Revisiting the morphological method in two-dimensions to quantify bed-material transport in braided rivers

Research in the 1990s showed that bed-material transport rates could be estimated at the reach scale in both one-dimension and, over small spatial scales (10s of m), in two-dimensions. The limit on the latter was the spatial scale over which it was possible to obtain distributed data on morphological change. Here, we revisit the morphological method given progress in both topographical data acquisition and hydraulic modelling. The bed-material transport needed to conserve mass is calculated in both one and two dimensions for a 1600 m × 300 m Alpine braided river “laboratory”. High-resolution topographical data were acquired by laser scanning to quantify Digital Elevation Models (DEMs), and morphological changes caused by the flushing of the water intake were derived from repeated surveys. Based on DEMs of differences, 1D bed-material transport rates were calculated using the morphological method. Then, a 2D hydraulic model was combined with a topographic correction to route sediment through the network of braided channels and to obtain a spatially variable estimate of transport in both downstream and cross-stream directions. Monte Carlo simulation was applied to the routing model parameters, allowing identification of the most probable parameter values needed to minimize negative transport. The results show that within-section spatial compensation of erosion and deposition using the 1D treatment leads to substantial local errors in transport rate estimates, to a degree related to braiding intensity. Even though the 2D application showed that a large proportion of the total transport was actually concentrated into one main channel during the studied low flow event, the proportion of transport in secondary anabranches is substantial when the river starts braiding. Investigations of the effects of DEM resolution, competent flow duration and survey frequency related to ‘travelling bedload’ and sequential erosion-deposition emphasized the critical importance of careful data collection in the application of the morphological method. © 2019 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Flow resistance and hydraulic geometry in bedrock rivers with multiple roughness length scales

Many models of incision by bedrock rivers predict water depth and shear stress from discharge; conversely, palaeoflood discharge is sometimes reconstructed from flow depth markers in rock gorges. In both cases, assumptions are made about flow resistance. The depth–discharge relation in a bedrock river must depend on at least two roughness length scales (exposed rock and sediment cover) and possibly a third (sidewalls). A conceptually attractive way to model the depth–discharge relation in such situations is to partition the total shear stress and friction factor, but it is not obvious how to quantify the friction factor for rough walls in a way that can be used in incision process models. We show that a single flow resistance calculation using a spatially averaged roughness length scale closely approximates the partitioning of stress between sediment and rock, and between bed and walls, in idealized scenarios. Both approaches give closer fits to the measured depth–discharge relations in two small bedrock reaches than can be achieved using a fixed value of Manning's n or the Chézy friction factor. Sidewalls that are substantially rougher or smoother than the bed have a significant effect on the partitioning of shear stress between bed and sidewalls. More research is needed on how best to estimate roughness length scales from observable or measurable channel characteristics. © 2019 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Hydraulic redistribution and hydrological controls on aspen transpiration and establishment in peatlands following wildfire

In the sub‐humid Western Boreal Plains of Alberta, where evapotranspiration often exceeds precipitation, trembling aspen (Populus tremuloides Michx.) uplands often depend on adjacent peatlands for water supply through hydraulic redistribution. Wildfire is common in the Boreal Plains, so the resilience of the transfer of water from peatlands to uplands through roots immediately following wildfire may have implications for aspen succession. The objective of this research was to characterize post‐fire peatland‐upland hydraulic connectivity and assess controls on aspen transpiration (as a measure of stress and productivity) among landscape topographic positions. In May 2011, a wildfire affected 90,000 ha of north central Alberta, including the Utikuma Region Study Area (URSA). Portions of an URSA glacio‐fluval outwash lake catchment were burned, which included forests and a small peatland. Within 1 year after the fire, aspen were found to be growing in both the interior and margins of this peatland. Across recovering land units, transpiration varied along a topographic gradient of upland midslope (0.42 mm hr^?1) > upland hilltop (0.29 mm hr^?1) > margin (0.23 mm hr^?1) > peatland (0.10 mm hr^?1); similar trends were observed with leaf area and stem heights. Although volumetric water content was below field capacity, P. tremuloides were sustained through roots present, likely before fire, in peatland margins through hydraulic redistribution. Evidence for this was observed through the analysis of oxygen (δ¹⁸O) and hydrogen (δ²H) isotopes where upland xylem and peat core signatures were ?10.0‰ and ?117.8‰ and ?9.2‰ and ?114.0‰, respectively. This research highlights the potential importance of hydraulic redistribution to forest sustainability and recovery, in which the continued delivery of water may result in the encroachment of aspen into peatlands. As such, we suggest that through altering ecosystem services, peatland margins following fire may be at risk to aspen colonization during succession.     

Evaluation of force-based and displacement-based out-of-plane seismic assessment methods for unreinforced masonry walls through refined model simulations

The performance of force-based and displacement-based seismic assessment methods for the life-safety limit state check of out-of-plane loaded unreinforced masonry walls is evaluated on the basis of refined numerical simulations. For this purpose, a discrete element model of a vertically spanning wall is built and validated against experimental results from static and dynamic test conditions. The model is then analysed for a large range of wall configurations. For each configuration, a static pushover analysis and a series of incremental dynamic analyses are run, the latter permitting to determine the capacity of the wall under dynamic loading. The accuracy of the assessment methods in predicting the acceleration at which the walls collapse is evaluated. It is found that the displacement-based method is more accurate, robust, and safe than the force-based method. The comparison also shows that for walls characterised by a relatively high ratio of axial load to Euler's critical load, both assessment methods lead to an overestimation of the wall capacity. As a remedy, a modification to the methods based on a recently developed mechanical model is put forward and tested. For the force-based method, it is additionally suggested to set for walls with relatively high overburden ratios the behaviour factor equal to 1. To ensure reproducibility of this study, all input and output files of the numerical simulations are made publicly available.     

机械连接预应力实心方桩承台节点抗震性能试验研究

预应力管桩在高烈度抗震设防地区已禁用,而普通钢筋混凝土方桩成本较高。首先针对卡扣式机械连接预应力混凝土实心方桩、PHC管桩和普通钢筋混凝土方桩与承台处的节点进行拟静力试验,并利用试验数据针对Park-Ang损伤模型进行了修正,进行了损伤指数分析。研究结果表明:预应力方桩比普通钢筋混凝土方桩的抗裂性能明显好,而预应力混凝土实心方桩承台节点耗能能力和延性低于预应力管桩和普通钢筋混凝土方桩;截桩施工导致桩端部损失部分预应力,相比较未截桩试件屈服荷载和极限荷载均减小,节点裂缝开展较早,损伤较未截桩试件严重;增配普通钢筋试件的滞回曲线比较饱满,水平承载能力和位移延性得到提升,节点抗震性能得到提升与改善;预应力混凝土实心方桩损伤前期较小,而一旦发生损伤后,损伤指数发展较快。     

水工工程对长江下游渔业的胁迫与补偿

长江下游及河口区鱼类物种丰富,特有性高,能构成渔汛的经济品种均集中在该江段,其可捕的经济鱼类品种及渔获量为全江之首,该水域鱼类区系复杂,是长江物种多样性最为丰富的区域之一,随长江干流上水工建筑的大量建造,江湖被隔绝,洄游通道被阻断,海水的入侵、生境的破碎、水文条件的改变等导致了渔业生态功能的削弱,对下游鱼类可捕量、天然鱼类资源、物种多样性、种质资源产生了严重影响,通过对下游渔业资源特征进行了描述,结合当前重大水工建筑:水电工程、调水工程、航道工程、大桥工程及沙石开采工程,介绍了长江水工工程的规模与现状,探讨了不同工程对鱼类环境业已显现的影响,以及对渔业生态和资源的破坏作用,剖析水工工程对渔业可能造成的潜在伤害,同时就工程规划的设计理念、渔业生态的补偿措施提出了建议,指出渔业部门应尽的责任和义务,提出了保护下游渔业资源和生态环境急待开展的科学研究任务.     

Coupled thermo-hydro-mechanical modelling of bentonite buffer material

Mechanistic model development and numerical analyses were carried out on coupled thermo-hydraulic-mechanical processes in bentonite-based buffer material for the geological disposal of high-level radioactive waste with small-scale laboratory experiments and a full-scale test. The mechanism of water movement in compacted bentonite was identified by applying theoretical equations to the experimental results. The application clearly explained the observed results of the temperature dependence of the hydraulic conductivity in the saturated state and the water diffusivity in the unsaturated state for the compacted bentonite and the dry density dependence of the diffusivity. The full-scale coupled test, BIG-BEN, was conducted at PNC (Power Reactor and Nuclear Fuel Development Corporation) Tokai Works. The results of the numerical analyses for the full-scale test which are based on the present knowledge of coupled processes and our small-scale experiments were in good agreement with the measured results except for mechanical phenomena. Copyright © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

A worldwide correlation for exponential bed particle size variation in subaerial aqueous flows

The particle size of the bed sediments in or on many natural streams, alluvial fans, laboratory flumes, irrigation canals and mine waste deltas varies exponentially with distance along the stream. A plot of the available worldwide exponential bed particle size diminution coefficient data against stream length is presented which shows that all the data lie within a single narrow band extending over virtually the whole range of stream lengths and bed sediment particle sizes found on Earth. This correlation applies to both natural and artificial flows with both sand and gravel beds, irrespective of either the solids concentration or whether normal or reverse sorting occurs. This strongly suggests that there are common mechanisms underlying the exponential diminution of bed particles in subaerial aqueous flows of all kinds. Thus existing models of sorting and abrasion applicable to some such flows may be applicable to others. A comparison of exponential laboratory abrasion and field diminution coefficients suggests that abrasion is unlikely to be significant in gravel and sand bed streams shorter than about 10 km to 100 km, and about 500 km, respectively. Copyright © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Real-time on-line test for MDOF systems

This paper presents a test system for conducting on-line tests in a real time and a series of real-time on-line tests conducted to verify the effectiveness of the system. The proposed system is characterized by (1) use of a Digital Signal Processor (DSP) now readily available, (2) adoption of the C language to ensure easy programming, and (3) separation of response analysis and displacement signal generation to apply the system for tests with complex structures. To create displacement signals successively without being interrupted by the computation of equations of motion, extrapolation and interpolation procedures using present and past target displacements are developed. Base-isolated building models were chosen for the real-time on-line test. The effectiveness of the extrapolation and interpolation procedures was demonstrated through a series of real-time on-line tests applied to the models treated as SDOF structures. A five-storey base-isolated building model (treated as a six DOF structure) was tested for various ground motions, and it was verified that the system is able to simulate earthquake responses involving large displacements and large velocities. The number of DOFs that can be handled in the proposed system was investigated, and it was found that the system is capable of performing the test with reasonable accuracy for up to 10 DOF structures with a range of response frequency not greater than 3·0 Hz, or 12 DOF structures with a range of response frequency not greater than 2·0 Hz. Copyright © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Calibration and validation of a general infiltration model

A general infiltration model proposed by Singh and Yu (1990) was calibrated and validated using a split sampling approach for 191 sets of infiltration data observed in the states of Minnesota and Georgia in the USA. Of the five model parameters, f_c (the final infiltration rate), S_o (the available storage space) and exponent ‘n’ were found to be more predictable than the other two parameters: m (exponent) and a (proportionality factor). A critical examination of the general model revealed that it is related to the Soil Conservation Service (1956) curve number (SCS‐CN) method and its parameter S_o is equivalent to the potential maximum retention of the SCS‐CN method and is, in turn, found to be a function of soil sorptivity and hydraulic conductivity. The general model was found to describe infiltration rate with time varying curve number. Copyright © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.