Planktonic Communities and Chaotic Advection in Dynamical Models of Langmuir Circulation

A deterministic mechanism for the production of plankton patches within a typical medium scale oceanic structure is proposed and investigated. By direct numerical simulation of a simple model of Langmuir circulation we quantify the effects of unsteady flows on planktonic communities and demonstrate their importance. Two qualitatively different zones within the flow are identified: chaotic regions that help to spread plankton and locally coherent regions, that do not mix with the chaotic regions and which persist for long periods of time. The relative importance of these regions to both phytoplankton and zooplankton is investigated, taking into account variations in plankton buoyancy. In particular, species-specific retention zone structure is discussed in relation to variations in environmental forcing.     

Effect of a characteristic length on crack spacing in a reinforced concrete bar under tension

The paper presents quasi-static FE-simulations of the crack formation in a reinforced concrete bar without stirrups subject to tension. The material was modeled with a continuum smeared crack model using an elasto-plastic constitutive law. A linear Rankine criterion with isotropic softening and associated flow rule was adopted in a tensile regime. To ensure the mesh-independency, the softening parameter was enhanced by a characteristic length of micro-structure by means of a non-local theory. Attention was laid to the effect of a different characteristic length of micro-structure and initial bond-slip stiffness on the spacing of localized zones.     

A study of the structure of G-P zones in Ti-rich TiNi shape memory melt-spun ribbons

A hybrid structure composed of ordered C11_b Ti₂Ni and Ti₅Ni₃ substructures for the G-P zones precipitated in Ti-rich Ti–Ni shape memory ribbons is proposed to explain the appearance of extra diffuse scattering streaks in transmission electron microscopy observations. The point defects of Ni vacancies and Ti antisites, resulting in the lattice fluctuant displacement, also cause the incommensurate extra diffuse scattering streaks.     

THE ZONAL DISINTEGRATION MECHANISM OF SURROUNDING ROCK AROUND DEEP SPHERICAL TUNNELS UNDER HYDROSTATIC PRESSURE CONDITION: A NON-EUCLIDEAN CONTINUUM DAMAGE MODEL

A new non-Euclidean continuum damage model is proposed to investigate the zonal disintegration phenomenon of the surrounding rocks around deep spherical tunnels under hydrostatic pressure condition as well as the total elastic stress field distributions.The elastic stress fields of the surrounding rocks around deep spherical tunnels under hydrostatic pressure condition are obtained.If the elastic stresses of the surrounding rocks satisfy the strength criterion of the deep rock masses,the number,size and location of fractured and nonfractured zones are determined.The efect of physico-mechanical parameters of the surrounding rocks on the zonal disintegration phenomenon is studied and numerical computation is carried out.It is found from numerical results that the number,size and location of fractured and non-fractured zones are sensitive to the physico-mechanical parameters of the surrounding rocks.     

The effects of air temperature and humidity on the acoustic design of voice alarm systems on underground stations

Sound attenuation of air due to climatic conditions is often assumed to be constant and/or negligible in the electro acoustic design of voice alarm (VA) systems. However, air attenuation variations can be significant in large underground spaces and particularly as the frequency increases to the mid to high frequencies which are the most relevant to speech intelligibility. This investigation evaluates and quantifies the impact of the variability of the most influential climatic parameters, air temperature and relative humidity, on the performance of VA systems in underground stations. Computer simulations were employed to predict the effect of varying these climatic parameters on key performance metrics. Results demonstrated a significant increase in the values of reverberation time parameters with both temperature and humidity, at frequencies critical for speech intelligibility. Consequently the values of speech intelligibility related metrics decreased with rising temperatures and humidity. Hence, the study shows how ignoring temperature and humidity effects can lead to calculation errors in the design of VA systems. These errors could cause over-specification of the absorption required of surface materials, and the inaccurate prediction of acoustic and speech intelligibility related parameters.     

任意圈层径向非均质土中桩的纵向振动特性

研究三维轴对称条件下径向非均质土中桩的纵向振动. 首先将桩周土体沿径向分为任意圈层来考虑土体的径向非均质性,每个圈层土体均质; 然后结合边界条件和相邻圈层土体之间接触面上位移和应力连续条件,对任意圈层土体动力平衡方程由外而内逐层求解,进而利用桩-土完全耦合条件求解桩动力平衡方程,得到桩顶的频域响应解析解和时域响应半解析解; 最后通过对土体主要控制参数的研究,得出了土体径向非均匀性对桩-土动力响应的影响.      

Very slow flow of Bingham viscoplastic fluid around a circular cylinder

Numerical simulations have been used to study the flow of a Bingham viscoplastic fluid around a circular cylinder in an infinite medium with negligible inertia effects. Papanastasiou's regularisation technique has been adopted to approximate the model. The case corresponding to preponderant plasticity effects has been particularly studied and convergence of the solutions examined in detail. The flow kinematics and stresses have been determined. The rigid zones have been identified and characterised. At large Oldroyd numbers, when plasticity effects become preponderant, a viscoplastic boundary layer appears around the cylinder. The characteristics of this viscoplastic boundary layer are quantified. The results are compared with existing theoretical results, concerning particularly the predictions of the viscoplastic boundary layer theory and the plasticity theory.     

Triaxial stress state of cylindrical openings for rocks modeled by elastoplasticity and strength criterion

An analytical solution for calculating the triaxial stress state around a cylindrical opening in an elastoplastic cohesive medium is developed. Magnitude of the slip zones around a cylindrical opening in crack-weakened rock masses is considered by modifying the existing strength criterion for rocks of different types. The disturbance coefficient, the geological strength index and the other strength parameters are also investigated.     

Soil radon time series: Surveys in seismic and volcanic areas

Soil radon surveys have been performed in a long term monitoring basis with SSNTD (LR 115 type II), in order to observe possible fluctuations due to high magnitude seismic events and volcanic eruptions. Five-year radon time series are available in stations located in an intense seismic zone located along the Pacific coast of Mexico. The series analyses have been performed as a function of the local seismicity and geological characteristics. A discussion is intended to explain the lack of biunivocal relation between single radon peaks and earthquakes for the long term monitoring data using SSNTDs. Examples of short term radon anomalies obtained with continuous probes are also discussed as a function of local earthquakes and meteorological perturbations. Additionally, complementary results from recent changes in the activity pattern of an active volcano indicate that degassing process induced anomalous soil radon emanation correlated with the volcanic activity changes.