Janez Turk

• Researcher at Slovenian National Building and Civil Engineering Institute

The construction sector is a major contributor to environmental degradation, prompting the need for integrating sustainability into its practices. This need has driven the development of sustainability assessment methods across various scales of the built environment. Simultaneously, the recent emphasis on Circular Economy (CE) principles has intro...

This document serves as the opening chapter of a book that addresses the critical issue of resource depletion in the built environment, illustrating the unsustainable trends in current construction and demolition practices that extensively rely on new raw materials. It highlights the significant impact of the building sector on global resource cons...

This research explores sustainable construction practices focusing on material reuse, specifically reclaimed structural steel and slag. In general, the building stock is not designed for decon-struction, and material recovery for reuse at the end of life of buildings is complex and challenging. The study evaluates the benefits of content reuse thro...

The article reviews the development and interpretation of procedures used in the study of the sedimentary sequence of the Divje babe I Palaeolithic cave site. The data were obtained from publications, archives, and personal information provided by Ivan Turk, who directed the excavations and directed the laboratory investigations. The profile of Div...

Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) method was applied to evaluate the environmental impacts of winter road maintenance managed by an innovative road-weather information system and the impacts of vehicles passing the road during the snowstorm event. A case study refers to 10-hour lasting snowstorm event, considering a specific road section and application...

Sensitive and remote areas have come under pressure from growing populations and tourism, often resulting in improper wastewater management. Efficiency, durability, the use of renewable construction materials, and the minimization of environmental impacts must be conformed to a sustainable paradigm. A life cycle assessment (LCA) was applied to comp...

Citation: Ðurić, M.; Zalar Serjun, V.; Mladenovič, A.; Mauko Pranjić, A.; Milačič, R.; Ščančar, J.; Urbanc, J.; Mali, N.; Pavlin, A.; Turk, J.; et al. Environmental Acceptability of Geotechnical Composites from Recycled Materials: Comparative Study of Laboratory and Field Investigations. Int. J. Environ. Res. Abstract: The environmental properties...

Alkali-activated foams (AAFs) are inorganic porous materials that can be obtained at temperatures well below 100°C with the use of inorganic wastes as aluminosilicate precursors. In this case, fly ash derived from a Slovenian power plant has been investigated. Despite the environmental benefits per se, due to saving of energy and virgin materials,...

Historical air temperatures at three karst caves in Slovenia have been compared to current data time series. In Postojnska Jama (PJ), the most visited show cave in Slovenia, the significant temperature difference between historical and modern measurements at the Pulpito site relates to the months April to November. Mean monthly temperatures measure...

By using recycled waste in construction, natural materials are being replaced, thus establishing a circular economy at the local level. An important aspect is also the conservation of natural resources. This is especially important in case of earthworks (embankments, backfills), which are large consumers of materials. Compared to natural aggregates...

The interest in nanocellulose made from woody biomass has been growing rapidly; however, detailed studies on the environmental performance of nanocellulose have only been reported on a few occasions. To fulfill this gap, the environmental performance of nanofibrillated cellulose fabricated from thermo-groundwood (removal of extractives, lignin and...

Črna Jama is the coldest section of cave within the Postojna Cave System. Mean annual air temperatures at the Črna Jama 2 site are 5.6 °C (2015) and 5.7 °C (2016), and at the Črna Jama 3 site 7.1 °C (2015) and 7.2 (2016), whereas the mean external air temperature was 10.3 °C (2015) and 10.0 °C (2016). In Lepe Jame, the passage most heavily visited...

Significant criteria for choosing materials (consolidants and protective coatings) for the conservation of the built cultural heritage were gathered from the literature and by consultation with experts working on the preservation of cultural heritage. Ten criteria were chosen from these, and a questionnaire was prepared and sent to stakeholders in...

This study reports on the assessment of the environmental sustainability of different management practices for an environmentally degraded site in Slovenia: the Old Zinc-Works in the town of Celje. Life Cycle Assessments (LCAs) were applied in order to evaluate possible trade-offs by comparing a proposed in situ remediation scenario with two other...

Three cementitious composites containing different natural fibres (flax, hemp and sea-grass) were evaluated from an environmental perspective by means of Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) method applying the cradle-to-gate approach. The environmental impact of these composites was compared to that of cementitious composites reinforced with conventional s...

PurposeIn this study, the environmental performance of three newly developed materials for the conservation of built Cultural Heritage is preliminary evaluated by means of life cycle assessment (LCA). Although LCA has been adopted since many years in many fields, including the construction industry, still it is barely used the field of the Cultural...

The sub-surface flow path through the Postojnska jama cave system has been monitored with 7 stations distributed along the flow path, monitoring stage and temperature. We have used the stage data to model flow through the cave system with the program package SWMM, simulating the active parts of Postojnska jama with simplified geometry. From the com...

Based on a road reconstruction case study, the advantages and disadvantages of two alternative road pavement rehabilitation techniques, a hypothetically defined comparable traditional approach and an actually used cold-in-place-recycling approach, both of which enable a comparable extension of road service life of about 20 years, were investigated...

The Beka-Ocizla cave system extends at the contact between Palaeocene limestone and Eocene flysch at an altitude of 350 m in a shallow depression called Loke. Six known caves are connected to this cave system: Ocizeljska jama (Ocizla cave), Blažev spodmol (Blaž’s rock shelter), Maletova jama s slapom (Maletova jama cave with waterfall), Jama z nara...

The chapter deals with geomorphological analysis, morphostructural units and development of the karst relief on the territory of the planned railway line. The geomorphological analysis shows that among relief forms we can find tiny corrosion forms such as rain flutes and karren, and karst hollows such as solution dolines and collapse dolines. For t...

The geomorphological and speleogenetic history of the investigated area depends to a great extent on the geodynamics of the marginal parts of the fold and thrust belt of the Dinaric orogene or the underthrusting of the Istrian Peninsula below the Dinaric range, especially from Middle Miocene on. In the process, mainly sedimentary rocks of the Mesoz...

Karst Research Institute ZRC SAZU is involved in individual projects related to the development and protection of the natural and cultural heritage of karst areas, regional planning, water supply systems, the construction of transportation infrastructure, etc. After two already published books (Karstology and Development Challenges on Karst I and I...

It is important to determine the directions and characteristics of the underground water flow from the area of the planned railway line towards karst springs within its impact area. In this chapter hydrogeological characteristics of the karst section, known directions and characteristics of the underground water flow, bacteriological indicators and...

Cavernosity of the Classical Karst, karstification of the karst in the area between Divača and Črni Kal based on the cores of boreholes which were dug into depths reaching as deep as 150–350 m, karstological research made during the construction of motorways across Slovenian Karst, anticipated cavernosity along the planned railway line, and biology...

Modern tourism at Postojnska jama (the Cave of Postojna) is approaching its 200th anniversary. Besides being an iconic trademark of destination tourism, the cave has a rich history of karstological and speleological investigations, and is also known as the cradle of speleobiology. Since 2009 systematic studies of cave microclimate and biology have...

A number of green concrete mixes having similar basic properties were evaluated from the environmental point of view by means of the Life Cycle Assessment method, and compared with a corresponding conventional concrete mix. The investigated green concrete mixes were prepared from three different types of industrial by-products, i.e. (1) foundry san...

Different grain size fractions of clastic sediments (40–65, 0.5–3, and < 0.5 mm) from the Divje babe I cave were chemically analysed. In the chemical composition of the medium and fine fractions, four groups of variables were revealed: 1) MgO, LOI, TOT/C — dolomite, autochthonous terrigenous component; 2) P2O5, TOT/S, Mo, Sr, Cu, CaO, and so on — b...

The clastic sediments in the Divje babe I cave consist mainly of autochthonous terrigenous dolomite clasts, allochthonous terrigenous non-carbonate grains, and biogenic fragments, especially remains of the cave bear. These components are frequently cemented by apatite and subordinate calcite cement into aggregates (concretions) and into breccia. Th...

Pomen trajnostnega razvoja in koncept krožne ekonomije sta vse bolj prisotna na vseh področjih našega življenja. Trajnostno gradbeništvo lahko veliko prispeva k doseganju ciljev, ki si jih je v Strategiji pametne specializacije 2014-2020 kot prioritetne zadala naša država. V prvem delu prispevka so prikazani trajnostni vidiki betonskih vozišč. V dr...

Carbon steel slag is quite commonly used in road construction to replace natural aggregate. Since it is important to evaluate such a replacement from the environmental point of view, a Life Cycle Assessment was carried out in order to compare the environmental impacts of the construction of asphalt wearing courses with the use of siliceous aggregat...

A proposed railway on the 5th European Railway Corridor (Venice-Kiev) between the northern Adriatic ports of Koper (Slovenia) and Trieste (Italy) and the interior of Slovenia required extensive karstological studies and planning. This book contains the knowledge gained from these studies as well as further information on the regional karst surface...

Detailed studies of cave sediments in the Divje babe I cave, in western Slovenia, have revealed both fossil hairs and the imprints of such hairs present within phosphate aggregates in the clastic sediments. These aggregates consist of fine rock and bone fragments, as well as hairs cemented by phosphate precipitated from pore water. The hairs and th...

The Kanin massif is an important trans-boundary aquifer, which stretches between Slovenia and Italy. The groundwater is only partially exploited, mainly for water supply, but the aquifer exhibits great potential for future exploitation. Since no consistent regional overview of the hydrogeological functioning of the Kanin massif was available, the d...

The high karst plateau of Trnovsko-Banjška planota is one of the most important reservoirs of karst water in Slovenia. Almost all important karst springs in this area are captured for water supply. A sustainable management of this source of groundwater is of strategic importance, not only as drinking water supply but also for the economy. For these...

The paper discusses the environmental changes in the pile-dwelling period (5.7–3.2 ka) at the Ljubljansko barje (Slovenia) which were revealed during the study of settlement pattern and sedimentary analysis. The archaeological and radiocarbon data have demonstrated that the oldest pile-dwellings were located closer to the edge of the wetland, and t...

Cave air temperature, carbon dioxide concentrations in the cave air and external air temperature were analysed at several locations in Postojna Cave over the course of six holiday periods in 2009–2011. The results show that a 1-day increase in visitor numbers from 200 to 3,500 raised the cave air temperature by a maximum of 0.5 °C. The air temperat...

A lot of paleoenvironmental surveys have been carried out in the Alpine region to elucidate glacier extension during the Last Glacial or the Würmian (115–12 ka BP). However, the evidence of past glaciations differs greatly between Western and Eastern Alps, while contrast between Southern and Northern Alps is not evident. The main purpose of this pa...

Monitoring of air temperature takes place at five locations in two cave systems. At monitoring location Velika gora (Postojna 1), mean air temperature for the time period 2009-2010 was 11.10 degrees C. Of three monitoring locations Velika gora is situated at the highest absolute height. Mean air temperature in the same period was 10.66 degrees C in...

In Postojna Cave, air temperature and pressure monitoring has been conducted since July 21, 2008. Air pressure in the cave at three monitoring sites fluctuates synchronically with outside air pressure. Temperature data for Postojna 1 and 3 show good correlation with outside climate conditions for the period 2009–2010. The temperature at Postojna 1...

The Divje babe I cave is world known Paleolithic site in western Slovenia. In this paper, special interest is given to the identification of sedimentary hiatuses in karst infillings. Hiatuses can be the most reliably identified by detailed radiometric dating throughout the profile. However, this method is very expensive from economical point of vie...

Cave sediments are more protected from weathering, erosion and other exogenic processes in comparison with sediments that accumulate at the Earth's surface. For this reason, cave sediments keep a unique record of climate variations in the Pleistocene. Archaeological (Palaeolithic) sites, where sediments (including pollen, charcoal and bone fragment...

A new sedimentary morphogenic analysis was carried out at the Divje babe I Paleolithic site to determine paleotemperatures for Late Pleistocene deposits (around 80,000–40,000 BP) and to discover hiatuses in the sedimentary sequence. The Divje babe I paleotemperature record is based on the relative abundance of congelifracts in a 280 cm thick sedime...

Karst ground water dynamics between the Planinsko polje and the springs of Ljubljanica (Slovenia) was studied based on the monitoring of stage and temperature of ground water in four caves. The Unica River, which flows over the Planinsko Polje, and sinks at its E and N rim, is considered as the main input to the observed system. At small flood even...

In the catchment area of the Unica River two combined tracer tests with fluorescent dyes have been performed aiming to characterize the properties of groundwater flow and transport of contaminants through the vadose zone and well developed system of karst channels in the epiphreatic and phreatic zone in different hydrologic conditions. Tracers were...

Karst ground water dynamics between the Planinsko polje and the springs of Ljubljanica (Slovenia) was studied based on the monitoring of stage and temperature of ground water in four caves. The Unica River, which flows over the Planinsko Polje, and sinks at its E and N rim, is considered as the main input to the observed system. At small flood even...

For one year we have been measuring level and temperature of underground water in Vetrovna jama, to find outthe origin of underground water and hydraulic characteristics of the cave and karst aquifer north east of Planinskopolje (karst of Notranjska region, central Slovenia). Similar parameters as in Vetrovna jama were measured also atthe Unica Riv...

Karst aquifers are often fed by concentrated inputs such as sinking streams originating from the adjacent non-karstic areas. When entering an underground conduit system a stream experiences new flow regime which can be much different from the surface one. An important parameter which also reflects the new environment is the temperature. The tempera...

The results obtained by four years long TM 71 extensometcr monitoring of 3D micro-tectonic displacements of Dinaric Fault Zone on two sites, being 260 in apart in Postojna Cave, were statistically evaluated with different methods (Kolmogorov-Smimov test, comparison between relative displacement and earthquakes, linear regression, Kruskal-Wallis one...

From a hydrological point of view, active caves are a series of connected conduits which drain water through an aquifer. Water tends to choose the easiest way through the system but different geological and morphological barriers act as flow restrictions. The number and characteristics of restrictions depends on the particular speleogenetic environ...

It is known, that 90 % or even more of underground water flows through large conduits. Restrictions and siphons represent only small percentage of karstic aquifer. But because of them, conduits, which transmit water, are only partly accessible. Difficult access is a reason why many water transmissions have not been explored yet. Because of this, ge...

New chronological and sedimentary morphogenetic analyses were combined to determine sedimentation rates, relative humidity, and palaeotemperatures for the Last Glacial (Würmian) deposits at Divje babé I, actually Slovenia's most investigated Palaeolithic site. Local palaeotemperature and palaeopricipitations estimates were verified by comparing wit...

Izvleček V prispevku obravnavamo kamenodobno najdišče na plan-ini Pretovč pri Tolminu, kjer so bile na dveh različnih mestih odkrite površinske kamene najdbe. Predstavljamo izsledke arheološkega izkopavanja na Gorenjem Pretovču. Najdišče raz-lagamo kot mezolitski lovski tabor. Ključne besede: planina Pretovč, Tolminsko, mezolitik, kamena orodja Abs...

The contribution deals with the stone age site on Pretovč alp by Tolmin, where surface stone finds were discovered at two different places. The results of archaeological excavation on Gorenji Pretovč are presented. The site is interpreted as a Mesolithic hunting camp.