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Properties of building materials include many properties, the most important are mechanical, thermal, chemical, and economic. The most important thermal properties that characterize the total heat losses and thermal inertia of materials are thermal conductivity and specific heat capacity. The first one describes the stationary heat transfer through the structures, but the second describes the ability to absorb and release the heat energy with temperature change dynamically, and it is related to a unit mass of the ...

The use of digital twin models in immovable culture heritage enables better decisionmaking about preventive maintenance, heritage management, and interpretation, as well as accurate digital documentation. This publication discusses an approach for creating a digital twin using different methods of spatial data acquisition: close range terrestrial digital photogrammetry, aerial digital photogrammetry and terrestrial laser scanning. The "Holy Transfiguration" Church in Pomorie, Bulgaria which is the oldest functioni...

The result of determining the quantitative relationship between the temperature and humidity of enrichment waste materials based on the analysis of digital photographs of laboratory experiments using RGB and Lab methods is presented. Using standard equipment, a laboratory experiment was performed to determine the temperature and humidity of samples of the tailing dam surface layer. Digital photographs of the samples were taken in natural light. The images were processed on a computer to obtain the components value...

In this paper, we address some challenges of protracted loading times and reduced performance when managing large image sets delivered as output by popular meso-scale weather and air-quality models when used in graphic engines of associated software applications. Following an examination of several distinguished models' output, we introduce an innovative approach centered on a three-tier software system architecture, supplemented by strategies including lazy-loading, image compression, and load stream prioritizati...

In the current context, in which the European Union, through various projects, requires the reduction of the consumption of pesticides it is necessary to investigate some different products to control the Phytophthora infestans potato blight, biological ones, that have the role of improving the structure and health of the soil, avoiding contamination of it but also of groundwater with synthetic active substances. Potato production is diminished by the presence of weeds, pathogens and pests. One of the most importa...

All the affluent countries are characterized by urbanization. Increase of the urbanized areas leads to change of total nitrogen and phosphorus unit discharges from the catchment areas. Therefore, there is necessity of the watersheds parameters ascertainment for usage of them at the biogenic elements outflow calculation. For that reason, we must determine the watersheds boundaries and types of surface within the watersheds. The considered methodology includes the watersheds boundaries ascertainment by means of digi...

Fires in road tunnels pollute the ventilation air of the underground space and create unfavorable conditions for life. International recommendations for the design of emergency ventilation share the statement that the critical velocity (specifically its numerical value of 3.0 m/s) can be used to predict the spread of toxic substances in underground space and to exclude backflow for the majority of tunnels. Nowadays, it is advisable to supplement this point of view with the results of new studies, which notes that ...

The removal and collection of dust particles from the air discharged into the atmosphere by industrial plants processing, transporting and storing dusty materials is an important objective for employers to prevent air pollution according to environmental legislation and employee safety regulations. Where the dust in question is flammable and may generate an explosive atmosphere, measures must be taken to prevent explosion and/or limit the effects of explosion. To this end, proper assessment of the risk of explosio...

Marine litter is a significant and growing environmental problem with global implications, affecting oceans and seas. This study analyzes marine litter's composition and density, specifically at Kamchiya-Shkorpilovtsi, the longest beach on the Bulgarian Black Sea coast. The monitoring period from 2018 to 2022 covers an area of 7645 m2. To effectively study the area, it was divided into four monitoring transects: Kamchiya- Mouth, Kamchiya-South (Novo Oryahovo Beach), Shkorpilovtsi, and Shkorpilovtsi- South. During ...

Biochar is a highly porous pyrolysis product with a high specific surface area and adsorption properties, capable of adsorbing various compounds and formations, including ARG-containing MGEs. To assess the ability of biochar to adsorb MGE, a model experiment was carried out: in sterill flasks, the microbial community isolated from composts was cultivated on LB-medium, oxytetracycline and a mixture of heavy metals were added as factors potentially stimulating the production of MGE. Neither heavy metals nor oxytetra...

Rapeseed meal is a valuable source of protein for animals feeding. It can be used as an alternative to soybean meal in the mixtures of combined feeds intended for farm animals. Thus, the purpose of this study was to evaluate the chemical and nutritional composition of the rapeseed meal intended for use in the feeding of monogastric livestock. 70 samples of rapeseed meal arrived at the Laboratory of Chemical Analyses for Animal Nutrition, were analysed. The following values were obtained for the main nutritional co...

Drought is a complex weather and climate-related phenomenon with significant ecological and socioeconomic consequences. In light of the increasing severity and frequency of droughts in Europe in recent years, this study focuses on assessing the spatiotemporal evolution of drought in Bulgaria during the period 2014-2022. To achieve this, the Standardized Precipitation Index (SPI) is calculated at different time scales (1, 3, and 6 months) for both the country's territory and individual municipalities using software...

Dematerialization of local governments and environmental economics go hand in hand in pursuing sustainable development and environmental protection. Dematerialization, a concept in environmental economics, refers to reducing material consumption enabling economic growth without a commensurate increase in content consumption and associated environmental impacts [2]. This tendency to do more with less is essential to the municipalities' environmental economy. Advances in technology and the digital skills of municipa...

The results of many research projects and studies report that landuse/ landcover change (LULCC) is a major driver of the changes in the hydrological processes within a watershed. Landuse induced landcover changes, e.g., urbanization, deforestation, have a direct impact on the hydrological regime of watersheds thus increasing their vulnerability to extreme hydrological events. In this research the Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) was used to study the landuse/landcover change impact on the hydrological dynamic...

Albania is part of one of the most active seismic regions in Europe with dozens of devastating earthquakes throughout history. In this study, we will present an investigation of the earthquakes of the Elbasani region, in terms of the location accuracy and analysis of the features of the seismoactive layers. The distribution of focal depth shows the activation of a lithospheric zone, which extends in depth between 0 and 40 km. Accurate assessment of seismoactive layers of the Elbasani zone is of great interest in t...

The article analyzes and evaluates the current status of the water quality of the Chepinska River. It is one of the main right-hand tributaries of the Maritsa River, and large settlements are located in its catchment area and active agricultural activity is carried out. They cause a strong anthropogenic impact and a significant change in water quality. The heterogeneous impact requires the assessment to be carried out by using a complex of indices that includes the Canadian Water Quality Index (CCME WQI), the Bava...

Among the important parameters determining the likelihood of occurrence of significant damage to engineering structures during an earthquake are the dynamic and seismic characteristics of the structures such as natural frequency, damping coefficient, and vulnerability index of the structure. In this article, the Nakamura method is applied to investigate the seismic stability of an earth-filled dam wall and the surface layer using microtremors. Measurements were taken at seven points on the dam crest and three poin...

In this study, a rapid compression machine (RCM) was used to study the traditional JP- 5 fuel and the JP-5 surrogate. In the experiment, the ignition delay characteristics with low-to-intermediate temperature compression temperatures ranging from 675-800K, compression pressures of 10, 15 and 20bar, and equivalence ratios of 0.25 and 0.37 are discussed. Among them, the auto-ignition delay time of JP-5 and the surrogate all shorten the ignition delay time as the compression pressure and equivalence ratio increases, ...

The significance of analog studies using lava tubes on Earth to inform on the design of future lunar and Martian missions is aimed at exploring and utilising those structures as potential habitats on those planetary bodies. Lava tubes, natural subsurface cavities formed by volcanic activity, have several characteristics that make them appealing for human habitation on the Moon and Mars. Researchers conducting analog studies on Earth can gain valuable insights into the geological, environmental, engineering, crew a...

Animal-origin glues are adhesives made by boiling animal tissues for a long time, and from the chemical point of view they are gelatinous and albuminoid protein substances bearing different names. The most frequently used are gelatins. They are extracted from raw animal hide residues, from cartilages, tendons, and from the gelatinous matter extracted from bones, on which the name and quality of gelatin depends. The gelatin extracted from unhaired hide waste/pelt waste resulting from unhairing bovine hide from tann...

In recent decades, we have witnessed an extraordinary progress in tasks related to the problems of the interaction of building structures with the subsoil. The transition from low-rise buildings to high-ones, the design of more subtle structures hand in hand with the full use of building materials, places increasing demands on the methods of foundation of building objects. These tendencies might result in some problems when the issues of the interaction between the upper structure and the subsoil assume a dominant...

Due to the historical development of individual regions in Slovakia, there are still areas without access to public water networks. The main reason is the challenging and uneconomical construction of public networks in scattered rural settlements. The small wastewater treatment plants have gained popularity in rural areas of the Slovak Republic. The increasing adoption of decentralized wastewater management is a result of the scattered layout of numerous rural settlements, presenting economic challenges, technical...

The horseradish (Armoracia rusticana) is a root vegetable that belongs to the botanical family Brassicaceae and due to the high content of bioactive compounds, it has of great interest in many biotechnological fields. The high content of polyphenols, phenols, flavonoids, vitamin C and detoxification enzymes makes horseradish to have a great antioxidant potential and positive effects on the health, being used from ancient times as medicinal plant. The abundance of minerals, vitamins and dietary fibre make horseradi...

The effect of climate change on current life is becoming more visible daily. Our capacity to be resilient to these changes is an act of responsibility for the future. Several directions could serve this purpose. The present study aims to determine the current state of the art in unconventional energy sources. Mainly, the focus will be on biomass. Biopower sources are an element of renewable energy alternatives, along with solar, wind, tide, wave, ocean, and geothermal. The statistics underline an increasing trend ...

The instability of the global fuel economy and increasing environmental problems are forcing the global scientific community to look for substitutes for fossil fuels, primarily oil. A promising direction for research seems to be fuel blends with natural additives or based entirely on renewable resources, the so-called biofuels. One of the more significant developments in biofuel research, is biofuels that use alcohols as part of the biofuel blend. The specific nature of these agents, however, makes it required and...

The Black Sea exhibits significant potential for the development of substantial gas hydrate reserves, primarily due to its low salinity, extensive sedimentary complexity, and the presence of vast deep-sea buried paleodeltas. Recent geophysical and geochemical studies carried out as part of European and national projects have yielded valuable data and outcomes, serving as the basis for a reassessment of gas hydrates in the Black Sea. This research aims to provide an updated estimation of the Black Sea gas hydrate r...

Urbanization and expansion of urban territory is a global trend that affects all major cities in the world. For this reason, the quality of the urban environment is increasingly important for human health and well-being. One increasingly popular element to improve and address the challenges associated with a warming urbanized landscape is blue-green infrastructure (BGI). Blue-green infrastructure is mainly associated with the urbanized landscape and its integration into the urban environment. In our post, we will ...

Among the newest and best performing metallic materials are high-entropy alloys, which is why more than five thousand articles related to them have been published in the last decade. However, there are few articles that refer to the brazing behavior of new types of metallic materials. In this publication, the brazed joint between two biocompatible alloy components from the MoNbTaTiZrW0.2 system were performed using an ecological Cu-Ag-Zn alloy as filler material. The optical and SEM microscopy analyzes were perfor...

Article contain an overview of development of ice loads estimation on offshore structures. It begins by discussing the importance of calculating ice loads for the safety and reliability of offshore structures; then explores the evolution of ice load calculation in norms from the past to the present, including the development of international standards and guidelines and the advancements in ice load estimation techniques. The article further delves into the methods used for ice load estimation before the developmen...

It is well known that woodpeckers and their distribution is mostly affected by deadwood. However, in Latvia there have not been any studies about how other forest structural components like growing trees and vegetation can affect distribution of woodpeckers and their choice of habitats. In recent years estimation of ecosystem services has become popular in Latvia and it is used in nature conservation matters. The aim of the research was to analyse structures characterizing the habitats of broadleaf forests and ide...

The purpose of this research is to create a new paradigm as a scientific base for national programs for gas hydrate R&D and projects for technology development and gas hydrate exploitation. The main tasks are the results to mitigate climate and energy crises and to avoid technology problems of renewable energetics and social problems from mass jobs changes in energy and related sectors. The methodology includes analyses and examples from unsuccessful national programs and production tests and a thermodynamic appro...

The fast-spreading wildfire engulfs the dense parched flora and all obstructions in its way, transforming a woodland into a volatile reservoir of combustible materials. Once ignited, fires can expand at a velocity of up to 23 km/h. As flames spread across vegetation and woodlands, they have the potential to become self-sustaining, propagating sparks and embers that can spawn smaller fires miles away. The proximity of the burning materials to the observer has a direct impact on the density of smoke produced by the ...

For most soils, genetic inheritance is the determining factor of heavy metal abundance. The anthropogenic impact on the soil produced by fertilizers, pesticides, zootechnical residues, wastewater or particles brought to the soil by gaseous emissions, brings important quantities of heavy metals into the soil. Among these, the most toxic are Cd and Pb. The aim of the study was to establish the levels of Cd and Pb in soil and Beta vulgaris roots, sampled from eight locations from Tarnaveni area, an industrial center ...

Forests provide humanity with essential raw materials, and the demand for these materials is growing, especially in conditions where it is necessary to replace the use of fossil resources with renewable ones. Latvia-s import of timber from Russia and Belarus has increased 8 times in 2021, when comparing 2013, reaching 33% of timber import value. Current geopolitical situation and supply chain sustainability calls for necessity to evaluate possibility to reduce the dependency on the timber import from Russia and Be...

Forest ecosystems are essential when dealing with climate change mitigation goals. Carbon stock of forest stand can hold substantial amounts of carbon as well products made from wood provide substitution effect, reducing reliance on fossil fuels. Silvicultural practices, such as drainage, have proven to be highly efficient of enhancing tree volume, aligning with climate change mitigation goals. As forest drainage disruption for rewetting of drained areas gains momentum with appealing goals such as enhancing biolog...

Europe must avoid losing manufacturing SMEs. However, presenting distinct maturity levels, these companies have a hard time fulfilling the necessary ecological sustainability level. Controversially, despite the intense debate about digital technologies, there is still a need for knowledge in the industrial world about the impact of these technologies to make manufacturing SMEs environmentally friendly. According to data made available by Stone Portuguese Federation, in 2019, the Portuguese Ornamental Stone sector ...

The contribution unveils the outcomes of a case study conducted in Chotebor, Czech Republic, highlighting the pivotal role of long-term traffic analysis in fostering sustainable urban development. It exemplifies how cutting-edge technology and data can be instrumental in formulating more streamlined and eco-conscious urban blueprints. Within the framework of this initiative, surveillance cameras and traffic analysis software were deployed, yielding profound insights into the city's present dynamics and prospective...

Increasing demands on the thermal performance of the building envelope play a crucial role in the design of buildings in order to maintain a quality indoor climate with reduced energy consumption. In case of repair mortars development, the necessary thermal insulation improvement can be effectively achieved by using lightweight aggregates. However, the application of new materials to historical buildings might be problematic due to their incompatibility with materials originally used in the past. In this paper, tw...

Prevention and reduction of food waste production, food waste conversion into energy and products as well as the proper disposal are sequential processes in the food system. Technological standards and a legal framework for food waste recycling, as well as amendments to the relevant legal acts - both national- and municipal-level ones - have been made in Latvia. In addition, the compliance with the European Waste Classification for Statistics have been verified and the participation of nongovernmental organization...

The assessment of genetic diversity is a key step in evaluating the adaptation of populations to new environmental conditions, and thus in the selection of new cultivars. The present investigation aimed to assess genetic variability of bread wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) genotypes grown in Algeria. The 17 hexaploid genotypes of bread wheat were assessed using 16 molecular microsatellites of SSR (Simple Sequence Repeat). Among the 16 microsatellite markers tested, only 11 markers were the most polymorphic and reprod...

21 strains of E. coli isolated from wild partridge birds - P. Perdix from the western part of Romania were studied. Through laboratory examination, the phenotypic characters of the isolated E. coli strains were highlighted. 21/70 (30%) of E. coli strains isolated from Perdix perdix fixed Congo Red, all isolated strains fermented lactose 21/21 (100%). Hemolytic activity was highlighted in a single strain of E. coli 1/21 (0.21%). The final identification of E. coli strains isolated from wild birds was done using the...

One of the main challenges in treating landfill leachate through membranes is managing the resulting concentrate. Depending on the membrane installation's performance and the stored waste's characteristics, significant quantities of concentrate may remain after leachate treatment. Therefore, it is necessary to identify an optimal disposal or treatment method for it. In the European Union List of Waste, the membrane concentrates are associated with leachates and are classified as either hazardous or non-hazardous w...

The use of a total station for carrying out high-precision work on the alignment of the stands of a continuous casting machine is an urgent task that directly affects the quality of steel. Modern devices such as laser trackers are used to carry out such work, but their use is limited due to the high cost of equipment, the need for knowledge and experience with such equipment. The use of classical techniques and equipment is subject to a huge influence of the human factor, thereby reducing the quality of work. Simi...

The objective of this work was to evaluate the physical, chemical and rhelogical characteristics of vegetable milk of soybean (soymilk homemade prepared, and some types of soymilk purchased from Romanian supermarkets). Soymilk is an alternative to dairy products and it has long been a traditional drink in China, Japan and other parts of Asia. The soybean (Glycine max) is the most important bean in the world, providing a wide range of vegetable proteins. Soybean is an important source of many bioactive compounds, w...

Airborne particulate matter (APM), and in particular its fine fraction PM2.5, is well known as an important pollutant in the urban atmosphere worldwide. The health effects of APMs depend not only on their size but also on their chemical composition. Black carbon (BC), heavy metals and other constituents can impact human health and climate. The main sources of BC are the incomplete combustion of fossil fuels, biomass burning and other organic materials. Resuspension of soil and road materials, secondary aerosol for...

The article deals with the use of traffic calming elements to improve the environment, slow down traffic and increase safety for cyclists and pedestrians in urban centers in the Czech Republic. Calming elements also have a significant influence on the architecture of the street space. Traffic calming factors can be divided into psychological factors (e.g. road signs) and physical factors (e.g. road narrowing) or a combination of them based on their effect on drivers. These can be used at intersections and road sec...

Sustainable cities are urban center engineered to improve their environmental impact through proper urban planning and management. The implementation of green infrastructures is one of the most important characteristics in sustainable cities. Urban green areas play a basic role in the socio-economic development and in the sustainability of the cities. Climate change is one of the factors that needs to be into consideration during the design of sustainable cities, as it constitutes a major problem that humanity has...

The increasing impacts of climate change have necessitated a comprehensive reassessment of large infrastructure projects, particularly highways, to ensure their resilience and sustainability. The article focuses on the analysis of climate change vulnerability, mitigation measures, and adaptation strategies within the context of a major highway project in Romania. With climate change accelerating, highways in Romania are becoming increasingly vulnerable to extreme weather events, shifting precipitation patterns, te...

Lake Brates is located near Galati city, in the south-eastern part of Romania being one of the largest lakes in the country. Unfortunately, water quality has greatly decreased in recent years, both due to human actions and to climate change. The present paper aims at establishing the quality of the water in Lake Brates as resulted from the calculation of the water quality index (WQI) by the weighted arithmetic method. In order to calculate this index, several sampling campaigns were carried out in various points o...

The European Union stands apart through its ambitious blueprint to reach carbon neutrality by 2050. Playing a pivotal role within this process, the energy transition in EU is challenged by the trilemma of supply security, competitiveness and sustainability. Historical contingencies and contextual factors trigger different evolutionary trajectories in terms of temporalities and geographies. Testing the club convergence hypothesis, studies addressed the heterogeneity of EU member states either from energy or environ...