly correlated to biological functionality. The idea that hydration water layers surrounding a biological molecule show a self dynamical signature that differs appreciably from that of bulk water, in analogy with glass-former systems, is quite accepted. In the same picture Brillouin Terahertz spectroscopy has been used to directly probe collective dynamics of hydration water molecules around bio-systems, showing a weaker coupling and a more bulk-like behaviour. We will discuss results of collective modes hydration water, arising from neutron Brillouin spectroscopy, in the context of bio-molecules-solvent interaction.
Guanine – A combined study using vibrational spectroscopy and theoretical methods
Authors: Lopes Rui Pedro  , Marques M. Paula M.  , Valero R.  , Tomkinson John  , Batista de Carvalho Luís A.E.
Published: February 2025

The present work reports a conformational study of solid-state anhydrous guanine, using vibrational spectroscopy techniques – infrared, Raman and inelastic neutron scattering – coupled to quantum mechanical methods at the DFT level, both for the isolated molecule and the condensed state. In both cases, the 7H-keto-amino tautomer was found to be the prevalent form, contrary to aqueous solutions and hydrated polycrystalline guanine, where the 9H-keto-amino tautomer is the most favoured species. This study is a significant contribution for the existing spectroscopic characterisation of this purine base, by unambiguously assigning its vibrational spectra.
SERS microspectroscopy of biomolecules on dried Ag colloidal drops
Authors: Šimáková P.  , Procházka M.  , Kočišová E.
Published: February 2025

We report the application of dried Ag hydroxylamine-reduced colloidal drops to surface-enhanced (resonance) Raman scattering (SE(R)RS) study of biomolecules using Raman microspectroscopy. 5,10,15,20-tetrakis(1-methyl-4-pyridyl)porphyrin (TMPyP), amino acid tryptophan and phospholipid 1,2-distearoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (DSPC) served as testing biomolecules. Ag colloid/biomolecule drop dried on glass support forms a ring in the edge part of the drop in which almost all nanoparticles are clustered. This specific drying process promotes adsorption of the studied biomolecules in highly enhancing sites (‘hot spots’) as well as concentrates them in the ring. We were able to obtain SE(R)RS spectra from the ring that cannot be acquired directly from Ag colloidal solutions (SERRS spectrum of 1×10−10M TMPyP by 1 s accumulation time, SERS spectrum of 2×10−7M DSPC). Despite the spectral irreproducibility and problems with spurious bands in some cases, SERS microspectroscopy of studied biomolecules using dried Ag colloid/adsorbate systems improves SERS applicability and sensitivity in comparison to measurements directly from Ag colloidal solution.
Supramolecular organization of the complexes of DNA with chromosomal proteins HMGB1 and H1
Authors: Polyanichko Alexander  , Chikhirzhina Elena
Published: February 2025

The structural organization of the DNA complexes with non-histone chromosomal protein and linker histone H1 was studied using circular dichroism spectroscopy (CD) and atomic force microscopy (AFM). It has been shown that due to the interaction between HMGB1 and H1 highly ordered DNA–protein complexes emerge in the solution. Their spectral properties are found to be similar to those of DNA/HMGB1-(AB) complexes, reported earlier. AFM images reveal the formation of fibril-like structures in the solution. We suggest, that the electrostatic screening of the HMGB1 C-terminal domain by histone H1 facilitates stronger interaction of the HMGB1/H1 with DNA and the formation of the ordered supramolecular DNA–protein complexes.
Raman spectroscopy of bacterial species and strains cultivated under reproducible conditions
Authors: Almarashi Jamal F.M.  , Kapel Natalia  , Wilkinson Thomas S.  , Telle Helmut H.
Published: February 2025

Rapid and reproducible discrimination between bacterial pathogens is a clear goal in microbiological laboratories when processing infected clinical samples. In this study Raman spectra were taken from at least 30 colonies of four strains of bacteria including Staphylococus epidermidis (1457 and 9142) and Escherichia coli (K12 and Top10) using the Renishaw inVia Raman microscope system. Analysis based on principal components suggests that even strain differentiation (e.g., 1457 vs. 9142 or K12 vs Top10) is possible.
Theoretical and experimental studies on alkali metal phenoxyacetates
Authors: Regulska E.  , Samsonowicz M.  , Świsłocka R.  , Lewandowski W.
Published: February 2025

Optimized geometrical structures of alkali metal phenoxyacetates were obtained using B3LYP/6-311++G**method. Geometric and magnetic aromaticity indices, dipole moments and energies were calculated. Atomic charges on the atoms of phenoxyacetic acid molecule and its alkali metal salts were calculated by Mulliken, APT (Atomic Polar Tensor), NPA (Natural Population Analysis), MK (Merz–Singh–Kollman method) and ChelpG (Charges from electrostatic potentials using Grid based method) methods. The theoretical wavenumbers and intensities of IR as well as chemical shifts in NMR spectra were obtained and compared with experimental data. The effect of alkali metals on molecular structure of phenoxyacetic acid expresses in the shift of selected bands along the series of alkali metal salts. The correlation between chosen bands and some metal parameters, such as electronegativity, ionization energy, atomic and ionic radius have been noticed.
Georgian Policy Towards the North Caucasus: Old Dilemmas, New Trends
Authors: Nodia Ghia
Published: February 2025

Since the fall of 2010, Georgia launched its new policy towards Russia's North Caucasus that includes institution of a visa-free travel regime for the residents of this region, as well as recognition by the Georgian Parliament of “Circassian Genocide”, etc. The policy is aimed at attracting the goodwill of the peoples of the North Caucasus and is based on the understanding that while this region is part of the Russian Federation, the attitudes and actions of the people residing there are important for Georgia's security. However, Georgia's new policy was met by strong criticism from the Russian government and fears in the West that it may have destabilizing effect in this volatile region.
Evolution of Cooperation and Mutual Perceptions: Romania-Republic of Moldova
Authors: Şoitu Daniela  , Şoitu Conţiu-Tiberiu  , Morariu Camelia
Published: February 2025

This article focuses on the evolution of cooperation and mutual perceptions of two neighboring states: Romania and the Republic of Moldova. It underlines regional development and the way in which entrepreneurship, cooperation and development, take place at the border of the two states. The article's main objectives are the description of the strategies and priorities defined by the action of people engaged in regional development and entrepreneurship at the border level, the description of motivations, positive effects and problems in this process, the impact of the EU and national policies on these processes.. Data has been collected, analyzed and interpreted, starting with European, national and regional documents, regarding regional development and cross-border entrepreneurship, from political declarations of the representatives of the two countries, to basic interviews with local and regional stakeholders, with representatives of civil organizations, and small and medium enterprises who are involved in cross-border cooperation projects at the Romanian-Moldavian border as well. The main conclusions emphasize the importance of European and national politics and financing for the evolution of cooperation, for regional development and for cross-border partnership. Implications for future research and practice are discussed.
Extreme Political Attitudes and Emotionally Based Strategic Communications
Authors: Ćosić Krešimir  , Popović Siniša  , Srbljinović Armano  , Kovač Bernard  , Fabek Ivan
Published: February 2025

Group based dominant emotional maps characterized by long lasting negatively valenced emotions, such as fear, anger, hatred or humiliation may elicit strong extreme political attitudes, actions and behaviors, as well as massive posttraumatic stress disorders. The impact of these dominant negatively valenced emotions on political attitudes, actions and group behavior can be referred as toxic power of negatively valenced emotions. Persistent negatively valenced group based dominant emotions may be also used as quantitative statistical measure and the most relevant early warning indicator of potential terrorism and violence among respected group members. The toxic power of extreme political attitudes, actions and behavior might be reduced by Emotionally Based Strategic Communications (EBSC) as a communication method for transforming negative dominant emotional maps into more positive ones. EBSC is conceptualized as the positively valenced stimulation of a negatively emotionally affected group by an appropriate communications strategy, in order to influence extreme political behavior of a targeted group. We argue for significant potential of EBSC to prevent the arousal of intense negative emotions within human collectives and groups, as well as mitigate the toxic power of negatively valenced emotions. Prevention and reduction of negative emotions may ease social and security tensions in politically polarized, culturally fragmented, or economically stratified social settings, and prevent political terrorism by facilitating harmonization of diversified communities. The extreme political attitudes, and related dominant negatively valenced emotions have their neural representation in specific changes on biochemical and molecular levels of related limbic and prefrontal cortical structures of affected brains. Societal enrichment based on positively valenced EBSC might have positive social impact eliciting various positive neuronal responses and changes in the brains of affected people, ranging from different biochemical to neural structural changes like neurogenesis, synaptic plasticity, dendritic arborization, increase of synapse-to-neuron ratios, axonal growth, neurotransmitter changes etc. We regard EBSC “soft power” as important contribution to prevention of extremist action tendencies and radicalized behaviors in afflicted societies. EBSC policy can be also viewed as a large-scale strategy of emotion regulation that might decrease destructive power of extreme political behavior and terrorism.
Our Experiences in the Use of VR Technology in Therapy and Prevention of Combat Related Stress Disorders in the Polish Army
Authors: Ilnicki Stanislaw  , Tworus Radosław  , Szymanska Sylwia  , Laskowska Agnieszka  , Zbyszewski Maciej  , Kosinska Ludmila  , Maciolek Justyna  , Ilnicki Piotr  , Radzikowski Andrzej K.  , Wojtłowska-Wiechetek Dorota  , Siatkowska Anna  , Filarowska Monika  , Petrovic Ana
Published: February 2025

This paper is a report on 5-year partnership between the Department of Psychiatry and Combat Stress (DP&CS) of the Military Institute of Medicine in Warsaw with the Virtual Reality Medical Center (VRMC) of San Diego, USA in implementation of VR technology in the area of protection of mental health of Polish Military Contingent's (PMC) soldiers and veterans who participated in Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF) and Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF). The partnership was initiated by the VRMC that transferred free of charge to the DP&CS computer hardware along with dedicated software and provided training to the personnel in the field of the Graded-Exposure, Virtual-Reality-Facilitated, Biofeedback-Guided Treatment for Combat-PTSD. Initially this method was applied to all patients with combat related stress disorders, hospitalised in our clinic. Later on it was limited to PTSD and the VR therapy was based on a therapeutic link and patient's trust to the therapist. Control of arousal by a proper breathing pattern restored to those patients a sense of control over their emotions and facilitated deepened psychotherapeutic work. A strong point of the VR therapy was a possibility of grading the difficulty level of the VR exposed scenes. An excessively technical nature of this method was a source of reserve of the therapists towards this approach. Because of this the VR therapy should be used for treatment of PTSD patients only as additional and supporting one. Good results in PTSD treatment were obtained by a combination of the VR therapy with behavioural training.
VR Stress Inoculation Training Results for Polish ISAF Soldiers – A Study of 4 Cases
Authors: Kosinska Ludmila  , Ilnicki Stanislaw  , Wiederhold Brenda K.  , Maciolek Justyna  , Szymanska Sylwia  , Opalko-Piotrkiewicz Ewelina  , Siatkowska Anna  , Ilnicki Piotr  , Zbyszewski Maciej  , Glibowska Anna
Published: February 2025

Abstract. The aim of this study was to evaluate the results of VR Stress Inoculation Training (SIT) for 4 soldiers preparing for their first mission in Afghanistan (ISAF) and to assess if their temperamental structure was related to successful training.
Brain Systems and Circuits in PTSD: Overview of Clinical Research Models
Authors: Vermetten Eric
Published: February 2025

One of the goals in research in the clinical neuroscience of trauma-related disorders is to apply findings related to the effects of traumatic stress in the brain on animals and patients with trauma and stressor-related disorders, e.g. PTSD. The paradigm of translational neuroscience has been an avenue that has contributed much to a model of the neural circuitry of PTSD that is currently used in studies. In general, the neural circuits and systems mediating symptoms of all PTSD, trauma and stressor-related disorders can be studied by registering en assessing behavioral and biochemical responses to environmental/pharmacological challenge to specific neurochemical systems measuring neurotransmitters and hormone levels in blood, urine, and saliva; measuring key brain structures with neuroimaging (Magnetic Resonance Imaging, MRI); provoking disease-specific symptoms in conjunction with (functional) neuroimaging (functional MRI, fMRI), or using imaging (Positron Emission Tomography, PET) to measure neuroreceptors. The findings of the studies (research designs, methodologies, and some of the techniques) will be discussed in this chapter varying to a great extent. Three key mechanisms seen in PTSD are: stress sensitization, fear conditioning and failure of extinction. This chapter further focuses on the functional neuroimaging research conducted in PTSD. It covers various techniques (SPECT, PET and fMRI) that are used in different kinds of paradigms (resting, active tasks and stimulus presentation) and provides a global overview of the brain circuits that currently are used to explain the phenomenology in PTSD. The disorder showed remarkable heterogeneity in some recent studies. These give consideration to speculate on two models for the disorder that can alternate and coexist together. These two models will be presented, one, in which the amygdala is hyperactive, in line with fear circuitry, being the most common and dominant situation. In another model the amygdala is hypoactive, in line with predominance of symptoms of derealisation and depersonalization symptoms that are accompanying the other PTSD symptoms. Finally, the need for longitudinal studies is emphasized. Studies that assess patients before as well as after treatment are the paradigm that will be new and promising.
Potential Information Fusion Technologies Applicable to Maritime Piracy Awareness
Authors: Valin Pierre
Published: February 2025

Complex situations, either military or civilian, require higher-level information fusion to provide decision-makers with proper situation assessment/awareness, and impact/threat assessment. Basic models such as the OODA loop and Endsley's model are highlighted and compared. The role of taxonomies/ontologies, and the need for some standardization (STANAG or MIL-STD) is stressed. Critical issues such as reliability, credibility, and information relevance is also described, since they strongly affect the quality of the results obtained through information fusion. Network-enabled operations, which can be achieved through information exchange via data links, require that fusion nodes be distributed, one per platform. Prosecution of pirates is most easily achieved by ships that are dispatched using the Common Operating Picture shared by the patrol aircraft, UAVs, satellites, ships and ground stations.
Closed-loop Information Fusion and Resource Management in INFORM Lab
Authors: Guitouni Adel  , Valin Pierre
Published: February 2025

The INFORM Lab testbed allows experimenting with high-level distributed information fusion and dynamic resource management, given multiple constraints on the resources and their communications networks. This presentation describes the architecture, the concepts of goals and situation evidence, algorithms for distributed information fusion and dynamic resource management. The testbed provides general services which include a multi-layer plug-and-play architecture, and a general multi-agent framework based on John Boyd's OODA loop.
Anti-Piracy Intelligence: Adapting Lessons from Other Forms of Irregular Conflict
Authors: Glenn Russell W.
Published: February 2025

Largely separate efforts characterize the current state of anti-piracy intelligence operations. Lessons from other forms of irregular conflict – counterinsurgency (COIN) in particular – can inform the gathering, processing, and distribution of information vital to ultimately persevering against the pirate threat. The author offers seven general guidelines to assist in this regard: Maintain a Systems Approach; Adapt Organizations; Train Everyone to Serve as a Sensor; Equip Everyone to Serve as a Sensor; Adapt Rather than Rely on Cold War Intelligence Approaches; Expand the Concept of “Coalition”; Influence Select Segments of the Population. Adaptation will be essential in moulding this guidance to the demands of an anti-piracy undertaking. Orchestrating the intelligence capabilities each participant can bring to bear will be of overarching importance if those capabilities are to effectively serve as implements in achieving ultimate success.
Mastering System Analysis and Design through Abstraction and Refinement
Authors: Butler Michael
Published: February 2025

The complexity of requirements and complexity of operating environments make error detection in early stages of software system development difficult. This paper makes an argument for the use of formal modelling and verification in early stages of system development to identify and eliminate errors in a timely fashion. Precision is key to eliminating errors in requirements while abstraction is key to mastering requirements complexity. The paper outlines the way in which precision and abstraction may be achieved through modelling and how refinement allows the complexity to be managed through layering. The role of model validation and model verification in improving the quality of formal models and in improving the quality of the requirements is also outlined. The formalism used throughout is Event-B supported by the Rodin toolset.
The Security Policy-Energy Nexus
Authors: Poptchev Peter
Published: February 2025

Based on joint analysis, security and energy cooperation strategies for the wider Black Sea area could be developed, with prior agreement that their respective negotiation and implementation should be tackled in separate “non-energy” fora. Critical Energy Infrastructure Protection (CEIP) should be seen as a component of a broader NATO policy on energy security as an emerging challenge: intelligence gathering and information sharing; pre-positioning of heavy moving and lifting equipment at points close to maritime choke points; coordination of national and regional CEIP measures are all relevant measures to the wider Black Sea area.
End-User no longer
Authors: Vanz Elena  , Karakiewicz Justyna  , Holland Amnon
Published: February 2025

Infrastructure is a physical device that delivers a service needed to an end-user (consumer). Thus, it is in its identity to be formed by two distinct layers: the physical structure and the carried service. Today transition to decentralized and distributed infrastructures models focuses on redesigning the way of electricity infrastructures operate considering both a local production of the service from renewable resources and technology, and a more proactive role of the end-userInternational Renewable Energy Agency
A Mobile App for Adaptive Test in Intelligent Tutoring System Based on Competences
Authors: Badaracco Miguel  , Liu Jun  , Martinez Luis
Published: February 2025

An Intelligent Tutor System (ITS) aims to customize teaching processes dynamically according to student's profile and activities by means of artificial intelligence techniques. The use of Competency based Education as pedagogical model has developed the ITS based on Competences (ITS-C). The architecture of an ITS-C uses a modular structure that optimizes the computational requirements for its implementation. Such modular architecture facilitates its use with ubiquitous devices. Therefore ITS-C or several of its processes may be ubiquitously offered to teachers and students. In this contribution a mobile app for adaptive test in ITS-C is introduced.
An Empirical Study on the Effects of Embodied Conversational Agents on User Retention Performance and Perception in a Simulated Mobile Environment
Authors: Doumanis Ioannis  , Smith Serengul
Published: February 2025

The paper presents a user study designed to examine the impact of the presence of a multimodal ECA on the user's ability to retain content of cultural value with variable degree of difficulty (i.e., technical and simple content). The study was conducted in the lab, using a high resolution panorama representing four locations in an archaeological attraction. The content participants perceived differed both in terms of complexity and length. Participants interacted with an ECA-based system and then with a non-ECA system that provided content about popular locations in the attraction. Results indicate that participants who used the system with the ECA retained content of variable difficulty more consistently, than those who used the system without the ECA. However, we also found that if text is added as an additional output modality to an ECA-based information system it can positively impact the perception of the technical content, which can potentially lead to enhanced retention of technical content.
Transitional Physicality: The Dadaist Legacy of Creativity in the Digital Age
Authors: Vardouli Rodanthi
Published: February 2025

How does the historical moment of transition from the organic and the formal to the fragmentary and the processual embody the hybridized rhetorics of the digital age? The argument of this paper is that within the expanded world of information and scattered subjectivity, the tools to address the problem of creation can be drawn from the conceptual and philosophical landscape of a marginal period of time: the so-called “heroic” avant-garde. In this paper, the radical processes of creation that Dada evangelized through its polemic manifestations and propagated through its bizarre artworks, are raised to the working prototype of poiesis within the electrate paradigm of our times. The first part of the paper examines the aura of ideas gathered around objects of assemblage; the dadaist paradigm for the process of poeticizing, through Berlin dadaist Richard Huelsenbeck's lecture on “The metaphysics of assemblage” and Roger Shattuck's “The mode of juxtaposition” during the 1961 Symposium at MoMA, entitled “The art of assemblage.” The analysis focuses equally on the ideas that brought these objects into existence, and also on the ideas raised by the existence of such works. In the second part of the paper, the dadaist practice and discourse are raised into the backbone of a contemporary theory of electracy. This theorization is based on Professor Gregory Ulmer's supersession of hermeneutics with the paradigm of heuretics. The process of electrate invention is also examined within the philosophical context of the Heideggerian terms of Entbergen (bringing forth) and poiesis (bring into form); the former referring to the transformation of what is already present yet invisible and the latter to a direct shift from absence to presence. The overall vision in this paper is to review Dada both as Art's escape from its cultural and institutional history, and most importantly as a critical enterprise that evangelized a new reality through the debris of a collapsed world. The ultimate contribution of this review is to suggest a way of reviving the dadaist spirit within the emerging electrate paradigm.
A Proxemic Interactive Platform for Sociable Public Zones in the Smart City
Authors: Jin Huiliang  , David Bertrand  , Chalon René
Published: February 2025

Public Screens are widely used in modern cities in the fields of public transportation, commerce, education and advertising. They respond to users' inputs passively rather than spontaneously interacting with them. Therefore few screens are sociable. This situation has started to change with the progress of interaction technology. In this paper we present an application independent proxemic platform, which includes a sociable public screen together with a file migration toolkit. The sociable screen displays information according to user's distance, orientation, posture, location and identity. Moreover, via the toolkit we can exchange resources easily and safely between various ambient devices with the screen. The platform works as a public sociable medium connecting citizens and providing new opportunities for them to communicate with each other. We describe the platform application using a bus shelter scenario before demonstrating the usability of our work through user study.
Emotion analysis through physiological measurements
Authors: Aguiñaga Adrian R.  , López Ramírez Miguel  , Alanís Garza Arnulfo  , Baltazar Rosario  , Zamudio Victor M.
Published: February 2025

There have been several advances in the field of affective computing analysis, however one of the main objectives of the brain computer interfaces (BCI), it is to interact in a natural way between human and machines; The analysis of the emotional state user is very important since it may provide a more suitable interaction generating closest approach, and efficient interaction. Furthermore extent that implementation of systems that can develope an emotional human-machine interface, applications of affective computing, it could widely used to help people with physical or deliberately to analyze and characterize the emotions that may be of interest and provide benefits on a human activity (eg, performance of athletes).
Numerical Modelling of Jet Grouting Columns
Authors: Juzwa Anna
Published: February 2025

The jet grouting is one of the most popular technology of strengthening subsoil under infrastructural embankments, foundations of bridges and another heavy structures. In engineering application columns are calculated similar to piles. The main motivation of the research project, presented in the paper, is preparing numerical explanation of an interaction between jet-grouting columns and subsoil. The model is dividing into three zones: jet-grouting columns, subsoil layers and the contact layer, formed between the columns and the soil massif. The author, for the same subsoil condition, built models for group of jet grouting columns with different columns diameters, lengths and spacing.
Energy Piles for Heating and Cooling Purposes
Authors: Akrouch Ghassan  , Sanchez Marcelo  , Briaud Jean-Louis
Published: February 2025

Heating and cooling of buildings account for a significant amount of energy consumption, and as a result, CO2emission. With the global increase in demand for energy, the need for developing more efficient and profitable sources of renewable energy is gaining urgency. One of the most promising renewable technologies for thermal control of buildings is shallow geothermal energy, which uses nearly constant and moderate ground temperature as either a heat source or sink throughout the year. The use of geothermal energy heat pumps produces many benefits, including reduced energy consumption, environmental protection, less building maintenance, and comfort for building inhabitants. However, harnessing shallow geothermal energy introduces new engineering challenges. This paper examines the application of structural foundation piles as heat exchangers, discusses the challenges associated with their use, and presents the preliminary results of full scale test on energy piles group at Texas A&M University.
Geotechnical Aspects of Repairing a Bridge Foundation Damaged by Scouring
Authors: Bolfan Luka  , Bišćan Marko
Published: February 2025

Railway Bridge over the River Sava suffered a breakdown in the night on March 31st 2009. There was a sinking of span structure around pier S6, in the riverbed along the right bank. Double-track bridge, built in 1968, was constructed as a riveted steel structure with reinforced concrete piers on massive concrete foundations. Pier S6 is based on the foundation with dimensions 17.0 × 6.5 m. Survey measurements, after the disaster, found that the bottom of riverbed has been flushed away around 10 m in depth over the years in the vicinity of the pier S6. These lead to scouring of bridge foundation and tilting of pier S6. This paper will outline geotechnical aspects of repairing pier S6 which include building cofferdam with sheet pile walls, jet grouting riverbed under foundation level etc... Paper will also describe some unexpected natural circumstances and methods of their repair that occurred during the reconstruction, which lead to major geotechnical problems.
Design of Foundation Pit Support for New Underground of the National Museum in Prague
Authors: Čiháková Tereza
Published: February 2025

The main building of the National Museum in Prague was built in the end of the 19th century. There have not been any significant repairs made since the opening of the building. The historical building is in poor condition and therefore the reconstruction is necessary. In pursuance of the huge reconstruction, the deepening of one of two atriums is planned. New ground floors for exhibitions halls will be constructed. This place will be connected to another museum building by a connection tunnel. This paper presents geotechnical works during the reconstruction of the historical building of National museum. The construction site is located in the area of complex geology with variable depth of the bedrock. The bracing and underpinning is designed with the help of the combination of several special foundation engineering methods e.g. jet grouting, micropiles, soil nailing. Great emphasis was placed on minimization of bracing deformation to prevent any damage of the existing historical building.
Uplift Testing on HV Transmission Tower Foundations
Authors: Levy Frederick
Published: February 2025

This paper describes results from a series of full scale tests on high voltage (HV) transmission tower foundations at a London clay site in Kent. The poor performance of these foundations using standard testing practice in contrast with the rarity of in service failure has led to a climate of uncertainty where the uplift capacity of HV transmission tower foundations is not readily understood. The tests aimed to mimic certain in-service dynamic (wind) loading in order to reveal the mechanisms associated with (rapid) foundation uplift. Foundations founded on London clay mobilised significantly greater uplift capacities at smaller displacements compared with current industry testing practice. The results contained herein suggest that not only is a revision of testing practice is required but also that of construction practice.
A Case Study: Investigation of a Family House Damage Due to Expansive Fill Material Beneath the Floor
Authors: Šmejkalová Tereza  , Novotný Jan
Published: February 2025

The paper presents an account of the investigation of an unusual family house damage. One year after the construction of the house, a horizontal crack appeared between the foundations and the exterior walls and has been widening ever since. Numerous counter-measures taken by the owner had no effect. The damage was originally perceived as a case of mining subsidence and thorough investigation works had to be performed in order to rule out various geotechnical hypotheses. Finally, the fill material beneath the floor was proved to be the cause of the damage. The fill consisted of crushed concrete which is normally a quite suitable material but in this case it contained highly expansive slag fragments. The geotechnical engineer should be able to recognize different recycled aggregates and to assess their properties; an introduction to useful methods is given.
Theoretical and Experimental Research on Uplift Capacity of Shallow Foundations
Authors: Tomovski Igor  , Josifovski Josif
Published: February 2025

In this paper some of the theoretical and empirical methods for determination of the uplift capacity of shallow foundations in sand are presented. The objective is to estimate the accuracy of these methods as well as to see if they can be possibly upgraded. The obtained results from the investigations on a small scale model are considered as important contribution on the topic. The purpose of the research is to determine which theory gives realistic estimation of the uplift force. Furthermore, the research is also actual subject in the Eurocode 7. The obtained results from the tests are compared with the theoretical and empirical methods, but also with the contemporary Finite Element Method (FEM), which confirmed that some of the empirical theories underestimate and some overestimate the uplift capacity, and that the FEM gives the most accurate estimation of the uplift capacity.
Numerical Study of Effect of Contact Condition on the Performance of Composite Liner
Authors: Liu Tingfa  , Wu Hui  , Wen Qingbo  , Hu Liming
Published: February 2025

Landfills play a key role in the disposal of large amount of waste. Imperfect contact between liner materials is inevitable during landfill construction and its effect calls for sufficient consideration. Numerical models concerning different contact conditions and leachate heads were developed and the long-term performances of two kinds of composite liners – geomembrane (GM) underlying with geosynthetic clay liner (GCL) or compacted clay liner (CCL) were analyzed. The results indicate that there is a perfect linear double logarithmic correlation between the transmissivity and leakage rate. Under imperfect contact condition, the leakage rate and mass flux are one to three orders of magnitude higher than that under perfect contact. The liner composited of GM and GCL performs much better than that composited of GM and CCL under poor contact condition and high leachate head. The numerical model coupling seepage and mass-transport provides a comprehensive evaluation of composite liner and the results contribute to a better design or refinement of landfill liner.
Discrete Element Method Software Application for Cohesionless Soil Models
Authors: Priceputu Adrian
Published: February 2025

The paper shows a numerical application developed for the PC that uses the high computing capabilities of the modern graphical processors to employ the discrete element method (DEM) in the modeling of the granular media behavior subjected to external and internal actions. The discrete element method is usually a suitable way to simulate the behavior of media and dynamic phenomena that have a discrete nature, such as soils liquefaction, erosion, or the propagation of instability through soil or snow masses. DEM is more precise for these types of phenomena due to the fact that a pseudo-continuous approach doesn't succeed to properly model them after the state of equilibrium has been lost. The paper shows the basic principles of DEM, an iterative computation example using computational software, as well as the developed software application that uses an existing solver to handle up to about 5000 particles in real time computation.
Investigation of Geogrid Reinforced Soil Using Biaxial Compression Tests
Authors: Jacobs Felix
Published: February 2025

The principle compound behavior of geogrid reinforced soil is being investigated with large scale laboratory tests and corresponding numerical simulations. With a highly sophisticated testing device developed at RWTH Aachen University, biaxial compression tests of geogrid reinforced soil have been carried out under plane strain conditions with specimen dimensions up to 800 × 820 × 460 mm3(H × W × D). In this paper, the load transfer between soil and geogrid is studied closely by varying the numbers of longitudinal and transverse tensile members of the geogrids. The main characteristic of geogrid reinforced soil, i.e. interlocking between soil and geogrid, can be visualized clearly.
Improvement of Dynamic Soil Properties Using Preloading in Premiseri Project, Albania
Authors: Kosho Ani
Published: February 2025

This paper investigates the possibility to estimate the stress history of PREMISERI project before and after the failure for the CPT test. The embankment was constructed in Industrial & Energetic Park of Porto Romano, located in the western part of Albania, very close to the Adriatic Sea, 5 km from Durres city. The results of an elaborate field preloading study on a liquefaction-susceptible site are presented. Preloading was applied by a temporary embankment 9m high. Prior and after preloading, borings with standard penetration tests, cone penetration tests and geophysical studies were performed. During the process of embankment construction and demolition, settlements, excess pore pressures and vertical and horizontal stresses were recorded versus time at different locations. A partial embankment failure occurred during the preloading process.
Performance Testing for Geosynthetic Reinforced Soil Composites
Authors: Nicks Jennifer  , Adams Michael  , Stabile Tom
Published: February 2025

The Federal Highway Administration has developed a standard test method to describe the load-deformation behavior of a frictionally connected geosynthetic reinforced soil composite material. This performance test, termed a GRS mini-pier experiment, consists of constructing closely-spaced, alternating layers of compacted granular fill and geosynthetic reinforcement with a facing element that is frictionally connected, then axially loading the GRS mass while measuring vertical deformation to monitor performance. Five performance tests have been conducted to determine the material strength properties of particular GRS composites. The effect of backfill type and compaction was investigated; the results will provide engineers a tool to design GRS abutments. This paper outlines the test method, presents the resulting load-deformation characteristics, and recommends how to apply the results in practice.
Stress and Displacement Fields in a Tunnel Lining and Surrounding Ground
Authors: Pérez Marco A.
Published: February 2025

Two analytical solutions for assessing stress and displacement fields around a tunnel and in the lining are presented. Boundary conditions consist of a free surface and a lower boundary where displacements are restricted. The distributions of radial and shear stresses in the ground-lining interface are represented by two fourth-degree polynomials, which may be obtained from field measurements or be assumed for a parametric study. The solutions can represent the full slip condition between ground and lining if the shear stress at the interface is assumed to vanish.
Pile Set-Up in Cohesionless Soil
Authors: Dahlberg Stina
Published: February 2025

Piled cohesionless soil shows an increase of bearing capacity with time after installation, this phenomenon is called set-up or freeze. The cost could be reduced if the set-up had been taken into account when designing pile foundation, but in Sweden it is very unusual to do that. Previous studies showed difficulty to predict the phenomenon and that set-up can vary between 25% and 75% during the first 90 days after the pile installation. A study involving five projects have been carried out by specifying certain parameters like pile type, method for pile installation and test method for measure the bearing capacity in cohesionless soils located in Sweden. An empirical relationship to predict the bearing capacity has been used in the study. An interesting result of the study showed that the pile length influences how large the pile set-up gets. A parameter that indicated to have impact on the outcome of the phenomenon was the order of installations of the piles. Stress rearrangement in the soil is one of the mechanisms behind the set-up.
Material Properties Affecting the Influence of Fines on Undrained Sand Response at the Steady State
Authors: Rees Sean
Published: February 2025

Previous experimental studies have shown the addition of fines to a sandy soil significantly influences the undrained response at the steady state of deformation when characterizing soil state using traditional parameters. This has led to a number of modified parameters being proposed to account for this influence, including the equivalent granular void ratio, e*. This paper subsequently demonstrates how changes in the material properties of sandy soil affect the influence additional fines may have at steady state, using e*as the characterization parameter. Specifically an increase in both the disparity ratio between representative sand and fines particle sizes, and the angularity of sand particles, is shown to decrease the participation of fines in the soil force-chain at steady state. This is achieved by presenting correlations between these material properties and the fines influence factor, bSSL, determined from a triaxial test program performed on sands sourced from Christchurch, NZ, and a review of the geotechnical literature.
Influences of Calcium Carbonate, Sodium Silicate and Salt on Clay Structure
Authors: Usman Fakhriyah  , Hino Takenori  , Jia Rui  , Negami Takehito
Published: February 2025

This paper examines how the clay structure can be influenced by the interaction between shellfish fossil and amorphous silica with salt leaching. In marine clay, salt leaching behavior triggers the dissolution of both shellfish fossil and amorphous silica which influence the clay structure. In order to understand this interaction, a model system was introduced. The kaolinite was used to represent clay, while calcium carbonate (CaCO3) and sodium silicate (Na2SiO3) were used to represent shellfish fossil and amorphous silica, respectively. Samples combining various kinds of conditions are prepared. The shear strength was measured using vane shear test, while the microstructure of the samples was observed by using mercury intrusion porosimetry (MIP) test. The test results show that the silica addition has an important role for shear strength development because it reduces the macro pore in the sample, while calcium and salt do not give significant influence.
An Innovative Deep Foundation Macro-Element Model for Seismic Analysis of Pile/Column Supports
Authors: Correia António A.  , Pecker Alain  , Kramer Steven L.  , Pinho Rui
Published: February 2025

An innovative pile-head macro-element model for single pile/column supports is briefly introduced herein. It represents the lateral response of the entire soil-pile system to seismic actions, condensing such information at the pile-head. It can thus be applied as a joint element located at the base of the columns and subjected to the foundation input ground motion. A bounding surface plasticity formulation is used to ensure a smooth transition from the initial elastic pile-head response up to failure conditions, including nonlinear gap opening/closure behaviour. These characteristic stages of behaviour are described, with particular emphasis to the failure surface and corresponding mechanism for laterally loaded long/flexible piles and to the gapping model. A thorough validation of the macro-element is performed through comparison with numerical and experimental results.
Liquefaction-Resistant Foundations for Residential Buildings
Authors: Heritage Richard  , Kupec Jan
Published: February 2025

On 4 September 2010 a Magnitude 7.1 earthquake struck the Canterbury region of New Zealand, centred 40km west of Christchurch and 10km deep, causing significant damage. On 22 February 2011 an aftershock of Magnitude 6.3 struck directly beneath the southern suburbs of Christchurch. The earthquake, at a depth of approximately 10km, caused more damage than any other earthquake in New Zealand since 1931, with an official death toll of 185. Peak ground accelerations of up to 2.2g were recorded in the hill suburbs with accelerations of up to 0.9g recorded on the flat land that accommodates most of Christchurch. Over 11,000 aftershocks followed, some exceeding Magnitude 6. This paper briefly describes the damage caused by liquefaction to the residential buildings of Christchurch; introduces, two years after the event, the lessons learnt; and provides an overview of the engineering solutions that have been developed to minimise damage to residential housing foundations in future earthquake events.
Soil-Foundation-Structure Interaction in Demand Spectra
Authors: Karatzetzou Anna
Published: February 2025

Seismic demand of soil-foundation-structure interaction (SFSI) systems is evaluated herein in the light of performance-based design approaches, accounting for soil-foundation compliance effects. Due to kinematic and inertial interaction, structural response may be substantially different from the one traditionally calculated. For a linear SFSI system, seismic demand is identical to the notion of seismic performance and unique for every system. We evaluate seismic demand using three approaches: a) the traditional fixed-base-on-free-field approach, b) a finite element numerical code and c) the analytical approach proposed in FEMA440. We propose use of effective foundation motion (EFM) to estimate demand. EFM is measurable directly from actual records and field measurements, takes into account inertial and kinematic interaction and gives a good estimation of structural response, compared to the direct method.
Case History: Challenges During the Design and Construction of a Cellular Cofferdam
Authors: Quaglia Gastón
Published: February 2025

Projects often face design changes during their construction phase. These changes lead engineers to a series of redesign and sensitivity analysis in order to evaluate their influence. In this paper a series of changes in site conditions and constructions deviations during the construction of a cellular cofferdam in Puerto Belgrano Naval Base (Argentina) are presented. Their effect on overall stability, uplift failure, as well as results obtained for analytical an numerical models are showed.