A comparative slope stability analysis of sheet pile supported I-wall in New Orleans,Louisiana with sheet pile penetrating into sand layer

Computer modelling and stability analyses of the New Orleans I-walls with and without the consideration of gap formation has drawn significant attention of the engineering community during the post Katrina period. In addition, when the sheet pile penetrates into sand layer, seepage becomes an integral part of the stability analysis. Basic guidelines have been developed for the analysis of this problem by other researchers and documented by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE). However, the inherent complexity of the problem and uncertainties associated with the choice of analysis methods warrant for further investigation of this problem in detail so that more useful insights can be gained. In this paper, a comprehensive analysis of this complex coupled problem of seepage and stability of a typical New Orleans I-wall is presented using different limit equilibrium methods of slope stability analysis. Useful comparisons are made between the analyses results and methodologies. The authors believe that the findings of this study will enhance the understanding of the behaviour of the I-wall sheet pile system subjected to seepage forces, when different limit equilibrium methods of analyses are invoked.     

Numerical Simulation Study on the Effect of Horizontal Well Reservoir Stimulation for Gas Hydrate Production

A new gas hydrate reservoir stimulation method of in-situ fracturing with transient heating is proposed, in line with analysis of the technological bottlenecks faced by marine gas hydrate production. This method injects the developed chemical reagents into a hydrate reservoir through hydraulic fracturing, releasing heat during the chemical reaction to increase the hydrate decomposition rate. The chemical reaction product furthermore has a honeycomb structure to support fractures and increase reservoir permeability. Based on the geological model of natural gas hydrate in the South China Sea, three development methods are simulated to evaluate hydrate production capacity, consisting of horizontal well, fractured horizontal well and in-situ fracturing with transient heating well. Compared with the horizontal well, the simulation results show that the cumulative gas production of the fractured horizontal well in one year is 7 times that of the horizontal well, while the cumulative gas production of in-situ fracturing with transient heating well is 12 times that of the horizontal well, which significantly improves daily efficiency and cumulative gas production. In addition, the variation patterns of hydrate saturation and temperature-pressure fields with production time for the three exploitation plans are presented, it being found that three sensitive parameters of fracture conductivity, fracture half-length and fracture number are positively correlated with hydrate production enhancement. Through the simulations, basic data and theoretical support for the optimization of gas hydrate reservoir stimulation scheme has been provided.     

Influence of seepage undercutting on the stability of root‐reinforced streambanks

Several mechanisms contribute to streambank failure including fluvial toe undercutting, reduced soil shear strength by increased soil pore‐water pressure, and seepage erosion. Recent research has suggested that seepage erosion of noncohesive soil layers undercutting the banks may play an equivalent role in streambank failure to increased soil pore‐water pressure. However, this past research has primarily been limited to laboratory studies of non‐vegetated banks. The objective of this research was to utilize the Bank Stability and Toe Erosion Model (BSTEM) in order to determine the importance of seepage undercutting relative to bank shear strength, bank angle, soil pore‐water pressure, and root reinforcement. The BSTEM simulated two streambanks: Little Topashaw Creek and Goodwin Creek in northern Mississippi. Simulations included three bank angles (70° to 90°), four pore‐water pressure distributions (unsaturated, two partially saturated cases, and fully saturated), six distances of undercutting (0 to 40 cm), and 13 different vegetation conditions (root cohesions from 0·0 to 15·0 kPa). A relative sensitivity analysis suggested that BSTEM was approximately three to four times more sensitive to water table position than root cohesion or depth of seepage undercutting. Seepage undercutting becomes a prominent bank failure mechanism on unsaturated to partially saturated streambanks with root reinforcement, even with undercutting distances as small as 20 cm. Consideration of seepage undercutting is less important under conditions of partially to fully saturated soil pore‐water conditions. The distance at which instability by undercutting became equivalent to instability by increased soil pore‐water pressure decreased as root reinforcement increased, with values typically ranging between 20 and 40 cm at Little Topashaw Creek and between 20 and 55 cm at Goodwin Creek. This research depicts the baseline conditions at which seepage undercutting of vegetated streambanks needs to be considered for bank stability analyses. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

The distribution rule and seepage effect of the fractures in the ultra-low permeability sandstone reservoir in east Gansu Province,Ordos Basin

To study the impact of the fractures on development in the ultra-low permeability sandstone reservoir of the Yangchang Formation of the Upper Triassic in the Ordos Basin,data on outcrops,cores,slices,well logging and experiments are utilized to analyze the cause of the formation of the fractures,their distribution rules and the control factors and discuss the seepage flow effect of the fractures. In the studied area developed chiefly high-angle tectonic fractures and horizontal bedding fractures,inter-granular fractures and grain boundary fractures as well. Grain boundary fractures and intragranular fractures serve as vital channels linking intragranular pores and intergranular solution pores in the reservoir matrix,thus providing a good connectivity between the pores in the ultra-low perme-ability sandstone reservoir. The formation of fractures and their distribution are influenced by such external and internal factors as the palaeo-tectonic stress field,the reservoir lithological character,the thickness of the rock layer and the anisotropy of a layer. The present-day stress field influences the preservative state of fractures and their seepage flow effect. Under the tec-tonic effect of both the Yanshan and Himalayan periods,in this region four sets of fractures are distributed,respectively assuming the NE-SW,NW-SE,nearly E-W and nearly S-N orientations,but,due to the effect of the rock anisotropy of the rock formation,in some part of it two groups of nearly orthogonal fractures are chiefly distributed. Under the effect of the present-day stress field,the fractures that assume the NE-SW direction have a good connectivity,big apertures,a high permeability and a minimum starting pressure,all of which are main advantages of the seepage fractures in this region. With the development of oilfields,the permeability of the fractures of dif-ferent directions will have a dynamic change.     

流体饱和两相多孔介质动力反应计算分析

基于流体饱和两相多孔介质的弹性波动方程组,运用显式逐步积分格式与局部透射人工边界相结合的时域显式有限元方法对该波动方程组进行求解,对两相介质在输入地震波作用下的弹性动力反应进行计算和分析;对在是否考虑孔隙流体渗流的两种情况下计算得到的两相介质弹性动力反应结果的差异进行对比研究,从而揭示孔隙流体渗流对两相介质动力反应性质的影响。计算结果表明：两相介质弹性动力反应时程的波形与入射地震波的波形相同,且弹性动力反应的峰值出现的时刻对应于入射地震波的峰值出现的时刻;孔隙流体的渗流将对两相介质的弹性动力反应性质产生显著的影响。数值计算同时表明,时域显式有限元方法是进行流体饱和两相多孔介质弹性动力反应计算分析的一种有效的方法。     

渗流诱发套损机制与数值计算

油田套损是石油工程中的一大技术难题,多年来困扰着各油田。大量的现场调查和理论分析表明,油田套损与油藏渗流场动态变化密切相关。无论是剪切套损、拉伸套损还是挤压套损,都是渗流引起应力场调整,最终导致套管受力损伤。基于油藏流固耦合理论,分析了油田渗流诱发套损的机制,建立了油藏渗流-应力耦合计算的数学模型,并介绍了利用流固耦合进行套损预测计算的算例,对于套损防控具有重要的理论指导意义。     

某抽水蓄能电站输水系统下平段区围岩渗透薄弱部位探测

对于地下工程围岩渗透薄弱部位的探测是一项具有隐蔽性和复杂性的地质工程。为避免或减少采用单一探测方法可能出现的不确定性,以一抽水蓄能电站为例,并行采用了4种方法对研究区进行了探测：（1）放射性法;（2）高密度电法;（3）天然示踪法;（4）水质分析法。就其原理而言,前2种方法属于应用地球物理范畴,而后2种方法则属于应用地球化学范畴。根据探测成果,认为区内岩体渗透薄弱部位是存在的,而以 射线强度负异常、低电阻、渗漏水点水温及其他水质指标含量比较接近其补给源作为标志。就其形成机制而言,为多场耦合作用的产物;其中,水动力作用、水化学作用及其耦合作用为最活跃的因素。     

基于分布式光纤传感技术的渗流监测理论研究

从阐述多孔介质传热过程出发,逐一分析了在非渗流及渗流情况下,光纤与多孔介质之间的传热过程,详细分析了光纤与水流对流的传热过程,推导了多孔介质中渗流水和光纤之间的换热系数计算公式。在一定假设条件下,推导了导热系数（渗流流速）、加热功率和温升的非渗流情况与渗流情况监测理论方程,为分布式光纤传感技术监测渗流的应用提供了坚实的理论基础。     

双江口水电站复杂坝基初始渗流场反分析

采用正交试验方案和ν-SVR相结合的直接法来解决复杂坝基的初始渗流场反分析问题。通过安排正交数值试验,获取初始渗流场全面的信息,并用ν-SVR向正交试验的样本学习测孔水位和各参数之间的关系,从而建立各参数和测孔水位之间隐式表达式,用此表达式代替正算程序,经过优化最终获得最优初始渗流场。经过工程实例验证,该方法能适应非线性复杂岩土问题且具有高效性。     

土-水特征曲线及其相关性研究

土-水特征曲线（SWCC）描述了土体吸力与含水率之间的关系,是非饱和土力学研究的重要内容。从理论和试验两个方面研究了土-水特征曲线和渗透曲线的相互关系。在理论上,应用自然比例法则研究了土-水特征曲线和渗透曲线的特征,从物理和力学意义两个方面探讨了土-水特征曲线及其导数、渗透曲线、颗粒分布曲线之间的特征,给出了土-水特征曲线和渗透曲线两指数函数表达式幂的取值范围和相互关系。试验研究结果表明：土体的土-水特征曲线受到土体的物质成分、塑性指数、孔隙结构、应力状态等多种因素影响,土体持水特性研究对工程建设具有重要的指导意义。