A review of selected engineering geological characteristics of English Chalk

Chalk is a variable material, the properties of which are dependent upon its composition, textural features and diagenetic history. With the exception of certain horizons in the Lower Chalk that contain appreciable amounts of clayey material, the English Chalk is a remarkably pure micritic carbonate rock that generally can be divided into coarse and fine fractions. The latter comprises 70–80% of chalk. Cementation took place more or less contemporaneously with deposition so that the sediment was able to support relatively high overburden pressures. Hence, high values of porosity were retained. Chalk varies appreciably in density and hardness. The harder chalks are the result of diagenetic processes and bioturbation that brought about densification. In soft chalks the grains are only bound together at the points of contact by thin films of calcite.

The latest classification of chalk is based on an assessment of intact dry density, discontinuity aperture and discontinuity spacing. Chalk tends to vary from moderately weak to moderately strong and its strength is significantly reduced on saturation. Under triaxial loading conditions diagonal shear failure tends to occur at lower confining pressures but at higher confining pressures barrel-shaped failure occurs indicating plastic deformation and textural disaggregation. Similarly, at low loading, chalk exhibits low volume compressibility but much more significant consolidation occurs if the yield stress is exceeded.

Chalk undergoes dissolution and so solution features are found throughout its outcrop.

Mineworkings in the Chalk extend back into the distant past, the most ancient being those excavated in the Neolithic Age for flint. Several types of workings exist. Collapse of old mineworkings, most of which are unrecorded, is difficult to predict. The potential for subsidence, caused by the collapse of both mineworkings and dissolution features, affects development and its occurrence can lead to the abandonment of property or, worse, the loss of lives.     

人工冻融土物理力学性能研究

研究了原状土与人工冻融土的密度、干密度、含水量、饱和度、孔隙比、塑限、液限、塑性指数、液性指数、渗透系数等物理指标, 以及抗剪强度、无侧限抗压强度、压缩模量等力学指标的差异性. 土冻融后, 密度、干密度及塑性指数略有降低, 孔隙比、液性指数略有增大, 而其它物理指标基本一致. 粘土冻融后, 渗透性大大增加, 为原状土的～10倍, 而砂土仅略有增大. 粘土冻融后无侧限抗压强度是原状土的1/～1/2, 灵敏度降低, 其结果对冻结法向市政岩土工程的应用推广具有重要意义.     

How detrital mica affects compactional porosity loss?

Detrital micas are moderately abundant components in lithic sandstones. Examples from the Törtel and Szolnok Formations (Pannonian basin) and from the Lower Freshwater Molasse and Upper Marine Molasse (Swiss Molasse basin) show that the response of micas to increasing effective stress due to burial is substantially different from that of true ductile particles: the mica plates bend, but their thickness remains essentially constant. Based on this observation, a new model is proposed to describe the relationship between porosity loss and the ratio of mica-thickness and grain size. The results of calculations emphasize the importance of this latter parameter, as opposed to porosity loss from deformation of true ductile grains which is independent of the relationship between the grain sizes of deforming and rigid components.     

川东“侏罗山式”褶皱带形成时代：不整合面的证据

确定川东“侏罗山式”褶皱带的形成时代是了解上扬子地区这一重要板内变形带动力学机制的关键所在。详细的野外工作显示,该构造带中、上三叠统之间为平行不整合接触关系,说明其没有发生过印支期褶皱。区内上三叠统与下侏罗统,中、下侏罗统和中、上侏罗统之间的平行不整合接触又指示其褶皱变形发生在晚侏罗世之后。区内白垩纪盆地边缘下白垩统与下伏地层呈明显的角度不整合接触,较平缓的上白垩统地层也覆盖在下伏较陡立的不同时代地层之上,从而指示该构造带形成于早白垩世之前。综合分析后限定川东—湘鄂西北部的“侏罗山式”褶皱带的褶皱变形发生在晚侏罗世末至早白垩世初期间,而不是过去认为的印支期或早燕山期。     

A Middle Ordovician crinoid from the beach gravels of Ristna Cape,Hiiumaa Island,Estonia

Reworked fossils may be exotic, but more typically are locally derived. Echinoderms have only rarely been identified from beach clasts; most commonly, these are Upper Cretaceous echinoids from the Chalk. A pebble collected from a beach in Estonia has yielded a moderately well preserved specimen of the crinoid stem, Baltocrinus (col.) antiquus (Eichwald). This species is typical of the Baltic region, only being known from the Middle Ordovician (Darriwilian) of Estonia, but is exotic because the local outcrop is Upper Ordovician to Silurian.     

Geotechnical evaluation of Miocene gypsum from Sivas (Turkey)

Gypsum is widely distributed in Sivas (Turkey), occurring chiefly in the formations of Miocene age. The gypsum is generally of the alabastrine type with a little of the porphiroblast type and contains traces of clay minerals, anhydrite and calcite. It is a moderately strong rock in terms of its unconfined compressive strength which is related to the crystal size. Strength increases as the crystal size decreases. The strength of gypsum was reduced by approximately 55%, when the samples were kept in the water for 20 days. Most samples exhibit plastic–elastic–plastic deformation. The gypsum has a high modulus ratio, and is a moderately deformable rock. High lateral deformations and low vertical deformations are observed under the vertical stress conditions in accordance with the relationship between modulus ratio and strain.     

A relative water-depth model for the Normandy Chalk (Cenomanian–Middle Coniacian,Paris Basin,France) based on facies patterns of metre-scale cycles

A relative water-depth model for the Chalk of the Paris Basin is proposed, based on the lateral variations of the high-frequency metre-scale cycles, which are characteristic features easily identified in the field. The studied outcrops are the Cenomanian–Middle Coniacian cliffs of Normandy. The main result of this study is to highlight the importance of storm activity in the deposition of the Chalk. The relative water-depth model is based on storm-induced shell concentrations observed within the two components of the metre-thick cycles: the depositional interval itself and the top hiatal surface.Six types of shell concentrations are defined, along with seven types of depositional facies making up the depositional units, as well as eight types of hiatal surface. Three cycle associations, differing in their thickness and the amount and type of non-carbonate constituents, can be identified in the Lower to Upper Cenomanian, the Upper Cenomanian to Lower Turonian and the Middle Turonian to Middle Coniacian.A relative water-depth profile model for all these cycles is based on the shell concentrations and a “water-depth equivalence” is proposed between the three cycle associations (lateral “facies” substitution diagram). This model is tested using palaeocological data (irregular echinoids) and by correlating field sections in terms of stacking patterns. Most of the studied deposits accumulated above the storm wave base (upper offshore zone or mid ramp).     

铧厂沟金矿床地质特征及控矿冈素分析

铧厂沟金矿床位于勉－略－宁三角地带成矿有利部位。矿区出露中下泥盆统三河口群和中上元古界碧口群。矿床内发育的韧性剪切带经历了右行（韧性）－左行（韧脆性）－右行（脆性）多期（次）活动矿化受透镜状细碧岩控制,分布于韧性剪切带之中。矿体蚀变强烈,新生矿物定向排列,脉体中矿物具亚颗粒、变形纹、变形条带等料内变形特征。同位素地球化学及稀土分析结果表明,基性火山岩是金的矿源层。金矿的形成富集与韧性剪切带多期（次     

A new “slime star” (Echinodermata,Asteroidea, Velatida) from the Upper Cretaceous Chalk of the United Kingdom

New material of pterasterid asteroids from the UK chalk is described on the basis of ossicles recovered from washed residues. A new species, Pteraster lyddenensis sp. nov., is erected for oral and adambulacral ossicles and a primary radial ossicle from the Cenomanian Grey Chalk Subgroup of Dover (Kent), and the first UK record of Pteraster kutscheri Gale, 2022 is described from the upper Campanian Chalk of Norwich (Norfolk); both taxa belong to extant groups of Pteraster. Pteraster lyddenensis sp. nov. is the oldest known representative of the genus. The benthic invertebrate fauna of the Cretaceous chalk facies includes a number of extant genera which at the present day dwell in the deep sea. However, their presence was probably due to the low-productivity oceanic palaeoenvironment of the Chalk Sea, simulating deep-ocean conditions, rather than its depth.     

A chalk revolution: what have we done to the Chalk of England?

Inversion tectonic episodes are identified in the Upper Turonian - Lower Coniacian, Santonian - Lower Campanian and later Lower Campanian Chalk. It is suggested that episodic tectonism created the seabed topography on which sea levels and erosional currents acted. Marked differentiation into linear belts of local basins and swells with a greater variety of sediments is present in the Santonian and Lower Campanian. During this same period the locus of sedimentation shifts westwards from the southern margin of the Weald to Wessex as Weald Basin inversion increases. Tectonic episodes also produced synsedimenary fracturing of the Chalk and evolution of vein networks and stylolytes. Upper Cretaceous tectonic and sea-level events also affected the platform of Europe, the Carpathians and the Syrian Arc where sedimento-tectonic scenarios provide analogues for the Chalk. Linking sea-level oscillations and tectonic episodes with microtectonic studies suggests a frequency of events within the range of 0.35-1.5 Ma.     

A radiometric airborne geophysical survey of the Isle of Wight

A high resolution airborne geophysical survey across the Isle of Wight and Lymington area conducted in 2008 provided the first modern radiometric survey across the geological formations that characterise much of southern England. The basic radiometric data are presented and it is evident that bedrock geology exerts a controlling influence on the broad response characteristics of the naturally occurring radioelements. A GIS-based geological classification of the data provides a quantitative assessment and reveals that a relatively high percentage of the variability of the data is explained by the Cretaceous bedrock geology but this is much reduced in the Palaeogene. The three traditional Chalk units (Lower, Middle and Upper Chalk depicted on the currently available Geological Map) provide the lowest and most distinct behaviour within the Cretaceous sequence. Mineral content within the Chalk appears to increase with increasing age. A new method of representing the baseline radiometric information from the survey in terms of the mean values of the geological classification is presented. The variation of radioelement geochemistry within individual formations is examined in two case studies from the Cretaceous Lower Greensand Group and the Palaeogene Hamstead Member (Bouldnor Formation). The Cretaceous sequences provide the higher levels of discrimination of localised variations in radioelement distributions. A more detailed case study examines the potential influences from the degree of water saturation in the soil and superficial deposits.     

Pinch-and-swell structures at the Middle/Upper Muschelkalk boundary (Triassic): evidence of earthquake effects (seismites) in the Germanic Basin

A limestone bed with synsedimentary deformations is described from the Middle/Upper Muschelkalk boundary (Middle Triassic) of Thuringia, Germany. The deformation structures have an elongated geometry in a preferential N-S to NNW-SSE direction and are several metres across in size. They are similar to ball-and-pillow structures but differ from these by absence of significant loading into underlying beds. Their development is interpreted as a result of bed-internal deformation with bed thickening due to lateral contraction and bed thinning due to stretching. This deformation mechanism is comparable to the one producing boudinage structures, in particular pinch-and-swell structures. The deformation style and size of these structures and their widespread occurrence together with other synsedimentary deformation structures support their interpretation as earthquake-induced structures (seismites). Synsedimentary deformation structures are common features that occur in a narrow stratigraphic unit at the Middle/Upper Muschelkalk boundary in different parts of the Germanic Basin and point to tectonically influenced changes in the depositional regime and basin organization. Further examples of pinch-and-swell structures from the Lower and Upper Muschelkalk suggest that tectonics significantly influenced the sedimentation in the Germanic Basin during Middle Triassic time.     

华北地区中奥陶统蒸发盐岩溶解坍塌角砾岩化作用

华北地区中奥陶统下马家沟组第二、四段及上马家沟组第三段广泛分布着三层角砾岩。角砾岩系由蒸发盐溶解致使其白云岩夹层及残留蒸发盐岩沉陷坍塌所形成。这是一个复杂的过程,可划分为四个阶段:1.蒸发盐岩层塑性变形和矿物相的转变导致原生沉积构造破坏和部分角砾岩化;2.形成具蒸发盐和白云石基质的角砾岩;3.形成具白云石基质的角砾岩;4.形成细-粗晶石灰岩、角砾灰岩。     

Lower Palaeozoic unconformities in an intracratonic platform setting: glacial erosion versus tectonics in the eastern Murzuq Basin (southern Libya)

The stratigraphic record of the eastern Murzuq Basin has been importantly influenced by deformation resulting in angular and/or deeply erosional unconformities, though the overall context is intracratonic. Major transgressive events and the Ordovician glaciation are nevertheless documented, allowing the delineation of tectonic-, eustasy- or climate-driven unconformities. Lower Palaeozoic key events and related unconformities that characterize the North Gondwana platform have therefore a signature in the eastern Murzuq Basin. The basement/cover unconformity, also known as the infra-Tassilian surface, truncates all the deformed and metamorphosed Lower Cambrian and older rocks. Above is a ?Middle Cambrian to Lower Ordovician megasequence (Murizidié and Hasawnah Fms.), which is in turn truncated by an intra-Ordovician, angular unconformity. This megasequence is unconformably overlain by a Middle Ordovician (Hawaz Fm.) to Silurian (Tanzzuft and Akakus Fms) megasequence, which includes the Upper Ordovician glaciogenic unit (Mamuniyat Fm.), bounded at the base by a polygenic glacial erosion surface showing corrugated glacial lineations, tillites, and glaciotectonic structures. The Middle Ordovician to Silurian megasequence is finally truncated by a base-Devonian, angular unconformity overlain by fluvial sandstones. Regarding the possibility that those fluvial deposits may be as younger as Late Devonian in the eastern Murzuq Basin based on palaeoflora, the so-called Caledonian unconformity might be here a much younger (mid-Eifelian?) surface, and the occurrence of the Lower Devonian “Tadrart Fm.” is questioned. The Upper Ordovician glacial erosion surface, which is sometimes referred to as the Taconic unconformity, usually truncates Middle Ordovician strata in the Murzuq Basin but reaches significantly deeper stratigraphic levels in places that have been previously involved in the intra-Ordovician deformation event. In the Murizidié (southeastern Murzuq Basin), the infra-Tassilian surface, the intra-Ordovician unconformity, and the Upper Ordovician glacial erosion surface amalgamate together. Here, an estimate of the glacial erosion depth cannot be derived from the stratigraphic hiatus beneath the glacial incision, the main part of which relate to the intra-Ordovician tectonic event. The Upper Ordovician climate-related glacial erosion surface is not a valid unconformity for a sequence hierarchy framework of the Lower Palaeozoic, although it presents most of the physical attributes of tectonic-driven unconformities.     

苏浙皖地区海相油气地质特征及勘探目标的选择

从晚震旦世开始至中三叠世，苏浙皖（下扬子）地区沉积了三套巨厚的海相烃源岩系，即：上震旦统一上奥陶统，石炭系－二叠系，下三叠统海相烃源岩，三套烃源岩热演化特点不同，下古生界烃源岩经历了加里东、印支－燕山期构造阶段的热演化，已达过成熟干气阶段，上古生界烃源岩基本处于生油阶段晚期；大部分三叠系烃源岩处于成熟生油阶段，少数处于未成熟阶段，区内下古生界烃源岩经历了两次成油过程，第一次发生在加里东运动前的盆地沉降阶段，第二次发生在加里东运动后晚古生代陆表海代积阶段，全区海相油气储盖条件发育，配置有利，经多年油气勘探证实，下古生界油气勘探应立足于苏北地区，上古生界油气勘探除苏北地区外，尚有皖南与浙西地区，中生界海相油气勘探应集中在区内几个发育较好的中生代盆地，如常州、句容，无为，望江盆地等。     

赤泥改性黄土的基本工程性质研究

为探究赤泥改性黄土的基本工程特性,进行无侧限抗压试验、直剪试验及渗透试验,得出赤泥改性黄土的最佳配比,建立了抗剪强度、无侧限抗压强度与电阻率的经验公式。通过动三轴试验,分析了循环动荷载下改性黄土的累积塑性变形、动弹性模量及浸出毒性。结果表明,随赤泥含量增加,改性黄土无侧限抗压强度和黏聚力都先增大后减小,当赤泥含量为15%时其28 d无侧限抗压强度达到3.5 MPa,较不掺入赤泥时提高约34.7%;改性黄土的渗透系数随赤泥含量增加先快速降低,至赤泥含量5%后趋于稳定;改性黄土的抗剪强度、无侧限抗压强度与电阻率呈良好的线性关系;改性黄土在循环动荷载下的临界动应力达600 kPa,最大动弹性模量比未改性黄土高出6倍,且其浸出液不具有浸出毒性。     

固化淤泥重塑土力学性质及其强度来源

对不同水泥掺加量的固化淤泥及其重塑土进行了无侧限抗压强度试验和直接剪切试验,并对固化土和重塑土的应力-应变关系曲线、无侧限抗压强度、黏聚力和内摩擦角进行了比较分析。结果表明：随着水泥量和龄期的增加,固化淤泥的脆性增强,塑性减弱;重塑土的应力-应变关系受水泥量和龄期的影响不大,随着应变的增加,应力增长缓慢,塑性变形非常大。固化土的无侧限抗压强度、黏聚力均随着水泥量和龄期的增加而增大,而内摩擦角则有减小的趋势。重塑土相对于原状土无侧限抗压强度和黏聚力都有较大程度的折减,并且水泥量和龄期越大,折减越多;内摩擦角随着水泥量和龄期的增加有小幅度提高。重塑土强度主要来源于破碎固化土团间的摩擦和咬合作用,因此,在固化淤泥重塑土的实际工程应用中,初始固化土的处理强度不应太高。     

塔里木盆地轮南古隆起形成时间的判定

轮南古隆起位于塔里木盆地北部,是一个大型基底卷入型鼻状背斜。卷入背斜构造变形的地层包括下古生界及其以下地层。它的形式演化控制着轮南复式油气聚集区的形成与分布。过轮南古隆起的地震剖面上显示,这里发育上泥盆统东河砂岩底、志留系底和上奥陶统底3个与古隆起形成密切相关的不整合面。上奥陶统底是一个低角度不整合面至平行不整合面,地层间断很小。志留系与下伏地层之间是一个低角度不整合接触,存在一定规模的地层间断。东河砂岩与下伏地层之间是一个明显的角度不整合接触,是一个较大的地层间断。东河砂岩直接不整合覆盖在下志留统甚至更老地层之上。上奥陶统至下志留统（中-上志留统缺失）为生长地层;上奥陶统之下的地层是前生长地层;东河砂岩及其上覆的石炭系是生长后地层。根据已有构造分析成果,塔里木盆地中志留世—中泥盆世处于造山后区域性伸展构造背景。据此分析,轮南古隆起（背斜）的构造变形起始于中奥陶世末—晚奥陶世初,持续至早志留世。此后进入风化夷平阶段,古隆起依然存在,但是背斜构造变形已经结束。至东河砂岩沉积时,轮南古隆起基本被夷平,并逐渐被埋于地下。     

我国腐植煤的还原性质及其与沉积环境的关系

一、不同还原性腐植煤的基本特征在研究华北聚煤区东部晚古生代太原组（C₃）和山西组（P₁1）煤性质差别及显微特征的基础上,作者认为除煤岩成分和变质程度外,还存在着影响煤质的第三个成因因素--还原性质。