Structural characterization of deep-water deposits in a foreland basin, Silla Syncline (Chilean Patagonia), with applications to depositional processes

Based on our detailed structural characterization, we examine possible relationships between thrust faults and strike-slip faults and thrust-cored folds and depositional units in the Silla Syncline, a 4 km wide fold composed of fine-grained mudstone, coarse sandstone and conglomerate deposits of the Cerro Toro Formation in the Magallanes foreland basin, Chilean Patagonia. The syncline is bounded on its western flank by an asymmetric anticline and on its eastern flank by a broad zone of thrust faults and associated folds, which are oriented sub-parallel to the syncline axis. Deposition of the coarse-grained units of the Silla Syncline appears to have taken place in this structurally defined trough controlled primarily by thrust fault related growth structures flanking the syncline.The syncline and surrounding area have also been deformed by two sets of strike-slip faults, one right-lateral and one left-lateral. The strike-slip and thrust faulting operated contemporaneously for much of their active periods, although it appears that thrust faulting, confined within the fine-grained units, initiated slightly earlier than strike-slip faulting. In addition, younger igneous intrusions at high angle to bedding generally localize along the strike-slip faults. The cross-cutting relationships among the intrusions, strike-slip faults, and flexural slip faults show that all these structures were active during the same period, which extends beyond mid-Miocene.These conclusions support the premise that structures in deep-water sediments are important for understanding not only the deformation of a foreland basin, but also its depositional architecture.     

Wave enhancement due to blockage in semi-submersible and TLP structures

An exact analytical method is described to solve the diffraction problem of a group of truncated vertical cylinders. In order to account for the interaction between the cylinders, Kagemoto and Yue's exact algebraic method is utilised (Kagemoto, H., Yue, D.K.P., 1986. Interactions among multiple three-dimensional bodies in water waves: an exact algebraic method. J Fluid Mech, 46, 129–139). The isolated cylinder diffraction potential is obtained using Garret's solution and evanescent mode solutions are derived in a similar manner (Garret, C.J.R., 1971. Wave forces on a circular dock. J Fluid Mech, 46, 129–139).Free surface elevations are calculated for an array of four cylinders and compared with experiments. Comparisons show good agreement.     

Identification of non-linear effects in predicting the motion response of an offshore platform

This paper presents the results of an extensive parametric study to investigate various non-linear aspects of the prediction of the large-amplitude motion responses of a semi-submersible. The main objectives of the parametric studies were to investigate the following aspects, which can non-linearly influence the motion responses and which cannot be studied by linear frequency-domain prediction techniques. These aspects are the effects on the motion responses of flooding time and mass; non-linear wave-exciting and rigid-body induced motion (i.e. added mass and damping) forces; non-linear restoring forces; steady wind and current; variation of GM (transverse metacentric height); and the initial position of the semi-submersible. The investigations were carried out for a particular semi-submersible geometry using a numerical simulation technique in the time domain. The simulations were performed for the model during intact, progressive and post-flooding conditions under the combined loading of regular waves, steady wind and current for two different heading angles. This paper is thus intended to provide some insight into the physical effects of the non-linear terms in the equations of motion which are associated with the wave-excitation forces, rigid-body induced motion forces and restoring forces. Since the resulting motion responses could have a steady component as well as the oscillatory one, the force and motion phenomena were also highlighted through the computation of these components.     

Microtremor Measurements for the Microzonation of Dinar

v--vThe geotechnical site conditions in Dinar town located in western Turkey were investigated after the 1995 Dinar earthquake based on borings, in situ penetration tests, seismic wave velocity measurements, and microtremor records. The variation of damage distribution within the town was evaluated with respect to 23 district damage ratios calculated, based on the detailed damage survey conducted by the General Directorate of Disaster Affairs. Site amplifications were estimated from microtremor spectral ratios and microzonation was performed using a GIS methodology. The results of in situ penetration tests and seismic wave velocity measurements as well as the damage distribution were compared with the amplification zonation obtained from microtremor records. The results indicate the applicability of microtremor spectral ratios for assessing the local site conditions and site amplifications.     

Ecosystem history of Mississippi River-influenced continental shelf revealed through preserved phytoplankton pigments

Pigments determined by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) provide useful information concerning water column and epibenthic plant and microbial communities in both extant communities and accumulated sediments in lakes, estuaries and the ocean. Chlorophyll and its degradation products provide an estimate of overall biomass, and carotenoid pigments provide taxonomic biomarkers of phytoplankton. We examined the pigments preserved in sediment cores from the Louisiana continental shelf adjacent to the outflow of the Mississippi River system to document changes in phytoplankton community composition, phytoplankton abundance, and conditions of hypoxia over time. Carbon accumulated in sediments from water depths of 20-60 m is primarily derived from marine phytoplankton and represents the history of phytoplankton communities in the overlying water. There is a general increase in chlorophyll a, pheopigments, zeaxanthin, fucoxanthin and most carotenoids over time, with the change gradual from 1955 to 1970, followed by a fairly steady increase to 1997. The highest chloropigment concentrations are in cores from areas more likely to be exposed to seasonal hypoxia. These indicate an increase in eutrophication in the form of greater diatom and cyanobacterial production, or a worsening of hypoxia, or both. This trend expanded westward along the Louisiana shelf in the 1990s.     

Wave Slamming on An OWSC Wave Energy Converter in Coupled Wave-Current Conditions with Variable-Depth Seabed

China Ocean Engineering - Coastal wave energy resources have enormous exploitation potential due to shorter weather window, closer installation distance and lower maintenance cost. However, impact...     

Simulation of torsional shear test results with neuro-fuzzy control system

In the first part of this study, a series of stress-controlled hollow cylinder cyclic torsional triaxial shear tests were conducted on loose to medium dense saturated samples of clean Toyoura sand to investigate its liquefaction behavior. A uniform cyclic sinusoidal loading at a 0.1 Hz frequency was applied to air-pluviated samples where confining pressure and relative density was varied. Cyclic shear stress–strain changes, the number of cycles to reach liquefaction and pore pressure variations were recorded. Results indicate that the liquefaction resistances of uniform sands are significantly affected by the method of sample preparation and initial conditions.     

Analytical solutions of the diffraction problem of a group of truncated vertical cylinders

An exact analytical method is described to solve the diffraction problem of a group of truncated vertical cylinders. In order to account for the interaction between the cylinders, Kagemoto and Yue's exact algebraic method is utilised. The isolated cylinder diffraction potential due to incident waves is obtained using Garret's solution and evanescent mode solutions are derived in a similar manner.Numerical results are presented for arrays of two and four cylinders. Comparisons between the results obtained from the method presented here and those obtained from numerical methods show excellent agreement.     

Heavy metal pollution and acid drainage from the abandoned Balya Pb-Zn sulfide Mine,NW Anatolia,Turkey

This study was conducted to determine the effects of the waste-rock dump (WRD) of the underground polymetallic Balya Mine on the Kocacay River and eventually on Lake Manyas in Turkey. Data presented in this paper include geochemical characteristics of various kinds of water (mine, surface and groundwater) and of suspended-particle samples in the vicinity of Balya. The more polluted mine waters have low pH and high conductivity, while high concentrations of Zn, Cd, Mn tend to be found in the dry and wet seasons. High concentrations of Pb, As, Cr, Cu and S appear only in the wet season. The sources of the heavy metal concentration within the Kocacay River are leached waste, surface run off, and overflow from the spillway of the WRD. To minimize the formation of acids and dissolved metal, and for the remediation of the harmful effects of extreme contamination conditions, it is recommended that lime or alkali materials and organic carbon be added to simulate the action of sulfate-reducing bacteria.