Numerical simulation of a stratigraphic model

A multi-lithology diffusive stratigraphic model is considered, which simulates at large scales in space and time the infill of sedimentary basins governed by the interaction between tectonics displacements, eustatic variations, sediment supply, and sediment transport laws. The model accounts for the mass conservation of each sediment lithology resulting in a mixed parabolic, hyperbolic system of partial differential equations (PDEs) for the lithology concentrations and the sediment thickness. It also takes into account a limit on the rock alteration velocity modeled as a unilaterality constraint. To obtain a robust, fast, and accurate simulation, fully and semi-implicit finite volume discre tization schemes are derived for which the existence of stable solutions is proved. Then, the set of nonlinear equations is solved using a Newton algorithm adapted to the unilaterality constraint, and preconditioning strategies are defined for the solution of the linear system at each Newton iteration. They are based on an algebraic approximate decoupling of the sediment thickness and the concentration variables as well as on a proper preconditioning of each variable. These algorithms are studied and compared in terms of robustness, scalability, and efficiency on two real basin test cases.     

Uncertainty as the overlap of alternate conditional distributions

An important task in modern geostatistics is the assessment and quantification of resource and reserve uncertainty. This uncertainty is valuable support information for many management decisions. Uncertainty at specific locations and uncertainty in the global resource is of interest. There are many different methods to build models of uncertainty, including Kriging, Cokriging, and Inverse Distance. Each method leads to different results. A method is proposed to combine local uncertainties predicted by different models to obtain a combined measure of uncertainty that combines good features of each alternative. The new estimator is the overlap of alternate conditional distributions.     

Stability Analysis and Numerical Simulation of Differential Frost Heave

Differential frost heave is often implicated in the formation of patterned ground in regions subject to recurrent freezing and thawing. A linear stability analysis (LSA) indicates that a continuum model of frost heave is linearly unstable under typical natural freezing conditions of silty-clay soils. A two-dimensional non-linear numerical analysis corroborates the frozen time LSA results, and also indicates the importance of non-linear and time-dependent terms that ultimately lead to a preferred mode, which the LSA fails to predict. Instability of the one-dimensional solution occurs at shallow freezing depths and near-zero surface loads when positive perturbations in the ice content at the freezing front lead to a concomitant increase in thermomolecular pressure and upward ice velocity. Differential frost heave can then occur because of the increased heat flux from the perturbed surfaces. A three-dimensional model using random initial surface perturbations indicates that regular surface patterns will evolve with a length scale in the order of 2–4 meters, which corresponds quite closely with naturally-occurring non-sorted patterned ground.     

Reservoir description using dynamic parameterisation selection with a combined stochastic and gradient search

There is a correspondence between flow in a reservoir and large scale permeability trends. This correspondence can be derived by constraining reservoir models using observed production data. One of the challenges in deriving the permeability distribution of a field using production data involves determination of the scale of resolution of the permeability. The Adaptive Multiscale Estimation (AME) seeks to overcome the problems related to choosing the resolution of the permeability field by a dynamic parameterisation selection. The standard AME uses a gradient algorithm in solving several optimisation problems with increasing permeability resolution. This paper presents a hybrid algorithm which combines a gradient search and a stochastic algorithm to improve the robustness of the dynamic parameterisation selection. At low dimension, we use the stochastic algorithm to generate several optimised models. We use information from all these produced models to find new optimal refinements, and start out new optimisations with several unequally suggested parameterisations. At higher dimensions we change to a gradient-type optimiser, where the initial solution is chosen from the ensemble of models suggested by the stochastic algorithm. The selection is based on a predefined criterion. We demonstrate the robustness of the hybrid algorithm on sample synthetic cases, which most of them were considered insolvable using the standard AME algorithm.     

A multi-method approach to study the stability of natural slopes and landslide susceptibility mapping

In this paper, a multi-method approach for the assessment of the stability of natural slopes and landslide hazard mapping applied to the Dakar coastal region is presented. This approach is based on the effective combination of geotechnical field and laboratory works, of GIS, and of mechanical (deterministic and numerical) stability analysis. By using this approach, valuable results were gained regarding instability factors, landslide kinematics, simulation of slope failure and coastal erosion. This led to a thorough assessment and strong reduction in the subjectivity of the slope stability and hazard assessment and to the development of an objective landslide danger map of the SW coast of Dakar. Analysis of the results shows that the slides were influenced by the geotechnical properties of the soil, the weathering, the hydrogeological situation, and the erosion by waves. The landslide susceptibility assessment based on this methodological approach has allowed for an appropriate and adequate consideration of the multiple factors affecting the stability and the optimization of planning and investment for land development in the city.     

西安市黑河水库左坝肩渗漏三维数值模拟及坝肩坡体稳定性分析

直接针对西安市黑河水库左坝肩渗漏这一重大工程实际问题展开研究与计算。应用三维有限差分方法对左坝肩单薄山梁的初始渗流场、蓄水后的渗流场进行了数值模拟 ,分析渗漏方式、计算相应的渗漏量 ,并通过计算说明了断层是集中渗漏通道。而后利用三维数值计算提供的水位值 ,应用极限平衡分析法 ,对左坝肩岩质斜坡稳定性进行计算与分析 ,计算结果对实际工程的决策与治理提供重要的依据。     

Stability of earthquake moment tensor inversions: effect of the double-couple constraint

We show that spurious large non-double-couple components can be obtained in inversions for the full deviatoric moment tensor for shallow crustal earthquakes due to inaccurate Earth models. The traditional “best double-couple” solution does not in general provide an optimal estimate of a double-couple mechanism, and is only reliable when the non-double-couple component of the full deviatoric solution is small. The inverse problem for the moment tensors of the 1998 Antarctic Plate and 2000 Wharton Basin strike-slip earthquakes is shown in each case to have two well-fitting minima in the misfit function of pure double-couple solutions. Such pairs of solutions are most likely to exist for earthquakes which are close either to vertical strike-slip or to dip-slip on a fault plane dipping at 45°. It is shown theoretically that these pairs of solutions arise from the combination of the pure double-couple constraint and the instability of two elements of the moment tensor. No significant non-double-couple component is found for the shallow thrusting 1996 Biak, Indonesia earthquake.     

变形体的稳定性及其定量分析方法初探

变形体的稳定性是变形体性质的重要内容，它是工程实际中极为关注的问题，但从变形监测的角度上来分析变形的稳定性目前在国内外还未见任何实质性的报导。本文讨论了从变形监测角度上分析变形体稳定性的一般方法，进行变形稳定性的分类，初步研究了变形体稳定性的定量分析方法，定义了一系列量化指标，如稳定度、因素的影响域与因素的稳定域等。这些有利于把稳定性分析推向应用和深入，从而提高变形监测在变形体定性分析中的地位，增     

波,流联合作用下的近岸海底沙波稳定性研究进展

近岸海底大型沙波是一种研究较为薄弱的地貌单元，但它的迁移对港口、航道和海底电缆及钻井平台、输油管道等海洋工程设施建设造成的危害极大。在综述目前国内外有关研究文献的基础上，概要地介绍了作者提出的一种较为简便、省力和有效的沙波迁移速率和沙波稳定性定量评价和预测方法，旨在提高航道通航能力和海洋工程建设的灾害防治和预测能力     

席状岩浆房中的岩浆冷却及动力稳定性

关于岩浆房中岩浆的结晶分异方式一直存在着争议，其基本矛盾在于对岩浆冷却历史及热不稳定性可能引起的对流形式的理解各不相同。本文在充分考虑席状岩浆房的基本物理特征的基础上，建立了稳定岩浆体系的动态冷却模型，并以攀枝花层状岩体为例，计算了相应的温度场、密度场及粘度场。同时，提出了一种基于能量守恒的、对热不稳定性进行分析的新方法。计算了热不稳定性可能引起的对流强度、对流区域及对流时间，并深入讨论了在一定的热不稳定状态下，不同的岩浆屈服强度对对流特征参量的影响。结果表明，在该岩体的整个固化过程中，如果曾发生过自发对流，其对流也是极微弱而短暂的，不会影响中下部岩浆房中岩浆的固化和结晶。这一结论与对该岩体的实际观察相符。