Utilizing sediment grain size characteristics to assess the effectiveness of clay–sand barriers in reducing aeolian erosion in Minqin desert area,China

The clay–sand barriers in Minqin desert area,China,represent a pioneering windbreak and sand fixation project with a venerable history of 60 a.However,studies on evaluating the long-term effectiveness of clay–sand barriers against aeolian erosion,particularly from the perspective of surface sediment grain size,are limited and thus insufficient to ascertain the protective impact of these barriers on regional aeolian activities.This study focused on the surface sediments(topsoil of 0–3 cm depth)of clay–sand barriers in Minqin desert area to explain their erosion resistance from the perspective of surface sediment grain size.In March 2023,six clay–sand barrier sampling plots with clay–sand barriers of different deployment durations(1,5,10,20,40,and 60 a)were selected as experimental plots,and one control sampling plot was set in an adjacent mobile sandy area without sand barriers.Surface sediment samples were collected from the topsoil of each sampling plot in the study area in April 2023 and sediment grain size characteristics were analyzed.Results indicated a predominance of fine and medium sands in the surface sediments of the study area.The deployment of clay–sand barriers cultivated a fine quality in grain size composition of the regional surface sediments,increasing the average contents of very fine sand,silt,and clay by 30.82%,417.38%,and 381.52%,respectively.This trend became markedly pronounced a decade after the deployment of clay–sand barriers.The effectiveness of clay–sand barriers in erosion resistance was manifested through reduced wind velocity,the interception of sand flow,and the promotion of fine surface sediment particles.Coarser particles such as medium,coarse,and very coarse sands predominantly accumulated on the external side of the barriers,while finer particles such as fine and very fine sands concentrated in the upwind(northwest)region of the barriers.By contrast,the contents of finest particles such as silt and clay were higher in the downwind(southeast)region of the sampling plots.For the study area,the deployment of clay–sand barriers remains one of the most cost-effective engineering solutions for aeolian erosion control,with sediment grain size parameters serving as quantitative indicators for the assessment of these barriers in combating desertification.The results of this study provide a theoretical foundation for the construction of windbreak and sand fixation systems and the optimization of artificial sand control projects in arid desert areas.

Mechanical properties of Mg-8Gd-3Y-0.5Zr alloy with bimodal grain size distributions

The Mg-Gd-Y-Zn-Zr alloys are representational and potential age-hardening systems as reported in the past ten years,but their mechanical properties are still dependent on the grain size and its distribution.The effect of bimodal structure on mechanical properties of Mg-8Gd-3Y-0.5Zr alloy with bimodal grain size distributions was investigated.The results suggested that the volume fraction of fine grain(FG)and coarse grain(CG)could be controlled by combined processes of hot forging,extrusion and annealing.And for the present alloys with bimodal grain size distribution,the improvement of strength is still attributed to the grain refinement.The morphology of bimodal grain size distribution has a marked impact on the ductility of the alloy,i.e.with the increase of coarse grain volume fraction,the elongation to failure increases at the beginning and then decreases.The mechanism of the toughening effect of bimodal grain size distribution on the Mg-Gd-Y-Zn-Zr alloys with bimodal grain size structure has been discussed.

Influence of bimodal grain size distribution on the corrosion behavior of friction stir processed biodegradable AZ31 magnesium alloy

In the present study,AZ31 magnesium alloy sheets were processed by friction stir processing(FSP)to investigate the effect of the grain refinement and grain size distribution on the corrosion behavior.Grain refinement from a starting size of 16.4±6.8µm to 3.2±1.2µm was attained after FSP.Remarkably,bimodal grain size distribution was observed in the nugget zone with a combination of coarse(11.62±8.4µm)and fine grains(3.2±1.2µm).Due to the grain refinement,a slight improvement in the hardness was found in the nugget zone of FSPed AZ31.The bimodal grain size distribution in the stir zone showed pronounced influence on the corrosion rate of FSPed AZ31 as observed from the immersion and electrochemical tests.From the X-ray diffraction analysis,more amount of Mg(OH)_(2) was observed on FSPed AZ31 compared with the unprocessed AZ31.Polarization measurements demonstrated the higher corrosion current density for FSPed AZ31(8.92×10^(−5)A/cm^(2))compared with the unprocessed condition(2.90×10^(−5)A/cm^(2))that can be attributed to the texture effect and large variations in the grain size which led to non-uniform galvanic intensities.

Spatial heterogeneity for grain size distribution of eolian sand soil on longitudinal dunes in the southern Gurbantunggut Desert

The grain size composition, distribution characteristics and spatial variation of eolian sand soil on distinct positions across two longitudinal dunes and interdune areas were studied by means of conventional grain size analysis and geostatistical methods. In the study, 184 samples of eolian sand soil from the 0-30cm layer were systemically collected and measured from two longitudinal dunes and interdunes in the southern Gurbantunggut Desert. The results show that the dominant grain sizes are fine and very fine sands, and the differences of grain size compositions between the distinct geomorphologic positions are significant. The contents of clay and silt are highest on the interdune areas and lowest on the crests, and higher on the leeward slopes than on the windward slopes. The contents of very fine and fine sands are highest on the windward slopes and lowest on the crests. The contents of medium, coarse and very coarse sands are lowest on the interdune lands, and highest on the crests, and are identical on the two slopes. The coarser sizes (phi(1)) and mean sizes (Mz) for eolian sand soil all have a varying tendency from fine to coarse sizes with interdune area -> leeward slope -> windward slope -> crest, and the sorting (sigma) are poorly to well sorted. The results of geostatistical analysis reveal that phi(1), Mz and a values are moderately to strongly spatially autocorrelated. The values of the spatially correlated ranges are phi(1) < sigma < Mz. The spatial variation for these grain size parameters is significant across the longitudinal dune landscape. From the crests towards the bottom of the slope, there is a varying gradient of zonal distribution, and the gradient values on the leeward slopes are larger than sites on the windward slopes.

Variation in Grain Size Distribution in Debris Flow

Grain composition of debris flow varies considerably from fluid to deposit, making it uncertain to estimate flow properties （e.g., density, velocity and discharge） using deposit as done in practice. Tracing the variation of grain composition is thus more important than estimating some certain properties of flow because every debris flow event consists of a series of surges that are distinct in properties and flow regimes. We find that the materials of debris flows, both the fluid and the source soils, satisfy a universal grain size distribution （GSD） in a form of P （D） = CD-zexp（-D/Dc）, where the parameters C, p and De are determined by fitting the function to the grain size frequency. A small At implies a small porosity and possible high excess pore pressure in flow; and a large D~ means a wide range of grain composition and hence a high sediment concentration. Flow density increases as 11 decreases or Dc increases, in a power law form. A debris flow always achieves a state of certain mobility and density that can be well described by the coupling of p and Dc, which imposes a constraint on the fluctuations of flow surges. The GSD also describes the changes in grain composition in that it is always satisfied during the course of debris flow developing. Numerical simulation using the GSD can well illustrate the variation ofμ and Dc from source soils to deposits.

Grain size distribution and topology in 3D grain growth simulation with large-scale Monte Carlo method

Three-dimensional normal grain growth was appropriately simulated using a Potts model Monte Carlo algorithm. The quasi-stationary grain size distribution obtained from simulation agreed well with the experimental result of pure iron. The Weibull function with a parameter β=2.77 and the Yu-Liu function with a parameter v =2.71 fit the quasi-stationary grain size distribution well. The grain volume distribution is a function that decreased exponentially with increasing grain volume. The distribution of boundary area of grains has a peak at S/〈S〉=0.5, where S is the boundary area of a grain and 〈S〉 is the mean boundary area of all grains in the system. The lognormal function fits the face number distribution well and the peak of the face number distribution is f=10. The mean radius off-faced grains is not proportional to the face number, but appears to be related by a curve convex upward. In the 2D cross-section, both the perimeter law and the Aboav-Weaire law are observed to hold.

Grain Size Distribution of Soils within the Cordillera Blanca, Peru: An Indicator of Basic Mechanical Properties for Slope Stability Evaluation

This paper presents results of a study on the mechanical properties of sandy and gravely soils within the Cordillera Blanca, Peru. The soils were divided into groups according to their origin(glacial, fluvial, or debris flow). The grain size distribution of forty three soil samples was used to classify the soils according to the scheme of the Unified Soil Classification System(USCS). These distributions have then been used to estimate shear strength and hydraulic properties of the soils. There are clear differences between the soils which reflect their divergent origins. The glacial soils normally fit within one of two distinctive groups according to the proportion of fines(Group A, 7%-21.5%; Group B, 21%-65%). The estimation of shear strength at constant volume friction angle and peak shear strength of the glacial sediments with low content of fines was made using published data relating to the measured shear strength characteristics of soils with similar origins and grain size distributions. The estimated values were supported by measurements of the angle of repose taken from fourteen samples from two moraines and by shear tests on samples from one locality. The results of the grain size distribution werealso used to estimate the average hydraulic conductivity using the empirical Hazen formula which results were verified by field infiltration tests at two localities.

Micromagnetic studies of perpendicular recording FePt media with controllable grain size distributions

A 3-dimensional(3D)micromagnetic model combined with Fast Fourier Transform(FFT)method was built up to study the writability in the L1_(0)FePt perpendicular medium.The effects of controllable grain size distributions were studied by grain growth simulation.It is found that the cross-track-averaged magnetization changes little between the L1_(0)FePt medium with uniform or non-uniform grain size distribution.

Modeling for critical state line of granular soil with evolution of grain size distribution due to particle breakage

Determination of the critical state line(CSL)is important to characterize engineering properties of granular soils.Grain size distribution(GSD)has a significant influence on the location of CSL.The influence of particle breakage on the CSL is mainly attributed to the change in GSD due to particle breakage.However,GSD has not been properly considered in modeling the CSL with influence of particle breakage.This study aims to propose a quantitative model to determine the CSL considering the effect of GSD.We hypothesize that the change of critical state void ratio with respect to GSD is caused by the same mechanism that influences of the change of minimum void ratio with respect to GSD.Consequently,the particle packing model for minimum void ratio proposed by Chang et al.(2017)is extended to predict critical state void ratio.The developed model is validated by experimental results of CSLs for several types of granular materials.Then the evolution of GSD due to particle breakage is incorporated into the model.The model is further evaluated using the experimental results on rockfill material,which illustrates the applicability of the model in predicting CSL for granular material with particle breakage.

GEOMETRIC MODEL AND APPLIED METHOD FOR THE CALCULATION OF GRAIN SIZE DISTRIBUTIONS

Most of the available methods for the calculation of the three dimensional(3D)grain size dis- tribution functions(SDF)are based on the S model and lead a grave systematical error.The origin is the basic supposition of spherical grains in the S model,which does not correspond with the feature of real grains.A new model called A model is developed based on the hypothe- sis of polvhedral grains.The probability functions of the A model and the method to calculate the 3D SDFs using the A model are given in the present paper.The theoretical analyses and experimental tests have demonstrated that the A model reduces the systematical error radical- ly.It is nearly as simple as the so far used S model,but gives much better results in repro- ducing of 3D SDFs from the measured ID or 2D SDFs.

Improvement and Application of Grain Size Distribution Characteristics Calculation of Bed Material

Grain size distribution of bed material is an important characteristic for studying evolution of natural river channel by means of experimental ways and numerical modeling of flow and sediment process.In this study,the fractal characteristic of sediment particle has been defined by means of fractal theory based on ana- lyzing the property of grain size distribution of bed material in the river channel.Furthennore,the fractal prop- erty of sediment particle has been applied to judge the process of armorin...

Impact of uneven distribution of grain characteristics on yield strength and martensitic transformation of as-hot-rolled medium-entropy alloys

As-hot-rolled medium-entropy alloys(MEAs)with unevenly distributed grain sizes of face-centered cubic grains exhibit better yield strength without uniform elongation loss compared to cold-rolled and an-nealed ones.Successive operation of dynamic recrystallization(DRX)during several hot rolling passes leads to a wide range of grain sizes from submicrons to tens of micrometers due to the grain growth after nucleation:early recrystallized grains are coarser than recently recrystallized ones.Not only the grain size but internal dislocation density of the recently recrystallized grain is low.During the tensile deformation of the hot-rolled MEAs at-196 ℃,dislocation pile-ups in the relatively soft and fine DRX grains enhance yield stress and hetero-deformation-induced strain hardening.Thanks to the enhanced yield stress of the as-hot-rolled MEAs,stress-induced martensitic transformation easily occurs.Notably,partially DRXed MEAs hot-rolled at 800 ℃ have lower yield stress than fully DRXed ones,hot-rolled at 900 and 1000 ℃.This is attributed to the softening effect of the stress-induced body-centered cubic martensitic transformation in unrecrystallized coarse grains prior to the yielding,which lowers the yield stress of the partially DRXed ones.After yielding,the martensitic transformation facilitates strain hard-ening and early necking is precluded.This study presents a fresh outlook on the uneven distribution of grain sizes by hot rolling beneficial to mechanical responses of uniform elongation of~45%despite the as-rolled states with an advantage of simplified thermo-mechanical processes.

Distribution and characteristics of gravelly soil liquefaction in the Wenchuan M_s 8.0 earthquake

In this paper,a distribution map of gravelly soil liquefaction that was caused by the Wenchuan M8.0 earthquake in China is proposed based on a detailed field investigation and an analysis of geological soil profiles. The geological background of the earthquake disaster region is summarized by compiling geological cross sections and borehole logs. Meanwhile,four typical liquefied sites were selected to conduct sample drillings,dynamic penetration tests (DPT),and shear wave velocity tests,to understand the features of liquefied gravelly soil. One hundred and eighteen (118) liquefied sites were investigated shortly after the earthquake. The field investigation showed:(1) sandboils and waterspouts occurred extensively,involving thousands of miles of farmland,120 villages,eight schools and five factories,which caused damage to some rural houses,schools,manufacturing facilities and wells,etc.; (2) the Chengdu plain is covered by a gravelly soil layer with a thickness of 0 m to 541 m according to the geological cross sections; (3) there were 80 gravelly soil liquefied sites in the Chengdu plain,shaped as five belt areas that varied from 20 km to 40 km in length,and about ten gravelly soil liquefied sites distributed within Mianyang area; and (4) the grain sizes of the sampled soil were relative larger than the ejected soil on the ground,thus the type of liquefied soil cannot be determined by the ejected soil. The gravelly soil liquefied sites are helpful in enriching the global database of gravelly soil liquefaction and developing a corresponding evaluation method in further research efforts.

Verification of topological relationship in 2-D grain growth process by simulation

Behaviors of the quasi-steady state grain size distribution and thecorresponding topological relationship were investigated using the Potts Monte Carlo method tosimulate the normal grain growth process. The observed quasi-steady state grain size distributioncan be well fit by the Weibull function rather than the Hillert distribution. It is also found thatthe grain size and average number of grain sides are not linearly related. The reason that thequasi-steady state grain size distribution deviates from the Hillert distribution may contribute tothe nonlinearity of the relation of the average number of grain sides with the grain size. Theresults also exhibit the reasonability of the relationship deduced by Mullins between the grain sizedistribution and the average number of grain sides.

Corrosion behavior of fine-grained Mg-7.5Li-3Al-1Zn fabricated by extrusion with a forward-backward rotating die(KoBo)

The microstructure-dependent corrosion resistance of dual structured fine-grained Mg-7.5 Li-3 Al-lZn has been investigated.The alloys were extruded using extrusion with a forward-backward rotating die(KoBo,a newly developed SPD method)at two different extrusion ratios.The fine-grained microstructures formed in the alloys were characterized,and the influence of grain refinement on corrosion resistance was analyzed.For fine-grained(α+β)Mg-Li alloys,a higher extrusion ratio led to more intensive grain refinement;however,this relationship did not improve their corrosion resistance in a chloride-containing solution.The corrosion resistance of the alloys was mainly controlled by the refinement ofα(Mg)andβ(Li),along with the distribution of second phases.The presence of MgLi_(2) Al at grain boundaries facilitated their dissolution.

Compressibility dependence on grain size distribution and relative density in sands

A framework of continuum breakage mechanics was used to investigate the dependence of compressibility on grain size distribution(GSD)as well as relative density of sand.Compressibility dependence on GSD was considered by employing a GSD index and relative density dependence was reflected by varying the plastic-breakage coupling angle.Simulations of the experimental results including isotropic compression and one-dimensional compression of sands with different relative densities and GSDs revealed that sand compressibility increased with the increasing GSD index and plastic-breakage coupling angle.The coupling angle decreased with increasing relative density,indicating that grains would break more in sand with comparatively high relative density.

The combined influence of grain size distribution and dislocation density on hardness of interstitial free steel

Understanding the relationship between microstructure features and mechanical properties is of great significance for the improvement and specific adjustment of steel properties.The relationship between mean grain size and yield strength is established by the well-known Hall-Petch equation.But due to the complexity of the grain configuration within materials,considering only the mean value is unlikely to give a complete representation of the mechanical behavior.The classical Taylor equation is often used to account for the effect of dislocation density,but not thoroughly tested in combination with grain size influence.In the present study,systematic heat treatment routes and cold rolling followed by annealing are designed for interstitial free(IF)steel to achieve ferritic microstructures that not only vary in mean grain size,but also in grain size distribution and in dislocation density,a combination that is rarely studied in the literature.Optical microscopy is applied to determine the grain size distribution.The dislocation density is determined through XRD measurements.The hardness is analyzed on its relation with the mean grain size,as well as with the grain size distribution and the dislocation density.With the help of the variable selection tool LASSO,it is shown that dislocation density,mean grain size and kurtosis of grain size distribution are the three features which most strongly affect hardness of IF steel.

Grain Size Evidence of Multiple Origins of Red Clays in the Jinhua-Quzhou Basin, South China

Six typical red clay profiles were sampled from Tangxi （TX）, Langyaz （LYZ）, South Shangshanwen （SSW）, Xianqiao （XQ）, Qijian （Q J） and Huhaitang （HHT） of Jinhua-Quzhou Basin, Zhejiang Province of China to evaluate the characteristics of grain size composition, distribution and parameters of red clays and to reveal the origin of red clays and interpret possible implications for paleoclimate in subtropical China. The results showed that red clays in TX, LYZ and SSW were fine and uniform, with no 〉 2 mm gravels and little 〉 63μm fraction. They had a high content of 10-50 μm fraction, so-called ＂basic dust fraction＂, and showed unimodal distributions, which were very comparable to those of the Xiashu Loess in southeastern China and the loess in North China. All these features reflected marked aeolian characteristics of the red clays in these areas. Red clays in XQ and QJ were much coarser than those in TjjX, LYZ and SSW, with high contents of 〉 63μm fraction and even containing 〉 2 mm gravels in some layers. The grain size distribution patterns showed significantly progressive trends from the lower profile to the upmost layer and could not be compared with those of the loess in North China or the Xiashu Loess, implying they might be derived from underlying parent rocks and had some inherited properties from bedrock. Red clays in HHT had high contents of 〉 63μm fraetion and contain many 〉 2 mm gravels in each layer. The grain size frequency curves showed multiple-peaks and some abrupt variations were also observed on the profile, revealing its alluvial or diluvial origin in HHT. The multiple origins of red clays reflected the diversity and complexity of the Quaternary environment in South China. It can be concluded that grain size is an effective proxy indicator for the origin of most deposits.

On Physical and Mechanical Behavior of Natural Marine Intermediate Deposits

Coastal structures may be built on natural sedimentary intermediate grounds, which mainly consist of silty soils and fine sandy soils. In this study, extensive field and laboratory tests were performed on the natural marine intermediate deposits to demonstrate the difference in behavior between natural marine clayey soils and natural marine intermediate deposits. The natural intermediate deposits have almost the same ratios of natural water content to liquid limit as those of the soft natural marine clays, but the former have much higher in-situ strength and sensitivity than the latter. The research results indicate that grain size distributions of soils affect significantly tip resistance obtained in field cone penetration tests. The mechanical parameters of natural marine intermediate deposits are also significantly affected by sample disturbance due to their high sensitivity and relatively large permeability. Unconfined compression shear tests largely underestimate the strength of natural marine intermediate soils. The triaxial consolidated compression shear tests with simulated in-situ confined pressure give results much better than those of uncomfined compression shear tests.

Particle breakage of sand subjected to friction and collision in drum tests

This paper presents a laboratory experimental study on particle breakage of sand subjected to friction and collision,by a number of drum tests on granular materials(silica sand No.3 and ceramic balls)to investigate the characteristics of particle breakage and its effect on the characteristics of grain size distribution of sand.Particle breakage increased in up convexity with increasing duration of drum tests,but increased linearly with increasing number of balls.Particle breakage showed an increase,followed by a decrease while increasing the amount of sand.There may be existence of a characteristic amount of sand causing a maximum particle breakage.Friction tests caused much less particle breakage than collision tests did.Friction and collision resulted in different mechanisms of particle breakage,mainly by abrasion for friction and by splitting for collision.The fines content increased with increasing relative breakage.Particle breakage in the friction tests(abrasion)resulted in a sharper increase but with a smaller total amount of fines content in comparison with that in the collision tests(splitting).For the collision tests,the fines content showed a decrease followed by an increase as the amount of sand increased,whereas it increased in up convexity with increasing number of balls.The characteristic grain sizes D_(10) and D_(30) decreased in down convexity with increasing relative breakage,which could be described by a natural exponential function.However,the characteristic grain sizes D50 and D60 decreased linearly while increasing the relative breakage.In addition,the coefficients of uniformity and curvature of sand showed an increase followed by a decrease while increasing the relative breakage.