Analysis of shaft resistance of jacked piles in sands

In recent years, pile jacking has become a viable alternative installation method for displacement piles. Pile jacking produces minimal noise, vibration and air pollution during installation. In addition, it is possible, at the end of jacking, to have a good estimate of the ultimate static capacity of the pile. In this paper, the shaft resistance of piles jacked into sand is studied using one‐dimensional finite element analysis. The finite element simulations, using a two‐surface plasticity model, demonstrate the effects of relative density and confinement on the unit shaft resistance of piles jacked in sand. The impact of the number of jacking strokes on the unit shaft capacity is also assessed. Based on the numerical results, we developed equations for shaft resistance quantifying the effects of relative density, initial confinement and number of jacking strokes. Predictions using these equations are compared with data obtained from centrifuge tests and field tests. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Review and enhancement of 3D concrete models for large‐scale numerical simulations of concrete structures

The present paper focuses on selected plasticity and damage‐plasticity models for describing the 3D material behavior of concrete. In particular, a plasticity model and a damage‐plasticity model are reviewed and evaluated. Based on the results of the evaluation, enhancements are proposed, aiming at improving the correspondence between predicted and observed material behavior and aiming at implementing a robust and efficient stress update algorithm in a finite element program for performing large‐scale 3D numerical simulations of concrete structures. The capabilities of the concrete models are demonstrated by 3D numerical simulations of benchmark tests with combined bending and torsional loading and combined compression and shear loading and by a large‐scale 3D finite element analysis of a model test of a concrete arch dam. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Geochemistry of Paraná-Etendeka basalts from Misiones,Argentina: Some new insights into the petrogenesis of high-Ti continental flood basalts

The Early Cretaceous (∼135–131 Ma) Paraná-Etendeka continental flood basalts, preserved in bulk in the Paraná basin of southern Brazil and vicinity, have been divided into low-Ti and high-Ti types that govern the southern and northern halves of the basin, respectively. We have examined a new sample set from the southern margin of the northern high-Ti segment of Paraná basalts in Misiones, northeastern Argentina. These basalts are strongly to moderately enriched in TiO₂ (2–4 wt.%), have relatively high Ti/Y (300–500), low MgO (3.5–6.5 wt.%), and high Fe (FeO(tot) 12–14 wt.%) and belong to the Pitanga and Paranapanema magma types of Peate et al. (1992). Nd and Sr isotope compositions are quite unvarying with ε_Nd (at 133 Ma) values of −4.6 to −3.6 and initial ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr of 0.7054–0.7059 and show no variation with fractionation. Compared to high-Ti lavas in the central and northern parts of the Paraná high-Ti basalt segment, the lavas from Misiones are similar to those in the northeastern magin of the basin but less radiogenic in initial Nd isotope composition than those in the central part. This variation probably reflects mixed EM1-EM2 source components in the sublithospheric mantle. A polybaric melt model of a sublithospheric mantle source at the garnet lherzolite-spinel lherzolite transition is compatible with the observed Ti budget of the Pitanga and Paranapanema lavas, regardless of the Nd isotope composition of their purported source.     

Underwater Navigation Based on Real-Time Simultaneous Sound Speed Profile Correction

Precise sound speed profile (SSP) information is critical when using sonar for underwater terrain navigation. Nevertheless, acquiring SSP information in real-time is difficult, especially in underwater navigation environment. To account for this problem, this paper presents an underwater navigation method that applies real-time SSP correction to the terrain measurements. The method uses a probe to measure the surface sound speed simultaneously. Meanwhile, redundancy of topographic measurement data is exploited to derive the equivalent SSP information. The acquired equivalent SSP is updated continuously with particle filter algorithm. The terrain measurements can be corrected in real-time with the equivalent SSP to improve the performance of underwater terrain navigation. By removing the impact of inaccurate SSP from the terrain measurements, the proposed method can achieve precise and robust underwater navigation result without using an underway-profiling instrument. Simulated results confirm the good performance of the proposed method.     

The Effect of Concrete Deformation on Displacement of an Axially Loaded Drilled Shaft

This article presents the settlement of drilled shafts resulting from their structural deformations. Although drilled shafts are widely used as foundations for settlement-sensitive structures such as bridges and high-rise buildings, the structural deformations of drilled shafts are not typically taken into account in the design process. However, if unexpected structural deformations of drilled shafts cause additional settlement to the foundation, the serviceability of the superstructure can be jeopardized. Unfortunately, very few research efforts have been made to quantify the structural deformation of drilled shafts; this needs to be addressed to accurately predict the settlement of drilled shafts. In this study, we investigate the effect of structural deformation on displacement of axially loaded drilled shafts. Finite element analyses were performed to quantify the structural deformation of drilled shafts. The analysis results indicated that the structural deformation of drilled shafts could be quite significant for long drilled shafts. The main factors that affected the structural deformation of drilled shafts were found to be pile length, the material properties of drilled shafts, and the relative humidity of surrounding soil. An approximate equation is proposed to estimate the long-term deformation of drilled shafts.     

Multi-factor sensitivity analysis on the stability of submarine hydrate-bearing slope

There are many factors affecting the instability of the submarine hydrate-bearing slope (SHBS), and the interaction with hydrate is very complicated. In this paper, the mechanical mechanism of the static liquefaction and instability of submarine slope caused by the dissociation of natural gas hydrate (NGH) resulting in the rapid increase of pore pressure of gas hydrate-bearing sediments (GHBS) and the decrease of effective stress are analyzed based on the time series and type of SHBS. Then, taking the typical submarine slope in the northern South China Sea as an example, four important factors affecting the stability of SHBS are selected, such as the degree of hydrate dissociation, the depth of hydrate burial, the thickness of hydrate, and the depth of seawater. According to the principle of orthogonal method, 25 orthogonal test schemes with 4 factors and 5 levels are designed and the safety factors of submarine slope stability of each scheme are calculated by using the strength reduction finite element method. By means of the orthogonal design range analysis and the variance analysis, sensitivity of influential factors on stability of SHBS are obtained. The results show that the degree of hydrate dissociation is the most sensitive, followed by hydrate burial depth, the thickness of hydrate and the depth of seawater. Finally, the concept of gas hydrate critical burial depth is put forward according to the influence law of gas hydrate burial depth, and the numerical simulation for specific submarine slope is carried out, which indicates the existence of critical burial depth.     

西秦岭夏河—合作地区早子沟和加甘滩金矿床石英微量元素特征及意义

西秦岭造山带发育有大量三叠纪的金矿床,早子沟和加甘滩金矿床是其中最典型的两个矿床,其金资源量分别为116 t和154 t,均为特大型金矿床。早子沟、加甘滩金矿床均位于夏河—合作区域性逆冲推覆断裂以南。早子沟赋矿地层为三叠统古浪堤组,赋矿岩石为泥质板岩、条带状硅质板岩及粉砂质板岩;加甘滩矿区出露地层为三叠统隆务河组,金矿体赋存于长石石英变砂岩夹粉砂质板岩岩性段内。加甘滩金矿床的研究程度相对较低,属中低温构造蚀变岩型金矿床;早子沟金矿床研究程度较高,但是对它的成因仍有不同的认识。石英的微量元素地球化学特征能够提供成矿流体来源与演化的信息,通过对早子沟和加甘滩金矿床开展石英的微量元素地球化学特征研究,探讨其成矿流体来源、成矿条件以及石英微量元素对金矿床形成的指示,为西秦岭造山带金矿床成因研究提供重要的信息。早子沟和加甘滩金矿床不同类型矿石中石英具有相似的稀土元素球粒陨石标准化配分曲线,总体表现出轻稀土元素相对富集、重稀土元素轻微亏损的特征,而且轻稀土元素与重稀土元素分馏程度高,重稀土元素内部分馏程度弱。 早子沟金矿床成矿期热液石英中Rb与Li呈负相关,Rb与Cs呈正相关,而加甘滩金矿床热液石英中Rb与Li、Cs相关性不明显,表明早子沟金矿床石英中Li含量随流体含量的增加而减少,而Cs含量随流体含量的增加而增加。大多数样品具有Eu负异常和弱的Ce正异常,表明早子沟和加甘滩金矿床形成于还原环境,成矿温度较低。样品的(La/Yb)_N较大,反映成矿深度相对较浅。石英的Y/Ho值分别为25.14~30.14和23.40~28.94,指示成矿流体与地壳关系密切。大多数石英样品的Th/La和 Nb/La 值小于1,在大陆地壳标准化图解中具有明显的Sc负异常,Cr、W、Pb和U正异常,表明成矿流体富Cl^-,相对富集Cr、W、Pb和U等元素。结合大地构造背景分析,早子沟和加甘滩金矿形成于大陆边缘环境。     

三峡库区紫色土微量元素含量的变化

以三峡库区典型坡面紫色土为例,对土壤中微量元素的含量及其在不同坡度、不同利用方式下的变化进行初步研究。结果表明,库区紫色土中Fe、Mn、Ni、Zr、Sr和Ti的含量相对较多,Mo的含量较为丰富,Zn和Pb的含量相对较低。Pb、Cu和Co的含量在一定坡度范围内随坡地坡度的增大而减少,Zr和Cr的含量则增加。紫色土中Cu、Pb、Co、Ti、Zr、Ni、Cr、Sr等微量元素的含量随坡度的变化具有一定的相关性。耕作土和非耕作土中微量元素含量差异明显,人为活动是引起库区紫色土微量元素含量变化的主要因素。     

赣中变质岩带地质地球化学演化特征

赣中变质岩带由结晶基底和褶皱基底组成。从结晶基底→褶皱基底,变质泥质岩类SI O2含量降低,AL2O3含量增加;变粒岩、石英片岩、硅质岩SI O2含量显著升高,AL2O3含量显著降低;NA2O含量显著降低,K2O的含量有明显的升高,NA2O/K2O值呈显著的降低趋势;FEO、MGO、TI O2及全铁含量(FE2O3 FEO)呈降低的趋势,但FE2O3升高,FE2O3/FEO值显著增高。铁族元素TI、V、CR升高,MN、CO、NI降低;亲铜元素ZN显著升高;大离子亲石元素LI、RB、SR显著降低,U、TH、BA显著升高,SR/BA值急剧降低;LA、CE、YB、NB、Y元素升高;稀土总量、轻稀土含量、轻重稀土比值、轻重稀土相互分离程度、EU亏损程度增加,说明它们原岩沉积环境的差异性,但它们的重稀土含量、LA/CE值、SM/ND值变化很小,稀土配分曲线相互平行反映它们源区岩石的一致性及继承性。从结晶基底→褶皱基底,岩石的ΕND(0)、(~(206)PB/~(204)PB)I、(~(207)PB/~(204)PB)I、(~(208)PB/~(204)PB)I值由低→高;地壳趋于成熟,结晶基底形成于岛弧环境,褶皱基底形成于活动大陆边缘环境。     

地下流体测项中氟氯离子及水电导的映震效率

展示了数十年来国内外科研机构运用地下流体测项中氟氯离子及水电导的异常特征探索防震减灾的突出成果。在分析了异常特征可能的产生机理后指出:流体测项中氟氯离子及水电导很可能是我们探寻多年的地化敏感元素,该元素抗干扰能力强,映震效果好,测试方便快捷,既经济又可靠。建议各地区结合本地化学、地质构造特征做到扬长避短,在不适合进行水位和水气观测的井泉多开展对氟氯及其他离子元素和水电导的多项目的综合监测研究,做到一井多用,监测有重点,分析有全面。