Seismic design and testing of the bottom vertical boundary elements in steel plate shear walls. Part 2: experimental studies

This paper describes an experiment to investigate the seismic design and responses of the bottom column, also called the bottom vertical boundary element (VBE), in steel plate shear walls (SPSWs). The main objectives of this experiment include validating the effectiveness of the design method developed in the companion paper, investigating the experimental performance of VBEs under large interstory drifts, and calibrating analytical models for earthquake engineering of SPSWs. Three full‐scale two‐story SPSWs were cyclically tested at the Taiwan National Center for Research on Earthquake Engineering in 2011. Test results and numerical simulations confirm that the proposed design procedures are effective in predicting the plastic zone forming elevation in the lower half of the bottom VBE and the occurrence of yielding at the VBE's top end. Test results show that the premature yielding occurring at the top end of a bottom VBE would result in a deformation concentration at the bottom of SPSWs. In addition, lateral torsional buckling could take place on the bottom VBE after significant plastic rotations have developed at the top end. Test results suggest that preventing the VBE's top end from yielding is the key issue in the seismic design of SPSWs, and the proposed method can be effectively adopted to achieve this objective. Furthermore, the inelastic responses of the SPSW specimens were satisfactorily simulated by using detailed finite shell elements or simplified frame response analysis models. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Comparison of metal accumulation in the azooxanthellate scleractinian coral (Tubastraea coccinea) from different polluted environments

The response of metal accumulation in coral Tubastraea coccinea to various degrees of metal enrichment was investigated from the Yin-Yang Sea (YYS) receiving abandoned mining effluents, the Kueishan Islet (KI) hydrothermal vent field, and the nearshore area of remoted Green Island (GI). The concentrations of most dissolved metals were highest in seawater at YYS, followed by KI, and then GI, showing the effects of anthropogenic and venting inputs on metal levels. Five metals (Co, Fe, Mn, Ni, and Zn) yielded significant differences (p < 0.05) among the skeleton samples. We identified similar patterns in the metal–Ca ratios, indicating that the elevated metals in skeletons was a consequence of external inputs. The coral tissues were relatively sensitive in monitoring metal accumulation, showing significant differences among three locations for Cd, Co, Cu, Fe, Pb, Ni, and Zn. Specific bioconcentration factors provided strong support for the differential metal accumulation in skeletons and tissues.     

Total and organic mercury concentrations in the muscles of Pacific albacore (Thunnus alalunga) and bigeye tuna (Thunnus obesus)

Muscles of 115 North Pacific albacore (ALB, Thunnus alalunga) and 75 Pacific bigeye tuna (BET, Thunnus obesus), collected from 2001 to 2006, were analyzed. No ALB, but 13 large BET had organic mercury (OHg) concentrations exceeding 1 μg g⁻¹ wet weight. For both ALB and BET, total mercury (THg) and OHg concentrations were significantly and positively correlated with fork length (FL) and body weight. The muscle Hg bioaccumulation rates of BET were higher than those of ALB, particularly in the adult fish. Moreover, the lines had crossover points among the two species that imply the young BET (FL < 110 cm) contains lower muscle Hg concentrations than ALB of the same size. The suggested weekly dietary intake of ALB and small-BET meats is 340 g, and of BET meat it is 150 g for a 60-kg person based on the provisional tolerable weekly intake (PTWI) of methylmercury set by the WHO.     

浅地表地球物理技术在岩土工程中的应用与挑战

地球物理勘探方法在岩土工程的应用已有很长一段时间, 但其成效与工程师的期待往往有不小的落差, 以致于在一般的工程应用上仍不普遍.近年来浅地表地球物理技术有显着的进展, 特别是在走时速度层析成像(Traveltime Tomography)、电阻率层析成像法(Electrical Resistivity Tomography)及多道瞬态面波法(Multi-channel Analysis of Surface Wave).本文首先介绍这些方法在台湾岩土工程的应用, 主要包括地层土壤液化潜能评估、坝体的安全检测、土壤与地下水污染调查及地基改良的质量管控等, 应用案例以台湾常使用的地球物理勘探方法逐一介绍.虽然许多成功案例与新的应用方向对于浅地表地球物理技术在岩土工程应用的推广起了鼓舞作用, 本文从工程师的角度提出地球物理勘探工程大量应用的挑战与瓶颈, 包括如何提升探测数据的客观性、数据反演非唯一性问题、探测深度与分辨率的限制、实际条件违背反演基本假设的情况、以及地物性质与工程性质链接的不确定性问题, 并进一步针对这些问题说明相关研究的进展与实务对策.希冀透过上述探讨, 降低物探师与工程师认知上的差距, 提升地球物理勘探在工程的应用的合理性与普及性.     

Comparative geochemistry of platinum-group elements of nickel-copper sulfide occurrences associated with mafic-ultramafic intrusions in the Appalachian Orogen

Numerous tholeiitic mafic-ultramafic intrusions occurring in the Avalon and the Gander terranes of the Appalachian Orogen host magmatic Ni-Cu sulfide accumulations. The sulfide occurrences of the Gander terrane are depleted in the platinum-group elements (PGE). Total PGE abundances in these intrusions do not exceed several hundreds of ppb. The Mechanic intrusion occurring in the Avalon terrane, on the other hand, has PGE concentrations as high as 2400 ppb. Low PGE levels in the Gander terrane can be explained by equilibration of the immiscible sulfide melt with a low proportion of silicate magma. One possible explanation would be that the parental magmas for these intrusions were sulfur saturated before leaving their source region. An early sulfide fractionation during migration to the upper crustal levels, or immediately after entering the magma chamber is another possibility. Differences in the PGE geochemistry of the two groups can be explained by the different source region characteristics and different environments in which the magmas evolved.     

A probabilistic approach for earthquake risk assessment based on an engineering insurance portfolio

This paper presents the construction classification of the existing engineering covers in Taiwan. The exposure profile and variable vulnerability during different construction phases are established for some kinds of classes of construction. Finally, we present a method and framework to estimate the probable maximum loss of engineering insurance portfolio during an earthquake with consideration of the dynamic nature of structural changes and exposure values during a construction project.     

Palaeo-hydrogeological control on groundwater As levels in Red River delta,Vietnam

To study the geological control on groundwater As concentrations in Red River delta, depth-specific groundwater sampling and geophysical logging in 11 monitoring wells was conducted along a 45 km transect across the southern and central part of the delta, and the literature on the Red River delta’s Quaternary geological development was reviewed. The water samples (n = 30) were analyzed for As, major ions, Fe²⁺, H₂S, NH₄, CH₄, δ¹⁸O and δD, and the geophysical log suite included natural gamma-ray, formation and fluid electrical conductivity. The SW part of the transect intersects deposits of grey estuarine clays and deltaic sands in a 15–20 km wide and 50–60 m deep Holocene incised valley. The NE part of the transect consists of 60–120 m of Pleistocene yellowish alluvial deposits underneath 10–30 m of estuarine clay overlain by a 10–20 m veneer of Holocene sediments. The distribution of δ¹⁸O-values (range −12.2‰ to −6.3‰) and hydraulic head in the sample wells indicate that the estuarine clay units divide the flow system into an upper Holocene aquifer and a lower Pleistocene aquifer. The groundwater samples were all anoxic, and contained Fe²⁺ (0.03–2.0 mM), Mn (0.7–320 μM), SO₄ (<2.1 μM–0.75 mM), H₂S (<0.1–7.0 μM), NH₄ (0.03–4.4 mM), and CH₄ (0.08–14.5 mM). Generally, higher concentrations of NH₄ and CH₄ and low concentrations of SO₄ were found in the SW part of the transect, dominated by Holocene deposits, while the opposite was the case for the NE part of the transect. The distribution of the groundwater As concentration (<0.013–11.7 μM; median 0.12 μM (9 μg/L)) is related to the distribution of NH₄, CH₄ and SO₄. Low concentrations of As (?0.32 μM) were found in the Pleistocene aquifer, while the highest As concentrations were found in the Holocene aquifer. PHREEQC-2 speciation calculations indicated that Fe²⁺ and H₂S concentrations are controlled by equilibrium for disordered mackinawite and precipitation of siderite. An elevated groundwater salinity (Cl range 0.19–65.1 mM) was observed in both aquifers, and dominated in the deep aquifer. A negative correlation between aqueous As and an estimate of reduced SO₄ was observed, indicating that Fe sulphide precipitation poses a secondary control on the groundwater As concentration.     

热带地区碳酸盐岩上覆红色风化壳的成因机理及元素演化

开展热带岩溶地区红色风化壳元素地球化学演化规律研究,有助于丰富碳酸盐岩风化成土理论的认识。在越南北部选取典型的碳酸盐岩风化剖面,分析热带气候条件下碳酸盐岩上覆红色风化壳中主量元素的物质来源和演化特征。结果表明:无论Ti/Zr的元素比值分析,Hf-Zr、Nb-Ta及Sm-Nd的元素对协变分析,还是上地壳元素平均值(UCC)标准化分析,两个剖面的上覆风化壳均显示原地残积的特征,即两个剖面是碳酸盐岩的原位风化产物。碳酸盐岩风化成土过程中,CaO、MgO淋失明显,Al_2O_3和Fe_2O_3发生富集,显示两个剖面均经历较强的风化过程,但是白云岩和灰岩剖面有一定的分异特征。越南北部白云岩风化剖面从基岩到上部土层显示出稳定的Ti-Fe元素共富集特征,而灰岩剖面中Fe的增长速率明显超过Ti。白云岩上覆风化壳经历了强烈的风化作用,其脱硅作用弱于灰岩风化剖面,而富集铝的作用强于灰岩。迁移系数的演化规律说明两个剖面中长石成分(钾长石、钠长石等)或次生矿物(伊利石等)在风化成土过程中逐渐分解,同时Al、Fe、Si等稳定元素的在风化剖面中不断富集。