Pressure resistance of the corrugated stainless steel membranes of LNG carriers

Corrugated stainless steel membranes have been used as the primary barriers for LNG carriers to reduce thermal stresses at cryogenic temperatures. As the capacity of the LNG cargo is increased, however, the corrugated stainless steel membranes suffer from buckling and collapse due to increased sloshing loads in large-capacity LNG cargo carriers. In this study, the pressure resistance of the corrugated part of the stainless steel membrane was evaluated using a finite element method for better design of the LNG containment system, and an experimental equipment was developed and the pressure resistance of the stainless steel corrugations was measured and compared with the calculated results. In addition, a new membrane with high-pressure resistance and its reinforcing method were developed and evaluated experimentally.     

Investigation and Remediation of Petroleum Product Releases from Residential Storage Tanks

Releases of petroleum products from leaking residential storage tanks are a growing problem in the stale of New Jersey. Approximately two releases per day have been reported to the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection. Product releases may cause aquifers to become contaminated, may affect surface water, or cause vapor problems inside households. As of 1992, there arc no federal or state regulations pertaining to the maintenance and monitoring of residential petroleum storage tanks. Regulations are essential for protecting drinking water supplies. The regulations must address installation procedures, lank materials, monitoring, and tank location.     

The metamorphic evolution of the Muxia-Finisterre region (Galice,NW Spain) during the Hercynian Orogenesis

Mineral chemistry and crystal growth-deformation relationships in metapelites, orthogneises and metabasic rocks from the Muxia-Finisterre region show that this area has been affected by plurifacial regional metamorphism during the Hercynian Orogenesis. Paragenetic evolution seems to be related to a change of the metamorphic gradient towards relatively lower P_s conditions in the mesozone, while this character is less evident in catazonal rocks. In both cases there was a continuous increase in T and decrease in {ie657-02}.The metamorphic climax was reached during the second metamorphic episode (M₂). This event took place during and even after the second deformation phase (P₂). The latter gave rise to the main foliation observed in studied rocks (S₂) which almost practically erased signs of previous schistosity. Relationships between metamorphic evolution and different geotectonic models are discussed.

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Zusammenfassung Mineralchemismus und die Beziehungen Kristallwachstum-Deformation in Metapeliten, Orthogneisen und metabasischen Gesteinen aus der Muxia-Finisterra-Region, zeigen eine Beeinflussung dieses Gebietes durch eine plurifazielle Regionalmetamorphose während der herzynischen Orogenese.Die paragenetische Entwicklung scheint mit einer Veränderung des metamorphen Gradienten in Richtung niedrigerer P_s-Bedingungen in der Mesozone einherzugehen, während dies in katazonalen Gesteinen weniger deutlich ist.In beiden Fällen gab es eine kontinuierliche Zunahme der Temperatur (T) bzw. Abnahme des {ie657-01}.Der Höhepunkt der Metamorphose wurde während der zweiten metamorphen Episode (M₂) erreicht. Dieses Ereignis fand statt während und sogar nach der zweiten Deformationsphase (P₂). Letzteres verursachte die Hauptschieferung (S₂) in den untersuchten Gesteinen, die die Merkmale einer älteren Schieferung nahezu ausgelöscht hat.Beziehungen zwischen metamorpher Entwicklung und verschiedener geotektonischer Modelle werden diskutiert.

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Résumé Les compositions chimiques des minéraux ainsi que leur relation croissance-déformation dans les métapélites, ortho-gneiss et métabasites de la région Muxia-Finisterre, suggèrent que cette secteur a subi un métamorphisme régional plurifacial lors de l'Orogenèse Hercynienne. L'évolution des paragenèses semble être liée à un changement du gradient métamorphique vers des conditions de P_s relativement plus basses dans la mésozone, ceci étant moins évident dans les roches catazonales. Dans les deux cas il y a eu une augmentation continue de la T et une diminution de la {ie657-03}. Le paroxisme du métamorphisme a été atteint lors du deuxième épisode métamorphique (M₂). Cet événement a lieu généralement pendant ou légèrement après la deuxième phase de déformation (P₂). Celle-ci donne la foliation principale de la roche (S₂), laquelle a presque entièrement effacé les marques d'une schistosité pré-existante. Des relations entre l'évolution métamorphique et différents modèles géotectoniques sont discutées.

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Simplified transverse seismic analysis of buried structures

This paper presents a simplified method for the analysis of square cross-section buried structures (tunnel) subjected to seismic motion. Finite element analyses are performed to assess the fundamental modes of vibration of the soil layer with and without the tunnel. The influence of the tunnel on the modes of vibrations is taken into account by comparing the modal deformations in the free-field to those in the presence of the tunnel. From this comparison the zone of influence of the modal displacements due to the presence of the structure is determined. The resulting model is subjected to horizontal and vertical excitation of statistically independent accelerograms compatible with the response spectra of the Regulatory Guide 1.6 of the Nuclear Energy Commission. The free-field displacement is introduced at the boundaries of the zone of influence. The proposed simplified static analysis yields a state of stresses similar to that obtained from a full dynamic analysis of the complete soil–tunnel system. Several examples are solved to corroborate the validity of the method.     

Changes in the pattern of water masses resulting from a poleward slope current in the Cantabrian Sea (Bay of Biscay)

From September to December 1995, three hydrographic surveys were carried out in the eastern Cantabrian Sea (Bay of Biscay). Changes in the water masses pattern were examined to study the variability and main energetic features in the area. At the beginning of December, an intense Poleward Current (PC), which had come from Portuguese slopes, entered the eastern Cantabrian Sea. This current was the most energetic event in this area in winter. The PC waters increased temperature by about 2 °C (subsurface layers) and salinity by 0.2 (surface layers) in the pattern of water masses in the eastern Cantabrian Sea in winter. The core current was approximately 10 km width and 120 m depth and the water transport, estimated from geostrophic current profiles, was of about 1.3 Sv.A well-defined wavelike front with two significant ridges in the western and eastern sampling area, was observed. The variability and meandering flow of the PC were driven by dominantly baroclinic instabilities, which are due to strong vertical velocity shear. In this synoptic-scale system, the potential vorticity advection, the differential vorticity advection, and the geopotential tendency have shown to be the cause of the ageostrophic motion and the main baroclinic disturbances.One important consequence of the entrance of the PC in the eastern Cantabrian Sea was the profound effect on the pattern of nutrients. The current-induced stratification pattern drives the distribution of nutrients in the different layers and the instabilities and meandering pattern of the PC was an important mechanism of fertilisation offshore.     

New Determinations of the Ages of Tide in the North Atlantic Ocean

Ages of tide provide relevant information about the spatial distribution of existing anomalies in the normal modes of the oceans, because a delay may be associated with bottom friction energy dissipation, closely located resonances, bathymetric gradients, or radiational effects. The determination of other parameters, such as the age of diurnal tide or age of parallax, also provide further knowledge about the ocean's hydrodynamical response to acting forces. Following the development of new ocean models and the availability of a greater amount of data, these parameters can be redetermined. We present the spatial distribution of these parameters in the Northeast Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea, obtained from 507 stations. The results are discussed in terms of bathymetric models, coastal features, sea surface temperature, wind and other environmental factors.     

Native iron in the sediments of Lake Baikal (borehole BDP-98): results of thermomagnetic analysis

We performed a thermomagnetic analysis of 91 samples and a probe microanalysis of five samples of sedimentary rocks from the lower zone of the borehole BDP-98 drilled at the bottom of Lake Baikal. The results show the scarcity of native iron: It was found only in five samples. Its concentration varies from ～10^–5 to 7 × 10^–4%. The distribution of native iron by content is bimodal, with a distinct “zero” mode. This scarcity of native iron in the Baikal sediments distinguishes them from continental (Eurasia) and oceanic (Atlantic) sediments of different ages. It is due to the high rate of sedimentation in the studied interval of BDP-98.     

Native iron and other magnetic minerals in the sediments of the northwestern Atlantic: Thermomagnetic and microprobe evidence

The thermomagnetic and microprobe analyses of sedimentary samples from DSDP 386, 387, 391A, and 391C boreholes in the northwestern Atlantic reveal the ubiquitous occurrence of particles of native iron. The concentrations of native iron are bimodal everywhere with the zero mode necessarily present. The nickel admixture in native iron forms two groups, one represented by pure iron and the comprising native iron with 5–6% Ni. The redeposition of iron particles manifests itself in the correlation between the concentrations of these particles and terrestrial minerals (magnetite), as well as in the equalization and reduction of the concentration of the iron particles. Pyrite and pyrrhotite are widespread in the studied sediments, and the distribution of native iron does not depend on the presence of pyrite (i.e., on redox conditions) in them. At the same time, the distributions of pyrite and particles of magnetite + titanomagnetite are inversely correlated, which can probably be accounted for by the partial dissolution of magnetite and titanomagnetite in the reducing conditions. The increased concentration of particles of volcanogenic homogeneous titanomagnetite is revealed in the volcanoclastic turbidites of the Oligocene and early and middle Miocene age at the base of the Bermuda Rise (borehole 386). The titanomagnetite composition is characteristic of the basalts of plume magmatism; it corresponds to the depth of the magmatic source in the interval of 50–25 km.