Soil moisture potential and water content in the unsaturated zone within the arid Ejina Oasis in Northwest China

Three soil profiles were selected in the Ejina Oasis, northwest China, to determine water content profiles and evolution of soil moisture potentials in the unsaturated zone within the arid area. The total soil moisture potentials have been monitored for about 3 months in 2001 at different depths in the soil profiles. The occurrence and movement of water in the unsaturated zone was analyzed using the zero flux plane (ZFP) method. It is shown that convergent ZFPs and divergent ZFPs may occur at depths between 0.5 and 3.0 m, and that the depth of the ZFPs was controlled by the root zone of plants growing on the land surface. Profiles of the total soil moisture potentials were observed to be coincident with those of the water contents at the three experimental sites. The total soil moisture potential showed a slight increasing trend and the ZFPs tend to vanish from summer to winter as the water extraction by roots decreased. Evapotranspiration through vegetation has an important bearing on the water content and the total potential in the unsaturated zone.     

Effet de la teneur en eau d'un sol sur la réduction bactérienne d'oxydes de fer

Iron-reducing activity of autochthonous bacteria from two temporary hydromorphic soils is evaluated by the study of iron reductive dissolution, as a function of water content. The release of ferrous iron in solution is coupled to the mineralization of soil organic carbon. Water soil saturation is not necessary for iron reductive dissolution, since the highest dissolution is obtained for a wet, but not water-saturated soil (100% of water holding capacity WHC), and dissolution is also very high in a soil at 75% WHC. To cite this article: S.J. Stemmler et al., C. R. Geoscience 336 (2004).     

Place‐based action in Wollongong: the role of union–community alliances in constructing labour geographies of steel

Place‐based action (PBA) features prominently in labour geographies, particularly in restructuring politics, and is consistently employed as an enduring union tactic, yet it remains relatively undervalued in steel restructuring accounts, with common approaches emphasising the class instability and limitations of such action. In contrast, and to redress the apparent imbalance, this paper argues the merit of recognising PBA as a distinct movement‐based politic with specific forms of representation and empowerment. Such an approach should lead to greater recognition and appreciation of the impact that PBA has had historically. To illustrate this, a case study is presented of how local groups used place‐based action in Wollongong to shape steel restructuring politics and industry policy during the 1980s. Although powerful, the influence of PBA diminished at the policy writing stage. Rather than devaluing all benefits from PBA due to such limitations, it is suggested that the constraints on PBA at this point suggests the need for other forms of intervention. It is concluded that the approach suggested here highlights when other tactics are required, strengthening real‐world tactical analysis.     

Seasonal variation of the total electron content, maximum electron density and equivalent slab thickness at a South-American station

Total electron content (TEC) and foF2 ionosonde data obtained at Tucumán (26.9°S; 65.4°W) from April 1982 to March 1983 (high solar activity period) are analyzed to show the seasonal variation of TEC, NmF2 (proportional to square of foF2) and the equivalent slab thickness EST. Bimonthly averages of the monthly median for January–February, April–May, July–August and October–November have been considered to represent summer, autumn, winter and spring seasons, respectively. The results show that the higher values of TEC and maximum electron density of F2-layer NmF2 are observed during the equinoxes (semiannual anomaly). During daytime, both in TEC and in NmF2 the seasonal or winter anomaly can be seen. At nighttime, this effect is not observed. Also, the observed NmF2 values are used to check the validity of International Reference Ionosphere (IRI) to predict the seasonal variability of this parameter. In general, it is found that averaged monthly medians (obtained with the IRI model) overestimate averaged monthly median data for some hours of the day and underestimate for the other hours.     

A comparative study of concentrated plasticity models in dynamic analysis of building structures

Concentrated plasticity (CP) models are frequently used in static and dynamic building analysis and have been implemented in available commercial software. This investigation deals with three different CP‐models, a simplified macroelement model (SEM) for a complete building story, a frame element with elasto‐plastic interaction hinges (PH), and a frame element with fiber hinges (FB). The objectives of this work are to evaluate the quality of the earthquake responses predicted by these models and to identify important aspects of their implementation and limitations for their use in dynamic analysis. The three elements are tested in a single‐story asymmetric plan building and in a three‐story steel building. Results show that base shear and global response values are usually computed with better accuracy than interstory deformations and local responses. Besides, the main limitation of elasto‐plastic CP models is to control the displacement offsets that result from perfect elasto‐plastic behavior. On the other hand, calibration of the SEM‐model shows that global responses in steel structures may be computed within 20% error in the mean at a computational cost two orders of magnitude smaller than that of the other CP elements considered. However, the three element models considered lead to increasing levels of accuracy in the dynamic response and their use depends on the refinement of the analysis performed. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

探地雷达在岩土工程应用中的进展

总结了探地雷达在仪器设备、数据处理方法技术以及在岩土工程中应用的新进展.在硬件方面,主要以改进天线性能为主要发展方向;在数据处理方面,主要研究提高信号信噪比及目的体定位方法;在应用方面,开展了精确测试方面的研究.     

DZ-1型地质灾害土层含水量监测仪系统的研究与应用

高强度降雨和岩土层含水量过高是山体滑坡等地质灾害的主要诱因，为了更好地对这类地质灾害进行有效预测预报，研制了DZ-1型地质灾害土层含水量监测仪，介绍了该监测仪的工作原理、主要构成、技术性能、监测工艺技术及实际应用效果。     

Critical Top Tension for Static Equilibrium Configuration of A Steel Catenary Riser

This paper aims to present the critical top tension for static equilibrium configurations of a steel catenary riser（SCR） by using the finite element method. The critical top tension is the minimum top tension that can maintain the equilibrium of the SCR. If the top tension is smaller than the critical value, the equilibrium of the SCR does not exist. If the top tension is larger than the critical value, there are two possible equilibrium configurations. These two configurations exhibit the nonlinear large displacement. The configuration with the smaller displacement is stable, while the one with larger displacement is unstable. The numerical results show that the increases in the riser＇s vertical distances, horizontal offsets, riser＇s weights, internal flow velocities, and current velocities increase the critical top tensions of the SCR. In addition, the parametric studies are also performed in order to investigate the limit states for the analysis and design of the SCR.     

Water mining from the deep critical zone by apple trees growing on loess

There have been significant recent advances in understanding the ecohydrology of deep soil. However, the links between root development and water usage in the deep critical zone remains poorly understood. To clarify the interaction between water use and root development in deep soil, we investigated soil water and root profiles beyond maximum rooting depth in five apple orchards planted on farmland with stand ages of 8, 11, 15, 18, and 22 years in a subhumid region on the Chinese Loess Plateau. Apple trees rooted progressively deeper for water with increasing stand age and reached 23.2 ± 0.8 m for the 22‐year‐old trees. Soil water deficit in deep soil increased with tree age and was 1,530 ± 43 mm for a stand age of 22 years. Measured root deepening rate was far great than the reported pore water velocity, which demonstrated that trees are mining resident old water. The deficits are not replenished during the life‐span of the orchard, showing a one‐way mining of the critical zone water. The one‐way root water mining may have changed the fine root profile from an exponential pattern in the 8‐year‐old orchard to a relative uniform distribution in older orchards. Our findings enhance our understanding of water‐root interaction in deep soil and reveal the unintended consequences of critical zone dewatering during the lifespan of apple trees.     

Numerical modelling of desiccation cracking

The ability to model and predict the formation of desiccation cracks is potentially beneficial in many applications such as clay liner design, earth dam construction, and crop science, etc. However, most studies have focused on statistical analysis of crack patterns and qualitative study of contributing factors to crack development rather than prediction. Because it is exceedingly difficult to capture the nonlinear processes during desiccation in analytical modelling, most such models handle crack formation without considering variation of material properties with time, and are unattractive to use in realistic modelling. The data obtained from laboratory experiments on clay soil desiccating in moulds were used as a basis to develop a more refined model of desiccation cracking. In this study, the properties, such as matric suction, stiffness and tensile strength of soil, and base adhesion, could be expressed approximately as functions of moisture content. The initial conditions and the development of suction due to desiccation and the varying material properties were inputted to UDEC, a distinct element code, using its internal programming language FISH. The model was able to capture some essential physical aspects of crack evolution in soil contained in moulds with varying lengths, heights, and materials of construction. Extension of this methodology is potentially beneficial not only for modelling desiccation cracking in clay, but also in other systems with evolving material properties such as concrete structures and road pavements. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.