Three dimensional simulation of fluid flow in X‐ray CT images of porous media

A numerical scheme is developed in order to simulate fluid flow in three dimensional (3‐D) microstructures. The governing equations for steady incompressible flow are solved using the semi‐implicit method for pressure‐linked equations (SIMPLE) finite difference scheme within a non‐staggered grid system that represents the 3‐D microstructure. This system allows solving the governing equations using only one computational cell. The numerical scheme is verified through simulating fluid flow in idealized 3‐D microstructures with known closed form solutions for permeability. The numerical factors affecting the solution in terms of convergence and accuracy are also discussed. These factors include the resolution of the analysed microstructure and the truncation criterion. Fluid flow in 2‐D X‐ray computed tomography (CT) images of real porous media microstructure is also simulated using this numerical model. These real microstructures include field cores of asphalt mixes, laboratory linear kneading compactor (LKC) specimens, and laboratory Superpave gyratory compactor (SGC) specimens. The numerical results for the permeability of the real microstructures are compared with the results from closed form solutions. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Tephrochronology and tephrostratigraphy of two Pleistocene continental fossiliferous successions from central Italy

The stratigraphical context of two Middle Pleistocene fossiliferous palaeosols from Central Italy (Abruzzo and Tuscany) have been studied. Small mammals and molluscs occur in both palaeosols, which are covered by tephra layers that were analysed using an interdisciplinary approach. Application of fission‐track dating to apatites separated from the Case Picconetto tephra (Pescara, Abruzzo), yielded an age of 0.48 ± 0.04 Ma, indistinguishable from those previously determined for the Campani Quarry (Lower Valdarno, Tuscany) (0.46 ± 0.05 Ma and 0.48 ± 0.05 Ma). Geochemical and petrographic investigations indicate that these tephra originated from different volcanoes, the Alban Hills Volcanic Complex and the Vico Volcano (Latium) respectively. Small mammal and mollusc assemblages indicate different palaeoclimatic and palaeoenvironmental conditions for the Case Picconetto and Campani Quarry palaeosols. Warm and humid conditions can be inferred for the Campani Quarry site, whereas open and cold conditions can be inferred for Case Picconetto. On the basis of faunal data, fission‐track dates and attribution of tephra to specific volcanic eruptions, we suggest a correlation of these faunas with marine oxygen isotope stage 14 (Case Picconetto) and with marine oxygen isotope stage 11 (Campani Quarry), respectively. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Chemical alteration of tephra in the depositional environment: theoretical stability modelling

The study of the chemical stability of vitreous material in aqueous media is well‐established. There has to date been little consideration of the implications of variations in the chemical durability of tephra in Quaternary tephrochronology. Chemical alteration can take the form of cationic leaching from the matrix, or complete destruction of the silica network, either of which could constrain the ability to chemically identify distal tephra. Here we apply established models of vitreous durability to the published chemical analyses of a large number of Icelandic tephras in order to predict their relative durabilities under equivalent conditions. This suggests that some important tephras have relatively poor chemical stability, and that rhyolitic tephras are, in general, more stable than basaltic. We conclude that tephras should be expected to show predictable differential chemical stability in the post‐depositional environment. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

A high resolution,multiproxy Late‐glacial record of climate change and intrasystem responses in northwest England

A lacustrine carbonate sequence from Hawes Water, Lancashire, UK, has been studied using stable isotopic, lithological, pollen and mineral magnetic analysis. The data reveal four abrupt climatic oscillations in the Late‐glacial Interstadial leading up to the onset of the Loch Lomond Stadial. The data also point to climatic warming relatively early within the stadial, ca. 12 500 GRIP yr, prior to the onset of the Holocene. The oxygen isotope record is taken as a signature of climate forcing against which the response of the lake‐system can be monitored. By adopting this approach it is revealed that the response of the biological system to the rapid climatic oscillations is non‐linear and primarily a function of the antecedent conditions. A significant end‐Devensian isotopic excursion (A) is matched by only minor changes in the cold‐adapted floras and faunas. During the warmer interstadial, the response of the biological ecosystem (events B–D) is clearly influenced by thresholds: major changes in the catchment vegetation associated with relatively minor oscillations in the isotopic signature. The stratigraphical patterns reveal significant lag effects between the onset of climate deterioration and resulting changes in vegetation. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

The influence of a non‐associated flow rule on the calculation of the factor of safety of soil slopes

This paper presents a method that incorporates a non‐associated flow rule into the limit analysis to investigate the influence of the dilatancy angle on the factor of safety for the slope stability analysis. The proposed method retain's the advantage of the upper bound method, which is simple and has no stress involvement in the calculation of the energy dissipation and the factor of safety. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Structures in the phase space of a four dimensional symplectic map

We numerically investigate the projections of non periodic orbits in a 4-dimensional (4-D) symplectic map composed of two coupled 2-dimensional (2-D) maps. We describe in detail the structures that are produced in different planes of projection and we find how the morphology of the 4-D orbits is influenced by the features of the 2-D maps as the coupling parameter increases. We give an empirical law that describes this influence.     

Sediment transport in analogue flume models compared with real‐world sedimentary systems: a new look at scaling evolution of sedimentary systems in a flume

Evolution of sedimentary systems at large temporal and spatial scales cannot be scaled down to laboratory dimensions by conventional hydraulic Froude scaling. Therefore, many researchers question the validity of experiments aiming to simulate this evolution. Yet, it has been shown that laboratory experiments yield stratigraphic responses to allocyclic forcing that are remarkably similar to those in real‐world prototypes, hinting at scale independency with strong dependence on boundary conditions but weak dependence on the actual sediment transport dynamics. This paper addresses the dilemma by contrasting sediment transport rules that apply in the laboratory with those that apply in real‐world geological systems. It is demonstrated that the generation of two‐dimensional stratigraphy in a flume can be simulated numerically by the non‐linear diffusion equation. Sediment transport theory is used to demonstrate that only suspension‐dominated meandering rivers should be simulated with linear diffusion. With increasing grain‐size (coarse sand to gravel) and shallowness of river systems, the prediction of long‐term transport must be simulated by non‐linear, slope‐dependent diffusion to allow for increasing transport rates and thus change in stratigraphic style. To point out these differences in stratigraphic style, three stages in infill of accommodation have been defined here: (i) a start‐up stage, when the system is prograding to base level (e.g. the shelf edge) with no sediment flux beyond the base‐level point; (ii) a fill‐up stage, when the system is further aggrading while progressively more sediment is bypassing base level with the progression of the infill; and (iii) a keep‐up stage, when more than 90% of the input is bypassing the base level and less than 10% is used for filling the accommodation. By plotting the rate of change in flux for various degrees of non‐linearity (varying the exponent in the diffusion equation) it was found that the error between model and real‐world prototype is largest for the suspension‐dominated prototypes, although never more than 30% and only at the beginning of the fill‐up stage. The error reduces to only 10% for the non‐linear sandy‐gravelly and gravelly systems. These results are very encouraging and open up ways to calibrate numerical models of sedimentary system evolution by such experiments.     

山区煤田地震勘探中静校正存在的问题及其改进方法

在山区或地表复杂地区进行地震勘探,采用基于地表一致性假设的静校正将会严重影响勘探效果,该影响主要源于地表一致性假设存在着不合理因素。如较高的低速带、巨厚的低速带、基岩裸露、地形起伏较大等。为分析一致性假设静校正偏差产生的原因及大小．构建一地形起伏、基岩出露的复杂模型,通过正演其射线路径,对比其时距曲线与理论时距曲线的差异,以及二者静校正量误差大小。模型分析证实该差异与偏移距、地震波穿透深度及基准面高程之间存在直接的联系,据此提出了改进方法,如浮动基准面校正及分块静校正等。理论模型和实际地震资料试算表明,使用改进的方法可有效改善地震时间刮面同相轴聚焦效果及连续性。     

流动人口分布与区域经济发展关系若干解释(1990、2000)

本文对我国1990、2000年间流动人口在东、中、西部和东部地区中环渤海、长江三角洲、珠江三角洲及福建三个亚区的分布变化以及这一分布变化与上述各地区各相关经济与非经济因素变化的关系进行了研究。研究发现,10年中流动人口东、中、西部分布变化与东、中、西部经济发展的变化高度一致;而10年中流动人口在东部地区环渤海、长江三角洲、珠江三角洲及福建这三个亚区层面的分布变化则与经济发展要素变化有一致的方面,也有不一致的方面。珠江三角洲及福建的经济增长带来了流动人口的大幅增长,除珠江三角洲劳动密集型企业众多外,这可能与该区域地方社会人文等文化本底所决定的经济发展制度及习俗有一定的相关性。     

Seismic response of self‐centring hysteretic SDOF systems

The seismic response of single‐degree‐of‐freedom (SDOF) systems incorporating flag‐shaped hysteretic structural behaviour, with self‐centring capability, is investigated numerically. For a SDOF system with a given initial period and strength level, the flag‐shaped hysteretic behaviour is fully defined by a post‐yielding stiffness parameter and an energy‐dissipation parameter. A comprehensive parametric study was conducted to determine the influence of these parameters on SDOF structural response, in terms of displacement ductility, absolute acceleration and absorbed energy. This parametric study was conducted using an ensemble of 20 historical earthquake records corresponding to ordinary ground motions having a probability of exceedence of 10% in 50 years, in California. The responses of the flag‐shaped hysteretic SDOF systems are compared against the responses of similar bilinear elasto‐plastic hysteretic SDOF systems. In this study the elasto‐plastic hysteretic SDOF systems are assigned parameters representative of steel moment resisting frames (MRFs) with post‐Northridge welded beam‐to‐column connections. In turn, the flag‐shaped hysteretic SDOF systems are representative of steel MRFs with newly proposed post‐tensioned energy‐dissipating connections. Building structures with initial periods ranging from 0.1 to 2.0s and having various strength levels are considered. It is shown that a flag‐shaped hysteretic SDOF system of equal or lesser strength can always be found to match or better the response of an elasto‐plastic hysteretic SDOF system in terms of displacement ductility and without incurring any residual drift from the seismic event. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.