Computational modeling of cyclic mobility and post-liquefaction site response

Under seismic excitation, liquefied clean medium to dense cohesionless soils may regain a high level of shear resistance at large shear strain excursions. This pattern of response, known as a form of cyclic mobility, has been documented by a large body of laboratory sample tests and centrifuge experiments. A plasticity-based constitutive model is developed with emphasis on simulating the cyclic mobility response mechanism and associated pattern of shear strain accumulation. This constitutive model is incorporated into a two-phase (solid–fluid), fully coupled finite element code. Calibration of the constitutive model is described, based on a unique set of laboratory triaxial tests (monotonic and cyclic) and dynamic centrifuge experiments. In this experimental series, Nevada sand at a relative density of about 40% is employed. The calibration effort focused on reproducing the salient characteristics of dynamic site response as dictated by the cyclic mobility mechanism. Finally, using the calibrated model, a numerical simulation is conducted to highlight the effect of excitation frequency content on post-liquefaction ground deformations.     

Spatial variation of seismic motion induced by propagation of body waves

Spatial variation of earthquake ground motion is an important phenomenon that cannot be ignored in the design and safety of strategic structures. Several models have been developed to describe this variation using statistical, mathematical or physical approaches. The latter approach is not specific to an event. A recent contribution, which uses such an approach and called complete stochastic deamplification approach (CSDA), was developed [1]. The aim of this paper is to analyze the spatial variation of earthquake motion induced by the propagation of body waves using the CSDA. Coherency functions are evaluated for the cases of SH–SV–P waves propagating through stratified soil. Results obtained show that the variation of the coherency function is not the same for vertical and horizontal components and that the motion is more coherent at depth than at the free surface. In fact, we found that the rate of decrease with frequency and distance is not the same if P–SV waves propagate through stratified soil.     

Improved treatments for evaluating horizontal magnetic components through the 3-D FDM in E -polarization induction problems

To improve the accuracy of the numerical evaluation through the 3-D finite difference method, the surface boundary conditions are added to modify the old program. The author has tested the new program by making calculations for the model constructed by Wanamaker, et al (1984). The comparison between the numerical results obtained from this paper and those by Wannamaker, et al (1984) indicates that a pronounced improvement is realized in the evaluation of the horizontal magnetic components. Moreover, better calculations for the vertical magnetic components are also obtainable by using the new program.     

A DYNAMIC MODE FOR RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN FLOOD/DROUGHT IN YANGTZE RIVER VALLEY AND LOW FREQUENCY WAVE ORIGINATED FROM TROPICAL SEA AREA

According to statistic analysis on sea surface temperature(SST)anomaly features in theNorth Pacific in winters and springs prior to the summer flood/drought in the middle and lowerreaches of the Yangtze River(hereafter referred to as MLRY),a strong signal SST key area thataffects local flood/drought is put forward,that is the equatorial eastern Pacific.The response ofgeneral circulation in the Northern Hemisphere to SST anomaly in the key area is furtherinvestigated. The low frequency wave train structure of correlation between the eastern PacificSST and the height at 500 hPa in the Northern Hemisphere is also studied,which reflects thedynamic features of teleresponse of local flood/drought at extratropics to tropical SST anomaly.Through introducing SST anomaly in the strong signal area in numerical experiments,the flood inYangtze River Valley is successfully simulated and the similar wave train pattern in the flow field isobtained too.Altogether,the physical picture and dynamic mode of the flood in the Yangtze RiverValley are described in this work.     

Enrichissement en uranium authigène dans les sédiments glaciaires de l'océan AustralEnrichments in authigenic uranium in glacial sediments of the Southern Ocean

Four sediment cores from the Polar frontal zone and the Antarctic zone in the Indian sector of the Southern Ocean present an increase of authigenic uranium during glacial periods. We show that this increase in uranium is due to a combination of (i) an increase in the lateral transport of organic matter, (ii) a decrease in the oxygen in deep waters, and (iii) a process of diagenesis. It appears that uranium concentration cannot be used as a proxy of palaeoproductivity in the Southern Ocean, as previously suggested by Kumar et al. in 1995. To cite this article: L. Dezileau et al., C. R. Geoscience 334 (2002) 1039–1046.     

An oases dynamics model and its application in the Manas oasis

This study applies theories of systems and system dynamics to ecological economic systems in the oasis environment, with the intention of finding the basic characteristics of the oasis environment and its feedback structures. This study explores the inner mechanisms of economic development in the oasis environment and its relationship to policy variables. This model is applied to economic development in the Manas oasis of the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region of China. System dynamics method starts from studying feedback structure within the system study and then searches for the best solution through identifying the right "policy point" and through model simulation in the computer. It embodies the cream of "systems cybernetics theory". This study is justified because the nature of the oasis system and the simulation results are scientifically sound and practically feasible.     

饱和土一维简谐响应解析解的求解和应用：II 应用

将相关论文[1]中得到的饱和土一维简谐响应解析解，应用到饱和土中两类压缩波的独立作用、饱和土中波的传播速度、u-p方程的适用范围等研究中。在两类压缩波的独立作用研究中，克服了以前文献中的数学不严密性。研究了饱和土各参数对三种体波波速的影响。通过比较u-w和u-p方程的解答，定量地说明了u-p方程的适用范围。