A novel coupled FDM-DEM modelling method for flexible membrane boundary in laboratory tests

Difficulties are involved in discrete element method (DEM) modelling of the flexible boundary, that is, the membranes covering the soil sample, which can be commonly found in contemporary laboratory soil tests. In this paper, a novel method is proposed wherein the finite difference method (FDM) and DEM are coupled to simulate the rubber membrane and soil body, respectively. Numerical plane strain and triaxial tests, served by the flexible membrane, are implemented and analysed later. The effect of the membrane modulus on the measurement accuracy is considered, with analytical formulae derived to judge the significance of this effect. Based on an analysis of stress-strain responses and the grain rotation field, the mechanical performances produced by the flexible and rigid lateral boundaries are compared for the plane strain test. The results show that (1) the effect of the membrane on the test result becomes more significant at larger strain level because the membrane applies additional lateral confining pressure to the soil body; (2) the tested models reproduce typical stress and volumetric paths for specimens with shear bands; (3) for the plane strain test, the rigid lateral boundary derives a much higher peak strength and larger bulk dilatation, but a similar residual strength, compared with the flexible boundary. The latter produces a more uniform (or ‘diffuse') rotation field and more mobilised local kinematics than does the former. All simulations show that the proposed FDM-DEM coupling method is able to simulate laboratory tests with a flexible boundary membrane.     

PS测井在机场隧道地基勘查中的应用

PS测井技术是地震勘探方法之一,也是一种简便、快速、准确的原位测试技术。该文介绍了单孔法PS测井的原理及其在铁路工程勘察中的应用,主要包括根据等效剪切波,进行建筑抗震场地类别划分,铁路工程抗震场地类别划分。根据岩土动力学参数,达到评价岩体质量和划分围岩类别目的,利用剪切波速法估算岩土的承载力基本值。通过青岛机场隧道场地的工程实例说明了PS测井技术在岩土工程勘察设计中的应用情况及应用效果。     

风和径流量对长江口缺氧影响的数值模拟

受自然和人类活动的影响，海洋缺氧现象日益严重，威胁着海洋生态环境，海洋缺氧问题已经引起了人们的广泛关注。本文应用区域海洋模式并耦合生态模式，对东海的生态系统进行了数值模拟和分析研究。与观测数据比较显示，该模型能较好地模拟长江口外生态变量的分布趋势。另外本文通过设置不同敏感性实验，探讨风和径流量对长江口底层缺氧现象的影响，结果分析表明，风和径流量对长江口外缺氧区的形成有显著的影响。径流量变化虽然对长江口外缺氧区的季节变化影响并不显著，但是对缺氧区域面积却存在显著的影响。径流量增加，水体层化增强，表层叶绿素浓度增加，最终导致缺氧区域范围扩展；径流量减小，水体层化减弱，表层叶绿素浓度减小，缺氧区域范围缩小。风向和风速的改变不仅影响长江口外缺氧区的季节变化，还影响缺氧区域面积。     

基于SODA资料的南海表层风能输入的空间分布与长期趋势研究

海面风不仅是驱动上层海洋运动的主要动力, 其能量也是维持海洋表层流动的主要机械能来源。为了分析南海表层流风能输入的变化, 用SODA(Simple Ocean Data Assimilation)(1901—2010)资料估算了风向南海表层流(表层地转流+表层非地转流)的能量输入。结果表明, 风向南海表层流、表层地转流和表层非地转流输入的能量总体均呈减少趋势, 110年间分别减小了约56%、65%和49%。导致风能输入减小的最主要因素是风应力的减弱(减小了35%)。由于南海受季风系统的控制, 风向表层流及其各成分输入的能量呈现出显著的季节性变化。冬季风能输入最强, 高值区位于南海西部及北部区域, 呈一个显著的“回力镖”状结构。这些结果对深入认识南海环流具有理论意义。     

乌兰布和沙漠典型植物群落土壤风蚀可蚀性研究

为探明植被恢复对乌兰布和沙漠土壤风蚀可蚀性的影响，以乌兰布和沙漠内不同沙地固 定阶段的 8 种典型植物群落及群落内表土作为研究对象，对土壤物理因子（可蚀性颗粒含量、土壤 含水量、有机质含量）、土壤结皮因子、植被因子 3 类土壤风蚀可蚀性因子指标进行监测，分析土壤 风蚀可蚀性因子在不同植物群落类型间、沙地固定阶段间的差异。结果表明：（1）在乌兰布和沙漠 典型植物群落中，沙蓬、沙生针茅、盐爪爪等草本植物群落的土壤风蚀可蚀性最强，白刺、梭梭、沙 冬青等灌木植物群落土壤风蚀可蚀性弱于草本植物群落，说明灌木林能显著降低土壤风蚀作用。 （2）随着沙地的不断固定，土壤结构不断发育，土壤可蚀性不断降低，土壤风蚀可蚀性强弱表现为 固定沙地<半固定沙地<流动沙地。（3）土壤可蚀性颗粒含量、土壤有机质含量、土壤含水量、土壤结 皮、植被因子与植被类型及沙地固定阶段具有显著相关关系。因此，在沙区生态建设工程中，为了 减少土壤风蚀量，不仅要考虑物种的选择，还要促进人工生态系统的演替和恢复，从而有效降低土 壤风蚀可蚀性。研究结果可为乌兰布和沙区植被生态系统服务功能的科学评价、防沙治沙工程的 建设与管理提供一定参考。     

Moving from plot-based to hillslope-scale assessments of savanna vegetation structure with long-range terrestrial laser scanning (LR-TLS)

Reliable quantification of savanna vegetation structure is critical for accurate carbon accounting and biodiversity assessment under changing climate and land-use conditions. Inventories of fine-scale vegetation structural attributes are typically conducted from field-based plots or transects, while large-area monitoring relies on a combination of airborne and satellite remote sensing. Both of these approaches have their strengths and limitations, but terrestrial laser scanning (TLS) has emerged as the benchmark for vegetation structural parameterization – recording and quantifying 3D structural detail that is not possible from manual field-based or airborne/spaceborne methods. However, traditional TLS approaches suffer from similar spatial constraints as field-based inventories. Given their small areal coverage, standard TLS plots may fail to capture the heterogeneity of landscapes in which they are embedded. Here we test the potential of long-range (>2000 m) terrestrial laser scanning (LR-TLS) to provide rapid and robust assessment of savanna vegetation 3D structure at hillslope scales. We used LR-TLS to sample entire savanna hillslopes from topographic vantage points and collected coincident plot-scale (1 ha) TLS scans at increasing distances from the LR-TLS station. We merged multiple TLS scans at the plot scale to provide the reference structure, and evaluated how 3D metrics derived from LR-TLS deviated from this baseline with increasing distance. Our results show that despite diluted point density and increased beam divergence with distance, LR-TLS can reliably characterize tree height (RMSE = 0.25–1.45 m) and canopy cover (RMSE = 5.67–15.91%) at distances of up to 500 m in open savanna woodlands. When aggregated to the same sampling grain as leading spaceborne vegetation products (10–30 m), our findings show potential for LR-TLS to play a key role in constraining satellite-based structural estimates in savannas over larger areas than traditional TLS sampling can provide.     

敦煌-格尔木铁路沿线风动力环境特征

敦煌-格尔木铁路沿线地形复杂、起沙因素多变、沙源丰富，沙害问题日益严重。目前对其风沙活动规律还未有研究，不利于防沙工作的开展。为此，通过对自北向南的5个观测点（S1、S2、S3、S4、S5）风速和风向的观测、计算和分析，利用平均风速、起沙风况及输沙势对敦格铁路沿线的风动力环境特征进行研究。结果表明：S5、S4和S3的风况对铁路风沙灾害防治意义较大。S5年平均风速、起沙风频率和输沙势最大，春季风沙活动最为强烈，且风向单一、风力强劲，风沙运动方向基本与铁路垂直，沙粒易在铁路附近堆积。S4夏季风沙活动最为强烈；S3春季风沙活动最为强烈，且风向单一，S4和S3的风沙运动方向与铁路夹角小于90°，附近沙源广阔，铁路易受风沙侵蚀，阻碍交通运营。     

An approximate method for evaluating the shear band thickness in saturated soils

A formula for the thickness of a shear band formed in saturated soils under a simple shear or a combined stress state has been proposed. It is shown that the shear band thickness is dependent on the pore pressure properties of the material and the dilatancy rate, but is independent of the details of the combined stress state. This is in accordance with some separate experimental observations. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Strain localization in sand: an overview of the experimental results obtained in Grenoble using stereophotogrammetry

Experimental results are presented from the extensive program of drained plane strain compression tests on sand carried out in Grenoble over the last two decades. Systematic analysis of photographs of the deforming specimen allowed for measuring deformations and determining strain fields throughout the test, that is: prior to, at, and after the onset of strain localization. The principles, details and accuracy of the procedure are described, as well as its suitability to properly depict the patterns of deformation. Findings concerning the occurrence and progression of strain localization are discussed. The issues of shear band orientation and thickness are addressed, as well as temporary and persistent complex localization patterns, and the volumetric behaviour inside a band after its formation. The influence of such variables as initial state of the sand (effective stress and relative density), specimen size and slenderness, as well as grain size, is discussed. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd     

Long-Period Variations of the Eccentricity Vector Valid also for Near Circular Orbits around a Non-Spherical Body

This paper studies the long period variations of the eccentricity vector of the orbit of an artificial satellite, under the influence of the gravity field of a central body. We use modified orbital elements which are non-singular at zero eccentricity. We expand the long periodic part of the corresponding Lagrange equations as power series of the eccentricity. The coefficients characterizing the differential system depend on the zonal coefficients of the geopotential, and on initial semi-major axis, inclination, and eccentricity. The differential equations for the components of the eccentricity vector are then integrated analytically, with a definition of the period of the perigee based on the notion of “free eccentricity”, and which is also valid for circular orbits. The analytical solution is compared to a numerical integration. This study is a generalization of (Cook, Planet. Space Sci., 14, 1966): first, the coefficients involved in the differential equations depend on all zonal coefficients (and not only on the very first ones); second, our method applies to nearly circular orbits as well as to not too eccentric orbits. Except for the critical inclination, our solution is valid for all kinds of long period motions of the perigee, i.e., circulations or librations around an equilibrium point.