Binary upscaling—the role of connectivity and a new formula

Although recognized as important, measures of connectivity (i.e. the existence of high-conductivity paths that increase flow and allow for early solute arrival) have not yet been incorporated into methods for upscaling hydraulic conductivities of porous media. We present and evaluate a binary upscaling formula that utilizes connectivity information. The upscaled hydraulic conductivity (K) of binary media is determined as a function of the proportions and conductivities of the two materials, the geometry of the inclusions, and the mean distance between them. The use of a phase interchange theorem renders the formula equally applicable to two-dimensional media with inclusions of low K and high K as compared with the matrix. The new upscaling formula is tested on two-dimensional binary random fields spanning a broad range of spatial correlation structures and conductivity contrasts. The computed effective conductivities are compared to what is obtained using self-consistent effective medium theory, the coated ellipsoids approximation, and to a streamline approach. It is shown that, although simple, the proposed formula performs better than available methods for binary upscaling. The use of connectivity information leads to significantly improved behavior close to the percolation threshold. The proposed upscaling formula depends exclusively on parameters that are obtainable from field investigations.     

The topographic data source of digital terrain models as a key element in the accuracy of hydraulic flood modelling

The effects of the topographic data source and resolution on the hydraulic modelling of floods were analysed. Seven digital terrain models (DTMs) were generated from three different altimetric sources: a global positioning system (GPS) survey and bathymetry; high‐resolution laser altimetry data LiDAR (light detection and ranging); and vectorial cartography (1:5000). Hydraulic results were obtained, using the HEC‐RAS one‐dimensional model, for all seven DTMs. The importance of the DTM's accuracy on the hydraulic modelling results was analysed within three different hydraulic contexts: (1) the discharge and water surface elevation results from the hydraulic model; (2) the delineation of the flooded area; and (3) the relative sensitivity of the hydraulic model to changes in the Manning's n roughness coefficient. The contour‐based DTM was the least accurate with a root mean square error (RMSE) of 4·5 m in the determination of the water level and a variation of up to 50 per cent in the estimation of the inundated area of the floodplain. The GPS‐based DTM produced more realistic water surface elevation results and variations of up to 8 per cent in terms of the flooded area. The laser‐based model's RMSE for water level was 0·3 m, with the flooded area varying by less than 1 per cent. The LiDAR data also showed the greatest sensitivity to changes in the Manning's roughness coefficient. An analysis of the effect of mesh resolution indicated an influence on the delineation of the flooded area with variations of up to 7·3 per cent. In addition to determining the accuracy of the hydraulic modelling results produced from each DTM, an analysis of the time–cost ratio of each topographic data source illustrates that airborne laser scanning is a cost‐effective means of developing a DTM of sufficient accuracy, especially over large areas. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

3-D Simulation of Tectonic Loading at Convergent Plate Boundary Zones: Internal Stress Fields in Northeast Japan

The evidence of east-west compression in northeast Japan has been reported by many investigators on the basis of geodetic, geologic and geomorphic data, but its origin still remains far from understood. In the present study we have proposed a mechanical model of tectonic loading at convergent plate boundary zones, and demonstrated its validity through the numerical simulation of internal stress fields in northeast Japan with realistic 3-D geometry of plate interfaces. At convergent plate boundary zones, in general, a part of plate convergence is consumed by steady slip along plate interfaces, and the remaining part by inelastic deformation (seismic faulting, aseismic faulting, and active folding) of overriding plates. Such a plate boundary process to be called ``partial collision' can be quantitatively described by introducing a collision rate defined as c = 1 − steady slip rate at plate interfaces/plate convergence rate. By this definition, we can simply represent the mechanical process of partial collision, which includes total subduction (c = 0) and total collision (c = 1) as two extreme cases, in terms of steady slip rates at plate interfaces. On the basis of elastic dislocation theory, first, we numerically computed the internal stress fields in northeast Japan produced by the total subduction of the Pacific plate beneath the North American plate, however the computed stress pattern was opposite in sense to observations. Then, we computed the internal stress fields by taking c = 0.1 on average, and succeeded in reproducing the observed east-west compression in northeast Japan. This indicates that the concept of partial collision is essential to understand the mechanism of intraplate tectonic loading.     

Fracture Toughness Evaluation Based on Tension-softening Model and its Application to Hydraulic Fracturing

This paper discusses the applicability of the tension-softening model in the determination of the fracture toughness of rocks, where the fracture toughness evaluated based on the tension-softening model is compared with the crack growth resistance deduced from laboratory-scale hydraulic fracturing tests. It is generally accepted that the fracture process is dominated by the growth of a fracture process zone for most types of rocks. In this study, the J-integral based technique is employed to determine the fracture toughness of Iidate granite on the basis of the tension-softening model, where compact tension specimens of different dimensions were tested in order to examine the specimen size effect on the measured fracture toughness. It was shown that the tension-softening relation deduced from the J-integral based technique allowed us to determine the specimen size independent fracture toughness K_c of Iidate granite. Laboratory-scale hydraulic fracturing tests were performed on cubic specimens (up to a 10 m sized specimen), where cyclic pressurization was conducted using a rubber-made straddle packer to observe the extent of the hydraulically induced crack. The experimental results of pressure and crack length were then used to construct the crack growth resistance curve based on the stress intensity factor K. The crack growth resistance obtained from the hydraulic fracturing tests was observed to initially increase and then level off, giving a constant K value for a long crack extension stage. The plateau K value in the crack growth resistance curve was found to be in reasonable agreement with the fracture toughness K_c deduced from the tension-softening relation. It was demonstrated that the tension-softening model provides a useful tool to determine the appropriate fracture toughness of rocks, which may be applicable for the analysis of the process of large-scale crack extension in rock masses.     

应力加载作用引起地下水微温度场变化的研究综述

在地震地下流体动态观测中,水温对地震活动的响应非常敏感,井水温度微动态观测越来越受到有关学者的关注。本文收集了相关资料,以引起水温变化的水动力学机制为基础,从应力加载作用下渗流场的变化、渗流场变化引起地下水温度变化以及裂隙介质热量运移三个方面分别阐述了前人研究成果,旨在理清“含水层受力变形→井-含水层系统内水流变化→井水温度变化”的理论模式,探讨应力加载作用引起地下水微温度场变化的理论基础和技术途径。对这一领域研究成果的综合分析将有助于我们深入地研究地震孕育过程中的前兆成因机理。     

胶新铁路砂土液化区路基沉降规律研究

地震液化常给人们带来巨大损失,而剪切振动和循环荷载作用下的动力学效应常被认为是地震液化的主要原因,人们对剪切荷载作用下饱和砂土的液化问题进行了较多的研究,而对循环荷载作用下砂土液化的动力学效应研究较少。胶新铁路在DK39+000开始为高地震烈度区,DK283+550~DK283+770分布有地震可液化层,工程修建后列车动荷载的影响将会有诱发砂土液化的可能性。为了研究通车前自然沉降特征和通车后循环荷载作用下的路基沉降变形规律,本文在具体分析了砂土液化的概念和准则判别的基础上,重点分析了砂土液化区路基沉降特征,包括测试断面竖向分层沉降变形特征分析和路基水平位移特征分析。最后在试验的基础上,从理论上给出了循环荷载下砂土的本构关系。     

异形柱框架节点抗震性能试验研究

通过6个2/3比例的T形柱框架节点的低周反复试验,考察了轴压比、柱翼缘宽度等因素对节点裂缝开展、节点的破坏机理的影响。提出了翼缘宽度对节点抗剪性能的影响与梁柱抗弯刚度比有关,指出了翼缘板对节点抗剪承载力影响的修正系数ξf须考虑梁柱抗弯刚度比的影响,而不能仅按《混凝土异形柱结构技术规程》(征求意见稿)中的bf-bc来反映。     

MK—2型全液压坑道钻机

ＭＫ—２型全液压坑道钻机为一种轻便的井下浅孔钻凿设备,是吸取国外先进钻机优点并结合国内实际情况研制而成的,主要用于井下瓦斯抽放、超前探测及煤体注水的施工作业。本文介绍了该钻机的结构、技术参数和工业性试验情况。     

灰岩渗透性参数的模糊综合评判方法

针对钻孔较少的灰岩分布区渗透系数的难确定性,结合实例,在分析影响灰岩渗透性因素的基础上,提出了构建评判灰岩渗透性参数的因子集和评判集;然后用模糊综合评判方法确定灰岩渗透系数。     

冀东长城式金矿赋金角砾状岩石成因初探

冀东地区新发现一批产在中元古代碳酸盐岩层中的金矿床（点）,文中对该类矿床的容矿围岩特征及其成因、产出的区域构造背景进行了讨论,提出容矿角砾岩是液压致裂角砾岩,是一种矿控构造岩。