A continuum‐discrete hydromechanical analysis of granular deposit liquefaction

A coupled continuum‐discrete hydromechanical model was employed to analyse the liquefaction of a saturated loose deposit of cohesionless particles when subjected to a dynamic base excitation. The pore fluid flow was idealized using averaged Navier–Stokes equations and the discrete element method was employed to model the solid phase particles. A well established semi‐empirical relationship was utilized to quantify the fluid–particle interactions. The conducted simulations revealed a number of salient micro‐mechanical mechanisms and response patterns associated with the deposit liquefaction. Space and time variation of porosity was a major factor which affected the coupled response of the solid and fluid phases. Pore fluid flow was within Darcy's regime. The predicted response exhibited macroscopic patterns consistent with experimental results and case histories of the liquefaction of granular soil deposits. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Long-Period Variations of the Eccentricity Vector Valid also for Near Circular Orbits around a Non-Spherical Body

This paper studies the long period variations of the eccentricity vector of the orbit of an artificial satellite, under the influence of the gravity field of a central body. We use modified orbital elements which are non-singular at zero eccentricity. We expand the long periodic part of the corresponding Lagrange equations as power series of the eccentricity. The coefficients characterizing the differential system depend on the zonal coefficients of the geopotential, and on initial semi-major axis, inclination, and eccentricity. The differential equations for the components of the eccentricity vector are then integrated analytically, with a definition of the period of the perigee based on the notion of “free eccentricity”, and which is also valid for circular orbits. The analytical solution is compared to a numerical integration. This study is a generalization of (Cook, Planet. Space Sci., 14, 1966): first, the coefficients involved in the differential equations depend on all zonal coefficients (and not only on the very first ones); second, our method applies to nearly circular orbits as well as to not too eccentric orbits. Except for the critical inclination, our solution is valid for all kinds of long period motions of the perigee, i.e., circulations or librations around an equilibrium point.     

International program of observations of selected minor planets: first results

International programs of observations of selected minor planets have lasted about 50 years and the last one comes to the end in 2000. The main aim of these observational programs consists in obtaining the orientation of the stellar reference frame with respect to the dynamical one using observations of the bright minor planets. The observations are also useful for the orbital improvements of the asteroids themselves. They are available from the author via e-mail at the address .During the above mentioned period more than 23 000 observations of minor planets, referred to different reference star catalogues, have been obtained. The reduction procedure of observations to the PPM star catalogue is described. The orientation parameters are given and discussed.     

Weathering process at the natural fission reactor of Bangombé

 The uranium deposits in the basin of Franceville (Gabon) host the only natural fission reactors known in the world. Unique geological conditions favoured a natural fission reaction 2 Ga ago. This was detected by anomalous isotopic compositions of uranium and rare earth elements (REE), which are produced by the fission reaction. In total, 16 reactor zones were found. Most of them are mined out. The reactor zone of Bangombé, is only 10–11 m below the surface. This site has been influenced by surface weathering processes. Six drill cores have been sampled at the site of the reactor zone of Bangombé during the course of the study and only one drill core (BAX 08) hit the core of the reactor. From these data and previous drilling campaigns, the reactor size is estimated to be 10 cm thick, 2–3 m wide and 4–6 m long. The migration of fission products can be traced by the anomalous isotope ratios of REE because of the fission process. The ¹⁴⁹Sm/¹⁴⁷Sm ratio close to the reactor zone is only 0.28 (normal: 0.92) because of the intense neutron capture of ¹⁴⁹Sm and subsequent transmutation, whereas ¹⁴⁷Sm is enriched by the fission reaction. Similar changes in isotopic patterns are detectable on other REE. The isotope ratios of Sm and Nd of whole rock and fracture samples surrounding the reactor indicate that fission-genic REE migrated only a few decimetres above and mainly below the reactor zone. Organic matter (bitumen) seems to act as a trap for fission-genic REE. Additional REE-patterns show less intense weathering with increasing depth in the log profile and support a simple weathering model. Received: 26 November 1999 · Accepted: 2 May 2000     

Effect of element size on the static finite element analysis of steep slopes

The accuracy of the computed stress distribution near the free surface of vertical slopes was evaluated in this study as a function of the element size, including aspect ratio. To accomplish this objective, a parametric study was carried out comparing stresses computed using the finite element method (FEM) to those obtained from a physical model composed of photoelastic material. The results of the study indicate a reasonable agreement between a gelatin model and the FEM model for shear stresses, and an overall good agreement between the two models for the principal stresses. For stresses along the top of the slope, the height of the element tends to be more important than width or aspect ratio, at least for aspect ratios up to 4. In all cases, the greatest difference between the two models occurs in the vicinity of the slope. Specifically, if H is defined as the slope height, an element height of H/10 appears to be adequate for the study of stresses deep within the slope, such as for typical embankment analyses. However, for cases where tensile stresses in the vicinity of the slope face which are critical, such as for the stability analysis of steep slopes, element heights as small as H/32, or higher‐order elements, are necessary. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

A micromechanical finite element model for linear and damage‐coupled viscoelastic behaviour of asphalt mixture

This study presents a finite element (FE) micromechanical modelling approach for the simulation of linear and damage‐coupled viscoelastic behaviour of asphalt mixture. Asphalt mixture is a composite material of graded aggregates bound with mastic (asphalt and fine aggregates). The microstructural model of asphalt mixture incorporates an equivalent lattice network structure whereby intergranular load transfer is simulated through an effective asphalt mastic zone. The finite element model integrates the ABAQUS user material subroutine with continuum elements for the effective asphalt mastic and rigid body elements for each aggregate. A unified approach is proposed using Schapery non‐linear viscoelastic model for the rate‐independent and rate‐dependent damage behaviour. A finite element incremental algorithm with a recursive relationship for three‐dimensional (3D) linear and damage‐coupled viscoelastic behaviour is developed. This algorithm is used in a 3D user‐defined material model for the asphalt mastic to predict global linear and damage‐coupled viscoelastic behaviour of asphalt mixture. For linear viscoelastic study, the creep stiffnesses of mastic and asphalt mixture at different temperatures are measured in laboratory. A regression‐fitting method is employed to calibrate generalized Maxwell models with Prony series and generate master stiffness curves for mastic and asphalt mixture. A computational model is developed with image analysis of sectioned surface of a test specimen. The viscoelastic prediction of mixture creep stiffness with the calibrated mastic material parameters is compared with mixture master stiffness curve over a reduced time period. In regard to damage‐coupled viscoelastic behaviour, cyclic loading responses of linear and rate‐independent damage‐coupled viscoelastic materials are compared. Effects of particular microstructure parameters on the rate‐independent damage‐coupled viscoelastic behaviour are also investigated with finite element simulations of asphalt numerical samples. Further study describes loading rate effects on the asphalt viscoelastic properties and rate‐dependent damage behaviour. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Crystal chemical significance of chemical zoning in dissakisite-(Ce)

Dissakisites from Trimouns dolomite mine, France, have two kinds of single crystals: chemical-zoned and homogeneous types. Back-scattered electron microprobe (BSE) images of these dissakisites reveal both Ca–Al rich dark zones and Fe-ΣREE rich bright zones. Crystal structures of three dark and two bright zones in a chemical-zoned dissakisite and of a homogeneous zone in unzoned dissakisite were refined to individual R indices (about 3.0–5.0%) based on 1,400 observed [|F ₀| > 4σF ₀] reflections measured with MoKα X-radiation using the single crystal diffractometer. The differences in brightness between their BSE images arise from those in coupled substitutions of the elements occupying A2 and M3 sites. The main reason for these differences is that ten-coordinated A2 polyhedra and M3 octahedra are directly linked through their shared edge, which creates a great potential for making this coupled substitution. This zoning indicates that formation of the whole zoned crystal, where each zone could be grown steadily with its crystallographic axes mutually parallel to each other, may be identified as autoepitaxy.     

Binogeochemical process of major elements in sinking particulate of Nansha coral reef lagoons,South

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雪宝顶碱性花岗岩岩石地球化学与成矿控制

对雪宝顶碱性花岗岩具有高丰度的W、Sn、Be含量和W、Sn矿化花岗岩的微量元素组合特征进行了分析，结果显示：稀土元素具有∑REE含量与LREE／HREE比值偏低和负Eu异常的特点；元素比值K／Rb，U／Th，Nb／Ta的规律性变化以及矿脉产状特征等表明W-(Sn)-Be脉状矿床形成于岩浆演化晚期，与岩浆期后的热液活动有关。     

Growth Aspects and Magnesium Carbonate Concentrations of the Reef Building Octocoral Heliopora coerulea (Pallas) after Transplantation

Abstract. An experiment to test C have's hypothesis on temperature dependent MgCO₃ concentrations in marine calcareous skeletons was undertaken by transplanting colonies of Heliopora coerulea. The corals were transferred from a shallow lagoon with high average temperatures to the outer bottom of a fringing reef, 16 m depth, with low average temperatures. Against expectation, a statistically significant increase of average mol % concentrations from 0.48 to 0.54 % for upper growth regions and from 0.49 to 0.62% for lower growth regions was obtained. Temperature records during the experimentation period and the above data indicate that the mol% MgCO₃ concentration in the skeleton of living Heliopora colonies increases when transplanted to an environment with a lower temperature average than that of their original growth site, and with seasonal temperature fluctuations which are smaller in the experimental site than in the control site. Temperature fluctuations at the control site were up to 2.5 times greater than at the experimental site for most of the observation months. This supports the conclusion that the parameters a) minimum temperature and b) temperature stability of the environment are essential for the incorporation of Mg into the carbonate skeleton matrix of marine organisms. Within this study the results of a quantitative chemical analysis of the carbonate skeleton of H. coerulea are presented and growth data of transplanted colonies compared with those from the control site.