Simulation of seismic response in a city-like environment

We study the seismic response of idealized 2D cities, constituted by non-equally spaced, non-equally sized homogenized blocks anchored in a soft layer overlying a hard half space. The blocks and soft layer are occupied by dissipative media. To simulate such response, we use an approximation of the viscoelastic modulus by a low-order rational function of frequency and incorporate this approximation into a first-order-in-time scheme. Our results display spatially variable, strong, long-duration responses inside the blocks and on the ground, which qualitatively match the responses observed in some earthquake-prone cities of Mexico, France, the USA, etc.     

Studies on wind environment around high buildings in urban areas

High buildings or architectural complex in urban areas remarkably distort the urban surface wind fields. As the air flow approaches,local strong wind may appear around the buildings. The strong wind makes the pedestrians on sidewalks, entrances and terrace very uncomfortable and causes the pedestrian level wind environment problem. In this studies, hot-wire wind measurement, wind scouring in wind tunnel and numerical computation were carried out to evaluate the wind environment of tall buildings in the prevailing flow conditions in Beijing areas. The results obtained by three techniques were compared and mutually verified. The conclusions drawn from three approaches agree with each other. Also the advantages and limitations of each method were analyzed. It is suggested that the combination of different techniques may produce better assessment of wind environment around high buildings.     

云南省祥(云)-临(沧)公路红土坡隧道变形原因及加固方案

云南省祥(云)-临(沧)公路红土坡隧道，在施工过程中变形严重，洞内数次冒顶、产生地面陷落，并诱发滑坡，严重影响了施工进度并造成较大经济损失。文章根据现场勘查及变形监控量测资料，详细论述了隧道变形特点，从地层岩性、构造、地应力条件、地下水作用、施工工艺、滑坡影响等方面综合分析了隧道变形原因。红土坡隧道变形是软弱的地层岩性、地应力条件改变、地下水作用、施工工艺以及滑坡偏压等各种因素共同作用的结果。且隧道变形诱发滑坡，滑坡又促使隧道进一步变形。基于此，文章提出了首先对滑坡进行支挡，再对隧道围岩进行加固的整治思路，并提出具体工程方案。整治工程实施后，红土坡隧道变形已得到完全控制，取得良好的治理效果。     

浙江江山石鼓水库除险加固工程技术措施

根据浙江江山石鼓水库大坝的结构构造特点、水库地质条件以及水库病险原因与状况，制定出一套科学完善的病险水库除险加固工程技术措施和施工操作规程，对病险水库进行了全面彻底治理，并取得良好效果。详细介绍了工程病险状况，除险加固方案设计，施工工艺及操作规程，加固效果检测及评价等。     

Stability analysis of tunnels driven in jointed rocks by means of a homogenized limit analysis approach

Conceived as a potential alternative to the classical design methods employed for analyzing the stability of underground structures driven in jointed rocks, the homogenization approach stems from the heuristic idea that, from a macroscopic point of view, a rock mass cut by a network of joints may be perceived as a homogenized continuum. The strength properties of the latter can be theoretically obtained from the failure conditions of its individual constituents: rock matrix and joint interfaces. At the material level, the limit analysis reasoning is used in the context of homogenization to formulate the homogenized strength criterion of a jointed rock mass in the particular situation of a single set of parallel joints. As it could be expected, the obtained closed‐form expressions show the strength anisotropy induced by joint preferential orientation. The support functions (π functions) associated with the homogenized strength criterion are also determined in both plane strain and three‐dimensional cases. This criterion is then applied to the investigation of stability analysis of a tunnel excavated in a jointed rock mass. Upper bounds estimated of the stability factor are derived from the implementation of the kinematic approach directly on the homogenized underground structure. Finally, the approach is applied to analyze and discuss the collapse of the Pinheiros subway station (São Paulo, Brazil). Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Long‐term monitoring of a mercury contaminated estuary (Ria de Aveiro,Portugal): the effect of weather events and management in mercury transport

The main aim of this research was to assess the mercury transport from an estuarine basin with a background of anthropogenic contamination during a spring tidal cycle (year 2009) and compare it with two previous tidal cycles (years 1994 and 1999), as part of a long‐term monitoring program. Results showed that effective mercury transport occurs both in the dissolved and particulate fractions (0.18 and 0.20 kg per tidal cycle, respectively), and despite an overall decrease in environmental contamination, results more than double previous findings on particulate transport in the system. These findings result essentially from changes in the tidal prism (net export of 2 million m³ of water), given that both dissolved and particulate concentrations did not increase over time. Hydrodynamic simulations were performed to evaluate the effect of physical disturbance (dredging) and weather events (increased freshwater flow) in these processes, and results suggest the increased freshwater flow into the system as the main forcing function for the mercury transport increment. These results highlight the importance of long‐term monitoring programs, since despite an overall improvement in local contamination levels, the enhancement of transport processes through hydrological changes increases environmental pressure away from the contamination source. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

A new numerical approach to the hyperstatic reaction method for segmental tunnel linings

This paper proposes a numerical approach to the hyperstatic reaction method (HRM) for the analysis of segmental tunnel linings. The influence of segmental joints has been considered directly using a fixity ratio that is determined on the basis of the rotational stiffness. The parameters necessary for the calculation are presented. A specific implementation has been developed using a FEM framework. This code is able to consider the three‐dimensional (3D) effect of segment joints in successive rings on the tunnel lining behaviour. The present HRM allows one to take an arbitrary distribution of segment joints along the tunnel boundary into consideration. In addition, the rotational stiffness of segment joints has been simulated using nonlinear behaviour, as it is closer to the true behaviour of a joint than linear or bilinear behaviour. The numerical results of three hypotheses on ring interaction, which allow the 3D effect of a segmental tunnel lining to be taken into account, have been compared with data obtained from the shield‐driven tunnel of the Bologna–Florence high‐speed railway line project. The numerical results presented in the paper show that the proposed HRM can be used to effectively estimate the behaviour of a segmental tunnel lining. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

秩亏自由网平差在地铁隧道保护区中的应用

地铁隧道保护区沉降监测网中包含多个基准点,依据不同基准点平差所得结果也不相同。本文引入秩亏自由网平差方法,将所有基准点视为待定参数进行平差,并通过工程实例,验证此方法在地铁隧道保护区沉降观测中有一定的适用性。     

浅析运营期间电力隧道自动化监测技术

针对城市电力隧道结构、走向多变、电缆设施多、电磁干扰大等因素,常规的监测方法难以顺利完成的现状,对目前先进的3种隧道结构自动化监测系统进行深入的研究比较,光纤传感自动技术解决了电力隧道结构监测点布设困难,数据受电磁干扰大的问题,能实时有效、可靠、高精度地监控电力隧道,及时掌握隧道的应力、应变及振动等主要结构参数,确保隧道结构安全。研究对类似的城市电力隧道自动化监测具有一定的参考意义。