Limiting Factors and Countermeasures for the Development of Biological Herbicides

This paper mainly analyzes the main limiting factors in the development of biological herbicides,such as narrow herbicidal spectrum,vulnerable to environmental impacts,difficulties in preparing dosage forms,difficult separation and low yield of active substances,biological safety,etc.Moreover,countermeasures and suggestions are put forward,including strengthening the study of biological screening of herbicidal activity,microbial metabolites and their use as lead compounds,dosage forms,fungi complex formulation,fungi and herbicide complex formulation,and fermentation technology.

Spatial-Temporal Distribution Characteristics and Limiting Factors of Medium-low Yield Farmland in Tianjin

[Objective] This paper aimed to understand the area change and distribu- tion of medium-low yield farmland, and offered basis to the improvement of mediumlow farmland and its increase of grain production in Tianjin. [Method] Based on the statistical date of Tianjin and its relevant counties and districts, the yield standard was set up to classify high-yield, medium-yield and low-yield farmland in Tianjin. The author analyzed area change of medium-low yield farmland in six agricultural counties and districts （including Jixian County, Wuqing District, Baodi District, Ninghe County, Jinghai County and Dagang district of Binghai New Area） from 1980 to 2010. [Result] The results showed that the average yield of grain rose from 2 445 kg/hm^2 in 1980 to 5 130 kg/hm^2 in 2010, increasing 109.82%. The area of mediumlow yield farmland was reduced from 291 250.13 hm^2 in 1985 to 76 489.87 hm^2 in 2010, coming down 74%. In Tianjin, the area of medium-low yield farmland of 2010 accounted for 19% of the total farmland, of which the ratios of medium-low yield farmland of Jinghai County, Jixian County, Dagang district of Binghai New Area, Wuqing District, Baodi District and Ninghe County were 43.12%, 18.59%, 17.23%, 14.01%, 7.05% and 0, respectively. Low soil nutrient content, drought and water shortage, as well as soil salinization were the main yield limiting factors to mediumlow yield farmland in Tianjin in 2010. [Conclusion] The countermeasures to improve the medium-low yield farmland were proposed, involving enhancing the investment of the government, strengthening the construction of water conservancy infrastructure, further improving the soil fertility, as well as saline and alkaline land, optimizing the farming system and planting drought and salt tolerance crops, etc.

Nutrient Limiting Factors in Acidic Vegetable Soils

Nutrient limiting factors in acidic soils from vegetable fields of the Chongqing suburbs of China were assessed by employing the systematic approach developed by Agro Services International (ASI) including soil testing, nutrient adsorption study, and pot and field experiments to verify the results of soil testing, with a conventional soil test (CST) used for comparison. The ASI method found the moderately acidic soil (W01) to be N and P deficient; the strongly acidic soil (W04) to be N, K and S deficient; and the slightly acidic soil (W09) to be N, K, S, Cu, Mn, and Zn deficient. The CST method showed that W01 had P, B and Cu deficiencies; W04 had N, P and S deficiencies; and W09 had N, P, S, B, Cu, and Zn deficiencies. There were differences between the two methods. Among the two indicator plants selected, the response of sorghum on the three representative acidic soils was more closely related to the ASI results than that of sweet pepper.

Fertilization for High Yields in Corn-Sweet Potato-Wheat Rotation: A Systematic Approach to Nutrient Limiting Factors of Soils in Chongqing, China

A systematic approach was adopted to investigate the nutrient limiting factors in gray-brown purple soils and yellow soils derived from limestone in Chongqing, China, to study balanced fertilization for corn, sweet potato and wheat in rotation. The results showed that N, P and K were deficient in both soils, Cu, Mn, S andZn in the gray-brown purple soils and Ca, Mg, Mo and Zn for the yellow soils. Balanced fertilizer application increased yields of corn, sweet potato and wheat by 28.4%, 28.7% and 4.4%, respectively, as compared to the local farmers' practice. The systematic approach can be considered as one of the most efficient and reliable methods in fertility study.

Limiting climatic factors in shaping the distribution pattern and niche differentiation of Prunus dielsiana in subtropical China

Subtropical forest in China has received much attention due to its complex geologic environment and bioclimatic heterogeneity.There have been very few studies addressing which climatic factors have shaped both distribution patterns and niche differentiation of species from this region.It also remains unclear whether phylogenetic niche conservatism retains in plant species from this biodiversityrich subtropical region in China.In this study,we used geographic occurrence records and bioclimatic factors of Prunus dielsiana(Rosaceae),a wild cherry species,combined with the classical ENM-based DIVA-GIS software to access contemporary distribution and richness patterns of its natural populations.The current distribution of P.dielsiana occupied a relatively wide range but exhibited an uneven pattern eastward in general,and the core distribution zone of its populations are projected to concentrate in the Wushan and Wuling Mountain ranges of western China.Hydrothermic variables,particularly the Temperature Seasonality(bio4)are screened out quantitatively to be the most influential factors that have shaped the current geographical patterns of P.dielsiana.By comparison with other sympatric families,climatic niche at regional scale showed a pattern of phylogenetic niche conservatism within cherry species of Ros aceae.The effect of habitat filtering from altitude is more significant than those of longitude and latitude.We conclude that habitat filtering dominated by limiting hydrothermic factors is the primary driving process of the diversity pattern of P.dielsiana in subtropical China.

Distribution pattern and limiting factors of vegetation in coal waste pile of Xinzhuangzi coal mine in Huainan

In China, coal mine spoils have traditionally been dumped in cone-shaped heaps that have the potential to pollute air, soil and water environments. The coal waste pile occupies lots of arable land and endangers the ecological system in the coal mine district. Vegetation restoration is an efficient approach for controlling the environment pollution of coal waste pile, and is also a topic of current interest in restoration ecology and degradation system ecology. This study focused on the distribu- tion pattern and limiting factors of vegetation in coal waste pile of Xinzhuangzi Coal Mine in Huainan. The results show that two stable plant communities （Synodon dactylon＋Erigeron bonariensis.L＋Setaria viridis community and Humulus scan- den＋Erigeron bonariensis. L community） exist at the bottom of the pile. Synodon dactylon and Erigeron bonariensis. L have much higher values of summed dominance ratio, which denote that these two species can be used for restoration of coal waste piles. The high levels of pH （8.77） and salinity, low levels of total P and total K in coal mine spoil can be the limiting factors for the residence and growth of vegetation.

Attitudes, Practices and Factors Affecting the Use of the Partogram by Professionals Attending to Women in Labour and Delivery in the Bafut Health District

Introduction: Given that the provision of care to the childbirth process is not purely in the hands of educated and trained midwives, the competency in application of midwifery tools may be inadequate and consequently affect the quality of care. The Partogram is the single most important tool which has been scientifically proven to reduce maternal and foetal morbidity and mortality. Though important, many healthcare providers do not use it regularly in the monitoring of labour. Objectives: Our objectives were to determine the attitudes, practices, proportion of parturients monitored using a Partogram and the factors limiting the use of the Partogram by professionals attending to women in labour and delivery (PAWLD) in the Bafut Health District. Methods: This was a cross-sectional study carried out amongst 65 Professionals attending to women in labour and delivery in the Bafut Health District that lasted 6 months. All the data were collected by our self. First through a face to face interview with a questionnaire, secondly with an observational guide used to assess Partograms filled and lastly using delivery registers to obtain the proportion of parturients monitored with a Partogram. The data analysis was done using the statistic software Epi Info version 7 and Microsoft Excel. Results: This study revealed that 47 (72.3%) of participants had good attitudes, 34 (52%) had good practices, 375 (79.3%) parturients were monitored using a Partogram, and the lack of in-service training, low number of staff and poor knowledge on Partogram use were identified as the main limiting factors to the use of the Partogram. Being a health assistant was statistically significantly associated with having a poor practice with a p-value of 0.047 and odds ratio 5.33 [1.03 - 26.45] we obtained just 1 (1.54%) filled according to the WHO standards. Conclusions and Recommendations: In the Bafut Health District, 7 out of 10 PAWLDs have a positive attitude towards the use of the Partogram, while a poor practice is predominant as a result 4 out of 5 deliveries were monitored using a Partogram with only 1.54% of the Partograms filled according to WHO standards. The lack of in-service training, lack of PAWLD and poor knowledge on Partogram usage are the major drawbacks to the use of the Partogram. We therefore recommend that continues medical education (CME) be organised on the use of the Partogram.

Evaluation of soil nutrient status in poplar forest soil by soil nutrient systematic approach

A study was conducted to evaluate the soil nutrient status of poplar plantation by Soil Nutrient Systematic Approach (SNSA) in Jianghan Plain, Hubei Province, China. Soil physiochemical properties were analyzed in laboratory through collection soil samples of study site. Ten treatments of application different fertilizers were designed such as CK, optimum treatment (N, P, K, Zn), N(P, K, Zn), P(N, K, Zn), K(N, P, Zn), +Mg(N, P, K, Zn, Mg), Zn (N,P,K), +2P(N, 2P, K, Zn), +2K(N, P, 2K, Zn), and 2N+2P+2K(2N, 2P, 2K, Zn) for field experiment to test the effect on tree height, diameter (DBH) growth, and dry weight of poplar. The results showed that there was no significant difference in tree heights between treatments with different fertilizers, diameter growth of poplar trees in treatments of lack of N and Zn was significantly slower than that of trees in optimum treatment, and dry weight of poplar dropped significantly for treatment of CK as well as treatments without application N and Zn. It is concluded that N and Zn were main limiting factor for poplar growth. Results from laboratory analysis and field experiment were uniform per-fectly, which proved that SNSA was reliable in evaluating soil nutrient status of poplar plantation.

Nutrient Limiting Factor and Agronomic Efficiency of Wheat in Fluvo-aquic Soil District in Northwest of Shandong Province

[Objective] This study aimed to provide basis for rational fertilizer application of wheat in fluvo-aquic soil in the northwest of Shandong Province.[Method] In this paper,the treatments of reduced N,P and K were set in order to explore the effects of fertilizer recommendation based on ASI systematic approach on wheat yield,agronomic efficiency and recovery rate of nutrients.[Result] Nitrogen was the main limiting factor for wheat production in that area,followed by phosphorus,and the third was potassium.Compared with the optimum treatment （OPT）,the reduction of N,P and K reduced the grain yield obviously,which came up to 22.4％,14.4％ and 13.4％ respectively.There were no obvious differences in grain yield among Farmer＇s Fertilization Practice （FP）,60％ OPT-N and OPT treatment.[Conclusion] Agronomic efficiency of N,P and K was 6.3,12.9 and 10 kg/kg respectively.The recovery rates of N,P and K in wheat season were 16.41％,17.27％ and 27.27％ respectively.

EXAMINATION OF SILICATE LIMITATION OF PRIMARY PRODUCTION IN JIAOZHOU BAY, CHINA I. SILICATE BEING A LIMITING FACTOR OF PHYTOPLANKTON PRIMARY PRODUCTION

Jiaozhou Bay data collected from May 1991 to February 1994, in 12 seasonal investigations, and provided the authors by the Ecological Station of Jiaozhou Bay, were analyzed to determine the spatiotemporal variations in temperature, light, nutrients (NO - 3 N, NO - 2 N, NH + 4 N, SiO 2- 3 Si, PO 3- 4 P), phytoplankton, and primary production in Jiaozhou Bay. The results indicated that only silicate correlated well in time and space with, and had important effects on, the characteristics, dynamic cycles and trends of, primary production in Jiaozhou Bay. The authors developed a corresponding dynamic model of primary production and silicate and water temperature. Eq.(1) of the model shows that the primary production variation is controlled by the nutrient Si and affected by water temperature; that the main factor controlling the primary production is Si; that water temperature affects the composition of the structure of phytoplankton assemblage; that the different populations of the phytoplankton assemblage occupy different ecological niches for C , the apparent ratio of conversion of silicate in seawater into phytoplankton biomas and D , the coefficient of water temperature’s effect on phytoplankton biomass. The authors researched the silicon source of Jiaozhou Bay, the biogeochemical sediment process of the silicon, the phytoplankton predominant species and the phytoplankton structure. The authors considered silicate a limiting factor of primary production in Jiaozhou Bay, whose decreasing concentration of silicate from terrestrial source is supposedly due to dilution by current and uptake by phytoplankton; quantified the silicate assimilated by phytoplankton, the intrinsic ratio of conversion of silicon into phytoplankton biomass, the proportion of silicate uptaken by phytoplankton and diluted by current; and found that the primary production of the phytoplankton is determined by the quantity of the silicate assimilated by them. The phenomenon of apparently high plant nutrient concentrations but low phytoplankton biomass in some waters is reasonably explained in this paper.

Examination of Silicate Limitation of Primary Production in Jiaozhou Bay,North ChinaⅢ.Judgment Method,Rules and Uniqueness of Nutrient Limitation Among N,P,and Si

Analysis and comparison of Jiaozhou Bay data collected from May 1991 to February 1994(12 seasonal investigations) provided by the Ecological Station of Jiaozhou Bay revealed the characteristic spatiotemporal variation of the ambient concentration Si:DIN and Si:16P ratios and the seasonal variation of Jiaozhou Bay Si:DIN and Si:16P ratios showing that the Si:DIN ratios were < 1 throughout the year in Jiaozhou Bay; and that the Si:16P ratios were < 1 throughout Jiaozhou Bay in spring, autumn and winter. The results proved that silicate limited phytoplankton growth in spring, autumn and winter in Jiaozhou Bay. Analysis of the Si:DIN and Si:P ratios showed that the nutrient Si has been limiting the growth of phytoplankton throughout the year in some Jiaozhou Bay waters; and that the silicate deficiency changed the phytoplankton assemblage structure. Analysis of discontinuous 1962 to 1998 nutrient data showed that there was no N or P limitation of phytoplankton growth in that period. The authors consider that the annual cyclic change of silicate limits phytoplankton growth in spring, autumn and winter every year in Jiaozhou Bay; and that in many Jiaozhou Bay waters where the phytoplankton as the predominant species need a great amount of silicate, analysis of the nutrients N or P limitation of phytoplankton growth relying only on the N and P nutrients and DIN:P ratio could yield inaccurate conclusions. The results obtained by applying the rules of absolute and relative limitation fully support this view. The authors consider that the main function of nutrient silicon is to regulate and control the mechanism of the phytoplankton growth process in the ecological system in estuaries, bays and the sea. The authors consider that according to the evolution theory of Darwin, continuous environmental pressure gradually changes the phytoplankton assemblage's structure and the physiology of diatoms. Diatoms requiring a great deal of silicon either constantly decrease or reduce their requirement for silicon. This will cause a series of huge changes in the ecosystem so that the whole ecosystem requires continuous renewal, change and balancing. Human beings have to reduce marine pollution and enhance the capacity of continental sources to transport silicon to sustain the continuity and stability in the marine ecosystem.nt

Suitability Evaluation of Rural Settlements Based on Accessibility of Production and Living： A Case Study of Tingzu Town in Hubei Prov- ince of China

Rural settlements are the main carriers of agriculture, rural areas and farmers; thus, optimizing the production and living space of rural settlements is highly significant to rural development. Taking the effective allocation of resources as the starting point, a suitability evaluation system of rural settlements, based on accessibility of production and living, was proposed in this study to provide scientific basis for the optimization of production and living space. The accessibility of production and living was measured by an im- proved two-step floating catchment area method, which considered proximity and availability based on the inclination of rural residents. The suitability evaluation system consisted of traditional suitability evaluation and newly proposed limiting factor identification based on the loss score proportion of suitability. Tingzu Town of Hubei Province, China, was chosen as the case study area. Based on the re- suits of the suitability evaluation system, corresponding suggestions on rural land consolidation, industry division, as well as the layout of health care and education facilities were proposed to optimize the production and living space of rural settlements in Tingzu Town. It is found that the suitability evaluation based on accessibility of production and living is more scientific and accurate than the traditional ones which significantly overestimate production and living convenience. Moreover, the limiting factor identification can help us put forward suggestions according to local conditions and bring about the highly targeted optimization of production and living space of rural settlements.

Plant hormesis and Shelford’s tolerance law curve

Shelford’s law of tolerance is illustrated by a bell-shaped curve depicting the relationship between environmental factor/factors’intensity and its favorability for species or populations.It is a fundamental basis of ecology when considering the regularities of environment impacts on living systems,and applies in plant biology,agriculture and forestry to manage resistance to environmental limiting factors and to enhance productivity.In recent years,the concept of hormesis has been increasingly used to study the dose-response relationships in living organisms of different complexities,including plants.This requires the need for an analysis of the relationships between the hormetic dose-response model and the classical understanding of plant reactions to environments in terms of Shelford’s law of tolerance.This paper analyses various dimensions of the relationships between the hormetic model and Shelford’s tolerance law curve under the influence of natural environmental factors on plants,which are limiting for plants both in deficiency and excess.The analysis has shown that Shelford’s curve and hormetic model do not contradict but instead complement each other.The hormetic response of plants is localized in the stress zone of the Shelford’s curve when adaptive mechanisms are disabled within the ecological optimum.At the same time,in a species range,the ecological optimum is the most favorable combination of all or at least the most important environmental factors,each of which usually deviates slightly from its optimal value.Adaptive mechanisms cannot be completely disabled in the optimum,and hormesis covers optimum and stress zones.Hormesis can modify the plant tolerance range to environmental factors by preconditioning and makes limits of plant tolerance to environmental factors flexible to a certain extent.In turn,as a result of tolerance range evolution,quantitative characteristics of hormesis(width and magnitude of hormetic zone)as well as the range of stimulating doses,may significantly differ in various plant species and even populations and intra-population groups,including plants at different development stages.Using hormetic preconditioning for managing plant resistance to environmental limiting factors provides an important perspective for increasing the productivity of woody plants in forestry.

Discussion on the limit recovery factor of carbon dioxide flooding in a permanent sequestration scenario

Based on practices of CO_(2) flooding tests in China and abroad,the recovery factor of carbon dioxide capture,utilization in displacing oil and storage(CCUS-EOR)in permanent sequestration scenario has been investigated in this work.Under the background of carbon neutrality,carbon dioxide injection into geological bodies should pursue the goal of permanent sequestration for effective carbon emission reduction.Hence,CCUS-EOR is an ultimate development method for oil reservoirs to maximize oil recovery.The limit recovery factor of CCUS-EOR development mode is put forward,the connotation differences between it and ultimate recovery factor and economically reasonable recovery factor are clarified.It is concluded that limit recovery factor is achievable with mature supporting technical base for the whole process of CCUS-EOR.Based on statistics of practical data of CO_(2) flooding projects in China and abroad such as North H79 block CO_(2) flooding pilot test at small well spacing in Jilin Oilfield etc.,the empirical relationship between the oil recovery factor of miscible CO_(2) flooding and cumulative CO_(2) volume injected is obtained by regression.Combined with the concept of oil production rate multiplier of gas flooding,a reservoir engineering method calculating CO_(2) flooding recovery factor under any miscible degree is established by derivation.It is found that when the cumulative CO_(2) volume injected is 1.5 times the hydrocarbon pore volume(HCPV),the relative deviation and the absolute difference between the recovery percentage and the limit recovery factor are less than 5%and less than 2.0 percentage points respectively.The limit recovery factor of CCUS-EOR can only be approached by large pore volume(PV)injection based on the technology of expanding swept volume.It needs to be realized from three aspects:large PV injection scheme design,enhancing miscibility degree and continuously expanding swept volume of injected CO_(2).

Biogenic silicate accumulation in sediments, Jiaozhou Bay

It has been widely recognized that low silicate content in seawater is a major limiting factor to phytoplankton primary production in Jiaozhou Bay. However the reason of Si-limitation remains poorly understood. In the present study we measured the biogenic silicate content and discussed the ac- cumulation of silicate in Jiaozhou Bay sediment. The results show that the biogenic silica content in the sediment of the Jiaozhou Bay is obviously much higher than those in the Yellow Sea and the Bohai Sea. The BSi:TN ratios and BSi:16P ratios in the sediment are > 1 and the OC:BSi ratio in sediment is lower than these of Redfield ratio (106:16), indicating that the decomposition rate of OC is much higher than that for BSi in similar conditions. Therefore, the majority of the biogenic silicate was buried and thus did not participate in silicate recycling. Silicate accumulation in sediment may explain why Si limits the phytoplankton growth in the Jiaozhou Bay. Comparing the flux of biogenic silicate from sediments with primary production rate, it can be concluded that only 15.5% of biogenic silicate is hydrolyzed during the journey from surface to bottom in seawater, thus approximate 84.5% of biogenic silicate could reach the bottom. The silicate releasing rate from the sediment to seawater is considerably lower than that of sedi- mentation of biogenic silicate, indicating silicate accumulation in sediment too. In a word, the silicate ac- cumulation in sediment is the key reason of silicate limiting to phytoplankton growth in Jiaozhou Bay.

Application of Factor Difference Scheme to Solving Discrete Flow Equations Based on Unstructured Grid

A second-order mixing difference scheme with a limiting factor is deduced with the reconstruction gradient method and applied to discretizing the Navier-Stokes equation in an unstructured grid.The transform of nonorthogonal diffusion items generated by the scheme in discrete equations is provided.The Delaunay triangulation method is improved to generate the unstructured grid.The computing program based on the SIMPLE algorithm in an unstructured grid is compiled and used to solve the discrete equations of two types of incompressible viscous flow.The numerical simulation results of the laminar flow driven by lid in cavity and flow behind a cylinder are compared with the theoretical solution and experimental data respectively.In the former case,a good agreement is achieved in the main velocity and drag coefficient curve.In the latter case,the numerical structure and development of vortex under several Reynolds numbers match well with that of the experiment.It is indicated that the factor difference scheme is of higher accuracy,and feasible to be applied to Navier-Stokes equation.

The influence of earthquakes on Zhubi Reef in the Nansha Islands of the South China Sea

It is exceedingly important to estimate the stability of coral reefs. In recent years, growing construction projects have been carried out on the reef flat in the South China Sea. As a special marine geotechnical medium, it is made of the reef debris underwent overwhelmingly long geological age. Reefs grow thickly on the carbonate platform after the Late Oligocene and have five to six main sedimentary facies. It can be used as a recorder to measure the occurrence time of recent earthquake. A model of reef body is presented to study the influence of earthquakes according to the geological structure characteristic of reefs in the Nansha Islands. Furthermore, Geo Studio is used to simulate stress and deformation situations within it under various earthquake intensities. A safety factor is calculated by the limit equilibrium method, and the possible scenarios of earthquake-induced landslides and sliding scale are defined with a Newmark sliding block method, as well as stress distribution and deformation behaviors. Therefore, the numerical results suggest that the connections between the coral reef and the earthquake are as follows：（1） the reef body has a good stability under self-gravity state;（2） after the earthquake, it may cause slope＇s instability and bring out slumping when the safety factor is smaller than 1（FS〈1）;（3） the safety factor decreases with the increasing earthquake intensity, and fluctuates around a particular value after a while;and（4） as a new developed part of the reef, the smaller shallow landslide will be easily subject to collapse caused by the earthquake. It is concluded that it is feasible to provide a reference for evaluating the stability of coral reef using a geotechnical engineering simulation method. This can help the engineering constructions in the South China Sea.

New Factor to Characterize Mechanism of “Strong Column-Weak Beam” of RC Frame Structures

Most reinforced concrete(RC)frame structures did not achieve the "strong column-weak beam" failure mode in recent big earthquakes, resulting in a large number of casualties and significant property loss. To deal with this serious problem, a new column-beam relative factor was proposed to characterize the relative yield situation of column ends and beam ends. By limiting the column-beam relative factor, RC frame structures could achieve the "strong column-weak beam" failure mode under the excitation of strong ground motions. The limit values of column-beam relative factor were calculated, analyzed and verified by using structural simulation models for corner columns in the bottom story of structures, which are destroyed most seriously in earthquakes. The results show that the limit values should be analyzed under bi-directional ground motion and with different axial compression ratios of columns. The peak ground acceleration(PGA)of ground motions has no significant effect on the limit values, while the type of strong ground motions has a significant effect on the limit values.

Sugarcane Yield Variations in Northern and Central Ivory Coast as Influenced by Soil Water Balance over Two Critical Growth Stages

The influence of water deficit as main cane yield limiting factor in Ivory Coast was investigated on SUCAF Ferke 2 and Sucrivoire Zuenoula sugarcane commercial plantations. A soil water balance model was used to assess crop water uptake over two critical growth stages, namely stem elongation and yield formation, to be correlated with cane yields. Under simulated rainfed conditions, average yields performed on yearly basis （from 1991 to 1997） in both sites were highly dependent （linearly） on average crop water satisfaction ratio （ETa/ETm） over these critical growth stages. Under real field conditions in Ferke 2 （irrigation water being considered in addition to rainfall）, cane yields of early as well as late maturing sugarcane varieties obtained on yearly basis were dependent on average crop water satisfaction ratio over both growth stages. In Zudnoula, cane yield fluctuations were generally not predicted by crop water satisfaction ratio, regardless the cropping season considered. However, average cane yields obtained from year to year over the study period in both sugarcane schemes were highly dependent on the average crop water uptake ratio. This shows the important contribution of water in predicting yearly variations of average cane yields produced on Ivorian sugarcane commercial plantations.

Finite element analysis of slope stability by expanding the mobilized principal stress Mohr's circles-Development, encoding and validation

In recent years,finite element analysis is increasingly being proposed in slope stability problems as a competitive method to traditional limit equilibrium methods(LEMs)which are known for their inherent deficiencies.However,the application of finite element method(FEM)to slope stability as a strength reduction method(SRM)or as finite element limit analysis(FELA)is not always a success for the drawbacks that characterize both methods.To increase the performance of finite element analysis in this problem,a new approach is proposed in this paper.It consists in gradually expanding the mobilized stress Mohr’s circles until the soil failure occurs according to a prescribed non-convergence criterion.The present approach called stress deviator increasing method(SDIM)is considered rigorous for three main reasons.Firstly,it preserves the definition of the factor of safety(FOS)as the ratio of soil shear strength to the mobilized shear stress.Secondly,it maintains the progressive development of shear stress resulting from the increase in the principal stress deviator on the same plane,on which the shear strength takes place.Thirdly,by introducing the concept of equivalent stress loading,the resulting trial stresses are checked against the violation of the actual yield criterion formed with the real strength parameters rather than those reduced by a trial factor.The new numerical procedure was encoded in a Fortran computer code called S^(4)DINA and verified by several examples.Comparisons with other numerical methods such as the SRM,gravity increasing method(GIM)or even FELA by assessing both the FOS and contours of equivalent plastic strains showed promising results.