半潜平台浮子式系泊系统参数优化研究

通过在系泊缆中设置浮子可以改善系泊系统性能,降低平台运动响应。建立浮子式系泊系统的数值计算模型,验证浮子式系泊系统数值计算方法,详细分析浮子设计参数(设置位置和净浮力大小)变化对系泊缆张力特性与平台运动的影响规律,并根据得到的规律选择了优化的浮子系泊系统方案。最后对优化方案进行评估,表明优化方案可以显著降低系泊中的平台水平运动,尤其是低频运动,同时系泊缆张力变化不大,仍满足安全要求。研究结果可为今后浮子式系泊系统设计提供参考。     

Discussion on applying an analytical method to optimize the anti-freeze design parameters for underground water pipelines in seasonally frozen areas

Adopting the quasi-three-dimensional (Quasi-3D) numerical method to optimize the anti-freeze design parameters of an underground pipeline usually involves heavy numerical calculations. Here, the fitting formulae between the safe conveyance distance (SCD) of a water pipeline and six influencing factors are established based on the lowest water temperature (LWT) along the pipeline axis direction. With reference to the current widely used anti-freeze design approaches for underground pipelines in seasonally frozen areas, this paper first analyzes the feasibility of applying the maximum frozen penetration (MFP) instead of the mean annual ground surface temperature (MAGST) and soil water content (SWC) to calculate the SCD. The results show that the SCD depends on the buried depth if the MFP is fixed and the variation of the MAGST and SWC combination does not significantly change the SCD. A comprehensive formula for the SCD is established based on the relationships between the SCD and several primary influencing factors and the interaction among them. This formula involves five easy-to-access parameters: the MFP, buried depth, pipeline diameter, flow velocity, and inlet water temperature. A comparison between the analytical method and the numerical results based on the Quasi-3D method indicates that the two methods are in good agreement overall. The analytic method can be used to optimize the anti-freeze design parameters of underground water pipelines in seasonally frozen areas under the condition of a 1.5 safety coefficient.     

Spatiotemporal distribution and historical evolution of polders in the Dongting Lake area,China

Dongting Lake is the largest lake in the middle reaches of the Yangtze River in China. For centuries, people inhabiting the Dongting Lake area have been reclaiming land and constructing dams for flood resistance, agricultural production, and rural settlement, forming geographical entities known as polders. In this study, the regional spatial distributions of polders in the Dongting Lake area in 1949, 1998, and 2013 were obtained using historical maps and modern remotely sensed data, revealing changes since the establishment of the People’s Republic of China. Nanxian County was then selected to demonstrate polder changes at the county level, because it has undergone the most dramatic changes in the area. Different polder change models for the Datonghu, Yule, and Renhe polders were analyzed for eight periods: 1644 (the early Qing Dynasty), 1911 (the late Qing Dynasty), 1930 (the Republic of China), 1949 (the People’s Republic of China), 1963, 1970, 1998, and 2013. Three resulting polder evolution models are: 1) reclaiming polders from lakes, 2) integrating polders by stream merging, and 3) abandoning polders for flood release. The polder evolution models demonstrate the wisdom of local people in using land resources according to the specific regional conditions. Throughout their long-term historical evolution, the spatial distribution of polders in the Dongting Lake area tended to be homogeneous, and the degree of human disturbance tended to be stable. However, a shift occurred, from pure polder area growth or removal to more comprehensive management and protection of the regional environment.     

Task-oriented information value measurement based on space-time prisms

Recent years have witnessed a large increase in the amount of information available from the Web and many other sources. Such an information deluge presents a challenge for individuals who have to identify useful information items to complete particular tasks in hand. Information value theory (IVT) from economics and artificial intelligence has provided some guidance on this issue. However, existing IVT studies often focus on monetary values, while ignoring the spatiotemporal properties which can play important roles in everyday tasks. In this paper, we propose a theoretical framework for task-oriented information value measurement. This framework integrates IVT with the space-time prism from time geography and measures the value of information based on its impact on an individual’s space-time prisms and its capability of improving task planning. We develop and formalize this framework by extending the utility function from space-time accessibility studies and elaborate it using a simplified example from time geography. We conduct a simulation on a real-world transportation network using the proposed framework. Our research could be applied to improving information display on small-screen mobile devices (e.g., smartwatches) by assigning priorities to different information items.     

Experimental study of motion characteristics of rock slopes with weak intercalation under seismic excitation

In order to investigate the effect of a weak intercalation on slope stability, a large-scale shaking table model test was conducted to study the dynamic response of rock slope models with weak intercalation. The dynamic response of the prototype slopes were studied in laboratory with the consideration of law of similitude. The initiation failure was observed in the rock slope model with a counter-tilt thin-weak intercalation firstly, not in the slope model with a horizontal thin-weak intercalation. Furthermore, it was interesting that the fracture site is shifted from crest top to the slope surface near the weak intercalation, which is different with the location of failure position in a normal layered slope. We also discussed the effect of the dip angle and the thickness of weak intercalation on the failure mechanism and instability mode of the layered rock slope. From the experimental result, it was noted that the stability of the slope with a counter-tilt weak intercalation could be worse than that of the other slopes under seismic excitation. The findings showed the difference of failure in slopes with a horizontal and counter weak intercalation, and implicated the further evaluation of failure of layered slopes caused by seismic loads.     

Characteristics of viscous debris flow in a drainage channel with an energy dissipation structure

A new type of drainage channel with an energy dissipation structure has been proposed based on previous engineering experiences and practical requirements for hazard mitigation in earthquakeaffected areas. Experimental studies were performed to determine the characteristics of viscous debris flow in a drainage channel of this type with a slope of 15%. The velocity and depth of the viscous debris flow were measured, processed, and subsequently used to characterize the viscous debris flow in the drainage channel. Observations of this experiment showed that the surface of the viscous debris flow in a smooth drainage channel was smoother than that of a similar debris flow passing through the energy dissipation section in a channel of the new type studied here. However, the flow patterns in the two types of channels were similar at other points. These experimental results show that the depth of the viscous debris flow downstream of the energy dissipation structure increased gradually with the length of the energy dissipation structure. In addition, in the smooth channel, the viscous debris-flow velocity downstream of the energy dissipation structure decreased gradually with the length of the energy dissipation structure. Furthermore, the viscous debris-flow depth and velocity were slightly affected by variations in the width of the energy dissipation structure when the channel slope was 15%. Finally, the energy dissipation ratio increased gradually as the length and width of the energy dissipation structure increased; the maximum energy dissipation ratio observed was 62.9% (where B = 0.6 m and L/w = 6.0).     

Livelihood changes and evolution of upland ethnic communities driven by tourism: a case study in Guizhou Province,southwest China

As an effective livelihood approach to alleviate poverty without rural population migration, ethnic tourism has become the primary choice of economic development in ethnic areas worldwide in addition to traditional livelihood approaches. This article applies the theories of livelihood to study the community evolution driven by tourism livelihood and examine three mountainous tourism communities in different stages of tourist area life cycle. Drawing on the methods of GIS spatial analysis, semi-structured interviews and questionnaires, this article proposes a sustainable livelihood framework for ethnic tourism to explore the evolution of ethnic tourism communities by identifying changes in livelihood assets (natural, financial, social, cultural and human capitals) in the process of tourism development. The results show that the development of ethnic tourism has led to changes in the increase of building land, and the diversification of land use functions with a trend of shifting from meeting local villagers' living needs to satisfying tourists, income composition and uneven distribution of tourism income spatially. Ethnic tourism also led to the deterioration of traditional social management structure, collapse of neighboring relationship, the over- commercialization and staged authenticity of ethnic culture, as well as the gradual vanish of agricultural knowledge with a trend of increasing modern business knowledge and higher education. In addition, these changes, involving livelihood assets from natural, economic, human, social and cultural aspects are interrelated and interactive, which form new evolution characters of ethnic community. This study reveals the conflicts over livelihood approaches which have formed new vulnerabilities to impact on sustainable evolution of ethnic communities. This research provides implications for achieving the sustainable development of ethnic communities with the driving force of tourism livelihood.     

A public Cloud-based China’s Landslide Inventory Database (CsLID): development,zone, and spatiotemporal analysis for significant historical events, 1949-2011

Landslide inventory plays an important role in recording landslide events and showing their temporal-spatial distribution. This paper describes the development, visualization, and analysis of a China's Landslide Inventory Database (CsLID) by utilizing Google’s public cloud computing platform. Firstly, CsLID (Landslide Inventory Database) compiles a total of 1221 historical landslide events spanning the years 1949-2011 from relevant data sources. Secondly, the CsLID is further broken down into six zones for characterizing landslide cause-effect, spatiotemporal distribution, fatalities, and socioeconomic impacts based on the geological environment and terrain. The results show that among all the six zones, zone V, located in Qinba and Southwest Mountainous Area is the most active landslide hotspot with the highest landslide hazard in China. Additionally, the Google public cloud computing platform enables the CsLID to be easily accessible, visually interactive, and with the capability of allowing new data input to dynamically augment the database. This work developed a cyber-landslide inventory and used it to analyze the landslide temporal-spatial distribution in China.     

Study on biogenic amines in various dry salted fish consumed in China

This study was carried out to investigate the biogenic amines（BAs）, physicochemical property and microorganisms in dry salted fish, a traditional aquatic food consumed in China. Forty three samples of dry salted fish were gathered from retail and wholesale markets and manufacturers, which had been produced in various regions in China. Cadaverine（CAD） and putrescine（PUT） were quantitatively the most common biogenic amines. About 14% of the samples exceeded the histamine content standards established by the FDA and/or EU. The highest histamine content was found in Silver pomfret（Pampus argenteus）(347.79 mg kg^-1). Five of forty three samples exceeded the acceptable content of TYR(100 mg kg^-1), and 23.26% of dried-salted fish contained high contents of biogenic amines(above 600 mg kg^-1). In addition, species, regions, pickling processes and drying methods made the physicochemical property, microorganisms and biogenic amines in dry salted fish to be different to some extents. The total plate count（TPC） was much higher than that of total halophilic bacteria in all samples. The biogenic amines, physicochemical property and microbiological counts exhibited large variations among samples. Furthermore, no significant correlation between biogenic amines and physicochemical property and TPC was observed. This study indicated that dry salted fish may still present healthy risk for BAs, depending on the processing methods, storage conditions among others.