Soil hydraulic properties for moisture redistribution in a large-scale heterogeneous landscape

Abstract

Guidelines of effective soil hydraulic parameters were developed to be applicable in simulating average infiltration and subsequent moisture redistribution over a large-scale heterogeneous field. Average large-scale infiltration and redistribution in heterogeneous soils were quantified through multiple simulations of local-scale processes. The effective hydraulic parameters were derived to simulate the average amount of infiltrating water, and to capture the subsequent surface soil moisture redistribution averaged over the large heterogeneous landscape. The results demonstrated that the effective hydraulic parameters typically exhibited a step change from infiltration to redistribution, with the size of the step change being related to the degree of hydraulic parameter heterogeneity and the correlations among the hydraulic parameters. However, the effective hydraulic parameters did not change significantly over time for the moisture redistribution. It was further demonstrated that the size of the step change was smallest for effective saturated hydraulic conductivity.

Editor Z.W. Kundzewicz; Associate editor Y. Guttman

Citation Zhu, J.T. and Sun, D.M., 2012. Soil hydraulic properties for moisture redistribution in a large-scale heterogeneous landscape. Hydrological Sciences Journal, 57 (6), 1196–1206.     

Influence of fines content on liquefied strength of silty sands

Critical state soil mechanics is a useful framework to understand sand behavior. In this paper, a relationship is developed for estimating undrained critical shear strength of sands based on the critical state framework. The relationship is validated by comparison with laboratory test results and sand liquefied strength from field liquefaction failure case histories. Using this relationship, the influence of fines content on undrained critical shear strength is studied for different combinations of effective stress and density. The parametric study indicates that depending on soil void ratio, effective stress, and the shape and mineralogy of the fine particles, undrained critical strength may increase, remain the same, or decrease as the amount of fines content increases. Both the susceptibility to liquefaction and the severity of strain-softening are affected by adding fines. It is suggested that the critical state parameter is inadequate for describing the behavior of liquefiable sands and sand shearing-compressibility should be taken into account in liquefaction analysis.     

层状盐岩蠕变变形相互作用研究

考虑泥岩夹层和盐岩的弹性性质和稳态蠕变性质,通过数值试验方法计算层状复合盐岩体在单轴和低围压三轴荷载作用下蠕变变形过程中力学相互作用和变形时效规律,分析泥岩夹层和盐岩层因蠕变率不匹配对层状盐岩蠕变的影响,初步讨论了层状复合岩体的复合材料研究方法。结果表明,层状盐岩中泥岩夹层与盐岩因弹性参数不匹配产生的初始应力集中在蠕变过程中发生松弛,因泥岩夹层与盐岩层蠕变率不匹配导致两者之间应力重分布,泥岩夹层对盐岩层的蠕变有明显抑制作用。这些分析体现了层状盐岩蠕变过程的非线性性质,为建立层状盐岩体合理本构模型奠定了基础。     

古尔班通古特沙漠春季土壤含水量空间格局

春季积雪融水是古尔班通古特沙漠土壤水分的重要补给源之一,为早春植物的萌发和生长创造了有利的条件。为掌握该地区春季沙丘的土壤水分分布状况,采用探地雷达测量技术,于2010年4月进行了多次野外测量,并通过对地面直达波信号的提取和分析,初步获得了一致的测量结果。结果表明：（1）探地雷达地面直达波测量的土壤平均含水量与20 cm深同步TDR的测量结果非常接近,两者总体相差在0.02 cm3/cm3以内,充分反映了GPR地面直达波测量结果的有效性和精确性;（2）春季积雪完全融化后,沙丘/沙垄顶部土壤水分明显低于垄间低地,这与前人的研究一致,反映了积雪和冻土层在消融过程中,沙丘表面融水在坡面重力作用下,沿难以透水的冻土层上界自坡上向坡下迁移,形成了垄间最高、坡部次之和垄顶最少的分布格局;（3）垄间低地的土壤水分明显受到低矮灌草丛的影响进行再分布,这是由于积雪最初沿植丛基部开始消融,并以植丛为中心形成漏斗状融洞,从而形成以植丛为中心汇集较多融雪水的格局,而垄间低地中较为高大的梭梭乔木对融雪水的再分布影响明显不如低矮的灌草丛,这与其地表茎基过少有关。此外,探地雷达测量实验提供了详实可靠的表层土壤含水量分布信息,可为荒漠生态系统的空间尺度研究提供真实可靠的数据基础。     

放电后电荷重置对雷暴云电荷结构及闪电行为的影响

为探究放电后电荷重置对雷暴云电过程的影响,在已有的三维雷暴云起、放电模式中分别加入两种不同的电荷重置方案:一种是植入法即放电后闪电通道上的感应电荷与原空间电荷叠加(简称ZR方案);另一种是中和法即放电后直接按一定比例降低闪电通道处的空间电荷浓度(简称ZH方案)。利用长春一次探空个例进行敏感性试验,发现放电后重置方式的不同会导致闪电特征存在明显差异:1)ZR方案下的云闪发生率比ZH方案下的云闪发生率少。闪电放电后ZR方案在云中植入异极性电荷,对雷暴云中电荷的中和量比ZH方案多,摧毁云中电场的能力更强;2)ZR方案下的正、负地闪发生率均比ZH方案多。相对于ZH方案,ZR方案中主正电荷区的分布范围大于主负电荷区,导致其出现了更多的正地闪;ZR方案中的云顶屏蔽层与主正电荷区的混合程度高,混合时间长,导致ZR方案在主正电荷区与主负电荷区之间触发了更多的负地闪;3)ZR方案下的闪电通道长度比ZH方案下的闪电通道长度短。ZR方案在云中植入异极性电荷,导致云中难以形成大范围同极性电荷堆,闪电通道传播局限在一对较小的异极性电荷堆内,而ZH方案不改变云中电荷分布,存在大范围同极性电荷堆,闪电通道传播范围较大。     

Partial frequency redistribution of polarized radiation

Resonance polarization, which is created by the scattering of an anisotropic radiation field in regions of zero or weak magnetic fields, is strongly dependent on the frequency redistribution taking place during the scatterings. Here we discuss the frequency redistribution matrix relevant to resonance lines, concentrating on linear polarization. First we analyze in detail the redistribution matrix in a zero magnetic field given by the theory of Omont, Smith and Cooper (1972), revisited by Domke and Hubeny (1988). We explain that the linear polarization maxima which may appear in the wings of the Stokes Q profiles of strong resonances lines such as the Ca I 4227 Å line are coherent frequency redistribution effects. Various approximate forms of the frequency redistribution matrix are also examined. For resonance polarization in a weak magnetic field, we suggest a new expression for the redistribution matrix which can be used at all line frequencies, and is consistent with the condition that the Hanle effect acts only in the line core.     

The role of dewatering in the progressive deformation of a sandy accretionary wedge: constraints from direct imagings of fluid flow and void structure

Geological investigation of the deformation structures and sedimentary setting of the Emi Group, a Miocene sand-rich accretionary complex, central Japan, revealed a six stage-structural evolution during shallow level accretion in a subduction zone. The early deformation (stage 1) is characterized by independent particulate flow in layer parallel faults, scaly cleavages and web structures, and upward dewatering in dish-and-pillar structures and breccia injections, while later deformation (stages 2–6) involve mappable scale folding, meso- to macro-scopic thrusts and web structures with cataclastic flow. Based on microscopic analyses of these structures, the early faulting with independent particulate flow (stage 1 deformation) is associated with dilatancy and preferred orientation of void space, whereas the later faulting with cataclastic flow (stage 2 deformation) occurs with compaction and crude preferred orientation. The former features imply more permeable fluid migration pathways, supported by the permeability measurements and direct imaging of fluid flow by X-ray CT. On the other hand, the later fault zone has lower permeability and porosity than intact rock, and plays as fluid sealing. Thus, in the early stage (stages 1), fluid flow occurs as focused flow through dilatant fault zones with independent particulate flow or fluid migration by upward dewatering forming dish-and-pillar structures and breccia injections, whereas no evidence of fluid flow is recognized at the later stages (stages 2–6). Namely the fault zones focus fluid flow during primary accretion in shallow levels, and the fluid flow is strongly controlled by the deformation mechanism. Furthermore, the change of the deformation mechanism could be effected by progressive increment of the confining pressure, accompanied with accretion and lithification in the accretionary prism. In the shallow, dilatant-faulting regime where the deformation mechanism is independent particulate flow, focused flow dominates, whereas in the deep, cataclastic regime distributed flow may play a main conduit rather than the focused flow.     

Catastrophic Rupture Induced Damage Coalescence in Heterogeneous Brittle Media

In heterogeneous brittle media, the evolution of damage is strongly influenced by the multiscale coupling effect. To better understand this effect, we perform a detailed investigation of the damage evolution, with particular attention focused on the catastrophe transition. We use an adaptive multiscale finite-element model (MFEM) to simulate the damage evolution and the catastrophic failure of heterogeneous brittle media. Both plane stress and plane strain cases are investigated for a heterogeneous medium whose initial shear strength follows the Weibull distribution. Damage is induced through the application of the Coulomb failure criterion to each element, and the element mesh is refined where the failure criterion is met. We found that as damage accumulates, there is a stronger and stronger nonlinear increase in stress and the stress redistribution distance. The coupling of the dynamic stress redistribution and the heterogeneity at different scales result in an inverse cascade of damage cluster size, which represents rapid coalescence of damage at the catastrophe transition.