Stiffness Degradation of Shear Wall with Frame Column and its Influence to Structural Performance

The shear wall with frame column has a wide application prospect in practical engineering for it has better ductility, bearing capacity and stiffness degradation than the shear wall with unframed column. In this paper, the finite element model of shear wall with frame column for an experiment was established in ABAQUS software firstly, Then on the base of proving the model’s precision, the axial compression ratio and the stiffness ratio of shear wall with frame column were adjusted, the influence of different axial compression ratio and stiffness ratio on the stiffness degradation coefficient was analyzed and the corresponding formulas were fitted. At last, by changing the axial compression ratio and the stiffness ratio of shear wall with frame column, The influence of stiffness degradation on the maximum displacement amplification coefficient and the bottom shear amplification coefficient were studied and the relevant formulas were fitted.

Numerical Investigation on Dynamic Response and Failure Modes of Rock Slopes with Weak Interlayers Using Continuum-Discontinuum Element Method

In order to better understand the dynamic response and failure modes of rock slopes containing weak interlayers subjected to earthquake excitation, a series of numerical simulations were carried out using the continuum-discontinuum element method (CDEM), considering the influence of seismic amplitude and weak interlayers inclination. The seismic response characteristics of slopes were systematically analyzed according to the waveform characteristics, amplification effect, equivalent crack ratio, etc. The numerical results show that the acceleration waveform characteristics and peak ground displacement (PGD) amplification coefficient have good correspondence with the dynamic failure process of landslides. Comprehensive analysis of waveform characteristics and PGD amplification coefficient can determine the damage time, damage location, and damage degree of landslides. The landslide process can be divided into three stages according to the equivalent crack ratio: rapid generation of a large number of microcracks, expansion and aggregation of microcracks, and penetration of micro-cracks and the formation of slip surfaces. The equivalent crack ratio provides a new idea for evaluating slope stability. In addition, under the combination of different amplitudes and weak interlayers, these earthquake-induced landslides exhibit different failure modes: the failure of the gentle-dip slope is mainly local rockfall; The mid-dip and steep-dip slopes with small amplitudes experience “tensile cracking-slip-collapsing” failure; The steep-dip slopes under strong earthquake failed in the form of “tensile cracking-slip-slope extrusion-collapsing”. The research results are of great significance for a deeper understanding of the formation mechanism of rock landslides with weak interlayers and the prevention of such landslide disasters.

Wind Conditions at Pedestrian Level in Different Types of Residential Urban Development for a High Degree of Land Use Efficiency

This paper addresses wind conditions in urban building development at the pedestrian level. The article aimed to identify aerodynamic phenomena around three types of multi-family housing developments with different forms and the same urban parameters of building development density (high density was taken into account). The aim of the research was mainly to achieve qualitative results that would lead to understanding fundamental processes and phenomena. Wind tunnel experimental studies were conducted on physical models at a scale of 1: 400 using visualization and erosion methods. These experiments yielded data regarding the arrangement of airflow directions and changes in airflow velocity, expressed as the amplification coefficient (α), the occurrence of which was caused by the presence of buildings. An analysis was conducted concerning wind conditions that constitute pedestrian comfort and influence the possibility for ventilation of spaces between buildings for the three selected models. The research results were compared, and an attempt was made to assess the most beneficial and the least favorable building development types in this respect.

Influence of piezoelectricity, doping and magnetostatic field on Brillouin amplification in compound (AIIIBV and AIIBVI) semiconductors

A theoretical formulation followed by numerical analysis describing Brillouin amplification in compound (AIIIBV and AIIBVI) semiconductors is explored. The threshold condition for the onset of Brillouin amplification is determined. Well above the threshold intensity, the influence of piezoelectricity, doping concentration, and external magnetostatic field on the parameters characterizing Brillouin amplification viz. Brillouin amplification coefficient, transmitted intensity of Brillouin-scattered Stokes mode (BSSM), and Brillouin cell efficiency of the Brillouin cell isestimated. Numerical analysis is made for three different Brillouin cells consisting of [Formula: see text]-InSb, [Formula: see text]-GaAs, and [Formula: see text]-CdS, at 77[Formula: see text]K duly irradiated by a pulsed CO2 laser. Efforts are directed towards to determine appropriate values of doping concentration and magnetostatic field to enhance the parameters characterizing Brillouin amplification, at lower excitation intensity, and to establish the suitability of compound semiconductors as hosts for fabrication of efficient Brillouin amplifiers.

MOLECULAR-GENETIC ANALYSIS OF PROPAGATED IN VITRO CLONES OF POPULUS ALBA L. AND POPULUS TREMULA L. USING MICROSATELLITE MARKERS

Use of planting material of forest trees with improved hereditary characteristics is one of the ways to increase the productivity and biological stability of forest stands. It requires taking measures to develop and improve selection base using modern approaches and methods of genetics and biotechnology. A molecular genetics assessment of clone plants of aspen (Populus tremula L.) and white poplar (Populus alba L.) from a long-term in vitro collection (up to 24 years), planted in a greenhouse and field conditions (nursery), was carried out. SSR loci of the PTR series (PTR5, PTR7, PTR8, PTR12, PTR14) were used as DNA markers. Evaluation of clones' ploidy was carried out on the basis of the diagnosis of "loss of heterozygosity" (LOH) effect. Analysis of 5 microsatellite loci of the specimens showed their high intraclonal genotypic stability and homogeneity in vitro and ex vitro. For the first time, data on the results of a comparative determination of ploidy using karyological and microsatellite analysis were presented. Based on the results of the SSR analysis, it can be concluded that the structure of molecular markers is stable among the samples of one clone that are in long-term cultivation. The ratio of the representation (dose) of electrophoretic variants of PCR products serves as an indirect sign of determining ploidy, but for its reliable assessment it is necessary to study the number of loci that are three times larger than the main set of chromosomes. The specimen also requires information on the amplification coefficient of the markers under study. Thus, it is necessary to use both chromosomal and microsatellite analyzes for reliable assessment of intraclonal homogeneity of various specimens, the development of understanding of clone genotypes formation and determination of their ploidy

Seismic Site Response of A Large Deep-seated Rock Slope Revealed by Field Monitoring and Geophysical Methods

Shidaguan Slope (hereinafter short for SDG Slope) is an unstable rock slope with an area of 30.78×104 m2 and a deformation depth of 30-70 m in Maoxian County, Sichuan Province, China. Three seismometers (P2-P4) with high sensitivity were installed at different locations on the unstable part of the slope. P2 and P3 were almost at the same elevation (2221 m and 2247 m), while P4 was the lowest (at 2140 m). Another seismometer (P1) sat in a stable location at a higher elevation (2373 m). 99 shallow earthquakes were analyzed. According to the peak acceleration ratios of three seismometers (P2-P4) on the unstable part and another seismometer (P1) on the stable part, the points at lower elevations showed greater seismic amplification (with the amplification coefficient of 2.64-3.51) than one at a higher elevation. And points at relatively thinner part (23 m thick) of unstable slope showed greater seismic amplification than ones at thick part (60-75 m thick). The same rule was also found in studying the site-epicenter azimuth and earthquake magnitude data. Based on the relationship between amplification coefficient and resistivity and rock core, the seismic response amplification was affected by the lithofacies difference. The lithofacies with resistivity values of 50-100 Ohm.m and RQD values of 0-50 % incurred seismic response amplification, which was restrained by the below lithofacies with resistivity values of 10-50 Ohm.m and ROD values of 0 %. When building on slope areas, the lithofacies difference should be taken into full consideration.

Experimental Study on the Progressive Collapse Resistance of Two-Storey Half-Scale Fabricated Reinforced Concrete Column-Steel Beam Composite Frame Structure

Progressive collapse behavior of case-in-place concrete and steel frame structures has been extensively investigated over the past years. However, studies on progressive collapse resistance and characteristics of prefabricated RCS composite frame structure (space frame) are limited. In this study, a half-scale prefabricated RCS space frame structure (two-storey, 1 × 2-bay) was designed and manufactured and then tested through the sudden failure of the long-side central column. The weakened part of failure column was rapidly pulled out using vehicle traction force, and displacement was obtained with a dynamic data acquisition instrument supplemented by high-speed camera to record the deformation process of the structure. Additionally, the remaining structure displacement variation and the beam-to-column connections of fem model under progressive collapse were simulated using SAP2000. The FEA results were compared with the experimental results to verify the effectiveness of the numerical analysis. Experimental results demonstrated that the prefabricated RCS composite frame structure designed in accordance with Chinese building codes shows improved resistance to progressive collapse. The dynamic effect demonstrates no significant influence on the prefabricated RCS composite frame structure, and the suggested dynamic amplification coefficient is 1.28. Steel plates (A, B, and C) of the beam-to-column connection are the weak part of the structural failure, and appropriate measures should be applied to strengthen the steel plate of the beam-to-column connection when the prefabricated RCS composite frame structure is designed to resist progressive collapse. SAP2000 FEM program verified that the numerical simulation results are basically consistent with the experimental results.

Seismic response analysis of loess site under far-field bedrock ground motion of the Wenchuan earthquake

In this paper, considering the far-field seismic input, an accelerogram recorded in the bedrock at Wuquan Mountain in Lanzhou city during the 2008 Wenchuan Ms8.0 earthquake was selected, and numerical dynamic analyses were conducted. The one-dimensional equivalent linear method was implemented to estimate the ground motion effects in the loess regions. Thereafter, slope topographic effects on ground motion were studied by applying the dynamic finite-element method. The results revealed the relationship between the PGA amplification coefficients and the soil layer thickness, which confirmed that the dynamic response of the sites had obvious nonlinear characteristics. The results also showed that there was an obvious difference in the dynamic magnification factor between the short-period and long-period structures. Moreover, it was found that the amplification coefficient of the observation point at the free surface was greater than the point inside the soil at the same depth, which mainly occurred in the upper slope. Through this study, the quantitative assessment of ground motion effects in loess regions can be approximately estimated, and the amplification mechanism of the far-field ground motion mechanism can be further explained. In addition to the refraction and reflection theory of seismic waves, the resonance phenomenon may help explain the slope topographic effect through spectrum analysis.