Evaluation for Soil Liquefaction Due to Long Duration Earthquakes with Low Acceleration
Past studies show that soil liquefaction due to a long duration earthquake with low acceleration, for example as observed in the Tokyo Bay area in the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake, is largely affected by liquefaction strength for a large number of loading cycles. It is, therefore, extremely important to know the liquefaction resistance for a large number of loading cycles. This paper describes the results of the hollow cylindrical cyclic torsion shear tests that were conducted to ascertain the effects of grain size distributions on liquefaction resistance for a large number of loading cycles. The test results clearly show that the tendency of a decrease in liquefaction resistance for a large number of loading cycles is influenced by mean grain size, inclination of grain size distribution, and so on. Finally, the effect of liquefaction resistance curve characteristics on the assessment of liquefaction potential is examined using the cumulative damage theory.
Threshold seismic energy and liquefaction distance limit during the 2008 Wenchuan earthquake
Estimating the possible region of liquefaction occurrence during a strong earthquake is highly valuable for economy loss estimation, reconnaissance efforts and site investigations after the event. This study identified and compiled a large amount of liquefaction case histories from the 2008 Wenchuan earthquake, China, to investigate the relationship between the attenuation of seismic wave energy and liquefaction distance limit during this earthquake. Firstly, we introduced the concept of energy absorption ratio, which is defined as the absorbed energy of soil divided by the imparted energy of seismic waves at a given site, and the relationship between the energy absorption ratio and the material damping ratio was established based on shear stress–strain loop of soil element and the seismic wave propagation process from the source to the site. Secondly, the threshold imparted seismic energy of liquefaction was obtained based on existing researches of absorbed energy required to trigger liquefaction of sandy soils and the ground motion attenuation characteristics of the 2008 Wenchuan earthquake, and the liquefaction distance limit of this earthquake was estimated according to the proposed magnitude–energy–distance relationship. Finally, the field liquefaction database of 209 sites of the 2008 Wenchuan earthquake was used to validate such an estimation, and the field observed threshold imparted seismic energy to cause liquefaction in recent major earthquakes worldwide was back-analyzed to check the predictability of the present method, and several possible mechanisms were discussed to explain the discrepancy between the field observations and the theoretical predictions. This study indicates that seismic energy attenuation and liquefaction distance limit are regional specific and earthquake dependent, and 382 J/m3 is the average level of threshold imparted seismic energy to cause liquefaction for loose saturated sandy soils, and the corresponding liquefaction distance limit is approximately 87.4 km in fault distance for a Mw = 7.9 event in the Chengdu Plain. The proposed regional energy attenuation model and threshold imparted seismic energy may be considered as an approximate tool in evaluating the liquefaction hazard during potential earthquakes in this area.
Influence of naloxone on the antinociceptive effects of some antidepressant drugs.
The antinociceptive effects of tricyclic and atypical antidepressants were studied using the rat tail mechanical method. Clomipramine produced analgesia at the doses of 30 and 40 mg/kg, desimipramine at 10, 20 and 40 mg/kg, maprotiline at 20 and 30 mg/kg, mianserin at 30 mg/kg, nomifensine at 1, 2.5 and 5 mg/kg, indalpine at 10, 20 and 40 mg/kg, viloxazine at 60 and 80 mg/kg. Naloxone (0.8 mg/kg) abolished the antinociceptive action of these antidepressant drugs. These results suggest that the antinociceptive activity of these six antidepressant drugs in acute experimental pain could involve opiate mechanisms.