A substructure method for earthquake analysis of structures including structure-soil interaction

A general substructure method for analysis of response of structures to earthquake ground motion, including the effects of structure-soil interaction, is presented. The method is applicable to complex structures idealized as finite element systems and the soil region treated as either a continuum, for example as a viscoelastic halfspace, or idealized as a finite element system. The halfspace idealization permits reliable analysis for sites where essentially similar soils extend to large depths and there is no rigid boundary such as soil-rock interface. For sites where layers of soft soil are underlain by rock at shallow depth, finite element idealization of the soil region is appropriate; in this case, the direct and substructure methods would lead to equivalent results but the latter provides the better alternative. Treating the free field motion directly as the earthquake input in the substructure method eliminates the deconvolution calculations and the related assumption—regarding type and direction of earthquake waves—required in the direct method. Spatial variations in the input motion along the structure-soil interface of embedded structures or along the base of long surface supported structures are included in the formulation. The substructure method is computationally efficient because the two substructures—the structure and the soil region—are analysed separately; and, more important, it permits taking advantage of the important feature that response to earthquake ground motion is essentially contained in the lower few natural modes of vibration of the structure on fixed base.     

Study of Cosmic-Ray Intensity Variations Associated with Anomalous,Long-Duration High-Speed Solar Wind Streams in 2003

High-speed solar wind streams (HSWS) were identified for solar cycles 22 and 23 (up to 2004). Preliminarily, HSWS were classified in three groups according to their continuous period of occurrence. In the declining phase of solar cycle 23, 2003 is found to be anomalous, showing a very large number of HSWS events of long duration (> ten days). We have studied the effect of HSWS on the cosmic-ray intensity as well as their relationship with geomagnetic disturbance index Ap on yearly, daily, and hourly bases. The yearly average of solar-wind speed was also found to be maximum in 2003. Being within the declining phase of solar activity, the occurrence of solar flares in 2003 is quite low. In particular during HSWS, no solar flares have been observed. Associations with cosmic-ray changes do not support the notion that the HSWS are usually effective in producing significant cosmic-ray decreases. Out of 12 HSWS events observed during the period 2002 (December) to 2003, four events of significant cosmic-ray decreases at all the stations have been selected for further analysis. The cosmic-ray intensity has been found to decrease during the first phase of the event (first five days of HSWS) at all three neutron-monitor stations situated at different latitudes with different cutoff rigidities. The rigidity spectra of observed decreases in cosmic-ray intensity for these four cases have been found to be significantly different than that of Fds (Forbush decrease). In two cases the spectra are softer, whereas in the other two they are harder than that of Fds. However, if the average of all four events is considered together then the spectra of the decrease in cosmic rays during HSWS exactly match that of Fds. Such a result implies that initially individual events should be considered, instead of combining them together, as was done earlier. The Ap index is also found to generally increase in the first phase of the event. However, the four events selected on the basis of cosmic-ray decrease are not always associated with enhanced values of the Ap index. As such, the significance of our study is that further detailed investigations for much longer periods and on an event-by-event basis is required to understand the effect of coronal-hole-associated HSWS.     

Late Cretaceous mafic dykes in the Dharwar craton

Palaeomagnetic, geochemical and geochronological studies have been conducted on a set of dolerite dykes intruding the Peninsular gneisses near Huliyurdurga town, Karnataka, as a reconnaissance survey indicated a Cretaceous age for them. The dykes are mainly tholeiitic in composition with their 87Sr/86Sr ratios tightly clustered around 0·7045. Their palaeomagnetic data (D _m =329°,I _m =−55°) and the corresponding palaeopole coordinates (λ _p = 34°S,L _p =108°E) are strikingly close to those of the Deccan Traps to the north. Whole rock K-Ar ages of these dykes ranging between 69 and 84 Ma are also similar to the range of K-Ar ages of the Deccan basalts. The chemical, palaeomagnetic and temporal coherence between the dykes and the Deccan basalts indicate that they may indeed be tectonically related events.     

Flood inundation mapping in a part of Mahanadi river basin

Man has had to live with floods since the very inception of his existence. Fury of flood causes heavy damages to both life and property. Accurate flood inundation data is one of the essential requirements for effective management of flood problem. Remote Sensing methods are well suited for acquiring flood inundation data because of synoptic, repetitive coverage of the satellite data. This paper briefs on an attempt to map flood inundated areas in a part of Mahanadi river basin using remote sensing data.     

Scanning sky monitor (SSM) onboard AstroSat

Scanning Sky Monitor (SSM) onboard AstroSat is an Xray sky monitor in the soft X-ray band designed with a large field of view to detect and locate transient X-ray sources and alert the astronomical community about interesting phenomena in the X-ray sky. SSM comprises position sensitive proportional counters with 1D coded mask for imaging. There are three detector units mounted on a platform capable of rotation which helps covering about 50% of the sky in one full rotation. This paper discusses the elaborate details of the instrument and few immediate results from the instrument after launch.     

Mathematical models for the dynamic analysis of concrete gravity dams

The results from field tests on Pine Flat Dam near Fresno, California, are described. The results are then used in the formulation of a three-dimensional mathematical model of the dam and a two-dimensional mathematical model of one of the taller monoliths. The significance of these mathematical models in relationship to the behaviour of concrete gravity dams during earthquakes is also discussed.     

Evolution of the basalts from three back-arc basins of southwest Pacific

 Petrography, petrochemistry, and mineral chemistry of basalts from the Woodlark, Manus, and Lau basins from the southwest Pacific, have been studied to understand their magmatic evolution. Basalt from the western Woodlark Basin (Dobu Seamount) indicates mixing of a near-primitive magma with fractionated basaltic melt in shallow magma chambers. Basalts from Manus Basin and Central Lau Spreading Center (Lau Basin) are typical N-MORBs, and they exhibit olivine fractionation under high oxidizing conditions while basalts from Mangatolu Triple Junction (Lau Basin) are enriched in Al₂O₃, K₂O, and Zr indicative of a contribution from a subducting plate. Received: 4 August 1998 / Revision received: 19 February 1999