Effect of Sand Content on Strength and Pore Structure of Cement Mortar

The effects of four sand contents on the compressive, flexural and splitting-tensile strength of cement mortars were evaluated. Moreover, we experimentally investigated the pore structure of cement mortar brought about by changing the sand content and water/cement ratio. The changes in the pore structure were quantified by measuring the porosity and pore size distribution obtained by using mercury intrusion porosimetry（MIP） technique. The test results show that the strengths of cement mortar increase with increasing sand content. It is also suggested that the traditional water/cement ratio law can be applied to cement mortar with different sand contents, provided that a slight modification is introduced. Sand content is an important parameter influencing the pore structure of cement mortar. Moreover, there is a good relationship between the pore structure and strength of cement mortar.

Vertical structure and dominating factors of sand body during Late Triassic Chang 9 time of Yanchang Formation in Ordos Basin, NW China

Based on a synthetic geological study of drilling, well logging and core observations, two main genetic types of Chang 9sand body in Odors Basin were recognized, which included two effects, that is, delta environment and tractive current effects that lead to the development of mouth bar, distal bar, sheet sand and other sand bodies of subaerial and subaqueous distributary channel,natural levee, flood fan and delta front, and shore-shallow lake environment and lake flow transformation effects that result in the development of sandy beach bar, sheet sand and other sand bodies. Chang 9 sand body mainly developed five basic vertical structures, namely box shape, campaniform, infundibuliform, finger and dentoid. The vertical stacking patterns of multilayer sand body was complex, and the common shapes included box shape + box shape, campaniform + campaniform, campaniform + box shape, infundibuliform + infundibuliform, campaniform + infundibuliform, box shape + campaniform, box shape + infundibuliform,and finger + finger. Based on the analysis on major dominating factors of vertical structure of sand body, sedimentary environment,sedimentary facies and rise, fall and cycle of base level are identified as the major geological factors that control the vertical structure of single sand body as well as vertical stacking patterns and distribution of multistory sand bodies.

Thermodynamic Effects on Particle Movement:Wind Tunnel Simulation Results

Sand/dust storms are some of the main hazards in arid and semi-arid zones. These storms also influence global environmental changes. By field observations, empirical statistics, and numerical simulations, pioneer researchers on these natural events have concluded the existence of a positive relationship between thermodynamic effects and sand/dust storms. Thermodynamic effects induce an unsteady stratified atmosphere to influence the process of these storms. However, studies on the relationship of thermodynamic effects with particles (i.e., sand and dust) are limited. In this article, wind tunnel with heating was used to simulate the quantitative relationship between thermodynamic effects and particle movement on different surfaces. Compared with the cold state, the threshold wind velocity of particles is found to be significantly decrease under the hot state. The largest decrease percentage exceedes 9% on fine and coarse sand surfaces. The wind velocity also has a three-power function in the sand transport rate under the hot state with increased sand transport. Thermodynamic effects are stronger on loose surfaces and fine particles, but weaker on compacted surfaces and coarse particles.

Observations of several characteristics of aeolian sand movement in the Taklimakan Desert

With both sides of the Taklimakan Desert highway line as the study area, three typical aeolian sand landforms, i.e. complex dune ridge, barchan dune and flat sand land, were selected as sand beds for the observation, analysis and research of the characteristics of aeolian sand movement such as aeolian sand stream structure, sand transport intensity, etc. in the Taklimakan Desert. The results show that there is a linear relation between the height and the log of sand transport rate over transverse dune chain, longitudinal dune ridge and flat sand land, i.e. the sand transport percentage decreases exponentially with increasing height. Sand transport rate within the 10 cm height above the bed surface accounts for 80%-95% of the total sand transport rate of the observed height (40 cm), while the sand transport rate in 20 cm occupies 98% of the total amount. Sand transport rate (g·cm-1·min-1) differs greatly with respect to different landform types and different topographic positions. Based on the investigation and analysis on aeolian sand landform origin, morphological type and distribution feature, the two typical landform assemblages, complex transverse dune chain-alluvial plain and huge longitudinal dune ridge-interridge lowland in the Taklimakan Desert were divided into several characteristic zones of aeolian sand movement states. From this one can qualitatively judge the types and severities of sand disasters at various topographic positions in the engineering installation region and further put forward concrete schemes and measures to control sand damages.

Wind tunnel simulation experiment and investigation on the electrification of sandstorms

Electric discharge phenomenon is often observed during the passage of sandstorms over desert regions and sometimes does great damage to human beings. Based on previous researches on the electrification of sandstorms by the scholars both at home and aboard,the authors conducted the simulation experiments on the electric fields of sandstorm-triggered creeping-saltating sand, suspending sand and watered suspending sand in the large-scale wind tunnel. According to the experimental results the electric field structure and its formation mechanism were analysed and discussed, the quantity of electric charges and electric field strengthwere measured and calculated, and finally several conclusions were drawn.