Probing the relationship between surface waters and aquifers by <Superscript>18</Superscript>O measurements on the top of the Araripe Plateau/NE Brazil

The Araripe Plateau in northeastern Brazil has an area of about 8,000 km², confined by 39°05E and 40°55E, and 7°10S and 7°50S. Due to high permeability of soils, a surface drainage system is practically inexistent. Water is stored in excavations with clayey soil, the barreiros. Monthly samples were taken for ¹⁸O measurements, from September 1999 to August 2000, from four barreiros, three dug wells and five drilled wells. Results show that (1) groundwaters in the eastern part of the plateau are derived from present-day rainfall (¹⁸O–3.2), whereas groundwaters in the western portion are isotopically different (¹⁸O–5.0); (2) barreiros are strongly marked seasonally by elevated ¹⁸O during the dry period due to elevated evaporation; (3) a dug well at a distance of 30 m from a barreiro exhibits ¹⁸O similar to that of the reservoir, indicating a strong interaction between groundwater and surface water; and (4) a tubular well of 242-m depth, located in a fault, exhibits strong seasonal changes in ¹⁸O and electrical conductivity, revealing downward leakage between aquifers.     

Evaluating performance of post‐tensioned steel connections with strands and reduced flange plates

The seismic performance of post‐tensioned steel connections for moment‐resisting frames was examined experimentally and analytically. Cyclic tests were conducted on three full‐scale subassemblies, which had two steel beams post‐tensioned to a concrete‐filled tube (CFT) column with high‐strength strands to provide recentring response. Reduced flange plates (RFPs) welded to the column and bolted to the beam flange were used to increase the dissipation of energy. Test results indicated that (1) the proposed buckling‐restrained RFP could dissipate energy in axial tension and compression, (2) the subassemblies could reach an interstorey drift of 4% without strength degradation, and (3) buckling of the beam occurred towards an interstorey drift of 5%, causing a loss of the strand force, the recentring response, and the moment capacity. A general‐purpose non‐linear finite element analysis program (ABAQUS) was used to perform a correlation study. The behaviour of the steel beam under both post‐tensioning and flexural loadings was compared to the test results and predictions. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Re‐enlivening the Indian Ocean through contemporary trade: East African traders searching for new markets in Jakarta

While much has been written about the history of mobility and trade in the Indian Ocean, recent trading connections between Eastern Africa and Asia have so far only gained very little attention. However, in Zanzibar alone, hundreds of traders regularly embark on journeys reviving old routes and further develop them, in order to take advantage of the way the global economy works today. By providing an ethnographic account of such a journey undertaken by four Zanzibari traders to Jakarta, this article gives an insight into the organization, calculations and imaginations involved in contemporary Indian Ocean trading networks. Although this trade journey clearly marks a new form of translocal mobility among Zanzibari traders, this mobile ethnography highlights how the journey is at the same time closely linked to, evokes and enlivens very old processes of mobility across the Indian Ocean, thus highlighting the dialectics between old and new mobilities, and between familiarity and strangeness.     

Modeling cyclic loading behavior of jointed precast concrete connections including effects of friction,tendon yielding and dampers

Reversed cyclic loading behavior of jointed precast prestressed concrete beam‐to‐column connections are computationally modeled and validated against full‐scale experimental results. Response simulations are performed with and without supplemental high force‐to‐volume (HF2V) energy dissipation devices. The experimental specimen is a three‐dimensional corner connection of a jointed precast concrete frame structure, utilizing unbonded post‐tensioned tendons consisting of high‐alloy, high‐strength thread‐bars. The joint region is armored, to avoid damage, by providing steel plates at the beam–column (rocking) contact points. The analytical model of the connection is developed to include modifications for the effects of changing connection behavior. These effects are friction within the prestressing system, yielding of the prestressing tendons, reduction or elimination of prestress attributable to prior tendon yield, and directional dependence caused by an asymmetrical prestress system. Particular attention is given to developing a robust model that can accommodate small reversals in the displacement loading. The model is extended to incorporate the effects of the HF2V energy dissipation devices and the associated flexibility from the elements that connect the devices to the structure. Although the model is applied to the use of HF2V (lead extrusion) energy dissipation devices, it is general and can accommodate any non‐linear rate‐dependent damper. The computational model is based almost entirely on rational mechanics and shows good agreement with the full‐scale experimental observations. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

煤炭开采后峰峰矿区奥陶系岩溶水硫酸盐演化过程研究

文章运用水化学和同位素水文学等手段,寻求奥陶系岩溶水硫酸盐演化过程的“指纹”,通过不同含水层间水化学、稳定同位素差异的比对,分析其与上覆含水层间的水力联系和硫动力分馏过程,阐述采矿活动影响下峰峰矿区奥陶系岩溶水硫酸盐的演化过程。研究结果表明:煤矿开采后,峰峰矿区奥陶系岩溶水硫酸盐含量普遍增高,演化特征呈现多样性,存在多种硫动力分馏过程。分馏动力主要来自矿坑水和孔隙水通过导水裂隙的渗漏（越流）补给,以及脱白云石化过程中自身蒸发岩矿物（石膏）的溶解。      

鄱阳湖通江水道鱼类空间分布特征及资源量评估

于2014年9月24至26日在鄱阳湖通江水道湖口至屏峰段使用SIMRAD EY60回声探测仪对鱼类资源进行水声学调查.结果显示,鄱阳湖通江水道鱼类目标强度平均值为-56.4±6.4 d B,范围为-69.9~-32.1 d B;估算的平均全长为7.6 cm,范围为1.2~98.0 cm;鱼类资源的平均密度为53.7 ind./1000 m3,范围为0~441.7 ind./1000 m3.在水平分布上,鱼类主要分布在湖口县、鞋山和屏峰附近3个水域.区域Ⅰ和区域Ⅲ的鱼类密度显著高于区域Ⅱ的鱼类密度;区域Ⅲ的鱼类个体大小显著小于区域Ⅰ和区域Ⅱ.在垂直分布上,多数鱼类栖息于主河槽的深水区,且大个体更倾向于深水区.在此基础上,利用Arc GIS地统计插值方法估算鄱阳湖通江水道湖口至屏峰山水域鱼类总数量约为6.2×107ind.,总生物量约620 t.结果表明,鄱阳湖通江水道是鱼类重要的栖息地,建议加强该水域的保护,保持鄱阳湖与长江的自然连通.     

反复荷载作用下矩形钢管混凝土树状节点的非线性分析

本文在确定了往复应力作用下钢管混凝土的钢材和核心混凝土的应力-应变关系的基础上,利用纤维杆元模型,有限元模型对钢管混凝土Y形柱和十字形钢梁连接的节点的荷载-位移滞回关系曲线及其骨架曲线进行了计算,并与试验结果进行了比较。结果表明：由纤维杆元模型与试验所得的低周反复荷载作用下的骨架曲线极为相似,但在峰值荷载后差异较大;由纤维杆元模型和有限元所得的在低周反复荷载作用下滞回曲线也与在反复荷载作用下试验所得的结果相一致。纤维杆元模型能准确地预测节点的弹塑性行为和整体抗震性能,可用于节点滞回性能的非线性参数分析研究。在此基础上研究了方钢管混凝土柱的轴压比,宽厚比及核心混凝土强度对节点受力性能的影响。     

Centralized semi‐active control of post‐tensioned steel frames

Centralized semi‐active control is a technique for controlling the whole structure using one main computer. Centralized control systems introduce better control for relatively short to medium high structures where the response of any story cannot be separated from the adjacent ones. In this paper, two centralized control approaches are proposed for controlling the seismic response of post‐tensioned (PT) steel frames. The first approach, the stiffness control approach, aims to alter the stiffness of the PT frame so that it avoids large dynamic amplifications due to earthquake excitations. The second approach, deformation regulation control approach, aims at redistributing the demand/strength ratio in order to provide a more uniform distribution of deformations over the height of the structure. The two control approaches were assessed through simulations of the earthquake response of semi‐actively and passively controlled six‐story post‐tensioned steel frames. The results showed that the stiffness control approach is efficient in reducing the frame deformations and internal forces. The deformation regulation control approach was found to be efficient in reducing the frame displacements and generating a more uniform distribution of the inter‐story drifts. These results indicate that centralized semi‐active control can be used to improve the seismic performance of post‐tensioned steel frames. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

On‐line hybrid test method for evaluating the performance of structural details to failure

A test environment to evaluate the seismic performance of gusset plate connections intended for steel braced frames is proposed. The developed test method combines the substructuring techniques with finite element analysis methods in an on‐line hybrid scheme. Numerical substructure analysis is conducted on bracing members, while bracing connections are treated as experimental substructures. A force‐displacement combined control imposed with the aid of 2 jacks ensures physical continuity between the analysis and test. The rotational behavior of gusset plate connections subjected to large inelasticity and varying axial loading until fracture is investigated. Two gusset plate details were designed and tested to verify the efficiency of the proposed method. The test method is rational, and smooth operation is achieved. The test results revealed the advantage of the developed on‐line hybrid test method in exploring the ultimate capacity of bracing connections.