Geostatistical integration of MT and borehole data for RMR evaluation

The geostatistical approach was applied to integrate MT (Magneto-telluric) resistivity data and borehole information for the spatial RMR (Rock Mass Rating) evaluation. Generally, resistivity of the subsurface is believed to be positively related to the RMR, thus the resistivity and borehole RMR information was combined in a geostatistical approach. To relate the two different sets of data, the MT resistivity data were used as secondary information and the RMR mean values were estimated at unsampled points by identification of the resistivity to the borehole data. Two types of approach are performed for the estimation of RMR mean values. Then the residuals of the RMR values around the borehole sites are geostatistically modeled to infer the spatial structure of difference between real RMR values and estimated mean values. Finally, this geostatistical estimation is added to the previous means. The result applied to a real situation shows prominent improvements to reflect the subsurface structure and spatial resolution of RMR information.     

Urban Environmental Justice Indices

Environmental justice is the principle that environmental costs and amenities ought to be equitably distributed within society. Due to the ethical, political, and public–health implications, and because many choices confront those researching environmental justice, standardized measures are needed to inform public dialogue and policy. We develop and test seven indices on three Colorado cities to measure the relationship between the distribution of environmental hazards and minority and poverty–stricken populations, and recommend the Comparative Environmental Risk Index as a preliminary, standardized measure for comparing urban areas. This index is particularly relevant to disadvantaged communities, regional planning organizations, environmental–justice networks and scholars, and state and federal agencies.     

Comparison of two hourly to 5-min rainfall disaggregators

A disaggregation method used by the UK water industry to disaggregate simulated hourly data to the 5-min time-scale is examined using data from Heathrow (London). This analysis shows the shortcomings of this algorithm, both in reproducing the temporal structure of rainfall depths and generating extreme events. An alternative method is proposed, based upon a random cascade with a log-Poisson generator. This is a parsimonious model requiring only two parameters per season. It is shown to provide a clear improvement upon the existing disaggregator, both in terms of temporal structure and extreme behaviour. It could thus be a powerful tool for urban hydrology which requires data at fine time-scale for design purposes and simulation studies. The utility of such a tool depends upon its potential for operational use, i.e., for implementation without any fine-scale data. The model's performance is found to be maintained when hourly rainfall time series are the only available data.     

Methods for ultimate limit state assessment of ships and ship-shaped offshore structures: Part I—Unstiffened plates

The present paper is Part I of a series of three papers prepared by the authors on the methods useful for ultimate limit state assessment of marine structures, that have been developed in the literature during the last few decades. It is considered that such methods are now mature enough to enter day-by-day design and strength assessment practice. The aims of the three papers are to conduct some benchmark studies of such methods on ultimate limit state assessment of (unstiffened) plates, stiffened panels, and hull girders of ships and ship-shaped offshore structures, using some candidate methods such as ANSYS nonlinear finite element analysis (FEA), DNV PULS, ALPS/ULSAP, ALPS/HULL, and IACS common structural rules (CSR) methods. As an illustrative example, an AFRAMAX-class hypothetical double hull oil tanker structure designed by CSR method is studied. In the present paper (Part I), the ultimate limit state assessment of unstiffened plates under combined biaxial compression and lateral pressure loads is emphasized using ANSYS, DNV PULS, and ALPS/ULSAP methods, and their resulting computations are compared. Part II will deal with methods for the ultimate limit state assessment of stiffened panels under combined biaxial compression and lateral pressure using ANSYS, DNV PULS, and ALPS/ULSAP methods, and Part III will treat methods for the progressive collapse analysis of the hull structure using ANSYS, ALPS/HULL, and IACS CSR methods.     

Improving performance of GPS satellite DCB estimation for regional GPS networks using long-term stability

Compensation for differential code bias (DCB) is necessary because it is the major source of errors in total electron content (TEC) measurements. The DCB estimation performance is degraded when only the regional GPS network is used. Because DCB estimation is highly correlated with ionospheric modeling, this degradation is particularly evident for measurements concentrated in an area of high TEC concentration. This study proposes a DCB estimation method that uses the long-term stability of the DCB to improve the estimation performance of the regional GPS network. We estimate satellite DCBs by assuming their constancy over seven months. This extended period increases the number of measurements used in DCB estimation and changes the local time distribution of collected measurements. As a result, the unbalanced distribution of specific ionospheric conditions disappears. Tests are performed using both global and regional networks, and the estimation performance is evaluated based on the position error and pseudorange residuals. First, the difference between the global and regional networks when using the conventional method is analyzed. Second, proposed methods are applied to regional networks. The proposed method can improve the DCB estimation performance, and the results are similar to those obtained using one-day global network data.     

Methods for ultimate limit state assessment of ships and ship-shaped offshore structures: Part III hull girders

The present paper is Part III of a series of three papers on the methods useful for ultimate limit state assessment of ships and ship-shaped offshore structures. It is focused on the methods for the progressive collapse analysis of hull girders under bending moments, in contrast to the previous two papers (Parts I and II), respectively, dealing with methods for the ultimate limit state assessment of unstiffened plates and stiffened panels. An AFRAMAX-class hypothetical double hull oil tanker structure designed by IACS common structural rules (CSR) method is studied as an illustrative example. The ultimate vertical bending moment capacity of the hull structure is then analyzed by ANSYS FEA, ALPS/HULL, and IACS CSR methods, and their resulting computations are compared.     

Seakeeping performance of a containment boom section in random waves and currents

The seakeeping characteristics of various boom geometries in irregular waves and currents are investigated. The response of a floating boom section on the open sea is a function of a number of parameters, such as boom geometry, distribution of mass, buoyancy/weight ratio, and wave and current characteristics. To understand the relationship between these design parameters more clearly, a series of regular and irregular wave tests were conducted with six different 1:4 scale models for three current velocities and six different wave conditions. To simplify the problem, only rigid boom sections consisting of a buoyancy cylinder and vertical skirt were used. In parallel with this experimental program, a numerical model for the responses of two-dimensional floating boom sections in small-amplitude waves is also developed. The numerical results are compared with our large-scale experimental results. The boom effectiveness on the open sea is evaluated based on the concept of “effective draft” and “effective freeboard” assuming that drainage and oversplashing failures are the prime mechanisms of containment failure. Using the present results, a guideline for the optimum design/selection of future booms is developed.     

226Ra in phosphate nodules from the Peru/Chile seafloor

²²⁶Ra and other uranium-series radionuclides have been measured in a suite of marine phosphorite samples from the upwelling area off Peru/Chile by gamma-ray spectrometry and radiochemical techniques. Our results lead to the following conclusions: (1) phosphorite nodules typically show unidirectional growth at rates of 1 to 10 mm/Kyr; (2) very young samples (less than a few thousand years) contain slight excess amounts of ²²⁶Ra probably derived from pore fluids; and (3) slow but persistent leakage of ²²⁶Ra out of phosphate nodules occurs resulting in systematically lower ²²⁶Ra ages compared to ²³⁰Th ages for samples older than about twenty thousand years. Radium fluxes from these phosphate nodules appear to be 1 to 3 orders of magnitude less than those calculated for deep-sea sediments and ferromanganese nodules.     

A Photometric Study of EB-type eclipsing binary GO CYG

Two colour (B and V) photoelectric observations of EB-type eclipsing binary GO Cyg were carried out for 15 nights during October and December 1996. Three new times of minimum lights have been derived. With these and previously published times of minimum lights, a continuous period increase of dP/dt = 1.51 × 10^-7 d yr^-1 was estimated from the quadratic light element. B and V light curves have been analyzed by the method of the Wilson and Devinney Differential Correction. GO Cyg is confirmed to belong to the group of near contact systems based on light curve analysis and its absolute dimensions. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.