Structural Setting and Kinematic Analysis of the Halaban Region,Eastern Arabian Shield,Saudi Arabia

The vorticity analysis technique was applied to measure the different lithological units,such as schist,metagranite and metavolcano-sedimentary rocks,which are present in the Halaban region.This work aims to interpret the relationship between the different lithologies and the tectonic setting,in order to elucidate the nature of kinematic analysis in the Halaban region.The kinematic analyses were applied to feldspar porphyroclasts,quartz and hornblende for twentysix samples.The kinematic vorticity number (W_m) for deformed rocks in the study area ranged from～0.6 to 0.9.The direction of the long axes for finite strain data (X axes) revealed a WNW trend with shallow dipping.The direction of the short axes for finite strain data (Z axes) were represented by vertical with associated horizontal foliation.The results of the kinematic vorticity and strain analyses are characterized by simple shear with different degrees of deformation in the Halaban region.Furthermore,our finite strain data shows no significant volume change during deformation.The subhorizontal foliation was synchronized with thrusting and deformation.Furthermore,throughout the overlying nappes,the same attitudes of tectonic contacts are observable,the nappes in the orogens being formed from simple shear deformation.     

Direct CPT and CPTu methods for determining bearing capacity of helical piles

Helical piles are structural deep foundation elements, which can be categorized as torque-driven piles without any limitations to implement in marine situations. Different methods are used to predict the axial capacity of helical piles, such as static analysis, but have some limitation for this type of piles on marine conditions. In situ testing methods as supplement of static analysis have been rarely used for helical piles. In geotechnical engineering practice, the most common in situ tests particularly applicable for coastal or offshore site investigation are cone penetration test (CPT) and piezocone penetration test (CPTu). The CPT is simple, repeatable, and prepares the continuous records of soil layers. In this paper, a data bank has been compiled by collecting the results of static pile load tests on thirty-seven helical piles in ten different sites including CPT or CPTu data. Axial capacities of thirty-seven helical piles in different sites were predicted by direct CPT methods and static analysis. Accuracy estimation of ten direct CPT methods to predict the axial capacity of helical piles was investigated in this study. Comparisons have been made among predicted values and measured capacity from the pile load tests. Results indicated that the recently developed methods such as NGI-05 (2005), ICP-05 (2005), and UWA-05 (2005) predicted axial capacity of helical piles more accurately than the other methods such as Meyerhof (1983), Schmertmann (1978), Dutch (1979), LCPC (1982), or Unicone (1997). However, more investigations are required to establish better correlation between CPT data and axial capacity of helical piles.     

Limit states and failure mechanisms of viscous dampers and the implications for large earthquakes

Fluid viscous dampers are used to control story drifts and member forces in structures during earthquake events. These elements provide satisfactory performance at the design‐level or maximum considered earthquake. However, buildings using fluid viscous dampers have not been subjected to very large earthquakes with intensities greater than the design and maximum considered events. Furthermore, an extensive database of viscous damper performance during large seismic events does not exist. To address these issues, a comprehensive analytical and experimental investigation was conducted to determine the performance of damped structures subjected to large earthquakes. A critical component of this research was the development and verification of a detailed viscous damper mathematical model that incorporates limit states. The development of this model and the laboratory and simulation results conclude good correlation with the new model and the damper limit states and provide superior results compared with the typical damper model when considering near collapse evaluation of structures. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

The chronostratigraphy of a quaternary sequence at the distal part of the nile littoral cell,Haifa Bay,Israel

The current detailed chronostratigraphic framework of the last 1 Ma of an eastern Mediterranean sequence (Haifa Bay, Israel) aims to examine the relative roles of sea‐level changes, climate and tectonics. Seven continuous marine cores, up to ～120 m long, were recovered from shallow water depths. The cores were dated by optically stimulated luminescence, ¹⁴C, magnetostratigraphy, ²³⁰Th/²³⁴U, ²⁶Al/¹⁰Be, occurrence of index fossils and correlated to the global sea‐level curve and Marine Isotope Stages (MIS). The sedimentary sequence accumulated during the last ca. 1.0 Ma consists of 21 transgression–regression units with hiatuses between them. Five marine/terrestrial cycles, which occur in the lower part of the sequence, are attributed to the Jaramillo subchron and the Brunhes–Matuyama boundary, and correspond to MIS 29–21. The top ～50 m includes three sedimentary cycles deposited in the last ca. 400 ka. The regressive phases during this interval correspond to Glacial MIS 8, 6 and 2, while the transgressions correspond to Interglacial MIS 11, 7, 5 and 1. Thus, for the first time, this study documents the longest Quaternary succession dated so far in a key area of the Levant, sensitive to global history of sea‐level changes and glacial/interglacial fluctuations. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Neuro-fuzzy models employing wavelet analysis for suspended sediment concentration prediction in rivers

Abstract

The study of sediment load is important for its implications to the environment and water resources engineering. Four models were considered in the study of suspended sediment concentration prediction: artificial neural networks (ANNs), neuro-fuzzy model (NF), conjunction of wavelet analysis and neuro-fuzzy (WNF) model, and the conventional sediment rating curve (SRC) method. Using data from a US Geological Survey gauging station, the suspended sediment concentration predicted by the WNF model was in satisfactory agreement with the measured data. Also the proposed WNF model generated reasonable predictions for the extreme values. The cumulative suspended sediment load estimated by this model was much higher than that predicted by the other models, and is close to the observed data. However, in the current modelling, the ANN, NF and SRC models underestimated sediment load. The WNF model was successful in reproducing the hysteresis phenomenon, but the SRC method was not able to model this behaviour. In general, the results showed that the NF model performed better than the ANN and SRC models.

Citation Mirbagheri, S. A., Nourani, V., Rajaee, T. & Alikhani, A. (2010) Neuro-fuzzy models employing wavelet analysis for suspended sediment concentration prediction in rivers. Hydrol. Sci. J. 55(7), 1175–1189.     

An Examination of Behavior and Hazards Faced by Physically Disabled People During the Loma Prieta Earthquake

There is a need to study hazards faced by physically disabled people during earthquakes. A literature review showed the importance of occupant behavior as a factor that contributes to casualty during earthquakes. A survey questionnaire was used to study the behavioral responses of 33 disabled residents, none of whom sustained injury, during the Loma Prieta earthquake of 17 October 1989. An occupant risk analysis methodology was developed to study the sequence of activities of the disabled people. Severe restrictions in the physical capabilities of the respondents did not appear to increase their exposure to hazards. Overall, the physically disabled occupants did not think of themselves as vulnerable, and those who felt vulnerable initiated self-protective action in response to the hazards present in their immediate surroundings.     

The use of geomorphological elements for evaluation of visual quality of Israeli coast

This study describes a method for quantitative evaluation of visual resources of the Mediterranean coast of Israel. The method used visual characteristics of contrast, variety, competition, composition and harmony to identify visually preferred sites. Various coastal physical elements were used as a measurement scale of the characteristics. The study also examined the use of photographic slides vs. filed visit as a tool for visual resources evaluation of the Israeli coast. Findings were based on data gathered from a questionnaire given to two groups in the laboratory and in the field. Statistical analysis of the findings indicated that the proposed method could be used effectively to measure visual preference of the Israeli coast using physical elements and quantitative values. The data also show that the use of photographic slides in laboratory conditions is as effective a tool as field observation for the evaluation of observer's visual preference of the coast.     

Regression analysis of reported earthquake precursors. I. Presentation of data

Around 700 reported precursors of about 350 earthquakes, including the negative observations, have been compiled in 11 categories with 31 subdivisions. The data base is subjected to an initial sorting and screening by imposing three restrictions on the ranges of main shock magnitude (M≥4.0), precursory time (t≤20 years), and the epicentral distance of observation points (X _m≤4.10^0.3M ). Of the 31 subcategories of precursory phenomena, 18 with 9 data points or more are independently studied by regressing their precursory times against magnitude. The preliminary results tend to classify the precursors into three groups:

1. The precursors which show weak or no correlation between time and the magnitude of the eventual main shock. Examples of this group are foreshocks and precursory tilt.
2. The precursors which show clear scaling with magnitude. These include seismic velocity ratio (V _p/V_s), travel time delay, duration of seismic quiescence, and, to some degree, the variation ofb-value, and anomalous seismicity.
3. The precursors which display clustering of precursory times around a mean value, which differs for different precursors from a few hours to a few years. Examples include the conductivity rate, geoelectric current and potential, strain, water well level, geochemical anomalies, change of focal mechanism, and the enhancement of seismicity reported only for larger earthquakes. Some of the precursors in this category, such as leveling changes and the occurrence of microseismicity, show bimodal patterns of precursory times and may partially be coseismic.

In addition, each category with a sufficient number of reported estimates of distance and signal amplitude is subjected to multiple linear regression. The usefulness of these regressions at this stage appears to be limited to specifying which of the parameters shows a more significant correlation. Standard deviations of residuals of precursory time against magnitude are generally reduced when observation distance enters as a second independent variable. The effect is more pronounced for water well level and conductivity rate changes. While a substantial portion of the data seem to suffer from personal bias, hence should be regarded as noise, the observations of a number of strain sensitive phenomena such as strain, water well level, and conductivity rate changes, appear to be internally more consistent. For instance, their precursory times suggest a scaling relationship with the strain energy surface density associated with the main shock. The scaling is not identical for all three phenomena so that they may constitute the imminent, short- and intermediate-term manifestation of the same process, i.e. strain loading, respectively.     

Frequency-independent impedances of soil-structure systems in horizontal and rocking modes

The frequency-independent foundation impedances, commonly used in soil-structure dynamic interaction problems, are developed for a circular footing resting on a homogeneous halfspace. As they ignore the structure attached to the foundation, the error introduced in the structural response may be 50 per cent or more in the neighbourhood of the fundamental frequency of the soil-structure system. The present study proposes a new method developed for most dynamic soil-structure interaction problems. The key idea is to retain for the frequency-independent impedances values computed for the fundamental frequency of the soil-structure system; thus these values include the dynamic characteristics of the whole soil-structure system and lead to a satisfactory approximation of the exact solution over a wide frequency range. The method is developed here for the horizontal and rocking modes of a structure with a circular base resting on a homogeneous halfspace. Numerical applications are given for a simple linear oscillator in order to make possible a thorough parametric study. The response of some idealized building-foundation systems to harmonic excitation or to a seismic input is next examined in order to illustrate the efficiency of the proposed model.     

Using Remote Sensing Data to Delineate the Lineaments for Hydrothermal Mineral Prediction in Heqing Area, Northwest Yunnan Province, China

Lineament extraction and analysis is one of the routine work in mapping medium and large areas using remote sensing data, most of which are satellite images. Landsat Enhanced Thematic Mapper （ETM） of 945×1 232 pixels subscene acquired on 21 March 2000 covering the northwestern part of Yunnan Province has been digitally processed using ER Mapper software. This article aims to produce lineament density map that predicts favorable zones for hydrothermal mineral occurrences and quantify spatial associations between the known hydrothermal mineral deposits. In the process of lineament extraction a number of image processing techniques were applied. The extracted lineaments were imported into MapGIS software and a suitable grid of 100 m×100 m was chosen. The Kriging method was used to create the lineament density map of the area. The results show that remote sensing data could be useful to extract the lineaments in the area. These lineaments are closely correlated with the faults obtained through other geological investigation methods. On comparing with field data the lineament-density map identifies two important high prospective zones, where large-scale deposits are already existing. In addition the map highlights unrecognized target areas that require follow up investigation.