Sphere packing is an attractive way to generate high quality mesh. Several algorithms have been proposed in this topic, however these algorithms are not sufficiently fast for large scale problems. The paper presents a...Sphere packing is an attractive way to generate high quality mesh. Several algorithms have been proposed in this topic, however these algorithms are not sufficiently fast for large scale problems. The paper presents an efficient sphere packing algorithm which is much faster and appears to be the most practical among all sphere packing methods presented so far for mesh generation. The algorithm packs spheres inside a domain using advancing front method. High efficiency has resulted from a concept of 4R measure, which localizes all the computations involved in the whole sphere packing process.展开更多
This work presents a new analytical method to analyze the influence of reaction piles on the test pile response in a static load test.In our method,the interactive effect between soil and pile is simulated using indep...This work presents a new analytical method to analyze the influence of reaction piles on the test pile response in a static load test.In our method,the interactive effect between soil and pile is simulated using independent springs and the shear displacement method is adopted to analyze the influence of reaction piles on test pile response.Moreover,the influence of the sheltering effect between reaction piles and test pile on the test pile response is taken into account.Two cases are analyzed to verify the rationality and efficiency of the present method.This method can be easily extended to a nonlinear response of an influenced test pile embedded in a multilayered soil,and the validity is also demonstrated using centrifuge model tests and a computer program presented in the literature.The present analyses indicate that the proposed method will lead to an underestimation of the test pile settlement in a static load test if the influence of the presence of reaction piles on the test pile response is neglected.展开更多
Sand fences made of punched steel plate(PSP)have recently been applied to control wind-blown sand in desertified and Gobi areas due to their strong wind resistance and convenient in situ construction.However,few studi...Sand fences made of punched steel plate(PSP)have recently been applied to control wind-blown sand in desertified and Gobi areas due to their strong wind resistance and convenient in situ construction.However,few studies have assessed the protective effect of PSP sand fences,especially through field observations.This study analyzes the effects of double-row PSP sand fences on wind and sand resistance using field observations and a computational fluid dynamics(CFD)numerical simulation.The results of field observations showed that the average windproof efficiencies of the first-row and second-row sand fences were 79.8%and 70.8%,respectively.Moreover,the average windproof efficiencies of the numerical simulation behind the first-row and second-row sand fences were 89.8%and 81.1%,respectively.The sand-resistance efficiency of the double-row PSP sand fences was 65.4%.Sand deposition occurred close to the first-row sand fence;however,there was relatively little sand on the leeward side of the second-row sand fence.The length of sand accumulation near PSP sand fences obtained by numerical simulation was basically consistent with that through field observations,indicating that field observations combined with numerical simulation can provide insight into the complex wind-blown sand field over PSP sand fences.This study indicates that the protection efficiency of the double-row PSP sand fences is sufficient for effective control of sand hazards associated with extremely strong wind in the Gobi areas.The output of this work is expected to improve the future application of PSP sand fences.展开更多
This study investigates the impact of corruption on corporate cash holdings in China. The political extraction argument predicts that firms might shelter liquid assets to avoid extraction by corrupt officials. Using d...This study investigates the impact of corruption on corporate cash holdings in China. The political extraction argument predicts that firms might shelter liquid assets to avoid extraction by corrupt officials. Using data on A-shared listed firms between 2007 and 2012, we find that firms located in more corrupt regions hold less cash, supporting this hypothesis. Political resources help to diminish the risk of exploitation, reducing the extent to which liquid assets are sheltered. We find that the negative association between corruption and cash holding is more significant for non-state-owned enterprises(Non-SOEs)than for state-owned enterprises(SOEs). Moreover, the cash holdings of Non-SOEs without political connections are more sensitive to corruption than those of Non-SOEs with political connections. These findings demonstrate that expropriation by corrupt officials is an important factor driving firms to manage liquidity.展开更多
A numerical wave flume with fully nonlinear free surface boundary conditions is adopted to investigate the temporal characteristics of extreme waves in the presence of wind at various speeds. Incident wave trains are ...A numerical wave flume with fully nonlinear free surface boundary conditions is adopted to investigate the temporal characteristics of extreme waves in the presence of wind at various speeds. Incident wave trains are numerically generated by a piston-type wave maker, and the wind-excited pressure is introduced into dynamic boundary conditions using a pressure distribution over steep crests, as defined by Jeffreys＇ sheltering mechanism.A boundary value problem is solved by a higher-order boundary element method（HOBEM） and a mixed Eulerian-Lagrangian time marching scheme. The proposed model is validated through comparison with published experimental data from a focused wave group. The influence of wind on extreme wave properties,including maximum extreme wave crest, focal position shift, and spectrum evolution, is also studied. To consider the effects of the wind-driven currents on a wave evolution, the simulations assume a uniform current over varying water depth. The results show that wind causes weak increases in the extreme wave crest, and makes the nonlinear energy transfer non-reversible in the focusing and defocusing processes. The numerical results also provide a comparison to demonstrate the shifts at focal points, considering the combined effects of the winds and the wind-driven currents.展开更多
Aims The mechanisms of plant community assembly are hypothesized to vary at different stages of succession.Here,we explore the local assemblage structure of a herbaceous plant community at its early stage of successio...Aims The mechanisms of plant community assembly are hypothesized to vary at different stages of succession.Here,we explore the local assemblage structure of a herbaceous plant community at its early stage of succession in a supratidal wetland.specifically,we assess the role of Chinese saltcedar(Tamarix chinensis),the lone dominant shrub species,in shaping the spatial structure and species composi-tion in the local plant community,after landscape alteration.Methods We used the multivariate trend-surface analysis for analyzing the spatial structure of the community composition.a null model was also used to detect potential biotic interactions between species.statistical significance was derived from a permutation test by randomizing the presence-absence matrix and functional traits independently.sensitivity analysis by randomly selecting 50 subplots and repeating the null model tests was also done.Finally,rank correlation analysis was used to study the relationship between effect sizes and distance to nearest T.chinensis individuals.Important Findings The herbaceous plant community was highly structured and shaped by the presence of T.chinensis.at local scale,two functional traits,plant height and leaf area,were found to be significantly convergent.Dispersal,environmental stress and interspecific competition played a trivial effect on the local community assembly.The facilitating effect of T.chinensis on the pioneering herbaceous plants,through acting as a wind shelter,was put forward as the dominant community assembly process.展开更多
Based on the dynamic and thermodynamic equations in the SBL,the protection characteristics and mech- anism of shelterbelts are numerically studied in this paper.The results are in consistent with those ob- served in f...Based on the dynamic and thermodynamic equations in the SBL,the protection characteristics and mech- anism of shelterbelts are numerically studied in this paper.The results are in consistent with those ob- served in fields and wind-tunnels.Research shows that the belts with a permeability of 0.3—0.4 have the maximum sheltering effects.The distance where wind speed reduces at least by 20% is at 18—19 times of tree height(H)behind belts.The protection distance reduces fast with the increase of the permeability and slowly with its decrease.The belts have weaker sheltering effects in upstream,generally beyond 6H in front of belts there are no sheltering effects.In addition,the belts with low permeability at top and high permeability at bottom have much better sheltering effects than the belts with high permeability at top and low permeability at bottom.The belts with 50% overall permeability reduce wind speed at least,by 20% at the distance of 5H on the leeward side and by 10% at 11H.When the air is unstable,the protecting effects will be reduced.For the uniform belts with a permeability of 0.35,the distance where wind speed reduces at least by 20% is 15H under the unstable air and 13H under very unstable air.The belts reduce the turbulent diffusion coefficient at the bottom of belts,but increase it at the top.展开更多
The resettlement of millions of destitute earthquake victims is the government’s next priority One of the first tasks of central and local governments after the col- lapse of infrastructure following the May 12 quake...The resettlement of millions of destitute earthquake victims is the government’s next priority One of the first tasks of central and local governments after the col- lapse of infrastructure following the May 12 quake has been to devise a plan to settle the victims by mobilizing all resources and setting up relief centers展开更多
基金the National Natural Science Foundation of China (10602002 and 10772005)
文摘Sphere packing is an attractive way to generate high quality mesh. Several algorithms have been proposed in this topic, however these algorithms are not sufficiently fast for large scale problems. The paper presents an efficient sphere packing algorithm which is much faster and appears to be the most practical among all sphere packing methods presented so far for mesh generation. The algorithm packs spheres inside a domain using advancing front method. High efficiency has resulted from a concept of 4R measure, which localizes all the computations involved in the whole sphere packing process.
基金Project supported by the China Postdoctoral Science Foundation (No. 2012M521339)the Independent Innovation Foundation of Shandong University (No. 2012GN012),China
文摘This work presents a new analytical method to analyze the influence of reaction piles on the test pile response in a static load test.In our method,the interactive effect between soil and pile is simulated using independent springs and the shear displacement method is adopted to analyze the influence of reaction piles on test pile response.Moreover,the influence of the sheltering effect between reaction piles and test pile on the test pile response is taken into account.Two cases are analyzed to verify the rationality and efficiency of the present method.This method can be easily extended to a nonlinear response of an influenced test pile embedded in a multilayered soil,and the validity is also demonstrated using centrifuge model tests and a computer program presented in the literature.The present analyses indicate that the proposed method will lead to an underestimation of the test pile settlement in a static load test if the influence of the presence of reaction piles on the test pile response is neglected.
基金This research was funded by the Fellowship of the China Postdoctoral Science Foundation(2021M703466)the Basic Research Innovation Group Project of Gansu Province,China(21JR7RA347)the Natural Science Foundation of Gansu Province,China(20JR10RA231).
文摘Sand fences made of punched steel plate(PSP)have recently been applied to control wind-blown sand in desertified and Gobi areas due to their strong wind resistance and convenient in situ construction.However,few studies have assessed the protective effect of PSP sand fences,especially through field observations.This study analyzes the effects of double-row PSP sand fences on wind and sand resistance using field observations and a computational fluid dynamics(CFD)numerical simulation.The results of field observations showed that the average windproof efficiencies of the first-row and second-row sand fences were 79.8%and 70.8%,respectively.Moreover,the average windproof efficiencies of the numerical simulation behind the first-row and second-row sand fences were 89.8%and 81.1%,respectively.The sand-resistance efficiency of the double-row PSP sand fences was 65.4%.Sand deposition occurred close to the first-row sand fence;however,there was relatively little sand on the leeward side of the second-row sand fence.The length of sand accumulation near PSP sand fences obtained by numerical simulation was basically consistent with that through field observations,indicating that field observations combined with numerical simulation can provide insight into the complex wind-blown sand field over PSP sand fences.This study indicates that the protection efficiency of the double-row PSP sand fences is sufficient for effective control of sand hazards associated with extremely strong wind in the Gobi areas.The output of this work is expected to improve the future application of PSP sand fences.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China [Grant No.71572019]Graduate Scientific Research and Innovation Foundation of Chongqing,China [Grant No.CYB16001]+2 种基金National Natural Science Foundation of China [Grant Nos.71602013,71772019]The Humanities and Social Sciences Foundation of the Ministry of Education [Grant No.17YJA630017]Fundamental Research Funds for Central Universities [Grant No.2017CDJSK02 PT01]
文摘This study investigates the impact of corruption on corporate cash holdings in China. The political extraction argument predicts that firms might shelter liquid assets to avoid extraction by corrupt officials. Using data on A-shared listed firms between 2007 and 2012, we find that firms located in more corrupt regions hold less cash, supporting this hypothesis. Political resources help to diminish the risk of exploitation, reducing the extent to which liquid assets are sheltered. We find that the negative association between corruption and cash holding is more significant for non-state-owned enterprises(Non-SOEs)than for state-owned enterprises(SOEs). Moreover, the cash holdings of Non-SOEs without political connections are more sensitive to corruption than those of Non-SOEs with political connections. These findings demonstrate that expropriation by corrupt officials is an important factor driving firms to manage liquidity.
基金The National Natural Science Foundation of China under contract Nos 51679036,51490672 and 51709038the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities under contract Nos DUT17GJ202 and DUT16RC(3)113the Open Foundation of State Key Laboratory of Hydrology-Water Resources and Hydraulic Engineering under contract No.2016490111
文摘A numerical wave flume with fully nonlinear free surface boundary conditions is adopted to investigate the temporal characteristics of extreme waves in the presence of wind at various speeds. Incident wave trains are numerically generated by a piston-type wave maker, and the wind-excited pressure is introduced into dynamic boundary conditions using a pressure distribution over steep crests, as defined by Jeffreys＇ sheltering mechanism.A boundary value problem is solved by a higher-order boundary element method（HOBEM） and a mixed Eulerian-Lagrangian time marching scheme. The proposed model is validated through comparison with published experimental data from a focused wave group. The influence of wind on extreme wave properties,including maximum extreme wave crest, focal position shift, and spectrum evolution, is also studied. To consider the effects of the wind-driven currents on a wave evolution, the simulations assume a uniform current over varying water depth. The results show that wind causes weak increases in the extreme wave crest, and makes the nonlinear energy transfer non-reversible in the focusing and defocusing processes. The numerical results also provide a comparison to demonstrate the shifts at focal points, considering the combined effects of the winds and the wind-driven currents.
基金National Natural Science Foundation of China(31000197 and 41101169)Knowledge Innovation Project of CAS(KZCX2-EW-QN209)+1 种基金National High Technology Research and Development Program of China(2013AA06A211-4)National Research Foundation of South Africa(89967 and 81825).
文摘Aims The mechanisms of plant community assembly are hypothesized to vary at different stages of succession.Here,we explore the local assemblage structure of a herbaceous plant community at its early stage of succession in a supratidal wetland.specifically,we assess the role of Chinese saltcedar(Tamarix chinensis),the lone dominant shrub species,in shaping the spatial structure and species composi-tion in the local plant community,after landscape alteration.Methods We used the multivariate trend-surface analysis for analyzing the spatial structure of the community composition.a null model was also used to detect potential biotic interactions between species.statistical significance was derived from a permutation test by randomizing the presence-absence matrix and functional traits independently.sensitivity analysis by randomly selecting 50 subplots and repeating the null model tests was also done.Finally,rank correlation analysis was used to study the relationship between effect sizes and distance to nearest T.chinensis individuals.Important Findings The herbaceous plant community was highly structured and shaped by the presence of T.chinensis.at local scale,two functional traits,plant height and leaf area,were found to be significantly convergent.Dispersal,environmental stress and interspecific competition played a trivial effect on the local community assembly.The facilitating effect of T.chinensis on the pioneering herbaceous plants,through acting as a wind shelter,was put forward as the dominant community assembly process.
文摘Based on the dynamic and thermodynamic equations in the SBL,the protection characteristics and mech- anism of shelterbelts are numerically studied in this paper.The results are in consistent with those ob- served in fields and wind-tunnels.Research shows that the belts with a permeability of 0.3—0.4 have the maximum sheltering effects.The distance where wind speed reduces at least by 20% is at 18—19 times of tree height(H)behind belts.The protection distance reduces fast with the increase of the permeability and slowly with its decrease.The belts have weaker sheltering effects in upstream,generally beyond 6H in front of belts there are no sheltering effects.In addition,the belts with low permeability at top and high permeability at bottom have much better sheltering effects than the belts with high permeability at top and low permeability at bottom.The belts with 50% overall permeability reduce wind speed at least,by 20% at the distance of 5H on the leeward side and by 10% at 11H.When the air is unstable,the protecting effects will be reduced.For the uniform belts with a permeability of 0.35,the distance where wind speed reduces at least by 20% is 15H under the unstable air and 13H under very unstable air.The belts reduce the turbulent diffusion coefficient at the bottom of belts,but increase it at the top.
文摘The resettlement of millions of destitute earthquake victims is the government’s next priority One of the first tasks of central and local governments after the col- lapse of infrastructure following the May 12 quake has been to devise a plan to settle the victims by mobilizing all resources and setting up relief centers
