Experimental behaviour of barrel vaulted structure subjected to rocking of the abutments

In this paper, the transverse rocking mechanism of a barrel vaulted structure subjected to horizontal cyclic loads is analysed by means of experimental tests on full scale model and by means of non-linear FE analyses. The study is part of an ongoing experimental and theoretical research program, developed by the University of Brescia, concerning the seismic behaviour of ancient masonry buildings. The scope of the paper is to provide some evidence of the rocking mechanism experienced by barrel vaulted structures under horizontal loading. The understanding of the behaviour of these structural systems is necessary for their seismic vulnerability assessment, as well as for the correct design of possible strengthening techniques. A numeric FE model was validated through comparison with the experimental results and it was used to verify the efficiency of two common strengthening solutions: the technique of the overlaying reinforced concrete slab and the technique of the thin spandrel walls. Experimental and numeric results will be discussed in the paper.

Interface energy and its influence on interface fracture between metal and ceramic thin films in nanoscale

A theoretical model about the size-dependent interface energy between two thin films with different materials is developed by considering the chemical bonding contribution based on the thermodynamic expressions and the structure strain contribution based on the mechanical characteristics. The interface energy decreases with reducing thickness of thin films, and is determined by such available thermodynamic and mechanical parameters as the melting entropy, the melting enthalpy, the shear modulus of two materials, etc. The predicted interface energies of some metal/MgO and metal/Al2O3 interfaces based on the model are consistent with the results based on the molecular mechanics calculation. Furthermore, the interface fracture properties of Ag/MgO and Ni/Al2O3 based on the atomistic simulation are further compared with each other. The fracture strength and the toughness of the interface with the smaller structure interface energy are both found to be lower. The intrinsic relations among the interface energy, the interface strength, and the fracture toughness are discussed by introducing the related interface potential and the interface stress. The microscopic interface fracture toughness is found to equal the structure interface energy in nanoscale, and the microscopic fracture strength is proportional to the fracture toughness. (C) 2010 American Institute of Physics. [doi:10.1063/1.3501090]

悬索桥隧道式锚碇与围岩系统的破坏模式研究

The anchorages are unparalleled structures only in a suspension bridge, and as main bearing facilities, play an important role in connecting the superstructures and the ground. The tunnel anchorage, as one alternative type of the anchorages, has more advantages over its counterpart, the gravity anchorage. With the tunnel anchorages adopted, not only can surface excavation be reduced to protect the environment, and natural condition of the rock be utilized and potential bearing capacity of surrounding rock be mobilized to save engineering cost, but also the technological predominance of auxiliary engineering measures, such as prestressed concrete, anchoring piles, rock anchors and collar beam between the two separated anchorages, can be easily cooperated to work together harmoniously under the circumstances of poor rock quality. There are plentiful high mountains and deep canyons in west part of China, and long-span bridge construction is inevitably encountered in order to realize leapfrogging development of the transportation infrastructure. Western mountainous areas usually possess the conditions for constructing tunnel anchorages, and therefore, the tunnel anchorages, which are conformed to the conception of resource conservative and sustainable society, extremely have application and popularization value in western underdeveloped region. The scientific and technological problem about the design, construction and operation of tunnel anchorages should be further investigated. Combining the engineering of western tunnel anchorages for the Balinghe Suspension Bridge, this paper probed into the survey method and in-situ test method for tunnel anchorages, scientific rock quality evaluation of surrounding rock to provide reasonable physical and mechanical parameters for design, construction and operation of tunnel anchorages, bearing capacity estimation for tunnel anchorage, deformation prediction of the anchorage-rockmass system, tunnel-anchorage slope stability analysis and the evaluation of excavation stability and degree of safety of the anchorage tunnel. The following outcomes were obtained: 1. Materials of tunnel anchorages of suspension bridge built (and in progress) at home and abroad were systematically sorted out, with the engineering geological condition and geomechanical property of surrounding rock around the anchorage tunnel, the design size of anchorages and the construction method of anchorage tunnel paid more emphasis on, to unveil the internal relationship between the engineering geological conditions of surrounding rock and the design size and axis angle of anchorages and provide references for future design, construction and study of tunnel anchorages. 2. Physical and mechanical parameters were recommended based on three domestic and foreign methods of rock quality evaluation. 3. In-situ tests, adopting the back-thrust method, of two kinds of reduced scale model, 1/30 and 1/20, for the tunnel anchorages were conducted in the declining exploration drift with rock mass at the test depth being the same as surrounding rock around real anchorages, and reliable field rockmass displacement data were acquired. Attenuation relation between the increment of distance from the anchorage and the decrement of rockmass displacement under maximum test load, and influential scope suffered by anchorage load were obtained. 4. Using similarity theory, the magnitude of real anchorage and rockmass displacement under design load and degree of safety of the anchorage system were deduced. Furthermore, inversion analysis to deformation modulus of slightly weathered dolomite rock, the surrounding rock of anchorage tunnel, was performed by the means of numerical simulation. 5. The influential law of the geometrical size to the limit bearing capacity of tunnel anchorage was studied. 6. Based on engineering geological survey data, accounting for the combination of strata layer and adverse discontinuities, the failure patterns of tunnel anchorage slope were divided into three modes: sliding of splay saddle pier slope, superficial-layer slippage, and deep-layer slippage. Using virtual work principle and taking anchorage load in account, the stability of the three kinds of failure patterns were analyzed in detail. 7. The step-by-step excavation of anchorage tunnel, the numerical overload and the staged decrement of rock strength parameters were numerically simulated to evaluate the excavation stability of surrounding rock around anchorage tunnel, the overload performance of tunnel anchorage, and the safety margin of strength parameters of the surrounding rock.

整合多尺度地球物理数据建立高分辨率储层模型的方法及应用

Most of the fields in China are in the middle-late development phase or are mature fields. It becomes more and more difficult to develop the remaining oil/gas. Therefore, it is import to enhance oil/gas recovery in order to maintain the production. Fine scale modeling is a key to improve the recovery. Incorporation of geological, seismic and well log data to 3D earth modeling is essential to build such models. In Ken71 field, well log, cross-well seismic and 3D seismic data are available. A key issue is to build 3D earth model with these multi-scales data for oil field development.In this dissertation, studies on sequential Gaussian-Bayesian simulation have been conducted. Its comparison with cokriging and sequential Gaussian simulation has been performed. The realizations generated by sequential Gaussian-Bayesian simulation have higher vertical resolution than those generated by other methods. Less differences between these realization and true case are observed. With field data, it is proved that incorporating well log, cross-well seismic and 3D seismic into 3D fine scale model is reliable. In addition, the advantages of sequential Gaussian-Bayesian simulation and conditions for input data are demonstrated. In Ken71 field, the impedance difference between sandstone and shale is small. It would be difficult to identify sandstone in the reservoir with traditional impedance inversion. After comparisons of different inversion techniques, stochastic hillclimbing inversion was applied. With this method, shale content inversion is performed using 3D seismic data. Then, the inverted results of shale content and well log data are incorporated into 3D models. This demonstrates a procedure to build fine scale models using multi scale seismic data, especially 3D seismic amplitude volume.The models generated through sequential Gaussian-Bayesian simulation have several advantages including: (1) higher vertical resolution compared with 3D inverted acoustic impedance (AI); (2) consistency of lateral variation as 3D inverted AI; (3) more reliability due to integration cross-well seismic data. It is observed that the precision of the model depends on the 3D inversion.

心理测验中项目表述效应的特点、机制和预测因素研究

心理测验中项目的表述效应是测量误差的一个重要来源。本研究借助焦虑控制问卷，探讨心理量表中项目表述效应的心理测量学特点和其产生的方法学上的原因。研究首先考察了项目表述效应在不同的群体间的交互效度验证；然后通过反转项目表述方向的方法，构造出原问卷项目的相反表达的项目，进而通过不同组合形成四个版本的问卷，经过量表层面和项目层面的分析，考查了项目表述效应的心理测量学特点。然后通过项目反应理论分析和实验研究，考查了项目反应理论产生的作用机制。研究最后还考查了人格因素对项目表述效应的影响。主要研究结果如下： 1． 焦虑控制问卷（ACQ）中项目表述效应稳定的存在，中文版问卷的主要结构是一个特质性因子，另外还有两个方法因子。这一结构很好的拟合了中国被试的数据，不管是单个量表验证的结果还是两组被试交互验证的结果都支持这一结构； 2． 通过反ACQ问卷，构造了四个版本的量表，对四个版本验证性因素分析的结果表明，全正向表述项目量表和全反向表述项目量表没有项目表述效应出现，而同时存在正向和反向表述项目的原文卷和反转问卷都出现了方法效应；正向项目和反向项目得分分析的结果表明，总分上只有原量表和全反向量表没有显著差异，原量表和全正量表与全反量表都有显著的差异，表明项目表述效应的出项只和反向表述项目的反向记分有关； 3． 基于项目层面的研究中，用Rasch模型中的Rating Scale Model和full information Bifactor item Analysis 分别去拟合数据，发现Rasch模型对数据的拟合不好，而Bifactor items Analysis 对数据的拟合稍好一些，说明焦虑控制问卷中的项目表述效应因子与特质因子确实不是在同一个水平上的因子，表述效应因子是次级因子； 4． 项目表述效应的产生机制是由于人们只对与自己特质水平最近的项目作是的反应，而对与自己实际特质水平较远的项目作否的反应模式特点造成的； 5． 关于人格对项目表述效应出现的预测作用研究表明，自尊、社会赞许性对反向表述效应因子的产生具有正向预测作用，而行为抑制、行为激活和负向评价恐惧对反向表述因子的出现具有负向的预测作用。 总而言之，本研究得出的结论是，项目表述效应是一种人为造成的方法效应，它是被试只对与自己特质水平最近的项目作是的反应，而对与自己实际特质水平较远的项目作否的反应模式特点造成的。但同时，它又不是完全没有意义的“讨厌”因子，一些人格因素可以预测它的出现，即它的出现受到一些人格因素的影响。

Vegetation and Topographic Control of Wind-blown Snow Distributions in Distributed and Aggregated Simulations for an Arctic Tundra Basin

Essery, RLH & JW, Pomeroy, (2004). Vegetation and topographic control of wind-blown snow distributions in distributed and aggregated simulations. Journal of Hydrometeorology, 5, 735-744.

Using fractal downscaling of satellite precipitation products for hydrometeorological applications

The objective of spatial downscaling strategies is to increase the information content of coarse datasets at smaller scales. In the case of quantitative precipitation estimation (QPE) for hydrological applications, the goal is to close the scale gap between the spatial resolution of coarse datasets (e.g., gridded satellite precipitation products at resolution L × L) and the high resolution (l × l; L»l) necessary to capture the spatial features that determine spatial variability of water flows and water stores in the landscape. In essence, the downscaling process consists of weaving subgrid-scale heterogeneity over a desired range of wavelengths in the original field. The defining question is, which properties, statistical and otherwise, of the target field (the known observable at the desired spatial resolution) should be matched, with the caveat that downscaling methods be as a general as possible and therefore ideally without case-specific constraints and/or calibration requirements? Here, the attention is focused on two simple fractal downscaling methods using iterated functions systems (IFS) and fractal Brownian surfaces (FBS) that meet this requirement. The two methods were applied to disaggregate spatially 27 summertime convective storms in the central United States during 2007 at three consecutive times (1800, 2100, and 0000 UTC, thus 81 fields overall) from the Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) version 6 (V6) 3B42 precipitation product (~25-km grid spacing) to the same resolution as the NCEP stage IV products (~4-km grid spacing). Results from bilinear interpolation are used as the control. A fundamental distinction between IFS and FBS is that the latter implies a distribution of downscaled fields and thus an ensemble solution, whereas the former provides a single solution. The downscaling effectiveness is assessed using fractal measures (the spectral exponent β, fractal dimension D, Hurst coefficient H, and roughness amplitude R) and traditional operational scores statistics scores [false alarm rate (FR), probability of detection (PD), threat score (TS), and Heidke skill score (HSS)], as well as bias and the root-mean-square error (RMSE). The results show that both IFS and FBS fractal interpolation perform well with regard to operational skill scores, and they meet the additional requirement of generating structurally consistent fields. Furthermore, confidence intervals can be directly generated from the FBS ensemble. The results were used to diagnose errors relevant for hydrometeorological applications, in particular a spatial displacement with characteristic length of at least 50 km (2500 km2) in the location of peak rainfall intensities for the cases studied. © 2010 American Meteorological Society.

Predicting future thermal habitat suitability of competing native and invasive fish species: from metabolic scope to oceanographic modelling

Global increase in sea temperatures has been suggested to facilitate the incoming and spread of tropical invaders. The increasing success of these species may be related to their higher physiological performance compared with indigenous ones. Here, we determined the effect of temperature on the aerobic metabolic scope (MS) of two herbivorous fish species that occupy a similar ecological niche in the Mediterranean Sea: the native salema (Sarpa salpa) and the invasive marbled spinefoot (Siganus rivulatus). Our results demonstrate a large difference in the optimal temperature for aerobic scope between the salema (21.8°C) and the marbled spinefoot (29.1°C), highlighting the importance of temperature in determining the energy availability and, potentially, the distribution patterns of the two species. A modelling approach based on a present-day projection and a future scenario for oceanographic conditions was used to make predictions about the thermal habitat suitability (THS, an index based on the relationship between MS and temperature) of the two species, both at the basin level (the whole Mediterranean Sea) and at the regional level (the Sicilian Channel, a key area for the inflow of invasive species from the Eastern to the Western Mediterranean Sea). For the present-day projection, our basin-scale model shows higher THS of the marbled spinefoot than the salema in the Eastern compared with the Western Mediterranean Sea. However, by 2050, the THS of the marbled spinefoot is predicted to increase throughout the whole Mediterranean Sea, causing its westward expansion. Nevertheless, the regional-scale model suggests that the future thermal conditions of Western Sicily will remain relatively unsuitable for the invasive species and could act as a barrier for its spread westward. We suggest that metabolic scope can be used as a tool to evaluate the potential invasiveness of alien species and the resilience to global warming of native species.

Split slot ring spatial quasi-circulator for RCS characterisation

A prototype X-band scale model for a quasi-optical three-port circulator utilising a double-layer circularly polarising frequency selective surface is proposed. The operating principles and measured characteristics of the device are discussed. A prototype device operating at 9.9 GHz has been built and validated experimentally. The port 1 to port 2 insertion loss of the quasi-circulator has been measured to be 2 dB, while port 1 to port 3 isolation is 16 dB. It is demonstrated that port 1 to 3 isolation can be increased to 25 dB by embedding the quasi-circulator in a feedforward setup.

Applying species distribution modelling to identify areas of high conservation value for endangered species: A case study using Margaritifera margaritifera (L.)

The development and implementation of a population supplementation and restoration plan for any endangered species should involve an understanding of the species’ habitat requirements prior to the release of any captive bred individuals. The freshwater pearl mussel, Margaritifera margaritifera, has undergone dramatic declines over the last century and is now globally endangered. In Northern Ireland, the release of captive bred individuals is being used to support wild populations and repatriate the species in areas where it once existed. We employed a combination of maximum entropy modelling (MAXENT) and Generalized Linear Mixed Models (GLMM) to identify ecological parameters necessary to support wild populations using GIS-based landscape scale and ground-truthed habitat scale environmental parameters. The GIS-based landscape scale model suggested that mussel occurrence was associated with altitude and soil characteristics including the carbon, clay, sand, and silt content. Notably, mussels were associated with a relatively narrow band of variance indicating that M. margaritifera has a highly specific landscape niche. The ground-truthed habitat scale model suggested that mussel occurrence was associated with stable consolidated substrates, the extent of bankside trees, presence of indicative macrophyte species and fast flowing water. We propose a three phase conservation strategy for M. margaritifera identifying suitable areas within rivers that (i) have a high conservation value yet needing habitat restoration at a local level, (ii) sites for population supplementation of existing populations and (iii) sites for species reintroduction to rivers where the mussel historically occurred but is now locally extinct. A combined analytical approach including GIS-based landscape scale and ground-truthed habitat scale models provides a robust method by which suitable release sites can be identified for the population supplementation and restoration of an endangered species. Our results will be highly influential in the future management of M. margaritifera in Northern Ireland.

The effect of the spectral distribution of wave energy on the performance of a bottom hinged flap type wave energy converter

The power output from a wave energy converter is typically predicted using experimental and/or numerical modelling techniques. In order to yield meaningful results the relevant characteristics of the device, together with those of the wave climate must be modelled with sufficient accuracy.

The wave climate is commonly described using a scatter table of sea states defined according to parameters related to wave height and period. These sea states are traditionally modelled with the spectral distribution of energy defined according to some empirical formulation. Since the response of most wave energy converters vary at different frequencies of excitation, their performance in a particular sea state may be expected to depend on the choice of spectral shape employed rather than simply the spectral parameters. Estimates of energy production may therefore be affected if the spectral distribution of wave energy at the deployment site is not well modelled. Furthermore, validation of the model may be affected by differences between the observed full scale spectral energy distribution and the spectrum used to model it.

This paper investigates the sensitivity of the performance of a bottom hinged flap type wave energy converter to the spectral energy distribution of the incident waves. This is investigated experimentally using a 1:20 scale model of Aquamarine Power’s Oyster wave energy converter, a bottom hinged flap type device situated at the European Marine Energy Centre (EMEC) in approximately 13m water depth. The performance of the model is tested in sea states defined according to the same wave height and period parameters but adhering to different spectral energy distributions.

The results of these tests show that power capture is reduced with increasing spectral bandwidth. This result is explored with consideration of the spectral response of the device in irregular wave conditions. The implications of this result are discussed in the context of validation of the model against particular prototype data sets and estimation of annual energy production.

Derivation of Wave Loads for the Design of Oscillating Wave Surge Converters

This paper deals with the problem of estimating wave pressure loads acting on Oscillating Wave Surge Converters (OWSC) for assessment of fatigue on their components. Recent wave loading data issued from experimental testing of a 25th scale model of a box-shaped OWSC are here used to review the accuracy of the predictions made by an engineering method previously developed to derive wave pressure loads on OWSCs from experimental data. Predictions are shown underestimate wave pressure loads, and other methods subsequently developed are presented. A simplistic experimental method taking in consideration variations of the wetted surface area of the flap is shown to lead to relatively good estimates of wave pressure loads that could be used for fatigue calculations.

Development and validation of Fluid Structure Interaction Methods for an Oscillating Wave Surge Converter

The term fatigue loads on the Oyster Oscillating Wave Surge Converter (OWSC) is used to describe hydrostatic loads due to water surface elevation with quasi-static changes of state. Therefore a procedure to implement hydrostatic pressure distributions into finite element analysis of the structure is desired. Currently available experimental methods enable one to measure time variant water surface elevation at discrete locations either on or around the body of the scale model during tank tests. This paper discusses the development of a finite element analysis procedure to implement time variant, spatially distributed hydrostatic pressure derived from discretely measured water surface elevation. The developed method can process differently resolved (temporal and spatial) input data and approximate the elevation over the flap faces with user defined properties. The structural loads, namely the forces and moments on the body can then be investigated by post processing the numerical results. This method offers the possibility to process surface elevation or hydrostatic pressure data from computational fluid dynamics simulations and can thus be seen as a first step to a fluid-structure interaction model.

Micromechanical Modelling of Non-Homogenous Materials by Meshless Methods

A detailed study of bi-material composites, using meshless methods (MMs), is presented in this paper. Firstly, representative volume elements (RVEs) for different bi-material combinations are analysed by the element-free Galerkin (EFG) method in order to confirm the effective properties of heterogeneous material through homogenization. The results are shown to be in good agreement with experimental results and those obtained using the finite element method (FEM) which required a higher node density. Secondly, a functionally graded material (FGM), with a crack, is analysed using the EFG method. This investigation was motivated by the possibility of replacing the distinct fibrematrix interface with a FGM interface. Finally, an illustrative example showing crack propagation, in a two-dimension micro-scale model of a SiC/Al composite is presented. 

An analytical solution for solid stresses in a silo with an inner tube

This paper presents an analytical solution for the solid stresses in a silo with an internal tube. The research was conducted to support the design of a group of full scale silos with large inner concrete tubes. The silos were blasted and formed out of solid rock underground for storing iron ore pellets. Each of these silos is 40m in diameter and has a 10m diameter concrete tube with five levels of openings constructed at the centre of each rock silo. A large scale model was constructed to investigate the stress regime for the stored pellets and to evaluate the solids flow pattern and the loading on the concrete tube. This paper focuses on the development of an analytical solution for stresses in the iron ore pellets in the silo and the effect of the central tube on the stress regimes. The solution is verified using finite element analysis before being applied to analyse stresses in the solid in the full scale silo and the effect of the size of the tube.