During the improvement and reinforcement of peat foundation soils, cement hydration alters the pH of the subsurface water-soil ecosystem. This change negatively impacts humus acid, the main component of organic matter in peat soils, thereby deteriorating the engineering properties of peat foundations. Tests simulated the subsurface alkaline environment by using cement treat peat soils in actual projects. The objective is to understand the dynamic processes of cement hydration affecting peat environments and to investigate the dissolution properties of humus acid in peat soil under alkaline environment during cement hydration. Results indicate that peat soil environment transforms into an alkaline environment under cement hydration, where humus acid in peat soil exhibits dissolution properties under alkaline environment. Humus acid undergoes dissolution and reacts in alkaline environment. As the pH of the environment stabilizes, the dissolution of humus acid practically ceases. As humus dissolves, the pores inside peat soil expand, and the skeleton structure becomes less compact, reducing the soil's compactness connectedness, leading to significant strength loss. The dissolution of humus acid can significantly damage the peat soil structure. study provides valuable insights into engineering issues arising from humus acid dissolution in peat soil under alkaline environment induced by cement hydration.

On 1 January, 2024, a moment-magnitude 7.6 earthquake hit Ishikawa Prefecture, located on the main island of Japan facing the Japan Sea. Tsunami followed the strong shaking, and the maximum inundation height was 5.1 m in Shika Town. Strong shaking in Wajima City resulted in widespread damage to buildings and a fire that burnt the Wajima Morning Market. As of 16 February, 241 casualties had been reported, and 42% of them were due to building collapses. In response to all the described damage, a joint field investigation was conducted by Japan and New Zealand. This paper provides an outline of the earthquake and the damage observed in the affected area.

The war in Ukraine has had a devastating impact on the environment. Military actions have caused the release of hazardous substances into the environment, such as pollutants and toxic chemicals, that have contaminated the water, soil, and air, posing a threat to both human health and the environment. This has resulted in widespread destruction and contamination of natural habitats and resources and has disrupted wildlife populations and ecosystems. The impacts of military activity on the soils of protected areas are particularly critical, as they are the basis of biotic and landscape diversity and require special management and scientifically based monitoring measures even in peaceful conditions. In this context, this communication paper aims to provide an overview of the impacts of the war on the soils in four Ukrainian protected areas, namely Chornobyl Radiation and Ecological Biosphere Reserve; Desniansko-Starohutskyi National Nature Park; Holosiivskyi National Nature Park, and Hetmanskyi National Nature Park. To address these aspects, this paper combined GIS analysis and secondary data including soil samples obtained during field expeditions, to provide evidence of how ground battles, occupation, terrestrial land mines, and explosions can severely impact the soils. Practical and theoretical implications of the military actions are also discussed.

Rutting measurements are a significant part of scientific research on the impact of forest vehicles on the forest soils and damage to the forest transport infrastructure. Although photogrammetric methods of measurement or measurements based on LiDAR (light detection and ranging) data are increasingly being used for rutting measurements, the previous research conducted using these methods indicated the challenge of recording water-filled ruts. For this reason, it is necessary to define a reliable method of rutting field measurement in lowland forest stands characterized by a high level of groundwater that fills the ruts shortly after the passage of forest vehicles. This research analyzed the measurement accuracy using a total station and a GNSS RTK device with a CROPOS correction base in relation to the measuring rod that represented the reference method. Based on recorded and processed data, ruts are displayed in two ways: as net and as gross value of rut depth. The analysis of net rutting revealed a statistically significant difference between the calculated rut depths based on measurements with a GNSS RTK device and other methods. On average, the net rutting measured by the GNSS RTK device was 2.86 cm smaller than that of the reference method. When calculating the gross rutting, which consisted of the net rut depth and the bulge height, no statistically significant difference was found between the measurement methods used. Based on this result, the bulge height was also analyzed, and showed a statistically significant difference between the data recorded by the GNSS RTK device and other methods. It can be concluded that measuring the depth of ruts with a total station gives accurate data and represents the optimal modern field measurement method for the same or similar terrain conditions. In contrast, the GNSS RTK device, which constantly gives higher elevation points, can be used to measure gross rutting.

This paper presents the assessment of selected tractor tires used in forest conditions. The first element of this assessment is related to tractive properties, while the second part concerns the potential negative impact of the tires on the ground. The research was conducted on the skid trail located in a lowland pine stand in Poland (Lower Silesian District). The 9.5-24, 400/55-22.5 and 11.2R24 tires were used for the experiment, and the following tractive parameters were analyzed: traction force, pulling force and rolling resistance. These parameters were determined during the experiment using special measure stand mounted on a 3-point linkage of the tractor. In addition to the traction properties, the impact of the wheel on the ground was determined - this evaluation included measurements of footprint areas and calculation of contact pressures. Based on the obtained results, it was shown that the increase of the vertical load and reduction of the inflation pressure of tires can cause an increase in net traction force of as much as 35% and 16%, respectively. The analysis of contact areas and pressures showed that the widest tire (400/55-22.5) had the least negative impact on the ground. The reducing of inflation pressure allowed to obtain higher traction force, higher contact area and smaller contact pressures.