Seismic energy dissipation for cable-stayed bridges using passive devices

This study assesses analytically the effectiveness, feasibility and limitations of elastic and hysteretic damping augmentation devices, such as elastomeric and lead–rubber bearings, with respect to the dynamic and seismic performance of cable-stayed bridges. This type of bridge, which has relatively greater flexibility, is more susceptible to undesirable vibrations due to service and environmental loadings than are conventional bridges. Therefore, damping is a very important property. Supplementary damping devices based on the plastic deformation of lead and steel are proposed at critical zones, such as the deck–abutment and deck–tower connections, to concentrate hysteretic behaviour in these specially designed energy absorbers. Inelastic behaviour in primary structural elements of the bridge can therefore be avoided, assuring the serviceability of these cable-supported bridges. Analytically, three-dimensional modelling is developed for the bridge and the damping devices, including the bridge geometrical large-displacement non-linearity and the local material and geometric non-linearities of the energy dissipation devices. The effects of various modelling and design parameters of the bridge response are also studied, including the properties, modelling accuracy and location of the devices along the bridge superstructure. It is shown that an optimum model of the seismic performance of the bridges with these passive control devices can be obtained by balancing the reduction in forces along the bridge against tolerable displacements. Appropriate locations and hysteretic energy dissipation properties of the devices can achieve a significant reduction in seismic-induced forces, as compared to the case with no dampers added, and relatively better control of displacements. In addition, proper selection of the location of the passive control systems can help redistribute forces along the structure which may provide solutions for retrofitting some existing bridges. However, caution should be exercised in simulating the device response for a reliable bridge structural performance. Moreover, while seismic response of the bridge can be significantly improved with added dampers, their degree of effectiveness also depends on the energy absorption characteristics of the dampers.     

Coal resources of the Sonda coal field, Sindh Province, Pakistan

Approximately 4.7 billion t of original coal resources, ranging from lignite A to subbituminous C in rank, are estimated to be present in the Sonda coal field. These resources occur in 10 coal zones in the Bara Formation of Paleocene age. The Bara Formation does not out crop in the area covered by this report. Thin discontinuous coal beds also occur in the Sonhari Member of the Laki Formation, of Paleocene and Eocene age, but they are unimportant as a resource of the Sonda coal field.The coal resource assessment was based on 56 exploratory drill holes that were completed in the Sonda field between April 1986 and February 1988. The Sonda coal field is split into two, roughly equal, areas by the southwestward flowing Indus River, a major barrier to the logistics of communications between the two halves. As a result the two halves, called the Sonda East and Sonda West areas, were evaluated at different times by slightlydifferent techniques; but, because the geology is consistent between the two areas, the results of both evaluations have been summarized in this report. The resource estimates for the Sonda East area, approximately 1,700 million t, were based on the thickest coal bed in each zone at each drill hole. This method gives a conservative estimate of the total amount of coal in the Sonda East area. The resource estimates for the Sonda West area, approximately 3,000 million t, were based on cumulative coal bed thicknesses within each coal zone, resulting in a more liberal estimate. In both cases, minimum parameters for qualifying coal were a thickness of 30 cm or greater and no more than 50% ash; partings thicker than 1 cm were excluded. The three most important coal zones in the Sonda field are the Inayatabad, the Middle Sonda and the Lower Sonda. Together, these three coal zones contain 50% of the total resources. Isopachs were constructed for the thickest coal beds in these three coal zones and indicate large variations in thickness over relatively small distances. Coal beds in the Sonda coal field were difficult to correlate because of poor core recovery in some intervals and abrupt lateral thinning and thickening. Most coal zones are separated by 5–10 m of interburden, although in some places the interburden between zones is over 100 m thick. More closely spaced drill holes should clarify and significantly improve coal zone correlations in the Bara Formation.Coal resources in the Sonda coal field were calculated for three reliability categories; measured, indicated, and inferred. The most reliable estimates are those for the measured category. Measured coal resources are approximately 91 million t, or about 2% of the total resource; indicated resources are 681 million t, or about 14% of the total; and inferred resources, the least reliable resource category, are 3,931 million t, or 84% of the total resources. The distribution of resources by reliability category is due to the relatively wide spacing (approximately 5 km) between core holes.Analyses of 90 coal samples, on an as-received basis, indicate average ash and sulfur contents of 13.7% and 3.6%, respectively, and a range in rank from lignite A to subbituminous C. Calorific values for these samples range from 6,000 to 8,000 Btu/lb (1 Btu = 1055J; 1 lb = 4536 kg).     

The geology of J. Qeili igneous complex,Central Sudan

The J. Qeili complex constitutes a Younger Granite shallow-level igneous intrusion emplaced by cauldron subsidence into the Butana green-schists presumably during Ordovician times. The complex is oval in plan and consists of several plugs of syenite and granite associated with early, minor amounts of gabbro, dolerite and rhyolite lava which could have been derived from a related magma. The complex shows a rather uniform alkaline character.

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Zusammenfassung Der J. Qeili-Komplex stellt eine flache magmatische Intrusion dar, die vermutlich während des Ordoviziums durch einen Kesseleinbruch in die Butana-Grünschiefer eindrang und die zum jüngeren Granit gehört. Der Komplex ist oval und besteht aus mehreren Syenit- und Granitpfropfen in Verbindung mit frühen, geringen Mengen Gabbro-, Dolerit- und Rhyolit-Lava, die von entsprechenden Magmen stammen könnten. Der Komplex zeigt ziemlich einheitlichen alkalischen Charakter.

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Résumé Le complexe du Jebel Qeili constitue une intrusion de «granite jeune» — younger granite des auteurs anglo-saxons — mise en place dans les schistes verts du Butana à la suite d'un effondrement en cloche d'une masse rocheuse, probablement pendant l'Ordovicien. Le complexe est oval en plan et comprend plusieurs affleurements de syénite et de granite associés avec de petites masses de gabbro, dolérite et rhyolite qui proviennent d'un magma qui pourrait Être lié au magma ayant donné les granites et les syénites. Le complexe du Jebel Qeili montre un caractère alcalin assez constant.

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Discovery of the largest impact crater field on Earth in the Gilf Kebir region, Egypt

Using orbital imaging radar, we have detected a large number of circular structures in the southwestern Egyptian desert, covering more than 4500 km² close to the Gilf Kebir plateau in sandstones of Upper Cretaceous. Fieldwork confirmed that it is a new impact crater field: 13 craters from 20 m to 1 km in diameter were studied. The impact origin is confirmed by the observation of shock-related structures, such as shatter cones and planar fractures in quartz grains of breccia. Considering the extension of the crater field, it was possibly created by several meteorites that broke up when entering the atmosphere. To cite this article: P. Paillou et al., C. R. Geoscience 336 (2004).

Résumé

À partir d'images satellites issues de systèmes radar, nous avons détecté un grand nombre de structures circulaires dans le Sud-Ouest du désert égyptien, s'étendant sur plus de 4500 km² à l'est du plateau du Gilf Kebir, dans des grès du Crétacé supérieur. Une étude sur le terrain a permis de vérifier qu'il s'agit d'un champ d'impacts météoritiques jusque là inconnu : 13 structures, d'un diamètre compris entre 20 m et 1 km, ont été reconnues comme cratères d'impact. La présence d'un grand nombre de cônes de percussion et de brèches dans lesquelles des quartz choqués à structures planaires ont été observés confirment l'hypothèse de l'impact. Considérant l'extension du champ d'impact, il a probablement été créé par plusieurs météorites qui se sont fragmentées dans l'atmosphère terrestre. Pour citer cet article : P. Paillou et al., C. R. Geoscience 336 (2004).     

Assessment of crushed shales for use as compacted landfill liners

The possibility of using crushed shales as landfill liners is investigated in this study. Two types of shales were studied by performing the following laboratory tests: hydraulic conductivity, compaction, swelling, consolidation, X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscope (SEM) and chemical analysis. For both compacted shales, the hydraulic conductivity was in order of 10^− 7 cm/s or less which satisfies the specifications for landfill liners. The results of XRD and SEM support the low values of the hydraulic conductivity. Because of the dominant presence of low-activity kaolinite, there was no significant change in the hydraulic conductivity when the compacted shales are exposed to calcium chloride solution. The compressibility of the compacted clay was low and no serious post-construction settlement is expected. The shear strength of the compacted shales was within the usual expected range for earthen liners and, therefore, should pose no challenges with respect to shear strength. The crushed shales also satisfy the other criteria related to Atterberg limits and grain size.     

The significance of morphometric analysis for obtaining groundwater potential zones in a structurally controlled terrain

Watershed development and management plans are more important for harnessing surface water and groundwater resources in arid and semi-arid regions. To prepare a comprehensive watershed development plan, it becomes necessary to understand the topography, erosion status and drainage patterns of the region. This study was undertaken to determine the drainage characteristics of Pageru River basin using topographical maps on a scale of 1:50,000. The total area of the Pageru River basin is 480 km². It was divided into X sub-basins for analysis. The drainage patterns of the basin are dendritic and include a sixth order stream. The quantitative analysis of various aspects of a river basin drainage network characteristics reveals complex morphometric attributes. The streams of lower orders mostly dominate the basin. The development of stream segments in the basin area is more or less affected by rainfall. The elongated shape of the basin is mainly due to the guiding effect of thrusting and faulting. The erosional processes of fluvial origin have been predominately influenced by the subsurface lithology of the basin.     

2001 August earthquake swarm at Shadwan Island, Gulf of Suez, Egypt

The earthquake swarm that struck Shadwan Island at the entrance of the Gulf of Suez in 2001 August included 408 events. Almost all of these events (94 per cent) were microearthquakes and only 6 per cent had small measurable magnitudes  (5.0 > M _L≥ 3.0)  . Most of the earthquakes were weak and followed each other so closely in time that they could not be identified at more distant stations. The fault plane solutions of the strongest events of the swarm show almost identical focal mechanisms, predominately normal faulting with a significant sinistral strike-slip component for nodal planes trending NW–SE. A comparison with the mechanisms of the 1969 and 1972 events which took place 20 km north of the swarm epicentral region shows similarities in faulting type and orientation of nodal planes. The azimuths of T -axes determined from focal mechanisms in this study are oriented in the NNE–SSW direction. This direction is consistent with the present-day stress field derived from borehole breakouts in the southern Gulf of Suez and the last phase of stress field changes in the Late Pleistocene, as well as with recent GPS results.
The source parameters of the largest  ( M _L≥ 3.0)  events of the 2001 August Shadwan swarm have been estimated from the P -wave spectra of the Egyptian National Seismograph Network (ENSN). Averaging of the values obtained at different stations shows relatively similar source parameters, including a fault length of  0.65 ≤ L ≤ 2 km  , a seismic moment of  7.1 × 10¹²≤ Mo ≤ 3.0 × 10¹⁴ N m  and a stress drop of  0.4 ≤Δσ≤ 10  bar.     

Distribution of arsenic and other trace elements in the Holocene sediments of the Meghna River Delta, Bangladesh

Geochemical study of the Holocene sediments of the Meghna River Delta, Chandpur, Bangladesh was conducted to investigate the distribution of arsenic and related trace and major elements. The work carried out includes analyses of core sediments and provenance study by rare earth element (REE) analysis. Results showed that the cores pass downward from silty clays and clays into fine to medium sands. The uppermost 3 m of the core sediments are oxidized [average oxidation reduction potential (ORP) + 230 mV], and the ORP values gradually become negative with depths (−45 to −170 mV), indicating anoxic conditions prevail in the Meghna sediments. The REE patterns of all lithotypes in the study areas are similar and are comparable to the average upper continental crust. Arsenic and other trace elements (Pb, Zn, Cu, Ni, and Cr) have greater concentrations in the silts and clays compared to those in the sands. Positive correlation between As and Fe was found in the sediments, indicating As may be adsorbed on Fe oxides in aquifer sediments.     

Stratigraphy of the Middle Devonian boundary: Formal definition of the susceptibility magnetostratotype in Germany with comparisons to sections in the Czech Republic, Morocco and Spain

One major difficulty in geology is high-resolution correlation among widely separated sections, especially in the Paleozoic where magnetostratigraphy polarity is not well established because rocks are often remagnetized, where critical biostratigraphic zonation may be poor or lacking, or where structural complexities make correlations very difficult. To address this problem, we have been using magnetostratigraphy susceptibility measurements. Here, we report our work from the Middle Devonian in Europe and North Africa. The Middle Devonian (Emsian–Eifelian) global boundary stratotype section and point (GSSP), located in the Eifel Hills, western Germany, was ratified by the International Subcommission on Stratigraphy in 1985, after careful evaluation of the biostratigraphy for this and many other sections. The boundary interval has been characterized using biostratigraphy, and the beginning of the Eifelian stage has been specifically defined by the first occurrence of the conodont Polygnathus costatus partitus. We have collected the Eifel Hills section for magnetic susceptibility (MS) measurement and here we establish it as the magnetostratotype for the Emsian–Eifelian stage boundary, by formally defining the magnetostratigraphy susceptibility for the section. We then collected, measured and compared the magnetostratotype to four other sections for which conodont biostratigraphy has been studied and where P. costatus partitus is present; two Emsian–Eifelian sections in Morocco and two sections in the Czech Republic (including the Emsian–Eifelian parastratotype). Finally, we have measured the MS for the El Puerto Creek section in the Cantabrian Mountains of Spain and identified the location of the Emsian–Eifelian boundary within the section based on MS comparison to the GSSP in conjunction with excellent biostratigraphic indicators, primarily brachiopods. While the conodont zonation in the El Puerto Creek section is poorly defined, we believe that the correspondence between the MS and biostratigraphy in the section allows the identification of the Emsian–Eifelian boundary. These results indicate that this method can be successfully applied to marine sequences where ambiguities in correlation exist.