Open Access
Construction process for the implementation of urban utility tunnels in historic centres
(Elsevier, 2019) Valdenebro García, José Vicente; Gimena Ramos, Faustino; López Rodríguez, José Javier; Ingeniería; Ingeniaritza
Nowadays, there are many cities that have chosen to build urban utility tunnels (UUTs) in new urban enlargements to house and order the large number of utility networks that should be located in the subsoil. UUTs are a smart and sustainable solution for the future because, in spite of its high initial cost in comparison with the traditional burial system, enable preventive, predictive and corrective maintenance much more agile, less annoying and less expensive. However, only in exceptional cases municipal authorities have opted to use this type of underground constructions as a key element for the renewal and regeneration of the historical centres of their cities. The main reason for this is the constructive difficulty that is added to the higher cost of the initial investment. The origin of this difficulty is mainly motivated because: these urban areas are inhabited and, therefore, utility networks must be maintained in operation during the construction works; the streets are very narrow, which makes the execution of works and the movement of vehicles and machines difficult while at the same time allowing access for people to homes and businesses; and most of the buildings next to the construction site work have poor quality foundations and structures, so opening deep trenches in their proximity implies taking great risks. This paper proposes a construction process to be followed for the implementation of UUTs in historic centres under the premise of maintaining utilities without interruptions during the works and, at the same time, guaranteeing the security of workers, inhabitants, consumers and pre-existing properties. This construction process has been used in the urban renewal works of the historic centre of Pamplona (Spain).
Open Access
Comparison between capacitive and microstructured optical fiber soil moisture sensors
(MDPI, 2018) López Aldaba, Aitor; López Torres, Diego; Campo-Bescós, Miguel; López Rodríguez, José Javier; Yerro Lizarazu, David; Elosúa Aguado, César; Arregui San Martín, Francisco Javier; Auguste, Jean-Louis; Jamier, Raphael; Roy, Philippe; López-Amo Sáinz, Manuel; Ingeniaritza Elektrikoa eta Elektronikoa; Landa Ingeniaritza eta Proiektuak; Institute of Smart Cities - ISC; Institute on Innovation and Sustainable Development in Food Chain - ISFOOD; Ingeniería Eléctrica y Electrónica; Proyectos e Ingeniería Rural
Soil moisture content has always been an important parameter to control because it is a deterministic factor for site-specific irrigation, seeding, transplanting, and compaction detection. In this work, a discrete sensor that is based on a SnO2–FP (Fabry-Pérot) cavity is presented and characterized in real soil conditions. As far as authors know, it is the first time that a microstructured optical fiber is used for real soil moisture measurements. Its performance is compared with a commercial capacitive soil moisture sensor in two different soil scenarios for two weeks. The optical sensor shows a great agreement with capacitive sensor’s response and gravimetric measurements, as well as a fast and reversible response; moreover, the interrogation technique allows for several sensors to be potentially multiplexed, which offers the possibility of local measurements instead of volumetric: it constitutes a great tool for real soil moisture monitoring.
Open Access
Geomorphological instantaneous unit hydrograph model with distributed rainfall
(Elsevier, 2019) Goñi Garatea, Mikel; López Rodríguez, José Javier; Gimena Ramos, Faustino; Ingeniería; Ingeniaritza
Two variants of the Instantaneous Unit Hydrograph model based on a Geomorphological association of linear Reservoirs (IUHGR), incorporating the Spatial Variability of Rainfall (SVR), have been developed. The proposed models are based on the Geomorphological Reservoirs (GR) scheme consisting of a cascade of linear reservoirs aggregating sub-watersheds. The model, in its first version, was formulated so that it incorporated a spatial variability pattern of rainfall associated with a certain frequency and oriented towards its application in the field of hydrological design. This model was considered to be stationary in the time (GRSVR(s)) for being linked to some design conditions. The second version of the model is applicable to the simulation of real events, where there is a dynamic (GRSVR(m)) spatial distribution of rainfall that varies in time, as in the case of the movement of rainstorms. Both models permit the input of relevant information on the spatial variability of the rainfall, taken from different rain gauge records, without losing the simplicity of the GR model with a single parameter, which represents the hydrological time response of the watershed. The models have been calibrated and validated with the data from one gauged watershed in northern Spain. The analysis conducted in both cases showed that the models which contemplated the spatial variability of the rainfall, GRSVR(s) and GRSVR(m), were capable of simulating rainfall variability effects in the surface runoff hydrograph better than the GR model, which averages the precipitation values recorded in the different rain gauges.
Open Access
Design of optical fiber Bragg grating-based sensors for flow measurement in pipes
(Taylor & Francis, 2023) Diéguez Elizondo, Pedro; Rodríguez Rodríguez, Armando; Urroz Unzueta, José Carlos; López Rodríguez, José Javier; López-Amo Sáinz, Manuel; Ingeniería; Ingeniería Eléctrica, Electrónica y de Comunicación; Institute of Smart Cities - ISC; Ingeniaritza; Ingeniaritza Elektrikoa, Elektronikoaren eta Telekomunikazio Ingeniaritzaren
In this work, optical Fiber Bragg grating (FBG) sensors were used to measure water flow in pipes. Several types of coatings were incorporated into the design of the sensors to examine their effects on the elastic strain that the fiber underwent as a result of the water flow. ANSYS-CFX V2020 R2 software was used to model the elastic strain encountered by the fiber under various flow rates in order to assess the performance of the FBG sensors. The calculations and experimental data exhibited good convergence, demonstrating the accuracy of the FBG sensors in determining water flow. These calculations and procedures can be extrapolated to any other fluid.
Open Access
Dynamic prediction of effective runoff sediment particle size for improved assessment of erosion mitigation efficiency with vegetative filter strips
(Elsevier, 2023) Reichenberger, Stefan; Sur, Robin; Sittig, Stephan; Multsch, Sebastián; Carmona Cabrero, Álvaro; López Rodríguez, José Javier; Muñoz Carpena, Rafael; Ingeniería; Ingeniaritza; Universidad Pública de Navarra / Nafarroako Unibertstitate Publikoa
The most widely implemented mitigation measure to reduce transfer of surface runoff pesticides and other pollutants to surface water bodies are vegetative filter strips (VFS). The most commonly used dynamic model for quantifying the reduction by VFS of surface runoff, eroded sediment, pesticides and other pollutants is VFSMOD, which simulates reduction of total inflow (ΔQ) and of incoming eroded sediment load (ΔE) mechanistically during the rainfall-runoff event. These variables are subsequently used to calculate the reduction of pesticide load by the VFS (ΔP). Since errors in ΔQ and ΔE propagate into ΔP, for strongly-sorbing compounds an accurate prediction of ΔE is crucial for a reliable prediction of ΔP. The most important incoming sediment characteristic for ΔE is the median particle diameter (d50). Current d50 estimation methods are simplistic, yielding fixed d50 based on soil properties and ignoring specific event characteristics and dynamics. We derive an improved dynamic d50 parameterization equation for use in regulatory VFS scenarios based on an extensive dataset of 93 d50 values and 17 candidate explanatory variables compiled from heterogeneous data sources and methods. The dataset was analysed first using machine learning techniques (Random Forest, Gradient Boosting) and Global Sensitivity Analysis (GSA) as a dimension reduction technique and to identify potential interactions between explanatory variables. Using the knowledge gained, a parsimonious multiple regression equation with 6 predictors was developed and thoroughly tested. Since three of the predictors are eventspecific (eroded sediment yield, rainfall intensity and peak runoff rate), predicted d50 vary dynamically across event magnitudes and intensities. Incorporation of the improved d50 parameterization equation in higher-tier pesticide assessment tools with VFSMOD provides more realistic quantitative mitigation in regulatory US-EPA and EU FOCUS pesticide risk assessment frameworks. The equation is also readily applicable to other erosion management problems.
Open Access
Optical fiber sensor for water velocity measurement in rivers and channels
(Nature Research, 2024) Rodríguez Rodríguez, Armando; Diéguez Elizondo, Pedro; Urroz Unzueta, José Carlos; Bravo Acha, Mikel; López Rodríguez, José Javier; López-Amo Sáinz, Manuel; Ingeniería; Ingeniaritza; Ingeniería Eléctrica, Electrónica y de Comunicación; Ingeniaritza Elektrikoa, Elektronikoa eta Telekomunikazio Ingeniaritza; Institute of Smart Cities - ISC
In this work, optical fiber Bragg grating sensors were used to measure water velocity and examine how it was distributed in open channels. Several types of coatings were incorporated into the design of the sensors to examine their effects on the strain that the fibers experienced as a result of the water flow. Due to their low elastic coefficient, which reduced the hysteresis, the results indicated that the aluminum- and acrylate-coated fibers had the best performance. ANSYS-CFX V2020 R2 software was used to model the strain encountered by the fibers under various flow rates to assess the performance of the FBG sensors. The calculations and actual data exhibited good convergence, demonstrating the accuracy of the FBG sensors in determining water velocity. The study illustrated the usability of the proposal in both scenarios by contrasting its application in rivers and channels.
Open Access
Microstructured optical fiber sensor for soil moisture measurements
(Optical Society of America, 2018) López Aldaba, Aitor; López Torres, Diego; Campo-Bescós, Miguel; López Rodríguez, José Javier; Yerro Lizarazu, David; Elosúa Aguado, César; Arregui San Martín, Francisco Javier; Auguste, Jean-Louis; Jamier, Raphael; Roy, Philippe; López-Amo Sáinz, Manuel; Ingeniaritza Elektrikoa, Elektronikoaren eta Telekomunikazio Ingeniaritzaren; Ingeniaritza; Institute of Smart Cities - ISC; Ingeniería Eléctrica, Electrónica y de Comunicación; Ingeniería
A discrete sensor based on a Sn0₂-FP (Fabry-Pérot) cavity is presented and characterized in real soil conditions. Results are compared, for the first time to our knowledge, with a commercial capacitive sensor and gravimetric measurements.
Open Access
Aluminum coated fiber optic sensor for enhancing flow rate measurement
(SPIE, 2023) Rodríguez Rodríguez, Armando; Urroz Unzueta, José Carlos; Diéguez Elizondo, Pedro; Bravo Acha, Mikel; López-Amo Sáinz, Manuel; López Rodríguez, José Javier; Ingeniería; Ingeniería Eléctrica, Electrónica y de Comunicación; Institute of Smart Cities - ISC; Ingeniaritza; Ingeniaritza Elektrikoa, Elektronikoaren eta Telekomunikazio Ingeniaritzaren
A water flow and velocity aluminum-coated Fiber Bragg Grating sensor system for open channels was designed, simulated and tested. The sensing head was designed, ruggedized and customized to measure velocities at different depths, in order to calculate the discharge in open channels. This paper shows, for the first time to our knowledge, the simulation of such kind of fiber sensors in open channels.
Open Access
Determinación de las curvas IDF en Igueldo-San Sebastián. Comparación de diferentes métodos
(Universidad Politécnica de Valencia, 2018) López Rodríguez, José Javier; Delgado Zabala, Oihane; Campo-Bescós, Miguel; Ingeniería; Ingeniaritza
Las curvas de intensidad-duración-frecuencia (IDF) son una herramienta fundamental en ingeniería hidrológica. Se ha partido de la serie de precipitación de 88 años registrada cada diez minutos en la estación meteorológica de Igueldo (San Sebastián). Después de aplicar varios test para comprobar la homogeneidad y la no estacionariedad de la serie de precipitación, se determinaron las curvas IDF mediante un análisis de frecuencia con el programa Hydrognomon. Dichas curvas se compararon con las obtenidas a partir de la serie simulada con el modelo estocástico de Barlett-Lewis Modificado (MBL) y con las estimadas mediante la ecuación de Témez. El objetivo de este trabajo es la evaluación de estas dos últimas metodologías. Las curvas y los yetogramas generados con la expresión de Témez presentaron un buen ajuste a partir de periodos de retorno, T, mayores a 20 años. No fueron tan buenos los obtenidos a partir de la serie simulada con MBL.
Open Access
Development of a water flow and velocity optical fiber sensor for field testing
(Optica Publishing Group, 2022) Rodríguez Rodríguez, Armando; Urroz Unzueta, José Carlos; Diéguez Elizondo, Pedro; Bravo Acha, Mikel; López-Amo Sáinz, Manuel; López Rodríguez, José Javier; Ingeniería; Ingeniería Eléctrica, Electrónica y de Comunicación; Institute of Smart Cities - ISC; Ingeniaritza; Ingeniaritza Elektrikoa, Elektronikoaren eta Telekomunikazio Ingeniaritzaren
A water flow and velocity fiber optic sensor system was developed and tested. The sensing head was especially developed and ruggedized to measure velocities at different depths, in order to calculate the discharge in channels.