分级循环荷载下岩石动力学行为试验研究

利用WDT-1500多功能材料试验机,对砂岩、砾岩和砂砾岩进行了分级循环荷载试验,研究了岩石的动弹性模量对应力幅值和应力水平的响应特性,得到了动弹性模量和耗散能随应力幅值、应力水平及含水率的变化规律。试验结果表明,分级循环荷载下岩石的能量耗散越多,动弹性模量越小;应力水平越高,动弹性模量和耗散能越大;含水率和应力幅值越大,动弹性模量越小,耗散能越大。讨论了邓肯-张模型能够描述分级循环荷载作用下岩石的应力-应变关系,构建了动弹性模量随应力水平、应力幅值及含水率变化的演化模型,探讨了模型参数的确定方法。根据能量耗散的经验法则,建立了耗散能演化模型,结果表明,该模型能够描述分级循环荷载过程中能量耗散行为。     

复合水力化增透技术在低渗突出煤层瓦斯抽采中的应用

为增加低渗突出煤层的透气性,提高煤层瓦斯抽采率,提出"钻扩一体化+水力压裂"复合水力化增透技术。介绍了该技术的原理及工艺系统组成等,并在重庆南川宏能煤矿进行了工程试验。试验结果表明,与采用单一"水力压裂"和单一"钻扩一体化"水力化技术的钻孔相比,采用复合水力化增透技术的钻孔,其瓦斯抽采纯量较前二者分别提高了3.37倍和2.80倍,瓦斯抽采体积分数分别提高了3.35倍和2.64倍。      

Out‐of‐plane stability of buckling‐restrained braces including moment transfer capacity

Buckling‐restrained braces (BRBs) are widely used as ductile seismic‐resistant and energy‐dissipating structural members in seismic regions. Although BRBs are expected to exhibit stable hysteresis under cyclic axial loading, one of the key limit states is global flexural buckling, which can produce an undesirable response. Many prior studies have indicated the possibility of global buckling of a BRB before its core yields owing to connection failure. In this paper, BRB stability concepts are presented, including their bending‐moment transfer capacity at restrainer ends for various connection stiffness values with initial out‐of‐plane drifts, and a unified simple equation set for ensuring BRB stability is proposed. Moreover, a series of cyclic loading tests with initial out‐of‐plane drifts are conducted, and the results are compared with those of the proposed equations. © 2013 The Authors. Earthquake Engineering & Structural Dynamics published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.     

An advanced numerical model of elastomeric seismic isolation bearings

The nuclear accident at Fukushima Daiichi in March 2011 has led the nuclear community to consider seismic isolation for new large light water and small modular reactors to withstand the effects of beyond design basis loadings, including extreme earthquakes. The United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission is sponsoring a research project that will quantify the response of low damping rubber (LDR) and lead rubber (LR) bearings under loadings associated with extreme earthquakes. Under design basis loadings, the response of an elastomeric bearing is not expected to deviate from well‐established numerical models, and bearings are not expected to experience net tension. However, under extended or beyond design basis shaking, elastomer shear strains may exceed 300% in regions of high seismic hazard, bearings may experience net tension, the compression and tension stiffness will be affected by isolator lateral displacement, and the properties of the lead core in LR bearings will degrade in the short‐term because of substantial energy dissipation. New mathematical models of LDR and LR bearings are presented for the analysis of base isolated structures under design and beyond design basis shaking, explicitly considering both the effects of lateral displacement and cyclic vertical and horizontal loading. These mathematical models extend the available formulations in shear and compression. Phenomenological models are presented to describe the behavior of elastomeric isolation bearings in tension, including the cavitation and post‐cavitation behavior. The elastic mechanical properties make use of the two‐spring model. Strength degradation of LR bearing under cyclic shear loading due to heating of lead core is incorporated. The bilinear area reduction method is used to include variation of critical buckling load capacity with lateral displacement. The numerical models are coded in OpenSees, and the results of numerical analysis are compared with test data. The effect of different parameters on the response is investigated through a series of analyses. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Simulating stiffness degradation and damping in soils via a simple visco-elastic–plastic model

Stiffness degradation and damping represent some of the most well-known aspects of cyclic soil behavior. While standard equivalent linear approaches reproduce these features by (separately) prescribing stiffness reduction and damping curves, in this paper a multiaxial, 3D, viscoelastic – plastic model is developed for the simultaneous simulation of both cyclic curves over a wide cyclic shear strain range.The proposed constitutive relationship is based on two parallel resisting/dissipative mechanisms, purely frictional (elastic–plastic) and viscous. The frictional mechanism is formulated as a bounding surface plasticity model with vanishing elastic domain, including pressure-sensitive failure locus and non-associative plastic flow – which are essential for effective stress analysis. At the same time, the use of the parallel viscous mechanism is shown to be especially beneficial to improve the simulation of the overall dissipative performance.In order to enable model calibration from stiffness degradation ($G/G_{\mathit{max}}$) and damping curves, the constitutive equations are purposely kept as simple as possible with a low number of material parameters. Although the model performance is here explored with reference to pure shear cyclic tests, the 3D, multiaxial formulation is appropriate for general loading conditions.     

Full-scale model testing on a ballastless high-speed railway under simulated train moving loads

Model testing in laboratory, as an effective alternative to field measurement, provides valuable data to understand railway׳s dynamic behaviors under train moving loads. This paper presents comprehensive experimental results on track vibration and soil response of a ballastless high-speed railway from a full-scale model testing with simulated train moving loads at various speeds. A portion of a realistic ballastless railway comprising slab track, roadbed, subgrade, and subsoil was constructed in a larger steel box. A computer-controlled sequential loading system was developed to generate equivalent vertical loadings at the track structure for simulating the dynamic excitations due to train׳s movements. Comparisons with the field measurements show that the proposed model testing can accurately reproduce dynamic behaviors of the track structure and underlying soils under train moving loads. The attenuation characteristics of dynamic soil stresses in a ballastless slab track is found to have distinct differences from that in a ballasted track. The model testing results provide better understanding of the influence of dynamic soil–structure interaction and train speed on the response of track structure and soils.     

Spatial–temporal variability in water quality and macro-invertebrate assemblages in the Upper Mara River basin,Kenya

Tropical rivers display profound temporal and spatial heterogeneity in terms of environmental conditions. This aspect needs to be considered when designing a monitoring program for water quality in rivers. Therefore, the physico-chemical composition and the nutrient loading of the Upper Mara River and its two main tributaries, the Amala and Nyangores were monitored. Initial daily, and later a weekly monitoring schedule for 4 months spanning through the wet and dry seasons was adopted. Benthic macro-invertebrates were also collected during the initial sampling to be used as indicators of water quality. The aim of the current study was to investigate the physico-chemical status and biological integrity of the Upper Mara River basin. This was achieved by examining trends in nutrient concentrations and analyzing the structure, diversity and abundance of benthic macro-invertebrates in relation to varying land use patterns. Sampling sites were selected based on catchment land use and the level of human disturbance, and using historical records of previous water quality studies. River water pH, dissolved oxygen, electrical conductivity (EC), temperature, and turbidity were determined in situ. All investigated parameters except iron and manganese had concentration values within allowable limits according to Kenyan and international standards for drinking water. The Amala tributary is more mineralized and also shows higher levels of pH and EC than water from the Nyangores tributary. The latter, however, has a higher variability in both the total phosphorus (TP) and total nitrogen (TN) concentrations. The variability in TP and TN concentrations increases downstream for both tributaries and is more pronounced for TN than for TP. Macro-invertebrate assemblages responded to the changes in land use and water quality in terms of community composition and diversity. The study recommends detailed continuous monitoring of the water quality at shorter time intervals and to identify key macro-invertebrate taxa that can be used to monitor changes of the water quality in rivers of the Mara basin as a result of anthropogenic changes.     

Influence of confining pressure and impact loading on mechanical properties of amphibolite and sericite-quartz schist

In order to investigate the dynamic mechanical properties of amphibolite and sericite-quartz schist under confi ning pressure, two rocks are subjected to impact loadings with different strain rates and confi ning pressures by using split Hopkinson pressure bar equipment with a confi ning pressure device. Based on the experimental results, the stress-strain curves are analyzed and the effects of confi ning pressure and strain rates on the dynamic compressive strength, peak strain and failure mode are summarized. The results show that:(1) The characteristics of two rocks in the ascent stage of the stressstrain curve are basically the same, but in the descent stage, the rocks gradually show plastic deformation characteristics as the confi ning pressure increases.(2) The dynamic compressive strength and peak strain of two rocks increase as the strain rate increases and the confi ning pressure effects are obvious.(3) Due to the effect of confi ning pressure, the normal stress on the damage surface of the rock increases correspondingly, the bearing capacity of the crack friction exceeds the material cohesion and the slippage of the fractured rock is controlled, which all lead to the compression and shear failure mode of rock. The theoretical analysis and experimental methods to study the dynamic failure mode and other related characteristics of rock are useful in developing standards for engineering practice.     

高压条件下土的冻融试验装置研制及应用

深部土体冻融后的物理力学性质对深部人工冻结工程意义重大. 针对该问题, 在以往土的冻融试验装置的基础上, 设计出适用于高压条件下土的室内冻融试验装置, 并给出了高压条件下土的冻融试验方法. 基于该装置, 对有压条件下兰州黄土在不同冷端温度下的单向冻结特征进行了试验研究. 结果表明: 无压单向冻结过程中土的变形以冻胀为主, 而高压情况下则主要表现为压缩变形. 在有压单向冻结过程中, 试样内部仍然存在着明显的水分重分布过程. 试验分析表明, 该试验装置能够为高压条件下土的冻结特征及冻融作用后土的物理力学性质研究提供技术支持.     

添加沸石对黏性土-膨润土竖向隔离墙材料压缩和渗透特性的影响

土-膨润土系竖向隔离墙广泛应用于工业污染场地和地下水修复工程。通过坍落度和一维压缩固结试验研究添加沸石对黏性土-膨润土竖向隔离墙材料的工作性,以及压缩和渗透特性。黏性土选用高岭土,沸石-高岭土-膨润土试样中沸石掺量为2%～40%。试验结果与以往沸石-砂-膨润土竖向隔离墙材料以及击实沸石-膨润土混合土研究结果进行对比,明确沸石掺量和粒径对压缩和渗透特性的作用规律。试验结果显示,满足隔离墙材料施工要求的含水率范围随沸石掺量增加而增大,并处于液限的0.96～1.18倍。添加细颗粒沸石对试样的压缩指数和渗透系数影响较小,渗透系数小于10-9 m/s。相反,添加粗颗粒沸石将导致微孔隙尺寸增大,并形成水能够通过的沸石网架结构,将显著增大渗透系数。试样渗透系数能够通过考虑孔隙比和液限的经验公式进行良好的预测。