Conventional investigations on the behavior of reinforced and unreinforced SOILs are often investigated at the failure point. In this paper, a new concept of comparison of the behavior of reinforced and unreinforced SOIL by estimating the strength and strength ratio (deviatoric stress of reinforced sample to unreinforced sample) at various strain levels is proposed. A comprehensive set of laboratory triaxial compression tests was carried out on wet (natural water content) non-plastic beach silty sand with and without geotextile. The layer configurations used are one, two, three and four horizontal reiriforcing layers in a triaxial test sample. The influences of the number of geotextile layers and confining pressure at 3%, 6%, 9%, 12% and 15% of the imposed strain levels on sample were studied and described. The results show that the trend and magnitude of strength ratio is different for various strain level. It implies that using failure strength from peak point or strength corresponding to the axial-strain approximately 15% to evaluate the enhancement of strength or strength ratio due to reinforcement may cause hazard and uncertainty in practical design. Hence, it is necessary to consider the strength of reiriforced sample compared with unreinforced sample at the imposed strain level. Only one type of SOIL and one type of geotextile were used in all tests.

Background and Objective: Biological SOIL crusts are a collection of lichens, mosses, fungi, cyanobacteria, etc. that are part of the SOIL ecosystem. Estimation of density and distribution of biological SOIL crusts in arid and semi-arid regions of Iran, which is the subject of SOIL erosion and wastage is very important. Methods based on remote sensing techniques are important in terms of cost and time less efficient methods to achieve this goal. Segzi plain is one of the critical points of wind erosion in Iran and identifying and determining the distribution of biological SOIL crusts as a SOIL modifier is an effective step in reducing wind erosion in the region. In this research, BSCI (Biological SOIL Crust) index has been used to prepare the distribution map of lichen-dominated biological SOIL crusts. Materials and Methods: The study area is part of the Sajzi Desert (Central Deserts of Iran) which is located in Isfahan province of Iran. The study area with an area of 199. 5 hectares is spread between the eastern lengths of 51o52'32" to 52o27'41" and the northern widths of 32o33'31" to 32o55'01". The average slope of Segzi plain is 1. 08 percent and its average height is 1680 meters. According to the statistics of East Isfahan Meteorological Station (Shahid Beheshti Station), the average annual rainfall in the region is 106 mm. According to the Dumarten climatic classification, the climate of the region is dry and according to the Amberge classification it is cold. The BSCI index is a combination of the relationships used to estimate vegetation and bare SOIL surface, and its mathematical relationship is the slope of the SOIL line. To calculate the SOIL line in an area, one must first separate the pixels that have bare SOIL and no vegetation. In order to calculate the SOIL line equation, in four seasons of a year, images of Landsat OLI 8 satellite related to 2018 were downloaded from the site of the US Geological Survey and 20 to 30 pixels of pure bare SOIL were extracted by drawing the reflection values of these pixels in the red and infrared band. Red near SOIL line coefficients were calculated for each season in the Segzi Plain. Based on BSCI index, lichen-dominated biological SOIL crust are identified using at least VIS-NIR spectral reflection and the slope between the red and green bands compared to bare SOIL and dry vegetation. Using ENVI software, the distribution shells of biological shells with lichen dominance were prepared in four seasons since 2018 in Segzi plain. Then, the prepared maps were validated based on land points and the total accuracy and kappa index were calculated in all four seasons. The collected lichen samples were identified based on their morphological characteristics and using a stereomicroscope, conventional microscope and common color reagents such as potassium hydroxide (KOH). After applying the BSCI index on the Landsat OLI 8 satellite image, using ENVI software, spectral profiles related to 4 points of Segzi plain in four seasons of the year were prepared and the spectral reflection in four seasons of the year in different points were examined. Results and Discussion: The slope of the SOIL line is lower in the rainy season, which coincides with the growth of herbaceous and annual plants, compared to the summer season, which has the least amount of rainfall, and the annual plants have dried up and become extinct. In May, the slope of the SOIL line was minimal (0. 39) and in late summer it has its maximum value (0. 78). In fact, the slope of the SOIL line has decreased from mid-August to May, and then has increased with the loss of annual vegetation and the increase of bare SOIL surface. The distribution maps of bio-shells in all four seasons of the year were validated during field visits and the year it was found that the highest accuracy of the map related to the map produced from Landsat 8 image is related to summer with 94% total accuracy and Kappa index equal to 0. 7412. Interpretation of the spectral profiles of the BSCI index shows that the reflections of the spectra related to the zephyr and strain prepared on the lichen dispersion points are very close to each other and also the spectral profiles of the mid-autumn and early spring are quite consistent. Whereas in the faults, which did not cover the biological crust, the amount of reflection was higher and there was a slight difference between the reflection diagrams of autumn and spring. Although the reflectance values of a range of agricultural lands and the distribution points of biological crusts are very close to each other, the spectral diagrams of all four seasons are very different from each other. But in all seasons of the year and in all places, the least reflection has occurred in the beginning of winter and the most reflection has occurred in summer. The climate of Segzi plain is Mediterranean and precipitation occurs in the cold season of the year. Simultaneously with the increase of precipitation from the middle of autumn, annual plants and mosses at the base of shrubs begin to grow and reach their peak in early winter and again at the beginning of spring. Decreases in rainfall have reduced their density. If the winter spectrum has the least reflection in all places. While in late summer, when the annuals and mosses have dried up, it has had the greatest spectral reflection. In Fasaran, which is a barren area and a landfill, it has shown its maximum reflection. Therefore, the BSCI index relative to the percentage of organic matter has a significant error in the detection of biological SOIL crust and where the organic matter is high may not provide accurate diagnosis of SOIL bioshells. Of course, since the BSCI index is defined for the detection of throat compounds in lichen tissues. The error rate for organic matter is reduced to a minimum. As it has been observed in the final map, there is no cover of biological SOIL crusts in Fasaran and only SOIL biological crusts are observed in the areas around Fasaran in the agricultural areas. In agricultural areas, due to human intervention and cultivation, the amount of annual plants is different from the field of natural resources in different seasons of a year have become. Conclusion: Spectral similarity of the most important SOIL surface, including vegetation, the involvement of human factors in increasing or decreasing SOIL organic matter, bare SOIL, etc. limits the efficiency of the BSCI index and therefore in the time period of satellite images and regional conditions have a great impact on It has the accuracy of BSCI index.

Facilities built in areas affected by earthquake activity, such as tunnels, which have always been an integral part of human life, must withstand both dynamic and static loading. It has led to the need for practical studies on the effects of earthquakes on underground structures and the factors affecting their destruction. For this purpose, in this research, at first different patterns of tunnel’s excavation were investigated and by using Plaxis 2D software and based on Tabas earthquake in Iran, sensitivity analysis on geotechnical parameters of the SOIL surrounding tunnel such as cohesion, friction angle, unit weight and modulus of elasticity was carried out, and the parameters whose changes have the greatest and least effects on the bending moment changes on the tunnel lining are introduced. The results show that tunnel excavation patterns significantly affect the bending moment, axial forces, displacements, and surface settlement of the tunnel. Often, by dividing tunnel excavation area to small parts, the values of bending moment, axial forces, displacements, and surface settlement of the tunnel decreases in static analysis. Also, outputs of sensitivity analysis on geotechnical parameters of the SOIL surrounding tunnel showed that modulus of elasticity of the SOIL surrounding tunnel has the most effect and cohesion changes have the least effect on bending moment induced on tunnel lining..

Background and Objective: Pollution caused by petroleum compounds (PAHs) and heavy metals due to their properties Cumulative and High toxicity Causing major environmental problems. These compounds, although detected in air and water, are the final and main receptive SOIL. SOIL washing process using surfactants is a high-performance physicochemical technology for the removal of phenanthrene and cadmium from the SOIL environment and transferring them to the aqueous phase. Method: In this study, the efficiency of the process with the BBD method, with RSM, was designed to optimizing parameters such as surfactant concentration in the range 1000, 1500 and 2000 mg/L, washing Time 2, 12, 24 hours with L/S 10, 20 and 30 ml/g. To contaminated SOIL samples were added high concentrations Phenanthrene (500 mg/kg) and Cadmium (80 mg/kg), surfactant Tween 80 and EDTA. Findings: The final concentration of Phenanthrene and Cadmium was measured by HPLC and atomic absorption spectrometry (ASS). The results showed that the efficiency of the process under optimal conditions for the separation of 76% Phenanthrene and 81% Cadmium in separate concentrations of Tween 80 and EDTA was reached in 2000 mg/L, L/S 30 ml/g (v/w), washing time 2 hours. Surfactant concentration was the most influential variable in this regard (p< 0. 0001). Discussion & Conclusion: The separation of phenanthrene and Cadmium from the SOIL through the help of surfactants is an effective technique for remediation of contaminated SOIL.

Our research has been done in order to find out the effects of SOIL solarization on population of prostigmatic mites, in Fars Science and Research, Fars Province, during the years 2010-2011. We prepared a land with the area of 120 m2 in the above location. The block was divided to 3 parts of 5×8 m. The first part was covered by a plastic, the second part was covered by a plastic but the SOIL was mixed with manure. The third part was used as control. Samples were taken randomly from the depths of 5, 10 and 15 cm every other day. Totally 1215 prostigmatic mites were collected from 108 SOIL samples. These mites belonged to 6 families of Cunaxidae, Bdellidae, Cheyletidae, Tetranychidae, Stigmaeidae and Tenuipalpidae. In this research Tetranychid mites had the most and Tenuipalpid mites had the least population in different depths of the SOIL. Our results indicated a significant reduction in Prostigmatic mites population in both plastic covered treatment and plastic covered with manure in compare to control.

Extended Abstract Background: SOIL erosion, a significant form of land degradation, poses severe challenges to humanity in different ecosystems. It serves as a comprehensive index for evaluating the development and sustainability of land management programs. Assessing the status and spatial extent of SOIL erosion has become crucial in developing countries. Biological management, a recommended and effective means of controlling SOIL erosion in the early stages of all processes, offers a practical solution. Biological methods, such as minimum tillage operations and limited intervention in nature, prove to be more cost-effective and efficient than structural measures. Despite these advantages, biological measures have not received adequate attention in SOIL erosion control. This research addresses this gap by applying biological management in the Kilanbar Watershed (Kermanshah Province, Iran), demonstrating its effectiveness and cost-efficiency. Methods: The layers of elevation from sea level, aspect, and slope steepness were prepared and combined in the geographic information system (GIS) software to prepare 38 land units. In the Kilanbar Watershed, 14 land units with the ability to perform biological management measures were extracted based on the expert and technical opinions of the watershed manager and considering different bases to improve the performance and decision-making of the units with an area of less than 300 ha. The Kilanbar Watershed is located in Ravansar City, west of Kermanshah Province. The study area is approximately 10798 ha. The highest and lowest elevation points of the watershed are 2183 and 1388 m above mean sea level, respectively. The mean annual precipitation, temperature, and relative humidity are 533 mm, 11.4 °C, and 45.1%, respectively. The status of SOIL erosion in each land unit was completed based on the scoring of the BLM form based on the visual and expert opinions, and a map of the erosion pattern was prepared in the land units. Ambrotropic and hyetographs were drawn using the 30-year precipitation and temperature data of the Ravansar synoptic station to determine the periods of drought and wet conditions and to identify suitable plants with the characteristics of the region. A climatic–agricultural map was prepared and integrated into the GIS using meteorological station data (temperature, precipitation, evaporation, and transpiration), and plant species were selected according to ecological expectations for watershed biological measures. Results: According to the BLM form results, one and eight land units are in partial and low erosion conditions, respectively, and five other land units are in medium erosion conditions. According to the erosion pattern map, the majority of the studied area, about 70% of the watershed, is in a low and medium erosion state, which naturally confirms the high ability to use appropriate biological measures to control SOIL erosion. According to ambrothermic and hyetograph measurements, June to September were dry months, and precipitation changes were more significant than temperature changes from October to May. According to the climatic–agricultural map, the region is divided into five classes. Class 4 (4819.3 ha) and Class 1 (364.83 ha) had the largest and smallest areas, respectively. Finally, the zoning of suitable rangeland species in the watershed showed that rangeland species of Asteragalus ascendes, Avena fatua, Picnomon sp., Achillea millefolium, Bromus tomentellus, and Hordum blubosum dominantly covered the region. Based on the study results, appropriate plant species were introduced for the studied watershed. Accordingly, conservation and reclamation measures were recommended to improve land productivity and ecological conditions and avoid land use changes for the study area. The essential measures include vegetation in rangeland ecosystems aiming at preventing the role of the canopy cover from directly impacting raindrops on the SOIL surface, increasing water infiltration in the SOIL, stabilizing SOIL aggregates due to roots extension, increasing grazing capacity and livestock production, and increasing its efficiency and productivity with time. Conclusion: The findings of this study hold significant potential for the Kilanbar Watershed. The proposed biological erosion measures, tailored to the ecosystem's unique conditions, are effective, low-cost, and environmentally compatible. They offer a sustainable solution for managing SOIL and water resources in various ecosystems. Implementing these measures can significantly reduce SOIL erosion in the watershed, particularly in areas with low to moderate erosion status. This research is an essential initiative in applying biological erosion measures in the Kilanbar Watershed, demonstrating that SOIL erosion can be effectively and practically controlled in approximately 67% of the watershed through biological methods in the critical land-use areas of rangelands and agriculture. It is important to note that applying biological erosion measures requires comprehensive and integrated investigations, considering the different parts of the ecosystem. With these findings, the proposed approach in this research can be extended to other watersheds across the country, particularly those with slight to moderate erosion status, while maintaining the principle of comprehensiveness and respecting the unique conditions of each watershed.

This study was conducted during summer and winter of 2018- 2019 in the agricultural research field of Shahid Chamran University. Experimental design was split- plot based on RCBD with three replications. The main plot was the type of agricultural system in three levels including conventional (Conv), organic (Org) and sustainable (Sust) (integrated between Conv and Org) and sup- plot was the type of pre- cultivated crop in sequence with wheat including cultivation of mung bean (M- W), corn (C- W), sesame (S- W) and fallow (F- W). Yield quantity (yield and its component) and quality (grain protein), an estimate of photosynthesis matter transfer index of wheat and SOIL organic carbon (SOC) after one double-cropping were measured. The result showed that the highest (545.04 g/m2) and the lowest (409.28 g/m2) seed yields were obtained in Conv and Org respectively. In contract, with the changing type of system from Conv to Org, grain protein was increased significantly (from 8.3 to 9.6 %). In addition, the highest (535.47 g/m2) yield of wheat was obtained from M- W double cropping. On the other hands the highest remobilization and current photosynthesis matter were obtained in the organic agricultural system with M- W and conventional with M- W double cropping. The situation of SOC showed that the highest (33.18 mg/g) SOC was obtained in the organic agricultural system with C- W double cropping. The reason for improving SOC in the organic and sustainable agricultural system was application of organic matter (compost and vermicompost) and crop residue management. Totally, from the crop ecology point of view, sustainable agricultural method with a sequence of M- W was the most desirable system.