Kinematic model of crustal deformation of Fenwei basin,China based on GPS observations

Using high precision GPS data for the period of 1999–2007 from the China Crustal Movement Observation Network, we have constructed a plate kinematic model of crustal deformation of Fenwei basin, China. We have examined different kinematic models that can fit the horizontal crustal deformation of the Fenwei basin using three steps of testing. The first step is to carry out unbiasedness and efficiency tests of various models. The second step is to conduct significance tests of strain parameters of the models. The third step is to examine whether strain parameters can fully represent the deformation characteristics of the 11 tectonic blocks over the Fenwei basin. Our results show that the degree of rigidity at the Ordos, Hetao, Yinshan and South China blocks is significant at the 95% confidence level, indicating the crustal deformation of these blocks can be represented by a rigid block model without the need to consider differential deformation within blocks. We have demonstrated that homogeneous strain condition is suitable for the Yinchuan basin but not for other 6 blocks. Therefore, inhomogeneous strains within blocks should be considered when establishing the crustal deformation model for these blocks. We have also tested that not all of the quadratic terms of strain parameters are needed for the Yuncheng-Linfen block. Therefore, four kinds of elastic kinematic models that can best represent the detailed deformation characteristics of the 11 blocks of Fenwei basin are finally obtained. Based on the established model, we have shown that the current tectonic strain feature of the Fenwei basin is mainly characterized by tensile strain in the NW–SE direction, and the boundaries betweem the Ganqing and Ordos blocks and the Shanxi graben possess the maximum shear strain. A comparison between our results and past geological and geophysical investigations further confirms that the model established in this paper is reasonable.     

Full-scale model testing on a ballastless high-speed railway under simulated train moving loads

Model testing in laboratory, as an effective alternative to field measurement, provides valuable data to understand railway׳s dynamic behaviors under train moving loads. This paper presents comprehensive experimental results on track vibration and soil response of a ballastless high-speed railway from a full-scale model testing with simulated train moving loads at various speeds. A portion of a realistic ballastless railway comprising slab track, roadbed, subgrade, and subsoil was constructed in a larger steel box. A computer-controlled sequential loading system was developed to generate equivalent vertical loadings at the track structure for simulating the dynamic excitations due to train׳s movements. Comparisons with the field measurements show that the proposed model testing can accurately reproduce dynamic behaviors of the track structure and underlying soils under train moving loads. The attenuation characteristics of dynamic soil stresses in a ballastless slab track is found to have distinct differences from that in a ballasted track. The model testing results provide better understanding of the influence of dynamic soil–structure interaction and train speed on the response of track structure and soils.     

A study on low strain integrity testing of platform-pile system using staggered grid finite difference method

To study the three-dimensional characteristics of wave propagation in platform-pile system, a three-dimensional computation model for transient vibration of platform-pile-soil system is established. Based on initial and boundary conditions, the numerical solution of this model is obtained. A MATLAB program is compiled through using staggered grid finite difference method. The dynamic response of the integrate pile in platform-pile-soil system is got under vertical impact force, and the reliability and feasibility of the numerical simulation are corroborated by comparing calculation result with measured data of low strain integrity testing of platform-pile system. The optimal sensor location at platform top is studied. The results show the position distancing the pile center 0.5R~0.6R (R is pile radius) is the optimal sensor location, which the line between sensor location and pile center parallels the short side. It plays a certain role in reducing three-dimensional interference through increasing shear wave velocity of surrounding soil and appropriately increasing the ratio of characteristic wavelength to pile radius. In addition, contact area has less influence on low strain integrity testing of platform-pile system.     

The numerical and empirical evaluation of chimneys considering soil structure interaction and high-temperature effects

During the past strong ground motions, chimneys constructed according to international standards are representative of similar structures at industrial areas throughout the world, including those collapsed or moderately damaged in earthquake-prone regions. This is due to the specialty of structural characteristics and the special loads acting on the structure such as earthquakes, wind and differences in the level of temperature, etc. In this context, the researchers and designers should focus on the dynamic behavior of chimneys especially under high temperature and seismic effects. For this purpose, the main focus of this study is to evaluate the dynamic response of a chimney under the above-mentioned effects considering soil-structure interaction (SSI). A 52 m steel chimney in Yeşilyurt township of Samsun City in Turkey was studied. The in-situ model testing and numerical models were compared. Before the commissioning of the chimney, a series of tests was realized to define its dynamic characteristics in case of no-heat and after the fabric got to work, the same tests were repeated for the same sensor locations to understand the heat effect on the dynamic response of the chimney. The ambient vibration tests are proven to be fast and practical procedures to identify the dynamic characteristics of those structures. The dynamic testing of the towers promises a widespread use, as the identification of seismic vulnerability of such structures becomes increasingly important. The data presented in this study are considered to be useful for the researchers and engineers, for whom the temperature and SSI effects on steel chimneys are a concern. Using the modal analysis techniques, presented finite element simulation for the soil/pile foundation-chimney interaction system is verified. The results of modal analyses using numerical solutions are shown to have acceptable accuracy compared with results obtained by in-situ test. The present study also aims to provide designers with material examples about the influence of these on the seismic performance of steel chimneys by means of reflecting the changes in the dynamic behavior.     

Sampling efficiency in Monte Carlo based uncertainty propagation strategies: Application in seawater intrusion simulations

The implementation of Monte Carlo simulations (MCSs) for the propagation of uncertainty in real-world seawater intrusion (SWI) numerical models often becomes computationally prohibitive due to the large number of deterministic solves needed to achieve an acceptable level of accuracy. Previous studies have mostly relied on parallelization and grid computing to decrease the computational time of MCSs. However, another approach which has received less attention in the literature is to decrease the number of deterministic simulations by using more efficient sampling strategies. Sampling efficiency is a measure of the optimality of a sampling strategy. A more efficient sampling strategy requires fewer simulations and less computational time to reach a certain level of accuracy. The efficiency of a sampling strategy is highly related to its space-filling characteristics.This paper illustrates that the use of optimized Latin hypercube sampling (OLHS) strategies instead of the widely employed simple random sampling (SRS) and Latin hypercube sampling (LHS) strategies, can significantly improve sampling efficiency and hence decrease the simulation time of MCSs. Nine OLHS strategies are evaluated including: improved Latin hypercube sampling (IHS); optimum Latin hypercube (OLH) sampling; genetic optimum Latin hypercube (GOLH) sampling; three sampling strategies based on the enhanced stochastic evolutionary (ESE) algorithm namely φ_p-ESE which employs the φ_p space-filling criterion, CLD-ESE which utilizes the centered L₂-discrepancy (CLD) space-filling criterion, and SLD-ESE which uses the star L₂-discrepancy (SLD) space-filling criterion; and three sampling strategies based on the simulated annealing (SA) algorithm namely φ_p-SA which employs the φ_p criterion, CLD-SA which uses the CLD criterion, and SLD-SA which utilizes the SLD criterion. The study applies SRS, LHS and the nine OLHS strategies to MCSs of two synthetic test cases of SWI. The two test cases are the Henry problem and a two-dimensional radial representation of SWI in a circular island. The comparison demonstrates that the CLD-ESE strategy is the most efficient among the evaluated strategies. This paper also demonstrates how the space-filling characteristics of different OLHS designs change with variations in the input arguments of their optimization algorithms.     

Sediment settling in the Latian Dam in Iran

Among the difficulties that influence future dam operations,reservoir sedimentation is the most problematic for engineers.This study predicted the amount and pattern of sedimentation for use in estimation of the useful lifespan of reservoirs and identification of optimal locations for outlets and intakes at the initial stages of dam design.Hydrographic surveys of different dams can provide better insight into this phenomenon.Latian Dam in Iran has conducted hydrographic surveys during 7 time periods.The amount and process of sedimentation in this reservoir were determined,and predictions of distribution of sediments were validated by well-known,common methods.The formation of a delta in the reservoir was investigated for different time periods after operation.Future problems due to the impacts of sedimentation on dam operation and the useful lifespan of the reservoir were predicted.In addition,the study results may be used for developing empirical methods to predict sedimentation patterns in other reservoirs.     

泉州盆地地震效应特征的一维等效线性和二维非线性分析的比较

采用等效线性动粘弹性模型描述土的动力非线性特性,基于一维等效线性波传法,对泉州盆地地震效应进行了分析;同时,采用修正Martin-Seed-Davidenkov动粘弹塑性模型描述土的动力非线性特性,对泉州盆地非线性地震效应进行了大尺度二维精细化有限元分析,研究了地形地貌和土层横向不均匀性对地震效应的影响。将两种分析结果进行对比,结果表明：①随着基岩输入地震动强度增大,地表峰值加速度PGA放大效应总体呈现减小趋势,中震与小震、大震与小震的地表PGA放大系数之比依次为0.83~0.99、0.72~0.97;②该盆地Ⅲ类场地处,基岩、地表起伏不大,且土层横向分布较均匀,两种方法计算得到的地震效应特征类似;基岩或地表起伏剧烈、土层横向分布明显不均匀的Ⅱ类场地上,二维非线性分析给出的地表PGA放大系数明显大于一维等效线性结果,两种方法得到的地表加速度反应谱及PGA随土层深度的变化特征存在显著差异,二维非线性分析给出的地表加速度反应谱大多呈现双峰甚至多峰现象,且PGA在土层特定深度处存在聚集效应,使PGA随土层深度的变化呈现非单调性。     

兰州新区建设用地生态适宜性评价

在地理信息技术的支持下,修正单纯的权重叠加法,采用潜力-限制性分析法分析了兰州新区建设用地的生态潜力和生态阻力,对其生态适宜性做出科学评价,得到兰州新区可用作建设用地的理想区域。结果表明：（1）兰州新区建设用地开发的生态潜力总体以一级为主,二级次之,三级和四级区所占比重较小;（2）一级生态阻力主要分布在新区南部山地,主要表现为地形复杂、工程地质条件差、地质灾害发生频繁等;（3）兰州新区建设用地生态适宜性达一级的面积所占比重最大,为39 425.91 hm²,占新区总面积的48.91%。三级适宜区面积最小,仅为6 513.2 hm²,占新区总面积的8.08%。对应于生态适宜性评价结果,兰州新区土地应用可划分为集中建设区、重点开发区、限制建设区和禁止建设区。其中,集中建设区和重点建设区应为兰州新区建设用地开发的理想区域。     

中国地理学史编史方法论考察

基于编史学视角对国外地理学史著作的中国部分以及中国地理学史著作的考察,重点论述了实证主义和思想史两类编史方法论特征。考察表明:国外实证主义地理学史以实证主义方法论为核心,是一种普遍主义和进步主义的叙事模式,这种模式里并不存在实质性的中国古代地理学,而中国近代地理学则是欧美地理学的移植。在后历史的立场上,对地理学应作宽泛的理解,实证主义地理学史是建构的历史,中国学者遵循实证主义方法论的重要意义在于建构了中国地理学理性的一面。中国地理学史人文的方面是通过思想史方法论建构起来的,这种方法通过中国古代原有文化体系、观念、概念、材料来认识地理学的发展史,首要的意义是与实证主义建构相反的还原。基于思想史方法论的中国近代地理学史研究表明,中国近代地理学的形成首要的并不是西方地理学的移植,而是自主地基于中国古代传统的学术重构,反映的是中西学术的双向互动,并不是西方地理学的单向传播。