The role of salinity in fluvio-deltaic morphodynamics: A long-term modelling study

Salinity difference between terrestrial river discharge and oceanic tidal water plays a role in modifying the local flow field and, as a consequence, estuarine morphodynamics. Although widely recognized, recent numerical studies exploring the long-term morphological evolution of river-influenced estuaries with two-dimensional, depth-averaged models have mostly neglected salinity. Using a three-dimensional morphodynamic model, we aim to gain more insight into the effect of salinity on the morphodynamics of fluvio-deltaic systems. Model results indicate that the resultant estuarine morphology established after 600 years differs remarkably when a salinity gradient is included. A fan-shaped river-mouth delta exhibits less seaward expansion and is cut through by narrower channels when salinity is included. The inclusion of salinity tends to generate estuarine circulation, which favours landward sediment transport and hence limits the growth of the delta while enhancing the development of intertidal areas. The formation of deltaic channel–shoal patterns resulting from morphodynamic evolution tends to strengthen salinity stratification, which is characterized by an increased gradient Richardson number. The direction of the depth-averaged residual sediment transport over a tide may be opposite to the direction of residual velocity, indicating the significant influence of baroclinic effects on the net sediment transport direction (and hence morphological change). The effect of salinity on morphological evolution becomes less profound when the strength of tidal or fluvial forcing is dominant over the other. The effects of sediment type and flocculation, which are particularly important when salinity gradients are present, are also discussed. Overall, this study highlights that neglecting salinity to simulate long-term estuarine morphodynamics requires more careful justification, particularly when the environment is characterized by fine sediment types (favouring suspended transport), and relatively large river discharge and estuarine depth (favouring baroclinic effects). © 2020 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Evaluating functional connectivity in a small agricultural catchment under contrasting flood events by using UAV

Concentrated erosion, a major feature of land degradation, represents a serious problem for soil and water resources management and a threat to ecosystems. Understanding the internal mechanisms (de-)coupling sediment pathways can improve the management and resilience of catchments. In this study, concentrated erosion and deposition forms were mapped accurately through field and aerial unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) campaigns, in order to assess the evolution of connectivity pathways over a series of three contrasted and consecutive flood events occurring between October 2016 and January 2017 (return period ranging from 0.5 to 25 years) in a small Mediterranean agricultural catchment (Can Revull, Mallorca, Spain; 1.4 km²). In addition, a morphometric index of connectivity (IC) was used to identify the potential trajectories of different concentrated erosion forms and deposition areas. IC predictions were calibrated by identifying the optimal critical thresholds, i.e. those most consistent with field observations after each of the events studied. The results found that the index performed well in predicting the occurrence and the length/area of the different type of landforms, giving kappa (κ) coefficients of variation ranging between 0.21 and 0.92 and linear correlations R² between 0.33 and 0.72. The type of landform affected the correspondence of IC predictions and field observations, with lower thresholds the greater the magnitude of their associated geomorphic processes. Rainfall magnitude proved to be a very important factor controlling the development of erosion and deposition landforms, with large differences in length/area between the contrasted events. The evolution of the observed trajectories revealed feedback dynamics between the structural and functional connectivity of the catchment, in which morphological changes determined the spatial distribution of the processes’ activity in the successive events and vice versa. © 2020 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

A novel bidirectional pendulum tuned mass damper using variable homogeneous friction to achieve amplitude-independent control

Passive tuned mass dampers (TMDs) are widely used in controlling structural vibrations. Although their principle is well established, the search for improved arrangements is still under way. This effort has recently produced an innovative paradigm of bidirectional pendulum TMD (BTMD) that, moving along a specially designed three-dimensional (3D) surface, can simultaneously control two in-plane orthogonal structural modes. In existing versions of BTMDs, energy dissipation is provided either by ordinary horizontal viscous dampers or by an original arrangement of vertical friction dampers. In this paper, a new paradigm is proposed, in which energy dissipation comes from the tangential friction arising along the pendulum surface out of an optimal spatially variable friction coefficient pattern. Within this paradigm, if the friction coefficient is taken proportional to the modulus of the pendulum surface gradient, the dissipation model results nonlinear homogeneous in the small-displacement domain, and the performance of the absorber, herein called the homogeneous tangential friction BTMD (HT-BTMD), results independent from the excitation level. The present work introduces this concept, derives the analytical model of the HT-BTMD, establishes a method for its optimal design, and numerically verifies its seismic effectiveness in comparison with viscously damped devices. The validity and feasibility of the concept are demonstrated through experimental tests on a small-scale lab prototype, which also show the efficacy of a stepwise approximation of the homogeneous friction pattern. The new device proves a competing alternative to existing BTMDs, and homogeneous tangential friction proves a promising new paradigm to provide pendular systems with amplitude-independent structural damping.     

Use of sparse iterative methods for the resolution of three-dimensional soil/structure interaction problems

In this paper we present a study of the performance of sparse iterative solvers regarding the resolution of three-dimensional and non-linear problems encountered in soil/structure interaction. It is composed of two parts. In the first one, we present briefly iterative methods and preconditioners used in this study, then we analyse their performance on three soil/structure interaction problems: a shallow foundation under a vertical loading, a single pile subjected to a lateral loading and the construction of a lined tunnel in a soft soil. Tests are performed assuming an elastic–perfectly plastic constitutive law for the soil material with a non-associated Mohr–Coulomb flow rule. Copyright © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

整体平差方法在CCD天体测量中的应用

回顾了基于底片重叠观测的整体平差方法的发展历史和应用概况，分析了该方法应用于底片资料处理没有取得预期效果的原因，介绍了小视场CCD重叠观测的整体平差研究进展．分析与实测资料归算表明，整体平差方法可以在CCD资料处理中充分发挥作用，在保证长焦距、小底片比例尺的同时，通过对CCD重叠观测的整体平差(相当于扩大观测视场)，可覆盖更多的参考星，进而达到改善局部参考架、提高归算结果精度的目的。     

MODELLING UNKNOWN STRUCTURAL SYSTEMS THROUGH THE USE OF NEURAL NETWORKS

This paper explores the potential of using neural networks to identify the internal forces of typical systems encountered in the field of earthquake engineering and structural dynamics. After formulating the identification task as a neural network learning procedure, the method is applied to a representative chain-like system under deterministic and stochastic excitations. The neural network based identification method provides very good results for general classes of multi-degree-of-freedom structural systems. The range of validity of the approach is demonstrated, and some application issues are discussed for (a) partially known multi-degree-of-freedom systems and (b) completely unknown systems.     

A modified method to estimate chain inverse catenary profile in clay based on chain equation and chain yield envelope

Offshore floating facilities are fixed by anchoring systems embedded in seabed soils through chains or ropes. The chain inverse catenary profile embedded in soils influences both the anchor failure mechanism and the anchor holding capacity. The chain mobilizes varying soil normal and tangential resistances during motion, hence it is with difficulty to depict the chain profile. The present work proposed a modified method to estimate the chain inverse catenary profile with high accuracy based on the chain equations and the chain yield envelope. A testing arrangement with three load cells and two MEMS (Micro-electromechanical systems) accelerometers included was designed in model tests. By model tests, the loading combinations of the soil tangential and normal resistances on the chain were obtained and the yield envelopes for both chain and rope were determined. In addition, supplemental model tests were performed to validate the modified method proposed in this study, and the testing results indicated that the estimated chain inverse catenary profile was in good agreement with the actual one. Moreover, the testing arrangement is beneficial in investigating the chain-soil-anchor interaction.     

Cenozoic sequence stratigraphy of the Kachchh Basin,India

The Kachchh sedimentary basin in the western continental margin of India is a peri-cratonic rift basin which preserves a nearly complete rock record from Middle Jurassic to Recent, punctuated by several stratigraphic breaks. The Cenozoic sediments exposed in the western part of the Kachchh mainland extend offshore into the present-day continental shelf. The unique feature of the outcropping area is a nearly complete, richly fossiliferous and easily accessible Cenozoic succession. Detailed field mapping and litho-biostratigraphic studies have made it possible to identify the chronostratigraphic units, map them in the field and extend the correlation into the offshore, aided by the development of continuously recognizable key biostratigraphic horizons and time boundaries. Detailed field mapping of key sections integrated with the litho-biostratigraphic information has helped in working out a sequence stratigraphic framework for the Cenozoic succession in the basin. The succession comprises a first-order passive margin sequence. Excellent biostratigraphic control has enabled identification of unconformities of various magnitudes which in turn have helped in mapping 5 second-order and four third-order sequences. Each sequence is discussed with respect to its extent, nature of sequence boundaries, sedimentary fill, key sequence stratigraphic surfaces and depositional setup, to understand the Cenozoic sequence stratigraphic architecture of the basin.     

松辽盆地增强型地热系统开发选区评价

干热岩是一种新型清洁能源,其开发利用区的确定十分重要。笔者首先通过对松辽盆地热源、资源量、导热、聚热、地震活动5个方面资料的收集,提出了松辽盆地增强型地热系统开发选区适宜性评价方法;然后选取8项评价因子,利用ArcGIS 10.2平台将松辽盆地划分为26个评价单元,根据打分法和层次分析法(AHP)求取每个因子的权重;最后,对26个选区进行综合评价,将其分成适宜、较适宜、一般适宜、较不适宜和不适宜5个等级。结果表明:松辽盆地干热岩开发适宜区和较适宜区主要集中在盆地中部的大安—大庆一带,确定的适宜选区范围对今后干热岩开发工作具有一定指导作用。     

Nonstationary stochastic response of structural systems equipped with nonlinear viscous dampers under seismic excitation

Nonlinear viscous dampers are supplemental devices widely used for enhancing the performance of structural systems exposed to seismic hazard. A rigorous evaluation of the effect of these damping devices on the seismic performance of a structural system should be based on a probabilistic approach and take into account the evolutionary characteristics of the earthquake input and of the corresponding system response. In this paper, an approximate analytical technique is proposed for studying the nonstationary stochastic response characteristics of hysteretic single degree of freedom systems equipped with viscous dampers subjected to a fully nonstationary random process representing the seismic input. In this regard, a stochastic averaging/linearization technique is utilized to cast the original nonlinear stochastic differential equation of motion into a simple first‐order nonlinear ordinary differential equation for the nonstationary system response variance. In comparison with standard linearization schemes, the herein proposed technique has the significant advantage that it allows to handle realistic seismic excitations with time‐varying frequency content. Further, it allows deriving a formula for determining the nonlinear system response evolutionary power spectrum. By this way, ‘moving resonance’ effects, related to both the evolutionary seismic excitation and the nonlinear system behavior, can be observed and quantified. Several applications involving various system and input properties are included. Furthermore, various response parameters of interest for the seismic performance assessment are considered as well. Comparisons with pertinent Monte Carlo simulations demonstrate the reliability of the proposed technique. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.