"Вестник МГСУ"

The authors consider the negative impact of landfills of solid domestic waste in the Moscow
region. Municipal solid waste consists of everyday items that are discarded by the public. The composition
of the municipal waste does not vary in the regions, although its amount changes significantly as the time progresses.
In the article, the authors analyze the waste accumulation rate growth per Russian inhabitant.
Today, the disposal of waste at landfills is the ultimate fate of all solid wastes in Russia. The biggest
operating landfills are concentrated in the Moscow region. Modern landfills can be dangerous to the
environment and to the public health and safety. They produce various chemical, thermal, mechanical,
bacterial and even radioactive impacts. The authors have compiled a scheme of geo-ecological
impact of the landfill gas onto the biosphere. Different types of pollution in the areas of concentration for the solid domestic waste have a negative effect onto each environment component. The authors
provide the values of norms of payment and conversion factors for air emissions of landfills. They
are low, and they do not cover the cost of damage onto the environment. There is a need to find
ways of using the municipal solid waste in Russia for energy generation purposes.

The authors consider theoretical issues of the present-day interpretation and applicability of
the terms and concepts of the engineering geology and geoecology. The authors propose a new
approach to the formulation of definitions of the founding concepts of major categories of the engineering
geodynamics as the constituent part of the engineering geology. At the current stage of
development of the geoecology, the processes and phenomena typical for the geological environment
considered from the viewpoint of civil engineering are regarded as geoecological rather than
engineering and geological.
Examples of incorrect interpretation of these concepts of engineering geology replace the
study of the processes and phenomena of the engineering geology by the study of exogenous
processes in the upper zone of the earth crust. Negative processes underway in the geological environment
that are considered within the framework of the engineering geology should be assessed
as geoecological. The assessment of the present-day use of the term "geoecological processes and
phenomena" is based on the principle of indecomposability and unity of the geosphere. This fact
serves as the basis for the modern interpretation of concepts of engineering geology or geoecology
that relate to the geological environment and its use as the setting of construction works.
The authors demonstrate that the pollution of the atmospheric air or its transparency affect
structures. It causes changes in the hydrogeological conditions that may cause a flood or reduction
of the level of underground waters that influence the behaviour of bases of constructions.
Anthropogenic impacts that cause the temperature and chemical pollution of the subterranean hydrosphere
can lead to the dissolution of rocks, trigger karst processes, boost the speed of underground
waters, and, thus, trigger the mechanical suffosion in the sands. The concept of geoecological
processes and phenomena as the basic categories needs the assessment of the geological
environment when exposed to the anthropogenic impact.

The present stage of development of urban areas is characterized by the intense development
of areas previously unsuitable for geological and environmental engineering purposes. The study
was approved by the city authorities and conducted in the complex terrain. The complex topography
under consideration was formed under the impact of geological, tectonic, hydrological, exogenous
and anthropogenic factors. Towards this end, the main objective of the research was the analysis
of the geo-ecological factors that produced impact on the urban areas exposed to complex geomorphological
conditions with a view to their functional use at minimal environmental risks and most
favorable conditions for human beings.
The authors employed theoretical and practical research methods, including: (1) geo-morphological
analysis of urban areas, (2) monitoring and analysis of the human impact produced on the
environmental components, (3) development of approaches to the functional use and development
of urban areas in a complex geomorphologic setting.
The geomorphologic analysis was held in the cities of Volgograd, Bryansk, and Nizhny
Novgorod. It has proven that the geological structure (the presence of loess loam, karst rocks with
inter-bedded clays and sands) contribute to hazardous geological processes (gully erosion, landslides,
suffusion and subsidence).
Nevertheless, these urbanized areas are lucrative for development. On the basis of the results
of the pilot study, physical, climatic and ecological models have been generated. The authors
have also performed the monitoring of contaminated lands and compiled recommendations for their
development, including (1) the planning of urban development actions with account for the geomorphic
elements, (2) micro-zoning based engineering, geological and environmental information to be
considered before deciding on the type of use of recovered urban areas.

The subject of research is the steady pressure filtration of the unconfined groundwater in the
heterogeneous bed, if the product of the transparency coefficient and bed thickness is represented
as a square of an arbitrary harmonic function of coordinates of bed points. The study of the groundwater
filtration within a heterogeneous bed using the «transition method» is reduced to the search
for potential parallel-plane flows of the ideal incompressible fluid using the superposition of point
sources and multipoles of different order. Application of the «transition method» instead of a regular
integration of differential equations in the series is a simple and obvious method of generalizing the
well-known Dupuis formula to identify the well capacity within a homogeneous bed by extending it
to the whole variety of heterogeneous beds, if the product of the transparency coefficient and bed
thickness is represented as a square of an arbitrary harmonic function of coordinates of bed points.
The above sequence of operations produces a compact formula describing the pressure distribution
within a pressure bed, if the external boundary of the groundwater is circular.

An overview of water treatment technologies employed at the heat-and-power plants of
Astrakhan is made by the authors. Water treatment facilities are in a very poor condition. As a result,
heat-and-power equipment suffers from considerable scaling, fouling and corrosion problems. New
membrane technologies, including ultra-filtration and nano-filtration, seem to be a promising way to
improve the water quality. The evaluation of the present-day water treatment efficiency with account
for the effective standards and requirements makes it possible to conclude that new pressure-driven
membrane processes must be implemented at heat-and-power plants.
Membrane technologies will improve the quality of water processed at operating power generating
stations or the quality of the water supplied to new structures of the city of Astrakhan; they will
reduce the reagent consumption rate and improve the role of water purification systems as barriers
that prevent water contamination. Besides, membranes ensure a high efficiency of turbidity removal,
and membrane facilities are small and simple in operation. The main difference of membrane technologies
if compared to conventional sedimentation and filtration systems consists in the high quality
of water irrespective of fluctuations in the temperature and composition of inflowing flows of water.
Authors are going to continue their research into the issue of potential wide-scale introduction
of newly developed techniques at the heat-and-power plants of Astrakhan to provide clear water to
boiler plants at low operational costs. The research results indicate that the above approach has a
strong potential in terms of water treatment in the power industry. The new procedure was developed
by the authors to identify and project the scaling and fouling rates within membrane modules
and to predict the membrane performance (permeate flux) depending on the feed water quality and
modes of operation.

This paper addresses the biological treatment of wastewater associated with removal of nitrogen.
Results of laboratory experiments that involve nitrification and denitrification are also presented
and analyzed in the paper.
Discharges of inadequately treated and untreated wastewater have a negative impact on
the aquatic ecosystem. The biological treatment of the wastewater that includes denitrification is
strongly influenced by external factors. They need thorough research at the stage of design of water
treatment facilities.
The objective of this research is development of effective construction technologies on the
basis of experimental studies with a view to the modernization of biological wastewater treatment facilities.
The analysis of the latest scientific papers on water treatment demonstrates that the singlesludge
nitrification and denitrification technology is the most effective and the simplest one in terms
of its implementation.
The studies were conducted at the research laboratory of Moscow State University of Civil
Engineering. The laboratory facilities make it possible to perform the processes of nitrification, denitrifiation and sedimentation. The composition of the wastewater used in the experiment was close
to that of the natural wastewater.
Optimal process parameters of a wastewater treatment plant, including capacities of nitrification
and denitrification tanks and concentrations of nitrate required for effective biological removal
of phosphorus, were identified in the laboratory. Positive results were obtained in terms of removal
of organic compounds and nutrients. The technology of nitrogen removal from the wastewater was
developed. The proposed technology of modernization of biological wastewater treatment facilities
is based on conversion of existing aeration capacities into nitrification and denitrification zones, and
it does not include construction of any new premises.

The authors examine the applicability of the physicochemical theory of effective stresses to
sandy soils. It is proven that the above theory may be furthered by the argument that all three
types of energy contacts, including coagulatory, transient and phase contacts, are present in sandy
soils. Coagulatory contact predominates over the other three types of contact. The authors provide
their findings in terms of morphological peculiarities attributable to genetic differences of quaternary
sands. The authors have completed an experimental research to identify the fixed water content in
sands and artificial mixtures that have a sand grain size, and they have also analyzed dimensions
of the per-unit surface of samples of natural sands and their fractions to identify correlation between
morphological peculiarities of sands and their maximal molecular water-absorbing capacity. The
authors have proven the presence of a correlation between the morphology of sand grains and their
number in the test sample exposed to the research undertaking, as it determines the number of
contacts between particles of sand.
The experimental data has proven that the principal provisions of the physicochemical theory
of effective stresses are applicable to sandy soils. Natural sands that have particles of different
shapes and surface nature demonstrate different types of contacts that prevent compliance of analytical
data with the results of experimental researches. Moreover, natural dimensions of coagulatory
contact areas of "sandy" systems substantially exceed those identified analytically. Areas of per-unit
surfaces of sands that contain particles with highly developed surfaces and clay films exceed those
of rounded particles the surfaces of which are smooth and polished as a result of their soft friction
in the water. This phenomenon boosts the thickness of adsorbed hydrated or solvated shells. As the
influence of physicochemical factors onto effective stresses in sands is not as prominent as in clays,
supplementary and more accurate experiments are to be held in respect of separate sand fractions
of monogene sands and in respect of samples of natural sands.

Reform of the Russian housing sector contemplates power-saving actions. At the same time,
new heat supply systems must be reliable and safe. Technical advantages of decentralized heat
supply systems may launch a trend to independent heating systems if backed by substantial financial
inflows.
The authors provide statistic data and research findings of CNIIEP "Engineering Utilities" in
the article.
The analysis of peculiarities of the housing stock is made. The analysis of existing centralized
heat supply systems is provided. The alternative pattern of restructuring of the centralized system
is developed.
The analysis of the investment programme that incorporates a comprehensive restructuring
of the heat supply network of Bavleny municipal district (Vladimir region) was made by the authors
and analyzed in the article. Problems associated with the introduction of an independent heat supply
system that will have in-built and roof boiler rooms are considered.
Comparison of technical and economic parameters is made for various degrees of centralization
of the heat supply network.

The authors argue that optimization of monitoring systems is a complicated task, as multiple
factors need to be taken account of at one and the same time. The authors consider a monitoring
system as a system of "supervision" that incorporates a set of tools, as well as registration,
archiving, classification, and analysis of inspection results, inclusive of their comparison with the
projected data, development and implementation of engineering solutions.
The basic goal of any geomechanical monitoring project consists in development of a methodology
of rational arrangement of items of monitoring equipment that employ GIS technologies. The
objective of this research is to apply advanced numerical methods in combination with geographic
information systems with a view to the optimization of a system of monitoring applicable to subterranean
structures. Should the proven methodological and scientific validity of the research findings
be in place, long-term geomechanical projections of the structural behaviour will be feasible. The
proposed methodology may be introduced as a standard method of structural behaviour monitoring
in the course of construction and operation of structures for engineering solutions to be made in the
real-time mode. The principal goal of a monitoring system is the identification of the rock nature,
processes initiated in the medium, their development pattern, and the identification of technical and
economic factors of impact onto the engineering solutions to be made at each stage of engineering
surveys, design, construction and operation of major subterranean structures.
The analysis of calculations made for various loading scenarios have proven that any further
research should take account of a lateral load that is equal to doubled vertical loads.
The research was performed at a subterranean structure composed of two parallel chamber pits.
The analysis of GIS modeling methods has proven that development of GIS projects requires
the employment of statistical methods of the multidimensional analysis. Employment of multidimensional
analysis methods makes it possible to examine the geological features that demonstrate a
high degree of complexity. Terrain modeling requires the employment of models of formal characterization
and differentiation. Identification of positions of geological strata and tectonic dislocations
may be reduced to interpolation and extrapolation.
The model of a subterranean structure is implemented in the GIS and databases, and it incorporates
the data banks entitled "Rock", "Massif", "Structure and Massif", as well as the data banks.
that contain surveying, geological and supplementary information. The GIS also comprises a topographic
site plan, a geologic description of a massif (stratifi cation, lamination, as well as a complete
assessment of each major massif crack).
The subterranean structure of a radioactive waste storage site was the subject of a 3D numerical
experiment. Its results were entered into the GIS project database. Positions and lengths
of extensometers were optimized on the basis of the simulation performed in furtherance of the
methodology developed by the authors. Positions of extensometers were registered in the GIS as
reference points.