Blind prediction of in-plane and out-of-plane responses for a thin singly reinforced concrete flanged wall specimen

This paper describes the blind prediction carried out to simulate the response of a thin reinforced concrete wall tested under uni-directional (in-plane) quasi-static reverse cyclic loading. The specimen was a singly reinforced T-shaped wall panel with a shear-span ratio of 3.7. The response of the test specimen was simulated prior to the release of test results using a finite element model which had already been verified for its capabilities in capturing different failure patterns of rectangular walls, particularly out-of-plane instability. The numerical model predicted a flexural dominated response for the specimen accompanied by considerable out-of-plane deformations. The blind prediction report, submitted in advance to the principal investigator of the experimental campaign, included lateral load-top displacement response of the specimen, maximum out-of-plane deformation corresponding to each drift level, evolution of out-of-plane displacements throughout in-plane loading, response of the longitudinal reinforcement at the section exhibiting the maximum out-of-plane deformation, and von Mises as well as reinforcement stress distribution at some key points of the wall response. Furthermore, a parametric study was carried out addressing the effects of shear-span ratio, reinforcement eccentricity and axial load ratio on the wall response. Results of the numerical simulation that had been included in the blind prediction report have been compared with the experimental measurements indicating that the evolution of the out-of-plane deformation was well captured by the model.     

A three-dimensional drift pushover method for unsymmetrical plan buildings

The drift pushover analysis method for tall and regular buildings is extended in this paper to the third dimension. The focus of study is on the structures with important torsional response. For this purpose, 10, 15, 20 and 30-story steel moment frame buildings having unsymmetrical plans with 5–30% eccentricity ratios are studied. For evaluation of accuracy, nonlinear dynamic response of the buildings is determined under a consistent suit of earthquake ground motions. The maxima of the story drifts and shears and cumulative plastic hinge rotations of stories are calculated under the ground motions and their averages along with those of the modal pushover procedure are compared with the results of the presented method. The comparative analysis establishes the good accuracy of the three dimensional drift pushover method.     

Smoothed response spectra including soil-structure interaction effects

Elastic response spectra that take into account the effects of soil-structure interaction on soft soils are developed. The response spectra are calculated utilizing a 3 DOF system including deformations of the superstructure and foundation. The equations of motion of the system are solved using direct integration under normalized earthquake records. Statistical processing of the results is implemented resulting in response spectra for "short and dense buildings with low interaction", "short and dense buildings with high interaction", "tall and light buildings with low interaction" and "tall and light buildings with high interaction". The resulting response spectra are smoothed and discussed.     

Structural Model Updating of Jacket Platform by Control Theory Using Vibration Measurement Approach

The identification of variations in the dynamic behavior of structures is an important subject in structural integrity assessment.Improvement and servicing of offshore platforms in the marine environment with constant changing,requires understanding the real behavior of these structures to prevent possible failure.In this work,empirical and numerical models of jacket structure are investigated.A test on experimental modal analysis is accomplished to acquire the response of structure and a mathematical model of the jacket structure is also performed.Then,based on the control theory using developed reduction system,the matrices of the platform model is calibrated and updated.The current methodology can be applied to prepare the finite element model to be more adaptable to the empirical model.Calibrated results with the proposed approach in this paper are very close to those of the actual model and also this technique leads to a reduction in the amount of calculations and expenses.The research clearly confirms that the dynamic behavior of fixed marine structures should be designed and assessed considering the calibrated analytical models for the safety of these structures.     

动态古地貌再造: Badlands软件在盆地分析中的应用*

近几年来的研究发现,当存在较强的构造活动时,古地理特征变化将会加快,而常规方法很难对这一构造活动过程中的古地理和古地貌进行有效的恢复和研究。Basin and Landscape Dynamics(Badlands)软件正是基于前人的研究工作而开发的一款数值模拟软件,用于模拟各种空间和时间尺度的地貌演化。它可用于研究地表演化过程、预测侵蚀和沉积速率并评估沉积物通量,从而实现对古地理和古地貌进行更为精细化的研究。笔者介绍了Badlands软件的基本原理和方法,并将此方法应用于东海陆架盆地南部中生代地貌及地质演化过程的研究: 首先利用研究区域内现有的地震剖面、测井、平衡剖面等资料获得中生代早期的古地形;再通过恢复的古地形构建数值模型,并加载降雨量、岩石侵蚀性、海平面变化、动力地形调整和地壳弹性层厚度等相关参数进行模拟研究,以分析强烈的构造运动对盆地地貌演化的影响;最后对比模拟结果与已知的中生代的地貌特征和沉积分布,并据此进一步分析中生代盆地演化过程中的沉积物分布规律以及三维古地理和古地貌演化特征。该方法可以为沉积盆地充填过程分析和能源矿产勘探提供有益的思路。     

Coastal management in the Persian Gulf region within the framework of the ROPME programme of action

Persian Gulf is a semi-enclosed sea located in the Middle East and is connected to oceans through the narrow 55-km Strait of Hormuz. The Persian Gulf holds an estimated 57–66% of the world's known reserves of oil. The occurrence of three major battles in the Gulf region during the past three decades has created an atmosphere of commotion and uncertainty. Because of its marine geology, geographical location, and geopolitical sensitivity, coastal management in the Gulf region cannot be considered independently of its vast oil and natural gas reserves and environmentally related matters. The Regional Organization for Protection of Marine Environment (ROPME) forum was established in Kuwait in 1979 and quickly ratified by seven new member states (Bahrain, Iran, Iraq, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates). Rapid growth of ROPME and shared coastal and marine environmental issues among littoral States have resulted in numerous successful plans laying the basis for future coastal management and development in the Persian Gulf region.Different plans were investigated to reach sustainable coastal management and environmental pollution prevention programmes in the Persian Gulf region and it was concluded that such plans could only be implemented when littoral states prioritize the management schemes in the Persian Gulf region and incorporate them into their own national legislation.Similar to many Regional Sea Programmes, ROPME has faced many drawbacks since its inception. Military conflicts, poor enforcement of protocols, lack of adequate coordination, disharmony among littoral states and lack of sufficient funding have put many coastal management programmes on hold.Demilitarization, enforcement of ROPME resolutions, and implementation of long-term economical growth planning are all part of an integrated coastal management programme that can bring about significant changes in the Persian Gulf area. Despite all existing differences and difficulties, many important tasks have been accomplished in the past two decades. Coastal management issues have been analyzed and well documented by ROPME. With the existing situation in the Gulf region, ROPME can effectively coordinate and implement the following tasks: monitor water quality and coastal habitat, develop and implement a comprehensive pollution prevention scheme, educate the public in terms of coastal preservation, train technical staff, put in place an effective pollution prevention and waste management programme, and establish the basis for an integrated regional coastal zone management plan.     

Preserving spatial linear correlations between neighboring stations in simulating daily precipitation using extended Markov models

Most stochastic weather generators have their focus on precipitation because it is the most important variable affecting environmental processes. One of the methods to reproduce the precipitation occurrence time series is to use a Markov process. But, in addition to the simulation of short-term autocorrelations in one station, it is sometimes important to preserve the spatial linear correlations (SLC) between neighboring stations as well. In this research, an extension of one-site Markov models was proposed to preserve the SLC between neighboring stations. Qazvin station was utilized as the reference station and Takestan (TK), Magsal, Nirougah, and Taleghan stations were used as the target stations. The performances of different models were assessed in relation to the simulation of dry and wet spells and short-term dependencies in precipitation time series. The results revealed that in TK station, a Markov model with a first-order spatial model could be selected as the best model, while in the other stations, a model with the order of two or three could be selected. The selected (i.e., best) models were assessed in relation to preserving the SLC between neighboring stations. The results depicted that these models were very capable in preserving the SLC between the reference station and any of the target stations. But, their performances were weaker when the SLC between the other stations were compared. In order to resolve this issue, spatially correlated random numbers were utilized instead of independent random numbers while generating synthetic time series using the Markov models. Although this method slightly reduced the model performances in relation to dry and wet spells and short-term dependencies, the improvements related to the simulation of the SLC between the other stations were substantial.     

A multiple-point statistics algorithm for 3D pore space reconstruction from 2D images

Fluid flow behavior in a porous medium is a function of the geometry and topology of its pore space. The construction of a three dimensional pore space model of a porous medium is therefore an important first step in characterizing the medium and predicting its flow properties. A stochastic technique for reconstruction of the 3D pore structure of unstructured random porous media from a 2D thin section training image is presented. The proposed technique relies on successive 2D multiple point statistics simulations coupled to a multi-scale conditioning data extraction procedure. The Single Normal Equation Simulation Algorithm (SNESIM), originally developed as a tool for reproduction of long-range, curvilinear features of geological structures, serves as the simulation engine. Various validating criteria such as marginal distributions of pore and grain, directional variograms, multiple-point connectivity curves, single phase effective permeability and two phase relative permeability calculations are used to analyze the results. The method is tested on a sample of Berea sandstone for which a 3D micro-CT scanning image is available. The results confirm that the equi-probable 3D realizations obtained preserve the typical patterns of the pore space that exist in thin sections, reproduce the long-range connectivities, capture the characteristics of anisotropy in both horizontal and vertical directions and have single and two phase flow characteristics consistent with those of the measured 3D micro-CT image.     

Platinum‐Group Elements Geochemistry and Chromian Spinel Composition in Podiform Chromitites and Associated Peridotites from the Cheshmeh‐Bid Deposit,Neyriz, Southern Iran: Implications for Geotectonic Setting

Dunite and serpentinized harzburgite in the Cheshmeh-Bid area, northwest of the Neyriz ophiolite in Iran, host podiform chromitite that occur as schlieren-type, tabular and aligned massive lenses of various sizes. The most important chromitite ore textures in the Cheshmeh-Bid deposit are massive, nodular and disseminated. Massive chromitite, dunite, and harzburgite host rocks were analyzed for trace and platinum-group elements geochemistry. Chromian spinel in chromitite is characterized by high Cr~#(0.72-0.78), high Mg~#(0.62–0.68) and low TiO_2(0.12 wt%-0.2 wt%) content. These data are similar to those of chromitites deposited from high degrees of mantle partial melting. The Cr~# of chromian spinel ranges from 0.73 to 0.8 in dunite, similar to the high-Cr chromitite, whereas it ranges from 0.56 to 0.65 in harzburgite. The calculated melt composition of the high-Cr chromitites of the Cheshmeh-Bid is 11.53 wt%–12.94 wt% Al_2O_3, 0.21 wt%–0.33 wt% TiO_2 with FeO/MgO ratios of 0.69-0.97, which are interpreted as more refractory melts akin to boninitic compositions. The total PGE content of the Cheshmeh-Bid chromitite, dunite and harzburgite are very low(average of 220.4, 34.5 and 47.3 ppb, respectively). The Pd/Ir ratio, which is an indicator of PGE fractionation, is very low(0.05–0.18) in the Cheshmeh-Bid chromitites and show that these rocks derived from a depleted mantle. The chromitites are characterized by high-Cr~#, low Pd + Pt(4–14 ppb) and high IPGE/PPGE ratios(8.2–22.25), resulting in a general negatively patterns, suggesting a high-degree of partial melting is responsible for the formation of the Cheshmeh-Bid chromitites. Therefore parent magma probably experiences a very low fractionation and was derived by an increasing partial melting. These geochemical characteristics show that the Cheshmeh-Bid chromitites have been probably derived from a boninitic melts in a supra-subduction setting that reacted with depleted peridotites. The high-Cr chromitite has relatively uniform mantle-normalized PGE patterns, with a steep slope, positive Ru and negative Pt, Pd anomalies, and enrichment of PGE relative to the chondrite. The dunite(total PGE = 47.25 ppb) and harzburgite(total PGE =3 4.5 ppb) are highly depleted in PGE and show slightly positive slopes PGE spidergrams, accompanied by a small positive Ru, Pt and Pd anomalies and their Pdn/Irn ratio ranges between 1.55–1.7 and 1.36-1.94, respectively. Trace element contents of the Cheshmeh-Bid chromitites, such as Ga, V, Zn, Co, Ni, and Mn, are low and vary between 13–26, 466–842, 22-84, 115–179, 826–-1210, and 697–1136 ppm, respectively. These contents are compatible with other boninitic chromitites worldwide. The chromian spinel and bulk PGE geochemistry for the Cheshmeh-Bid chromitites suggest that high-Cr chromitites were generated from Cr-rich and, Ti-and Al-poor boninitic melts, most probably in a fore-arc tectonic setting related with a supra-subduction zone, similarly to other ophiolites in the outer Zagros ophiolitic belt.