Cracking risk of partially saturated porous media—Part II: Application to drying shrinkage

Drying of deformable porous media results in their shrinkage, and it may cause cracking provided that shrinkage deformations are hindered by kinematic constraints. Herein, we focus on slow drying of an initially water‐saturated sample of a microheterogeneous poroelastic material damaged by parallel mesocracks. The cracking risk is analyzed by means of the thermodynamics‐based microporoelasticity model described in the companion paper (Part I), which is extended toward consideration of the hierarchical organization of cracked argillite. Drying of a material sample is studied in a framework where macrodisplacements in direction of the crack normal are blocked, while elsewise macrostress‐free boundary conditions prevail. The model implies that the opening/closure behavior of the cracks is governed by an effective pressure, in which the average crack (under)pressure, making the crack opening smaller, competes with the average micropore (under)pressure that makes the crack opening larger. The driving force for crack propagation is a quadratic function of this effective pressure. The model proposes that if drying shrinkage deformations are hindered by kinematic constraints, onset of cracking becomes possible once air entry into the cracks is observed. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Quantifying geological uncertainty for flow and transport modeling in multi-modal heterogeneous formations

In this work, we address the problem of characterizing the heterogeneity and uncertainty of hydraulic properties for complex geological settings. Hereby, we distinguish between two scales of heterogeneity, namely the hydrofacies structure and the intrafacies variability of the hydraulic properties. We employ multiple-point geostatistics to characterize the hydrofacies architecture. The multiple-point statistics are borrowed from a training image that is designed to reflect the prior geological conceptualization. The intrafacies variability of the hydraulic properties is represented using conventional two-point correlation methods, more precisely, spatial covariance models under a multi-Gaussian spatial law. We address the different levels and sources of uncertainty in characterizing the subsurface heterogeneity, and explore their effect on groundwater flow and transport predictions. Typically, uncertainty is assessed by way of many images, termed realizations, of a fixed statistical model. However, in many cases, sampling from a fixed stochastic model does not adequately represent the space of uncertainty. It neglects the uncertainty related to the selection of the stochastic model and the estimation of its input parameters. We acknowledge the uncertainty inherent in the definition of the prior conceptual model of aquifer architecture and in the estimation of global statistics, anisotropy, and correlation scales. Spatial bootstrap is used to assess the uncertainty of the unknown statistical parameters. As an illustrative example, we employ a synthetic field that represents a fluvial setting consisting of an interconnected network of channel sands embedded within finer-grained floodplain material. For this highly non-stationary setting we quantify the groundwater flow and transport model prediction uncertainty for various levels of hydrogeological uncertainty. Results indicate the importance of accurately describing the facies geometry, especially for transport predictions.     

Parallel optimal choropleth map classification in PySAL

In this article, we report on our experiences with refactoring a spatial analysis library to support parallelization. Python Spatial Analysis Library (PySAL) is a library of spatial analytical functions written in the open-source language, Python. As part of a larger scale effort toward developing cyberinfrastructure of GIScience, we examine the particular case of choropleth map classification through alternative parallel implementations of the Fisher-Jenks optimal classification method using a multi-core, single desktop environment. The implementations rely on three different parallel Python libraries, PyOpenCL, Parallel Python, (PP) and Multiprocessing. Our results point to the dominance of the CPU-based Parallel Python and Multiprocessing implementations over the Graphical Processing Unit (GPU)-based PyOpenCL approach.     

250 years of sardine and anchovy scale deposition record in Mejillones Bay, northern Chile

Marine oxygen-deficient environments with high sedimentation rates and high primary productivity can provide relevant information regarding variations of ocean–climatic conditions in the past. In the Humboldt current ecosystem, which now hosts huge populations of pelagic fishes (mainly anchovy and sardine), fish scale abundance in the sedimentary record may be useful indicators of environmental change. Here we assess such a proxy record in a 42 cm-long sedimentary core collected from 80 m in Mejillones Bay (23°S, northern Chile). We also analyse fish remains in surface sediment sampled along a bathymetric transect (from 10 to 110 m water depth) in the same bay. In the core-top record, the fluctuations of sardine and anchovy scale deposition rates (SDR) agreed with those of industrial catches for these two species in northern Chile, tending to validate the SDR as a proxy of local fish biomass when bottom anoxic conditions prevail. However, apparent SDR for records prior to 1820 have probably been influenced by dissolution processes linked to the oxygenation of the bottom environment of Mejillones Bay, as suggested by other proxy records. After 1820, the fluctuations in the relative abundance of sardine and anchovy scales point to alternating warm and cold conditions during about 30 years and then a progressively cooler period. Since ca. 1870, marked fluctuations of SDR of both species are observed, probably as a consequence of the onset of a different oceanographic regime characterized by intensified upwelling, stronger subsurface oxygen deficiency, higher primary productivity, and enhanced “ENSO-like” interdecadal variability. While anchovy SDR fluctuated in periods of 25–40 years, only two peak periods of sardine SDR occurred (late 19th century and late 20th century), suggesting that sardine abundance depends on other ocean–climatic factors.     

Cyclic macro‐element for soil–structure interaction: material and geometrical non‐linearities

This paper presents a non‐linear soil–structure interaction (SSI) macro‐element for shallow foundation on cohesive soil. The element describes the behaviour in the near field of the foundation under cyclic loading, reproducing the material non‐linearities of the soil under the foundation (yielding) as well as the geometrical non‐linearities (uplift) at the soil–structure interface. The overall behaviour in the soil and at the interface is reduced to its action on the foundation. The macro‐element consists of a non‐linear joint element, expressed in generalised variables, i.e. in forces applied to the foundation and in the corresponding displacements. Failure is described by the interaction diagram of the ultimate bearing capacity of the foundation under combined loads. Mechanisms of yielding and uplift are modelled through a global, coupled plasticity–uplift model. The cyclic model is dedicated to modelling the dynamic response of structures subjected to seismic action. Thus, it is especially suited to combined loading developed during this kind of motion. Comparisons of cyclic results obtained from the macro‐element and from a FE modelization are shown in order to demonstrate the relevance of the proposed model and its predictive ability. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Thin Threads of Solar Filaments

High-resolution images obtained in H with the new Swedish Solar Telescope at La Palma, Spain, have been used for studies of fine-scale threads in solar filaments. The widths of the thin threads are 0.3 arcsec. The fact that the width of the thinnest threads is comparable to the diffraction limit of the telescope of about 0.14 arcsec, at the wavelength of H, suggests that even thinner threads may exist. Assuming that the threads represent thin magnetic strings, we conclude that only a small fraction of these are filled with observable absorbing plasma, at a given time. The absorbing plasma is continuously flowing along the thread structures at velocities 15± 10 kms^–1, which suggests that the flows must be field-aligned. In one case where a bundle of thin threads appears to be rooted in the nearby photosphere, we find that the individual threads connects with intergranular, dark lanes in the photosphere. We do not find signs of typical network fields at the roots of the fine threads, as normally evidenced by bright points in associated G-band images. It is suggested that filament threads are rooted in relatively weak magnetic fields.     

Nature Conservation versus Scenic Quality：A GIS Approach towards Optimized Tourist Tracks in a Protected Area of Northwest Yunnan,China

Development of appropriate tourism infrastructure is important for protected areas that allow public access for tourism use.This is meant to avoid or minimize unfavourable impacts on natural resources through guiding tourists for proper use.In this paper,a GIS-based method,the least-cost path（LCP） modelling,is explored for planning tourist tracks in a World Heritage site in Northwest Yunnan（China）,where tourism is increasing rapidly while appropriate infrastructure is almost absent.The modelling process contains three steps：1） selection of evaluation criteria（physical,biological and landscape scenic） that are relevant to track decision; 2） translation of evluation criteria into spatially explicit cost surfaces with GIS,and 3） use of Dijkstra＇s algorithm to determine the least-cost tracks.Four tracks that link main entrances and scenic spots of the study area are proposed after optimizing all evaluation criteria.These tracks feature lowenvironmental impacts and high landscape qualities,which represent a reasonable solution to balance tourist use and nature conservation in the study area.In addtion,the study proves that the LCP modelling can not only offer a structured framwork for track planning but also allow for different stakeholders to participate in the planning process.It therefore enhances the effectivenss of tourism planning and managemnt in protected areas.