Anisotropic shearing mechanism of Kangding slate:Experimental investigation and numerical analysis

The shear mechanical behavior is regarded as an essential factor affecting the stability of the surrounding rocks in underground engineering.The shear strength and failure mechanisms of layered rock are significantly affected by the foliation angles.Direct shear tests were conducted on cubic slate samples with foliation angles of 0°,30°,45°,60°,and 90°.The effect of foliation angles on failure patterns,acoustic emission(AE)characteristics,and shear strength parameters was analyzed.Based on AE characteristics,the slate failure process could be divided into four stages:quiet period,step-like increasing period,dramatic increasing period,and remission period.A new empirical expression of cohesion for layered rock was proposed,which was compared with linear and sinusoidal cohesion expressions based on the results made by this paper and previous experiments.The comparative analysis demonstrated that the new expression has better prediction ability than other expressions.The proposed empirical equation was used for direct shear simulations with the combined finite-discrete element method(FDEM),and it was found to align well with the experimental results.Considering both computational efficiency and accuracy,it was recommended to use a shear rate of 0.01 m/s for FDEM to carry out direct shear simulations.To balance the relationship between the number of elements and the simulation results in the direct shear simulations,the recommended element size is 1 mm.

Experimental study on the influences of cutter geometry and material on scraper wear during shield TBM tunnelling in abrasive sandy ground

When shield TBM tunnelling in abrasive sandy ground,the rational design of cutter parameters is critical to reduce tool wear and improve tunnelling efficiency.However,the influence mechanism of cutter parameters on scraper wear remains unclear due to the lack of a reliable test method.Geometry and material optimisation are often based on subjective experience,which is unfavourable for improving scraper geological adaptability.In the present study,the newly developed WHU-SAT soil abrasion test was used to evaluate the variation in scraper wear with cutter geometry,material and hardness.The influence mechanism of cutter parameters on scraper wear has been revealed according to the scratch characteristics of the scraper surface.Cutter geometry and material parameters have been optimised to reduce scraper wear.The results indicate that the variation in scraper wear with cutter geometry is related to the cutting resistance,frictional resistance and stress distribution.An appropriate increase in the front angle(or back angle)reduces the cutting resistance(or frictional resistance),while an excessive increase in the front angle(or back angle)reduces the edge angle and causes stress concentration.The optimal front angle,back angle and edge angle for quartz sand samples areα=25°,β=10°andγ=55°,respectively.The wear resistance of the modelled scrapers made of different metal materials is related to the chemical elements and microstructure.The wear resistances of the modelled scrapers made of 45#,06Cr19Ni10,42CrMo4 and 40CrNiMoA are 0.569,0.661,0.691 and 0.728 times those made of WC-Co,respectively.When the alloy hardness is less than 47 HRC(or greater than 58 HRC),scraper wear decreases slowly with increasing alloy hardness as the scratch depth of the particle asperity on the metal surface stabilizes at a high(or low)level.However,when the alloy hardness is between 47 HRC and 58 HRC,scraper wear decreases rapidly with increasing alloy hardness as the scratch depth transitions from high to low levels.The sensitive hardness interval and recommended hardness interval for quartz sand are[47,58]and[58,62],respectively.The present study provides a reference for optimising scraper parameters and improving cutterhead adaptability in abrasive sandy ground tunnelling.

A review of rock macro-indentation:Theories,experiments,simulations,and applications

Rock macro-indentation plays a fundamental role in mechanical rock breaking for various rock engineering application,such as drilling,tunneling,cutting,and sawing.Over the past decades,extensive research has been conducted to understand the indentation mechanisms and responses through various approaches.This review aims to provide an overview of the current status and recent advancements in theories,experiments,numerical simulations,and applications of macro-indentation in rock engineering.It starts with elaborating on the mechanisms of macro-indentation,followed by a discussion of the merits and limitations of commonly used models.Influence factors and their effects on indentation test results are then summarized.Various numerical simulation methods for rock macro-indentation are highlighted,along with their advantages and disadvantages.Subsequently,the applications of indentation tests and indentation indices in characterizing rock properties are explored.It reveals that compression-tension,compression-shear,and composite models are widely employed in rock macroindentation.While the compression-tension model is straightforward to use,it may overlook the anisotropic properties of rocks.On the other hand,the composite model provides a more comprehensive description of rock indentation but requires complex calculations.Additionally,factors,such as indentation rate,indenter geometry,rock type,specimen size,and confining pressure,can significantly influence the indentation results.Simulation methods for macro-indentation encompass continuous medium,discontinuous medium,and continuous-discontinuous medium methods,with selection based on their differences in principle.Furthermore,rock macro-indentation can be practically applied to mining engineering,tunneling engineering,and petroleum drilling engineering.Indentation indices serve as valuable tools for characterizing rock strength,brittleness,and drillability.This review sheds light on the development of rock macro-indentation and its extensive application in engineering practice.Specialists in the field can gain a comprehensive understanding of the indentation process and its potential in various rock engineering endeavors.

Groundwater flow through fractured rocks and seepage control in geotechnical engineering: Theories and practices

Groundwater flow through fractured rocks has been recognized as an important issue in many geotechnical engineering practices.Several key aspects of fundamental mechanisms,numerical modeling and engineering applications of flow in fractured rocks are discussed.First,the microscopic mechanisms of fluid flow in fractured rocks,especially under the complex conditions of non-Darcian flow,multiphase flow,rock dissolution,and particle transport,have been revealed through a com-bined effort of visualized experiments and theoretical analysis.Then,laboratory and field methods of characterizing hydraulic properties(e.g.intrinsic permeability,inertial permeability,and unsaturated flow parameters)of fractured rocks in different flow regimes have been proposed.Subsequently,high-performance numerical simulation approaches for large-scale modeling of groundwater flow in frac-tured rocks and aquifers have been developed.Numerical procedures for optimization design of seepage control systems in various settings have also been proposed.Mechanisms of coupled hydro-mechanical processes and control of flow-induced deformation have been discussed.Finally,three case studies are presented to illustrate the applications of the improved theoretical understanding,characterization methods,modeling approaches,and seepage and deformation control strategies to geotechnical engi-neering projects.

Vulnerability of Water Resources and Its Spatial Heterogeneity in Haihe River Basin, China

To manage water resources effectively, a multiscale assessment of the vulnerability of water resources on the basis of political boundaries and watersheds is necessary. This study addressed issues on the vulnerability of water resources and provided a multiscale comparison of spatial heterogeneity under a climate change background. Using improved quantitative evaluation methods of vulnerabil- ity, the Theil index and the Shannon-Weaver index, we evaluated the vulnerability of water resources and its spatial heterogeneity in the Haihe River Basin in four scales, namely, second-class water resource regions （Class II WRRs）, third-class water resource regions （Class III WRRs）, Province-Class II WRRs, and Province-Class III WRRs. Results show that vulnerability enhances from the north to south in the different scales, and shows obvious spatial heterogeneity instead of moving toward convergence in multiscale assessment results. Among the Class II WRRs, the Tuhai-Majia River is the most vulnerable area, and the vulnerability of the Luanhe River is lower than that of the north of the Haihe River Basin, which in turn is lower than that of the south of the Haihe River Basin. In the scales of Class III WRRs and Province-Class III WRRs, the vulnerability shows obvious spatial heterogeneity and diversity measured by the Theil index and the Shannon-Weaver index. Multiscale vulnerability assessment results based on political boundaries and the watersheds of the Haihe River Basin innovatively provided in this paper are important and useful to characterize the real spatial pattern of the vulnerability of water resources and improve water resource management.

Impacts of climate change on agricultural water resources and adaptation on the North China Plain

Climate change is having a considerable impact on the availability of water resources for agricultural production on the North China Plain （NCP）, where the shortage of water is currently disturbing the stability and sustainability of agricultural production with respect to the drying tendency since the 1950s. However, although potential evapotranspiration （ET） has shown a decreasing trend under climate change, actual ET has slightly increased with an acceleration in hydrological cycling. Global climate model （GCM） ensemble projections predict that by the 2050s, the increased crop water demand and intensified ET resulting from global warming will reduce water resources surplus （Precipitation-ET） about 4%-24% and increase significantly the irrigation water demand in crop growth periods. This study assesses possible mitigation and adaptation measures for enabling agricultural sustainability. It is revealed that reducing the sowing area of winter wheat （3.0%-15.9%） in water-limited basins, together with improvement in crop water-use efficiency would effectively mitigate water shortages and intensify the resilience of agricultural systems to climate change.

Science & Technology for Sustainable Water in China A Perspective of the IAC Water Program and Studies in China

Water is a big issue in the world. As we enter the 21st century, a global water crisis threatens the security, stability and environmental sustainability of all nations, particularly those in the developing world. The Inter-Academy Council (IAC) proposed to undertake a study of the current and emerging challenges and opportunities for sustainable water resources management at its 2009 Board meeting.This paper gives a perspective of the IAC Water Program, and the case studies conducted by China Working Group of the IAC Water Program on three key issues, namely climate change & water adaptive management, agricultural water & ecology, and urban water & environment. The purpose is to show the role of science & technology for sustainable water in China. These studies are the 1st phase of the IAC Water Program in China. Perspectives of new challenges and opportunities on this Program for the water future in the world and China are also given in the paper.

Possibilities and challenges of expanding dimensions of waterway downstream of Three Gorges Dam

The waterway in the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River has long been known as the Golden Waterway and has served as an important link in the construction of the Yangtze River Economic Belt.Therefore,expanding its dimensions is a significant goal,particularly given the long-range cumulative erosion occurring downstream of the Three Gorges Dam (TGD),which has been concentrated in the dry river channel.With the regulation of the volume from upstream reservoirs and the TGD,the minimum discharge and water level of the river downstream are increasing,and creating favorable conditions for the increase of the depth of the waterway.The discharge compensation effect during the dry season offsets the decline in the water level of the river channel caused by the down-cutting of part of the riverbed,but the minimum navigable water level of the segment near the dam still shows a declining trend.In recent years,several waterway remediation projects have been implemented in the downstream reaches of the TGD and although the waterway depth and width have been increased,the channel dimensions are still insufficient in the Yichang-Anqing reach (with a total length of 1026 km),as compared to the upstream reservoir area and the deep water channel in the downstream tidal reaches.A comprehensive analysis of the water depth and the number and length of shoals in the waterway indicates that its dimensions can be increased to 4.5 m ×200 m and 6.0 m×200 m in the Yichang-Wuhan and Wuhan-Anqing reaches,respectively.This is also feasible given the remediation technologies currently available,but remediation projects need to be coordinated with those for flood prevention and ecological protection.

Coupled modeling of land hydrology-regional climate including human carbon emission and water exploitation

Carbon emissions and water use are two major kinds of human activities. To reveal whether these two activities can modify the hydrological cycle and climate system in China, we conducted two sets of numerical experiments using regional climate model RegCM4. In the first experiment used to study the climatic responses to human carbon emissions, the model were configured over entire China because the impacts of carbon emissions can be detected across the whole country. Results from the first experiment revealed that near-surface air temperature may significantly increase from 2007 to 2059 at a rate exceeding 0.1 ~C per decade in most areas across the country; southwestern and southeastern China also showed increasing trends in summer precipitation, with rates exceeding 10 mm per decade over the same period. In summer, only northern China showed an increasing trend of evapotranspiration, with increase rates ranging from 1 to 5 mm per decade; in winter, increase rates ranging from 1 to 5 mm per decade were observed in most regions. These effects are believed to be caused by global warming from human carbon emissions. In the second experiment used to study the effects of human water use, the model were configured over a limited region-- Haihe River Basin in the northern China, because compared with the human carbon emissions, the effects of human water use are much more local and regional, and the Haihe River Basin is the most typical region in China that suffers from both intensive human groundwater exploitation and surface water diversion. We incorporated a scheme of human water regulation into RegCM4 and conducted the second experiment. Model outputs showed that the groundwater table severely declined by -10 m in 1971-2000 through human groundwater over- exploitation in the basin; in fact, current conditions are so extreme that even reducing the pumping rate by half cannot eliminate the ground- water depletion cones observed in the area. Other hydrological and climatic elements, such as soil moisture, runoff generation, air humidity, precipitation, wind field, and soil and air temperature, were also significantly affected by anthropogenic water withdrawal and consumption, although these effects could be mitigated by reducing the amount of water drawn for extraction and application.

NUMERICAL STUDY ON THE STABILITY AND MIXING OFVERTICAL ROUND BUOYANT JET IN SHALLOW WATER

The k-epsilon model was applied to establish the mathematical model of vertical round buoyant jet discharging into confined depth, and it was solved using the Hybrid Finite Analytic Method (HFAM). The numerical predictions demonstrate two generic flow patterns for different jet discharge and environmental parameters: (ⅰ)a stable buoyant flow discharge with the mixed fluid leaving the near-field warm in a surface warm water layer; (ⅱ)an unstable buoyant flow discharge with recirculation and re-entrainment of warm water in the near field. Furthermore, the mixing characters of vertical round buoyant jet were numerically predicted. Both the stability criterion and numerical predictions of bulk dilutions are in excellent agreement with Lee and Jirka's experiments and theory.

Hydrological cycle and water resources in a changing world:A review

Water is the fundamental natural resource that supports life,ecosystems and human society.Thus studying the water cycle is important for sustainable development.In the context of global climate change,a better under-standing of the water cycle is needed.This study summarises current research and highlights future directions of water science from four perspectives:(i)the water cycle;(ii)hydrologic processes;(iii)coupled natural-social water systems;and(iv)integrated watershed management.Emphasis should be placed on understanding the joint impacts of climate change and human activities on hydrological processes and water resources across temporal and spatial scales.Understanding the interactions between land and atmosphere are keys to addressing this is-sue.Furthermore systematic approaches should be developed for large basin studies.Areas for focused research include:variations of cryosphere hydrological processes in upper alpine zones;and human activities on the wa-ter cycle and relevant biogeochemical processes in middle-lower reaches.Because the water cycle is naturally coupled with social characteristics across multiple scales,multi-process and multi-scale models are needed.Hy-drological studies should use this new paradigm as part of water-food-energy frontier research.This will help to promote interdisciplinary study across natural and social sciences in accordance with the United Nation’s sustainable development goals.

Deadbands and the Dynamic Response and Performance of Large Water Transfer Canal System

An operating simulation mode for multireach canal system in series under gate regulating is established. The discharge feedforward plus water lever feedback PID controller was adopted. And the performance indicators are introduced to evaluate the control effects of canal operation. Influence on dynamic response process and dynamic performance as well as the control actions of canal system are studied according to the variation of the gate deadband and water level deadband. The results showed that the larger the gate deadband, the worse, the control effect of canal system over water level, and so done the stable process of gate discharge, yet the stable process of gate opening was getting better, while the upstream gate regulation of each canal pool was less at the time when canal stabilizes; the closer to downstream end of canal, the lager steady-state error of this canal pool was, and the lager influence of gate deadband on the steady-state error as well as response time of this canal pool was; the canal system can not acquire superiority in both the control performance and control actions when only the water level deadband was established.

Impact of water and sediment discharges on subaqueous delta evolution in Yangtze Estuary from 1950 to 2010

In order to determine how the subaqueous delta evolution depends on the water and sediment processes in the Yangtze Estuary, the amounts of water and sediment discharged into the estuary were studied. The results show that, during the period from 1950 to 2010, there was no significant change in the annual water discharge, and the multi-annual mean water discharge increased in dry seasons and decreased in flood seasons. However, the annual sediment discharge and the multi-annual mean sediment discharge in flood and dry seasons took on a decreasing trend, and the intra-annual distribution of water and sediment discharges tended to be uniform. The evolution process from deposition to erosion occurred at the -10 m and -20 m isobaths of the subaqueous delta. The enhanced annual water and sediment discharges had a silting-up effect on the delta, and the effect of sediment was greater than that of water. Based on data analysis, empirical curves were built to present the relationships between the water and sediment discharges over a year or in dry and flood seasons and the erosion/deposition rates in typical regions of the suhaqueous delta, whose evolution followed the pattern of silting in flood seasons and scouring in dry seasons. Notably, the Three Gorges Dam has changed the distribution processes of water and sediment discharges, and the dam＇s regulating and reserving functions can benefit the subaqueous delta deposition when the annual water and sediment discharges are not affected.

Assessment of dam impacts on river flow regimes and water quality:a case study of the Huai River Basin in P.R.China

The Huai River Basin is a unique area in P.R.China with the highest densities of population and water projects.It is also subject to the most serious water pollution.We proposed a distributional SWAT(Soil and Water Assessment Tool) model coupled with a water quality-quantity balance model to evaluate dam impacts on river flow regimes and water quality in the middle and upper reaches of the Huai River Basin.We calibrated and validated the SWAT model with data from 29 selected cross-sections in four typical years(1971,1981,1991 and 1999) and used scenario analysis to compensate for the unavailability of historical data regarding uninterrupted river flows before dam and floodgate construction,a problem of prediction for ungauged basins.The results indicate that dam and floodgate operations tended to reduce runoff,decrease peak value and shift peaking time.The contribution of water projects to river water quality deterioration in the concerned river system was between 0 to 40%,while pollutant discharge contributed to 60% to 100% of the water pollution.Pollution control should therefore be the key to the water quality rehabilitation in the Huai River Basin.

Numerical investigation of geostress influence on the grouting reinforcement effectiveness of tunnel surrounding rock mass in fault fracture zones

Grouting is a widely used approach to reinforce broken surrounding rock mass during the construction of underground tunnels in fault fracture zones,and its reinforcement effectiveness is highly affected by geostress.In this study,a numerical manifold method(NMM)based simulator has been developed to examine the impact of geostress conditions on grouting reinforcement during tunnel excavation.To develop this simulator,a detection technique for identifying slurry migration channels and an improved fluid-solid coupling(FeS)framework,which considers the influence of fracture properties and geostress states,is developed and incorporated into a zero-thickness cohesive element(ZE)based NMM(Co-NMM)for simulating tunnel excavation.Additionally,to simulate coagulation of injected slurry,a bonding repair algorithm is further proposed based on the ZE model.To verify the accuracy of the proposed simulator,a series of simulations about slurry migration in single fractures and fracture networks are numerically reproduced,and the results align well with analytical and laboratory test results.Furthermore,these numerical results show that neglecting the influence of geostress condition can lead to a serious over-estimation of slurry migration range and reinforcement effectiveness.After validations,a series of simulations about tunnel grouting reinforcement and tunnel excavation in fault fracture zones with varying fracture densities under different geostress conditions are conducted.Based on these simula-tions,the influence of geostress conditions and the optimization of grouting schemes are discussed.

A machine learning-based strategy for predicting the mechanical strength of coral reef limestone using X-ray computed tomography

Different sedimentary zones in coral reefs lead to significant anisotropy in the pore structure of coral reef limestone(CRL),making it difficult to study mechanical behaviors.With X-ray computed tomography(CT),112 CRL samples were utilized for training the support vector machine(SVM)-,random forest(RF)-,and back propagation neural network(BPNN)-based models,respectively.Simultaneously,the machine learning model was embedded into genetic algorithm(GA)for parameter optimization to effectively predict uniaxial compressive strength(UCS)of CRL.Results indicate that the BPNN model with five hidden layers presents the best training effect in the data set of CRL.The SVM-based model shows a tendency to overfitting in the training set and poor generalization ability in the testing set.The RF-based model is suitable for training CRL samples with large data.Analysis of Pearson correlation coefficient matrix and the percentage increment method of performance metrics shows that the dry density,pore structure,and porosity of CRL are strongly correlated to UCS.However,the P-wave velocity is almost uncorrelated to the UCS,which is significantly distinct from the law for homogenous geomaterials.In addition,the pore tensor proposed in this paper can effectively reflect the pore structure of coral framework limestone(CFL)and coral boulder limestone(CBL),realizing the quantitative characterization of the heterogeneity and anisotropy of pore.The pore tensor provides a feasible idea to establish the relationship between pore structure and mechanical behavior of CRL.

Geometrical Design and Hydraulic Feasibility of Inner-Reinforced Girders in Hydropower Bifurcations

Inner-reinforced girders, also known as ribs, are widely used in hydropower bifurcations. However, while they strengthen structures, they also cause energy loss. This work aims to develop an appropriate geometry form for ribs that can diminish head loss in hydropower bifurcations. The term rib/breadth ratio (RBR) is defined to describe the geometrical form of ribs. An investigation is conducted to study the flow and performance characteristics of bifurcations with ribs using computational fluid dynamics. The dependence of the head loss coefficient on the RBR is given in six working conditions. Results show that the ribs change the local flow patterns and slightly increase the water head loss in some cases. In other cases, however, the ribs make the flow smooth. An appropriate RBR is the key to improve the flow patterns in hydropower bifurcations. The head loss varies with the RBR and reaches the minimum when the RBR is 0.3. © 2017, Tianjin University and Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany.

Relationship between adjustment of low water level and utilization of water depth in Shashi Reach in middle Yangtze River

Hydrological,sediment,and bathymetric data of the Shashi Reach in the middle Yangtze River for the period of 1975-2018 were collected,and the characteristics of low water level changes and their impacts on utilization of water depth for navigation were investigated.The results showed that,during the study period,the Shashi Reach riverbed was significantly scoured and incised,with cross-sectional profiles showing overall narrowing and deepening.This indicated a strong potential to improve the water depth of the channel.The analysis of the temporal variation of in-channel topographical features showed that the Taipingkou diara underwent siltation and erosion,with its head gradually scoured and relocated downstream after 2008,and the Sanbatan diara continued to shrink and migrate leftwards.Low water levels with the same flow rate over the study period decreased.For instance,from 2003 to 2020,the water level at the Shashi hydrological station decreased to 1.37 m with a flow rate of 6000 m^(3)/s.Furthermore,the designed minimum navigable water level of the Shashi Reach was approximately 2.11m lower than the recommended level.In terms of utilization of the channel water depth,continuous scouring of the river channel is expected to result in a reduction in discharge at the Taipingkou mouth,which will improve the water depth conditions of the channel during the dry season in the Shashi Reach.With several channel regulation projects,the 3.5-m depth of the Shashi Reach would basically be unobstructed.This promotes utilization of the shipping route from the Taipingkou south branch to the Sanbatan north branch as the main navigation channel during the dry season.Considering the factors of current water depth and the clear width limitation of the navigation hole at the Jingzhou Yangtze River Bridge,this route can still be favored as the main navigation channel with a 4.5-m depth during the dry season.

Application of phase space reconstruction and v-SVR algorithm in predicting displacement of underground engineering surrounding rock

A new method for predicting the trend of displacement evolution of surroundingrock was presented in this paper.According to the nonlinear characteristics of displace-ment time series of underground engineering surrounding rock,based on phase spacereconstruction theory and the powerful nonlinear mapping ability of support vector ma-chines,the information offered by the time series datum sets was fully exploited and thenon-linearity of the displacement evolution system of surrounding rock was well described.The example suggests that the methods based on phase space reconstruction and modi-fied v-SVR algorithm are very accurate,and the study can help to build the displacementforecast system to analyze the stability of underground engineering surrounding rock.

Probabilistic stability analyses of undrained slopes by 3D random fields and finite element methods

A long slope consisting of spatially random soils is a common geographical feature. This paper examined the necessity of three-dimensional(3 D) analysis when dealing with slope with full randomness in soil properties. Although 3 D random finite element analysis can well reflect the spatial variability of soil properties, it is often time-consuming for probabilistic stability analysis. For this reason, we also examined the least advantageous(or most pessimistic) cross-section of the studied slope. The concept of"most pessimistic" refers to the minimal cross-sectional average of undrained shear strength. The selection of the most pessimistic section is achievable by simulating the undrained shear strength as a 3 D random field. Random finite element analysis results suggest that two-dimensional(2 D) plane strain analysis based the most pessimistic cross-section generally provides a more conservative result than the corresponding full 3 D analysis. The level of conservativeness is around 15% on average. This result may have engineering implications for slope design where computationally tractable 2 D analyses based on the procedure proposed in this study could ensure conservative results.