The Coupled Influence of Relative Density,CSR, Plasticity and Content of Fines on Cyclic Liquefaction Resistance of Sands

In this study, stress-controlled cyclic simple shear tests were performed on sand specimens with up to 10% silt or clay contents, and coupled effects of plasticity, fines content (FC), relative density (D_R) and CSR (cyclic stress ratio) were investigated. The results demonstrated that for sands with low fines content, reasonable trends were obtained when the packing index control parameter was selected as D_R. Also, clean sand specimens demonstrated highest liquefaction strength compared with that of sands with fines up to 10% FC. The effect of fines’ plasticity became apparent as the FC increases and CSR reduces in relatively denser specimens.     

五千年前陶质建材的测试研究

迄今为止的考古发掘表明,我国最早的陶质建材,应该是距今5500年左右的凌家滩“红陶块”。考古学家推测其原料为粘土矿物,烧成温度约800～1000℃,且其物理性能与砖质建材较为接近,应为“砖的雏形”,为此,本工作测试分析了凌家滩“红陶块”的物相组成、烧成温度、吸水率与抗压强度,同时对比分析了明砖、汉砖、现代砖的物理性能,发现“红陶块”系粘土原料在950℃以上温度烧制而成,其吸水率和抗压强度由外向内呈梯度变化,内层的抗压强度、吸水率接近于现代砖和汉砖,业已超过明砖样品,所有这些分析结果,皆支持考古学家关于凌家滩“红陶块”为砖的雏型的推测。     

Seismic Waves in Heterogeneous Crust-Mantle Layers under Initial Stresses

This article investigates the propagations of SH-waves and Rayleigh-type waves in a pre-stressed heterogeneous half-space and also Love-type waves in a pre-stressed heterogeneous layer overlying a pre-stressed heterogeneous half-space. Wave-velocity relations for SH-waves, Rayleigh-type waves, and dispersion equation for Love-type waves are derived. The results reflect that initial stress and inhomogeneity decrease the phase velocity of the SH-waves and Rayleigh-type waves. The phase and damping velocities of Love-type waves decrease with wave number, initial stress of the upper media, and inhomogeneity of the lower media, whereas they increase with initial stress of the lower media and inhomogeneity of the upper media.     

Books received

On the 25th Anniversary of the founding of the first Industrial Estate in Dundee this article reviews the industrial development of the city in the post‐war period and identifies the problems of two sectors of the city's industry, the traditional Jute industry and the modern estate based industries. The friction between the two in their post‐war development, and the effects of the change of emphasis in the city's industrial structure during that period, on the demographic and social geography of the city are also discussed. The article concludes with an outline of the possible lines of development for industry in Dundee, with reference being made to present Government economic planning policies for Scotland.     

The effect of soil conditions on the long-term corrosion of buried tin-bronzes and copper

The object of this work was to relate the corrosion of tin-bronzes to the chemical condition of the soil in which they have been buried, most of them since the Bronze Age. Naturally, it was not easy to obtain recent hoards with their related soils, and considerable reliance had to be placed on recorded finds by taking recent soil samples from sites on which hoards were found over a hundred years earlier. Even so, with the exception of peat, a reasonable relationship appears to exist between the pH of the soil and the state of the metal. Acid soils are aggressive to metals and alkaline soils are benign. In no cases were sulphate reducing bacteria active in promoting corrosion. In the main, peat and peaty soils were benign in spite of their acidity, probably due to the protective action of polyphenols.     

Evaluation of Side Boundary Effects on Dynamic Numerical Modeling for Centrifugal Model Tests

Four different boundary conditions consisting of fixed nodes, motion of roller only in the z or the x direction, and equivalent motion of two side boundaries were applied with a finite element code to simulate seismic behavior of two foundation conditions consisting of dry loose and dense sands. Comparing numerical results with physical model tests indicates that data obtained from the finite element code when considering soil nonlinearity with a sand model based on the tij concept have acceptable agreements with those from dynamic centrifuge tests regardless of the boundary conditions. The results from the boundary conditions of roller in the x direction and equivalent motion of two side boundaries agree well with the experimental data in wave peaks. The two side boundary conditions also keep the ground middle undisturbed and provide the results that are similar to those obtained from the wave amplification experimental data. For numerical simulations of centrifuge model tests, the side boundary condition with roller in the x direction is recommended because of low computation time and high simulation quality.     

Seismic Behavior of Reinforced Concrete Interior Wide-Beam Column Joints

In this article, experimental and finite element (FE) numerical investigations on interior wide-beam column joints are presented. The experimental research consisting of three full-scale interior wide-beam column specimens was carried out at Nanyang Technological University, Singapore to study the seismic behavior. Details of the test results are discussed to understand the specimens' seismic performance in terms of general behavior, hysteresis loops response, and strain profiles of longitudinal reinforcement. In the FE numerical study, the three-dimensional (3D) model developed is validated by comparing the analysis results with the experimental test results, which has shown a good agreement. A parametric study is performed to elucidate more information and to understand the influence of critical parameters affecting the joint behavior such as column axial load, beam anchorage ratio, and wide beam participation.     

古代饱水木材脱水定型机理探讨

从木材干缩的一般理论出发,探讨了古代饱水木材脱水变形的主要影响因素。阐述了古代饱水木材与新鲜木材的区别,提出饱水木材发生形变的主要影响因素同现代木材一样,是由于氢键缔合的结合水挥发,从而引起干缩和开裂。要保持脱水后的定型一方面要加固细胞壁外壁,更重要的从细胞壁内壁进行加固。     

The Mw 6.4 SW-Achaia (Western Greece) Earthquake of 8 June 2008: Seismological,Field, GPS Observations,and Stress Modeling

On June 8, 2008 a Mw = 6.4 earthquake occurred in NW Peloponnese, western Greece. This event is the largest strike-slip earthquake to occur in western Greece during the past 25 years. No surface rupture was observed. Many rock falls, slides, and liquefaction features have been found as is typical for an earthquake of this size. Double-difference relocations of 370 aftershocks show a linear pattern of events and define a clear NE-SW striking mainshock fault plane. The hypocentrer was determined at 18 km depth beneath village Mihoi in SW Achaia. The 24-hr aftershock region extends approximately 30 km in length, and the width of the surface projection of the aftershocks ranges between 5–10 km. The depth of the aftershocks rarely exceeds 22 km. Analysis of high-rate GPS data showed that station RLS (Riolos) which is located 12.8 km N5°W of the epicenter was displaced co-seismically 7 mm to the North in agreement with right-lateral kinematics of the rupture. Static (Coulomb) stress transfer analysis indicates loading of faults near the towns of Patras (north) and Amaliada (south), respectively. The earthquake put more emphasis on the role of strike-slip in the deformation of western Greece also indicating that seismic strain is partitioned between strike-slip and normal-slip events due to obliquity of the Nubia (Africa) – Eurasia convergence.     

Assessing individual systemic stress through cortisol analysis of archaeological hair

As a product of physiological status and the social and physical environments, stress has significant impact on health and well-being in both ancient and contemporary societies. In bioarchaeological research, stress is characterized using an array of skeletal indicators that record stressful periods during childhood and adulthood. In modern clinical research, exposure to stress can be assessed using systemic cortisol levels that have been shown to fluctuate in response to experienced stress. Analysis of cortisol levels in archaeological hair should enable assessment of stress during a short, but critical, period of an individual's life. For this pilot study, we selected hair samples from ten individuals from five different archaeological sites in Peru, and analyzed them in segments to determine cortisol levels. These data demonstrate that it is possible to observe biogenic patterns of cortisol production, and that individual experiences of stress can be reconstructed for the period of time represented by each hair sample. Analysis of cortisol levels in hair has the potential to be a valuable short-term dynamic stress indicator that will complement paleopathological and biochemical studies of health and stress, and permit the reconstruction of increasingly detailed life histories.