Numerical analysis on dynamic deformation mechanism of soils under blast loading

Soil is considered as a three-phase medium consisting of solid particles, water and air. Its behavior is very difficult to predict, especially under high rate blast loading. In this study, a new three-phase soil model for shock loading is employed to facilitate a full simulation of explosion and the subsequent stress wave propagation in soils. Upon validating the model, extended numerical calculations are carried out and the results are analyzed to demonstrate the change of characteristic parameters of the soils, the inherent distribution of the pressure on individual phases and hence the deformation mechanisms of the soils under blasting loading. Two primary deformation mechanisms exist, one is the deformation of the soil skeleton formed by the solid particles; the other is the deformation of all individual soil phases. It is found that the response of soil near the charge is dominated by the second mechanism while the first mechanism dominates in areas beyond a certain scaled range. The location of the transition zone depends primarily on the initial state of the soil. The results are useful for establishing rational and practical soil models for engineering applications concerning blasting.     

Effects of grass and shrub cover on the critical unit stream power in overland flow

Improved knowledge of the effects of grass and shrub cover in overland flow can provide valuable information for soil and water conservation programs.Laboratory simulated rainfall studies were conducted to determine effects of grass and shrub on runoff and soil loss and to ascertain the relationship between the rate of soil loss and the unit stream power of runoff for a 20°slope subjected to rainfall intensities of 45,87,and 127 mm/h.The results indicated that the average runoff rates ranged from 4.2 to 73.1 mm/h for grass plots and from 9.3 to 58.2 mm/h for shrub plots.Runoff rates from shrub plots were less than those from grass plots for all but the 45 mm/h rainfall intensity regime. Average soil loss rates varied from 5.7 to 120.3 g/min.m~2 for grass plots and from 5.6 to 84.4 g/min.m~2 for shrub plots.Soil loss rates from shrub plots were generally lower than those from grass plots.Runoff and soil loss were strongly influenced by soil surface conditions due to the formation of erosion pits and rills.The rate of soil loss increased linearly with the unit stream power of runoff on both grass and shrub plots.Critical unit stream power values were 0.0127 m/s for grass plots and 0.0169 m/s for shrub plots.Shrub plots showed a greater stability to resist soil detachment and transport by surface flow than grass plots.     

Effect of soil properties on erosion by wash and splash

This paper describes laboratory testing of 148 samples collected from Southern Alberta for erosion by wash and splash. Rainfall intensity was held constant during these tests. Soil aggregation was the most significant variable explaining soil loss. The significance of other soil properties, such as organic carbon and clay content is variable, depending on the interrelationships among aggregate stability, organic content, and clay content of particular soils. Variations in erodibility of the major soils examined are explained by the resistance of aggregates to compaction and dispersion. Splash detachment and wash transport are the dominant erosion mechanisms in inter-rill areas.     

EFFECTS OF SOIL CRUSTING ON SOIL MOISTURE, RUNOFF AND EROSION: FIELD OBSERVATIONS

1 INTRODUCTION Soil crusting, or soil sealing, is one of the common phenomena in agricultural lands or semi-arid and arid soils. Due to the breakdown of soil aggregates by raindrops, soil surface develops a very thin, often less than a few millimeters, dense layer. Many studies indicated that such a thin layer significantly reduces infiltration capacity and increases surface runoff (i.e. McIntyre, 1958; Edward and Larson, 1969; Agassi et al., 1985; Bradford et al., 1986; Romkens et al.,…     

土结构性的研究方法及现状

介绍了土结构性的概念和土结构性研究的意义。回顾了土结构性研究的历史。对土结构性的定量化研究方法进行了分类。在分析国内外研究现状的基础上，提出了土力学方法是进行土结构性定量化研究的最为现实和有效的方法。     

Measurement and Result of Soil Gas Radon and Soil Gas Mercury in the Exploration of Haihe Hidden Fault

In the exploration of the hidden Haihe fault, radon and mercury in soil gas were measured by using FG-3017 radon detector and XG-4 mercury analyzer. In this paper, based on the measurement results of 12 fault gas profiles, and integrating with the exploration results of artificial seismic prospecting, the relationship between anomalous site of fault gas and fault location is analyzed. Using the relationship between anomalous strength of fault gas and fault activity, the activity of Haihe fault is studied, thus the location and activity segmentation of the Haihe fault in Tianjin region are presented. This study shows that the method of fault gas detection can not only identify the preliminary location of fault, but also make preliminary segmentation of fault activity. The fault detected by the method of fault gas measurement is shown as a band. Through contrasting with exploration results of artificial seismic prospecting and analyzing, we find that the fault is located inside the band. According to the measurements of soil gas radon, the Haihe fault can be divided into east and west segments and the activity of the east segment of Haihe fault is stronger than that of the west segment. This is only a relative result, and it is difficult to judge whether the fault is active or not with this result.     

Five‐Year Soil Respiration Reflected Soil Quality Evolution in Different Forest and Grassland Vegetation Types in the Eastern Loess Plateau of China

Soil CO₂ efflux in forest and grassland over 5 years from 2005 to 2009 in a semiarid mountain area of the Loess plateau, China, was measured. The aim was to compare the soil respiration and its annual and inter‐annual responses to the changes in soil temperature and soil water content between the two vegetation types for observing soil quality evolution. The differences among the five study years were the annual precipitation (320.1, 370.5, 508.8, 341.6, and 567.4 mm in 2005–2009, respectively) and annual distribution. The results showed that the seasonal change of soil respiration in both vegetation types was similar and controlled by soil temperature and soil water content. The mean soil respiration across 5 years in the forest (3.78 ± 2.68 µmol CO₂ m^?2 s^?1) was less than that in the grassland (4.04 ± 3.06 µmol CO₂ m^?2 s^?1), and the difference was significant. The drought soil in summer depressed soil respiration substantially. The Q₁₀ value across 5‐year measurements was 2.89 and 2.94 for forest and grassland. When soil water content was between wilting point (WP) and field capacity (FC), the Q₁₀ in both types increased with increasing soil water content, and when soil water content dropped to below WP, soil respiration and the Q₁₀ decreased substantially. Although an exponential model was well fitted to predict the annual mean soil respiration for each single year data, it overestimated and underestimated soil respiration, respectively, in drought conditions and after rain for short periods of time during the year. The two‐variable models including temperature and water content variables could be well used to predict soil respiration for both types in all weather conditions. The models proposed are useful for understanding and predicting potential changes in the eastern part of Loess plateau in response to climate change.     

Thermal stability of soil organic carbon subjected to water erosion as a function of edaphic factors

The stability of soil organic carbon （SOC）,as it relates to resistance to decomposition,is important for greenhouse gas emission and climate change.However,the SOC stabilization and its related influencing factors subjected to water erosion remain uncertain.The objective of the current study was to determine the SOC stability under long-term water erosion and to investigate the link between SOC stability and edaphic factors.Soil samples from eroded,depositional,and control sites in a closed wate...     

渤海海域粉质粘土动力学参数的统计分析

本文整理了26个渤海海域场地土动力学测试报告,并按埋深分段统计了0至115m深度范围内粉质粘土的动力学参数,即动剪切模量比和阻尼比。然后,将本文统计值与袁晓铭推荐值和施春花统计过的北京地区粉质粘土的动力学参数值进行了比较,发现海域场地土与陆地场地土的动力学参数值存在较大差异。之后,选择渤海海域的两个场地,建立了相应的土动力学模型,分别选取实测值、本文统计值、施春花统计值进行场地地震反应分析,发现本文统计值与实测值的结果符合的较好。在渤海海域场地地震反应分析工作中,某些粉质粘土层难以获得动力学参数时,可以参考本文的统计值。     

土壤热扩散率及其温度、热通量计算方法的比较研究

本文利用绿洲系统能量与水分循环过程观测试验的2005年6月11日至15日在甘肃金塔绿洲中部观测的土壤温度、湿度和通量资料,在分析了观测期间土壤温度、湿度和通量特征的基础上,采用振幅法、相位法、谐波法和热传导对流法计算了5~20 cm土壤层的土壤热扩散率.在此基础上,以深度为5 cm的土壤层为上边界条件,计算了10 cm、20 cm深度的土壤温度和10 cm深度的热通量.结果表明:谐波法能很好地计算土壤温度,10 cm和20 cm深度的计算值相对观测值的标准差分别为:0.21 ℃和0.18 ℃;热传导对流法计算的土壤温度好于振幅法和相位法,但由于忽略了土壤水分通量密度的日变化,该方法用于土壤含水量有明显日变化的浅层土壤时,会出现计算误差.谐波法的计算土壤热通量与实测值最为接近,计算值与实测值的相关系数达到0.868.     

The effects of soil piping on contributing areas and erosion patterns

Natural piping doubles the dynamic contributing area on the upper Maesnant stream in mid-Wales, mainly through linking points well beyond the riparian zones of seepage to the stream. Both discharge and sediment transport rates in the major pipes are closely related to the size of shallow surface microtopographic hollows in which they lie, and which themselves are largely created by piping erosion. However, pipe dischrges are frequently generated by contributing areas larger than these surface depressions and some pipes run counter to the surface topography. The redistribution and acceleration of hillslope drainage processes by piping has implications for theories of hillslope development, especially through plan-form modifications, and also for channel discharge and erosion.     

Influence of Soil Air Permeability Change on Soil Vapour Extraction Systems Design

Soil air permeability plays a decisive role in the effectiveness of soil vapour extraction (SVE) for the removal of volatile organic contaminants (VOCs) from soil. The objective of this work is to study the change of the soil air permeability during continuous venting and removal of contaminant from a polluted soil. SVE pilot experiments were conducted to investigate the interaction of soil air permeability with total liquids saturation. Oppositely to previous studies, air permeability was measured by fitting pressure data measured in a 3D laboratory venting pilot to an analytical airflow solution. The experimental correlation was compared with two different correlations published previously. A difference was observed between measured and calculated air relative air permeabilities especially for low water saturation degrees. The importance of the correct estimate of relative permeability was then illustrated by comparing vacuums and streamlines calculated using measured permeability and permeability values estimated with the two correlations tested here. Results show that an inappropriate assessment of relative permeability may engender significant errors in designing an SVE system. The second part of this work reports on the influence of air permeability change on the prediction capability of an SVE mathematical model. A significant difference between simulated breakthrough curves, estimated using firstly the relationship established experimentally and secondly the two other correlations, was observed. These results lead us to say that inadequate characterization of the air permeability change may generate significant errors in removal rate and closure time estimates.     

The micromorphology of quaternary river terrace deposits in the Kennet Valley,Berkshire, England

Three groups of micromorphological features are recognized in the river terrace deposits of the Kennet Valley. These are orthic pedological features, orthic pedological features disrupted by cryoturbation, and transport-inherited features. Fluvial and solifluction processes account for the presence of the transport-inherited features. Used in conjunction with sedimentological and geomorphological investigations the distribution, composition, size, shape, and relative proportions of micromorphological features are helpful in separating pedogenically-altered materials from undisturbed sediments, and in recognizing the occurrence of more than one phase of soil development.     

A concise parameterization of the hydraulic conductivity of unsaturated soils

The parameter n in the well-known expression for hydraulic conductivity K=K₀S_eⁿ (where K₀ is its value at satiation and S_e the effective saturation) is determined as a function of the exponent in the power form of the soil–water retention relationship. The result is validated with an extensive experimental database comprising some 43 soils, collected by Mualem.     

郯庐断裂带安徽段土壤气体的地球化学特征

在郯庐断裂带安徽段由北向南分别于泗县、明光、肥东、桐城布设了4个测区,每个测区各布设了4条跨断层土壤气测量剖面,测量土壤气Rn、Hg和CO_2的浓度。根据16条跨断层土壤气剖面的测量结果,对郯庐断裂带安徽段的3种土壤气体的释放特征及其与断层空间位置间的关系进行了初步分析。结果表明,气体在断裂带附近较为富集,对断层位置有一定指示作用;气体的富集程度与断裂的活动性、该区段断层岩性及地质环境有一定关系。该结果对于认识测量区域气体的积累特征及构造地球化学研究有一定意义。     

The Influence of Surface Covers on the Performance of a Soil Vapor Extraction System

This study looks at the influence of surface covers on the performance of a single pumping well system. Pilot tests were conducted on a sandy soil to determine the influence of surface confinement based upon both induced vacuum and pore gas velocity design criteria. The results demonstrate how covering the surface can significantly alter the associated air flow patterns and velocity distribution. Comparison of streamline iso‐contours obtained in covered scenarios reveals that the surface seal tended to prevent air from entering the subsurface near the extraction well and force air to be drawn from a greater distance. Calculated and measured pressure differentials, for open and semi‐confined scenarios, clearly show that adding a clay layer as a surface cover increased the vacuum induced within the soil. Pore gas velocity analysis showed that when the cover clay layer was used, the zone of capture of the soil vapor extraction system increased. The radius of influence of soil vapor extraction (SVE) systems, based on the attainment of a critical vacuum or pore gas velocity, can then be increased by including a surface seal in the design of such systems. The focus of this study is limited to air flow patterns contrasted between covered and uncovered conditions and not on the nuances of a full scale remediation implementation.     

An evaluation of the universal soil loss equation and field techniques for assessing soil erosion on a tropical alfisol in western Nigeria

Four techniques for soil erosion assessment were compared over two consecutive seasons for bare-fallow plots and a maize-cowpea sequence in 1985 at IITA, Ibadan, Nigeria. The techniques used were: tracer (aluminium paint), nails (16 and 25), the rill method, and the Universal Soil Loss Equation (USLE). Soil loss estimated by these techniques was compared with that determined using the runoff plot technique. There was significantly more soil loss (P < 0·01) in bare-fallow than in plots under maize (Zea mays) or cowpea (Vigna unguiculata). In the first season, soil loss from plots sown to maize was 40·2 Mg ha^?1 compared with 153·3 Mg ha^?1 from bare-fallow plots. In the second season, bare-fallow plots lost 87·5 Mg ha^?1 against 39·4 Mg ha^?1 lost from plots growing cowpea. The techniques used for assessing erosion had no influence on the magnitude of soil erosion and did not interfere with the processes of erosion. There was no significant difference (P < 0·05) between soil erosion determined by the nails and the runoff plot technique. Soil loss determined on six plots (three under maize, three bare-fallow) by the rill technique, at the end of the season, was significantly lower (P < 0·05) than that determined by the runoff plot technique. The soil loss estimated by the rill method was 143·2, 108·8 and 121·9 Mg ha^?1 for 11, 11, and 8 per cent slopes respectively, in comparison with 201·5, 162·0, and 166·4 Mg ha^?1 measured by the runoff plot method. Soil loss measured on three bare-fallow plots on 10 different dates by the rill technique was also significantly lower (P < 0·01) than that measured by the runoff plot. In the first season the USLE significantly underestimated soil loss. On 11, 11, and 8 per cent slopes, respectively, soil loss determined by the USLE was 77, 92, and 63 per cent of that measured by the runoff plot. However, in the second season there was no significant difference between soil loss determined by the USLE and that determined by the conventional runoff plot technique.