Introducing a Low‐Head Dam Fatality Database and Internet Information Portal

Low‐head dams can cause dangerous currents near the downstream face of the structure. Fatalities at low‐head dams with such currents, often referred to as “drowning machines,” are poorly documented. This technical note presents a new database of fatalities at low‐head dams in the United States together with an interactive map and web‐based user interface. The primary purpose of the system is to raise awareness, generate interest, and educate the general public and decision makers regarding these dangerous structures and the need for remediation. The database was designed as a normalized relational database of event dates, severity, location, reporter, and other circumstances. The open‐access user interface allows the general public to browse fatal incidents by geographic location and to read incident circumstances. The system allows submission of new contributions from users including all metadata needed to characterize the incident. The database is structured to include documentation verifying each entry. The site can be viewed at http://dams.byu.edu/ .     

Demographic Connectivity for Ursid Populations at Wildlife Crossing Structures in Banff National Park

Wildlife crossing structures are one solution to mitigating the fragmentation of wildlife populations caused by roads, but their effectiveness in providing connectivity has only been superficially evaluated. Hundreds of grizzly (Ursus arctos) and black bear (Ursus americanus) passages through under and overpasses have been recorded in Banff National Park, Alberta, Canada. However, the ability of crossing structures to allow individual and population‐level movements across road networks remains unknown. In April 2006, we initiated a 3‐year investigation into whether crossing structures provide demographic connectivity for grizzly and black bears in Banff National Park. We collected hair with multiple noninvasive methods to obtain genetic samples from grizzly and black bears around the Bow Valley. Our objectives were to determine the number of male and female grizzly and black bears that use crossing structures; examine spatial and temporal patterns of crossings; and estimate the proportions of grizzly and black bear populations in the Bow Valley that use crossing structures. Fifteen grizzly (7 female, 8 male) and 17 black bears (8 female, 9 male) used wildlife crossing structures. The number of individuals detected at wildlife crossing structures was highly correlated with the number of passages in space and time. Grizzly bears used open crossing structures (e.g., overpasses) more often than constricted crossings (e.g., culverts). Peak use of crossing structures for both bear species occurred in July, when high rates of foraging activity coincide with mating season. We compared the number of bears that used crossings with estimates of population abundance from a related study and determined that substantial percentages of grizzly (15.0% in 2006, 19.8% in 2008) and black bear (17.6% in 2006, 11.0% in 2008) populations used crossing structures. On the basis of our results, we concluded wildlife crossing structures provide demographic connectivity for bear populations in Banff National Park. Conectividad Demográfica para Poblaciones de Úrsidos en Estructuras para Cruce de Vida Silvestre en el Parque Nacional Banff     

Chemical self-organization in self-assembling biomimetic systems

Far-from-equillibrium oscillating chemical reactions are among the simplest systems showing complex behaviors and emergent properties. This class of reactions is often employed to mimic and understand the mechanisms of a great variety of biological processes. In this context, pattern formation due to the coupling between reaction and transport phenomena represent an active and promising research area. In this paper, we present results coming from experiments where we tried to blend the structural properties of self-assembled matrixes (sodium dodecyl sulphate micelles and phospholipid bilayers) together with the evolutive peculiarities of the Belousov–Zhabotinsky reaction. A series of interesting dynamical behaviors, like spatio-temporal chaos, stationary patterns and segmented waves, were found in reaction–diffusion and reaction–diffusion–convection experiments.     

基础隔震结构抗震可靠度简化分析方法

选用胡聿贤平稳地震地面运动模型作为基础隔震结构的随机地震动输入,采用Bouc-Wen模型描述隔震结构的层间滞变位移,将滞变体系动力特性矩阵随机等效线性化,并建立等价线性状态方程.引入左右特征向量系,对振动微分方程进行解耦,推导了基础隔震结构随机地震响应的统计矩解析解.采用变形失效准则,定义了上部结构和隔震层的功能状态极...     

薄膜结构的气弹动力失稳临界风速

笔者采用解析方法研究了三维薄膜结构的气弹失稳临界风速。首先应用薄壳的无矩理论建立了薄膜结构的动力平衡方程 ;随后假设来流为均匀的理想势流 ,考虑流固耦合作用 ,采用不考虑流动分离和考虑流动分离两种气弹模型应用流体力学中的势流理论 ,并参考空气动力学中的薄翼型理论 ,确定了作用于薄膜表面的气动力 ,得到了两种模型情况下薄膜结构的气弹动力耦合作用方程 ;进而利用Bubnov Galerkin方法将此耦合作用方程转化为一常系数二阶微分方程 ,并根据Routh Hurwitz稳定性准则确定了薄膜的失稳临界风速 ;最后通过对临界风速的影响因素进行分析并对两种模型得到的结果进行比较 ,得到了一些重要结论。     

蒸汽直埋管道结构型式的改进与应用

蒸汽直埋管道的安全与节能技术近年来日趋成熟,但在南方高水位城市应用中还存在诸多缺陷。本文结合工程实践,针对这些缺陷进行了技术改进,并在多项工程中推广应用,取得了良好的效果。     

薄膜结构褶皱研究述评

薄膜结构的一个显著特点是膜材不具有弯曲刚度 ,不能承受面内压应力。当外荷载产生的压应力超过结构的预拉应力时 ,薄膜结构将产生局部屈曲 ,即褶皱。褶皱的出现会对膜结构的美观及受力性能造成影响 ,甚至会造成膜材破坏。由于薄膜结构褶皱机理的复杂性 ,该问题一直没有得到很好的解决。为此 ,笔者首先概括分析了国内外膜结构褶皱分析方面的主要成果 ,并提出采用修正的本构矩阵方法 ,来分析处于褶皱状态的薄膜结构 ,结合算例证明了该方法的正确性和有效性。     

高耸构筑物地基变形和风振对爆破拆除安全性的影响

本文对高耸构筑物控爆前的倾斜、失稳的诱发因素(地基变形、风振)进行了探讨,当高耸构筑物向倾斜相反方向倒塌时,必须从地基、基础、上部结构三者之间的变形协调条件和静力平衡条件综合考虑进行爆破设计,施爆时必须采取一定的技术措施.     

高阶振型在山地掉层结构中的影响研究

设置不同掉层层数、掉层跨数和坎上楼层层数的模型,对比分析各模型在不同振型数下结构响应值的误差,根据分析结果来验证常用振型数量控制方法的适用性和差异性。结果表明,高阶振型对山地结构中掉层部分的内力响应影响显著。不同的掉层结构布置对振型数的选择有重要影响,掉层层数的增加使层剪力误差超限的楼层位置从顶层转移到掉层部分,致使掉层部分对高阶振型更加敏感。伴随着掉层跨数的减少,最大层剪力误差及误差超限的楼层数均呈先增大后减小趋势,即存在最不利的掉层跨数比,此时各内力响应误差均最大。坎上楼层的增加会提高掉层部分的剪力误差值。相对于层剪力,层间位移更易于通过提高振型数来控制精度。振型位移控制法的精度较高,但会增加大量结构计算和分析成本。振型质量参与系数法仅在个别结构中的层间剪力误差较小,总体来说其控制效果较差。解决这一问题,还需进一步研究以便提出一种新的振型控制方法。     

斜面结构上二维冰力计算模型的物理模拟实验研究

介绍了应用模型冰进行45°、60°、75°斜面墙冰作用力模拟实验装置、安装和结果，描述了冰排在不同倾角结构前的冰排破碎过程，以45°倾角结构的水平和垂直冰力-时间曲线分析作用力过程，并统计了各实验的冰力特征值。利用这些实测冰力与二维理论计算冰力的比较阐明该理论模型在浅水条件下应用的可行性，并用水平冰力同垂直冰力比值分析碎冰堆积对冰力的影响。