The buckling of GRP hemi-ellipsoidal dome shells under external hydrostatic pressure

The paper reports on a theoretical and an experimental investigation into six GRP hemi-ellipsoidal dome shells, which were tested to destruction under external hydrostatic pressure. All six domes were of oblate shape and of three different aspect ratios. Each aspect ratio consisted of two dome shells, one made from two layers of glass fibre and one made from three layers of glass fibre. The theoretical analysis was via the finite element method where a non-linear theory was used which allowed for both geometrical and material non-linearity. Comparison between theory and experiment was good.     

Inelastic buckling of thick-walled circular conical shells under external hydrostatic pressure

The paper reports on a theoretical and an experimental study into the collapse of three thick-walled circular conical shells, which were tested to failure under external hydrostatic pressure. All three vessels failed by plastic non-symmetric bifurcation buckling. Two theoretical analyses were carried out, both based on the finite element method. One of the theoretical analyses was based on inelastic non-symmetric bifurcation buckling and the other analysis was based on plastic axisymmetric buckling. Both of these theoretical analysis and the experimental observations appeared to indicate that there is a link between plastic non-symmetric bifurcation buckling and plastic axisymmetric buckling.     

A design chart for the plastic collapse of corrugated cylinders under external pressure

The paper presents a theoretical and an experimental investigation into the plastic collapse of circular steel corrugated cylinders under external hydrostatic pressure. The experimental investigation gives a detailed study of 9 steel corrugated cylinders which were tested to destruction. Six of these cylinders failed by plastic non-symmetric bifurcation buckling and three failed by plastic axisymmetric deformation. The results of these tests were used, together with the results obtained from previous tests, to present a design chart for the plastic collapse of these vessels. The design chart was obtained by a semi-empirical approach, where the thinness ratios of the vessels were plotted against their plastic knockdown factors. The process of using the design chart is to calculate the theoretical elastic instability pressure for a perfect vessel by the finite element method and also to calculate the thinness ratio for this vessel. Using the appropriate value of the thinness ratio, the plastic knockdown factors are obtained from the design chart. To obtain the actual collapse pressure of the vessel, the theoretical elastic instability pressure for a perfect vessel is divided by the plastic knockdown factor. This work is of importance in ocean engineering. A large safety factor must also be introduced.     

Plastic buckling of ring-stiffened conical shells under external hydrostatic pressure

The paper describes experimental tests carried out on three ring-stiffened cones that were tested to destruction under external hydrostatic pressure. The cones were carefully machined from EN1A Steel. All three cones failed by plastic non-symmetric bifurcation buckling in a mode commonly known as general instability. In this mode the entire ring-shell combination buckles bodily.The paper also provides a design chart using the results obtained from these three vessels, together with the results of six other vessels obtained from other tests. The design chart allows the possibility of obtaining a plastic knock down factor, so that the theoretical buckling pressures, based on elastic theory, can be divided by the plastic knockdown factor, to give the predicted buckling pressure. This method can also be used for the design of full-scale vessels.     

Buckling of ring stiffened domes under external hydrostatic pressure

The paper reports on the buckling of three ring-stiffened prolate domes under external hydrostatic pressure. The study was partly theoretical and partly experimental, where in the case of the latter, the finite element was used. Comparison between experiment and theory was good. The effect of ring stiffening the domes was to increase their buckling resistances by factors varying from 4.43 to 5.72.     

The buckling and vibration of tube-stiffened axisymmetric shells under external hydrostatic pressure

The paper reports on a theoretical and an experimental investigation into the buckling and vibration of prolate hemi-ellipsoidal tube-stiffened domes under external water pressure. The theoretical analyses were via the finite element method, where both the fluid and the structure were modelled with finite elements. The dome was modelled with a varying meridional curvature element and with eight displacement degrees of freedom and the water was modelled by solid annular elements where each element had eight pressure degrees of freedom in its cross-section. Comparison was good between experiment and theory.     

High-resolution trace element profiles in shells of the mangrove bivalve Isognomon ephippium: a record of environmental spatio-temporal variations?

The shell chemistry of Isognomon ephippium from three Kenyan sites (Tudor, Gazi and Mida) has been investigated to determine whether these bivalves record environmental parameters. The Mg, Sr, Ba and Mn distributions in the calcite shell layer were determined by using laser ablation-inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS). In addition, whole-shell analyses were made to evaluate inter-site differences. While some variability is observed for mean Mg concentrations, the mean Sr concentrations were similar for the three sites. The decreasing mean Ba and Mn concentrations, following the order Tudor > Gazi > Mida, are related to distinct regimes of freshwater and nutrient supply. The Mg profiles, determined by LA-ICP-MS, displayed a close to regular sinusoidal pattern, depending on specimen and sample site. For the Tudor shells, an arbitrary fitting of the Mg profiles to sea-surface temperature (SST) variations emphasised the good relationship between these two parameters and allowed for the calculation of mean annual growth rates. In most of the shells, Sr partly co-varied with Mg and Ba, highlighting the complexity of Sr incorporation. The Ba and Mn profiles of the Tudor shells displayed several sharp maxima. With a time scale deduced from the Mg–SST relationship, the Ba and Mn maxima of the Tudor shells closely followed periods of maximal rainfall associated with the southeast monsoon. These Ba and Mn maxima were tentatively associated with algal bloom events known to succeed these periods of high rainfall. The less clearly marked seasonality of the Ba and Mn maxima for the Gazi and Mida specimens is thought to result from weaker seasonal variations in nutrient supply and reduced nutrients inputs. This study highlights the potential of I. ephippium as a recorder of spatio-temporal environmental variations in tropical coastal ecosystems.     

The Morpheus ultramodular autonomous underwater vehicle

The Advanced Marine Systems Lab at Florida Atlantic University has developed a new ultramodular plastic mini autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV), called the Morpheus, for littoral military and coastal oceanographic sampling, survey, and mapping. The name Morpheus was chosen because the Greek god Morpheus could change shape or "morph." The higher degree of modularity of the Morpheus AUV allows it to "morph" or change its size and components for different applications. This vehicle is composed of modular injection-molded plastic pressure vessels and a cabling system that allow the modules to be rearranged without rewiring bulkheads. The plastic pressure vessels are inexpensive, inherently mass-producible, extremely corrosion-resistant, and have low magnetic signatures. The pressure vessels are small but are sized to fit most standard electronic board standards. The mini AUV can be anywhere from 4 to 10 ft in length, depending on its mission. The vehicle architecture is an adaptation of the Ocean Explorer AUV system and uses an ANSI 709.1 (LonTalk) distributed control network for connecting all sensors and actuator subsystems as smart nodes. The modularity in containers, control, and power makes this vehicle rapidly reconfigurable and easy to repair or upgrade. This paper will present details of the motivation, design, and construction of the new mini AUV. The Morpheus was deployed during the summer of 2000 in field exercises for very shallow and shallow water mine counter measures. Some results from these tests will be presented     

Local buckling strength of ring stiffened cylindrical shells under external pressure

The paper presents a non-linear buckling analysis of ring stiffened cylindrical shells subject to external pressure. The collapse pressure is calculated by assuming failure to occur when the material reaches a plastic stress state defined by the Ilyushin criterion. It is shown in the paper that use of the non-linear theory can reduce the estimated first yield by up to 25% in comparison to the linear buckling analysis used up to now. Comparison of predicted failure loads are in good agreement with the lower bound of test results.     

Accumulation of plastic litter on beaches of Amchitka Island,Alaska

Between 1972 and 1974 plastic marine litter on ten 1-km beaches at Amchitka Island increased from 2,221 to 5,367 items—a 2·4 x increase in a two-year period. Most litter originated from Japanese and Soviet fishing vessels, but some items were from the Asian coast, at least 1,150 km distant. In 1974 there were 345 kg of common items of plastic litter per kilometre of beach. In 1972, an estimated 1,664 metric tons of plastic litter was lost or dumped from fishing vessels in the Bering Sea and North Pacific Ocean. Stranded plastic litter persists indefinitely but rapidly becomes buried in beach material or is blown inland and covered with vegetation. The most serious environmental impact is probably entanglement of marine mammals and birds in some types of litter. The accelerating accumulation of litter could be reduced through unilateral action by countries that regulate coastal fishing privileges if these countries make litter control a condition for permission to fish.     

Temporal assessment of sediment transport from beach nourishments by using foraminifera as natural tracers

This paper presents the application of a technique that can be easily applied in monitoring programs following beach fills, where sand is dredged from subtidal zones, seabed or bays, usually rich in foraminifera shells. Its utility lies in a simple and rapid estimation of the prevailing longshore transport paths and determination of the main eroding/accreting zones. A beach monitoring program was undertaken in a embayment on the South Atlantic Spanish coast, where several nourishments were carried out in order to recover an eroding beach. Once the nourishment was complete, a temporal analysis of foraminifera shell distribution was made in a nearby beach inside the embayment by monthly sediment sampling. Foraminifera shells were used as natural tracers for estimating sediment pathways. The results showed a complex pattern of sedimentary transport between both beaches, where wind action and reflected/diffracted waves interfered with the dominant longshore current, depending on the prevailing hydrodynamic regime. These results were later confirmed by a 3-year morphodynamic study. Although foraminifera dispersion only accounts for the behaviour of fine fractions, the monitoring of shell dispersion after dumping demonstrated to be a useful tool for studying the stability of nourished beaches. In the case of nourished beaches foraminifera shells could be considered as mixed tracers, with many advantages over both natural and artificial traditional tracers.     

深海无人系统大长径比环肋圆柱壳结构设计与试验研究

环肋圆柱壳是深海无人系统广泛采用的一种耐压结构形式,保障其结构安全是系统研制过程中非常重要的一环。针对环肋圆柱壳的结构特征推导了组合结构重量关系式和结构参数简化估算方法,并以一种超长型深海无人系统耐压结构为例,围绕大长径比环肋圆柱壳的结构形式、设计计算、仿真分析、模型验证等开展研究。研究表明提出的大长径比环肋圆柱壳结构设计参数简化估算方法具有较好的适应性。相关计算和分析结果可以为该型深海无人系统结构设计提供技术支撑,也可以为其他类似耐压结构设计提供参考。     

各向均匀外压力作用下环肋圆柱壳的稳定特性

各向均匀外压力作用下的环肋圆柱壳，在总稳定方面会出现异常特性，例如，其稳定性不能正常地随其刚度的增加而增大。本文根据环肋圆柱壳在三种外力状态下（仅受轴向均匀外压，仅受横向均匀外压和各向均匀外压），总稳定性随几何参数变化的规律，从理论上详细说明了异常特性的实质是仅受轴向外压的特性，最后用模型实验结果证明理论分析与研究的正确性。     

Spatial distribution of diverse cold seep communities living on various diapiric structures of the southern Barbados prism

Three sectors of the south Barbados prism between 1000 and 2000 m depth were explored by the French submersible Nautile. Chemosynthesis-based benthic communities were discovered on several structures affected by diapirism, including mud volcanoes, domes and an anticlinal ridge. The communities are associated with the expulsion of methane-rich fluids which is a wide-spread process in the area. These communities are dominated by large bivalves and vestimentiferans which harbour chemoautotrophic symbiotic bacteria. The symbiotic bivalves include two species of Mytilidae and one of Vesicomyidae, with dominance of a methanotrophic mussel. Cartography of the benthic communities, interpretation of thermal measurements and observation of sedimentary patterns have been used to define the life habits of each of the three species of symbiotic bivalves. Each species has a characteristic preference for different conditions of edaphic and fluid flow: the dominant methanotrophic mussel appears to require high velocity vents and hard substratum. The vesicomyids and the other species of mussel are able to take up sulfide from the sediments, and so are associated with low seepages, but also require soft sediment. The three bivalve species are assumed successively to colonize the top of a diapiric ridge, in a succession related to the temporal evolution of fluid flow and sedimentation. The composition of the bivalve assemblages, their densities and biomasses all differ between the several mud volcanoes and domes studied, and these parameters are thought to be related to the spatial and temporal variations of fluid expulsion through the structures, and the lithification processes linked to fluid expulsion. One very active dome is at present colonized by an exceptionally large and dense population of the methanotrophic mussel. In contrast, communities in another area, on the domes and volcanoes that are currently inactive, were colonized by only a few living vesicomyids and mussels, both associated with sulfur-oxydizing bacteria, and there were numerous empty shells. The densities and biomasses of symbiotic bivalves were far greater in the area studied than in a deeper mud volcano field on the same prism that had been studied previously. This is consistent with a report that methane production is greater in the southern region of this accretionary prism than in the northern. Numerous non-symbiotic organisms were observed in and around the areas of the seeps, some are endemic to the seep communities, including some gastropods and shrimps, others are either colonists or vagrants from the surrounding deep-sea floor. Filter feeders were very abundant, and some of these, like the serpulids and large sponges, may also be dependent on the chemosynthetic production. Faunistic composition of both symbiotic and non-symbiotic taxa, of the assemblages around these cold seeps, is closely related to that reported for communities living on hydrocarbon seeps in the Gulf of Mexico.     

加强柱形壳体在风型载荷作用下的屈曲特性

本文研究了加强柱形壳体在风型载荷作用下的静力屈曲特性。由于前屈曲薄膜应力状态是非均匀的应力场，因而使问题求解的难度增加。本文应用能量近似法，求解带环肋加筋的柱形壳体的整体稳定性。     

Dynamics of steel offshore platforms under ship impact

This paper deals with the prediction of the dynamic response of steel offshore platforms to high energy impacts from typical supply vessels. The contribution of the high modes of a cantilever beam type structure with a concentrated top mass subjected to transverse impact from rigid and deformable strikers is analysed. A procedure to develop simplified equivalent systems for efficient structural response analysis is presented and its reliability tested by comparing the results from the explicit non-linear FE simulations. Effects such as the overall rotation of the installation, plastic deformations in the contact area, different impact locations and different hinge mechanisms are taken into account. It is shown that the use of the proposed equivalent systems with a reduced number of DOF's can provide accurate results at significantly less computational efforts as compared to the FE simulations. The derivation of some parameters of the equivalent dynamic elastic–plastic SDOF/2SDOF systems, however, needs to consider the complexity of the analysed steel frames and perform preliminary non-linear static analyses. Therefore, further studies of different impact scenarios on platforms with different configurations are recommended to augment the results presented here.     

企鹅珍珠贝游离珠培育的初步观察

分别用锥形笼吊养法和塑料笼吊养法进行企鹅珍珠贝植核母贝的术前处理、在核位的左袋和右袋进行植核培育游离珍珠。经过13~15d的术前处理,锥形笼吊养法和塑料笼吊养法养殖的母贝成活率分别为93.67%和85.67%。经2个月休养,左袋插核的育珠贝死亡率和留核率分别为41.85~42.76%和10.34~12.96%;右袋插核的育珠贝死亡率及留核率分别为39.0%~40.0%和19.67%~20.00%。结果表明,合适的企鹅珍珠贝术前处理方法为锥形笼吊养法,合适的植核部位为右袋。     

红壳色文蛤选育子代各壳色的形态分化及养殖效果的比较

以红壳色为目标性状,于2009年进行了文蛤(Meretrix meretrix)的群体选育研究,建立了红壳色选系子一代(Fl),对子一代壳色种类、分布频率及其数量性状进行了统计、测量和分析,并对各壳色的形态、生长速度做了研究.结果表明,文蛤壳色具有多态性,红色、黄色、白双、黄双、波纹的分布频率分别为75.58%、8.55%、0.53%、14.83%、0.50%.红壳色亲本的子代中出现红色∶花色=3∶1,符合孟德尔遗传模式.聚类分析与欧氏距离矩阵结果表明,文蛤波纹与黄色遗传距离最近,白双与黄双遗传距离相近,与红壳色的遗传距离最远.主成分分析显示白双文蛤与黄双文蛤在空间分布上相对重叠,波纹文蛤与黄色文蛤具有较高的重叠率,而红壳色文蛤相对分散,从而进一步说明5种壳色文蛤的遗传距离关系.经过1a同池养殖,子代壳长多数已达到10～30 mm,红壳色文蛤的日生长率为0.20%,花壳色文蛤的日生长率为0.18%,且红壳色文蛤的相对比较生长速度比花壳色文蛤快10.41%.红壳色文蛤选育子代的壳长与壳宽、壳高、粒重存在一定的回归关系.红壳色文蛤壳长对壳宽、壳高、粒重的回归方程分别为:y1=0.502 4x1-0.556 0(R2=0.992 0)、y3=0.8103x3+0.620 0(R2=0.995 6)、y5=0.000 3x25.9029(R2=0.991 9),花壳色文蛤壳长对壳宽、壳高、粒重的回归方程分别为:y2=0.495 3x2-0.419 2(R2=0.990 9)、y4=0.798 5x4+0.793 5(R2=0.995 6)、y6=0.000 4x26.845 8(R2=0.993 4).研究结果为文蛤的红壳色定向选育奠定了理论基础.     

Relative importance of hydrocarbon pollutants, salinity and tidal height in colonization of oyster reefs

The relative effects of hydrocarbon pollutants, salinity and tidal height on the invertebrates and fish that inhabit oyster reefs were studied along the Louisiana Gulf of Mexico coastline. Dried oyster shell (cultch) was first exposed to crude oil in the laboratory. In a series of experiments, plastic trays filled with control and oil-exposed cultch were then deployed at two locations differing in salinity, in two seasons and at two tidal levels. In experiments on hydrocarbon, salinity, and seasonal effects, trays were colonized for one month. To examine the effects of colonization time, half of the trays were retrieved after two and the rest after five weeks. Salinity dramatically affected oyster reef assemblages, with species richness and total abundance halved at the estuarine site. Hydrocarbon effects were less prominent, whether cultch was dosed with light or heavy crude oil. The sub-tidal site had higher colonization rates, but colonization interval did not affect colonization, and seasonal differences occurred only at the higher-diversity, sub-tidal site. To determine effects of cleaners, Corexit 9580 was applied alone and with oil on cultch, and trays were colonized for one month. At high concentrations, the cleaner ameliorated hydrocarbon effects. In general, hydrocarbon effects were less prominent than salinity and aerial exposure in explaining colonization of oyster reef assemblages. Gas chromatography/mass spectrometry analysis of oyster shells after one month immersion revealed considerable losses of oil, especially with higher flow at the inter-tidal site. Sediment on shell also diluted oil. We argue that oyster reef assemblages should recover from small-scale spills, unless they occur during periods of reproduction and dispersal.     

Pristine or altered: low-Mg calcite shells survived from massive dolomitization? A case study from Miocene carbonates

Low-Mg calcite shells have been widely used to reconstruct the chemistry of ancient seawater. There is always a question: are the shells chemically pristine? This paper presents the isotope and elemental geochemistry of low-Mg calcite bivalve shells in late Miocene platform carbonates, SE Spain. The platform carbonates were extensively dolomitized, and limestone is restricted to older stratal units, and to units mainly in topographically higher and more landward strata. Low-Mg calcite oyster shells were completely dissolved out in the basinward dolomite, but are well preserved in the limestone. These shells appear to retain the original growth microstructures, based on hand samples. Under the microscope, however, dissolution and recrystallization, as well as pristine growth lines are all present. Sr isotopes in these shells range from that of normal Miocene seawater to radiogenic values. δ¹⁸O and δ¹³C values, and Mg, Sr, and Na concentrations in these shells are rather variable. The high end members are consistent with the typical values of modern/late Miocene normal-seawater low-Mg calcite shells, whereas the low end members are close to those of diagenetic calcite cements, which have low δ¹⁸O, δ¹³C, Sr and Na values, and radiogenic Sr. The Nijar shells were altered physically and chemically to different degrees by diagenesis, although these shells are consistent with some “criteria” of unalteration. The isotopic and trace-element data collected in altered and pristine (or less altered) portions coexisting in the same shells are clearly differentiable. Quantitative simulation of covariations of geochemical pairs indicates that solid mixing of unaltered and altered portions by sampling is consistent with the variations in isotopic and elemental data recorded in the Nijar shells. The geological significance of this study is that ancient fabric-retentive calcite shells may have been altered geochemically although they may appear pristine. Calcite shells that underwent intensive diagenesis should be examined rigorously under the microscope, coupled with investigations of multiple geochemical proxies to assess chemical alteration. Only the data of unaltered shells can be used to reconstruct the chemistry of ancient seawater.