Analytical exploration of γ-function explicit method for pseudodynamic testing of nonlinear systems

It has been well studied that the γ-function explicit method can be effective in providing favorable numerical dissipation for linear elastic systems. However, its performance for nonlinear systems is unclear due to a lack of analytical evaluation techniques. Thus, a novel technique is proposed herein to evaluate its efficiency for application to nonlinear systems by introducing two parameters to describe the stiffness change. As a result, the numerical properties and error propagation characteristics of the γ-function explicit method for the pseudodynamic testing of a nonlinear system are analytically assessed. It is found that the upper stability limit decreases as the step degree of nonlinearity increases; and it increases as the current degree of nonlinearity increases. It is also shown that this integration method provides favorable numerical dissipation not only for linear elastic systems but also for nonlinear systems. Furthermore, error propagation analysis reveals that the numerical dissipation can effectively suppress the severe error propagation of high frequency modes while the low frequency responses are almost unaffected for both linear elastic and nonlinear systems.     

Lame surfaces as a generalisation of the triaxial ellipsoid

In modern geodesy the triaxial ellipsoid as a generalisation of the ellipsoid of revolution has a significant position in studying the figure of the Earth. Lame surfaces represent a generalisation of the triaxial ellipsoid. The following paragraphs are devoted to curvatures of the Lame surfaces.     

Pseudo‐dynamic seismic response of reinforced concrete frames infilled with non‐structural brick masonry

This paper presents pseudo‐dynamic test results on the in‐plane seismic behaviour of infilled frames. Thirteen single‐storey, single‐bay, half‐size‐scale, reinforced concrete‐frame specimens, most of which infilled with non‐structural masonry made of perforated bricks and cement mortar are tested. The infills are in contact with frames, without any connector; openings are not covered. The frames are different in their strength and details, reinforcement grade, and aspect ratio. Seismic input is the 1976 Tolmezzo (Friuli, Italy) ground acceleration, to which specimens are subjected two times: virgin and damaged by the previous test. The global seismic response of initially virgin infilled specimens considerably differs from that of bare specimens. This follows a dramatic change of properties: compared to a bare frame, the initial stiffness increases by one order of magnitude, and the peak strength more than doubles. The peak drift lessens; however, the displacement ductility demand does not. The energy demand is greater. Nevertheless, the influence of infill decreases as damage proceeds. Displacement time histories of damaged specimens are quite similar. At the local level, infill causes asymmetry and concentration of the frame deformation. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

桩底注浆钻孔灌注桩承载力的研究

通过天津地区几例钻孔灌注桩桩底注浆的静载荷试桩结果 ,分析天津地区钻孔灌注桩桩底注浆单桩竖向极限承载力标准值的估算方法     

Statistical and geostatistical features of streambed hydraulic conductivities in the Platte River, Nebraska

This paper presents streambed hydraulic conductivities of the Platte River from south-central to eastern Nebraska. The hydraulic conductivities were determined from river channels using permeameter tests. The vertical hydraulic conductivities (K _v ) from seven test sites along this river in south-central Nebraska belong to one statistical population. Its mean value is 40.2 m/d. However, the vertical hydraulic conductivities along four transects of the Ashland test site in eastern Nebraska have lower mean values, are statistically different from the K _v values in south-central Nebraska, and belong to two different populations with mean values of 20.7 and 9.1 m/d, respectively. Finer sediments carried from the Loup River and Elkhorn River watersheds to the eastern reach of the Platte River lowers the vertical hydraulic conductivity of the streambed. Correlation coefficients between water depth and K _v values along a test transect indicates a positive correlation – a larger K _v usually occurs in the part of channel with deeper water. Experimental variograms derived from the vertical hydraulic conductivities for several transects across the channels of the Platte River show periodicity of spatial correlation, which likely result from periodic variation of water depth across the channels. The sandy to gravelly streambed contains very local silt and clay layers; spatially continuous low-permeability streambed was not observed in the river channels. The horizontal hydraulic conductivities were larger than the vertical hydraulic conductivities for the same test locations.     

Characterization of hydrogeologic properties for a multi-layered alluvial aquifer using hydraulic and tracer tests and electrical resistivity survey

A multi-layered aquifer, typical of riverbank alluvial deposits in Korea, was studied to determine the hydrologic properties. The geologic logging showed that the subsurface of the study site was comprised of four distinctive hydrogeologic units: silt, sand, highly weathered and fresh bedrock layers. The electrical resistivity survey supplied information on lateral extension of hydrogeologic strata only partially identified by a limited number of the geologic loggings. The laboratory column tracer test for the recovered core of the sand layer resulted in a hydraulic conductivity of 5.00×10⁻² cm/s. The slug tests performed in the weathered rock layer yielded hydraulic conductivities of 4.32–7.72×10⁻⁴ cm/s. Hydraulic conductivities for the sand layer calculated from the breakthrough curves of bromide ranged between 2.08×10⁻³ and 2.44×10⁻² cm/s with a geometric mean of 6.89×10⁻³ cm/s, which is 7 times smaller than that from the laboratory column experiment. The trend of increasing hydraulic conductivity with an increase in tracer travel length is likely a result of the increased likelihood of encountering a high conductivity zone as more of the aquifer is tested. The combined hydrogeologic site characterization using hydraulic tests, tracer tests, and column test with geologic loggings and geophysical survey greatly enhanced the understanding of the hydrologic properties of the multi-layered alluvial aquifer.     

Under stress permeability determination of the Meuse/Haute-Marne mudstone

In the underground waste isolation projects such as the ANDRA'one in the site of Bure, the transport properties of the surrounding rock mass is of fundamental importance. To measure very low permeability, we use the modified version of the pulse test proposed by Hsieh et al. [Hsieh, P.A., Tracy, J.V., Neuzil, C.E., Bredehoeft, J.D., Silliman, S.E., 1981. A transient laboratory method for determining the hydraulic properties of ‘tight’ rocks — I. Theory. Int. J. Rock Mech. Min. Sci. Geomech. Abstr. Vol. 18, pp. 245-252] which enables the intrinsic permeability, k, and the specific storage coefficient, S_s, of rocks such as mudstone to be characterized. In this paper, the special effort performed on the laboratory apparatus design, to ensure a good sensitivity of the rock response with respect to both parameters, k and S_s, is presented. In addition, two parameters identification procedures are proposed: the graphical method given by Hsieh et al. [Hsieh, P.A., Tracy, J.V., Neuzil, C.E., Bredehoeft, J.D., Silliman, S.E., 1981. A transient laboratory method for determining the hydraulic properties of ‘tight’ rocks — I. Theory. Int. J. Rock Mech. Min. Sci. Geomech. Abstr. Vol. 18, pp. 245-252] and a parameter identification based on the solution of an inverse problem. The efficiency of the apparatus design and the parameters identification procedures is then demonstrated though some pulse tests performed on the Meuse/Haute-Marne mudstone.     

An approach to model the mechanical behavior of transversely isotropic materials

The present work proposes an approach to adapt existing isotropic models to transversely isotropic materials. The main idea is to introduce equivalence relations between the real material and a fictitious isotropic one on which one can take all the advantages of the well‐established isotropic theory. Two applications of this approach are presented here: a failure criterion and a damage model that takes into account the load‐induced anisotropy. In both cases, theoretical predictions are in agreement with the experimental data. In the present paper, the developed approach is applied to sedimentary rock materials; nevertheless, it can be generalized to any material that exhibits transverse isotropy. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

New graphical methods for estimating aquifer hydraulic parameters using pumping tests with exponentially decreasing rates

Actual pumping tests may involve continuously decreasing rates over a certain period of time, and the hydraulic conductivity (K) and specific storage (S_s) of the tested confined aquifer cannot be interpreted from the classical constant‐rate test model. In this study, we revisit the aquifer drawdown characteristics of a pumping test with an exponentially decreasing rate using the dimensionless analytical solution for such a variable‐rate model. The drawdown may decrease with time for a short period of time at intermediate pumping times for such pumping tests. A larger ratio of initial to final pumping rate and a smaller radial distance of the observation well will enhance the decreasing feature. A larger decay constant results in an earlier decrease, but it weakens the extent of such a decrease. Based on the proposed dimensionless transformation, we have proposed two graphical methods for estimating K and S_s of the tested aquifer. The first is a new type curve method that does not employ the well function as commonly done in standard type curve analysis. Another is a new analytic method that takes advantage of the decreasing features of aquifer drawdown during the intermediate pumping stage. We have demonstrated the applicability and robustness of the two new graphical methods for aquifer characterization through a synthetic pumping test.