A Decision Support System for the Evaluation of Eco-engineering Strategies for Slope Protection

A decision support system (DSS) has been developed to assist expert and non-expert users in the evaluation and selection of eco-engineering strategies for slope protection. This DSS combines a qualitative hazard assessment of erosion and mass movements with a detailed catalogue of eco-engineering strategies for slope protection of which the suitability is evaluated in relation to the data entered. The slope decision support system (SDSS) is a knowledge based DSS in which knowledge is stored in frames containing rules that can evaluate the available information for a project, stored as project specific information (PSI) in a data file. The advantages of such a system are that it accepts incomplete information and that the qualitative nature of the information does not instil the user with a sense of unjustified exactitude. By its multidisciplinary and progressive nature, the DSS will be of value during the initial stages of an eco-engineering project when data collection and the potential of different eco-engineering strategies are considered. The accent of the output of the DSS is on the application of eco-engineering strategies for slope protection as an environmentally-friendly solution aiding sustainable development. For its acceptance within the engineering community, the DSS needs to prove its predictive capacity. Therefore, its performance has been benchmarked against successful and unsuccessful cases of slope stabilisation using eco-engineering. The target audience and the areas of application of this DSS are reviewed and the strategies for further development in this area suggested.     

Ultra-rapid landscape response and sediment yield following glacier retreat, Icy Bay, southern Alaska

The páramo is a neotropical alpine ecosystem that covers more than 75,000 km² of the northern Andes of Colombia, Ecuador, Venezuela, and Peru. It provides important environmental services: more than 10 million people in the Andean highlands benefit from the water supply and regulation function, which is attributed to the volcanic soils that underlie the ecosystem. The soils are also major carbon sinks of global significance. Severe land use changes and soil degradation threaten both the hydrology and carbon sink function. Nevertheless, soil genesis and properties in the páramo is rather poorly understood, nor are their ecological functions well documented. The impact of the geomorphology of the páramo on soil genesis was studied in the rio Paute basin, south Ecuador. Two toposequences were described and analysed. In each toposequence, four pedons were selected representing summit, backslope, undrained plain situation, and valley bottom positions in the landscape. The soils are classified as Hydric Andosols in the World Reference Base for Soil Resources and Epiaquands or Hydrudands in Soil Taxonomy. They are very acidic and have a high organic matter content, high P deficiency, and Al toxicity. Their water content ranges from 2.64 g g^− 1 at saturation, down to 1.24 g g^− 1 at wilting point, resulting in a large water storage capacity. Two major soil forming processes are identified: (1) volcanic ash deposition and (2) accumulation of organic carbon. Volcanic ash deposits may vary in depth as a result of regional geomorphological factors such as parent material, orientation, slope, and altitude. Organic carbon accumulation is an interaction of both waterlogging, which depends on the position in the landscape, and the formation of organometallic complexes with Al and Fe released during volcanic ash breakdown. Despite the high variability in parent material and topography, the soil is characterised by a notable homogeneity in physico-chemical properties. Statistical analysis reveals that only topographic location has a slight but significant influence on soil pH as well as the organic matter content, saturated conductivity and water retention at high pressure. Finally, the exceptional properties of these soils provide useful insights to improve classification of the Andosols reference group of the FAO World reference Base for Soil Resources.     

地学自由曲面径向基函数网络重建的详细算法

径向基函数(RadialBasisFunction,简称RBF)神经网络是一种理想的地学离散数据网格化工具,能够适应各种不同分布形式和边界条件的数据,收敛速度较快,可以逼近任何复杂曲面。这里详细介绍了RBF神经网络的算法。适当径向基函数的形式和偏差系数是使用RBF神经网络作地学曲面重建的关键。大量的实际数据验证结果表明,当选用Gauss型径向基函数时,一般可获得比较理想的网格化效果,同时具备"曲面平滑"和"拟合度高"的特点。     

火山射气岩浆喷发作用研究进展

射气岩浆喷发是一种特殊类型的火山活动，水在这类火山活动中起到至关重要的作用，且其喷发产物——低平火山口和基浪堆积物在我国乃至全世界都有广泛的分布。国际上对射气岩浆喷发的研究始于1921年，迄今为止已有80余年的历史。国内外许多学者运用火山地质学、岩石学、沉积学、物理火山学及数值模拟等多学科研究手段，对射气岩浆喷发作用及其产物进行详细的野外观测描述，并探讨其成因机制。本文在前人研究基础上，以我国南方北部湾周边第四纪火山区大量存在的射气岩浆喷发成因的低平火山口和基浪堆积物为研究对象，深入讨论了基浪堆积物的地质特征、射气岩浆喷发形成的基本条件、喷发过程的动力学机制以及基浪流的搬运过程等几方面重要问题，并对已有的研究成果进行了概括和总结，提出有待解决的难点，揭示了这类火山活动特有的属性。     

房产测绘平面图系统的实现研究

随着城市规划管理的不断发展．使得城市房产测绘单位采用大型空间数据库管理测绘平面图资料成为必然。通过建立房产测绘平面图系统，可以有效地解决数据标准不一致．图数不能互访，测绘各部门无法协调一致等问题，充分发挥网络功能，提升整个城市的房产管理水平．达到房产管理和房产服务一体化的目标。本文详细论述了房产测绘平面图系统的概念、设计原则和系统功能．在南京数字房产共享平台的建设中得到了实现．并取得了良好的效果。     

乐平统底界定义和点位的争论

有关乐平统底界定义和点位的争论涉及到有关建立界线层型的一些基本原则。本文作者确信,乐平统的底界不可能建立在小间断上或层序界面上;不能被证实的点断成种事件也不能用来建立界线层型;定义种在连续演化谱系中首现的点位是确定的不是任意的;必须考虑定义种的首现时期的居群特征,不能用定义种晚期的居群特征来确定GSSP的点位;定义种的定义不能任意改动,要保持分类的稳定。不能过高估计或只认为齿脊特征是区别晚二叠世舟刺分子的唯一标准。梅仕龙有关C. postbitteri和C. dukouensis两个种区别特征的争辩是无用的,因为本文作者所使用的区别这两个种的标准正是梅仕龙等(Mei et al, 1994)所提出的。现在没有必要为维护自己的界线定义或点位而修改有关种的定义。原来有关这两个种的定义和区别特征是科学的。本文作者鉴定的C. dukouensis (Wang, 2000a, p1. 2, figs. 1～8)是正确的,符合原来的定义。乐平统底界定义应当是严格的科学的。金玉玕等(Jin et al, 1994, 1998)从来没有提到更谈不上“反复讨论”了C. doukouensis的“首现”(梅仕龙,本期)。虽然提到(C. postbitteri的首现,但由于C. postbitteri的先驱种不清,这个定义是不科学的。乐平统底界的科学而严格的定义应是:在Clarkikina postbitteri—C. duk     

Selective controlled base isolation system with magnetorheological dampers

A base isolation system composed of low‐damping isolation bearings and magnetorheological (MR) fluid dampers is described. The MR fluid changes its properties under the influence of a magnetic field resulting in a damper with characteristics that may be modified in real time. This feature enables optimal control under changing excitations in a stable and cost‐effective manner. The voltage is applied according to a selective control strategy. According to the proposed approach the dampers are activated only within a given range of the base displacements. The selective control improves the efficiency of the system and significantly reduces the control forces required for an optimal structural behaviour. Models of five‐ and eight‐storey buildings are used to study the efficiency of the proposed system. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Pseudodynamic tests on rubber base isolators with numerical substructuring of the superstructure and strain‐rate effect compensation

A pseudodynamic testing procedure has been applied by which the seismic response of a base‐isolated building is obtained by using as specimen the isolators, while the superstructure is numerically simulated. The procedure also takes advantage of the continuous pseudodynamic testing capabilities of the ELSA laboratory, which increase the accuracy of the results and reduce the strain‐rate effect of the rubber bearings. A simple proportional correction of the measured forces compensates the remaining strain‐rate effect due to the unrealistic speed of the test. The correction factor is obtained by means of a characterizing test on the specific rubber isolators. The developed method has been successfully applied to the prediction of the seismic response of a base‐isolated four‐storey building submitted to several specified accelerograms. The results for those earthquakes as well as the effects of some changes of the parameters of the system are discussed. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Study on effects of damping in laminated rubber bearings on seismic responses for a ⅛ scale isolated test structure

The effects of damping in various laminated rubber bearings (LRB) on the seismic response of a ?‐scale isolated test structure are investigated by shaking table tests and seismic response analyses. A series of shaking table tests of the structure were performed for a fixed base design and for a base isolation design. Two different types of LRB were used: natural rubber bearings (NRB) and lead rubber bearings (LLRB). Three different designs for the LLRB were tested; each design had a different diameter of lead plug, and thus, different damping values. Artificial time histories of peak ground acceleration 0.4g were used in both the tests and the analyses. In both shaking table tests and analyses, as expected, the acceleration responses of the seismically isolated test structure were considerably reduced. However, the shear displacement at the isolators was increased. To reduce the shear displacement in the isolators, the diameter of the lead plug in the LLRB had to be enlarged to increase isolator damping by more than 24%. This caused the isolator stiffness to increase, and resulted in amplifying the floor acceleration response spectra of the isolated test structure in the higher frequency ranges with a monotonic reduction of isolator shear displacement. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Approximate analysis methods for asymmetric plan base‐isolated buildings

An approximate method for linear analysis of asymmetric‐plan, multistorey buildings is specialized for a single‐storey, base‐isolated structure. To find the mode shapes of the torsionally coupled system, the Rayleigh–Ritz procedure is applied using the torsionally uncoupled modes as Ritz vectors. This approach reduces to analysis of two single‐storey systems, each with vibration properties and eccentricities (labelled ‘effective eccentricities’) similar to corresponding properties of the isolation system or the fixed‐base structure. With certain assumptions, the vibration properties of the coupled system can be expressed explicitly in terms of these single‐storey system properties. Three different methods are developed: the first is a direct application of the Rayleigh–Ritz procedure; the second and third use simplifications for the effective eccentricities, assuming a relatively stiff superstructure. The accuracy of these proposed methods and the rigid structure method in determining responses are assessed for a range of system parameters including eccentricity and structure flexibility. For a subset of systems with equal isolation and structural eccentricities, two of the methods are exact and the third is sufficiently accurate; all three are preferred to the rigid structure method. For systems with zero isolation eccentricity, however, all approximate methods considered are inconsistent and should be applied with caution, only to systems with small structural eccentricities or stiff structures. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.