Optimal spatial allocation of irrigation water under uncertainty using the bilayer nested optimisation algorithm and geospatial technology

The optimal spatial allocation of irrigation water under uncertainty has become a serious concern because of irrigation water shortage and uncertain factors that affect irrigation water allocation. In this study, an optimal multi-objective model for irrigation water allocation under uncertainty is developed to maximise the economic benefit of crops and minimise the operation cost and water deficit of crop irrigation. The original and optimal plantation structure, irrigation mode and soil water content are acquired through geospatial technology. A bilayer nested optimisation (BLNO) algorithm is designed to produce multiple individuals of design vectors using an ant colony neural network algorithm for an outer optimisation. Meanwhile, a continuous adaptive ant colony (CAAC) algorithm is used for inner optimisation to calculate the interval values of the uncertain model. The crop distribution and irrigation mode are obtained to parameterise the planting area and the water demand of each crop and each block in the multi-objective model. This model is then solved and analysed. Compared to the optimal schemes obtained from an inexact two-stage fuzzy-stochastic programming and the CAAC, respectively, BLNO can effectively and efficiently solve the optimal spatial allocation of irrigation water under uncertainty. This method can spatially maximise the economic benefit of crops and minimise the operation cost and water deficit of crop irrigation using lower and upper bound maps whilst visually obtaining the exact crop type, reasonable irrigation method and precise water demand for each block and for the entire irrigated area.     

Seismic analysis of infinite pile groups in liquefiable soil

Numerical analysis of an infinite pile group in a liquefiable soil was considered in order to investigate the influence of pile spacing on excess pore pressure distribution and liquefaction potential. It was found that an optimal pile spacing exists resulting in minimal excess pore pressure. It was also found that certain pile group configurations might reduce liquefaction potential, compared to free field conditions. It was observed that for closely spaced piles and low frequency of loading, pile spacing has little influence on the response of the superstructure.     

黄土地区静压桩单桩承载力评价

通过黄土地区的桩载试验,研究了标准值与静压桩终止荷载、桩顶沉降5 mm时对应的桩顶荷载与静力触探估计的单桩承载力标准以及静压桩终止压载等之间的相关性。据此,评价确定单桩承载力。     

Design equations of uplift capacity of circular piles in sands

Uplift capacity of circular piles in sands is one important design parameter for many pile foundations supporting important structures subjected to tensile forces. Even though a number of formulas based on the limit equilibrium or semi-empirical methods are proposed to predict the uplift capacity of piles in sands, there is a major limitation of the methods in obtaining the accurate predictions. In this paper, the computational limit analysis is employed to investigate the uplift capacity of circular piles in sands. The effects of the important variables including pile length and diameter, soil friction angle and unit weight, and roughness factor at soil-pile interface are examined extensively using the dimensionless parameters while the predicted failure mechanisms associated with the parameters are discussed and compared. Approximate statistical design equations of the uplift capacity of circular piles in sands are developed based on the numerically derived solutions and the existing experimental data. It is found that the proposed design equations provide the most accurate prediction of the uplift capacity of circular piles in sands as compared to the existing formulas.     

Effects of the construction of Scroby Sands offshore wind farm on the prey base of Little tern Sternula albifrons at its most important UK colony

Despite widespread interest in the impacts of wind farms upon birds, few researchers have examined the potential for indirect or trophic (predator-prey) effects. Using surface trawls, we monitored prey abundance before and after construction of a 30 turbine offshore wind farm sited close to an internationally important colony of Little terns. Observations confirmed that young-of-the-year clupeids dominated chick diet, which trawl samples suggested were mainly herring. Multivariate modelling indicated a significant reduction in herring abundance from 2004 onwards that could not be explained by environmental factors. Intensely noisy monopile installation during the winter spawning period was suggested to be responsible. Reduced prey abundance corresponded with a significant decline in Little tern foraging success. Unprecedented egg abandonment and lack of chick hatching tentatively suggested a colony-scale response in some years. We urge a precautionary approach to the timing and duration of pile-driving activity supported with long-term targeted monitoring of sensitive receptors.     

旁压试验确定上海软土地区的单桩承载力

该文搜集上海地区三十多项旁压试验资料工程，以及近133组静载荷试验，经过分析、统计、比较，得出根据旁压试验确定单桩竖向极限承载力的公式，表明该公式的普遍适用性，是对静载试验方法的有益补充。同时对379组分别采用旁压和静探试验估算的单桩承载力的比较，表明采用旁压试验方法估算的单桩承载力与静探方法基本吻合。     

Wave equation analyses of tapered FRP–concrete piles in dense sand

Fiber-reinforced polymers (FRP)–concrete composites provide an attractive alternative to conventional pile materials such as steel, concrete and wood by improving the durability of deep foundations. In the current study, FRP tubes with different taper angles are filled with self-consolidating concrete (SCC) and driven into dense sand that is enclosed in a large pressurized soil chamber. Driving tests are conducted on FRP–SCC composite piles to determine how the pile material and geometric configuration affect its driving performance. Dynamic data is employed to determine the soil parameters in the TNO model (i.e., soil quake and damping constant) using the DLTWAVE signal-matching program. The driveability of FRP–SCC and traditional pile materials is compared using the wave equation analysis program PDPWAVE. The experimental data and the wave equation analyses indicate that the taper shape has a favourable effect on the driveability and static resistance of piles. It is also found that the driveability of FRP–SCC composite piles is similar to that of conventional prestressed concrete and steel piles. However, empty FRP tubes required a much higher driving energy. Their low flexural resistance along with risk of buckling can hinder their driveability in different soil conditions.     

Data-driven estimation of building interior plans

This work investigates constructing plans of building interiors using learned building measurements. In particular, we address the problem of accurately estimating dimensions of rooms when measurements of the interior space have not been captured. Our approach focuses on learning the geometry, orientation and occurrence of rooms from a corpus of real-world building plan data to form a predictive model. The trained predictive model may then be queried to generate estimates of room dimensions and orientations. These estimates are then integrated with the overall building footprint and iteratively improved using a two-stage optimisation process to form complete interior plans.

The approach is presented as a semi-automatic method for constructing plans which can cope with a limited set of known information and constructs likely representations of building plans through modelling of soft and hard constraints. We evaluate the method in the context of estimating residential house plans and demonstrate that predictions can effectively be used for constructing plans given limited prior knowledge about the types of rooms and their topology.     

钻孔灌注断桩事故产生原因及处理措施

简要介绍在钻孔灌注桩施工中发生的断桩事故的原因和处理措施。