In-plane and anti-plane strong shaking of soil systems and structures

The concept of in-plane and anti-plane shaking is introduced with a rigid block on a plane surface with Coulomb friction. Using a hypoplastic constitutive relation to model the mechanical behaviour of the soil, numerical solutions for a rigid block on a thin dry or saturated soil layer are obtained. The coupled nature of dynamic problems involving granular materials is shown, i.e. the motion of the block changes the soil state—skeleton stresses and density—which in turn affects the block motion. Motions of the block as well as soil response can be more realistically calculated by the new model. The same constitutive equation is applied to the numerical simulation of the propagation of plane waves in homogeneous and layered level soil deposits induced by a wave coming from below. Experiments with a novel laminar shake box as well as real seismic records from well-documented sites during strong earthquakes are used to verify the adequacy of the hypoplasticity-based numerical model for the prediction of soil response during strong earthquakes. The response of a homogeneous earth dam subjected to in-plane and anti-plane shaking is investigated numerically. In-plane and anti-plane shaking is shown to cause nearly the same spreading of a sand dam under drained conditions, whereas under undrained conditions anti-plane shaking causes stronger spreading of the dam. The dynamic behaviour of a breakwater founded on rockfill and soft clay during the 1995 Kobe earthquake is back-calculated to show the good performance of the proposed numerical model also with a structure. Section 9 deals with buildings on mattresses of densified cohesionless soils or fine-grained soils with granular columns, slopes with ‘hidden’ dams and structures on piles traversing clayey slopes to show the suitability of hypoplasticity-based models for the earthquake-resistant design and safety assessment of geotechnical systems.     

On the Incorporation of the Effect of Crustal Structure into Empirical Strong Ground Motion Estimation

This article has two purposes. Firstly, a validation exercise of the modal summation technique for the computation of synthetic strong-motion records is performed for two regions of Europe (Umbria-Marche and south Iceland), using a variety of region specific crustal structure models, by comparing the predicted ground motion amplitudes with observed motions. It is found that the rate of decay of ground motions is well predicted by the theoretical decay curves but that the absolute size of the ground motions is underpredicted by the synthetic time-histories. This is thought to be due to the presence of low-velocity surface layers that amplify the ground motions but are not included in the crustal structure models used to compute the synthetic time-histories. Secondly, a new distance metric based on the computed theoretical decay curves is introduced which should have the ability to model the complex decay of strong ground motions. The ability of this new distance metric to reduce the associated scatter in empirically derived equations for the estimation of strong ground motions is tested. It is found that it does not lead to a reduction in the scatter but this is thought to be due to the use of crustal structure models that are not accurate or detailed enough for the regions studied. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Seismic reflection imaging of an oceanic detachment fault: Atlantis megamullion (Mid-Atlantic Ridge, 30°10′N)

We present multichannel seismic reflection data collected over the Atlantis megamullion, at the eastern ridge-transform intersection of Atlantis fracture zone on the northern Mid-Atlantic Ridge, and over its conjugate crust. These data image for the first time the internal structure of a young, well-developed megamullion dome formed by tectonic extension across a long-lived oceanic detachment fault. The exposed, corrugated detachment-fault surface exhibits a sharp, coherent reflection that contrasts with less organized reflectivity of surrounding basaltic seafloor. At the termination of the megamullion the fault is imaged ∼13 km along-strike beneath a volcanic hanging-wall block at a sub-seafloor depth of 0.2-0.5 s two-way travel time, reaching north as far as 30°19′N. The eastward dipping of the fault beneath the hanging-wall block is estimated to be ∼6-14°. The corrugated fault surface is underlain by a continuous, strong, and relatively smooth reflection (D) at 0.2-0.25 s sub-bottom below the central axis of the dome. This reflection deepens up to 0.6 s sub-bottom beneath the western slope and it appears to intersect the seafloor on the eastern slope. We suggest that Atlantis massif formed by sequential slip on two different detachment faults that merged at depth, with breakaways as little as ∼2 km apart. The initial detachment is represented by reflection D, and the second corresponds to the presently exposed fault surface. In this interpretation, much of the sliver between the faults is interpreted to be strongly serpentinized peridotite with reduced seismic velocity; it lies in contact with less altered, higher-velocity mantle below the first detachment, resulting in the strong, smooth character of reflection D. Mantle rocks exposed in the megamullion indicate that the feature formed during a period of extreme tectonic extension and probably limited magmatism. In conjugate crust corresponding to termination of the megamullion, observed sub-bottom reflections are interpreted as base of seismic layer 2A. This layer is as thick as or thicker (∼570-900 m) than layer 2A in normal Atlantic crust, and it suggests that relatively normal crustal accretion occurred by the time the megamullion stopped forming.     

Hydrological connectivity of soil pipes determined by ground‐penetrating radar tracer detection

Soil pipes are common and important features of many catchments, particularly in semi‐arid and humid areas, and can contribute a large proportion of runoff to river systems. They may also signi?cantly in?uence catchment sediment and solute yield. However, there are often problems in ?nding and de?ning soil pipe networks which are located deep below the surface. Ground‐penetrating radar (GPR) has been used for non‐destructive identi?cation and mapping of soil pipes in blanket peat catchments. While GPR can identify subsurface cavities, it cannot alone determine hydrological connectivity between one cavity and another. This paper presents results from an experiment to test the ability of GPR to establish hydrological connectivity between pipes through use of a tracer solution. Sodium chloride was injected into pipe cavities previously detected by the radar. The GPR was placed downslope of the injection points and positioned on the ground directly above detected soil pipes. The resultant radargrams showed signi?cant changes in re?ectance from some cavities and no change from others. Pipe waters were sampled in order to check the radar results. Changes in electrical conductivity of the pipe water could be detected by the GPR, without data post‐processing, when background levels were increased by more than approximately twofold. It was thus possible to rapidly determine hydrological connectivity of soil pipes within dense pipe networks across hillslopes without ground disturbance. It was also possible to remotely measure travel times through pipe systems; the passing of the salt wave below the GPR produced an easily detectable signal on the radargram which required no post‐processing. The technique should allow remote sensing of water sources and sinks for soil pipes below the surface. The improved understanding of ?owpath connectivity will be important for understanding water delivery, solutional and particulate denudation, and hydrological and geomorphological model development. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Earthquake relocation and 3-dimensional crustal structure of P-wave velocity in cen-tral-western China

IntroductionUnderstandingthemechanismofcontinentalearthquakesisveryimportantforseismichaz-ardpreventionandearthquakeprediction.Themodernseismotectonictheoryandtheideaofearthquakepredictionaredevelopedmainlyfromthestudiesoninterplateearthquakes,whicharedifficulttoexplainthephenomenaofintraplateearthquakes,suchasthecontinentalearthquakesoccurredinChinesemainland.Whiletheinterplateearthquakesoccurredalongtheplatebounda-ries,theintraplateearthquakesdistributediffuselyintheinterioroftheplates.Thus…     

Lithospheric composition and structure beneath the northern margin of the Qinling orogenic belt——On deep-seated xenoliths in Minggang region of Henan Province

Swarms of mafic-intermediate volcaniclastic bodies occur in the Minggang region of Henan Province, a tectonic boundary between the North Qinling and the North China Block, and emplaced at (178.31±3.77) Ma. These volcanic rocks are subalkaline basaltic andesites and contain abundance of lower crust and mantle xenoliths. Thus this area is an ideal place to reveal the lithospheric composition and structure beneath the northern margin of the Qinling orogenic belt. Geochemical data indicate that these mafic granulites, eclogites and metagabbros have trace elemental and Pb isotopic characteristics very similar to those rocks from the South Qinling Block, representing the lower part of lower crust of the South Qinling which subducted beneath the North China Block. Talcic peridotites represent the overlying mantle wedge materials of the North China Block, which underwent the metasomatism of the acidic melt/fluid released from the underlying lower crust of the South Qinling Block. Deep tectonic model proposed i     

土壤的冷生构造及其对阿拉斯加土地利用的意义

Cryogenic structure (patterns made by ice inclusions) in seasonally frozen and permafrost-af-fected soils result from ice formation during freezing. Analysis of cryogenic structures in soils is essential to our understanding of the cryogenic processes in soils and to formulating land use management interpretations. When soils freeze, the freezing front moves downward and attracts water moving upward resulting in mainly horizontal lenticular ice formation. Platy and lenticular soil structures form between ice lenses in upper active layer. The reticular soil structure usually forms above the permafrost table caused by freeze-back of the permafrost. The upward freeze-back resulted in platy soil structure and the volume changes following the annual freeze-thaw cycle resulted in vertical cracks. The combined result is an ice-net formation with mineral soils embedded in the ice net. The upper permafrost layer that used to be a part of the active layer has an ice content exceeding 50% due to repeated freeze-thaw cycles over time. The mineral soils appear in blocks embedded in an ice matrix. The permafrost layer that never experienced the freeze-thaw cycle often consists of alternate layers of thin ice lens and frozen soils with extreme hard consistence and has relatively lower ice content than the ice-rich layer of the upper permafrost. Ice contents and thaw settling potentials associated with each cryogenic structure should be considered in engineering and land use interpretations.     

Preliminary Study on Cenozoic Group and Fault Activity in the Sea Area Near the Yangtze River Mouth

By shallow seismic prospecting, the Cenozoic Group in the sea area near the Yangtze Rver Mouth can be divided into five seismic sequences. They correspond to the Quaternary,Pliocene, Upper Miocene, Lower Miocene and Eocene respectively. The Quaternary System covers all the detecting area. The Tertiary System overlaps and thins out from NE to SW. The sedimentary basement mainly consists of volcanic rock (J3) and acidic rock (r35). Paleogene or Late Cretaceous basins are not found there. The faults that have been detected are all normal faults. They can be divided into three groups (NE, NW, near EW) by their trend. The NE and NW-trending faults are predominant, and agree with aeromagnetic anomaly. Their length and displacement are larger than that of the EW-trending faults. The activity of the NEtrending faults is different in different segments. The SW segment is a Quaternary fault, the middle segment is a Neogene fault, The NE is Paleogene. But the segment of the NW-trending fault is not obvious. The average vertical displacement rate is about 0.015mm/a.     

The Rotational Structure along the Eastern Segment of the Altyn Tagh Fault and Its Implications in Dynamics

As a result of the left-lateral strike-slipping of the Altyn Tagh fault in Neotectonic period, a contra-rotational structure, namely the Zhaobishan vortex structure, has developed at the juncture of the main Altyn Tagh fault and the northern fringe fault of the Qilian Mountains.Preliminary analysis on the deformation and evolution of the Zhaobishan vortex structure. In combination with the previous data, suggests that the tectonic transform between the Altyn Tagh fault and the northern fringe fault of the Qilian Mountains attributes to the deformation of the rotational structure. The existence of a series of rotational structures along the Altyn Tagh fault and on the northeastern edge of the Qinghai-Xizang(Tibet) plateau indicate that as the substance in the northern Qinghal-Xizang (Tibet) plateau moves clockwise around the eastern tectonic knot of the Himalayas, rotational structures become the principal mode on the northern marginal zone of the Plateau of transforming and absorbing tectonic deformation.     

The Frozen Soils and Devastating Characteristics of West Kunlun Mountains Pass Ms 8.1 Earthquake Area in 2001

The investigation on damages to frozen soil sites during the West Kunlun Mountains Pass earthquake with Ms 8.1 in 2001 shows that the frozen soil in the seismic area is composed mainly of moraine, alluvial deposit, diluvial deposit and lacustrine deposit with the depth varying greatly along the earthquake rupture zone. The deformation and rupture of frozen soil sites are mainly in the form of coseismic fracture zones caused by tectonic motion and fissures,liquefaction, seismic subsidence and collapse resulting from ground motion. The earthquake fracture zones on the surface are main brittle deformations, which, under the effect of sinlstral strike-slip movement, are represented by shear fissures, tensional cracks and compressive bulges. The distribution and configuration patterns of deformation and rupture such as fissures, liquefaction, seismic subsidence and landslides are all related to the ambient rock and soil conditions of the earthquake area. The distribution of earthquake damage is characterized by large-scale rupture zones, rapid intensity attenuation along the Qinghai-Xizang (Tibet) Highway, where buildings distribute and predominant effect of rock and soil conditions.