Hypoplastic model for sands with loading surface

Although the hypoplastic models for sands have exhibited good predictive capability in monotonic loading, they are not able to reproduce memory effects and predict excessive plastic accumulation under cyclic loading. To overcome these issues, a loading surface has been incorporated into a hypoplastic model. This surface is capped and has two hardening variables. Notions from the bounding surface plasticity were borrowed in order to formulate the hardening functions. With this novel model, some salient features can be described: the model can account for the accumulation of plastic deformation, a memory effect is provided by the new surface, and stress-induced anisotropy effects observed in sands are successfully simulated. A short calibration guide of the parameters is given, and some simulations for Hostun RF loose sand and Toyoura sand are presented.     

On the influence of the polarization and the shape of the strain loop on strain accumulation in sand under high-cyclic loading

This paper presents results of cyclic triaxial (CT) tests on sand with a simultaneous variation of the axial and the lateral stresses. Furthermore, a cyclic multidimensional simple shear (CMDSS) device and corresponding test results are discussed. For in-phase cycles with a constant strain amplitude it is demonstrated that the accumulation rate is independent of the polarization of the cycles in the strain space. Polarization changes lead to a temporary increase of the accumulation rate: they increase the effectiveness of compaction. For out-of-phase (e.g. elliptical) cycles the shape of the strain loop significantly influences the residual strain. A circular strain loop generates twice larger accumulation rates than a one-dimensional strain loop with identical span. The accumulation rate is not influenced by the circulation of the strain loop. It is shown that the direction of accumulation (so-called “cyclic flow rule”) is only moderately affected by the polarization and the shape of the cycles.     

Correlation of cyclic preloading with the liquefaction resistance

The compactivity of sand due to cyclic loading with a high number (N>10³) of small cycles (ε^ampl≤10⁻³) cannot be described by void ratio and stress alone. It depends strongly on the soil fabric usually described as ‘cyclic preloading’. The cyclic preloading cannot be measured directly in situ but correlates well with the liquefaction resistance. This paper demonstrates this correlation on the basis of laboratory tests. Practical applications can be derived from this work.     

Temporal Behavior of Stratospheric Ammonia Abundance and Temperature Following the SL9 Impacts

Infrared emission lines of stratospheric ammonia (NH₃) were observed following the collisions of the fragments of Comet Shoemaker-Levy 9 with Jupiter in July of 1994 at the impact sites of fragments G and K. Infrared heterodyne spectra near 10.7 μm were obtained by A. Betz et al. (in Abstracts for Special Sessions on Comet Shoemaker-Levy 9, The 26th Meeting of the Division for Planetary Sciences, Washington DC, 31 Oct.-4 Nov. 1994, p. 25) using one of the Infrared Spatial Interferometer telescope systems on Mount Wilson. Lineshapes of up to three different NH₃ emission lines were measured at a resolving power of ∼10⁷ at multiple times following the impacts. We present here our radiative transfer analysis of the fully resolved spectral lineshapes of the multiple rovibrational lines. This analysis provides information on temperature structure and NH₃ abundance distributions and their temporal changes up to 18 days after impact. These results are compared to photochemical models to determine the role of photochemistry and other mechanisms in the destruction and dilution of NH₃ in the jovian stratosphere after the SL9 impacts.One day following the G impact, the inferred temperature above 0.001 mbar altitude is 283±13 K, consistent with a recent plume splashback model. Cooling of the upper stratosphere to 204 K by the fourth day and to quiescence after a week is consistent with a simple gray atmosphere radiative flux calculation and mixing with cold jovian air. During the first 4 days after impact, NH₃ was present primarily at altitudes above 1 mbar with a column density of (7.7±1.6)×10¹⁷ cm⁻² after 1 day and (3.7±0.8)×10¹⁷ cm⁻² after 4 days. (Errors represent precision.) We obtained >2.5 times more NH₃ than can be supplied by nitrogen from a large cometary fragment, suggesting a primarily jovian source for the NH₃. By 18 days postimpact, a return to quiescent upper stratospheric temperature is retrieved for the G region, with an NH₃ column density of 7.3×10¹⁷ cm⁻² or more in the lower stratosphere, possibly supplied by NH₃ upwelling across an impact-heated and turbulent tropopause, which may have been masked by initial dust and haze. Above the 1-mbar level, the maximum retrieved column density decreased to 6.5×10¹⁶ cm⁻². Comparison to photochemical models indicates that photolysis alone is not sufficient to account for the loss of NH₃ above 1 mbar by that time, even when chemical reformation of NH₃ is ignored. We speculate that the dispersion of plume material at high altitudes (above 1 mbar) is responsible for the change in the spectra observed a few days postimpact. Data on the K impact region provide qualitatively consistent results.     

Fractal analysis of normal faults in northwestern Aegean area, Greece

Normal faults within the Ptolemais coal field and large seismogenic faults in the northwestern Aegean remain fractal for displacement values larger than about 1m. The kinematic parameters on reverse drag profiles such as length of rollover, footwall uplift and wavelength of footwall uplift show that all three parameters have a power law relationship, expressed by a c exponent of about 1, with the maximum displacement which take place across the fault. Footwall uplift/hanging wall subsidence ratio is about 1/2.The displacement analysis help us to propose a growth model for larger seismogenic faults in the NW Aegean, as is the ‘Hepiros fault set’ and the ‘Aliakmon fault zone’. Faults within the ‘Aliakmon fault zone’ were independently developed, at the first stages of deformation, by tip line deformation and out-of plane bifurcation, whereas later, deformation continued by segment linkage. One of these faults the ‘Sarakina fault’ was reactivated during the 1995 earthquake to produce a 25 km long surface rupture. A long term slip rate of about 0.3 mm a⁻¹ has been estimated by taking into consideration that over the past 6 Ma a maximum displacement of 1700 m across this fault has taken place.     

Dynamic stiffness of rigid rectangular foundations on the half-space

The dynamic soil–structure interaction of a rigid rectangular foundation with the subsoil represents a mixed-boundary value problem. This problem is formulated in terms of a system of coupled Fredholm integral equations of the first kind. The subsoil is modelled by a homogeneous, linear-elastic and isotropic half-space which is perfectly bonded to the rigid, rectangular foundation. An approximate solution for the resultant loads between the foundation and the half-space due to a unit forced displacement or rotation is obtained using the Bubnov–Galerkin method. Using this method the displacement boundary value conditions are exactly satisfied and the contact stress distributions between the foundation and the half-space are approximated by series expansions of Chebyshev polynomials. This method provides a simple means of studying the soil-structure interaction of rectangular foundations with different inertia properties.     

Influence of a cyclic and dynamic loading history on dynamic properties of dry sand, part I: cyclic and dynamic torsional prestraining

Initial fabric of a soil induced by its cyclic strain history is an important parameter together with the void ratio, state of stress and amplitude in respect to further accumulation of deformations under drained cyclic loading. It is of importance for the further deformation prediction to determine the initial fabric of the grain skeleton or the cyclic loading history of the soil. An attempt is made within this paper to correlate small strain stiffness of non-cohesive soil with its cyclic loading history. The results of performed cyclic and dynamic torsional tests show that small strain shear modulus is only moderately affected by cyclic prestraining even if high amplitudes are applied. A signature of prestraining history is observed in the tests since the sand memorizes its prestraining amplitude and the number of applied cycles.     

Der Steingrund bei Helgoland

Zusammenfassung Der Steingrund, eine Bank in etwa 9 m Tiefe, 5–6 sm nordostwärts von Helgoland, wurde 1953 von Atair mit modernen Methoden vermessen, nachdem sich die Notwendigkeit herausgestellt hatte, die letzte vorhergehende Vermessung (1908) zu überholen. Die Form des Grundes wurde in fast der gleichen Gestalt bestätigt, und auch die geographische Lage wurde mit derjenigen von 1908 in Übereinstimmung befunden.

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The Steingrund near the Island of Heligoland

Summary The Steingrund, a bank at a depth of about 9 m, located at a distance of about 5–6 sm northeast from the Island of Heligoland was surveyed for the first time in 1908. As a verification proved to be necessary, another survey was undertaken with modern methods on board the surveying cutter Atair in 1953. According to this survey the form of the Steingrund as well as its geographical position were found to correspond almost completely with the 1908 records.

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Le Steingrund au voisinage de l'île d'Heligoland

Résumé Le Steingrund, un banc en 9 mètres de profondeur, situé à une distance de 5–6 milles marins environ au nord-est de l'île d'Heligoland fut relevé dernièrement en 1908. Comme il se montra nécessaire d'en vérifier les résultats, on effectua un autre relèvement avec des méthodes modernes à bord de la chaloupe hydrographique Atair en 1953. On trouva que la forme actuelle du Steingrund se confond prèsque complètement avec celle que l'on avait constatée en 1908 et que sa position géographique correspond également avec celle déterminée en 1908.