Axial friction response of full-scale pipes in soft clays

The axial friction response of subsea pipelines in soft clays is a very important aspect for designers of subsea pipelines but the response is not well understood so far. There is a pressing need for the comprehension of the response. In this paper, model tests are performed using full-scale pipes coated with polyethylene (PE) to study the effects of the set-up period, the pipe diameter, the buried depth of the pipe, the shear strength of soft clays and the loading rate on the axial friction response of pipelines in soft clays. The variations of the axial friction coefficient are analyzed using the effective stress method based on model test results. The results show that the axial friction resistance increases with the increasing pipe diameter but the effect of the pipe diameter on the axial friction coefficient can be neglected. The ultimate axial resistance also increases with the increase of the buried depth of pipelines, the undrained shear strength of soft clays and the loading rate. The axial friction coefficient increases with the increasing loading rate. However, the axial friction coefficient decreases with the increasing buried depth. The method to determine the axial friction coefficient is developed by analyzing model test results, which considers the effects of the diameter, the buried depth, the undrained shear strength of soft clays and the loading rate. The study results not only extend the industry data base but also supply a basis to determine the axial friction coefficient of PE-coated pipes in soft clays for ocean engineering geological investigations.     

Compression limit state of HVAC submarine cables

An industry accepted standard does not currently exist for determination of compression limits in a subsea cable. This has resulted in most manufacturers specifying that subsea cables are not permitted to be axially loaded in compression.Additionally industry guidance does not exist regarding the consequences of inducing compression forces within subsea cables and the resulting effect on cable integrity. Industry recommended practice and guidance also does not have any information regarding experimental test arrangements to determine allowable compression levels within a subsea cable. This lack of modelling/testing guidance along with manufacturer recommendations of zero compressive loads within subsea cables results in overly conservative and restrictive design parameters for subsea cable installation and use.Due to the complex interaction within a subsea cable structure, such as contact interaction and friction between cable strands, theoretical modelling has been unable to provide reliable stress predictions and therefore an experimental testing regime is required if compression limits within the cable are to be appropriately determined. This paper describes combined axial and bending test arrangements that can be used as a guideline for determination of allowable compression limits for subsea cables.     

Large scale three-dimensional seepage analysis model test and numerical simulation research on undersea tunnel

During the construction process of Qingdao Jiaozhou Bay Undersea Tunnel, the faults and other unfavorable geological discontinuities were often encountered. To study the water inrush mechanism in the faults, both physical model test and numerical analysis were carried out. The results of crown displacement and hydraulic pressure of the monitoring sections in the physical model and numerical model were analyzed in this paper. It was found that the displacement and hydraulic pressure in the process of tunnel construction are often interacted as both cause and effect, and the lower of hydraulic pressure is often accompanied with the growth of its displacement. The changing of the excavation disturbed zone during the excavation in the undersea tunnel was also studied. The results show that the excavation disturbed zone in fault is larger than that in surrounding rock mass, and the excavation disturbance effects in the filling type fault are both transient and persistent. When the displacement and hydraulic pressure in the undersea tunnel change sharply during excavation, there are relatively slow and continuous change trend of the displacement and hydraulic pressure. For practical purposes, to prevent water inrush in the undersea tunnel, more attentions should also be paid to the undersea tunnel after excavation.     

An experimental study on water entry of asymmetric wedges

The aim of the paper is to provide an experimental reference for investigation of asymmetric water entry of wedges. Parameters of the study include initial deadrise angle, inclination angle and impact speed. Initial deadrise angles of the wedges were 20° and 30° with inclination angles ranging from 0° to 15° in 5° increments. Wedges were freely fallen from three different heights. Time histories of impact pressure and body acceleration were recorded. Sampling rate of measurements were set to 25 KHz. Main configuration of each test including mass of the wedge and water level were kept unchanged during all experiments. Additionally, several calibration tests were conducted to assess the repeatability and accuracy of the recorded data. The experimental results are compared with different entry theories and other available experiments. The comparison shows a reasonable agreement and indicates that the inclination angle can dramatically affect the impact pressure experienced by the wedges. Finally, the results show that the traditional asymmetric theories are not appropriate for all inclination angles.     

琼东南盆地深水区新近系海底扇沉积特征与资源潜力

综合利用钻井、岩心、薄片及分析化验资料研究了琼东南盆地深水区新近系海底扇沉积特征,并利用最新的三维地震资料,通过井震精细标定、多属性融合技术、方差体切片、三维地貌砂体镂空等综合技术手段,精细刻画了海底扇砂体的空间分布特征。研究结果表明,深水区新近系海底扇是由陆架区的砂体滑塌并二次搬运形成,形成过程具有多期次性。受不同物源的影响,海底扇岩性和物性存在较大的差异。海底扇岩性及沉积构造具有砂质滑塌、碎屑流、浊流和深水底流改造的特征。海底扇的沉积微相、厚度、砂泥比和砂泥岩空间配置关系直接控制了地震振幅反射强度和频率的变化。砂体纵向叠置,横向连片,并被后期泥质水道切割分块形成多个岩性圈闭。综合分析认为,深水区海底扇砂体发育区烃源条件优越,储盖配置关系和圈闭条件良好,具备形成大中型岩性油气藏的有利条件,具有较大的油气勘探潜力。     

Research of in-situ hydraulic test method by using double packer equipment

Double packer equipment for hydraulic test can be used to measure pressure of test zone directly, and it is frequently used to perform many kinds of hydraulic tests and take groundwater sample from borehole. The test method of this equipment mainly includes the test design, implementation, interpretation and synthetic analysis. By adopting the double packer equipment for hydraulic test, the parameter distribution of rock permeability along borehole can be acquired, as well as the connectivity, water conductivity and water bearing capacity of the disclosed structure and the chemical characteristics of the deep groundwater. It is a necessary method for the research and evaluation of the complex hypotonicity terrace site selection under geological conditions. This method is not only suitable for the geological disposal of high level radioactive waste, but also can be used in the site selection of underground facilities such as storage of petroleum and carbon dioxide. Meanwhile, it has a good application prospect in other hydrogeological investigation fields.     

Development of a new method for efficiently calculating of evaporation from the phreatic aquifer in variably saturated flow modeling

In this paper, we proposed a new method that has been developed based on the surface soil moisture content (SSMC) to more efficiently calculate the groundwater evaporation in variably saturated flow modeling. In this method, the empirical formula to calculate evaporation was modified and the value of the formula varies from zero to one as a closed interval. In addition, the simulation code for calculating the groundwater evaporation based on the SSMC method was incorporated into the EOS9 module of Tough2, a variably saturated flow modeling code. Finally, two numerical tests and a case simulation were conducted to verify the feasibility and accuracy of the SSMC method. Simulation results indicate that the SSMC method is capable of appropriately simulating the characteristics of water flow in vadose zone and the amount of evaporation with the variable water table. And such results are in coincidence with the value calculated by the logistic function method, and fit well with the measured data globally rather than locally.     

海洋上层暖水在热带气旋迅速增强中的作用:基于台风威马逊(1409)的个例研究

在登陆海南岛之前,台风威马逊在南海北部从热带风暴级别迅速增强成为超强台风。观测数据的分析结果显示,海洋上层的异常暖水在威马逊的迅速增强过程中扮演了重要的角色。威马逊期间,南海北部的海表面温度相比于气候态海表面温度暖很多。这部分异常暖水为威马逊提供了更多的能量,从而导致了威马逊的迅速增强。数值模拟结果进一步证明,南海北部的暖水在台风威马逊的迅速增强过程中起重要作用。如果没有这团异常暖水的影响,威马逊只增强25 hPa,仅为有暖水影响条件下增强程度的58.1%。     

围填海对海洋水动力与生态环境的影响

近10年来,中国海岸带围填海活动呈现出规模大、速度快的发展态势。围填海能带来显著的经济效益,但对海洋环境与生态的负面影响也不可忽视。针对围填海对海洋环境和生态的影响及作用机制,分别从水动力和生态系统两个方面进行了概述。围填海改变了海洋的自然几何属性(原始岸线、地形地貌、海湾面积),引起水动力环境的变化(潮汐系统和海湾水交换能力),进而影响了海湾的环境容量;围填海破坏了生物栖息地、导致生物多样性的丧失,影响到生态系统结构与功能的稳定性;水动力与生物多样性的变化可显著影响到生物地球化学过程,加速富营养化进程,恶化水质,增加生态灾害风险。目前,围填海后的生态修复策略主要有增加生物量、建设自然保护区、退陆还海3种方式;而生态补偿策略则多基于“生态系统服务功能与生境面积的大小为线性关系”,通过对其经济价值的量化后进行生态补偿与实施相关政策。国际上,生态系统服务功能的量化参数逐步纳入实际管理,并在线性关系研究的基础上,逐步纳入一些非线性的理念,使生态补偿机制更为合理化;而我国对于围填海生态效应的定量化研究及科学理论在管理政策中的实际应用仍亟待提高。整体而言,全面、准确地评估围填海对海洋环境与生态的影响离不开自然科学与社会科学的交叉与融合。     

近60年来长江河口河势变化及其对水动力和盐水入侵的影响I.河势变化

河势是影响河口水动力和盐水入侵基本因子。本文利用20世纪50和70年代长江河口海图,数值化岸线和水深,结合2012年长江河口实测水深资料,分析长江河口自50年代以来的河势变化。长江河口为分汊河口,50年代仅为二级分汊,至70年代才形成三级分汊,四口入海的河势格局。70年代相比于50年代,北支淤浅严重,其上、中、下段容积变化分别为-64.13×106、-306.60×106和-639.27×106 m3,对应的变化率分别为-16.30%、-22.74%和-25.69%,均显著减小;南支的上、中、下段容积变化分别为-28.61×106、-35.69×106和126.43×106 m3,相应的变化率分别为-1.30%、-2.12%和4.36%;北港由于崇明浅滩和横沙浅滩的淤浅,下段容积明显减小,其上段和下段容积变化分别为109.21×106和-797.14×106 m3,对应的变化率分别为5.01%和-15.25%;南港上段由于河道淤浅容积减小,下段北由于铜沙浅滩被冲开形成北槽,导致水深变深、容积增加,其上段、下段北和下段南容积变化分别为-238.95×106、203.58×106和153.34×106 m3,对应的变化率分别为-8.96%、6.85%和3.26%。2012年相比于70年代,北支由于大量淤浅和围垦容积大幅减小,其上、中、下段容积变化分别为-199.06×106、-504.61×106和-654.12×106 m3,对应的变化率分别为-60.45%、-48.44%和-35.38%;南支的上、中、下段容积变化分别为92.34×106、193.01×106和-163.62×106 m3,相应的变化率分别为4.24%、11.73%和-5.40%;北港上段青草沙水库的围垦和下段横沙东滩的围垦造成面积和容积减小,其上段和下段容积变化分别为-154.64×106和-511.79×106 m3,对应的变化率分别为-6.75%和-11.55%;南港由于上段河道刷深而下段九段沙以及南汇边滩淤浅、围垦,导致其容积上段增加,下段减小,上段、下段北和下段南容积变化分别为136.39×106、-658.28×106和-1266.11×106 m3,对应的变化率分别为5.62%、-20.73%和-26.06%。