Pilot‐scale field validation of the long electrode electrical resistivity tomography method

A validation experiment, carried out in a scaled field setting, was attempted for the long electrode electrical resistivity tomography method in order to demonstrate the performance of the technique in imaging a simple buried target. The experiment was an approximately 1/17 scale mock‐up of a region encompassing a buried nuclear waste tank on the Hanford site. The target of focus was constructed by manually forming a simulated plume within the vadose zone using a tank waste simulant. The long electrode results were compared to results from conventional point electrodes on the surface and buried within the survey domain. Using a pole‐pole array, both point and long electrode imaging techniques identified the lateral extents of the pre‐formed plume with reasonable fidelity but the long electrode method was handicapped in reconstructing vertical boundaries. The pole‐dipole and dipole‐dipole arrays were also tested with the long electrode method and were shown to have the least favourable target properties, including the position of the reconstructed plume relative to the known plume and the intensity of false positive targets. The poor performance of the pole‐dipole and dipole‐dipole arrays was attributed to an inexhaustive and non‐optimal coverage of data at key electrodes, as well as an increased noise for electrode combinations with high geometric factors. However, when comparing the model resolution matrix among the different acquisition strategies, the pole‐dipole and dipole‐dipole arrays using long electrodes were shown to have significantly higher average and maximum values within the matrix than any pole‐pole array. The model resolution describes how well the inversion model resolves the subsurface. Given the model resolution performance of the pole‐dipole and dipole‐dipole arrays, it may be worth investing in tools to understand the optimum subset of randomly distributed electrode pairs to produce maximum performance from the inversion model.     

Fragility analysis of low‐rise masonry in‐filled reinforced concrete buildings by a coefficient‐based spectral acceleration method

This study presents a seismic fragility analysis of low‐rise masonry in‐filled (MI) reinforced concrete (RC) buildings using a proposed coefficient‐based spectral acceleration method. The coefficient‐based method, without requiring any complicated finite element analysis, is a simplified procedure for assessing the spectral acceleration demand (or capacity) of buildings subjected to earthquakes. This paper begins with a calibration of the proposed coefficient‐based method for low‐rise MI RC buildings using published experimental results obtained from shaking table tests. Spectral acceleration‐based fragility curves for low‐rise MI RC buildings under various inter‐story drift limits are then constructed using the calibrated coefficient‐based method. A comparison of the experimental and estimated results indicates that the simplified coefficient‐based method can provide good approximations of the spectral accelerations at peak loads of low‐rise MI RC buildings, if a proper set of drift‐related factors and initial fundamental periods of structures are used. Moreover, the fragility curves constructed using the coefficient‐based method can provide a satisfactory vulnerability evaluation for low‐rise MI RC buildings under a given performance level. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

An Accurate Method of Computing the Gradient of Seismic Wave Reflection Coefficients (SWRCs) for the Inversion of Stratum Parameters

The optimization inversion method based on derivatives is an important inversion technique in seismic data processing, where the key problem is how to compute the Jacobian matrix. The computational precision of the Jacobian matrix directly influences the success of the optimization inversion method. Currently, most of the AVO (amplitude versus offset) inversions are based on approximate expressions for the Zoeppritz equations to obtain the derivatives of the seismic wave reflection coefficients (SWRCs) with respect to the stratum parameters. As a result, the computational precision and range of applications of these AVO inversions are restricted undesirably. In order to improve the computational precision and to extend the range of applications of AVO inversions, the partial derivative equations of the Zoeppritz equations are established, with respect to the ratios of wave velocities and medium densities. By solving the partial derivative equations of the Zoeppritz equations accurately, we obtained the partial derivative of SWRCs with respect to the ratios of seismic wave velocities and medium densities. With the help of the chain rule for derivatives, the gradient of the SWRCs can be accurately computed. To better understand the behavior of the gradient of the SWRCs, we plotted the partial derivative curves of the SWRCs, analyzed the characteristics of these curves, and gained some new insight into the derivatives. Because only a linear system of equations is solved in our method without adding any new restrictions, the new computational method has both high precision and a quick running speed; it is not only suitable for small incident angles and weak reflection seismic waves but also for large incident angles and strong reflection seismic waves. With the theoretical foundations established in the article, we can further study inversion problems for layered stratum structures and we can further improve the computational speed and precision of the inversions.     

2008年汶川地震后的三次强余震地表峰值加速度衰减场研究

利用甘肃省强震动台站获取的2008年汶川地震后的三次强余震记录资料,分别研究了在甘肃南部地区的地表自由场加速度衰减场,认为地震引起的地表峰值加速度(PGA)随震中距的衰减基本都遵从幂指数规律,衰减的形式基本相同,但是三次强余震的衰减指数之间也存在着一定的差异.因此要得到陇南地区的中强地震动衰减的普遍规律,尚需做进一步的研究.     

不规则框架结构的组合隔震反应分析

为研究不规则框架隔震结构的地震反应,分别对一个传统抗震结构、一个铅芯叠层橡胶支座隔震结构和四个组合隔震结构(隔震层由铅芯支座和滑板支座组成)进行了弹塑性地震反应时程分析,研究隔震支座参数对隔震效果的影响。结果表明:采用组合隔震技术时,合理选择隔震层的铅芯支座布置位置、滑板支座的摩擦系数和铅芯叠层橡胶支座的型号,可以有效地降低上部结构的扭转效应;对于不规则的建筑隔震结构,为减小地面运动带来的扭转效应,建议采用由铅芯支座和滑板支座组合而成的隔震层,可对上部结构的扭转起到很好的抑制作用。     

丹徒苏18井水位微动态特征

根据井区区域地质构造及水文地质环境,研究丹徒苏18井的水位动态特征,着重分析气压、固体潮、降雨荷载效应与水位变化的关系。因近年井区周边观测环境有所改变,进而探讨环境改变后降雨荷载对水位观测产生的影响。     

YRY-4型钻孔应变观测抽水影响分析

分析泰安基准地震台YRY-4型钻孔应变仪仪器受不同位置抽水的影响,就地下岩石含水变化所产生的地形变干扰,简要分析地下水与地下岩石间的相互作用。这对地震前兆的研究有重要实用意义。     

数据格式的Excel实现

各种定位程序要求的基本输入文件一般为纯文本格式,数据格式整理相当烦琐,通过Excel可以实现数据格式正确快速的转换,以简化工作量,提高工作效率。     

太原地震台水位异常分析

针对太原地震台晋7-1井近年来水位大幅上升情况,进行资料收集和干扰因素分析,结果发现：2009年7月以来的井水位回升,与关闭小煤窑、汾河清水复流工程、关井压采、大量引用黄河水有直接关系。     

唐山老震区地震活动特征

整理校正唐山长时间地震序列数据,用基于时空ETAS模型的随机除丛法,分析1976年唐山长时间地震序列的活动特点,发现唐山老震区1992年后进入余震活动的晚期阶段,目前地震活动未完全恢复到背景地震的水平。用频度和应变能两种不同的异常指标分析唐山老震区作为“余震窗口”对中强震的指示意义,发现唐山余震窗口的早期阶段（1980-1986年）,频次作异常指标映震效果较好,晚期阶段（1992-2010年）,应变能作为异常指标映震效果更好。