Study of nanocrystals in the dynamic slip zone

Mineral composition is studied and a search to detect nanocrystals is conducted in the surface layers of slickensides formed due to dynamic slip in arkose sandstone. The infrared and Raman spectroscopy show that the slickensided layer is composed of nanocrystals of montmorillonite and anatase measuring ??15 nm and 3 nm, respectively. The crystalline lattice of the nanocrystals of montmorillonite is stretched by ??2.5% while the lattice of the nanocrystals of anatase is compressed by ??0.12%. Deeper than 3 mm below the slickenside surface, the sandstone contains nanocrystals of montmorillonite, beidellite and nontronite, quartz, plagioclase, and anatase. The nanocrystals of anatase have a linear size of ??8 nm. Their crystalline lattice is compressed by ??0.03%. It is supposed that montmorillonite in the slickensides was formed due to hydrolytic decomposition of silicates under friction of the fault planes sliding past each other.     

Effects of soil moisture dynamics on slope failure at Hyrum Reservior,Utah

Field observations of shoreline conditions at Hyrum Reservoir, Utah, were conducted during the summers of 1991 to 1993. A process of bluff retreat is described for a multiple-layered bluff environment of sand and clay layers. Failure is initiated by wetting and drying of clay sediments, which produces horizontal cracks within bluff material. These cracks appear to penetrate to a depth of approximately 100-150 mm before initiating vertical cracking in the sediments. The vertical cracks are propagated by continued drying of the surface sediment, ultimately leading to failure of the bluff material. The physical dimensions of sediment blocks succumbing to this mechanism range from a few hundred millimetres up to 3 m on a side, with a depth of approximately 100-150 mm. The mechanism described here appears to operate optimally when the supply of subsurface moisture is abundant and nearly continuous throughout the spring and early summer. Reservoir draw-down, large capillary fringe effects in the bluff and periodic wetting from upslope undrained hollows are the dominant moisture controls at this site. Moisture delivery to the face is strongly influenced by anisotropy of saturated hydraulic conductivity in the alternating clay and sand layers and related differences in sediment texture.     

活动断裂带断层泥的纳微米构造研究方法

断层泥是研究活动断裂带运动性质和活动习性的重要介质。以往,对断层泥的研究主要借助偏光显微镜和低真空扫描电镜进行,观察到的现象有限。借助高真空扫描电镜从纳微米尺度对断层泥进行更精细化的研究,其方法是对野外断层泥进行定向原状样品采集,通过室内样品自然风干、微样制作、表面镀金和扫描电镜观察,从纳微米尺度研究a-b组构面和a-c组构面的各种变形现象。此方法可以帮助确定断层的运动性质、断层滑动面的新老关系,并可鉴别粘滑过程与蠕滑过程;同时,还可以对工程场地中发现的黏土滑动面进行鉴别,区分地震断层和非地震断层。     

Luminescence dating of anthropogenic rock structures in the northern Rockies and adjacent High Plains,North America: A progress report

Anthropogenic rock alignments, both circular and linear, are common in the northern Rockies and adjacent High Plains of North America. Their ages are largely unknown. Luminescence dating of single-grain feldspars is applied to sediment under the rocks on the assumption that prior to rock placement turbation processes zeroed sufficient number of grains and that these processes ended with the rock placement. Ages of single grains are corrected for anomalous fading and the age of placement is estimated using the minimum age model. Vertical distributions of ages show that youngest ages are clustered just under the rock, conforming to the turbation model. Low precision in fading corrections led to attempts to reduce fading with higher temperature stimulations. These did reduce fading but also recovered known doses poorly, suggesting possible age over-estimation. This uncertainty coupled with a problem of small sample sizes from material with generally low sensitivity resulted in overall low precision in ages, but still an improvement over the current lack of chronological information.     

The geomorphic dynamics and environmental history of an upper deltaic floodplain tract in the Sacramento–San Joaquin Delta,California, USA

A multi‐proxy approach was used to examine the geomorphic dynamics and environmental history of an upper deltaic ?oodplain tract in the Sacramento–San Joaquin Delta, California. Three long cores were collected from the McCormack–Williamson Tract (MWT) and these cores were analyzed for bulk density, loss‐on‐ignition, ?ne (clay and silt) content, Al concentration, magnetic susceptibility, pollen, and charcoal. Radiocarbon dates obtained for the cores were converted into calendar years and an age–depth model was constructed. Long‐term vertical accretion and sedimentation rates were estimated from the age–depth model. Cross‐core relations show that coarse sediment generally accumulates more rapidly and has greater magnetic susceptibility compared to ?ne sediment. Percentage ?ne and LOI data show a strong linear relationship that indicates ?ooding is the primary mechanism for the deposition of particular organic matter on the ?oodplain and that landscape wash load has contributed a highly consistent fraction of persistent organic matter averaging 5·5 per cent to the site. Down‐core grain size pro?les show two hydrological domains in the cores, namely millennial ?ne–coarse ?uctuations superimposed on general up‐core ?ning. Coarse sediment is viewed as channel or near‐channel overbank deposits, whereas ?ne deposits are considered to be distal overbank ?ood deposits. The coarse–?ne ?uctuations are indicative of changing depositional settings as channels migrated laterally across MWT, whereas the upward ?ning trend re?ects a combination of self‐limiting overbank deposition as ?oodplain elevation increased and decreasing competence as sea‐level rise reduced ?ood‐pulse energy slopes. MWT has been cross‐cut and incised numerous times in the past, only to have the channels abandoned and subsequently ?lled by ?ne sediment. The channels around MWT attained their modern con?guration about 4000 years ago. MWT likely came under tidal in?uence at about 2500 cal BP. Wetlands have recently developed on MWT, but they are inorganic sediment dominated. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Gravity wave exclusion circles in background flows modulated by the semidiurnal tide

In this short paper the exclusion circles and vertical phase locities for gravity waves launched from the ground into a time-varying wind are studied using a ray-tracing technique. It is shown that waves with initial observed phase speeds that should place them within the local temporally varying exclusion circle, are often Doppler shifted outside of the circle. This, and the finite lifetime of some critical levels, allow waves to survive the critical layer and reach higher altitudes. Also, for slower phase-speed waves, the temporally varying wind can shift the observed frequency to negative values, so that the observed phase motions will be opposite (i.e. horizontally reversed and vertically upward), even though the energy still propagates upward. This effect can also cause the phase velocity to move inside the local exclusion circle. Due to the directional filtering of wave sources by the stratospheric wind, the percentage of such reverse-propagating waves will change systematically with local time and height in our simplified but realistic model. These results are related to ground-based systems, optical and radar, which sample the wind field and gravity waves in the middle atmosphere.     

Laboratory and theoretical evaluation of impact of packing density,particle shape,and uniformity coefficient on erodibility of coarse-grained soil particles

Sedimentation – including erosion, transport, and deposition of coarse-grained particles – is a primary and growing environmental, engineering, and agricultural issue around the world. Soil erosion occurs when the hydrodynamic force induced by flowing water exceeds the geotechnical resistance of soils, as measured by critical shear stress for initiation of soil-particle motion. Even though various quantitative methods have been suggested with respect to different types of soil, the most widely accepted formula to estimate critical shear stress for coarse-grained soil is a direct function of the median grain size of the soil particles; however, the erosion resistance of soils also varies with other geotechnical properties, such as packing density, particle shape, and uniformity coefficient. Thus, in this study, a combined rolling–lift model for particle detachment was derived based on theoretical analysis. A series of experimental flume tests were conducted with specimens prepared with standard soil types, as well as laboratory-prepared mixtures of coarse-grained soil to validate the theoretical model and determine the effect of other geotechnical properties on the erosion characteristics of coarse grains, coupled with the effect of median particle size. The results indicated that the median grain size is the primary variable determining the resistance of coarse grains, but the critical shear stress also varies with the packing density of the soil matrix. In addition, angular particles show more erosion resistance than rounded particles, and the erosion potential of a soil decreased when the grain is well graded (higher value of uniformity coefficient). Additionally, regression analysis was performed to quantify the effect of each parameter on the critical shear stress of coarse grains. © 2020 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

青藏高原可可西里库赛湖年纹层石英颗粒表面形态特征研究

湖泊是风成沉积的理想载体,利用扫描电镜分析石英砂的表面微结构特征,可以用于判断石英颗粒被风或水流搬运的相对距离和湖泊的水动力条件,从而判断其沉积环境与演化历史.库赛湖位于青藏高原北部可可西里地区,是青海省沙尘天气频发的地区之一,为进一步证实库赛湖年纹层粗颗粒层的风成成因,以库赛湖沉积年纹层为研究对象,结合青藏高原北部典型沙丘沉积、库赛湖冰面风成沉积、典型河流沉积和库赛湖湖滨相水成粗颗粒沉积样品,利用扫描电镜对上述沉积物石英颗粒表面特征进行观察研究,并统计35种特征的出现频率.结果表明:库赛湖地区典型风成物石英颗粒表面具有圆形轮廓、中低浮雕、翻板、新月型撞击坑、球根状边缘、直形阶梯、弓形阶梯、碟形坑等微形貌特征;典型水成物石英颗粒表面具有V型撞击坑、小型和中型贝壳状断口、少量溶蚀坑等微形貌特征;库赛湖年纹层粗颗粒层石英颗粒表面具有圆形轮廓、低浮雕、翻板、新月形撞击坑、球根状边缘、碟形坑等明显风成特征,与研究区风成物的石英颗粒表面特征相似,而与研究区典型水成物的石英颗粒表面特征差别很大.因此,库赛湖年纹层中的粗颗粒层是由风成作用形成的.     

Solute transport and water content measurements in clay soils using time domain reflectometry

Abstract

Clayey and saline soils have been shown to be problematic for time domain reflectometry (TDR) measurements. This study presents some of these problems and discusses solutions to them. Thirteen solute transport experiments were carried out in three undisturbed soil columns of swelling clay soil from Tunisia, labelled S1, S2, and S3 respectively. The columns were collected at three different physiographical regions within a catchment. Water fluxes ranged from 1.2 to 7.2 cm day^?1. The large solute transport heterogeneity and large tailing indicated that preferential flow was most pronounced in S1. The preferential flow took place in voids between structural elements and in wormholes. In S3, preferential flow was also evident, but not to the same extent as in S1. In S2, the solute transport was more uniform with little preferential flow. The heterogeneity of the solute transport increased with the water flux in S1 and to a smaller extent in S3, whereas it remained constant in S2. In a previous dye experiment in the field, preferential flow in cracks was observed at those sites where S1 and S3 were collected. In the column experiments, preferential flow in these cracks was less due to the higher initial water content compared to the dye experiments, indicating that the desiccation cracks were closed by the swelling clay.     

Stability of composite river banks

The stability of a river bank depends on the balance of forces, motive and resistive, associated with the most critical mechanism of failure. Many mechanisms are possible and the likelihood of failure occurring by any particular one depends on the size, geometry and structure of the bank, the engineering properties of the bank material, the hydraulics of flow in the adjacent channel and climatic conditions. Rivers flowing through alluvial deposits often have a composite structure of cohesionless sand and gravel overlain by cohesive silt/clay. Bank erosion occurs by fluvial entrainment of material from the lower, cohesionless bank at a much higher rate than material from the upper, cohesive bank. This leads to undermining that produces cantilevers of cohesive material. Upper bank retreat takes place predominantly by the failure of these cantilevers. Three mechanisms of failure have been identified: shear, beam and tensile failure. The stability of a cantilever may be analysed using static equilibrium and beam theory, and dimensionless charts for cantilever stability constructed. Application of the charts requires only a few simple measurements of cantilever geometry and soil properties. In this analysis the effects of cracks and fissures in the soil must be taken into account. These cracks seriously weaken the soil and can invalidate a stability analysis by affecting the shape of the failure surface. Following mechanical failure, blocks of soil must be removed from the basal area by fluvial entrainment if rapid undermining and cantilever generation are to continue. Hence, the rate of bank retreat is fluvially controlled, even though the mechanism of failure of the upper bank is not directly fluvial in nature. This cycle of bank erosion: undermining, cantilever failure and fluvial scour of the toe, operates over several flood events and has important implications for river engineering, channel changes, and the movement of sediment through fluvial systems.     

山西大同市区剪切波速与土层岩性及深度关系的研究

在对山西大同市区3个主要地貌单元共72个钻孔的剪切波速资料分析整理的基础上,利用指数形式的剪切波速与深度经验公式,对测点较多的粉质黏土、粉土、粗砂三类土层的剪切波速Vs与土层深度H的关系进行统计回归,并将实测剪切波速值与利用上述统计结果得到的预测值进行对比检验,结果表明,分地貌单元各类土层的Vs-H经验关系是可靠的,符合当地岩土特征,可用于对该地区地层剪切波速进行推测。     

Bed roughness and grain sorting-an experimental study over fine to medium sand beds

The relation between grain-size distribution of the bed and in suspension was critically examined under a uniform flow velocity of 50 cm/s over two beds: one of mainly fine sands and the other of medium sands. Two sections – one 2.85 m downstream and the other 6.35 m downstream in the experimental channel-were selected for sampling to study the grain-sorting pattern in the vertical direction along the direction of transport. The shape and type of the grain-size distribution pattern were critically studied with height above the bed. The change in the distribution pattern has been attributed to the change of local bed roughness causing scouring against the protruded relatively coarse grains on the bed. Such trends are important to predict the nature of river bed topography. The sand of Bed-1 initially exhibits a log-skew-Laplace distribution at different heights of suspension. The distribution pattern, however, changes but this changing pattern is not consistent along the upstream side. For Bed-2, which initially exhibits a log-normal distribution, the same pattern persists from the height of suspension at 5 cm up to 20 cm. Such consistency in log-normality is also observed at the downstream points of measurement. It is generally expected that the mean grain-size would reduce with increases of suspension height but the results of the experiments, in some occasions, differ significantly from the gradual fining upward trend. This result has been attributed to local changes of bed roughness arising from the protruded relatively coarse grains causing eddies, scouring, and turbulent phenomena which moves coarse particles higher in suspension adding a coarse tail to the distribution increasing the mean grain-size.     

Mineral grain availability and pupal-case building by lotic caddisflies: Effects on case architecture, stability and building expenses

The retreat-making larvae of many lotic caddisflies build entirely new pupal cases with fine gravel and sand that they collect in the neighbourhood of the building place to fix it with silk to cobbles in swift flow (where finer sediments are generally rare). Previous field observations on Hydropsyche siltalai pupal cases illustrate that natural local resource limitations of the preferred grain fraction (2.5–3.15 mm) produced chained effects across other grain fractions, as the alternative use of more grains in the 1.6–2 mm fraction (an unlimited resource) induced an increased use of more grains in the 0.315–0.5 mm fraction (another unlimited resource). To examine the implications of these observations for H. siltalai, we used (1) mesocosms to created minor deviations in the availability of the natural grain size composition of the building material of pupal cases at otherwise carefully replicated natural stream habitat conditions and (2) recently developed technologies to assess many case characteristics so far ignored in studies of caddisfly cases. When the preferred coarser grains (2.5–3.15 mm) were unavailable, more grains with intermediate size (1.25–2.0 mm) were used (and not other, still available coarse grains) and fewer larvae built cases in groups, thereby not only loosing the benefits (lower costs for grain transport and silk) but also avoiding potential disadvantages associated with grouped cases (more aggressive encounters with conspecifics for rare building material, less flow exposure and thus reduced water renewal in the pupal chamber). Unavailability of 2.5–3.15-mm and 0.315–0.5-mm grains caused a reduction of larvae building in groups, more use of grains with intermediate size, changes of several other grain characteristics (e.g. number, circularity) and considerable investment into silk to maintain the case resistance. Finally, grain availability deviating most from that observed in nature (no grains of 2.5–3.15 mm and 1.6–2.0 mm) caused dramatic responses, as mortality increased so that fewer pupal cases were built, using typically more coarse grains so that many cases had an elevated resistance against crushing forces; in addition, many males had a retarded development, whereas female development was unaffected. Thus, the response of H. siltalai to any of the three types of grain limitations differed, illustrating an immense diversity to respond to grain-size shortage.     

基底潜山对土体失水收缩开裂动态过程影响的试验研究

利用失水收缩性强的黏土,进行含有基底潜山和无潜山两种情况下土体失水开裂特征试验。研究表明:(1)土体失水开裂过程可划分为开裂前Ⅰ、快速开裂Ⅱ、开裂趋于停滞Ⅲ三个阶段;(2)含有潜山的试验中裂缝发育演化时受到了基底起伏的显著影响;(3)在Ⅲ阶段,尽管表面开裂仍在发生,裂缝发育的整体格局已经不再发生显著变化;从裂缝形态看,后期裂缝与前期裂缝主要呈现为垂直相交,特别是在起伏区范围内。饱和黏土表面开裂主要是由水分丧失引起的土体基质吸力和表面收缩率的变化产生的,边界条件和基底起伏对开裂有着显著控制作用。     

龙门山大川-双石断裂在都江堰隐伏段的综合探测研究

大川-双石断裂位于龙门山前山断裂南段,因其在都江堰地区隐伏于岷江河流阶地之下,在一定程度上影响了对龙门山断裂带南段的地震危险性评价和发震能力评估。因此,掌握大川-双石断裂的地下分布特征和活动性,对都江堰城区的避灾规划和重大工程选址意义重大。本项研究在野外地质调查基础上,垂直断裂走向布设浅层地震反射剖面、高密度电阻率剖面和钻孔联合剖面。通过多种方法共同揭示了大川-双石断裂在都江堰地区的精确空间展布位置、近地表构造形态、上断点埋深及断裂活动性。大川-双石断裂在都江堰地区的岷江西岸阶地处隐伏通过,为逆断层,倾向NW,倾角在地表浅层为60°~70°,近地面为20°~30°;且破碎带向地面逐渐变浅变薄,上断点向上延伸至第四系灰褐色黏土层和棕黄色粗砂夹砾石层,埋深约3.5 m。上述研究表明大川-双石断裂在都江堰市区附近具有全新世活动特征。     

Simulation of field‐scale water flow and bromide transport in a cracked clay soil

Single domain models may seriously underestimate leaching of nutrients and pesticides to groundwater in clay soils with shrinkage cracks. Various two‐domain models have been developed, either empirical or physically based, which take into account the effects of cracks on water flow and solute transport. This paper presents a model concept that uses the clay shrinkage characteristics to derive crack volume and crack depth under transient field conditions. The concept has been developed to simulate field average behaviour of a field with cracks, rather than flow and transport at a small plot. Water flow and solute transport are described with basic physics, which allow process and scenario analysis. The model concept is part of the more general agrohydrological model SWAP, and is applied to a field experiment on a cracked clay soil, at which water flow and bromide transport were measured during 572 days. A single domain model was not able to mimic the field‐average water flow and solute transport. Incorporation of the crack concept considerably improved the simulation of water content and bromide leaching to the groundwater. Still deviations existed between the measured and simulated bromide concentration profiles. The model did not reproduce the observed bromide retardation in the top layer and the high bromide dispersion resulting from water infiltration at various soil depths. A sensitivity analysis showed that the amounts of bromide leached were especially sensitive to the saturated hydraulic conductivity of the top layer, the solute transfer from the soil matrix to crack water flow and the mean residence time of rapid drainage. The shrinkage characteristic and the soil hydraulic properties of the clay matrix showed a low sensitivity. Copyright © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Field Evaluation of Arid Soils Wetting Pattern in Subsurface Drip Irrigation Scheme

A field study evaluating wetted radius (Wr), downward depth (Dd), and upward movement (Um) under different emitter discharges and lateral depths was conducted. Four emitter discharges (2, 4, 8, and 16 L/h) and four lateral depths (0, 10, 20, and 30 cm) were tested in a clay loam soil. Relationships were found between the emitter discharge and lateral depth versus Wr, Dd, and Um. Wetting area at the surface occurs under different emitter discharges and lateral depths except at 30 cm lateral depth. At lateral depth of 0 and 10 cm, Wr and emitter discharge were positively correlated. The Dd was not affected by emitter discharge except for laterals installed at 20 cm depth. At 30 cm lateral depth, the correlations between each of Wr, Um, and Dd with emitter discharge were poor. The ratios of Wr/Dd and Um/Dd, with respect to emitter position, were less than unity over different emitter discharges and lateral depths. These results shed some light on the design of subsurface drip irrigation scheme so that the spacing between emitters should be determined based on the lateral depths and discharge of emitters. Evaporation losses were negligible for the 30‐cm‐lateral depth since the upward moisture movement has not reached the soil surface area at all discharge rates tested in the study.     

GPR abilities in investigation of the pavement transversal cracks

This paper describes the results of an investigation into the capabilities of the GPR technique within the field of pavement crack diagnostics. Initially, laboratory tests were performed on prototypes simulating idealized cracks. Next, long-term visual observation and repeated GPR scanning were performed, on three roads of semi-rigid construction, several hundreds of meters long and subjected to heavy traffic. Furthermore, a road of rigid construction was tested, having a more than 70-year history of use. In several cases the cracks were probed by drillings, in order to recognize structures responsible for signal generation, or to explain reasons of signal lacking.The main result of this work is a list of GPR indications of cracks, which can be noticed on echograms. It was created through a correlation of the visually-observed cracks with the corresponding echograms, with decimeter accuracy. Several types of GPR responses were classified and linked to possible categories of crack structures, or to processes associated with the presence of cracks (as crumbling, erosion, and lithological alterations). The poor visibility of cracks was also studied, due to small crack size, or to the blurred character of the damaged area, or else to masking effects related to coarse grains in the asphalt mixture.The efficiency of the proposed method for the identification and localization of cracks is higher when a long-term GPR observation is performed.     

Delineation of Near-Surface Structure in the Southern Part of 15th of May City, Cairo, Egypt Using Geological, Geophysical and Geotechnical Techniques

The integration of geological, geophysical, and geotechnical interpretation at the southern part of 15th of May City, have been used to evaluate the subsurface stratigraphy, especially the clay layer which may cause serious danger to construction. Those techniques have been used to delineate the subsurface structures as normal faults, which play a critical role on the stability of buildings. Geological setting of the area has been evaluated through the construction of a geological map from different geological sections and samples obtained from more than 30 observation points. Geophysical tools such as vertical electrical soundings (12 VESs), 2-D dipole–dipole array (7 sections), P-wave shallow seismic refraction (31 profiles) and multiple channel analysis of surface waves (31 MASW profiles) have been carried out to image the subsurface situation. Geotechnical evaluation using 26 boreholes, samples, laboratory tests and geotechnical parameters has been done at the area of interest. The geological setting demonstrates that the city had been constructed on the second and third members of Qurn Formation (Upper Eocene) composed of argillaceous limestone, marl and shale. Two normal faults are passing through the area were observed. The resistivity (VES and dipole–dipole) and seismic (P-waves and MASW) results reflect the presence of the two normal faults cross the study area, affecting the obtained section of marl, clayey marl and limestone layers. The geotechnical information indicate the presence of the normal faults and the existence of clay layer with swelling ability reaching 140%, which may cause cracks in the upper layers and/or subsidence.     

Sediments,porewaters and diagenesis in an urban water body,Salford, UK: impacts of remediation

Contaminated sediments deposited within urban water bodies commonly exert a significant negative effect on overlying water quality. However, our understanding of the processes operating within such anthropogenic sediments is currently poor. This paper describes the nature of the sediment and early diagenetic reactions in a highly polluted major urban water body (the Salford Quays of the Manchester Ship Canal) that has undergone remediation focused on the water column. The style of sedimentation within Salford Quays has been significantly changed as a result of remediation of the water column. Pre‐remediation sediments are composed of a range of natural detrital grains, predominantly quartz and clay, and anthropogenic detrital material dominated by industrial furnace‐derived metal‐rich slag grains. Post‐remediation sediments are composed of predominantly autochthonous material, including siliceous algal remains and clays. At the top of the pre‐remediation sediments and immediately beneath the post‐remediation sediments is a layer significantly enriched in furnace‐derived slag grains, input into the basin as a result of site clearance prior to water‐column remediation. These grains contain a high level of metals, resulting in a significantly enhanced metal concentration in the sediments at this depth. Porewater analysis reveals the importance of both bacterial organic matter oxidation reactions and the dissolution of industrial grains upon the mobility of nutrient and chemical species within Salford Quays. Minor release of iron and manganese at shallow depths is likely to be taking place as a result of bacterial Fe(III) and Mn(IV) reduction. Petrographic analysis reveals that the abundant authigenic mineral within the sediment is manganese‐rich vivianite, and thus Fe(II) and Mn(II) released by bacterial reactions may be being taken up through the precipitation of this mineral. Significant porewater peaks in iron, manganese and silicon deeper in the sediment column are most probably the result of dissolution of furnace‐derived grains in the sediments. These species have subsequently diffused into porewater above and below the metal‐enriched layer. This study illustrates that the remediation of water quality in anthropogenic water bodies can significantly impact upon the physical and chemical nature of sedimentation. Additionally, it also highlights how diagenetic processes in sediments derived from anthropogenic grains can be markedly different from those in sediments derived from natural detrital material. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.