Thermal effects on Rayleigh-Marangoni-Benard instability in a system of superposed fluid and porous layers

Thermal effects of the heat transfer at free surface (represented by Biot number) on the Rayleigh-Marangoni-Benard instability in a system of liquid-porous layers with top free surface are investigated numerically. The results indicate that this thermal effect can evidently lead to the mode transition of convection, which is overlooked in previous works. (C) 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

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.

三峡库区巴东组泥灰岩溶蚀作用与岩体力学性质弱化研究

Abstract The karsrt erosion engineering geology became a highlight problem in recent years, in particularly, the karst erosion of marlite of Badong formation made the rock mechanics weaken in Three Gorges Reservoir area, which reduces the safety of slope. During the immigrant construction, many high slopes have been formed, whose instabilities problems pose serious threats to the safety of the people and properties. The accidents of the slope failure take place now and then. By testing, it has been found that the karst erosion pattern and dissolution rate of marlite are not weaker than that of the pure limestone. Furthermore, owning to the weathering and unloading, the karst erosion of the marlite will reach certain depth of the slope, which is named infiltrated karst erosion. The karst erosion made the rock mass quality of slope or foundation worse in a large scale. The karst erosion geological disasters, taken place or not, has become the main restrictive factors to the social stability and economic development. Thus the karst erosion process and mechanism of marlite of Badong formation are studied as the main content of this dissertation. The weakening characteristic of rock mass mechanics parameters are studied along with the rock mass structure deformation and failure processes in the course of the karst erosion. At first, the conditions and influencing factors of the karst erosion are analyzed in the investigative region, on the basis of different karst erosion phenomenon of the marlite and different failure modes of slope. Then via indoor the karst erosion tests, it is analyzed that the karst erosion will change the rock mass composition and its structure. Through test, the different karst erosion phenomena between micro and macro have been observed, and the karst erosion mechanism of the marlite has been summarized. Damage theory is introduced to explain the feature of dissolution pore and the law of crack propagation in the marlite. By microscope and the references data, it can be concluded that the karst erosion process can be divided into rock minerals damage and rock structural damage. And the percent of karst erosion volume is named damage factor, which can be used to describe the quantify karst erosion degree of marlite. Through test, the rock mechanical properties in the different period of karst erosion are studied. Based on the damage mechanics theory and the test result, the relation between the karst erosion degree of marlite and weakening degree of mechanical properties is summarized. By numerical simulations, the karst erosive rock mass mechanics is verified. The conclusion is drawn as below: to the rock mass of marlite, the karst erosion damage made mechanics parameters variation, the deformation modulus, cohesion, and inter friction angle reduce as the negative exponent with the increasing of the karst erosion volume, however, the Poisson ratio increases as the positive exponent with the karst erosion volume increasing. It should be noticed that the deduced formulations are limited to the test data and certain conditions. It is suitable to the rock mass parametric weakening process after the karst erosion of marlite in Three Gorges Reservoir area. Based on the failure types of marlite slope in the field, the karst erosion and weathering process of rock mass are analyzed. And the evolution law of deformation and failure of the marlite mass is studied. The main failure feature of the marlite slope is the karst erosive structure subsidence mode in Three Gorges Reservoir area. The karst erosive structure subsidence mode is explained as follows: the rock mass undergoes the synthetic influence, such as weathering, unloading, corrosion, and so on, many pores and cavities have been formed in the rock mass interior, the rock mass quality is worsen and the rock mass structure is changed, and then the inherent structure of rock mass is collapsed under its gravity, therefore, the failure mode of compaction and subsidence take place. Finally, two examples are used to verify the rock mass parameters in Three Gorges Reservoir area, and the relationship between the marlite slope stability and the time of karst erosion is proposed.

降雨条件下碎石土滑坡稳定性研究

Debris Landslide is one of the types of landslides with the widest distribution, largest quantity, and the closest relationship with engineering construction. It is also one of the most important types of landslides that can cause disaster. This kind of landslide often occurs in the loose slopes which are made up of loose congeries formed by earth filling, residual soil, slope wash, dilapidation, landslide or full weathered material of hard rock. Rainfall is always the chief inducing factor of debris Landslide. Therefore, to research stability of debris Landslide during rainfall not only has important theoretical significance for understanding developing law and deformation and failure mechanism of debris landslide, but also has important practical significance for investigating, appraising, forecasting, preventing and controlling debris landslides. This thesis systematically summarized the relationships between rainfall and landslide, the method to survey water table in the landslides, the deformation and failure mechanism of debris landslide, and the progress in the stability analysis of landslides based on the analyses of data collected widely at home and abroad. The problems in the study of the stability of debris landslide during rainfall was reviewed and discussed. Due to the complicated geological conditions and the random rainfall conditions, the research on the landslides' stability must be based on engineering geological qualitative analysis. Through the collection of the data about the Panxi region and the Three Gorges Reservoir region, the author systematically summarized the engineering geological conditions, hydro-geological condition, distribution characteristics of stress field in the slope, physical and mechanical properties and hydro-mechanical properties of debris. In the viewpoint of dynamics of soil water and hydromechanics, physical process of rainfall to supply groundwater of debris landslides can be divided into two phases, i.e. non-saturated steady infiltrating phase and saturated unsteady supplying phase. The former can be described by mathematical model of surface water infiltration while the latter can be described by equivalent continuous medium model of groundwater seepage. With regard to specific hydrological geology system, we can obtain the dynamic variation law of water content, water table, landslide stability of rock and soil mass, along with quantity and duration of rainfall after the boundary condition on hydrological geology has been ascertained. This is a new way to study the response law of groundwater in the landslides during rainfall. After wet face of rock and soil mass connects with ground water table, the raising of water table will occur due to the supply of rainfall. Then interaction between ground water and rock and soil mass will occur, such as the action of physics, water, chemistry and mechanics, which caused the decrease of shearing strength of sliding zone. According to the action of groundwater on rock and soil mass, a concise mechanical model of debris landslide’s deformation was established during rainfall. The static equilibrium condition of landslide mass system was achieved according to the concise mechanical model, and then the typical deformation and failure process and failure mode of debris landslide during rainfall were discussed. In this thesis, the former limiting equilibrium slice method was modified and improved based on shearing strength theory of , a stability analysis program of debris landslide was established and developed taking account of the saturated-unsaturated seepage, by introducing the shearing strength theory of unsaturated soil mass made by (1978). The program has reasonable data storage and simple interface and is easy to operate, and can be perfectly used to carry out sensitivity analysis of influencing factors of landslides' stability, integrated with the program of Office Excel. The design of drainage engineering are always bases on empirical methods and is short of effective quantitative analysis and appraise, therefore, the conception of critical water table of debris landslide was put forward. For debris landslides with different kinds of slide face in the engineering practice, a program to search the critical water table of debris landslide was developed based on native groundwater table. And groundwater table in the slope should be declined below the critical water table in the drainage works, so the program can be directly used to guide drainage works in the debris landslide. Taking the slope deformation body in the back of former factory building of Muli Shawan hydroelectric power station as an example, a systematic and detailed research on debris landslides' stability during rainfall was researched systematically, the relationship among quantity of rainfall, water table and stability of slope was established, the debris landslides' stability in process of rainfall from dynamic viewpoint was analyzed and researched.

层状反倾向结构岩质边坡变形机理及稳定性研究

Toppling is a major failure model in anti-dip layered rock slopes. Because of the limited by testing means and experimental apparatus, present research on the deformation mechanism and stability analysis are mainly focus on the 2-Dimensional deformation, and the research really based on 3-Dimension is still limited. Therefore, based on the present research station, the article rely on the important hydroelectric project of typical anti-dip layered rock slopes -- The left bank slope of Long-tan hydropower-station in Guang Xi, China, and focused on the influencing factors, deformation mechanism and stability analysis of anti-dip layered rock slopes, three problems as follows are researched in this paper. (1) Deformation influencing factor analysis on ant-dip layered rock slopes Three influencing factors are included: geological factor, engineering factor and environmental factor. It is concluded that the toppling deformation of anti-dip layered rock slopes are more sensitive to geological and engineering factors, but less sensitive to environmental factor. In addition, the sensitivity of various factors to the rock toppling deformation is also arranged sequentially as follows: construction, gravitation, rainfall (underground water) and rock structure intensity, etc. (2) 3D deformation study on the anti-dip layered toppling rock slopes Used 3D Distinct Element Method (3DEC) analyzed the 3D deformation characteristic of anti-dip layered rock slops. It can be seen that the toppling characteristics are obvious when the inter-angle between slope direction and layer striking direction is under 20o, when the inter-angle is over 20o and equal or less than 40o，the toppling deformation characteristics decrease sharply with increase of inter-angle, when the inter-angle is over 40o , the slope deformation is not controlled by joints but influenced by other failure mode. Therefore, in order to quantify the toppling characteristics, a differential value of displacement vector angle between layered rock slope and block rock slope is proposed as a key index to distinguish failure model for anti-dip layered rock slopes, and it was applied to study the toppling of the rock slopes at Guangxi Long-tan hydropower station, China. The results indicated that the index was effective and instructive for analyzing the anti-dip layered rock slopes. (3) Stability analysis methods Because of the imperfection of some present slope analysis methods, based on slope failure mode and those three influencing factors, “slope stability entropy” method is defined in this paper, which makes good use of the sensitivity of relational matrix to influencing factors on slope stability and the qualification characteristics for information entropy to the irregularity of slope deformation. By this method, not only the randomness of geologic body on the base of dynamic analysis of slope failure mode is fully concerned, but also it makes the analysis time-saving and simple. Finally, the research findings were used to the engineering example successfully, and rational conclusion has been obtained.

复杂应力环境下断续节理岩体真三轴实验研究及其工程应用

The great deal of joints and faults , existing in the rock mass , are the leading cause of discontinuous rock mass. Structural planes not only destroy the integrality of rock mass, but also lead nonlinearity、heterogeneity、anisotropy and failure mode on mechanical properties of rock mass. Therefore the selection of strength and deformation parameters was very difficult. In practical rock mass engineering, equivalent parameters of rock mass were selected by the method of expert experience and engineering analogy. Based on the fine description of discontinuous joints in the type Ⅳ and Ⅴ rock mass and geological survey datum in situ, models was obtained by generalizing the structure of rock mass by the method of statistical analysis. Model intensity and deformation test were carried out on the true triaxial apparatus. Intermediate principle stress effect, anisotropy and dimension effect of discontinuous rock mass were considered in the model test. 3-D correction to Hoek-Brown empirical criterion was done by analysed the test datum. Detailed works were listed as follows: (1) The factors influenced intensity and deformation of discontinuous joints rock mass were the value of 、continuity, density and included angle of joints and anisotropy of joint plane. True triaxial intensity and deformation tests were carried out by considering above factors. The influence rule was obtained and corresponding relation formulary was established； (2) Based on the true triaxial tests under different stress path and load modes, we obtain intensity and deformation rule of rock mass； (3) Based on a great deal of true triaxial tests and other test datum, correction to the Hoek-Brown empirical criterion was done in the chapter 4. The intermediate principle stress was considered in the corrected formulary. It indicated that the formulary was applicable under a certain condition. In addition, the yield plane form of corrected Hoek-Brown empirical criterion under principle stress space was described in the paper. And the question of corner of yield plane was discussed； (4) Based on the single discontinuity theory, the three-dimensional intensity formulary of discontinuous joint rock mass was established. Correction to the intensity formulary was done considering intermediate principle stress effect. We may obtain the conclusion that the intensity of the discontinuous joint rock mass was influenced on compositive factors. They were 、 、continuity、internal frictional angle and cohesiveness of joint plane and rock； (5) The results of the true triaxial model test was applied into parameters evaluation of dam foundation rock mass of JinPing hydropower station. For there were abundant ophicalcite in the dam foundation, the interval of intensity and formation parameters influenced on continuity were determined based on test datum. (6) Especial mould for prismatic jointing model was designed. True triaxial intensity and deformation tests by Basalt with prismatic jointing were carried out. The influence of intermediate principle stress, stress path, anisotropy effect and dimensional effect to intensity and deformation was discussed in the chapter 6. The work of (3)、(4)、(6) was significative supplement and innovation to current test and theory.

龙滩工程左岸边坡监测资料分析与稳定性评价研究

On the basis of the geological analysis and rock mass toppling deformation and failure mechanism analysis of Longtan engineering left bank slope, the synthetic space-time analysis and influence factors analysis on the surface monitoring data and deep rock mass monitoring data of B-zone of left bank slope are carried on. At the same time, based on the monitoring data analysis in conjunction with the predecessor's mechanics analysis results, the deformation state of B-zone of the left bank slope is discussed and its stability is synthetically evaluated. The detailed research contents and results are as following: According to the monitoring drill histogram analysis of Longtan engineering left bank slope, numerical simulation analysis and model experimentation analysis of bedded counter-inclined steep slope, a new type of toppling deformation and failure mode is proposed, that is "up-slope warping". Then the deformation and failure mode of bedded counter-inclined steep slope is summarized as "down-slope toppling" type, "up-slope warping" type and "complex fold" type. On the basis of synthetic space-time analysis to surface monitoring data and deep rock mass deformation monitoring data of B-zone of Longtan left bank slope;, we can get the conclusion that there exists potential instability rock mass over 520m altitude, especially over 560m altitude of slope B, and the rock mass of around strong-weathering line or creep rock mass breaking band controls the deformation of the whole slope. 1. According to the synthetic space-time analysis and influence factors analysis to the surface monitoring data of B-zone of Longtan left bank slope, a dynamical index, accumulative total acceleration index, which is used to analyze the influence factors of slope surface deformation, is raised. The principle and method of accumulative acceleration index are explained, and the index can be used for the influence factors analysis of the similar slope. 2. Summarize the results of geologic analysis, monitoring analysis and mechanics analysis, the following conclusion can be gotten: the stability of B-zone of the slope is basically good. However, on the condition of drainage and slope toe loading engineering, there is still some creep deformation in the rock mass over 520m altitude, especially over 560m altitude. So, better measures of the monitoring and timely maintenance of the drainage system are suggested in the paper.

Error Detection and Recovery for Robot Motion Planning with Uncertainty

Robots must plan and execute tasks in the presence of uncertainty. Uncertainty arises from sensing errors, control errors, and uncertainty in the geometry of the environment. The last, which is called model error, has received little previous attention. We present a framework for computing motion strategies that are guaranteed to succeed in the presence of all three kinds of uncertainty. The motion strategies comprise sensor-based gross motions, compliant motions, and simple pushing motions.

Combining Functional and Structural Reasoning for Safety Analysis of Electrical Designs

C.J.Price, D.R.Pugh, N.A.Snooke, J.E.Hunt, M.S.Wilson, Combining Functional and Structural Reasoning for Safety Analysis of Electrical Designs, Knowledge Engineering Review, vol 12:3, pp.271-287, 1997.

Non-linear finite-element analysis of punching capacities of steel-concrete bridge deck slabs

Punching failure is the common failure mode in concrete bridge deck slabs when these structural components are subjected to local patch loads, such as tyre loads. Past research has shown that reinforced concrete slabs in girder–slab type bridges have a load-carrying capacity far greater than the ultimate static loads predicted by traditional design methods, because of the presence of compressive membrane action. However, due to the instability problems from punching failure, it is difficult to predict ultimate capacities accurately in numerical analyses. In order to overcome the instability problems, this paper establishes an efficient non-linear finite-element analysis using the commercial finite-element package Abaqus. In the non-linear finite-element analysis, stabilisation methods were adopted and failure criteria were established to predict the ultimate punching behaviour of deck slabs in composite steel–concrete bridges. The proposed non-linear finite-element analysis predictions showed a good correlation on punching capacities with experimental tests.

Pull-out behaviour of axially loaded Basalt Fibre Reinforced Polymer (BFRP) rods bonded perpendicular to the grain of glulam elements

The behaviour of Basalt Fibre Reinforced Polymer (BFRP) loaded perpendicular to glulam timber elements was investigated. It was found that pull-out load increased approximately linearly with the bonded length up to maximum which occurred at a bonded length of 250 mm (~15 times the hole diameter) and did not increase beyond this bonded length. Failure mode of the samples was mostly shear fracture which was located at the cylindrical zone at the timber/adhesive interface. Increased bonded lengths resulted in corresponding decrease in interfacial bond stress. At 250 mm bonded length, the pull-out capacity of the proposed design model was about 2% lower than that of the tests. The results also showed that the bond stress of the theoretical model (at the ascending and descending branches) of the stress–slip curve was approximately 5–10% of that of the experiment.

Numerical analysis of stiffener runout sections

The recent trend of incorporating more composite material in primary aircraft structures has highlighted the vulnerability of stiffened aerostructures to through-thickness stresses, which may lead to delamination and debonding at the skin-stiffener interface, leading to collapse. Stiffener runout regions are particularly susceptible to this problem and cannot be avoided due to the necessity to terminate stiffeners at rib intersections or at cutouts, interrupting the stiffener load path. In this paper, experimental tests relating to two different stiffener runout specimens are presented and the failure modes of both specimens are discussed in detail. A thinner-skinned specimen showed sudden and unstable crack propagation, while a thicker-skinned specimen showed initially unstable but subsequent stable crack growth. Detailed finite element models of the two specimens are developed, and it is shown how such models can explain and predict the behaviour and failure mode of stiffener runouts. The models contain continuum shell elements to model the skin and stiffener, while cohesive elements using a traction-separation law are placed at the skin-stiffener interface to effectively model the debonding which promotes structural failure.

The Behavior of compressively loaded stiffener runout specimens - Part I: Experiments

The development of the next generation of civil and military transport aircraft will inevitably see an increased use of advanced carbon fibre composite material in the primary structure if performance targets are to be met. One concern in this development is the vulnerability of co-cured and co-bonded stiffened structures to through-thickness stresses at the skin-stiffener interfaces, particularly in stiffener runout regions. These regions are a consequence of the requirement to terminate stiffeners at cutouts, rib intersections, or other structural features which interrupt the stiffener load path.

This work presents the results of an experimental programme investigating the failure of thick-sectioned stiffener runout specimens loaded in uniaxial compression. For all tests, failure initiated at the edge of the runout and propagated across the skin-stiffener interface. It was found that the failure load of each specimen was greatly influenced by intentional changes in the geometric features of these specimens. High frictional forces at the edge of the runout were also deduced from a fractographic analysis, indicating a predominantly Mode II initial failure mode.

Fatigue Life Assessment and Static Testing of Structural GFRP Tubes Based on Coupon Tests

Fiber-reinforced polymer (FRP) hollow tubes are used in structural applications, such as utility poles and pipelines. Concrete-filled FRP tubes (CFFTs) are also used as piles and bridge piers. Applications such as poles and marine piles are typically governed by cyclic bending. In this paper, the fatigue behavior of glass-FRP filament-wound tubes is studied using coupons cut from the tubes. Several coupon configurations were first examined in 24 tension and five compression monotonic loading tests. Fatigue tests were then conducted on 81 coupons to examine several parameters; namely, loading frequency as well as maximum-to-ultimate (max ult) and minimum-to-maximum (min max) stress ratios, including tension tension and tension compression, to simulate reversed bending. The study demonstrated the sensitivity of test results and failure mode to coupon configuration. The presence of compression loads reduced fatigue life, while increasing load frequency increased fatigue life. Stiffness degradation behavior was also established. To achieve at least one million cycles, it is recommended to limit (max ult) to 0.25. Models were used to simulate stiffness degradation and fatigue life curve of the tube. Fatigue life predictions of large CFFT beams showed good correlation with experimental results. © 2008 ASCE.

POST-TENSIONING OF TIMBER BEAMS WITH BASALT FIBRE REINFORCED POLYMER

Improvements in the structural performance of glulam timber beams by the inclusion of reinforcing materials can improve both the service performance and ultimate capacity. In recent years research focusing on the addition of fibre reinforced polymers to strengthen members has yielded positive results. However, the FRP material is still a relatively expensive material and its full potential has not been realised in combination with structural timber. This paper describes a series of four-point bending tests that were conducted, under service and ultimate loads, on post-tensioned glulam timber beams where the reinforcing tendon used was 12 mm diameter Basalt Fibre Reinforced Polymer (BFRP). The research was designed to evaluate the additional benefits of including an active type of reinforcement, by post-tensioning the BFRP tendon, as opposed to the passive approach of simply reinforcing the timber beam.
From the laboratory investigations, it was established that there was a 16% increase in load carrying capacity, in addition to a 14% reduction in deflection under service loads when members containing the post-tensioned BFRP composite are compared with control timber specimens. Additionally a more favourable ductile failure mode was witnessed compared to the brittle failure of an unreinforced timber beam. The results support the assumption that by initially stressing the embedded FRP tendon the structural benefits experienced by the timber member increase in a number of ways, indicating that there is significant scope for this approach in practical applications.