Dynamic response and optimal design of structures with large mass ratio TMD

This paper investigates the dynamic behavior and the seismic effectiveness of a non‐conventional Tuned Mass Damper (TMD) with large mass ratio. Compared with conventional TMD, the device mass is increased up to be comparable with the mass of the structure to be protected, aiming at a better control performance. In order to avoid the introduction of an excessive additional weight, masses already present on the structure are converted into tuned masses, retaining structural or architectural functions beyond the mere control function. A reduced order model is introduced for design purposes and the optimal design of a large mass ratio TMD for seismic applications is then formulated. The design method is specifically developed to implement High‐Damping Rubber Bearings (HDRB) to connect the device mass to the main structure, taking advantage of combining stiffness and noticeable damping characteristics. Ground acceleration is modeled as a Gaussian random process with white noise power spectral density. A numerical searching technique is used to obtain the optimal design parameter, the frequency ratio alpha, which minimizes the root‐mean‐square displacement response of the main structure. The study finally comprises shaking table tests on a 1:5 scale model under a wide selection of accelerograms, both artificial and natural, to assess the seismic effectiveness of the proposed large mass ratio TMD. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

阻尼连体结构地震响应影响参数研究

针对阻尼连体结构,采用串并联质点系层模型,沿连体设置方向施加El Centro1940地震波,讨论了毗邻结构自振周期比与连接体阻尼刚度变化对阻尼连体结构地震响应的影响。研究结果表明:毗邻结构自振周期比与连体阻尼刚度对结构的地震响应影响较大,存在一个使结构地震响应为最优的周期比与阻尼刚度值,为实际工程应用和研究提供一些参考。     

Dimensionless input parameters in discrete element modeling and assessment of scaling techniques

A set of dimensionless input parameters were defined for DEM using a characteristic time which is a function of density and elastic modulus of particles and an arbitrary characteristic length. Dimensionless strain rate and mass damping ratio are inversely proportional to the characteristic time, and stress is normalized by elastic modulus to give dimensionless stress. It was demonstrated that the response of a model in the dimensionless scale is invariant with the choice of density, elastic modulus and the characteristic length if dimensionless strain rate and mass damping ratio are kept constant. Small time step is a prohibitive aspect of DEM. Scaling techniques are widely employed to enlarge the time step. Using the dimensionless scheme, it was learned that density scaling is equivalent to the use of a higher strain rate, and stiffness scaling results in a higher strain rate and an elevated stress state in the dimensionless scale.     

三峡工程水库重点监视区不同蓄水阶段地震波Q值分析

利用2001～2015年三峡数字遥测地震台网记录到的数字地震观测资料,结合三峡工程水库蓄水情况,采用Atkinson方法分析该地区的地震波衰减特征,得到不同蓄水阶段、不同库段的非弹性衰减结果。结果显示,Q值与频率变化的线性关系较好,各频点在拟合线附近波动;3个库段在不同蓄水阶段均具有较小的Q0值和中等的η值,表明三峡工程水库重点监视区构造复杂,且介质的均匀程度较低;仙女山-九畹溪断裂附近地区Q值较大,表明该地区构造运动比较稳定;巴东高桥断裂附近地区Q值较小,表明该地区构造运动比较强烈;泄滩地区随着水位的升高,Q0值增大,表明该地区介质均匀程度有所提高。     

亚纯函数微分多项式的一个正规定则

证明了下面两个定理：（1）设n,k≥2为正整数,a为有穷非零复数,F为区域D上的亚纯函数族,F中任一函数的零点重级至少为k．vf,g∈F,fLn（f）与gLn（g）IM分担a．则F在D上正规,其中L（f）为f（k）＋a1f^（k-1）＋…＋akf,这里a1,…,ak为常数．（2）设n,k为正整数,且n≥2,a为有穷非零复数,F为区域D上的亚纯函数族,F中任一函数的零点重级至少为k,且fLn（f（z））=a能够推出｜f^（k）（z）｜≤A,其中A为正数,则F在区域D上正规．     

CPI values of terrestrial higher plant-derived long-chain n-alkanes: a potential paleoclimatic proxy

Carbon Preference Index (CPI values) of higher plant-derived long-chain n-alkanes extracted from 62 surface soil samples in eastern China exhibited a specific pattern of variations, namely gradual increase with the increasing latitudes. Such regular variations existed in both forest soil and grassland soil. Our data implied that CPI values of higher plant-derived long-chain n-alkanes had a certain connection with climatic conditions, and such a connection was not influenced by vegetation types. Together with previous data from marine sediments, loess/paleosol sequences, tertiary red clay and modern plants, our observation made us conclude that CPI values of higher plant-derived long-chain n-alkanes may be used as an excellent proxy for paleoclimatic studies.     

云南麻栗坡地区成矿元素的多重分形特征与成矿预测

对麻栗坡地区1∶5万水系沉积物测量数据的统计分析表明,W、Sn、Pb、Zn、Cu等主要成矿元素不完全服从正态分布和对数正态分布,而表现出多重分形结构特征。因此,采用传统的地质统计学方法提取异常显然不能客观地反映区域的成矿元素分布特征。本文引用了"C-A"多重分形模型来研究该地区成矿元素特征,并有效提取各元素异常下限值,结合区域成矿地质背景,对区内成矿潜力进行初步预测。实践表明,分形方法所提取的剩余异常与研究区的矿产分布较为相符,较好地反映了研究区成矿元素分布规律,为研究区成矿预测提供了依据。     

Measuring the attractiveness of Dutch landscapes: Identifying national hotspots of highly valued places using Google Maps

In a Cost-Benefit Analysis (CBA) or an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA), determining the value that the general public attaches to a landscape is often problematic. To aid the inclusion of this social value in such analyses, a Google Maps-based tool, called the HotSpotMonitor (HSM), was developed. The HSM determines which natural places are highly attractive by having people mark such places on a map. The definition of attractiveness remains open to avoid having marker placement being influenced by preconceived thoughts. The number of markers an area receives is considered to indicate its social value. Six regions were selected, and from these, stratified samples were drawn (total n = 3293). Participants placed markers at three spatial levels: local, regional and national. This paper focuses on the markers at the national level. The first research question is whether the HSM can produce an accurate map of highly attractive places at a national level. The results indicated that while in principle HSM can produce such a map, the spatial representativeness of the sample is important. The region of origin of the participants influenced where they placed their markers, an effect previously termed spatial discounting. The second research question considers which qualities the participants associate with the marked places. These qualities were very similar at all three spatial levels: green, natural, presence of water and quiet were often selected out of the fourteen suggested qualities. The third, and more exploratory, research question concerns which characteristics of an area predict its attractiveness. Natural and forest areas had higher marker densities than water surfaces or all other types of land use combined. The discussion evaluates the potential of the HSM to generate input on social landscape values for CBAs and EIAs.     

Reconstruction of groundwater levels to impute missing values using singular and multichannel spectrum analysis: application to the Ardabil Plain,Iran

ABSTRACT

Groundwater-level time series often have a substantial number of missing values which should be taken into consideration before using them for further analysis, particularly for numerical groundwater flow modelling applications. This study aims to comprehensively compare two data-driven models, singular spectrum analysis (SSA) and multichannel spectrum analysis (MSSA), to reconstruct groundwater-level time series and impute the missing values for 25 piezometric stations in Ardabil Plain, northwest Iran. The reconstructed groundwater-level time series are assessed against the complete observed groundwater time series, while the imputed values are appraised against the artificially created gap values. The results show that both SSA and MSSA demonstrate a solid competency in imputation and reconstruction of groundwater-level data. However, depending on the spatial correlation between the piezometers, and the most suitable probability distribution function (pdf) fitted to the time series of each piezometer, the performance may vary from piezometer to piezometer.