Tidal and seasonal controls in the formation of Late Miocene inclined heterolithic stratification deposits, western Amazonian foreland basin

Upper Miocene strata in the Acre sub‐basin, Brazil, consist dominantly of various types of inclined heterolithic stratification and pedogenic horizons. These strata were sedimentologically and ichnologically described to: (i) study different temporal controls responsible for inclined heterolithic stratification generation and their variation in a distal–proximal trend; and (ii) delineate the depositional setting. For this purpose, nine representative outcrops were sedimentologically and ichnologically studied, and their facies associations described. Thickness variations of the heterolithic strata of various orders (lamina, lamina bundles and beds) were analysed by statistical methods (Fourier transform). The deposits were interpreted as tidally and seasonally influenced estuarine or delta‐related and continental strata. The inclined heterolithic stratification deposits represented vastly different settings ranging from tidally dominated, brackish‐water ichnofossils‐bearing channels to seasonally controlled, articulated Purussaurus (a freshwater alligator) fossil‐bearing channels. Several time cycles were distinguished in the strata, including semi‐diurnal, fortnightly and seasonal. Tidal imprint was best observed in low‐energy brackish‐water settings, whereas seasonal rhythmicity was distinguishable throughout the depositional system. However, the latter was most apparent in riverine channels proximal to the inferred fluvio‐tidal transition. The different temporal controls commonly had distinguishable impact on sedimentological and ichnological properties in the studied sediments. The differing properties included: (i) the degree and nature of lateral variability with respect to lithology and bedforms in inclined heterolithic stratification; (ii) the lateral continuity of inclined heterolithic stratification; (iii) the nature of sedimentary contacts between the inclined heterolithic stratification members; (iv) thickness variation of inclined heterolithic stratification members within a set; (v) the cyclicities observed in inclined heterolithic stratification series; (vi) the degree of bioturbation; (vii) the types of trace fossils observed; and (viii) the distribution of bioturbation in adjacent inclined heterolithic stratification members.     

Hydrodynamic Forces on Smooth Inclined Cyh''''nders in Oscillatory Flow

-The hydrodynamic forces on a smooth inclined circular cylinder exposed to oscillating flow were experimentally investigated at Reynolds number (Re) in the range 40000-200000 and Keulegan-Capenter number (KC) in the interval from 5-40. In the test, Re number and KC number were varied systematically. The inertia force coefficient (Cu) and the drag force coefficient (CD) in Morison equation were determined from the measured loads and the water particle kinematics. In this analysis a modified form of Morison equation was used since it uses the normal velocity and acceleration. Thus, the applicability of the Cross Flow Principle was assumed. This principle, simply stated, is as follows: the force acting in the direction normal to the axis of a cylinder placed at some oblique angle with the direction of flow is expressed in terms of the normal component of flow only, and the axial component is disregarded. Both the total in-line force coefficient (CF) and transverse force (lift) coefficient (Cf) were analyzed     

Inversely-Mapped Analytical Solutions for Flow Patterns around and within Inclined Elliptic Inclusions in Fluid-Saturated Rocks

In this paper, an inverse mapping is used to transform the previously-derived analytical solutions from a local elliptical coordinate system into a conventional Cartesian coordinate system. This enables a complete set of exact analytical solutions to be derived rigorously for the pore-fluid velocity, stream function, and excess pore-fluid pressure around and within buried inclined elliptic inclusions in pore-fluid-saturated porous rocks. To maximize the application range of the derived analytical solutions, the focal distance of an ellipse is used to represent the size of the ellipse, while the length ratio of the long axis to the short one is used to represent the geometrical shape of the ellipse. Since the present analytical solutions are expressed in a conventional Cartesian coordinate system, it is convenient to investigate, both qualitatively and quantitatively, the distribution patterns of the pore-fluid flow and excess pressure around and within many different families of buried inclined elliptic inclusions. The major advantage in using the present analytical solution is that they can be conveniently computed in a global Cartesian coordinate system, which is widely used in many scientific and engineering computations. As an application example, the present analytical solutions have been used to investigate how the dip angle of an inclined elliptic inclusion affects the distribution patterns of the pore-fluid flow and excess pore-fluid pressure when the permeability ratio of the elliptic inclusion is of finite but nonzero values.     

Break out resistance of inclined anchors in sand

Inclined anchors are widely used in a variety of civil engineering problems to resist oblique loads, most relevant being in transmission towers and in rocks and dams for structural strengthening. In the present study, the breakout resistance of the inclined anchors in sand has been worked out using limit equilibrium approach. The breakout resistance has been calculated for different soil friction angles with varying relative depth ratio and anchor inclination. The break out factor increases continuously with the inclination of the anchor. A comparison of predicted values of break out resistance of anchors by the proposed analysis with the experimental values as reported by the other researchers showed reasonably good agreement.     

团树断层场地地震反应的数值模拟

团树断层场地在多次地震中出现了烈度异常。为了弄清烈度异常的原因，应用显式有限元方法，数值模拟了在脉冲地震波斜入射情形下断层场地的地震反应。结果表明：在基岩山脚附近土层场地地震动放大比基岩山区平均高4倍、比远离基岩山脚土层场地平均高2倍，与历史震害分布有较好的对应。     

Estimation of near surface soil moisture in a sloping terrain of a Himalayan watershed using ENVISAT ASAR multi‐incidence angle alternate polarisation data

Soil moisture is one of the important input variables in hydrological and water erosion models. The extraction of information on near surface soil moisture from synthetic aperture radar (SAR) is well established mostly for flat terrain and using low incidence angle single polarisation data. The ENVISAT advanced SAR (ASAR) data available in multiple incidence angles and alternate polarisation modes were investigated in this study for soil moisture estimation in sloping terrain. The test site was Sitla Rao watershed in the Lesser Himalayas of northern India. Empirical models were developed to estimate near surface soil moisture in bare agricultural fields using alternate polarisation ASAR data. Both soil moisture and surface roughness field measurements were performed during the satellite passes. Backscatter from medium incidence angle (IS‐4) and vertical‐vertical (VV) polarisation signal is correlated better with volumetric soil moisture content compared to other incidence angles. The model parameters were further improved, and soil moisture estimation was refined by combining medium incidence angle (IS4) vertical‐horizontal polarisation response as another variable along with VV polarisation response. The effect of slope on the radar backscatter was minimized by incorporating local incidence angles derived from an ASTER DEM. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

小入射角下海浪后向散射系数不对称性和各向异性分析验证

基于北京遥测技术研究所机载波谱仪实测数据以及ECMWF提供的风场数据,分析了不同风速条件下小入射角海浪平均后向散射系数不对称性与各向异性随入射角的变化特性,并对导致这一现象的原因进行了初步分析。结果表明:小入射角下,海浪平均后向散射系数随入射角增大呈现递减趋势并在18°时达到某一稳定值,之后基本维持不变;海浪后向散射系数不对称性与各向异性均随入射角增大呈现递增趋势,同样在18°增大至某一稳定值,之后基本维持不变;低风速条件下,海浪不对称性和各向异性与风速有关,且风速越大不对称性与各向异性越明显。     

A new assessment model for evacuation vulnerability in urban areas

In the high-speed urbanization process of China, the urban population has been increasing significantly, leading to a high-density aggregation of population. However, the sharp increase in population density has not produced commensurate improvements in the road networks. On the contrary, the population increase induced a serious evacuation vulnerability, which cities experience during various hazards and catastrophic events. Therefore, research on evacuation vulnerability is important to urban planning. To assess the evacuation vulnerability, the optimal and worst scenarios should be considered because all possible evacuation plans occur between these extremes. However, most previous evacuation vulnerability studies are based on the worst-case scenario, only providing an upper bound of a potential evacuation assessment. To provide a more comprehensive theoretical basis for decision-makers to understand the consequences caused by all possible evacuations, this paper proposes an optimal evacuation vulnerability assessment model that provides the lower bound on potential evacuation difficulties. The model is solved by a stepwise spreading algorithm based on Graph Theory. Subsequently, to evaluate the effectiveness of the model, the study adopts the model to assess the evacuation capability of different road network topologies. A comparison with previous research was performed. The model was demonstrated in an application to the South Luogu Alley of Beijing, China. The significance of this paper is that the combination of our model with previous research may provide a more complete theoretical basis for an evacuation vulnerability assessment.     

Time domain method for calculating free field motion of a layered half-space subjected to obliquely incident body waves

In numerical simulation of wave scattering under oblique incident body waves using the finite element method, the free field motion at the incident lateral boundary induced by the background layered half-space complicates the computational area. In order to replace the complex frequency domain method, a time-domain method to calculate the free field motion of a layered half-space subjected to oblique incident body waves is developed in this paper. The new method decouples the equations of motion used in the finite element method and offers an interpolation formula of the free field motion. This formula is based on the fact that the apparent horizontal velocity of the free field motion is constant and can be calculated exactly. Both the theoretical analysis and numerical results demonstrate that the proposed method offers a high degree of accuracy.