Distribution patterns of rock mass displacement in deeply buried areas induced by active fault creep slip at engineering scale

Active fault creep slip induces deformation of rock mass buried deeply in fault zones that significantly affect the operational safety of long linear projects passing through it.Displacement distribution patterns of rock masses in active fault zones which have been investigated previously are the key design basis for such projects.Therefore,a discrete element numerical model with different fault types,slip time,dip angles,and complex geological features was established,and then the creep slip for normal,reverse,and strike-slip faults were simulated to analyze the displacement distribution in the fault rock mass.A disk rotation test system and the corresponding laboratory test method were developed for simulating rock mass displacement induced by creep slippage of faults.A series of rotation tests for softand hard-layered specimens under combined compression and torsional stress were conducted to verify the numerical results and analyze the factors influencing the displacement distribution.An S-shaped displacement distribution independent of fault dip angle was identified corresponding to reverse,normal,and strike-slip faults.The results indicated that the higher the degree of horizontal extrusion,the softer the rock mass at the fault core,and the higher the degree of displacement concentration in the fault core;about 70%of the creep slip displacement occurs within this zone under 100 years of creep slippage.

Resilience of Wengding,the Phoenix Wa traditional village

The village of Wengding,ancestral home of the Wa ethnic group,considered as China’s last primitive tribe,suf-fered near-complete extinction due to a fire incident in 2021.Historical records indicate that stilt-style buildings,also in Wengding,are highly susceptible to fire.Nevertheless,this has not hindered the long-term existence of these distinctive architectural forms.This study analyses the reasons for the sustained existence of the traditional building forms in Wengding,from the perspective of resilience.The findings indicate that the requirements of the traditional nomadic civilization for rapid construction of dwellings,the communal consciousness toward dis-aster resistance,and the implementation of spatially oriented fire protection measures collectively account for the swift recovery and reconstruction observed in Wengding village after the disaster.These aspects are tangible manifestations of the capacity of the village for resilience.Overall,resilience is essential for the sustainability of such traditional villages in the long term.

Improving the Unconfined Compressive Strength of Red Clay by Combining Biopolymers with Fibers

To explore an environmentally friendly improvement measure for red clay,the function and mechanism of xanthan gum biopolymer and polypropylene fibers on the strength properties of red clay were investigated by unconfined compressive strength and scanning electron microscopy tests.The test results demonstrated that the contents and curing ages of xanthan gum had significant influences on the unconfined compressive strength of red clay.Compared with untreated soil,1.5%xanthan gum content was the optimal ratio in which the strength increment was between 41.52 kPa and 64.73 kPa.On the other hand,the strength of xanthan gum-treated red clay increased,whereas the ductility decreased with the increase in curing ages,indicating that the xanthan gum-treated red clay started to gradually consolidate after 3 days of curing and stiffness significantly improved between 7 and 28 days of curing.The results also showed that the synergistic consolidation effects of the xanthan gum–polypropylene fibers could not only effectively enhance the strength of red clay but also reduce the brittle failure phenomenon.The strengths of soil treated with 2.0%xanthan gum-polypropylene fibers were 1.9–2.41 and 1.12–1.47 times than that of red clay and 1.5%xanthan gum-treated clay,respectively.The results of study provide the related methods and experiences for the field of ecological soil treatment.

Elevational diversity gradients across seed plant taxonomic levels in the Lancang River Nature Reserve： role of temperature, water and the mid-domain effect

It remains unclear whether the elevational diversity gradients observed in seed plants across different taxonomic levels （family, genus, and species） are driven by the same macro-environmental variables. In this study, seed plant elevational distribution data from the Lancang River Nature Reserve （Yunnan, China） were used to investigate spatial patterns in diversity and their environ- mental correlates, comparing across taxonomic levels. Environmental variables included energy availability, climate seasonality and environmental heterogeneity. All taxonomic levels （family, genus, and species） were found to have strong elevational richness gradients, with the strength of the gradient weakening at higher taxonomic levels. Spatial patterns in richness were explained by a combination of contemporary environmental variables and the mid-domain effect at all taxonomic levels. The independent effects of temperature- and precipitation-related variables were similar in explaining geographical patterns of family, genus and species richness. Energy, seasonality and heterogeneity variables influenced seed plant spatial richness at different taxonomic levels in similar ways.

A DEM fusion method for ascending and descending orbit StereoSAR DEMs in complicated mountain areas considering SAR echo intensity

To extract the high-quality DEM in complicated mountain areas,a DEM fusion method for ascending and descending orbit StereoSAR DEMs considering Synthetic Aperture Radar(SAR)echo intensity is proposed.After the analysis for the influence of terrain features and SAR side-looking imaging characteristics on radar echo intensity and DEM accuracy,four Terras AR-X images with the stripmap mode and the 3 m spatial resolution covering a certain area of Maoxian County,Sichuan Province,China,was selected as the experimental area.StereoSAR technology was used to extract the ascending orbit StereoSAR DEM and the descending orbit StereoSAR DEM,respectively,and the corresponding radar echo intensity map was calculated.Then,while comparing the radar echo intensity corresponding to the same point position,DEM fusion was carried out,and the accuracy of DEM before and after the fusion was analyzed with the ground points measured by GNSS-RTK as reference data.Finally,a high-quality DEM with a 3 m spatial resolution in the experimental area was obtained.The DEM accuracy was improved on all slopes,and the mean absolute deviation(MAD)improved to 4.798 m,the standard deviation(SD)improved to 6.087 m and the LE90 improved to 40.48 m.The experimental results indicate that the fusion method of highresolution ascending and descending orbit StereoSAR DEMs considering SAR echo intensity can effectively extract DEM with high accuracy and reliability,which can provide technical support for obtaining highquality terrain information in similar areas.

What is the destiny of a threatened fish, Ptychobarbus chungtienensis, now that non-native weatherfishes have been introduced into Bita Lake, Shangri-La？

Biological invasion is a pervasive negative force of global change, especially in its effects on sensitive freshwater ecosystems. Even protected areas are usually not immune. Ptychobarbus chungtienensis is a threatened freshwater fish now almost confined to Bita Lake, in the Shangri-La region of Yunnan province, China. Its existence is threatened by the introduction of non-native weatherfishes （Misgumus anguillicaudatus and Paramisgurnus dabryanus） by an unusual method known as ＇prayer animal release＇ Periodic surveys revealed the ratio of invasive weatherfishes to P. chungtienensis has been increasing since the former species was first recorded from the lake in August, 2009. Ptychobarbus chungtienensis shows low genetic diversity in the relict Lake Bita population. Weatherfishes, however, have highly successful survival strategies. The degree of dietary overlap between the species is alarming and perhaps critical if food is found to be a limiting factor.

Transfer relation between subgrade frost heave and slab track deformation and vehicle dynamic response in seasonally frozen ground

Subgrade frost heave in seasonally frozen ground can greatly influence the safety and smooth running of high-speed trains and the service performance of track structures.In this study,we used a static model to:(1)investigate track-subgrade frost heave and develop a dynamic model of vehicle-track-subgrade frost heave;(2)explore the transfer relation between subgrade frost heave and track structure deformation;(3)examine the characteristics of interlayer debonding;(4)study the influence of subgrade frost heave on the dynamic response of vehicles in high-speed railways in seasonally frozen regions.A Fourier series was used to fit the frost heave waveform and simulate the behavior of subgrade uneven frost heave using data collected on-site.The results show:(i)The position of frost heave significantly affects the transfer of deformation to a slab track.The largest deformation of the track slab,with the amplitude transfer ratio reaching 20%,was recorded when the frost heave occurred near the joint of the base plate.(ii)At the same frost heave amplitude,long-wave frost heave causes smaller deformation and debonding of the track structure than short-wave frost heave.In the wavelength range of 10-30 m,the main frequency of the acceleration spectral density was concentrated between 3.5 and 3.7 Hz,with larger frost heave wavelengths producing smaller superposition on the vertical acceleration of the vehicle.(ii)The maximum wheel-rail force occurs when the front bogie passes the frost heave peak,with greater frost heave amplitudes producing greater wheel-rail force.From these results,we conclude there is a clear need to control the frost heave deformation of the track to reduce the dynamic response of the vehicle and in turn improve train operatSubgrade frost heave in seasonally frozen ground can greatly influence the safety and smooth running of high-speed trains and the service performance of track structures.In this study,we used a static model to:(1)investigate track`-subgrade frost heave and develop a dynamic model of vehicle`-track`-subgrade frost heave;(2)explore the transfer relation between subgrade frost heave and track structure deformation;(3)examine the characteristics of interlayer debonding;(4)study the influence of subgrade frost heave on the dynamic response of vehicles in high-speed railways in seasonally frozen regions.A Fourier series was used to fit the frost heave waveform and simulate the behavior of subgrade uneven frost heave using data collected on-site.The results show:(i)The position of frost heave significantly affects the transfer of deformation to a slab track.The largest deformation of the track slab,with the amplitude transfer ratio reaching 20%,was recorded when the frost heave occurred near the joint of the base plate.(ii)At the same frost heave amplitude,long-wave frost heave causes smaller deformation and debonding of the track structure than short-wave frost heave.In the wavelength range of 10-30 m,the main frequency of the acceleration spectral density was concentrated between 3.5 and 3.7 Hz,with larger frost heave wavelengths producing smaller superposition on the vertical acceleration of the vehicle.(iii)The maximum wheel`-rail force occurs when the front bogie passes the frost heave peak,with greater frost heave amplitudes producing greater wheel`-rail force.From these results,we conclude there is a clear need to control the frost heave deformation of the track to reduce the dynamic response of the vehicle and in turn improve train operations.ions.

Drainage of paddy terraces impacts structures and soil properties in the globally important agricultural heritage of Hani Paddy Terraces,China

Marginalization and abandonment of paddy terraces are widespread,but their effects on the sustainability of subsequent agricultural production are still unknown.Hani Paddy Terraces,included in Globally Important Agriculture Heritage Systems,are threatened by paddy fields drainage.Here,changes in terrace structure,the productivity of topsoil(0-20 cm),and soil water holding capacity at 0-70 cm depth were determined in a case study of Hani Paddy Terraces in Amengkong River Basin in Yuanyang County in Southwestern China,which had been converted into dryland terraces for 2-14 years.Our results showed that:(1)The degree of terrace structures degradation exhibited a U-shaped curve with increasing time since draining,with those drained for 5-9 years having the best structure;(2)Soil productivity index decreased first and then increased with time after conversion;(3)Maximum water holding capacity at 0-70 cm soil depth dramatically decreased after conversion and such trend became increasingly obvious with increasing time since conversion.Our study revealed that drainage of paddy terraces along with associated changes in crop and field management led to an increase in soil productivity,but degradation of terrace structures and a decrease in water holding capacity will inhibit restoration to paddy terraces.These findings enhance the understanding of the biophysical changes due to marginalization in paddy terraces.

Optimizing biochar addition for vermicomposting:a comprehensive evaluation of earthworms’activity,N_(2)O emissions and compost quality

Biochar addition has been widely used in the field to mitigate soil nitrous oxide(N_(2)O)emissions,and can be considered as a potential method to reduce N_(2)O emissions during vermicomposting.However,excessive biochar addition may inhibit earthworms’activity.Thus,it is crucial to clarify the optimum addition volumes of biochar during vermicomposting.This study evaluated the impact of addition of various amounts of biochar(0,5,10,15,20 and 25%of total amount of feedstock)on earthworms’(Eisenia fetida)activity,N_(2)O emission and compost quality during vermicomposting.Compared with the treatment without biochar added,5%of biochar application significantly increased earthworm total biomass(from 177.5 to 202.2 g pot^(−1)),and cumulative burrowing activity(from 47.0%to 52.2%pixel per terrarium).The increased earthworms activity stimulated the vermicomposting process and led to the best quality of compost,which showed the highest total nutrient content(5.38%)and a significantly higher germination percentage of seeds(88%).Although N_(2)O emissions were slightly increased by 5%biochar addition,a nonsignificant difference was found between the treatment with 5%biochar and the treatment without biochar added.On the contrary,20%and 25%biochar addition not only lowered N_(2)O emissions,but also significantly decreased the quality of compost.The results suggest that 5%biochar application is an appropriate amount to improve the quality of compost without significant N_(2)O emissions.