On size and boundary effects in scaled model blasts spatial problems

This paper addresses size and boundary effects on wave propagation, fracture pattern development and fragmentation in small scale laboratory-size specimens for model blasting. Small block type specimens are centre-line loaded by linear explosive charges and supersonically detonated. Using elastic wave propagation theory and fracture mechanics it is shown that the type of boundary conditions which prevail at the outer boundary of the cylinder control the extension of bore-hole cracking and fragmentation within the body of the cylinder. In the case of a composite block where a cylindrical core of different material is embedded, the level of fracturing and fragmentation is controlled by the separation of the interface which in turn depends on the relative dimensions of the core and the block. The most important parameter is the ratio between the length of the pulse (space-wise or time-wise) and the characteristic dimensions of the models, i.e. in this case the dimensions of the core and the mantel. Stress wave superposition effects occur in the corner sections of the mantel. Theoretical results are in good agreement with recent experimental findings.     

Validating the ability of the discontinuous deformation analysis method to model normal P‐wave propagation across rock fractures

The effects of fractures on wave propagation problems are increasingly abstracting the attention of scholars and engineers in rock engineering field. This study aims to fully validate the ability of discontinuous deformation analysis (DDA) to model normal P‐wave propagation across rock fractures. The effects of a single fracture and multiple parallel fractures are all tested. The results indicate that DDA can accurately reflect the fracture effects, including the fractures stiffness, the fracture spacing and the fracture number, and the effects of incident wave frequency on one‐dimensional P‐wave propagation problems. Thus, DDA is able to deal well with normal incident P‐wave propagation problems. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Discrete element model for crack propagation in brittle materials

We propose a discrete element model for brittle rupture. The material consists of a bidimensional set of closed‐packed particles in contact. We explore the isotropic elastic behavior of this regular structure to derive a rupture criterion compatible to continuum mechanics. We introduce a classical criterion of mixed mode crack propagation based on the value of the stress intensity factors, obtained by the analysis of two adjacent contacts near a crack tip. Hence, the toughness becomes a direct parameter of the model, without any calibration procedure. We verify the consistency of the formulation as well as its convergence by comparison with theoretical solutions of tensile cracks, a pre‐cracked beam, and an inclined crack under biaxial stress. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Application of the numerical manifold method for stress wave propagation across rock masses

In this paper, the numerical manifold method (NMM) is extended to study wave propagation across rock masses. First, improvements to the system equations, contact treatment, and boundary conditions of the NMM are performed, where new system equations are derived based on the Newmark assumption of the space–time relationship, the edge‐to‐edge contact treatment is further developed for the NMM to handle stress wave propagation across discontinuities, and the viscous non‐reflection boundary condition is derived based on the energy minimisation principle. After the modification, numerical comparisons between the original and improved NMM are presented. The results show that the original system equations result in artificial numerical damping, which can be overcome by the Newmark system equations. Meanwhile, the original contact scheme suffers some calculation problems when modelling stress wave propagation across a discontinuity, which can be solved by the proposed edge‐to‐edge contact scheme. Subsequently, the influence of the mesh size and time step on the improved NMM for stress wave propagation is studied. Finally, 2D wave propagation is modelled, and the model's results are in good agreement with the analytical solution. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Cracking risk of partially saturated porous media—Part I: Microporoelasticity model

Drying of deformable porous media results in their shrinkage, and it may cause cracking provided that shrinkage deformations are hindered by kinematic constraints. This is the motivation to develop a thermodynamics‐based microporoelasticity model for the assessment of cracking risk in partially saturated porous geomaterials. The study refers to 3D representative volume elements of porous media, including a two‐scale double‐porosity material with a pore network comprising (at the mesoscale) 3D mesocracks in the form of oblate spheroids, and (at the microscale) spherical micropores of different sizes. Surface tensions prevailing in all interfaces between solid, liquid, and gaseous matters are taken into account. To establish a thermodynamics‐based crack propagation criterion for a two‐scale double‐porosity material, the potential energy of the solid is derived, accounting—in particular—for mesocrack geometry changes (main original contribution) and for effective micropore pressures, which depend (due to surface tensions) on the pore radius. Differentiating the potential energy with respect to crack density parameter yields the thermodynamical driving force for crack propagation, which is shown to be governed by an effective macrostrain. It is found that drying‐related stresses in partially saturated mesocracks reduce the cracking risk. The drying‐related effective underpressures in spherical micropores, in turn, result in a tensile eigenstress of the matrix in which the mesocracks are embedded. This way, micropores increase the mesocracking risk. Model application to the assessment of cracking risk during drying of argillite is the topic of the companion paper (Part II). Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Investigation of directional hydraulic fracturing based on true tri-axial experiment and finite element modeling

The initiation and propagation of directional hydraulic fracturing (DHF) was investigated based on true tri-axial experiment and finite element modeling. The influences of notch angle, notch length and injection rate on the DHF were investigated. The initiation and propagation of DHF was modeled by a 3D nonlinear finite element method. A comparison between experimental investigation and numerical modeling results indicates that there is a good correlation between unbalanced force (UF) and fracturing. UF can be used to predict the hydraulic fracture initiation and propagation.     

Forest fragmentation in Massachusetts,USA: a town-level assessment using Morphological spatial pattern analysis and affinity propagation

Forest fragmentation has been studied extensively with respect to biodiversity loss, disruption of ecosystem services, and edge effects although the relationship between forest fragmentation and human activities is still not well understood. We classified the pattern of forests in Massachusetts using fragmentation indicators to address these objectives: 1) characterize the spatial pattern of forest fragmentation in Massachusetts towns using Morphological Spatial Pattern Analysis (MSPA); and (2) identify regional trends using archetypal towns in relation to town history, geography and socioeconomic characteristics. Six fragmentation indicators were calculated using MSPA for each town to represent patterns and processes of fragmentation. We then used these indicators and the proportion of forested land to group towns across Massachusetts with similar patterns of fragmentation. Six representative towns typify different types of forest fragmentation, and illustrate the commonalities and differences between different fragmentation types. The objective selection of representative towns suggests that they might be used as the target of future studies, both in retrospective studies that seek to explain current patterns and in analyses that predict future fragmentation trends.     

高阶边界元方法求解规则波在三维局部渗透海床上的传播

基于线性势流理论,利用高阶边界元法研究了规则波在三维局部渗透海床上的传播。根据Darcy渗透定律推导出渗透海床的控制方程,利用渗透海床顶部和海底处法向速度和压强连续条件得到渗透海床顶部满足的边界条件。根据绕射理论,利用满足自由水面条件的格林函数建立了求解渗透海床绕射势的边界积分方程,采用高阶边界元方法求解边界积分方程进而得到自由水面的绕射势和波浪在局部渗透海床上传播过程中幅值的变化情况。通过与已发表的波浪对圆柱形暗礁的时域全绕射结果对比,证明了本文建立的频域方法计算波幅的正确性和有效性。利用这一模型研究了三维矩形渗透海床区域上波浪的传播特性,并分析了入射波波长、海床渗透特性系数等参数对波浪传播的影响。     

日本囊对虾(Marsupenaeus japonicus)秋繁仔虾形态表型与抗流性能间的相关性

于水温(18.0±1.0)°C、盐度20、pH 8.1±0.2条件下,以水流为胁迫因子(时长1min),以日本囊对虾秋繁同生群仔虾[总长(7.643±0.639)mm]为实验对象,以溢水口(实验初始时刻仔虾放置处)为起点,按等距离间距法将自制的水流测定装置(总长1m)依次划分为A(0—25cm)、B(25—50cm)、C(50—75cm)、D(75—100cm)和E(100cm)等五个区段,在确认实验终了时刻分布于A区段内仔虾数量占实验仔虾总数5%的水流速度为0.823cm/s后,以此为实验流速,借助显微扫描像素测量技术和多元分析方法定量研究了A、B、C、D、E实验群体(依次为实验终止时刻分布于A、B、C、D、E区段内的仔虾)个体间形态比例性状间的差异。结果表明:(1)在所涉15项形态测量指标中,各实验群体间均无显著差异(P0.05)的形态性状共计8项,依次为X_4(眼径)、X_5(头胸甲长)、X_6(头胸甲高)、X_7(第一腹节长)、X_8(第二腹节长)、X_9(第三腹节长)、X_~(10)(第四腹节长)和X_14(腹节高);(2)在所涉17项形态比例指标中,实验群体间均无显著差异(P0.05)的形态比例性状共计7项,依次为C_2(额剑长/总长)、C_9(第五腹节长/总长)、C_(10)(尾节长/总长)、C_(11)(尾扇长/总长)、C_(15)(头胸甲高/头胸甲长)、C_(16)(腹节高/第一腹节长)和C_(17)(尾节高/尾节长);(3)经主成分分析,提取到的5个特征值均大于1的主成分,累计贡献率达80.795%,其中第1主成分39.561%,其载荷绝对值大于0.5的主要影响变量占形态比例性状总数的47.059%;(4)将A实验群体定义为水流胁迫处理选留群,B、C、D、E实验群体统归为水流胁迫处理淘汰群。采用逐步判别法,以判别贡献率较大的C_1(第一触角柄长/总长)、C3(眼径/总长)、C7(第三腹节长/总长)、C13(额剑长/头胸甲长)为自变量,所建的Fisher分类函数方程组可较清晰地区分淘汰群和选留群个体,其中选留群的判别准确率P_1、P_2分别为98%和84.85%,淘汰群的判别准确率P_1、P_2分别为82.25%和97.63%,两者综合判别准确率为90.12%。综上可知,借助形态表型分型可实现日本囊对虾仔虾不同抗流性能群体间的筛选。