Automatic detection of earthquake-induced ground failure effects through Faster R-CNN deep learning-based object detection using satellite images

Natural Hazards - The seismically induced ground failure is defined as any earthquake-generated process that leads to deformations within a soil medium, which in turn results in permanent...     

The effect of seasonally frozen soil on stochastic response of elevated water tank under random excitation

Significant seismic events have occurred around the world during winter months in regions where cold temperatures cause ground freezing. Current seismic design practice does not address the effects of cold temperatures in the seasonally frozen areas. Since many elevated water tank structures in cold regions are located in seismic active zones, determining the effect of seasonally frozen soil on the stochastic response of elevated water tank structures subjected to random seismic excitation is an important structural consideration. A three dimensional finite element model, which considers viscous boundaries, was built up to obtain the stochastic seismic behavior of an elevated water tank–fluid–soil interaction system for frozen soil condition. For this model, the power spectral density function represents random ground motion applied to each support point of the three dimensional finite element model of the elevated water tank–fluid–soil interaction system. Numerical results show that the soil temperature affects the seismic response of the elevated water tank; whereas the variation in the thickness of the frozen soil causes insignificant changes on the response. In addition, the effect of the variation in water tank’s fullness on the stochastic response of the coupled system is investigated in the study. As a result, the seasonal frost changes the foundation soil stiffness and may impact seismic behavior of the water tank.     

The contribution of aeolian processes to fluvial sediment yield from a desert watershed in the Ordos Plateau,China

In arid zones, many active aeolian dunes terminate at ephemeral and perennial desert rivers. The desert rivers show very high rates of sediment transport that cause deleterious downstream effects on the river system and ecology. High sediment loading has been attributed to severe water erosion of sparsely covered watersheds during infrequent but heavy rainfall. Although aeolian erosion is known to lead to high rates of wind‐blown sand transport, direct confirmation of whether the aeolian processes accelerate or inhibit fluvial sediment loss is lacking. Here, we show that an aeolian‐fluvial cycling process is responsible for the high rate of suspended sediment transport in a Sudalaer ephemeral desert channel in the Ordos Plateau of China. Frequent aeolian processes, but low frequency (once every 3 years on average) flooding, occur in this region. Wind‐blown saltating grains appeared to be unable to cross the desert channel because of interruption of channel‐induced recirculating air flow, and therefore tended to settle in the channel during the windy seasons, leading to channel narrowing. During flooding, this narrowed channel was found to yield a threefold increase in suspended sediment loading and a 3.4‐fold increase in the weight percentage of the 0.08–0.2 mm sediment fraction on 18 July 2012. Loss of stored aeolian sand due to channel erosion accounted for about half of the total sediment yield in this watershed. These findings show that aeolian processes play an essential role in accelerating the sediment yield from a watershed characterized by aeolian‐fluvial interplay and also suggest that the drier the region and the greater the aeolian process, the more the aeolian process contributes to fluvial sediment yield. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

山东栖霞桃村地区中酸性火山-侵入杂岩岩石地球化学及其成因研究

山东栖霞桃村地区出露中生代中酸性火山-侵入杂岩,对采自桃村地区青山组下段的中酸性火山-侵入岩以进行了岩石学和地球化学研究。桃村地区的中酸性火成岩的地球化学特征为:高钾低钠,高铝低镁;Cr,Co,Ni含量较低,Sr/Y及(La/Yb)N比值很高;微量元素蛛网图显示富集不相容元素K,Rb,Ba和Th,以及不相容元素Ce,Hf和Ti,亏损高场强元素Ta,Nb以及P;轻重稀土元素分馏程度高,具有类似埃达克岩的性质。综合分析其地球化学特征显示,青山组下段中酸性杂岩为增厚的下地壳熔融,这种地壳的增厚作用可能由古太平洋板块俯冲作用引起,而在俯冲作用过程中青山组中酸性杂岩的源岩被俯冲沉积物混染。     

豫西三门峡地区温塘断裂第四纪活动性研究

温塘断裂位于鄂尔多斯块体东南缘,是三门峡盆地的东边界控制断裂,准确厘定其活动性对于理解区域构造演化和判断三门峡地区地震危险性具有重要意义。运用野外地质地貌调查、联合钻孔剖面探测及光释光定年技术,对三门峡地区温塘断裂的活动性进行分析与研究。结果表明,温塘断裂南段出露地表,线性特征明显,断层最新活动时代为晚更新世;温塘断裂中段为第四纪隐伏断裂,断层活动时代为中更新世;温塘断裂北段断层出露,断层活动时代为中更新世。     

基于大数据的上海中心城区建成环境与城市活力关系分析

运用大众点评数据、出租车到达数据与文化设施POI数据测度城市活力的经济、社会和文化维度,在街区和街道层面分析城市活力的空间结构特征,建立计量模型分析城市建成环境对城市活力的影响关系。结果表明:①上海中心城区城市活力表现出明显的空间差异,主要表现为由中心向四周递减、浦西优于浦东的总体特征;②街区和街道尺度影响城市活力的建成环境因素存在差异;③街区尺度建成环境对城市社会、经济和文化活力的影响存在差异:提升人口密度对经济活力具有正面影响,过高的人口密度可能不利于社会和文化活力发展;增加POI密度、路网密度和POI混合度有利于城市活力的提升;建筑层数和建筑密度的增加会降低街区的社会活力和文化活力,但会提升街区的经济活力;交通可达性有利于经济活力的提升。     

上海城市发展的环境问题及其对策研究

上海市的发展战略;空间布局模式和环境管理是文章讨论的三个主要问题。作者认为:(1)战略设想要立足于上海的发展,“开发浦东、振兴上海、服务全国、面向世界;”(2)新的空间布局模式应为“逐步形成新的CBD,强化和完善金融和服务功能”;(3)城市发展和环境建设要协调。文章着重讨论了上海城市发展中出现的环境问题及其治理的对策和措施。     

Incorporating the Istanbul-Ankara high-speed railway into the Belt and Road Initiative: Negotiation,institutional alignment and regional development

This article contributes to a small but growing body of multi-sited and multi-scalar research on the Belt and Road Initiative.We focus on relations at the national,regional and international scales,and present original research from China and Turkey,to show how the Istanbul-Ankara high-speed railway has served as a testing ground for China's Belt and Road Initiative(BRI).Its construction was initially funded by the European Investment Bank,but it is now part of the backbone of the Turkish Government's Middle Corridor plan which enhances west-east connectivity and integration with the Caucasus and Central Asia.We show that in contrast to multinational corporations from the OECD that seek to remain footloose,Chinese state-owned enterprises(SOEs)seek to adapt to,apprehend and ultimately shape local in-stitutions.In the case of Turkey this proved difficult given its institutional alignment with the European Union.Thus,while the railway project was completed successfully by a consortium led by a Chinese SOE,Turkey's dynamic and complex regulatory environment discourages Chinese SOEs in the infrastructure sector.We conclude that the Turkish and Chinese gov-ernments are currently pursuing complementary territorial visions yet their cooperation is project-based and pragmatic.