A new assessment model for evacuation vulnerability in urban areas

In the high-speed urbanization process of China, the urban population has been increasing significantly, leading to a high-density aggregation of population. However, the sharp increase in population density has not produced commensurate improvements in the road networks. On the contrary, the population increase induced a serious evacuation vulnerability, which cities experience during various hazards and catastrophic events. Therefore, research on evacuation vulnerability is important to urban planning. To assess the evacuation vulnerability, the optimal and worst scenarios should be considered because all possible evacuation plans occur between these extremes. However, most previous evacuation vulnerability studies are based on the worst-case scenario, only providing an upper bound of a potential evacuation assessment. To provide a more comprehensive theoretical basis for decision-makers to understand the consequences caused by all possible evacuations, this paper proposes an optimal evacuation vulnerability assessment model that provides the lower bound on potential evacuation difficulties. The model is solved by a stepwise spreading algorithm based on Graph Theory. Subsequently, to evaluate the effectiveness of the model, the study adopts the model to assess the evacuation capability of different road network topologies. A comparison with previous research was performed. The model was demonstrated in an application to the South Luogu Alley of Beijing, China. The significance of this paper is that the combination of our model with previous research may provide a more complete theoretical basis for an evacuation vulnerability assessment.     

极限平衡理论下边坡强度参数反演及加固稳定性分析

参数反演是获得较为可靠的边坡强度参数的一种有效手段。本文在对边坡临界滑动面进行判别的情况下,以瑞典法为基础,通过建立强度参数之间及其与临界滑动面一一对应的关系推导得边坡强度参数反演的显式计算公式。然后,将反演结果用于锚索加固条件下的边坡稳定性研究。经工程算例分析验证了本文方法的可行性和实用性,并得到如下结论:(1)预应力锚索能对边坡形成有效的加固作用,且锚索在坡面上的位置越靠近滑动面的滑出点时其对边坡的稳定性越有利; (2)锚索的预应力越大则计算得到的安全系数越大,而锚索水平倾角的增大对计算得到的安全系数影响微小。     

Changing grading of soil: effect on critical states

Examples of situations are presented where the grading of a soil changes during its lifetime either by crushing of particles leading to an increase of fine material or by slow transport of fine particles with seepage leading to a decrease of fine material. Such grading changes influence the basic constitutive properties of the soil, in particular properties such as critical states which are dependent on the available range of densities of packing. Discrete element modelling is used to show the dependence of critical state conditions on grading and the way in which the particle assembly seeks out new critical state conditions as the grading changes.     

论青藏高原隆起作用于大气的临界高度

在以前工作的基础上，从大气动力学、热力学及气候学的角度，进一步论证了在青茂高原隆起过程中存在一个临界高度ｈｃ（－１．５－２ｋｍ）。当高原隆起突破这一临界高度时才开始对大气产生强烈的作用，从而造成大气环流、大气热力结构、亚洲区域以及全球气候等一系列巨大转变。     

Accelerated initial stiffness schemes for elastoplasticity

Iterative methods for the solution of non‐linear finite element equations are generally based on variants of the Newton–Raphson method. When they are stable, full Newton–Raphson schemes usually converge rapidly but may be expensive for some types of problems (for example, when the tangent stiffness matrix is unsymmetric). Initial stiffness schemes, on the other hand, are extremely robust but may require large numbers of iterations for cases where the plastic zone is extensive. In most geomechanics applications it is generally preferable to use a tangent stiffness scheme, but there are situations in which initial stiffness schemes are very useful. These situations include problems where a nonassociated flow rule is used or where the zone of plastic yielding is highly localized. This paper surveys the performance of several single‐parameter techniques for accelerating the convergence of the initial stiffness scheme. Some simple but effective modifications to these procedures are also proposed. In particular, a modified version of Thomas' acceleration scheme is developed which has a good rate of convergence. Previously published results on the performance of various acceleration algorithms for initial stiffness iteration are rare and have been restricted to relatively simple yield criteria and simple problems. In this study, detailed numerical results are presented for the expansion of a thick cylinder, the collapse of a rigid strip footing, and the failure of a vertical cut. These analyses use the Mohr–Coulomb and Tresca yield criteria which are popular in soil mechanics. Copyright © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1674987111000181

This study investigates the mechanism of formation of convection plumes of mushroom shape in sub-solidus mantle and their prediction.The seismic-tomographic images of columnar structures of several hundreds kilometers in diameter have been reported by several researchers,while the much cherished mushroom-shaped plume heads could only be found in computational geodynamics(CGD) models and simple small-scale laboratory analogue simulations.Our theory of transient instability shows that the formation of conv...     

Differential spaces of critical geography

This intervention address some of the social and epistemological mechanisms that construct an `international' writing space imbued with an Anglo-American hegemony. This is done by way of three examples, each making it possible to infer one of the general mechanisms at work. Taking off from the, comment, by the way of examples from Denmark, tries to illustrate how a truthful acknowledgement of the contextuality of geographical knowledges can multiply the spaces of critical geography--in the end enriching Anglo-American and non-Anglo-American debates alike.     

微差爆破模拟天然地震的数值分析与效果评价

微差爆破可以创造出与天然地震相类似的振动环境。为了更好地对爆破模拟天然地震进行研究和评价,在LS-DYNA软件框架内,建立了适合于爆炸荷载作用下土体动力分析的实用模型,对原位土体场地爆破地震动试验进行了全尺寸数值模拟,并将模拟结果与现场实测数据进行比较分析,验证数值计算的准确性。计算结果表明,模拟得到的场地质点加速度-时程与实测数据比较吻合,因此,可以预先利用数值手段为试验方案设计提供指导;同时,数值模拟还总结了现场试验中未得到的场地压力变化规律和振动规律,分析了爆破地震动与天然地震的异同,丰富了爆破地震动的研究,表明利用爆破手段能够近似地模拟天然地震,为微差爆破模拟天然地震的研究工作提供了经济、简便而实用的方法。     

实散组合桩承载原理及应用

本文提出了实散组合桩概念,即一根桩由上下两段组成,上段是实体桩,下段是散体桩。这样就克服了散体桩通常桩头承载能力低的缺陷。本文对实散组合桩的受力概念进行了分析研究,给出了其承载力、沉降、临界桩长等计算方法和公式。最后介绍了首次工程实例。     

Damage Survey of Water Supply Systems and Fragility Curve of PVC Water Pipelines in the Chi–Chi Taiwan Earthquake

Substantial damage to water supply systems, including water delivery pipelines, water treatment plants, reservoirs, and water storage tanks, was reported after the 1999 Chi–Chi Taiwan Earthquake. This paper first summarizes the damage survey and then presents the results of seismic fragility analysis for underground pipelines. Construction blueprints of the water delivery pipelines and repair work orders of 11 townships and cities in the disastrous area were digitized into a Geographical Information System (GIS) for analysis and assessment. With the aid of the GIS system, we found that PVC pipes made up 86% of water delivery pipelines while steel, cast iron, ductile iron, PE and others took the rest. Therefore, this paper focuses on the fragility analysis of PVC pipes. Three different methods were applied to derive the fragility relations between the PVC water pipes having nominal diameters (approximately inner diameters) greater than or equal to 65 mm and earthquake intensity parameters such as peak ground acceleration and peak ground velocity. The results were then examined with those of other countries. The discrepancy between our results and the empirical equation used by HAZUS, an earthquake loss estimation software developed by the Federal Emergency Management Agency was not significant.