Procedures for calibration of linear models for damage limitation in design of masonry‐infilled RC frames

Recent earthquakes have confirmed the role played by infills in the seismic response of reinforced concrete buildings. The control and limitation of damage to such nonstructural elements is a key issue in performance‐based earthquake engineering. The present work is focused on modeling and analysis of damage to infill panels, and, in particular, it is aimed towards linear analysis procedures for assessing the damage limitation limit state of infilled reinforced concrete frames. First, code provisions on infill modeling and acceptance criteria at the damage limitation limit state are reviewed. Literature contributions on damage to unreinforced masonry infill panels and corresponding displacement capacity are reported and discussed. Two procedures are then proposed aiming at a twofold goal: (i) the determination of ‘equivalent’ interstory drift ratio limits for a bare frame model and (ii) the estimation of the stiffness of equivalent struts representing infill walls in a linear model. These two quantities are determined such that a linear model ensures a reliable estimation of seismic capacity at the damage limitation limit state, providing the same intensity level as that obtained from nonlinear analyses carried out on structural models with infills. Finally, the proposed procedures are applied to four‐story and eight‐story case study‐infilled frames, designed for seismic loads according to current technical codes. The results of these application examples are presented and discussed. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Numerically based proposals for the stiffness and strength of masonry infills with openings in reinforced concrete frames

Aimed at investigating the effect of openings on the in‐plane behaviour of masonry infills in reinforced concrete frames, a parametric study is presented based on model calibration via experimental tests. Two types of openings are investigated: central window openings and different combinations of door and window openings based on the typologies of southern European countries. First, a finite element model of the structure is made using the DIANA software program. Then, after calibration with experimental results, a parametric analysis is carried out to investigate the effect of the presence and location of the different types of openings on the in‐plane behaviour of the infilled frame. Finally, different equations for predicting the initial stiffness and lateral strength of infilled frames with any types of openings were obtained. An α factor related to the geometry of the piers between openings is proposed to take into account the location of the openings in the developed equations. Subsequently, the masonry infill panel is replaced by a diagonal strut. An empirical equation is also proposed for the width of an equivalent strut to replace a masonry infill panel with openings in such a way that they possess the same initial stiffness. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

基于节理网络有限元的柱状节理岩体等效变形模量结构效应研究

因其特殊的地质成因,柱状节理成为一种具有强烈非连续性及各向异性的特殊岩体结构。以白鹤滩水电工程设计、建设中所遇到的柱状节理玄武岩体为背景,针对柱状节理岩体的等效变形模量问题,在探讨了其结构效应表征参数的基础上,利用节理网络有限元为工具,研究各结构效应表征参数对柱状节理岩体等效变形模量的影响。研究结果表明：在柱轴线横向平面上,对于柱体不规则程度,当柱体完全不规则相对于完全规则情况,等效模量提高大约10%左右;在其他条件不变情况下,当柱体平均边长从0.1 m增加至0.5 m时,等效模量从5.36 GPa增加至23.4 GPa;对不同加载方向的研究结果表明,柱状节理在柱轴横向平面上可以视作各向同性;当节理刚度线性递增时,相应的岩体等效模量也基本符合线性递增的规律。在平行柱体轴线平面,节理组2间距越大,柱状节理岩体的等效变形模量越大;随着错距比的增加,柱状节理岩体的等效变形模量呈现先增加后减少的趋势,当错距比为50%时,节理岩体的等效变形模量取最大值;对于节理刚度的影响,与柱轴横向平面类似的,随柱体轴线平面上节理刚度的线性增加,相应的岩体模量也基本符合线性递增的规律。该研究成果与已有的现场研究成果及三维数值模型成果相比,吻合良好。说明了文中提供的研究结论具有较好的可信度及参考价值。     

非饱和土增湿变形的实用计算方法

非饱和土力学研究目前还未进入实用阶段,主要原因在于吸力量测困难。本文提出了用等效吸力代替真实吸力的试验方法。首先以常规静三轴试验得到的原状饱和土以及非饱和土的应力-应变曲线为基础,根据变形等效的原则确定与某一饱和度相当的围压即为等效吸力;然后建立饱和度与等效吸力之间的非线性关系,并验证了该数学公式的正确性;再根据试验结果分析含水量对非饱和土强度的影响,建立了非饱和土的实用抗剪强度公式;最后按照邓肯-张模型的参数整理方法得到了不同饱和度非饱和土的模型参数,探索这些参数随饱和度的变化规律,建立了引入饱和度的非饱和黄土实用非线性模型,并进行了降雨入渗情况下非饱和土增湿变形的计算。结果表明,饱和度最大值为95%,等效吸力最大值为160 kPa,最大水平位移与竖向位移分别为0.6 cm和20.0 cm,均出现在浸水位置。计算结果合理地反映了非饱和土变形的分布趋势,验证了方法的合理性。     

Computer thermodynamic modeling of the transport and deposition of Sb and Au during the formation of Au-Sb deposits

Using the Chiller computer program, we performed modeling of the mechanisms of the joint transport and deposition of Au and Sb from various ore-forming solutions during the formation of Au-Sb deposits. Three models are considered by the example of the Uderei Au-Sb deposit in the Yenisei Ridge: (1) simple cooling (cooling only), (2) iso-enthalpy boiling (P = f(T)), and (3) solution–rock interaction (rock titration model). The behavior of Sb(III) and Au(I) in the system Au–Sb–Fe–Cu–Pb–Zn–As–H₂O–Cl–H₂S–CO₂ under hydrothermal conditions was studied. It is shown that both weakly alkaline (near-neutral) and reduced acidic Fe_aq²⁺-enriched low-chloride high-CO₂ and high-chloride hydrothermal solutions play a crucial role in the formation of gold parageneses of Au-Sb ores.     

三维坑道直流聚焦法超前探测技术

对坑道超前探测方法中的三维坑道直流聚焦法的电极组合作了研究.计算、分析了2个同性点电源的电流分布规律,指出由于电流的相互排斥作用,电流密度在这两个点电源的中垂线下一定深度处产生最大值,这个深度与这两个点源之间的距离成正比.基于上述理由,设计出3种电极组合:四点电源、五点电源和九点电源布极方式.用三维有限单元数值模拟的方法计算了上述3种电极系的空间电位分布,发现九点电源方式对电流聚束效果较好,而且当主电极电流小于屏蔽电极电流时效果最好.     

Using GIS to Model and Forecast HIV/AIDS Rates in Africa, 1986–2010

In this article we draw on the power of geographic information systems (GIS) to examine the progression of HIV/AIDS in Africa for the period from 1986 to 2003. We use GIS for two purposes: (1) to transform and interpolate a set of annual point-based HIV/AIDS rates into area data; and (2) to extract or “mine” annual HIV/AIDS prevalence rates from the interpolated area (country) level maps. Once the rates are extracted from the GIS analysis we then model and forecast them into the near future (i.e., 2004–2010) by using the UNAIDS Estimation and Projection Package (EPP) software. The article offers an alternative grounded in geospatial analysis for yielding estimates of HIV/AIDS rates in Africa. Using incomplete sets of data for the period from 1986 to 2003, mean HIV/AIDS rates are generated from spatially interpolated data and future trends are estimated. The results indicate that the HIV/AIDS epidemic for many countries in Africa has reached the saturation or maturity level as evidenced by the typical S-shaped curves in the trends over time. As a matter of fact, some countries have begun to experience a sustained decline in the rates (e.g., Uganda, Burundi, Rwanda, and Zimbabwe).     

Connecting Local to Global: Geographic Information Systems and Ecological Footprints as Tools for Sustainability

Tools that support public engagement with sustainability are essential for local sustainability planning. This research investigates the ability of two geographic information system (GIS)-based tools to promote discussion of sustainability in a suburban context. A local ecological footprint tool and a community environmental atlas (an environmentally themed online mapping system) were created for seven suburban boroughs of Montreal. Variations of both tools have been used to support sustainability efforts, but their use has not been widely evaluated. Working from a public participation GIS (PPGIS) framework that recognizes the powerful influence of data representation, this research uses focus groups to evaluate how well these tools address three criteria that have emerged from the literature on public engagement in sustainability: interdependency across systems, reflexivity about personal and social decision making, and interactions across spatial scales. Whereas the atlas remains advantageous for discussing local spatial specifics, it was found that the ecological footprint helped people see the interconnections among systems, integrate local and global aspects of sustainability, and reflect on the values and assumptions underlying current social and economic structures.