An excellent film has been made by Director Cameraman Satya Prakash Sabharwal on the Dangers of posting on the social media without taking care of Privacy. That is setting up your Facebook account so that private pictures can only be seen by close friends. The Channel TVNF is producing films on Social Issues and the content of the films are indeed idealistic
The authors conclude that urgent measures are necessary to avoid disaster. They call upon everyday citizens to urge their leaders to “take immediate action as a moral imperative to current and future generations of human and other life.”
DAM INSTRUMENTATION
1.0 INTRODUCTION
Instrumentation which is essentially a technology of measurements and vital in all scientific investigations helps in monitoring and evaluating the performance of dams during their construction as well as during their operation. Instrumentation helps in checking the theories used in design, in validating and improving upon the design principles and discarding the erroneous concepts. Future behaviour of dams can be predicted and suitable remedial measures can be undertaken to strengthen them. Instrumentation also helps in verification of new construction techniques and to build greater confidence among engineers responsible for maintenance and operation of dams.
The instruments and instrumentation systems which used to be most often hydraulic, mechanical, pneumatic and electro-mechanical are gradually getting transformed into electronic ones as they facilitate use of electronic data loggers and computers. At major projects, where the instruments are installed in large numbers, it is desirable to go in for automation so that the results from instrumentation data could be made available as quickly as possible for evaluating the health status of dams and for taking suitable remedial action, if warranted.
The failure of dams in the world is approximately one in 185; but it could be more in future due to faster pace with which dams are being constructed. While failure of dams cannot be completely avoided, it is possible to reduce the effect of their failure on public life and property, if advance information and warning could be provided by monitoring the dam behaviour based on the instrumentation data and timely measures are initiated in the form of strengthening of dams or disaster management. Instrumentation can also form a basis during legal proceedings, claims etc. after the failure of a dam.
A number of higher and higher dams are being constructed in the relatively unstable Himalayan geological formations. These dams have high risk consequences and therefore may need to be adequately instrumented. The instrumentation of foundations should, therefore, be extensive so that adequate foundation treatment is ensured after receiving feedback from them.
For successful implementation of instrumentation, it is necessary that the instruments and the instrumentation system chosen should be sufficiently sensitive, accurate, reliable and durable. Additional care should be taken while selecting instruments, that are buried and can not be retrieved later for servicing. Again proper study and experience is required to be able to understand as to what parameters are required to be monitored for planning and placement of instruments. Instrumentation with respect to its location in Dam need to be absolutely thorough so that areas critical for stress determination are fully covered. The designer should infact specify the critical points which need to be constantly monitored and the frequency at which the collection of data and monitoring is to be done.
2.0 TYPE OF INSTRUMENTS
About forty yearas ago, geomechanics was still a new science and market for instrumentation hardly existed. Instruments were installed only to monitor any special problem encountered during construction. Today geomechanics has matured as a science and instrumentation is invariably specified in every project and is recognised as a necessity in dams. Instruments are now typically installed, read and interpreted by specialised instrumentation engineers rather than by manufacturers.
Instrumentation technology has advanced very rapidly during the recent years and it has become more secure with more complex devices becoming quite common for use in dams. The instruments available since the beginning of the era of instrumentation can be classified into four categories, based on their principles of working viz.: Mechanical, Hydraulic, Pneumatic and Electrical/Electronic. Initially mechanical and hydraulic instruments were used extensively for instrumentation. However, with the passage of time and advancement of technology, pneumatic and electrical/electronic instruments have become popular. The period since when these dam instruments are being used abroad and in India is given below.
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Instruments Since when in use (years)
technology abroad India
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The mechanical,hydraulic and pneumatic type of instruments are simple, rugged, reliable, cheaper and easy to operate but they have lower response and lower accuracy. The electrical/electronic instruments are highly sensitive and have high resolutions.
Off late the use of Electrical/Electronic type instruments are in vogue and these are being used extensively in instrumentation of dams. The electrical/Electronics type of instruments include unbonded resistance type, bonded strain gauge type and vibrating wire type.
Due to high rate of mortality among various types of instruments, erratic behaviour and lack of proper calibration, the results given by most of the instruments cannot be fully relied upon except in the case of vibrating wire type instruments.
Bonded strain gauge type instruments are suitable for surface installations and for short term observations. The unbounded resistance type of instruments, though have long term stability but they suffer from zero shift, cable resistance variation are sensitive to temperature changes, moisture movements and have short life. Thus, their long term reliability is questionable.
The vibrating wire instruments are now increasingly being used in dam instrumentation. These instruments are reliable, sensitive, accurate, durable and can be used with modern data loggers and computers. In fact with vibrating wire instruments, instrumentation can be completely automated and these can be read and interpreted at even far off Central control rooms through satellites. Other reasons for selection of vibrating wire technology are :
Selecting vibrating-wire technology for piezometers, settlement sensors, total pressure cells, strain gauges and joint meters permits the same terminal switching stations and readout equipment can be used for all these instruments.
Vibrating wire instruments are however, affected by temperature changes. For this reason, each instrument includes a thermistor so that the temperature changes to be noted and compensated for.
As regards, determining the number of instruments and their exact type or location, their determination is primarily a matter of experienced judgement.
3.0 DEVELOPMENT OF INSTRUMENTATION TECHNOLOGY IN INDIA
Instrumentation Technology in India can be traced back with the establishment of Engineering Research Institute in the Irrigation Depts of States with the assistance of National Physical Laboratory for transducer development.
Further, after Independence, a large number of high dams were taken up for construction. For some of the dams, Consultants from USA and European countries were involved, with the result that the State-of-art of dam instrumentation, as available in advanced countries could be introduced. However, indigenously manufactured instruments have a very high rate of mortality and could not be relied upon. Added to this, the instrumentation of dams was not carried out in right earnestness with the result instrumentation suffered and only a few instruments yielded reliable data.
The vibrating wire type instruments, no doubt enjoy advantages but they are costly and most of their components are imported. A number of Indian firms have of late entered into collaboration with foreign partner and have started producing vibrating wire instruments. It is suggested that only those firms which supply vibrating wire instruments with ISO 9000 certification be used for dam instrumentation.
Moreover due to lack of co-ordination between the construction contractors of dams and manufacturers/suppliers of the instruments, the programme of installation of instruments and their accessories and the successful interpretation of instrumentation data could not be achieved. It is therefore, suggested that the procurement, installation and successful operation of instruments should be a part of the main contract.
Central Water Commission has prepared guidelines for BIS code on standardising the dam instrumentation. Still lot of work in standardising the dam instrumentation system need to be done.
In India we have 277 dams above a height of 30m and another 116 dams are under construction(total 393 dams), out of which only about 149 dams are known to be adequately instrumented.
4.0 PARAMETERS TO BE MONITORED IN DAMS:
The various parameters to be monitored and measured in the dams are: Uplift, Pore pressure, stress, strain, joint movements, horizontal and vertical displacement, foundation deformation, deflection, surface movement, seepage, temperature and seismicity.
Various instruments used for monitoring these parameters in dams are tabulated below:
PARAMETERS INSTRUMENTS WHERE APPLICABLE
I.Uplift/pore 1.Twintube Hydraulic piezometers
water pressure 2.Pneumatic piezometers
3.Vibratingwire piezometers
4.Unboundedelectric resistance piezometers
5.Bonded Electric resistance piezometers
6.Multipoint piezometers with packers
7.Multipointpiezometers surrounded with grout
8.Multipointpushin piezometers.
9.Porous tube piezometers
10.Slottedpipe piezometers.
11.Pore pressure cells.
2.Weirs
3.Flumes
4.Flow meters
5.Velocity meters
6.Geophysical seepage monitoring
7.Water quality meters
8.Resistivity test
III.Strain 1.Elastic wire strain meters
2.Vibrating wire strain meters.
3.Reinforcing meters
4.Nostressstrainmeters
IV.Stress 1.Gloetzl Cell
2.Carlson Load Cell
3.Vibrating wire stress meters.
4.Flat jacks
V.Relative movement across
Joints(Between Blocks) 1.Joint meters
VI.Displacements 1.Multipoint extensometers
2.Whitemore gauges
3.Crackmonitoringgauges 4.Calipers 5.Micrometers
6.Dial gauges
7.Vibrating wire settlement sensors
8.Internalverticalmovementinstallation
9.Inclinometers.
VII.Deformation 1.Multipointboreholeextensometers
2.Foundation deformation gauges.
3.Tunnel type gauges
VIII.Deflection/Surface movements 1.Plumblines
2.Tilt meters
3.Embankment measuring points
4.Structural measuring points.
5.Surveyingtechniques.
(a)Triangulation
(b) Trilateration
(c) Collimation
IX.Temperature 1.Resistancethermometers
(Surface & Dam Body) 2.Vibratingwire thermometers.
3.Thermisters
X.Seismic 1.Geophones(For monitoring micro seismic activities)
2.Seismograph(Strong motion monitors)
4.1 The various parameters which are required to be monitored in concrete/masonry and gravity dams are:
4.2 The various parameters to be monitored in Earth and Rockfill dams for judging their performance are
CASE STUDIES:
A few case histories are presented below which indicate as to how the instrumentation has helped in measuring and monitoring the behaviour of dams and structures and in implementation of the remedial measures for safety of the dams etc.
a) In June 1985, a big land slide with a slide mass of 30 million cubic meters took place at Xintanzhen town in China. This town is situated on the bank slope of the Yangtze River, about 70 km upstream of Gezhouba Project or 27 km upstream of Three Gorges Dam It was due to perfect instrumentation and monitoring work, such as alignment system, levelling measurements, triangulation, bore hole observation etc., that it was possible to forecast much in advance that such a landslide is inevitable. In compliance with this advance forecast, the authorities evacuated 481 families consisting of 1370 people well in time and human casualties were completely avoided. This landslide destroyed 95% of the old Xintanzhen town. It is reported that when slide mass plunged into the river, the surge was as high as 40m.
b) The 82m high Bhandardara Masonry Dam, in the State of Maharashtra over River Pravara, a tributary of River Godavari, having a total length at top of dam as 507m was completed in the year 1926. This dam was operated for about 43 years without any problem or distress. In 1969 it was noticed that a heavy sheet of flow of water @ 0.62 cumec(22 cusecs) was gushing out from the contact plane between masonary and the rock foundation at a distance of about 70m from the centre of the After investigations, remedial measures were undertaken to repair and strengthen the dam and to stop excessive seepage. While undertaking the remedial measures various instruments were also installed to monitor the effectiveness of the strengthening of dam and remedial measures undertaken.
The results, as gathered from the instruments installed in the dam, showed very encouraging results and effectiveness of the remedial measures like decrease in seepage from 0.62 cumec(22 cusecs) to about 5 litres/sec(0.005 cumec or 0.18 cusecs), reduction in uplift pressure in dam foundation, reduction in deflection of dam from 10.30mm (before undertaking remedial measures) to 4.50mm, reduction in tilt from 72 seconds to 28 seconds.
c) Fontenelle Dam, a zoned earthfill structure in United States, constructed by USBR and completed in 1964 has a crest length of 1652m and a structural height of Immediately after construction, when the filling of the reservoir of the dam was done in 1965, a section of the right embankment near the right abutment collapsed due to excessive seepage and piping. The excessive seepage was under significant hydraulic pressure and it eroded the embankment material along the foundation which was highly jointed and untreated.
After completion of the remedial measures to strengthen the embankmet, reinforcing it with grout curtain near the abutments, the reservoir was filled up. While executing the remedial measures, extensive instrumentation of the embankment in the form of observation wells, installation of piezometers stand pipes, seepage monitoring devices, uplift/pore water pressure instruments etc. was done to monitor and measure the behaviour of the dam. Although the dam functioned satisfactorily till 1982, once again, distress condition were noticed(primarily due to extensive instrumentation), in the form of excessive seepage, piping, increase in the rate of settlement etc. During this second distress condition in the dam, further instrumentation like temperature monitoring, foundation settlement monitoring, ground water flow monitoring, embankment measurement points etc. were adopted, in addition to earlier instrumentation which was also increased.
The extensive instrumentation and monitoring program helped to avoid an emergency situation in 1983. The monitoring of seepage, piping and structural behaviour of the dam could help in identifying areas of potential problem and timely remedial measures were undertaken to avoid any major failure of the dam.
The examples quoted above merely indicate that even dams/structures which would have been operated successfully without any incident or distress for many years, are also susceptible to serious problems and distress thus reinforcing the need and necessity of extensive instrumentation and monitoring their behaviour to be able to detect distress conditions in these dams/structures and take suitable remedial and precautionary measures in advance to avoid heavy loss of human life and property.
How the sun looks when you take pictures at the same place and time every week for a year…….
This “8” pattern is the result of earth’s 23.5 degree tilt and its slightly elliptical orbit…..this phenomenon is called ANALEMMA. The phenomenon was first photographed in Hungary .
First Photographed in Hungary
Bangalore : 10th November 2017
In a historic decision by the Division Bench of Hon’ble High Court of Karnataka consisting of Justice Mr. B.S. Patil and Justice Mrs. B. V.
Nagarathna, Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) has been directed to ensure that Ward Committees constituted on 31st October 2017 in all the 198 wards of the city should meet by end of November in accordance with Section13-H of the Karnataka Municipal Corporations Act, 1976. The Court further directed that during this first meeting each and every Ward Committee shall prepare a ward level plan to “ensure proper solid waste management and
sanitation work in the ward and finalise location of new public sanitation
units” as per Sec 13 (I) (i) of the Act. These plans will be consolidated
into an Action Taken Report (ATR) by BBMP and placed on its website, and a
report of progress will be produced in Court prior to the next date of
hearing i.e. 8th December 2017.
The direction assumes critical importance at a time when governance and
management of large metropolitan centres such as Bangalore are in a
perpetual state of crisis. This is a direct consequence of the lack of
decentralization and devolution of power that guarantees direct public
participation in civic matters as per the Constitutional 74th Amendment
(Nagarpalika) Act, 1992. This critical reform initiated 25 years ago with the aim of improving transparency, accountability and efficiency in civic administration has been delayed for
one or the other reason. Comprehending the entire situation and the
prevailing crisis, the High Court issued these directions in response to a
submission made by Mr. Leo F. Saldanha of Environment Support Group in WP
46523/2012 (Environment Support Group & Ors v. Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara
Palike & Ors) connected with WP 24739/2012 and other Public Interest Litigations that are
being heard by the Court since July 2012 in tacking the solid waste
management crises).
In an unprecedented initiative, the Court also directed BBMP to prepare a
booklet consisting of all High Court directives, as also specific
provisions of Municipal Solid Waste Management Rules, 2016 and Karnataka
Municipal Corporations Act, 1976 relating to Ward Committee functioning,
and reach that to every Ward Committee within 10 days. The Committees would
then be assisted by BBMP in developing a Ward Level Waste Management Plan
based on micro-plans developed by BBMP, the prevailing reality and inputs
from the public.
The High Court in earlier orders has made Ward Committees responsible to manage waste within their ward limits. In fact in directions issued in November 2012, that Court had held there is no solution to the garbage crisis unless each and every ward would segregate waste at source and manage waste produced within the ward by establishing two wet waste and one dry waste processing centres. This was to ensure that waste would not travel tens of miles to be dumped in quarries or landfills causing havoc in the lives of thousands of villagers,
who are unfortunate victims of the city’s waste.
Mr. Sarfaraz Khan, Jt. Commissioner (SWM and Health) of BBMP submitted that
maximum efforts were invested to ensure segregation and management of waste
at source. However, only 40% of waste segregation has been achieved. While
efforts are on to ensure maximum management of waste by segregation at
source, interim measures demand waste need to be taken to quarries. This is
also because eight waste processing sites that have been established at the
cost of Rs. 450 crores have not been functioning optimally due to various
reasons, including local resistance.
Earlier, Mr. Ajesh Kumar, Counsel for petitioners in WP 24739/2012, brought
to the attention of the Court that several progressive directions issued
for managing solid waste have not been complied with. These directions
require segregation of waste at source and its management in local areas.
As a result, accumulated mixed waste was being dumped in quarry pits in and
around the city resulting in massive environmental and health impacts on
local village communities.
Mrs. Kathyayini Chamaraj of CIVIC Bangalore, who is an impleading applicant
in the PILs, argued that the Ward Committees currently set up have not been
constituted as per the law. The Court felt that such legal objections could
be raised independently. But the Ward Committees now set up must begin
functioning immediately
Press Release Issued by Namrata Kabra, Mallesh K. R. and Harsh Vardhan Bhati
Environment Support Group
No one noticed
When the sparrows left
It was just another
smoggy winter morning
People drove their cars
dropped their children off
At air conditioned schools
Where they learned
Pollution is a bad thing
It was just another
smoggy winter morning
And stuck on flyovers
No one noticed
That they spent more time on roads
Than with family and friends
So the city of traders
Traded its sparrows,
for SUVs
And children’s lungs
for Diwali firecrackers
Pollution was good for business
And as a million bonfires
lit up in Punjab and Haryana
Delhi bought air purifiers,
masks, cough syrup
and tweeted in anger
But it all started
On a smoggy winter morning
When the last sparrow left
No one noticed,
As that ever useful smog
Hid us from our conscience
-Author Unknown
Weaken a bad habit by avoiding everything that occasioned it or stimulated it, without concentrating upon it in your zeal to avoid it. Then divert your mind to some good habit and steadily cultivate it until it becomes a dependable part of you.
– Paramahansa Yogananda
Daan Roosegaarde and his team of experts have created the world’s largest smog vacuum cleaner. The 7-meter (23 feet) tall SMOG FREE TOWER uses patented positive ionisation technology to produce smog free air in public spaces, allowing people to breathe and experience clean air for free. It is equipped with environment-friendly technology, cleans 30.000 m3 per hour and uses no more electricity than a water boiler (1170 watts). The SMOG FREE TOWER provides a local solution for clean air such as in parks. The effect of the Smog Free Tower has been validated by the results compiled by the Eindhoven University of Technology.
https://ideas.ted.com/this-tower-sucks-up-smog-and-turns-it-into-diamonds/
Watch this video which explains all
I asked the leaf whether it was frightened because it was autumn and the other leaves were falling.
The leaf told me, “No. During the whole spring and summer I was completely alive. I worked hard to help nourish the tree, and now much of me is in the tree. I am not limited by this form. I am also the whole tree, and when I go back to the soil, I will continueto nourish the tree. So I don’t worry at all. As I leave this branch and float to the ground, I will wave to the tree and tell her, ‘I will see you again very soon.’”
That day there was a wind blowing and, after a while, I saw the leaf leave the branch and float down to the soil, dancing joyfully, because as it floated it saw itself already there in the tree. It was so happy.
I bowed my head, knowing that I have a lot to learn from the leaf.
–Thich Nhat Hanh
Demonic verily are the worlds which are enveloped in blinding
darkness. And to them go, after death, those who harm their inner selves.
Isha UpanishadIn the Bhagavad-Gita says Lord Krishna that the self
is the friend of the self and the self also is the enemy of the
self. In the same scripture we also come across a detailed
description of the demonic qualities. Those who harm
their inner selves are those who engage in wicked actions and
harmful qualities. This verse is a continuation of the same argument on karma that started in the first verse. Do we realize how much harm we do to ourselves each day by our actions and thoughts and what opportunities we fritter away in search of things that actually do not help us in our spiritual progress?
“If you are angry or in pain, separate yourself from anger and pain and watch them. Externalization is the first step to liberation.”
Nisargidatta Maharaj
Introspection
If you find that every day you are becoming either
touchy, finicky, or gossipy, then you know that you
are going backward. The best test is to analyze your-
self and find out whether you are happier today than
you were yesterday. If you feel that you are happier
today, then you are progressing; and this feeling of
happiness must continue.
–Paramahansa Yogananda, SRF Lessons
“The real does not die, the unreal never lived. Set your mind right and all will be right. When you know that the world is one, that humanity is one, you will act accordingly. But first of all you must attend to the way you feel, think and live. Unless there is order in yourself, there can be no order in the world.”
Nisargidatta Maharaj
Introspection
You know when you are doing wrong. Your whole
being tells you, and that feeling is God’s voice. If you
do not listen to Him, then He is quiet; but when you
spiritually waken again He will guide you. He sees
your good and your evil thoughts and actions, but
whatever you do, you are His child just the same.
–Paramahansa Yogananda, SRF Lessons