Evaluation of pullout load capacity of suction caissons in sand using a three-dimensional displacement approach

An investigation was conducted to obtain analytical solutions for the pullout behavior of a suction caisson undergoing inclined loads in sand. The inclined load is transformed into an equivalent load system in which the vertical, horizontal, and moment loads are applied on the center of the lid of the suction caisson. The vertical and lateral stiffness coefficients along the skirt of the suction caisson in sands are presented using the new three-dimensional elastic solutions taking into account the nonhomogeneous and nonlinear properties of the sand. The vertical, lateral, and rocking stiffness coefficients on the base of the suction caisson are presented considering the solutions of a hollow rigid cylindrical punch acting on the surface of a soil. The yield, pullout, and failure for sands with the nonhomogeneous and nonlinear characteristics are taken into consideration. The effects of the load inclination, the loading depth, and the aspect ratio on the pullout load capacity of the suction caisson are presented. Behaviour of the suction caisson in sand prior to failure is clarified from the relationship between tensile load, displacement, and rotation and that between depth, vertical pressure, and lateral pressure.     

Principal stress rotation and cyclic shear strength for an elliptical rotation stress path

Based on the analytical solutions for wave-induced soil response in an unsaturated anisotropic seabed of finite thickness, an elliptical, i.e., noncircular rotation stress path is proven to be a more common state in a soil element with the cyclic shear stresses due to the traveling linear wave. The influence of an elliptical stress path on the characterization of failure strength is analyzed using three new parameters representing the shape, size, and the orientation of the ellipse. A series of cyclic rotational shear tests on the reconstituted specimens of Chinese Fujian Standard Sand have been performed to investigate the effect of elliptical stress path. A strength function in term of failure cycles is derived to quantify the failure strength of a given sand within a seabed subjected to regular wave loading. The results provide a basis for the evaluation of liquefaction potential of seabed but also point to a unique backbone cycle shear strength curve for soil under principal stress rotation.     

Automatic mapping of lunar landforms using DEM-derived geomorphometric parameters

Developing approaches to automate the analysis of the massive amounts of data sent back from the Moon will generate significant benefits for the field of lunar geomorphology. In this paper, we outline an automated method for mapping lunar landforms that is based on digital terrain analysis. An iterative self-organizing (ISO) cluster unsupervised classification enables the automatic mapping of landforms via a series of input raster bands that utilize six geomorphometric parameters. These parameters divide landforms into a number of spatially extended, topographically homogeneous segments that exhibit similar terrain attributes and neighborhood properties. To illustrate the applicability of our approach, we apply it to three representative test sites on the Moon, automatically presenting our results as a thematic landform map. We also quantitatively evaluated this approach using a series of confusion matrices, achieving overall accuracies as high as 83.34% and Kappa coefficients (K) as high as 0.77. An immediate version of our algorithm can also be applied for automatically mapping large-scale lunar landforms and for the quantitative comparison of lunar surface morphologies.     

Inverse modelling of aquifer parameters in basaltic rock with the help of pumping test method using MODFLOW software

The origin and movement of groundwater are the fundamental questions that address both the temporal and spatial aspects of ground water run and water supply related issues in hydrological systems. As groundwater flows through an aquifer, its composition and temperature may variation dependent on the aquifer condition through which it flows. Thus, hydrologic investigations can also provide useful information about the subsurface geology of a region. But because such studies investigate processes that follow under the Earth's shallow, obtaining the information necessary to answer these questions is not continuously easy. Springs, which discharge groundwater table directly, afford to study subsurface hydrogeological processes.The present study of estimation of aquifer factors such as transmissivity (T) and storativity (S) are vital for the evaluation of groundwater resources. There are several methods to estimate the accurate aquifer parameters (i.e. hydrograph analysis, pumping test, etc.). In initial days, these parameters are projected either by means of in-situ test or execution test on aquifer well samples carried in the laboratory. The simultaneous information on the hydraulic behavior of the well (borehole) that provides on this method, the reservoir and the reservoir boundaries, are important for efficient aquifer and well data management and analysis. The most common in-situ test is pumping test performed on wells, which involves the measurement of the fall and increase of groundwater level with respect to time. The alteration in groundwater level (drawdown/recovery) is caused due to pumping of water from the well. Theis (1935) was first to propose method to evaluate aquifer parameters from the pumping test on a bore well in a confined aquifer. It is essential to know the transmissivity (T = Kb, where b is the aquifer thickness; pumping flow rate, Q = TW (dh/dl) flow through an aquifer) and storativity (confined aquifer: S = bS_s, unconfined: S = S_y), for the characterization of the aquifer parameters in an unknown area so as to predict the rate of drawdown of the groundwater table/potentiometric surface throughout the pumping test of an aquifer. The determination of aquifer's parameters is an important basis for groundwater resources evaluation, numerical simulation, development and protection as well as scientific management. For determining aquifer's parameters, pumping test is a main method. A case study shows that these techniques have been fast speed and high correctness. The results of parameter's determination are optimized so that it has important applied value for scientific research and geology engineering preparation.     

Analysis of simple shear tests with cell pressure confinement

The high cost of offshore infrastructure provides continuous encouragement for optimisation of design practices. Development of a more rational method to interpret results from simple shear tests with cell pressure confinement can reduce costs and improve reliability of offshore infrastructure. This paper addresses a commonly overlooked issue affecting design parameter selection: specimen shape varies from right cylinder to oblique cylinder after loading along a single shearing direction. Thus, horizontal stresses are not always equal to the cell pressure and their magnitude varies throughout the specimen’s lateral surface. An analysis is proposed that accounts for changing specimen geometry and lateral surface area during shearing and for the actual effect of cell pressure during testing. The analysis also describes how the intermediate principal stress can be assessed. Test results for medium dense silica sand are interpreted following de Josselin de Jong’s alternative shearing mechanism hypothesis. Conventional interpretation methods yield conservative design parameters for this soil. Failure states develop when the intermediate principal effective stress is halfway between major and minor principal effective stresses. Typical results for the soil tested show equipment performance meets standard direct simple shear requirements for shear strain rate, vertical stress and specimen height control.     

水平单轴应力与横波反射系数

地球物理勘探中,地下应力的估测是非常重要的.本文利用应力诱导的弱各向异性的各向异性参数,借助已有的具有水平对称轴横向各向同性介质顾及高阶小量的横波反射系数近似公式,针对下介质为各向同性受单轴应力作用情况随应力的增加求取应力精度降低的问题,从横波反射系数近似公式的推导出发,联合SH波与SV波反射系数给出新的改进的单轴应力与横波反射系数的直观表达式;计算并对比了受单轴应力作用的各向同性介质的横波近似和严格的反射系数,并利用理论得到的横波反射系数对应力进行了估值.结果表明,利用改进后横波反射系数与应力的直观表达式,当应力增加时,应力估值精度有了明显的改善,这为利用横波反射数据直观估测应力提供理论依据.     

多通道大功率电法勘探仪集成试验

采用自主研发的多通道大功率电法勘探仪进行了深部矿勘探测试.首先在河北省张家口市张北县进行了仪器整体的调试和波形测试等试验,试验结果表明,在大偏移距情况下,尽管存在50 Hz电磁干扰,也能获得与发射波形相关的波形曲线,验证了仪器系统的正确性和稳定性.然后在内蒙古曹四夭钼矿区采集了4.8km的剖面数据,并进行了相应的数据处理工作.对所采集的数据进行了大地脉冲响应计算、峰值时刻提取和视电阻率计算,以及电阻率二维反演工作,反演的的电阻率断面结构与已知地质资料相吻合,验证了数据流程和处理方法的正确性.此次多通道大功率电法勘探仪的成功集成,为进一步大规模比对试验和装备整装勘探打下了基础.     

Effect of non‐moment braced frame seismic deformations on buckling‐restrained brace end connection behavior: Theoretical analysis and subassemblage tests

In‐plane buckling‐restrained brace (BRB) end rotation induced by frame action is a commonly observed phenomenon in buckling‐restrained braced frames (BRBFs). However, its effect on BRB end connection behavior has not yet been clear. In this study, four BRB end deformation modes for quick determination of end rotational demand are proposed for non‐moment BRBF considering different BRB arrangements, installing story of BRBs, and boundary condition of corner gussets connected with column base. Key factors affecting BRB end rotation and flexural moments are examined theoretically by parametric analysis. Subassemblage tests of seven BRB specimens under horizontal cyclic loading were conducted by adopting two loading frames to impose the expected BRB end deformations. It shows that BRB end rotation subjected BRB ends to significant flexural moments, leading to premature yielding of BRB ends or even tendency of end zone buckling. The deformation modes, the flexural rigidity of BRB ends, and the initial geometric imperfections of BRBs were found to have significant influence on BRB end connection behavior. The triggering moment induced by BRB end rotation was the main contributor to end flexural moment. However, the moment amplification effect induced by flexure of BRB end zones became prominent especially for small flexural rigidity of BRB ends. Implications and future research needs for design of BRB end connections are provided finally based on the theoretical and experimental results. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

一种新型海底沉积物声学原位测量系统的研制及应用

为了能够精确地测量海底表层沉积物的声学参数,自主研制了一种新型海底沉积物声学原位测量系统,与国内外传统的声学原位测量系统相比,该系统能够实时显示声波波形,调整测量参数,其工作方式除了站位式测量之外,还实现了拖行式连续测量,极大地提高了工作效率.根据前期海试情况,对海底仪器结构进行了重新设计,使之可以同时测量海底沉积物及海底海水的声学参数,同时建立了双向数字信道,解决了测量过程中系统信号的干扰问题.该系统的结构分为两部分:甲板控制单元和水下测量单元,整套系统通过主机控制程序进行控制,采用GPS定位系统测定仪器的大地坐标.为了检验系统的稳定性及准确性,分别进行了实验室水槽实验和海上试验.利用水声测量设备对测量系统进行实验室水槽标定分析,实验结果表明系统测量值相对误差仅为0.04%,测量结果具有较高的精度.海上试验在青岛胶州湾和东海海域进行,获得了试验区域海底沉积物声速和声衰减系数的测量数据,将测量数据与他人的研究结果进行对比分析,结果表明测量数据与前人研究结果一致,较为准确.该原位测量系统在站位式测量和拖行式测量中都能够快速准确地测量出沉积物声速和声衰减系数,可以作为海底底质声学测量的调查设备.     

地震动参数速报仪的研制

在出现区域大震后,为了迅速展开有效的应急救援行动,需要及时准确了解烈度分布.目前震动图的获得有震后人工调查、震源参数计算、地震监测台网、地震烈度速报台网等几种方式,其中最有效的是在重点监护区建立烈度速报台网.但烈度速报台网建设往往沿用地震监测台网的模式,建设成本高、台站密度有限、实时数据传输量大.本文研制的地震动参数速报仪采用MEMS加速度计为测震传感器和ARM+Linux嵌入式计算机技术,具有体积小、成本小、功耗低、一体化、智能化的特点;其内置地震信息实时处理算法,能够自动判别地震事件并计算地震动参数;在实际应用中安装简便.通过大量密集布设这种小型仪器而组建的地震动参数速报网络,具有数据传输量小、分布式计算、组成的速报网络可靠性高、能够快速产出高分辨率的精细震动图等特点.