Interaction between scale and scheduling choices in simulations of spatial agents

Spatial simulations are a valuable tool in understanding dynamic spatial processes. In developing these simulations, it is often required to make decisions about how to represent features in the environment and how events unfold in time. These spatial and temporal choices have been shown to significantly alter model outcomes, yet their interaction is less well understood. In this paper, we make use of a simple group foraging model and systematically vary how features are represented (cell size of the landscape) as well as how events unfold in time (order in which foragers take action) to better understand their interaction. Our results show similar nonlinear responses to changes in spatial representation found in the literature, and an effect of the order in which agents were processed. There was also a clear interaction between how features are represented and how events unfold in time, where, under certain environmental representations results were found to be more sensitive to the order in which individuals were processed. Furthermore, the effects of feature representation, scheduling of agents, and their interaction were all found to be influenced by the heterogeneity of the spatial surface (food), suggesting that the statistical properties of the underlying spatial variable will additionally play a role. We suggest that navigating these interactions can be facilitated through a better understanding of how these choices affect the decision landscape(s) on which agents operate. Specifically, how changes to representation affect aggregation and resolution of the decision surface, and thereby the degree to which agents interact directly or indirectly. We suggest that the challenges of dealing with spatial representation, scheduling, and their interaction, while building models could also present an opportunity. As explicitly including alternate representations and scheduling choices during model selection can aid in identifying optimal agent–environment representations. Potentially leading to improved insights into the relationships between spatial processes and the environments in which they occur.     

Diagnosis of earth-fill dams by synthesised approach of sounding and surface wave method

The spatial distribution of the strength inside the earth-fill is identified by the sounding tests. In this research, the Swedish weight sounding (SWS) is employed, and the spatial high-density test is performed to identify the spatial correlation structure. Furthermore, the synthesised approach of the SWS and surface wave method, which is one of the geophysical method, is proposed to compensate the shortage of each approach. Consequently, the correlation structure of an earth-fill could be identified accurately, and the high resolution of the spatial distribution could be visualised based on the survey results.     

库车坳陷新生代构造应力场恢复

库车坳陷的构造变形及演化与南天山造山带的发育密切相关。库车坳陷新近纪以来的喜马拉雅晚期构造运动最为强烈,形成了天山山前大型冲断带,并造就了现今的构造格局。通过对库车坳陷北部构造样式的识别及各种应力场指示标志的测量、统计和构造解析,对野外获得的应力场指示标志划分了期次,认为喜马拉雅晚期应力场标志为近南北向挤压。结合库车坳陷区域构造要素,如地质体几何形态、边界条件、岩石力学参数等,运用弹性力学有限元数值模拟的方法获得了喜马拉雅晚期库车坳陷的区域应力场。模拟结果表明,库车坳陷喜马拉雅晚期最大主压应力方向为近南北向,与古应力场标志拟合较高,可以为库车坳陷裂缝预测和评价提供依据,对勘探开发有应用价值。     

Geotechnical Hybrid Simulation to Investigate the Effects of the Hydraulic Conductivity on One-Dimensional Consolidation Settlement

Difficulties in the prediction of time-distribution of consolidation settlement will be introduced by using the Murayama test embankment case of Japan. In particular, it will be discussed why the prediction of consolidation rate is difficult in multi-layered soil with complex and variable mechanical properties like organic soil or peat. It can be inferred that uncertainties, which are embedded intricately in the consolidation problem as well as given ground condition, would be major causes for consolidation settlement. After that, the author focused on the movement of pore water under the various conditions of hydraulic conductivity in the soils, and how it can affect the time-distribution of the consolidation settlement. For the applied key methodology on the consolidation settlement problem, we propose the hybrid consolidation simulation controlling the movement of pore water with high accuracy and, finally, the aim of this article is to discuss the methodological approaches obtained by the study, including the basic concept and accurate movement of pore water under various conditions of soil layers and hydraulic conductivity.     

Numerical Analysis of Gravity Coring Using Coupled Eulerian-Lagrangian Method and a New Corer

The shortcomings of gravity corers in sampling marine sediments have been observed extensively in various field tests. In order to optimize the coring, this article provides an alternative numerical way to model the gravity coring and analyze the sampling effect. Based on this analysis, a new hydraulic hammer corer is devised. A coupled Eulerian-Lagrangian method with capability of simulating the problem involving extreme deformation, penetration is used to simulate the coring process. The results show that the hydrostatic pressure and deviator stress increase and reach their peak when the pile tip is slightly above or at the level of the observation point and then drop rapidly when the pile tip slides below the observation point. In addition, the stress path indicates that the soil element sustains plastic compression before yielding and then expands until recovering to the original state. The obvious “under-sampling” phenomenon is also well-captured by the finite element model.     

腐蚀管道在内压和轴向压力影响下的弯曲破坏

运行在恶劣环境中的海底管道,往往受到内压、轴力和弯矩等复杂荷载的联合作用。腐蚀会导致管壁局部变薄,降低管道极限承载力。为保证管道安全高效运行,准确预测和分析复杂荷载作用下的塑性极限承载力和变形行为就显得尤为重要。考虑大应变和大变形、应力强化和材料非线性,运用数值仿真软件建立腐蚀缺陷管道的三维实体有限元模型,在全尺寸管道破坏试验验证的基础上,对腐蚀管道在内压、轴向压力和弯矩相互作用下的失效模式和极限弯矩承载力进行了相关研究,并进行了腐蚀缺陷几何参数的敏感性分析。研究结果表明:初始内压和初始轴向压力会显著降低腐蚀管道的极限弯矩承载力,并且影响最终的失效模式;在腐蚀缺陷几何尺寸参数中,腐蚀宽度比腐蚀深度和腐蚀长度的影响更大。     

Safety Assessment of Buried Pipeline during Pile Driving Vibration in Offshore Engineering

To assess the impact of pile driving on adjacent submarine pipelines during the reconstruction of a pier berth, the local damage model of submarine pipelines is established to explore the safety thresholds of the particle peak velocity and horizontal displacement. The results are analyzed and adjusted by the existing standards and the corresponding literatures. Then, a three-dimensional numerical model is presented to assess the feasibility of the construction of piles by the obtained safety limits, in which the nonlinear behavior of the soil and stress–seepage coupling analysis are considered. After the construction, the safety of submarine pipelines is rechecked by the measured value of the particle peak velocity and horizontal displacement. Meanwhile, the propagation law of vibration, the horizontal displacement of underground soil, and the pore pressure during pile driving are explored. The results indicate that the construction of piles of 2# mooring pier did not cause damage to adjacent submarine pipelines. However, the construction of piles of 1# mooring pier which is nearer may cause damage to submarine pipelines.     

Comparative Study of Hydrogen and Carbon Isotopic Composition of Gases Generated from the Pyrolysis of a Peat under Saltwater and Freshwater Conditions

To understand the influence of the diagenetic water medium on the isotopic compositions of thermogenic coalbed gas, both hydrous and anhydrous closed-system pyrolyses were performed at temperatures of 250°C to 650°C on an herbaceous marsh peat. Compared to the results of anhydrous pyrolysis, the hydrocarbon gases generated from hydrous pyrolyses have very different hydrogen isotopic compositions. However, the carbon isotopic compositions of the hydrocarbon gases became only slightly heavier in hydrous pyrolysis, compared to that from anhydrous pyrolysis. With the progress of thermal evolution from peat to a more advanced thermal maturity of vitrinite reflectance values (Ro) of 5.5% during the pyrolysis, the difference in the average δD value increased from 52‰ to 64‰ between the hydrous pyrolysis with saltwater and anhydrous pyrolysis and increased from 18‰ to 29‰ between the hydrous pyrolysis with freshwater and anhydrous pyrolysis, respectively. The difference in the average δ13C value was only 1‰–2‰ between the hydrous and anhydrous pyrolysis. The relationships between the δD values of the generated hydrocarbon gases and Ro values as well as among δD values of the hydrocarbon gas species are established. The close relationships among these parameters suggest that the water medium had a significant effect on the hydrogen isotopic composition and a minimal effect on the carbon isotopic composition of the hydrocarbon gases. The results of these pyrolyses may provide information for the understanding of the genesis of coalbed gas from herbaceous marsh material with the participation of different diagenetic water media.     

极地深部冰层取心钻探孔壁水压致裂研究

为了维护极地深部冰层取心钻探工作中钻孔的稳定,避免孔内事故的发生,冰层孔壁的水压致裂问题是亟待解决的重要科学问题之一。本文在深入分析国内外冰层钻探资料的基础上,结合冰盖动力学相关理论,计算得出了钻孔所在区域冰层的密度、温度及内部应力随深度的变化规律。在此基础上,结合油气资源勘探水力压裂技术与冰层钻进钻井液等相关理论,建立了合理的孔壁压差计算方法,深入探讨了适用于深部冰层钻探孔壁水压致裂机理。研制了冰层钻孔水压致裂模拟实验装置,可分析研究不同围压条件下冰样的脆性变形机理。结合我国Dome A深冰心钻探工程实际,提出钻孔可能发生水压致裂的深度区域及孔壁所需的起始裂纹长度判定,以期为后续的安全高效冰层钻进提供重要的理论依据。     

水射流破碎南海含水合物沉积物数值模拟研究

为研究高压水射流切割、破碎南海天然气水合物储层的过程,采用著名的LS—DYNA显示动力分析有限元程序,对淹没状态下,水射流破碎海底含水合物沉积物过程进行数值模拟研究,研究了不同射流速度对高压水射流作用下含水合物沉积物破碎效果的影响规律。随着射流速度的增大,冲蚀深度逐渐增大,两者呈线性递增关系。含水合物沉积物冲蚀体积是轴向冲蚀与径向冲蚀共同作用的结果,射流速度越大,对含水合物沉积物的轴向与径向冲蚀作用增强,加大了含水合物沉积物冲蚀体积递增速率。