Reasonable selection of yield criteria for quantitative analysis of unsaturated soil slope stability

The yield criterion parameters of the soil material change with different values of the cohesion and the angle of friction because of sustained rainfall infiltration. Based on the Mohr-Coulomb(M-C) and Drucker-Prager(D-P) yield criteria, some reasonable yield criteria selections were discussed for quantitative analysis of unsaturated soil slope stability. Moreover, a critical point was found at the effective angle of friction equaling to 16.5° by transformation of parameters related to unsaturated soil under sustained rainfall. When the effective angle of friction more than 16.5° through parameter transformation of different yield criteria under natural condition, the calculation result of the safety factor was such that: f(DP1) f(M-C) f(equivalent M-C) f(DP2) f(DP3). While the effective angle of friction less than 16.5°, through parameter transformation, the safety factors were in the following order: f(DP1) f(M-C) f(DP2) f(equivalent M-C) f(DP3). The calculated results from a case study showed that the equivalent M-C yield criterion should be the best at evaluating soil slope stability before rainfall; the DP2 yield criterion should be selected to calculate the soil slope stability at the effective angle of friction less than 16.5° under sustained rainfall. The yield criterion should be selected or adjusted reasonably to calculate the safety factor of unsaturated soil slopes before and during sustained rainfall.     

Stability analysis of slope in strain-softening soils using local arc-length solution scheme

Soils with strain-softening behavior — manifesting as a reduction of strength with increasing plastic strain — are commonly found in the natural environment. For slopes in these soils,a progressive failure mechanism can occur due to a reduction of strength with increasing strain. Finite element method based numerical approaches have been widely performed for simulating such failure mechanism,owning to their ability for tracing the formation and development of the localized shear strain. However,the reliability of the currently used approaches are often affected by poor convergence or significant mesh-dependency,and their applicability is limited by the use of complicated soil models. This paper aims to overcome these limitations by developing a finite element approach using a local arc-length controlled iterative algorithm as the solution strategy. In the proposed finite element approach,the soils are simulated with an elastoplastic constitutive model in conjunction with the Mohr-Coulomb yield function. The strain-softening behavior is represented by a piece-wise linearrelationship between the Mohr-Coulomb strength parameters and the deviatoric plastic strain. To assess the reliability of the proposed finite element approach,comparisons of the numerical solutions obtained by different finite element methods and meshes with various qualities are presented. Moreover,a landslide triggered by excavation in a real expressway construction project is analyzed by the presented finite element approach to demonstrate its applicability for practical engineering problems.     

Grain size distribution of soils within the Cordillera Blanca,Peru: An indicator of basic mechanical properties for slope stability evaluation

This paper presents results of a study on the mechanical properties of sandy and gravely soils within the Cordillera Blanca, Peru. The soils were divided into groups according to their origin （glacial, fluvial, or debris flow）. The grain size distribution of forty three soil samples was used to classify the soils according to the scheme of the Unified Soil Classification System （USCS）. These distributions have then been used to estimate shear strength and hydraulic properties of the soils. There are clear differences between the soils which reflect their divergent origins. The glacial soils normally fit within one of two distinctive groups according to the proportion of fines （Group A, 7%-21.5%; Group B, 21%-65%）. The estimation of shear strength at constant volume friction angle and peak shear strength of the glacial sediments with low content of fines was made using published data relating to the measured shear strength characteristics of soils with similar origins and grain size distributions. The estimated values were supported by measurements of the angle of repose taken from fourteen samples from two moraines and by shear tests on samples from one locality. The results of the grain size distribution werealso used to estimate the average hydraulic conductivity using the empirical Hazen formula which results were verified by field infiltration tests at two localities.     

热力学系统边界热质传递过程的促进传递过程分析及机理

热力学边界热质传递过程的促进传递(Facilitated Transport)可以强化热力学系统与外界的物量传递,进而影响系统内部的物量变化.提出热力学边界热质传递过程的促进传递和促进因子等概念,拓展边界热质传递过程的内涵,即促进传递过程是在边界内伴有可逆化学反应的强化传递过程,通过多个过程的耦合作用实现;讨论边界促进传递的分类和机理,并以质量促进传递过程为例分析促进传递过程.在传热学和热力学领域对促进传递过程研究应从传递机理、分析模型和应用等方面进行.     

川北一次大暴雨过程的物理量诊断分析

利用2005年7月16日至19日的高空地面资料,对当年7月18日至19日发生在川北的一次大暴雨天气过程进行了环流形势分析和物理量诊断分析,得出了产生此次大暴雨过程的环流特点,并利用假相当位温、水汽通量散度和改进的湿Q矢量散度场分析了暴雨的落区、强度和持续时间。     

皖北地区一次强对流天气过程的综合分析

利用常规和加密观测资料、NCEP/NCAR再分析资料以及多普勒雷达资料,对2007年8月2日安徽北部地区发生的一次强对流天气过程进行综合分析.结果表明:中低空切变线是此次强对流天气的触发系统,地面湿度突变线对飑线的生成及发展具有指示意义.低层850hPa低涡较强的辐合,与位于高空大风速带入口区右侧的强辐散的耦合作用,导致强对流天气发生区上空生成次级反环流圈.该反环流圈从北(南)方携带干冷(暖湿)气流下沉(上升),两者交汇进而引发强对流天气的发生.在雷达回波上,飑线生成前期,少数单体不连续地排列成线,但并未连通;飑线生成后,带状特征清晰,并且反射率因子大,多处呈现三体钉状散射体;速度回波上有成熟阶段的速度模糊现象以及消亡阶段出现的逆风区.雹暴的回波具有明显的V型缺口以及速度场上风速的辐合,当逼近雷达测站时,测站上空速度场上出现了牛眼结构.     

3D seismic analysis of the gas hydrate system and the fluid migration paths in part of the Niger Delta Basin,Nigeria

Comprehensive qualitative and semi-quantitative seismic analysis was carried out on 3-dimensional seismic data acquired in the deepwater compressional and shale diapiric zone of the Niger Delta Basin using an advanced seismic imaging tool. The main aim of this work is to obtain an understanding of the forming mechanism of the gas hydrate system, and the fluid migration paths associated with this part of the basin. The results showed the presence of pockmarks on the seafloor and bottom simulating reflectors (BSRs) in the field, indicating the active fluid flux and existence of gas hydrate system in the area. In the area of approximately 195 km² occupying nearly 24% of the entire study field, three major zones with continuous or discontinuous BSRs of 3 to 7 km in length which are in the northeastern, southern and eastern part of the field respectively were delineated. The BSR is interpreted to be the transition between the free gas zone and the gas hydrate zone. The geologic structures including faults (strike-slip and normal faults), chimneys and diapirs were deduced to be the main conduits for gas migration. It is concluded that the biogenic gases generated in the basin were possibly transported via faults and chimneys by advection processes and subsequently accumulated under low temperature and high pressure conditions in the free gas zone below the BSR forming gas hydrate. A plausible explanation for the presence of the ubiquitous pockmarks of different diameters and sizes in the area is the transportation of the excessive gas to the seafloor through these mapped geologic structures.     

Quantification of 3D macropore networks in forest soils in Touzhai valley (Yunnan,China) using X-ray computed tomography and image analysis

The three dimensional(3D) geometry of soil macropores largely controls preferential flow, which is a significant infiltrating mechanism for rainfall in forest soils and affects slope stability. However, detailed studies on the 3D geometry of macropore networks in forest soils are rare. The intense rainfall-triggered potentially unstable slopes were threatening the villages at the downstream of Touzhai valley(Yunnan, China). We visualized and quantified the 3D macropore networks in undisturbed soil columns(Histosols) taken from a forest hillslope in Touzhai valley, and compared them with those in agricultural soils(corn and soybean in USA; barley, fodder beet and red fescue in Denmark) and grassland soils in USA. We took two large undisturbed soil columns(250 mm×250 mm×500 mm), and scanned the soil columns at in-situ soil water content conditions using X-ray computed tomography at a voxel resolution of 0.945 × 0.945 × 1.500 mm~3. After reconstruction and visualization, we quantified the characteristics of macropore networks. In the studiedforest soils, the main types of macropores were root channels, inter-aggregate voids, macropores without knowing origin, root-soil interface and stone-soil interface. While macropore networks tend to be more complex, larger, deeper and longer. The forest soils have high macroporosity, total macropore wall area density, node density, and large macropore volume, hydraulic radius, mean macropore length, angle, and low tortuosity. The findings suggest that macropore networks in the forest soils have high interconnectivity, vertical continuity, linearity and less vertically oriented.     

R／S AND WAVELET ANALYSIS ON EVOLUTIONARY PROCESS OF REGIONAL ECONOMIC DISPARITY IN CHINA DURING PAST 50 YEARS

1INTRODUCTIONThere have been many literatures about the regional disparity of economic development in China since the late 1970s. Some scholars argue that disparity of re-gional development in China has been expanded since 1978, but others find it has reduced since 1978. The findings of some scholars show that the evolutionary process of the disparity of regional economic develop-ment in China follows the inverted U shape, but some others do not think so. What is the true tendency, and i…