Salinity is one of the most significant abiotic stress factors influencing crop production, especially in arid and semi-arid regions. Plants’ response to salinity stress depends on the cultivated genotype. A pot experiment was conducted to study the impact of two concentrations of sodium chloride (4 and 6 dS∙m–1) on some physiological and production traits of 58 chickpea genotypes. A genetic variation in the response of the investigated chickpea genotypes for NaCl-induced salinity stress was noted. Studied morphophysiological traits and yield components were affected under salt stress in all genotypes tested. Plant height was observed to have the lowest rate of reduction (32%, 48%) at 4 and 6 dS∙m ^–1, respectively. Leaf stomatal conductance decreased as salinity increased. Salinity stress conditions affected all studied yield components, but there was a genetic variation in the response of the studied genotypes. Under no stress conditions and compared to the other genotypes, the number of pods was significantly higher in BG362 genotype. The seed number was significantly higher in ILC9076 genotype. The 100 seed weight was significantly higher in the genotype ILC2664. The mean seed yield was significantly higher in ILC9354 and the harvest index was significantly higher in ILC8617. In general, salinity stress caused the reduction of all parameters. We assume that the assessment of tolerance of chickpea ( Cicer arietinum L.) genotypes to salinity stress should be based on a complex of morpho-physiological traits and analysis of yield complement.

The article discusses the physical and chemical mechanisms of the carbonation phenomenon itself, as well as points out the synergistic effect of frost destruction and concrete carbonation on reinforced concrete elements. Examples of structural damage from engineering practice in the diagnosis of reinforced concrete structures are presented. Two cases of frost and carbonation damage of precast reinforced concrete elements are analyzed. It was noted that the most common cause of damage to concrete structures is the lack of frost resistance. Carbonation of concrete leads to deprivation of the protective properties of the concrete lagging against the reinforcing steel. The examples cited include precast elements that, for technical reasons, had a relatively small lagging thickness. The first one relates to the thin walled elevation elements, which are exploited during 60 years and the second relates to the energetic poles with very advanced concrete corrosion damage. The examples given of corrosion of concrete and reinforcement of elements indicate that synergistic environmental interactions can intensify the destruction of elements.

The paper presents construction and control system of the climbing robot Safari designed at the Poznan University of Technology for inspection of high building walls, executed in order to evaluate their technical condition. Because such tasks are uncomfortable and very dangerous for humans, this mobile machine gives a possibility to observe and examine the state of the surface on which it is moving. The robot is a construction developed for walking on flat but uneven vertical and horizontal surfaces. Its on-board equipment provides ability to remotely examine and record images reflecting the robot’s surroundings. At the beginning of the paper, several concepts of existing climbing robots (four-legged, six-legged, sliding platform) are outlined. Next, the mechanical system of the Safari robot is presented with special emphasis on its kinematic equations and description of movement stages. Then, the on-board manipulator as well as the sensor and control systems are described.

Reliable estimation of geotechnical parameters is often based on reconstruction of a complete loading process of subsoil on a specimen in laboratory tests. Unfortunately laboratory equipment available in many laboratories is sometimes limited to just a triaxial apparatus
– the use of which generates diffi culties whenever a non-axisymmetric problem is analysed.

The author suggests two simple operations that may be done to improve the quality of simulation in triaxial tests. The fi rst one is based on the use of triaxial extension along the segments of the stress path p’-q-θ for which the Lode’s angle values are positive. The second one consists in a mod-ifi cation of the equivalent stress value in such a way that the current stress level in the specimen complies with results of FEM analysis.