Inferring autogenically induced depositional discontinuities from observations on experimental deltaic shoreline trajectories

Palaeo shoreline is a commonly used proxy for palaeo sea level, but only if deposition is continuous and constant will shoreline trajectory T(l) completely capture sea‐level time‐series E(t). Artificial deltas were generated in the Eurotank flume facility under stepwise tectonic subsidence, periodic sea‐level fluctuation and two periodic water‐discharge scenarios, one in‐phase and the other out‐of‐phase with sea level. Independent input variables tectonic subsidence Y, sea level E and water discharge Q (controlling sediment supply S) were varied and dependent output variable shoreline trajectory T was monitored. These experiments confirm that deposition is discontinuous even for continuous sediment supply, and this hinders the inference of sea‐level curve from shoreline trajectory. These results justify the here‐developed methodology for converting shoreline trajectory from the space domain to the time domain, thereby improving the accuracy of the inferred sea‐level curve.     

Neighborhood discontinuities in bivariate interpolation of scattered observations

Because of the need for computational efficiency, bivariate interpolation methods applied to scattered observations often involve two stages. Initially the variable is estimated at regular grid nodes using a running subset of data (usually of fixed number). This, however, will produce discontinuities in the interpolated surface. Thus a second stage, curvilinear interpolation technique, is applied to estimated values to smooth out the effect of discontinuities. Such problems can be overcome efficiently in processing large data sets by interpolating over natural neighbor subsets. Interpolation procedures that generate discontinuities in the interpolated surface are inappropriate for geological applications, where dislocations due to structural complications may be present.     

Granular soils: from DEM simulation to constitutive modeling

Acta Geotechnica - In this study, the distinct element method (DEM) was employed to numerically explore the mechanical responses of granular soils and to extract key components for an elastoplastic...     

Semianalytical modeling on 3D stress redistribution during hydraulic fracturing stimulation and its effects on natural fracture reactivation

The hydraulic fracturing technique has been widely applied in many fields, such as the enhanced geothermal systems (EGS), the improvement of injection rates for geologic sequestration of CO₂, and for the stimulations of oil and gas reservoirs. The key points for the success of hydraulic fracturing operations in unconventional resources are to accurately estimate the redistribution of pore pressure and stresses around the induced fracture and predict the reactivations of preexisting natural fractures. The pore pressure and stress regime around hydraulic fracture are affected by poroelastic and thermoelastic phenomena as well as by fracture opening compression. In this work, a comprehensive semi-analytical model is used to estimate the stress and pore pressure distribution around an injection-induced fracture from a single well in an infinite reservoir. The model allows the leak-off distribution in the formation to be three-dimensional with the pressure transient moving ellipsoidically outward into the reservoir from the fracture surface. The pore pressure and the stress changes in three dimensions at any point around the fracture caused by poroelasticity, thermoelasticity, and fracture compression are investigated. With Mohr-Coulomb failure criterion, we calculate the natural fracture reactivations in the reservoir. Then, two case studies of constant water injection into a hydraulic fracture are presented. This work is of interest in the interpretation of microseismicity in hydraulic fracturing and in the estimation of the fracture spacing for hydraulic fracturing operations. In addition, the results from this study can be very helpful for the selection of stimulated wells and further design of the refracturing operations.     

DEM modeling of a monowire cutting system

Monowire block cutting machines can be used for natural stone block squaring and slab cutting operations. The plants where the cutting operations are performed demand high product quality with minimum operational costs. The major parameters affecting the economy of the operation are the energy consumed and the wear induced on the diamond beads during the cutting operation. An efficient cutting operation can only be maintained by selecting proper cutting parameters. Therefore, cutting parameters should be clearly understood. Experimental studies and numerical modeling methods are significant in terms of identifying the energy consumption occurring during natural stone cutting with monowire. Experimental studies and numerical modeling using discrete element method were performed on Afyon White Marble. Experimental studies have been performed by using a specially designed, fully automatic monowire cutting machine, and numerical analyses were carried out by commercially available software called three-dimensional particle flow code (PFC3D). A discrete element model for the cutting operation was developed, and various numerical models were performed for different peripheral speeds and cutting speeds, while, at the same time, the actual cutting operations were being carried out in the laboratory. Finally, the data obtained from the experimental works were compared with the data from numerical modeling. A comparison indicates that the frictional energy values obtained by means of numerical modeling are in good agreement with the results of the laboratory measurements. This study clearly put forward the influences of effective parameters on monowire cutting operations in natural stone industry. Furthermore, it filled an important space in the literature about the use of monowire block squaring machines.     

Hydrous partial melting in the sheeted dike complex at fast spreading ridges: experimental and natural observations

In ophiolites and in present-day oceanic crust formed at fast spreading ridges, oceanic plagiogranites are commonly observed at, or close to the base of the sheeted dike complex. They can be produced either by differentiation of mafic melts, or by hydrous partial melting of the hydrothermally altered sheeted dikes. In addition, the hydrothermally altered base of the sheeted dike complex, which is often infiltrated by plagiogranitic veins, is usually recrystallized into granoblastic dikes that are commonly interpreted as a result of prograde granulitic metamorphism. To test the anatectic origin of oceanic plagiogranites, we performed melting experiments on a natural hydrothermally altered dike, under conditions that match those prevailing at the base of the sheeted dike complex. All generated melts are water saturated, transitional between tholeiitic and calc-alkaline, and match the compositions of oceanic plagiogranites observed close to the base of the sheeted dike complex. Newly crystallized clinopyroxene and plagioclase have compositions that are characteristic of the same minerals in granoblastic dikes. Published silicic melt compositions obtained in classical MORB fractionation experiments also broadly match the compositions of oceanic plagiogranites; however, the compositions of the coexisting experimental minerals significantly deviate from those of the granoblastic dikes. Our results demonstrate that hydrous partial melting is a likely common process in the root zone of the sheeted dike complex, starting at temperatures exceeding 850°C. The newly formed melt can either crystallize to form oceanic plagiogranites or may be recycled within the melt lens resulting in hybridized and contaminated MORB melts. It represents the main MORB crustal contamination process. The residue after the partial melting event is represented by the granoblastic dikes. Our results support a model with a dynamic melt lens that has the potential to trigger hydrous partial melting reactions in the previously hydrothermally altered sheeted dikes. A new thermometer using the Al content of clinopyroxene is also elaborated.     

Assimilation of Doppler weather radar observations in a mesoscale model for the prediction of rainfall associated with mesoscale convective systems

Obtaining an accurate initial state is recognized as one of the biggest challenges in accurate model prediction of convective events. This work is the first attempt in utilizing the India Meteorological Department (IMD) Doppler radar data in a numerical model for the prediction of mesoscale convective complexes around Chennai and Kolkata. Three strong convective events both over Chennai and Kolkata have been considered for the present study. The simulation experiments have been carried out using fifth-generation Pennsylvania State University-National Center for Atmospheric Research (PSU-NCAR) mesoscale model (MM5) version 3.5.6. The variational data assimilation approach is one of the most promising tools available for directly assimilating the mesoscale observations in order to improve the initial state. The horizontal wind derived from the DWR has been used alongwith other conventional and non-conventional data in the assimilation system. The preliminary results from the three dimensional variational (3DVAR) experiments are encouraging. The simulated rainfall has also been compared with that derived from the Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) satellite. The encouraging result from this study can be the basis for further investigation of the direct assimilation of radar reflectivity data in 3DVAR system. The present study indicates that Doppler radar data assimilation improves the initial field and enhances the Quantitative Precipitation Forecasting (QPF) skill.     

Fe-Mg cordierite stability in high-grade pelitic rocks based on experimental,theoretical, and natural observations

Stability relations of Fe-Mg cordierite with K feldspar have been determined for conditions of muscovite-quartz instability, applicable to highgrade metamorphism of pelitic rocks. Fe cordierite, K feldspar, and water break down to Fe biotite, sillimanite, and quartz at pressures above a line through 640 ° C, 2kbar and 710 ° C, 2.7 kbar. A P-X diagram for the Fe-Mg analogue of this reaction at 675 ° C is consistent with a naturally occuring cordierite-biotite K _D value of 0.53 if Al content of biotite and cordierite water of hydration are taken into account.At higher temperatures Fe cordierite breaks down alone to almandine, sillimanite, quartz and water at pressures above a line through 650 ° C, 3.41 kbar and 760 ° C, 2.9 kbar. For the Fe-Mg reaction, P-X data up to 4 kbar may be extrapolated with use of natural K _D values increasing toward one with increasing temperatures.Lines of constant cordierite composition for the two reactions intersect in an Fe-Mg univariant reaction of sillimanite-biotite-quartz to cordieritealmandine-K feldspar-water which is metastable relative to melt at = P _tot Reduced water pressure and impurities in the garnet and K feldspar greatly reduce the temperature of this reaction so that it becomes a reasonable reaction for upper amphibolite and granulite facies conditions.The results demonstrate that (1) cordierite may be used as a geobarometer if temperature and approximate can be estimated, (2) almandine low in Mn and Ca does not participate in cordierite reactions where muscovite is present, and (3) the reaction which forms cordierite, almandine, and K feldspar is a possible melt-forming reaction which, under reduced , occurs about 50 ° C above the muscovite melting reaction.     

The role of pre-existing discontinuities in the development of extensional faults: An analog modeling perspective

Several mountainous regions are currently affected by syn- or post-orogenic active extension. We investigate how a newly-formed normal fault interacts with structures inherited from a previous contractional phase. To this end, we use analog models that adopt an innovative technique for performing a precut that mimics such inherited structures into a clay layer; this clay layer is laid on top of a master fault simulated by two rigid blocks sliding along an inclined plane. We carry out six experiments with variously oriented precuts and compare the results with those obtained in a reference isotropic experiment. All other conditions are identical for all seven realizations. Fault evolution is monitored by taking closely-spaced snapshots analyzed through the Digital Image Correlation method. We find that the upward propagation of the normal fault can be either accelerated or decelerated depending on the presence of a precut and its orientation. Such precuts can also promote or inhibit the formation of bending-moment faults. These interactions between master fault and precut also affect the shape of the fault-related syncline–anticline pair.     

Competition mechanism between dilation and interlocking in granular soils: DEM simulation and constitutive modeling

Acta Geotechnica - Interlocking refers to a kind of resistance caused by the staggered arrangement of granular materials. In geotechnical engineering, it is considered as one of the important...     

Hydromechanical properties and alteration of natural fracture surfaces in the Soultz granite (Bas-Rhin, France)

Natural fractures are characterized by rough surfaces and complex fluid flows. A large distribution of apertures (residual voids) within their walls and the presence of contact points (in situ normal loads) produce heterogeneous flows (channeling). The resulting permeabilities, porosities or fluid–rock exchange surfaces cannot be realistically modeled by parallel and smooth plate models. Four natural fractures are sampled at different depths and degrees of alteration in the Soultz sandstone and granite (EPS1 drillhole, Soultz-sous-Forêts, Bas-Rhin, France). The fracture surfaces are measured with mechanical profilometry and maps of asperity heights (XYZ). Resulting local apertures (XYe) are then calculated. A statistical study of the surface profiles (XZ) show that the fractures are more or less rough and tortuous according to the types of alteration. Altered samples are characterized by smoother surfaces of fractures. Such differences imply that (i) the average fracture aperture is not representative for the whole fracture and that (ii) the different local apertures should be integrated in hydraulic and mechanical models. A hydraulic model (finite difference calculations) of fluid flow, taking into account the elastic closure (Hertz contact theory) of fractures with depth, is used. Maps of contact points and relative local loads within the fracture planes are compared to flow maps. They show different channeling of fluid flows. Strongly altered fractures are characterized by homogeneous fluxes despite the presence of numerous contact zones during the closure of fracture. By contrast, fresh fractures develop, increasing fluid flow channels with depth.Fracture closure (increasing normal stress) does not systematically increase the channeling of fluid flow. There is evidence for a general smoothing out of the irregularities of the fracture walls due to precipitation of secondary minerals, indicating that the cubic law can be commonly valid, also at great crustal depth but this validity depends on the degree of fracture alteration. Mineralogical and geochemical observations, thus, should be taken into account to perform more accurate permeability calculations and models of fluid circulation in fracture networks.     

Surveying and modeling of rock discontinuities by terrestrial laser scanning and photogrammetry: Semi-automatic approaches for linear outcrop inspection

Rock face diagnosis is a monitoring operation that is used to optimize rock-risk treatment works in terms of ensuring that safety requirements are met at the lowest cost. Diagnoses require measuring the location and orientation of rock discontinuities at the surface of the rock mass. These measurements are then entered into a structural model that extrapolates the data collected at the surface to the inner part of the rock mass. Currently, most surveys are empirical and are carried out manually using a compass-clinometer. In addition, they tend to examine only the most highly fractured area of a rock face, even though safety considerations demand an exhaustive study of the whole face. These deficiencies can be overcome by using dense 3D measurement techniques such as terrestrial laser scanning and optical imaging to obtain a more complete 3D model and structural statement. Hence, we have developed a semi-automatic process that allows 3D models to be combined with the results of field surveys in order to provide more precise analyses of rock faces, for example, by classifying rock discontinuities into subsets according to their orientation. Further research is being carried out in order to combine 3D data and 2D digital images as a support for structural survey. Trials carried out in a limestone quarry in the French Alps allowed us to compare data sets obtained using manual surveying methods, the well-known laser scanning method and the lower-cost photogrammetric survey method.     

Shock metamorphism of some rock-forming minerals: Experimental results and natural observations

The products of shock metamorphism in the Jänisjärvi astrobleme in Karelia, Russia, are compared with the results of experiments in which spherical converging shock waves affected a spherical rock sample. The sample was loaded by a broad spectrum of shock pressures, which increased from ～20 GPa at the periphery of the rock sphere to > 200 GPa at its center. Experiments with rocks metamorphosed under the effect of spherical converging shock waves imitate collisions of cosmic bodies with the Earth’s surface, when transformations in rocks and minerals are induced by a single impact event. The shock-thermal decomposition of mafic minerals occurs in the same succession in nature and the experiments, with some differences between natural and experimentally produced shock-thermal aggregates likely accounted for by the smaller sizes of the experimental impact rock sample and, correspondingly, its more rapid quenching. Our shock experiments were the first to synthesize ringwoodite that was rich in Al₂O₃ and should be referred to as aluminous ringwoodite. The mineral was produced not via the martensite transition of olivine but by means of biotite replacement coupled with the migration of elements. The transformations of minerals by shock waves (amorphization and shock-thermal decomposition) were determined to be controlled mainly by the crystal structures of these minerals. The experimental products provide evidence of the migration of chemical elements within the crystal structure. The structural setting of ions in a mineral determines the onset of element migrations and the intensity of this process.     

XFEM,strong discontinuities and second-order work in shear band modeling of saturated porous media

We investigate shear band initiation and propagation in fully saturated porous media by means of a combination of strong discontinuities (discontinuities in the displacement field) and XFEM. As a constitutive behavior of the solid phase, a Drucker–Prager model is used within a framework of non-associated plasticity to account for dilation of the sample. Strong discontinuities circumvent the difficulties which appear when trying to model shear band formation in the context of classical nonlinear continuum mechanics and when trying to resolve them with classical numerical methods like the finite element method. XFEM, on the other hand, is well suited to deal with problems where a discontinuity propagates, without the need of remeshing. The numerical results are confirmed by the application of Hill’s second-order work criterion which allows to evaluate the material point instability not only locally but also for the whole domain.     

DEM modeling of pullout behavior of geogrid reinforced ballast: The effect of particle shape

The performance of a geogrid reinforced system depends heavily on the properties of interface between the interacting components (i.e., backfill soil and geogrid inclusion). The comprehensive understanding of soil-geogrid interaction requires proper consideration of the true aperture geometry and the discontinuous nature of backfill soil. Based on the calibrated parameters, this paper presents a simulation procedure using PFC3D to reproduce the realistic pull-out behaviors of a triaxial geogrid embedded in various ballast aggregates with diverse particle shapes. The load transfer behaviors across the interacting components have been visualized in terms of the evolution of bond forces along the geogrid and the evolution of contact forces across the particle assembly. Meanwhile, the inherent microscopic changes accounting for the regression of macroscopic strength and the correlation between macro pull-out force and micro anisotropy parameters have been addressed. In addition, the differences in macro performance and the particle responses produced by different shapes of particles are also systematically discussed to justify the significant role of particle geometry. The findings obtained in this study are expected to provide better understanding of soil-geogrid interaction and the improved interlocking caused by irregular ballast geometry.     

Trapped waves of the 27 November 1945 Makran tsunami: observations and numerical modeling

The 27 November 1945 earthquake in the Makran Subduction Zone triggered a destructive tsunami that has left important problems unresolved. According to the available reports, high waves persisted along the Makran coast and at Karachi for several hours after the arrival of the first wave. Long-duration sea-level oscillations were also reported from Port Victoria, Seychelles. On the other hand, only one high wave was reported from Mumbai. Tide-gauge records of the tsunami from Karachi and Mumbai confirm these reports. While the data from Mumbai shows a single high wave, Karachi data shows that high waves persisted for more than 7 h, with maximum wave height occurring 2.8 h after the arrival of the first wave. In this paper, we analyze the cause of these persistent high waves using a numerical model. The simulation reproduces the observed features reasonably well, particularly the persistent high waves at Karachi and the single high wave at Mumbai. It further reveals that the persistent high waves along the Makran coast and at Karachi were the result of trapping of the tsunami-wave energy on the continental shelf off the Makran coast and that these coastally-trapped edge waves were trapped in the along-shore direction within a ∼300-km stretch of the continental shelf. Sensitivity experiments establish that this along-shore trapping of the tsunami energy is due to variations in the shelf width. In addition, the model simulation indicates that the reported long duration of sea-level oscillations at Port Victoria were mainly due to trapping of the tsunami energy over the large shallow region surrounding the Seychelles archipelago.