Sustainability Commons^™

Mining Waste In The Himalayas, Leslie Leong

The Goose

Materiality is a key aspect of the fourteen artworks I created over one month as Artist-in-Residence at Sagarmatha Next, the experience centre for sustainable tourism in the Khumbu region of Nepal. My intention with the residency is to create work from the human discards that accumulate in the area around Mount Everest, known as Sagarmatha in Nepali. The artwork I created during this residency are deeply rooted in the materiality of their components and serve as powerful commentaries on environmental issues, the passage of time, and the potential for transformation inherent in discarded materials. Through the deliberate use of waste, …

Getting “Out In The Woods” With Students: Intergenerational Work Centering Learners As Creators Of Sustainable Futures, Kate Southerton-Castillo, Emily Southerton

Sustainability Research & Practice Seminar Presentations

Kate Southerton-Castillo, student, M.S. in TESC, and Emily Southerton, Ph.D. Learning Sciences present on "Getting “Out in the Woods” with Students: Intergenerational Work Centering Learners as Creators of Sustainable Futures".

Grnn-Fa Hybrid Model For Predicting The Useful Life Of Dump Truck Tyres, Festus Kunkyin-Saadaari, Alfred Kesseh, Victor Kwaku Agadzie

Journal of Sustainable Mining

The useful life of dump truck tyres is crucial for optimising economic efficiency and safety in mining operations. This study employs advanced hybrid models, including a generalised regression neural network (GRNN) combined with an artificial bee colony (ABC), ant colony optimisation (ACO), and firefly algorithm (FA), to predict tyre life at Perseus Mining Ghana Limited to enhance prediction accuracy. Sensitivity analysis using simple linear regression (SLR) identified tread depth as the most influential factor, with a correlation coefficient of 0.9638. Among the models, GRNN-FA demonstrated superior performance, achieving the highest correlation coefficient (r = 0.9586) and lowest mean squared error …

The Integrated Monitoring Of Karst Systems (Miks) Model, Applied In Karst Studies In Bulgaria, Petar Stefanov, Dilyana Stefanova, Peter Nojarov

International Journal of Speleology

Karst is a widespread natural phenomenon that is highly sensitive and very vulnerable to both natural and various anthropogenic impacts. This is due to the complex structure of karst territories, which comprise both surface forms and complex systems of underground cavities. Therefore, the study of karst requires a geosystem approach and integrated monitoring, which gives a real idea of the state of karst geosystems and the impacts of global changes on karstogenesis. The article presents a model of this approach, which is applied in karst studies in Bulgaria. The methodological basis is the original ProKARSTerra paradigm, based on the geosystem …

Flight Crew And Aviation Sustainability, Eva Maleviti

Publications

Sustainable Development

The concept of sustainable development was defined in the World Commission on Environment and Development’s (WCED) 1987 Brundtland Report ‘’Our Common Future’’. The Brundtland Commission aimed to help world nations towards sustainable development. Then, sustainable development became an essential concept in the vocabulary of politicians, practitioners, and planners.

Using Walk Audits To Understand Neighborhood Environmental Problems, Megan Heckert, Randall Cream, Christina Rosan

Sustainability Research & Practice Seminar Presentations

Dr. Megan Heckert, Geography and Planning, Dr. Randall Cream, English, and Dr. Tina Rosan, Temple University Geography, Environment, and Urban Studies, present "Using Walk Audits and Storytelling to Understand Neighborhood Environmental Problems".

Biobased Acrylate Composites With Enhanced Strength For Additive Manufacturing, Nicole Wagner, Joseph Mcwherter

Engineering Faculty Articles and Research

With the expanding use of polymers in additive manufacturing, sustainable resins for use in vat photopolymerization are required to reduce their environmental impact. One promising approach to achieve this is to incorporate biobased fillers that replace the acrylates in photopolymer resins as ‘green’ alternatives. In this study, photopolymer composites consisting of a methacrylate resin with varying calcium carbonate powder content between 0 and 50 wt.% were investigated. A digital light processing technique was used to fabricate tensile test specimens for mechanical testing. Good printability, dimensional accuracy, and good interlayer adhesion were observed for composite resin formulations that incorporated calcium carbonate …

Beyond A Chapter: Libraries As Key Characters In Smu’S Sustainability Saga, Shameem Nilofar Maideen

Research Collection Library

No abstract provided.

Construction Of Electrically Heated Pavement Using Recycled Waste Rubber Tires, Islam M. Radwan, Mohamed Abdel-Raheem

Civil Engineering Faculty Publications

Accumulated snow on roads presents a dual risk of accidents and financial losses. Conventional de-icing methods, which rely on chemicals, salt, and heavy machinery, are unsustainable and detrimental to both the environment and infrastructure. Furthermore, they demand significant labor and pose hazards in densely populated areas. In response, heated pavement systems such as hydronic and electrically conductive concrete (ECON) have gained traction for mitigating snow accumulation on roads. However, the use of carbon fiber and carbon black in ECON raises costs and depletes valuable resources. This research introduces an inventive and sustainable approach to address snow accumulation on rigid pavements …

Sustainability Transformation For Healthcare Facilities Following Net Zero Model, Esraa Elmitainy

Theses and Dissertations

The healthcare industry is a field undergoing huge development. Focused on SDG 3 “Good Health and Well-being”, the healthcare industry, as the main health service provider, was marked by experts as a sector that should lead sustainable development by example. The current work aims to formulate a sustainability rating system for new and existing healthcare facilities to encourage the Egyptian healthcare industry to move towards sustainability according to net zero concepts. Additionally, the transition to net zero waste is investigated though experimental work to test the possibility of utilizing sterilized medical waste in cement-based bricks.

The rating system starts with …

The Elizabeth River Marine Debris Stakeholder Roundtable, Wie Yusuf, Joseph Barnes, Robin Dunbar, Jennifer L. Whytlaw, Tom Allen

School of Public Service Faculty Publications

Convened by Virginia Sea Grant, Old Dominion University, Clean Virginia Waterways (CVW), Virginia Coastal Zone Management Program (CZM), and the Virgina Marine Resources Commission. Supported by Sea Grant Marine Debris Community Action Coalition funding (for project titled From Learning to Willing to Doing: A Collaborative Approach to implementing the Virginia Marine Debris Reduction Plan.

Study On Ratio Of Cutting Height To Caving Height For Efficient Top-Coal Recovery In Extra Thick And Gently Inclined Coal Seam – A Case Study Of Seam 7 Ha Lam Coal Mine, Vietnam, Duc Hung Pham, Tien Dung Le, Phi Hung Nguyen, Van Quan Pham

Journal of Sustainable Mining

The mechanized longwall top-coal caving technology (LTCC) has been used in Quang Ninh underground coal mines owned by Vietnam National Coal – Mineral Industries Holding Corporation Limited (Vinacomin). The application of the LTCC technology has achieved significant achievements, contributing to the production of coal for national economy development. The use of LTCC has shown that the top-coal recovery efficiency is directly affected by the sequence of top coal drawing, ratio of cutting height to caving height, and caving span. These parameters, especially for extracting thick and gently inclined coal seam conditions as in the Quang Ninh coal field, have not …

The Journey Toward Sustainability: Positive Impact Of Environmental, Social, And Governance Index On Transportation., Doreen Mcgunagle, Laura Zizka, Ron Mau, Patti Clark

Publications

The transportation industry has been criticized for its hefty environmental footprint, questionable social practices, and lack of transparency regarding governance. Thus, more companies have begun including Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) issues in their strategies. Research has shown that effectively integrating ESG into business models can improve financial performance by tackling environmental, social, and governance challenges. This sustainable progress can be quantified by considering the extent to which the products or services produced by the firm’s harm or benefit social welfare. The current research paper examines ESG and financial performance over time in the Transportation Industry by comparing data from …

Community-Centered Climate Resilience Strategies For Agriculture In Chile's Los Lagos, Asa B. Stone, Cristián Kremer F., Mark C. Stone

Cornhusker Economics

Community-centered approaches using the SETS framework facilitate equitable community-academia partnerships that co-create climate resilience strategies. By integrating local insights with academic research ethically and equitably, PLL aims to develop evidence-based, culturally relevant, and technologically feasible strategies. This holistic approach not only enhances community resilience but also ensures the sustainable management of water resources in the Los Lagos Region.

System Dynamics For Manufacturing: Supply Chain Simulation Of Hemp-Reinforced Polymer Composite Manufacturing For Sustainability, Gurinder Kaur, Ronald Kander

School of Design and Engineering Papers

Supply chain management (SCM) involves complexities and uncertainties in the flow of goods and services from raw materials to end users. Inaccurate estimation of raw materials, labor, or equipment can lead to financial losses and environmental impacts. This study explores the application of system dynamics modeling (SDM) in manufacturing hemp-reinforced polymer composites (HRPC) to optimize resource usage. Using SDM software STELLA^® (Version 3.7.3), selected for its affordability and features, the research demonstrates how system dynamics (SD) can enhance sustainability by minimizing materials, labor, and equipment, reducing energy consumption. A literature review identified a gap in existing research, as we …

A Bayesian Network For Business Uncertainties In Coal Mining Industry, Firman Risqul Fidry, Iwan Vanany, Jerry Dwi Trijoyo Purnomo

Journal of Sustainable Mining

In recent years, business uncertainty in the coal mining industry has increased along with increasing global energy demand and carbon emission reduction policies. Not much research has been done on business uncertainty in the coal mining industry based on modelling. This study aimed to develop a model for business uncertainty in the coal mining industry using a Bayesian network approach. The Indonesian coal mining industry was utilized as a case study to develop the proposed model. Two dimensions and nine factors were identified and structured based on a literature review and rigorous interviews with three interviewees from three companies. Each …

Eco-Efficiency And Life Cycle Assessment Of The Long Reach Directionally Drilled And Cross-Measure Boreholes Methane Drainage Technologies Employed In Bituminous Coal Mine On The Basis Of The Pilot Scale Experimental Data, Bartłomiej Jura, Piotr Krawczyk, Anna Śliwińska, Jacek Skiba, Marcin Karbownik, Natalia Howaniec

Journal of Sustainable Mining

This paper presents the results of eco-efficiency and life cycle analysis conducted for two methane drainage technologies: cross-measure (CM) and long reach directionally drilled (LRDD) boreholes. In the analyses, data from coal mine methane drainage of two coal panels, I-C and II-C, located at the Staszic-Wujek coal mine in Poland, were used. The results of the life cycle and eco-efficiency assessments showed that employment of long reach directional drilling boreholes method has a lower environmental impact and is more eco-efficient, causing the lower environmental impact and lower construction and operating costs per cubic meter of methane extracted. The results of …

Acknowledgement Of Reviewers

Journal of Sustainable Mining

No abstract provided.

The Influence Of The Un Watercourses Convention On The Development Of A Policy Design In The Nile River Basin, Zienab Ali Abdelhady

Theses and Dissertations

The adoption in 1997 of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Non-navigational Uses of International Watercourses (UN Watercourses Convention or UNWC) marked a milestone in the codification and progressive development of international water law. Similarly, the signature in 2010 by the majority of the Nile Basin states of the Nile River Basin Cooperative Framework Agreement (CFA) was a major step towards a permanent legal and institutional framework as well as a significant shift from the currently applicable legal regime in the basin. The research concludes that the principles enshrined in the UNWC can assist future regional treaty …

Coal Mining-Induced Composite Damage To Geological Bodies And Geological Guarantee Against Damage Reduction, Wang Shuangming, Sun Qiang, Hu Xin, Geng Jishi, Hou Enke, Wang Shengquan, Zhou Shutao, Shi Qingmin, Yuan Shihao, Chen Kai, Song Shijie

Coal Geology & Exploration

Objective and Background Coals have long served as a predominant energy source in China. With an increase in mining scale and intensity in recent years, the correlations between rocks, soils, hydrosphere, and ecological environment in coal mining areas have been strengthened. Given this, there is an urgent need to, from the perspective of Earth system science, understand the coupling relationships and chain characteristics among factors including the movement and deformations of surrounding rocks, rock bursts, coal and gas outbursts, water inrushes, ground subsidence, water and soil erosion, and damage to ecological environments, aiming to achieve safe, green coal mining. Methods …

Impacts Of Coal Fracture Roughness And Aperture On The Seepage Of Injected Water: An Experimental Study, Wang Gang, Chen Xuechang, Chen Hao, Long Qingming, Liu Yixin

Coal Geology & Exploration

Objective Water injection into coal seams is recognized as a critical technical measure for dust removal and the prevention and control of coal and gas outbursts and rock bursts in coal mines. The effectiveness of this measure is significantly influenced by the morphological characteristics of fractures, such as their roughness and aperture. Methods This study prepared coal samples containing fractures with different roughness and apertures using sandpaper and polyimide tape, calculated the fracture roughness parameters accurately using a confocal laser scanning microscope (CLSM), and tested the seepage rate of fractured coal samples. Results and Conclusions The results indicate that the …

Fracture-Seepage Characteristic Zones Of The Overburden Of Extra-Thick Coal Seams: Evolutionary Patterns And Their Engineering Applications, Kong Xiangguo, Zhao Tianshuo, Lin Haifei, Zhao Pengxiang, Wang Xu, Cai Yuchu, Ji Pengfei, He Di, Li Ke, Xu Chuanyu

Coal Geology & Exploration

Objective and Methods Given that the overburden’s structure significantly influences pressure relief gas extraction, this study aims to explore the gas migration patterns of the overburden of thick coal seams during coal seam mining. To this end, this study analyzed the evolutionary patterns of the fracture morphology and seepage capacity of the overburden using physical similarity simulation experiments. Accordingly, this study investigated the mechanisms behind the evolution of fracture-seepage characteristic zones of the overburden of extra-thick coal seams and proposed a method for identifying fracture-seepage characteristic zones of the overburden. Using this method, this study conducted gas extraction along the …

A Key Technology For Synergistic Backfilling Of Coal-Based Solid Waste And High-Salinity Wastewater, Dong Shuning, Yu Shujiang, Dong Xingling, Zhang Buqin, Guo Xiaoming, Wang Xiaodong, Wang Kai, Zhu Shibin, Wu Boqiang, Liu Lei

Coal Geology & Exploration

Background and Objective Limited by locations, as well as economic and technical levels, most of the coal-based solid waste is still accumulated in the form of open-air landfills without treatment, thus occupying large quantities of land resources and causing secondary pollution to the environment. The proper treatment and reduction of high-salinity wastewater (e.g., high-salinity mine water and high-salinity water from the coal chemical industry) represent a key link in the achievement of zero liquid discharge. However, existing technologies for high-salinity wastewater treatment are generally confronted with issues such as great initial investment and high operation costs of the treatment engineering. …

Experimental Study Of The Piezoelectricity Of Middle Pleistocene Loess In The Weibei Region, China, Jing Yanlin, Liu Jie, Liu Qingying, Duan Xiaoxiao, Xie Na, Yang Dengke

Coal Geology & Exploration

Objective Quartz, the piezoelectric material discovered the earliest, has found widespread applications in industry, military fields, and daily life due to its piezoelectricity. The widely distributed loess worldwide is composed primarily of quartz, accounting for 37.0% to 69.9%. However, there is a lack of studies on the piezoelectricity of loess both domestically and internationally. Methods This study investigated the ${\mathrm{Q}}_2^{{\mathrm{eol}}} $ loess from the Weibei Loess Tableland in Shaanxi Province as an example to explore the piezoelectricity of loess. The piezoelectric coefficient of the loess was measured, and its piezoelectric voltage under the action of static loading and vibration was …

Deformations And Seepage-Induced Erosion Of Fractured Rocks In Fault Under Confined Settings, Sun Wenbin, Tian Dianjin, Ma Cheng, Xue Yanchao, Yang Can, Zhu Kaipeng

Coal Geology & Exploration

Objective Most of the mining areas in China have entered the deep mining stage. In this case, the risks of mine water inrushes increase significantly due to the complex deep hydrogeological conditions, a significant increase in the number of hidden disaster-causing factors, and the existence of faults. Methods Using a deformation-seepage experiment system for fractured rocks, this study investigated the characteristics of compressive deformations and seepage-induced erosion of fractured rocks in faults. By analyzing the impacts of particle-size distribution combinations, saturation state, and seepage pressure, on the deformation-permeability characteristics of fractured rocks under confined axial compression, this study investigated the …

Characteristics Of Cenozoic Volcanic Edifices In The Pingnan Area, Xihu Sag, Sun Naiquan, Jiang Donghui, Pan Jie, Gao Yang, Pu Renhai, Dong Xinxu

Coal Geology & Exploration

Significance Igneous rocks are well-developed in the southern Pinghu slope zone, Xihu Sag, East China Sea Shelf Basin. In this zone, the increased local geotemperature caused by magmatic activity produced significant impacts on the thermal evolution of source rocks and the formation of secondary pores in sandstone reservoirs and also serves as a significant indicator of regional tectonic movements, thus holding great significance for understanding the regional geological history. Objective and Methods This study aims to determine the formation stages and distribution patterns of igneous rocks as the cap rocks in the southern Pinghu slope zone. Using previous study results …

An Intelligent Lithology Identification Method For Sandstone And Mudstone Strata And Its Applications: A Case Study Of The Jurassic Strata In The Lunnan Area, Xinjiang, China, Cai Ming, Zhou Qingwen, Yang Cong, Chen Feng, Wu Dong, Lin Wang, Zhang Chengguang, Zhang Yuanjun, Miao Yuxin

Coal Geology & Exploration

Objective Lithology identification lays the foundation for fine-scale reservoir evaluation. However, traditional identification methods generally utilize the interactive relationships between only 2‒3 logging parameters, suffering from low utilization rates of logging information and low identification accuracy for strata with small differences in logging responses. This seriously restricts the effects of old well reexamination. The efficient, intelligent CatBoost classification algorithm can fully mine the correlations between multi-source logging information and lithology. Methods This study investigated the Jurassic sandstone and mudstone reservoirs in the Lunnan area, Xinjiang, China. Using five logging parameters determined through sensitivity analysis, i.e., natural gamma-ray value, spontaneous potential, …

A Dehazing And Enhancement Algorithm For Heterogeneous Images Of Underground Mining Environments In Coal Mines, Zhang Xuhui, Xie Yanbin, Yang Wenjuan, Zhang Chao, Wan Jicheng, Dong Zheng, Wang Yanqun, Jiang Jie, Li Long

Coal Geology & Exploration

Objective In coal mines, the uneven distribution of dust haze and complex illumination conditions caused by underground coal mining and dust removal lead to blurred video images, as well as the loss of information and details. Hence, this study proposed a dehazing and enhancement algorithm for heterogeneous images of underground mining environments. Methods Initially, hazy images were segmented into zones with different brightness values, for which the average ambient light intensity of global dark channels was calculated. The calculation results were integrated through weighting with the ambient light of local bright channels, which was obtained using adaptive gamma correction and …

Prospects For Mine Geological Work In The Intelligence Age: Architecture Of The Intelligent Geological Guarantee Technology System For Mine Exploitation, Xia Yucheng, Sun Xueyang, Miao Lintian, Guo Chen, Du Rongjun

Coal Geology & Exploration

Background and Significance In response to the serious challenges posed by the goals of peak carbon dioxide emissions and carbon neutrality, the intelligentization of coal mines is an inevitable course and a significant sign of the high-quality, sustainable development of the coal industry in the New era. Mine geological work, providing geological foundation and guarantee for underground coal mining, plays an increasingly significant role in the transformation and upgrading of the coal industry for high-quality development. Constructing an intelligent geological guarantee technology system for coal mining by combining mine geology with artificial intelligence (AI) can provide a comprehensive, whole-process geological …

An Analytical Method For The Desorption Superposition Effect In Commingled Production Of Coalbed Methane And Its Application: A Case Study Of The Xiaotun Mine Field In Western Guizhou Province, China, Guo Chen, Ji Yan, Zhao Chenyi, Lu Lingling, Yu Xinhang, Gao Junzhe, Li Houqiang, Zhang Xuyang, Wang Xiang, He Hongbin, Zhang Runhan

Coal Geology & Exploration

Objective The commingled production of coalbed methane (CBM) serves as a significant means to increase single-well production. However, production practices reveal that the commingled production of CBM exhibits complex and varied effects and controlling factors, facing technical challenges of identifying gas-producing contributions, predicting gas-producing potential, and optimizing pay interval combinations. The superposition of desorption for gas production among different coal seams determines whether high CBM production can be achieved using commingled production. Methods This study proposed an analytical method for the desorption superposition effect in the commingled production of CBM, involving determining desorption sequences, analyzing the superposition of desorption intervals …