Geotechnical forensic investigation of a slope failure on silty clay soil—A case study

Qila Bala Hisar is one of the noteworthy places of Peshawar, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The fort was constructed on a filled ground during the 18th century and it was renovated several times by the occupants ever since. Recently, due to an earthquake of magnitude 7.3, the upper part of the south-western wall of the fort collapsed. The collapse of the wall was attributed to the failure of the retained slope. This research was undertaken to characterize the slope material, study causal factors of failure and evaluate remedial strategy. The investigation involved conventional field and laboratory testing and geophysical investigation using electrical resistivity technique to evaluate the nature of stratum. Also, X-ray Diffraction and Scanning Electron Microscopy was used to study the slope material at a molecular level to evaluate the existence of swelling potential. The analysis has shown that excessive seepage of water caused by the poor maintenance of runoff and sewage drains is the causal factor triggered by the seismic event. A remedial strategy involving soil nails, micro piles and improvement of the surface drainage is recommended.     

Time-Lapse TM-Polarization Electromagnetic Imaging

We discuss a time-lapse technique using a full nonlinear inversion scheme for subsurface monitoring purposes. In this technique we relate two measurements of the same nature but at different time instants to characterize the change of the subsurface during this time of evolution. This technique is very popular in seismic geophysical explorations. In this paper we investigate the possibility of applying this technique in monitoring of the (shallow) subsurface using electromagnetic waves at quasi static, diffusion and wave field frequencies. Some synthetic numerical examples are shown to illustrate the performance of the present technique.     

用新离子交换树脂催化剂优化连续催化精馏塔中乙基叔丁基醚的合成(英文)

Liquid phase synthesis of one of the important fuel oxygenate, ethyl tert-butyl ether （ETBE）, from etha-nol and tert-butyl alcohol （TBA） has been studied in catalytic distillation column （CDC） using ion exchange resin catalyst CT-145H. A packed CDC of 1.2 m height and 50 mm diameter with indigenously developed reactive sec-tion packing was used to generate experimental data. Effect of different key variables on product purity in distillate, was investigated to find the optimum operating conditions for ETBE synthesis. The optimum conditions for 0.2 kg·s-1 of ethanol feed were found：reboiler duty of 375 W, molar feed ratio of 1︰1.3 of reactants, and reflux ratio of 7. Concentration profiles for each component along each column section at optimum conditions were also drawn. Neither output nor input multiplicity was observed at experimental conditions.     

耐高温水基压裂液研究进展

随着勘探技术的发展,油气勘探向纵深发展,而越往深井发展地层温度越高,国内外对高温油藏的开发愈加重视。水基压裂液由于其施工方便、价格低廉以及性能优异等优点,一直是应用最为普遍的压裂液。但早期压裂液的耐温性能较差,无法满足高温油藏的压裂施工需求。因此开发可用于耐高温油气藏的水基压裂液具有重要的研究价值和实际应用价值。本文介绍了国内外耐高温水基压裂液的研究进展,对于胍胶压裂液,通过提高稠化剂用量,进行稠化剂、交联剂的改性,以提高其耐温性能;耐温清洁压裂液稠化剂类型由早期的阳离子、阴离子型向双子及复合型发展,近年还有学者将纳米体系用于改性表面活性剂;耐温合成聚合物压裂液发展较快,多是通过设计多元共聚物提升耐温能力。对于胍胶压裂液体系,研发满足特高温油藏压裂施工需求的低浓度胍胶压裂液还是今后的主要研究方向。文中指出清洁压裂液体系成本过高,无法大规模使用;合成聚合物压裂液耐温性能好,研究含有支链聚合单体或磺酸基团等的多元共聚物,引入合适的疏水基团作为稠化剂,是合成聚合物的研究方向。     

Gain-enhanced reconfigurable radiation array with mechanically driven system and directive elements

In the artificial intelligence-driven modern wireless communication system, antennas are required to be reconfigurable in terms of size according to changing application scenarios. However, conventional antennas with constant phase distributions cannot achieve enhanced gains in different reconfigurable sizes. In this paper, we propose a mechanically reconfigurable radiation array (RRA) based on miniaturized elements and a mechanically reconfigurable system to obtain gain-enhanced antennas in compact and deployed states. A five-element RRA with a phase-reconfigurable center element is designed and analyzed theoretically. The experimental sample has been fabricated, driven by a deployable frame with only one degree of freedom to realize the size and phase distribution reconfiguration simultaneously to validate the enhanced gains of RRA. The proposed RRA can be tessellated into larger arrays to achieve higher gains in other frequency regimes, such as terahertz or photonics applications with nanometer fabrication technology.     

NASARA-I WELL, GONGOLA BASIN (UPPER BENUE TROUGH, NIGERIA): SOURCE-ROCK EVALUATION

Well Nasara‐I, one of three exploration wells recently drilled in the Gongola Basin in the Upper Benue Trough (onshore Nigeria), was tested and found to be dry. The well penetrated an entirely Cretaceous succession comprising the Pindiga, Yolde and? Bima Formations, and standard organic geochemical analyses were carried out to assess the source‐rock potential of selected samples. Total organic carbon (TOC) contents were found generally to be very low, with no values exceeding 1.0wt%, and about one‐half of them ranging between 0.50 and 0.87wt%. Hydrogen indices (Hls) correlated against Tmax indicate some gas‐generative potential. However, in the depth interval between 4,710ft and 4,770ft, TOC values of between 52.1 and 55.2 wt% were recorded; these are characteristic of coals. This is the first report of a coal within the Pindiga, Yolde or Bima Formations. Hls were between 564 and 589 mgHC/gTOC and Tmax was 423–428°C. Although hydrogen indices can be misleading in assessing the oil‐generative potential of a coal, values as high as those recorded in Nasara‐I permit oil‐generative capabilities to be inferred. Total ion chromatograms of the saturated hydrocarbon fractions of the coaly samples show some ramping of unresolved complex mixtures attributable to biodegradation. Further biomarker data indicate a dominance of low molecular weight n‐alkanes (C₁₅–C₂₅), pristane/phytane ratios of 0.8 to 1.3, and very high contents of C₂₈ regular steranes. These attributes, together with the very high Hls, indicate that some oils generated from a probably deeper‐seated or laterally‐located (and yet to be identified) lacustrine source rock must have migrated and been adsorbed into the coaly facies, which were later intermittently subjected to anoxic to suboxic biodegradation processes.     

Rice husk–polyester composites: The effect of chemical modification of rice husk on the mechanical and dimensional stability properties

Rice husk was used as filler in the production of rice husk (RH)–polyester composites and was subjected to three types of chemical modification. The chemical reagents employed in this study were glycidyl methacrylate (GMA), maleic anhydride (MAH), and succinic anhydride (SAH). This study revealed that the chemical modification of RH with GMA and MAH resulted in the enhancements of tensile and flexural properties of RH–polyester composites. The reduction in these properties with respect to those modified with SAH were attributed to the absence of C?C unsaturated groups. Water immersion test showed that chemical modification of the RH improved the dimensional stability of the composites. This was shown in the GMA‐ and MAH‐modified RH–polyester composites. The modification increased the hydrophobicity as well as the crosslinking between the RH and matrix in the composites. The lower performance demonstrated by the SAH‐modified composites was due to the inability of the SAH to form crosslinking with the matrix. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 97: 1237–1247, 2005