Enhanced Multi-Layer Fatigue-Analysis Approach for Unbonded Flexible Risers

This paper proposes an enhanced approach for evaluating the fatigue life of each metallic layer of unbonded flexible risers. Owing to the complex structure of unbonded flexible risers and the nonlinearity of the system, particularly in the critical touchdown zone, the traditional method is insufficient for accurately evaluating the fatigue life of these risers. The main challenge lies in the transposition from global to local analyses, which is a key stage for the fatigue analysis of flexible pipes owing to their complex structure. The new enhanced approach derives a multi-layer stress-decomposition method to meet this challenge. In this study, a numerical model validated experimentally is used to demonstrate the accuracy of the stress-decomposition method. And a numerical case is studied to validate the proposed approach. The results demonstrate that the multi-layer stress-decomposition method is accurate, and the fatigue lives of the metallic layers predicted by the enhanced multi-layer analysis approach are rational. The proposed fatigue-analysis approach provides a practical and reasonable method for predicting fatigue life in the design of unbonded flexible risers.     

Factor of safety in a partially saturated slope inferred from hydro‐mechanical continuum modeling

Rainfall weakens an earth slope and triggers mass movement. Relevant triggering mechanisms are complex and include reduction of capillary pressure due to increased saturation and frictional drag on the sediment induced by fluid flow. Physics‐based continuum models utilizing modern computational tools are useful for understanding the mechanisms of deformation in partially saturated slopes; however, they do not provide a scalar indicator called ‘factor of safety’ that measures the potential of a given slope for mass movement. In the present work, we employ sequential calculations consisting of a physics‐based finite element model that couples solid deformation with fluid flow to quantify the stress and deformation fields in a steep hillside slope subjected to rainfall infiltration. This is followed by a limit‐equilibrium calculation based on the method of slices that evaluates the desired factor of safety. The field condition investigated is similar to the steep experimental catchment CB1 near Coos Bay, Oregon, which failed as a large debris flow from heavy rainfall. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Scattering of elastic wave by a partially sealed cylindrical shell embedded in poroelastic medium

Scattering of an elastic wave by a cylindrical shell embedded in poroelastic medium is investigated theoretically with the assumption that the shell material is also a porous elastic medium. The porous medium is modellized via Biot's theory and the scattering by cylindrical shell is expressed by the definition of scattering matrix. The normal mode expansion technique is employed for analysing the scattering field, and the asymptotic solutions of displacements, stresses and pore pressure are derived. Two limiting cases‐scattering by a poroelastic cylinder in Biot medium and a elastic cylindrical shell in elastic medium are obtained from the general solutions. The dispersion curves of displacement amplitude at the interface of shell and medium is compared with the case of elastic shell. The scattering amplitude associated with the fast, slow and transverse waves are identified by numerical simulation. Furthermore, the influence of the poroelastic property of shell material on scattering amplitude is analysed. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

带横隔板局部开孔沉箱在斜向波作用下的受力研究

基于线性势流假定,对斜向波作用下带横隔板局部开孔沉箱防波堤的水平波浪力进行了理论研究。给出了开孔沉箱法向水平力和横隔板受力的理论计算方法,在极限情况下波浪力的计算结果与文献中的已有结果一致。利用数值算例分析了开孔沉箱总水平力的主要影响因素。开孔沉箱法向总水平力的减小主要集中于结构上半部分波浪影响范围以内。增加单个开孔沉箱的长度有利于减小结构所受总水平波浪力。当波浪入射角或沉箱前开孔墙孔隙影响系数幅值较大时,开孔沉箱横隔板上总水平力的最大值要超过相应的沉箱法向总水平力,此时要注意横隔板的强度问题。     

长期循环荷载作用下排水条件对饱和软黏土动力特性影响

由于软黏土渗透系数很小,目前针对饱和软黏土的循环荷载试验绝大多数都是在不排水条件下进行的。但对交通荷载而言,软黏土承受经年累月的长期循环荷载作用,实际的排水条件应该是部分排水的。基于此,通过对温州原状饱和软黏土进行不同循环应力比下的不排水和部分排水大周数（50 000次）循环三轴试验,分析了长期循环荷载作用下排水条件对饱和软黏土动力特性的影响。研究结果表明与不排水条件相比,部分排水条件下软黏土试样的动力特性表现出很大的不同。随着循环次数的增加,部分排水条件下的孔压随先增加后降低,存在一个峰值;经过较大的循环次数后,回弹应变逐渐减小,应力-应变滞回圈逐渐缩短,面积也明显减小。为了准确预测交通荷载作用下的长期沉降,采用部分排水条件进行试验是十分必要的。     

Mixing caused by lateral internal seiching within a partially mixed estuary

The salinity fluctuations at an STD near the halocline in Southampton Water have been spectrally analysed. Mixing is shown to commence at a layer Richardson number of about 20. The predominant energy inputs have periods of 7–9 and 3·5–4·5 min. These motions arise from lateral internal seiching and it is considered that they are produced by interaction of the surface seiche with the shallow side of the estuary. The wavelengths of the standing wave are calculated to be about 120 and 60 m respectively, and these compare well with echo-sounding surveys of the elevation of the halocline.     

Influence of thawed soil depth on rainfall erosion of frozen bare meadow soil in the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau

The Qinghai–Tibet Plateau has a vast area of approximately 70×10⁴ km² of alpine meadow under the impacts of soil freezing and thawing, thereby inducing intensive water erosion. Quantifying the rainfall erosion process of partially thawed soil provides the basis for model simulation of soil erosion on cold-region hillslopes. In this study, we conducted a laboratory experiment on rainfall-induced erosion of partially thawed soil slope under four slope gradients (5, 10, 15, and 20°), three rainfall intensities (30, 60, and 90 mm h⁻¹), and three thawed soil depths (1, 2, and 10 cm). The results indicated that shallow thawed soil depth aggravated soil erosion of partially thawed soil slopes under low hydrodynamic conditions (rainfall intensity of 30 mm h⁻¹ and slope gradient ≤ 15°), whereas it inhibited erosion under high hydrodynamic conditions (rainfall intensity ≥ 60 mm h⁻¹ or slope gradient > 15°). Soil erosion was controlled by the thawed soil depth and runoff hydrodynamic conditions. When the sediment supply was sufficient, the shallow thawed soil depth had a higher erosion potential and a larger sediment concentration. On the contrary, when the sediment supply was insufficient, the shallow thawed soil depth resulted in lower sediment erosion and a smaller sediment concentration. The hydrodynamic runoff conditions determined whether the sediment supply was sufficient. We propose a model to predict sediment delivery under different slope gradients, rainfall intensities, and thawed soil depths. The model, with a Nash–Sutcliffe efficiency of 0.95, accurately predicted the sediment delivery under different conditions, which was helpful for quantification of the complex feedback of sediment delivery to the factors influencing rainfall erosion of partially thawed soil. This study provides valuable insights into the rainfall erosion mechanism of partially thawed soil slopes in the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau and provides a basis for further studies on soil erosion under different hydrodynamic conditions.     

后张力无粘结预应力高层建筑抗震可靠性研究

本文以天津市房地产开发（集团）河西友谊小区综合楼为研究对象,研究其在地震作用下高层建筑的可靠性,探索高层建筑结构系统的抗震可靠性分析方法,本文还对比一般框架梁柱结构与后张无粘结预应力板柱结构抗震可靠性的差异,研究层数变化时可靠性所受的影响,得到满意的结果。     

Lateral dynamic response of a partially embedded pile subjected to combined loads in saturated soil

In this article, an analytical solution is proposed to investigate the lateral dynamic response of a pile which is partially embedded in saturated soil layer and subjected to combined lateral and vertical loads. The saturated soil is described by Biot’s poroelastic theory and the resistance of soil is derived by potential function method. The governing equation of the pile is solved by coupling soil resistance and continuity conditions between the pile and the soil. The dynamic impedances of the pile are then obtained through transfer matrix method. To verify the validity of the proposed procedure, the present solution is compared with available solution for an idealized case. Finally, a parametric study is performed to investigate the effects of various parameters on the stiffness and damping properties of the pile-soil system. It is found that permeability of the soil and vertical load has significant effects on the dynamic response of the pile.