A comparison study on structure-function relationship of polysaccharides obtained from sea buckthorn berries using different methods:antioxidant and bile acid-binding capacity

In this study,the structural characters,antioxidant activities and bile acid-binding ability of sea buckthorn polysaccharides(HRPs)obtained by the commonly used hot water(HRP-W),pressurized hot water(HRP-H),ultrasonic(HRP-U),acid(HRP-C)and alkali(HRP-A)assisted extraction methods were investigated.The results demonstrated that extraction methods had significant effects on extraction yield,monosaccharide composition,molecular weight,particle size,triple-helical structure,and surface morphology of HRPs except for the major linkage bands.Thermogravimetric analysis showed that HRP-U with filamentous reticular microstructure exhibited better thermal stability.The HRP-A with the lowest molecular weight and highest arabinose content possessed the best antioxidant activities.Moreover,the rheological analysis indicated that HRPs with higher galacturonic acid content and molecular weight showed higher viscosity and stronger crosslinking network(HRP-C,HRP-W and HRP-U),which exhibited stronger bile acid binding capacity.The present findings provide scientific evidence in the preparation technology of sea buckthorn polysaccharides with good antioxidant and bile acid binding capacity which are related to the structure affected by the extraction methods.

Production Capacity Prediction Method of Shale Oil Based on Machine Learning Combination Model

The production capacity of shale oil reservoirs after hydraulic fracturing is influenced by a complex interplay involving geological characteristics,engineering quality,and well conditions.These relationships,nonlinear in nature,pose challenges for accurate description through physical models.While field data provides insights into real-world effects,its limited volume and quality restrict its utility.Complementing this,numerical simulation models offer effective support.To harness the strengths of both data-driven and model-driven approaches,this study established a shale oil production capacity prediction model based on a machine learning combination model.Leveraging fracturing development data from 236 wells in the field,a data-driven method employing the random forest algorithm is implemented to identify the main controlling factors for different types of shale oil reservoirs.Through the combination model integrating support vector machine(SVM)algorithm and back propagation neural network(BPNN),a model-driven shale oil production capacity prediction model is developed,capable of swiftly responding to shale oil development performance under varying geological,fluid,and well conditions.The results of numerical experiments show that the proposed method demonstrates a notable enhancement in R2 by 22.5%and 5.8%compared to singular machine learning models like SVM and BPNN,showcasing its superior precision in predicting shale oil production capacity across diverse datasets.

Evaluation of soil erosion vulnerability in Hubei Province of China using RUSLE model and combination weighting method

Soil erosion has been recognized as a critical environmental issue worldwide.While previous studies have primarily focused on watershed-scale soil erosion vulnerability from a natural factor perspective,there is a notable gap in understanding the intricate interplay between natural and socio-economic factors,especially in the context of spatial heterogeneity and nonlinear impacts of human-land interactions.To address this,our study evaluates the soil erosion vulnerability at a provincial scale,taking Hubei Province as a case study to explore the combined effects of natural and socio-economic factors.We developed an evaluation index system based on 15 indicators of soil erosion vulnerability:exposure,sensitivity,and adaptability.In addition,the combination weighting method was applied to determine index weights,and the spatial interaction was analyzed using spatial autocorrelation,geographical temporally weighted regression and geographical detector.The results showed an overall decreasing soil erosion intensity in Hubei Province during 2000 and 2020.The soil erosion vulnerability increased before 2000 and then.The areas with high soil erosion vulnerability were mainly confined in the central and southern regions of Hubei Province(Xiantao,Tianmen,Qianjiang and Ezhou)with obvious spatial aggregation that intensified over time.Natural factors(habitat quality index)had negative impacts on soil erosion vulnerability,whereas socio-economic factors(population density)showed substantial spatial variability in their influences.There was a positive correlation between soil erosion vulnerability and erosion intensity,with the correlation coefficients ranging from-0.41 and 0.93.The increase of slope was found to enhance the positive correlation between soil erosion vulnerability and intensity.

Numerical Simulation of Oil-Water Two-Phase Flow in Low Permeability Tight Reservoirs Based on Weighted Least Squares Meshless Method

In response to the complex characteristics of actual low-permeability tight reservoirs,this study develops a meshless-based numerical simulation method for oil-water two-phase flow in these reservoirs,considering complex boundary shapes.Utilizing radial basis function point interpolation,the method approximates shape functions for unknown functions within the nodal influence domain.The shape functions constructed by the aforementioned meshless interpolation method haveδ-function properties,which facilitate the handling of essential aspects like the controlled bottom-hole flow pressure in horizontal wells.Moreover,the meshless method offers greater flexibility and freedom compared to grid cell discretization,making it simpler to discretize complex geometries.A variational principle for the flow control equation group is introduced using a weighted least squares meshless method,and the pressure distribution is solved implicitly.Example results demonstrate that the computational outcomes of the meshless point cloud model,which has a relatively small degree of freedom,are in close agreement with those of the Discrete Fracture Model(DFM)employing refined grid partitioning,with pressure calculation accuracy exceeding 98.2%.Compared to high-resolution grid-based computational methods,the meshless method can achieve a better balance between computational efficiency and accuracy.Additionally,the impact of fracture half-length on the productivity of horizontal wells is discussed.The results indicate that increasing the fracture half-length is an effective strategy for enhancing production from the perspective of cumulative oil production.

Legendre-Weighted Residual Methods for System of Fractional Order Differential Equations

The numerical approach for finding the solution of fractional order systems of boundary value problems (BPVs) is derived in this paper. The implementation of the weighted residuals such as Galerkin, Least Square, and Collocation methods are included for solving fractional order differential equations, which is broadened to acquire the approximate solutions of fractional order systems with differentiable polynomials, namely Legendre polynomials, as basis functions. The algorithm of the residual formulations of matrix form can be coded efficiently. The interpretation of Caputo fractional derivatives is employed here. We have demonstrated these methods numerically through a few examples of linear and nonlinear BVPs. The results in absolute errors show that the present method efficiently finds the numerical solutions of fractional order systems of differential equations.

Integration of GIS with the Generalized Reciprocal Method(GRM)for Determining Foundation Bearing Capacity:A Case Study in Opolo,Yenagoa Bayelsa State,Nigeria

This study addresses the pressing need to assess foundation bearing capacity in Opolo,Yenagoa,Bayelsa State,Nigeria.The significance lies in the dearth of comprehensive geotechnical data for construction planning in the region.Past research is limited and this study contributes valuable insights by integrating Geographic Information System(GIS)with the Generalized Reciprocal Method(GRM).To collect data,near-surface seismic refraction surveys were conducted along three designated lines,utilizing ABEM Terraloc Mark 6 equipment,Easy Refract,and ArcGIS 10.4.1 software.This methodology allowed for the determination of key geotechnical parameters essential for soil characterization at potential foundation sites.The results revealed three distinct geoseismic layers.The uppermost layer,within a depth of 0.89 to 1.50 meters,exhibited inadequate compressional and shear wave velocities and low values for oedometric modulus,shear modulus,N-value,ultimate bearing capacity,and allowable bearing capacity.This indicates the presence of unsuitable,soft,and weak alluvial deposits for substantial structural loads.In contrast,the second layer(1.52 to 3.84 m depth)displayed favorable geotechnical parameters,making it suitable for various construction loads.The third layer(15.00 to 26.05 m depth)exhibited varying characteristics.The GIS analysis highlighted the unsuitability of the uppermost layer for construction,while the second and third layers were found to be fairly competent and suitable for shallow footing and foundation design.In summary,this study highlights the importance of geotechnical surveys in Opolo’s construction planning.It offers vital information for informed choices,addresses issues in the initial layer,and suggests secure,sustainable construction options.

METHOD FOR BRIDGE BEARING CAPACITY ASSESSMENT BASED ON ANALYTIC HIERARCHY PROCESS

By analyzing the existing methods for the bridge bearing capacity assessment, an analytic hierarchy pro cess estimation model with a variable weight and fuzzy description is proposed based on the nondestructive infor mation. Considering the actual strength, the bearing capacity is first calculated from its design state, and then modified based on the detection information. The modification includes the section reduction and the structure deterioration. The section reduction involves the concrete section and the steel cross-section reduction. The structure deterioration is decided by six factors, i.e. , the concrete surface damage, the actual concrete strength, the steel corrosion electric potential, the chloride ion content, the carbonization depth, and the protective layer depth. The initial weight of each factor is calculated by the expert judgment matrix using an analytic hierarchy process. The consistency approximation and the error transfer theory are used. Then, the variable weight is in- troduced to expand the influences of factors in the worse state. Finally, an actual bridge is taken as an example to verify the proposed method. Results show that the estimated capacity agrees well with that of the load test, thus the method is objective and credible

Fast Remaining Capacity Estimation for Lithium-ion Batteries Based on Short-time Pulse Test and Gaussian Process Regression

It remains challenging to effectively estimate the remaining capacity of the secondary lithium-ion batteries that have been widely adopted for consumer electronics,energy storage,and electric vehicles.Herein,by integrating regular real-time current short pulse tests with data-driven Gaussian process regression algorithm,an efficient battery estimation has been successfully developed and validated for batteries with capacity ranging from 100%of the state of health(SOH)to below 50%,reaching an average accuracy as high as 95%.Interestingly,the proposed pulse test strategy for battery capacity measurement could reduce test time by more than 80%compared with regular long charge/discharge tests.The short-term features of the current pulse test were selected for an optimal training process.Data at different voltage stages and state of charge(SOC)are collected and explored to find the most suitable estimation model.In particular,we explore the validity of five different machine-learning methods for estimating capacity driven by pulse features,whereas Gaussian process regression with Matern kernel performs the best,providing guidance for future exploration.The new strategy of combining short pulse tests with machine-learning algorithms could further open window for efficiently forecasting lithium-ion battery remaining capacity.

SIMPLIFIED ANALYSIS METHOD FOR ULTIMATE LOAD CAPACITY OF WEB PLATES OF BOX GIRDERS

The prosperous post buckling load capacity of web plates of box girders can be used.In this article,the post buckling behaviour of web plates of box girders under different loading conditions is theoretically analyzed and on the basis of domestic and overseas design codes of steel structures,the corresponding simplified analysis methods are put forward for the engineering design or code revision.It is proved that the simplified methods are safe,efficient and practicable through the comparison between several results.

Evaluation of regional water resources carrying capacity based on binary index method and reduction index method

Based on the regional water resources carrying capacity(WRCC)evaluation principles and evaluation index system in the National Technical Outline of Water Resources Carrying Capacity Monitoring and Early Warning(hereafter referred to as the Technical Outline),this paper elaborates on the collection and sorting of the basic data of water resources conditions,water resources development and utilization status,social and economic development in basins,analysis and examination of integrity,consistency,normativeness,and rationality of the basic data,and the necessity of WRCC evaluation.This paper also describes the technique of evaluating the WRCC in prefecture-level cities and city-level administrative divisions in the District of the Taihu Lake Basin,which is composed of the Taihu Lake Basin and the Southeastern River Basin.The evaluation process combines the binary index evaluation method and reduction index evaluation method.The former,recommended by the Technical Outline,uses the total water use and the amount of exploited groundwater as evaluation indices,showing stronger operability,while the latter is developed by simplifying and optimizing the comprehensive index system with greater systematicness and completeness.The mutual validation and adjustment of the results of the above-mentioned two evaluation methods indicate that the WRCC of the District of the Taihu Lake Basin is overloaded in general because some prefecture-level cities and city-level administrative divisions in the Taihu Lake Basin and the Southeastern River Basin are in a severely overloaded state.In order to explain this conclusion,this paper analyzes the causes of WRCC overloading from the aspects of basin water environment,water resources development and utilization,water resources regulation and control ability,water resources utilization efficiency,and water resources management.

Lateral Bearing Capacity of Modified Suction Caissons Determined by Using the Limit Equilibrium Method

The modified suction caisson(MSC) adds a short-skirted structure around the regular suction caissons to increase the lateral bearing capacity and limit the deflection. The MSC is suitable for acting as the offshore wind turbine foundation subjected to larger lateral loads compared with the imposed vertical loads. Determination of the lateral bearing capacity is a key issue for the MSC design. The formula estimating the lateral bearing capacity of the MSC was proposed in terms of the limit equilibrium method and was verified by the test results. Parametric studies on the lateral bearing capacity were also carried out. It was found that the lateral bearing capacity of the MSC increases with the increasing length and radius of the external skirt, and the lateral bearing capacity increases linearly with the increasing coefficient of subgrade reaction. The maximum lateral bearing capacity of the MSC is attained when the ratio of the radii of the internal compartment to the external skirt equals 0.82 and the ratio of the lengths of the external skirt to the internal compartment equals 0.48, provided that the steel usage of the MSC is kept constant.

Geo-engineered buffer capacity of two-layered absorbing system under the impact of rock avalanches based on Discrete Element Method

Many rock avalanches were triggered by the Wenchuan earthquake on May 12, 2008 in southwest China. Protection galleries covered with a single soil layer are usually used to protect against rockfall. Since one-layer protection galleries do not have sufficient buffer capacity, a two-layered absorbing system has been designed. This study aims to find whether an expanded poly-styrol （EPS） cushion, which is used in the soil-covered protection galleries for shock absorption, could be positioned under dynamic loadings. The dynamic impacts of the two-layered absorbing system under the conditions of rock avalanches are numerically simulated through a 2D discrete dement method. By selecting reasonable parameters, a series of numerical experiments were conducted to find the best combination for the two- layered absorbing system. The values of the EPS layer area as a percentage of the total area were set as 0% （Sl）, 22~ （S2）, and 70% （$3）. 22~ of the area of the EPS layer was found to be a reasonable value, and experiments were conducted to find the best position of the EPS layer in the two-layered absorbing system. The numerical results yield useful conclusions regarding the interaction between the impacting avalanches and the two-layered absorbing system. The soil layer can absorb the shock energy effectively and S2 （0.4-m thick EPS cushion covered with soil layer） is the most efficient combination, which can reduce the impact force, compared with the other combinations.

SnO_2-based solid solutions for CH_4 deep oxidation: Quantifying the lattice capacity of SnO_2 using an X-ray diffraction extrapolation method

A series of SnO2‐based catalysts modified by Mn, Zr, Ti and Pb oxides with a Sn/M （M=Mn, Zr, Ti and Pb） molar ratio of 9/1 were prepared by a co‐precipitation method and used for CH4 and CO oxidation. The Mn3＋, Zr4＋, Ti4＋and Pb4＋cations are incorporated into the lattice of tetragonal rutile SnO2 to form a solid solution structure. As a consequence, the surface area and thermal stability of the catalysts are improved. Moreover, the oxygen species of the modified catalysts become easier to be reduced. Therefore, the oxidation activity over the catalysts was improved, except for the one modified by Pb oxide. Manganese oxide demonstrates the best promotional effects for SnO2. Using an X‐ray diffraction extrapolation method, the lattice capacity of SnO2 for Mn2O3 was 0.135 g Mn2O3/g SnO2, which indicates that to form stable solid solution, only 21%Sn4＋cations in the lattice can be maximally replaced by Mn3＋. If the amount of Mn3＋cations is over the capacity, Mn2O3 will be formed, which is not favorable for the activity of the catalysts. The Sn rich samples with only Sn‐Mn solid solution phase show higher activity than the ones with excess Mn2O3 species.

Seismic stability of reinforced soil walls under bearing capacity failure by pseudo-dynamic method

In order to evaluate the seismic stability of reinforced soil walls against bearing capacity failure,the seismic safety factor of reinforced soil walls was determined by using pseudo-dynamic method,and calculated by considering different parameters,such as horizontal and vertical seismic acceleration coefficients,ratio of reinforcement length to wall height,back fill friction angle,foundation soil friction angle,soil reinforcement interface friction angle and surcharge.The parametric study shows that the seismic safety factor increases by 24-fold when the foundation soil friction angle varies from 25°to 45°,and increases by 2-fold when the soil reinforcement interface friction angle varies from 0 to 30°.That is to say,the bigger values the foundation soil and/or soil reinforcement interface friction angles have,the safer the reinforced soil walls become in the seismic design.The results were also compared with those obtained from pseudo-static method.It is found that there is a higher value of the safety factor by the present work.

A simplified dynamic method for field capacity estimation and its parameter analysis

This paper presents a simplified dynamic method based on the definition of field capacity. Two soil hydraulic characteristics models, the Brooks-Corey （BC） model and the van Genuchten （vG） model, and four soil data groups were used in this study. The relative drainage rate, which is a unique parameter and independent of the soil type in the simplified dynamic method, was analyzed using the pressure-based method with a matric potential of -1/3 bar and the flux-based method with a drainage flux of 0.005 cm/d. As a result, the relative drainage rate of the simplified dynamic method was determined to be 3% per day. This was verified by the similar field capacity results estimated with the three methods for most soils suitable for cultivating plants. In addition, the drainage time calculated with the simplified dynamic method was two to three days, which agrees with the classical definition of field capacity. We recommend the simplified dynamic method with a relative drainage rate of 3% per day due to its simple application and clearly physically-based concept.

Revisiting the analytical solutions for ultimate bearing capacity of pile embedded in rocks

This paper investigates the validity and shortcomings of the existing analytical solution for the ultimate bearing capacity of a pile embedded in a rock mass using the modified HoekeBrown failure criterion.Although this criterion is considered a reference value for empirical and numerical calculations,some limitations of its basic simplifications have not been clarified yet.This research compares the analytical results obtained from the novel discontinuity layout optimization(DLO)method and the numerical solutions from the finite difference method(FDM).The limitations of the analytical solution are considered by comparing different DLO failure modes,thus allowing for the first time a critical evaluation of its scope and conditioning for implementation.Errors of up to 40%in the bearing capacity and unrealistic failure modes are the main issues in the analytical solution.The main aspects of the DLO method are also analyzed with an emphasis on the linearization of the rock failure criterion and the accuracy resulting from the discretization size.The analysis demonstrates DLO as a very efficient and accurate tool to address the pile tip bearing capacity,presenting considerable advantages over other methods.

Seismic performance evaluation of steel frame-steel plate shear walls system based on the capacity spectrum method

This paper presents some methods that the standard acceleration design response spectra derived from the present China code for seismic design of buildings are transformed into the seismic demand spectra, and that the base shear force-roof displacement curve of structure is converted to the capacity spectrum of an equivalent single-degree-of-freedom （SDOF） system. The capacity spectrum method （CSM） is programmed by means of MATLABT.0 computer language. A dual lateral force resisting system of 10-story steel frame-steel plate shear walls （SPSW） is designed according to the corresponding China design codes. The base shear force-roof displacement curve of structure subjected to the monotonic increasing lateral inverse triangular load is obtained by applying the equivalent strip model to stimulate SPSW and by using the finite element analysis software SAP2000 to make Pushover analysis. The seismic performance of this dual system subjected to three different conditions, i.e. the 8-intensity frequently occurred earthquake, fortification earthquake and seldom occurred earthquake, is evaluated by CSM program. The excessive safety of steel frame-SPSW system designed according to the present China design codes is pointed out and a new design method is suggested.

Development of mathematically motivated hybrid soft computing models for improved predictions of ultimate bearing capacity of shallow foundations

Ultimate bearing capacity(UBC)is a key subject in geotechnical/foundation engineering as it determines the limit of loads imposed on the foundation.The most reliable means of determining UBC is through experiment,but it is costly and time-consuming which has led to the development of various models based on the simplified assumptions.The outcomes of the models are usually validated with the experimental results,but a large gap usually exists between them.Therefore,a model that can give a close prediction of the experimental results is imperative.This study proposes a grasshopper optimization algorithm(GOA)and salp swarm algorithm(SSA)to optimize artificial neural networks(ANNs)using the existing UBC experimental database.The performances of the proposed models are evaluated using various statistical indices.The obtained results are compared with the existing models.The proposed models outperformed the existing models.The proposed hybrid GOA-ANN and SSA-ANN models are then transformed into mathematical forms that can be incorporated into geotechnical/foundation engineering design codes for accurate UBC measurements.

The concept, connotation and method of representation of watershed water environment carrying capacity （WWECC）

Based on the relationship between water environment system and human society, water environment carrying capacity （WECC） probes into supporting ability of complex water environment system to the human society. Recent years, due to the shortage of water resources and serious water pollution in several watersheds in China, the research of watershed water environment carrying capacity （WWECC） becomes very important. The conception, connotation and method of representation of WWECC are discussed deeply in this paper. It shows that WWECC is a kind of index that instructs whether the water environment system in watershed can continue to support the development of social economy and ecology, it is dimensionless number.

Evaluation of water resources carrying capacity of Gonghe basin based on fuzzy comprehensive evaluation method

Gonghe Basin belongs to arid and semi-arid climatic zone, where water resource is relatively scarce and desertification is serious, so it is necessary to find out water resources carrying capacity. By using fuzzy comprehensive evaluation method, the assessment on water resources carrying capacity in Gonghe Basin was conducted: Water resource carrying capacity of Gonghe County is less, while that of Guinan County and Chaka Town of Wulan County are greater; water resources of Gonghe Basin could sustain cultivated land of 652.6 thousand acres and grassland of 2 368.6 thousand acres respectively in 2020, water resources of Gonghe Basin could sustain cultivated land of 948.2 thousand acres and grassland of 2 247.6 thousand acres respectively in 2030.