Biodegradation and environmental behavior of biodiesel mixtures in the sea: An initial study

Biodiesel, a mixture of fatty acid methyl esters (FAMEs) derived from animal fats or vegetable oils, is rapidly moving towards the mainstream as an alternative source of energy. However, the behavior of biodiesel, or blends of biodiesel with fossil diesel, in the marine environment have yet to be fully understood. Hence, we performed a series of initial laboratory experiments and simple calculations to evaluate the microbial and environmental fate of FAMEs. Aerobic seawater microcosms spiked with biodiesel or mixtures of biodiesel and fossil diesel revealed that the FAMEs were degraded at roughly the same rate as n-alkanes, and more rapidly than other hydrocarbon components. The residues extracted from these different microcosms became indistinguishable within weeks. Preliminary results from physical-chemical calculations suggest that FAMEs in biodiesel mixtures will not affect the evaporation rates of spilled petroleum hydrocarbons but may stabilize oil droplets in the water column and thereby facilitate transport.     

2003年民乐-山丹6.1、5.8级地震灾害损失评估

2003年10月25日在甘肃省民乐-山丹交界处相继发生MS6.1和MS5.8地震,造成10人死亡、46人受伤,近5万人失去住所;村镇民用房屋、水利、生命线工程和学校、卫生院所等公共设施严重破坏。震后采用抽样调查、单项调查、填表调查核实的方法,取得了大量的实际资料,将灾区合理的划分为3个评估区,建立了每个评估区的每类建筑物的破坏比、损失比和基础数据资料,分10个专项进行统计分析,通过计算得出了本次地震灾害的经济损失结果。     

K_0固结饱和粘土三轴压缩与拉伸循环强度之间的关系

针对有应力反向与无应力反向两种循环应力条件,进行了k0固结饱和粘土不排水循环三轴压缩与拉伸强度试验。为了分析三轴压缩与三轴拉伸循环强度之间关系,依据3个围压下三轴压缩循环强度试验结果,确定了与不同循环破坏次数对应的Mohr-Coulomb循环强度指标。据此预测k0固结土样三轴拉伸循环强度,预测结果小于实测结果,当循环破坏次数为2 000时,两者之间相对偏差为13%左右。因此,可以依据Mohr-Coulomb强度理论建立k0固结饱和粘土不排水三轴压缩与拉伸循环强度之间的关系。     

A contribution to seismic shear design of R/C walls in dual structures

The paper focuses on the seismic response of walls in dual (frame + wall) structures, with particular emphasis on shear behaviour. Although dual structures are widely used in earthquake-resistant medium-rise and high-rise buildings, the provisions of modern seismic codes regarding design of walls for shear are not fully satisfactory, particularly in the (common) case that walls of substantially different length form part of the same structure. Relevant provisions of the leading seismic codes are first summarised and their limitations discussed. Then an extensive parametric study is presented, involving two multistorey dual systems, one with identical walls, and one with walls with unequal length, designed to the provisions of Eurocode 8 for two different ductility classes (H and M). The walls of the same structures are also designed to other methods such as those used in New Zealand and Greece. The resulting different designs are then assessed by subjecting the structures to a suite of strong ground motions, carrying out inelastic time history analysis, and comparing the results against design action effects. It is found that although modern code procedures generally lead to satisfactory performance (differences among them do exist), the design of walls seems to be less appropriate in the case of unequal length walls. For this case a modified procedure is proposed, consisting of an additional factor to account for the relative contribution of walls of the same length to the total base and an improved envelope of wall shears along the height; this improved method seems to work better than the other procedures evaluated herein, but further calibration is clearly required.     

Influence of the Kunlun Mountain Ms8.1 Earthquake on Horizontal Crustal Deformation in the Sichuan and Yunnan Area

In order to track the space-time variation of regional strain field holistically(in a large scale) and to describe the regional movement field more objectively,the paper uses a nonlinear continuous strain model focused on extracting medium-low frequency strain information on the basis of a region with no rotation.According to the repeated measurements(1999～2001～2004) from GPS monitoring stations in the Sichuan and Yunnan area obtained by the Project of "China Crust Movement Measuring Network",and with the movement of 1999～2001(stage deformation background) as the basic reference,we separated the main influencing factors of the Kunlun Mountain M-S8.1 earthquake in 2001 from the data of 2001 and 2004,and the results indicate:(1) the Kunlun Mountain M-S8.1 earthquake has a discriminating effect on the Sichuan and Yunnan area,moreover,the deformation mode and background had not only certain similitude but also some diversity;(2) The movement field before the earthquake was very ordinal,while after the earthquake,order and disorder existed simultaneously in the displacement field;The displacement quantities of GPS monitoring stations were generally several millimeters;(3) The principal strain field before earthquake was basically tensile in an approximate EW direction and compressive in the SN direction,and tension was predominant.After the earthquake,the principal strain field in the Sichuan area was compressive in the EW direction and tensile in the SN direction,and the compression was predominant.In the Yunnan area,it was tensional in the NE direction and compressive in the NW direction,and tension was predominant;(4) The surficial strain before the earthquake was dominated by superficial expansion,the contractive area being located basically in the east boundary of Sichuan and Yunnan block and its neighborhood.After the earthquake,the Sichuan area was surface contractive(the further north,the greater it was),and south of it was an area of superficial expansion.Generally speaking,the Kunlun Mountain M-S8.1 earthquake played an active role in the accumulation of energy in the Sichuan and Yunnan area.Special attention shall be focused on the segment of Xichang-Dongchuan and its neighborhood.     

2006年乌苏MS5.1地震前后北天山地倾斜资料异常分析

分析了2006年11月23日新疆乌苏Ms5.1地震前后距震中250 km范围内的北天山地倾斜观测资料.认为2005年初以来绝大多数测项存在明显的准同步性趋势异常,以趋势性加速E倾、N倾为主,地震发生在大多数异常结束并出现返向加速变化之后,少数在趋势性E倾、N倾过程中;空间上愈接近震中,异常开始时间愈早,异常测项也较为集中.与以往震例比较该次地震前中短期和短临异常不明显,震后绝大多数趋势异常仍在持续,可能表明北天山地区依然存在发生中强地震的背景.     

Numerical Simulation on Coseismic Effect of the November 14,2001 Great Kunlun Earthquake,Northern Tibet,China

The November 14, 2001 Ms8.1 Kunlun Mountains earthquake in northern Tibet is the largest earthquake occurring on the Chinese mainland since 1950. We apply a three-dimensional （3-D） finite element numerical procedure to model the coseismic displacement and stress fields of the earthquake based on field investigations. We then further investigate the stress interaction between the Ms8.1 earthquake and the intensive aftershocks. Our primary calculation shows that the coseismic displacement field is centralized around the east Kunlun fault zone. And the attenuation of coseismic displacements on the south side of Kunlun fault zone is larger than that on the north side. The calculated coseismic stress field also indicates that the calculated maximal shear stress field is centralized around the east Kunlun fault zone; the directions of the coseismic major principal stress are opposite to that of the background crustal stress field of the Qinghai-Xizang （Tibet） Plateau. It indicates that the earthquake relaxes the crustal stress state in the Qinghai-Xizang （Tibet） Plateau. Finally, we study the stress interaction between Ms8.1 earthquake and its intensive aftershocks. The calculated Coulomb stress changes of the Ms8.1 great earthquake are in favor of triggering 4 aftershocks.     

8级特大地震前地震活动平静特征——以中国大陆西部近期2次8级地震为例

中强地震平静图像已被许多研究者认为是强震前的一个典型异常指标。近期中国大陆西部2次8级地震前地震活动图像的研究认为,8级特大地震前不仅中强震出现大面积平静,而且中小地震也会出现大规模平静现象,形成地震空区。震前依据震级由大而小逐级形成配套出现的地震空区,可作为中国大陆西部8级特大地震的中短期预测与8级地震发生地区的判定的一项有实际意义的指标。     

南北地震带强震主体活动区现象及未来趋势分析

通过分析我国南北地震带（以下简称南北带）有仪器记录以来发生的大震后,发现存在约10年主体大震活动区,并自北而南有4次转移图像;同时对汶川8级大震前后的震情活动进行分析,认为未来10年南北带北段及以西地区将进入活跃期,很有可能发生多次7级以上地震,但也可能南移;未来几年四川地区可能再次发生大震,甘肃东南部地区有可能发生6级以上地震。     

1597年10月6日ldquo;珲春-汪清深震区rdquo;Mge;8地震触发的湖震和火山喷发

探讨了1597年10月6日（明万历二十五年八月二十六日）地震的烈度特征,地震伴随的湖震和火山喷发,以及地震类型与规模．结果表明, 1597年10月6日地震为可能发生在ldquo;珲春——汪清深震区rdquo;的一次Mge;8深源地震;地震在中国东部地区产生了广泛的湖震,其多种形态可与1775年葡萄牙里斯本地震产生的湖震比拟;地震触发了望天鹅火山的一次中小规模爆发式喷发,其地点在中国吉林省长白县境内．