Estimation of quantiles and confidence intervals for the log-Gumbel distribution

The log-Gumbel distribution is one of the extreme value distributions which has been widely used in flood frequency analysis. This distribution has been examined in this paper regarding quantile estimation and confidence intervals of quantiles. Specific estimation algorithms based on the methods of moments (MOM), probability weighted moments (PWM) and maximum likelihood (ML) are presented. The applicability of the estimation procedures and comparison among the methods have been illustrated based on an application example considering the flood data of the St. Mary's River.     

A study of design spectra based on attenuation relationship of ground motion

In recent years, more and more studies are focused on the performance in seismic design instead of the strength of structures. People have realized that the structure deformation (displacement) can describe the damage more properly and directly than the strength (force). The displacement design spectra need to be constructed within more wide range of the period and the damping for the displacement-based seismic design.     

Design of controlled elastic and inelastic structures

One of the founders of structural control theory and its application in civil engineering,Professor Emeritus Tsu T.Soong,envisioned the development of the integral design of structures protected by active control devices.Most of his disciples and colleagues continuously attempted to develop procedures to achieve such integral control.In his recent papers published jointly with some of the authors of this paper,Professor Soong developed design procedures for the entire structure using a design-redesign proce...     

Design approaches for active, semi-active and passive control systems based on analysis of characteristics of active control force

In this paper,the characteristics of forces in active control systems connected to adjacent levels of a building are analyzed.The following characteristics are observed:(1) active control can provide signifi cantly superior supplemental damping to a building,but causes a small frequency shift;(2) the linear quadratic regulator(LQR)-based control force is composed of an elastic restoring force component and a damping force component,where the damping force is almost identical to the total control force,howev...     

复杂构造三维地震观测系统设计的共聚焦分辨率分析

三维地震观测系统共聚焦分辨率特性分析突破传统以点论证为基础的观测系统分辨率分析方法,面向地质目标定量预测三维观测系统地震成像的空间分辨率和振幅精度.基于Fourier有限差分（FFD）大步长波场延拓和Born-Kirchhoff小步长波场插值递推方法,本文介绍了一种复杂介质条件下三维地震观测系统共聚焦分辨率特性快速分析方法.对给定的速度模型,该方法能够分析拟采用的三维地震观测系统设计方案对复杂构造的成像分辨率与AVP属性,从而为进一步的偏移成像与储层分析提供保证.最后本文以SEG/EAGE三维盐丘模型为例设计满覆盖为16次的三维地震观测系统,并实施三维共聚焦分辨率特性分析.     

Optimal design of pumping tests in leaky aquifers for stream depletion analysis

We analyze the optimal design of a pumping test for estimating hydrogeologic parameters that are subsequently used to predict stream depletion caused by groundwater pumping in a leaky aquifer. A global optimization method is used to identify the test’s optimal duration and the number and locations of observation wells. The objective is to minimize predictive uncertainty (variance) of the estimated stream depletion, which depends on the sensitivities of depletion and drawdown to relevant hydrogeologic parameters. The sensitivities are computed analytically from the solutions of Zlotnik and Tartakovsky [Zlotnik, V.A., Tartakovsky, D.M., 2008. Stream depletion by groundwater pumping in leaky aquifers. ASCE Journal of Hydrologic Engineering 13, 43–50] and the results are presented in a dimensionless form, facilitating their use for planning of pumping test at a variety of sites with similar hydrogeological settings. We show that stream depletion is generally very sensitive to aquitard’s leakage coefficient and stream-bed’s conductance. The optimal number of observation wells is two, their optimal locations are one close to the stream and the other close to the pumping well. We also provide guidelines on the test’s optimal duration and demonstrate that under certain conditions estimation of aquitard’s leakage coefficient and stream-bed’s conductance requires unrealistic test duration and/or signal-to-noise ratio.     

Lithology and palynology of Neogene sediments on the narrow edge of the Kitakami Massif (basement rocks), northeast Japan: Significant change for depositional environments as a result of plate tectonics

Abstract A controversial stratigraphic section, the Taneichi Formation, is exposed along the Pacific Coast of northeastern Honshu, the main island of the Japanese Archipelago. Although most sediments of the formation have long been dated as late Cretaceous, the northern section of it has been assigned to (i) the Upper Cretaceous; (ii) the Paleogene; or (iii) the Neogene. In the present report, we present the data of palynological and sedimentological studies, showing that the northern section should be assigned to the Neogene. A more important point in the present study is that we invoke some basic principles of fluvial sedimentology to resolve this stratigraphic subject. The lignite layers full of Paleogene–Miocene dinoflagellate cysts and pollen assemblages drape over the boulder‐sized (>40 cm in diameter) clasts in the northern section. However, the layers totally consist of aggregates of small lignite chips, indicating that the lignites are allochthonous materials. The mega‐clasts with derived microfossils in the lignites are thought to have been deposited as Neogene fluvial (flood) sediments in the newly formed Japanese Archipelago. Prior to the Miocene, the northern Honshu was part of the Eurasian Plate, thus the boulder‐sized clasts cannot be envisaged as long river flood deposits along the continental Paleogene Pacific Coast. Instead, the mega‐clasts with the draping lignites were probably derived from nearby Miocene highlands in the newly born island arc.     

全球变暖对长江洪水的可能影响及其前景预测

要长江流域近150a间发生的1870、1931、1935、1954与1998年特大洪水灾害损失严重;长江洪水是我国的心腹之患.1990年以来,长江大洪水高频发生,达6次.长江洪水的发生,除湖泊蓄洪功能减弱等因素外,与全球变暖有关.20世纪90年代为近千年中全球最暖的年代,水循环加快,长江中下游夏季降水量为近120a最多的十年,高出1961-1990平均值112mm;而降雨集中和大暴雨降水事件的增加是洪水增加的主要原因.区域气候模式模拟在CO₂倍增时,长江流域温度升高2.2℃,夏季降水增加10%-20%,气溶胶的增加可能使此值降低一些.考虑气候变暖可能促进潜在蒸发增加9%-15%的假定情景,计算在降水增加10%,蒸发增加9%条件下,最大洪峰流量在大通站将会达到8.4×10⁴ m³/s左右,己超过1998年洪峰流量;汉口站7.9×10⁴ m³/s,超过有记录以来所有的洪峰流量;而在宜昌站高达6.94×10⁴ m³/s,超过自有实测记录以来的除1896年和1981年以外所有的洪峰流量.假定情景的最高值出现在降水增加20%,蒸发增加15%时,大通站流量将达到9.45×10⁴ m³/s,超过该站近百年最大值,1954年的9.26×10⁴ m³/s;宜昌站将出现7.82×10⁴ m³/s流量,超过1882年以来所有实测记录值,但比1870年据洪痕推算的10.5×10⁴ m³/s仍有逊色.未来气候若继续变暖,降水量增加将给长江洪水防御带来巨大的压力.但上述估算是粗糙的,有一定的不确定性,需在以后的研究中进一步改进.     

基于GIS/RS的洪湖东分洪区洪水风险制图

本文计算了洪湖东分洪区洪灾损失.洪水风险带以模拟的洪水淹没深度表示.这是洪水风险综合评价模型的基础.本项研究基于GIS为基础的水动力模型计算洪水淹没深度;并以GIS/RS为基础建立了单位洪水风险评价模型,计算不同洪水风险带的直接损失.研究表明,综合洪水风险评价模型在长江流域应用是可行的.     

Inelastic dynamic analysis of RC bridges accounting for spatial variability of ground motion,site effects and soil–structure interaction phenomena. Part 1: Methodology and analytical tools

During strong ground motion it is expected that extended structures (such as bridges) are subjected to excitation that varies along their longitudinal axis in terms of arrival time, amplitude and frequency content, a fact primarily attributed to the wave passage effect, the loss of coherency and the role of local site conditions. Furthermore, the foundation interacts with the soil and the superstructure, thus significantly affecting the dynamic response of the bridge. A general methodology is therefore set up and implemented into a computer code for deriving sets of appropriately modified time histories and spring–dashpot coefficients at each support of a bridge with account for spatial variability, local site conditions and soil–foundation–superstructure interaction, for the purposes of inelastic dynamic analysis of RC bridges. In order to validate the methodology and code developed, each stage of the proposed procedure is verified using recorded data, finite‐element analyses, alternative computer programs, previous research studies, and closed‐form solutions wherever available. The results establish an adequate degree of confidence in the use of the proposed methodology and code in further parametric analyses and seismic design. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.