Tests on low‐ductility RC frames under high‐ and low‐frequency excitations

The response of low‐ductility reinforced concrete (RC) frames, designed typically for a non‐seismic region, subjected to two frequencies of base excitations is studied. Five half‐scaled, two‐bay, two‐storey, RC frames, each approximately 5 m wide by 3.3 m high, were subjected to both horizontal and/or vertical base excitations with a frequency of 40 Hz as well as a lower frequency of about 4 Hz (close to the fundamental frequency) using a shake table. The imposed acceleration amplitude ranged from 0.2 to 1.2g. The test results showed that the response characteristics of the structures differed under high‐ and low‐frequency excitations. The frames were able to sustain high‐frequency excitations without damage but were inadequate for low‐frequency excitations, even though the frames exhibited some ductility. Linear‐elastic time‐history analysis can predict reasonably well the structural response under high‐frequency excitations. As the frames were not designed for seismic loads, the reinforcement detailing may not have been adequate, based on the crack pattern observed. The effect of vertical excitation can cause significant additional forces in the columns and moment reversals in the beams. The ‘strong‐column, weak‐beam’ approach for lateral load RC frame design is supported by experimental observations. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Probabilistic impedance of foundation: Impact of the seismic design on uncertain soils

In the linear seismic design of buildings, the (deterministic) substructure method is a customary and efficient approach. However, the existence of spatial variability in the parameters of the mechanical model of the soil, as well as parametric errors, calls for the use of probabilistic approaches in order to provide a reliable design of the structure. The construction of probabilistic models of the soil impedance matrix provides a natural path to such approaches within the context of the substructure method. Two main techniques are described in this paper: a parametric one, typically using the stochastic finite element method, and a nonparametric one, which was introduced more recently. The latter is explored more specifically, and the possibilities it offers in terms of seismic design are presented. In particular, it is shown that it allows for the estimation of quantiles of the quantities of interest, rather than confidence intervals, which lead to highly conservative design. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Simple formulas for the dynamic stiffness of pile groups

Simple formulas are derived for the dynamic stiffness of pile group foundations subjected to horizontal and rocking dynamic loads. The formulations are based on the construction of a general model of impedance matrices as the condensation of matrices of mass, damping, and stiffness, and on the identification of the values of these matrices on an extensive database of numerical experiments computed using coupled finite element–boundary element models. The formulations obtained can be readily used for the design of both floating piles on homogeneous half‐space and end‐bearing piles and are applicable for a wide range of mechanical and geometrical parameters of the soil and piles, in particular for large pile groups. For the seismic design of a building, the use of the simple formulas rather than a full computational model is shown to induce little error on the evaluation of the response spectra and time histories. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Metallogenic Mechanism and Tectonic Setting of Tungsten Mineralization in the Yangbishan Deposit in Northeastern China

The Yangbishan iron–tungsten deposit in the Shuangyashan area of Heilongjiang Province is located in the center of the Jiamusi Massif in northeastern China. The rare earth element and trace element compositions of the scheelite show that it formed in a reducing environment and inherited the rare earth element features of the ore-forming fluid. The geochemical characteristics of the gneissic granite associated with the tungsten mineralization show that the magma formed in this reducing environment and originated from the partial melting of metamorphosed shale that contained organic carbon and was enriched with tungsten. In addition, in situ Hf isotopic analysis of zircons from the gneissic granite indicates that they probably originated from the partial melting of a predominantly Paleo–Mesoproterozoic crustal source. According to LA-ICP-MS zircon dating, the Yangbishan orerelated gneissic granite has an Early Paleozoic crystallization age of 520.6 ± 2.8 Ma. This study, together with previous data, indicates that the massifs of northeastern China, including Erguna, Xing'an, Songliao, Jiamusi, and Khanka massifs, belonged to an orogenic belt that existed along the southern margin of the Siberian Craton during the late Pan-African period. The significant continental movements of this orogeny resulted in widespread magmatic activity in northeastern China from 530 Ma to 470 Ma under a tectonic setting that transitioned from compressional syn-collision to extensional postcollision.     

Morphology of riffle–pool sequences in the River Severn,England

Despite the occurrence of riffle–pool sequences in many rivers there are few data concerning riffle–pool unit morphology. Of many criteria proposed to identify riffle–pool units, only three methods can be regarded as objective and robust. These are the ‘zero‐crossing’, the ‘spectral analysis’ and the ‘control‐point’ methods. In this paper statistics are developed using the first two of these methods to describe the streamwise morphology of 275 riffles and 285 pools which form a continuous 32·1 km reach of the bed of the River Severn in Shropshire, England. Yalin's theoretical relationship between the average riffle:pool unit length ( λ _p) and channel width ( W ), λ _p = 3 W , applies to the River Severn. Reach‐average riffle height ( H ) is a constant proportion of bankfull depth ( h ); typically H ≅ 0·16 h . Riffle height is a positive function of riffle length. Pool depth is a positive function of pool length. However, both riffle length and pool length increase more rapidly than the bed‐level amplitude, such that long riffles or pools are relatively ‘flat’. As channel gradient reduces, bedforms flatten and become more asymmetric as riffle stoss sides and the proximal slope of pools lengthen at the expense of riffle lee sides and pool distal slopes. The statistical relationships between riffle steepness (H/L) and water depth are similar to those for equilibrium subaqueous dunes. The Severn data are consistent with Yalin's theoretical analysis relating riffle bedform length (L _r) to water depth, i.e. L _r = α2π h, wherein α ≅ 1 for steep near‐equilibrium bedforms but α ≅ 2 to 3 as the relative depth decreases and riffles become long, low features. Theoretical consideration and turbulence data indicate that the frequency of coherent turbulent‐flow structures associated with the riffle–pool mixing length in the Severn should be of the order of 50 to 100 s. The morphological similarity of the steepest River Severn riffles with dunes raises intriguing questions with respect to self‐similar, convergent organization of periodic alluvial bedforms and to bedform dynamic classification particularly. Copyright © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Micromechanical approach to effective viscoelastic properties of micro‐fractured geomaterials

The aim of this paper is to formulate a micromechanics‐based approach to non‐aging viscoelastic behavior of materials with randomly distributed micro‐fractures. Unlike cracks, fractures are discontinuities that are able to transfer stresses and can therefore be regarded from a mechanical viewpoint as interfaces endowed with a specific behavior under normal and shear loading. Making use of the elastic‐viscoelastic correspondence principle together with a Mori‐Tanka homogenization scheme, the effective viscoelastic behavior is assessed from properties of the material constituents and damage parameters related to density and size of fractures. It is notably shown that the homogenized behavior thus formulated can be described in most cases by means of a generalized Maxwell rheological model. For practical implementation in structural analyses, an approximate model for the isotropic homogenized fractured medium is formulated within the class of Burger models. Although the approximation is basically developed for short‐term and long‐term behaviors, numerical applications indicate that the approximate Burger model accurately reproduce the homogenized viscoelastic behavior also in the transient conditions.     

上海地区基于静力触探的液化判别分析

上海地区(及其他软土地区)以静探触探作为岩土工程勘察的主要原位测试手段,积累了大量的工程数据,其结果稳定可靠,重现性好,具客观性。采用上海地区静探液化判别方法,对收集的大量资料进行统计分析,以期通过静探Ps值快速、简单地作出地基土是否液化的初步判断,有效指导勘察设计工作。     

地质流体对砂岩储层黏土矿物的影响——以渤海海域古近系为例

根据偏光显微镜、扫描电镜和X-衍射等分析手段获取的数据和资料,分析对比了早期沉积水介质、幔源CO2流体、大气水、超压流体和充注烃类等对储层黏土矿物的控制作用。研究表明,早期沉积水介质是储层黏土矿物的决定性因素,微咸水-半咸水湖盆储层黏土矿物以伊利石为主,淡水湖盆储层黏土矿物以高岭石为主;幔源CO2流体侵位后带来明显的储层改造和热波动效应,储层中I/S中S%含量低于同深度泥岩,储层中高岭石含量明显偏高。欠压实超压储层中黏土演化明显滞后,表现在I/S中S%含量低于同深度泥岩和常压储层。油气层高岭石含量往往远高于相近深度的水层,可能与充注烃类携带的有机酸的溶蚀作用有关,另外,烃类充注后形成的惰性成岩环境也有利于高岭石的保存,高岭石的高含量带常与油层及高渗层相对应;受大气水淋滤的储层,以长石大量溶蚀,富含高岭石为特征,储层孔隙度一般较高。     

利用扫描电镜、压汞法、氮气吸附法评价近海黏土孔隙特征

近海地区黏土的微观结构单元--黏土畴中含有大量的粒内孔隙,其孔径小至纳米级,这部分孔隙对黏土的物理指标、水稳性、膨胀性、收缩性等具有重要影响,一般方法很难准确地描述其孔隙特征。试验利用扫描电镜、压汞法、氮气吸附法对湛江黏土的微观孔隙特征及其孔隙发育的控制因素分析,建立微观结构与物理指标、力学行为的相互关系与灵敏性分析。结果表明,湛江黏土具有不良物理性质和良好力学特性指标的异常组合,是一种高灵敏性的强胶结结构性黏性土,其机制主要是：湛江黏土的微观结构为带有胶质联结特性的、定向性无序的开放式絮凝结构,孔隙结构为具有较高的强度和空间稳定性的边－面－角联结的空间网架系统。由于特殊的孔隙网架结构以及“墨水瓶”型孔隙的存在,导致退汞过程出现滞留现象及产生吸附回线。研究表明,联合扫描电镜、压汞法、氮气吸附法能够准确、完整地对近海地区黏土孔隙体系特征进行定性与定量的评价。     

Earthquake‐resistant structural design through energy demand and capacity

An energy‐based earthquake‐resistant structural design method is proposed. The proposed method uses specific input energy spectra, modal or time‐history analyses, and energy distribution among structural members. For a given member strength and stiffness, a relationship between the energy attributable to damage absorbed by a member and its cumulative ductility demand can be determined. Member strength, stiffness and energy capacity are design parameters which are simultaneously used in the design. The method can avoid soft‐storey design. The damage is measured based on a cumulative basis considering earthquake magnitude, frequency, and duration. Tests have been carried out to determine energy absorbing capacities of various structural components. More efforts are needed to make the energy‐based earthquake‐resistant structural design practical, but ssimple formulations for this method are possible. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.