Borehole failure analysis in a sandstone under anisotropic stresses

Borehole failure under anisotropic stresses in a sandstone is analyze numerically for various borehole sizes using a nonlinear elastic–plastic constitutive model for a Cosserat continuum. Borehole failure is identified as macroscopic failure of the borehole through the development of shear bands and breakouts. The results compare well both qualitatively and quantitatively with experimental results from polyaxial tests on Red Wildmoor sandstone. They show that the hole size effect of the borehole failure strength is independent of the far‐field stress anisotropy and follows a ? power law of the hole size. A similar scale effect equation with a ? power law is proposed for the scale effect of the maximum plastic shear strain at failure. This equation can be useful for better predicting hole‐size‐dependent failure with standard codes based on classical continua. The effect of stress anisotropy on the borehole failure stress is found to be independent of the hole size. The failure stress decreases linearly to 40% as the stress anisotropy increases. However, the maximum plastic shear strain at failure is stress anisotropy independent and therefore the critical plastic shear strain for failure is only hole‐size dependent. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Information structuring and risk-based inspection for the marine oil pipelines

The proposed work is incorporated into the research theme concerning the maintenance and inspection of sensitive facilities in production systems. It is essential to promote the methodological deployment of inspection techniques to ensure the good functioning of services provided by complex production systems as well as their different components. We use a risk-based inspection methodology offering an organized analysis with knowledge sharing for collaborative possibilities in a multidisciplinary context and it consists of the following steps: data acquisition and information collection, failure analysis (probability and consequences), risk assessment, inspection plan, mitigation and revaluation. The application of this methodology can improve the maintenance management strategies of industrial companies. The inspection department is able to forecast its potential failure, root causes and impacts on the safe operation of the considered production system, based on a reliable inventory of existing situations and review options for continuous improvement in maintenance management. In particular, we addressed the application of a Risk-Based Inspection (RBI) methodology in the French petroleum company with operations on the west coast of central and southern Africa. The incorporation of expert knowledge into risk assessment is helping to find the best preventive plan for pipeline inspection in the case study.     

A helping hand: artificial nest site provisioning increases breeding success of a tropical seabird

Common white terns Gygis alba lay a single egg balanced on rocks or branches and consequently are at risk of low nesting success. A novel technique of hollowing out coconut husks and providing artificial nest sites was developed on Cousine Island, Seychelles. Our study aimed to critically assess whether common white tern nesting success differed between artificial and natural nest sites. For natural nest sites, nesting success and the stage of nest failure were also compared between seasons, nest heights, and tree species. Finally, we compared results from our study to those of a study conducted 10 years ago on the same island. Nesting success differed significantly between artificial nests and natural nests, with the success of artificial nests nearly double that of natural nests. Hatching success was similar for artificial and natural nests (65% and 52% respectively), suggesting coconut husks do not reduce egg losses, but rather provide secure perches for young chicks. Most natural nest failures occurred during the egg phase (70%), followed by the youngest chick phase (21%). Of the eggs that hatched in natural nests, 61% fledged successfully. Tree species and season significantly influenced nesting success for natural nests and nest height varied significantly between tree species. Higher nesting success was observed during the mixed seasonal period (50%) followed by the cooler, windier and drier South-East Monsoon season (33%). The hotter and more humid North-West Monsoon period had the lowest nesting success (20%). Comparisons of nesting success at natural and artificial nest sites with the earlier study did not differ significantly, despite a smaller population of common white terns being present on the island at that stage. Our results support the use of artificial nest sites to improve nesting success for this species and serve as a model for similar species currently under threat.     

Failure Pressure Analysis of Corroded Moderate-to-High Strength Pipelines

Based on the elastic-plastic, large-deformation finite element method, burst capacity of steel pipeline with longitudinal corrosion defect subjected to internal pressure is studied. The appropriate stress-based criterion is used to predict the failure pressure of finite element model of corroded pipeline under internal pressure. By considering the pipe steel grades and geometries of corrosion defects, a series of finite element analyses is conducted. The effects of corrosion depth, length and width on burst capacity are also discussed. A specific failure pressure solution for the assessment of corrosion defects in moderate-to-high strength pipeline is proposed on the base of numerical results. The failure pressures predicted by the proposed method are in better agreement with the experimental results than the results by the other methods.     

腐蚀管道在内压和轴向压力影响下的弯曲破坏

运行在恶劣环境中的海底管道,往往受到内压、轴力和弯矩等复杂荷载的联合作用。腐蚀会导致管壁局部变薄,降低管道极限承载力。为保证管道安全高效运行,准确预测和分析复杂荷载作用下的塑性极限承载力和变形行为就显得尤为重要。考虑大应变和大变形、应力强化和材料非线性,运用数值仿真软件建立腐蚀缺陷管道的三维实体有限元模型,在全尺寸管道破坏试验验证的基础上,对腐蚀管道在内压、轴向压力和弯矩相互作用下的失效模式和极限弯矩承载力进行了相关研究,并进行了腐蚀缺陷几何参数的敏感性分析。研究结果表明:初始内压和初始轴向压力会显著降低腐蚀管道的极限弯矩承载力,并且影响最终的失效模式;在腐蚀缺陷几何尺寸参数中,腐蚀宽度比腐蚀深度和腐蚀长度的影响更大。     

深部地质钻探钻柱失效行为分析

国家的“三深一土”规划确定全面开展深地探测,而在深地探测中钻柱是最重要的连接纽带,其长期在充满钻井液的井眼内工作,受力十分复杂,且受腐蚀、磨损、温度等影响,极易发生钻柱失效事故,造成重大经济损失。研究发现,振动是引起钻柱失效的主要原因,但是深部地质钻探中除了振动引起钻柱失效外,还包括钻柱质量因素、人为因素、钻井质量、套管下入因素、测斜因素以及钻井液因素引起的钻柱失效,本文针对这些影响因素提出了对应的预防措施。同时随着地质钻探井深的不断加深,地质钻探钻柱动力学研究会变得越来越重要,这就需要地质钻探人员在充分考虑地质钻探钻柱失效影响因素的前提下,加大对地质钻探钻柱动力学的研究,以更好地保证深部地质钻探的顺利进行。     

甘孜州色达县典型牵引式滑坡地质灾害形成机理分析--以甘孜州甲学乡甲热滑坡为例

甲热滑坡位于甘孜州色达县甲学乡境内,属于典型的牵引式滑坡,滑坡体平均坡度约35°,主要由碎石土组成,滑坡长约195 m,宽约280 m,平均厚约15 m,滑坡体总方量约60万m3,属中型滑坡。滑坡坡体中上部变形现象较明显,若发生滑动,将直接威胁当地41户160人居民的生命财产安全。本文在进行野外现场基础地质调查后,对滑坡体的变形破坏机制进行了定性分析,并利用三位有限元数值模拟进行了定量分析,对以后研究同类滑坡的稳定性具有重要意义。     

Effect of 2D spatial variability on slope reliability: A simplified FORM analysis

To meet the high demand for reliability based design of slopes, we present in this paper a simplified HLRF(Hasofere Linde Rackwitze Fiessler) iterative algorithm for first-order reliability method(FORM). It is simply formulated in x-space and requires neither transformation of correlated random variables nor optimization tools. The solution can be easily improved by iteratively adjusting the step length. The algorithm is particularly useful to practicing engineers for geotechnical reliability analysis where standalone(deterministic) numerical packages are used. Based on the proposed algorithm and through direct perturbation analysis of random variables, we conducted a case study of earth slope reliability with complete consideration of soil uncertainty and spatial variability.     

岸滩侧蚀崩塌速率的试验量测方法

岸滩侧蚀崩塌现象普遍存在于冲积河流演变过程中,是河道治理需重点关注的问题之一,岸滩侧蚀崩塌速率的准确量测则是崩岸机理及其治理措施研究的关键基础。基于图像处理技术,建立了河岸侧蚀崩塌速率试验量测系统,通过图像追踪河岸模型上边缘示踪网格位置变迁,提出了一种河岸侧蚀崩塌速率测量方法。以试验水槽为例,对河岸侧蚀崩塌速率进行了量测,并与经验公式计算值进行了比对,两者基本吻合,可较好地反映流速、土体级配等岸滩侧蚀崩塌速率的影响因素及其变化规律。研究成果可为江河崩岸机理的深入研究提供技术支撑。     

开挖条件下含陡倾结构面顺层岩质边坡破坏模式与稳定性预测

顺层岩质边坡易发生失稳破坏,当边坡中发育有顺坡向陡倾结构面时,更不利于边坡稳定。以贵州某水电站大坝左岸含陡倾结构面顺层边坡为例,在综合分析地质条件及开挖扰动的基础上,结合离散元软件UDEC,分析了边坡的变形破坏模式和稳定性。研究结果表明,边坡可能发生的变形破坏模式主要有滑移、拉裂—滑移两种;自然状况下及开挖后,边坡都有沿断层f_9、卸荷裂隙L_1及岩层面发生滑移的趋势,且工程开挖导致边坡沿该结构面发生内部滑动;对边坡采用预应力锚索加固后,变形得到有效控制,位移数值计算值与实际监测值基本吻合。