A laboratory investigation on a scaled model of a landfill liner was conducted to provide data regarding the occurrence and extent of desiccation cracking of prototype liners. The crack intensity factor, CIF, was introduced as a descriptor of the extent of surficial cracking. CIF is defmed as the ratio of the surface crack area A, to the total surface area of the clay liner, At. A computer aided image analysis program was used to determine CII' values from scanned photographs of the desiccation process. The variation of the CII' was related to duration of drying and measured soil moisture suctions.The soil of this investigation experienced significant cracking, with crack widths approaching 10 mm in the first drying cycle and penetration through the entire 16 cm thickness. Crack propagation was limited to a very intense period of the desiccation process.Nearly 90 percent of the crack development occurred during a 19hour time period, although the total duration of the desiccation cycle was approximately 170 hours. The soil moisture suction changed by only 2 bars during the period of rapid crack growth, although it changed by more than 40 bars during the period of reduced growth.

This paper discusses the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) long-term infrastructural project as a major part of the One Belt One Road (OBOR) the major global initiative by the Chinese government, scheduled to complete by 2030. CPEC is a joint project that Beijing and Islamabad agreed to finance through Chinese investments utilizing investment loans largely by Chinese financial institutions; nevertheless, Pakistan will also be responsible for investing approximately 15 billion dollars on its own in the process. While the project has been welcomed by Greater Eurasia (including Russia, Iran, and Central Asia) besides the United Kingdom and Western European countries, albeit vehement opposition by India. Paper elaborates upon the positive and negative elements that will likely impact the project progress, from internal political, economic dynamics of Pakistan and consequent security challenges to the related transit tariff issues, quality labor force supplies, just as well the inter-provincial competition between Baluchistan and KPK (Khyber Pukhtoon Khwa) besides the reaction of some South Asian countries, namely, India and Bangladesh. It highlights the opportunities, challenges and the impact that this mega project will likely have to the existing socioeconomic infrastructure, job opportunities, poverty level index, and regional peace and security.

Background: In the near future, pressures on long-term care (LTC) are expected to grow with demographic transition. Higher demand for formal services is emerging in China also because of people's expectations for high-quality care. This study aims to provide quantitative estimates of the associated LTC financial liability in the medium to long run to 2050, and is expected to further facilitate policy design on national LTC systems, which begin to be formulated and debated. Methods: We first analyze the health status of Chinese elderly through the Sample Survey of the Aged Population in Urban and Rural China (SSAPUR) in 2015, 2016 and 2017, the largest database of research on aging in China. Subsequently, we estimate LTC needs and the government's financial burden for the next 3 decades according Qingdao model. Results: The average elderly disability rate is 4.4% in 2015-2017, and the gender differences (3.9% for males, 4.67% for females), disparities between rural and urban areas, age differences exist. The proportion of public expenditure on long-term care costs will increase from 0.35 percent in 2021 to 0.68 percent in 2050, and that of proportion in GDP will increase from 0.1 percent to 0.2 percent. Conclusions: Compared with OECD countries, China's LTC system started late and developed relatively slowly. The "policy window" between 2021 and 2036 is critical for China in developing LTC policies. In the period of "gradually getting wealthy and quickly getting old", policy-makers should give priority to achieve "healthy aging" instead of "survival aging".

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The contact and slide under high pressure between casing and tool joint leads to wear of the casing inner surface in cemented well. The reduced collapse and burst strength of worn casing threats to the safety of oil and gas well. In order to calculate the wear depth and residual strength of the casing wear, the wear efficiency and friction coefficient is measured in the different wear time, the contact force and the rotating speed. The wear efficiency is in proportion to the contact force and the rotating speed. The wear efficiency of P110 casing change from 2 to 4×10-131/Pa. Friction coefficient reaches maximum value under certain contact force and rotating speed. The rotating speed has less influence on the wear mechanism of casing, while the contact force play a greater influence on the wear mechanism.