Probabilistic approach for active control of structures: experimental verification

In our previous study (Earthquake Engineering and Structural Dynamics 2003; 32 :2301), we have developed a probabilistic algorithm for active control of structures. In the probabilistic control algorithm, the control force is determined by the probability that the structural energy exceeds a specified target critical energy, and the direction of a control force is determined by the Lyapunov controller design method. In this paper, an experimental verification of the proposed probabilistic control algorithm is presented. A three‐story test structure equipped with an active mass driver (AMD) has been used. The effectiveness of the control algorithm has been examined by exciting the test structure using a sinusoidal signal, a scaled El Centro earthquake and a broadband Gaussian white noise; and, especially, experiments on control have been performed under different conditions to that of system identification in order to prove the stability and robustness of the proposed control algorithm. The experimental results indicate that the probabilistic control algorithm can achieve a significant response reduction under various types of ground excitations even when the modeling error exists. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Identification of structural parameters of multistorey shear buildings from modal data

A procedure has been presented in this paper to identify the structural parameters, viz. mass and stiffness matrices, from modal test data for multistorey shear buildings. The first two orders of modal data have been used by other researchers to estimate the global matrices where they depend only on measurable points which are less than the total number of structural degrees of freedom. The above method has been refined here by using Holzer criteria along with other numerical methods to estimate the global mass and stiffness matrices of the structure. This shows the methodology to be more efficient and accurate. The reliability of the procedure has been shown by examples of multistorey buildings. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

青西油田碳酸盐岩裂缝性储层地球物理预测技术的应用

白云岩成岩收缩晶间孔、洞、缝与构造网状缝相互沟通可以组成良好的油气储层，但是这种复杂裂缝—孔隙型储层分布随机性强、发育程度和差异性大，储层预测难度大。本文以中国西部酒泉盆地青西油田下白垩统下沟组湖相白云岩裂缝—孔隙型储层为例，提出地球物理综合预测碳酸盐岩裂缝的方法。本文描述了综合地球物理方法预测碳酸盐岩裂缝储层的实施和应用效果。     

Signatures in flowing fluid electric conductivity logs

Flowing fluid electric conductivity logging provides a means to determine hydrologic properties of fractures, fracture zones, or other permeable layers intersecting a borehole in saturated rock. The method involves analyzing the time-evolution of fluid electric conductivity (FEC) logs obtained while the well is being pumped and yields information on the location, hydraulic transmissivity, and salinity of permeable layers. The original analysis method was restricted to the case in which flows from the permeable layers or fractures were directed into the borehole (inflow). Recently, the method was adapted to permit treatment of both inflow and outflow, including analysis of natural regional flow in the permeable layer. A numerical model simulates flow and transport in the wellbore during flowing FEC logging, and fracture properties are determined by optimizing the match between simulation results and observed FEC logs. This can be a laborious trial-and-error procedure, especially when both inflow and outflow points are present. Improved analyses methods are needed. One possible tactic would be to develop an automated inverse method, but this paper takes a more elementary approach and focuses on identifying the signatures that various inflow and outflow features create in flowing FEC logs. The physical insight obtained provides a basis for more efficient analysis of these logs, both for the present trial and error approach and for a potential future automated inverse approach. Inflow points produce distinctive signatures in the FEC logs themselves, enabling the determination of location, inflow rate, and ion concentration. Identifying outflow locations and flow rates typically requires a more complicated integral method, which is also presented in this paper.     

Model identification for hydrological forecasting under uncertainty

Methods for the identification of models for hydrological forecasting have to consider the specific nature of these models and the uncertainties present in the modeling process. Current approaches fail to fully incorporate these two aspects. In this paper we review the nature of hydrological models and the consequences of this nature for the task of model identification. We then continue to discuss the history (“The need for more POWER‘’), the current state (“Learning from other fields”) and the future (“Towards a general framework”) of model identification. The discussion closes with a list of desirable features for an identification framework under uncertainty and open research questions in need of answers before such a framework can be implemented.     

The Quantitative Identification of Regional Mine and Natural Earthquakes and Its Application

INTRODUCTIONThe structural mine earthquake in coal mines refers to the quake induced by excavationengineeringthatleadstorupturingor change of geological structure and weakness surfaceintheinteriorof rock mass.According to the origin,mine earthquakes can b…     

DEFORESTATION IN NORTHEAST THAILAND, 1975–91: RESULTS OF A GENERAL STATISTICAL MODEL

Using a general statistical model, this study attempts to characterise the trend of deforestation in the northeast region (Isan) of Thailand between 1975 and 1991, a period when the kingdom had sustained high rates of economic growth and steady increases in population. Using data obtained directly from government bodies on the 17 provinces comprising this heavily deforested region, the study examines the correlations between forest area and a set of six variables: population density, agricultural area, real per capita income, accumulated irrigated area, agricultural credit levels, and distance from Bangkok, the national political and economic centre. It also considers the effect of the two logging bans instituted in 1979 and since 1989. The study found a negative correlation between forest area and population density in particular, followed in ranking by agricultural credit, per capita income, the logging bans and distance from Bangkok. Viewed together with more recent data showing that rates of deforestation in the kingdom as a whole have slowed and appear to be stabilising, these results also suggest the beginnings in the 1990s of a forest transition – from an industrial to a post‐industrial stage in forest utilisation – in Thailand.     

Ancient sand-rich submarine fans: depositional systems, models, identification, and analysis

Sand-rich submarine fans are radial or curved in plan view depending on the slope of the basin floor. They occur isolated or in coalescing systems. The fans' average lateral extent measures close to 25 km and their thickness usually less than 300 m. The thickness of outer fan sequences averages around 120 m and that of middle fan successions around 160 m. Rarely reported inner fan sequences have a maximum thickness of 80 m.

The formation of sand-rich fans is closely related to tectonic activity. Their sediment is coarse-grained and compositionally immature as indicated by significant feldspar content due to close provenance and rapid transport by short rivers with a steep gradient controlled by tectonism. Tectonic activity also provides for narrow shelves making the fans relatively insensitive to sealevel changes. Formation of sand-rich fans typically occurs in restricted continental basins. The tectonic settings are highly variable. Sand-rich fans typically receive their sediment through submarine canyons which intercept sand from longshore drift and/or are fed more or less directly by regional rivers.

The type of ancient fan system (radial, curved, isolated, coalescing) may be identified through paleocurrent map plots, facies map sketches, recognition of lateral thickness variations and sediment influx centers, as well as lateral bed correlations defining the minimum fan extent.

Important in distinguishing different environments of ancient fans are detailed measured sections, their comparison and correlation. Channelized inner fan and middle fan deposits may be distinguished from the unchannelized outer fan successions through bed correlation tests which reflect their different stratigraphic architectures and bedding patterns. Bedding in outer fan deposits (lobes) is relatively simple, parallel, and regular. The lateral bed continuity is relatively high. Channel fills, especially those of middle fan distributary channels, display a complicated bedding pattern with vertical and lateral random distribution of channel fills, axial erosion, and bed convergence towards the channel margins. Channel fills exhibit only linear bed continuity. Thus, the probability in carrying out local to regional scale lateral bed correlations is almost exclusively limited to outer fan deposits.

The measured sections will help further distinguish fan environments by revealing: (1) different facies associations in outer fan sequences (mainly B, C and D) and middle fan successions (mainly A, B, C, D, and channel margin facies); (2) greater average bed and layer thicknesses in middle fan as opposed to outer fan successions (“bed” and “layer” as used herein); (3) more frequent amalgamation surfaces in channel fills than in unchannelized outer fan deposits; (4) more frequent tabular amalgamation surfaces in outer fan sections; (5) more frequent nontabular amalgamation surfaces in channel fills; and (6) more frequent dish structures in middle fan than outer fan successions.

Rarely exposed fan valley fills may be identified by coarse conglomerates. Moreover, in proximity to fan valley fills, relatively mud-rich sediments may be observed that derive from the depositional system of the basin slope.     

利用地震属性研究准噶尔盆地西北缘拐19井区下侏罗统三工河组沉积环境

在准噶尔盆地西北缘，寻找岩性圈闭油气藏已是至关重要的问题。但人们几乎还是用常规的手段来寻找岩性油气藏，没有实质性进展。本文是以利用宽方位角采集的地震数据为基础，对数据进行高保真资料处理和参考标准层的层拉平解释。利用前人的区域地质研究成果和钻井解释成果对侏罗系的沉积环境进行了精细的描述，确定了拐19井区在下侏罗统三工河组的出油层段附近的沉积环境由湖泊相－三角洲前缘相－河流相－湖泊相的演化过程。利用地震属性解释的结果也能较好地反映目标区的沉积环境变迁，并且与区域地质、测井解释结果相吻合，为寻找油气提供了很好的依据。由此得出利用地震属性可以进行沉积环境变迁分析，为油田寻找岩性圈闭及油气藏做出贡献。     

Under stress permeability determination of the Meuse/Haute-Marne mudstone

In the underground waste isolation projects such as the ANDRA'one in the site of Bure, the transport properties of the surrounding rock mass is of fundamental importance. To measure very low permeability, we use the modified version of the pulse test proposed by Hsieh et al. [Hsieh, P.A., Tracy, J.V., Neuzil, C.E., Bredehoeft, J.D., Silliman, S.E., 1981. A transient laboratory method for determining the hydraulic properties of ‘tight’ rocks — I. Theory. Int. J. Rock Mech. Min. Sci. Geomech. Abstr. Vol. 18, pp. 245-252] which enables the intrinsic permeability, k, and the specific storage coefficient, S_s, of rocks such as mudstone to be characterized. In this paper, the special effort performed on the laboratory apparatus design, to ensure a good sensitivity of the rock response with respect to both parameters, k and S_s, is presented. In addition, two parameters identification procedures are proposed: the graphical method given by Hsieh et al. [Hsieh, P.A., Tracy, J.V., Neuzil, C.E., Bredehoeft, J.D., Silliman, S.E., 1981. A transient laboratory method for determining the hydraulic properties of ‘tight’ rocks — I. Theory. Int. J. Rock Mech. Min. Sci. Geomech. Abstr. Vol. 18, pp. 245-252] and a parameter identification based on the solution of an inverse problem. The efficiency of the apparatus design and the parameters identification procedures is then demonstrated though some pulse tests performed on the Meuse/Haute-Marne mudstone.