Interaction Analysis of Lava Tube Geometric Characteristics under Vehicle Load Using Design of Experiments
Tanja Roje-Bonacci
Round 1
Reviewer 1 Report
This manuscript evaluates the vibration response of Lava Tube under vehicle load based on a series of numerical models. Some comments are listed as follows:
1. What is the special features of lava tube. The analysis and results seem similar with other structures, such as bridge.
2. How do you determine the properties of sand and sandstone in Table 2. And we donot know which parts of your model is the sand or sandstone. It is very important for the results.
3. Some tables or figures can be emerged, e.g. Tabs. 6 and 7. And some figures are not good enough to publish and can be improved, e.g. Figure 6.
4. How do you quantify the vibration? The unit of vibration is not clear in (Fig. 6).
5. The English expression must be improved. For example, the first sentence of abstract is confused.
Author Response
Attached a our reply file.
Thank you for your review.
Author Response File: 
Author Response.pdf
Reviewer 2 Report
1. Standard English technical writing is mandated. Everything must be written in the past tense presumably the work is complete. All grammatical errors and spelling mistakes must be corrected.
2. Abstract: the results must be re-written. Mere stating the main and interaction effects as significant is not appropriate. Instead, meaningful inference must be drawn and presented. Recommendations of this study must be revised.
3. Introduction: state the design of experiment technique used in this study.
4. Vibration mechanism generated in lava tube under vehicle load: it is not clear as to why only one geometrical shape can be analyzed. Please clarify why the width and thickness of joint were not considered as important internal characteristic factors of the lava tube.
5. Numerical analysis: add a short discussion on the classification of soil based on its properties and their implication on the analysis. Justify as to why the load from dump truck was considered to be uniformly distributed, instead moving point loads could have been used.
6. Equation 1 is not numbered in the manuscript.
7. All Tables must fit to one page only.
8. A significant or insignificant interaction does not confirm the variations in slope, instead it is reflected by it.
9. The discussion relevant to the influence of various factors and their interactions on the vibration must be expanded.
10. For Figures with multiple panels, the first sentence of the caption should be a brief overview of the entire Figure followed by individual captions a, b, c, and so on with appropriate description.
11. A separate section on the limitations of this research must be created.
12. Conclusions: remove the term ‘experiments were conducted’ from point 5. Recommendations of this study must be added as a separate section.
Author Response
Attached a our reply file.
Thank you for your review.
Author Response File: Author Response.pdf
Reviewer 3 Report
Fig. 1a need explanation of objects in the middle of figure.
5. Conclusion: 3. is correct if it is possible to determine these properties inthe points, on the field
Author Response
Attached a our reply file.
Thank you for your review.
Author Response File: Author Response.pdf
Round 2
Reviewer 1 Report
Accept
