Factors affecting site response to multi-directional earthquake loading

This paper presents an investigation into various factors that may affect the ground response to multi-directional earthquake loading, focusing mainly on the behavior of vertical ground motion and its relation with the horizontal counterpart. The factors investigated herein include the intensity of input motion and the associated soil nonlinearity, the location of input motion (rock outcrop versus bedrock), the variation of water table, and the damping property of soil. Influence of these factors is studied on the characteristics of site amplification in both vertical and horizontal directions, the response spectra of vertical and horizontal ground surface motions, the spectral ratio between the two components (V/H) at the ground surface, and the distributions of stresses and strains in the ground. One of the main results is that varying water table can bring about a significant impact on vertical motion and the relationship between vertical and horizontal motions. The surface response spectral ratio (V/H) can largely exceed the rule-of-thumb value of 2/3 at low periods with lowering the water table, but does not appear to be substantially affected at long periods.     

Swarm intelligence-based solver for parameter estimation of laboratory through-diffusion transport of contaminants

Theoretical approaches are of fundamental importance to predict the potential impact of waste disposal facilities on ground water contamination. Appropriate design parameters are generally estimated by fitting theoretical models to data gathered from field monitoring or laboratory experiments. Transient through-diffusion tests are generally conducted in the laboratory to estimate the mass transport parameters of the proposed barrier material. These parameters are usually estimated either by approximate eye-fitting calibration or by combining the solution of the direct problem with any available gradient-based techniques. In this work, an automated, gradient-free solver is developed to estimate the mass transport parameters of a transient through-diffusion model. The proposed inverse model uses a particle swarm optimization (PSO) algorithm that is based on the social behavior of animals searching for food sources. The finite difference numerical solution of the forward model is integrated with the PSO algorithm to solve the inverse problem of parameter estimation. The working principle of the new solver is demonstrated and mass transport parameters are estimated from laboratory through-diffusion experimental data. An inverse model based on the standard gradient-based technique is formulated to compare with the proposed solver. A detailed comparative study is carried out between conventional methods and the proposed solver. The present automated technique is found to be very efficient and robust. The mass transport parameters are obtained with great precision.     

Numerical modelling of soil nails in loose fill slope under surcharge loading

A plane–strain numerical model has been developed to mimic a nailed loose fill slope under surcharge loading. The model has been used to back-analyse a field test that was conducted to examine the behaviour of soil nails in loose fill slopes under surcharge loading. Incremental elasto-plastic analyses coupled with pore water diffusion have been performed to study the internal deformation, water content redistribution in the soil, and the performance of the soil nails during and after the application of surcharge loading. The model parameters describing the mechanical and hydraulic properties of the nailed slope were obtained from field or laboratory tests. Different modelling techniques and boundary conditions for mimicking soil–nail interaction in loose fill material have been examined. Comparisons between numerical predictions and field measurements demonstrate that a new interfacial model, denoted as the embedded bond–slip interface model, is more suitable for mimicking the interfacial behaviour. Despite the simplicity of the numerical model, the predicted responses are in close agreement with the field test results, in particular the mobilisation and distribution of nail forces in response to surcharge loading. Both the numerical and the field test results suggest that soil nails are capable of increasing the overall stability of a loose fill slope for the loading conditions considered in this study. The increase in confining stress along the soil nails near the surcharge area is central to the overall stabilising mechanism. On the contrary, the nail forces mobilised near the nail heads are much smaller, indicating that the beneficial effect of having a structural grillage system at the slope face is limited for the range of surcharge pressures considered in this study.     

降水对荒漠土壤水热性质强迫研究

利用“我国西北干旱区陆气相互作用试验”在甘肃省敦煌的观测资料,分析了不同大小的降水对土壤湿度、反照率以及地表温度的影响;随着降水量的增大,各地表物理量恢复到原先的状态也越慢;强降水时,5cm土壤湿度的驰豫期为7天．中降水为4天,微量降水为2天。由于降水性质(水和雪)和土壤状态的差异,冬季和夏季相比．降水对地表物理量的影响差不多,但冬季地表物理量的恢复时间要比夏季长得多。土壤湿度和反照率的驰豫期与降水有很好的相关。     

Correction of the ionospheric distortion on the MARSIS surface sounding echoes

Mars Advanced Radar for Subsurface and Ionospheric Sounding (MARSIS) on the Mars Express (MEX) spacecraft has made numerous measurements of the Martian surface and subsurface. However, all of these measurements are distorted by the ionosphere and must be compensated before any analysis. We have developed a technique to compensate for the ionospheric distortions. This technique provides a powerful tool to derive the total electron content (TEC) and other higher-order terms of the limited expansion of the plasma dispersion function that are related to overall shape of the electron column profile. The derived parameters are fitted by using a Chapman model to derive ionospheric parameters like n₀, electron density primary peak (maximum for solar zenith angle (SZA) equal 0), and the neutral height scale H.

Our estimated ionospheric parameters are in good agreement with Mars Global Surveyor (MGS) radio-occultation data. However, since MARSIS does not have the observation geometry limitations of the radio occultation measurements, our derived parameters extend over a large range of SZA for each MEX orbit.

The first results from our technique have been discussed by Safaeinili et al. [2007, Estimation of the total electron content of the Martian ionosphere using radar sounder surface echoes. Geophys. Res. Lett. 34, L23204, doi:10.1029/2007GL032154].     

Acoustic-Gravity Waves from Bolide Sources

We have developed a new approach to modeling the acoustic-gravity wave (AGW) radiation from bolide sources. This first effort involves entry modeling of bolide sources that have available satellite data through procedures developed in ReVelle (Earth Moon Planets 95, 441–476, 2004a; in: A. Milani, G. Valsecchi, D. Vokrouhlicky (eds) NEO Fireball Diversity: Energetics-based Entry Modeling and Analysis Techniques, Near-earth Objects: Our Celestial Neighbors (IAU S236), 2007b). Results from the entry modeling are directly coupled to AGW production through line source blast wave theory for the initial wave amplitude and period at (at 10 blast wave radii and perpendicular to the trajectory). The second effort involves the prediction of the formation and or dominance of the propagation of the atmospheric Lamb, edge-wave composite mode in a viscous fluid (Pierce, J. Acoust. Soc. Amer. 35, 1798–1807, 1963) as a function of the source energy, horizontal range and source altitude using the Lamb wave frequency that was deduced directly during the entry modeling and that is used as a surrogate for the source energy. We have also determined that Lamb wave production by bolides at close range decreases dramatically as either the source energy decreases or the source altitude increases. Finally using procedures in Gill (Atmospheric-Ocean Dynamics, 1982) and in Tolstoy (Wave Propagation, 1973), we have analyzed two simple dispersion relationships and have calculated the expected dispersion for the Lamb edge-wave mode and for the excited, propagating internal acoustic waves. Finally, we have used the above formalism to fully evaluate these techniques for four large bolides, namely: the Tunguska bolide of June 30, 1908; the Revelstoke bolide of March 31, 1965; the Crete bolide of June 6, 2002 and the Antarctic bolide of September 3, 2004. Due to page limitations, we will only present results in detail for the Revelstoke bolide.     

基于NAD算法的声波方程时间四阶差分解法

波动方程数值模拟是研究地震波传播机理的重要工具,有限差分求解波动方程是当前地震波数值模拟的主要方法之一。当地下介质中的地震波速度较低或地震波高频成分丰富时,常规有限差分技术常常产生严重的数值频散误差,这种误差会降低数值模拟的精度,影响对地震波传播机理的分析。为压制地震波数值模拟时产生的数值频散误差,提高波场模拟精度,提出了基于NAD算子的时间四阶精度波动方程差分格式。根据对应的差分格式,分析了该差分格式的数值频散关系。与常规四阶精度差分算法的频散曲线相比,基于NAD时间四阶精度差分方法不但能够实现时间频散的有效压制,同时其基于更多网格点的位移分量和位移梯度分量空间微分求解方法还能够实现空间频散的有效压制。另外在相同模型条件下,基于NAD算法的声波方程时间四阶差分解法可采用大网格对模拟空间进行差分离散,减少网格数,提高计算效率。     

Nematode distribution in cultivated and undisturbed soils of Guinea Savannah and Semi-deciduous Forest zones of Ghana

Climate change affects air temperature, sea levels as well as the soil and its ecosystem. The Guinea Savannah and Semi-deciduous Forest zones of Ghana are characterized by different climatic conditions and vegetative cover. Annual average temperature has been steadily increasing whilst annual total rainfall has been decreasing in both zones, and this has been causing a southward shift of the Savannah into the Forest zone. Soil organisms provide crucial ecosystem services which are required for sustainable agriculture and food production yet crop cultivation disturbs the soil ecosystem. The harsh conditions associated with the Savannah further expose the soil ecosystem to disturbance and loss of biodiversity which threatens food production and security. Soil nematodes are the most abundant animals in the soil and play a central and critical role in the soil food web complex. Studying the nematode community structure gives a reflection of the status of the entire soil ecosystem. Soil samples were taken from cultivated and natural landscapes in the Guinea Savannah and Semi-deciduous Forest agroecological zones to analyse the nematode community. Results from the study showed the Guinea Savannah zone recording warmer soil temperatures, lower organic matter percentage and lower nematode diversity(Genus Richness) as compared to the Semi-deciduous Forest zone. If the Savannah continues to shift southward, the Forest zone soil ecosystem risks disturbance and loss of biodiversity due to the harsh Savannah conditions. Our findings indicate that prevailing crop cultivation practices also disturb soil ecosystem in the two ecological zones which span across West Africa. A disturbed soil ecosystem endangers the future of food production and food security.     

DPM模型在塔克拉玛干沙漠地区的适用性研究

局限于仅有观测数据的情况下,利用模拟手段研究土壤风蚀引起的粉尘释放是非常必要的,有助于评估区域土壤风蚀及大气环境质量和气候效应。本文通过分析塔克拉玛干沙漠观测站不同高度层风速及计算平均摩阻风速,利用DPM模型计算粉尘释放通量,综合分析了摩阻风速与粉尘释放通量的相互关系。结果表明：1）不同观测日不同高度层的风速变化各不相同,2m高度层风速的变化范围是0.05～7.73 m·s-1,4m高度层风速的变化范围是0.09～7.19 m·s-1,10m高度层风速的变化范围是0.5～8.09 m·s-1。2）4月1日～4月30日各个观测日24小时内平均摩阻风速分别为0.423 m·s-1、0.344 m·s-1、0.271 m·s-1、0.343 m·s-1、0.161 m·s-1、0.315 m·s-1,其变化范围为0.16～0.42 m·s-1。3）DPM模型研究发现实测跃移通量约为模拟值的122%,模拟值与实测值相关性较好,R2为0.91。上述研究结果对定量评估区域乃至全疆的土壤风蚀对粉尘释放通量的影响具有重要意义。     

DPM模型在塔克拉玛干沙漠地区的适用性研究

局限于仅有观测数据的情况下,利用模拟手段研究土壤风蚀引起的粉尘释放是非常必要的,有助于评估区域土壤风蚀及大气环境质量和气候效应。本文通过分析塔克拉玛干沙漠观测站不同高度层风速及计算平均摩阻风速,利用DPM模型计算粉尘释放通量,综合分析了摩阻风速与粉尘释放通量的相互关系。结果表明：1）不同观测日不同高度层的风速变化各不相同,2m高度层风速的变化范围是0.05～7.73 m·s-1,4m高度层风速的变化范围是0.09～7.19 m·s-1,10m高度层风速的变化范围是0.5～8.09 m·s-1。2）4月1日～4月30日各个观测日24小时内平均摩阻风速分别为0.423 m·s-1、0.344 m·s-1、0.271 m·s-1、0.343 m·s-1、0.161 m·s-1、0.315 m·s-1,其变化范围为0.16～0.42 m·s-1。3）DPM模型研究发现实测跃移通量约为模拟值的122%,模拟值与实测值相关性较好,R2为0.91。上述研究结果对定量评估区域乃至全疆的土壤风蚀对粉尘释放通量的影响具有重要意义。