Numerical experiments on the Rayleigh-Ritz method when applied to doubly connected plates in the case of free edge holes

Numerical experiments are performed on the determination of the fundamental frequency of transverse vibration of simply supported rectangular plates having rectangular holes with free edges. This constitutes a rather common technological situation since holes are present in plates or slabs due to operational conditions, namely passage of conduits or ducts, electric conductors, etc., Satisfying exactly the governing natural boundary conditions at the hole edges is practically an impossible task. This study reviews numerical experiments where the displacement function is expanded into a double Fourier series which constitutes the exact solution when the plate is simply connected. Satisfactory convergence is achieved when the plate is doubly connected.     

A preliminary archaeological and environmental study of pre‐Columbian burial towers at Huachacalla,Bolivian Altiplano

Chullpas are pre‐Columbian burial towers built by indigenous Aymaras on the Bolivian Altiplano. Bolivian chullpas date back to the Late Intermediate Period (A.D. 1000–1476) and the Late Horizon (A.D. 1476–1532). We recorded 228 chullpas among 84 sites in the Huachacalla region of west‐central Bolivia. In our study area, the chullpas are on debris flows and coarse alluvium in the proximal and medial segments of alluvial fans at the foot of two volcanoes. Grain‐size, element, and mineralogical analysis of chullpa wall material and local sediment revealed that the burial towers are composed of calcareous sand that is readily available in alluvial fan deposits near the sites. Our data suggest that the Aymaras considered environmental factors, such as drainage and stability of the soil, when they selected the locations of chullpas, whereas cultural factors played a significant role in chullpa architecture. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.