Abstract: Described is a method for enhanced carbon dioxide (CO2) sequestration in geological formations. The method includes dissolving CO2 in a low salinity fluid to form a CO2-brine solution. The low salinity fluid includes sodium (Na+) ions and sulfate (SO42?) ions. The CO2-brine solution is injected into a geological formation, and the CO2 reacts with the geological formation to produce solid carbonate minerals for CO2 sequestration.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a barrier paper comprising a paper coated with polyvinyl alcohol composition, and a method for reducing diffusion of soil fumigant using the same.

Abstract: A tunnel excavation device includes a front body portion configured to support a cutter head and a rear body portion. The rear body portion includes a gripper carrier and a gripper portion. The gripper carrier is disposed in a rear of the front body portion. The gripper portion is provided on the gripper carrier. The gripper portion includes a groove portion and a wheel portion. The groove portion is formed in a recess shape toward the rear main body. The wheel portion is disposed in the groove portion.

Abstract: A system and method for geothermal resource development which comprises generating a plunging fracture at a wellbore using a dense fracture fluid. In one embodiment a compliant elastic material may be pushed to the propagating tips of fractures where they screen out the fracture tip and stop fracture propagation. The method may further comprise injecting additional fluid to increase the net pressure in the fracture, thereby increasing the width of the fracture. The system may further comprise providing a heat exchanger disposed about the bottom of the wellbore or providing an apparatus for circulating water into the fracture in order to address natural convection occurring in the fracture.

Abstract: A road milling cutting disc includes a support body in a disc shape, the support body includes a circumferential surface and a bottom surface which are arranged sequentially in that order from top to bottom, the bottom surface is configured to be arranged facing toward a road surface, the circumferential surface surrounds the bottom surface and is connected to the bottom surface along an edge of the bottom surface, the bottom surface is provided with multiple first cutting teeth around a rotational axis of the support body, and the circumferential surface is provided with multiple second cutting teeth around the rotational axis of the support body. Problems of cutting and flattening protruding rocks on the road surface are solved.

Abstract: A retaining wall system includes at least one wall block, at least one ground-stabilizing base body supporting the at least one wall block, a fastening body under the at least one ground-stabilizing base body, and at least one tension link attached to the at least one wall block and to the fastening body.

Abstract: The present invention relates to the technical field of disaster model experiment of underground engineering, and more particularly to an experimental system for surrounding rock crack evolution and water inrush disaster change in a tunnel excavation of a near-covered karst cave. The experimental system includes a base, an upper crossbeam, standing columns, an experimental cabin, guide rails, a tunnel excavation device and an experimental control system. By setting a tunnel excavation device instead of the traditional manual excavation experimental system, the step-by-step excavation of the tunnel is realized. A camera inside the tunnel mold collects real-time images of the whole process of tunnel excavation. The front side plate is separated from the whole experimental cabin, such that the deformation and damage of the front side of the physical model can be directly observed.

Abstract: A tunnel excavation device includes a main body a frame and a workbench. The main body includes a front body section and a rear body section. The front body section includes a cutter head provided with a plurality of disk cutters. The rear body section is disposed behind the front body section and includes a gripper section for obtaining a reaction force when excavating. The frame is disposed continuously behind the main body. The workbench is disposed above the frame so as to be rotatable with respect to the frame.

Abstract: A control method for a tunnel excavation device is provided. While grippers of a rear body section protrude outward and the rear body section is secured to an inner wall of a tunnel, a plurality of thrust cylinders are controlled so that a front body section is made to move forward along a movement prediction line set based on a tunnel excavation plan line. While grippers of the front body section protrude outward and the front body section is secured to the inner wall of the tunnel, the plurality of thrust cylinders are controlled so that the rear body section is made to move forward along a movement prediction line set based on an actual result line.

Abstract: A system, method, and devices are disclosed herein for feeding sections of conduit through a guide device which positions the conduit sections for bundling and then bundling the sections of conduit with a spacer device comprising a pair of brackets which encircle the conduit bundle and are banded together. In one implementation of the technology, a device for guiding conduit sections comprises an outer frame which encloses walls which intersect to form a grid. The grid comprises multiple channels through which multiple sections of conduit pass in parallel. In another aspect of the technology, a system of feeding and organizing multiple sections of conduit from conduit reels to a conduit guide and spacer system is provided.

Abstract: A process for solution mining of minerals is disclosed. The process comprises injecting an unsaturated stream (150) at an injection pressure into a mineral formation (130) to dissolve the mineral and extracting a high concentration stream (110) containing said dissolved mineral. The process comprising converting latent osmotic energy present in said high concentration stream into an increase in the total pressure of said stream by passage through an osmotic power unit (200) and generating electricity and reducing to the injection pressure the total pressure of a reduced concentration output stream (150) by passage through a power generating device (250) and using the reduced concentration output stream (150) at the injection pressure as the unsaturated stream (150). A process for storing a fuel in an underground formation is also disclosed.

Abstract: The present invention is a tieback installation system, comprising: a mount, wherein the mount is secured to a piece of machinery having mechanical, hydraulic, and electrical connection means; a motor mechanically connected to the mount and hydraulically and electrically connected to the piece of machinery; and a drive shaft connected to the motor, wherein the drive shaft is sized to receive an anchoring member.

Abstract: A containment unit for containing fluid leaks in an ambient liquid. The containment unit comprises a weighted base for being disposed around the fluid leak. The weighted base is positioned on top of one or more suction piles. Further, the containment unit comprises a curtain unit coupled to the weighted base. The curtain unit comprises a helical spring and facilitates containing the fluid leak in the ambient fluid. The containment unit further comprises a flotation unit coupled to the curtain unit. The containment unit also comprises thrust roller bearings to allow rotation of the curtain unit with respect to the weighted base and the flotation unit. The invention further discloses a containment system comprising multiple containment units as needed depending on the depth of ambient liquid and as a surface flotation unit comprising pumps, sensors and skimming units to allow for the fluid leaked to be transferred to a vessel.

Abstract: A system includes a rod, a nozzle, a camera, and a pressure control system. The rod has a conduit extending along a rod axis. The rod is disposed adjacent to the barrier within the orifice. The nozzle is connected to the rod and is in hydraulic communication with the conduit and the orifice. The camera is also connected to the rod. The nozzle and the camera are configured to protrude from the rod and rotate about the rod axis. The pressure control system is connected to the tubular body and is disposed around the rod. The nozzle is configured to cut away the portion of the barrier upon pumping of a cutting fluid through a conduit of the rod and out of the nozzle towards the barrier. The portion of the barrier is removable from the orifice of the tubular body once cut away.

Abstract: Disclosed are embodiments of a method for manufacturing concreate panels for a mechanically stabilized earth (MSE) retaining wall that employ geosynthetic strips that attach to the MSE retaining wall and extend into the backfill soil. One embodiment can be generally summarized as follows: (a) providing a mold for the concrete panel; (b) providing in the mold: (1) a plastic pipe; (2) a metal rod situated in the pipe; (3) a removable block-out insert that creates a geosynthetic strip cavity within the panel body around the pipe for enabling a geosynthetic strip to be looped around the pipe; (c) introducing concrete into the mold; (d) permitting the concrete to substantially solidity within the mold; and (e) after the concrete has substantially solidified, separating the panel from the mold and removing the block-out insert to expose the cavity and the pipe extending through the cavity.

Abstract: An autonomous pile driving system identifies using a pile plan map a target location to install a pile. The system autonomously navigates towards the target location. The system autonomously detects using an object sensor system an orientation and location of the pile located within a threshold distance of the system. The system autonomously positions a tool of the autonomous pile driving system based on the detected orientation and location of the pile. The system autonomously picks up the pile using the positioned tool of the autonomous pile driving system. The system autonomously positions the pile based on the target location. The system autonomously drives the pile into ground at the target location.

Abstract: Disclosed is an apparatus (100) for sub-surface injection of constituents of a slurry, wet mixture, and or gas in a phase of entrainment for controlled flow. The apparatus (100) includes a rotary union (113), a drilling assembly (403), hollow shaft injection drilling arrays (1003A), limit switches (1705, 1707, 1709), and encoders (1605B). The rotary union (113) facilitates the filling of the constituent in hollow shaft drilling bits (129) during a drilling process or before the drilling process via an opening and closing of a plurality of valves (111, 215, 505B, 805B, and 1107B). The constituents are capable of being injected through the rotary union, wherein the rotary union (113) is in concert with the valve (111) to dispense predefined quantities of constituents at a specific depth in a sequence of dispersal. The drilling assembly (403) is directed by a GPS (1413C) to control an X plane and Y-plane injection coordinates.

Abstract: A masonry block has a front, a back, a top surface, a bottom surface, a first side and a second side. The front has a front-top edge and a front-bottom edge. A number of staggered steps (e.g., one or two steps) rise above the top surface, setback from the front-top edge by a first setback distance. An equal number of notches are formed/cut into the bottom surface. A first notch of the notches is setback from the front-bottom edge by a second setback distance. When stacked to form a wall, the steps of a lower masonry block interface with the notches of a next higher masonry block and the first setback distance is greater than the second setback distance resulting in an overall setback as defined by a difference between the first setback distance minus the second setback distance.

Abstract: In a tunnel boring machine with a shield skin (106) extending in a longitudinal direction, a sensor unit (118) for detecting convergences has a number of hydraulic distance sensors (121) equipped with an extendable probe (124) with extension path measurement. By virtue of the distance sensors (121), the distance between the shield skin (106) in the area of the relevant distance sensor (121) and the surrounding rock mass (103) can be detected as a distance value, so that the thickness of an annular gap (115) can be determined. The distance sensors (121) are arranged in the longitudinal direction of the shield skin (106) at a measuring distance which corresponds to a typical ring width of a tubbing (112). A central unit evaluates the distance values of the distance sensors (121) to determine convergences.

Abstract: Disclosed is a buried infiltrating irrigation pipe with a multi-cavity water inlet steady flow channel, two clamps and built-in dowels. The buried infiltrating irrigation pipe comprises an internally embedded water dropper and an externally embedded short infiltrating pipe which are located at the same position of a water conveying pipe. The internally embedded water dropper is fixedly arranged in the water conveying pipe and the externally embedded short infiltrating pipe is clamped outside the water conveying pipe. A multi-cavity water inlet steady flow channel is arranged in the internally embedded dropper, a plurality of inner water inlets are formed in one end of the multi-cavity water inlet steady flow channel in parallel, and inner water outlets are formed in the other end of the multi-cavity water inlet steady flow channel.