Predictive instantaneous optimal control of inelastic structures during earthquakes

A new inelastic structural control algorithm is proposed by incorporating the force analogy method (FAM) with the predictive instantaneous optimal control (PIOC) algorithm. While PIOC is very effective in compensating for the time delay for elastic structures, the FAM is highly efficient in performing the inelastic analysis. Unlike conventional inelastic analysis methods of changing stiffness, the FAM analyzes structures by varying the structural displacement field, and therefore the state transition matrix needs to be computed only once. This greatly simplifies the computation and makes inelastic analysis readily applicable to the PIOC algorithm. The proposed algorithm compensates for the time delay that happens in practical control systems by predicting the inelastic structural response over a period that equals the magnitude of the time delay. A one‐story frame with both strain‐hardening and strain‐softening inelastic characteristics is analyzed using this algorithm. Results show that the proposed control algorithm is feasibile for any inelastic structures. While the control efficiency deteriorates with the increase in magnitude of the time delay, the PIOC maintains acceptable performance within a wide range of time delay magnitudes. Finally, a computer model of a six‐story moment‐resisting steel frame is analyzed to show that PIOC has good control results for real inelastic structures. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Characterisation of the 1997 Vulcanian explosions of Soufrière Hills Volcano,Montserrat, by video analysis

The activity of Convention at Montserrat Soufrière Hills Volcano, Montserrat, during the period 1995–1999 included numerous violent explosions. Two major cycles of Vulcanian explosions occurred in 1997: a first of 13 explosions between 4 and 12 August and a second of 75 between 22 September and 21 October. The explosions were short-lived events lasting a few tens of seconds during which partial fountain collapse generated pyroclastic surges and pyroclastic flows, and buoyant plumes ascended 3–15 km into the atmosphere. Each explosion discharged on average 3×10⁵ m³ (dense-rock equivalent, DRE) of magma, draining the conduit to depths of 1–2 km. The paper focuses on the first few seconds of three explosions of the 75 that occurred in September/October 1997: 6 October 1997 at 17:50, 7 October 1997 at 16:02 and 9 October 1997 at 12:32. Physical parameters such as exit velocities, magmatic water contents and magma pressures at fragmentation are estimated by following and modelling the ascent of individual momentum-dominated finger jets visible on videos during the initial stages of each explosion. The model treats each finger jet as an incompressible flow sustained by a steady flux of gas and particles during the few seconds of ascent, and produces results that compare favourably with those using a multiphase compressible code run using similar eruptive parameters. Each explosion reveals a progressive increase in eruptive intensity with time, jet exit velocities increasing from 40 m s^–1 at the beginning of the explosion up to 140 m s^–1 after a few seconds. Modelling suggests that the first magma to exit was largely degassed, whereas that discharged after a few seconds contained up to 2 wt% water. Magma overpressures up to ~10 MPa are estimated to have existed in the conduit immediately prior to each explosion. Progressive increases in jet exit velocity with time over the first few seconds of each explosion provide direct evidence for strong pre-eruptive gradients in water content and magma pressure in the upper reaches (probably 100–500 m) of the conduit. Fountain collapse occurred during the first 10–20 s of each explosion because the discharging jets had bulk densities up to 100 times that of the atmosphere and were unable to entrain enough air to become buoyant. Such high eruptive densities were due to the presence of partially degassed magma in the conduit.Editorial responsibility: A. Woods     

Indoor Radon Radioactivity at the University of Brunei Darussalam

— Indoor radon radioactivity in the rooms on the ground floor and first floor of the Physics Department, Faculty of Science, Universiti Brunei Darussalam was measured using a system that consists of an air filter pump, ZnS detector, photomultiplier tube and counter. Ground floor rooms' radon radioactivity was found to be about three times higher than that of the first floor. The maximum ground floor indoor radioactivity is only 0.39 Bqm^?3, a value relatively low and safe compared to the mean outdoor radon concentration of 1.41 Bqm^?3 measured (HU and TAN, 2000). The main source of radon emanation originates from the ground soil rather than the building materials.     

Source mechanism of the 22/11/1995 Gulf of Aqaba earthquake and its aftershock sequence

The Gulf of Aqaba earthquake occurred on 22/11/1995 with M _W = 7.2 and was the largest event to occur along the Dead Sea Transform in at least a century. We determined the source mechanism of the event based on the inversion of the P and SH waveforms observed by teleseismic stations. Our solution consists of 2 similar subevents, where the first exhibits a left-lateral strike-slip motion with a normal component and the second subevent shows an almost pure left-lateral strike-slip motion along the gulf major fault system. The total seismic moment is 7.7 × 10²⁶ dyne-cm, with source duration of 15 seconds. The aftershock sequence was recorded by the regional broad band stations BGIO and JER, of the Israel Seismic Network, and KEG, of the MEDNET regional network for earthquakeswith M _W > 4.0. Aftershock epicenter seems to cluster mainly in the Eilat basin and the Aragonese basin. The dominant mechanism indicates left-lateral strike slip motion along the gulf trend, similar to the mainshock.     

Optimum pilot sweep

The successful application of high-resolution seismic methods requires evaluating each element in the seismic system and ensuring that each part of the system contributes optimally to the success of the method. Unfortunately, unlike data processing, seismic signal generation is not carefully optimized. The purpose of our study was to optimize the source signal in order to better coordinate field operations with subsequent data processing to achieve their common objective. We developed an iterative method for a rational frequency distribution of the energy of a seismic source. The method allows the optimum amplitude spectrum of a source signal to be calculated, thus providing the best data quality at the end of the processing. We assume that the source signal is affected by a total transfer function, by the reflectivity function of a target interval, and by ambient noise, whose characteristics, if not known, can be estimated or measured in practice. The transfer function includes data processing other than the correlation stage and the final trace-optimizing filter. The variance of a reflectivity estimate is considered to be a measure of the data quality and improvement of the characteristic corresponds to a decrease in the variance. For this reason, a constrained Wiener deconvolution filter is used as the final trace-optimizing filter. It not only minimizes the variance of a reflectivity estimate but also ensures a specific signal-to-noise ratio. The method is made feasible by following the Vibroseis technique, primarily because of the versatility of the technique in controlling the signal spectrum. With the optimum amplitude spectrum obtained, the corresponding optimum pilot sweep can be readily calculated. Examples using synthetic data are presented to illustrate the method.     

A Comparison of Benzene and Toluene Plume Lengths for Sites Contaminated with Regular vs. Ethanol-Amended Gasoline

This article describes various statistical analyses of plume-length data to evaluate the hypothesis that the presence of ethanol in gasoline may hinder the natural attenuation of hydrocarbon releases. Plume dimensions were determined for gasoline-contaminated sites to evaluate the effect of ethanol on benzene and toluene plume lengths. Data from 217 sites in Iowa (without ethanol; set 1) were compared to data from 29 sites in Kansas that were contaminated by ethanol-amended gasoline (10% ethanol by volume; set 2). The data were log-normally distributed, with mean benzene plume lengths (± standard deviation) of 193 ± 135 feet for set 1 and 263 ± 103 feet for set 2 (36% longer). The median lengths were 156 feet and 263 feet (69% longer), respectively. Mean toluene plume lengths were 185± 131 feet for set 1 and 211 ±99 feet for set 2 (14% longer), and the median lengths were 158 feet and 219 feet (39% longer), respectively. Thus, ethanol-containing BTEX plumes were significantly longer for benzene (p < 0.05), but not for toluene. A Wilcoxon signed rank test showed that toluene plumes were generally shorter than benzene plumes, which suggests that toluene was attenuated to a greater extent than benzene. This trend was more pronounced for set 2 (with ethanol), which may reflect that benzene attenuation is more sensitive to the depletion of electron acceptors caused by ethanol degradation. These results support the hypothesis that the presence of ethanol in gasoline can lead to longer benzene plumes. The importance of this effect, however, is probably site-specific, largely depending on the release scenario and the available electron acceptor pool.     

In Situ Monitoring of Vapor Phase TCE Using a Chemiresistor Microchemical Sensor

A chemiresistor microchemical sensor has been developed to detect and monitor volatile organic compounds in unsaturated and saturated subsurface environments. A controlled study was conducted at the HAZMAT Spill Center at the Nevada Test Site, where the sensor was tested under a range of temperature, moisture, and trichloroethylene (TCE) concentrations. The sensor responded rapidly when exposed to TCE placed in sand, and it also responded to decreases in TCE vapor concentration when clean air was vented through the system. Variations in temperature and water vapor concentration impacted baseline chemiresistor signals, but at high TCE concentrations the sensor response was dominated by the TCE exposure. Test results showed that the detection limit of the chemiresistor to TCE vapor in the presence of fluctuating environmental variables (i.e., temperature and water vapor concentration) was on the order of 1000 parts per million by volume, which is about an order of magnitude higher than values obtained in controlled laboratory environments. Automated temperature control and preconcentration is recommended to improve the stability and sensitivity of the chemiresistor sensor.     

The role of sediment specific gravity and availability on cluster evolution

The objective of this experimental study was to account for the role of sediment availability and specific gravity on cluster formation and cluster geometric characteristics (spacing and size). To isolate the effects of sediment availability and specific gravity on cluster evolution, mono‐sized spheres were used to simulate the cluster evolutionary cycle. Overall, twelve experimental runs were carried out in the laboratory flume. Six of these tests were performed by using glass spheres (specific gravity, SG = 2·58) and the other six by employing an equal combination of glass and Teflon spheres (SG = 2·12) of the same diameter to evaluate the role of specific gravity on cluster evolution. The three sediment availability conditions that were investigated here simulated isolated gravel elements, pool–riffle sequences and densely packed gravel‐bed. An advanced image analysis technique was employed to track the evolution of cluster microforms and provide quantitative information about the size and shape of clusters and the number of clusters per unit area. The results of this study showed that: (1) sediment availability affects the architecture and size of cluster microforms; and (2) clusters consisting of mono‐sized sediments start disintegrating at twice the incipient conditions. By performing complementary tests for the isolated gravel elements case, it was found that the evolutionary cycle of individual clusters could be described as follows, in order of increasing stress: no cluster→two particle cluster→comet→triangle→rhomboid→break up. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Weathering control over geomorphology of supermature Proterozoic Delhi quartzites of India

Quartz and quartzite are thought to be resistant as a mineral and a rock respectively; however, we have shown that the presence of small amounts of pyrite in the quartzites makes them vulnerable to weathering. We observe that weathering of Proterozoic quartzite in the semi‐arid conditions around Delhi proceeded from fractures towards the inside and produced weathering rinds. The chemical index of alteration (CIA), which is actually a measure of weathering of aluminosilicate minerals, increases from the core outwards, through the rinds. Although aluminosilicate minerals occur only as minor phases (<2 per cent), their weathering indicates a movement of the weathering front from the periphery towards the core. We have suggested a coupled mechanism in which the dissolution of pyrites by moving water produced a sulphate‐bearing acidic solution and ferrous iron, which reacted with aluminosilicate minerals and quartz, respectively. This initially makes the Delhi quartzite porous and subsequently friable. The total disintegration of grain to grain contacts imparted friability to this quartzite to produce silica sand. Subsequent physical erosion of loose sand, produced during rind development in the outermost zones, has given rise to features like tors, spheroids, gullies, cavities and small‐scale caves on these quartzites. Thus, the terrain has acquired ruggedness in semi‐arid conditions. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.