Dimorphism in the Ascidian Pyura stolonifera Near Melbourne, Australia, and its Evaluation Through Field Transplant Experiments

Abstract. On the central coast of Victoria, Australia, the ascidian Pyura stolonifera (H eller . 1878) assumes 2 morphs. a yellow form living exclusively on inner shores, and a brown morph mainly on outer coasts. Distributional surveys, morphological analyses and field transplant experiments were conducted as part of a multidisciplinary investigation designed to elucidate the environmental and genetic components of dimorphism in this species. Distributional surveys revealed that the 2 morphs have a parapatric distribution. Morphological analyses showed striking differences between morphs in colours of tissue types, external anatomy, morphometry and gravimetry. Possible ecological significances of this morphological differentiation are discussed. Transplant experiments, in which morphs were moved within and between habitats, yielded no evidence for morphological plasticity in adults of this species for the great majority of characters examined.     

A rigorous semi‐analytical solution for undrained cylindrical cavity expansion in critical state soils

This paper presents a generalized, rigorous and simple large strain solution for the undrained expansion of a vertical cylindrical cavity in critical state soils using a rate‐based plasticity formulation: the initial stress field is taken as anisotropic, that is with horizontal stresses that differ from the vertical stress, and the soil is assumed to satisfy any two‐invariant constitutive model from the critical state (Cam‐clay) family; no simplifying assumption is made during the mathematical derivation; calculating the effective stresses around the cavity requires the solution of a nonlinear equation by means of the Newton–Raphson method in combination with quadrature. Cavity expansion curves and stress distributions in the soil are then presented for different critical state models (including the modified Cam‐clay model). The solution derived can be useful for estimating the instantaneous response of saturated low‐permeability soils around piles and self‐boring pressuremeters and can serve as trustworthy benchmark for numerical analysis codes. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Modelling chemo‐hydro‐mechanical behaviour of unsaturated clays: a feasibility study

Effective capabilities of combined chemo‐elasto‐plastic and unsaturated soil models to simulate chemo‐hydro‐mechanical (CHM) behaviour of clays are examined in numerical simulations through selected boundary value problems. The objective is to investigate the feasibility of approaching such complex material behaviour numerically by combining two existing models. The chemo‐mechanical effects are described using the concept of chemical softening consisting of reduction of the pre‐consolidation pressure proposed originally by Hueckel (Can. Geotech. J. 1992; 29 :1071–1086; Int. J. Numer. Anal. Methods Geomech. 1997; 21 :43–72). An additional chemical softening mechanism is considered, consisting in a decrease of cohesion with an increase in contaminant concentration. The influence of partial saturation on the constitutive behaviour is modelled following Barcelona basic model (BBM) formulation (Géotech. 1990; 40 (3):405–430; Can. Geotech. J. 1992; 29 :1013–1032). The equilibrium equations combined with the CHM constitutive relations, and the governing equations for flow of fluids and contaminant transport, are solved numerically using finite element. The emphasis is laid on understanding the role that the individual chemical effects such as chemo‐elastic swelling, or chemo‐plastic consolidation, or finally, chemical loss of cohesion have in the overall response of the soil mass. The numerical problems analysed concern the chemical effects in response to wetting of a clay specimen with an organic liquid in rigid wall consolidometer, during biaxial loading up to failure, and in response to fresh water influx during tunnel excavation in swelling clay. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Revisiting the constitutive equations of unsaturated porous solids using a Lagrangian saturation concept

This paper aims at revisiting the constitutive equations of unsaturated porous solids at the light of a Lagrangian saturation concept. By referring the currently wetted porous volume to the reference configuration, the Lagrangian saturation is the state variable associated with the interfacial energy changes only, irrespective of the elastic energy required for deforming the solid matrix. The Lagrangian saturation concept provides the basis of a generic approach to the theory of poroelastoplasticity in unsaturated conditions. We successively examine the case where the saturating fluids occupy disconnected networks and the case where the networks are connected so that the saturating fluids can invade the porous solid or recede from it. The analysis provides the restricted situations where the averaged pore pressure may play the role of an effective pore pressure. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Spectral analysis of nonlocal regularization in two‐dimensional finite element models

Strain‐softening in geomaterials often leads to ill‐posed boundary‐valued problems (BVP), which cannot be solved with finite element methods without introducing some kind of regularization such as nonlocal plasticity. Hereafter we propose to apply spectral analysis for testing the performance of nonlocal plasticity in regularizing ill‐posed BVP and producing mesh‐independent solutions when local plasticity usually fails. The spectral analysis consists of examining the eigenvalues and eigenvectors of the global tangential stiffness matrix of the incremental equilibrium equations. Based on spectral analysis, we propose a criterion for passing or failing the test of constitutive regularization in the context of BVP. If the eigenvalues of the tangential operator are all positive then the regularization succeeds, otherwise it fails and may not prevent artificial mesh‐dependent solutions from appearing. The approach is illustrated in the particular case of a biaxial compression with strain‐softening plasticity. In this particular case, local softening plasticity is found to produce negative eigenvalues in the tangential stiffness matrix, which indicates ill‐posed BVP. In contrast, nonlocal softening plasticity always produces positive eigenvalues, which regularizes ill‐posed BVP. The dominant eigenvectors, which generate localized deformation patterns, have a bandwidth independent of mesh size, provided that the mesh is fine enough to capture localization. These mesh‐independent eigenmodes explain why nonlocal plasticity produces numerical solutions that are mesh‐independent. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

A J2‐plasticity model based on bounding surface concept

This article presents the development of a J₂ small strain plasticity model based on bounding surface concept, along with numerical examples to demonstrate model behaviors and identification of model parameter using laboratory test data. The model is motivated by the need for simulating permanent deformation accumulation of asphalt concrete mixtures, which leads to rutting in flexible pavements under repeated traffic loading. The proposed model accounts for the observation that rutting is mostly caused by shearing and takes advantage of the fact that bounding surface concept allows for the progressive accumulation of plastic deformation under constant amplitude loading condition. Analytical solutions are given for typical laboratory testing conditions. The model can be calibrated using repeated simple shear test data that are typically available for asphalt concrete mixtures. It is shown that the model is easy to use and provides a promising alternative for modeling permanent deformation accumulation in materials subjected to repetitive (cyclic) loading. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

On finite volume method implementation of poro‐elasto‐plasticity soil model

Accurate prediction of the interactions between the nonlinear soil skeleton and the pore fluid under loading plays a vital role in many geotechnical applications. It is therefore important to develop a numerical method that can effectively capture this nonlinear soil‐pore fluid coupling effect. This paper presents the implementation of a new finite volume method code of poro‐elasto‐plasticity soil model. The model is formulated on the basis of Biot's consolidation theory and combined with a perfect plasticity Mohr‐Coulomb constitutive relation. The governing equation system is discretized in a segregated manner, namely, those conventional linear and uncoupled terms are treated implicitly, while those nonlinear and coupled terms are treated explicitly by using any available values from previous time or iteration step. The implicit–explicit discretization leads to a linearized and decoupled algebraic system, which is solved using the fixed‐point iteration method. Upon the convergence of the iterative method, fully nonlinear coupled solutions are obtained. Also explored in this paper is the special way of treating traction boundary in finite volume method compared with FEM. Finally, three numerical test cases are simulated to verify the implementation procedure. It is shown in the simulation results that the implemented solver is capable of and efficient at predicting reasonable soil responses with pore pressure coupling under different loading situations. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

白水煤矿煤矸石基本性能研究与分析

通过对白水煤矿煤矸石进行外观分类、化学组成、矿物成分分析和X衍射分析将其分为5种不同外型的煤矸石,其中,第Ⅲ类矸石属于高岭石质矸石黏土岩类矸石,其矿物相主要包括石英、高岭石、伊利石和少量的黄铁矿。实验研究不同类别矸石的粒径范围、陈化时间等对原材料塑性的影响表明:降低原料最大粒径,可以提高塑性,当粒径从-1.0 mm降低到-0.1 mm时,Ⅰ类矸石塑性指数IP提高了6.9;Ⅱ类矸石的IP提高了10.8;Ⅲ类矸石的IP提高了5.6;延长陈化时间,可以提高煤矸石的塑性,当陈化时间3 d时,陈化时间对塑性的贡献明显,当陈化时间4 d,陈化时间对塑性的贡献甚小。据此认为除第Ⅲ类煤矸石不适合制砖以外,其他矸石均可作为制备绿色墙体保温砌块的原材料,混合破碎至-0.5 mm,陈化3天,适合制备绿色墙体保温砌块的需要。     

Analytical and numerical analyses of the load‐bearing capacity of retaining walls laterally supported at both ends

This paper investigates the load‐bearing capacity of a perfectly smooth retaining wall laterally supported at both ends assuming that the wall fails by the development of three plastic hinges. The study considers the case of a cohesionless elastic–perfectly plastic backfill with a Mohr–Coulomb yield criterion and an associative flow rule in drained conditions. A kinematically admissible soil–structure failure mechanism is proposed and compared with the conventional solutions and with results from a numerical finite element modelling. The study shows that the proposed solution and the numerical solution are in good agreement. These solutions are found to be much more favourable for the wall than the conventional solutions. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.