Preliminary study on rockfall for Al Gayah site in Yemen

Studying the landslide and rockfall in Yemen still in its preliminary stage. Al Gayah rockfall site is a chronic problem as many other areas in the Republic of Yemen. The present authors have tried to highlight, and find best solution for this problem for the first time. Field work, collecting data and laboratory test for many rock samples such physical properties, chemical for major elements and thin section have been carried out. The physical properties performed according to ASTM, and then the result have been gotten and discussed.     

Causes of rockfalls in Al-Huwayshah area, Yemen

According to topography of Yemen, most areas and villages are located at obligated crest, toe of mountain and under cliffs. Therefore Al-Huwayshah consisting of Tawilah sandstone group is characterized by steep slope reach to 90° in some areas. This area is affected by strong tectonic movements and faults that occurred during the geological epochs. This effect enhances to find out fractures and joints as well as the rocks become brittle and ready to slide depending on the position of area. And there are some fractures and joints on the surface of the areas due to tectonic movement associated with opening the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden. The rainfalls, fractures, joints, earthquakes, gravity, vegetations, temperatures and human activities play a big role in the processes of rockfalls and landslides in this area. All those factors are considered as the basic causes and catalyzed factors for occurrence of rockfall in the studide area. In addition, the authors carried out laboratory test for many rock samples to get the physical properties of the rocks.     

Rockfall seismic features analysis based on in situ tests:frequency,amplitude, and duration

In the seismic event classification,determining the seismic features of rockfall is significantly important for the automatic classification of seismic events because of the huge amount of raw data recorded by seismic stations in continuous monitoring. At the same time, the rockfall seismic features are still not completely understood.This study concentrates on the rockfall frequency content, amplitude(ground velocity), seismic waveform and duration analysis, of an artificial rockfall test at Torgiovannetto(a former quarry in Central Italy). A total of 90 blocks were released in the test, and their seismic signals and moving trajectories were recorded by four tri-axial seismic stations and four cameras, respectively. In the analysis processing,all the artificial rockfall signal traces were cut separately and the seismic features were extracted individually and automatically. In this study, the relationships between a) frequency content and impacted materials, b) frequency content and the distance between block releasing position and seismic station(source-receiver distance) were discussed. As a result, we found that the frequency content of rockfall focuses on 10-60 Hz and 80-90 Hz within a source-receiver distance of 200 m, and it is well correlated with impacted material and source-receiver distance. To evaluate the difference between earthquake and rockfall, 23 clear earthquake signals recorded in a seven month-long continuous seismic monitoring, carried out with the four seismic stations, were picked out, according to the Italian national earthquakes database(INGV). On these traces we performed the same analysis as in the artificial rockfall traces, and two parameters were defined to separate rockfall events from earthquake noise. The first one, the amplitude ratio, is related to the amplitude variation of rockfall between two stations and is greater than that of earthquakes, because of the higher attenuation occurring for rockfall events, which consists in high frequencies whereas for earthquakes it consists in low frequencies. The other parameter, the shape of waveform of signal trace, showed a significant difference between rockfall and earthquake and that could be a complementary feature to discriminate between both. This analysis of artificial rockfall is a first step helpful to understand the seismic characteristics of rockfall, and useful for rockfall seismic events classification in seismic monitoring of slope.     

The Republic of Yemen Petroleum Overview

AbstractYemen located on the southwest corner of the Arabian Peninsula. It is known that Yemen is important to world energy markets because of its oil and natural gas resources as well as its strategic location at the Bab el - Mandab strait linking the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden. Due to the Ministry of Oil and Mineral Resources (MOMR, 1998E) the Yemeni Oil Production was estimated to be 385 000 barrels per day (bbl/d), Oil Consumption was 69 000 bbl/d and Net Oil Exports was 316 000 barrels per day (bbl/d). On 1999 the Yemeni Proven Oil Reserves was estimated to be 4 billion barrels and the Natural Gas Reserves was estimated to be 16.9 trillion cubic feet (Tcf) (Ministry of Oil and Mineral Resources, 1999). At this time, many researchers, scientific expeditions and foreign companies are interested in Yemen. This paper discussed the petroleum overview of the Republic of Yemen. In my opinion, Yemen is not just going to attract all with its oil and gas discoveries in the near future, but also with its new geological data and information.     

非均一性斜坡落石运动轨迹

现有的落石运动轨迹研究均将斜坡视为半无限均匀的坡面,而实际的工况下,坡面由不均一材料组成。根据落石不同的运动模式,将坡面简化为多层岩土体材料的结构形式,在滚动阶段,基于Hertz接触理论得到落石在不同坡面条件下运动特征,并给出坡面分层条件下落石切向摩擦系数的计算公式,在碰撞阶段,基于能量守恒定理,采用准静态接触力学理论得到法向恢复系数公式,理论推导得到任意层厚岩土体材料坡面条件下落石法向和切向恢复系数的解析解,然后求解得到碰撞后落石运动参数,并根据碰撞后落石的速度及回弹量关系,给出碰撞后落石运动模式转换的判别条件,最后结合运动学定理,得到3种运动模式任意分层坡面条件落石的运动轨迹,将理论公式应用于某山区落石运动轨迹预测,验证了理论公式的适用性和有效性。      

Comparing rockfall hazard and risk assessment procedures along roads for different planning purposes

Hazard and risk assessment procedures of different types of rockfall were analyzed to compare their outcomes when they are applied to the same case study. Although numerous methodologies are available in literature, rockfall hazard and risk analyses are often limited to standard estimations,affected by a margin of uncertainty, especially when relevant engineering projects are about to be realized.Based on the design purpose, different types of approaches can be chosen among the qualitative and quantitative ones available in literature, which allow different levels of analysis. One of the main criticisms related to rockfall events is the risk affecting linear structures, such as road or railways, due both to their strategic relevance for trade and communications and to the great entity of the exposed value(traffic units)traveling along them. In this perspective, a comparison between the qualitative method known as Evolving Rockfall Hazard Assessment(EHRA), the semi-quantitative modified Rockfall Hazard Rating System(RHRS) and the quantitative Rockfall Risk Management(RoMa) approach is herein commented according to a practical application to a case study. It is the case of the rockfall threat along slopes crossed by a strategic road connecting two of the most known spots of eastern Sicily(Italy), at the Taormina tourist complex. Data were retrieved from both recent literature and technical surveys on field. Achieved results highlight how the approaches are affected by a different level of detail and uncertainty, arising also by some necessary assumption that must be taken into account, especially when mitigation measures or territory planning have to be designed. Achieved results can be also taken into account for similar studies worldwide, in order to choose the most suitable procedure based on the design purpose. This is indeed crucial in the perspective of the optimization of time and economic resources in the territorial planning practice.     

Rolling motion behavior of rockfall on gentle slope: an experimental approach

The effects of slope surface material, slope gradient, block shape, and block mass conditions on rockfall rolling velocity were estimated with orthogonal test approach. Visual analysis shows that the importance of the factors is slope surface material > slope gradient > block shape > block mass. All the factors except block mass have the F value greater than the critical value, suggesting that these three factors are the key factors affecting the rockfall rolling velocity. Factor interaction analysis shows that the effect of the slope gradient relies largely on the slope surface conditions, and the block shape has little influence if the slope gradient is larger than a critical value. An empirical model considering the three key factors is proposed to estimate the rolling velocity, of which the error is limited to 5% of the testing value. This model is validated by 73 field tests, and the prediction shows excellent correlation with the site test. Thus, this analysis can be used as a tool in the rockfall behavior analysis.     

Assessment and analysis of rockfall-caused tree injuries in a Turkish fir stand: A case study from Kastamonu-Turkey

Rockfalls can cause serious damage to people,property,facilities and transportation corridors.Furthermore,rockfalls are major hazards in mountain areas with negative impacts on individual trees and forested ecosystems.We conducted a study of rockfall events on 117 mapped(91% of total trees in the stand with1.3 m in height and5 cm diameter at breast height)Turkish fir trees(Abies bornmuelleriana Mattf.)in a stand within the Kayaarkasi-Topular Village,Inebolu district, Kastamonu province of Turkey.The study site of 0.35 Ha is located on the transition zone of frequently passing rockfall fragments(～40 cm in diameter) generally causing healable injuries.Parameters of trees and injuries were recorded and analysed as to injury number,height and size.Bivariate correlation analysis were used to investigate the relationships between:a)diameter at breast height and number of injuries per tree,b)diameter at breast height and total injury size,c)the number of injuries and total injury size and d)the number of injuries per tree and distance from the source of the rockfall area.Results indicate that the average height of injury,average number of injuries and average injury area to be 81.3 cm(STDEV:49.8),7.46(STDEV:4.4)and 628.6 cm2 (STDEV:678.2),respectively.In total 84% of all injuries were recorded within 160°sector at the upslope side of trees and callus tissue that had closed wounds was observed in 79.1% of all injuries. Furthermore 14.5% of injured trees had callus tissue in the process of closing wounds while 6.4% of injuries had not formed any callus tissue.The most common injury types were bark and wood injuries. Bivariate correlation analysis indicated strong relationships between diameter at breast height and the number of injuries(rs=0.524),injury number and total injury area(rs=0.653)and distance from rockfall area and injury numbers relations(rs=-0.518).A weaker relationship was found between diameter at breast height and total injury area(rs=0.363).These results indicate that bigger trees are more prone to rockfall injuries.As expected,trees further from the rockfall area seem to be less prone to rockfall injuries.From our results,it can be inferred that the protection of people and property can be increased through the maintanance of forest in areas immediately below areas prone to rockfall.This stand is still managed in selective forest management system.In order to protect the settlement at the deposition zone it has to manage for protective goals with uneven-aged and multilayered stand structure.     

Rockfall localization from seismic polarization considering multiple triaxial geophones and frequency bands

Boulder/rock mass movements generate ground vibrations that can be recorded by geophone networks. Generally, there are two methods applied to rockfall trajectory reconstruction or rockfall seismic localization. One method uses seismic wave arrival times and is achieved by minimizing the differences in signal arrival times between multiple stations by grid map searching. The other method uses seismic polarization and is achieved by calculating eventsource back azimuths from the seismic polarizations of rockfall signals. In this study, we proposed the use of an overdetermined matrix for joint localization based on the polarization method. The overdetermined matrix considers the contributions of all geophones in the network, and at each geophone is assigned a different weight according to the recorded signal qualities and the reliability of the calibrated back azimuths. This method shows a great advantage relative to the case in which only two sensors are employed. Besides, we suggested three marker parameters for proper frequency band selection in back azimuth calculations: energy, rectilinearity, and a special permanent frequency band(SPF). We found that the back azimuths calculated with energy and an SPF are generally close to the real back azimuths measured in the field, while the SPF is limited by seismic attenuation due to a long-distance propagation. The localization results of rockfalls were validated by using field camera videos and in situ calibrations. Three typical cases and 43 artificially released rockfalls are presented in this paper. The proposed method provides an interesting way to locate rockfall events and track rockfall trajectories and avoids the difficulties of obtaining accurate arrival times, as required by the arrival times method.     

Geology and fluid inclusion of Wadi Sharis Neoproterozoic orogenic gold deposits in northwestern Yemen

The Wadi Sharis orogenic gold deposit in northwestern Yemen is related to the fault and shear zones vein at medium depth in the crust in the Neoproterozoic meta-sedimentary and meta-volcanosedimentary succession of greenschist to amphibolite facies metamorphism.Three distinct fluid inclusion types have been identified in the gold-bearing quartz sulphide veins of the deposit:(1) type I:vapour-liquid two-phase(VH2O-LH2O),(2) type II:three-phase CO2(VCO2-LH2O-LCO2) and(3) type III:vapour-rich(LCO2-VCO2) inclus...     

A geochemical survey of thermal springs in western part of Republic of Yemen and their geothermometric characteristics

The high-mineral contents of some thermal waters are believed to have medicinal properties. Numerous spas and bathhouses might be built at these hot springs to take advantage of theses supposed healing properties such as skin diseases, rheumatism and so on. This paper is to find thermal reservoir and to classify the kinds of water. The majority of thermal springs are found discharging from igneous centers of Tertiary and Quaternary volcanic fields of the western Yemen (research area). Structurally these volcanisms are connected to N-NW faults that are parallel to the main Red Sea trend. Temperature and pH values of the thermal spring range 37℃～96℃, and 6.3 ～8.7 respectively. The Yemeni thermal waters indicate high variability in composition since they are ofNa (K) -C1, Na-HCO3 and Ca (Mg) -SO4 types, whereas the surficial waters have the typical worldwide Ca (Mg) -HCO3 composition. Different liquid phase geothermometers,such as SiO2, K2/Mg and Na/K. Estimated reservoir temperatures ranging 70 ～ 140℃ perform equilibrium temperature evaluation of the thermal reservoirs.     

柳江流域冲积型粉质粘土的物理特征

通过收集数年工程地质勘察土工试验资料、获得了柳江流域ⅡⅢ级阶地的粉质粘土的大量实验数据。运用数理统计的方法、分析归纳出这一地带粉质粘土的基本物理特征。     

Studies on the Inversion Phenomenon of Physical Properties Observed in the Huagang Formation Reservoir in the Xihu Sag Based on the Water-Rock Reaction Experiments

In the Xihu Sag,the reservoirs of the Paleogene Huagang formation have entered the middle diagenetic stage A and the rock physical properties of the water layer are considerably more suitable for the gas migration and storage than those of the present gas layer,indicating the inversion of the physical properties.In this study,core samples were collected from the corresponding reservoir to conduct water-rock reaction experiments in acidic,alkaline,and neutral systems under the specific temperature and pressure.The reasons for the inversion of physical properties were investigated based on the experiment results in reservoir diagenetic environments.The inversion of physical properties can be attributed to the fact that the diagenetic environment around the gas-water interface controls the water-rock reaction effect.With different types of acidic substances,two different situations corresponding to inverted physical properties were analyzed along with the corresponding mechanisms.When the pore fluid is acidic,the physical properties make the overall water layer a better reservoir space than the gas layer,which can be referred to as the overall inversion of physical properties.When the fluid were generally neutral or weakly alkaline and the gas layer was rich in CO_2,only the physical properties of the water layer adjacent to the gas-water interface were more favorable for the gas migration than those of the gas layer.This phenomenon can be referred to as the near-interface inversion of physical properties.     

Analysis of petroleum hydrocarbons in mangrove sediments of Red Sea of Yemen

A field work has been carried out to identify the occurrence of oil and oil products pollution in mangrove sediment from Red Sea of Yemen. The concentration of total petroleum hydrocarbons is from 700ng/g at Kamaran Island station to 400 ng/g at Al-Hodiedah station, and the total organic carbon （TOC） in samples ranges from 0. 07% at Dhubab station to 0. 03% at Kamaran Island station. This pollution is as a result of localized oil pollution and/or heavy ship traffic in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden.     

Analysis of petroleum hydrocarbons in mangrove sediments of Red Sea of Yemen

A field work has been carried out to identify the occurrence of oil and oil products pollution in mangrove sediment from Red Sea of Yemen. The concentration of total petroleum hydrocarbons is from 700 ng/g at Kamaran Island station to 400 ng/g at Al-Hodiedah station, and the total organic carbon ( TOC) in samples ranges from 0.07% at Dhubab station to 0.03% at Kamaran Island station. This pollution is as a result of localized oil pollution and /or heavy ship traffic in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden.     

案例推理的地学应用背景和方法

案例推理 (CBR)研究 ,是人类认知的一种合理性模型 ,接近于人类认识、解决问题最原始的思维方式 ,具有在无法获取机理模型、确定规则或统计模型时 ,采用简单的历史相似性推理实现问题的定量求解和预测 ,成为人工智能领域近年来的研究热点。     

济宁城区地面沉降固结特性分析及压缩层组划分

基于济宁城区2处钻孔沉积物的物理力学相关试验数据,综合分析地层的物理特征、塑性特征和压缩特征,计算有效自重压力和前期固结压力,判断地层固结状态,研究地层物理力学特性变化与地面沉降的相关联系,并进行地面沉降压缩层组的划分。结果表明:济宁城区204.5m以浅土层的物理特性的总体趋势受自重压力控制,孔隙水压力的变化是相对变化的重要控制因素,次级波动与矿物成分和颗粒分布关系密切,同时也是多重因素共同叠加的结果。100m以浅地层属中压缩性,正常固结状态,100～200m地层属低压缩性,超固结状态,产生原因与地下水过量开采有关,是历史地面沉降发生的主要层位;该区地层可以划分为5个特征较为明显的地面沉降压缩层组。     

Shallow water body data processing based on the seismic oceanography

Physical properties of sea water,such as salinity,temperature,density and acoustic velocity,could be demarcated through degradation of energy caused by water absorption,attenuation and other factors.To overcome the challenging difficulties in the quick monitoring of these physical properties,we have explored the high resolution marine seismic survey to instantly characterize them.Based on the unique wavefield propagating in the sea water,we have developed a new approach to suppress the noise caused by the shallow sea water disturbance and obtain useful information for estimating the sea water structure.This approach improves seismic data with high signal-to-noise ratio and resolution.The seismic reflection imaging can map the sea water structure acoustically.Combined with the knowledge of local water body structure profile over years,the instant model for predicting the sea water properties could be built using the seismic data acquired from the specially designed high precision marine seismic acquisition.This model can also be updated with instant observation and the complete data processing system.The present study has the potential value to many applications,such as 3D sea water monitoring,engineering evaluation,geological disaster assessment and environmental assessment.     

Geochemistry and genesis of magmatic PGE-bearing Cu-Ni sulphide deposit in Wadi Bayhan,southeastern Yemen

The Wadi Bayhan mafic-ultramafic intrusions associated with magmatic PGE-bearing Cu-Ni sulphide deposit are located in the south margin of the Arabian-Nubian Shield,SW Yemen.The intrusions consist of dunite,olivine-pyroxenite,lherzolite,hornblendite,gabbro and gabbronorite.The dunite and lherzolite are the main host rock for the Cu-Ni ores.The new data of the chemical compositions of the rocks have SiO2(50%-53.6%),Al2O3(0-32%) and MgO(4%-28%),and relatively low TiO2(0-3.2%) and K2O+Na2O(0.04%-5.2%).The geoc...     

济南地区黄土成因分析及工程地质特征

通过对济南地区黄土的成因类型、分布范围及工程地质特征进行分析,并对济南西部和东部不同地区黄土的物理力学性质进行对比,总结黄土湿限对工程建设产生的危害性并提出防治措施和建议。