Determination of plastic regions around underground openings by a coupled boundary-element-characteristics method

A two-dimensional hybrid method for solving elastoplastic problems in engineering is presented by coupling two existing methods, namely, the boundary element method and the characteristics method. The formulation of this method is presented, as well as an excellent procedure for the determination of the boundary between elastic and plastic regions. It is shown not only that this method is a powerful and accurate method for evaluating the shape and extent of the plastic region around rock caverns, which is of prime importance for the construction of rock caverns, but also applicable to a given range of the initial stress field ratio where only compressive failure occurs. Then, some typical examples are solved in order to check the accuracy of the solution by this method. Furthermore, its successful applications are presented and discussed to determine the shape and the extent of the plastic regions around parallel, circular and rectangular openings.     

A system of astronomical constants in the relativistic framework

The relation between the units and readings of time and space coordinates of terrestrial and barycentric reference frames is discussed from the viewpoint of general relativity. Attention is paid to the unit of space coordinates since the International Astronomical Union (IAU) regulates only the unit of time in the above two frames. Two definitions of unit of length are examined and their effects on the numerical expression of coordinate transformation, equations of planetary motions, and those for light propagation time are discussed. A clear conflict is found between the IAU (1976) recommendation on the definition of the time-scales in different frames of reference and the statement that all constants in the IAU (1976) new system of astronomical constants are defined in terms of the Internationsl System of units (SI units). One of the above two definitions is proposed to resolve this conflict by the least alteration to current procedures for analysing the recent astrometric observations such as the radar/laser rangings, the range and range-rate, and the very long baseline interferometric observations. Also, an interpretation of numerical values in the IAU (1976) new system of astronomical constants is presented. It is stressed that the definition proposed in this paper requires that a formula slightly different from that in current use be employed in the numerical transformation of readings of coordinates between the terrestrial and barycentric reference frames.     

Transmission and reflection of the Rossby waves in a stratified ocean with bottom topography

Transmission and reflection coefficients are calculated for Rossby waves incident on a bottom topography with constant slope in a continuously stratified ocean. The characteristics of the coefficients are interpreted in terms of the quasigeostrophic waves on the slope. In the parameter range where only the barotropic Rossby waves can propagate in the region outside the slope, the bottom trapped wave plays the same role as the topographic Rossby wave in a homogeneous ocean, and hence the transmission is weak unless phase matching takes place. When both of the barotropic and baroclinic Rossby waves can propagate outside the slope, the total transmission can be strong. The bottom trapped wave affects the transmission and reflection, and it leads to the possibility that the Rossby wave is transmitted as a mode different from the incident mode. When the number of the wavy modes on the slope is smaller than that of the Rossby wave modes outside the slope, strong reflection occurs.The results for an ocean with linear distribution of the squared Brunt-Väisälä frequency are compared to those in a uniformly stratified ocean. The weakening of the stratification near the bottom is almost equivalent to reducing the effect of the slope.     

Mineralogical study of the core samples from the Indian Ocean,with special reference to the vertical distribution of clay minerals

The clay minerals in the 18 core samples collected from the northern, equatorial and southeastern Indian Ocean are illite, chlorite, montmorillonite and kaolinite. In the fraction finer than 2 in the surface layer (top to 5 cm deep) of each core, the relative abundance of clay minerals varies widely from area to area. Kaolinite possesses the maximum proportion of the clay mineral composition and chlorite has the minimum proportion.Kaolinite is particularly dominant in sediments near off the northwestern coast of Australia. In the factions finer and coarser than 2 of the surface layer, montmorillonite and kaolinite tend to be abundant in the fraction finer than 2, and chlorite and illite tend to be abundant in the fraction coarser than 2. In some cores, kaolinite-rich layers in sediments which are considered to have been transported by turbidity currents from the Bay of Bengal are found. Turbidity currents appear partly a role in transport of sediments to the equatorial Indian Ocean.As to the relation between the vertical change of clay mineral composition and geochronological data, montmorillonite and kaolinite tend to be more abundant in interglacial ages than in glacial ages, while illite and chlorite tend to exhibit opposite trend.Muscovite and biotite highly concentrated in the cores Ka-9 and Ka-15 collected from the equatorial Indian Ocean seem to originate from granite or gneiss of Ceylon and/or India.     

Seasonal and Interannual Variation of DIC in Surface Mixed Layer in the Oyashio Region: A Climatological View

Eight-year observation results of DIC from 1996 to 2003 in the Oyashio region have been analyzed to obtain a climatological view of its seasonal variation and interannual variation. Data of DIC obtained by several institutes are synthesized to give a dataset with an uncertainty lower than 5 μmol/kg. The obtained climatology of NDIC seasonal variation in the Oyashio mixed layer shows a seasonal amplitude of 176 μmol/kg, with a maximum in January and a minimum in September. These features closely resemble those observed in the southern half of the western subarctic North Pacific (WSNP) including Station KNOT, although the timing of the NDIC maximum is slightly advanced in the case of the Oyashio. Analysis using a quasi-conservative tracer Cp0 (NDIC - 106NP) shows that among 176 μmol/kg of NDIC seasonal variation, only 16 μmol/kg is attributed to hydrographic processes while the remaining 160 μmol/kg is attributed to biological processes. The Cp0 value in the Oyashio mixed layer also resembles that of the WSNP mixed layer during the months May to November, suggesting further resemblance of the Oyashio water mass to that of WSNP in terms of carbon dynamics. The present results also suggest that a single data obtained in Oyashio mixed layer contains 30 μmol/kg of potential uncertainty for the representativity of this region, which leads to a note about a need to treat with caution results obtained by a single observation in this region.     

Clay mineral distribution in sediments of the Gulf of Thailand and the South China Sea

The 25 sediment samples collected from the Gulf of Thailand and the South China Sea were analyzed for clay mineral investigation. Results showed the presence of 35% montmorillonite, 13% chlorite, 30% illite, and 22% kaolinite in sediments of the Gulf and also 16% montmorillonite, 21% chlorite, 41% illite, and 22% kaolinite in sediments of the South China Sea. The relatively high concentration of montmorillonite in sediments of the Gulf as compared with that in sediments of the South China Sea may suggest that montmorillonite in these area has been largely derived from soil formation of the bordering land areas of the Gulf, particularly from the northern part of Malay Peninsula. On the contrary, the content of illite in sediments of the South China Sea is higher than that in the Gulf. This mineral appears to have been supplied from Borneo as well as the Mekong Delta. However, chlorite which shows a similar distribution to that of illite in sediments of the Gulf and the South China Sea has not indicated Borneo Isl. as a principal source area for chlorite. Greater resemblance in amount of kaolinite in both sediments of the Gulf and the South China Sea is due to the prevailing distribution of kaolinite as low latitude clay mineral on the bordering land areas. The distribution of clay minerals in sediments of the study area appears to be closely related to the soil formation and geology of the adjacent land areas.This work was carried out at Geological and Mineralogical Institute, Tokyo University of Education.     

Clay mineral composition in shallow water sediment samples near the Antarctic Peninsula and in deep-sea core samples from the pacific and the Indian-Antarctic Basins

Clay minerals in seven shallow water (100 to 600 m deep) dredged samples and in two deep-sea (3,000 to 5,000 m deep) core samples near West Antarctica were investigated by X-ray diffraction analyses. Variation of montmorillonite concentration appears to be closely related to volcanic activity. Chlorite is the most dominant constituent in most of the dredged samples, though it is not a principal component in core samples. Illite concentration is negatively correlated to that of montmorillonite. Kaolinite is found in four out of seven dredged samples near and around the Antarctic Peninsula while the content of kaolinite in two deep-sea cores from the Pacific-Antarctic Basin and the Indian-Antarctic Basin is more abundant than in the dredged samples. The clay mineral composition in the latter two basins may be closely related to volcanic activity and mechanical weathering products near and on Antarctica.     

Clay minerals in the deep-sea cores from the North Pacific

Clay minerals in the <2 fraction of the four deep-sea cores collected from the northeast and central North Pacific are studied. In the surface layers of the cores, illite is more dominant in the pelagic samples than in the near-shore ones, and montmorillonite is vice versa. Chlorite in the near-shore sample is relatively abundant in the areas of higher latitude than in those of lower latitude. Kaolinite content is less than 10 percent in all samples. The presence of particles of amphibole in the clay-size was confirmed by X-ray analysis in the whole of the core-st. 18 taken from the northeastern portion of the area. This fact suggests that, for a long time probably since the Tertiary age, particles of amphibole have been supplied from source areas. In the three cores except the core-st. 18 it is shown that montmorillonite clearly increases downward. It is suggested that montmorillonite has been derived from volcanic glassy material by a diagenetic change. Montmorillonite in the bottom layer (400–405 cm) of the core-st. 9 is particularly rich in iron.     

A Numerical Study of Turbulence Statistics and the Structure of a Spatially-Developing Boundary Layer Over a Realistic Urban Geometry

Sonic anemometer measurements are analyzed from two primary field programs and 12 supplementary sites to examine the behaviour of the turbulent heat flux near the surface with high wind speeds in the nocturnal boundary layer. On average, large downward heat flux is found for high wind speeds for most of the sites where some stratification is maintained in spite of relatively intense vertical mixing. The stratification for high wind speeds is found to be dependent on wind direction, suggesting the importance of warm-air advection, even for locally homogenous sites. Warm-air advection is also inferred from a large imbalance of the heat budget of the air for strong winds. Shortcomings of our study are noted.