Dynamic simulation insights into friction weakening effect on rapid long-runout landslides:A case study of the Yigong landslide in the Tibetan Plateau,China

This study proposed a novel friction law dependent on velocity,displacement and normal stress for kinematic analysis of runout process of rapid landslides.The well-known Yigong landslide occurring in the Tibetan Plateau of China was employed as the case,and the derived dynamic friction formula was included into the numerical simulation based on Particle Flow Code.Results showed that the friction decreased quickly from 0.64(the peak)to 0.1(the stead value)during the 5s-period after the sliding initiation,which explained the behavior of rapid movement of the landslide.The monitored balls set at different sections of the mass showed similar variation characteritics regarding the velocity,namely evident increase at the initial phase of the movement,followed by a fluctuation phase and then a stopping one.The peak velocity was more than 100 m/s and most particles had low velocities at 300s after the landslide initiation.The spreading distance of the landslide was calculated at the two-dimension(profile)and three-dimension scale,respectively.Compared with the simulation result without considering friction weakening effect,our results indicated a max distance of about 10 km from the initial unstable position,which fit better with the actual situation.

Dynamic Performance of Straddle Monorail Curved Girder Bridge

In this work,a monorail vehicle-bridge coupling(VBC)model capable of accurately considering curve alignment and superelevation is established based on curvilinear moving coordinate system,to study the VBC vibration of straddlemonorail curved girder bridge and the relevant factors influencing VBC.While taking Chongqing Jiao Xin line as an example,the VBC program is compiled using Fortran,where the reliability of algorithm and program is verified by the results of Chongqing monorail test.Moreover,the effects of curve radius,vehicle speed,and track irregularity on the corresponding vehicle and bridge vibrations are compared and analyzed.It is observed that the test results of lateral vibration acceleration(LVA)and vertical vibration acceleration(VVA)of track beam,and LVA of vehicle,are consistent with the simulation results.Owing to the track irregularity,vibration of track beam and vehicle increases significantly.Besides,an increase in vehicle speed gradually increases the vibration of track beam and vehicle.For the curve radius(R)≤200 m,lateral and vertical vibrations of the track beam and vehicle decrease significantly with an increasing curve radius.Alternatively,when 200 m<R<600 m,the lateral vibration of the track beamand vehicle decreases slowly with an increasing curve radius,while the relevant vertical vibration remains stable.Similarly,when R≥600 m,the lateral and vertical vibrations of the track beam and vehicle tend to be stable.Accordingly,the results presented here can provide a strong reference for the design,construction,and safety assessment of existing bridges.

Rare-earth Cerium Additives for Sinterability of Anorthite-Diopside Ceramics

Anorthite -diopside ceramics were prepared by sintering iron ore railings, calcium carbonate, and silicon dioxide. Rare-earth cerium nitrate was evaluated as a sintering additive for the ceramics, whose mass percentage was 3% , 5%, 7% , 9% , and 11% , respectively. The sinterability of anorthite - diopside ceramics during heat treatment was confirmed hy X-ray diffiaction, transmission^scanning electron micrascopy, thermogravi- metric analysis- differential thermal analysis, and hotstage microscopy, respectively. The obtained results show that the density of ceramics gradnally increases, while the sintering temperature and sintering activation energy of anorthite -diopside ceramics are notably decreased with the increasing cerium content. Rare-earth cerium not only is beneficial to the complete reaction of raw materials, but a/so can accelerate the mass transfer process through forming eutectic phase with aluminum.

Systematical analysis of sludge treatment and disposal technologies for carbon footprint reduction

This study aims to comprehensively analyze the Greenhouse Gases(GHGs)emissions from current sewage sludge treatment and disposal technologies(buildingmaterial,landfill,land spreading,anaerobic digestion,and thermochemical processes)based on the database of Science Citation Index(SCI)and Social Science Citation Index(SSCI)from 1998 to 2020.The general patterns,spatial distribution,and hotspotswere provided by bibliometric analysis.A comparative quantitative analysis based on life cycle assessment(LCA)put forward the current emission situation and the key influencing factors of different technologies.The effective GHG emissions reduction methods were proposed to mitigate climate change.Results showed that incineration or building materials manufacturing of highly dewatered sludge,and land spreading after anaerobic digestion have the best GHG emissions reduction benefits.Biological treatment technologies and thermochemical processes have great potential for reducing GHGs.Enhancement of pretreatment effect,co-digestion,and newtechnologies(e.g.,injection of carbon dioxide,directional acidification)are major approaches to facilitate substitution emissions in sludge anaerobic digestion.The relationship between the quality and efficiency of secondary energy in thermochemical process and GHGs emission still needs further study.Solid sludge products generated by bio-stabilization or thermochemical processes are considered to have a certain carbon sequestration value and can improve the soil environment to control GHG emissions.The findings are useful for future development and processes selection of sludge treatment and disposal facing carbon footprint reduction.

Ozonation of aromatic monomer compounds in water: factors determining reaction outcomes

For aromatic monomer compounds (AMCs), ozonation outcomes were usually predicted by the substituents of the benzene ring based on the electron inductive effect. However, the predicted results were occasionally unreliable for complex substituents, and other factors caused concern. In this study, p-chloronitrobenzene (p-CNB) and ibuprofen (IBP) were selected for ozonation. According to the electron inductive theory, p-CNB should be less oxidizable, but the opposite was true. The higher rates of p-CNB were due to various sources of assistance. First, the hydroxyl radical (•OH) contributed 90 % to p-CNB removal at pH 7.0, while its contribution to IBP removal was 50 %. Other contributions came from molecular O3 oxidation. Second, p-CNB achieved 40 % of the total organic carbon (TOC) removal and fewer by-product types and quantities, when compared to the results for IBP. Third, the oxidation of p-CNB started with hydroxyl substitution reactions on the benzene ring;then, the ring opened. However, IBP was initially oxidized mainly on the butane branched chain, with a chain-shortening process occurring before the ring opened. Finally, the degradation pathway of p-CNB was single and consumed fewer oxidants. However, both branches of IBP were attacked simultaneously, and three degradation pathways that relied on more oxidants were proposed. All of these factors were determinants of the rapid removal of p-CNB.

A 3D sliced-soil-beam model for settlement prediction of tunnelling using the pipe roofing method in soft ground

The pipe roofing method is widely used in tunnel construction because it can realize a flexible section shape and a large section area of the tunnel,especially under good ground conditions.However,the pipe roofing method has rarely been applied in soft ground,where the prediction and control of the ground settlement play important roles.This study proposes a sliced-soil-beam(SSB)model to predict the settlement of ground due to tunnelling using the pipe roofing method in soft ground.The model comprises a sliced-soil module based on the virtual work principle and a beam module based on structural mechanics.As part of this work,the Peck formula was modified for a square-section tunnel and adopted to construct a deformation mechanism of soft ground.The pipe roofing system was simplified to a threedimensional Winkler beam to consider the interaction between the soil and pipe roofing.The model was verified in a case study conducted in Shanghai,China,in which it provided the efficient and accurate prediction of settlement.Finally,the parameters affecting the ground settlement were analyzed.It was clarified that the stiffness of the excavated soil and the steel support are the key factors in reducing ground settlement.

A simplified method for investigating the bending behavior of piles supporting embankments on soft ground

In recent years,concrete and reinforced concrete piles have been widely used to stabilize soft ground under embankments.Previous research has shown that bending failure,particularly during rapid filling on soft ground,is the critical failure mode for pile-supported embankments.Here,we propose an efficient two-stage method that combines a test-verified soil deformation mechanism and Poulos’solution for pile–soil interaction to investigate the bending behavior of piles supporting embankments on soft ground.The results reveal that there are three possible bending failure scenarios for such piles:at the interface between the soft and firm ground layers,at mid-depths of the fan zone,and at the boundary of the soil deformation mechanism.The location of the bending failure depends on the position and relative stiffness of the given pile.Furthermore,the effect of embedding a pile into a firm ground layer on the bending behavior was investigated.When the embedded length of a pile exceeded a critical value,the bending moment at the interface between the soft and firm ground layers reached a limiting value.In addition,floating piles that are not embedded exhibit an overturning pattern of movement in the soft ground layer,and a potential failure is located in the upper part of these piles.

Case study on the seismic response of a subway station combined with a flyover

With the rapid development of urban traffic networks,subway stations will inevitably be constructed close to other structures in the future.The subject of this study is a new subway station in China,combined with a flyover standing on the roof,owing to its unique structural design.Based on the time history-analysis method,the dynamic responses of the subway station,piers,and piles under seismic conditions were examined.The results show that the internal force and deformation of the underground structure vary under seismic excitation in different directions and are more dangerous in the under transverse excitation than under longitudinal excitation.Moreover,the dynamic response of the underground structure is severe under the action of low-frequency-rich Wenchuan waves,and the resonance effect is distinct.The load of the bridge was found to inhibit the deformation of the underground structure to a certain extent.Furthermore,the mid-pillar and slab-mid-pillar connections are the weakest parts,and special attention should be paid to their seismic design.Meanwhile,the piers and piles can maintain good working condition under the action of an earthquake with the peak acceleration of 0.1g.