The Effect of Concrete Deformation on Displacement of an Axially Loaded Drilled Shaft

This article presents the settlement of drilled shafts resulting from their structural deformations. Although drilled shafts are widely used as foundations for settlement-sensitive structures such as bridges and high-rise buildings, the structural deformations of drilled shafts are not typically taken into account in the design process. However, if unexpected structural deformations of drilled shafts cause additional settlement to the foundation, the serviceability of the superstructure can be jeopardized. Unfortunately, very few research efforts have been made to quantify the structural deformation of drilled shafts; this needs to be addressed to accurately predict the settlement of drilled shafts. In this study, we investigate the effect of structural deformation on displacement of axially loaded drilled shafts. Finite element analyses were performed to quantify the structural deformation of drilled shafts. The analysis results indicated that the structural deformation of drilled shafts could be quite significant for long drilled shafts. The main factors that affected the structural deformation of drilled shafts were found to be pile length, the material properties of drilled shafts, and the relative humidity of surrounding soil. An approximate equation is proposed to estimate the long-term deformation of drilled shafts.     

Thermal effects on the growth and fatty acid composition of four harmful algal bloom species: Possible implications for ichthyotoxicity

Little is known regarding how harmful algal bloom species respond to different temperatures in terms of fatty acid production. This study examined the effects of temperature on the growth rates, cell volumes, and fatty acid concentrations and compositions of four harmful algal bloom species (HABs), Akashiwo sanguinea, Alexandrium tamarense, Chattonella ovata, and Prorocentrum minimum. The HABs species were cultured at 15, 20, 25, and 30°C in a nutrient-enriched medium. Three of the species maintained optimal growth rates over a wide range of temperatures, but A. tamarense did not. The cell volumes of each species showed little change over the temperature range. The total fatty acid concentrations in A. sanguinea, A. tamarense and C. ovata decreased as the temperature increased, but P. minimum showed no trend in this respect. Polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), the key biochemical components that maintain cell membrane fluidity and which are associated with toxicity, decreased in both concentration and proportion of total fatty acids as temperature increased, except in A. sanguinea, in which the proportion of PUFAs to the total fatty acids increased. These reductions in PUFA concentration and proportion could reduce cell membrane fluidity and toxicity in HABs; however, enhanced growth and/or ruptured cells, which are considered more toxic than intact cells, could compensate for the reduced per-cell toxicity. This phenomenon might impact on the marine ecosystem and aquaculture industry.     

Strategy of photo-protection in phytoplankton assemblages in the Kongsfjorden,Svalbard, Arctic

Photo-protective functions were investigated in phytoplankton assemblages at Kongsfjorden, Svalbard in spring, using their UV-absorbing compounds (mycosporine-like amino acids (MAAs)), xanthophyll pigments (diadinoxanthin (DD) and diatoxanthin (DT)) and < beta >- dimethylsulphoniopropionate (< beta >_-DMSP). The dominant phytoplankton species in the inner bay were dominated by Phaeocystis spp. and nanoflagellates, while the offshore waters were dominated by Thalassiosira spp. In the inner bay, UVabsorbing compounds and xanthophyll pigments exhibited higher ratios of MAA to chlorophyll a (MAA:chl a ratio), and both DD and DT to chlorophyll a (DD:chl a ratio and DT:chl a ratio), respectively. Thus, the photoprotective-pigments such as DD and DT appear to complement MAAs in the natural phytoplankton assemblage. However, the ratio of < beta >_-DMSP to chlorophyll a (< beta >_-DMSP:chl a ratio) did not show a distinct spatial distribution according to environmental factors or interspecies differences. In this study, we found that photoprotective compounds occurred in a manner dependent on the phytoplankton species composition in Kongsfjorden Bay, where Phaeocystis is the dominant species.     

Effects of flexibility on propulsive force acting on a heaving foil

The hybrid Cartesian/immersed boundary method is applied to simulate effects of flexibility on propulsive force acting on a heaving foil in a viscous flow. Immersed boundary nodes are distributed inside an instantaneous fluid domain. Velocity vector is reconstructed at the immersed boundary node based on an interpolation along a local normal line. Using the staggered/non-staggered grid method, the demand for pressure at boundary nodes is removed. Elastic deformation of the flexible foil is modelled based on the dynamic thin-plate mechanics. The developed code is validated through comparisons with other computations on flow fields around a flapping foil. The generation of the reverse Karman vortex street is investigated. Forces acting on heaving foils are compared for flexible and rigid cases and the increased thrust of the flexible foil is attributed to the deformed configuration near the tip. The flexibility of the heaving foil decreases vertical force and improves propulsion efficiency. The variations of force and deformation are investigated according to bending stiffness of the foil.     

Molecular and isotopic characteristics of gas hydrate-bound hydrocarbons in southern and central Lake Baikal

We investigated the molecular composition (methane, ethane, and propane) and stable isotope composition (methane and ethane) of hydrate-bound gas in sediments of Lake Baikal. Hydrate-bearing sediment cores were retrieved from eight gas seep sites, located in the southern and central Baikal basins. Empirical classification of the methane stable isotopes (δ¹³C and δD) for all the seep sites indicated the dominant microbial origin of methane via methyl-type fermentation; however, a mixture of thermogenic and microbial gases resulted in relatively high methane δ¹³C signatures at two sites where ethane δ¹³C indicated a typical thermogenic origin. At one of the sites in the southern Baikal basin, we found gas hydrates of enclathrated microbial ethane in which ¹³C and deuterium were both highly depleted (mean δ¹³C and δD of –61.6‰ V-PDB and –285.4‰ V-SMOW, respectively). To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of C₂ δ¹³C–δD classification for hydrate-bound gas in either freshwater or marine environments.     

Holocene and Eemian climatic optima in the Korean Peninsula based on textural and carbon isotopic records from the stalagmite of the Daeya Cave,South Korea

Textural and stable isotopic records from the absolute-dated stalagmite of the Daeya Cave (DY-1) provide new insights into the climatic evolution of the Korean Peninsula during the Holocene and Eemian climatic optima. The stalagmite yielded ages of 8572 ± 227 to 5907 ± 158 and 1,23,456 ± 535 to 1,19,837 ± 1089 years, which coincide with the Holocene and Eemian climatic optima, respectively. The stalagmite’s δ¹³C record closely resembles previously reported Chinese speleothem δ¹⁸O data. Thus it can be suggested that textural and geochemical results of the DY-1 reflect East Asian monsoon intensity, which is forced by summer insolation patterns in the northern hemisphere. Lighter carbon isotopic compositions, well-developed fibrous calcite crystals, and their relatively faster growth rate in the stalagmite sample are interpreted to reflect the warmest and wettest climate conditions of the Holocene and Eemian interglacials. Both climatic optima took place when insolation was decreasing from its maximum level, temperature in Greenland was highest, and sea level approached its maximum level. These climatic optima also coincide with decreasing Antarctic temperatures. Compared the DY-1 data to other proxies, it is suggested that the Holocene and Eemian climatic optima developed through a balance among boreal insolation, monsoon intensity, and sea level (also continental ice volume), which are the main climatic forcing factors in the northern hemisphere. These trends also follow the bi-polar seesaw mechanism as previously described.     

Spatial–temporal variability and hydrologic connectivity of runoff generation areas in a North Alabama pasture—implications for phosphorus transport

This study delineated spatially and temporally variable runoff generation areas in the Sand Mountain region pasture of North Alabama under natural rainfall conditions, and demonstrated that hydrologic connectivity is important for generating hillslope response when infiltration‐excess (IE) runoff mechanism dominates. Data from six rainfall events (13·7–32·3 mm) on an intensively instrumented pasture hillslope (0·12 ha) were analysed. Analysis of data from surface runoff sensors, tipping bucket rain gauge and HS‐flume demonstrated spatial and temporal variability in runoff generation areas. Results showed that the maximum runoff generation area, which contributed to runoff at the outlet of the hillslope, varied between 67 and 100%. Furthermore, because IE was the main runoff generation mechanism on the hillslope, the data showed that as the rainfall intensity changed during a rainfall event, the runoff generation areas expanded or contracted. During rainfall events with high‐intensity short‐ to medium‐duration, 4–8% of total rainfall was converted to runoff at the outlet. Rainfall events with medium‐ to low‐intensity, medium‐duration were found less likely to generate runoff at the outlet. In situ soil hydraulic conductivity (k) was measured across the hillslope, which confirmed its effect on hydrologic connectivity of runoff generation areas. Combined surface runoff sensor and k‐interpolated data clearly showed that during a rainfall event, lower k areas generate runoff first, and then, depending on rainfall intensity, runoff at the outlet is generated by hydrologically connected areas. It was concluded that in IE‐runoff‐dominated areas, rainfall intensity and k can explain hydrologic response. The study demonstrated that only connected areas of low k values generate surface runoff during high‐intensity rainfall events. Identification of these areas would serve as an important foundation for controlling nonpoint source pollutant transport, especially phosphorus. The best management practices can be developed and implemented to reduce transport of phosphorus from these hydrologically connected areas. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.