Application of micropolar plasticity to post failure analysis in geomechanics

A micropolar elastoplastic model for soils is formulated and a series of finite element analyses are employed to demonstrate the use of a micropolar continuum in overcoming the numerical difficulties encountered in application of finite element method in standard Cauchy–Boltzmann continuum. Three examples of failure analysis involving a deep excavation, shallow foundation, and a retaining wall are presented. In all these cases, it is observed that the length scale introduced in the polar continuum regularizes the incremental boundary value problem and allows the numerical simulation to be continued until a clear collapse mechanism is achieved. The issue of grain size effect is also discussed. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Relict mountain slope deposits of northern Portugal: facies,sedimentogenesis and environmental implications

This paper deals with the formation processes and the palaeoenvironmental significance of relict slope deposits located on the uppermost part of the north Portugal mountains. For this purpose, seven key sites representative of the different lithofacies have been selected and analysed in detail. The data show that three main dynamic processes are responsible for the emplacement of regional fossil slope deposits: runoff, debris flows and dry grain flows. The ubiquity of these processes and the lack of frost‐related features or landforms do not support the existence of severe Pleistocene climates in this part of the lberian Peninsula as postulated by previous work. Pedological data gathered at one of the study sites show that a subalpine environment was probably present at 700–800 m altitude between 29 and 14 kyr. Using data from the Pyrenees Mountains, a 6.5 to 12°C depression in mean annual temperature has been tentatively postulated for this Pleniglacial period. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Numerical manifold method for dynamic nonlinear analysis of saturated porous media

It is well known that the Babuska–Brezzi stability criterion or the Zienkiewicz–Taylor patch test precludes the use of the finite elements with the same low order of interpolation for displacement and pore pressure in the nearly incompressible and undrained cases, unless some stabilization techniques are introduced for dynamic analysis of saturated porous medium where coupling occurs between the displacement of solid skeleton and pore pressure. The numerical manifold method (NMM), where the interpolation of displacement and pressure can be determined independently in an element for the solution of u–p formulation, is derived based on triangular mesh for the requirement of high accurate calculations from practical applications in the dynamic analysis of saturated porous materials. The matrices of equilibrium equations for the second‐order displacement and the first‐order pressure manifold method are given in detail for program coding. By close comparison with widely used finite element method, the NMM presents good stability for the coupling problems, particularly in the nearly incompressible and undrained cases. Numerical examples are given to illustrate the validity and stability of the manifold element developed. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Chemical alteration of tephra in the depositional environment: theoretical stability modelling

The study of the chemical stability of vitreous material in aqueous media is well‐established. There has to date been little consideration of the implications of variations in the chemical durability of tephra in Quaternary tephrochronology. Chemical alteration can take the form of cationic leaching from the matrix, or complete destruction of the silica network, either of which could constrain the ability to chemically identify distal tephra. Here we apply established models of vitreous durability to the published chemical analyses of a large number of Icelandic tephras in order to predict their relative durabilities under equivalent conditions. This suggests that some important tephras have relatively poor chemical stability, and that rhyolitic tephras are, in general, more stable than basaltic. We conclude that tephras should be expected to show predictable differential chemical stability in the post‐depositional environment. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

The influence of a non‐associated flow rule on the calculation of the factor of safety of soil slopes

This paper presents a method that incorporates a non‐associated flow rule into the limit analysis to investigate the influence of the dilatancy angle on the factor of safety for the slope stability analysis. The proposed method retain's the advantage of the upper bound method, which is simple and has no stress involvement in the calculation of the energy dissipation and the factor of safety. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

A new stereo‐analytical method for determination of removal blocks in discontinuous rock masses

The paper provides a new stereo‐analytical method, which is a combination of the stereographic method and analytical methods, to separate finite removable blocks from the infinite and tapered blocks in discontinuous rock masses. The methodology has applicability to both convex and concave blocks. Application of the methodology is illustrated through examples. Addition of this method to the existing block theory procedures available in the literature improves the capability of block theory in solving practical problems in rock engineering. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

变形监测基准点的稳定性检验

基准点的稳定性评价，是变形观测数据处理时不可忽视的重要内容。该文对基准点构网和不构网2种情况时的数据处理方法进行了探讨。     

四川某矿山边坡失稳机理及稳定性评价

四川某矿山开采边坡迄今已有30余年,随采区规模的逐渐扩大,在矿区南坡构成一典型的顺层开挖边坡,因矿层中夹有不同数量的软弱夹层,在边坡前缘破坏坡角、并加上降雨及爆破振动影响,时常发生颁层滑坡,不仅给矿山人民生命财产带来严重危害,而且也严重制约矿山的正常发展。通过对典型开挖边坡所在部位的工程地质条件凋查,在确定影响边坡稳定的主要控制因素和边界条件的基础上。考虑四种工况条件下的稳定性分析和评价,为矿山下一步施工提出了较为合理的开挖方案。     

1996-2022年黄河三角洲行水河口岸线稳定性研究

黄河清八汊现行河口自改汊以来发生了巨大变化,监测其岸线变化,探讨其稳定程度对海岸带可持续发展以及海岸带韧性评估具有重要意义。本研究利用GPS、GIS、RS技术从1996—2022年黄河三角洲行水河口的220幅遥感影像中推断出年平均海岸线位置,同时根据行水河口摆动次数划分为5个阶段,并以此为基础对海岸线变迁及其稳定性进行定量分析。结果表明：行水河口岸线长期处于动态变化过程中,整体呈淤进状态,各岸段岸线时空变化特征不同,最大侵蚀（-73.89m/a）区出现在两丁坝之间,最大淤积（393.20m/a）区出现在河口区附近。研究区90%的岸线表现为较强淤积至严重淤积,稳定性指数由两丁坝之间（0.135）、2007年出汊前旧河口（0.068）、2007年出汊后新生河口（0.006）依次降低。入海水沙量、河口位置变迁以及沿岸输沙是影响岸线稳定性出现时空差异的主要原因。     

元谋干热河谷坡耕地土壤侵蚀造成的土地退化

在元谋干热河谷土壤侵蚀特征分析的基础上，对坡耕地土壤侵蚀造成的土地退化进行了模拟研究。结果表明，土壤侵蚀造成表层耕作土壤的物理性能下降、养分流失和水分入渗能力降低。表层耕作土壤的容重比下层土壤低12．7％，总孔隙度高10．9％，有机质高37．3％，120min累计入渗总量是下层土壤的1．6-2．2倍。模拟土壤侵蚀与土地生产力关系的小区试验结果显示，坡耕地每流失1cm表土，土地生产力水平平均下降4．54％。