Three dimensional simulation of fluid flow in X‐ray CT images of porous media

A numerical scheme is developed in order to simulate fluid flow in three dimensional (3‐D) microstructures. The governing equations for steady incompressible flow are solved using the semi‐implicit method for pressure‐linked equations (SIMPLE) finite difference scheme within a non‐staggered grid system that represents the 3‐D microstructure. This system allows solving the governing equations using only one computational cell. The numerical scheme is verified through simulating fluid flow in idealized 3‐D microstructures with known closed form solutions for permeability. The numerical factors affecting the solution in terms of convergence and accuracy are also discussed. These factors include the resolution of the analysed microstructure and the truncation criterion. Fluid flow in 2‐D X‐ray computed tomography (CT) images of real porous media microstructure is also simulated using this numerical model. These real microstructures include field cores of asphalt mixes, laboratory linear kneading compactor (LKC) specimens, and laboratory Superpave gyratory compactor (SGC) specimens. The numerical results for the permeability of the real microstructures are compared with the results from closed form solutions. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Axial convergence in a well-mixed estuary

Transverse secondary circulations involving surface convergence, observed in a well-mixed estuary in North Wales, are made visible by the collection of surface material along an axial line which extends continuously for many kilometres through the estuary. The circulation and axial convergence, however, are seen only during the flood phase of the tide and no similar behaviour has been observed during the ebb phase.Convergent circulations in the estuary are associated with small but steady transverse density gradients in the cross-section, produced by non-uniform advection of the longitudinal gradient through the channel. A diagnostic model, using measured mean distributions of cross-sectional density, indicates surface transverse velocities (～0.1 ms^?1) similar to those observed in the estuary. The model further predicts appreciable transverse divergent currents at a fractional depth of 0.75: a prediction which has been tested in the estuary using a vertical array of accurately resolving current direction indicators.     

Reliability assessment of granular filters in embankment dams

Empirical criteria have been used successfully to design filters of most embankment large dam projects throughout the world. However, these empirical rules are only applicable to a particular range of soils tested in laboratory and do not take into account the variability of the base material and filter particle sizes. In addition, it is widely accepted that the safety of fill dams is mainly dependent on the reliability of their filter performance. The work herein presented consists in a new general method for assessing the probability of fulfilling any empirical filter design criteria accounting for base and filter heterogeneity by means of first‐order reliability methods (FORM), so that reliability indexes and probabilities of fulfilling any particular criteria are obtained. This method will allow engineers to estimate the safety of existing filters in terms of probability of fulfilling their design criteria and might also be used as a decision tool on sampling needs and material size tolerances during construction. In addition, sensitivity analysis makes possible to analyse how reliabilities are influenced by different sources of input data. Finally, in case of a portfolio risk assessment, this method will allow engineers to compare the safety of several existing dams in order to prioritize safety investments and it is expected to be a very useful tool to evaluate probabilities of failure due to internal erosion. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

On salinity regimes and the vertical structure of residual flows in narrow tidal estuaries

An examination is made of the circulation in narrow estuaries subject to a predominant tidal forcing. Velocity structures are derived separately for residual flow components associated with (a) river flow, (b) wind stress, (c) a well-mixed longitudinal density gradient and (d) a fully stratified saline wedge. Dimensionless parameters are introduced to indicate the magnitude of each component and these parameters are evaluated for 9 major estuaries, thereby revealing their sensitivity to each component.For a channel of constant breadth and depth, formulae are deduced for the length of saline intrusion, L. Comparisons with observed data show that such formulae may be used with confidence to predict changes in L arising from variations in river flow, tidal range or channel depths.The level of stratification is shown to be related to a product of two parameters, one associated with velocity structure and a second involving the square of the ‘flow ratio’ $\text{u}\text{u}\text{?}$ (i.e. residual velocity/amplitude of the tidal velocity). This relationship provides a simple classification system for estuarine stratification which can be used to indicate the sensitivity of any particular estuary to changing conditions.     

The Upper Pleistocene to Holocene sediments on the Mediterranean island of Lampedusa (Italy)

The island of Lampedusa lies on the northern edge of the African continental shelf, but during some Quaternary marine lowstands it was joined to the African continent. The study and dating of the aeolian, alluvial, detrital sediments, calcareous crusts and speleothems have established that the climatic–environmental variations recorded on the island can be related chronologically to those known for northern Libya, Tunisia and the Italian peninsula. During the Last Glacial Maximum, phases of Saharan dust accumulation on Lampedusa occurred, and were coeval with dust accumulation in crater lakes and on high mountains in central‐southern Italy, and with phases of glacial advance in the Apennines and in the Alps. During the late Holocene, accumulation of Saharan dust on Lampedusa occurred but there was little accumulation of dust on the northern side of the Mediterranean Sea. With the new data from Lampedusa, it is possible to envisage two different scenarios of atmospheric circulation relating to the Last Glacial Maximum and to the late Holocene. During the Last Glacial Maximum, southerly atmospheric circulation brought rainfall to the southern slopes of the Alps and to the Apennines. During the late Holocene, a prevalent westerly atmospheric circulation became established in the northern Mediterranean. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Subtidal sea level and current variations in the northern reach of San Francisco Bay

Analyses of sea level and current-meter data using digital filters and a variety of statistical methods show a variety of phenomena related to non-local coastal forcing and local tidal forcing in the northern reach of San Francisco Bay, a partially mixed estuary. Low-frequency variations in sea level are dominated by non-local variations in coastal sea level and also show a smaller influence from tidally induced fortnightly sea level variations. Low-frequency currents demonstrate a gravitational circulation which is modified by changes in tidal-current speed over the spring-neap tidal cycle. Transients in gravitational circulation induce internal oscillations with periods of two to four days.     

全球海洋与大气界面的熵通量估算

给出并讨论了海洋系统中由于热量交换、物质交换以及外力做功引起的熵通量的表达式;同时,根据新近调整的全球海 气界面的气候平均资料,估计了全球海洋与大气界面气候年平均的熵通量(熵流),这一熵通量主要取决于海 气界面的热量和物质交换的空间不均匀性。计算结果显示,由热量交换分量引起的熵通量对海洋系统的总熵通量起到主要的贡献作用,其值约为-555.6mW·(m2·K)-1;由海表风应力做功引起的熵通量相对较小,约为-0.09mW·(m2·K)-1;由物质交换引起的熵通量最小,仅为-0.02mW·(m2·K)-1。总的来说,海洋系统从外界获得的总熵通量为-555.7mW·(m2·K)-1,这也就意味着在气候平均定态下,海洋系统内部的熵产生在量值上等于系统的熵交换,即为555.7mW·(m2·K)-1。海洋系统的负熵流与其内部的各种不可逆过程引起的熵产生取得平衡,确保了全球海洋系统处于非平衡热力学定态,并维持着海洋系统中各种尺度的时 空有序现象的消长过程。     

基于复模态的有限元模型修正算法

针对地下结构地震响应分析中无限地基辐射阻尼问题，引入复模态情况下的具有非简化的堆积阻尼矩阵的阻尼模型，并针对具有集中质量阵的阻尼模型提出了合并与质量有关的阻尼和堆积阻尼的思想，并据此提出了一种修正此类有限元模型的两步法，首先从复模态参数中提取实模态参数，采用基于模态残余力的识别算法修正刚度矩阵，然后根据复模态参数和已得的刚度矩阵来识别阻尼模型中的刚度参与系数和质量阻尼堆积阻尼联合矩阵。     

带"人字"支撑的新型复合结构体系动力特征研究

探讨了一种新型复合结构——带“人字”支撑的梁柱体系的动力特征问题。在满足静力荷载作用下承载力要求的基础上，根据结构动力学原理，推导了该结构体系的动力特征方程，分析了复合结构体系的支撑截面和型式的变化对动力特征的影响，计算显示，增加支撑对提高结构的频率即抗侧刚度有明显作用，且随支撑截面尺寸增大，固有频率单调增加。支撑倾角在一定范围内变化时，对频率影响较大，而超过该范围时，其影响明显减小，由此说明“人字”支撑为较合理的支撑型式。结果表明，所研究的具有“人字”支撑的复合结构体系具有较高的抗侧能力。     

结构内设备的摩擦摆隔震响应分析

基于系统耦和振动微分方程，分析了结构内摩擦摆隔震设备的响应规律和隔震效果。计算结果表明，经过合理设计的摩擦摆系统能够显著控制设备的地震绝对加速度响应从而有效提高设备的抗震可靠度。