Discussion: A review on the behaviour of helical piles as a potential offshore foundation system

Abstract

Helical piles have emerged as an attractive foundation system for offshore applications with renewed interest from the offshore community. Significant research gap currently exists in transferring this technology offshore and this paper discusses how existing and emerging knowledge can be successfully used to bridge some of the gaps. We focus on the Coupled Eulerian Lagrangian (CEL) large deformation finite element (LDFE) modelling technique that is commercially available and can be used to model the three-dimensional installation process with consideration of strain rate and softening effects in soft offshore clays. A helical pile of L?=?7.5?m long is modelled with one or two large-diameter helices (D?=?2?m) attached to a central shaft of d?=?0.5?m in diameter.The net effect of strain rate and softening is to increase the installation torque. The measured torque is within the range of 200–400?kN.m for the offshore clay and the pile geometry studied. Additional helices increase the uplift force but to a lesser degree than that of the measured torque. Remoulding induced strength reduction is found to be within the range of 25–33% of the intact clay strength. Issues of extracting and reusing offshore helical pile foundations are discussed.     

连云港近岸海域物理自净能力研究及水质预测——Ⅲ.西大堤建成后对物质输运的影响

在连云港近岸海域计算潮流场基础上建立拉格朗日余流模型,并对连云港市两大堤建成前后的拉格朗日余流变化进行了分析,且选择有代表性的排污口进行了数值跟踪。     

Comparison of Strain-rate Dependent Stress-Strain Behavior from Ko-consolidated Compression and Extension Tests on Natural Hong Kong Marine Deposits

This article presents results from a series of K_o-consolidated compression and extension triaxial tests on specimens from undisturbed samples of Hong Kong Marine Deposits (HKMD). To investigate the strain-rate effects, a total of seven K_o-consolidated triaxial tests were conducted including four compression tests and three extension tests. After K_o-consolidation, the triaxial test specimens were sheared at step-changed axial strain rates under three different confining pressures of 50 kPa, 150 kPa, and 400 kPa, respectively. The step-changed strain rates were applied in the following order: +2%/h, +0.2%/h, +20%/h, -2%/h (unloading) and +2%/h (reloading) for the four compression tests and -2%/h, -0.2%/h, -20%/h, +2%/h (unloading) and -2%/h (reloading) for the three extension tests. The results are reported and analyzed in the paper. The results show that the strain rate effects, the stress-strain characteristics, and the effective stress paths of the specimens for tests in a compression state are different from those for tests in an extension stage. One order of magnitude increase in axial strain rate causes an average 8.6% increase in undrained shear strength for compression tests and a 12.1% increase for extension tests. It is also found that the failure mode of the specimens in compression is different from that in extension. The stress-strain behavior of specimens shows strain-softening and a clear shear band in compression tests, but strain-hardening without any clear shear band in extension tests for the same absolute value of axial strain.     

Numerical study of enhanced energy dissipation near a seamount

Using a two-dimensional primitive equation model, we examine nonlinear responses of a semidiurnal tidal flow impinging on a seamount with a background Garrett-Munk-like (GM-like) internal wavefield. It is found that horizontally elongated pancake-like structures of high vertical wavenumber near-inertial current shear are created both in the near-field (the region over the slope of the seamount) and far-field (the region over the flat bottom of the ocean). An important distinction is that the high vertical wavenumber near-inertial current shear is amplified only at mid-latitudes in the far-field (owing to a parametric subharmonic instability (PSI)), whereas it is amplified both at mid-and high-latitudes (above the latitude where PSI can occur) in the near-field. In order to clarify the generating mechanism for the strong shear in the near-field, additional numerical experiments are carried out with the GM-like background internal waves removed. The experiments show that the strong shear is also created, indicating that it is not caused by the interaction between the background GM-like internal waves and the semidiurnal internal tides. One possible explanation is proposed for the amplification of high vertical wavenumber near-inertial current shear in the near-field where tide residual flow resulting from tide-topography interaction plays an important role in transferring energy from high-mode internal tides to near-inertial internal waves.     

辽东湾S2冰侧限剪切强度的试验研究

利用试验方法系统地研究了辽东湾S2型海冰侧限剪切强度随剪切应变速率、加载方向、法向应力、温度和冰内孔隙率的变化规律。介绍了S2型海冰各向异性特点及剪切应变速率对剪切破坏方式的效应和韧脆破坏转变的条件。分析了不同加载方向海冰峰值剪切强度的差异 ,获得 - 6 2℃温度下S2冰内摩擦角和内聚力分别为 42°和 70 0kPa。利用统计分析给出峰值剪切强度与冰温和孔隙率的试验关系     

Gradation affects basic mechanical characteristics of Chinese calcareous sand as airport subgrade of reefs

Abstract

Construction of the reefs in the South China Sea is a significant foundation to the secure stability and economic development of China. The construction of an airport runway is necessary for this realization. The calcareous sand is the main primary material in the runway construction. A certain type of calcareous sand near a certain reef of the South China Sea was studied in this paper. To investigate this specific calcareous sand, quartz sand was used as a reference for comparison. Microscopic 3-D imaging, compression and triaxial tests were conducted to test the micro, squeezing and shear properties. The effect mechanism of gradation on the calcareous sand’s compressibility and shear characteristics are discussed from a mesoscopic viewpoint using 3-D morphology. Calcareous sand particles are multiangular and flatter in comparison with quartz sand. The larger the particle sizes are, the more different the two sands’ morphologies are. The compressibility of calcareous sand is greater, and the effect of the coarse fraction (5–1?mm) content in the gradation plays the most significant role in this feature. When the coarse particles’ content is less than 25% and the mass ratio of the middle and fine particles (M) is constant, there is the worst coarse fraction content causing the calcareous sand to be most likely compressed. The worst coarse fraction content decreases with the increase in M, and an empirical formula is proposed. When the gradation, relative density and confining pressure are the same, the peak shear stress and strain of calcareous sand are all at a high level. The effect of confining pressure is manifested in calcareous sand. The shear strength and dilation of calcareous sand are also most affected by the medium coarse fraction (5–0.25?mm) content.     

东太平洋多金属结核分布的二维趋势面分析

对规则网的 469个测站的多金属结核丰度和 93个测站的 Mn、 Cu、 Co、 Ni元素进行趋势面分析 ,经 F检验 ,各变量的变异性显著 ,拟合度较低 ,表明多金属结核丰度及 Mn、Cu、Co、Ni金属元素的控制因素比较复杂。趋势面分析结果与相关分析结果一致 ,Mn、Cu、Ni元素有极相似的趋势特征 ,有两个轴向分布 ,一个为东西向轴 ,高值区在东部 ,另一个为北西向轴 ,高值区在北西部 ;结核丰度与 Co也有极相似的趋势特征 ,高值区在西部。应用逐次趋势面分析的结果将结核丰度的地质特征分解成各种简单控制因素的叠加 ,使对多金属结核的控矿因素、分布规律和物质来源的研究方法多样化     

A Preliminary Study of Shear Wave in Seafloor Surface Sediments

This article preliminarily reports and analyses the transmission characteristics and behaviors of shear wave in the offshore seafloor surface sediments in China, discusses the relationships between the physical and mechanical features of the shear wave and the compression wave, and compares the testing results with that of Hamilton and Chen et al. The result shows that the shear wave can be tested if the seafloor surface sediment has tangent modulus. The shear wave velocity ranges from 50-600 m/s and the measuring frequency from 50-200 kHz. The sound velocity rate of shear wave and compression wave can be used to appraise the stress-strain feature of seafloor surface sediments. This study provides a basis for further describing and appraising the seafloor sedimentary acoustic-mechanical feature and building a geological-acoustic model on China's offshore sea area.     

0220号热带风暴(米克拉)特征分析

南海是热带气旋活动较为频繁的地区之一。该地区因其独特的地理环境和复杂的热带大气环流系统，在热带气旋预报工作上存在一定的困难。本文在分析一些气象图表资料的基础上，对2002年第20号热带风暴(米克拉)的形成、发展及消亡进行了探讨和研究。主要从形成的背景环流，气旋的结构等方面入手，总结出一些该气旋所具备韵特有流场，从而为以后的南海自生热带气旋预报工作积累一定经验。