Which objective function to calibrate rainfall–runoff models for low-flow index simulations?

Much has been written on the subject of objective functions to calibrate rainfall–runoff models. Many studies focus on the best choice for low-flow simulations or different multi-objective purposes. Only a few studies, however, investigate objective functions to optimize the simulations of low-flow indices that are important for water management. Here, we test different objective functions, from single objective functions with different discharge transformations or using low-flow indices, to combinations of single objective functions, and we evaluate their robustness and sensitivity to the rainfall–runoff model. We find that the Kling and Gupta efficiency (KGE) applied to a transformation of discharge is inadequate to fulfil all assessment criteria, whereas the mean of the KGE applied to the discharge and the KGE applied to the inverse of the discharge is sufficient. The robustness depends on the climate variability rather than the objective function and the results are insensitive to the model.

EDITOR A. Castellarin; ASSOCIATE EDITOR C. Perrin     

Collapse risk of controlled rocking steel braced frames with different post‐tensioning and energy dissipation designs

Controlled rocking steel braced frames (CRSBFs) are low‐damage self‐centring lateral force resisting systems. Previous studies have shown that designing the energy dissipation (ED) and post‐tensioning (PT) in CRSBFs using a response modification factor of R=8 can prevent collapse of structures during earthquakes beyond the design level. However, designers have unique control over the hysteretic behaviour of the system, even after the response modification factor is selected. Additionally, recent studies have suggested that CRSBFs could also be designed using R>8 while still satisfying performance limits. This paper examines how the response modification factor and the design of the ED and PT influence the collapse performance of CRSBFs with three and six storeys where collapse occurs because of over‐rotation of the base rocking joint. In addition, the influence of using an additional rocking joint above the base to mitigate higher‐mode forces is evaluated for a 12‐storey frame. A total of 18 different designs are considered for the three buildings using different ED and PT design parameters, including different response modification factors. A suite of 44 ground motions is scaled until at least 50% of the records cause collapse, and fragility curves are generated using the truncated incremental dynamic analysis curves. The results from two different assessment methodologies show that the parameters selected have a marked influence on the collapse performance of a CRSBF. Nevertheless, even CRSBFs designed using R>8 or without supplemental ED can have acceptably low probabilities of collapse, provided that the frame members are designed to remain elastic. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Improved risk‐targeted performance‐based seismic design of reinforced concrete frame structures

This paper presents a procedure for seismic design of reinforced concrete structures, in which performance objectives are formulated in terms of maximum accepted mean annual frequency (MAF) of exceedance, for multiple limit states. The procedure is explicitly probabilistic and uses Cornell's like closed‐form equations for the MAFs. A gradient‐based constrained optimization technique is used for obtaining values of structural design variables (members' section size and reinforcement) satisfying multiple objectives in terms of risk levels. The method is practically feasible even for real‐sized structures thanks to the adoption of adaptive equivalent linear models where element‐by‐element stiffness reduction is performed (2 linear analyses per intensity level). General geometric and capacity design constraints are duly accounted for. The procedure is applied to a 15‐storey plane frame building, and validation is conducted against results in terms of drift profiles and MAF of exceedance, obtained by multiple‐stripe analysis with records selected to match conditional spectra. Results show that the method is suitable for performance‐based seismic design of RC structures with explicit targets in terms of desired risk levels.     

Glacial lake depth and volume estimation based on a large bathymetric dataset from the Cordillera Blanca,Peru

Glacial lakes are most often located in remote places making it difficult to carry out detailed bathymetric surveys. Consequently, lake depths and volumes for unmeasured lakes are often estimated using empirical relationships developed mainly from small bathymetric datasets. In this study, we use the bathymetry dataset of the Cordillera Blanca, Peru comprising 121 detailed lake bathymetries, the most extensive dataset in the world. We assess the performance of the most commonly applied empirical relationships for lake mean depth and volume estimation, but also investigate relationships between different geometric lake variables. We find that lake volume estimation performs better when derived from lake mean depth, which in turn is estimated from lake width. The findings also reveal the extreme variability of lake geometry, which depends on glacio-geomorphological processes that empirical–statistical relationships cannot adequately represent. Such relationships involve characteristic uncertainty ranges of roughly ±50%. We also estimate potential peak discharges of outburst floods from these lakes by applying empirical relationships from the literature, which results in discharges varying by up to one-order of magnitude. Finally, the results are applied to the 860 lakes without bathymetric measurements from the inventory dataset of the Cordillera Blanca to estimate lake mean depth, volume and possible peak discharge for all unmeasured lakes. Estimations show that ca. 70% (610) of the lakes have a mean depth lower than 10 m and very few longer than 40 m. Lake volume of unmeasured lakes represent ca. 32% (5.18 × 10⁸ m³) of the total lake volume (1.15 × 10⁹ m³) in the Cordillera Blanca. Approximately, 50% of the lakes have potential peak discharges > 1000 m³/s in case of lake outburst floods, implying a need for additional studies for risk assessment. © 2020 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

合肥地区1736－1991年年冬季平均气温序列的重建

本文根据宫廷档案资料“雨雪分寸”中合肥地区的降雪日数的记载，通过寻找其与年冬季平均温度的相关关系，重建了合肥地区从１７３６－１９９１年共２５６年的年冬季平均气温序列。分析表明，合肥地区的年冬季平均气温１８世纪较高，１９世纪下降，２０世纪又开始上升，至２０世纪４０年代达近２５０多年来气温最高值。另外，还发现了在１９世纪中叶（１８５１－１８７１年）有一个明显的温暖期。     

气候平均状况下亚洲夏季风的季节内演变过程

根据1979—1995年美国NOAA的向外长波辐射逐日资料,用功率谱分析和带通滤波方法,对气候平均状况下亚洲夏季风的季节内演变过程进行分析,归纳得到亚洲季风区各个子系统季节内变化的8个关键阶段。利用1979—1999年NCEP/NCAR的大气环流再分析资料及中国气象局降水资料CMAP,对每个关键阶段亚洲夏季风的环流和降水的时空演变特征进行分析,得到亚洲季风区环流和降水季节内变化的物理图像。研究表明,在不同的季节内演变阶段,亚洲夏季风各个子系统成员的环流系统的变化特征可以将亚洲夏季风系统的季节内演变过程较好地描述出来。     

计算结构首次穿越时间概率密度函数的新方法

本文在M adsen等提出的积分方程方法基础上,采用单点FORM方法计算结构首次穿越问题中的条件穿越率、联合穿越率及首次穿越时间概率密度。提出的新方法计算简单,结果精确,适于进行脆性结构的首次穿越破坏分析。     

热带太平洋和印度洋海温年际变化的均方差分析

运用1951～1997年热带（20°N～20°S,50°E～80°W）海温（SST）资料求出其各月的均方差,结果表明:太平洋海温变化相对印度洋海温变化要明显,特别是赤道中东太平洋附近 （165～90°W,6°N～6°S）的海温变化比较显著,其海温的变化范围在2～4°C左右,3～4月份海温年际变化小,11～12月海温年际变化大;“暖池”附近洋面海温年际变化也小。而印度洋海域的海温变化范围在1～2°C左右,在印度洋南半球洋面海温变化比北半球洋面海温变化相对较大。同时,根据上述海温变化特征确定了几个海温年际变化最大的关键区。     

马迹山工程中海平面的确定与高程基面关系的分析

以嵊泗列岛马迹山特大型矿石中转码头的项目为例,在对长期验潮站资料收集、计算与考证的基础上,通过相关分析及差比计算,确定了该工程处平均海平面及其与高程基面的关系,从而为大型工程的设计与建设提供了具有实用价值的依据。