Modeling of strong motion generation areas of the 2011 Tohoku,Japan earthquake using modified semi-empirical technique

Modification in the semi-empirical technique for the simulation of strong ground motion has been introduced to incorporate the strong motion generation areas (SMGA) in the modeled rupture plane. Strong motion generation areas identified within the rupture plane of the Tohoku earthquake of March 11, 2011 (M _w = 9.0), have been modeled using this modified technique. Two different source models having four and five SMGAs, respectively, are considered for modeling purpose. Strong motion records using modified semi-empirical technique have been simulated at two near-field stations located at epicentral distance of 137 and 140 km, respectively, using two different source models. Comparison of the observed and simulated acceleration waveforms is made in terms of root mean square error (RMSE) at both stations. Minimum root mean square error of the waveform comparison has been obtained at both the stations for source model having five SMGAs. Simulations from same rupture model have been made at other four stations lying at epicentral distance between 154 and 249 km. Comparison of observed and simulated records has been made in terms of RMSE in acceleration records, velocity records and response spectra at each six station. Simulations have been made at six other stations to obtain distribution of peak ground acceleration and peak ground velocity with hypocentral distance. Peak ground acceleration and velocity from simulated and observed records are compared at twelve stations surrounding the source of Tohoku earthquake. Comparison of waveforms and parameters extracted from observed and simulated strong motion records confirms the efficacy of the developed modified technique to model earthquake characterized by SMGAs.     

Quality assessment and hydrogeochemical characteristics of groundwater in Agastheeswaram taluk,Kanyakumari district,Tamil Nadu,India

The present study investigates the hydrogeochemical characteristics of groundwater quality in Agas- theeswaram taluk of Kanyakumari district, Tamil Nadu, India. A total of 69 groundwater samples were collected during pre- and post-monsoon periods of 2011-2012. The groundwater quality assessment has been carried out by evaluating the physicochemical parameters such as pH, EC, TDS, HCO3, Cl, SO42-, Ca2＋, Mg2＋, Na＋ and K＋ for both the seasons. Based on these parameters, groundwater has been assessed in favor of its suitability for drinking and irrigation purpose. Dominant cations for both the seasons are in the order of Na＋〉 Ca2＋〉 Mg2＋ 〉 K＋ while the dominant anions for post monsoon and pre monsoon have the trends of CI 〉 HCO3 〉 SO42- and HCO3- 〉 CI 〉 SO42-, respectively. Analytical results observed from various indices reveal that the groundwater quality is fairly good in some places. Analytical results of few samples show that they are severely polluted and incidentally found to be near the coasts, estuaries and salt pans in the study area. The Gibbs plot indicates that the majority of groundwater samples fall in rock dominant region, which indicates rock water interaction in the study area. The United States salinity （USSL） diagram shows that the groundwater is free from sodium hazards but the salinity hazard varies from low to very high throughout the study area. This reveals that the groundwater is moderately suitable for agricultural activities. The observed chemical variations in pre-monsoon and post-monsoon seasons may be the effect to rock-water interactions, ion-exchange reactions, and runoff of fertilizers from the surrounding agricultural lands.     

One-dimensional dispersion in unsteady flow in an adsorbing porous medium: An analytical solution

Analytical solutions describing the concentration distribution along one-dimensional unsteady seepage flow through adsorbing saturated finite porous medium have been obtained. An exponential function concentration is enforced at the source of the dispersion, while the change in the concentration is zero at the other boundary. A new time variable has been introduced to solve the unsteady flow problem and the solution is illustrated.     

Bianchi Type I Bulk Viscous Stiff Fluid Tilted Cosmological Model in General Relativity

Bianchi Type I Bulk viscous fluid tilted cosmological model without shearviscosity is investigated. The behaviour of the model in presence andabsence of bulk viscosity is discussed. The physical and geometricalconsequences of the models are also discussed.     

Performance of flexible retaining walls supporting dry cohesionless soils under cyclic loads

A finite element model is proposed for studying the seismic response of a flexible retaining wall/soil system. The model accounts for nonlinear hysteretic soil behaviour, and also for the increase in lateral stresses and settlement related to grain slip caused by cyclic loads. The response computed by the proposed method was compared with responses recorded at the Cambridge centrifuge facility, and found to be in reasonable agreement. The model was then used to identify the importance of factors such as flexibility of the wall and relative density of the backfill. The study reveals that the maximum bending moments given by current design procedures are nonconservative for stiffer walls. Deflections of flexible walls are of major concern. Flexible walls supporting a sand of medium density yield the greatest deflection.     

A gravitationally non-degenerate cosmological model with expanding and shearing viscous fluid in general relativity

The object of this paper is to investigate the behaviour of viscosity in a cosmological model, in which the coefficient of shear viscosity is assumed to be proportional to rate of expansion in the model. The behaviour of the model in the absence of shear viscosity is also discussed.