Experimental investigation on the train-induced subsidence prediction model of Beiluhe permafrost subgrade along the Qinghai-Tibet Railway in China

Based on dynamic triaxial test at low temperature of the frozen clay from the Beiluhe permafrost subgrade along the Qinghai-Tibet Railway (QTR), residual deformation laws and dynamic subsidence prediction model of permafrost subgrade under train traffic were studied. First, time history curves of residual strain of frozen soil are obtained and analyzed under different temperatures, frequency, confining pressure and moisture content. And conclusions can be drawn that the axial strain rate is greatly affected by the amplitude of dynamic stress, as well as increases with dynamic to static stress ratio and temperature rising, while it decreases with the raise of frequency and moisture content. Hereby, the power functions were adopted to fit the relationships of axial dynamic strain rate vs. stress ratio, temperature, frequency, and moisture content, respectively. Simultaneously, the permafrost dynamic subsidence mechanism was interpreted rationally and the variation of fitting parameters was discussed. Furthermore, the long-term traffic loading subsidence model was established through observing the axis residual strain time histories of frozen specimens under the longtime cyclic loading and adopting the amendment of vibratory number of times. The model can comprehensively consider the effects of stress state, temperature, moisture content, and confining pressure of frozen soil, as well as the vibratory frequency and vibration number of longtime cyclic loading. Consequently, the model can be applied to the train-induced subsidence forecast investigation of permafrost subgrade. The paper has an important significance for rational safety evaluation on long-term operation of permafrost regions railway such as QTR. Meanwhile, the investigation provides basic data for the further research on dynamic damage constitutive model of frozen soil under train traffic and the gradual improvement of railroading criterion in cold regions.     

Permafrost and cold-region environmental problems of the oil product pipeline from Golmud to Lhasa on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau and their mitigation

The 1076-km-long Golmud-Lhasa oil product pipeline is located closely parallel to the highway constructed 20 years earlier within the relatively narrow north-south engineering corridor crossing the treeless central area of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. Much of the corridor is at elevations exceeding 4500 m and high-elevation, generally warm permafrost is encountered in more than one-half of the length. The pipeline, transporting mostly diesel, motor and aviation fuels at ambient temperatures, is 159 mm in diameter, has a wall thickness of 6 mm and was buried in a trench at a nominal depth of between 1.2 and 1.4 m. The soils encountered, mostly periglacial sands, silts and gravels, often have elevated saline contents and are subject to severe wind erosion and occasional monsoon flash flooding conditions. During its first quarter century of operation, the pipeline suffered at least 30 significant leaks and four pipeline ruptures. About 337 km of the pipeline was extensively rehabilitated, including relocations or replacements in major problem areas and, where feasible for an existing pipeline, improvements in pipeline protection during 2001-2004. It was supposed to safely operate for another 30 years with proper checks and needed repairs. This paper provides a review on the history of the permafrost and cold regions environmental problems of the pipeline, and their major rehabilitation, repairs and problems in the future, which might have useful implications for similar oil product pipeline at high elevations or permafrost regions.     

Hydrothermal synthesis and characterization of (Bi,K)TiO3 ferroelectrics

A lead-free ferroelectric (Bi,K)TiO₃ (BKT) was synthesized by a hydrothermal process and characterized systematically at various temperatures. Well-crystallized BKT in the tetragonal phase was identified at a hydrothermal temperature over 220 °C. Small cubic particles were observed, regardless of hydrothermal temperature. The BKT sintered at 1050 °C was observed to be a typical relaxor behavior and very stable against frequency and temperatures, respectively. The sintered-BKT ceramics exhibited a high temperature of maximum dielectric permittivity (T_max = 356 °C at 10⁶ Hz) with piezoelectric constant (d₃₃ = 65 pC/N) and electromechanical coupling factors (k_p = 0.22, k_t = 0.43). Thus, the sintered-BKT showed excellent temperature stability with a high-T_max and piezoelectric properties.