Shaking table tests on subgrade reaction of pipe embedded in sandy liquefied subsoil

An interest in the behavior of liquefied sand during seismic flow failure led the authors to conduct shaking table tests in which an embedded pipe was pulled laterally and the required drag force was monitored. Test results showed that the amplitude of shaking acceleration affected the behavior of sand in both dry and water-saturated conditions. In dry sand, the induced inertia force decreased the shear strength and consequently the magnitude of the drag force. When the sand was saturated, a special consideration was made of the similitude of dilatancy between 1-G model tests and the in-situ situation. This goal was attained by employing very loose sand in model tests. The rate-dependency in which the drag force increased with the rate of pipe movement was focused on, leading to an apparently viscous behavior of sand. This is consistent with what several former studies reported.     

Distorted Froude‐scaled flume analysis of large woody debris

This paper presents the results of a movable‐boundary, distorted, Froude‐scaled hydraulic model based on Abiaca Creek, a sand‐bedded channel in northern Mississippi. The model was used to examine the geomorphic and hydraulic impact of simplified large woody debris (LWD) elements. The theory of physical scale models is discussed and the method used to construct the LWD test channel is developed. The channel model had bed and banks moulded from 0·8 mm sand, and flow conditions were just below the threshold of motion so that any sediment transport and channel adjustment were the result of the debris element. Dimensions and positions of LWD elements were determined using a debris jam classification model. Elements were attached to a dynamometer to measure element drag forces, and channel adjustment was determined through detailed topographic surveys. The fluid drag force on the elements decreased asymptotically over time as the channel boundary eroded around the elements due to locally increased boundary shear stress. Total time for geomorphic adjustment computed for the prototype channel at the Q₂ discharge (discharge occurring once every two years on average) was as short as 45 hours. The size, depth and position of scour holes, bank erosion and bars created by flow acceleration past the elements were found to be related to element length and position within the channel cross‐section. Morphologies created by each debris element in the model channel were comparable with similar jams observed in the prototype channel. Published in 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Pre-shear effect on liquefaction resistance of a Fujian sand

Pre-shear history has been shown to be a critical factor in the liquefaction resistance of sand. By contrast to prior experimental studies in which triaxial shear tests were used to examine the effects of pre-shear on the liquefaction resistance of sand, hollow cylinder torsional shear tests were used in this study to avoid the influence of the inherent anisotropy that is inevitably produced during the sample preparation process because of gravitational deposition. A series of cyclic undrained shear tests were performed on sand samples that had experienced medium to large pre-shear loading. The test results showed that the liquefaction resistance of sand can be greatly reduced by its pre-shear history, and a pre-shear strain within the range from 0.1% to 5% can cause sand to be more prone to liquefaction. During the cyclic shear tests, the samples that had experienced pre-shear loading exhibited different behaviors when cyclic shear loading started in different directions, i.e., the clockwise direction and the counterclockwise direction. If the cyclic loading started in the identical direction as the pre-shear loading, then the mean effective stress of the sand was almost unchanged during the first half of the loading cycle; if the cyclic loading started in the direction opposite to that of the pre-shear loading, then the mean effective stress decreased significantly during the first half of the loading cycle. However, this anisotropic behavior was only remarkable during the first loading cycle. From the second cycle onward, the speeds of the decrease in the mean effective stresses in the two types of shear tests became similar.     

Diapirism in the earth's mantle: Experiments on the motion of a hot sphere in a fluid with temperature-dependent viscosity

The ascent of magma diapirs through the earth's mantle is modelled experimentally by the motion of a hot metal sphere through a fluid whose viscosity varies strongly with temperature. The dimensionless drag on the sphere (drag number D) and the heat transfer from it (Nusselt number Nu) are found as functions of the dimensionless velocity of the sphere (Peclet number Pe) and the viscosity contrast μ_∞/μ₀ = 10^γ, where μ_∞ and μ₀ are the viscosities of the fluid far from the sphere and at its surface. The drag D = D(Pe, γ) has two limits. For large Pe and small γ (“Stokes” limit), the drag approaches the Stokes' Law result. For small Pe and large γ (“lubrication” limit), the drag is orders of magnitude less than that predicted by Stokes' Law. Nu is a function of Pe alone. For reasonable values of the diapir radius and the viscosity contrast, the dimensionless scale height Pe/3 Nu may exceed a critical value, resulting in progressive melting during ascent. This suggests that diapirs may ascend great distances through the mantle while remaining largely molten. Lamont-Doherty Geological Observatory Contribution No. 3414.     

The effects of frequency on damping properties of sand

In this study the effects of frequency on damping behavior of dry sand were examined. To study the effects of frequency, two mechanical models were proposed and evaluated for interpretation of the cyclic torsional shear testing results. Cyclic torsional shear tests were performed on dry sand specimens for the frequency range of 0–1–20 Hz. It is found that the frequency effect on damping properties of sand is relatively significant, and thus the damping appears to be nonhysteretic. Finally, a new combined damping model is proposed for describing the damping behavior of dry sand observed in this research.     

Dilution of non-reactive tracers in variably saturated sandy structures

Based on a dye tracer experiment in a sand tank we addressed the problem of local dispersion of conservative tracers in the unsaturated zone. The sand bedding was designed to have a defined spatial heterogeneity with a strong anisotropy. We estimated the parameters that characterize the local dispersion and dilution from concentration maps of a high spatial and temporal resolution obtained by image analysis. The plume spreading and mixing behavior was quantified on the basis of the coefficient of variation of the concentration and of the dilution index. The heterogeneous structure modified the flow pattern depending on water saturation. The shape of the tracer plumes revealed the structural signature of the sand bedding at low saturation only. In this case pronounced preferential flow was observed. At higher flow rates the structure remained hidden by a spatially almost homogeneous behavior of the plumes. In this context, we mainly discuss the mechanism of re-distributing a finite mass of inert solutes over a large volume, due to macro- and micro-heterogeneities of the structure.     

Flow field-induced drag forces and swimming behavior of three benthic fish species

Modern ethohydraulics is the study of the behavioral responses of swimming fish to flow fields. However, the exact drag forces experienced by fish remain poorly studied; this information is required to obtain a better understanding of the behavioral responses of fish and their current resistance strategies. We measured near-ground frontal drag forces on preserved individuals of three benthic fish species, round goby (Neogobius melanstomus), gudgeon (Gobio gobio) and bullhead (Cottus gobio), in a flow channel. The forces were compared to acoustic Doppler velocity (ADV) measurements and fish tracking data based on video observations of live fish in the flow channel. Overall, we observed drag coefficients (C_D) of ∼10⁻³ at Reynolds numbers ∼10⁵. The frontal drag forces acting on preserved fish with non-spread fins ranged from -1.96 mN*g^-1 (force per fish wet weight, velocity 0.55 m*s^-1) to 11.01 mN*g^-1 (velocity 0.85 m*s^-1). Spreading the fins strongly increased the drag forces for bullhead and round goby. In contrast, the drag forces were similar for gudgeon with spread fins and all fish with non-spread fins. Video tracking revealed no clear relationship between the position of the fish in the flow field and the forces experienced by the preserved fish at these positions. Collectively, these results suggest that i) the differences in frontal drag forces between species are small in homogenous flow, ii) individuals chose their position in the flow field based on factors other than the drag forces experienced, and iii) whether fins are spread or non-spread is an essential quality that modulates species-specific differences. The methodology and results of this study will enable integration of flow measurements, fish behavior and force measurements and inform ethohydraulics research. More advanced force measurements will lead to a detailed understanding of the current resistance strategies of benthic fish and improve the design of fish passes.     

Form drag is a major component of bed shear stress associated with tidal flow in the vicinity of an isolated sand bank,Torres Strait,northern Australia

Tidal current and elevation data were collected from five oceanographic moorings during October 2004 in Torres Strait, northern Australia, to assess the effects of large bedforms (i.e., sand banks) on the drag coefficient (C_D) used for estimating bed shear stress in complex shallow shelf environments. Ten minute averages of tidal current speed and elevation data were collected for 18 days at an on-bank site (<7 m water depth) and an off-bank site (<10 m). These data were compared to data collected simultaneously from two shelf locations (<11 m) occupied to measure regional tidal behaviour. Overall C_D estimates at the on- and off-bank sites attained 7.0±0.1×10⁻³ and 6.6±0.1×10⁻³, respectively. On-bank C_D estimates also differed between the predominant east–west tidal streams, with easterly directed flows experiencing C_D=7.8±0.18×10⁻³ and westerly directed flows C_D=6.4±0.12×10⁻³. Statistically significant differences between the off-bank and on-bank sites are attributed to the large form drag exerted by the sand banks on the regional tidal currents, and statistically significant differences between the westward and eastward flows is ascribed to bedform asymmetry. Form drag from the large bedforms in Torres Strait comprises up to 65% of the total drag coefficient. When constructing sediment transport models, different C_D estimates must therefore be applied to shelf regions containing steep bedforms compared to regions that do not. Our results extend the limited inventory of seabed drag coefficients for shallow shelf environments, and can be used to improve existing regional seabed mobilisation models, which have direct application to environmental management in Torres Strait.     

The formation of tidal sand waves: Fully three-dimensional versus shallow water approaches

Tidal sand waves, also named tidal dunes, are large scale bedforms generated by the growth of perturbations of the sea bottom driven by tidal currents. Indeed, the interaction of an oscillatory tidal current with a bottom waviness gives rise to steady recirculating cells which tend to drag the sediment from the troughs towards the crests of the bottom perturbation. The net motion of the sediment towards the crests is opposed by gravity force and the growth of the perturbation is controlled by a balance between these two effects. In the literature, to determine the conditions which lead to the formation of sand waves and to determine the characteristics of the bedforms generated by this instability mechanism, both fully three-dimensional and shallow water approaches are employed. The shallow water approach is computationally less expensive than the fully three-dimensional one but, in many cases, it might be less accurate. This paper compares the quantitative predictions obtained by means of the two approaches and quantifies the range of the parameters such that the shallow water approximation provides reliable predictions.     

Impact–entrainment relationship in a saltating cloud

The problem of impact–entrainment relationship is one of the central issues in understanding saltation, a primary aeolian transport mode. By using particle dynamic analyser measurement technology the movement of saltating particles at the very near‐surface level (1 mm above the bed) was detected. The impacting and entrained particles in the same impact–entrainment process were identified and the speeds, angle with respect to the horizontal, and energy of the impacting and entrained sand cloud were analysed. It was revealed that both the speed and angle of impacting and entrained particles vary widely. The probability distribution of the speed of impacting and entrained particles in the saltating cloud is best described by a Weibull distribution function. The mean impact speed is generally greater than the mean lift‐off speed except for the 0·1–0·2 mm sand whose entrainment is significantly influenced by air drag. Both the impact and lift‐off angles range from 0° to 180°. The mean lift‐off angles range from 39° to 94° while the mean impact angles range from 40° to 78°, much greater than those previously reported. The greater mean lift‐off and especially the mean impact angles are attributed to mid‐air collisions at the very low height, which are difficult to detect by conventional high‐speed photography and are generally ignored in the existing theoretical simulation models. The proportion of backward‐impacting particles also evidences the mid‐air collisions. The impact energy is generally greater than the entrainment energy except for the 0·1–0·2 mm sand. There exists a reasonably good correlation of the mean speed, angle and energy between the impacting and entrained cloud in the impact–entrainment process. The results presented in this paper deserve to be considered in modelling saltation. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

A new velocity model for clay-sand mixtures1

None of the standard porosity-velocity models (e.g. the time-average equation, Raymer's equations) is satisfactory for interpreting well-logging data over a broad depth range. Clays in the section are the usual source of the difficulty through the bias and scatter that they introduce into the relationship between porosity and P-wave transit time. Because clays are composed of fine sheet-like particles, they normally form pores with much smaller aspect ratios than those associated with sand grains. This difference in pore geometry provides the key to obtaining more consistent resistivity and sonic log interpretations. A velocity model for Clay–sand mixtures has been developed in terms of the Kuster and Toksöz, effective medium and Gassmann theories. In this model, the total pore space is assumed to consist of two parts: (1) pores associated with sand grains and (2) pores associated with clays (including bound water). The essential feature of the model is the assumption that the geometry of pores associated with sand grains is significantly different from that associated with clays. Because of this, porosity in shales affects elastic compliance differently from porosity in sand-Stones. The predictive power of the model is demonstrated by the agreement between its predictions and laboratory measurements and by its ability to predict sonic logs from other logs over large depth intervals where formations vary from unconsolidated to consolidated sandstones and shales.     

Liquefaction macrophenomena in the great Wenchuan earthquake

On May 12, 2008 at 14:28, a catastrophic magnitude M 8.0 earthquake struck the Sichuan Province of China.The epicenter was located at Wenchuan (31.00°N, 103.40°E). Liquefaction macrophenomena and corresponding destruction was observed throughout a vast area of 500 km long and 200 km wide following the earthquake. This paper illustrates the geographic distribution of the liquefaction and the relationship between liquefaction behavior and seismic intensity, and summarizes the liquefaction macrophenomena, including sandboils and waterspouts, ground subsidence, ground fissures etc., and relevant liquefaction features. A brief summary of the structural damage caused by liquefaction is presented and discussed. Based on comparisons with liquefaction phenomena observed in the 1976 Tangshan and 1975 Haicheng earthquakes, preliminary analyses were performed, which revealed some new features of liquefaction behavior and associated issues arising from this event. The site investigation indicated that the spatial non-uniformity of liquefaction distribution was obvious and most of the liquefied sites were located in regions of seismic intensity Ⅷ. However, liquefaction phenomena at ten different sites in regions of seismic intensity Ⅵ were also observed for the first time in China mainland. Sandboils and waterspouts ranged from centimeters to tens of meters, with most between 1 m to 3 m. Dramatically high water/sand ejections,e.g., more than 10 m, were observed at four different sites. The sand ejections included silty sand, fine sand, medium sand,course sand and gravel, but the ejected sand amount was less than that in the 1976 Tangshan earthquake. Possible liquefaction of natural gravel soils was observed for the first time in China mainland.     

轮胎加筋砂垫层抗液化性能振动台试验研究

将废弃橡胶轮胎内填充散体材料形成加筋土结构,已被应用于地基、挡土墙和边坡加固等工程,表现出较好的减震隔振效果,而轮胎加筋土的抗液化性能尚缺乏研究。开展3组小型振动台试验,通过改变轮胎垫层的排水条件,验证轮胎加筋砂垫层的抗液化效果。结果表明:轮胎加筋砂垫层具有良好的抗液化效果,与刚性垫层相比,超静孔压比峰值差值范围在0.01~0.19,残余超静孔压比差值范围在0.08~0.16,轮胎加筋砂垫层提供的排水通道具有抑制超静孔隙水压力发展和加速超静孔隙水消散的作用,孔隙水会沿着轮胎与下部土体的界面以及胎间的排水通道排出;采用量测侧向动土压力的方法,定义土体液化程度量化指标,进一步验证轮胎加筋砂垫层抗液化效果;振动过程中轮胎加筋垫层表面沉降范围为11.3~15.7 mm,表现出较好的变形协调性能。     

On the variability of the Charnock constant and the functional dependence of the drag coefficient on wind speed: Part II-Observations

An analytical expression for the 10 m drag law in terms of the 10 m wind speed at the maximum in the 10 m drag coefficient, and the Charnock constant is presented, which is based on the results obtained from a model of the air-sea interface derived in Bye et al. (2010). This drag law is almost independent of wave age and over the mid-range of wind speeds (5?17 ms^?1) is very similar to the drag law based on observed data presented in Foreman and Emeis (2010). The linear fit of the observed data which incorporates a constant into the traditional definition of the drag coefficient is shown to arise to first-order as a consequence of the momentum exchange across the air-sea boundary layer brought about by wave generation and spray production which are explicitly represented in the theoretical model.     

From the blade scale to the reach scale: A characterization of aquatic vegetative drag

Previous studies have considered vegetative drag at different scales, the blade scale, the patch scale, and the reach scale, but few studies have considered the connection between these scales. In this paper, we develop simple, physically-based models that connect processes affecting the drag generated by aquatic vegetation at the blade and patch scale to the hydraulic resistance produced by vegetation at the reach scale. For fully developed flows through submerged patches of vegetation, velocities can be successfully predicted using a two-layer model in which momentum transfer from the unobstructed flow to the vegetation patch is characterized using a constant friction factor. To account for vegetation flexibility in this two-layer model, we develop an iterative procedure that calculates the reduction in plant height and drag for a given flow speed based on the plant material properties, and feeds this information back into the momentum balance. This simple iteration accurately predicts vegetation heights and velocities for submerged flexible vegetation. Finally, we consider the effect of varying vegetation distribution patterns by extending the two-layer model to account for more complex channel and patch geometries. The total hydraulic resistance produced by vegetation depends primarily on the blockage factor, i.e. the fraction of the channel cross-section blocked by vegetation. For a constant blockage factor, the specific distribution of vegetation can also play a role, with a large number of small patches generating more resistance than a single large patch. By considering models with different levels of complexity, we offer suggestions for what field measurements are needed to advance the prediction of channel resistance.     

Improvement of ERS-1 orbits using along-track accelerations from DORIS data on SPOT2

In long-arc precise orbit determinations of altimetric satellites such as ERS-1, large errors may occur from mismodelling of aerodynamic drag and solar radiation pressure. Such surface forces for non-spherical satellites require accurate modelling of the effective area and particle-surface interactions, but the dominant source of error is neutral air density as derived from thermospheric models for aerodynamic drag. Several techniques can be employed to alleviate air-drag mismodelling but all require the solution of additional parameters from the tracking data. However, for ERS-1 the sparsity of laser range data limits the application of such empirical techniques. To overcome this, use can be made of the dense DORIS Doppler tracking for SPOT2 which is in a similar orbit to ERS-1. A recent investigation by CNES examined the use of drag scale factors from SPOT2 to constrain the ERS-1 orbit. An improvement to that methodology is to consider along-track mismodelling as observed by timing errors in the Doppler data for each pass of SPOT2. The along-track correction to the acceleration as derived from SPOT2 can then be applied to ERS-1 orbits, solving for a scale factor to absorb systematic errors - particularly that arising from the 50 km altitude difference. Results are presented of the associated improvement in ERS-1 orbits as derived from concurrent SPOT2 arcs. It will be seen that the procedure not only improves the laser range fit, but more importantly, leads to more precise radial positioning as evident in the altimeter and crossover residuals.     

Effect of non-plastic silt content on the liquefaction behavior of sand–silt mixture

To identify the effect of non-plastic silt on the cyclic behavior of sand–silt mixtures, total sixty undrained cyclic triaxial stress-control tests were carried out on sand–silt mixtures. These tests were conducted on specimens of size 71 mm diameter and 142 mm height with a frequency of 1 Hz. Specimens were prepared at a constant relative density and constant density approach. The effect of relative density, confining pressure as well as magnitude of cyclic loading was also studied. For a constant relative density (D_r=60%) the effect of limiting silt content, pore pressure response and cyclic strength was observed. The rate of generation of excess pore water pressure with respect to cycles of loading was found to initially increase with increase in silt content till the limiting silt content and thereafter it reverses its trend when the specimens were tested at a constant relative density. The cyclic resistance behavior was observed to be just opposite to the pore pressure response. Permeability, CRR and secant shear modulus decreased till limiting silt content; after that they became constant with increasing silt content.     

Large-scale bedforms along a tideless outer shelf setting in the western Mediterranean

High-resolution multibeam swath-bathymetry and sediment samples were collected across the outer shelf region of the Columbretes Islands (southern Ebro continental shelf, western Mediterranean Sea). Bathymetric data from the submerged part of the Columbretes volcanic system revealed the presence of three main relict sand bodies along the outer shelf, at 80–116 m depth range, above which asymmetric and slightly asymmetric large and very large 2D and 3D subaqueous dunes were observed. These bed features were recognized, mapped and quantified with the aim of evaluating their potential formation mechanisms in relation to the local hydrodynamic and morphologic settings of the area. Dunes range from 150 to 760 m in wavelength and from tens of centimeters to 3 m in height, and are among the longest ever recognized in an outer shelf region. These bedforms are mostly composed of medium-sized sandy sediments, presumably coming from the degraded relict sand bodies on top of which they have developed, mixed with fine fractions from the recent draping holocenic sediments. The orientation of the dunes is SSW, progressively turning W towards the southernmost sector of the area, following the trend of the shelf-edge. Contemporary hydrodynamic measurements at the Ebro continental shelf-edge show that recorded currents are insufficient to form the observed bedforms and that stronger currents are required for sediment mobilization and dune formation. Based on their morphology and orientation, it is proposed that these bedforms are produced by the action of the southward-flowing Liguro-Provençal-Catalan (LPC) geostrophic current. The LPC probably reaches high near-bottom currents during energetic hydrodynamic events through interactions with the seafloor morphology of the study area. Subaqueous dunes are expected to be basically inactive features with respect to present-day processes, although they can be reactivated during high-energy events. The small Δh/λ ratio measured in the dune fields of the Columbretes shelf revealed that the dune heights fall below the values predicted by the Flemming (1988) global equation, as observed in other outer shelf settings also dominated by unidirectional flows. This may suggest a different morphodynamic character of large dunes formed on outer shelves in a micro-tidal regime.     

Instantaneous dynamic pressure effects on the behaviour of lithic boulders in pyroclastic flows: the Abrigo Ignimbrite,Tenerife, Canary Islands

A method for estimating the instantaneous dynamic pressure near the base of ancient pyroclastic flows, using large lithic boulders from the late Pleistocene Abrigo Ignimbrite, is proposed here. The minimum instantaneous dynamic pressure is obtained by determining the minimum aerodynamic drag force exerted by a pyroclastic flow onto a stationary boulder that will allow the boulder to overcome static friction with the underlying substrate, and move within the flow. Consideration is given to the properties of the boulder (shape, roughness, size, density and orientation relative to the flow), substrate (type and hill slope angle), boulder-substrate interface (looseness of boulder, coefficient of static friction) and flow (coefficient of aerodynamic drag). Nineteen boulders from massive, lithic-rich ignimbrite deposits at two localities on Tenerife were assessed in this study. Minimum dynamic pressures required for Abrigo pyroclastic flows to move these boulders ranged from 5 to 38 kPa, which are comparable to dynamic pressures previously calculated from observations of the damage caused by recent pyroclastic flows. Considering the maximum possible range in flow density, the derived minimum velocity range for the Abrigo pyroclastic flows is 1.3 to 87 m s⁻¹.     

Floodplain sedimentation and sensitivity: summer 1993 flood,Upper Mississippi River Valley

Patterns of overbank sedimentation in the vicinity of, and far removed from, levee breaks that occurred in response to the >100 year, summer 1993 flood in the upper Mississippi River valley are elucidated. Two suites of overbank deposits were associated with the failure of artificial levees within a 70 km long study reach. Circumjacent sand deposits are a component of the levee break complex that develops in the immediate vicinity of a break site. As epitomized by the levee break complex at Sny Island, these features consist of an erosional, scoured and/or stripped zone, together with a horseshoe-shaped, depositional zone. At locales farther removed from the break site, the impact of flooding was exclusively depositional and was attributed to the settling of suspended sediment from the water column. The overall picture was one of modest scour at break sites and minimal suspended deposition (<4 mm) at locales farther removed from the breach. Downriver from the confluence with the Missouri River, suspended sediment deposition was of a similar magnitude to that observed within the study reach and levee break complexes exhibited a similar morphology, but scour at break sites was greatly enhanced and the excavated sand formed extensive deposits on the floodplain surface. The different erosional response was probably engendered by the higher sand content and reduced aggregate cohesion of the floodplain soils downriver from the confluence with the Missouri River. A qualitative comparison serves to highlight the influence that the resistance threshold may have on the sensitivity of floodplains bordering large low-gradient rivers to high magnitude floods. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.