Reservoir-level variations associated with hydropower operation can alter the hydraulic and mechanical response of adjacent slopes, while evidence linking these processes to numerical modeling remains dispersed across operational scenarios and methods. The objective of this study is to integrate the available evidence on reservoir-slope response to water-level variations through bibliometric analysis and systematic technical synthesis, examining operational hydraulic scenarios and the capabilities, applicability, and limitations of numerical and hydro-mechanical modeling approaches. The methodology comprised three phases: (i) literature search and bibliographic corpus construction; (ii) bibliometric analysis and science mapping; and (iii) systematic review and comparative technical synthesis. The search retrieved 479 records; thematic refinement yielded 420 records for bibliometric analysis, and systematic screening retained 163 studies for technical synthesis. Bibliometric analysis showed recent growth and thematic emphasis on rapid-drawdown stability assessment and numerical modeling of reservoir-level fluctuations. The technical synthesis showed that reservoir-level variation does not produce a unique mechanical response; stability depends on the transient balance between external hydrostatic support and internal hydraulic response, conditioned by permeability, drainage, geometry, structural controls, and hydraulic history. Hydraulic lag was identified in 77.9
Floods are among the most destructive natural hazards, yet household-level evidence from the chronically inundated lowlands of sub-Saharan Africa remains scarce. This study identifies the socio-economic, environmental and perceptual determinants of household flood vulnerability in three chronically flood-prone kebeles of the Nuer Zone, Gambella Region, Ethiopia, using an explanatory sequential mixed-methods design. A structured survey of 297 systematically selected households from a population of 803, complemented by eight focus group discussions and six key informant interviews, classified households as vulnerable where at least two of three criteria (asset loss above the sample median, severe dwelling damage, recovery beyond three months) were met, yielding 183 vulnerable and 114 non-vulnerable cases. Binary logistic regression with fifteen explanatory variables classified 91.9
Flooding increasingly threatens settlements, livelihoods and services in Uganda’s Rwenzori region, yet evidence for future-climate planning remains limited. This study assessed flood hazard, exposure, institutional damage and management priorities in the River Nyamugasani Basin (RNB). Bias-corrected rainfall from 11 CMIP6 models under SSP1-2.6, SSP2-4.5 and SSP5-8.5 drove HEC-HMS; annual maxima were fitted with the GEV distribution and passed to HEC-RAS 2D. Flood maps were combined with population, land-use and institutional data, and management options were ranked using household surveys and expert ratings. Under SSP5-8.5, the estimated 100-year discharge increased from 61.9 m3/s at baseline (95
Cigarette filters are one of the most common pollutants worldwide. Cellulose acetate filters degrade slowly and still contain some of the toxic compounds present in tobacco smoke. In this experiment an attempt was made to see whether filters could be repurposed as a nutrient-rich soil amendment that had a low level of the toxic elements. Methods included grinding the filters, water rinsing, oxidative degradation (H2O2), water leaching, organic extraction (ethyl acetate), animal manure amendment, ICP-OES analysis after water leaching, HNO3 digestion, and HF/HNO3 digestion, and comparison with 13 elements in the INAA database, agreement within 2.1–3.2
Cold mix asphalt (CMA) offers a lower-temperature pathway for pavement construction and maintenance, but its broader engineering application remains constrained by slow strength development, moisture susceptibility and variable resistance to deformation. Natural mineral fillers can mitigate these limitations through particle packing, binder-aggregate interactions and physicochemical reactions, yet the available evidence remains fragmented across conventional CMA, cold bitumen emulsion mixtures (CBEM) and related cold asphalt systems. This systematic review critically synthesises a 100-study evidence base published between 2020 and 2025 to establish how filler characteristics and interaction mechanisms govern the engineering performance, durability and sustainability of cold asphalt mixtures. Following the PRISMA 2020 framework, evidence on hydrated lime, limestone powder, silica-rich materials, volcanic ash, clay-based minerals and other mineral fillers was systematically screened, quality-appraised and synthesised. Direct evidence from CMA and closely related CBEM systems was distinguished from cold-recycled and other asphalt-material studies, which were used primarily for mechanistic and contextual interpretation. Across the evidence base, filler effectiveness was governed less by material identity alone than by mineralogy, particle size and morphology, surface chemistry, reactivity, dosage, emulsion compatibility and curing conditions. Performance improvements were associated principally with matrix densification, enhanced filler-binder-aggregate adhesion and, for reactive fillers, physicochemical and microstructural development during curing. Hydrated lime showed the most consistent evidence for improved moisture resistance, whereas silica-rich, limestone and other mineral fillers exhibited performance benefits that were more dependent on mixture composition and conditioning. The evidence does not support a universally superior filler or a single transferable optimum dosage across CMA systems. Instead, filler selection should be performance-based and matched to the dominant pavement distress, material compatibility, environmental exposure and locally available resources. The review establishes a mechanism-informed framework linking filler properties, mixture interactions and engineering response, while identifying standardised material characterisation, comparable performance testing and field validation as priorities for translating laboratory evidence into durable and resource-efficient cold asphalt pavement applications.
