An investigation of the effects of mass distribution on pounding structures

The effects of diaphragm mass distribution are investigated for building pounding. Elastic diaphragm‐to‐diaphragm collisions are explained by considering the total momentum over the length of each diaphragm at three critical instants during collision. Expressions for collision force and collision duration are produced, providing additional information about the collision process. Equations for the post collision velocity of each diaphragm are produced and are found to appreciably differ from conventional impact—momentum equations under certain conditions. The change in post collision velocity is found to be dependent on the ratio of the axial periods of free vibration of the two diaphragms and the ratio of their masses. An equivalent lumped mass model is proposed and assessed against simplified distributed mass models with numerical modelling of two two‐storey buildings. Finally, a new parameter is introduced to represent the plasticity of an inelastic collision between the two distributed masses. This paper highlights the significant influence that diaphragm mass distribution may have on the analysis of pounding structures. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Seeing the forest for the trees: Local-level resource use and forest restitution in postsocialist Bulgaria

Recent legislation for the restitution of ownership rights to, and subsequent management of, formerly privately owned forests in postsocialist Bulgaria has focused largely albeit not exclusively on the restored forests from the perspective of timber production, that is, `forest' equals `harvestable timber resource'. Using ethnographic data collected in rural Rhodope Mountain communities, this paper presents a local-level perspective on forests and forest use, including the meaning that forests hold for local residents as a source of non-timber forest products such as mushrooms and medicinal plants, of animal pasture, and of firewood for household heating and cooking. This local social perspective is then contrasted with the timber-resource focus of the forestry legislation and subsequent planning for forest use. The scale of forest ownership – in part a function of the restitution legislation – is also addressed in relation to the practicalities of resource management. Generally, the paper demonstrates a mismatch between the postsocialist forestry legislation and local practice and conditions with regard to forests and the natural resources therein. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Modelling rocking response via equivalent viscous damping

The assessment of the out-of-plane response of masonry structures has been largely investigated in literature assuming that walls respond as rigid or semi-rigid bodies, and relevant equations of motion of single-degree-of-freedom and multi-degree of freedom systems have been proposed. Therein, energy dissipation has been usually modelled resorting to the classical hypotheses of impulsive dynamics, delivering a velocity-reduction coefficient of restitution applied at impact. In fewer works, a velocity-proportional damping force has been introduced, by means of a viscous coefficient being constant or variable. A review of such models is presented, a criterion for equivalence of dissipated energy is proposed, equations predicting equivalent viscous damping ratios are derived and compared with experimental responses. Finally, predictive equations are examined in terms of incremental dynamic analyses for large sets of natural ground motions.     

The effect of surface irregularities on a falling rock motion

This laboratory study seeks to investigate the effect of surface irregularities on the motion characteristics of a falling rock. The irregularly-shaped surfaces of greywacke with a range of joint roughness coefficient (JRC) from 2 to 18 were used in an experimental setup where a falling rock was dropped from a height of 110 cm. A high-speed camera was utilised to capture the trajectory of the falling rock upon its impact with the rock surface. The data from 287 tests were statistically analysed to determine the dominant type of motion and to establish relationships between JRC and the coefficient of restitution (CoR). The effect of surface roughness was seen in different modes of motion of the falling rock with more irregular surfaces often produced ‘sliding’ or ‘rolling’ instead of ‘bouncing’. The obtained data indicated that the rock surface roughness did not seem to have a significant effect on CoR; however, it affected the rebound angle of the falling rock.     

A note on the Hertz contact model with nonlinear damping for pounding simulation

Structural pounding during earthquakes has been recently investigated extensively by using different models of impact force. In this paper, reexamination of the Hertz contact model with nonlinear damping is made. Based on this reexamination, the formula used to determine the damping constant in terms of the spring stiffness, the coefficient of restitution and relative approaching velocity of two colliding bodies is found to be incorrect for pounding simulation in structural engineering. In order to correct this problem, a more accurate approximating formula for the damping constant is theoretically derived. The correctness of the derived analytical formula has been confirmed through numerical simulations. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

岩土颗粒介质在应力波作用下的接触力与变形关系

为了描述岩土颗粒介质在应力波作用下的接触力与变形关系,运用接触力学和刚体动力学等理论方法,考虑颗粒体之间的局部非线性相互作用,通过引入恢复系数,导出了适用于低速冲击情况下的颗粒介质弹塑性接触模型,通过几种算例的比较分析,说明了该计算方法的合理性。结果表明：本文给出的接触力与变形关系,避开了复杂的增量形式和非线性动态接触问题,且反映了颗粒体的冲击速度、物理力学性质、几何特征以及表面物理条件等因素对接触过程的影响,便于工程推广应用。     

海相高演化烃源岩总有机碳恢复系数研究

在5000余块海相烃源岩样品筛选结果的基础上, 根据90余块不同类型未成熟-成熟烃源岩的加水热压模拟实验结果, 并与自然演化剖面相结合, 对烃源岩有机质的变化规律及其恢复系数进行研究.海相优质烃源岩在未成熟-低成熟阶段(R_o < 0.8%) TOC (totalorganiccarbon) 变化不明显, 在成熟阶段中晚期TOC_残余随成熟度增加逐渐降低, 到高成熟-过成熟阶段变化又不明显.高成熟-过成熟优质烃源岩TOC_原始一般Ⅰ型最高降低40%, 恢复系数1.68;Ⅱ₁型最高降低32%, 恢复系数1.48;Ⅱ₂型最高降低24%, 恢复系数1.32.低有机质烃源岩(一般指0.3% < TOC < 1%) 随TOC变低, 降低幅度和恢复系数均逐渐变小, 当0.3% < TOC < 0.5%时, TOC_原始恢复系数约1.2, 当TOC < 0.3%时, TOC_原始恢复系数接近1, 可以不进行恢复.固体沥青和高有机质页岩(TOC > 30%) TOC_原始高成熟-过成熟阶段也不需要进行恢复.海相烃源岩(0.3% < TOC < 30%) 自然剖面生烃潜量的减少和模拟生排烃量的增加与TOC_残余的减少相吻合.