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In the present paper, ANN is used to predict the tidal level fluctuations, which is an important parameter in maritime areas. A time lagged recurrent network (TLRN) was used to train the ANN model. In this kind of networks, the problem is representation of the information in time instead of the information among the input patterns, as in the regular ANN models. Two sets of data were used to test the proposed model. San Francisco Bay tidal levels were used to test the performance of the model as a predictive tool. The second set of data was collected in Gouatr Bay in southeast of Iran. This data set was used to show the ability of the ANN model in predicting and completing of data in a station, which has a short period of records. Different model structures were used and compared with each other. In addition, an ARMA model was used to simulate time series data to compare the results with the ANN forecasts. Results proved that ANN can be used effectively in this field and satisfactory accuracy was found for the two examples. Based on this study, an operational real time environment could be achieved when using a trained forecasting neural network.

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Explosion has always been regarded as one of the most complicated engineering problems. As a result, many engineers have preferred rather simplified empirical approaches in comparison to extremely complex deterministic analyses. In this paper, however, a numerical simulation based on the combined finite/discrete element methodology is presented for analyzing the dynamic behavior of fracturing rock masses in blasting. A finite element discretization of discrete elements allows for complex shapes of fully deformable discrete elements with geometric and material nonlinearities to be considered. Only a Rankine strain softening plasticity model is employed, which is suitable for rock and other brittle materials. Creation of new lines/edges/bodies from fracturing and fragmentation of original objects is systematically considered in the proposed gas-solid interaction flow model. An equation of state is adopted to inexpensively calculate the pressure of the detonation gas in closed form. The model employed for the flow of detonation gas has resulted in a logical algorithmic procedure for the evaluation of spatial distribution of the pressure of detonation gas, work done by the expanding gas and the total mass of the detonation gas as functions of time indicating the ability of model to respond to changes in both the mass of explosive charge and the size of the solid block undergoing fracture. Rock blasting and demolition problems are amongst the engineering applications that are expected to benefit directly from the present development. The results of this study may also be used to provide some numerical based reliable solutions for the complex analysis of structures subjected to explosive loadings.

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A new approach is proposed to model a crack in orthotropic composite media using the extended finite element method (XFEM). The XFEM uses the concept of partition of unity in addition to meshless basic idea of approximating a field variable by its values at a set of surrounding nodes. As a result, higher order approximations can be designed with the same total number of degrees of freedom. In this procedure, by using meshless based ideas, elements containing a crack are not required to conform to crack edges. Therefore mesh generating is performed without any consideration of crack conformations for elements and the method has the ability of extending the crack without any remeshing. Furthermore, the type of elements around the cracktip is the same as other parts of the finite element model and the number of nodes and consequently degrees of freedom are reduced considerably in comparison to the classical finite element method. Developed orthotropic enrichment functions are further modified to enable modeling isotropic problems.

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Landslides are major natural hazards which not only result in the loss of human life but also cause economic burden on the society. Therefore, it is essential to develop suitable models to evaluate the susceptibility of slope failures and their zonations. This paper scientifically assesses various methods of landslide susceptibility zonation in GIS environment. A comparative study of Weights of Evidence (WOE), Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP), Artificial Neural Network (ANN), and Generalized Linear Regression (GLR) procedures for landslide susceptibility zonation is presented. Controlling factors such as lithology, landuse, slope angle, slope aspect, curvature, distance to fault, and distance to drainage were considered as explanatory variables. Data of 151 sample points of observed landslides in Mazandaran Province, Iran, were used to train and test the approaches. Small scale maps (1:1,000,000) were used in this study. The estimated accuracy ranges from 80 to 88 percent. It is then inferred that the application of WOE in rating maps’ categories and ANN to weight effective factors result in the maximum accuracy.

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Seismic piezocone device (SCPTu) together with Resonant Column and Cyclic Triaxial test apparatus are

employed to measure small strain shear modulus (G0) of carbonate sandy and clayey soils of southern coasts of Iran.

A large area of southern regions of Iran is formed from clay, silt and sand. In this study, maximum shear modulus that

is derived from both field (by seismic piezocone) and laboratory (by Resonant Column and Cyclic Triaxial) tests on

soil samples from the southern region, indicated a meaningful effect of sample disturbance. Results show that in

laboratory tests, loose samples tend to become denser and therefore exhibit greater stiffness whereas dense samples

tend to become looser, showing a reduction in stiffness. According to the results of the present study, there are narrow

limits of soils shear moduli for which the laboratory tests and the field measurements yield approximately the same

amounts. This limit of shear moduli is about 30-50(MPa) for clay deposits and 70-100 (MPa) for sandy deposits. Since

the shear moduli of soils in small strains can also be computed from the shear wave velocity, also correlations based

on parameters derived from SCPTu test for shear wave velocity determination of sandy and clayey soils of the studied

area are presented. This study shows that shear wave velocity can be related to both corrected tip resistance and total

normal stress. The measurements of the damping ratio and shear module, because of a great disturbance of stiff

deposits during the sampling process and also due to considerable differences between the laboratory and field

results, by the laboratory approaches are not reliable and advised.

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Hydrologic Evaluation of Landfill Performance (HELP) model is one of the most accepted tools to simulate

the hydrological attributes of landfills. Although some major deviations from real values has been reported about the

calculated results for leachate generation by HELP model but other researchers and/or engineers in practice have

used it in some places to estimate amount of leachate produced in the landfills. On the Other hand this model is

elaborated and mainly used in developed countries with the waste having low moisture content and also in climatic

conditions with high precipitation. This research investigated the applicability of the model in arid areas, by

construction of two 30m× 50m (effective horizontal length) test cells in Kahrizak landfill (longitude=51°, 20',

latitude= 35° 27' degrees), and monitoring the real leachate generation from each one. A set of field capacity and

saturated water conductivity tests were also performed to determine basic hydrologic properties of municipal waste

landfilled. A comparison was made between values calculated by HELP model and recorded values, shows that a

prediction of leachate on annual basis can be done by HELP model with acceptable accuracy but when the infiltration

of water to waste body increases due to leachate production, the model intents to underestimate water storage capacity

of the landfill, which lead to deviation of calculated values from real ones.

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The Dynamic Probe is an effective tool used in site investigation. It is more economic than the use of direct drilling, particularly in explorations with moderate depth. This paper presents an experimental study to investigate the capability of using dynamic probing to evaluate the shear strength and compaction percent of fine soil. A series of dynamic probe tests were carried out at 6 different sites in the Khozestan, Hormozgan and Qom provinces in the central and southern regions of Iran. The repeatability of the results is considered and new empirical equations relating the dynamic point resistance to undrained shear strength and compaction percent are proposed. For undrained shear strength evaluation of fine soils, i.e. clay and silty clay soils, a reliable site-specific correlation between qd and Cu can be developed when considering the correlation between log qd and log Cu. Also compaction present can be evaluated by qd. These equations can be developed to provide site-specific relationships based upon geotechnical data at each new location. Using this approach an estimation of the undrained shear strength Cu and compaction percent CP can be determined from dynamic probe tests with acceptable accuracy. The present paper also encourages the wider application of dynamic probing for site investigation in fine soils.

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Sliding foundations is a technique to suppress seismic loads applied to structures. There are many studies showing that sliding foundations are efficient specially for low rise buildings, however most of them have ignored the effects of vertical components of the earthquake records on the behavior of such bases. This paper focuses on influences of sliding foundations on seismic behavior of low rise buildings, for real cases. For this purpose, vertical component of earthquakes are considered as well as inherent properties of foundation material such as coefficient of Restitution (COR). Furthermore, variation of friction coefficient during the earthquake is considered. COR is utilized to consider bouncing of the structure after separation of the foundation, occurred for extreme downward vertical accelerations (greater than gravitational acceleration). Variation of friction coefficient is considered based on a new study, showing that the coefficient of friction depends on instantaneous amplitude and frequency of the vertical excitation. The obtained results show that vertical component of earthquake affects the behavior of the sliding base substantially. It is also demonstrated that providing material for the sliding base with higher COR is advantageous in decreasing structural acceleration response. Furthermore, the coefficient of friction is really lower than the regularly assumed values and therefore, leads to smaller structural acceleration response but mostly greater residual displacements.