Dynamic damage evolution of bank slopes with serrated structural planes considering the deteriorated rock mass and frequent reservoirinduced earthquakes

To investigate the dynamic damage evolution characteristics of bank slopes with serrated structural planes,the shaking table model test and the numerical simulation were utilized.The main findings indicate that under continuous seismic loads,the deformation of the bank slope increased,particularly around the hydro-fluctuation belt,accompanying by the pore water pressure rising.The soil pressure increased and then decreased showed dynamic variation characteristics.As the undulation angle of the serrated structural planes increased(30°, 45°, and 60°),the failure modes were climbing,climbinggnawing,and gnawing respectively.The first-order natural frequency was used to calculate the damage degree(Dd)of the bank slope.During microseisms and small earthquakes,it was discovered that the evolution of Dd followed the“S”shape,which was fitted by a logic function.Additionally,the quadratic function was used to fit the Dd during moderately strong earthquakes.Through the numerical simulation,the variation characteristics of safety factors(Sf)for slopes with serrated structural planes and slopes with straight structural planes were compared.Under continuous seismic loads,the Sf of slopes with straight structural planes reduce stalely,whereas the Sf for slopes with serrated structural planes was greater than the former and the reduction rate was increasing.

Effect of Lithology and Structure on Seismic Response of Steep Slope in a Shaking Table Test

Studies on landslides by the 2008 Wenchuan earthquake showed that topography was of great importance in amplifying the seismic shaking, and among other factors, lithology and slope structure controlled the spatial occurrence of slope failures. The present study carried out experiments on four rock slopes with steep angle of 60° by means of a shaking table. The recorded Wenchuan earthquake waves were scaled to excite the model slopes. Measurements from accelerometers installed on free surface of the model slope were analyzed, with much effort on timedomain acceleration responses to horizontal components of seismic shaking. It was found that the amplification factor of peak horizontal acceleration, RPHA, was increasing with elevation of each model slope, though the upper and lower halves of the slope exhibited different increasing patterns. As excitation intensity was increased, the drastic deterioration of the inner structure of each slope caused the sudden increase of RPHA in the upper slope part. In addition, the model simulating the soft rock slope produced the larger RPHA than the model simulating the hard rock slope by a maximum factor of 2.6. The layered model slope also produced the larger RPHA than the homogeneous model slope by a maximum factor of 2.7. The upper half of a slope was influenced more seriously by the effect of lithology, while the lower half was influenced more seriously by the effect of slope structure.

Slope structures and formation of rock–soil aggregate landslides in deeply incised valleys

Rock–soil aggregate landslides(RSALs) are a common geological hazard in deeply incised valleys in southwestern China. Large-scale RSALs are widely distributed in the upper reaches of the Dadu River, Danba County, Sichuan Province, and are influenced by slope structure, which can be divided into open, lock, strip, and dumbbell types, as well as soil type and meso-structure, which can be classified as layered rock–soil aggregate, block-soil, and grainsoil. In this study, the evolution of four types of structures, such as layered-dumbbell, block-soil lock, banded block-soil, and block-soil open types, were analyzed by field surveys, surface and deep displacement monitoring, and Flac3 D. It was found that the Danba reach of the Dadu River showed incised valley through the evolution from wide to slow valley affected by internal and external geological processes since the Quaternary Glaciation. In the layered-dumbbell rock–soil aggregate, the main sliding pattern is multi-stage sliding at different depths. Circular sliding in the trailing edge and plane sliding along the bedrock in the front edge body occurin the block-soil-lock type aggregate. Large-scale multi-level and circular sliding over long distances occur in the banded block-soil aggregate. The blocksoil open type is stable, with only circular sliding occurring in local and shallow surfaces of the body. The monitoring and numerical simulation results further show that slope structure and regularity have diversified with RSALs. The results provide a basis for analyzing the stability mechanism of RSALs and preventing RSALs in deeply incised valleys.

Root structure of slope protection plants in a high-grade highway

Root length and root length density of Lespedeza bicolor,Amorpha fruticosa,and Sea buckthorn were investigated in a country highway-TongSan highway（Tongjiang to Sanya） in Heilongjiang Province,China.The root lengths were divided into five root orders according to Pregizter sequence classification method.Results show that sea buckthorn roots are dominated by coarse roots in the horizontal growth,while L.bicolor has a large proportion of fine roots in vertical conical growth and A.fruticosa is in depth growth.Root length density of L.bicolor in all the root sequences is higher than that of sea buckthorn and A.fruticosa.On the basis of the root structure,it is inferred that L.bicolor roots mainly absorb the surface soil moisture for its normal growth;in contrast,A.fruticosa has good uptake ability to deep soil water.The root structure of sea buckthorn implies that it has a strong drought resistance.

Investigation on seismic response of a three-stage soil slope supported by anchor frame structure

Based on a typical prototype of a soil slope in engineering practice, a numerical model of a three-stage soil slope supported by the anchor frame structure was established by means of FLAC3D code. The dynamic responses of three-stage soil slope and frame structure were studied by performing a series of bidirectional Wenchuan motions in terms of the failure mode of three-stage structure, the acceleration of soil slope, the displacement of frame structure, and the anchor stress of frame structure. The response accelerations in both horizontal and vertical directions are the most largely amplified at the slope top of each stage subjected to different shaking cases. The platforms among the stages reduce the amplification effect of response acceleration. The residual displacement of frame structure increases significantly as the intensity of shaking case increases. The frame structure at each stage presents a combined displacement mode consisting of a translation and a rotation around the vertex. The anchor stress of frame structure is mainly increased by the first intense pulse of Wenchuan seismic wave, and it is sensitive to the intensity of shaking case. The anchor stress of frame structure at the first stage is the most considerably enlarged by earthquake loading.

Effects of freeze-thaw cycles on sandstone in sunny and shady slopes

A growing rock engineering activity in cold regions is facing the threat of freeze-thaw(FT)weathering,especially in high mountains where the sunny-shady slope effects strongly control the difference in weathering behavior of rocks.In this paper,an investigation of the degradation of petrophysical characteristics of sandstone specimens subjected to FT cycle tests to simulate the sunny-shady slope effects is presented.To this aim,non-destructive and repeatable testing techniques including weight,ultrasonic waves,and nuclear magnetic resonance methods on standard specimens were performed.For the sunny slope specimens,accompanied by the enlargement of small pores,100 FT cycles caused a significant decrease in P-wave velocity with an average of 23%,but a consistent rise of 0.18%in mass loss,34%in porosity,67%in pore geometrical mean radius,and a remarkable 14.5-fold increase in permeability.However,slight changes with some abnormal trends in physical parameters of the shady slope specimens were observed during FT cycling,which can be attributed to superficial granular disaggregation and pore throat obstruction.Thermal shocks enhance rock weathering on sunny slopes during FT cycles,while FT weathering on shady slopes is restricted to the small pores and the superficial cover.These two factors are primarily responsible for the differences in FT weathering intensity between sunny and shady slopes.The conclusions derived from the interpretation of the experimental results may provide theoretical guidance for the design of slope-failure prevention measures and the selection of transportation routes in cold mountainous regions.

Flume experiments to study fine-grain migration and its impact on slope stability

Fine grains migration is a primary cause of landslides and debris flows.This study investigates the effect of fine-grain migration on slope failure through flume experiments,focusing on the spatiotemporal characteristics and mechanisms of slope stability.A series of artificial rainfall flume experiments with varying rainfall intensities and slopes were conducted using soil samples collected from Wei Jia Gully.The experiments monitored pore-water pressure,grain migration,and failure sequences.Grain-size distribution parameters(μand Dc)were analyzed to understand the migration path and accumulation of fine grains.The experiments reveal that fine-grain migration significantly alters soil structure,leading to random blockage and interconnection of internal pore channels.These changes result in fluctuating pore-water pressure distributions and uneven fine-grain accumulation,critical factors in slope stability.Slope failures occur randomly and intermittently,influenced by fine-grain content in runoff and resulting pore-water pressure variations.This study highlights that fine-grain migration plays a vital role in slope stability,with significant implications for predicting and mitigating slope failures.The stochastic nature of fine-grain migration and its impact on soil properties should be incorporated into predictive models to enhance their accuracy and reliability.

Failure evaluation and control factor analysis of slope block instability along traffic corridor in Southeastern Tibet

The instability of slope blocks occurred frequently along traffic corridor in Southeastern Tibet(TCST),which was primarily controlled by the rock mass structures.A rapid method evaluating the control effects of rock mass structures was proposed through field statistics of the slopes and rock mass structures along TCST,which combined the stereographic projection method,modified M-JCS model,and limit equilibrium theory.The instabilities of slope blocks along TCST were then evaluated rapidly,and the different control factors of instability were analyzed.Results showed that the probabilities of toppling(5.31%),planar(16.15%),and wedge(35.37%)failure of slope blocks along TCST increased sequentially.These instability modes were respectively controlled by the anti-dip joint,the joint parallel to slope surface with a dip angle smaller than the slope angle(singlejoint),and two groups of joints inclined out of the slope(double-joints).Regarding the control effects on slope block instability,the stabilization ability of doublejoints(72.7%),anti-dip joint(67.4%),and single-joint(57.6%)decreased sequentially,resulting in different probabilities of slope block instability.Additionally,nearby regional faults significantly influenced the joints,leading to spatial heterogeneity and segmental clustering in the stabilization ability provided by joints to the slope blocks.Consequently,the stability of slope blocks gradually weakened as they approached the fault zones.This paper can provide guidance and assistance for investigating the development characteristics of rock mass structures and the stability of slope blocks.

Rock bridge slice element method in slope stability analysis based on multi-scale geological structure mapping

The searching method of failure surface which consists of complex geological structures in high and steep rock slopes was studied. Based on computer simulation technology and Monte-Carlo method, three dimensional multi-scale geological structures such as engineering scale and statistical scale structures of the slope were simulated. The searching method of failure route which consists of joints and rock bridges was determined via simulation annealing method by considering the shear strength of joints or rock bridges in one supposed route. When shear strengths of all the supposed routes were computed, the least shear strength route was considered failure route. Then, the inclined slice of joint slices and rock bridge slices were separated according to the position of joints and rock bridges. For the rock bridge slices, by distinguishing the failure model, the force direction to the next slice was defined. Finally, the limit equilibrium equations for every slice were established, and the slope stability factor was obtained. One practical example indicates that the discussed method is more closely to the real condition.

Structural Characteristics and their Significance for Hydrocarbon Accumulation in the Northern Slope of the Central Sichuan Paleo-uplift

Based on 2D and 3D seismic data,the latest drilling data and field outcrop data of the northern slope of the Central Sichuan paleo-uplift,the structural analysis method is used to analyze unconformity development characteristics and fault characteristics during the key structural transformation period,discussing the influence of the structural characteristics on the hydrocarbon accumulation of deep carbonate rocks.The results show that:(1)The two key unconformities of the Tongwan and Caledonian periods were primarily developed in deep carbonate rocks.Firstly,Tongwan’s unconformities are characterized by regional disconformities between the second and third members of the Dengying Formation,the top formation of the Sinian and the lower Cambrian,strips of which zigzag through the north and south sides of the study area.Secondly,the Caledonian unconformity is characterized by a regional unconformable contact between the lower Permian and the ower Paleozoic strata.From NE to SW,the age of the strata,which were subject to erosion,changes from new to old,the denudation distribution showing as a nose-shaped structure which inclines towards the ENE.(2)Boundary fault and transtensional strike-slip faults developed in the Sinian to Paleozoic strata.In profile,there are three types of structural styles:steep and erect,flower structures,’Y’and reversed’Y’type faults.In plane view,the Sinian developed extensional boundary faults extending in an almost NS direction,strike-slip faults developing and extending linearly in approximately EW,WNW and NE strikes in the Cambrian,with characteristically more in the south and less in the north.(3)The faults in the northern slope show obvious zonal deformations in transverse view as well as significant stages and stratified activity in a longitudinal direction.Among them,the activity of faults in the Sinian was the strongest,followed by the activity in the Cambrian period,the activity intensity of faults in the Permian period being the weakest.This fault activity can be divided into four periods:Sinian,Cambrian-Permian,the early Indosinian period and the late Indosinian-Himalayan period,the transtensional strikeslip faults being the products of oblique extensions of pre-existing weak zones in the Xingkai and Emei taphrogenesis,with a particular inheritance in the main faults.(4)Combined with hydrocarbon accumulation factors,it is considered that the epigenetic karstification of the Tongwan and Caledonian unconformities in the northern slope controlled the formation and distribution of carbonate karst reservoirs over a large area,also acting as a good pathway for oil and gas migration.The extensional faults developed at the margin of the NS trending rift,controlling the sag-platform sedimentary pattern in the Dengying Formation of the Sinian.Strike-slip faults in NE,WNW and ENE directions may control the microgeomorphological pattern inside the platform and intensify the differential distribution of grain beach facies.The multi-stage hereditary activity of strike-slip faults not only improved the porosity and permeability of the reservoirs,but also acted as the main channel of oil and gas migration,providing favorable conditions for the development of the current multi-layer gasbearing scenario in the northern slope of the Central Sichuan Basin.

The mechanism of slope instability due to rainfall-induced structural decay of earthquake-damaged loess

Natural loess slopes are characterized by a strong geological structure,which is an important factor in maintaining slope stability.The magnitude and duration of the earthquake may disturb the soil structure at different levels degrees,locally changing the arrangement between soil particles.The process of rainfall humidification weakens the cementation between soil particles,and the disturbance and humidification change the structural state of the soil,which in turn causes sliding of the slope along with the decay of soil mechanical properties.As slope instability is often the result of a series of post-earthquake ripple effects,it is of great scientific significance to study the mechanism of slope instability due to the structural decay of earthquake-damaged loess exacerbated by rainfall.In this paper,the impact of structural decay of loess on slope stability is simulated by GEOSTUDIO software under three conditions:pre-earthquake rainfall,post-earthquake rainfall and earthquake,taking the landslide in Buzi Village,Min County,Gansu Province as an example.The comparative analysis of the calculation results shows that the structural properties of the slope without earthquake disturbance are influenced by infil-tration amount.When it is fully saturated,the structural properties are similar to those of saturated soil,and the safety factor is reduced by 12.9%.In addition,the earthquake intensity and duration have different degrees of structural damage to the soil.When the structure is fully damaged,it is similar to that of remodelled soil,and the safety factor is reduced by 45.84%.Notably,the process of the earthquake and the following humidification generates the most serious damage to the loess structure,with a reduction in the safety factor of up to 56.15%.The quantitative analysis above obviously illustrates that the post-earthquake rainfall causes the most severe damage to structural loess slopes,and the resulting landslide hazard should not be underestimated.

Dynamic spillovers between the term structure of interest rates,bitcoin,and safe‑haven currencies

This study examines the connectedness between the US yield curve components(i.e.,level,slope,and curvature),exchange rates,and the historical volatility of the exchange rates of the main safe-haven fiat currencies(Canada,Switzerland,EURO,Japan,and the UK)and the leading cryptocurrency,the Bitcoin.Results of the static analysis show that the level and slope of the yield curve are net transmitters of shocks to both the exchange rate and its volatility.The exchange rate of the Euro and the volatility of the Euro and the Canadian dollar exchange rate are net transmitters of shocks.Meanwhile,the curvature of the yield curve and the Japanese Yen,Swiss Franc,and British Pound act mainly as net receivers.Our static connectedness analysis shows that Bitcoin is mainly independent of shocks from the yield curve’s level,slope,and curvature,and from any main currency investigated.These findings hint that Bitcoin might provide hedging benefits.However,similar to the static analysis,our dynamic analysis shows that during different periods and particularly in stressful times,Bitcoin is far from being isolated from other currencies or the yield curve components.The dynamic analysis allows us to observe Bitcoin’s connectedness in times of stress.Evidence supporting this contention is the substantially increased connectedness due to policy shocks,political uncertainty,and systemic crisis,implying no empirical support for Bitcoin’s safe-haven property during stress times.The increased connectedness in the dynamic analysis compared with the static approach implies that in normal times and especially in stressful times,Bitcoin has the property of a diversifier.The results may have important implications for investors and policymakers regarding their risk monitoring and their assets allocation and investment strategies.

Stability analysis of a slope containing water-sensitive mudstone considering different rainfall conditions at an open-pit mine

Mudstone, as a typical soft rock with wide distribution, has been endangering the slopes containing mudstone by its watersensitivity of swelling and weakening strength when encountering water. To comprehensively understand the water-sensitivity of mudstone and reveal its infuence on slope stability, we took the working slope containing water-sensitive mudstone of Shengli No.1 open-pit coal mine in Xilinhot, Inner Mongolia, China, as an example. Mudstone samples taken from the working slope were remodeled and saturated, and then triaxial tested to obtain the efective cohesion and efective internal friction angle. The flter paper method was used to obtain the soil–water characteristic curve of unsaturated mudstone. The pore structure of mudstone samples with diferent water contents were analyzed using the mercury intrusion porosimetry tests combined with the fractal dimension. The total pore content of the mudstone sample with lower water content is greater than that of the mudstone sample with higher water content. The mesopores are more in the mudstone sample with lower water content, while the small pores are more in the mudstone sample with higher water content. The variation of water content will change the complexity of mudstone pore structure. The higher the water content, the simpler the mudstone pore structure and the smoother the pore surface. Numerical calculations were conducted on the stability of the working slope under diferent rainfall conditions. The efective saturation on the mudstone layer surface changed and the plastic strain all occurred on the mudstone steps under diferent rainfall conditions. The key to preventing landslide of the slope containing water-sensitive mudstone in Shengli No.1 open-pit coal mine is to control the deformation and sliding of the mudstone layer.

Experimental study on evolution of bed structures of natural mountain rivers

Bed structures in many mountain rivers provide additional resistance to the flow. A field experiment was conducted on debris flow deposits in the valley of the Jiangjiagou Ravine, a tributary of the Yangtze River in southwestern China, to study the evolution and distribution of bed structures and their relationship with environmental conditions. Water and sediment from the Jiangjiagou main stream were diverted into the experimental channel. Several hydrological schemes were adopted to scour the channel until equilibrium was reached. During this process the evolutions of bed structures and channel configuration were investigated. The results indicate that stronger bed structures mean greater stream power consumption, greater resistance, and greater slope in a certain section when rivers are in dynamic equilibrium. Thus, to some extent the longitudinal profiles of channels can be determined by the distribution of bed structures. In natural cases, the strength and evolution of bed structures are under the influence of environmental conditions such as discharge and bed-load transportation rate. That is, given the same conditions, the same bed structure distribution and longitudinal profile can be predicted.

Toe Structure Stability of Sloping Breakwater

Based on physical model tests, the rubble mound toe structure stability under the action of both regular and irregular waves is studied. Test results show that wave height and water depth at the toe structure are the most important factors affecting the stability of toe berm stone, and that irregular waves cause greater damage to the toe structure than regular waves. Analyses prove that the Gerding formula agrees better with our test results than the Meer formula. Tests on two different types of main armors also indicate that the shape and composition of the main armor have effect on the stability of the toe structure.

Logging and topographic effects on tree community structure and habitat associations in a tropical upland evergreen forest,Ghana

We determined the response of tree community structure to logging disturbance and topography,and the patterns of tree-habitat associations in Tano Offin Forest Reserve,Ghana.We sampled trees in 27 20 m× 20 m plots randomly and equally distributed in three topographic habitats(slope,valley,and hilltop) in each of two forests:logged and unlogged.Two topographic features,altitude and degree of slope,were measured and related with species composition.Overall,there were significant effects of logging and topographic habitat and their interaction on species diversity and composition,with the unlogged forest and valley habitat supporting higher diversity.Tree diversity varied among the topographic habitats in the logged but not in the unlogged forest.There were topographic effects on abundance of individual species but not on tree community abundance and basal area.Logging and its interaction with topographic habitat showed significant effects on tree abundance and basal area.Some species were associated with specific topographic habitats or a combination in the logged and unlogged forests.However,the patterns of habitat associations of the species differed between the logged and unlogged forests.

Discussion of Research Related to Structural Plane of Rock Mass Slope

In this paper, firstly, the rock slope and rock mass structure are introduced. And then, two aspects of the study of the structural plane are discussed： The first aspect is method for determining mechanical parameters of structural plane; The second aspect is analysis of shear strength of structural plane.

Research on Seismic Behavior of Sloping Field Building Structure

The paper set up 3D solid overall superstructure model of Foundation and Box foundation on Rock Slope Subgrade base using the ABAQUS, and the establish the infinite element boundary, superstructure displacement of Box foundation and foundation at Rock Slope Subgrade was studied by inputting different direction of earthquake response. The results show that, for the mountain frame structure, influence on the horizontal displacement of the vertical under the action of alone big earthquake, and vertical seismic action on horizontal displacement effect is smaller by mutual function of horizontal and vertical seismic, basically is same as response under the action of horizontal earthquake alone; for step shaped box foundation, the change trend of mutual function of horizontal and vertical earthquake was the complete opposite of the maximum story drift each layer under the one-way horizontal earthquake, which indicate the presence of vertical earthquake wave effect on the box foundation displacement cannot be ignored.

Numerical Simulation Study on the Detection of Weak Structural Plane of Rock Slope by Using 3D Electrical Resistivity Tomography

The weak structure plane is an important factor affecting the stability of rock slope, and detecting the spatial structure of the weak structural plane is beneficial to analyze the stability of the slope and estimate the quantity of the landslide. Based on 3D electrical resistivity tomography, a model of rock slope with weak structure plane is established, and the characteristics of three-dimensional resistivity imaging of weak structure plane under different ground water conditions are simulated. The results show that the weak structural plane has a better reflection in 3D electrical resistivity tomography;the distribution of weak structural plane of 3D resistivity imaging can be roughly determined under different ground water conditions;the three-dimensional electrical resistivity tomography is feasible in the detection of weak structural plane of rock slope.

Evolution of economic linkage network of the cities and counties on the northern slope of the Tianshan Mountains,China

The exchanges between cities and counties in the northern slope economic belt of Tianshan Mountains(NSEBTM)are increasingly frequent and the economic linkages are increasingly close,but the spatial distribution of economic development and linkages among the cities and counties within NSEBTM is uneven.Therefore,it is of great significance to study the evolution of spatial-temporal pattern of the economic linkage network of cities and counties on NSEBTM to promote the coordinated and integrated development of the regional economy on NSEBTM.In this study,we used the modified gravity model and social network analysis method to analyze the spatio-temporal evolution characteristics of the economic linkage network structure of cities and counties on NSEBTM in 2000,2010,and 2020.The results showed that the comprehensive development quality level of cities and counties on NSEBTM increased from 2000 to 2020,its growth rate also increased,and its gap between cities and counties continued expanding.Both the spatial distribution patterns of the comprehensive development quality level of cities and counties on NSEBTM in 2000 and 2010 were presented as“high in the middle and low at both ends”,while the spatial distribution pattern of 2020 was exhibited as“high value and low value staggered”.The total amount of external economic linkages of cities and counties on NSEBTM showed an obvious upward trend,and its gap between cities and counties continued expanding,presenting a pattern of“a strong middle section and weak ends”.The direction of economic linkages of NSEBTM existed obvious central orientation and geographical proximity.The density of economic linkage network of NSEBTM increased from 2000 to 2020,and the structure of economic linkage network changed from single-core structure centered with Urumqi City to multicore structure centered with Urumqi City,Karamay City,Shihezi City,and Changji City,shifting from unbalanced development to balanced development.In the future,we should accelerate the construction of urban agglomeration on NSEBTM,cultivate a modern Urumqi metropolitan area,improve comprehensive development quality of the cities and counties at the eastern and western ends,strengthen the intensity of economic linkages between cities and counties,optimize the economic linkage network,and promote the coordinated and integrated development of regional economy.