Centrifuge modeling of offshore wind foundations under earthquake loading

The construction of large offshore wind turbines in seismic active regions has great demand on the design of foundations. The occurrence of soil liquefaction under seismic motion will affect the stability of the foundations and consequently the operation of the turbines. In this study, a group of earthquake centrifuge tests was performed on wind turbine models with gravity and monopile foundations, respectively, to exam their seismic response. It was found that the seismic behavior of models was quite different in the dry or saturated conditions. Each type of foundation exhibited distinct response to the earthquake loading, especially in the offshore environment. In the supplementary tests, several remediation methods were evaluated in order to mitigate the relatively large lateral displacement of pile foundation (by fixed-end pile and multi-pile foundation) and excessive settlement of gravity foundation (by densification, stone column, and cementation techniques).     

Bivariate flood frequency analysis using the copula function: a case study of the Litija station on the Sava River

As an alternative to the commonly used univariate flood frequency analysis, copula frequency analysis can be used. In this study, 58 flood events at the Litija gauging station on the Sava River in Slovenia were analysed, selected based on annual maximum discharge values. Corresponding hydrograph volumes and durations were considered. Different bivariate copulas from three families were applied and compared using different statistical, graphical and upper tail dependence tests. The parameters of the copulas were estimated using the method of moments with the inversion of Kendall's tau. The Gumbel–Hougaard copula was selected as the most appropriate for the pair of peak discharge and hydrograph volume (Q‐V). The same copula was also selected for the pair hydrograph volume and duration (V‐D), and the Student‐t copula was selected for the pair of peak discharge and hydrograph duration (Q‐D). The differences among most of the applied copulas were not significant. Different primary, secondary and conditional return periods were calculated and compared, and some relationships among them were obtained. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

A comprehensive study on the parameters setting in smoothed particle hydrodynamics (SPH) method applied to hydrodynamics problems

Smoothed particle hydrodynamics (SPH) is a meshfree, Lagrangian particle method which has advantages in handling solids with extremely large deformation. Like any other numerical methods, cares must be taken to ensure its desirable accuracy and stability through considering several correction techniques in calculation. The selection of values for parameters in those correction approaches is a key step in SPH simulation, which is always difficult for new beginners to deal well with effectively. This paper examines the common inconsistency and instability problems in SPH method and studies its computational efficiency when applied to hydrodynamics problems with material strength like soil column collapse. We analyzed in detail how the correction techniques mitigate these inconsistency and instability problems. Also, the numerical testing results associate with different values for the parameters used in the correction techniques are provided for better understanding the influence of these parameters and for finding out the desirable values. It is found that (1) the SPH method is easily subjected to an inconsistency problem in the boundary area due to the boundary deficiency, and it can be treated well by adopting “virtual particles” contributing to the particle summations. (2) The numerical oscillation in SPH simulation can be mitigated effectively by artificial viscosity with the suggested parameter values. (3) The tension cracking treatment, artificial viscosity and artificial stress work well in removing the tensile instability problem in SPH method. In addition, the nearest neighboring particle searching (NNPS) algorithm, spacing ratio, smoothing length and time step influence the efficiency and accuracy of SPH method significantly. It is shown that SPH method with suggested parameters values can produce a very good result compared with the experimental result.     

Liquefaction behaviour of loose and compacted pond ash

Most of the ash produced all over the world is primarily disposed off by wet disposal method onto the ash ponds, which are occupying huge valuable lands. This disposal problem can be minimized by utilizing ash in large geotechnical earthworks. However, its use in earthquake prone areas requires thorough understanding of its liquefaction resistance and nature of development of excess pore pressures under dynamic loading conditions. Investigations have been carried out in this paper on the liquefaction behaviour of pond ash by conducting cyclic triaxial tests on inflow and outflow ash samples collected from two different ash ponds. Distinctly different liquefaction phenomenon was observed for the ash samples from inflow and outflow points of the same ash pond. Inflow samples exhibited higher cyclic resistance than outflow samples and their strengths were comparable with the natural sands. Further studies revealed that the influence of various factors on liquefaction susceptibility of both the types of ashes is similar to that of natural sands.     

A note on the measurement of travel times using bender and extender elements

By using the bender and extender elements tests, the travel times of the shear (S) and the primary (P) waves were measured for dry sand samples at different relative densities and effective confining pressures. Three methods of interpretations, namely, (i) the first time of arrival, (ii) the first peak to peak, and (iii) the cross-correlation method, were employed. All the methods provide almost a unique answer associated with the P-wave measurements. On contrary, a difference was noted in the arrival times obtained from the different methods for the S-wave due to the near field effect. The resonant column tests in the torsional mode were also performed to check indirectly the travel time of the shear wave. The study reveals that as compared to the S-wave, it is more reliable to depend on the arrival times’ measurement for the P-wave.     

An experimental study of the liquefaction strength of silty sands in terms of the state parameter

An elaborate program of monotonic and cyclic triaxial laboratory tests on mixtures of sand and silt with fines content 0%, 15% and 25% was performed to investigate the effect of density, consolidation stress and non-plastic fines on the liquefaction strength. The monotonic tests illustrated that the critical state lines of all mixtures do not cross each other, and are, approximately, parallel to each other. The results of the cyclic tests illustrated that the relationship between the cyclic strength and the state parameter does not depend on the consolidation stress, the soil density and the silt content. Analysis in terms of the state parameter showed that: (i) as the consolidation stress increases, the cyclic strength decreases and this effect is more pronounced as the specimens become denser, especially as the fines content increases and (ii) the cyclic strength decreases as the fines content increases and this effect is more pronounced as the specimens become denser.     

钉形水泥土双向搅拌桩桩身强度差异原因分析与检测探讨

本文简单介绍了钉形水泥土双向搅拌桩的形成及其特点,通过大量的桩身标准贯入试验和室内无侧限抗压强度试验,建立了桩身标准贯入击数与桩身无侧限抗压强度以及桩体分段深度的数学关系式,同时对钉形水泥土双向搅拌桩桩身强度不一致的现象进行了深入分析,对桩身强度检测项目和方法进行了深入探讨,并初步确定了武汉新区桩身强度检测的项目和方法。提出采用加权平均值作为桩身强度设计和检测的标准更为妥当。     

真三轴条件下Q2黄土的破坏模式与强度特性研究

基于西安理工大学自主研发的新型真三轴试验仪,对不同含水率Q2黄土在不同b值、不同固结围压条件下进行了真三轴试验研究,分析了真三轴试样破坏方式、中主应力对抗剪强度参数的影响以及π平面上的强度破坏面。结果表明,Q2黄土真三轴试样破坏方式主要有侧胀破坏、锥形破坏、梯形破坏、六边形破坏;不同b值应力路经条件下黏聚力与三轴压缩条件下黏聚力的比值在0.9～1.9之间,内摩擦角比值在0.7～1.5之间。土的结构性和土体破坏方式对π平面上的强度破坏面的形状影响较大,固结围压对π平面上的强度破坏面的大小影响较大;原状Q2黄土在π平面上的强度破坏面形状主要呈现梨形和轴对称六边形;随着结构性由强到弱,π平面上的强度破坏面形状由梨形向轴对称六边形变化。     

GDS空心圆柱仪动力试验能力探讨

为更好地模拟多向应力和主应力轴旋转等复杂应力路径,与英国GDS公司合作研发了能施加轴向和扭矩动载的空心圆柱仪。文中介绍了该仪器的工作原理和性能,分析对比了其与传统单向动三轴仪试验结果,并探讨该空心圆柱仪所完成的5组典型动力荷载及一组不规则随机波动力试验能力。动力加荷时,通过调整设定刚度参数,实测波形与设定波形误差较小。该仪器能很好地模拟地震、波浪和交通荷载引起的应力,为研究复杂应力状态下土体动力本构关系提供了很好的工具。     

单层带支撑异形柱框架的高温性能研究

针对单层异形柱框架,通过高温数值分析,考察了支撑设置和受火位置对结构高温变形及内力的影响。研究结果表明：对于单层多跨异形柱框架,当只有一端有支撑跨时,会在一定程度上增大另一端的边节点水平位移和边柱侧向变形,对结构整体抗火不利;当左、右两端均有支撑跨时,非支撑跨在火灾作用下的梁轴力比很大,升温后期可能因梁跨中竖向位移急剧增大而发生破坏。基于上述研究结果,给出了4类单层带支撑异形柱框架火灾行为的初步判定方法。