Mechanism of toppling and deformation in hard rock slope: a case of bank slope of Hydropower Station,Qinghai Province,China

Recently, various toppling slopes have emerged with the development of hydropower projects in the western mountainous regions of China. The slope on the right bank of the Laxiwa Hydropower Station, located on the mainstream of the Yellow River in the Qinghai Province of Northwest China, is a typical hard rock slope. Further, its deformation characteristics are different from those of common natural hard rock toppling. Because this slope is located close to the dam of the hydropower station, its deformation mechanism has a practical significance. Based on detailed geological engineering surveys, four stages of deformation have been identified using discrete element numerical software and geological engineering analysis methods, including toppling creep, initial toppling deformation, intensified toppling deformation, and current slope formation. The spatial and time-related deformation of this site also exhibited four stages, including initial toppling, toppling development, intensification of toppling, and disintegration and collapse. Subsequently, the mechanism of toppling and deformation of the bank slope were studied. The results of this study exhibit important reference value for developing the prevention–control design of toppling and for ensuring operational safety in the hydropower reservoir area.     

Distribution and mechanism of gently dipping fractures subjected to river incision: A case study from Nujiang River,China

Gently dipping fractures subjected to river incision are widely distributed on rock slopes. In this paper, a rock slope on the Nujiang River (China) is investigated to study the role of gently dipping fractures in the rock slopes evolution. Detailed field surveys indicate that gentle fractures are concentrated in four main zones. Moreover, the kinematics of the fracture system suggest that the genesis of these fractures can be synthesized into a progressive evolution model. This model indicates that the joints begin with the formation of an array of en echelon cracks that are subjected to continued crack elongation and shearing before ultimately approaching one another and interacting to form a complex joint system. Geomechanical analysis is performed to reveal the mechanisms of this genesis, and three main fracture patterns are identified based on the slope stress and are classified with respect to the slope evolution. Based on the detail field investigations and the evolutionary history of the river valley, we propose that intermittent incision by the river was the main factor contributing to the concentrated distribution of gently dipping joints.     

裂隙岩体循环冻融变形特征及影响因素分析

高寒、高海拔地区由于反复冻融导致的岩体变形破坏,对区内工程建设有重大影响。为研究不同裂隙条件下岩体循环冻融特性,在汶马高速沿线选择具有代表性的千枚岩和砂岩,制备了不同裂隙条件（长度、张开度、裂隙组数）试样,在干燥和饱水两种状态下分别进行大温差（-20℃到20℃）循环冻融（50次）试验。试验揭示了饱水裂隙岩样冻融变形过程:冻缩→冻胀→冻缩（冻结阶段）→融胀→融缩→融胀（融化阶段）,干燥裂隙岩样冻融变形过程:冻缩（冻结阶段）→融胀（融化阶段）。进一步,选择冻胀量εd为指标,分析了两类岩样冻融循环次数与εd的关系,揭示了裂隙长度、宽度和组数对εr的影响规律;选择残余变形量εr为指标,揭示了千枚岩和砂岩试样在饱水条件下εr随εd的增加规律,获得了εd与εr间的定量关系;分析了干燥和饱水试样单轴抗压强度随冻融循环次数增加而减小规律,确定了冻融次数与试样劣化间的线性关系。最后,初步讨论了饱水条件、岩性和裂隙条件对岩体冻融循环变形的影响机制。      

岩坡稳定性优势面分析法--以太湖度假区休体公园渔洋山边坡为例

运用优势面理论层次分析法。确定岩坡的控稳优势面．通过对太湖度假区休体公园渔洋山边坡的研究得出F1和软弱夹层是控稳优势面。通过优势面组合分析．得出4组优势分离体。其中F1、软弱夹层和边坡临空面组合为试算安全系数最小优势分离体。最后用Sarma法进行稳定性计算．得出各种优势分离体组合模型在考虑地下水和地震加速度为0．15g的情况下均是不稳定的。结果表明，采用层次分析法对岩坡稳定性进行评价的方法是可行的。     

层序格架和斜坡水道体系的沉积构成及演化——以珠江口盆地白云凹陷东北部韩江组为例

以三维地震资料为基础,结合测井、海平面变化和古生物资料,将珠江口盆地白云凹陷东北部韩江组划分为SQhj1、SQhj2和SQhj3等3个三级层序。三级层序界面的识别主要为盆地边缘的不整合及其对应的整合面,包括盆地边缘的上超和削蚀不整合,斜坡上的下切侵蚀水道和斜坡扇底,以及盆底扇的底界面等;4个三级层序界面SBhj1、SBhj2、SBhj3和SByh1,分别与15.5、13.8、12.5和10.5 Ma等4期海退事件对应,同时也与有孔虫、钙质超微化石丰度与含量的低值对应。利用高分辨率三维地震剖面沉积单元划分,在研究区识别底部滞留沉积、侧向前积体、滑塌沉积、水道轴部沉积和天然堤等5种沉积单元,不同的水道具有不同的沉积单元组合;水道复合体内单体水道叠置方式可归纳为摆动式、垂向加积式、限制性单向迁移式和非限性单向迁移式等4种类型。根据海平面变化、地貌特征及水动力条件差异,韩江组水道演化划分为3个时期,不同时期发育的水道具有特定的沉积结构和演化过程。该研究结果对珠江口盆地白云凹陷有利砂体的进一步预测具有参考意义。     

A landscape pattern analysis method based on boundaries and nodes: A case study in upper Minjiang River, China

Traditionally,patch-based analysis at the landscape scale fragmentation has been used in the study of landscape ecology while the study of boundary and node has not been considered as much detail until recently.This study investigated the possibility of applying boundary-and node-based methods in landscape pattern analysis to the upper reaches of the Minjiang River in the southwestern China.Boundary-based and node-based landscape indices were selected to be used in analyzing changes in landscape patterns,and the results were compared with analysis using traditional pattern indices.We compared the responses of patch-area-based,boundary-length-based and node-number-based indices,and concluded that boundary-based and node-based indices are more sensitive to disturbance than patch-based indices with various patterns,and node-based indices are even more sensitive than boundary-based ones.Thus,the results suggest that boundary-based and node-based pattern analysis methods provide helpful supplementary information to traditional patch-based pattern analysis methods.The results about pattern dynamics of landscapes in the upper reaches of the Minjiang River based on boundaries and nodes showed that with human disturbance,the dominance of forest landscape was weakened by other landscape types; thus the landscape pattern of the study area became more homogeneous and the boundary network became more complex.These changes further augmented disturbance interfaces in the landscape and increased the possibilities of further landscape fragmentation.     

Deep-seated large-scale toppling failure in metamorphic rocks: a case study of the Erguxi slope in southwest China

Deep-seated large-scale toppling failure presents unique challenges in the study of natural slope deformation process in mountainous regions.An active deep-seated toppling process was identified in the Erguxi slope located in southwest China,which affected a large area and damaged critical transportation infrastructure with the volume of the deforming rock mass exceeding 24×10~6 m~3.It poses significant risks to the downstream Shiziping Hydropower Station by damming the Zagunao River.Field investigation and monitoring results indicate that the deformation of the Erguxi slope is in the advanced stage of deep-seated toppling process,with the formation of a disturbed belt but no identifiable master failure surface.It was postulated that the alternating tensile and shear strength associated with the hard/soft laminated rock strata of metasandstone and phyllite layers preclude the development of either a tensile or shear failure surface,which resulted in the continuous deformation and displacement without a catastrophic mass movement.The slope movement is in close association with the unfavorable geological conditions of the study area in addition to the construction of transportation infrastructure and the increase of the reservoir level.On the basis of the mechanism and intensity of the ongoing toppling deformation,a qualitative grading system was proposed to describe the toppling process and toevaluate the slope stability.This paper summarized the field observation and monitoring data on the toppling deformation for better characterizing its effect on the stability of the Erguxi slope.The qualitative grading system intends to provide a basis for quantitative study of large-scale deep-seated toppling process in metamorphic rocks.     

Mechanisms involved in triggering debris flows within a cohesive gravel soil mass on a slope: a case in SW China

The triggering mechanisms of debris flows were explored in the field using artificial rainfall experiments in two gullies, Dawazi Gully and Aizi Gully, in Yunnan and Sichuan Provinces, China, respectively. The soils at both sites are bare, loose and cohesive gravel-dominated. The results of a direct shear test, rheological test and back-analysis using soil mass stability calculations indicate that the mechanisms responsible for triggering debris flows involved the decreases in static and dynamic resistance of the soil. The triggering processes can be divided into 7 stages: rainfall infiltration, generation of excess runoff, high pore water pressure, surface erosion, soil creep, soil slipping, debris flow triggering and debris flow increment. In addition, two critical steps are evident: (i) During the process of the soil mass changing from a static to a mobile state, its cohesion decreased sharply (e.g., the cohesion of the soil mass in Dawazi Gully decreased from 0.520 to 0.090 kPa, a decrease of 83%). This would have reduced the soil strength and the kinetic energy during slipping, eventually triggered the debris flow. (ii) When the soil mass began to slip, the velocity and the volume increment of the debris flow fluctuated as a result of the interaction of soil resistance and the sliding force. The displaced soil mass from the source area of the slope resulted in the deposition of a volume of soil more than 7 - 8 times greater than that in the source area.     

Spatial effect of mineral resources exploitation on urbanization: A case study of Tarim River Basin, Xinjiang, China

Mineral resources exploitation significantly affects the spatial structure and evolutive trend of urbanization in arid areas.In this study,the spatial autocorrelation method and the spatial computation model were used to investigate the spatial impacts of mineral resources excavation and processing on comprehensive level of urbanization in the Tarim River Basin,Xinjiang,China for the years of 2000,2006 and 2008.The results are as follows:1)There was a spatial correlation of the development of mineral resources industry and the comprehensive level of urbanization in 2006 and 2008,with the spatial concentration trend rising significantly in 2006 and decreasing in 2008.2)The patterns of local spatial concentration of mineral resources industry and of the comprehensive level of urbanization were relatively stable,and the two patterns showed signs of spatial correlationship.The higher was the degree of the concentration of mineral resources industry,the stronger was its impact on the spatial clustering of urbanization.3)In 2000, mineral resources excavation and processing had a significant positive impact on the comprehensive level of urbanization in the region but not in its adjacent regions.However,in 2008,mineral resources excavation and processing significantly raised the comprehensive level of urbanization not only in the region but also in its neighboring regions.This research demonstrates that the development of mineral resources industry can strongly affect the trends and spatial patterns of urbanization.     

Uncertainty of slope length derived from digital elevation models of the Loess Plateau,China

Although many studies have investigated slope gradient uncertainty derived from Digital Elevation Models（DEMs）, the research concerning slope length uncertainty is far from mature. This discrepancy affects the availability and accuracy of soil erosion as well as hydrological modeling. This study investigates the formation and distribution of existing errors and uncertainties in slope length derivation based on 5-m resolution DEMs of the Loess Plateau in the middle of China. The slope length accuracy in three different landform areas is examined to analyse algorithm effects. The experiments indicate that the accuracy of the flat test area is lower than that of the rougher areas. The value from the specific contributing area（SCA） method is greater than the cumulative slope length（CSL）, and the differences between these two methods arise from the shape of the upslope area. The variation of mean slope length derived from various DEM resolutions and landforms. The slope length accuracy decreases with increasing grid size and terrain complexity at the six test sites. A regression model is built to express the relationship of mean slope length with DEM resolution less than 85 m and terrain complexity represented by gully density. The results support the understanding of the slope length accuracy, thereby aiding in the effective evaluation of the modeling effect of surface process.     

Debris flow susceptibility analysis based on the combined impacts of antecedent earthquakes and droughts: a case study for cascade hydropower stations in the upper Yangtze River,China

The upper Yangtze River region is one of the most frequent debris flow areas in China. The study area contains a cascade of six large hydropower stations located along the river with total capacity of more than 70 million kilowatts. The purpose of the study was to determine potential and dynamic differences in debris flow susceptibility and intensity with regard to seasonal monsoon events. We analyzed this region’s debris flow history by examining the effective peak acceleration of antecedent earthquakes, the impacts of antecedent droughts, the combined effects of earthquakes and droughts, with regard to topography, precipitation, and loose solid material conditions. Based on these factors, we developed a debris flow susceptibility map. Results indicate that the entire debris flow susceptibility area is 167,500 km², of which 26,800 km² falls within the high susceptibility area, with 60,900 km² in medium and 79,800 km² are in low susceptibility areas. Three of the six large hydropower stations are located within the areas with high risk of debris flows. The synthetic zonation map of debris flow susceptibility for the study area corresponds with both the investigation data and actual distribution of debris flows. The results of debris flow susceptibility provide base-line data for mitigating, assessing, controlling and monitoring of debris flows hazards.     

Effect of the inclined weak interlayers on the rainfall response of a bedded rock slope

Engineering experience shows that outward dipping bedded rock slopes, especially including weak interlayers, are prone to slide under rainfall conditions. To investigate the effect of inclined weak interlayers at various levels of depth below the surface on the variation of displacements and stresses in bedded rock slopes, four geo-mechanical model tests with artificial rainfall have been conducted. Displacements, water content as well as earth pressure in the model were monitored by means of various FBG (Fiber Bragg Grating) sensors. The results showed that the amount of displacement of a slope with a weak interlayer is 2.8 to 6.2 times larger than that of a slope without a weak interlayer during one rainfall event. Furthermore, the position of the weak interlayer in terms of depth below the surface has a significant effect on the zone of deformation in the model. In the slope with a high position weak interlayer, the recorded deformation was larger in the superficial layer of the model and smaller in the frontal portion than in the slope with a low position weak interlayer. The slope with two weak interlayers has the largest deformation at all locations of all test slopes. The slope without a weak interlayer was only saturated in its superficial layer, while the displacement decreased with depth. That was different from all slopes with a weak interlayer in which the largest displacement shifted from the superficial layer to the weak interlayer when rainfall persisted. Plastic deformation of the weak interlayer promoted the formation of cracks which caused more water to flow into the slope, thus causing larger deformation in the slope with weak interlayers. In addition, the slide thrust pressure showed a vibration phenomenon 0.5 to 1 hour ahead of an abrupt increase of the deformation, which was interpreted as a predictor for rainfall-induced failure of bedded rock slopes.     

Model test of the stability degradation of a prestressed anchored rock slope system in a corrosive environment

The long-term stability of a prestressed anchored slope might be influenced by the durability of the anchorage structure. To understand long-term stability of anchored rock slopes, the research presented herein evaluated the performance evolution of a prestressed anchored bedding slope system in a corrosive environment by model test. The corrosion process in a prestressed anchor bar was monitored in terms of its open-circuit potential(OCP), corrosion current density(CCD), and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy(EIS). The stability of the prestressed anchored slope was evaluated by monitoring changes in anchorage force and displacements. The experimental results show that prestress and oxygen could reduce the corrosion resistance of the anchor bar, and anchor bars in a chloride-rich environment are very susceptible to corrosion. Prestressed tendons in a corrosive environment suffer a loss of anchorage force, the prestress decreases rapidly after locking, and the rate thereof decreases until stabilising; in the later stage, corrosion leads to the reduction of the cross-sectional area of the steel bar which may cause the reduction in anchorage force again. Anchorage force controls the deformation and stability of the anchored slope, the prestress loss caused by later corrosion may lead to an increased rate of displacement and stability degradation of the prestressed anchored rock slope.     

Climate change and its effects on runoff of Kaidu River,Xinjiang, China: A multiple time-scale analysis

This paper applied an integrated method combining grey relation analysis, wavelet analysis and statistical analysis to study climate change and its effects on runoff of the Kaidu River at multi-time scales. Maj or findings are as follows： 1） Climatic factors were ranked in the order of importance to annual runoff as average annual temperature, average temperature in autumn, average temperature in winter, annual precipitation, precipitation in flood season, av- erage temperature in summer, and average temperature in spring. The average annual temperature and annual precipitation were selected as the two representative factors that impact the annual runoff. 2） From the 32-year time scale, the annual runoff and the average annual temperature presented a significantly rising trend, whereas the annual precipitation showed little increase over the period of 1957-2002. By changing the time scale from 32-year to 4-year, we observed nonlinear trends with increasingly obvious oscillations for annual runoff, average annual temperature, and annual precipitation. 3） The changes of the runoff and the regional climate are closely related, indicating that the runoff change is the result of the regional climate changes. With time scales ranging from 32-year, 16-year, 8-year and to 4-year, there are highly significant linear correlations between the annual runoff and the average annual temperature and the annual precipitation.     

Effects of wetland vegetation on soil microbial composition: A case study in Tumen River Basin,Northeast China

Hydrology plays a dominant role in wetland plant distribution and microbial composition, but few studies explicitly attempted to relate the linkage between wetland vegetation and microbial community. The present study consisted of five wetland plant communities along three adjacent flood gradients zones (zone 1 dominated by Carex appendiculat, zone 2 dominated by Eleocharis ovate, and zone 3 dominated by Phragmites australis/Bidens pilosa/Calamagrostis angustifolia, which formed separate, monoculture patches). Gram negative and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal phospholipid fatty acid (PLFA) are more abundant in the site with short flooding period (zone 3) than in the site with long flooding period (zone 1), and they are also different in the P. australis, B. spilosa and C. angustifolia of zone 3. Principle Component Analysis (PCA) showed that the flooding period could explain 92.4% of variance in microbial composition. Redundancy Analysis (RDA) showed that available nitrogen (AN), total nitrogen (TN) and soil organic matter (SOM) could explain the 79.5% of variance in microbial composition among E. ovata, P. australis, B. pilosa and C. angustifolia. Results demonstrated that flooding period was the main factor in driving the microbial composition and plant-derived resources could influence soil microbial composition in the seasonally flooded zones.     

Evaluation of the possible slip surface of a highly heterogeneous rock slope using dynamic reduction method

A new method, the dynamic reduction method (DRM) combined with the strain-softening method, was applied to evaluate the possible slip surface of a highly heterogeneous rock slope of the Dagangshan hydropower station in Southwest China. In DRM, only the strength of the failure elements is reduced and the softening reduction factor K is adopted to calculate the strength parameters. The simulation results calculated by DRM show that the further slip surface on the right slope of the Dagangshan hydropower station is limited in the middle part of the slope, while both SRM (strength reduction method) and LEM (limit equilibrium method) predict a failure surface which extends upper and longer. The observations and analysis from the three recorded sliding events indicate that the failure mode predicted by DRM is more likely the scenario. The results in this study illustrate that for highly heterogeneous slopes with geological discontinuities in different length scales, the proposed DRM can provide a reliable prediction of the location of the slip surface.     

Empirical Analysis of City Contact in Zhujiang （Pearl） River Delta,China

In traditional urban geography, city contact research is a classic study element in city research. In general, researchers use the traditional gravity model to characterize the contacts that exist between two cities. The traditional gravity model assumes ideal condi- tions, but these preconditions and their results often do not exist in realistic conditions. Thus, we used a modified gravity model to char- acterize the city contacts within a specific region. This model considers factors such as intercity complementarities, government inter- vention, and the diversity of the transportation infrastructure which is characterized as the transportation distance instead of the tradi- tional Euclidean distance. We applied this model to an empirical study of city contact in the Zhujiang （Pearl） River Delta （PRD） of China. The regression results indicated that the modified gravity model could measure city contact more accurately and comprehen- sively than the traditional gravity model, i.e., it yielded a higher adjusted R2 value （0.379） than the traditional gravity model result （0.259）. Our study also suggests that, in addition to urban-regional and metropolitan development, the complementarities of the basic functions of cities at the administrative and market levels, as well as the corporeal and immaterial levels, play very significant roles in the characterization of city contact. Given the complexity of city contact, it will be necessary to consider more relevant influential fac- tors in the modified gravity model to characterize the features of city contact in the future.     

Application of land-use change model in guiding regional planning: A case study in Hun-Taizi River Watershed,Northeast China

This paper firstly investigated the land-use and land-cover change (LUCC) in the Hun-Taizi River watershed, Northeast China from 1988 to 2004 based on remotely sensed images and geographic information systems (GIS) technology. Then, using the famous land-use change model of Conversion of Land Use and its Effects at Small regional extent (CLUE-S), this paper simulated the land use changes under historical trend (HT), urban planning (UP) and ecological protection (EP) scenarios considering urban planning and ...     

坡折带控制下的坳陷湖盆沉积体系——以松辽盆地西部斜坡区为例

以松辽盆地西部斜坡区为例,根据岩心 、测井和地震资料,利用井震结合方法,分析泉头组四段和青山口组的层序地层、构造演化、沉积相和岩石学特征,研究坳陷湖盆的沉积体系特征.结果表明:齐家—古龙凹陷沉积体系受坡折带影响明显,具有坡折带控砂的特征.西部斜坡区存在两阶坡折带,发育河流—三角洲—浊流—湖相沉积,三角洲和河流相广泛发育...     

Geological features and genesis of Gaotaigou borate deposit, Jilin, China

Gaotaigou borate deposit in Ji'an area, southeastern Jilin, is located in the easten end of Liaoning-Jilin (Liaoji) Proterozoic paleo-rift, which is a medium-sized deposit and makes up 67% of the total borate reserves in Jilin Province. The original borate ore bodies were formed by sedimentary exhalative process in Paleoproterozoic, but were activated and enriched by later metamorphism. In late stage of metamorphistn, hydrothermal fluid of metamorphic origin made wallrocks be altered and the borate ore bodies be reformed. Ore bodies are strictly controlled by strata and their lithologies. In addition, the shape and spatial distribution of ore bodies are also defined by the Gaotaigou syncline. Combined with the ore-controlling factors and mineralizing features, it has been proposed that Gaotaigou borate deposit is a metamorphosed and hydrothermally altered sedimentary exhalative deposit.