Fuzzy modeling of holding capacity of offshore suction caisson anchors

A fuzzy algorithm, the Takagi–Sugeno model, is implemented to develop a fuzzy inference system for predicting the holding capacity of suction caisson foundations for offshore platforms. The premise parameters of the fuzzy model are optimized by using a subtractive clustering algorithm. The consequent parameters are optimally determined via a weighted least square estimation. The input variables used for training the fuzzy model include the aspect ratio of the caisson, the undrained shear strength of the clay, and the angle that the chain force forms with the horizontal. The output of the proposed fuzzy model is the capacity of the suction caisson anchor. To demonstrate the effectiveness of the fuzzy modeling framework, the results of extensive finite element analyses are investigated. Comparisons of the trained fuzzy model with the data demonstrate that the proposed modeling framework is an effective method to estimate the holding capacity of offshore suction caisson systems. Moreover, the performance of the fuzzy model is robust against higher levels of input data uncertainties. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Evaluation of multiple regression models using spatial variables to predict nitrate concentrations in volcanic aquifers

Multiple linear regression of spatial variables including land use, soil type, and topography was applied to predict nitrate concentration and evaluate major factors affecting nitrate occurrence in springs and wells in the southern and northern areas of Jeju volcanic island, Korea. Three types of contributing area surrogates (CAS), namely circle, semicircle, and wedge, were employed to calculate the spatial variables. The regression results showed R² of 0.81–0.84 for springs and 0.74–0.77 for wells; R² values for wedge and semicircular CAS were more than 10% higher than those for circular CAS. The R² of spring models was significantly affected by both the shape and size of CAS, with optimal radii of 150–250 m and 300–400 m in the southern and northern areas, respectively, corresponding to thinner upper basaltic aquifers, and implying shorter flow paths in the southern area. The most influential variables in springs were orchards and soil types related to agriculture including silty loam and silty clay loam, indicating that nitrate levels are strongly affected by N fertilization in cultivated areas. In contrast, wells showed much less sensitivity to both shapes and sizes of CAS, with less contribution of land use and soil type to the regression, which could be attributed to a mix of multiple aquifer zones and widely different factors in the installation and operation of wells. Field parameters of electrical conductivity (EC) and pH increased the R² up to 10%, suggesting that these can be useful when regression with spatial variables yields a lower R². The optimal spatial scales for prediction of nitrate concentration and spatial variables that significantly contribute to nitrate contamination can provide relevant criteria for establishing groundwater management policies, considering the increasing anthropogenic land‐use trends on the island, where groundwater is highly sensitive to changes in spatial variables. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Electrokinetic Restoration of Sulfate‐Accumulated Saline Greenhouse Soil

Electrokinetic (EK) process was performed to restore sulfate‐originated saline soil and to evaluate the effect of treatment duration. Sulfate and potassium were the major ionic salts in the saline soil used in this study. A constant voltage gradient of 1 V/cm was applied for 8, 12, and 16 days. After EK treatment, anions and cations were transported toward anode and cathode, respectively, by electromigration. Chloride was completely removed, and 85.6% of nitrate was removed after 8 days of treatment. The increase of treatment period from 8 to 12 days had a negligible effect on the enhancement in the rate of sulfate removal; however, over 70% was removed after16 days. At the end of experiment, the electrical conductivity (EC) of the soil, an indicator of soil salinity, decreased to 1.93 dS/m from an initial value of 5.3 dS/m, and the distribution of sulfate was similar to that of EC. The operation time of 16 days was sufficient to restore the sulfate‐originated saline soil using the EK process.     

Numerical simulation of vertical ground heat exchangers: Intermittent operation in unsaturated soil conditions

The effect of varying the thermal properties of inhomogeneous unsaturated soil on the intermittent operation of a vertical ground heat exchanger (GHE) was simulated by a conjugate heat transfer simulation using a transient conductive heat transfer model. A three-phase soil model was used to introduce soil properties that vary with depth. The performance during the first few hours was significantly different from that of an analytical infinite line source model that assumes steady-state borehole conditions, although relatively good agreement was obtained thereafter. Unsaturated soil conditions afforded a 40% lower mean heat exchange rate than saturated conditions. This demonstrates the importance of considering unsaturated conditions in the design and performance evaluation of GHEs.     

Solid solution behaviour of CaSiO<Subscript>3</Subscript> and MgSiO<Subscript>3</Subscript> perovskites

Using density functional simulations within the generalized gradient approximation and projector-augmented wave method together with thermodynamic modelling, the reciprocal solubilities of MgSiO₃ and CaSiO₃ perovskites were calculated for pressures and temperatures of the Earth’s lower mantle from 25 to 100 GPa and 0 to 6,000 K, respectively. The solubility of Ca in MgSiO₃ at conditions along a mantle adiabat is found to be less than 0.02 atoms per formula unit. The solubility of Mg in CaSiO₃ is even lower, and most important, the extent of solid solution decreases with pressure. To dissolve CaSiO₃ perovskite completely in MgSiO₃ perovskite, a solubility of 7.8 or 2.3 mol% would be necessary for a fertile pyrolytic or depleted harzburgitic mantle, respectively. Thus, for any reasonable geotherm, two separate perovskites will be present in fertile mantle, suggesting that Ca-perovskite will be residual to low degree melting throughout the entire mantle. At the solidus, CaSiO₃ perovskite might completely dissolve in MgSiO₃ perovskite only in a depleted mantle with <1.25 wt% CaO. These implications may be modified if Ca solubility in MgSiO₃ is increased by other major mantle constituents such as Fe and Al.     

Approximated solution on the properties of the scavenging gap during precipitation using harmonic mean method

Wet deposition refers to both natural and artificial processes where particles are scavenged by atmospheric hydrometeors. Below-cloud atmospheric particles are removed by raindrops via Brownian diffusion, interception, and impaction. The overall scavenging coefficient has a broad and distinctive minimum for aerosol penetration between 0.1 and several micrometers in diameter. In this study, the approximated analytical solution for most penetrating particle size during precipitation was obtained. Brownian diffusion and interception were considered under the assumption of the inertial impaction can be neglected in this study conditions. Both the minimum collection efficiency and minimum scavenging coefficient particle size were estimated using the harmonic mean type approximation, with the solution compared to the numerically calculated results. The approximated results were comparable with the numerical solutions. The results showed that collection efficiency diameter is a function of terminal velocity and the collection mechanisms included. When considering Brownian diffusion and interception, most penetrating particle size increases as drop diameter increases, which shows a contrary to the study of Wang (1978) and this shows that most penetrating particle size depends on collection efficiency mechanism, flow velocity and collector diameter. Consequently, this study analytically approximated general type-solutions for scavenging gap particle size and minimum collection efficiency during precipitation.     

A new magnetostratigraphic framework for the Lower Miocene (Burdigalian/Ottnangian, Karpatian) in the North Alpine Foreland Basin

Oligocene–Miocene chronostratigraphic correlations within the Paratethys domain are still highly controversial. This study focuses on the late Early Miocene of the Swiss and S-German Molasse Basin (Late Burdigalian, Ottnangian–Karpatian). Previous studies have published different chronologies for this time interval that is represented by the biostratigraphically well constrained Upper Marine Molasse (OMM, lower and middle Ottnangian), Upper Brackish Molasse (OBM, Grimmelfingen and Kirchberg Formations, middle and upper Ottnangian to lower Karpatian, MN 4a–MN 4b) and Upper Freshwater Molasse (OSM, Karpatian–Badenian, MN 5). Here, we suggest a new chronostratigraphic framework, based on integrated magneto-litho-biostratigraphic studies on four sections and three boreholes. Our data indicate that the OBM comprises chrons 5D.1r and 5Dn (Grimmelfingen Fm), chron 5Cr (lower Kirchberg Fm) and the oldest part of chron 5Cn.3n (upper Kirchberg Fm). The OSM begins during chron 5Cn.3n, continues through 5Cn, and includes a long reversed segment that can be correlated to chron 5Br. The OMM-OSM transition was completed at 16.0 Ma in the Swiss Molasse Basin, while the OBM-OSM changeover ended at 16.6 Ma in the S-German Molasse Basin. As the lower Kirchberg Fm represents a facies of the Ottnangian, our data suggest that the Ottnangian–Karpatian boundary in the Molasse Basin is approximately at 16.8 Ma, close to the 5Cr–5Cn.3n magnetic reversal, and thus 0.4 Myr younger than the inferred age of 17.2 Ma used in recent Paratethys time scales. Notably, this would not be problematic for the Paratethys stratigraphy, because chron 5Cr is mainly represented by a sedimentation gap in the Central Paratethys. We also realise, however, that additional data is still required to definitely solve the age debate concerning this intriguing time interval in the North Alpine Foreland Basin. We dedicate this work to our dear friend and colleague Jean-Pierre Berger (8 July 1956–18 January 2012).     

Stress ratio–fabric relationships of granular soils under axi-symmetric stress and plane-strain loading

This paper investigates the relationship between the stress ratio and the fabric of frictional material under three-dimensional stress. The spatial distribution function of the contact normal was derived to describe the heterogeneous distribution of the micro-structural architecture. Discrete element simulations were conducted using an assembly consisting of 10,000 spherical particles. Sixteen stress probe experiments were simulated under both axi-symmetric stress and plane-strain conditions. The numerical results show that a change in the direction of the stress probe does not significantly affect the evolution of the fabric structure in the vertical plane. Regardless of whether the material is subjected to axi-symmetric stress or plane strain, the degree of fabric anisotropy shows a unique relationship with the stress ratio. The modified stress ratio, as theoretically derived from a micromechanics formulation, is able to separately measure micro-structures in the vertical and horizontal planes. The distribution function proposed in this study generally performs well in estimating the heterogeneous distribution of the contact normal. A higher-order distribution function is required to improve the predictability of the contact normal distribution for increasing stress-ratio paths.     

Direkte Methoden zur Bestimmung plattenförmiger Störungskörper aus ihren erdmagnetischen Anomalien

Zusammenfassung Es werden Methoden entwickelt, um die Lage, die Neigung und die Magnetisierung eines im Untergrund verborgenen, plattenförmigen Störungskörpers aus seinen erdmagnetischen Anomalien zu bestimmen. Es handelt sich um direkte Methoden, mit danen man aus den Merkmalen der Anomalienverteilung ohne zu probieren die Unbekannten ermittelt. Zwischen den Anomalien der Horizontalintensität und der Vertikalintensität bestehen einfache matematische, geometrische Beziebungen, die man zu. Kontrollen und zur Verbesserung unsicherer Beobachtungswerte heranziehen kann. Ein Beispied aus der Praxis wird vollständig durchgerechnet.

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Summary Some methods are developped to determine the position, the inclination and the magnetization of an ore body, if the anomalies of the vertical and horizontal components of the earth's magnetic field are measured. The ore body is supposed to have a figure like a thin plate. The methods lead from the caracteristics of the anomalies to the unknowns in a direct way without tryng. There are simple geometrical relations between the anomalies of both magnetic components. They are useful for controls and for correcting uncertain observations. An example from geophysical practice is discussed.