The evolution of pore pressure fields around standard and ball penetrometers: influence of penetration rate

Rate effects are examined in the steady pore pressure distribution induced as a result of penetration of standard and ball penetrometers. The incompressible flow field, which develops around the penetrometer is used to define the approximate soil velocity field local to the penetrometer tip. This prescribes the Lagrangian framework for the migration of the fluid saturated porous medium, defining the advection of induced pore pressures relative to the pressure‐monitoring locations present on the probe face. In two separate approaches, different source functions are used to define the undrained pore fluid pressures developed either (i) on the face of the penetrometer or (ii) in the material comprising the failure zone surrounding the penetrometer tip. In the first, the sources applied at the tip face balance the volume of fluid mobilized by the piston displacement of the advancing penetrometer. Alternately, a fluid source distribution is evaluated from plasticity solutions and distributed throughout the tip process zone: for a standard penetrometer, the solution is for the expansion of a spherical cavity, and for the ball penetrometer, the solution is an elastic distribution of stresses conditioned by the limit load embedded within an infinite medium. For the standard penetrometer, the transition from drained to undrained behavior occurs over about two orders of magnitude in penetration rate for pore pressures recorded at the tip (U1) and about two‐and‐a‐half orders of magnitude for the shoulder (U2). This response is strongly influenced by the rigidity of the soil and slightly influenced by the model linking induced total stresses to pore pressures. For the ball penetrometer, the transition from drained to undrained behavior also transits two‐and‐a‐half orders of magnitude in penetration rate, although it is offset to higher dimensionless penetration rates than for standard penetration. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Ionospheric measurements of relative coronal brightness during the total solar eclipses of 11 August, 1999 and 9 July, 1945

Swept-frequency (1/10 MHz) ionosonde measurements were made at Helston, Cornwall (50°06N, 5°18W) during the total solar eclipse on August 11, 1999. Soundings were made every three minutes. We present a method for estimating the percentage of the ionising solar radiation which remains unobscured at any time during the eclipse by comparing the variation of the ionospheric E-layer with the behaviour of the layer during a control day. Application to the ionosonde date for 11 August, 1999, shows that the flux of solar ionising radiation fell to a minimum of 25±2% of the value before and after the eclipse. For comparison, the same technique was also applied to measurements made during the total solar eclipse of 9 July, 1945, at Sörmjöle (63°68N, 20°20E) and yielded a corresponding minimum of 16 ± 2%. Therefore the method can detect variations in the fraction of solar emissions that originate from the unobscured corona and chromosphere. We discuss the differences between these two eclipses in terms of the nature of the eclipse, short-term fluctuations, the sunspot cycle and the recently-discovered long-term change in the coronal magnetic field.     

A correlation between slope failures and accelerometric parameters: the 26 September 1997 earthquake (Umbria–Marche, Italy)

After the occurrence of the 26 September 1997 earthquake in Umbria–Marche an extensive survey was performed to individuate surface effects induced by the ground motion. Several types of effects occurred on bedrock, calcareous debris and sandy-clay deposits. Shallow soil slides and dry debris slides were mapped by field survey and aerial photograph interpretation in the epicentral area close to Nocera Umbra. This gave the opportunity for testing the prediction maps that can be obtained with the use of empirical laws, proposed by several authors, based on a simple method (Geotechnique 15(2) (1965) 139). Accelerometric records from the permanent and mobile seismic network of the Seismic Survey of Italy have been processed and interpolated to obtain strong ground motion parameters at each site, e.g. Peak Ground Acceleration, Spectral Intensity, Arias Intensity, etc. The different predictions have been tested with the real landslide data to verify their performances. Some of the proposed methods explain quite well the behaviour of slopes during the application of a time history and can therefore be employed for future landslide hazard zonation.     

Some considerations concerning seismic geomorphology and paleoseismology

Seismic geomorphology studies landforms which developed in connection with earthquakes. Among them, two different end members may be distinguished: 1) seismo-tectonic landforms, including surface faults and fractures, land uplift and subsidence at different scales, surface bulges, elongate ridges, and any other permanent ground deformations directly related to tectonic stress, and 2) seismo-gravitational landforms, such as landslides, deep-seated gravitational slope deformations, sinkholes, and fissures due to sediment compaction or liquefaction and sand blows, connected with both seismic shaking and gravitational stress.A clear-cut distinction between the two categories of landforms is not always easy to make (and in many instances not really useful), while there are, in many cases, ground effects that might be (and should be) considered as simultaneous combinations of seismo-tectonic and seismo-gravitational processes. This applies especially to surface fracturing and faulting which could be the combined result of tectonic stress, stress produced by seismic shaking, and gravitational stress.The objective of this paper is to review selected case histories mainly from Italy and the Mediterranean region, in order to show the importance of a comprehensive study of earthquake-generated landforms for understanding the seismicity level of the area under investigation. We argue that in earthquake prone areas, seismic landforms often constitute typical patterns (seismic landscapes) whose recognition, mapping and paleoseismological analysis may help in the evaluation of seismic hazards.     

Micro-fracture instabilities in granular solids

We study the aspect of unstable behavior (like strain localization bands) in elastic solids as a consequence of micro-fracturing. A two-scale approach of computational homogenization is considered. The macroscopic behavior is investigated by finite element computations on a unit cell. At the micro-level, we consider a granular structure with elastic grains. The inter-granular boundaries are modeled with cohesive laws, friction and unilateral contact. We show that decohesion between grains gives rise to macro-instabilities, indicated by the loss of ellipticity, typical for deformation localization bands. The relation between the microscopic softening on inter-granular boundaries and the onset of macro-instabilities is studied through numerical examples. The influence of the cohesive law and friction parameters is analyzed. For periodic distributions of granular structures, we prove the loss of periodicity by failure and the corresponding size dependence effect in the homogenized response. We present numerical examples of bifurcation of solutions for granular cell structures and of particular solutions specific to elementary volumes with periodic cell distribution. Size dependence appears in the unstable regime and is strongly influenced by cohesion and friction parameters.     

不同开口比人工鱼礁体水动力特性及礁体稳定性研究

为研究方型人工鱼礁体开口比的变化对其水动力特性的影响,利用Fluent软件模拟了边长为3m、开口比为0～0.6之间7种不同方型鱼礁体周围水流场,通过分析水流场变化规律得到了礁体流场效应、阻力系数随开口比的变化情况;基于Morison方程计算了礁体在波流作用下的受力及其抗滑移、抗倾覆安全系数。研究结果表明:当礁体开口比小于0.2时,背涡区范围较大,流场效应明显;随着开口比的增大,礁体产生的上升流范围及竖直向最大速度分量逐渐减小;对于方形开口礁体,阻力系数与开口比的关系式为Cd=0.875φ+1.088(R2=0.963,P<0.01);随着开口比的增大,礁体所受最大波流作用力、抗滑移及抗倾覆安全系数逐渐减小,但礁体不会发生滑移和倾覆,可为实际礁体结构的设计提供参考。     

模拟GPS精密测量系统误差的若干问题

讨论了模拟ＧＰＳ精密测量系统误差的一些主要问题．文中用了两个实例，一个是南美洲某油田地面沉陷监测网，另一个是美国超级超导对撞机ＧＰＳ地面控制网．     

Updating Landsat-based forest cover maps with MODIS images using multiscale spectral-spatial-temporal superresolution mapping

With the high deforestation rates of global forest covers during the past decades, there is an ever-increasing need to monitor forest covers at both fine spatial and temporal resolutions. Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) and Landsat series images have been used commonly for satellite-derived forest cover mapping. However, the spatial resolution of MODIS images and the temporal resolution of Landsat images are too coarse to observe forest cover at both fine spatial and temporal resolutions. In this paper, a novel multiscale spectral-spatial-temporal superresolution mapping (MSSTSRM) approach is proposed to update Landsat-based forest maps by integrating current MODIS images with the previous forest maps generated from Landsat image. Both the 240 m MODIS bands and 480 m MODIS bands were used as inputs of the spectral energy function of the MSSTSRM model. The principle of maximal spatial dependence was used as the spatial energy function to make the updated forest map spatially smooth. The temporal energy function was based on a multiscale spatial-temporal dependence model, and considers the land cover changes between the previous and current time. The novel MSSTSRM model was able to update Landsat-based forest maps more accurately, in terms of both visual and quantitative evaluation, than traditional pixel-based classification and the latest sub-pixel based super-resolution mapping methods The results demonstrate the great efficiency and potential of MSSTSRM for updating fine temporal resolution Landsat-based forest maps using MODIS images.     

青藏高原形成演化研究回顾、进展与展望

青藏高原形成演化涵盖了前身的东特提斯地质构造演化、新生代地质构造演化和高原隆升对气候环境演变的制约,它不仅包含有关全球构造的空间格局、运动状态的历史记录,而且也留下了青藏特提斯洋陆转换、盆山转换构造体制的时空结构、运动形式和发展变化的地质遗迹。所以青藏高原是研究全球构造的窗口,被自然科学工作者誉为解决地球动力学的一把钥匙。自20世纪60年代以来,特别是1979年以来我们先后开展了青藏高原地质构造演化、系列编图及综合集成等研究工作。本文以认识现今青藏高原地质历史各阶段重大地质构造事件的结构组成和演化为主线,回顾了40年来历次重大青藏高原基础地质研究过程,系统总结了青藏高原新生代隆升过程、碰撞构造效应,以及东特提斯地质调查研究中一系列重要新发现、新进展、新成果,并对相关研究成果和新发现进行了简要的归纳梳理。在此基础上,就青藏高原形成演化模式、科学理论与学术争论观念层次上的问题,以及关键的基础地质问题等方面进行了讨论与展望。