Harmonic wave propagation through viscoelastic heterogeneous media exhibiting mild stochasticity — II. Applications

The results obtained in Part I (Soil Dynam. Earth. Engng, 1996, 15, 119-27) of this work for modelling harmonic wave propagation through viscoelastic heterogeneous media that exhibit a small random fluctuation of their material properties about mean values are now used here to investigate SH wave propagation in two naturally occurring media, namely sandstone and topsoil. These results are in the form of depth dependent, deterministic mean values and non-isotropic covariances for both the wave speed profile in the medium and for the fundamental solution in terms of displacement due to a unit point source. The results are also compared against conventional Monte Carlo simulations.     

Cosmological implications of the PSCz PDF and its moments

We compare the probability density function (PDF) and its low-order moments (variance and skewness) of the smoothed IRAS Point Source Catalogue Redshift Survey (PSC z ) galaxy density field and of the corresponding simulated PSC z look-alikes, generated from N -body simulations of six different dark matter models: four structure-normalized with     and     , one COBE -normalized, and the old standard cold dark matter model. The galaxy distributions are smoothed with a Gaussian window at three different smoothing scales,     , 10 and 15  h ⁻¹ Mpc. We find that the simulation PSC z look-alike PDFs are sensitive only to the normalization of the power spectrum, probably owing to the shape similarity of the simulated galaxy power spectrum on the relevant scales. We find that the only models that are consistent, at a high significance level, with the observed PSC z PDF are models with a relatively low power spectrum normalization     . From the phenomenologically derived σ ₈–moments relation, fitted from the simulation data, we find that the PSC z moments suggest     .     

Mechanical formulations for bilinear and trilinear hysteretic models used in base isolators

The best known model for numerically simulating the hysteretic behavior of various structural components is the bilinear hysteretic system. There are two possible mechanical formulations that correspond to the same bilinear model from a mathematical viewpoint. The first one consists of a linear elastic spring connected in series with a parallel system comprising a plastic slider and a linear elastic spring, while the second one comprises a linear elastic spring connected in parallel with an elastic-perfectly plastic system. However, the bilinear hysteretic model is unable to describe either softening or hardening effects in these components. In order to account for this, the bilinear model is extended to a trilinear one. Thus, two trilinear hysteretic models are developed and numerically tested, and the analysis shows that both exhibit three plastic phases. More specifically, the first system exhibits one elastic phase, while the second one exhibits two elastic phases according to the level of strain amplitude. Next, the change of slope between the plastic phases in unloading does not occur at the same displacement level in the two models. Furthermore, the dissipated energy per cycle in the first trilinear model, as proven mathematically and explained physically, decreases in the case of hardening and increases in the case of softening, while in the second trilinear model the dissipated energy per cycle remains unchanged, as is the case with the bilinear model. Numerical examples are presented to quantify the aforementioned observations made in reference to the mechanical behavior of the two trilinear hysteretic models. Finally, a set of cyclic shear tests over a wide range of strain amplitudes on a high damping rubber bearing is used in the parameter identification of the two different systems, namely (a) trilinear hysteretic models of the first type connected in parallel, and (b) trilinear hysteretic models of the second type also connected in parallel. The results show that the complex nonlinear shear behavior of high damping rubber bearings can be correctly simulated by a parallel system which consists of only one component, namely the trilinear hysteretic system of the first type. The second parallel system was not able to describe the enlargement of the dissipated hysteresis area for large strain amplitudes.     

The Aspen–Amsterdam void finder comparison project

Despite a history that dates back at least a quarter of a century, studies of voids in the large-scale structure of the Universe are bedevilled by a major problem: there exist a large number of quite different void-finding algorithms, a fact that has so far got in the way of groups comparing their results without worrying about whether such a comparison in fact makes sense. Because of the recent increased interest in voids, both in very large galaxy surveys and in detailed simulations of cosmic structure formation, this situation is very unfortunate. We here present the first systematic comparison study of 13 different void finders constructed using particles, haloes, and semi-analytical model galaxies extracted from a subvolume of the Millennium simulation. This study includes many groups that have studied voids over the past decade. We show their results and discuss their differences and agreements. As it turns out, the basic results of the various methods agree very well with each other in that they all locate a major void near the centre of our volume. Voids have very underdense centres, reaching below 10 per cent of the mean cosmic density. In addition, those void finders that allow for void galaxies show that those galaxies follow similar trends. For example, the overdensity of void galaxies brighter than   m _B =−20  is found to be smaller than about −0.8 by all our void finding algorithms.     

Selection of earthquake ground motion records: A state-of-the-art review from a structural engineering perspective

This paper reviews alternative selection procedures based on established methods for incorporating strong ground motion records within the framework of seismic design of structures. Given the fact that time history signals recorded at a given site constitute a random process which is practically impossible to reproduce, considerable effort has been expended in recent years on processing actual records so as to become ‘representative’ of future input histories to existing as well as planned construction in earthquake-prone regions. Moreover, considerable effort has been expended to ensure that dispersion in the structural response due to usage of different earthquake records is minimized. Along these lines, the aim of this paper is to present the most recent methods developed for selecting an ‘appropriate’ set of records that can be used for dynamic analysis of structural systems in the context of performance-based design. A comparative evaluation of the various alternatives available indicates that the current seismic code framework is rather simplified compared to what has actually been observed, thus highlighting both the uncertainties and challenges related to the selection of earthquake records.     

The COVID-19 pandemic and global environmental change: Emerging research needs

The outbreak of COVID-19 raised numerous questions on the interactions between the occurrence of new infections, the environment, climate and health. The European Union requested the H2020 HERA project which aims at setting priorities in research on environment, climate and health, to identify relevant research needs regarding Covid-19. The emergence and spread of SARS-CoV-2 appears to be related to urbanization, habitat destruction, live animal trade, intensive livestock farming and global travel. The contribution of climate and air pollution requires additional studies. Importantly, the severity of COVID-19 depends on the interactions between the viral infection, ageing and chronic diseases such as metabolic, respiratory and cardiovascular diseases and obesity which are themselves influenced by environmental stressors. The mechanisms of these interactions deserve additional scrutiny. Both the pandemic and the social response to the disease have elicited an array of behavioural and societal changes that may remain long after the pandemic and that may have long term health effects including on mental health. Recovery plans are currently being discussed or implemented and the environmental and health impacts of those plans are not clearly foreseen. Clearly, COVID-19 will have a long-lasting impact on the environmental health field and will open new research perspectives and policy needs.     

Chlorine isotope evidence for the anthropogenic origin of tris-(4-chlorophenyl)methane

Compound-specific Cl-isotope analysis was performed on the persistent and bioaccumulating compound tris-(4-chlorophenyl)methane (4,4′,4″-TCPMe, referred to as TCPMe in this study) to elucidate whether its main source is natural or anthropogenic. Blubber from the Baltic grey seal (Halichoerus grypus) was extracted by continuous acetonitrile partitioning, and the TCPMe was isolated from the extract by preparative-capillary gas chromatography. Chlorine isotope analysis was subsequently performed by sealed-tube combustion in conjunction with thermal-ionization mass spectrometry (TIMS). The δ³⁷Cl of TCPMe was −3.5 ± 0.5‰, similar to the previously reported δ³⁷Cl of technical grade p,p′-DDT (referred to as DDT in this study). The data is not consistent with a putative marine natural source of TCPMe, as enzymatic (biotic) production is reported to give values of δ³⁷Cl < −10‰. The δ³⁷Cl–TCPMe data thus supports the hypothesis that TCPMe is produced as a byproduct during DDT synthesis and is released to the environment through the same pathways as DDT. It is also consistent with tris-(4-chlorophenyl)methanol as the primary biotransformation product of TCPMe.