Influence of large-diameter pipe pile driving on surrounding marine soils and adjacent submarine pipelines

Abstract

With the large-scale development and utilization of ocean resources and space, it is inevitable to encounter existing submarine facilities in pile driving areas, which necessitates a safety assessment. In this article, by referring to a wharf renovation project as a reference, the surrounding soil response and buried pipe deformation during pile driving in a near-shore submarine environment are investigated by three-dimensional (3D) numerical models that consider the pore water effect. Numerical studies are carried out in two different series: one is a case of a single pile focusing on the effect of the minimum plane distance of the pile–pipe, and the other is a case of double piles focusing on the effect of the pile spacing.     

Implementation of High Resolution Tidal Current Fields in Electronic Navigational Chart Systems

A system for displaying tidal currents in an electronic chart display and information system (ECDIS) has been developed and implemented in compliance with the standards of the International Hydrographic Organization (IHO). The tidal current fields can be displayed in real time on the electronic navigational chart and several options and functions for updating and zooming have been designed. The current fields are calculated from a data base with the harmonic constants for the four major tidal constituents. The harmonic constants are obtained from a high resolution numerical model with horizontal grid resolution of 100 m. The model is validated by comparing with sea level and current measurements. The depth matrix for the central part of the model domain was calculated from data from multibeam bathymetric surveys. An application example of the implementation is given for Trondheimsleia, a part of the main sailing route along the western coast of Norway.     

Equilibrium constants of triethanolamine in major seawater salts

Acid–base equilibrium constants of triethanolamine (TEA) have been determined by potentiometric titrations with a glass electrode, at 25 °C. Ionic strength was kept constant with only one electrolyte (using one of these salts: NaCl, KCl, MgCl₂ or CaCl₂), with binary mixtures of MgCl₂ and CaCl₂, and finally, in a solution with a composition approximately similar to that of natural seawater without sulfate. Equilibrium constants have been expressed in function of ionic strength by means of Pitzer equations and interaction parameters proposed in this theory have been obtained. It has been found that acid–base behaviour of TEA depends greatly on the salt used: basicity of TEA is decreased by CaCl₂, while it is increased by the other electrolytes used in this work.     

A Note on Tsunami Bore Front

A note is presented on tsunami bore front. This tsunami bore front is an old dynamical problem but also a new problem to be understood. The tsunami event on 2004 December 26 has raised this is an urgent problem. The author introduces here a model in order to see a hydrodynamical specific property of the tsunami bore front. This modeling gives us a new understanding about what mechanics is for the interested tsunami bore front, especially, around a coastal zone. This work adds a new understanding about mechanics of water motions as the tsunamis generated by the earthquake undersea at a distant area from the coast. The model in this work points out a specific transitional pattern as a function of time and space of tsunami bore front. This modeling gives what is essential at considering tsunami bore front.     

Effects of organochlorine compounds on cytochrome P450 aromatase activity in an immortal sea turtle cell line

Many classes of environmental contaminants affect the reproductive function of animals through interactions with the endocrine system. The primary components affected by endocrine active compounds (EACs) are the steroid receptors and the enzymes responsible for steroidogenesis. This study sought to develop an in vitro model for assessing EAC effects in sea turtles by examining their ability to alter cytochrome P450 aromatase (CYP19) activity. Aromatase is the enzyme responsible for the conversion of testosterone to estradiol. This enzyme is critical in the sexual differentiation of reptiles which demonstrate temperature-dependent sex determination. An immortal testis cell line GST-TS from a green sea turtle was grown in culture at 30 degrees C in RPMI 1640 media. The cells were exposed to three known aromatase inducers; dexamethasone (Dex), 8Br-cyclic AMP, or human chronic gonadotropin (HCG) and one aromatase inhibitor 4-androstenol-dione (4-OHA). In addition, the GST-TS cells were exposed to 0.1-30 microM atrazine and 3-100 microM 4,4'-DDE. The inducing compounds that have been shown to increase aromatase activity in other systems failed to induce aromatase activity in the GST-TS cells, yet exposure to the inhibiting compound, 4-OHA, did result in a significant reduction. Atrazine (0.1, 1.0 and 10 microM) significantly induced aromatase activity following a 24 h exposure, and 4,4'-DDE inhibited the activity but only at cytotoxic concentrations (100 microM). Based on these results, this in vitro model can be useful in examining the endocrine effects of EACs in sea turtles.     

南黄海表层沉积物中氮的区域地球化学特征

通过分级浸取分离的方法获得了南黄海表层沉积物不同形态的氮，首次探讨其分布的区域性特征：南黄海表层沉积物中各形态氮在不同测线上均呈现出波状分布。B测线的基本上呈现出中部海域高，两边海域低，而西部海域又略高于东部海域的趋势，D和E测线的基本上呈现出西高、东低的趋势，C测线的则呈现出西低、东高的趋势，F测线的变化趋势比较平缓，从整体上看，SOEF—N和TN的分布呈现出西部海区比东部海区低的趋势。受各测线上沉积物种类差异的影响，自北向南各形态氮的变化幅度逐渐减小，其中SOEF-N在各测线上的变化幅度最大，且自北向南降幅最大。受水动力及沉积物粒度的影响，不同形态氮在黄海槽内各站位沉积物中的含量较高。沉积物中各形态氮在不同测线上的分布还表明，陆源输入对南黄海沉积物中氮测线分布有较小的影响，海洋自生氮对南黄海表层沉积物中氮的形态、含量与分布具有重要影响。     

近岸海浪模式在中国东海台风浪模拟中的应用--数值模拟及物理过程研究

较为详细地介绍了基于能量平衡方程的第三代近岸海浪数值模式SWAN（Simulation Waves Nearshore）及其包含的物理过程（风生浪、底摩擦、白浪耗散、深度诱导波破碎、非线性波－波相作用等），并利用该模式对影响杭州湾－长江口沿岸海域的一次台风浪过程进行了模拟研究：模式所需风场由藤田台风风场模型嵌入对应台风特征等压线，并对相应时段的NCAR／NCEPT资料、单站资料进行同化后提供；利用自嵌套的方式提供波谱边界条件；模式模拟的结果与实际海浪观测资料相符较好，在此基础上，研究了底摩擦、深度诱导波破碎、三波相互作用等物理过程联合对近岸台风浪的影响，初步认识了它们在近岸台风浪生成、传播过程中的重要作用。     

Risk assessment of TBT in the Japanese short-neck clam (Ruditapes philippinarum) of Tokyo Bay using a chemical fate model

A risk assessment of Tributyltin (TBT) in Tokyo Bay was conducted using the Margin of Exposure (MOE) method at the species level using the Japanese short-neck clam, Ruditapes philippinarum. The assessment endpoint was defined to protect R. philippinarum in Tokyo Bay from TBT (growth effects). A No Observed Effect Concentration (NOEC) for this species with respect to growth reduction induced by TBT was estimated from experimental results published in the scientific literature. Sources of TBT in this study were assumed to be commercial vessels in harbors and navigation routes. Concentrations of TBT in Tokyo Bay were estimated using a three-dimensional hydrodynamic model, an ecosystem model and a chemical fate model. MOEs for this species were estimated for the years 1990, 2000, and 2007. Estimated MOEs for R. philippinarum for 1990, 2000, and 2007 were approximately 1–3, 10, and 100, respectively, indicating a declining temporal trend in the probability of adverse growth effects.A simplified software package called RAMTB was developed by incorporating the chemical fate model and the databases of seasonal flow fields and distributions of organic substances (phytoplankton and detritus) in Tokyo Bay, simulated by the hydrodynamic and ecological model, respectively.     

Comparison of two three-dimensional hydrodynamic modeling systems for coastal tidal motion

A comparison of two three-dimensional numerical modeling systems for tidal elevations and velocities in the coastal waters is presented. The two modeling systems are: (1) the Princeton Ocean Model (POM) and (2) the MIKE 3 flow model. The model performance results for Singapore's coastal waters show that the predicted tidal elevations from the two hydrodynamic modeling systems are almost identical and are in very good agreement with field measurement data. The simulated tidal current velocities match well with field measurement data at the selected stations, but it seems that the POM provides the slightly better simulation, compared to the MIKE 3 flow model. The depth profiles of the velocities obtained from the two modeling systems may be greatly different at some time, due to the vertical diffusion coefficient calculated from different turbulent sub-models in the two modeling systems. The POM generally predicts larger peak tidal velocities. The maximum speed differences for the model results from the two modeling systems occur in the top and differ from time to time and from location to location, reaching up to 20%.