An explanation of the large PGA value of 2013 Ms7.0 Lushan earthquake at 51BXD station through topographic analysis

In Ms7.0 Lushan earthquake, a large amount of strong ground motion recordings were collected. In this paper, we analyze the recordings carefully. The abnor- mality of ground motion recordings is identified through a log linear regression. In the station of 51BXD, the PGA value has exceeded 1 g, which is the biggest peak ground acceleration （PGA） value obtained from all recordings in this earthquake. The log linear relation shows the PGA value in this station is abnormally large. As this station is located on the footage of a hill, the topographic amplifi- cation factor is explored in order to explain this abnor- mality. Through 3D numerical modeling using spectral element method with transmitting boundary conditions, the amplification factor is quantized. In this station, the topo- graphic amplification is highly polarized in the direction of East-West which agrees with the empirical recordings. This research result suggests us in future directionality of topographic amplification should be considered in the aseismic design.     

Electromagnetic induction prediction of soil salinity and groundwater properties in a Tunisian Saharan oasis

Abstract

Electromagnetic induction measurements (EM) were taken in a saline gypsiferous soil of the Saharan-climate Fatnassa oasis (Tunisia) to predict the electrical conductivity of saturated soil extract (ECe) and shallow groundwater properties (depth, Dgw, and electrical conductivity, ECgw) using various models. The soil profile was sampled at 0.2 m depth intervals to 1.2 m for physical and chemical analysis. The best input to predict the log-transformed soil salinity (lnECe) in surface (0–0.2 m) soil was the EMh/EMv ratio. For the 0–0.6 m soil depth interval, the performance of multiple linear regression (MLR) models to predict lnECe was weaker using data collected over various seasons and years (R _a ² = 0.66 and MSE = 0.083 dS m^-1) as compared to those collected during the same period (R _a ² = 0.97, MSE = 0.007 dS m^-1). For similar seasonal conditions, for the Dgw–EMv relationship, R ² was 0.88 and the MSE was 0.02 m for Dgw prediction. For a validation subset, the R ² was 0.85 and the MSE was 0.03 m. Soil salinity was predicted more accurately when groundwater properties were used instead of soil moisture with EM variables as input in the MLR.

Editor D. Koutsoyiannis; Associate editor K. Heal

Citation Bouksila, F., Persson, M., Bahri, A., and Berndtsson, R., 2012. Electromagnetic induction predictions of soil salinity and groundwater properties in a Tunisian Saharan oasis. Hydrological Sciences Journal, 57 (7), 1473–1486.     

华北地区水位下降是否会减缓气温上升——浅部地温影响的数值模拟分析

华北地区由于长期持续的地下水过量开采,导致了大面积地下水位大幅下降,引发地面塌陷、地下水质污染等一系列地质环境问题,这些现象早已为人们所熟知和关注.然而地下水位下降还会造成百米量级浅部地温及其梯度的变化,因此即使来自地球深部的大地热流密度没有变化,年度平均的从表浅部位通过地表实际传导进入大气的热流密度会减小,这是中外文献中尚未见讨论过的问题.我们通过数值模拟发现假定大地热流密度不变的条件下,华北数万平方公里地下水位下降会造成百米尺度内的地温降低,从而传入大气的热流密度降低40%以上,且会持续数百年以上的时间.这种长时间大范围的传导入大气的热流密度变化对环境会造成什么影响是一个十分值得关注的问题.这一预测在一定程度上得到了气象站地温观测数据的支持,但由于目前气象观测站只有3.2 m深度范围内的地温资料,累计不超过5、60年,中间还有10余年的间断,而且表浅深度地温受地表多种因素的影响也较大,这些资料难以对我们关心的地下水位下降引起流入大气的热流密度变化这一问题提供直接确凿的数据来进行分析,因此今后有必要开展对地下数十乃至数百米地温进行持续精确的监测工作.     

Seismic demand models for probabilistic risk analysis of near fault vertical ground motion effects on ordinary highway bridges

The influence of vertical ground motions on the seismic response of highway bridges is not very well understood. Recent studies suggest that vertical ground motions can substantially increase force and moment demands on bridge columns and girders and cannot be overlooked in seismic design of bridge structures. For an evaluation of vertical ground motion effects on the response of single‐bent two‐span highway bridges, a systematic study combining the critical engineering demand parameters (EDPs) and ground motion intensity measures (IMs) is required. Results of a parametric study examining a range of highway bridge configurations subjected to selected sets of horizontal and vertical ground motions are used to determine the structural parameters that are significantly amplified by the vertical excitations. The amplification in these parameters is modeled using simple equations that are functions of horizontal and vertical spectral accelerations at the corresponding horizontal and vertical fundamental periods of the bridge. This paper describes the derivation of seismic demand models developed for typical highway overcrossings by incorporating critical EDPs and combined effects of horizontal and vertical ground motion IMs depending on the type of the parameter and the period of the structure. These models may be used individually as risk‐based design tools to determine the probability of exceeding the critical levels of EDP for pre‐determined levels of ground shaking or may be included explicitly in probabilistic seismic risk assessments. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Inelastic displacement demands in steel structures and their relationship with earthquake frequency content parameters

This paper deals with the estimation of peak inelastic displacements of SDOF systems, representative of typical steel structures, under constant relative strength scenarios. Mean inelastic deformation demands on bilinear systems (simulating moment resisting frames) are considered as the basis for comparative purposes. Additional SDOF models representing partially‐restrained and concentrically‐braced (CB) frames are introduced and employed to assess the influence of different force‐displacement relationships on peak inelastic displacement ratios. The studies presented in this paper illustrate that the ratio between the overall yield strength and the strength during pinching intervals is the main factor governing the inelastic deformations of partially‐restrained models and leading to significant differences when compared with predictions based on bilinear structures, especially in the short‐period range. It is also shown that the response of CB systems can differ significantly from other pinching models when subjected to low or moderate levels of seismic demand, highlighting the necessity of employing dedicated models for studying the response of CB structures. Particular attention is also given to the influence of a number of scalar parameters that characterise the frequency content of the ground motion on the estimated peak displacement ratios. The relative merits of using the average spectral period T_aver, mean period T_m, predominant period T_g, characteristic period T_c and smoothed spectral predominant period T_o of the earthquake ground motion, are assessed. This paper demonstrates that the predominant period, defined as the period at which the input energy is maximum throughout the period range, is the most suitable frequency content scalar parameter for reducing the variability in displacement estimations. Finally, noniterative equivalent linearisation expressions based on the secant period and equivalent damping ratios are presented and verified for the prediction of peak deformation demands in steel structures. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Experimental investigation of spatially varying effect of ground motions on bridge pounding

Pounding between adjacent bridge structures with insufficient separation distance has been identified as one of the primary causes of damage in many major earthquakes. It takes place because the closing relative movement is larger than the structural gap provided between the structures. This relative structural response is controlled not only by the dynamic properties of the participating structures but also by the characteristics of the ground excitations. The consequence of the spatial variation of ground motions has been studied by researchers; however, most of these studies were performed numerically. The objective of the present research is to experimentally evaluate the influence of spatial variation of ground motions on the pounding behaviour of three adjacent bridge segments. The investigation is performed using three shake tables. The input spatially varying ground excitations are simulated based on the New Zealand design spectra for soft soil, shallow soil and strong rock using an empirical coherency loss function. Results confirm that the spatially nonniform ground motions increase the relative displacement of adjacent bridge girders and pounding forces. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

震后城市地震动场快速评估方法——以福州盆地为例

震后灾情的快速获取是灾后应急的基础,传统的方法是根据现场调查结果决定应急方案。受灾程度的分布常以烈度分布图描述,而烈度又与加速度峰值密切相关。本文提出了一种震后地震动场分布快速评估的方法。该方法将主要依据灾区基岩台站的实时强震记录(无强震记录也行)和该地区的加速度衰减关系,再结合该地区各类场地的地震动放大因子,则可快速估计该地区地震动场分布,从而确定灾情,为政府的应急决策提供依据。     

乌加河地震台地电阻率干扰形态识别

选取乌加河地震台2015-2018年地电阻率观测资料,分析数据异常变化,结合观测环境及实地调查,发现存在降雨、雷电、金属管线、农田灌溉、设备漏电等影响因素,对比分析并总结各类干扰曲线形态、变化幅度、影响时间、干扰频次等特征,以便正确认识并排除地电阻率干扰,为地震异常信息识别提供帮助。     

Investigation of upper crust anisotropy in Ghaen-Birjand region, east-central Iran

IntroductionWhenpropagatingthroughananisotropicmedium,ashearwavesplitsintotwo(quasi)shearwaveswithdifferentpropagationspeedsandpolarizedorthogonally.Owingtotherecentdevel-opmentofseismicobservationsystem,detectionofshearwavessplittingwithverysmalldelaytimesbetweenfasterandslowershearwavesbecameavailableandprovidedpowerfulapproachfordetectionofcrustalanisotropy.Crampin(1978)emphasizedtheroleofalignedmicrocracksasacauseofcrustalanisotropyandpointedoutthatforverticallyalignedmicrocracksthedirecti…     

Mean and eddy motion in the Skagerrak/northern North Sea: insight from a numerical model

Insight regarding the mean and eddy motion in the Skagerrak/northern North Sea area is gained through an analysis of model-simulated currents, hydrography, kinetic energy and relative vorticity for the 2 years 2000 and 2001. In this a -coordinate ocean model is used. Since the tidal currents are generally strong in the area, care is exercised to distinguish the mesoscale (eddy) motion from higher-frequency motion such as tides, before computing the mean and eddy kinetic energy. The model-simulated response is first compared with available knowledge of the circulation in the area, and when available, also with sea-surface temperature obtained from satellite imagery. It is concluded that the model appears to faithfully reproduce most of what is known, in particularly the upper mixed layer circulation. An analysis of the mean and eddy kinetic energy reveals that many of the mesoscale structures found in the area are recurrent. This is particularly true for the structures off the southern tip of Norway. Also in general, areas of strong mean and eddy kinetic energy are co-located. The exception is the area off the southern tip of Norway, where the eddy kinetic energy is much larger than its mean counterpart. An analysis of the relative vorticity reveals that the variability found is due to the occurrence of recurrent anticyclonic eddies. It is hypothesized that these eddies are generated due to an offshore veering of the Norwegian coastal current (NCC) as it reaches the eastern end of the Norwegian Trench plateau. Here it becomes a free jet, which is then vulnerable to either barotropic instability caused by the horizontal shear in the jet-like structure of the NCC at this point, or a baroclinic (frontal) instability. The latter may come into play when the NCC veers offshore and its relatively fresh water meets the inflowing saline water of Atlantic origin, a frontogenesis that may become strong enough for cyclogenesis to take place. Due to the depth-independent nature of the model-generated eddies, the barotropic instability is the most likely candidate. It remains to resolve the reason for the offshore veering of the NCC. The most likely candidate mechanisms are vortex squeezing or simply that the coastline curvature is large enough for the NCC to separate from the coast in a hydraulic sense.Responsible Editor: Phil Dyke