Application of soft computing techniques for shallow foundation reliability in geotechnical engineering

This research focuses on the application of three soft computing techniques including Minimax Probability Machine Regression(MPMR),Particle Swarm Optimization based Artificial Neural Network(ANN-PSO)and Particle Swarm Optimization based Adaptive Network Fuzzy Inference System(ANFIS-PSO)to study the shallow foundation reliability based on settlement criteria.Soil is a heterogeneous medium and the involvement of its attributes for geotechnical behaviour in soil-foundation system makes the prediction of settlement of shallow a complex engineering problem.This study explores the feasibility of soft computing techniques against the deterministic approach.The settlement of shallow foundation depends on the parametersγ(unit weight),e0(void ratio)and CC(compression index).These soil parameters are taken as input variables while the settlement of shallow foundation as output.To assess the performance of models,different performance indices i.e.RMSE,VAF,R^2,Bias Factor,MAPE,LMI,U(95),RSR,NS,RPD,etc.were used.From the analysis of results,it was found that MPMR model outperformed PSO-ANFIS and PSO-ANN.Therefore,MPMR can be used as a reliable soft computing technique for non-linear problems for settlement of shallow foundations on soils.     

Assessment of shallow landslides from Hurricane Mitch in central America using a physically based model

Shallow landslides induced by heavy rainfall events represent one of the most disastrous hazards in mountainous regions because of their high frequency and rapid mobility. Recent advancements in the availability and accessibility of remote sensing data, including topography, land cover and precipitation products, allow landslide hazard assessment to be considered at larger spatial scales. A theoretical framework for a landslide forecasting system was prototyped in this study using several remotely sensed and surface parameters. The applied physical model SLope-Infiltration-Distributed Equilibrium (SLIDE) takes into account some simplified hypotheses on water infiltration and defines a direct relation between factor of safety and the rainfall depth on an infinite slope. This prototype model is applied to a case study in Honduras during Hurricane Mitch in 1998. Two study areas were selected where a high density of shallow landslides occurred, covering approximately 1,200 km². The results were quantitatively evaluated using landslide inventory data compiled by the United States Geological Survey (USGS) following Hurricane Mitch’s landfall. The agreement between the SLIDE modeling results and landslide observations demonstrates good predictive skill and suggests that this framework could serve as a potential tool for the future early landslide warning systems. Results show that within the two study areas, the values of rates of successful estimation of slope failure locations reached as high as 78 and 75%, while the error indices were 35 and 49%. Despite positive model performance, the SLIDE model is limited by several assumptions including using general parameter calibration rather than in situ tests and neglecting geologic information. Advantages and limitations of this physically based model are discussed with respect to future applications of landslide assessment and prediction over large scales.     

倾斜基岩上的土-框架相互作用研究

倾斜基岩上的框架是山地、丘陵地区多见的一种结构形式，但以往对其抗震性能研究很少。本文利用二次开发后的ANSYS对倾斜基岩上的框架的抗震性能进行了上下部相互作用分析。在研究中发现，考虑土一结相互作用后，结构的高阶振型在地震反应中的参与程度提高；可能在结构的地震反应傅里叶谱中形成双峰；并使地震反应沿结构高度的分布不再沿直线变化，而呈锯齿状分布。由于倾斜基岩将降低土层对地震波的放大作用，但基本不改变地基的卓越频率，因此倾斜基岩将会抑制上部结构的地震反应；而倾斜基岩上结构的地震反应分布将比相应平坦基岩上结构的地震反应分布更接近直线形分布，但变化形状基本相同。     

二维视电阻率断面的快速最小二乘反演

快速最小二乘反演是以平滑限定的最小二乘方法为基础,是对二维视电阻率断面进行反演的一种方法。反演过程不需要提供初始模型,在首次迭代时使用一均匀介质地下模型作为初始模型,该模型的视电阻率偏导数值可以用解析法得到。在后面的迭代中,使用了拟牛顿法去修改每一次迭代的偏导数矩阵,避免了偏导数矩阵的直接计算,从而减少了计算时间和存储空间。同时运用牛顿矩阵校正技术解最小二乘方程组也减少了大量的计算时间。总之,该方     

Predicting tsunami arrivals: Estimates and policy implications

Tsunami is one of a few kinds of natural disasters that leave people some time for escape. This escape time, which is essentially the time for the giant wave to propagate from the epicentre to a coast, has to be estimated without delay upon the occurrence of the incident. With the advancement of water wave theories, much work has been done to model the propagation of tsunamis from deep oceans to shallow water. The authors argue that while much emphasis has been put on the expansion of the high-tech early warning system and the development of complicated tsunami models, a simple-to-use yet accurate predictive model is still wanting. This paper presents a handy linear wave model, which is capable of estimating the arrival time of a tsunami with very good accuracy, as has been verified by comparison with past incidents. With the availability of such a simple model, even local communities without access to a high-tech warning system can readily estimate the time left for emergency evacuation.     

Geology and geochemistry of the Bingdaban ophiolitic mélange in the boundary fault zone on the northern Central Tianshan Belt,and its tectonic implications

The properties and tectonic significance of the fault bound zone on the northern margin of the Central Tianshan belt are key issues to understand the tectonic framework and evolutionary history of the Tianshan Orogenic Belt. Based on the geological and geochemical studies in the Tianshan orogenic belt, it is suggested that the ophiolitic slices found in the Bingdaban area represent the remaining oceanic crust of the Early Paleozoic ocean between the Hazakstan and Zhungaer blocks. Mainly composed of basalts, gabbros and diabases, the ophiolites were overthrust onto the boundary fault between the Northern Tianshan and Central Tianshan belts. The major element geochemistry is characterized by high TiO₂ (1.50%–2.25%) and MgO (6.64%–9.35%), low K₂O (0.06%–0.41%) and P₂O₅ (0.1%–0.2%), and Na₂O>K₂O as well. Low ΣREE and depletion in LREE indicate that the original magma was derived from a depleted mantle source. Compared with a primitive mantle, the geochemistry of the basalts from the Bingdaban area is featureded by depletion in Th, U, Nb, La, Ce and Pr, and unfractionated in HFS elements. The ratios of Zr/Nb, Nb/La, Hf/Ta, Th/Yb and Hf/Th are similar to those of the typical N-MORB. It can be interpreted that the basalts in the Bingdaban area were derived from a depleted mantle source, and formed in a matured mid-oceanic ridge setting during the matured evolutionary stage of the Northern Tianshan ocean. In comparison with the basalts, the diabases from the Bingdaban area show higher contents of Al₂O₃, ΣREE and HFS elements as well as unfractionated incompatible elements except Cs, Rb and Ba, and about 10 times the values of the primitive mantle. Thus, the diabases are thought to be derived from a primitive mantle and similar to the typical E-MORB. The diabases also have slight Nb depletion accompanying no apparent Th enrichment compared with N-MORB. From studies of the regional geology and all above evidence, it can be suggested that the diabases from the Bingdaban area were formed in the mid-oceanic ridge of the Northern Tianshan ocean during the initial spreading stage. Supported by the Major State Research Program of PRC (Grant No. 2001CB409801), the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant Nos. 40472115 and 40234041) and the State Research Program of China Geological Survey (Grant No. 2001130000-22)     

基于L1范数凸二次规划方法的航空重力测量数据稀疏重构（英文）

由于受到国界、测量成本和数据规模等因素的限制,航空重力测量本质上是一种欠奈奎斯特采样方法,本文通过离散傅里叶变换分析了航空重力测量的稀疏性,提出了利用压缩感知理论实现大规模重力异常数据高精度重构的思路。基于压缩感知理论,重力异常数据重构问题可以转化为基于L1范数的凸二次规划问题,本文结合预处理共轭梯度算法,提出了一种改进的内点法来解决此问题。进一步地,我们利用自主研发的SGA-WZ型捷联式航空重力仪在中国某地区进行了航空重力测量试验。通过对试验中测得的重力异常数据进行重构,与常用的线性插值重构方法对比,结果表明:本文提出的基于压缩感知理论的新方法能够以更高的重构精度,更有效地解决大规模重力异常数据的重构问题。