Improved rotational hardening rule for cohesive soils and definition of inherent anisotropy

Improved, microfabric‐inspired rotational hardening rules for the plastic potential and bounding surfaces associated with the generalized bounding surface model for cohesive soils are presented. These hardening rules include 2 new functions, f_η and , that improve the simulation of anisotropically consolidated cohesive soils. Three model parameters are associated with the improved hardening rules. A detailed procedure for obtaining suitable values for these parameters is presented. The first 2 parameters affect the simulation of constant stress ratio loading where, because of the presence of f_η, the third parameter is inactive. The second new function, , accelerates the rotation of the plastic potential and bounding surfaces during shearing, which is particularly important for overconsolidated soils tested in extension. This paper also describes the proper manner in which to define the inherent anisotropy. This seemingly straightforward test has rarely been discussed in sufficient detail.     

Discrete element method analysis of non‐coaxial flow under rotational shear

This study focuses on non‐coaxial flow behavior of cohesionless soil undergoing cyclic rotational shear, with a special interest in the effects of particle‐scale characteristics. To this end, we perform a series of 2D discrete element simulations with various particle shapes, inter‐particle coefficient of friction, initial density, and stress ratios. The validity and efficacy of the numerical model is established by systematically comparing numerical simulation results with existing laboratory testing results. Such comparison shows that the numerical simulations are capable of capturing mechanical behavior observed in laboratory testing under rotational shear. We further demonstrate and quantify a strong yet simple relationship between the deviatoric part of the normalized strain increment and the non‐coaxial angle, denoted by and ψ, respectively. This quantitative correlation between ψ and is independent of applied stress ratio, initial and current void ratio, and the number of cycles applied, but dependent on the principal stress orientation and particle‐scale characteristics. At the same , specimens with higher inter‐particle friction angle or smaller particle aspect ratio show greater non‐coaxial angles. A simple model is able to fit this ψ‐ relationship well, which provides a useful relationship that can be exploited in developing constitutive models for rotational shearing. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Discrete element modeling of tool‐rock interaction II: rock indentation

The failure mechanisms induced by a wedge‐shaped tool indenting normally against a rock surface are investigated using the discrete element method (DEM). The main focus of this study is to explore the conditions controlling the transition from a ductile to a brittle mode of failure. The development of a damage zone and the initiation and propagation of a brittle fracture is well captured by the DEM simulations. The numerical results support the conjecture that initiation of brittle fractures is governed by a scaled flaw length Λ, a ratio between the flaw size λ and the characteristic length (where K_Ic is the toughness and σ_c the uniaxial compressive strength). The size of the damage zone agrees well with analytical predictions based on the cavity expansion model. The effects of a far‐field confining stress and the existence of a relief surface near the indenter are also examined.Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Determination of ultimate capacity of driven piles in cohesionless soil: A Multivariate Adaptive Regression Spline approach

The determination of ultimate capacity (Q) of driven piles in cohesionless soil is an important task in geotechnical engineering. This article adopts Multivariate Adaptive Regression Spline (MARS) for prediction Q of driven piles in cohesionless soil. MARS uses length (L), angle of shear resistance of the soil around the shaft (?_shaft), angle of shear resistance of the soil at the tip of the pile (?_tip), area (A), and effective vertical stress at the tip of the pile as input variables. Q is the output of MARS. The results of MARS are compared with that of the Generalized Regression Neural Network model. An equation has been also presented based on the developed MARS. The results show the strong potential of MARS to be applied to geotechnical engineering as a regression tool. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

The origin of chloritoid – 3‐mica pseudomorph growth in staurolite–muscovite schist,Bangriposi (Eastern India)

At Bangriposi, variable stages in replacement of staurolite by chloritoid – Na–K–Ca mica shimmer aggregates in muscovite schists provides insight into the complex interplay between fluid flow, mass transfer, and dissolution–precipitation during pseudomorph growth. Idioblastic chloritoid growing into mica caps without causing visible deformation, and monomineralic chloritoid veins (up to 300 μm wide) within shimmer aggregates replacing staurolite attest to chloritoid nucleation in fluid‐filled conduits along staurolite grain boundaries and crystallographic planes. The growth of shimmer aggregates initiated along staurolite margins, and advanced inwards into decomposing staurolite along networks of crystallographically controlled fluid‐filled conduits. Coalescence among alteration zones adjacent to channel fills led to dismemberment and the eventual demise of staurolite. Mass balance calculation within a volume‐fixed, silica‐conserved reference frame indicate the shimmer aggregates grew via precipitation from fluids in response to mass transport that led to the addition of H₂O, K₂O, Na₂O and CaO in the reaction zone, and Al₂O₃ was transported outward from the inward‐retreating margin of decomposing staurolite. This aided precipitation of chloritoid in veins and in the outer collars, and as disseminated grains in the shimmer aggregates at mid‐crustal condition (~520 ± 20 °C, 5.5 ± 2.0 kbar). Computation using one‐dimensional transport equation suggests that staurolite decomposition involved advection dominating over diffusive transport; the permeation of externally derived H₂O caused flattening of chemical potential gradients in H₂O and aqueous species, for example, and , computed using the Gibbs method. This suggests that staurolite decomposition was promoted by the infiltration of a large volume of H₂O that flattened existing chemical potential gradients. In the initial stages of replacement, chloritoid super‐saturation in fluid caused preferential nucleation and growth of chloritoid at staurolite grain boundaries and in crystallographic planes. As reaction progressed, further chloritoid nucleation was halted, but chloritoid continued to grow as the 3‐mica aggregates continued to replace the remaining staurolite in situ, while the chloritoid‐compatible elements were transported in the water‐rich phase facilitating continued growth of the existing chloritoid grains.     

The effect of subduction on the sulphur,carbon and redox budget of lithospheric mantle

Subduction of hydrated lithospheric mantle introduces HO, ferric iron, oxidized carbon and sulphur to the subduction zone system. The fate of these components is poorly known, but is intimately linked to the global geochemical cycles of iron, carbon and sulphur, the genesis of arc‐related ore deposits, the temporal evolution of mantle redox state and subduction‐related earthquakes and magmatism. thermocalc is used to provide first‐order constraints on the effect of subduction zone metamorphism on metamorphic redistribution of iron, carbon, sulphur and water in ultramafic rocks via construction of P?T and T‐X(O) pseudosections with open system calculation of the effect of fluid loss. The calculations replicate observed mineral assemblages in high‐P to low‐T ultramafic rocks at P?T conditions consistent with those suggested by other workers. The results are consistent with open system fluid loss without significant fluid infiltration. Water loss is complete by 850 C, the corresponding depth of fluid loss being consistent with that inferred for earthquakes in subducting slabs. Losses of carbon and sulphur are relatively minor, at around <5% and <1%, respectively, so it is envisaged that most carbon and sulphur subducted in ultramafic lithologies is transported to >5 GPa, below the depths of the source zone for arc volcanoes. Oxygen activity for rocks in closed systems that evolve with a fixed redox budget is calculated to change from ΔFMQ ?1 at 350 C to over ΔFMQ +3 at 850 C. This result emphasizes the need to consider redox budget as well as oxygen activity when the results of experiments performed at fixed oxygen activity relative to some buffer are interpreted in the context of natural systems. In open systems, devolatilization is calculated to increase the redox budget and oxygen activity of the residue via loss of methane and HS at the brucite‐out and serpentine‐out reactions respectively. No fluid‐induced mechanism for oxidation of sub‐arc mantle by transfer of redox budget from hydrated ultramafic lithologies to the overlying sub‐arc mantle was identified, although further thermodynamic data on fluid species such as S are required to confirm this.     

Mineralogy,nucleation and growth of dolomite in the laboratory and sedimentary environment: A review

Dolomite [CaMg(CO₃)₂] forms in numerous geological settings, usually as a diagenetic replacement of limestone, and is an important component of petroleum reservoir rocks, rocks hosting base metal deposits and fresh water aquifers. Dolomite is a rhombohedral carbonate with a structure consisting of an ordered arrangement of alternating layers of Ca²⁺ and Mg²⁺ cations interspersed with anion layers normal to the c‐axis. Dolomite has symmetry, lower than the (CaCO₃) symmetry of calcite primarily due to Ca–Mg ordering. High‐magnesium calcite also has symmetry and differs from dolomite in that Ca²⁺ and Mg²⁺ ions are not ordered. High‐magnesium calcite with near‐dolomite stoichiometry (≈50 mol% MgCO₃) has been observed both in nature and in laboratory products and is referred to in the literature as protodolomite or very high‐magnesium calcite. Many dolomites display some degree of cation disorder (Ca²⁺ on Mg²⁺ sites and vice versa), which is detectable using transmission electron microscopy and X‐ray diffractometry. Laboratory syntheses at high temperature and pressure, as well as studies of natural dolomites show that factors affecting dolomite ordering, stoichiometry, nucleation and growth include temperature, alkalinity, pH, concentration of Mg and Ca, Mg to Ca ratio, fluid to rock ratio, mineralogy of the carbonate being replaced, and surface area available for nucleation. In spite of numerous attempts, dolomite has not been synthesized in the laboratory under near‐surface conditions. Examination of published X‐ray diffraction data demonstrates that assertions of dolomite synthesis in the laboratory under near‐ambient conditions by microbial mediation are unsubstantiated. These laboratory products show no evidence of cation ordering and appear to be very high‐magnesium calcite. Elevated‐temperature and elevated‐pressure experiments demonstrate that dolomite nucleation and growth always are preceded by very high‐magnesium calcite formation. It remains to be demonstrated whether microbial‐mediated growth of very high‐magnesium calcite in nature provides a precursor to dolomite nucleation and growth analogous to reaction paths in high‐temperature experiments.     

Evolution of metamorphic fluid recorded in granulite facies metacarbonate rocks from the middle segment of the Mogok metamorphic belt in central Myanmar

The Mogok metamorphic belt of Palaeogene age, which records subduction‐ and collision‐related events between the Indian and Eurasian plates, lies along the western margin of the Shan plateau in central Myanmar and continues northwards to the eastern Himalayan syntaxis. Reaction textures of clinohumite‐ and scapolite‐bearing assemblages in Mogok granulite facies metacarbonate rocks provide insights into the drastic change in fluid composition during exhumation of the collision zone. Characteristic high‐grade assemblages of marble and calcsilicate rock are clinohumite+forsterite+spinel+phlogopite+pargasite/edenite+calcite+dolomite, and scapolite+diopside+anorthite+quartz+calcite respectively. Calculated petrogenetic grids in CaO–MgO–Al₂O₃–SiO₂–H₂O–CO₂ and subsets of this system were employed to deduce the pressure–temperature–fluid evolution of the clinohumite‐ and scapolite‐bearing assemblages. These assemblages suggest higher temperature (>780–810°C) and [=CO₂/(CO₂+H₂O) >0.17–0.60] values in the metamorphic fluid for the peak granulite facies stage, assuming a pressure of 0.8 GPa. Calcite grains commonly show exsolution textures with dolomite particles, and their reintegrated compositions yield temperatures of 720–880°C. Retrograde reactions are mainly characterized by a reaction zone consisting of a dolomite layer and a symplectitic aggregate of tremolite and dolomite grown between clinohumite and calcite in marble, and a replacement texture of scapolite by clinozoisite in calcsilicate rock. These textures indicate that the retrograde reactions developed under lower temperature (<620°C) and (<0.08–0.16) conditions, assuming a pressure of 0.5 GPa. The metacarbonate rocks share metamorphic temperatures similar to the Mogok paragneiss at the peak granulite facies stage. The values of the metacarbonate rock at peak metamorphic stage are, however, distinctly higher than those previously deduced from carbonate mineral‐free paragneiss. Primary clinohumite, phlogopite and pargasite/edenite in marble have F‐rich compositions, and scapolite in calcsilicate rock contains Cl, suggesting a contrast in the halogen compositions of the metamorphic fluids between these two lithologies. The metamorphic fluid compositions were probably buffered within each lithology, and the effective migration of metamorphic fluid, which would have extensively changed the fluid compositions, did not occur during the prograde granulite facies stage throughout the Mogok metamorphic belt. The lower conditions of the Mogok metacarbonate rocks during the retrograde stage distinctly contrast with higher conditions recorded in metacarbonate rocks from other metamorphic belts of granulite facies. The characteristic low conditions were probably due to far‐ranging infiltration of H₂O‐dominant fluid throughout the middle segment of the Mogok metamorphic belt under low‐amphibolite facies conditions during the exhumation and hydration stage.     

Activity–composition relations for the calculation of partial melting equilibria in metabasic rocks

A set of thermodynamic models is presented that, for the first time, allows partial melting equilibria to be calculated for metabasic rocks. The models consist of new activity–composition relations combined with end‐member thermodynamic properties from the Holland & Powell dataset, version 6. They allow for forward modelling in the system NaO–CaO–KO–FeO–MgO–AlO–SiO–HO–TiO–FeO. In particular, new activity–composition relations are presented for silicate melt of broadly trondhjemitic–tonalitic composition, and for augitic clinopyroxene with Si–Al mixing on the tetrahedral sites, while existing activity–composition relations for hornblende are extended to include KO and TiO. Calibration of the activity–composition relations was carried out with the aim of reproducing major experimental phase‐in/phase‐out boundaries that define the amphibolite–granulite transition, across a range of bulk compositions, at ≤13 kbar.     

A novel insight into vertical ground motion modelling in earthquake engineering

Recent observations of failure and damage of buildings and structures under seismic action has led to an increasing interest for an in-depth analysis of the vertical component of site ground motion. In particular, when dealing with saturated soils, the current engineering practice does not usually go beyond the simplified $u$–$p$ formulation of the Biot's equations describing the coupled hydro-mechanical behaviour, thus neglecting some terms of fluid inertial forces, despite the presence of more refined formulations, for example, the $u$–$U$ formulation. Therefore, a theoretical and numerical validation of the $u$–$p$ formulation as compared with the $u$–$U$ formulation is proposed in this work, where the numerical simulations are compared with the analytical solution for the $u$–$p$ formulation, which is also derived and illustrated in this text. The comparison between the two formulations and the analytical solution is provided for different levels of permeability and dynamic actions, which are representative of a wide scenario of site ground properties and seismic hazard in the vertical direction. In particular, the soil response is analysed in terms of acceleration and pore pressure time history, frequency content, acceleration response spectrum, and amplification ratio of acceleration. This study extends the discussion of the limits of applicability of the $u$–$p$ formulation with respect to the rigorous solution of Biot's equations (obtained here with $u$–$U$ formulation) to the context of a complex dynamic regime provided by the vertical components of real earthquake records, and paves the way for further investigations.     

Mineralogy,Fluid Inclusions,and Sulfur Isotopes of the Huanzala Deposits,Peru: Early Skarn and Late Polymetallic Replacement Style Mineralizations

Carbonate‐replacement polymetallic mineralization at the Huanzala deposits (9°51′S, 77°00′W) was conducted in two contrasting stages that occurred in almost the same location. Early‐stage mineralization has a relation with a granodiorite porphyry stock, whereas the late‐stage mineralization is genetically associated with quartz porphyry sills. The early stage involved low to intermediate sulfidation Cu–Zn–(Pb) mineralization associated with metasomatic skarn, and the late stage involved high to intermediate sulfidation Cu–Zn–Pb–(Mn) mineralization associated with hydrothermal alteration characterized by paragonitic sericitization. The orebodies are hosted by steeply dipping (approximately 60°NE) Lower Cretaceous carbonate rocks in a relatively narrow range of approximately 4 km in horizontal extent and less than 1 km in depth. The pathway of the early‐stage brine‐derived fluids (300–>400°C, >33 wt% NaCl equivalent) along a plot of log against 1000/T is best explained by the progressive dual decline of the value and the temperature under rock‐buffering conditions; this decline saw the pathway progress through the stability field of pyrrhotite to reach that of pyrite and promoted a decrease in FeS from 14.5 to 1.6 mol% in the sphalerite. In contrast, an explanation for the pathway of the late‐stage fluids (140–290°C, 3–13 wt% NaCl equivalent) is given by an almost isothermal decline at approximately 270°C, with passing through the stability field of pyrite–bornite to reach that of chalcopyrite, promoting an increase in FeS from 0.1 to 1.6 mol% in the sphalerite, suggesting gas‐buffering conditions. The ore formation pressure records in the fluid inclusions illustrate an approximately 2‐km erosion during the roughly 2‐Myr total lifetime of the hydrothermal system.     

Metamorphic imprint of accretion and ridge subduction in the Pan‐African Damara Belt,Namibia

Ridge subduction is an inescapable plate tectonic process, but has only been documented in modern circum‐Pacific environments and not yet been recognized from suture zones associated with supercontinent assembly, likely because its imprint is obliterated by later collision. The formation of the Pan‐African Damara Belt of central Namibia involved northward subduction of the Khomas Sea underneath the Congo Craton, prior to final suturing of the Congo and Kalahari Cratons. The accretionary history of the Belt is preserved in the Southern and Southern Marginal Zones, which consist of turbiditic metasedimentary and intercalcated mafic rocks with MORB affinity. Two localities in the Kuiseb and Gaub canyons reveal that aluminous metapelites contain a fabric‐defining assemblage of fine‐grained muscovite, chlorite, biotite, quartz and graphite that is overprinted by randomly oriented porphyroblasts and poikiloblasts of garnet, staurolite, kyanite and biotite. Associated metamafic rocks consist of hornblende, chlorite, epidote, rutile and quartz, with actinolite cores preserved in amphibole porphyroblasts. Metamorphic conditions for the fabric‐defining assemblage are estimated at ～10 kbar and 540–560 C, whereas peak metamorphism likely occurred at 10–10.5 kbar and 600 C. Consequently, these rocks preserve a two‐stage prograde metamorphic history, where initial tectonic burial was followed by relatively rapid, near‐isobaric heating without attendant deformation to peak metamorphic conditions. We propose that initial burial occurred through subduction and underplating to the accretionary prism, before ridge subduction and opening of a slab window heated the rocks to peak metamorphic conditions. The exceptional preservation of the tectono‐thermal imprint of the accretionary orogenic stage is due to the relatively soft, largely aborted collision that characterized the Damara orogeny, which can be attributed to the confined extent of the Khomas Sea.     

Autogenic incision‐backfilling cycles and lobe formation during the growth of alluvial fans with supercritical distributaries

Autogenic cycles of channelization, terminal deposit formation, channel backfilling and channel abandonment have been observed in the formation of fans and deltas. In subcritical flow, these terminal deposits are characterized as mouth bars that lead to flow bifurcation, backwater and eventual channel backfilling. Similar, although less well characterized, cycles also take place on supercritical subaerial and submarine fans. This study investigates the hydraulics and morphodynamics of autogenic incision and backfilling cycles associated with supercritical distributive channel flow in alluvial fans. The research questions of the study are: (i) how are supercritical autogenic cycles on alluvial fans different from the subcritical cycles; (ii) what are the hydraulic and sediment transport characteristics at the various stages of autogenic feedback cycles; and (iii) what role do the cycles play in the overall fan evolution? These questions are investigated in the laboratory, and emphasis is placed on measuring the hydraulic and topographic evolution of the systems during the cycles. The cycles arise quasi‐periodically under constant water and sediment discharge. Periods of sheet‐like flow are competent to move sediment () but not competent enough to carry the full imposed load. The net result is preferential deposition near the inlet, resulting in fan steepening and an increase in flow competency with time. At a sediment supply to capacity ratio of , the sheet‐like flow is unstable to small erosional events near the inlet, resulting in the collapse of the distributed flow to a strong channelized state. During channelization, a graded () supercritical (Fr > 1) channel develops and transports eroded and fed sediment up to and through the fan front – extending the fan, initiating a lobe shaped deposit and reducing the local slope. The slopes defined by a sheet‐like flow with and channelized flow with set the maximum and minimum slopes on the fan, respectively. Once formed, graded channels act as bypass conduits linking the inlet with the terminal deposit. On average, deposits are up to six channel depths in thickness and have volumes approximately five times that of the excavated channel. The main distinctive characteristics of the supercritical cycles relate to how the flow interacts with the terminal deposit. At the channel to deposit transition, the flow undergoes a weak hydraulic jump, resulting in rapid sedimentation, dechannelization and lateral expansion of the flow, and deposition of any remaining sediment on top of the channel fill and floodplain. This process often caps the channel as the deposit propagates up channel erasing memory of the excavated channel.     

A statistical analysis of the distribution of cordierite and biotite in hornfels from the Bugaboo contact aureole: implications for the kinetics of porphyroblast crystallization

The three‐dimensional disposition of cordierite and biotite crystals in a hornfels from the contact aureole of the Bugaboo Batholith is quantified using high‐resolution X‐ray micro‐computed tomography and global as well as scale‐dependent pattern statistics. The results demonstrate a random distribution of cordierite and biotite crystal sizes for all scales across the entire rock volume studied indicative of interface‐controlled prograde metamorphic reaction kinetics. The reaction considered responsible for the mineral assemblage and the formation of cordierite and biotite in the hornfels is Ms + Chl + Qtz = Crd + And + Bt + . Rock‐specific phase equilibria point to metamorphic conditions of ~520 –550 °C and 3 kbar for this reaction. The common approach to approximate the shape of crystals as spherical underestimates the influence of the Strauss hard‐core process on rock texture and may be misinterpreted to reflect ordering of crystal sizes by inhibition of nucleation and growth commonly associated with diffusion‐controlled reaction kinetics. According to our findings, Strauss hard‐core ordering develops at length scales equal to and less than the average major axis of the crystal population. This is significantly larger than what is obtained if a spherical crystal geometry would be assumed, and increases with deviation from sphericity. For the cordierite and biotite populations investigated in this research, Strauss hard‐core ordering developed at length scales of up to ～2.2 and 1.25 mm, respectively, which is almost 1 mm longer than the scales that would be obtained if a spherical geometry would have been assumed. Our results highlight the importance of a critical assessment of the geometrical model assumptions commonly applied in the three‐dimensional analysis of crystal size distributions, and underline the need for a quantitative understanding of interface processes in order to appreciate their role in the kinetics of contact metamorphic reactions and rock texture formation.     

Genesis of the Xiuwenghala Gold Deposit in the Beishan Orogen,Northwest China: Evidence from Geology,Fluid Inclusion,and H–O–S–Pb Isotopes

The Xiuwenghala gold deposit is located in the Beishan Orogen of the southern Central Asian Orogenic Belt. The vein/lenticular gold orebodies are controlled by Northeast‐trending faults and are hosted mainly in the brecciated/altered tuff and rhyolite porphyry of the Lower Carboniferous Baishan Formation. Metallic minerals include mainly pyrite and minor chalcopyrite, arsenopyrite, galena, and sphalerite, whilst nonmetallic minerals include quartz, chalcedony, sericite, chlorite, and calcite. Hydrothermal alterations consist of silicic, sericite, chlorite, and carbonate. Alteration/mineralization processes comprise three stages: pre‐ore silicic alteration (Stage I), syn‐ore quartz‐chalcedony‐polymetallic sulfide mineralization (Stage II), and post‐ore quartz‐calcite veining (Stage III). Fluid inclusions (FIs) in quartz and calcite are dominated by L‐type with minor V‐type and lack any daughter mineral‐bearing or CO₂‐rich/‐bearing inclusions. From Stages I to III, the FIs homogenized at 240–260°C, 220–250°C, and 150–190°C, with corresponding salinities of 2.9–10.9, 3.2–11.1, and 2.9–11.9 wt.% NaCl eqv., respectively. The mineralization depth at Xiuwenghala is estimated to be relatively shallow (<1 km). FI results indicate that the ore‐forming fluids belong to a low to medium‐temperature, low‐salinity, and low‐density NaCl‐H₂O system. The values decrease from Stage I to III (3.7‰, 1.7–2.4‰, and ?1.7 to 0.9‰, respectively), and a similar trend is found for their values (?104 to ?90‰, ?126 to ?86‰, and ?130 to ?106‰, respectively). This indicates that the fluid source gradually evolved from magmatic to meteoric. δ³⁴S values of the hydrothermal pyrites (?3.0 to 0.0‰; avg. ?1.1‰) resemble those of typical magmatic/mantle‐derived sulfides. Pyrite Pb isotopic compositions (²⁰⁶Pb/²⁰⁴Pb = 18.409–18.767, ²⁰⁷Pb/²⁰⁴Pb = 15.600–15.715, ²⁰⁸Pb^/204Pb = 38.173–38.654) are similar to those of the (sub)volcanic ore host, indicating that the origin of ore‐forming material was mainly the upper crustal (sub)volcanic rocks. Integrating evidence from geology, FIs, and H–O–S–Pb isotopes, we suggest that Xiuwenghala is best classified as a low‐sulfidation epithermal gold deposit.     

基于分数阶微积分的粗粒料静动力边界面本构模型

分数阶微分理论在土体静力黏弹性本构模型中得到了广泛应用,然而,其在动力弹塑性模型中的应用尚不多见。为此,基于分数阶微积分理论分析了粗粒料在循环荷载下的变形特性,提出了粗粒料在循环荷载下的分数阶应变率;并以此为基础,进一步建立了粗粒料受静动力荷载作用下的边界面塑性力学本构模型。所提出模型包含10个参数,均可以运用常规三轴试验获得。为了验证所提出模型,选取了几种已有不同文献中的不同粗粒料试验数据进行了模拟,发现,所提出的模型可以较好地模拟粗粒料在静动力加载下的应力-应变行为,对于循环荷载下的长期变形也能较好地预测。     

The importance of grain size and shape in controlling the dispersion of the Vedde cryptotephra

Volcanic ash is dispersed in the atmosphere according to meteorology and particle properties, including size and shape. However, the multiple definitions of size and shape for non-spherical particles affect our ability to use physical particle properties to understand tephra transport. Moreover, although particles are often excluded from operational ash dispersion model setups, ash in tephra deposits 1000 km from source can exceed . Here we measure the shape and size of samples of Vedde ash from Iceland, an exceptionally widespread tephra layer in Europe, collected in Iceland and Norway. Using X-ray computed tomography and optical microscopy, we show that distal ash is more anisotropic than proximate ash, suggesting that shape exerts an important control on tephra dispersion. Shape also impacts particle size measurements. Particle long axis, a parameter often reported by tephrochronologists, is on average greater than geometric size, used by dispersion modellers. By using geometric size and quantifying shape, we can explain the transport of Vedde ash particles more than 1200 km from source. We define a set of best practices for measuring the size and shape of cryptotephra shards and discuss the benefits and limitations of using physical particle properties to understand cryptotephra transport.     

Building Damage Extraction from Post-earthquake Airborne LiDAR Data

Building collapse is a significant cause of earthquake-related casualties; therefore, the rapid assessment of buildings damage is important for emergency management and rescue. Airborne light detection and ranging(Li DAR) can acquire point cloud data in combination with height values, which in turn provides detailed information on building damage. However, the most previous approaches have used optical images and LiDAR data, or pre- and post-earthquake LiDAR data, to derive building damage information. This study applied surface normal algorithms to extract the degree of building damage. In this method, the angle between the surface normal and zenith(θ) is used to identify damaged parts of a building, while the ratio of the standard deviation to the mean absolute deviation(σ/δ) of θ is used to obtain the degree of building damage. Quantitative analysis of 85 individual buildings with different roof types(i.e., flat top or pitched roofs) was conducted, and the results confirm that post-earthquake single LiDAR data are not affected by roof shape. Furthermore, the results confirm that θ is correlated to building damage, and that σ/δ represents an effective index to identify the degree of building damage.     

Computational model coupling mode II discrete fracture propagation with continuum damage zone evolution

We propose a numerical method that couples a cohesive zone model (CZM) and a finite element‐based continuum damage mechanics (CDM) model. The CZM represents a mode II macro‐fracture, and CDM finite elements (FE) represent the damage zone of the CZM. The coupled CZM/CDM model can capture the flow of energy that takes place between the bulk material that forms the matrix and the macroscopic fracture surfaces. The CDM model, which does not account for micro‐crack interaction, is calibrated against triaxial compression tests performed on Bakken shale, so as to reproduce the stress/strain curve before the failure peak. Based on a comparison with Kachanov's micro‐mechanical model, we confirm that the critical micro‐crack density value equal to 0.3 reflects the point at which crack interaction cannot be neglected. The CZM is assigned a pure mode II cohesive law that accounts for the dependence of the shear strength and energy release rate on confining pressure. The cohesive shear strength of the CZM is calibrated by calculating the shear stress necessary to reach a CDM damage of 0.3 during a direct shear test. We find that the shear cohesive strength of the CZM depends linearly on the confining pressure. Triaxial compression tests are simulated, in which the shale sample is modeled as an FE CDM continuum that contains a predefined thin cohesive zone representing the idealized shear fracture plane. The shear energy release rate of the CZM is fitted in order to match to the post‐peak stress/strain curves obtained during experimental tests performed on Bakken shale. We find that the energy release rate depends linearly on the shear cohesive strength. We then use the calibrated shale rheology to simulate the propagation of a meter‐scale mode II fracture. Under low confining pressure, the macroscopic crack (CZM) and its damaged zone (CDM) propagate simultaneously (i.e., during the same loading increments). Under high confining pressure, the fracture propagates in slip‐friction, that is, the debonding of the cohesive zone alternates with the propagation of continuum damage. The computational method is applicable to a range of geological injection problems including hydraulic fracturing and fluid storage and should be further enhanced by the addition of mode I and mixed mode (I+II+III) propagation. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.