Large scale model testing to investigate the influence of granular cushion layer on the performance of disconnected piled raft system

Acta Geotechnica - This paper presents the results of 1g model tests performed on instrumented model foundations, i.e., unpiled raft, single piled raft, single disconnected piled raft (DPR) and...     

Morphometric analysis using remote sensing techniques in the chaka sub-basin, purulia district, West Bengal

Remote sensing techniques using satellite imagery have proved to be an indispensible tool in morphometric analysis and groundwater studies. In the present area, morphometric analysis using temote sensing techniques have been carried out in Chaka river sub-basin of Manbazar Block, Purulia district, West-Bengal, which is one of the most drought affected area in West-Bengal. The parameters worked out include Bifurcation ratio (R_b), Stream length (L_u). Form factor (R_f), Circulatory ratio (R_c), and Drainage density. The morphometric analysis suggests that the area is covered by fractured, resistant, permeable rocks, the drainage network not so affected by tectonic disturbances. Using satellite imageries of LANDSAT and IRS, different hydrogeomorphological units have been delineated. The study shows that moderately weathered pediplains and valley fills are good prospective zones for groundwater exploration.     

Analysis of microsecond- and submicrosecond-scale electric field pulses produced by cloud and ground lightning discharges

We examined microsecond- and submicrosecond-scale pulses in electric field records of cloud and cloud-to-ground lightning discharges acquired in summer 2006, in Gainesville, Florida. A total of 12 cloud and 12 ground flashes were analyzed in detail, with the electric field record length being 96 or 200 ms and sampling interval being 4 or 10 ns. The majority of pulses in both cloud and ground discharges analyzed in this study were associated with the initial breakdown process and were relatively small in amplitude and duration. The typical durations were an order of magnitude smaller than tens of microseconds characteristic of “classical” preliminary breakdown pulses. We estimated that 26% of the pulses in the 12 cloud discharges and 22% of the pulses in the 12 cloud-to-ground discharges had total durations less that 1 µs.     

Lateral continuity of basement seismic reflections in 15 Ma ultrafast-spreading crust at ODP Site 1256

The Ocean Drilling Program (ODP) initiated drilling at Site 1256D in the Guatemala Basin, about 1,000 km off the East Pacific Rise to penetrate plutonic rocks, anticipated to be relatively shallow in this region, formed at an ultra-fast spreading rate. IODP Expedition E312 successfully drilled into gabbros at ~1,150 m in basement. Multi-channel seismic traces show weak laterally coherent sub-basement reflections at borehole depths. Synthetic reflectivity seismograms were computed using a Ricker wavelet and impedance profiles from borehole sonic logs. These seismograms show significant sub-basement amplitude peaks. A zero-offset vertical seismic profile, shot on E312, was processed to investigate the authenticity of these reflections and their relationship to borehole geology. A dual scheme of the median filtering and F–K dip filtering was used. Tests with synthetic seismograms indicate the approach is effective at reasonable SNR levels. Downgoing energy is clearly identified but negligible upgoing energy is visible over random noise. These results indicate that lava flows and igneous contacts in upper ocean crust have significant topography on lateral scales less than the Fresnel Zone (~300 m) due to igneous and tectonic processes.     

Variation in groundwater levels and water quality in Chhatna Block, Bankura district, West Bengal — a GIS approach

Ground water levels and quality in Chhatna Block of West Bengal were studied based on different indices for irrigation and drinking purposes. A detailed hydrogeological investigation was carried out to have an overall idea of the aquifer system of the area. The ground water occurs under shallow to moderately deep water table condition. The groundwater is stored mostly in the weathered residuum and fractured — hard rock. Sodium absorption ratio (SAR), soluble sodium percentage (SSP), residual sodium bi-carbonate (RSBC), electrical conductance (EC), magnesium adsorption ratio (MAR) Kelly’s ratio (KR), total hardness (TH), permeability index (PI) were calculated as derived parameters, to investigate the ionic toxicity. From the results of chemical analysis, it was revealed that the values of Sodium Adsorption Ratio indicate that, ground water of the area falls under the category of low sodium hazard. So, there was neither salinity nor toxicity problem of irrigation water, and hence the ground water can safely be used for long-term irrigation. Plotting of analytical results of the groundwater collected from different areas in Piper’s trilinear diagram (1944) indicate that, the waters of the study area fall under fresh and sulphate rich region of the rhombus.     

Sedimentary characteristics of palaeolake deposits along the Indus River valley,Ladakh, Trans‐Himalaya: Implications for the depositional environment

This study is an attempt to contribute to the data set of granulometric studies of sediments by measuring the sedimentary structure and texture, along with statistical parameters, of cold and arid lake systems. The palaeolake sequence along the River Indus on the western fringe of the Tibetan Plateau in Ladakh sector was selected in order to shed light on depositional environmental changes within the lake from post‐last glacial maximum to 5 ka. The River Indus was blocked by Lamayuru dam burst during the deglaciation, after the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM) and the subsequent increase in water level led to the formation of the Saspol–Khalsi palaeolake. This lake was ca 55 km in length, extending from Nimo to Khalsi, had a surface area of 370 km² and was in existence until 5 ka. Two sections (Saspol and Khalsi) separated by an aerial distance of 35 km show a similar trend in sediment character due to their deposition in the same lake system. Grain‐size studies show a polymodal nature of sediments for both of the sections. However, sediments of the lower/downstream section (Khalsi) show a poorer degree of sorting, and coarser grain size and high energy depositional condition as compared with the sediments of Saspol section (positioned upstream) due to the location of the sections within the lake system. It was noted that, in high‐altitude arid regions, the sedimentological characteristics of large‐sized valley lakes may vary greatly, horizontally as well as vertically, owing to local stream input, inflow intensity from the catchment, outflow velocity of water channels, lithology and valley widths at the different sites.     

Field testing of single instrumented steel driven batter piles under vertical vibrations

Acta Geotechnica - The forced vertical vibration tests were performed in the field on 3.3-m-long driven steel pipe on a single vertical pile, P1 (β?=?0°), and single batter...     

Disturbance due to a point source in a layered half-space

Summary In this paper the displacement components due to a compressional point source in a layered half-space consisting of a liquid layer of finite thickness overlying a semi-infinite solid homogeneous medium have been deduced. Two different cases have been considered. In the first case the source is taken in the liquid layer and in the second case the source is taken in the solid layer. The displacement components in cylindrical coordinates have been obtained in closed form in detail at the interface for all values of distance from the source for the second case.