Three dimensional numerical simulation of residential building on shrink–swell soils in response to climatic conditions

Shrink–swell soils can cause distresses in buildings, and every year, the economic loss associated with this problem is huge. This paper presents a comprehensive system for simulating the soil–foundation–building system and its response to daily weather conditions. Weather data include rainfall, solar radiation, air temperature, relative humidity, and wind speed, all of which are readily available from a local weather station or the Internet. These data are used to determine simulation flux boundary conditions. Different methods are proposed to simulate different boundary conditions: bare soil, trees, and vegetation. A coupled hydro‐mechanical stress analysis is used to simulate the volume change of shrink–swell soils due to both mechanical stress and water content variations. Coupled hydro‐mechanical stress‐jointed elements are used to simulate the interaction between the soil and the slab, and general shell elements are used to simulate structural behavior. All the models are combined into one finite element program to predict the entire system's behavior. This paper first described the theory for the simulations. A site in Arlington, Texas, is then selected to demonstrate the application of the proposed system. Simulation results are shown, and a comparison between measured and predicted movements for four footings in Arlington, Texas, over a 2‐year period is presented. Finally, a three‐dimensional simulation is made for a virtual residential building on shrink–swell soils to identify the influence of various factors. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

人肠道微生物对海带岩藻聚糖硫酸酯及其寡糖的降解利用

采用人肠道微生物体外厌氧发酵技术,研究人肠道微生物对不同分子量岩藻聚糖硫酸酯的降解利用。分别将五个志愿者的肠道微生物接种到以高分子量和低分子量岩藻聚糖硫酸酯为唯一碳源的培养基中,酵解48h后,采用TLC和PAGE分析分子量变化,PMP-HPLC分析单糖组成变化,GC分析短链脂肪酸的生成情况。结果发现:在人肠道微生物体外降解岩藻聚糖硫酸酯的体系中,岩藻聚糖硫酸酯寡糖和低分子量组分(10—20k Da)含量显著降低,而且酵解产物的单糖组成没有变化,说明被人肠道微生物彻底降解利用;而人肠道微生物对高分子量岩藻聚糖硫酸酯(20k Da)的降解和利用度很低,产物的半乳糖和甘露糖的比例明显下降。低分子量和高分子量岩藻聚糖硫酸酯在酵解后均生成短链脂肪酸乙酸、丙酸和丁酸,但在高分子量岩藻聚糖硫酸酯发酵液中还生成了支链脂肪酸(异丁酸、异戊酸)和戊酸。研究结果表明,人肠道微生物能够彻底降解利用复杂的海带岩藻聚糖硫酸酯寡糖和低分子量组分,但是对高分子量岩藻聚糖硫酸酯的降解率很低。单糖分析说明人肠道微生物能够降解和利用多糖中的所有单糖,产生有利于肠道健康的短链脂肪酸,但是只有低分子量岩藻聚糖硫酸酯能够抑制支链脂肪酸生成。     

玻璃海鞘脂肪酸提取工艺的研究

用乙酸乙酯从玻璃海鞘中提取多不饱和脂肪酸,通过正交实验对提取工艺进行研究,得其最佳提取条件为：温度50℃,提取时间240min,料液比1：3,提取次数2次。按此工艺提取,得脂肪酸产率为1．22％,利用气相色谱进行分析,得其中多不饱和脂肪酸含量为66．40％,EPA和DHA含量之和为15．20％。     

Calibration of cyclic constitutive models by oscillating functions

Most structures are subjected to more cyclic loads during their life time than static loads. These cyclic action could be a result of either natural or man-made activities and may lead to soil failure. In order to understand the response of the foundation and its interaction with these complex cyclic loadings, various researchers have over the years developed different constitutive models. Although a lot of research is being carried out on these relatively new models, little or no details exist in literature about the model-based identification of the cyclic constitutive parameters which to a large extent govern the quality of the model output. This could be attributed to the difficulties and complexities of the inverse modeling of such complex phenomena. A variety of optimisation strategies are available for the solution of the sum of least-squares problems as usually done in the field of model calibration. However, for the back analysis (calibration) of the soil response to oscillatory load functions, this article gives insight into the model calibration challenges and also puts forward a method for the inverse modeling of cyclic loaded foundation response such that high-quality solutions are obtained with minimum computational effort.     

Molecular and stable carbon isotopic compositions of saturated fatty acids within one sedimentary profile in the Shenhu,northern South China Sea: Source implications

This study examined the distributions and stable carbon isotopic compositions of saturated fatty acids (SaFAs) in one 300 cm long sedimentary profile, which was named as Site4B in Shenhu, northern South China Sea. The concentrations of total SaFAs in sediments ranged from 1.80 to 10.16 μg/g (μg FA/g dry sediment) and showed an even-over-odd predominance in the carbon chain of C₁₂ to C₃₂, mostly with n-C₁₆ and n-C₁₈ being the two major components. The short-chain fatty acids (ScFAs; n-C₁₂ to n-C₁₈) mainly from marine microorganisms had average δ¹³C values of −26.7‰ to −28.2‰, whereas some terrigenous-sourced long-chain fatty acids (LcFAs; n-C₂₁ to n-C₃₂) had average δ¹³C values of −29.6‰ to −34.1‰. The other LcFAs (n-C₂₄ & n-C₂₆ ∼ n-C₂₈; average δ¹³C values are −26.1‰ to −28.0‰) as well as n-C₁₉ and n-C₂₀ SaFAs (average δ¹³C values are −29.1‰ and −29.3‰, respectively) showed a mixed signal of carbon isotope compositions.The relative bioproductivity calculation (marine vs. terrigenous) demonstrated that most of organic carbon accumulation throughout the sedimentary profile was contributed by marine organism. The high marine productivity in Shenhu, South China Sea may be related to the hydrocarbon seepage which evidenced by diapiric structures. Interestingly, there is a sever fluctuation of terrigenous inputs around the depth of 97 cm below the seafloor (bsf), probably resulting from the influence of the Dansgaard–Oeschger events and the Younger Dryas event as revealed by ¹⁴C age measurements.     

非饱和土的应力状态变量研究

以热力学和连续介质力学的应力理论为基础,从非饱和土的土骨架平衡方程出发,导出了一系列应力状态变量,目前文献中所使用的应力状态变量都在其中。研究发现：非饱和土的应力状态变量有多种组合形式（5组以上）,不是惟一的;大多数应力状态变量与土的孔隙率、饱和度等物性指标孪生相伴;所有应力状态变量都具有应力的量纲,单纯孔隙率或饱和度及其组合都不构成应力状态变量;简化的Bishop有效应力公式和Fredlund倡导的两个应力状态变量都是简化了的应力状态变量,前者忽略了孔隙率的影响,而后者忽略了与孔隙率及饱和度的关联性。在选择应力状态变量时应考虑理论合理、应用方便、逻辑关系正确的原则,还应做一定的验证工作。     

Response of Microbial Communities in Soil to Multi-level Warming in a Highland Barley System of the Lhasa River

No studies have examined the effect of experimental warming on the microbial biomass and community composition of soil in agricultural ecosystem on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. Thus it is unclear whether the influences of experimental warming on microbial communities in soil are related to warming magnitude in croplands on this Plateau. This study performed warming experiment (control, low- and high-level) in a highland barley system of the Lhasa River in May 2014 to examine the correlation between the response of microbial communities in soil to warming and warming magnitude. Topsoil samples (0-10 and 10-20 cm) were collected on September 14, 2014. Experimental warming at both low and high levels significantly increased soil temperature by 1.02 ℃ and 1.59 ℃, respectively at the depth of 15 cm. Phospho lipid fatty acid (PLFA) method was used to determine the microbial community in soil. The low-level experimental warming did not significantly affect the soil’s total PLFA, fungi, bacteria, arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF), actinomycetes, gram-positive bacteria (G⁺), gram-negative bacteria (G^-), protozoa, the ratio of fungi to bacteria (F/B ratio), and ratio of G⁺ to G^- (G⁺/G^- ratio) at the 0-10 and 10-20 cm depth. The low-level experimental warming also did not significantly alter the composition of microbial community in soil at the 0-10 and 10-20 cm depth. The high-level experimental warming significantly increased total PLFA by 74.4%, fungi by 78.0%, bacteria by 74.0%, AMF by 66.9%, actinomycetes by 81.4%, G⁺ by 67.0% and G^- by 74.4% at the 0-10 cm depth rather than at 10-20 cm depth. The high-level experimental warming significantly altered microbial community composition in soil at the 0-10 cm depth rather than at 10-20 cm depth. Our findings suggest that the response of microbial communities in soil to warming varied with warming magnitudes in the highland barley system of the Lhasa River.     

十四株海洋微藻脂肪酸组成的研究

对 4个门的 14株 (红藻门 8株 ,甲藻门 1株 ,隐藻门 2株 ,绿藻门 3株 )海洋微藻进行了脂肪酸含量测定 ,微藻在确定的条件下生长 ,指数生长末期收获。结果表明 ,各门的微藻都有其独特的脂肪酸特征 :红藻中含有大量的 2 0 :4 n- 6和 2 0 :5n- 3,其中紫球藻 R2 5含量最高 ,占总脂肪酸的4 9.8% (AA占总脂肪酸的 2 0 .5% ,EPA占总脂肪酸的 2 9.3% )。隐藻的主要脂肪酸是 16 :0、18:1n- 9、18:3n- 3、18:4 n- 3、2 0 :5n- 3、2 2 :5n- 3。与其它甲藻有别的虫黄藻 ,18:4 n- 3含量很少并且不含EPA,其主要合成的是 16 :0、18:1n- 9和 2 2 :6 n- 3。 C16和 C18的不饱和脂肪酸是本实验研究的 3株绿藻的主要脂肪酸     

Dominant amphipods of Posidonia oceanica seagrass meadows display considerable trophic diversity

Gut content examination and trophic markers (fatty acids, stable isotopes of C and N) were combined to delineate the diet of the dominant species of amphipods from Mediterranean Posidonia oceanica seagrass meadows and to highlight trophic diversity among this community. Our results indicate that, although all dominant species heavily relied on macroalgal epiphytes, considerable interspecific dietary differences existed. Carbon stable isotope ratios notably showed that some of the amphipod species favored grazing on epiphytes from leaves or litter fragments (Apherusa chiereghinii, Aora spinicornis, Gammarus aequicauda), while others such as Dexamine spiniventris preferred epiphytes from rhizomes. The remaining amphipods (Caprella acanthifera, Ampithoe helleri and Gammarella fucicola) readily consumed both groups. In addition, SIAR modeling suggested that most species had a mixed diet, and relied on several food items. Fatty acid analysis and gut contents revealed that contributions of microepiphytic diatoms and of benthic and suspended particulate organic matter to the diet of amphipods were anecdotal. None of the examined species seemed to graze on their seagrass host [low 18:2(n‐6) and 18:3(n‐3) fatty acids contents], but Gammarus aequicauda partly relied on seagrass leaf detritus, as demonstrated by the lesser ¹³C‐depletion of their tissues. Overall, our findings suggest that amphipods, because of their importance in the transfer of organic matter from primary producers and detritus to higher rank consumers, are key items in P. oceanica‐associated food webs.