Evaluation of code criteria for bridges with unequal pier heights     

Majid Tamanani  Yen Gian  Ashraf Ayoub 《Bulletin of Earthquake Engineering》2016,14(11):3151-3174

One of the challenges associated with Eurocode 8 and AASHTO-LRFD is predicting the failure of irregular bridges supported by piers of unequal heights. EC8 currently uses “moment demand-to-moment capacity” ratios to somewhat guarantee simultaneous failure of piers on bridges, while AASHTO-LRFD relies on the relative effective stiffness of the piers. These conditions are not entirely valid, in particular for piers with a relative height of 0.5 or less, where a possible combination of flexure and shear failure mode may occur. In this case, the shorter piers often result in brittle shear failure, while the longer piers are most likely to fail due to flexure, creating a combination of different failure modes experienced by the bridge. To evaluate the adequacy of EC8 design procedures for regular seismic behavior, various irregular bridges are simulated through a non-linear pushover analysis using shear-critical fiber-based beam-column elements. The paper investigates the behavior of irregular monolithic and bearing-type bridges experiencing different failure modes, and proposes different methods for regularizing the bridge performance to balance damage. The ultimate aim is to obtain a simultaneous or near-simultaneous failure of all piers irrespective of the different heights and failure mode experienced.  相似文献   

Hydrochemical and isotopic investigation of groundwater of Al-Batin alluvial fan aquifer,Southern Iraq     

Majid Alkinani  Broder Merkel 《Environmental Earth Sciences》2017,76(7):301

Major ions and important trace elements in addition to δ¹⁸O and δ²H were analysed for 43 groundwater samples sampled from the Al-Batin alluvial fan aquifer, South Iraq. The most dominant ions (with respect to molarity) were: Na⁺ > Cl^? > SO₄ ^2? > Ca²⁺ > Mg²⁺ > NO₃ ^? > HCO₃ ^?, with total dissolved solids (TDS) averaging 7855 mg/L. High concentrations were found for the trace elements U, Mo, V, B, Sr, and Cr. This study suggests a hydraulic connection exists near the fan apex between the uppermost part of the Al-Batin aquifer and the underlying Dammam aquifer by means of the Abu-Jir fault system. Except for the effects of extensive irrigation, fertilizer use, and poorly maintained sewers, the groundwater chemistry is mainly controlled by geological processes such as dissolution of evaporites and the enrichment of dissolved ions as a result of the high evaporation and low recharge rate. Furthermore, it is shown that the Kuwaiti fuel–oil burning during Gulf War in 1991 contributed to the enrichment of V and Mo in the studied aquifer. The spatial distribution of most ions appears to generally increase from the south-west towards the north-east, in the direction of groundwater flow. The stable isotopes show heavier values in groundwater with a gradually increasing trend in the direction of groundwater flow due to the decreasing depth to groundwater and thus increasing of evaporation from both groundwater or irrigation return water. Additionally, the stable isotope signature suggests that rainfall from sources in the Arabian Gulf and the Arabian Sea is the major source of recharge for the Al-Batin aquifer. Except for two samples of groundwater, all samples were not suitable for potable use according to the WHO standards. Most of the groundwater is suitable for some agricultural purpose and for livestock water supply. Apart from the high salinity, boron represents the most critical element in the groundwater with respect to agricultural purposes.  相似文献   

Evaluation of dynamic regression and artificial neural networks models for real-time hydrological drought forecasting     

Majid Dehghani  Bahram Saghafian  Firoozeh Rivaz  Ahmad Khodadadi 《Arabian Journal of Geosciences》2017,10(12):266

In this study, application of a class of stochastic dynamic models and a class of artificial intelligence model is reported for the forecasting of real-time hydrological droughts in the Black River basin in the USA. For this purpose, the Standardized Hydrological Drought Index (SHDI) was adopted in different time scales to represent the hydrological drought index. Six probability distribution functions (PDF) were fitted to the discharge time series to obtain the best fit for SHDI calculation. Then, a dynamic linear spatio-temporal model (DLSTM) and artificial neural network (ANN) were used to forecast SHDI. Although results indicated that both models were able to forecast SHDI in different time scales, the DLSTM was far superior in longer lead times. The DLSTM could forecast SHDI up to 6 months ahead while ANN was only capable of forecasting SHDI up to 2 months ahead appropriately. For short lead times (1–6 months), the DLSTM has performed nearly perfect in test phase and CE oscillates between 0.97 and 0.86 while for ANN modeling, CE is between 0.72 and 0.07. However, the performance of DLSTM and ANN reduced considerably in medium lead times (7–12 months). Overall, the DLSTM is a powerful tool for appropriately forecasting SHDI at short time scales; a major advantage required for drought early warning systems.  相似文献   

Spatial variability of rainfall trends in Iran     

Majid Javari 《Arabian Journal of Geosciences》2017,10(4):78

The main objective of this paper is to analyze the spatial variability of rainfall trends using the spatial variability methods of rainfall trend patterns in Iran. The study represents a method on the effectiveness of spatial variability for predicting rainfall trend patterns variations. In rainfall trend analysis and spatial variability methods, seven techniques were used: Mann–Kendall test, Sen’s slope method, geostatistical tools as a global polynomial interpolation and the spatial autocorrelation (Global Moran’s I), high/low clustering (Getis-Ord General G), precipitation concentration index, generate spatial weights matrix tool, and activation functions of semiliner, sigmoid, bipolar sigmoid, and hyperbolic tangent in the artificial neural network technique .For the spatial variability of monthly rainfall trends, trend tests were used in 140 stations of spatial variability of rainfall trends in the 1975–2014 period. We analyzed the long and short scale spatial variability of rainfall series in Iran. Spatial variability distribution of rainfall series was depicted using geostatistical methods (ordinary kriging). Relative nugget effect (RNE) predicted from variograms which showed weak, moderate, and strong spatial variability for seasonal and annual rainfall series. Moreover, the rainfall trends at each station were examined using the trend tests at a significance level of 0.05. The results show that temporal and spatial trend patterns are different in Iran and the monthly rainfall had a downward (decreasing) trend in most stations, and the trend was statistically significant for most of the series (73.5% of the stations demonstrated a decreasing trend with 0.5 significance level). Rainfall downward trends are generally temporal-spatial patterns in Iran. The monthly variations of rainfall decreased significantly throughout eastern and central Iran, but they increased in the west and north of Iran during the studied interval. The variability patterns of monthly rainfall were statistically significant and spatially random. Activation functions in the artificial neural network models, in annual time scale, had spatially dispersed distribution with other clustering patterns. The results of this study confirm that variability of rainfall revealing diverse patterns over Iran should be controlled mainly by trend patterns in the west and north parts and by random and dispersed patterns in the central, southern, and eastern parts.  相似文献   

On integration of a cyclic soil plasticity model     

Majid T. Manzari  Rung Prachathananukit 《国际地质力学数值与分析法杂志》2001,25(6):525-549

Performance of three classes of explicit and implicit time‐stepping integrators is assessed for a cyclic plasticity constitutive model for sands. The model is representative of an important class of cyclic plasticity models for soils and includes both isotropic and nonlinear kinematic hardening. The implicit algorithm is based on the closest point projection method and the explicit algorithm follows a cutting‐plane integration procedure. A sub‐stepping technique was also implemented. The performance of these algorithms is assessed through a series of numerical simulations ranging from simulations of laboratory tests (such as triaxial and bi‐axial compression, direct shear, and cyclic triaxial tests) to the analysis of a typical boundary value problem of geotechnical earthquake engineering. These simulations show that the closest point projection algorithm remains stable and accurate for relatively large strain increments and for cases where the mean effective stress in a soil element reaches very small values leading to a liquefaction state. It is also shown that while the cutting plane (CP) and sub‐stepping (SS) algorithms provide high efficiency and good accuracy for small to medium size strain increments, their accuracy and efficiency deteriorate faster than the closest point projection method for large strain increments. The CP and SS algorithms also face convergence difficulties in the liquefaction analysis when the soil approaches very small mean effective stresses. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.  相似文献   

Experimental Study on Engineering Properties and Microstructure of Expansive Soils Treated by Lime Containing Silica Nanoparticles Under Various Temperatures     

Pachideh  Ghasem  Gholhaki  Majid  Rezaifar  Omid 《Geotechnical and Geological Engineering》2021,39(6):4157-4168

Geotechnical and Geological Engineering - In this study, improvement rate of engineering properties of expansive soils caused by the effect of varying curing temperature together with the addition...  相似文献   

Assessment of the potential of semi-arid plants to reduce soil erosion in the Konartakhteh watershed,Iran     

Akbar Farhadi  Hassan Ahmadi  Majid Soufi  Baharak Motamedvaziri  Abolfazl Moeini 《Arabian Journal of Geosciences》2018,11(17):518

Soil erosion is a major environmental problem in arid and semi-arid areas. Although bioengineering is important in preventing soil erosion, plant architecture and mechanical properties in these areas are rarely studied. In this study, in order to evaluate the potential of native plants to reduce soil erosion in semi-arid regions, their above-ground (e.g., stem density, radius of the stem, etc.) and below-ground (e.g., root area ratio, root tensile strength, etc.) characteristics were measured in the field and laboratory. Five indicators, namely, stem density (SD), sediment obstruction potential (SOP), plant stiffness (MEI), relative soil detachment (RSD), and root cohesion (Cr), were taken into account. Each indicator was scored according to a five-point scale (0?=?low, 4?=?high), and then, the score of each indicator was represented on an ameba diagram. Finally, for understanding traits of plants and evaluating their potential to control rill and gully erosion, the area occupied by the ameba diagram was studied. The results indicated that the shrub Ziziphus spina-christi (MEI?=?108.35 N, RSD?=?0.398, Cr?=?8.34 kPa, SOP?=?0.097, and SD?=?0.00270) is a very suitable native plant species for controlling both the gully and rill erosion. In addition, Scariola orientalis is effective for sediment obstruction, but its low scores on the MEI and RSD indicators imply that it is not able to control gully development. Furthermore, Noaea mucronata, Platychaete glaucescens, Astragalus gummifer, Alhagi persarum, Lycium shawii, and Prosopis farcta have a distinct potential to reduce the rate of gully erosion. These results have wide applicability for adopting soil conservation measures to other semi-arid environments.  相似文献   

Predicting saturated hydraulic conductivity using particle swarm optimization and genetic algorithm     

Melika Nematolahi  Vahidreza Jalali  Majid Hejazi Mehrizi 《Arabian Journal of Geosciences》2018,11(16):473

Soil saturated hydraulic conductivity (K_s) is considered as soil basic hydraulic property, and its precision estimation is a key element in modeling water flow and solute transport processes both in the saturated and vadose zones. Although some predictive methods (e.g., pedotransfer functions, PTFs) have been proposed to indirectly predict K_s, the accuracy of these methods still needs to be improved. In this study, some easily available soil properties (e.g., particle size distribution, organic carbon, calcium carbonate content, electrical conductivity, and soil bulk density) are employed as input variables to predict K_s using a fuzzy inference system (FIS) trained by two different optimization techniques: particle swarm optimization (PSO) and genetic algorithm (GA). To verify the derived FIS, 113 soil samples were taken, and their required physical properties were measured (113 sample points?×?7 factors?=?791 input data). The initial FIS is compared with two methods: FIS trained by PSO (PSO-FIS) and FIS trained by GA (GA-FIS). Based on experimental results, all three methods are compared according to some evaluation criteria including correlation coefficient (r), modeling efficiency (EF), coefficient of determination (CD), root mean square error (RMSE), and maximum error (ME) statistics. The results showed that the PSO-FIS model achieved a higher level of modeling efficiency and coefficient of determination (R²) in comparison with the initial FIS and the GA-FIS model. EF and R² values obtained by the developed PSO-FIS model were 0.69 and 0.72, whereas they were 0.63 and 0.54 for the GA-FIS model. Moreover, the results of ME and RMSE indices showed that the PSO-FIS model can estimate soil saturated hydraulic conductivity more accurate than the GA-FIS model with ME?=?10.4 versus 11.5 and RMSE?=?5.2 versus 5.5 for PSO-FIS and GA-FIS, respectively.  相似文献   

A radio magnetotelluric study to evaluate the extents of a limestone quarry in Estonia   总被引：1，自引：0，他引：1  

Mehrdad Bastani  Lena Persson  Majid Beiki  Ritva Harinen 《Geophysical Prospecting》2013,61(3):678-687

Electromagnetic signals from distant radio transmitters in the frequency range 15–250 kHz were measured to model an electrical resistivity structure beneath 7 profiles in the vicinity of the Karinu limestone quarry in Estonia with the aim to map the extent of the economically exploitable limestone. The resistivity models from a 2D inversion of determinant resistivity and phase values using an Occam type of regularization contained reasonably accurate information about the geometry, namely depth to the top and the bottom of the target high‐resistivity limestone. The resistivity models correlated well with existing geological evidences as well as information from closely located boreholes. However, the sharp lithological boundaries seen in the boreholes were not resolved exactly in the resistivity models. This is probably because of the smoothing regularization used in the inversion process. Combined use of borehole data together with resistivity models resulted in two major geological interpretations; a) towards the western part of the existing limestone quarry there is a NNW to NS striking fault, covered by post‐glacial sediments, b) a potential cost‐effective exploitable area containing high quality highly resistive limestone is located south of the existing quarry. This case study shows the applicability of the reasonably fast radio magnetotelluric (RMT) method for the exploration of near‐surface resources.  相似文献   

Intermediate sulfidation epithermal Pb-Zn-Cu (±Ag-Au) mineralization at Cheshmeh Hafez deposit, Semnan province, Iran     

Behzad Mehrabi  Majid Ghasemi Siani 《Journal of the Geological Society of India》2012,80(4):563-578

The Cheshmeh Hafez epithermal base metal deposit is located in Troud-Chah Shirin mountain range in the Alborz magmatic belt of northern Iran. In this area, the Eocene volcanism and associated mineralization are controlled by NW-SE trending Anjilo and Troud major faults. Geological units are composed of porphyritic andesite, andesitic basalt, dacite, rhyodacite, trachyandesite and basalt, which are typically high-K igneous rocks transitional to shoshonites. Alteration in Cheshmeh Hafez area comprise of propylilitization, sericitization, argillization and silicification. Mineralization consists of three stages. Stage 1, quartz, carbonate with early pyrite I and chalcopyrite assemblages. Stage 2, the main stage of sulfide deposition, comprises early euhedral galena I followed by galena II and sphalerite, then galena III, chalcopyrite, tetrahedrite, pyrite II, bornite and digenite. Stage 3 involves the deposition of quartz and calcite barren veins with minor pyrite. The average assays from 12 channel samples of Cheshmeh Hafez veins are 0.15 g/t Au, 3.23 g/t Ag, 4.47 wt % Pb, 2.64 wt % Cu, and 1.73 wt % Zn. Fluid inclusion homogenization temperatures (Th) in quartz fall within the range of 140°-280°C with salinities ranging from 4.7 to 18 wt. % NaCl equivalent. Comparison of Th versus ice melting (Tm_ice) values indicates fluid dilution.  相似文献