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A special issue of Energies (ISSN 1996-1073). This special issue belongs to the section "F4: Critical Energy Infrastructure".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (28 February 2023) | Viewed by 18469

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Dr. Jianyong Han

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Guest Editor

School of Civil Engineering, Shandong Jianzhu University, Jinan 250101, China
Interests: geotechnical engineering; performance analysis of underground structures; pipe jacking; ground anchorage theory; waterproof material
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Prof. Dr. Li Tian

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Guest Editor

School of Civil Engineering, Shandong University, Jinan 250061, Shandong Province, China
Interests: multi-hazard analysis of lifeline structure; collapse simulation of lifeline structure; vibration control of lifeline structure
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Energy development and utilization systems are fundamental to the overall development of economies all over the world. Energy infrastructure is essential for effective resource usage, the normal function of a city, and waste energy disposal, but also indirectly affects economic and social development. Although the focus of research concerning energy infrastructure has varied over the past few decades, the overall goal of these efforts has not changed, that is, to build and preserve efficient, reliable, and sustainable energy infrastructure systems. However, the complex service environment and the diverse and random loads are the primary obstacles preventing infrastructure engineers and researchers from achieving this objective.

The construction of energy infrastructure requires sufficient knowledge of geotechnical engineering, structural engineering, and the physical properties of energy materials, as well as the mechanical properties of the construction materials. To enhance the service performance and service life of energy infrastructure, innovations in construction materials, structures, foundations, and construction measures are necessary. Thus far, while efforts have been made in improving construction technologies, developing construction materials, and optimizing construction theories, there is still a significant gap between the demands of energy systems and the real conditions of energy infrastructure. This indicates that developing advanced methods for effective and efficient technologies, equipment, and theoretical concepts to improve the design, construction, and maintenance of energy infrastructure remains a persistent challenge.

With the aim of presenting and discussing recent studies, new methods, case studies, and review articles that describe the current state and relevant advances in this research area, this Special Issue welcomes submissions with a focus on the current challenges related to physical experiments, computational models, and theoretical analyses for the construction technology of energy infrastructure, when possible, with field observations in practice. Papers submitted on new and emerging topics within the discipline are also encouraged. Theoretical papers are welcomed, and practice-oriented papers and computational method papers are particularly encouraged.

Potential topics include, but are not limited to, the following:

Stability analysis of oil and gas pipeline/tunnel in multi-field coupling environment;
Multi-hazards on energy infrastructures and lifeline structures;
Reinforcement analysis of infrastructures and lifeline structures
Construction technology of renewable energy infrastructure;
Hazard analysis of earthquakes and strong winds;
Monitoring, spatial–temporal prediction modeling, and early warning of facility failures using advanced measurement systems;
Sustainable and innovative materials for energy infrastructure;
Construction technology and durability of nuclear waste treatment facilities under extreme conditions;
New computational and experimental methods investigating the foundations of advanced energy infrastructures.

Dr. Jianyong Han
Prof. Dr. Li Tian
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Energies is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Published Papers (10 papers)

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Research

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19 pages, 5068 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Reliability Analysis and Life Prediction of Aging LNG Unloading Arms Based on Non-Destructive Test Data

by Duc-Vu Ngo, Jong-Kwon Lim and Dong-Hyawn Kim

Energies 2022, 15(24), 9408; https://doi.org/10.3390/en15249408 - 12 Dec 2022

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1268

Abstract

Unloading arms (ULAs) among seaport infrastructures are susceptible to deterioration posed by the effects of harsh marine environmental conditions. During infrastructure’s service life, the deterioration of structural integrity may increase the risk of failure of infrastructure, and should be taken into account during structural reliability assessment. In this study, a simple non-destructive test (NDT) was employed to examine the structural deterioration of ULAs which were installed over 30 years ago. Then, these aging ULAs were modeled by the finite-element program, using non-destructive test data to update the thickness dimensions of structural members. Next, a reliability assessment was conducted based on the stress distribution of the main structural components under external loads, which are calculated by their relation to wind speed. Moreover, the time-dependent reliability index curve was also built by considering the deterioration function to predict the failure probability of the particular components during the remaining lifetime. The study revealed that the present condition of the ULA system was satisfactory for current loading conditions. A reliability index predicted with deteriorations factors may be a rational and appropriate approach for the assessment of aging structures needed for efficient infrastructure management. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Energy Infrastructure Construction Technology)

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11 pages, 3637 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Numerical Simulation of Tail Over-Fire Air Supply of a Grate Biomass Boiler

by Shidan Chi, Yan Liang, Weixi Chen, Zhen Hou and Tao Luan

Energies 2022, 15(20), 7664; https://doi.org/10.3390/en15207664 - 17 Oct 2022

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1190

Abstract

By taking a 130 t/h water-cooled grate biomass boiler as the research object, the ANSYS software is applied to simulate the effects of the tail burnout air’s incidence angle, wind speed, and pipe diameter on flow field distribution in the furnace, the movement of unburned carbon particles at the tail of the grate under cold operation. The influence rules of the incidence angle, pipe diameter, and wind speed of the tail burnout air on the combustion in the furnace and the movement of the tail particles were obtained. The results show that the setting of burnout air at the tail of the grate can better organize the air flow field at the grate tail, change the particle distribution, prevent small density particles from directly falling into the ash hopper, and prolong the residence time of particles on the grate. Under the study conditions, with an increase in the outlet velocity and the pipe diameter of the tail burnout air, as the movement degree and the burnout degree of grate particles increase, the boiler efficiency increases. With an increase in the incidence angle of the tail burnout air, the flow field in the furnace and the reduction ratio of the tail particles increases at first and then decreases, and the optimal incidence angle is 11–13°. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Energy Infrastructure Construction Technology)

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18 pages, 7314 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Seepage Performance of Fibre Bundle Drainage Pipes: Particle Flow Simulation and Laboratory Testing

by Sifeng Zhang, Guozhang Ren, Guojian Zhang, Ziyin Ren, Chong Xia and Yuan Gao

Energies 2022, 15(19), 7270; https://doi.org/10.3390/en15197270 - 3 Oct 2022

Viewed by 1221

Abstract

Mining coal, oil and other energy will form much slope engineering, such as open-pit mine slope and oil depot slope. The groundwater seepage seriously affects the stability of these slope engineering projects. Drainage pipes are commonly used in slope engineering projects to reduce the risk of moisture decreasing soil stability. Such pipes are prone to blockage by soil accumulation after a period of operation, resulting in decreased drainage or complete failure. By installing fibre bundles in drainage pipes, drainage can be maintained under soil ingress. This paper conducted particle flow simulations of the influences of soil particles on the clogging of geotextile filters and drainage pipes under various influences and estimated their seepage rates. Higher water pressure, smaller flower hole intervals in the pipe, greater soil friction angles and smaller pipe inclination angles are less conducive to drainage. Under silting conditions, the seepage and drainage performance of a drainage pipe can be improved by installing a fibre bundle. Five types of fibre bundles were tested with plastic rope providing the best drainage effect. With plastic rope and cotton rope, the best drainage is achieved using uneven arrangements of fibre bundles. In contrast, nylon rope, hemp rope and polyester rope perform best when uniformly arranged. The greater the number of fibre bundles per unit cross-sectional area of pipe, the better the seepage conductivity. Seepage is also greater when the soil in the pipe has a higher sand content. These results provide a reference for the design and construction of more reliable drainage systems for slope engineering in wet areas. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Energy Infrastructure Construction Technology)

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17 pages, 13646 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Failure Patterns of Transmission Tower-Line System Caused by Landslide Events

by Hong Yu, Hao Li, Zhi-Qiang Zhang, Gui-Feng Zhang, Da-Hai Wang and Hua-Dong Zheng

Energies 2022, 15(19), 7155; https://doi.org/10.3390/en15197155 - 28 Sep 2022

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1940

Abstract

A transmission tower-line system consists of many towers and cables, which is a long-span structure. Due to topographical restrictions, the structure inevitably passes through wide areas prone to landslide hazards. The landslide causes the failure of the tower foundation and threatens the safety of the power transmission system. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the collapse patterns of a transmission tower-line structure under landslides. The explicit analysis method was used to deal with the nonlinear dynamic response equations of the structure. To prove the effect of the landslides on the collapse patterns of the transmission tower-line structure, two foundation failure cases (Case 1 and Case 2) under landslides were considered. For each case, the displacement responses at tower tops and the progressive collapse behavior were analyzed, which illustrate that the failure patterns of the tower-line structure under landslides are dominated by two factors, i.e., the failure mode of the tower foundation and the pulling effect of cables. The overall tilting and hinge formation in the middle of the tower body are the main collapse patterns of the structure under Case 1 and Case 2, respectively. In addition, because of the pulling of cables, the collapse of one tower induced by the landslides always triggers the local failure of neighboring tower heads. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Energy Infrastructure Construction Technology)

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11 pages, 4771 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Properties of Lightweight Controlled Low-Strength Materials Using Construction Waste and EPS for Oil and Gas Pipelines

by Hao Liu, Kaizhi Liu, Yiqi Xiao, Peng Zhang, Meixia Zhang, Youzeng Zhu, Kaixin Liu, Tianshuo Xu and Rui Huang

Energies 2022, 15(12), 4301; https://doi.org/10.3390/en15124301 - 11 Jun 2022

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1717

Abstract

Due to its particularity and importance, long-distance oil and gas pipelines need to be well protected from damage by backfill materials. In this study, construction waste and expanded polystyrene (EPS) were used to replace conventional fine aggregate, and ethylene vinyl acetate-resin (EVA) was used to modify the surface of EPS to prepare lightweight controlled low strength materials (CLSM). Lightweight CLSM was tested in mechanics and physics and its microstructure was studied using microscopic analysis methods. The results revealed that the surface modification of EPS by EVA could greatly improve the compatibility of EPS with inorganic cementitious materials and prepare CLSM with a fluidity greater than 200 mm. EPS and cement content in cementitious materials play an important role in the development of material strength. When the volume ratio of EPS to construction waste was 2, and the content of cement in the cementitious materials was 35%, CLSM’s unconfined compressive strength at 28 days was only 0.48 MPa. In order to obtain the lightweight CLSM that meets the mechanical properties, the EPS content should not be too large. It can be concluded from the microscopic analysis that the increase of EPS content will lead to poor pore uniformity of the specimen, forming a loose mesh structure of defects, which is not conducive to the development of strength. In this study, EPS and construction waste are used to provide a green idea for preparing lightweight controlled low strength materials, which provides a reference for the backfill protection of the material in oil and gas pipelines in the future. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Energy Infrastructure Construction Technology)

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14 pages, 6918 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Study on Influence of Joint Locations and Hydraulic Coupling Actions on Rock Masses’ Failure Process

by Yunjuan Chen, Tao Gao, Fuqiang Yin, Xiaozhi Liu and Jun Wang

Energies 2022, 15(11), 4024; https://doi.org/10.3390/en15114024 - 30 May 2022

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1376

Abstract

Distribution of joints and fissures under hydraulic coupling condition is particularly critical to the stability of surrounding rock masses in underground engineering construction. In this paper, DDARF (Discontinuous Deformation Analysis for Rock Failure) and RFPA (Rock Failure Process Analysis) are compared and analyzed firstly based on laboratory tests. Then using preferred software RFPA, the failure process, stress state, acoustic emission characteristics and energy dissipation laws of rock masses with different joint locations are analyzed under the hydraulic coupling condition. Results show that a large tensile stress region is generated on both ends of the original joint with the micro-cracks’ propagation, water pressure in cracks promotes the generation of tensile stress to a certain extent, damage effect angle increases gradually from the rock specimen with the middle joint to that with the marginal joint; the same water pressure has a certain auxiliary effect on the main crack failure when the joint is close to the middle part of the specimen, and has a dominant effect on the local crack failure when the joint is far away from the middle; the maximum water pressure shows the “U” shaped distribution. At low initial water pressure, stresses of specimens with symmetrical joint locations have similar evolution trends, while at high initial water pressure, the water pressure in cracks has significant dissipation and thus the maximum water pressure in the system does not exceed the initial value. The length of the main crack path is positively proportional to the number of acoustic emissions and the energy accumulation capacity, and evolution of the damage variable basically shows a development trend of steady growth-rapid growth-steady growth. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Energy Infrastructure Construction Technology)

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18 pages, 33048 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Collapse Mechanism of Transmission Tower Subjected to Strong Wind Load and Dynamic Response of Tower-Line System

by Junkuo Li, Fan Gao, Lihuan Wang, Yaning Ren, Chuncheng Liu, Aiquan Yang, Zhao Yan, Tao Jiang and Chengbo Li

Energies 2022, 15(11), 3925; https://doi.org/10.3390/en15113925 - 26 May 2022

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2855

Abstract

Transmission towers are prone to collapse under strong wind load, resulting in significant economic losses. In order to investigate the collapse mechanism and failure modes of the transmission tower under strong wind load and whether the wind vibration factor can greatly reflect the increasing effect of the fluctuating wind, the finite element method (FEM) is utilized to analyze the ultimate bearing capacity of a typical 220 kV transmission tower. The results show that the collapse of the tower under strong wind loads is usually due to the buckling of the leg members. When the reference wind speed is equal to 27 m/s, a small part of the main leg members reaches their yield strength, while the diagonal members are still in the elastic range, and the deformation of the transmission tower is unapparent at this wind speed. When reference wind speed is equal or greater than 30 m/s, the growing variety of main legs is totally into the plastic yield stage, and the overall deformation of this tower is visible. Therefore, the transmission tower is collapsed due to the large deformation caused by the elastic-plastic buckling of leg members. Based on the aforementioned study, a finite element model involving three transmission towers and four span transmission lines is established to analyze the dynamic response of the tower-line system below fluctuating wind. Results show that the wind-induced coefficients designed by current code not only notably satisfy the stress response of tower components subjected to fluctuating wind loads in the elastic phase but also accurately assess the collapse displacement of the transmission tower. The increasing effect of displacement on the top tower under fluctuating wind, unfortunately, could not considerably reply with the investigated factor, and the load-carrying capacity of the transmission tower in the plastic phase can be overestimated by static calculation results. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Energy Infrastructure Construction Technology)

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16 pages, 7207 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Key Techniques for Rapid Jacking and Laying of Pipelines: A Case Study on ‘Jingshihan’ Gas Pipelines in China

by Tianshuo Xu, Le Wang, Peng Zhang, Yuheng Zhou, Kaixin Liu, Xin Feng, Yongchun Qi and Cong Zeng

Energies 2022, 15(8), 2918; https://doi.org/10.3390/en15082918 - 15 Apr 2022

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2325

Abstract

With the rapid growth of the oil and gas storage, transportation, and pipeline industries, it is necessary to improve the construction process of oil and gas pipelines. By combining the technical advantages of horizontal directional drilling and pipe jacking construction, the direct pipe laying method is suitable for pipeline crossing in different strata in the oil and gas, water conservancy and hydropower, and municipal industries due to its advantages of less construction land, high speed, and reversibility. Using the rapid jacking and laying of pipelines crossing Nanjuma River in the ‘Jingshihan’ gas pipeline double line project as a case study, this paper investigates the application status of the direct pipe laying method, summarizes the project, and introduces the construction of the working well, equipment selection, guiding control technology, supporting equipment installation, and drag reduction measures, as well as analyzes the influencing factors of thrust force and trajectory deviation combined with formation information. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Energy Infrastructure Construction Technology)

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30 pages, 53166 KiB

Open AccessArticle

A Study of the Segment Assembly Error and Quality Control Standard of Special-Shaped Shield Tunnels

by Peinan Li, Zeyu Dai, Xi Wang, Jun Liu, Yi Rui, Xiaojun Li, Jie Fan and Peixin Chen

Energies 2022, 15(7), 2512; https://doi.org/10.3390/en15072512 - 29 Mar 2022

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1610

Abstract

Large-section special-shaped shield tunnels feature many advantages, such as versatility and a large space utilization rate in energy transmission and public transport; however, guaranteeing the quality of segments’ assembly is difficult. Based on the quasi-rectangular shield tunnel project of Hangzhou Line 9 in China, this study investigated the formation mechanism and control measures of lining segment assembly defects. By quantifying the manufacturing error and positioning error, a simulation program for segment assembly is developed to calculate the error. Furthermore, considering the relative accumulative error between the upper and lower T blocks, the finite element model of key blocks (T-LZ block) is established to perform mechanical analysis, based on which the relative error control standard of the key block under the corresponding working conditions is proposed. The results show that the assembly quality can be effectively improved by assembling the LZ block first and applying corresponding error control measures, and the displacement of the segment along the rZ direction should be carefully controlled during the construction. The error caused by normal assembly will not damage the LZ block, and the corresponding control standard under the action of multi-degree-of-freedom error (extreme case) is 9.8 mm. Using this method to predict the assembly quality of segments can provide a basis for actual construction control of segment assembly. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Energy Infrastructure Construction Technology)

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Review

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23 pages, 4478 KiB

Open AccessReview

A Review of Efficient and Low-Carbon Pile Technologies for Extra-Thick Soft Strata

by Chaozhe Zhang, Jianyong Han, Songyu Liu, Zhenglong Cao, Chen Jiang, Xuhan Diao, Guangwei Chen and Li Tian

Energies 2023, 16(6), 2836; https://doi.org/10.3390/en16062836 - 18 Mar 2023

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1533

Abstract

With the development of urban underground space and increased infrastructure functions, both the scale of engineering construction and engineering difficulties have increased globally. In the construction of structures in soft strata, especially in coastal areas, the limited bearing capacity of the foundations poses a significant challenge. The composite pile technologies employing an organic combination of the rigid pile andthe flexible column can enable efficient soft ground treatment. In light of prominent global environmental issues, low-carbon energy-saving curing technologies have been rapidly developed for application in geotechnical engineering. This paper discusses progress in research on the mechanical properties of the efficient and low-carbon pile technologies, including the stiffened deep mixing (SDM) column, squeezed branch pile, pre-bored grouting plated nodular (PGPN) pile, precast cement pile reinforced by cemented soil with a variable section (PCCV), and carbonized composite pile (CCP). In addition, it reviews the technical characteristics and recent progress of feasible low-carbon energy-efficient curing technologies. The paper also proposes future directions for theoretical research and technological development of low-carbon pile technologies. The key contribution of this review is to provide insights into efficient and low-carbon pile technologies. In addition, the findings from the study of the pile technologies used in extra-thick soft strata also provide industry practitioners with a comprehensive guide regarding the specific applications and mechanical performance of the pile technologies, which can serve as a stepping stone to facilitate the technological development of the underground space industry. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Energy Infrastructure Construction Technology)

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