Finite Element Modeling of Swelling Soil Pressures Using Joint/Interface Elements

There could be some discontinuities in a soil media such as layers, earth structures, cracks, and fissures so that estimation of stresses and deformations in these types of soil masses are somewhat different from continuous masses. The discontinuities in a soil mass could be considered as a special link between two blocks. Transmitted swelling pressures affected by the soil properties of the backfill especially at the interface between the backfill and retaining wall. In order to estimate the transmitted swelling pressure distribution behind a retaining wall, using with interface element, a new finite element model and a code (SWELPRES) have been developed. To evaluate the effect of backfill characteristics and interface element from the transmitted lateral swelling pressures, four cases of thickness of backfills with or without interface elements are investigated.     

On the link between GPS pseudorange noise and day-boundary discontinuities in geodetic time transfer solutions

When neglecting calibration issues, the accuracy of GPS-based time and frequency transfer using a combined analysis of code and carrier phase measurements highly depends on the noise of the GPS codes. In particular, the pseudorange noise is responsible for day-boundary discontinuities which can reach more than 1 ns in the time transfer results obtained from geodetic analysis. These discontinuities are caused by the fact that the data are analyzed in daily data batches where the absolute clock offset is determined by the mean code value during the daily data batch. This pseudorange noise is not a white noise, in particular due to multipath and variations of instrumental delays. In this paper, the pseudorange noise behavior is characterized in order to improve the understanding of the origin of the large day-boundary discontinuities in the geodetic time transfer results. In a first step, the effect of short-term noise and multipath is estimated, and shown to be responsible for only a maximum of 150 ps (picoseconds) of the day-boundary jumps, with only one exception at NRC1 where the correction provides a jump reduction of 300 ps. In a second step, a combination of time transfer results obtained with pseudoranges only and geodetic time transfer results is used to characterize the long-term evolution of pseudorange errors. It demonstrates that the day-boundary jumps, especially those of large amplitude, can be explained by an instrumental effect imposing a common behavior on all the satellite pseudoranges. Using known influences as temperature variations at ALGO or cable damages at HOB2, it is shown that the approach developed in this study can be used to look for the origin of the day-boundary discontinuities in other stations.     

Dependence of the Characteristics of Solar Wind Discontinuities and Shocks with Heliolatitude and Radial Distance

The distribution of the shocks in the heliosphere and their characteristic variations are investigated using Ulysses observations. The jumps in solar wind velocity, IMF magnitude, and proton density across the shocks and discontinuities are evaluated and used to characterize them. The distribution of these discontinuities with respect to heliolatitude ± 80° and with radial distance 1 to 5 AU are analyzed during solar minimum and solar maximum to understand their global behavior. It is noticed that the jumps in solar wind parameters associated with shocks and discontinuities are more prominent during the second orbit of Ulysses, which coincided with the maximum phase of solar activity.     

Stability analysis of historic underground quarries

This work, carried out at the Department of Civil, Environmental and Territory Engineering and Architecture (DICATeA) of the University of Parma, analyzes the stability conditions of the ancient underground quarries of Viggiù (Varese, Italy). The objective of the study is to verify the actual structural predisposition to instability phenomena of the old Viggiù quarries, within the context of a historical and cultural valorization and recovery of the ancient ornamental stone quarries. These quarries, that are now completely abandoned, could be used as a tourist attraction and/or as a teaching environment. They are a wonderful example of industrial architecture by presenting an audacious composition of filled in trenches and room and pillar techniques. An experimental campaign based on in situ measurements and laboratory measurements has been carried out to characterize the rock mass and to determine rock mass mechanical features. A numerical model of the entire rock mass has been developed in order to analyze the stability of the entire underground openings. A preliminary monitoring phase has been realized, aimed at controlling abandoned rock structure movements at the most significant discontinuities. Some measurements of the vertical stress in the pillars and in the walls have been performed, as well, and used for the model calibration. Once the model has been calibrated, the analysis of the actual stress and deformation conditions has been evaluated, the stability condition of the entire structure computed and a forecasting analysis of any intervention that could be realized to guarantee the underground public access has been performed.     

Use of backpropagation neural network for landslide monitoring: a case study in the higher Himalaya

Static and dynamic rock slope stability analyses were performed using a numerical discontinuum modelling technique for a 700-m high rock slope in western Norway. The rock slope has been investigated by the Geological Survey of Norway (NGU), which has been carrying out rock slide studies for the county Møre and Romsdal in western Norway. The purpose of numerical modelling was to estimate the volume of the rock mass that could potentially slide under static and dynamic forces. This estimation was required to assess the run-up heights (tsunami) in a fjord that could potentially be caused by the rockslide. Three cases have been simulated for predicting the behaviour of the rock slope. First, an initial static loading is applied in the numerical model to simulate the prevailing rock mass conditions at the site. Second, saturated and weathered joint conditions are modelled by reducing the residual friction angle along the discontinuities of the rock mass. In doing so, the model simulates the effect of degradation of discontinuities in the rock slope. Third, a dynamic loading, based on peak ground accelerations expected in the area, is applied to simulate dynamic earthquake conditions.

These numerical studies have provided some useful insights into the deformation mechanisms in the rock slope. Both sliding and rotation of blocks start to occur once the residual friction angle along the discontinuities is reduced and when the region is shaken by a strong earthquake. The results indicate that, due to variations in the inclination of discontinuities, the entire slope does not become unstable and that down-slope sliding and rotation of blocks occur mainly on the top layers of the slope. Within the range of parameter values considered for this study, it is unlikely that the whole rock slope can be destabilised. The study provides an illustration of how the geo-mechanical properties of a rock mass can be integrated in a discontinuum rock slope model, which is used for predicting the behaviour of the slope under existing environmental and earthquake conditions. This model has helped not only to better understand the dynamics of the rockslide but also to estimate the potential rock volume that can become unstable when subjected to static and dynamic loads.     

Effects of soil cracking on the seismic response of soil–structure systems

A numerical study on the influence that cracks and discontinuities (closed cracks) can have on the seismic response of a hypothetical soil–structure system is presented and discussed. A 2-D finite-difference model of the soil was developed, considering a bilinear failure surface using a Mohr–Coulomb model. The cracks are simulated with interface elements. The soil stiffness is used to characterize the contact force that is generated when the crack closes. For the cases studied herein, it was considered that the crack does not propagate during the dynamic event. Both cases, open and closed cracks, are considered. The nonlinear behavior was accounted for approximately using equivalent linear properties calibrated against several 1-D wave propagation analyses of selected soil columns with variable depth to account for changes in depth to bed rock. Free field boundaries were used at the edges of the 2-D finite-difference model to allow for energy dissipation of the reflected waves. The effect of cracking on the seismic response was evaluated by comparing the results of site response analysis with and without crack, for several lengths and orientations. The changes in the response obtained for a single crack and a family of cracks were also evaluated. Finally, the impact that a crack may have on the structural response of nearby structures was investigated by solving the seismic-soil–structure interaction of two structures, one flexible and one rigid to bracket the response. From the results of this investigation, insight was gained regarding the effect that discontinuities may have both on the seismic response of soil deposits and on nearby soil–structure systems.     

Main crustal discontinuities of Morocco derived from gravity data

Sharp linear gradients in maps of potential field data are generally assumed to result from sharp discontinuities or boundaries between rocks having different densities or magnetic susceptibilities and are usually associated with faults or other geological contacts. The computation of the horizontal gradients of the gravity field permits us to localize the limits of such blocks and then the fault locations. The horizontal derivative maxima of the Bouguer anomaly and its upward continuation at several heights show lineaments that could reflect the layout of faults and/or contacts and their dip directions. The application of this method to the Bouguer anomaly map of Morocco (with 19,571 points, using an average crustal density ρ = 2.67 g/cm³) allowed us to perform a multiscale analysis of the gravimetric lineaments of the country. The obtained structural map is consistent with several faults already identified in previous studies, and highlights five new major subsurface faults systems with location and dip: the Saghro fault system; Bou-Arfa Midelt fault system; Sidi Slimane Mezquitem fault; Ksar El Kebir–Chefchaouen fault and the Rifan West Mediterranean fault. In addition, this study suggests a new shape and localization for the Agadir-Oujda trans-Moroccan major fault with a NE-SW direction and 900 km length, subdividing Morocco into two main domains. The results of this study contribute to the improvement of the regional structural map of the north western part of Africa, which is situated within the convergence zone between Africa and Eurasia.     

Interaction of the solar wind with Mars from Mars Global Surveyor MAG/ER observations

The observations of the magnetometer/electron reflectometer (MAG/ER) investigation onboard the Mars Global Surveyor (MGS) have greatly contributed to improve our understanding of the interaction of the solar wind with Mars. These observations established conclusively that a global dynamo-generated magnetic field does not exist at Mars, and that the interaction with solar wind is of the atmospheric type. This article reviews the most important results obtained from MGS MAG/ER on the study of two major features in the Mars solar wind interaction. The first feature is the occurrence of large-amplitude, highly coherent waves at the proton cyclotron frequency in the region upstream from the Martian bow shock. The second feature is the magnetic pileup boundary (MPB), a well-defined plasma boundary inside of which the planetary exospheric ions outnumber the solar wind ions. The study of these two elements is crucial to characterize the properties of the Martian exosphere. In addition, the occurrence of an MPB at comets and Venus reveals common processes to all these unmagnetized atmospheric bodies in spite of their different physical nature and characteristic scales.     

波动方程CT技术在地震数据处理中的应用

本文从畸变的Born近似的微扰技术出发,给出了利用广义Radon变换和Fourier积分算子的理论反演介质间断性的原理.将声学的广义Radon变换与经典Radon变换进行类比,近似地导出了声学广义Radon变换的反演公式. 本文对于反射地震学的情况,提出了一种拟线性化方法,考虑了成象点的一次散射场,从某种程度上减少了Born近似对弱散射的苛求. 利用同一模型的理论记录和物理实验记录的反演计算结果对提出的方法进行了验证,并讨论了进一步提高成象精度的方法.