A plastic-damage concrete model for earthquake analysis of dams

A new plastic-damage constitutive model for cyclic loading of concrete has been developed for the earthquake analysis of concrete dams. The rate-independent model consistently includes the effects of strain softening, represented by separate damage variables for tension and compression. A simple scalar degradation model simulates the effects of damage on the elastic stiffness and the recovery of stiffness after cracks close. To simulate large crack opening displacements, the evolution of inelastic strain is stopped beyond a critical value for the tensile damage variable. Subsequent deformation can be recovered upon crack closing. The rate-independent plastic-damage model forms the backbone model for a rate-dependent viscoplastic extension. The rate-dependent regularization is necessary to obtain a unique and mesh objective numerical solution. Damping is represented as a linear viscoelastic behaviour proportional to the elastic stiffness including the degradation damage. The plastic-damage constitutive model is used to evaluate the response of Koyna dam in the 1967 Koyna earthquake. The analysis shows two localized cracks forming and then joining at the change in geometry of the upper part of the dam. The upper portion of the dam vibrates essentially as rigid-body rocking motion after the upper cracks form, but the dam remains stable. The vertical component of ground motion influences the post-cracking response. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Dynamic analysis of dams with nonlinear slipjoints

A nonlinear, slip-joint element for analyzing the effect of discontinuities on a concrete, arch dam's seismic response is developed. The joint element has been incorporated into a finite-element-based, solution for predicting dynamic structural response. This joint model, plus the numerical procedure incorporated into the incremental solution, models inter-element impact across a joint when adjacent, structural elements separate and later collide. Collision is incorporated into the incremental analysis by calculating the exchange of momentum and energy with the equations describing eccentric, rigid-body impact. Joint material's force-deflection relations are multi-linear with hysteresis. Coulomb friction is also modeled. The joint element and numerical procedure have been tested with two models. The first is a segmented arch of seven, straight beam elements connected to one another. The arch dam has been experimentally tested. Analytical results are compared with experimental results from the sealed model. Second is a rectangular plate model subject to lateral base accelerations. One horizontal edge is fixed and the opposite edge is free. The vertical edges may be fixed or connected to the base by joint elements.     

Relative role of subinertial and superinertial modes in the coastal long wave response forced by the landfall of a tropical cyclone

A set of numerical experiments has been performed in order to analyze the long-wave response of the coastal ocean to a translating mesoscale atmospheric cyclone approaching the coastline at a normal angle. An idealized two-slope shelf topography is chosen. The model is forced by a radially symmetric atmospheric pressure perturbation with a corresponding gradient wind field. The cyclone's translation speed, radius, and the continental shelf width are considered as parameters whose impact on the long wave period, modal structure, and amplitude is studied. Subinertial continental shelf waves (CSW) dominate the response under typical forcing conditions and on the narrower shelves. They propagate in the downstream (in the sense of Kelvin wave propagation) direction. Superinertial edge wave modes have higher free surface amplitudes and faster phase speeds than the CSW modes. While potentially more dangerous, edge waves are not as common as subinertial shelf waves because their generation requires a wide, gently sloping shelf and a storm system translating at a relatively high (∼10 m s⁻¹ or faster) speed. A relatively smaller size of an atmospheric cyclone also favors edge wave generation. Edge waves with the highest amplitude (up to 60% of the forced storm surge) propagate upstream. They are produced by a storm system with an Eulerian time scale equal to the period of a zero-mode edge wave with the wavelength of the storm spatial scale. Large amplitude edge waves were generated during Hurricane Wilma's landfall (2005) on the West Florida shelf with particularly severe flooding occurring upstream of the landfall site.     

Assessing the Sensitivity of a Model of Runoff Formation in the Ussuri River Basin

A physically based model of runoff formation with daily resolution has been developed for the upper part of the Ussuri basin with an area of 24400 km² based on ECOMAG hydrological modeling platform. Two versions of the hydrological model have been studied: (1) a crude version with the spatial schematization of the drainage area and river network based on DEM 1 × 1 km with the use of soil and landscape maps at a scale of 1: 2500000 and (2) a detailed version with DEM 80 × 80 m and soil and landscape maps of the scale of 1: 100000. Each version of the model has been tested for two variants of meteorological inputs: (1) meteorological forcing data (temperature, air humidity, precipitation) at eight weather stations and (2) with the involvement of additional data on precipitation collected at 15 gages in the basin. The model has been calibrated and validated over a 34-year period (1979–2012) with the use of runoff data for the Ussuri R. and its tributaries. The results of numerical experiments for assessing the sensitivity of model hydrological response to the spatial resolution of land surface characteristics and the density of precipitation gaging stations are discussed.     

Mitigation of the seismic motion near the edge of cliff-type topographies

Concentration of damage of buildings near the edge of hard or dense cliff-type topographies has been observed during a number of recent earthquakes. These observations have been interpreted by numerical dynamic analyses that illustrate the amplification of accelerations near the edge of slopes. The paper studies the effect of mitigating these accelerations using anchors both experimentally and numerically. The main issue is that if the part of the slope in which topographic amplification occurs is connected to that in which the acceleration is less, then the accelerations have to become more uniform. The experimental study involves dynamic centrifuge tests at the Cambridge University facility both with and without anchors. The numerical procedure was verified by the seismic response of the centrifuge tests. It was then applied to the study of the effect of anchors of a typical field case, the Aegion slope, under two different input motions. In all cases anchors were found effective in mitigating the seismic motion near the edge.     

Inelastic torsional response of buildings to the 1985 Mexican earthquake: a parametric study

This study aims to determine the influence of torsional coupling on the inelastic response of a series of models representing typical structural configurations in real buildings. The lake bed (SCT) east-west component of the 1985 Mexico City earthquake was employed in the analysis, and is representative of a severe ground motion known to have induced large inelastic structural deformations in a high proportion of those buildings having asymmetrical distributions of stiffness and/or strength. Material non-linearity in lateral load-resisting elements has been defined using a hysteretic Ramberg-Osgood model. Structural eccentricities have been introduced into the building models by (i) asymmetrical distributions of stiffness and/or strength, (ii) asymmetrical configuration of lateral load-resisting elements, or (iii) varying post-elastic material behaviour in the resisting elements. The dynamic inelastic response of these models has been obtained by a numerical integration of the relevant equations of motion, expressed in a non-dimensional incremental form.

In the elastic range, the results correlate well with those of previous studies. In the inelastic range, it is concluded that the peak ductility demand of the worst-affected element increases with the ground excitation level across the range of building periods considered, and that the influence of torsional coupling on the key response parameters is model dependent. Most significantly, the strength eccentricity relative to the centre of mass has been shown to influence the peak edge displacement response more than conventionally employed stiffness eccentricity.     

Characteristics of crustal structures in the Yamato Basin,sea of Japan,deduced from seismic explorations

Crustal structures around the Yamato Basin in the southeastern Sea of Japan, inferred from recent ocean bottom seismography (OBS) and active-source seismological studies, are reviewed to elucidate various stages of crustal modification involved from rifting in the crust of the surrounding continental arc to the production of oceanic crust in the Yamato Basin of the back-arc basin. The northern, central, and southern areas of the Yamato Basin have crustal thicknesses of approximately 12–16 km, and lowermost crusts with P-wave velocities greater than 7.2 km/s. Very few units have P-wave velocities in the range 5.4–6.0 km/s, which corresponds to the continental upper crust. These findings, combined with previous geochemical analysis of basalt samples, are interpreted to indicate that a thick oceanic crust has been formed in these areas of the basin, and that this oceanic crust has been underplated by mantle-derived magma. In the central Yamato Basin, the original continental crust has been fully breached and oceanic crust has been formed. Conversely, the presence of a unit corresponding to the continental upper crust and the absence of a high-velocity part in the lower crust implies that the southwestern edge of the Yamato Basin has a rifted crust without significant intrusion. The Oki Trough has a crust that is 17–19 km thick with a high-velocity lower crust and a unit corresponding to the continental upper crust. The formation of the Oki Trough resulted from rifting with magmatic intrusion and/or underplating. We interpret these variations in the crustal characteristics of the Yamato Basin area as reflecting various instances of crustal modification by thinning and magmatic intrusion due to back-arc extension, resulting in the production of a thick oceanic crust in the basin.     

Rock magnetism and paleomagnetism of Maeotian deposits of the Popov Kamen reference section (Taman Peninsula)

One of the reference sections of Maeotian deposits in the south of Russia (the Popov Kamen section) is studied in terms of rock magnetism and paleomagnetism within the framework of the project “Study of Reference Sections of the Taman Downwarp as a Basis for Developing a Detailed Event Scale of the Neogene of the Eastern Paratethys.” The section is located in the southwestern part of the Taman Peninsula, to the south of the Taman Cape. It has been established that the lower-Maeotian deposits carry the magnetization of mainly reversed polarity, whereas the upper-Maeotian deposits are characterized by normal polarity. Two horizons of normally magnetized rocks are recognizable against the background of reversely magnetized lower-Maeotian deposits. A horizon of reversely magnetized rocks is outlined in the upper part of the upper Maeotian. If the paleomagnetic interpretation of the section is true, it can be concluded that the upper part of the upper Maeotian is absent in this section. Comparison with the magnetochronological scale shows that the lower Maeotian probably corresponds to the C3Br, C3Bn, and C3Ar Chrons, and the part of the upper Maeotian studied in this section corresponds to the lower part of the C3An Chron.     

Impact of GODAE products on nested HYCOM simulations of the West Florida Shelf

Nested non-assimilative simulations of the West Florida Shelf for 2004–2005 are used to quantify the impact of initial and boundary conditions provided by Global Ocean Data Assimilation Experiment ocean products. Simulations are nested within an optimum interpolation hindcast of the Atlantic Ocean, the initial test of the US Navy Coupled Ocean Data Assimilation system for the Gulf of Mexico, and a global ocean hindcast that used the latter assimilation system. These simulations are compared to one that is nested in a non-assimilative Gulf of Mexico model to document the importance of assimilation in the outer model. Simulations are evaluated by comparing model results to moored Acoustic Doppler Current Profiler measurements and moored sea surface temperature time series. The choice of outer model has little influence on simulated velocity fluctuations over the inner and middle shelf where fluctuations are dominated by the deterministic wind-driven response. Improvement is documented in the representation of alongshore flow variability over the outer shelf, driven in part by the intrusion of the Loop Current and associated cyclones at the shelf edge near the Dry Tortugas. This improvement was realized in the simulation nested in the global ocean hindcast, the only outer model choice that contained a realistic representation of Loop Current transport associated with basin-scale wind-driven gyre circulation and the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation. For temperature, the non-assimilative outer model had a cold bias in the upper ocean that was substantially corrected in the data-assimilative outer models, leading to improved temperature representation in the simulations nested in the assimilative outer models.     

3D upper crustal density structure of the Deccan Syneclise,Central India

A constrained 3D density model of the upper crust along a part of the Deccan Syneclise is carried out based on the complete Bouguer anomaly data. Spectral analysis of the complete Bouguer gravity anomaly map of the study region suggests two major sources: short wavelength anomalies (<100 km) caused primarily due to the density inhomogeneities at shallow crustal level and long wavelength anomalies (>100 km) produced due to the sources deeper than the upper crust. A residual map of the short wavelength anomalies is prepared from the complete Bouguer anomaly using Butterworth high‐pass filter (100 km cut‐off wavelength). Utilizing the constraints from deep resistivity sounding, magnetotellurics and deep seismic sounding studies, 2.5D density models have been generated along 39 profiles of this region. The mismatch between the calculated response of the a priori 2.5D model with the residual (short wavelength) gravity anomalies is minimized by introducing high‐density intrusive bodies (≥2.81 g/cm³) in the basement. With these 2.5D density models, the initial geometry of our 3D density model, which includes alluvium, Deccan trap, Mesozoic sediment and high‐density intrusive bodies in the basement up to a depth of 7 km (upper crust), is generated. In the final 3D model, Deccan trap extends from 200 m to nearly 1700 m below the 90–150 m thick Quaternary sediment. Further down, the sub‐trappean Mesozoic sediment is present at a depth range of 600–3000 m followed by the basement. The derived 3D density model also indicates six intrusive bodies of density 2.83 g/cm³ in the basement at an average depth of about 4–7 km that best fits the residual gravity anomaly of the study area.     

宁夏地区上地幔地震各向异性特征

利用宁夏6个三分向宽频带数字地震台记录的震中距在85°—110°,震级大于6级的远震SKS波震相作了偏振分析,采用Silver-Chan方法求得了分裂参数,获得了宁夏地区上地幔各向异性图像.结果表明,宁夏地区上地幔各向异性普遍存在,本区盐池台(YCI)所在的鄂尔多斯块体下方的各向异性可归结为"化石"各向异性,其它地区的各向异性特征则反映了正在进行的构造运动,由此可为贺兰山脉东西两侧复杂的运动图像提供深部证据.最后推测本区的青藏高原东北缘—阿拉善块体及银川断陷区壳、幔的运动是耦合的,而鄂尔多斯块体地区壳、幔的运动型式尚不明朗.     

青藏高原西北缘地球动力学初探

从新构造单元划分、活动断层、活动褶皱、地壳升降运动、地震活动及新生代火山活动等方面论述了该地区的新构造及现代构造运动特征，最后讨论了该区和青藏高原形成的地球动力学问题。认为青藏高原在其形成过程中既有印度板块的向北俯冲和碰撞作用，又有塔里木块体的向南楔入，既有高原物质向外扩展作用，又有周边拗陷向高原内部渗透作用，所以青藏高原的岩石圈是处于一个四面受压，上出下入的动力学状态     

Inelastic seismic response of torsionally unbalanced systems designed using elastic dynamic analysis

This paper evaluates the inelastic seismic response of torsionally unbalanced structural systems with strength distributed using elastic response spectrum analysis. The structural model is a single mass torsionally unbalanced system with lateral load resisting elements spanning in two principal directions. The element strength is distributed based on elastic response spectrum analysis and three different approaches to incorporate accidental torsion are considered: (a) without incorporating accidental torsion; (b) by applying static floor torques; (c) by shifting the location of the centre of mass. The seismic input is bidirectionally applied at the base of the model. It is shown that the inelastic responses depend strongly on the torsional stiffness of the system. For a torsionally stiff system, the torsional response leads to a decrease in the stiff edge displacement; however, for a torsionally flexible system, it tends to increase the stiff edge displacement. Using response spectrum analysis without including accidental torsion may lead to excessive additional ductility demand on the stiff edge element. With accidental torsion effect incorporated, the response spectrum analysis will give a strength distribution such that there will be no excessive additional ductility demands on the lateral load resisting elements.     

The Aterno valley strong-motion array: seismic characterization and determination of subsoil model

The paper focuses on the strong motion array deployed in the upper Aterno River Valley, in the immediate outskirts north-west of the town of L’Aquila, which is part of the Italian Strong Motion Network operated by the Department of Civil Protection. The array is composed of six accelerometric stations located along a cross section of the valley. The importance of this array relies on the fact that a large amount of high-quality records were obtained during the 2009 L’Aquila seismic sequence, from both the mainshock and several aftershocks. These data are especially important to investigate site effects in sediment-filled valleys during moderate earthquakes in epicentral area because well-documented observational studies are very limited in the literature. However, the main drawback for the study of site effects in the Aterno valley is the lack of a detailed knowledge of the geometry of the valley, soil layering and dynamic properties of materials. The main motivation for this study stems from the need to provide a reliable subsoil model of the valley coupled with high-quality strong motion data. Based on the above, in the framework of S4 project, a major effort was undertaken to get a trustworthy cross section of the valley by an ad hoc investigation, comprising geological and geotechnical surveys as well as an extensive geophysical campaign, characterized by both active and passive measurements. These results were complemented by additional geological and geotechnical data available in the literature. By merging all the information acquired, a 2D subsoil model of the transversal section of the upper Aterno valley has been produced. The valley is characterised by an asymmetric shape with a shallower rock basement at the western edge of the valley that deepens at the valley centre. Moreover, based on the results of geophysical tests, representative V_s values were assigned to the different lithologic units forming the alluvial deposits filling the valley. Shear wave velocity is a fundamental parameter for ground response studies and it is also effective in classifying the accelerometric station from a seismic point of view. The 2D model may be therefore, considered a benchmark model for future studies of site effects. It will offer the possibility to examine site effects with a complex underlying geology and to validate the results of numerical simulations of site response analyses with the numerous observations from earthquake recordings, both for weak and strong ground motion conditions.     

Ground motion modelling in Tehran based on the stochastic method

This paper presents the development of a seismological model for the Tehran area. This modelling approach, which was originally developed in Eastern North America, has been used successfully in other parts of the world including Australia and China for simulating accelerograms and elastic response spectra. Parameters required for input into the model were inferred from seismological and geological information obtained locally. The attenuation properties of the earth crust were derived from the analysis of accelerogram records that had been collated from within the region in a previous study. In modelling local modifications of seismic waves in the upper crust, shear-wave velocity profiles have been constructed in accordance with the power law. Information inferred from micro-zonation studies (for near-surface conditions) and from measurements of teleseismic P-waves reflected from the deeper crusts as reported in the literature has been used to constrain parameters in the power-law relationships. This method of obtaining amplification factors for the upper crust distinguishes this study from earlier studies in the Tehran area (in which site amplification factors were inferred from the H/V ratio of the recorded ground motions). The regional specific seismological model so constructed from the study enabled accelerograms to be simulated and elastic response spectra calculated for a series of magnitude–distance combinations. Importantly, elastic response spectra calculated from the simulated accelerograms have been compared with those calculated from accelerograms recorded from earthquakes with magnitudes ranging between M6.3 and M7.4. The peak ground velocity values calculated from the simulated accelerograms have also been correlated with values inferred from macro-seismic intensity data of 17 historical earthquakes with magnitudes varying between 5.4 and 7.7 and with distances varying between 40 and 230 km. This paper forms part of the long-term strategy of the authors of applying modern techniques for modelling the attenuation behaviour of earthquakes in countries which are lacking in instrumental data of earthquakes.     

塔里木盆地中部地震转换波测深及其解释

沿塔里木盆地中部的库车—塔中—塔南测线,首次进行了地震转换波测深。探测结果表明,本区岩石圈具有明显的层状－块体结构,地壳厚度４０～５０ｋｍ,隆起区约为４０ｋｍ,凹陷区约为５０ｋｍ。上地壳的厚度在盆地中部明显减薄,中地壳波速相对偏高（ＶＰ＝６．４～６．５ｋｍ／ｓ）,下地壳上部普遍存在低速薄层,结晶地壳的速度高于周围青藏高原和天山地区的波速,波速结构表明地壳具有陆壳性质,地壳内存在具有逆冲性质的深部断裂。综合解释认为,自新生代以来,在印度－欧亚板块边界的强大挤压力作用下,岩石圈内包括结晶基底面和莫霍面在内的各深部界面（岩层）的准同步挠曲变形和地壳刚性块体沿深部逆冲断裂的调整运动,是塔里木盆地岩石圈中主要的深部动力学过程     

Moho depth determinations based on spectral-ratio analysis of NORSAR long-period P waves

A model for a one-layered crust under the Norwegian Seismic Array in southeastern Norway has been determined by the application of the spectral-ratio method to long-period P waves recorded at the array's individual 22 long-period instrument sets. The model includes an average crustal velocity of 6.6 km/s and a depth to Moho which is 32–34 km in the eastern and southeastern part of the array and increases westward to about 38 km. Based on data simulations and observational material, it is concluded that the spectral-ratio method cannot be utilized to delineate the more detailed structure of the crust and upper mantle.     

New evidence of delamination in the Western Alboran Sea: Geodynamic evolution of the Alboran domain and its margins

The presence of continuous upper crustal blocks between the Iberian Betics and Moroccan Rif in the western and middle Alboran Sea, detected with tomography, can add new information about the lithosphere structure and geodynamic evolution in this region. A large volume of seismic data (P and S wave arrival times) has been collected for the period between 1 December 1988 and 31 December 2008 by 57 stations located in northern Morocco (National Institute of Geophysics, CNRST, Rabat), southern Portugal (Instituto de Meteorologia, Lisbon) and Spain (Instituto Geografico National, Madrid) and used to investigate the lithosphere in the western Alboran Sea region. We use a linearized inversion procedure comprising two steps: (1) finding the minimal 1-D model and simultaneous relocation of hypocenters and (2) determination of local velocity structure using linearized inversion. The model parameterization in this method assumes a continuous velocity field. The resolution tests indicate that the calculated images give near true structure imaged at 5 km depth for the Tanger peninsula, the Alhoceima region and southern Spain. At 15, 30 and 45 km depth we observe a near true structure imaged in northern Morocco, and southern Spain. At 60 and 100 km, southern Spain and the SW region of the Alboran Sea give a near true structure. The resulting tomographic image shows the presence of two upper crustal bodies (velocity 6.5 km/s) at 5–10 km depth between the Betics, Rif, western and central Alboran Sea. Low velocities at the base of these two bodies favor the presence of melt. This new evidence proves that the Tethysian ocean upper crust was not totally collapsed or broken down during the late Oligocene–early Miocene. These two blocks of upper crust were initially one block. The geodynamic process in the eastern of the Mediterranean is driven by slab rollback. The delamination process of the lithospheric mantle terminates with the proposed slab rollback in the western part of the Mediterranean. This can be explained by the removal of the major part of the lithosphere beneath the area, except in the SW part of the Alboran Sea where a small part of the lithospheric mantle is still attached and is extends and dips to SE beneath the Rif, slowly peeled back to the west. A second detached lithospheric mantle is located and extends to eastern part of the Rif and dips to the SE. The removal of lithosphere mantle from the base of the crust was replaced and heated by extrusion of asthenospheric material coming from depth to replace the part of crust detached. A combination of isostatic surface/topographic uplift and erosion induced a rapid exhumation and cooling of deep crustal rocks.     

Sediment budget and riverbed deformation in the uppermost part of the lower Yangtze River,China

The Yangtze River(YR), similar to most large rivers in the world, has experienced significant changes in its depositional environment due to anthropogenic disturbances and climatic influences in recent decades. However, knowledge of how the river channel and bed deformation respond to these changes in the uppermost part of the lower YR, a 200-km-long branched channel, is limited. In the current study,historical bathymetric data collected from 1992 to 2013 and high-resolution multibeam echo sound...     

Seismic images and rock properties of the very shallow structure of Campi Flegrei caldera (southern Italy)

In September 2001, an extensive active-seismic investigation (Serapis experiment) was carried out in the Gulfs of Naples and Pozzuoli, with the aim of investigating and reconstructing the shallow crustal structure of the Campi Flegrei caldera, and possibly identifying its feeding system at depth. The present study provides a joint analysis of the very shallow seismic reflection data and tomographic images based on the Serapis dataset. This is achieved by reflection seismic sections obtained by the 3D data gathering and through refined P-velocity images of the shallowest layer of Pozzuoli Gulf (z < 1,000 m). From the refined Vp model, the overall picture of the velocity distribution confirms the presence of a complex arc-shaped anomaly that borders the bay offshore. The deeper part of the anomaly (beneath 700 m, with Vp > 3,500 m/s) correlates with units made up of agglomerate tuffs and interbedded lava, which form the southern edge of the caldera, which was probably formed following the two large ignimbritic eruptions that marked the evolutionary history of the area under study. The upper part of the anomaly that tends to split into two parallel arcs is correlated with dikes, volcanic mounds and hydrothermal alteration zones noted in previous shallow reflection seismic analyses. The depth of the transition between the upper and lower parts of the anomaly is characterized by an abrupt Vp increase on the one-dimensional (1D) profiles extracted from the 3D tomographic model and by the presence of a strong reflector located at about 0.6/0.7 s Two Way Time (TWT) on Common Mid Point gathers. The move-out velocity analysis and stack of the P–P and P–S reflections at the layer bottom allowed to estimate relatively high Vp/Vs values (3.7 ± 0.9). This hypothesis has been tested by a theoretical rock physical modeling of the Vp/Vs ratio as a function of porosity suggesting that the shallow layer is likely formed by incoherent, water saturated, volcanic and marine sediments that filled Pozzuoli Bay during the post-caldera activity.