A strategy for an accurate estimation of the basal permittivity in the Martian North Polar Layered Deposits

This paper deals with the investigation of the Mars subsurface by means of data collected by the Mars Advanced Radar for Subsurface and Ionosphere Sounding working at few megahertz frequencies. A data processing strategy, which combines a simple inversion model and an accurate procedure for data selection is presented. This strategy permits to mitigate the theoretical and practical difficulties of the inverse problem arising because of the inaccurate knowledge of the parameters regarding both the scenario under investigation and the radiated electromagnetic field impinging on the Mars surface. The results presented in this paper show that it is possible to reliably retrieve the electromagnetic properties of deeper structures if such strategy is accurately applied. An example is given here, where the analysis of the data collected on Gemina Lingula, a region of the North Polar layer deposits, allowed us to retrieve permittivity values for the basal unit in agreement with those usually associated to the Earth basaltic rocks.     

Changes associated with Phragmites australis invasion in plant community and soil properties: A study on three invaded communities in a wetland,Victoria, Australia

Phragmites australis invasion is altering plant communities and therefore, soil properties have been changed significantly. This study compared the diversity among three communities in a wetland to assess the impact of invasion by Phragmites and the associated impact on soil properties. Three diversity indices, species richness (S), evenness (E) and Shanon-Weiner index (H) had significantly higher values in uninvaded plots compared to invaded in all the communities. Invaded plots had the lowest diversity, with H = 0 and Simpson’s index (D) = 1, (i.e. they were monospecific). These results support the idea that a reduction in diversity can be expected in wetlands colonized by Phragmites. Phragmites invasion significantly increased soil moisture, EC, phenolics, organic carbon, dehydrogenase activity and microbial biomass (C, N, P) with reduction of pH and arbuscular mycorrhizae fungi spore density compared with uninvaded zones. In addition, the study of antifungal phytochemistry of Phragmites elucidated the decrease of the competitive abilities of native plant Melaleuca ericifolia by interfering with formation of mycorrhizal associations and biomass. Our results suggest that Phragmites invasion has caused significant ecological alterations in communities by demonstrating a combined effect to plant diversity and soil variables.     

广西航运枢纽工程建设中的极软岩研究

广西郁江桂平至上游百色规划有10个千吨级航运枢纽梯级,其中老口、鱼梁、那吉处在南宁、百色第三纪盆地。盆地内泥质岩石属软~极软泥岩,它具有低强度、对环境敏感、弱改造等特性,反映在工程设计中地基承载力不足、地基应力及变形超标,抗剪强度低、抗滑稳定问题突出等方面;在工程施工中体现在岩体工程稳定性差,施工保护要求高等。根据那吉等工程勘探试验研究成果,提出针对软岩工程地质问题评价及基础验收、建基面保护、地基处理等应注意的问题和采取的对策。     

地震下双曲线冷却塔的响应分析

借助ANSYS软件建立双曲线冷却塔的有限元分析模型,讨论自重、风荷载和地震作用下冷却塔的力学性能,通过计算、分析探讨塔筒局部开洞对冷却塔整体及洞口局部强度的影响,主要考虑洞口尺寸和开洞高度对冷却塔整体及洞口局部应力分布规律的影响。结果表明:在一定尺寸范围内,开设洞口对冷却塔的整体强度影响较小,但在洞口局部出现明显的应力集中效应;90 m高度处洞口的应力集中效应低于15 m高度处洞口的应力集中效应,但应力集中效应不容忽视。分析结果为冷却塔结构抗震的设计、加固和施工提供了理论依据和实用的参考建议。     

Upward infiltration–evaporation method to estimate soil hydraulic properties

Determination of saturated hydraulic conductivity, K_s, and the van Genuchten water retention curve θ(h) parameters is crucial in evaluating unsaturated soil water flow. The aim of this work is to present a method to estimate K_s, α and n from numerical analysis of an upward infiltration process at saturation (Cap0), with (Cap0 + h) and without (Cap0) an overpressure step (h) at the end of the wetting phase, followed by an evaporation process (Evap). The HYDRUS model as well as a brute-force search method were used for theoretical loam soil parameter estimation. The uniqueness and the accuracy of solutions from the response surfaces, K_s–n, α–n and K_s–α, were evaluated for different scenarios. Numerical experiments showed that only the Cap0 + Evap and Cap0 + h + Evap scenarios were univocally able to estimate the hydraulic properties. The method gave reliable results in sand, loam and clay-loam soils.     

Sediment detachment in piping-prone soils: Cohesion sources and potential weakening mechanisms

Soil piping is a widespread land degradation process that may lead to gully formation. However, the processes involved in sediment detachment from soil pipe walls have not been well studied, although their recognition is a crucial step to protect soils from piping erosion. This study aims to recognize the factors affecting cohesion and to identify the mechanisms which are likely to be responsible for the disintegration of soil. The study has been conducted in mid-altitude mountains under a temperate climate (the Bieszczady Mountains, the Carpathians, SE Poland). The research was based on the detailed field and laboratory analyses of morphology, and the physical and chemical properties of soil profiles with and without soil pipes. Moreover, experiments with flooding the undisturbed soil samples using different solutions (deionized water, ammonium oxalate, dithionate citrate, 35% hydrochloric acid and 30% hydrogen peroxide) were conducted in order to check the role of air slaking, the removal of soil organic carbon (SOC), and Fe and Al oxides on sediment detachment. The obtained results have confirmed that soil pipes develop in quite cohesive soils (silt loams), which allow the formation and maintenance of pipes with a diameter up to 30 cm. Soil cohesion, and thus susceptibility to piping, are impacted by the content of major oxides, soil particle size distribution, biological activity and porosity. The tested soils affected by piping erosion have a lower content of Al₂O₃ and Fe₂O₃, and free Fe (Fe_(DCB)), lower clay content, higher biological activity (more roots and animal burrows), higher porosity, and more and larger pores than the profile without soil pipes. The experiments have indicated that especially SOC along with Fe and Al oxides are an important cohesion source in the study area. This suggests that the removal of SOC, and Fe and Al oxides may weaken and disintegrate aggregates in soil pipes. Further study of soil leaching and tensile strength will broaden understanding of which chemical processes control where pipes will develop in other cohesive piping-prone soils. © 2020 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

An inverse problem methodology for multiple parameter estimation in bend stiffeners

The flexible riser top connection is a critical region for lifetime assessment due to large tension/curvature variations and modeling uncertainties. The bend stiffener polyurethane mechanical response not only presents a nonlinear loading rate and temperature dependency but is also subjected to weather ageing during operation, which may affect its mechanical behavior over time. The top tension, employed for riser local cross-section stress calculation, is usually obtained from global dynamic analyses performed under selected environmental conditions, if direct measurement is not available. As a consequence, both the bend stiffener effect on the curvature distribution and the top tension time series present inherent uncertainties for riser lifetime (re)assessment. In the present work, a proposed monitoring approach composed by gyrometers installed along flexible riser/bend stiffener top connection system length combined with an inverse problem methodology is numerically investigated to estimate the following parameters: (i) polyurethane hyperelastic response and (ii) effective top tension. The top connection system is modeled using a large deflection beam bending model and the parameters are estimated using a damped least-square minimization approach with the Levenberg–Marquardt algorithm. For the preliminary feasibility investigation, the gyrometer experimental data is numerically estimated through Monte Carlo simulations. A case study is carried out to investigate the influence that the number of sensors, sensors arrangement, loading conditions and top connection model have on the inverse parameters estimation. The results indicate that the proposed monitoring approach and inverse parameter estimation methodology may effectively reduce flexible riser lifetime calculation uncertainties.     

Effect of strain-dependent dynamic properties of backfill and foundation soil on the external stability of geosynthetic reinforced waterfront retaining structure subjected to harmonic motion

A simplified method to determine the minimum length of reinforcement required for the external stability of waterfront reinforced soil structures under seismic conditions is presented. In the present analysis, strain-dependent dynamic properties (shear modulus and damping ratio) are used. The results obtained from the present method are well compared with the results of pseudo-static method of analysis. For the set of input parameters, the estimated minimum length of reinforcement required against sliding failure is nearly 27–29% higher for an input normalized frequency of 1.06 and is nearly 22–25% lower for another input normalized frequency of 1.94 when compared with the results of pseudo-static approach. This can be attributed to the mode change behaviour of the waterfront structure. In addition, the effect of foundation type on the external stability of waterfront reinforced soil structures has also been presented and it is found that the foundation type has a significant effect on the same. For the given set of input parameters, the length of minimum reinforcement required for a slope and vertical wall having a flexible foundation are about 26–28% and 32–38% larger than that of a slope and vertical wall with rigid foundation, respectively.     

短生命周期海洋涡旋的时空分布特征

中尺度涡旋在海洋中分布广泛,是海洋动力、营养物质等混合和输运的重要途径。统计发现海洋中超过80%的涡旋生命周期不超过1个月,属于本文定义的短生命周期涡旋。本研究采用统计、对比等方法,对全球尺度,较短生命周期涡旋的时空分布特征进行了分析。研究表明,短生命周期涡旋与大洋中环流系统密切相关,其最易发生在暖流和寒流的交汇处以及运动方向相反的两种环流的交汇处,且在除30°S～30°N的热带地区外均表现为气旋式略多于反气旋式。低纬地区,短生命周期涡旋在每年的冷季数量较多,而高纬地区与之相反。除存在大规模东向环流的海域,短生命周期涡旋一般向西迁移,同时气旋式涡旋略倾向于赤道偏转,反气旋式略倾向于极地偏转。短生命周期涡旋的平均位移和平均迁移速率呈相似的赤道对称分布规律。