Assessment of soil–pile–structure interaction influencing seismic response of mid-rise buildings sitting on floating pile foundations

The role of the seismic soil–pile–structure interaction (SSPSI) is usually considered beneficial to the structural system under seismic loading since it lengthens the lateral fundamental period and leads to higher damping of the system in comparison with the fixed-base assumption. Lessons learned from recent earthquakes show that fixed-base assumption could be misleading, and neglecting the influence of SSPSI could lead to unsafe design particularly for structures founded on soft soils. In this study, in order to better understand the SSPSI phenomena, a series of shaking table tests have been conducted for three different cases, namely: (i) fixed-base structure representing the situation excluding the soil–structure interaction; (ii) structure supported by shallow foundation on soft soil; and (iii) structure supported by floating (frictional) pile foundation in soft soil. A laminar soil container has been designed and constructed to simulate the free field soil response by minimising boundary effects during shaking table tests. In addition, a fully nonlinear three dimensional numerical model employing FLAC3D has been adopted to perform time-history analysis on the mentioned three cases. The numerical model adopts hysteretic damping algorithm representing the variation of the shear modulus and damping ratio of the soil with the cyclic shear strain capturing the energy absorbing characteristics of the soil. Results are presented in terms of the structural response parameters most significant for the damage such as foundation rocking, base shear, floor deformation, and inter-storey drifts. Comparison of the numerical predictions and the experimental data shows a good agreement confirming the reliability of the numerical model. Both experimental and numerical results indicate that soil–structure interaction amplifies the lateral deflections and inter-storey drifts of the structures supported by floating pile foundations in comparison to the fixed base structures. However, the floating pile foundations contribute to the reduction in the lateral displacements in comparison to the shallow foundation case, due to the reduced rocking components.     

Proposed nonlinear 3-D analytical method for piled raft foundations

The load distribution and deformation of piled raft foundations subjected to axial and lateral loads were investigated by a numerical analysis and field case studies. Special attention is given to the improved analytical method (YSPR) proposed by considering raft flexibility and soil nonlinearity. A load transfer approach using p–y, t–z and q–z curves is used for the analysis of piles. An analytical method of the soil–structure interaction is developed by taking into account the soil spring coupling effects based on the Filonenko-Borodich model. The proposed method has been verified by comparing the results with other numerical methods and field case studies on piled raft. Through comparative studies, it is found that the proposed method in the present study is in good agreement with general trend observed by field measurements and, thus, represents a significant improvement in the prediction of piled raft load sharing and settlement behavior.     

Some Investigations on Early Organization of Karst System

Karstsystemsaredynamicsystemsinspontaneoussuc-cessiveevolutionarisenfromtheinteractionbetweenwaterflowandsolub1emedium-Thecircu1ationofwaterprogres-sivelyandcontinuouslymodifiesthestructureofmediumfield,consequentlymodifyingthehydraulicbehaviorofthesystemitself'Someauthors(e.g.,FordandWilliams,l989)believedthatmostcarbonaterockswillbecomeconduitaquifersifsurficialerosionisnegligibleorsufficienttimeisgiven.Karstsystemsfailtodevelopconnectedconduiteitherduetoincompleteextension(becauseinsuffici…     

Cenozoic tectonic events at the border of the Paraná Basin, São Paulo, Brazil

In the last decade, even in areas that had been considered tectonically stable, a great amount of Cenozoic, including the Quaternary period, structural data have been collected throughout Brazil. The main goal of this study is to describe the Cenozoic structures and tectonic evolution of an area that is located at the border of the Paraná Basin in the state of São Paulo.The research methods consisted of the analysis of: (1) brittle structure data, mainly conjugate fractures and fault slip data; (2) lineaments traced on air photos and TM Landsat and radar images; and (3) a second-order base surface map.The study area, during the Cenozoic, has been affected by five strike–slip tectonic events, which generated mainly strike–slip faults, and secondarily normal and reverse ones. The events were named, from the oldest to the youngest, E1-NE, E2-EW, E3-NW, E4-NS, and E5-NNE; and the maximum principal stresses σ1 strike approximately NE–SW, E–W, NW–SE, N–S, and NNE–SSW, respectively. Event E2-EW seems to have been contemporaneous with the deposition of the Rio Claro Formation, the most important Cenozoic deposit of probable Neogenic age, and also to have controlled the distribution of its deposits. Event E3-NW was the strongest one in the area, as is pointed out by structural data, and the maximum principal stress σ1 of event E5-NNE is partially concordant with the orientation of σH-max of well break-out data in the Paraná Basin, suggesting a Neotectonic activity for this event. Finally, discontinuities parallel and correlated to the directions of strike–slip faults of the Cenozoic events seem to have actively controlled the sculpturing of the relief in the study area.     

青藏高原北缘深部地壳结构特征及其形成机制探讨

柴达木盆地－祁连山地区位于青藏高原北缘，同青藏高原主体一样，该区具有多层地壳结构特征，并普遍出现壳内低速层，地壳厚度是华北及华南地区的2倍以上。其形成可能与地壳的横向挤压缩短及幔源物质的底侵作用有关。随着底侵作用增强，地壳厚度加大，岩石圈厚度则越趋于减薄，地壳上部表现为拉张，下部发生壳幔深熔及幔源流体的交代作用，从而导致了地壳低速层，地热和浅源地震的发育。同时，这也是青藏高原出现热壳冷幔的原因之一。     

X射线衍射技术应用于宝石鉴定-合成及晶体结构研究进展

因宝石检测常附带无损要求、宝石评价具科学性和不确定性等特点,X射线衍射(XRD)在宝石学这门矿物学的分支学科中的应用具有特殊性,其应用领域主要集中在三个方面。①宝石鉴定领域:对单晶宝石和多晶宝石进行物相鉴定、宝石产地特征研究以及宝石矿物多型的种类划分等。例如根据XRD图谱,可将品种繁多的微晶石英隐晶质变种玉髓中不同的SiO₂质矿物相精确区分;通过黏土矿物成分及其含量可将鸡血石中"地"的种类进行划分。②宝石矿物的晶体结构研究:对成分复杂的单晶宝石进行晶体化学分析、获取矿物类质同象替代情况、利用结晶度划分宝石品质。例如晶格参数中的c/a比值可将绿柱石的Al八面体类质同象替代和Be四面体类质同象替代进行区分;软玉中通过XRD数据计算出的结晶度与软玉的品质关系密切。③宝石学研究技术的开发:对宝石的优化处理过程进行监测,在宝石合成过程中检验矿物晶形大小、结晶质量及内应力等,以有机宝石的晶体结构为基础的人工养殖技术研究。例如尖晶石在热处理过程中,Mg离子由四面体中的T位迁移至八面体中的M位,导致M-O和T-O键长随温度变化,并反映在尖晶石的色调中;在托帕石合成过程中,XRD数据显示770~800℃时形成含氟托帕石(与天然托帕石结构相同),而在950℃和1000℃出现含氟托帕石离解成刚玉和莫来石。目前,我国在宝石学的XRD应用方面起步较晚,国外在宝石鉴定、优化与合成方面的应用相对成熟。本文认为,该技术与扫描电镜、质子探针等分析技术的联用仍有很大发展空间。     

国家级油气资源数据库建设方案

针对油气资源信息中的海量数据处理、信息集成和综合利用等关键问题,提出了开发国家级油气资源数据库软件系统的整体设计方案。其中包括软件结构、功能结构、数据库结构以及基于C/S和B/S模式的数据库系统建设方案。阐述了应用Ajax技术实现B/S模式系统架构,使用自行开发的ETL工具解决C/S与B/S模式间多类数据的提取转换等关键问题。该设计方案用地理信息系统（GIS）的空间属性一体化技术解决问题。     

改性红辉沸石的制备及去除水中CODcr的性能研究

天然红辉沸石经过氯化铝及氯化镁共同改性后,制备出改性红辉沸石。研究了改性红辉沸石和天然红辉沸石对生活污水中CODcr的吸附效果,表明改性红辉沸石的吸附效果明显优于红辉沸石,并通过X射线粉末衍射、热重分析、红外光谱对改性红辉沸石表面结构进行了表征。     

松辽盆地长岭断陷烃类气藏主控因素及分布

松辽盆地长岭断陷烃类气藏的分布主要受烃源岩分布和断裂发育特征两种因素控制。早期气藏的形成主要受控于烃源岩的分布,形成的是原生气藏;晚期气藏的形成主要是因为有沟通气源(沙河子组和营城组烃源岩)和圈闭的断裂作为油气运移的通道,形成的是次生气藏。目前已发现的主要含气构造(哈尔金、大老爷府及双坨子构造)在营城组末期已见雏形,大多数构造定型于嫩江末期,含气构造形成时间早于主生烃时间。伏龙泉构造形成于嫩江时期,定型于古近纪末期。烃类气藏主要形成于青山口—嫩江时期。营城组火山岩和登娄库—泉头组一、二段的碎屑岩储集层是未来烃类气勘探的主要目标。     

青藏高原申扎-双湖剖面岩石圈电性结构特征及其含义

为了研究班公湖-怒江缝合带的壳幔电性结构及构造特征,并为其俯冲极性提供电性约束,对青藏高原中部申扎-双湖大地电磁测深剖面进行全面数据处理分析,获得了可靠的二维电性结构模型,研究表明:沿剖面上地壳分布的是规模不等的高阻体,底面埋深在10~25 km变化,高阻层之下发现由不连续的高导体构成的中下地壳高导层.通过对电性结构的分析,认为班公湖-怒江特提斯洋的俯冲消亡极性可能是双向的,随后拉萨-羌塘地体碰撞带处的上地壳高阻体发生拆沉,以上两次动力学事件可能共同作用于缝合带处的壳幔高导体,同时北拉萨地体的壳幔高导体还可能体现了构造作用、岩浆活动和成矿作用之间的关系.