Characterization of ground motions using recurrence plots

The current analysis of earthquakes is typically based on linear mathematical models that may fail to describe and forecast particular behaviors, because in many cases the data complexity may induce a highly non linear behavior. In this paper the implementation of an alternative method for seismic time series analysis is presented. The RPs (Recurrence Plots) enables recognition and treatment of measured accelerations. An RP obtained from seismic data allows a more efficient interpretation of the ground motions and this explanation contributes to characterize materials and responses. The nonlinear attributes from RPs analysis can be used as filters to reveal patterns or be combined to predict a seismic property. Automated seismic data characterization, based on nonlinear seismic attributes, could rewrite the rules of earthquake phenomena interpretation. The objective of this work is to establish a new methodology for practical application of nonlinear dynamics in seismic pattern/attributes recognition, an evolving and challenging engineering field.     

Climatic change: Causal correlations over the last 240 Ma

The climate of the Earth has been oscillating between mega warm periods and mega cold periods for 3,000 Ma. Each mega cold period included alternating major warm and cold events. The present mega cold period commenced about 44 Ma in the polar regions as the seas cooled following the loss of the circum-equatorial ocean. Before then, a mega warm period lasted for more than 200 Ma. The frequency of the major cold events within the present mega cold period is increasing, with each continent being under the influence of a different set of climatic controls. There are many causes of these shifts in climate, ranging from fluctuating meridional ocean currents, rearrangement of tectonic plates, and changes in ocean gateways. These are enhanced by a combination of Milankovitch cycles and many other medium to small oscillations and cyclic controls that cause the daily, monthly, and seasonal fluctuations in weather. Examples are given of how these can cause a change from cold to warm events, or vice versa, at present-day or mega scales, aided by eustatic changes in sea levels and changes in the distribution of air masses, sea ice, and snow.     

Effect of combined translation and torsion on undrained uplift capacity of plate anchors: Plastic limit analysis (PLA) solution

Uplift capacity of plate anchors has been the focus of numerous studies, because anchor plates are designed for pull‐out in normal operating conditions. However, the response of plate anchors under 6‐degrees‐of‐freedom loading caused during extreme loading conditions is poorly understood. The purpose of this study is to propose a simple yet sufficiently accurate analytical solution to investigate the behavior of plate anchor under combined in‐plane translation and torsion and to evaluate its effect on the plate uplift bearing capacity. To this end, a modified plastic limit analysis (PLA) approach is introduced and compared with limit equilibrium and simplified upper bound baseline solutions. The proposed method is verified with 3‐dimensional finite element. The variables considered in this study include plate aspect ratio, plate thickness, as well as load direction and eccentricity. Results of analytical solutions indicate the insensitivity of the “shape” of the shear‐torsion yield envelope to plate thickness. This finding facilitates the use of simplified yet reasonable yield envelope for infinitely thin plate obtained from simplified PLA approach for other plate thicknesses. The “size” of the failure envelope (controlled by pure torsional and translational capacity) could be predicted fairly accurately by PLA and limit equilibrium methods. Combination of these analytical methods offers a simple yet reasonably accurate solution to describe shear‐torsion response of anchor plate. The obtained shear‐torsion yield envelope is then fitted in the generalized 6‐degrees‐of‐freedom yield surface which describes the reducing effect of moment, torsion, and planar forces on the uplift capacity of plate.     

Seismic rehabilitation performance of steel side plate moment connections

Moment connections in an existing steel building located in Kaohsiung, Taiwan were rehabilitated to satisfy seismic requirements based on the 2005 AISC seismic provisions. Construction of the building was ceased in 1996 due to financial difficulties and was recommenced in 2007 with enhanced connection performance. Steel moment connections in the existing building were constructed by groove welding the beam flanges and bolting the beam web to the column. Four moment connections, two from the existing steel building, were cyclically tested. A non‐rehabilitated moment connection with bolted web‐welded flanges was tested as a benchmark. Three moment connections rehabilitated by welding full‐depth side plates between the column face and beam flange inner side were tested to validate the rehabilitation performance. Test results revealed that (1) the non‐rehabilitated existing moment connection made by in situ welding process prior to 1996 had similar deformation capacity as contemporary connection specimens made by laboratory welding process, (2) all rehabilitated moment connections exhibited excellent performance, exceeding a 4% drift without fractures of beam flange groove‐welded joints, and (3) presence of the full‐depth side plates effectively reduced beam flange tensile strain near the column face by almost half compared with the non‐rehabilitated moment connection. The connection specimens were also modeled using the non‐linear finite element computer program ABAQUS to further confirm the effectiveness of the side plate in transferring beam moments to the column and to investigate potential sources of connection failure. A design procedure was made based on experimental and analytical studies. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

特厚表土层钢板混凝土复合井壁竖向承载力试验研究

通过模型试验和理论分析,对特厚表土层双层钢板高强混凝土复合井壁的竖向受力特性进行了研究。首先,根据相似理论,进行了双层钢板高强混凝土复合井壁结构的模型设计和试件加工;然后,通过加载试验,得到了井壁结构在竖向荷载和侧压共同作用下的竖向应力、变形和强度特性。结果表明：由于内、外钢板筒的约束作用,井壁结构中的混凝土完全处于三向受压应力状态下,其抗压强度提高了1.73～1.92倍,且井壁破坏时混凝土的竖向极限压应变达到-3.9×10-3,表现出较好的延性特性。通过钢板与混凝土的相互约束,改善了各自的力学特性,使井壁竖向承载力显著提高,远比钢板筒和中间混凝土层的竖向极限承载力之和大,并根据理论分析和试验结果推导出了井壁竖向承载力的计算公式,对理论研究和工程应用具有一定的参考价值。     

2010年智利大地震及历史地震活动与地质构造背景

2010年2月27日(当地时间)智利发生了8.8级地震,造成了严重的破坏和损失。该地震是典型的逆冲型地震,处于环太平洋地震带,是Nazca板块以每年8cm的汇聚速率俯冲于南美洲板块之下,使得该板块下部的应力积累到一定程度引发破裂的结果。历史地震分析表明,目前该地区可能开始一个新的大震活跃期,未来3～4年内可能还会发生一次8级以上的地震。     

东天山板块缝合区(带)的构造演化与多金属矿床成矿的关系

研究表明位于康古尔断裂和阿齐克库都克断裂之间的东天山板块缝合(区)带经历了4个阶段的演化过程, 即泥盆纪吐哈古大洋形成、早石炭世俯冲造山、晚石炭世碰撞造山以及二叠纪造山期后缝合带的进一步变形.自北而南划分为4个构造带, 共同组成了一个向下收敛的楔状缝合区(带).东天山的矿产严格受构造控制, 相应地从北向南分布有前缘推覆带斑岩型铜矿床→蛇绿混杂岩带铜(镍)硫化物矿床和韧性剪切带型金矿床→叠瓦岩片带矽卡岩型铜多金属矿床→热液型金矿床.这些类型的矿床集结成东天山地区4条大的成矿带: 康古尔断裂以北铜矿带, 金、铜镍硫化物矿床成矿带(北带), 阿齐山-雅满苏铁(铜)、银多金属成矿带(南带)和中天山地块铁、铅锌、银成矿带.      

半刚接框架-非加劲钢板墙体系抗震试验研究

半刚接钢框架-内填非加劲薄钢板剪力墙结构是一种新型结构形式,它弥补了传统抗弯钢框架侧向刚度不足的缺点,为采用更加经济的半刚性节点提供了可能,目前国内外对该新型结构体系性能研究属刚起步阶段,因此对该结构体系的研究具有重要的理论和实际意义。文中对一榀两层单跨梁柱平齐端板连接半刚性框架-内填非加劲薄钢板剪力墙结构进行了低周往复循环加载拟静力试验,在试验中,试件破坏过程缓慢,钢板墙拉力带充分发育,试验得出的滞回环饱满,表明该新型结构体系具有优异的抗震性能,从而为今后对该新型结构体系做更深入的分析研究打下了良好基础。     

Late Mesozoic subduction‐induced hydrothermal gold deposits along the eastern Asian and northern Californian margins: Oceanic versus continental lithospheric underflow

During late Mesozoic subduction of paleo‐Pacific lithospheric plates, numerous gold vein deposits formed in the Dabie–Sulu Belt of east‐central China plus its east‐Asian extensions, and in the Klamath Mountains plus Sierran Foothills of northern California. In eastern Asia, earlier transpression and continental collision at about 305–210 Ma generated a high pressure–ultrahigh pressure orogen, but failed to produce widespread intermediate to felsic magmatism or abundant hydrothermal gold deposits. Similarly in northern California, strike‐slip ± minor transtension–transpression over the interval of about 380–160 Ma resulted in the episodic stranding of oceanic terranes, but generated few granitoid magmas or Au ore bodies. However, for both continental margin realms, nearly head‐on Cretaceous destruction of oceanic lithosphere involved sustained underflow; reaching magmagenic depths of about 100 km, the descending mafic‐ultramafic plates dewatered, producing voluminous calc‐alkaline arc magmas. Ascent of these plutons into the middle and upper crust released CO₂ ± S‐bearing aqueous fluids and/or devolatilized the contact‐metamorphosed wall rocks. Such hydrothermal fluids transported gold along fractures and fault zones, precipitating it locally in response to cooling, fluid mixing, and/or reactions with wall rocks of contrasting compositions (e.g. serpentinite, marble). In contrast, where sialic crust was subducted to depths of about 100 km, only minor production of granitoid melts occurred, and few major coeval Au vein deposits formed. The mobilization of precious metal‐bearing fluids in continental margin and island arc environments apparently requires long‐continued, nearly orthogonal descent of oceanic, not continental, lithosphere.     

打设排水板后饱和软黏土中打桩引起的孔隙水压力分布及消散规律

通过池州电厂预制桩现场试验,介绍了在打设塑料排水板后,饱和软黏土中打桩引起的土体超静孔隙水压力分布及消散规律,分析了影响土体超静孔隙水压力分布和消散的影响因素。试验结果表明,饱和软黏土中预制桩施工桩距宜大于 3 m,时间间隔为6～8 h,预制桩施工的控制参数为超静孔隙水压力与上覆土体有效自重之比不大于1。