Probabilistic geotechnical analyses for offshore facilities

Society requires increasingly that the hazard and risk associated with engineered constructions be quantified. The current paper presents geotechnical hazard assessment in the context of a risk framework. Concepts of uncertainties, reliability, safety and risk are briefly reviewed. The use of the approach is exemplified for offshore facilities, including piled foundations, jack-up structures, gravity foundations and underwater slopes. The applications demonstrate that probabilistic analyses complement the conventional deterministic safety factor and deformation-based analyses, and contribute to achieving a safe and optimum design. The probabilistic approach adds value to the results with a modest additional effort. The conclusions emphasize the usefulness of a risk assessment, the importance of engineering judgement in the assessment and the need for involving multi-disciplinary competences to achieve reliable estimates of hazard and risk. The profession can only gain by implementing probabilistic-based thinking and risk-based approaches more systematically than before.     

皖北新元古界软沉积物液化变形-塌落叠合构造的古地震成因研究

在皖北新元古界四十里长山组下部粉砂岩层中, 发育有一个软沉积物液化变形-塌落叠合构造。观测剖面共分为三部分: 下部为啸积砾岩未变形层, 中部为液化均一层、球枕状层和塌落叠合层, 上部为震积不整合面, 不整合面之上为啸积砾岩未变形层。共同构成一个完整的地震-海啸震积岩序列。中部的液化均一层、球枕状层和塌落叠合层是震积事件的主旋回层。对剖面特征及成因机理研究分析后发现, 该剖面位于浅海陆棚边缘斜坡相带。在古地震多旋回脉动震颤作用下, 经液化均一变形, 负载体下沉滑覆及盖层塌落多重叠合, 最终形成具有软沉积物变形特征的叠合构造。四十里长山组沉积期, 位于浅海陆棚边缘斜坡地带的粉砂质软沉积物, 为震颤变形的能量转化提供了物质基础。而强地震的多旋回脉动作用, 给软沉积物液化均一变形、负载体下沉滑覆、盖层塌落叠合等提供了原动力。     

Geotechnical problems on freezing ground soil and experimental investigation in Kazakhstan

Frost susceptibility should be considered in the design and construction of foundations and retaining-wall structures in regions with the seasonally freezing-soil ground condition. When planning construction that goes deep into this soil, one has to understand the impact of horizontal forces to an underground wall and realize the potential effect of frost heaving upon, deep foundations. This article presents a few soil tests for frost heaving and the results of those tests show dangerous data for retaining structures under the soil conditions in Kazakhstan. The main parameters of the soil include frost penetration and heaving rate and amount. So, in designing underground structures, one must understand and consider that frost heaving occurs in various directions; this factor is very important for predicting on the restriction of deformations of structures in the seasonally freezing-soil ground condition.     

Three-dimensional characteristics of mesoscale eddies simulated by a regional model in the northwestern Pacific Ocean during 2000–2008

Mesoscale eddies play vital roles in ocean processes. Although previous studies focused on eddy surface features and individual three-dimensional (3D) eddy cases in the northwestern Pacific Ocean, the analysis of unique eddy 3D regional characteristics is still lacking. A 3D eddy detection scheme is applied to 9 years (2000–2008) of eddy-resolving Regional Ocean Modeling System (ROMS) output to obtain a 3D eddy dataset from the surface to a depth of 1 000 m in the northwestern Pacific Ocean (15°–35°N, 120°–145°E). The 3D characteristics of mesoscale eddies are analyzed in two regions, namely, Box1 (Subtropical Countercurrent, 15°–25°N, 120°–145°E) and Box2 (Southern Kuroshio Extension, 25°–35°N, 120°–145°E). In Box1, the current is characterized by strong vertical shear and weak horizontal shear. In Box2, the current is characterized by the strong Kuroshio, topographic effect, and the westward propagation of Rossby waves. The results indicate the importance of baroclinic instability in Box1, whereas in Box2, both the barotropic and baroclinic instability are important. Moreover, the mesoscale eddies’ properties in Box1 and Box2 are distinct. The eddies in Box1 have larger number and radius but a shorter lifetime. By contrast, Box2 has fewer eddies, which have smaller radius but longer lifetime. Vertically, more eddies are detected at the subsurface than at the surface in both regions; the depth of 650 m is the turning point in Box1. Above this depth, the number of cyclonic eddies (CEs) is larger than that of anticyclonic eddies (AEs). In Box2, the number of CEs is dominant vertically. Eddy kinetic energy (EKE) and mean normalized relative vorticity in Box2 are significantly higher than those in Box1. With increasing depth, the attenuation trend of EKE and relative vorticity of Box1 become greater than those of Box2. Furthermore, the upper ocean (about 300 m in depth) contains 68.6% of the eddies (instantaneous eddy). Only 16.6% of the eddies extend to 1 000 m. In addition, about 87% of the eddies are bowl-shaped eddies in the two regions. Only about 3% are cone-shaped eddies. With increasing depth of the eddies, the proportion of bowl-shaped eddies gradually decreases. Conversely, the cone- and lens-shaped eddies are equal in number at 700–1 000 m, accounting for about 30% each. Studying the 3D characteristics of eddies in two different regions of the northwestern Pacific Ocean is an important stepping stone for discussing the different eddy generation mechanisms.     

Methods and prospects of road and linear structure automatic extraction from remote sensing images

Automatic extraction of road and linear structure from remote sensing images is a very important problem. This paper analyses several existing methods of the automatic road and linear structure extraction by using some multi-spectral remote sensing images acquired from different spatial resolutions, districts and road characteristics. Their advantages and disadvantages have been, generalized.     

柯坪塔格断裂带重复地震识别及其时空特征分析

根据互相关系数不小于0.8的波形互相关意义上重复地震的定义,利用国家数字地震台网中的乌什和巴楚台记录的区域地震波形数据,识别并研究了新疆柯坪塔格断裂带及其周缘的板内重复地震.对所有相互距离不超过30 km的地震事件的垂直分量采用0.5-5.0 Hz带通滤波后进行波形互相关计算.其中乌什台共识别出460例重复地震,组成重复地震对和多重地震对共171组,占总事件数的15.5％;巴楚台共识别出822例重复地震,组成重复地震对和多重地震对共298组,占总事件数的21.2％00.对重复地震的分析表明,台站分布的不同和波形事件记录质量的差异,是造成两个台站识别出的“重复地震”数目和比例不同的原因.对重复地震复发的时间间隔统计表明,重复间隔从数分钟到数百天不等,最长重复间隔达10年.     

Interactions eaux de surface–eaux souterraines: bassin versant de l'Oued Mikkes (Maroc)

Résumé

Le bassin de l'Oued Mikkès est situé au centre-nord du Maroc. Il comporte trois zones distinctes présentant des géologies assez diversifiées et abritant des nappes souterraines; une nappe phréatique et une autre captive dans le bassin du Sais et une nappe libre dans le causse Moyen Atlasique. Il correspond à un régime simple pluvial océanique soutenu par les eaux souterraines. La baisse importante du niveau des nappes du bassin de Mikkès observée depuis le début des années 1980 est probablement due à l'effet combiné de la sécheresse et de la surexploitation. Ceci a une influence sur les débits des sources et sur celui de l'oued. Pour la nappe phréatique du Sais, la corrélation positive et la proximité des courbes de fluctuations temporelles entre le débit de la rivière et le niveau piézométrique en dehors des périodes de crues suggère une relation d'alimentation–drainage entre la nappe et la rivière. La ressemblance des courbes de variations du niveau piézométrique de la nappe phréatique et du niveau de la nappe profonde laisse supposer l'existence d'une connexion hydraulique entre la nappe profonde et la rivière. Cependant, le reflet d'une très forte infiltration au sein du causse Moyen Atlasique ne permet pas de démontrer une corrélation positive entre le niveau de la rivière et celui de la nappe.

Citation Belhassan, K., Hessane, M. A. & Essahlaoui, A. (2010) Interactions eaux de surface–eaux souterraines: bassin versant de l'Oued Mikkes (Maroc). Hydrol. Sci. J. 55(8), 1371–1384.     

A component approach for the hysteretic behaviour of connections in cross‐laminated wooden structures

In this paper, a numerical model to estimate the dissipative capacity and describe the cyclic response of cross‐laminated (X‐lam) timber buildings is presented. The connections between panels and to the foundation (metal hold‐downs and angle brackets, and screwed connectors) are modelled with nonlinear hysteretic multispring elements taking into account the strength interaction between different degrees of freedom according to a predefined domain. The timber components (solid X‐lam floors and wall panels) are modelled using elastic shell elements. By calibration on experimental cyclic tests carried out on each degree of freedom, important features of timber connection behaviour such as post‐peak strength, pinching and stiffness degradation can all be considered. In addition, the effect of friction at the interface between panels and with foundation can be taken into account. These springs have been implemented as external subroutines in a widespread software package such as Abaqus. By comparison with the experimental results of cyclic tests carried out on single X‐lam walls, coupled X‐lam walls and a single‐storey X‐lam building, the accuracy of the proposed model is demonstrated. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Numerical upper bounds to the ultimate load bearing capacity of three-dimensional reinforced concrete structures

This contribution is addressing the ultimate limit state design of massive three-dimensional reinforced concrete structures based on a finite-element implementation of yield design theory. The strength properties of plain concrete are modeled either by means of a tension cutoff Mohr Coulomb or a Rankine condition, while the contribution of the reinforcing bars is taken into account by means of a homogenization method. This homogenization method can either represent regions of uniformly distributed steel rebars smeared into the concrete domain, but it can also be extended to model single rebars diluted into a larger region, thereby simplifying mesh generation and mesh size requirements in this region. The present paper is mainly focused on the implementation of the upper bound kinematic approach formulated as a convex minimization problem. The retained strength condition for the plain concrete and homogenized reinforced regions are both amenable to a formulation involving positive semidefinite constraints. The resulting semidefinite programming problems can, therefore, be solved using state-of-the-art dedicated solvers. The whole computational procedure is applied to some illustrative examples, where the implementation of both static and kinematic methods produces a relatively accurate bracketing of the exact failure load for this kind of structures.     

Uniform hazard versus uniform risk bases for performance‐based earthquake engineering of light‐frame wood construction

This paper investigates the implications of designing for uniform hazard versus uniform risk for light‐frame wood residential construction subjected to earthquakes in the United States. Using simple structural models of one‐story residences with typical lateral force‐resisting systems (shear walls) found in buildings in western, eastern and central regions of the United States as illustrations, the seismic demands are determined using nonlinear dynamic time‐history analyses, whereas the collapse capacities are determined using incremental dynamic analyses. The probabilities of collapse, conditioned on the occurrence of the maximum considered earthquakes and design earthquakes stipulated in ASCE Standard 7‐05, and the collapse margins of these typical residential structures are compared for typical construction practices in different regions in the United States. The calculated collapse inter‐story drifts are compared with the limits stipulated in FEMA 356/ASCE Standard 41‐06 and observed in the recent experimental testing. The results of this study provide insights into residential building risk assessment and the relation between building seismic performance implied by the current earthquake‐resistant design and construction practices and performance levels in performance‐based engineering of light‐frame wood construction being considered by the SEI/ASCE committee on reliability‐based design of wood structures. Further code developments are necessary to achieve the goal of uniform risk in earthquake‐resistant residential construction. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.