Bedload abrasion and the in situ fragmentation of bivalve shells

The aim of this study was to determine how Unio bivalve shells fragment within the channel of the Sakmara River (southern Urals, Russia). The Sakmara River has an abundant bivalve population and a highly variable flow regime which, at low flow, allowed much of the channel bed to be examined. A large data set of 1013 shells (Unio sp.) was examined and these were shown to have consistent patterns of orientation, aspect, shell abrasion, perforation and fracture. The close spatial relationship between areas of shell abrasion, shell perforation and shell fracture showed that they form part of a continuum whereby areas of abrasion evolve into perforations and perforations coalesce and enlarge into fractures. The mechanism of shell damage proposed is one of abrasion in place, whereby the shell remains stationary on the surface of the point bar and is impacted by bedload. Underpinning this process are the hydrodynamic properties of the bivalve shell, with consistency in the orientation and aspect of the valve in a flowing current producing consistency in the distribution of damage on the shell surface. Valves preferentially lie in a convex‐up position and orientate in the flow such that the umbo faces upstream. The elevated, upstream‐facing umbo region is exposed to particle impact and is the first to be abraded and perforated. The vulnerability of the umbo to perforation is greatly increased by the thinness of the shell at the umbo cavity. The in situ abrasion process is enhanced by the development of an armoured gravel bed which restricts valve mobility and maintains shells within the abrasion zone at the sediment–water interface. The in situ abrasion process shows that broken shells are not a reliable indicator of long distance transport. The study also raises the issue that tumbling barrel experiments, which are generally used to simulate shell abrasion, will not replicate the type of directionally focused sand‐blasting which appears to be the principal cause of shell fragmentation in the Sakmara River.     

The impact of a severe drought on the vegetation of a subtropical estuary

In order to document the effect of the recent drought and the resulting marine intrusion event on plant-community shifts in a Louisiana estuary, we analyzed two vegetation data sets collected in Barataria estuary in 1997 and 2000 and compared community shifts to surface salinity changes at four points along the estuarine gradient within the study area. We used the major vegetation types identified in our previous research of larger data sets and tested the use of a simple vegetation classification technique. This vegetation classification technique is based primarily on the dominant and co-dominant species, and secondarily on the number of taxa observed. To distinguish vegetation types with similar dominant species but different associated species, the vegetation classification technique used a salinity score derived from the species composition. Surface water salinity increases were reflected by a change in species composition in the mesohaline to fresh marshes. The largest species composition shift observed was the shift from oligohaline wiregrass (species rich vegetation type dominated bySpartina patens) to mesohaline wiregrass (vegetation type dominated byS. patens with few other species). Shifts in vegetation composition may have been enhanced by the presence of the major dominant species at a low abundance in other vegetation types. The vegetation classification technique used could classify over 95% of the stations. This vegetation classification technique provides a simple method to classify Louisiana's coastal vegetation based on plant species composition.     

Long-term dynamic bearing capacity of shallow foundations on a contractive cohesive soil

The calculation of the long-term dynamic bearing capacity arises from the need to consider the generation of maximum pore-water pressure developed from a cyclic load. Under suitable conditions, a long-term equilibrium situation would be reached, when pore-water pressures stabilized. However, excess pore-water pressure generation can lead to cyclic softening. Consequently, it is necessary to define both the cohesion and the internal friction angle to calculate the dynamic bearing capacity of a foundation in the long term, being necessary to incorporate the influence of the self-weight of soil and therefore the width of the foundation. The present work is based on an analysis of the results of cyclic simple shear tests on soil samples from the port of El Prat in Barcelona. From these experimental data, a pore-water pressure generation formulation was obtained that was implemented in FLAC2D finite difference software. A methodology was developed for the calculation of the maximum cyclic load that a footing can resist before the occurrence of the cyclic softening. The type of soil studied is a contractive cohesive soil, which generates positive pore-water pressures. As a numerical result, design charts have been developed for long-term dynamic bearing capacity calculation and the charts were validated with the application of a real case study.

     

水流和电解质对黏性泥沙絮凝沉降影响试验

为探索河口海岸地区水流和盐度共同作用对黏性泥沙絮凝沉降的影响,以泥沙浓度和絮团粒径为参数,采用自制的同轴旋转双筒产生运动水流和外加电解质的方法,研究6个水流强度（0 s-1、1.38 s-1、2.54 s-1、4.67 s-1、7.19 s-1、13.2 s-1和20.3 s-1）和3种电解质（NaCl、CaCl₂、AlCl₃）作用下的黏性泥沙絮凝沉降过程。试验结果表明:① 水流对黏性泥沙絮凝沉降的影响与其强度相关。低强度水流（水流强度小于4.67 s-1）表现为初期促进、中后期阻碍的规律;高强度水流则由于强水流剪切力和自上而下的紊动掺混作用始终起阻碍作用。② 电解质的存在将分别增强和减弱高、低强度水流所起作用;相同浓度下,当阳离子化合价从+1价变成+3价时,水流的影响作用更明显,尤其体现在稳定段。     

粘性土试样高度对抗拉强度的影响

针对粘性土抗拉强度测试问题,本文设计改装了土样拉伸试验仪,可完成单轴拉伸、巴西劈裂和轴向压裂三种抗拉强度试验。通过不同方法测定土体的抗拉强度,研究了试样高度对各方法强度测量值的影响及其规律。试验结果表明,试样高度对轴向压裂试验测试结果的影响最大,对巴西劈裂试验测试结果影响很小,几乎不影响单轴拉伸试验测试结果。轴向压裂试验中,抗拉强度测试值随试样高度h增大而减小,随衬垫直径增大而增大。巴西劈裂试验中,试样抗拉强度测试值随试样高度增大略有增大。     

非饱和黏性土的应力-应变关系研究

为了绕过吸力这一复杂的变量建立尽量简便实用的非饱和土本构模型,在双曲线模型的基础上将含水率引入硬化参数中。提出在试验前让土样恢复到原始应力状态下的理论,并依据该理论对三轴试验方法进行改进。为了很好的研究各个含水率下原状土的应力-应变关系,利用重塑土实现原状土的模拟。试验结果表明：重塑非饱和黏性土的应力-应变关系基本符合Kondner提出的双曲线模型。在研究双曲线模型中的参数a和b的规律性的基础上,建立了100、150、200与250 kPa 4种围压状态下参数a和b与含水率的函数关系,并实现了对补做的一组含水率为24.52 %的应力-应变关系的预测。通过实测数据与预测结果对比,发现预测误差比较小,能达到较好的预测效果。     

A numerical solution for the stability of a vertical cut in a purely cohesive medium

The problem of the critical height of a vertical cut in a purely cohesive medium has been repeatedly dealt with by several authors and, in spite of its apparent simplicity, the characterization of satisfactory solutions has presented, for a considerable period, notable difficulties. The present paper supplies the results obtained with a numerical method, which has so far been applied successfully to a considerable number of problems.     

The impact of a storm surge on business establishments in the Houston MSA

This paper examines the possible storm surge damage from a major hurricane to hit the Houston Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA.) Using storm surge analysis on a unique data set compiled from the Texas Workforce Commission (QCEW), the paper estimates the expected industry-level damage for each county in the Houston MSA. The advantages of using GIS to analyze the expected storm surge damage estimation is that it provides an accurate estimation of the number of affected employees and probable wages losses, by industry and county, based on QCEW data. The results indicate that the ‘Basic Chemical Manufacturing’ and ‘Oil and Gas Extraction’ industries incur the highest employee and payroll losses while the ‘Restaurants and Eateries’ has the largest establishment damage if a major hurricane were to hit the Houston MSA.     

基于主应力旋转的黏性填土挡墙土压力

填土水平墙背竖直光滑的挡墙,墙后土体处于以自重应力和水平应力为主应力的应力状态。实际工程中,挡墙背面与土体存在一定的摩擦及黏结力作用致使挡墙附近土体中的主应力发生偏转,此时,经典朗肯土压力理论不再适用。本文对挡墙附近土中的主应力状态进行旋转处理,通过分析墙后填土中应力状态摩尔圆,得到了考虑墙土摩擦和黏结力作用的黏性填土挡墙主被动土压力计算公式,分析了填土内摩擦角与墙土摩擦角对土压力的影响,使用算例将本文方法所得结果与现有黏性土土压力计算方法所得结果进行了对比分析。结果表明,朗肯土压力公式是本文所得计算公式的特例;随着墙土摩擦角和内摩擦角的增加,被动土压力逐渐加快增大;主动土压力随着内摩擦角的增加而减小;当内摩擦角较小时,主动土压力随着墙土摩擦角的增大不断减小,当内摩擦角较大时,主动土压力随着墙土摩擦角的增大先减小后增大;土内摩擦角的影响大于墙土摩擦的影响;相对于现有方法计算结果,本文方法所得主动土压力较大,被动土压力较小,墙土摩擦越大,2种方法所得结果的差值越大,土黏聚力还会加大这一差值。本文方法考虑了墙背土体主应力方向偏转的客观事实,所得计算结果将更符合实际情况。     

Radiocarbon dating of marine shells, including a discussion of apparent age of Recent shells from Norway

General problems in determining and interpreting shell C¹⁴ dates are discussed: calculation methods, factors influencing primary activity (apparent age), and determination of contamination. It is concluded that shell dates are reliable when handled carefully. Measurements on ten shells, collected between 1898 and 1923 on the Norwegian coast, gave apparent ages from 340±75 to 550±80 years, indicating that apparent age is not a significant problem in dating of Norwegian shells.     

On the effect of compaction on the progression of concentrated leaks in cohesive soils

Acta Geotechnica - The purpose of this study is to conduct hole erosion tests (HETs) to better understand the progression of concentrated leaks in compacted soils. While samples with high levels of...     

饱和粘性土地基振击锤击碎石桩加固处理效果的应用对比

本文针对饱和粘性土地基,分别采用振击、锤击两种技术方法、工艺对其进行加固处理。结果表明:在相同布桩方案和用料条件下,振动(φ550)沉管桩较锤击(φ377)沉管桩加固效果更好。同原天然地基土相比,二者处理后的复合地基承载力和变形模量提高幅度分别为94.0%5、2.9%和65.0%、21.5%。主要因为前者有利于地基土颗粒之间的剪切与重组及其土的三维结构改变,有利于桩间土排水固结和挤密作用的发挥,且置换因素亦有较大作用;而后者不利于地基土颗粒之间的剪切与重组及其土的三维结构改变,虽然成桩密度较大,但该致密桩体却不利于超孔隙水压力的消散与桩间土排水固结作用的发挥,且由于所成桩径较小,桩体置换作用和径向挤密作用相对均较弱。     

紊流对粘性细颗粒泥沙絮凝影响

以分形聚集生长模型为基础,通过三维模拟泥沙颗粒在布朗运动、重力沉降和紊流作用下的碰撞、粘结和破碎过程,探讨了紊流对粘性细颗粒泥沙絮凝速度、絮团平均粒径及分形维数的时空影响。试验结果表明:紊流作用下,泥沙絮凝及絮团平均粒径的变化可分为加速段、等速段和减速段,絮凝等速段的作用时间及粒径等速增长段的速度均随紊动强度呈先增后减的规律,且中部区域的絮凝速度和絮团平均粒径较小;泥沙絮团分形维数随水流紊动强度的增加逐渐增大,最终趋于稳定,随时间呈先减后增的规律。模拟空间下部区域分形维数最大,上部次之,中部最小。     

基于黏聚力裂缝模型的反倾层状岩质边坡倾倒破坏模拟

反倾层状岩质边坡的倾倒破坏是一种常见的地质灾害。为探究开挖条件下反倾层状岩质边坡的倾倒破坏机制以及层间剪切强度、岩层厚度因素对破坏特征的影响,利用ABAQUS有限元软件,建立黏聚力裂缝模型（Cohesive Crack Model,CCM）,基于连续-离散方法,经参数标定和对比,建立反倾层状岩质边坡CCM,采用开挖并增重的方式诱发边坡倾倒破坏。数值模拟结果与古水水电站坝前倾倒变形体离心模型试验结果基本一致,验证了CCM的正确性。进一步,基于以上参数及模型,研究了反倾层状岩质边坡的破坏演化过程和应力分布特征,并探讨层间剪切强度对边坡倾倒破坏特征的影响。结果表明:坡体前缘首先发生局部折断,后缘出现明显拉裂缝,反倾岩层由下往上依次折断直至倾倒体中部（一级破裂面）。随后,坡体前缘的表层岩层被挤出,形成二级破裂面,最后一级破裂面扩展至坡体后缘,形成连通宏观的破裂面。最后,二级破裂面扩展至坡体中部,边坡完全倾倒破坏;破裂面基本沿层间法向应力峰值位置连线发育;层间剪切强度对边坡倾倒破坏特征具有显著的影响,随着层间剪切强度的增大,岩层初始折断位置逐渐降低,垮塌范围逐渐减小,破裂面倾角增大;坡体层厚越大,一级破裂面分布越深,垮塌区范围越大,坡体滑动的整体性越强。研究成果可为反倾层状岩质边坡倾倒破坏的分析和监测提供有效计算方法及依据,为此类滑坡灾害的防治提供一定参考。     

非饱和红黏土的不排气、不排水三轴剪切试验研究

非饱和土中由于有孔隙气的存在而使得非饱和土的力学性质变得非常复杂。气体对非饱和土体强度和变形会产生重要影响。根据12组不同饱和度、不同干密度云南红黏土土样的三轴不排气、不排水剪切试验结果,讨论了气体对非饱和土土体强度和变形的影响。黏聚力在不排气剪切情况下随着饱和度的变化不是单调的,内摩擦角则随着饱和度的增大而减小。干密度增大则黏聚力和内摩擦角都增大。在三轴不排气剪切过程中,试样出现了明显了的剪胀性,且随着干密度的减小,饱和度的增大剪胀性逐渐消失。试样最后的破坏形态与是否发生剪胀可能也有联系。     

Dewatering effects on the erodibility of newly deposited cohesive beds by unidirectional currents

A series of laboratory experiments on cohesive sediments under inorganic conditions was undertaken in order to evaluate the impact of fluid bed shear stress on the build-up of bed resistance to erosion with time. The importance of small pressures due to flowing water to increase bed strength is presented. It is also shown that the susceptibility of a cohesive bed to changes in its erodibility is related to deposited bed thickness due to sediment disturbance caused by dewatering from the consolidating bed. Laboratory experiments that use beds deposited from suspension should thus report the thickness of the bed prior to resuspension.     

荆江段河岸粘性土体抗冲特性试验

粘性土体具有较强的抗冲能力,其抗冲性强弱决定了河岸的侵蚀速率。为了估算河岸的侵蚀速率,确定粘性土体的起动条件、侵蚀系数及两者之间的数量关系非常重要,为此开展了荆江段河岸粘性土体起动条件与冲刷特性的水槽试验研究。根据试验结果获得了粘性土体的起动流速与土体液限/自然含水率之间关系以及起动切应力与干密度、起动切应力与液性指数之间的定量表达式,综合反映了粘性土起动条件与其物理性质指标之间的关系;结合冲刷特性试验结果,还获得了土体侵蚀系数随起动切应力的变化规律,并与已有其他试验结果进行了比较。结果表明:荆江河岸粘性土侵蚀系数均比相同条件下其他公式计算值偏大,这与该试验土体中粘粒含量相对较低、土体结构受到扰动等因素有关;根据试验结果,拟合得到了荆江河岸粘性土侵蚀系数与起动切应力之间定量关系式,其相关系数R2=0.90,故该关系式能为荆江段崩岸过程的计算提供参考依据。     

The impact of stormwater on a soil profile in an infiltration basin

The effects of urban stormwater on the soil of an infiltration/ holding basin were studied within the framework of research carried out by OTHU (Urban Hydrology Field Observatory of Lyon, France). The biophysicochemical impacts of stormwater from an industrial watershed on the local soil (to a depth of 4 m in the unsaturated zone) were measured. Several types of measurement (pH, organic matter, particle size, heavy metals content, and heterotrophic viable bacterial counts) for three vertical soil profiles were carried out. High concentrations of heavy metals and significant variations in pH and silt to a depth of 1.5 m were observed. The concentrations decreased as a function of distance from the stormwater discharge pipe. Changes in the bacterial population were also observed, varying in accordance with the depth and location of the profile.

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Resumen Se estudiaron los efectos de tormentas en zonas urbanas sobre el suelo de una cuenca retenedora/de infiltración dentro del marco de investigación llevado a cabo por OTHU (Laboratorio de Observación de Campo de Hidrología Urbana, Lyon, Francia). Se midieron los impactos biofisicoquímicos de la tormenta en una cuenca industrial sobre el suelo local (a una profundidad de 4m en la zona no saturada). Se llevaron a cabo varios tipos de mediciones (pH, materia org′nica, tama?o de partículas, contenido de metales pesados, y conteo de bacterias viables heterotróficas) en tres perfiles ed′ficos. Se observaron altas concentraciones de metales pesados y variaciones significativas en pH y limo a una profundidad de 1.5m. Las concentraciones disminuyeron en función de la distancia del tubo de descarga de las aguas de la tormenta. También se observaron cambios en las poblaciones de bacterias los cuales variaban en función de la profundidad y localización del perfil.

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Résumé Dans le cadre de la fédération de recherche OTHU (Observatoire de Terrain en Hydrologie Urbaine de Lyon) une étude sur l’impact des eaux pluviales sur le sol d’un bassin d’infiltration / rétention est présentée. Il s’agit d’évaluer l’impact biophysicochimique des eaux pluviales issues d’un bassin versant industriel sur une profondeur d’environ 4 m de zone non saturée. Pour cela plusieurs types de mesures ont été effectuées (pH, perte au feu, teneur en Cu, Pb, Cd, dénombrement bactérien) suivant trois profils verticaux. Les résultats montrent des concentrations importantes de métaux et des variations de pH jusqu’à 1.5 m de profondeur. De plus, les résultats montrent une variation suivant la position des points de prélèvements. Des modifications de la population bactérienne sont également observées suivant la profondeur et l’emplacement des profils.