Non‐uniqueness of critical state line in compression and extension conditions

Experimental evidence has indicated that the critical state line determined from undrained compression tests is not identical to that determined from undrained extension tests. The purpose of this paper is to investigate a modelling method that accounts for the non‐uniqueness of critical state lines in the compression and the extension testing conditions. Conventional elastic–plastic cap models can predict only a unique critical state line for the compression and the extension tests. A new micromechanical stress–strain model is developed considering explicitly the location of critical state line. The model is then used to simulate undrained triaxial compression and extension tests performed on isotropically consolidated samples with different over‐consolidated ratios. The predictions are compared with experimental results as well as that predicted by models with kinematic hardening of yield surface. All simulations demonstrate that the proposed micromechanical approach is capable of modelling the undrained compression and the undrained extension tests. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Wavelet analysis of satellite images for coastal watch

The two-dimensional wavelet transform is a very efficient bandpass filter, which can be used to separate various scales of processes and show their relative phase/location. In this paper, algorithms and techniques for automated detection and tracking of mesoscale features from satellite imagery employing wavelet analysis are developed. The wavelet transform has been applied to satellite images, such as those from synthetic aperture radar (SAR), advanced very-high-resolution radiometer (AVHRR), and coastal zone color scanner (CZCS) for feature extraction. The evolution of mesoscale features such as oil slicks, fronts, eddies, and ship wakes can be tracked by the wavelet analysis using satellite data from repeating paths. Several examples of the wavelet analysis applied to various satellite images demonstrate the feasibility of this technique for coastal monitoring     

The fractal geometry of the surface ruptures of the 1999 Chi-Chi earthquake, Taiwan

The 1999 September 20 Chi-Chi earthquake is the largest seismic event which occurred in the island during the twentieth century. Available seismic data relative to this earthquake are of high quality, and surface ruptures identified as features associated to the Chelungpu fault can be clearly observed at the surface and precisely mapped. We calculated the fractal dimension ( D ) and b value of Gutenberg–Richter law for 6-month aftershocks of the Chi-Chi earthquake for the fault area, and find that the surface ruptures exhibit self-similar geometry only within specific ruler intervals. The D values of the surface ruptures reflect the fault slip and geometry at depth. More importantly, the small-size aftershocks seem more likely to occur within high D value and high b value areas, whereas small D value and small b value areas have a high potential for medium- and large-size aftershocks.     

内蒙古复杂地区地震勘探找煤效果

内蒙古新上海庙地区是煤田地质勘探的空白区，其地表为干旱、半干旱沙漠及黄土覆盖，属地震条件复杂地区。本次勘探在“三边”工作基础上，优化地震工程设计，共布设地震测线16条。经充分实验，确定了激发参数及接收参数。根据勘探区地震地质条件横向变化大的特点，在处理中始终以三高为中心，以静校正、反褶积为重点，选择最佳处理流程及参数，基本控制了区内主要可采煤层赋存情况，并否定了原断距1700m的区域大断层一沙葱沟断层。     

Modification of the loop current warm core eddy by Hurricane Gilbert (1988)

Numerical investigation of Hurricane Gilbert (1988) effect on the Loop Current warm core eddy (WCE) in the Gulf of Mexico is performed using the Modular Ocean Model version 2 (MOM2). Results show that the storm-induced maximum sea surface temperature (SST) decrease in Gilbert’s wake is over 2.5°C, as compared with the 3.5°C cooling in the absence of the WCE. The near-inertial oscillation in the wake reduces significantly in an along-track direction with the presence of the WCE. This effect is also reflected between the mixed layer and the thermocline, where the current directions are reversed with the upper layer. After two inertial periods (IP), the current reversal is much less obvious. In addition, it is demonstrated that Hurricane Gilbert wind stress increases the current speed of the WCE by approximate 133%. With the forcing of Gilbert, the simulated translation direction and speed of the WCE towards the Mexican coast are closer to the observed (42% more accurate in distance and 78% more accurate in direction) compared with the simulation without the Gilbert forcing. The simulated ocean response to Gilbert generally agrees with the recent observations in Hurricane Fabian.     

Improving resolution of gravity data with wavelet analysis and spectral method

Gravity data are the results of gravity force field interaction from all the underground sources. The objects of detection are always submerged in the background field, and thus one of the crucial problems for gravity data interpretation is how to improve the resolution of observed information. The wavelet transform operator has recently been introduced into the domain fields both as a filter and as a powerful source analysis tool. This paper studied the effects of improving resolution of gravity data with wavelet analysis and spectral method, and revealed the geometric characteristics of density heterogeneities described by simple shaped sources. First, the basic theory of the multiscale wavelet analysis and its lifting scheme and spectral method were introduced. With the experimental study on forward simulation of anomalies given by the superposition of six objects and measured data in Songliao plain, Northeast China, the shape, size and depth of the buried objects were estimated in the study. Also, the results were compared with those obtained by conventional techniques, which demonstrated that this method greatly improves the resolution of gravity anomalies. Translated from Progress in Geophysics, 2007, 22(1): 112–120 [译自: 地球物理学进展]     

Experimental verification of a wireless sensing and control system for structural control using MR dampers

The performance aspects of a wireless ‘active’ sensor, including the reliability of the wireless communication channel for real‐time data delivery and its application to feedback structural control, are explored in this study. First, the control of magnetorheological (MR) dampers using wireless sensors is examined. Second, the application of the MR‐damper to actively control a half‐scale three‐storey steel building excited at its base by shaking table is studied using a wireless control system assembled from wireless active sensors. With an MR damper installed on each floor (three dampers total), structural responses during seismic excitation are measured by the system's wireless active sensors and wirelessly communicated to each other; upon receipt of response data, the wireless sensor interfaced to each MR damper calculates a desired control action using an LQG controller implemented in the wireless sensor's computational core. In this system, the wireless active sensor is responsible for the reception of response data, determination of optimal control forces, and the issuing of command signals to the MR damper. Various control solutions are formulated in this study and embedded in the wireless control system including centralized and decentralized control algorithms. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Analysis of the spectral response of flourishing-withering vegetation changes based on ground spectral measurements

A structural mode was used to characterize vegetation composition at the plant leaf level and a flourishing-withering ratio was developed. The spectral responses of vegetation with different flourishing-withering ratios were analyzed, the change rates of the chlorophyll and moisture content indices of vegetation with different flourishing-withering ratios were compared, and correlations between the chlorophyll and moisture content indices were analyzed. The results reveal that leaves with an intermediate flourishing-withering ratio can increase the absorption signatures of vegetation and that band ranges of 570–700 nm and 1300–1540 nm can play a role in indicating changes in the flourishing-withering ratios of vegetation; NPQI, NPCI, R₆₉₅/R₄₂₀, R₆₉₅/R₇₆₀, R₇₅₀/R₇₀₀, the peak-value area of red selvedge, the red selvedge amplitude, the ratio between the red selvedge amplitude and the minimum amplitude, and the NDVI of vegetation change regularly with the change in flourishing-withering ratios, and these nine vegetation indices are highly related to the chlorophyll content. Vegetation indexes of NDWI and PRI are very sensitive to the flourishing-withering change in vegetation and are closely related to the moisture content, and the correlation coefficient is higher than 0.9. The derivative of the spectra is more effective in describing changes in the structural mode of vegetation with different flourishing-withering ratios, especially at band ranges of 552–628 nm and 630–686 nm, and it is more sensitive to the mixed flourishing-withering ratios of leaves rather than to the vegetation indices. The red selvedge position in the spectrum is highly related to the chlorophyll content and is not sensitive to changes in the structural mode of mixed flourishing-withering leaves. The red selvedge parameters are sensitive to changes in the flourishing-withering ratio at the peak-value area of the red selvedge amplitude and the ratio between the red selvedge amplitude and the minimum amplitude. The effect of a sand background on the spectrum of withering leaves is higher than that of flourishing leaves; the effect of a sand background increases with increasing proportions of withering leaves, the superposition effect of the sand background on mixed flourishing-withering leaves is about 7% at visible light bands of 400–700 nm and 1300–1540 nm, and is over 10% at the near infrared band range of 700–1300 nm.     

Study of cavernous underground conduits in Nam La (Northwest Vietnam) by an integrative approach

This paper presents the result of an investigation of underground conduits, which connect the swallow holes and the resurgence of a blind river in the tropical, highly karstified limestone Nam La catchment in the NW of Vietnam. The Nam La River disappears underground in several swallow holes near the outlet of the catchment. In the rainy season this results in flooding upstream of the sinkholes. A hypothesis is that the Nam La River resurges at a large cavern spring 4.5 km east of the catchment outlet. A multi-thematic study of the possible connections between the swallow holes and the resurgence was carried out to investigate the geological structure, tectonics, cave structure analysis and discharge time series. The existence of the underground conduits was also tested and proven by tracer experiments. On the basis of a lineament analysis the location of the underground conduits were predicted. A remote sensing derived lineament-length density map was used to track routes from the swallow holes to the resurgence, having the shortest length but highest lineament density. This resulted in a plan-view prediction of underground conduits that matches with the cave and fault development. The functioning of the conduits was further explained by analysing flooding records of a nearby doline, which turns out to act as a temporary storage reservoir mitigating flooding of the catchment outlet area.

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Resumen Este artículo presenta el resultado de una investigación de conductos subterráneos, los cuales conectan dolinas y la resurgencia de un río ciego en la cuenca tropical Nam La, compuesta por calizas altamente karstificadas, en el noroeste de Vietnam. El Río Nam La desaparece en el subsuelo por medio de varias dolinas cerca de la salida de la cuenca. Durante la estación lluviosa esto resulta en inundaciones aguas arriba de las dolinas. Una hipótesis es que el Río Nam La resurge en un manantial de caverna grande a 4.5 km al oriente de la salida de la cuenca. Se llevó a cabo un estudio multi-temático de las conexiones posibles entre las dolinas y la resurgencia para investigar la estructura geológica, tectónica, análisis estructural de cavernas, y series de tiempo de descarga. Se evalúa y se demuestra también la existencia de conductos subterráneos por medio de experimentos con trazadores. En base a análisis de lineamientos se predice la localización de los conductos subterráneos. Se utiliza un mapa de densidad de longitudes de lineamientos construido a partir de sensores remotos para seguir las rutas de las dolinas a la resurgencia, teniendo longitudes más cortas pero densidad de lineamientos más altas. Esto da por resultado una predicción en vista de planta de conductos subterráneos que se ajustan con el desarrollo de cavernas y fallas. El funcionamiento de los conductos se explica posteriormente mediante el análisis de registro de inundaciones de una dolina cercana la cual actúa como un reservorio de almacenamiento temporal que mitiga inundaciones en el área de salida de la cuenca.

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Résumé Cet article présente les résultats de linvestigation de conduits souterrains, qui mettent en connexion les pertes et les résurgences dune rivière souterraine dans le bassin versant de Nam La, dans une région tropicale fortement karstique du NW du Vietnam. La rivière Nam La disparaît dans le sous-sol via plusieurs pertes à proximité de lexutoire du bassin. Durant la saison des pluies, les pertes se mettent en charge et des inondations apparaissent. Une hypothèse serait que la rivière ressort 4.5 km à lEst de lexutoire du bassin, dans une grande caverne. Une étude multi-thématique visant les connexions possibles entre les pertes et les résurgences a été réalisée. Elle comprend létude de la structure géologique, la tectonique, lanalyse de la structure karstique et des chroniques de débits. Lexistence des conduits souterrains est également testée et prouvée par des essais de traçages. Sur base de lanalyse des linéaments, la localisation des conduits souterrains est prédite. Grâce à la télédétection et une cartographie de la densité et de la longueur des linéaments, on peut deviner le cheminement de leau entre les pertes et la résurgence (via le chemin le plus court et la densité de fracturation la plus importante). Il en résulte une vue en plan prédisant la localisation des conduits, qui correspond par ailleurs avec le développement des cavités et des failles. Le fonctionnement des conduits est ensuite expliqué sur base de lanalyse des chroniques de débits enregistrés à proximité dune doline, qui joue le rôle dun réservoir temporaire, mitigeant les inondations à la zone de lexutoire du bassin-versant.