Swelling Behaviour of Expansive Shales from the Middle Region of Saudi Arabia

Severe and widespread damage in residential buildings, sidewalks and pavements in various parts of the middle region of Saudi Arabia is caused by the development of heave and swelling pressure in the expansive shales in the region. This paper presents the problems and the geotechnical and physicochemical properties of the tested shales. The swelling potential was determined using various methods. Swell tests were conducted under different loading conditions and following different procedures to quantify the amount of vertical swell and swelling pressure. The conventional one-dimensional oedometer swell tests were performed using three different procedures, namely, free swell, constant volume swell and swell overburden. In addition, swell tests were performed in the stress path triaxial apparatus. Tests under different vertical stresses and confinements were conducted. Vertical swell and swelling pressure obtained from the various methods were compared. The reliability of the different methods for estimation of swelling potential is discussed.     

Geographical and vertical variation of the earth's seismicity

Information concerning a total number of 13700 instrumentally recorded earthquakes is used to study the geographical and the vertical distribution of the Earth's seismicity. From these earthquakes, which form four complete samples of data (M 7.0, 1894–1992; M 6.5, 1930–1992; M 6.0, 1953–1992; M 5.5, 1966–1992), 11511 are shallow (h 60 km), 2085 are of intermediate focal depth (61 h 300 km) and 564 are deep focus earthquakes (301 h 720 km). The parameters a and b of the frequency-magnitude relationship were calculated in a grid of equally spaced points at 1° by using the data of earthquakes located inside circles centered at each point. The radius of the circles increased from 30 km with a step of 10 km until the information for the earthquakes located inside the circle fulfil three criteria which concern the size of the sample used to compute these parameters at each point of the grid. The results are given in a qualitative way (epicenter maps) as well as in a quantitative way (mean return periods).     

张北6.2级地震前后地磁Z分量的日变化

利用河北省及邻省、市共１７个地磁台相对观测Ｚ分量资料,总结分析了张北６．２级地震前后的日变化。认为,一次较强地震前可能有多次异常出现,日变反向可作为中短期异常,而后出现的日变低点位移,当分界线连续在某区出现,地震可能进入短临阶段。日变反向的极值区附近和低点位移连续汇集地区可能是未来震中。对于震前出现的多次异常进行追踪预报,可能效果较好。     

用欧拉方程估算埋深和形状因数

本文论述了用欧拉方程估算埋深和形状因数的方法原理,并用模型计算加以验证,最后用湖南某地含原生金刚石的钾镁煌斑岩筒上的ΔＴ异常证实这种估算方法是值得推广的。     

THE APPROACH TO REMOTE SENSING OF WATER VAPOR BASED ON GPS AND LINEAR REGRESSION T_m IN EASTERN REGION OF CHINA

The approach to remote sensing of water vapor by using global positioning systems(GPS)isdiscussed.In order to retrieve the vertical integrated water vapor(IWV)or the precipitable water(PW),the weighted“mean temperature”of the atmosphere,T_m would be estimated to the specificarea and season.T_m depends on surface temperature,tropospheric temperature profile,and thevertical distribution of water vapor.The surface temperature dependence is borne out by acomparison of T_m and the values of surface temperature T_s using radiosonde profiles of BeijingStation(No.54511)throughout 1992.The analysis of radiosonde profiles spanning a one-yearinterval(1992)from sites in eastern region of China with a latitude range of 20-50°N and alongitude range of 100-130°E yields the coefficients α and b of a linear regression equation T_m=α bT_s.     

一种可能的地震成因模型

提出了一种地震成因模型。认为不仅水库地震、矿震等是被人类工程活动诱发的，其它地震也很可能有诱发因素起作用。这种作用不仅仅是触发了地震，地震的孕育很可能也与其有关。诱发因素包括人类工程活动、地外天体的特殊位置、地球自转角速度的变化、气象异常等。这些因素对地壳产生了附加垂直力，后者引起局部地层弯曲，进而导致应力集中、构造应力作用方式的改变乃至地震发生。     

一种基于正交投影的波束形成算法

提出了一种基于正交投影的波束形成算法.首先由MVDR算法确定初始权向量;其次根据该权向量与其它用户波达角方向的关系,建立干扰信号的导向矢量矩阵;然后通过正交投影原理,将期望信号的导向矢量投影到干扰信号的零空间上,从而求得最优权值.仿真结果证明了该算法的有效性.     

Lateral flow thresholds for aspen forested hillslopes on the Western Boreal Plain,Alberta, Canada

To predict the long‐term sustainability of water resources on the Boreal Plain region of northern Alberta, it is critical to understand when hillslopes generate runoff and connect with surface waters. The sub‐humid climate (P ≤ ET) and deep glacial sediments of this region result in large available soil storage capacity relative to moisture surpluses or deficits, leading to threshold‐dependent rainfall‐runoff relationships. Rainfall simulation experiments were conducted using large magnitude and high intensity applications to examine the thresholds in precipitation and soil moisture that are necessary to generate lateral flow from hillslope runoff plots representative of Luvisolic soils and an aspen canopy. Two adjacent plots (areas of 2·95 and 3·4 m²) of contrasting antecedent moisture conditions were examined; one had tree root uptake excluded for two months to increase soil moisture content, while the second plot allowed tree uptake over the growing season resulting in drier soils. Vertical flow as drainage and soil moisture storage dominated the water balances of both plots. Greater lateral flow occurred from the plot with higher antecedent moisture content. Results indicate that a minimum of 15–20 mm of rainfall is required to generate lateral flow, and only after the soils have been wetted to a depth of 0·75 m (C‐horizon). The depth and intensity of rainfall events that generated runoff > 1 mm have return periods of 25 years or greater and, when combined with the need for wet antecendent conditions, indicate that lateral flow generation on these hillslopes will occur infrequently. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Vertical amplitude reduction of Rayleigh waves by a row of piles in a poroelastic half‐space

A row of rigid piles is addressed as the countermeasures for isolating Rayleigh waves in a poroelastic half‐space. The complex characteristic equations for Rayleigh waves are derived via Biot's theory and their existence conditions are given. The piles are modeled as Euler–Bernoulli beams with longitudinal displacements and the diffracted field by each pile is constructed only with Rayleigh waves. Six infinite linear systems of algebraic equations are obtained in terms of the equilibrium of forces and continuity of displacements at the pile–soil interfaces. The systems are subsequently solved in the complex least‐squares sense. The influence of certain pile and soil characteristics such as the permeability of poroelastic soil, spacing between the piles and length of the piles on the isolating performance of a pile barrier is investigated. Computed results show that the permeability of poroelastic soil displays a significant effect on the vertical amplitude reduction of Rayleigh waves. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Vertical dynamic response of a rigid foundation embedded in a poroelastic soil layer

A simplified analytical method is presented for the vertical dynamic analysis of a rigid, massive, cylindrical foundation embedded in a poroelastic soil layer. The foundation is subjected to a time‐harmonic vertical loading and is perfectly bonded to the surrounding soil in the vertical direction. The soil underlying the foundation base is represented by a single‐layered poroelastic soil based on rigid bedrock while the soil at the side of the foundation is modeled as an independent poroelastic layer composed of a series of infinitesimally thin layers. The behavior of the soil is governed by Biot's poroelastodynamic theory and its governing equations are solved by the use of Hankel integral transform. The contact surface between the foundation base and the soil is smooth and fully permeable. The dynamic interaction problem is solved following standard numerical procedures. The accuracy of the present solution is verified by comparisons with the well‐known solutions obtained from other approaches for both the elastodynamic interaction problem and poroelastodynamic interaction problem. Numerical results for the vertical dynamic impedance and response factor of the foundation are presented to demonstrate the influence of nondimensional frequency of excitation, soil layer thickness, poroelastic material parameters, depth ratio and mass ratio on the dynamic response of a rigid foundation embedded in a poroelastic soil layer. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.