Tree-ring cores of thick leaf spruce (Picea crassifolia) taken from four sites at different elevations, in the middle of the Qilian Mountains, in the arid and semi-arid region of northwestern China, were used to develop four tree-ring width chronologies using standard dendrochronological methods. Results indicate that with increasing altitude the chronologies’ year-to-year variations decreased. Hence, the sensitivity of the tree-ring chronologies to climate decreases with altitude. Further analysis showed that the significant limiting factor on tree growth is spring precipitation. Measurements of stomata density and leaf dry weight suggest the species’ ecological adaptation strategy changes with elevation. At high elevation the metabolic rate of thick leaf spruce decreases, thus showing the effect of the climate. 相似文献
In certain field conditions such as offshore projects under wave loads or embankments under traffic loads, both the vertical and horizontal stresses are variable. However, previous investigations rarely considered the variation in horizontal stress. To better understand the characteristics of natural saturated soft clay, a series of monotonic and cyclic triaxial tests with a K0-consolidation state were carried out under a variable confining pressure (VCP) stress path. The development of axial strain, pore water pressure and effective stress path is analysed. The results show that with the increase in η (the ratio of the variation in the mean effective principal stress to that of the deviatoric stress), the undrained shear strength (qf) decreases continuously. The pore water pressure generation is slightly improved under a stress path with increasing confining pressure. Based on the test results, a unified formula was established to predict the pore water pressure under VCP stress paths. The unique p–q–e relationship of normally consolidated clay in monotonic VCP triaxial tests was also demonstrated. Under VCP stress paths, the amplitude of the pore pressure increases, and the effective stress path tilts more sharply to the right. Moreover, a unified formula was established that can provide a good reference for predicting effective stress paths under cyclic VCP triaxial tests.
Hydraulic fracturing is an essential technology for the development of unconventional resources such as tight gas. The evaluation of the fracture performance and productivity is important for the design of fracturing operations. However, the traditional dimensionless fracture conductivity is too simple to be applied in real fracturing operations. In this work, we proposed a new model of dimensionless fracture conductivity (FCD), which considers the irregular fracture geometry, proppant position and concentration. It was based on the numerical study of the multistage hydraulic fracturing and production in a tight gas horizontal well of the North German Basin. A self-developed full 3D hydraulic fracturing model, FLAC3Dplus, was combined with a sensitive/reliability analysis and robust design optimization tool optiSLang and reservoir simulator TMVOCMP to achieve an automatic history matching as well as simulation of the gas production. With this tool chain, the four fracturing stages were history matched. The simulation results show that all four fractures have different geometry and proppant distribution, which is mainly due to different stress states and injection schedule. The position and concentration of the proppant play important roles for the later production, which is not considered in the traditional dimensionless fracture conductivity FCD. In comparison, the newly proposed formulation of FCD could predict the productivity more accurately and is better for the posttreatment evaluation.
