Analysis of rock structure stability in coal mines

In this paper, the theory of limit point instability is used to analyse the stability of rock structures in coal mines. A general method of analysing stability of rock structures is put forward and a uniform instability condition of rock structures is set up. Some instability phenomena, such as rock bursts in circular roadways, pillars and long walls, and the outburst of coal and gas from circular roadways, are discussed analytically. At a later stage, the critical point of rock structure instability is determined. The influence of relative parameters (such as the mechanical properties of rock, coal, and the geometric sizes) on the stability of the rock structures is carefully analysed. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

对岩土工程勘察与地基设计若干问题的认识

结合国家现行勘察与设计规范，分析了岩土工程勘察与设计工作中若干易出现的问题，并提出了一些解决问题的个人看法。     

地震灾害预测和应急模拟系统的设计与应用——以永安市城市应急系统为例

城市防震减灾是地震潜在频发区提高自然灾害防治能力建设的重要方面。本文结合福建省永安市城市防震减灾信息管理系统的建设,探讨设计防震减灾数值模型,分析模型集成的关键技术,构建了地震风险评估、建筑物易损性评价、生命与财产损失估算、救援与救灾管理调度等模型和基于GIS开发的震害预测和应急模拟系统。该系统在福建省永安市的实际应用表明,通过对地震灾害预测结果的分析,可加强城市抗震中的薄弱环节,为灾区政府应急响应和制订对策提供决策支持辅助信息,从而显著提高城市防震减灾的综合能力。     

中国南极软科学研究的意义、现状与展望

本文指出中国的南极研究大多集中在自然科学,而软科学研究相对薄弱,存在着研究领域较少和研究深度不够等不足,这会制约我国在国际南极事务中的话语权、应有权益和国际地位。为了提高中国在国际南极政治和南极事务中的地位,应重视和加强南极软科学研究。文章分析了南极软科学的研究现状和存在的问题,对今后的研究方向和课题进行了展望和讨论,可供极地软科学研究者和管理层参考。     

生态城市的内涵及建设策略

生态城市是通过倡导生态理念，采用生态技术，建立生态化产业体系，从而达到社会、经济、环境的可持续发展，实现自然生态平衡、人文生态和谐的城乡统一体。从可持续发展的角度出发，利用生态学和社会学的观点，论述生态城市的内涵，提出科学的城市规划、合理的城市评价指标体系、完善的城市管理制度是实现生态城市的前提，强调只有自然生态、人文生态两手抓才能真正实现经济、社会、环境全面发展。     

Mixing of event and pre‐event water in a shallow Entisol in sloping farmland based on isotopic and hydrometric measurements,SW China

Water percolation and flow processes in subsurface geologic media play an important role in determining the water source for plants and the transport of contaminants or nutrients, which is essential for water resource management and the development of measures for pollution mitigation. During June 2013, the dynamics of the rainwater, soil water, subsurface flows and groundwater in a shallow Entisol on sloping farmland were monitored using a hydrometric and isotopic approach. The results showed that effective mixing of rainwater and soil water occurred in hours. The rebound phenomenon of δD profiles in soils showed that most isotope‐depleted rainwater largely bypassed the soil matrix when the water saturation in the soil was high. Preferential‐flow, which was the dominant water movement pattern in the vadose zone, occurred through the whole soil profile, and infrequent piston‐flow was mainly found at 20–40 cm in depth. The interflow in the soil layer, composed of 75.2% rainwater, was only generated when the soil profile had been saturated. Underflow in the fractured mudrock was the dominant flow type in this hillslope, and outflow was dominated by base flow (groundwater flow) with a mean contribution of 76.7%. The generation mechanism of underflow was groundwater ridging, which was superimposed upon preferential‐flow composed mainly of rainwater. The quick mixing process of rainwater and soil water and the rapid movement of the mixture through preferential channels in the study soil, which shows a typical bimodal pore size distribution, can explain the prompt release of pre‐event water in subsurface flow. Water sources of subsurface flows at peak discharge could be affected by the antecedent soil water content, rain characteristics and antecedent groundwater levels. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Impacts of groundwater flow on the evolution of a thermokarst lake in the permafrost–dominated region on the Qinghai–Tibet plateau

As a result of global warming induced permafrost degradation in recent decades, thermokarst lakes in the Qinghai–Tibet plateau (QTP) have been regulating local hydrological and ecological processes. Simulations with coupled moisture–heat numerical models in the Beiluhe basin (located in the hinterland of permafrost regions on the QTP) have provided insights into the interaction between groundwater flow and the freeze–thaw process. A total of 30 modified SUTRA scenarios were established to examine the effects of hydrodynamic forces, permeability, and climate on thermokarst lakes. The results indicate that the hydrodynamic condition variables regulate the permafrost degradation around the lakes. In case groundwater recharges to the lake, a low–temperature groundwater flow stimulates the expansion of the surrounding thawing regions through thermal convection. The thawing rate of the permafrost underlying the lake intensifies when groundwater is discharged from the lake. Under different permeability conditions, spatiotemporal variations in the active layer thickness significantly influence the occurrence of an open talik at the lake bottom. A warmer and wetter climate will inevitably lead to a sharp decrease in the upper limit of the surrounding permafrost, with a continual decrease in the duration of open talik events. Overall, our results underscore that comprehensive consideration of the relevant hydrologic processes is critical for improving the understanding of environmental and ecological changes in cold environments.     

Using raw regional climate model outputs for quantifying climate change impacts on hydrology

General circulation model outputs are rarely used directly for quantifying climate change impacts on hydrology, due to their coarse resolution and inherent bias. Bias correction methods are usually applied to correct the statistical deviations of climate model outputs from the observed data. However, the use of bias correction methods for impact studies is often disputable, due to the lack of physical basis and the bias nonstationarity of climate model outputs. With the improvement in model resolution and reliability, it is now possible to investigate the direct use of regional climate model (RCM) outputs for impact studies. This study proposes an approach to use RCM simulations directly for quantifying the hydrological impacts of climate change over North America. With this method, a hydrological model (HSAMI) is specifically calibrated using the RCM simulations at the recent past period. The change in hydrological regimes for a future period (2041–2065) over the reference (1971–1995), simulated using bias‐corrected and nonbias‐corrected simulations, is compared using mean flow, spring high flow, and summer–autumn low flow as indicators. Three RCMs driven by three different general circulation models are used to investigate the uncertainty of hydrological simulations associated with the choice of a bias‐corrected or nonbias‐corrected RCM simulation. The results indicate that the uncertainty envelope is generally watershed and indicator dependent. It is difficult to draw a firm conclusion about whether one method is better than the other. In other words, the bias correction method could bring further uncertainty to future hydrological simulations, in addition to uncertainty related to the choice of a bias correction method. This implies that the nonbias‐corrected results should be provided to end users along with the bias‐corrected ones, along with a detailed explanation of the bias correction procedure. This information would be especially helpful to assist end users in making the most informed decisions.     

Peatland initiation and carbon dynamics in northeast China: links to Holocene climate variability

Throughout northeast China, the widely distributed peatlands have formed a large carbon (C) pool. However, the relationship between peatland initiation and climate controls is still poorly documented and understood. Understanding the responses of these C‐rich ecosystems to past climate change will provide useful insights into projecting the fate of peatland C in the future. In this study, we present a detailed historical reconstruction of peatland development in northeast China based on 312 basal peat dates, and examine the relationship between Holocene peatland dynamics and climate sensitivity. Our results indicate that peatland initiation started in the early Holocene, and that the majority of peatlands were initiated by and developed during the late Holocene. After the most intensive initiation period of 4.2–0.8 ka, the rate of peatland development slowed, which was concomitant with decreasing insolation and monsoon intensity. The widespread peatland initiation in the late Holocene might have been caused by the cool and moist climate patterns. The optimum timing of the peatland development was not uniform across northeast China, and these spatio‐temporal differences indicate the influences of regional climate and terrain on peatland initiation. Peat‐core data show variations in the long‐term apparent rate of C accumulation (LORCA) during the Holocene, with an average rate of 37.2 g C m^?2 a^?1. The peak LORCA occurred during 10.5–9.0 ka, probably in response to higher temperatures and stronger East Asia summer monsoon intensities. Both temperature and humidity are important factors influencing the peatland initiation and C dynamics in this region.     

Numerical simulation on mining-induced water inrushes related to geologic structures using a damage-based hydromechanical model

A large number of statistics indicate that water inrush has a direct relationship with geological structures such as fault and karst collapse columns. Understanding the mechanism of water inrushes controlled by geologic structures is of vital importance for adopting effective measures to prevent their occurrence. The work begins with formulization of a damage-based hydromechanical model based on elastic damage theory. Next, the model is numerically implemented with finite element method by employing a finite element package called COMSOL Multiphysics, and is also validated against some existing experimental observations. Finally, the model is used to simulate the mining-induced groundwater inrushes when the effect of faults and karst collapse columns is considered in the numerical simulation, and some suggestive conclusions for preventing water inrushes and optimizing underground mining operations are drawn.