A Unified Computational Method for Simulating Dynamic Behavior of Planing Vessels

High speed planing hulls have complex hydrodynamic behaviors. The trim angle and drafts are very sensitive to speed and location of the center of gravity. Therefore, motion simulation for such vessels needs a strong coupling between rigid body motions and hydrodynamic analysis. In addition, free surface should be predicted with good accuracy for each time step. In this paper, velocity and pressure fields are coupled by use of the fractional step method. On the basis of integration of the two-phase viscous flow induced stresses over the hull, acting loads (forces and moments) are calculated. With the strategy of boundary-fitted body-attached mesh and calculation of 6-DoF motions in each time step, time history of ship motions including displacements, speeds and accelerations are evaluated. For the demonstration of the software capabilities, circular cylinder slamming is simulated as a simple type of water slamming. Then, a high-speed planing catamaran is investigated in the case of steady forward motion. All of the results are in good concordance with experimental data. The present method can be widely implemented in design as well as in performance prediction of high-speed vessels.     

Long-term change of surface temperature in water bodies around Iran – Caspian Sea,Gulf of Oman,and Persian Gulf – using 2001–2015 MODIS data

ABSTRACT

To answer the question “what has changed the surface temperatures of water bodies around Iran under climate change conditions,” Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) sea surface temperature (SST) data with 9.2-km spatial resolution and monthly time step were evaluated. A significant increasing trend was obtained using Pearson’s correlation coefficient and Mann-Kendall trend test on data from the Caspian Sea (June) and the Southern Gulfs (September). High correlations of 0.69 and 0.97 between remotely sensed data and ERA-Interim reanalysis data were also obtained for June and September, respectively. To assess the impact of some climatic parameters on SST variability in those two months, zonal and meridional wind at 10 m, wind speed at 10 m, air temperature at 2 m, and mean sea level pressure were evaluated. High correlations between meridional wind and the Southern Gulf SST, and meridional wind and Caspian SST were ?0.86 and 0.75, respectively. Moreover, the results showed an important role of air temperature (0.96) and sea level pressure (?0.77) in the rising temperature trends of the Southern Gulfs. Wind speed was also detected in both regions as a booster of the trend.     

Experimental study of seismic behavior of two hilly sites in Tehran and comparison with 2D and 3D numerical modeling

Two hilly sites were selected to study seismic site response due to topography effects. The sites were selected in a manner to be as much as possible homogenous and free of the soft soil layers effects. The hills were instrumented by nine velocimetric stations to record microtremors and the obtained data were analyzed using horizontal to vertical spectral ratios. Some standard spectral ratio tests were performed on noise as well. Then the instrumented hills were modeled (both 2D and 3D) assuming a linear elastic constitutive behavior subjected to vertically propagating SV and P Ricker wavelets. All calculations were performed in time domain using direct boundary element method. Different transfer function components, amplification patterns and spectral ratios were calculated in frequency domain. The frequency of vibration, obtained by experimental studies, is between 4 and 5 Hz for both of the hills. The spectral ratios derived by numerical simulations were compared with the observed spectral ratios. They show relatively good similarities between the results of these two methods. The frequencies of vibration derived from different methods seem to be nearly identical. The agreement in term of resonance frequency between microtremors and numerical modeling suggests that noise measurements could represent a simple, even if preliminary, tool in order to identify possible topographic amplification.     

Some metal concentrations in the edible parts of Tridacna maxima, Red Sea, Egypt

The concentrations of Ca, some essential (Fe, Zn, Mn, and Cu) and non-essential nutritive elements (Cd, Pb, and Ni) were measured in the edible parts (mantle and adductor muscles) of Tridacna maximx collected from south Quseir City (Red Sea). The general trend of metal contents of the different parts follows the order; Ca > Fe > Zn > Pb > Mn > Cu > Cd > Ni. The tissues before cooking recorded the highest average concentrations of Cu, Pb, Fe, Cd, Mn, and Ni (2.658, 5.250, 34.375, 1.464, 3.207, and 0.886 ppm, respectively) relative to tissues after cooking and the water of cooked tissues (WCT). The total cooked tissues recorded higher average contents of Zn and Ca (17.282 and 1,114.679 ppm) than the uncooked tissues. Calcium recorded the highest concentration in the ECT of adductor and mantle muscles (2,081.126 ± 177.39 and 1,893.326 ± 394.28 ppm). Mantle recorded higher concentrations of Pb, Mn, Ni, and Ca (7.489 ± 4.65, 4.241 ± 1.13, 0.980 ± 0.60, and 1,039.362 ± 177.42 ppm, respectively) than adductor muscle before cooking. Ca concentration levels in the WCT increased after cooking tissues especially in adductor muscles. This may attributed to the liberation of larger amount of calcium in ionic form in water. The clams may have intracellular regulatory mechanisms to keep their concentrations in equilibrium, subsequently; the recorded metal concentrations are in the safe limits for human consuming, where these concentrations did not exceed the clam’s capacity of regulation.     

Spectral gamma‐ray logs and palaeoclimate change? Permian–Triassic,Persian Gulf

Spectral gamma ray (SGR) logs are used as stratigraphic tools in correlation, sequence stratigraphy and most recently, in clastic successions as a proxy for changes in hinterland palaeoweathering. In this study we analyse the spectral gamma ray signal recorded in two boreholes that penetrated the carbonate and evaporate‐dominated Permian–Triassic boundary (PTB) in the South Pars Gasfield (offshore Iran, Persian Gulf) in an attempt to analyse palaeoenvironmental changes from the upper Permian (Upper Dalan Formation) and lower Triassic (Lower Kangan Formation). The results are compared to lithological changes, total organic carbon (TOC) contents and published stable isotope ( δ ¹⁸O, δ ¹³C) results. This work is the first to consider palaeoclimatic effects on SGR logs from a carbonate/evaporate succession. While Th/U ratios compare well to isotope data (and thus a change to less arid hinterland climates from the Late Permian to the Early Triassic), Th/K ratios do not, suggesting a control not related to hinterland weathering. Furthermore, elevated Th/U ratios in the Early Triassic could reflect a global drawdown in U, rather than a more humid episode in the sediment hinterlands, with coincident changes in TOC. Previous work that used spectral gamma ray data in siliciclastic successions as a palaeoclimate proxy may not apply in carbonate/evaporate sedimentary rocks. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Stochastic Modeling Approach for the Evaluation of Backbreak due to Blasting Operations in Open Pit Mines

Backbreak is an undesirable side effect of bench blasting operations in open pit mines. A large number of parameters affect backbreak, including controllable parameters (such as blast design parameters and explosive characteristics) and uncontrollable parameters (such as rock and discontinuities properties). The complexity of the backbreak phenomenon and the uncertainty in terms of the impact of various parameters makes its prediction very difficult. The aim of this paper is to determine the suitability of the stochastic modeling approach for the prediction of backbreak and to assess the influence of controllable parameters on the phenomenon. To achieve this, a database containing actual measured backbreak occurrences and the major effective controllable parameters on backbreak (i.e., burden, spacing, stemming length, powder factor, and geometric stiffness ratio) was created from 175 blasting events in the Sungun copper mine, Iran. From this database, first, a new site-specific empirical equation for predicting backbreak was developed using multiple regression analysis. Then, the backbreak phenomenon was simulated by the Monte Carlo (MC) method. The results reveal that stochastic modeling is a good means of modeling and evaluating the effects of the variability of blasting parameters on backbreak. Thus, the developed model is suitable for practical use in the Sungun copper mine. Finally, a sensitivity analysis showed that stemming length is the most important parameter in controlling backbreak.     

Alteration Mapping for Porphyry Copper Exploration Using ASTER and QuickBird Multispectral Images,Sonajeel Prospect,NW Iran

The Sonajeel prospect is located in the Arasbaran belt which is one of the significant copper mineralization belts in NW Iran. There are mostly Eocene volcano-sedimentary rocks and Post Eocene intrusive units which are the source for mineralization in the area. ASTER multispectral images were used for delineation of alteration zones as a key feature of porphyry copper mineralization. Due to the need for geometric correction and ortho-rectification of the ASTER images, a high resolution QuickBird image with pixel width of about 60 cm (in PAN) was employed as a reference image in order to boost the rectification process. Ortho-rectification has been done by using digital elevation model which is created by topographic map in scale 1:1000. Potassic alteration as one of the essential alteration types in porphyry copper deposits, distributed mostly in the north of the Sonajeel prospect that determined by Thermal infrared bands processing. Phyllic and argillic alteration zones detected by creating relative absorption band-depth grids which are comparable to field observations. Moreover, silica rich areas which are remnants of hydrothermal circulation and form at the top of porphyry copper systems were detected for recognition of epithermal deposits (with 1 km distance from Sonajeel porphyry system). Finally, Remote Sensing results were compared by field evidences especially for determination of an epithermal system. Most parts of the alteration zones were observed of the surface confirmed with the remote sensing alteration (in average about 75% matched fittingly), displayed concentrations anomalous in the NE and NW parts of the studied area.     

Water Curtain System Pre-design for Crude Oil Storage URCs: A Numerical Modeling and Genetic Programming Approach

In this paper the main criteria of the water curtain system for unlined rock caverns (URCs) is described. By the application of numerical modeling and genetic programming (GP), a method for water curtain system pre-design for Iranian crude oil storage URCs (common dimension worldwide) is presented. A comprehensive set of numerical simulations is performed using the finite element based commercial software (COMSOL 5.1) where the results are used as database for genetic programming. Describing equations of water inflow to the filled and empty caverns and water production rate of water curtain boreholes are generated using GP. By equating the proposed equations to each other, water curtain system can be pre-designed. Relative error of the generated GP equations shows their ability and accuracy. Applying a standard regression coefficient method, sensitivity analysis of parameters related to water curtain performance and water inflow to the caverns is performed as well. The results help the design of the water curtain system for crude oil storage caverns worldwide.     

The impact of the spatial variability in bottom roughness on tidal dynamics and energetics,a case study: the M 2 surface tide in the North European Basin

A modified version of the 3D finite-element hydrostatic model QUODDY-4 is used to quantify the changes in the dynamics and energetics of the M ₂ surface tide in the North European Basin, induced by the spatial variability in bottom roughness. This version differs from the original one, as it introduces a module providing evaluation of the drag coefficient in the bottom boundary layer (BBL) and by accounting for the equilibrium tide. The drag coefficient is found from the resistance laws for an oscillatory rotating turbulent BBL over hydrodynamically rough and incompletely rough underlying surfaces, describing how the wave friction factor as well as other resistance characteristics depend on the dimensionless similarity parameters for the BBL. It is shown that the influence of the spatial variability in bottom roughness is responsible for some specific changes in the tidal amplitudes, phases, and the maximum tidal velocities. These changes are within the model noise, while the changes in the averaged (over a tidal cycle) horizontal wave transport and the averaged dissipation of barotropic tidal energy may be of the same orders of magnitude as are the above energetic characteristics as such. Thus, contrary to present views, ignoring the spatial variability in bottom roughness at least in the North European Basin is only partially correct: it is valid for the tidal dynamics, but is liable to break down for the tidal energetics.

     

A probabilistic framework to evaluate the uncertainty of design hydrograph: case study of Swannanoa River watershed

ABSTRACT

This study presents a probabilistic framework to evaluate the impact of uncertainty of design rainfall depth and temporal pattern as well as antecedent moisture condition (AMC) on design hydrograph attributes – peak, time to peak, duration and volume, as well as falling and rising limb slopes – using an event-based hydrological model in the Swannanoa River watershed in North Carolina, USA. Of the six hydrograph attributes, falling limb slope is the most sensitive to the aforementioned uncertainties, while duration is the least sensitive. In general, the uncertainty of hydrograph attributes decreases in higher recurrence intervals. Our multivariate analysis revealed that in most of the return periods, AMC is the most important driver for peak, duration and volume, while time to peak and falling limb slope are most influenced by rainfall pattern. In higher return periods, the importance of rainfall depth and pattern increases, while the importance of AMC decreases.