Analytical prediction of ultimate moment and curvature of RC rectangular sections in compression

This paper presents closed form expressions linking the ultimate bearing capacity to the ultimate curvature of rectangular RC sections subjected to axial load and bending moment acting in one of the two symmetry planes of the section. With respect to possible simplified formulations the following effects are also considered: confinement of the concrete, hardening of the longitudinal reinforcement, and presence of reinforcing bars distributed orthogonally to the neutral axis. The formulation is proposed in dimensional terms after a preliminary definition of the geometrical and mechanical parameters governing the structural response of the class of sections considered. The analytical expressions derived using the proposed approach also allow one to determine the compression level that makes the ultimate bending moment maximum as well as to evaluate the curvature corresponding to the first yielding of the principal reinforcement in tension. Comparing this value of curvature with the ultimate one, an approximate estimation of the available ductility of curvature of the section can be made. The analytical procedure is validated by comparing the results with those obtained using a typical numerical approach. Some experimental results are also considered.     

Twin laws of whewellite,CaC2O4·H2O. A structural and growth approach

Both natural and synthetic crystals of whewellite (CaC₂O₄·H₂O, sp.g. P2₁/c) occur commonly as twins. The geometrical, reticular and structural features of the most important twin law, twin plane (100), and the dubious law ( \(\overline {\text{1}} \) 01) were investigated. The strict application of the periodic bond chain (PBC) theory (Hartman and Perdok 1955) makes possible the identification of original composition planes (OCP). Following the OCP analysis it has been deduced that the energy necessary to produce a (100) twin is very low. This is evidenced by the easy reciprocal arrangement of the two crystal structures which can be shown in two slightly different ways, i.e., by a (100) reflection with a mean [0, 1/2, ?a ₀cosβ] translation and a weak relaxation (from 0.1 to 0.25 Å) of the common interface. In OCP an important role is played by water molecules. With regard to ( \(\overline {\text{1}} \) 01) twinning, the geometrical and reticular agreement is not matched by the structural situation. The structural and growth approach to the twin laws of whewellite therefore justifies the very common occurrence only of (100) twinned crystals.     

Theoretical growth morphology of whewellite CaC2O4·H2O

The morphological theory of Hartman and Perdok (1955, 1956) allows to deduce the character of a growth form {hkl} on the basis of structural data alone. Its application to the structure of whewellite leads to the identification of forms {100}, {010}, {021}, {011}, {12 \(\bar 1\) } and {121} which show during the growth a flat surface profile (flat forms F). These forms occur very frequently in the crystals we grew from pure aqueous solutions at supersaturation β≦1,90. Other forms, {001} and {10 \(\bar 1\) }, possibly show a double character (F or S, where S stays for related faces showing a stepped profile during the growth) according to the bonds assumed within some periodic bond chains (PBCs). Alternative ways of bonding water molecules lead to different structures of the same PBC. The different energy corresponding to these structures may explain the complex morphology of both natural and synthetic crystals grown at high β values.     

40Ar/39Ar laser probe dating of the Central European tektite‐producing impact event

Abstract— A new ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar data set is presented for tektites from the Central European strewn field (moldavites). This is the only strewn field that is entirely situated in a continental environment and still characterized by scattered ages (14–15.3 Myr). The main objectives of the study were to define more precisely the moldavite formation age and provide a good calibration for a glass standard proposed for fission‐track dating. The laser total fusion ages obtained on chips from 7 individual specimens from the Southern Bohemian and Moravian subfields are restricted to a narrow interval of time, with an average of 14.34 ± 0.08 Myr relative to the 27.95 ± 0.09 Myr of the Fish Canyon Tuff biotite. This result gives a more precise age not only for the tektite field but also for its producing impact. If the genetic link between the moldavites and the Nördlinger Ries impact crater is maintained, then this new age has to be considered a reliable estimate for the Ries crater also. This new value places the formation of Central European tektites within the Lower Serravallian period in the latest geologic timescales. Evidence of their impact products, such as glass spherules or shocked minerals, can, therefore, be sought in sedimentary marine formations in a more precisely defined age interval.     

New Constraints on Ages of Glasses Proposed as Reference Materials for Fission-Track Dating

New analyses have been performed in order to enhance the data-set on the independent ages of four glasses that have been proposed as reference materials for fission-track dating. The results are as follows. Moldavite - repeated ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar age determinations on samples from deposits from Bohemia and Moravia yielded an average of 14.34 ± 0.08 Ma. This datum agrees with other recent determinations and is significantly younger than the ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar age of 15.21 ± 0.15 Ma determined in the early 1980s. Macusanite (Peru) -four K-Ar ages ranging from 5.44 ± 0.06 to 5.72 ± 0.12 Ma have been published previously. New ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar ages gave an average of 5.12 ± 0.04 Ma. Plateau fission-track ages determined using the IRMM-540 certified glass and U and Th thin films for neutron fluence measurements agree better with these new ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar ages than the previously published ages. Roccastrada glass (Italy) - a new ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar age, 2.45 ± 0.04 Ma, is consistent with previous determinations. The Quiron obsidian (Argentina) is a recently discovered glass that has been proposed as an additional reference material for its high spontaneous track density (around 100 000 cm^-2). Defects that might produce "spurious" tracks are virtually absent. An independent ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar age of 8.77 ± 0.09 Ma was determined and is recommended for this glass. We believe that these materials, which will be distributed upon request to fission-track groups, will be very useful for testing system calibrations and experimental procedures.     

Evidence for the Blake event in volcanic rocks from Lipari (Aeolian Archipelago)

Palaeomagnetic and geochronological measurements have been carried out on the late Pleistocene basaltic–andesitic unit of Monte Chirica–Costa Rasa, on the island of Lipari (Aeolian Archipelago). The lava flow sequence is about 10  m thick and has been sampled in detail. Magnetic properties are rather uniform; Curie temperatures of 540° to 580 °C, and the saturation IRM reached at applied values of 0.1  T point to titanomagnetite as the main magnetization carrier. Thermal and AF demagnetization have shown the presence of secondary magnetization components. These were removed mostly at 450°–500 °C or 20–30  mT, indicating a highly stable ChRM with directions from transitional to reverse. Where a ChRM could not be isolated by application of the demagnetization techniques, the converging remagnetization circles method gave a mean ChRM value fully comparable with that obtained from other methods. ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar determinations were performed on two lava flows, in the lower and upper parts of the sequence. The former shows a transitional ChRM direction and a whole-rock age of 157±12  ka, the latter a reverse direction, a whole-rock age of 143±17  ka and a ground-mass age of 128±23  ka. The radiometric data and the reconstructed stratigraphy, which indicate ages of 150±10  ka and 104±3.5  ka, respectively, for the volcanic units at the bottom and top of the Monte Chirica–Costa Rasa unit, suggest that the reverse directions recorded in Lipari are related to the Blake event.     

Finite locally resonant Metafoundations for the seismic protection of fuel storage tanks

This paper introduces a novel seismic isolation system based on metamaterial concepts for the reduction of ground motion-induced vibrations in fuel storage tanks. In recent years, the advance of seismic metamaterials has led to various new concepts for the attenuation of seismic waves. Of particular interest for the present work is the concept of locally resonant materials, which are able to attenuate seismic waves at wavelengths much greater than the dimensions of their unit cells. Based on this concept, we propose a finite locally resonant Metafoundation, the so-called Metafoundation, which is able to shield fuel storage tanks from earthquakes. To crystallize the ideas, the Metafoundation is designed according to the Italian standards with conservatism and optimized under the consideration of its interaction with both superstructure and ground. To accomplish this, we developed two optimization procedures that are able to compute the response of the coupled foundation-tank system subjected to site-specific ground motion spectra. They are carried out in the frequency domain, and both the optimal damping and the frequency parameters of the Metafoundation-embedded resonators are evaluated. As case studies for the superstructure, we consider one slender and one broad tank characterized by different geometries and eigenproperties. Furthermore, the expected site-specific ground motion is taken into account with filtered Gaussian white noise processes modeled with a modified Kanai-Tajimi filter. Both the effectiveness of the optimization procedures and the resulting systems are evaluated through time history analyses with two sets of natural accelerograms corresponding to operating basis and safe shutdown earthquakes, respectively.