A stability evaluation method for deep-seated toppling in the upper Lancang river,Southwestern China

Deep-seated toppling in the upper reaches of the Lancang River,southwest China involves deformations exceeding 100 m in depth.The slope deformation is initiated by river downcutting and evolves distinctive characteristics with a depth of river incision.In this study,we propose a system for evaluating the stability of deep-seated toppled slopes in different evolutionary stages.This system contains identification criteria for each evolutionary stage and provides the corresponding stability evaluation methods.Based on the mechanical and kinematic analysis of slope blocks,the specific stage of slope movement can be identified in the field through outcrop mapping,in situ tests,surface displacement monitoring,and adit and borehole explorations.The stability evaluation methods are established based on the limiting equilibrium theory and the strain compatibility between the undisturbed zone and the toppled zone.Finally,several sample slopes in different evolution stages have been investigated to verify the applicability and accuracy of the proposed stability evaluation system.The results indicate that intense tectonic activity and rapid river incision lead to a maximum principal stress ratio exceeding 10 near the slope surface,thus triggering widespread toppling deformations along the river valley.When considering the losses of joint cohesion during the further rotation process,the safety factor of the slope drops by 7%e28%.The self-stabilization of toppling deformation can be recognized by the layer symmetry configuration after the free rotation of the deflected layers.Intensely toppled rock blocks mainly suffer sliding failures beyond the layer symmetry condition.The factor of safety of the K73 rockslide decreased from 1.17 to 0.87 by considering the development of the potential sliding surface and the toesaturated zone.

Studyon Evaluation Methods for Lateral Stability of High-Speed Trains

Taking a high-speed train in China as an example,using computer simulation technology and comparing with the test data,the three current methods including linear stability analysis method,nonlinear stability analysis method and the field testing criterion are studied to evaluate stability of high-speed trains.A new stability evaluation method is proposed which can be used to evaluate lateral stability of high-speed vehicle based on the codes of UIC 515and UIC 518.From the viewpoint of taking the most unfavorable track conditions into account and improving the safety margin,the new method uses the root mean square of bogie lateral acceleration as a criterion to evaluate the lateral stability of high-speed trains.Numerical example shows that the proposed method not only considers the forced vibration caused by track irregularities in the actual practice,but also takes the instability self-excited vibration into account,so it can realize early warning of bogie slight unstable oscillation,meanwhile the method itself does not involve complex algorithms which has the possibility of engineering applications.

A continental slope stability evaluation in the Zhujiang River Mouth Basin in the South China Sea

In nature, a slope stability is determined by the ratio of a sliding resistance to a slide force. The slide force of a marine deep-water continental slope is mainly affected by sediment mechanics properties, a topography, and a marine seismic. However, the sliding resistance is mainly affected by sedimentary patterns and a sedimentary stress history. Both of these are different from case to case, and their impact can be addressed when the data are organized in a geographic information system（GIS）. The study area on the continental slope in Zhujiang River Mouth Basin in South China Sea provides an excellent opportunity to apply GIS spatial analysis technology for the evaluation of the slope stability. In this area, a continental slope topography and a three-dimension（3-D） topography mapping show a sea-floor morphology and the distribution of a slope steepness in good detail, and the sediment analysis of seabed samples and an indoor appraisal reveals the variability of a sediment density near the sea-floor surface. On the basis of the results of nine geotechnical studies of submarine study areas, it has worked out that an equivalent cyclic shear stress ratio is roughly between 0.158 and 0.933, which is mainly depending on the initial water content of sediment. A regional density, slope and level of anticipated seismic shaking information are combined in a GIS framework to yield a map that illustrates a continental slope stability zoning under the influencing factors in Zhujiang River Mouth Basin in the South China Sea. The continental slope stability evaluation can contribute to north resources development in the South China Sea, the marine functional zoning, the marine engineering construction and adjust measures to local conditions, at the same time also can provide references for other deep-water slope stability analysis.

Stability evaluation for steep bank slope with microseismic monitoring in Three Gorges Reservoir area

Rock slide is one of the common geohazard in the Three Gorges Reservoir area, and it affects the shipping of the Yangtze River and the safety of people living on the banks. In order to investigate the internal fracturing mechanism of rock mass, distributed microseismic monitoring network was arranged with 15 three component geophones(3C geophones), deployed at borehole and out of the sliding mass in the unstable Dulong slope. Stein Unbiased Risk Estimation(SURE) method was used to noise suppression for the microseismic record, and decomposition parameters of the Continuous Wavelet Transform(CWT) were determined with maximum energy of correlation coefficient(MECC) method. The signal-to-noise ratio was tripled after the process, and source parameters are obtained with full waveform inversion. The rupture volume model was counted by the irregular grid statistics with the events’ density. It shows that the rock slide is of a small scale and composed of a single block. Moreover, the relationship among microseismicity, displacement and rainfall were discussed in the paper. The deformation rate was dramatically changed in the period of intensive events. There is a good consistency especially in the rainfall period. Although there is a time delay, continuous rainfall is more likely to cause the increase of microseismic events. The results show that the Dulong slope is a shallow rock slide in the state of creep deformation, and the rupture mechanism of the rock mass is left-lateral normal fault with shear failure. The research provides more key information for the early warning and prevention of rock slides and helps to reduce the risk of geohazards.

Stability evaluation of reference genes for real-time quantitative PCR normalization in Spodoptera frugiperda(Lepidoptera:Noctuidae)

Real-time quantitative PCR(qPCR)is a reliable and widely used technique for analyzing the expression profiles of target genes in different species,and reference genes with stable expressions have been introduced for the normalization of the data.Therefore,stability evaluation should be considered as the initial step for qPCR experiments.The fall armyworm Spodoptera frugiperda(J.E.Smith)(Lepidoptera:Noctuidae)is a polyphagous pest that consumes many plant species and seriously threatens corn production around the world.However,no studies thus far have examined the stability of reference genes in this pest.In this study,the expression profiles of the eight candidate reference genes of Actin,elongation factor 1 alpha(EF1α),elongation factor 2(EF2),glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase(GAPDH),ribosomal protein L3(RPL3),ribosomal protein L13(RPL13),alpha-tubulin(α-TUB),and beta-1-tubulin(β-1-TUB)were obtained from S.frugiperda in different samples and the stability was evaluated byΔCt,BestKeeper,geNorm,NormFinder,and RefFinder methods.The results of pairwise variation(V)calculated by GeNorm indicated two reference genes could be selected for normalization.Therefore,the combinations of the most stable reference genes for different experimental conditions of S.frugiperda were shown as follows:EF2 and RPL13 for developmental stages,RPL3 andβ-1-TUB for larval tissue samples,EF2 and EF1αfor the larval samples treated with different temperatures,RPL3 and EF1αfor the larval samples under starvation stress,and RPL13 and EF1αfor all the samples.Our results lay the foundation for the normalization of qPCR analyses in S.frugiperda and could help guarantee the accuracy of subsequent research.

Pre-evaluation on stability of proposed expressway embankment with existing geothermal regulation measures in permafrost regions

Embankment stability is the primary problem for the expressway construction in permafrost regions.The proposed Qinghai-Tibet Expressway(QTE)is planned to construct along the Qinghai-Tibet Project Corridor.Confronted with harsh environmental condition and intense heat exchange between earth and atmosphere,it is necessary to predict and evaluate the stability of the proposed QTE.In this study,the factors affecting the embankment stability are analyzed firstly.And then,a scheme for the stability evaluation of the embankment is established.Finally,the evaluation scheme is used for the pre-evaluation of the stability for the proposed QTE with different geothermal regulation measures(GRMs).The results indicate that the influencing factors include climatic environment,permafrost property,engineering condition and geological condition,and among them,engineering condition and permafrost property are the main influence factors for embankment stability.The stability of the proposed QTE varies greatly in the different geomorphological regions.The application effect and contribution to embankment stability of the existing GRMs are different,and using GRMs cannot completely overcome the influence of various factors on expressway stability.In the construction process,different GRMs should be adopted depending on the geomorphological environment where the embankment is located to ensure the embankment stability.

Case-Based Reasoning for Slope Stability Evaluation and Its Application

Slope is a non-linear and uncertain kinetic system affected by many factors. In view of the incompleteness and uncertainty of the information of slope stability evaluation, a new method of slop stability evaluation by using case-based reasoning is presented. Considering the sensitivity of attribute weights to the environment, the algorithm of attribute weights is set up on the basis of the concept of changeable weights. Calculating the similarity between target case of the slope and base case, the stability of target case is evaluated. It is shown from examples that the method is simple, visual, practical, and convenient for use.

Preliminary study on road-region ecosystem stability evaluation

A scientific and rational evaluation on road-region ecosystem stability is the premise to properly deal with the relationship between highway constructing and ecological environment protecting to a sustainable development. Based on the connotative meaning and the procedure of evaluation on road-region ecosystem stability, this paper studied the principles and the method on determining the evaluation index system on road-region ecosystem stability. It put forward an index system for assessing road-region ecosystem stability as a reference. On the basis of detailed analyze of the multidimensional space of road-region ecosystem, a new multi-objective comprehensive evaluation method for road-region ecosystem stability is presented and a calculation tormula for multi-objective comprehensive level of road-region ecosystem stability. This method was used to evaluate road-region ecosystem stability of Lin-Chang highway. This method possessed definite theoretical value and reliability in practice.

Tree Stability Evaluation： the Importance of Monitoring Programs

One of the main issues in tree stability evaluations is the scheduling of adequate monitoring programs. Generally, after a tree analysis, an arborist indicates the required maintenance operations and the timing for periodical inspection. Field conditions, tree species and biomechanical defects influence the plan. Three old trees （Populus spp. and Celtis australis） located within Golf Club Verona （Sommacampagna, Italy） were monitored periodically from 2010 to present. In addition to visual assessment, authors used sonic tomography to evaluate development of internal defects and planning the maintenance. The aim of this work is to identify a methodology for observing significant difference in tomograms, in order to understand the appropriate interval between instrumental analyses.

The Stability Evaluation and Prospects about Environment Engineering Geologicalin Coastal Zone

The problems of environmental engineering geological in coastal zone mainly include earthquakes, collapse and landslide, etc. We selected eight major evaluation indexes from the influence factors of problems of environmental engineering geological in coastal zone, that is active fault, seismic activity and hydrological conditions, etc. Through the index of quantitative grading, constructing fuzzy comprehensive evaluation model,evaluation of environmental engineering geological stability in coastal zone, supplying a scientific method and gist for the more reasonable and effective development and utilization of coastal zone.

Wheat Grain Yield and Yield Stability in a Long-Term Fertilization Experiment on the Loess Plateau

To provide a scientific basis for sustainable land management, a 20-year fertility experiment was conducted in Changwu County, Shaanxi Province, China to investigate the effects of long-term application of chemical fertilizers on wheat grain yield and yield stability on the Loess Plateau using regression and stability analysis. The experiment consisted of 17 fertilizer treatments, containing the combinations of different N and P levels, with three replications arranged in a randomized complete block design. Nitrogen fertilizer was applied as urea, and P was applied as calcium superphosphate. Fertilizer rates had a large effect on the response of wheat yield to fertilization. Phosphorus, combined with N, increased yield significantly （P 〈 0.01）. In the unfertilized control and the N or P sole application treatments, wheat yield had a declining trend although it was not statistically significant. Stability analysis combined with the trend analysis indicated that integrated use of fertilizer N and P was better than their sole application in increasing and sustaining the productivity of rainfed winter wheat.

Long-term inorganic plus organic fertilization increases yield and yield stability of winter wheat

An understanding of wheat yield and yield stability response to fertilization is important for sustainable wheat production. A 36-year long-term fertilization experiment was employed to evaluate the yield and yield stability of winter wheat. Five fertilization regimes were compared,including(1) CK, no fertilizer;(2) NPK, inorganic fertilizer only;(3) O, organic fertilizer only;(4)NPKO, 50% of NPK plus 50% of O, and(5) HNPKO, 80% of NPK plus 80% of O. The greatest yield increase was recorded in HNPKO, followed by NPKO, with O producing the lowest mean yield increase. Over the 36 years, the rate of wheat yield increase in fertilized plots ranged from95.31 kg ha-1 year-1 in the HNPKO to 138.65 kg ha-1 year-1 in the O. Yield stability analysis using the additive main effects and multiplicative interactions(AMMI) method assigned 62.3%, 26.3%,and 11.4% of sums of squares to fertilization effect, environmental effect, and fertilization ×environment interaction effect, respectively. The combination of inorganic and organic fertilization(NPKO and HNPKO) appeared to produce more stable yields than O or NPK, with lower coefficients of variation and AMMI stability value. However, wheat grown with O seemed to be the most susceptible to climate change and the least productive among the fertilized plots.Significant correlations of grain yield with soil properties and with mean air temperature were observed. These findings suggest that inorganic + organic fertilizer can increase wheat yield and its stability by improvement in soil fertility and reduction in variability to climate change.

Long-term straw incorporation increases rice yield stability under high fertilization level conditions in the rice–wheat system

Straw incorporation is a global common practice to improve soil fertility and rice yield.However,the effect of straw incorporation on rice yield stability is still unknown,especially under high fertilization level conditions.Here,we reported the effect of straw returning on rice yield and yield stability under high fertilization levels in the rice–wheat system over nine years.The results showed that straw incorporation did not significantly affect the average rice yield of nine years.Straw incorporation reduced the coefficient of variation of rice yield by 25.8%and increased the sustainable yield index by 8.2%.The rice yield positively correlated with mean photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) of rice growth season and the effects of straw incorporation on rice yield depended on the PAR.Straw incorporation increased the rice yield by 5.4%in the low PAR years,whereas it did not affect the rice yield in the high PAR years.Long-term straw incorporation lowered soil bulk density but improved the soil organic matter,total N,available N,available P,and available K more strongly than straw removal.Our findings suggest that straw incorporation can increase rice yield stability through improving the resistance of rice plant growth to low PAR.

Improving the operational stability of perovskite solar cells with cesium-doped graphene oxide interlayer

Perovskite solar cells(PSCs)have made great advances in terms of power conversion efficiency(PCE),yet their subpar stability continues to hinder their commercialization.The interface between the perovskite layer and the charge-carrier transporting layers plays a crucial role in undermining the stability of PSCs.In this work,we propose a strategy to stabilize high-performance PSCs with PCE over 23%by introducing a cesium-doped graphene oxide(GO-Cs)as an interlayer between the perovskite and hole-transporting material.The GO-Cs treated PSCs exhibit excellent operational stability with a projected T80(the time where the device PCE reduces to 80%of its initial value)of 2143 h of operation at the maximum powering point under one sun illumination.

Scale effect of coastal landscape pattern stability and driving forces:a case study of Guangdong Province,China

The long-term dynamic evolution and underlying mechanisms of coastal landscape pattern stability,driven by strong anthropogenic interference and consequently climate change,are topics of major interest in national and international scientific research.Guangdong Province,located in southeastern China,has been undergoing rapid urbanization over several decades.In this study,we quantitatively determined the scale threshold characteristics of coastal landscape pattern stability in Guangdong Province,from the dual perspective of spatial heterogeneity and spatial autocorrelation.An analysis of the spatiotemporal evolution of the coastal landscape was conducted after the optical scale was determined.Then,we applied the geodetector statistical method to quantitatively explore the mechanisms underlying coastal landscape pattern stability.Based on the inflection point of landscape metrics and the maximum value of the MoranⅠindex,the optimal scale for analyzing coastal landscape pattern stability in Guangdong Province was 240 m×240 m.Within the past several decades,coastal landscape pattern stability increased slightly and then decreased,with a turning point around 2005.The most significant variations in coastal landscape pattern stability were observed in the transition zone of rural-urban expansion.A q-statistics analysis showed that the explanatory power of paired factors was greater than that of a single driving factor;the paired factors with the greatest impact on coastal landscape pattern stability in Guangdong Province were the change in gross industrial output and change in average annual precipitation from 2010 to 2015,based on a q value of 0.604.These results will contribute to future efforts to achieve sustainable coastal development and provide a scientific basis and technical support for the rational planning and utilization of resources in large estuarine areas,including marine disaster prevention and seawall ecological restoration.

Gadolinium-incorporated CsPbI_(2)Br for boosting efficiency and long-term stability of all-inorganic perovskite solar cells

All-inorganic CsPbI_(2)Br perovskite solar cells(PSCs)have received extensive research interests recently.Nevertheless,their low efficiency and poor long-term stability are still obstacles for further commercial application.Herein,we demonstrate that high efficiency and exceptional long-term stability are realized by incorporating gadolinium(III)chloride(GdCl_(3))into the CsPbI_(2)Br perovskite film.The incorporation of GdCl_(3) enhances the Goldschmidt tolerance factor of CsPbI_(2)Br perovskite,yielding a dense perovskite film with small grains,thus the a-phase CsPbI_(2)Br is remarkably stabilized.Additionally,it is found that the GdCl_(3)-incorporated perovskite film achieves suppressed charge recombination and appropriate energy level alignment compared with the pristine CsPbI_(2)Br film.The noticeable increment in efficiency from14.01%(control PSC)to 16.24%is achieved for GdCl_(3)-incorporated PSC.Moreover,the nonencapsulated GdCl_(3)-incorporated PSC exhibits excellent environmental and thermal stability,remaining over 91%or90%of the original efficiency after 1200 h aging at 40%relative humidity or 480 h heating at 85℃ in nitrogen glove box respectively.The encapsulated GdCl_(3)-incorporated PSC presents an improved operational stability with over 88%of initial efficiency under maximum power point(MPP)tracking at 45℃ for1000 h.This work presents an effective ion-incorporation approach for boosting efficiency and long-term stability of all-inorganic PSCs.

Kriging-based reliability analysis of the long-term stability of a deep driftconstructed in the Callovo-Oxfordian claystone

Callovo-Oxfordian(COx)claystone has been considered as a potential host rock for geological radioactive waste disposal in France(Cigéo project).During the exploitation phase(100 years),the stability of drifts(e.g.galleries/alveoli)within the disposal is assured by the liner,which includes two layers:concrete arch segment and compressible material.The latter exhibits a significant deformation capacity(about 50%)under low stress(<3 MPa).Although the response of these underground structures can be governed by complex thermo-hydro-mechanical coupling,the creep behavior of COx claystone has been considered as the main factor controlling the increase of stress state in the concrete liner and hence the long-term stability of drifts.Therefore,by focusing only on the purely mechanical behavior,this study aims at investigating the uncertainty effect of the COx claystone time-dependent properties on the stability of an alveolus of Cigéo during the exploitation period.To describe the creep behavior of COx claystone,we use Lemaitre’s viscoplastic model with three parameters whose uncertainties are identified from laboratory creep tests.For the reliability analysis,an extension of a well-known Kriging metamodeling technique is proposed to assess the exceedance probability of acceptable stress in the concrete liner of the alveolus.The open-source code Code_Aster is chosen for the direct numerical evaluations of the performance function.The Kriging-based reliability analysis elucidates the effect of the uncertainty of COx claystone on the long-term stability of the concrete liner.Moreover,the role of the compressible material layer between the concrete liner and the host rock is also highlighted.

Study and application on the evaluation method of porous formation for long-term waterflooding sand reservoir

Nine targets which stand both for the static characteristic of produced formations and the dynamic parameter of wells including the average permeability,variation coefficient of permeability,moving capability,remaining recoverable reserves,coefficient of flooding,daily oil production,increasing rate of water cut,cumulative liquid production per unit meter and efficiency index of oil production are selected as the evaluation indexes,a novel model to evaluate the porous formations in long-term waterflooding sand reservoir was established by using the support vector machine and clustering analysis. Data of 57 wells from Shentuo 21 block Shengli oilfield was analyzed by using the model. Four kinds of formation groups were gained. According to the analysis result,different adjustment solutions were put forward to develop the relevant formations. The Monthly oil production increased 7.6 % and the water cut decreased 8.9 % after the adjusted solutions. Good results indicate that the learning from this method gained will be valuable adding to other long-term waterflooding sand reservoirs in Shengli oilfield and other similar reservoirs worldwide.

Retrospective Case Series on The Enduring Rotational Stability of The AcrySof IQ Toric Intraocular Lens in Cataract Patients Suffering from Myopia

Objective:To analyze the enduring rotational steadiness of AcrySof IQ Toric intraocular lens(IOL)in cataract patients suffering from myopia in a long-term study.Methods:A retrospective study was conducted on a case series involving 78 patients.A total of 120 eyes with an axial length(AL)ranging from 24-30 mm and corneal astigmatism≥1.50 D underwent implantation of AcrySof IQ Toric IOL guided by the version navigation system.The eyes were divided into two groups based on AL.Group A included 60 eyes with high myopia(AL≥26 mm),while Group B consisted of eyes with low to moderate myopia(24 mm≤AL<26 mm).Data on the preoperative AL were collected.Measurements were taken for residual astigmatism,the best corrected visual acuity(BCDVA),corneal astigmatism,and IOL rotation occurring between 24-and 48-months post-surgery.The percentage of eyes with an IOL rotation of under 5°and 10°was analyzed.Results:The mean length of follow-up times was recorded as 34.27±4.98,and the average rotation was 2.73±1.29°.Group A exhibited a slightly higher average rotation of 2.87±1.31°,compared to the rotation of 2.59±1.27°observed in Group B.At both the 24-36 month and 26-48 month post-operation marks,the degree of IOL rotation did not show a statistically significant difference between the two groups,with none of the patients experiencing a rotation exceeding 10°(P>0.05).The percentage of rotation degrees under 5°was recorded as 98.22%.After the procedure,the BCDVA was 0.1322±0.03 LogMAR.There was a substantial increase in theχvalue after the operation as compared to the pre-operativeχ^(2) value(χ^(2)=76.79).The standard deviation of preoperative corneal astigmatism was statistically significant(P<0.05)at 2.17±1.08 D.Following the surgical procedure,the remaining astigmatism was measured at 0.41±0.26 D.The data showed a notable gap in statistical significance(t=4.281,P<0.05).Conclusion:The AcrySof Toric IOL was a reliable solution for managing corneal astigmatism in cataract patients with myopia,demonstrating excellent long-term rotational stability.