Pulses in ground motions identified through surface partial matching and their impact on seismic rocking consequence

In seismology and earthquake engineering,it is fundamental to identify and characterize the pulse-like features in pulse-type ground motions.To capture the pulses that dominate structural responses,this study establishes congruence and shift relationships between response spectrum surfaces.A similarity search between spectrum surfaces,supplemented with a similarity search in time series,has been applied to characterize the pulse-like features in pulse-type ground motions.The identified pulses are tested in predicting the rocking consequences of slender rectangular blocks under the original ground motions.Generally,the prediction is promising for the majority of the ground motions where the dominant pulse is correctly identified.

Evaluation of underground blast-induced ground motions through nearsurface low-velocity geological layers

Surface ground motion produced by underground blasts is significantly influenced by near-surface geological conditions.However,near-surface low-propagation velocity layers were always ignored in past analyses of ground motions due to their thin thickness.With the rising concern about surface ground motions produced by the ascendant scale and frequentness of underground excavation and mining,close attention is gradually paid to ground blast vibrations.Therefore,systemic experiments were conducted and took seven months in an underground mine to clarify the variation of motion from underground rock to surface ground.The attenuation of surface ground peak particle velocities(PPVs)is compared to that in underground rock,and horizontal amplitudes are compared to vertical amplitudes.Differences between bedrock and surface ground vibrations are analyzed to illustrate the site effect of near-surface lower-propagation velocity layers.One-dimensional site response analysis is employed to quantify the influence of different geological profiles on surface ground vibrations.The experimental data and site response analysis allowed the following conclusions:(1)geological site effects mainly produce decreasing dominant frequency(DF)of surface ground vibrations;(2)the site amplification effect of blast vibration needs to be characterized by peak particle displacement(PPD);(3)shear waves(S-waves)begin to dominate and surface Rayleigh waves(R-waves)develop as blast-induced ground vibrations travel upward through rock and lower-velocity layers to the surface.The comparison of response relative displacement to a critical value is best to assess the potential for cracking on surface structures.

Shallow Tunneling Method and Control Measure for Ground Surface Settlement

In order to ensure that the tunnel deformation and surface settlement are controlled within the allowable range during the construction process,the design unit has compiled technical measures and monitoring schemes for ground settlement control of this project.Based on the example of a shallow tunneling project on Subway line 8,this paper analyzes and discusses the shallow tunneling method in detail and puts forward corresponding technical measures for ground settlement control.

The Simulation of Grinding Wheels and Ground Surface Roughness Based on Virtual Reality Technology

The paper describes the feasibility and method of the application of virtual reality technology to grinding process, and introduces the modeling method of object entity in the environment of virtual reality. The simulation process of grinding wheels and ground surface roughness is discussed, and the computation program system of numerical simulation is compiled with Visual C++ programming language. At the same time, the three-dimensional simulation models of grinding wheels and ground surface roughness are made with OpenGL tool. The choice of grinding wheels, the forecast of ground surface quality and some simulation results can be realized by interactively inputting grinding parameters. The paper applies virtual reality technology to grinding process,makes the model of virtual grinding wheel and simulates the grinding process. The roughness of ground surface is showed in three-dimensional images, and therefore the grinding technology is studied. Computer simulation can not only be used as a shortcut to analyze and research the grinding process, but also increase the research scope and content. The virtual reality technology used in the paper is an advanced visualized simulation with interaction. The surface roughness Ra on simulated ground workpiece can be calculated by the arithmetic average of contour warp absolute value in sampling length of simulated ground workpiece. The parameters of virtual wheel and simulated grinding process can be changed by interaction input, so the simulated results in the desired grinding condition are gained. The effect of each parameter to ground surface can be analyzed by comparing the grinding results in different condition.

Tunnel flexibility effect on the ground surface acceleration response

Flexibility of underground structures relative to the surrounding medium, referred to as the flexibility ratio, is an important factor that influences their dynamic interaction. This study investigates the flexibility effect of a box-shaped subway tunnel, resting directly on bedrock, on the ground surface acceleration response using a numerical model verified against dynamic centrifuge test results. A comparison of the ground surface acceleration response for tunnel models with different flexibility ratios revealed that the tunnels with different flexibility ratios influence the acceleration response at the ground surface in different ways. Tunnels with lower flexibility ratios have higher acceleration responses at short periods, whereas tunnels with higher flexibility ratios have higher acceleration responses at longer periods. The effect of the flexibility ratio on ground surface acceleration is more prominent in the high range of frequencies. Furthermore, as the flexibility ratio of the tunnel system increases, the acceleration response moves away from the free field response and shifts towards the longer periods. Therefore, the flexibility ratio of the underground tunnels influences the peak ground acceleration （PGA） at the ground surface, and may need to be considered in the seismic zonation of urban areas.

Dynamic shear modulus of undisturbed soil under different consolidation ratios and its effects on surface ground motion

The dynamic shear modulus for three types of undisturbed soil under different consolidation ratios is presented by using the resonant column test method. Its effects on surface ground motion is illustrated by calculation. The test results indicate that the power function is a suitable form for describing the relationship between the ratio of the maximum dynamic shear modulus due to anisotropic and isotropic consolidations and the increment of the consolidation ratio. When compared to sand, the increment of the maximum dynamic shear modulus for undisturbed soil due to anisotropic consolidation is much larger. Using a one-dimensional equivalent linearization method, the earthquake influence factor and the characteristic period of the surface acceleration are calculated for two soil layers subjected to several typical earthquake waves. The calculated results show that the difference in nonlinear properties due to different consolidation ratios is generally not very notable, but the degree of its influence on the surface acceleration spectrum is remarkable for the occurrence of strong earthquakes. When compared to isotropic consolidation, the consideration of actual anisotropic consolidation causes the characteristic period to decrease and the earthquake influence factor to increase.

The Sensitivity of Ground Surface Temperature Prediction to Soil Thermal Properties Using the Simple Biosphere Model(SiB2)

Using the Simple Biosphere Model （SiB2）, soil thermal properties （STP） were examined in a Tibetan prairie during the monsoon period to investigate ground surface temperature prediction. We improved the SiB2 model by incorporating a revised force-restore method （FRM） to take the vertical heterogeneity of soil thermal diffusivity （k） into account. The results indicate that （1） the revised FRM alleviates daytime overestimation and nighttime underestimation in modeled ground surface temperature （Tg）, and （2） its role in little rainfall events is significant because the vertical gradient of k increases with increasing surface evaporation. Since the original formula of thermal conductivity （A） in the SiB2 greatly underestimates soil thermal conductivity, we compared five Mgorithms of A involving soil moisture to investigate the cause of overestimation during the day and underestimation at night on the basis of the revised FRM. The results show that （1） the five algorithms significantly improve Tg prediction, especially in daytime, and （2） taking one of these five algorithms as an example, the simulated Tg values in the daytime are closer to the field measurements than those in the nighttime. The differences between modeled Tg and field measurements are mostly within the margin of error of -4-2 K during 3 August to 4 September 1998.

Analysis of ground surface settlement in anisotropic clays using extreme gradient boosting and random forest regression models

Excessive ground surface settlement induced by pit excavation(i.e.braced excavation) can potentially result in damage to the nearby buildings and facilities.In this paper,extensive finite element analyses have been carried out to evaluate the effects of various structural,soil and geometric properties on the maximum ground surface settlement induced by braced excavation in anisotropic clays.The anisotropic soil properties considered include the plane strain shear strength ratio(i.e.the ratio of the passive undrained shear strength to the active one) and the unloading shear modulus ratio.Other parameters considered include the support system stiffness,the excavation width to excavation depth ratio,and the wall penetration depth to excavation depth ratio.Subsequently,the maximum ground surface settlement of a total of 1479 hypothetical cases were analyzed by various machine learning algorithms including the ensemble learning methods(extreme gradient boosting(XGBoost) and random forest regression(RFR)algorithms).The prediction models developed by the XGBoost and RFR are compared with that of two conventional regression methods,and the predictive accuracy of these models are assessed.This study aims to highlight the technical feasibility and applicability of advanced ensemble learning methods in geotechnical engineering practice.

Failure mechanism of large-diameter shield tunnels and its effects on ground surface settlements

A new technique for the analysis of the three-dimensional collapse failure mechanism and the ground surface settlements for the large-diameter shield tunnels were presented.The technique is based on a velocity field model using more different truncated solid conical blocks to clarify the multiblock failure mechanism.Furthermore,the shape of blocks between the failure surface and the tunnel face was considered as an entire circle,and the supporting pressure was assumed as non-uniform distribution on the tunnel face and increased with the tunnel embedded depth.The ground surface settlements and failure mechanism above large-diameter shield tunnels were also investigated under different supporting pressures by the finite difference method.

Influence of Underground Mining on Ground Surface and Railway Bridge Under Thick Alluvium

Patterns of ground movement and pore water pressure variation are obtained through a case study using a finite element method. With the progress of excavation, ground subsidence, ground inclination and horizontal displacement accelerates. Along the striking direction, a subsidence basin is formed on the ground surface induced by underground mining. The maximum subsidence is around 5.41m. The ratio of ground subsidence to the thickness of the coal seam is 1.08. The maximum inclination is 11.5 mm/m. The maximum horizontal displacement is 2.15 mm/m. At the time the coal has been excavated, the maximum pore water pressure reaches 25 kPa. In order to improve protection of structures lo- cated over the area with underground mining, the variation of additional stresses of a railway bridge induced by ground surface deformation is analyzed. The main effect of underground mining on the railway bridge is the tensile stress and the maximum value reaches as high as 4.29 MPa, which is greater than the concrete tensile strength.

Prediction of ground surface displacement caused by grouting

Ground surface displacement caused by grouting was calculated with stochastic medium theory. Ground surface displacement was assumed to be caused by the cavity expansion of grouting, slurry seepage, and slurry contraction. A prediction method of ground surface displacement was developed. The reliability of the presented method was validated through a comparison between theoretical results and results from engineering practice. Results show that the present method is effective. The effect of parameters on uplift displacement was illustrated under different grouting conditions. Through analysis, it can be known that the ground surface uplift is mainly caused by osmosis of slurry and the primary influence angle of stratum β determines the influence range of surface uplift. Besides, the results show that ground surface uplift displacement decreases notably with increasing depth of the grouting cavity but it increases with increasing diffusion radius of grout and increasing grouting pressure.

3D simulation of near-fault strong ground motion: comparison between surface rupture fault and buried fault

In this paper, near-fault strong ground motions caused by a surface rupture fault （SRF） and a buried fault （BF） are numerically simulated and compared by using a time-space-decoupled, explicit finite element method combined with a multi-transmitting formula （MTF） of an artificial boundary. Prior to the comparison, verification of the explicit element method and the MTF is conducted. The comparison results show that the final dislocation of the SRF is larger than the BF for the same stress drop on the fault plane. The maximum final dislocation occurs on the fault upper line for the SRF; however, for the BE the maximum final dislocation is located on the fault central part. Meanwhile, the PGA, PGV and PGD of long period ground motions （≤ 1 Hz） generated by the SRF are much higher than those of the BF in the near-fault region. The peak value of the velocity pulse generated by the SRF is also higher than the BE Furthermore, it is found that in a very narrow region along the fault trace, ground motions caused by the SRF are much higher than by the BF. These results may explain why SRFs almost always cause heavy damage in near-fault regions compared to buried faults.

Effect of geofoam as cover material in cut and cover tunnels on the seismic response of ground surface

In recent years,special attention has been given to the effects of underground spaces and structures on the seismic response of adjacent ground.Nevertheless,to the best of the authors′knowledge,no method has yet been considered to reduce these effects in technical literature.The present study aims to investigate the role of geofoam as the cover material in cut and cover tunnels on the seismic response of the ground surface.For this purpose,a numerical study was performed using FLAC 2D,a finite difference software,and verified against previous studies.The effects of parameters such as the geofoam type,thickness of the geofoam blocks and interfaces between the blocks,on the ground surface amplification pattern were investigated.Parametric studies demonstrate that the geofoam has a strong potential to attenuate the seismic horizontal movements of the ground surface.As the thickness of the geofoam blocks is decreased,its attenuation ability is increased.It was also determined that the interface between the geofoam blocks plays a key role in the attenuation of the aboveground seismic responses.Based on the results,it was concluded that geofoam is a proper material to attenuate seismic amplifications at the ground surface,induced by underground tunnels.

Application of ESPRIT in Broad Beam HF Ground Wave Radar Sea Surface Current Mapping

HF surface wave radar system OSMAR2000 is a broad-beam sea-state detecting radar. ESPRIT (Estimation of Signal Parameters via Rotational Invariance Technique) algorithm is proposed to apply in DOA (direction of arrival) determination of sea echoes. The algorithm of ESPRIT is briefly introduced first. Then discussions are made on the technique for application in the OSMAR2000 framework. Numerical simulation results are presented to demonstrate the feasibility of radial current mapping based on this method. The algorithm manifests significant performance and computational advantages compared with that of MUSIC. Data acquired by OSMAR2000 are processed to give radial current map and the synthesized vector currents are compared with the in-situ measurement with traditional means. The results show the validity of ESPRIT application in DOA determination for broad-beam radar. Key words HF ground wave radar - sea surface current - ESPRIT - MUSIC CLC number TN 911.72 - TN 958.95 Foundation item: Supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (60201003) and the National High Technology Development 863 Program of China (863-818-01-02)Biography: Liu Dan-hong (1976-), female, Master candidate, research direction: radar signal processing.

Ground surface response induced by shallow buried explosions

Based on the spherical cavity expansion theory in the elastic half space,the ground surface movement characteristics of shallowly buried explosions are analyzed.The results show that the induced seismic wave is a longitudinal wave in the near zone and a Rayleigh wave in the far zone.The maximum displacement(velocity) of the longitudinal wave and the Rayleigh wave are inversely proportional to the scaled distance,and can be described by exponential function with exponents equal to 1.4 and 0.5,respectively.The vibration frequencies of the waves have almost no change.The vibration frequency of the longitudinal wave approximates the natural vibration frequency of the cavity in the broken area,and the vibration frequency of the Rayleigh wave is about half that of the longitudinal wave.On the same reduced buried depth and reduced distance,the particle displacement is directly proportional to the product of the boundary loading and cavity radius,and is inversely proportional to the transversal wave velocity.Meanwhile,the particle velocity is directly proportional to the boundary loading and inversely proportional to the wave velocity ratio.In the far zone,the buried depth of the explosive only has a slight effect on the longitudinal wave,but has a larger effect on the Rayleigh wave.

Recent changes in ground surface thermal regimes in the context of air temperature warming over the Heihe River Basin, China

Changes in ground surface thermal regimes play a vital role in surface and subsurface hydrology, ecosystem diversity and productivity, and global thermal, water and carbon budgets as well as climate change. Estimating spring, summer, autumn and winter air temperatures and mean annual air temperature（MAAT） from 1960 through 2008 over the Heihe River Basin reveals a statistically significant trend of 0.31 °C/decade, 0.28 °C/decade, 0.37 °C/decade, 0.50 °C/decade, and 0.37 °C /decade, respectively. The averaged time series of mean annual ground surface temperature（MAGST） and maximum annual ground surface temperature（MaxAGST） for 1972–2006 over the basin indicates a statistically significant trend of 0.58 °C/decade and 1.27 °C/decade, respectively. The minimum annual ground surface temperature（MinAGST） in the same period remains unchanged as a whole. Estimating surface freezing/thawing index as well as the ratio of freezing index to thawing index（RFT） in the period between 1959 and 2006 over the basin indicates a statistically significant trend of-42.5 °C-day/decade, 85.4 °C-day/decade and-0.018/decade, respectively.

Study on Earth Surface Potential and DC Current Distribution around DC Grounding Electrode

DC magnetic biasing problem,caused by the DC grounding electrode, threatened the safe operation of AC power grid. In this paper, the characteristics of the soil stratification near DC grounding electrode was researched. The AC-DC interconnected large-scale system model under the monopole operation mode was established. The earth surface potential and DC current distribution in various stations under the different surface thickness was calculated. Some useful conclusions are drawn from the analyzed results.

Terrestrial water storage variation in Hebei plain area of China,based on ground surface gravimetry

Variation of terrestrial water storage in the Hebei plain area from March 2010 to June 2014 was studied using ground gravimetry combined with vertical displacement data from the Global Navigation Satellite System.Results show that observed gravity variation in this area increased continuously,basically reflecting a trend toward land subsidence.With the effect of this subsidence removed,a dominantnegative change in gravity variation was evident,reflecting an average rate of decrease in terrestrial water in this area of 0.10±0.053 m/y,and this is equivalent to a volume of 81.5±43.2×108 m^(3)and is consistent with the spatial distribution of groundwater change from measured hydrologic data.These results can be an essential reference and supplement for the study of terrestrial water variation in the Hebei plain area,and indicate that ground surface gravimetry can be used as an important mean for studying changes in terrestrial water.

Study on the Surface Free Energy of Ground CaO by JGC

CaO formed by decomposing CaCO3 at 1450℃ was ground in a vibrational mill, then the long-time ground sample was reheated at different temperatures. Inverse Gas Chromatography (IGC) was used to measure the variation of the sample’s surface free energy under grinding and reheating. It is concluded that the total surface free energy and the London dispersive component of the surface free energy increases with grinding, while the polar component first increases with grinding, and then decreases , and finally disappears. When the long-time ground sample was reheated, its total surface free energy decreases , among which the London component decreases , but the polar component appears again.

Evaluation of Tactile Ground Surface Indicators Installed on Sidewalks Beside Ninghai Road of Nanjing Based on Fuzzy Comprehensive Evaluation

In recent years,tactile ground surface indicators have been vigorously constructed in all cities and towns in China,and the length of tactile ground surface indicators has been regarded as one of the standards for measuring urban civilization construction.However,there are many problems in the actual use of tactile ground surface indicators,and the construction of a large number of tactile ground surface indicators has not had a positive impact on the travel of the visually impaired.With the sidewalk of Ninghai Road in Nanjing,Jiangsu,China as the object of study,this study constructed an evaluation system of tactile ground surface indicators installed on the sidewalk beside a road and determined its weight,evaluated the tactile ground surface indicators installed on sidewalks beside Ninghai Road from the perspective of the visually impaired,using fuzzy comprehensive evaluation,and obtained the satisfaction of each indicator and analyzed the reasons of the indicator results.This set of evaluation system can provide basic ideas for the targeted evaluation of tactile ground surface indicators installed on the sidewalk beside a road based on different urban districts,different urban road grades,and different urban environmental conditions.