Analysis of seismic disaster failure mechanism and dam-break simulation of high arch dam

Based on a Chinese national high arch dam located in a meizoseismal region, a nonlinear numerical analysis model of the damage and failure process of a dam-foundation system is established by employing a 3-D deformable distinct element code(3DEC) and its re-development functions. The proposed analysis model considers the dam-foundation-reservoir coupling effect, infl uence of nonlinear contact in the opening and closing of the dam seam surface and abutment rock joints during strong earthquakes, and radiation damping of far fi eld energy dissipation according to the actual workability state of an arch dam. A safety assessment method and safety evaluation criteria is developed to better understand the arch dam system disaster process from local damage to ultimate failure. The dynamic characteristics, disaster mechanism, limit bearing capacity and the entire failure process of a high arch dam under a strong earthquake are then analyzed. Further, the seismic safety of the arch dam is evaluated according to the proposed evaluation criteria and safety assessment method. As a result, some useful conclusions are obtained for some aspects of the disaster mechanism and failure process of an arch dam. The analysis method and conclusions may be useful in engineering practice.

The response law of far-field seismic ground motion of the Wenchuan earthquake and its damaging mechanism in the Loess Plateau

A series of housing collapses and other serious damage was caused by the 2008 Wenchuan M_(S)8.0 earthquake in the seismic intensity Ⅵ areas of the Loess Plateau, which is hundreds of kilometers away from the epicenter, and which showed a remarkable seismic intensity anomaly. The seismic disasters are closely related to the seismic response characteristics of the site, therefore, the systematic study of the far-field seismic response law of the Wenchuan earthquake in the Loess Plateau is of great significance to prevent the far-field disaster of great earthquake. In this paper, the seismic acceleration records of several bedrock stations and loess stations from the seismogenic fault of the Wenchuan earthquake to the Loess Plateau were collected, and the attenuation law of ground motion along the propagation path and the characteristics of seismic response on the loess site are studied,and the mechanism of amplification effect of ground motion is analyzed based on the dynamic feature parameters of the loess site obtained through the HVSR method. Taking a typical loess site of thick deposit as the prototype, a series of shaking table tests of dynamic response of loess site models with different thicknesses were carried out.Amplification effect, spectral characteristics of acceleration in model sites were analyzed under the action of a farfield seismic wave of the Wenchuan earthquake. The results show that seismic attenuation on the propagation path along the NE strike of the seismogenic fault to the Loess Plateau is slower than that in other directions, and the predominant period range of ground motion on bedrock site of the Loess Plateau presents broadband characteristics. Because the natural periods of loess sites with thick deposits are within the predominant period range of bedrock input wave, loess sites appear significant amplification effect of ground motion, the horizontal acceleration of ground motion exceeds 0.1 g, the seismic intensity reaches 7°. The thicker the loess deposit is, the more significant the change of spectral characteristics of ground motion on loess sites, and the narrower the predominant period range of ground motion becomes, and the closer it is to the natural period of loess sites.Therefore, for some old houses on thick loess sites, the poor seismic performance and strong seismic response eventually led to their collapses and damages because their natural periods are very close to the predominant period of ground motion of the Wenchuan earthquake on thick loess sites;For these damaged high-rise buildings,the resonance effect might be the main reason for their damages because their natural periods are included in the predominant period range of ground motion of the Wenchuan earthquake on thick loess sites.These research results would provide a basis for seismic disasters prediction and evaluation and seismic design of construction engineering in the Loess Plateau.

Tectonic Mechanism of the Suining(Ms5.0) Earthquake,Center of Sichuan Basin,China

On Jan.31 of 2010,the Suining earthquake occurred at Suining City whch is located the center of Sichuan Basin.It is unusual for the strong earthquake to occur at the center of Sichuan Basin with a stable geotectonic environment and a low-level historical seismicity.The macro-epicenter of the earthquake is located at Moxi town of Suining city,Sichuan province,China.The earthquake intensity of the epicenter area is degree VII,and the long axis of the isoseismal line trends in NE orientation.The Suining earthquake caused the collapse or destruction of 460 family houses.The earthquake focal mechanism solution and records of the near-field seismographic stations showed the earthquake occurred at the reverse fault at a depth 34 km.Based on the waveform and focal mechanism,we consider the Suning earthquake is triggered by the reverse fault and not by the gravitational collapse or man-made explosive sources.Basing on seismic refraction profile and borehole,we consider that the earthquake is triggered by the backthrust fault of Moxi anticline rooted in detachments at a depth 3-4 km.Furthermore,we infer that tectonic mechanism of the Suining(Ms5.0) Earthquake is driven by the horizontal crustal shortening and stress adjustment on a shallow detachment after the Wenchuan(Ms 8.0) earthquake.

A catastrophic debris flow in the Wenchuan Earthquake area,July 2013：characteristics,formation,and risk reduction

In the Wenchuan Earthquake area,many co-seismic landslides formed blocking-dams in debris flow channels. This blocking and bursting of landslide dams amplifies the debris flow scale and results in severe catastrophes. The catastrophic debris flow that occurred in Qipan gully(Wenchuan,Southwest China) on July 11,2013 was caused by intense rainfall and upstream cascading bursting of landslide dams. To gain an understanding of the processes of dam bursting and subsequent debris flow scale amplification effect,we attempted to estimate the bursting debris flow peak discharges along the main gully and analyzed the scale amplification process. The results showed that the antecedent and triggering rainfalls for 11 July debris flow event were 88.0 mm and 21.6 mm,respectively. The event highlights the fact that lower rainfall intensity can trigger debris flows after the earthquake. Calculations of the debris flow peak discharge showed that the peak discharges after the dams-bursting were 1.17–1.69 times greater than the upstream peak discharge. The peak discharge at the gully outlet reached 2553 m^3/s which was amplified by 4.76 times in comparison with the initial peak discharge in the upstream. To mitigate debris flow disasters,a new drainage channel with a trapezoidal V-shaped cross section was proposed. The characteristic lengths(h1 and h2) under optimal hydraulic conditions were calculated as 4.50 m and 0.90 m,respectively.

A brief introduction to disaster rock mass mechanics

Rock mass mechanics can be classified into engineering rock mass mechanics and disaster rock mass mechanics based on science and application.Their conception,object,scientific essence and application were elaborated.The connotation,studying method and theoretical framework of disaster rock mass mechanics were described.Disaster rock mass mechanics is a strongly nonlinear discipline which is a strong tool to study natural and artificially-induced disasters.The rock mass system where disasters happen exhibits extremely spatial-temporal nonlinearity in the critically unstable state.Hence,the potentially effective prediction and forecasting of disasters depends on statistical analysis of highly probable events.The direction of efforts for predicting and forecasting disasters could be to find the quantitative or semi-quantitative relationship between physical and biological information and instability of rock mass system.