The closure behavior of rock fractures subject to normal loading is essential for deformation analysis of fractured rock masses and the modeling of associated coupled processes. Previous studies have mainly focused on characterizing the closure behavior of mated fractures, and the applicability of existing models to unmated fractures and characteristics of involved parameters have not been comprehensively investigated. We cond...

Stand improvement (SI) has been widely accepted as an effective forest management tool. Yet most studies on its economic feasibility for nonindustrial private forest (NIPF) landowners are outdated and focus on the single stand level. The objective of this study was to conduct an economic assessment of SI’s effects and feasibility in hardwood stands for a case study in the White River Basin in Indiana. It is shown that SI could...