Discrete element modeling of debris avalanche impact on retaining walls

In China,gravity retaining walls are widely used as protection structures against rockfalls,debris flows and debris avalanches along the roads in mountainous areas.In this paper,the Discrete Element Method(DEM) has been used to investigate the impact of granular avalanches and debris flows on retaining walls.The debris is modeled as two dimensional circular disks that interact through frictional sliding contacts.The basic equations that control the deformation and motion of the particles are introduced.A series of numerical experiments were conducted on an idealized debris slide impacting a retaining wall.The parametric study has been performed to examine the influences of slope geometry,travel distance of the sliding mass,wall position,and surface friction on the impact force exerted on the wall.Results show that:1) the force achieves its maximum value when slope angle is equal to 60°,as it varies from 30° to 75°;2) an approximate linear relationship between the impact force and the storage area length is determined.     

Centrifuge and numerical modeling of h-type anti-slide pile reinforced soil-rock mixture slope

Due to the loose structure, high porosity and high permeability of soil-rock mixture slope, the slope is unstable and may cause huge economic losses and casualties. The h-type anti-slide pile is regarded as an effective means to prevent the instability of soilrock mixture slope. In this paper, a centrifuge model test was conducted to investigate the stress distribution of the h-type anti-slide pile and the evolution process of soil arching during the loading. A numerical simulation model was bui...     

A new numerical model of ring shear tester for shear band soil considering friction-induced thermal pressurization

In this study, a new numerical model of ring shear tester for shear band soil of landslide was established. The special feature of this model is that it considers the mechanism of friction-induced thermal pressurization, which is potentially an important cause of high-speed catastrophic landslides. The key to the construction of this numerical ring shear model is to realize the THM(thermo-hydro-mechanical)dynamic coupling of soil particles, which includes the processes of frictional heating, the...     

Estimation of mountain block recharge on the northern Tianshan Mountains using numerical modeling

Mountain block recharge(MBR), an important water resource, is a widespread process that recharges lowland aquifers. However, little is known about MBR due to the limited climatic and geologic data in mountainous regions such as the northern central foothills of Tianshan. Here, we present an approach to quantify MBR through the combination of water balance calculations and numerical modeling. MBR calculated from the water balance in the data-limited Tianshan Mountains is employed as a fluid-flux boundary condition in the numerical model of the plain. To verify the performance of the model, mean absolute error and root mean square error were used. Results show that the volume of water that is recharging the aquifer via MBR is 107.29 million m~3/yr, accounting for 2.2% of the total precipitation that falls in the mountains. Additionally, 53.3% of that precipitation enters the plain aquifer via runoff, totaling 2,652.68 million m~3/yr. The lower volume of MBR is attributed to a major range-bounding anticline with apparent low permeability in the Tianshan Mountains. Through numerical modeling of groundwater, MBR coming from bedrock was found to be significant, accounting for 14% of total aquifer recharge in the plain, only after the portion of runoff seepage. This research contributes to a deeper understanding of MBR, and may provide instructions for estimating groundwater recharge in arid and semi-arid areas.     

Field investigations and numerical modeling of a giant landslide in the region of Eastern Himalayan Syntaxis:Jiaobunong landslide

Eastern Himalayan Syntaxis (EHS) is a tectonically active region that undergoes continuous geomorphic changes.Large landslides are predominant in this region.A ...     

A generalized dilatancy angle equation of granular soil

This paper presents a generalized dilatancy angle equation of granular soil to cover not only the drained tests but also the undrained tests by introducing a generalized structure of soil: soil skeleton formed by soil particles and the fluid in soil voids, under the assumptions of the incompressibility of soil particles and the compressibility of the fluid in soil voids. For the drained tests, the generalized dilatancy angle equation of granular soil would be degenerated to its current dilatancy...     

离散滑模控制在位置随动系统中的应用

根据改进的离散趋近律设计了位置随动系统的滑模变结构控制算法,仿真结果表明:该算法不仅实现了系统对位置信号的跟踪,还克服了常规离散趋近律参数选择不当出现的抖振现象,是一种具有应用价值的非线性控制方法。     

几种离散格网模型的几何稳定性分析

对仅从剖分单元的形状和面积的变形研究,不能完全表达格网模型几何稳定性作了分析,并提出了从研究格网结点空间分布均匀性在多分辨率剖分过程中的变化出发,分析格网系统稳定性的研究思路,并选择能直接反映格网结点分布特性的四个统计量作为格网结点均匀性的评价指标。对几种离散格网系统的几何稳定性进行比较和评价,分析了不同格网生成方式对稳定性的影响,最后,在此研究基础之上,提出了进一步研究的工作方向。     

Transport simulation of sorptive contaminants considering sediment-associated processes

Sediment-associated processes, such as sediment erosion, deposition, and pore water diffusion/advection affect sorptive contaminant transport. By considering these processes, we developed an equation to simulate contaminant transport. Erosion and deposition processes are considered as erosion and deposition fluxes of sediment, and adsorption-desorption processes of contaminants by sediment are simulated using the Langmuir Equation. Pore water diffusion is calculated based on the contaminant concentration gradient across the sediment-water interface. Pore water advection is estimated using pore water contained in the sediments of erosion flux. The equation is validated to simulate total phosphorus concentrations in Guanhe estuary in the northern Jiangsu, China. The simulated total phosphorus concentrations show better agreement with field observations compared to estimations that do consider sediment-associated processes.     

Four types of acoustic emission characteristics during granular stick-slip evolution

The shear behavior of granular materials plays an important role in understanding the occurrence of geological hazards.This study introduces the use of direct s...     

The measure of friction angles for different types of granular material

The aim of this research is to deepen the knowledge of the role of friction on the dynamics of granular media; in particular the friction angle is taken into consideration as the physical parameter that drives stability, motion and deposition of a set of grains of any nature and size. The idea behind this work is a question: is the friction angle really that fundamental and obvious physical parameter which rules stability and motion of granular media as it seems from most works which deal with particle dynamics? The experimental study tries to answer this question with a series of laboratory tests, in which different natural and artificial granular materials have been investigated in dry condition by means of a tilting flume. The characteristic friction angles, both in deposition(repose) and stability limit(critical) conditions, were measured and checked against size, shape, density and roughness of the considered granular material. The flume tests have been preferred to "classical" geotechnical apparatuses(e.g. shear box) since the flume experimental conditions appear closer to the natural ones of many situations of slope stability interest(e.g. a scree slope). The results reveal that characteristic friction angles depend on size and shape of grains while mixtures of granules of different size show some sorting mechanism with less clear behaviour.     

考虑地震危险性的倾倒变形边坡风险定量分析

风险分析与评估是解决边坡固有不确定性的重要工具, 但同时考虑外在荷载和内在岩土力学参数的不确定性, 对边坡进行系统定量风险分析的研究较少。以西藏扎拉水电站厂后倾倒变形边坡为例, 基于场地地震峰值加速度概率密度函数和不同地震峰值加速度下边坡失稳概率拟合函数, 采用数值积分计算了边坡在设计基准期的失稳概率, 并采用离散元方法对边坡失稳后的影响范围进行了数值模拟, 在此基础上进行了承灾体易损性分析及定量风险计算, 最后采用ALARP准则进行了风险评价。研究表明, 考虑地震危险性条件下, 扎拉水电站厂后倾倒变形边坡在50 a设计基准期内失稳概率为0.061 9;边坡对水电站地面厂房存在较大威胁, 相应财产风险为5 482万元; 根据ALARP准则, 边坡风险处于不可接受区, 需采取措施防范或规避风险。研究成果对于边坡治理工程决策及风险管理具有指导意义。      

Energy conversion and deposition behaviour in gravitational collapse of granular columns

The high-density gravitational collapse of granular columns is very similar to the movements of large collapsing columns in nature. Based on the development of dangerous columnar rock mass in fields, granular column collapse boundary condition in the physical experiments of this study is a new type of boundary conditions with a single free face and a three-dimensional deposit. Physical experiments have shown that the mobility of small particles during the collapse of granular columns was greater than that of large particles. For example, when particle size was increased from 5 to 15 mm, deposit runout was decreased by about 16.4%. When a column consisted of two particle types with different sizes, these particles could mix in the vicinity of layer interfaces and small particles might increase the mobility of large particles. In the process of collapse, potential and kinetic energy conversion rate is fluctuated. By increasing initial aspect ratio a, the ratio of the initial height of column to its length along flow direction,potential and kinetic energy conversion rate is decreased. For example, as a was increased from 0.5 to 4, the ratio of maximum kinetic energy obtained and total potential energy loss was decreased from47.6% to 7.4%. After movement stopped, an almost trapezoidal body remained in the column and a fanlike or fan-shaped accumulation was formed on the periphery of column. Using multiple exponential functions of the aspect ratio a, the planar morphology of the collapse deposit of granular columns could be quantitatively characterized. The movement of pillar dangerous rock masses with collapse failure mode could be evaluated using this granular column experimental results.     

Dynamic analysis of impulse waves generated by the collapse of granular pillars

Impulse waves generated by the collapse of pillar-shaped rock masses in Three Gorges,China,have attracted the attention of both researchers and local authoritie...     

Mechanical behavior of underground pipe gallery structure considering ground fissure

The mechanical behavior of underground pipe gallery is a key research issue due to the static/dynamic states which exist in a ground fissure area.This study too...     

考虑降雨滑坡多级滑动的改进传递系数法研究

在多级滑坡的渐进破坏过程中, 滑带不同部位的屈服程度和破坏模式不同, 强度参数也不同。在强降雨条件下, 坡表产生的张拉裂缝充水, 会产生静水压力。当前广泛应用的传递系数法对滑带不同位置取同一强度参数, 也尚未考虑到静水压力作用。为此提出了一种考虑静水压力作用和滑带不同部位强度参数差异的改进传递系数法, 对降雨引起的西安市柳西村南部的牛角沟滑坡进行了计算。结果表明: 与不考虑静水压力和滑带不同部位强度参数差异的计算方法比, 改进传递系数法计算的抗滑力相对较小, 剩余下滑力计算结果相对较大, 各级滑坡稳定性系数分别减小了约33.26%、17.92%、24.95和16.94%;而改进前的稳定性系数偏高, 可能会导致支挡工程的安全储备不足。本研究提出的改进传递系数法可为多级滑坡处置提供更安全的参考。      

Permanent displacement models of earthquake-induced landslides considering near-fault pulse-like ground motions

The permanent displacement of seismic slopes can be regarded as an effective criterion for stability estimation. This paper studied the characteristics of permanent displacements induced by velocity pulse-like ground motions and developed an empirical model to readily evaluate the stability of seismic slopes in a near-fault region. We identified 264 velocity pulse-like ground motions from the Next Generation Attenuation(NGA) database using the latest improved energy-based approach. All selected ground motions were rotated to the orientation of the strongest observed pulse for considering the directivity of the pulse effect, so that the most dangerous condition for slopes was considered. The results show the velocity pulse-like ground motions have a much more significant effect on permanent displacement of slopes than non-pulse-like ground motions. A regression model based on a function of peak ground velocity(PGV), peak ground acceleration(PGA) and critical acceleration(ac), was generated. A significant difference was found by comparing the presented model with classical models from literatures. This model can be used to evaluate the seismic slope stability considering the effects of nearfault pulse-like characteristics.     

滑坡堰塞坝堆积形态影响因素离散元分析

滑坡是形成堰塞坝的最主要原因,在地震、降雨、冰雪融水等作用下均可形成滑坡堰塞坝,而滑坡堰塞坝的堆积形态、范围等对评价堰塞坝的稳定性有着重要的影响。通过离散元方法(DEM),系统分析了三维条件下滑动距离、滑面出口宽度、滑面倾角、河床倾角、河谷形状对堰塞坝堆积形态的影响。研究结果表明：滑动距离和出口宽度对坝体高度影响最大;随出口宽度和坡面倾角的增加,坝长和坝宽分别呈线性增大和减小趋势;滑动距离可以有效控制滑体速度,进而影响堆积角大小;河床倾角主要影响坝长;对坝高、坝长、上下游绝对倾角正切值和堆积角正切值进行回归分析表明,数学模型契合程度高,说明其形态可以预测;引入2个参数λ和χ,对堰塞坝堆积特征进行了描述;河谷形状的影响主要体现在随着河谷底部宽度的增大,滑体爬高爬坡能力增强。研究成果对根据实际地形预测滑坡堰塞坝堆积形态进而评估坝体的安全性具有重要意义,可以为进一步开展堰塞湖溃决研究提供一定的参考。     

CFD-based numerical analysis of a variable cross-section cylinder

Using ANSYS-CFX, a general purpose fluid dynamics program, the vortex-induced vibration (VIV) of a variable cross-section cylinder is simulated under uniform current with high Reynolds numbers. Large eddy simulation (LES) is conducted for studying the fluid-structure interaction. The vortex shedding in the wake, the motion trajectories of a cylinder, the variation of drag and lift forces on the cylinder are analyzed. The results show that the vortices of variable cross-section cylinder are chaotic and are varying along the cylinder. In places where cross-sections are changing significantly, the vortices are more irregular. The motion trail of the cylinder is almost the same but irregular. The drag and lift coefficients of the cylinder are varying with the changes of diameters.