Plane of elastic non-resisting tension material under foundation structures

In the frame of 2D-static problems one approaches the problem of elastic-NRT (not-resisting tension) semi-plane loaded on its limit line. This problem is intended to model the stress situation induced in the soil by a foundation structure. The solution, in terms of activated stress field, is searched for in the class of stress fields satisfying equilibrium and admissibility conditions, by applying an energy approach. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Prediction of railway ground vibrations: Accuracy of a coupled lumped mass model for representing the track/soil interaction

Recent advances in railway-induced ground vibrations showed that the track/soil interaction plays an important role in the low frequency range. This paper contributes to the numerical analysis of train/track/foundation dynamics by presenting the accuracy of a coupled lumped mass (CLM) model devoted to the railway foundations and to the track/soil coupling. Following a summary of the background and the advantages of the CLM model, the coupling strategy is quantified through two application cases. Firstly, the dynamic track deflection is calculated for different railway lines considering various degrees of complexities of foundations. Then, the foundation responses are compared depending on whether detailed coupling is introduced or not. The benefit of the proposed model is emphasized by presenting free-field ground vibration responses generated by a tram and a high-speed train, obtained by a revisited two-step prediction model developed by the authors.     

基于重整化群方法的红层软岩损伤破坏逾渗阈值研究

逾渗现象广泛存在于大自然中,当物体中起决定性作用的关键变量变化至某一阈值时,其状态发生突变,此时关键变量的临界值称为逾渗阈值。岩石在水的作用下的损伤破坏过程中存在着逾渗现象,可通过重整化群的方法来研究。本文针对华南地区广泛分布的红层软岩,探讨了其在损伤过程中的逾渗现象与破坏的本质关联。通过对典型红层软岩的微观结构分析,概化出红层软岩的骨架构件和胶结物构件,建立红层软岩的重整化群模型的基本单元,将基本单元进行组合,建立出红层软岩的重整化群模型。根据重整化变换规则,推导计算出其逾渗阈值。研究表明:当红层软岩在荷载条件下的破坏临近逾渗阈值时,其内部结构发生大量破坏,软岩内部从无序损伤突变为有序损伤,继之损伤破坏加剧,由稳定破坏向非稳定破坏突变,最终导致其失稳破坏。研究对揭示红层软岩损伤破坏机理具有重要意义。     

中国九龙江河口营养盐基准值研究

One of the key concerns in estuarine and coastal environments is eutrophication, which is known to be closely connected to nutrient enrichment. To control and improve surface water quality, nutrient criteria are recommended in order to provide reference conditions for the environment. However, the current datasets of nutrient criteria in China are either designed for surface water or sea water, and as such these are not suitable for assessing estuarine water quality, especially given the unique ecosystem and dynamic properties of estuaries. To address this issue in current estuarine water management, nutrient criteria have been developed for a local estuary in the southeast of China. Segmentation of the Jiulong River Estuary, China was firstly analysed through field investigations carried out during 2013–2014, which resulted in the delineation of three segments characterized by their distinct properties in relation to salinity, hydrology, ecosystems, etc. Historical records from 1997 to 2014 were then analysed using statistical modelling to develop candidate nutrient criteria for the estuary.This stage of the analysis was undertaken in combination with the study of nutrient status records from the 1980s,which were used to establish a baseline reference condition. The recommended criteria values of dissolved inorganic nitrogen(DIN) in Segments Ⅰ, Ⅱ and Ⅲ of the Jiulong River Estuary are 64, 21 and 14 μmol/L,respectively, and the corresponding values for soluble reactive phosphorus(SRP) are 0.89, 0.76 and 0.89 μmol/L,respectively. It should be emphasised that these values are site-dependent, and that different results may be achieved at other locations depending on the physical and biogeochemical characteristics of an estuary, or even a single site within a catchment. It is hoped that by demonstrating a possible methodological approach and methods of nutrient criteria derivation in the Jiulong River Estuary, the current study will offer researchers some fundamental basis from which to begin to develop more complete nutrient criteria indices for the study of nutrient conditions in other estuaries throughout China.     

煤田火区特征的土地覆盖分类方法 ——以乌达煤田火区为例

土地覆盖变化是土地分析与评价和生态环境变化预测的重要科学基础, 通过精确的土地覆盖分类方法 获取高精度的土地覆盖图是研究煤田火区生态环境变化的必要手段。本文以最大似然法、光谱角度法、面向对象 分类法和基于复合分区的分层分类法进行乌达煤田火区土地覆盖分类的方法研究。研究结果表明, 基于复合分区的 分层分类方法分类精度较高, 总体分类精度为92.97%, kappa 系数为0.9155。该方法通过基于地表热辐射特征、热 异常状况、地貌类型, 以及对生态系统扰动状况等的划分, 减少了地物信息的混淆度, 即通过提     

A proposal for comparing the reliabilities of alternative seismic hazard models

Differences between statistical unertainty and modeling uncertainty are briefly discussed. It is pointed out that, when different models are proposed for the interpretation of reality, the uncertainty cannot be described in terms of mean value and coefficient of variation. The important question is: which of the proposed models is more reliable than the others? The attention, then, is concentrated on the comparison between different models proposed for the estimate of the required quantity, looking for a criterion leading to the selection of the most reliable one. A criterion for comparison of different models is suggested. In the example of application considered in this paper, it proved to be effective, so that the continuation of numerical experiments, exploring different and more complex situations, seems promising.     

Sectoral targets for developing countries: combining ‘common but differentiated re-sponsibilities’ with ‘meaningful participation’

Although a global cap-and-trade system is seen by many researchers as the most cost-efficient solution to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, the governments of developing countries refuse to enter into such a system in the short term. Many scholars and stakeholders, including the European Commission, have thus proposed various types of commitments for developing countries that appear less stringent, such as sectoral approaches. A macroeconomic assessment of such a sectoral approach is provided for developing countries. Two policy scenarios in particular are assessed, in which developed countries continue with Kyoto-type absolute commitments, while developing countries adopt an emissions trading system limited to electricity generation and linked to developed countries' cap-and-trade systems. In the first scenario, CO₂ allowances are auctioned by the government, which distributes its revenues as a lump sum to households. In a second scenario, the auction revenues are used to reduce taxes on, or to give subsidies to, electricity generation. The quantitative analysis, conducted with a hybrid general equilibrium model, shows that such options provide almost as much emissions reduction as a global cap-and-trade system. Moreover, in the second sectoral scenario, GDP losses in developing countries are much lower than with a global cap-and-trade system, as is also the effect on the electricity price.     

Improved Representation of Land-surface Heterogeneity in a Non-hydrostatic Numerical Weather Prediction Model

This study focuses on the relevance of accurate surface parameters, in particular soil moisture, and of parameterizations for heterogeneous land surfaces, for the prediction of sensible and latent heat fluxes by a mesoscale weather forecast model with horizontal grid resolution of 7 km. The analysis is based on model integrations for a 30-day period, which are compared both to flux measurements obtained from the LITFASS-2003 field experiment and to high-resolution-model (1-km grid spacing) results. At first, the relevance of improved parameter sets and input data compared to usual operational practice for an accurate prediction of near-surface fluxes is shown and discussed. It is demonstrated that an observation-based land-surface assimilation scheme leads to an improved soil moisture analysis, which is shown to be essential for the realistic simulation of surface fluxes. Secondly, the implementation of two efficient parameterization strategies for subgrid-scale variability of the surface, the mosaic and the tile approach, is presented. Using these methods, the simulations are in better agreement with measurements than simulations with simple aggregation methods that use effective surface parameters. Integrations with the mosaic approach reproduce high resolution simulations very well and more accurately than simulations with the tile method. Finally, the high resolution simulations are analyzed to justify and discuss the approximations underlying both methods.