Predicting landslide sliding distance based on energy dissipation and mass point kinematics

Natural Hazards - Based on classical mechanics and the law of energy conservation, we present a model for predicting landslide sliding distance. We conceptualize landslide movement as the movement...     

Strength behavior of slip-zone soils of landslide subject to the change of water content

Landslides are the major natural hazards in many countries all over the world and are usually caused by heavy rainfall, water level change of reservoir, excavation, earthquake, etc. Whether the landslide occurs or not in rainfall season, the strength variation of slip-zone soils of landslide is regarded as the vital control factor. Thus, strength behavior for slip-zone soils of landslide subject to the change of water content is required to be evaluated in a potential landslide area. In this paper, the shear strength of typical slip-zone soil, six groups of 25 specimens of remolded clay samples from Daxishan reservoir landslide, was systemically investigated using the improved direct shear test apparatus in order to fully understand its physical and mechanical properties, and also the shear and failure behavior. Furthermore, the fitting equations for expressing the relationship between the shear strength (effective cohesion and internal friction angle) and vertical loadings, initial water contents of slip-zone clay were established based on the experimental results. In particular, a series of shear stress–shear strain curves under various vertical loadings and different water contents were observed. The results show that a “softening” stress–strain behavior is achieved for unsaturated slip-zone soil, while a “hardening” curve is found for saturated slip-zone soil.     

A remote sensing environmental study of Haiko Bay——Ⅰ Tidal influx and its changes

Through the water areas extracted from remote sensing images and the combination of the methods for establishing the formula for calculating tidal influx with tidal data, the tidal influx of the Haikou Bay, Hainan Province was found to be 5.14×10⁷m³ in 1990, 5.80×10⁷m³ in 1984 and 5.05×10⁷m³ in 1965, respectively.After the analysis of the morphological and tidal range factors which determine tidal influx, this paper presents the trend of the changes in tidal influx caused by the changes in the morphological factors of the Haikou Bay.It is found that a decreasing trend was shown with a depressive rate of 2×10^-3during the period from 1965 to 1984, and an increasing trend with an incremental rate of 1×10^-3 during the period of 1984-1990.The main reason for the appearance of the decreasing trend before 1984 is the natural deposition and silting-up of the bay sediments; after 1984, the dredging and expansion of the Haikou Port and the Haikou New Port which caused an increase in water area at the mean low tide are the leading factor which causes the increase in tidal influx.     

Excitation of whistler waves by reflected auroral electrons

Excitation of electron cyclotron waves and whistlers by reflected auroral electrons which possess a loss-cone distribution is investigated. Based on a given magnetic field and density model, the instability problem is studied over a broad region along the auroral field lines. This region covers altitudes ranging from one quarter of an Earth radius to five Earth radii. It is found that the growth rate is significant only in the region of low altitude, say below the source region of the auroral kilometric radiation. In the high altitude region the instability is insignificant either because of low refractive indices or because of small loss cone angles.     

Modeling fluvial response to in‐stream woody vegetation: implications for stream corridor restoration

River restoration and bank stabilization programs often use vegetation for improving stream corridor habitat, aesthetic and function. Yet no study has examined the use of managed vegetation plantings to transform a straight, degraded stream corridor into an ecologically functional meandering channel. Experimental data collected using a distorted Froude‐scaled flume analysis show that channel expansion and widening, thalweg meandering and riffle and pool development are possible using discrete plantings of rigid, emergent vegetation, and the magnitudes of these adjustments depend on the shape of the vegetation zone and the density of the vegetation. These experimental results were verified and validated using a recently developed numerical model, and model output was then used to discuss mechanistically how rivers respond to the introduction of in‐stream woody vegetation. Finally, a hybrid method of meander design is proposed herein where managed vegetation plantings are used to trigger or force the desired morphologic response, transforming a straight, degraded reach into a more functional meandering corridor. It is envisioned that such numerical models could become the primary tool for designing future stream restoration programs involving vegetation and assessing the long‐term stability of such activities. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.