Acoustic Slow-Wave Effect Metamaterial Muffler for Noise Control of HVDC Converter Station

Aiming at the noise control of the HVDC converter station, a one-dimensional two-port metamaterial muffler based on the acoustic slow-wave effect is designed and manufactured. The metamaterial muffler achieves a broadband quasi-perfect absorption of noise from 600 to 900 Hz while ensuring a certain ventilation capacity. In addition, the internal equivalent sound velocity curve and the sound pressure and velocity field of the muffler are used to reveal the mechanism of its broadband quasi-perfect sound absorption. The performance of the muffler was verified by theoretical, numerical, and experimental models. The work in this paper is of guiding significance for solving the noise problem in HVDC converter stations.

An Improved Timed Elastic Band (TEB) Algorithm of Autonomous Ground Vehicle (AGV) in Complex Environment

In recent decades, the Timed Elastic Band (TEB) algorithm is widely used for the AGV local path panning because of its convenient and efficiency. However, it may make a local detour when encountering a curve turn and cause excessive energy consumption. To solve this problem, this paper proposed an improved TEB algorithm to make the AGV walk along the wall when turning, which shortens the planning time and saves energy. Experiments were implemented in the Rviz visualization tool platform of the robot operating system (ROS). Simulated experiment results reflect that an amount of 5% reduction in the planning time has been achieved and the velocity curve implies that the operation was relatively smooth. Practical experiment results demonstrate the effectiveness and feasibility of the proposed method that the robots can avoid obstacles smoothly in the unknown static and dynamic obstacle environment.

Application of the method for prediction of the failure location and time based on monitoring of a slope using synthetic aperture radar

Synthetic aperture radar (SAR) technology has been widely used in landslide deformation monitoring in the past decade. It has the advantages of high monitoring accuracy, a wide range, and flexibility allowing all-weather continuous monitoring. The self-developed S-SAR synthetic aperture radar (slope radar) is the first completely domestic-made radar used in slope deformation monitoring equipment in China, and its performance and technical parameters are equal to or better than similar products made abroad. The characteristics of deformation data collected by S-SAR slope radar deployed in the front open pit mine are analyzed to further develop a spatio-temporal landslide prediction method which is applicable to the massive monitoring data within the monitoring range of slope radar. The intersection points of short-term moving average velocity curve and long-term moving average velocity curve of slope deformation, which are onset of acceleration (OOA) and termination of acceleration (TOA). When OOA occurs, the deformation will accelerate, and when TOA occurs, the deformation will tend to stabilize. The OOA can identify areas at risk in the monitored area before failure, so that the spatial position prediction of landslide early warning can be realized. Based on the assumptions of the inverse velocity method, a T-log (t) logarithmic model is established, and the updated monitoring data are corrected to approximate the time of failure, thus improving the accuracy of landslide location and time prediction. In an open-pit copper mine in Serbia, the accurate prediction of landslide location and time has been successfully applied, guaranteeing safe mining.

Theoretical Issues with Rayleigh Surface Waves and Geoelectrical Method Used for the Inversion of Near Surface Geophysical Structure

We numerically simulate the field measurements of Rayleigh surface waves and electrical resistivity in which the target depth is set to be less than 50-m. The Rayleigh surface waves are simulated in terms of fundamental mode group and phase velocities. The seismic field data is assumed to be collected through a conventional shot-gather. The group velocities are found from the application of the multiple filter technique in a single-station fashion while for the phase velocities the slant stacking, or linear radon transform are applied in fashion of multichannel analysis of surface waves (MASW). The average seismic structure from the source to the receiver (or geophone) is represented by the group velocity curve while the average seismic structure underneath the geophone array is represented by the phase velocity curve. The single-station group velocity curves are transformed into local group velocity curves by setting a linear system through grid points. The shear-wave velocity cross section underneath the examined area is constructed by inverting these local group velocity curves. The electrical resistivity structure of the underground is similarly studied. The field compilation of the resistivity data is assumed to be completed by the application of the multiple electrode Pole-Pole array. The actual resistivity assemble underneath the analyzed area is inverted by considering the apparent (measured) resistivity values. Unique forms such as ore body, cavity, sinkhole, melt, salt, and fluid within the Earth may be examined by joint interpretation of electrical resistivities and seismic velocities. These formations may be better outlined by following their distinct signs such as high/low resistivities and high/low seismic velocities. Doi: 10.28991/HEF-2021-02-03-01 Full Text: PDF

Optimal resolution tomography with error tracking and the structure of the crust and upper mantle beneath Ireland and Britain

Summary The classical Backus-Gilbert method seeks localized Earth-structure averages at the shortest length scales possible, given a dataset, data errors, and a threshold for acceptable model errors. The resolving length at a point is the width of the local averaging kernel, and the optimal averaging kernel is the narrowest one such that the model error is below a specified level. This approach is well suited for seismic tomography, which maps three-dimensional Earth structure using large sets of seismic measurements. The continual measurement-error decreases and data-redundancy increases have reduced the impact of random errors on tomographic models. Systematic errors, however, are resistant to data redundancy and their effect on the model is difficult to predict. Here, we develop a method for finding the optimal resolving length at every point, implementing it for surface-wave tomography. As in the Backus-Gilbert method, every solution at a point results from an entire-system inversion, and the model error is reduced by increasing the model-parameter averaging. The key advantage of our method stems from its direct, empirical evaluation of the posterior model error at a point. We first measure inter-station phase velocities at simultaneously recording station pairs and compute phase-velocity maps at densely, logarithmically spaced periods. Numerous versions of the maps with varying smoothness are then computed, ranging from very rough to very smooth. Phase-velocity curves extracted from the maps at every point can be inverted for shear-velocity (VS) profiles. As we show, errors in these phase-velocity curves increase nearly monotonically with the map roughness. We evaluate the error by isolating the roughness of the phase-velocity curve that cannot be explained by any Earth structure and determine the optimal resolving length at a point such that the error of the local phase-velocity curve is below a threshold. A 3D VS model is then computed by the inversion of the composite phase-velocity maps with an optimal resolution at every point. The estimated optimal resolution shows smooth lateral variations, confirming the robustness of the procedure. Importantly, the optimal resolving length does not scale with the density of the data coverage: some of the best-sampled locations display relatively low lateral resolution, probably due to systematic errors in the data. We apply the method to image the lithosphere and underlying mantle beneath Ireland and Britain. Our very large dataset was created using new data from Ireland Array, the Irish National Seismic Network, the UK Seismograph Network, and other deployments. A total of 11238 inter-station dispersion curves, spanning a very broad total period range (4–500 s), yield unprecedented data coverage of the area and provide fine regional resolution from the crust to the deep asthenosphere. The lateral resolution of the 3D model is computed explicitly and varies from 39 km in central Ireland to over 800 km at the edges of the area, where the data coverage declines. Our tomography reveals pronounced, previously unknown variations in the lithospheric thickness beneath Ireland and Britain, with implications for their Caledonian assembly and for the mechanisms of the British Tertiary Igneous Province magmatism.

Accurate 3D fireball trajectory and orbit calculation using the 3D-FireTOC automatic Python code

The disruption of asteroids and comets produces cm-sized meteoroids that end up impacting the Earth’s atmosphere and producing bright fireballs that might have associated shock waves or, in geometrically-favorable occasions excavate craters that put them into unexpected hazardous scenarios. The astrometric reduction of meteors and fireballs to infer their atmospheric trajectories and heliocentric orbits involves a complex and tedious process that generally requires many manual tasks. To streamline the process, we present a software package called SPMN 3D Fireball Trajectory and Orbit Calculator (3D-FireTOC), an automatic Python code for detection, trajectory reconstruction of meteors, and heliocentric orbit computation from video recordings. The automatic 3D-FireTOC package comprises of a user interface and a graphic engine that generates a realistic 3D representation model, which allows users to easily check the geometric consistency of the results and facilitates scientiï¬c content production for dissemination. The software automatically detects meteors from digital systems, completes the astrometric measurements, performs photometry, computes the meteor atmospheric trajectory, calculates the velocity curve, and obtains the radiant and the heliocentric orbit, all in all quantifying the error measurements in each step. The software applies corrections such as light aberration, refraction, zenith attraction, diurnal aberration and atmospheric extinction. It also characterizes the atmospheric flight and consequently determines fireball fates by using the α − β criterion that analyses the ability of a fireball to penetrate deep into the atmosphere and produce meteorites. We demonstrate the performance of the software by analyzing two bright fireballs recorded by the Spanish Fireball and Meteorite Network (SPMN).

Integrated Analysis Method for Stability Analysis and Maintenance of Cut-Slope in Urban

In the process of constructing roads for the development of the city, cut-slopes are made by excavating mountains. However, these cut-slopes are degraded in strength by time-deterioration phenomenon, and progressive slope failure is caused. This study developed an integrated analysis method for stability analysis and maintenance of cut-slopes in urban. The slope stability analysis was performed using the finite element model, and the progressive slope failure by time-dependent deterioration was quantified by using the strength parameters of soil applying the strength reduction factor (SRF). The displacements until the slope failure by slope stability analysis were quantified by cumulative displacement curve, velocity curve, and inverse velocity curve and, applied to the slope maintenance method. The inverse-velocity curve applied to the prediction of the time of slope failure was regressed to the 1st linear equation in the brittle material and the 3rd polynomial equation in the ductile material. This is consistent with the proposed formula of Fukuzono and also shows similar behavior to the failure case in literature. In the future, integrated analysis method should be improved through additional research. And it should be applied to cut-slope to prevent disasters.