Tensional crack development in physical models with inhomogeneities under load

Summary The paper deals with a study of the mean stress field (_M) and its gradient (_M/x) in uniaxially loaded two-dimensional models of small thickness with respect to other dimensions, in which two inhomogeneities, e.g., a circular opening and a linear slit have been made. Particular attention was paid to the stress field development in the treated models durin gthe change of the mutual geometric configuration of both the inhomogeneities in question. The problem was analysed theoretically by means of Muskhelishvili's potentials of the two-dimensional theory of elasticity. To compare the results of calculations, the schlieren method was used to visualize and record the studied gradients of stress fields in physical models. The results of the calculations were calibrated by laboratory tests. In this way the individual model situations were classified from the point of view of their resistance to the applied load.     

The orthometric height and the holonomity problem

When height networks are being adjusted, many geodesists advocate the approach where the adjustment should be done by using geopotential numbers rather than the orthometric or normal heights used in practice. This is based on a conviction that neither orthometric nor normal heights can be used for the adjustment because these height systems are not holonomic, meaning–among other things–that height increments (orthometric or normal) when summed around a closed loop do not sum up to zero. If this was the case, then the two height systems could not be used in the adjustment; the non-zero loop closure would violate the basic, usually unspoken, assumption behind the adjustment, namely that the model claiming that height differences are observable is correct. In this paper, we prove in several different ways that orthometric and normal heights are theoretically just as holonomic as the geopotential numbers are, when they are obtained from levelled height differences using actual gravity values. This disposes of the argument that geopotential numbers should be used in the adjustment. Both orthometric and normal heights are equally qualified to be used in the adjustment directly.     

Signal and noise in S.L.R. data

The problem of judging on model deficiency in S.L.R. data treatment is considered. In particular the correlation analysis of residuals of adjusted orbits is used to show the presence of unmodelled signals. This analysis seems suitable at least for a proper preprocessing of S.L.R. data, in the sense of being an efficient procedure of outliers rejection.     

Finite covariance functions

Because of the full covariance matrices and the computer storage limitations the number of measurements which can be handled by the collocation method simultaneously, is limited. This paper presents a method to compute covariance functions with a finite support yielding sparse covariance matrices. The theoretical background is pointed out and, for the one- and two-dimensional case, special functions are developed which can be combined with the usually used covariance functions to get a “finite covariance function”. Simulated examples to demonstrate the behaviour of different solution methods to solve these special, sparse covariance matrices supplement our investigations.     

Further remarks on the altimetry-gravimetry problems

The two Altimetry-Gravimetry linearized boundary value problems, both characterized by gravity anomaly boundary data on the continents, while on the oceans either the gravity potential or its radial derivative is assumed to be known, are investigated in their modified version, in the spherical boundary approximation. A constant unknown bias is added to the data set on the oceans, while a vanishing zerodegree harmonic component is assumed as additional constraint. Existence, uniqueness and regularity results are obtained, it is proved that, in order to obtain regularization of the solution, not only regular data must be imposed, on the continents and on the oceans, but suitable constraints on the coast line are needed.