The biaxial compression mechanical properties of crushed rock

Crushed rock subgrade, as one of the roadbed-cooling methods, has been widely used in the Qinghai-Tibet Railway. Much attention has been paid on the cooling effect of crushed rock; however, the mechanical properties of crushed rock are somehow neglected. Based on the discrete element method, biaxial compression test condition for crushed rock is compiled in FISH language in PFC^2D, and the natural shape of crushed rock is simulated with super particle "cluster". The effect of particle size, crushed rock strength and confining pressure level on overall mechanical properties of the crushed rock aggregate are respectively analyzed. Results show that crushed rock of large particle size plays an essential framework role, which is mainly responsible for the deformation of crushed rock aggregate. The strength of gravel has a great influence on overall mechanical properties which means that strength attenuation caused by the freeze thaw cycles cannot be ignored. The stress-strain curves can be divided into two stages including shear contraction and shear expansion at different confining pressures.     

A GIS Analysis to Evaluate Areas Suitable for Crushed Stone Aggregate Quarries in New England,USA

Aggregate is a low unit-value mineral commodity. Costs to move aggregate from the mine site to the point of use is a large fraction of the resource cost to users. Production sites for aggregate occur where suitable source materials exist and where transportation and market conditions are favorable. The increasing demand for aggregate and the difficulty of developing and permitting new sites and of renewal of permits on existing sites of aggregate production indicates that aggregate will be supplied from sources yet to be developed or delineated in many areas. Site development and permitting for aggregate production is difficult because many land management plans and zoning actions fail to anticipate prospective source areas for aggregate in a way that is consistent with both the source rock quality and the transportation and socioeconomic factors that define the economic viability of the industry. Spatial analysis provides a method to integrate both geology and economic (transportation and marketplace) parameters in a regional model. Weights of evidence (WofE) analysis has been used to measure the spatial correlation of geologic map, transportation network, and population data with current production sites for crushed stone aggregate in the New England region of the northeastern United States. Weighted logistic regression (WLR) is used with the WofE results to rank areas in terms of their relative suitability for production of crushed stone. Spatial analysis indicates that 85% of the 106 crushed stone aggregate quarries in New England are sited within 1.6 km (1 mile) of either a principal highway or rail line in the region. Seventy-eight percent of crushed stone aggregate quarries are sited in census tracts with population densities exceeding 100 people/mile². These relations illustrate the importance of proximity to both transportation corridors and developing areas where aggregate is predominately used. Only one active crushed stone quarry is located in a census tract with a population density less than 15 people/mile², reflecting the lack of sufficient market demand in many rural areas to develop an operation there. However, since 1990, almost all new quarries have been developed in census tracts with population densities less than 200 people/mile², indicating the difficulty of permitting new quarry sites in highly populated areas. Crushed stone aggregate is produced predominately from three hard rock types that are distributed widely in New England; 28% of sites use granitic rock, 25% use carbonate rocks, and 25% use mafic rock types that are categorized as trap rock by the aggregate industry. The other crushed stone aggregate sources include a variety of fine-grained metamorphic rock types. Carbonate rocks and Jurassic basalt (the primary trap rock source) are the most prevalent source rocks on an area-weighted basis. Spatial analysis can be used on a regional scale to rank areas by their relative suitabilityfor crushed stone aggregate production based on geology, transportation, and population parameters. The results of this regional analysis can identify areas for more detailed evaluation. As transportation or population features change, the model can be revised easily to reflect these changes.     

Study on Characteristics of Airflow Spatial Distribution in Abandoned Mine Gob and Its Application in Methane Drainage

Natural Resources Research - At present, there are many known sources of methane resources in abandoned mine gobs. Therefore, investigations into the characteristics of airflow spatial...     

滑坡碰撞作用及其岸坡环境效应

研究发现,高速滑坡运动到谷底时,多数会与对岩岩坡发生碰撞,使滑体前部及对岸受撞岩体表部碎裂,形成滑坡碰撞构造。由于强烈的碰撞作用,滑体内部块体之间嵌合紧密。河流下切后,破碎但嵌合紧密的碰撞体卸荷松动,岸坡稳定性随之降低。由此提出滑坡碰撞模式、碰撞构造成分,并对其岸坡环境效应进行了探讨。     

The cooling effect of crushed rock structures on permafrost under an embankment

Based on the analysis and comparison of soil temperature, thermal regime and permafrost table under the experimental embankment of crushed rock structures in Beiluhe, results show that crushed rock structures provide an extensive cooling effect, which produces a rising permafrost table and decreasing soil temperatures. The rise of the permafrost table under the embankment ranges from an increase of 1.08 m to 1.67 m, with an average of 1.27 m from 2004 to 2007. Mean annual soil temperatures under the crushed rock layer embankment decreased significantly from 2005 to 2007, with average decreases of ?1.03 °C at the depth of 0.5 m, ?1.14 °C at the depth of 1.5 m, and ?0.5 °C at the depth of 5 m. During this period, mean annual soil temperatures under the crushed rock cover embankment showed a slight decrease at shallow depths, with an average decrease of ?0.2 °C at the depth of 0.5 m and 1.5 m, but a slight rise at the depth of 5 m. After the crushed rock structures were closed or crammed with sand, the cooling effect of the crushed rock layer embankment was greatly reduced and that of the crushed rock cover embankment was just slightly reduced.     

Numerical Simulation of Broken Coal Strength Influence on Compaction Characteristics in Goaf

Natural Resources Research - The caving zone in goaf can be regarded as a porous medium consisting of broken coal and a rock mass. During the compaction process of broken coal and a rock mass in a...     

A rockfall avalanche in a sandstone landscape,Nattai North,NSW

Rockfall avalanches are commonly associated with the alpine regions of Europe, South America and north‐western Canada, but modern examples have only been reported very recently in Australia (Pells et al. 1987). The Nattai North rockfall avalanche is located on the Burragorang Walls escarpment in the sandstone landscape of the Sydney Basin. The volume of rock involved in the failure had sufficient magnitude to enable the resulting mass of debris to flow in the manner of a semiviscous fluid. The conventional models of rockslope evolution, involving undercutting followed by blockfalls, do not apply at this site. Indeed these models do not apply to most of the large‐scale rock collapses in the Sydney Basin. All such rockfalls have occurred in the vicinity of underground coal mines. Coal mining has affected the stability of nearby escarpments by altering stress distributions within the rock mass. The subsequent failures are typically larger and of a different form than those occurring naturally.     

Gas Flow Characteristics and Optimization of Gas Drainage Borehole Layout in Protective Coal Seam Mining: A Case Study from the Shaqu Coal Mine,Shanxi Province,China

With increasing demands for coal resources, coal has been gradually mined in deep coal seams. Due to high gas content, pressure and in situ stress, deep coal seams show great risks of coal and gas outburst. Protective coal seam mining, as a safe and effective method for gas control, has been widely used in major coal-producing countries in the world. However, at present, the relevant problems, such as gas seepage characteristics and optimization of gas drainage borehole layout in protective coal seam mining have been rarely studied. Firstly, by combining with formulas for measuring and testing permeability of coal and rock mass in different stress regimes and failure modes in the laboratory, this study investigated stress–seepage coupling laws by using built-in language Fish of numerical simulation software FLAC^3D. In addition, this research analyzed distribution characteristics of permeability in a protected coal seam in the process of protective coal seam mining. Secondly, the protected coal seam was divided into a zone with initial permeability, a zone with decreasing permeability, and permeability increasing zones 1 and 2 according to the changes of permeability. In these zones, permeability rises the most in the permeability increasing zone 2. Moreover, by taking Shaqu Coal Mine, Shanxi Province, China as an example, layout of gas drainage boreholes in the protected coal seam was optimized based on the above permeability-based zoning. Finally, numerical simulation and field application showed that gas drainage volume and concentration rise significantly after optimizing borehole layout. Therefore, when gas is drained through boreholes crossing coal seams during the protective coal seam mining in other coal mines, optimization of borehole layout in Shaqu Coal Mine has certain reference values.

     

乌池坝隧道围岩不定位块体稳定性分析

乌池坝隧道是沪蓉西高速公路恩施至利川段的控制性工程。随着隧道的开挖,岩体沿其切割结构面或临空面产生整体或局部移动,导致围岩失稳而不能施工。针对隧道施工揭露的围岩地质信息,通过几何分析和力学分析,研究该隧道ZK259＋738-ZK259＋768段围岩不定位块体的空间分布,识别关键块体及其破坏类型,并对比运用UNWEDGE软件建立了该段隧道和围岩块体的三维模型,对其中关键块体进行稳定性评价,计算加固所需的锚固力。研究表明,在超前预报中根据隧道施工的围岩地质信息可以有效地识别围岩块体,获得不定位块体分布状况、查明关键块体,在工程实际块段能确定相应块体稳定性系数及工程安全所需锚固力。     

Widespread Occurrence of Ephemeral Funnel Hoarfrost and Related Air Ventilation in Coarse‐Grained Sediments of a Relict Rock Glacier in the Seckauer Tauern Range,Austria

This paper examines the occurrence of ephemeral hoarfrost crystals at funnel openings (funnel hoarfrost) detected between large blocks at the surface of the presumably relict Schöneben Rock Glacier. Field mapping on 25 November 2011 identified 51 individual funnel openings with notable hoarfrost crystals distributed over the entire rock glacier. Hoarfrost was no longer detectable a few days after the initial mapping campaign. At least in the period 20–25 November 2011 temperature conditions at the rock glacier surface were favourable for hoarfrost formation and preservation as indicated by different types of measurements. A period of 24–48 h of hoarfrost‐suitable weather conditions would have been sufficient to form the observed hoarfrost if crystal growth rates of 2–4 mm h^?1 are assumed. The void systems with funnel hoarfrost seem to be rather localised and limited in horizontal (10s of metres) and vertical (some metres) extent. Presumably the observed funnel hoarfrost was caused by the so‐called chimney effect, although no larger reversible air circulation systems with warm air exhalation were identified. Continuous ground temperature data from several sites at the rock glacier surface (period November 2011–December 2012) showed that hoarfrost sites are cooler and thermally buffered compared with non‐hoarfrost sites at similar elevations. This seems to be related to the decoupling of the air above the rock glacier and the pore air during periods of atmospheric warming. Only the combination of specific micro‐climatic (temperature/humidity), geometric (open void systems) and sedimentological (grain size/sediment structure) conditions allow the formation of the ephemeral funnel hoarfrost at this rock glacier.     

Analysis of the Cooling Mechanism of a Crushed Rock Embankment in Warm and Lower Temperature Permafrost Regions along the Qinghai-Tibet Railway

Based on data monitored in situ and theoretical analysis,the characteristics of the temperature field and mechanism of thermal conduction of a crushed rock embankment were studied along the Qinghai-Tibet Railway.The results of experi-ments in the field revealed that the cooling effect of a crushed rock embankment is influenced mainly by the natural con-vection in winter and shield effect in summer,the ventilation of crushed rocks,and the ground temperature regime be-neath the embankment.Consequently,these three factors should be taken into account in numerical simulations,but it is as a result of natural convection only.     

粤北典型岩溶山区土地石漠化景观格局动态分析

利用1988年和2004年的2期TM遥感数据,在GIS和FRAGSTAT景观格局分析软件支持下,定量地分析粤北典型岩溶山区及其4县（市）的土地石漠化类型变化及其景观格局时空动态特征。结果表明：16 a来各种类型石漠化土地无论是在数量、面积和空间分布特征方面都发生了十分显著的变化,总面积减少721.67 km²,斑块数减少了1 900块;2004年粤北4县（市）石漠化土地的面积占各区的比例分别是:连州为3.33％、阳山为7.28％、英德为1.54％、乳源为5.11％;粤北及其4县（市）石漠化土地的总体景观空间格局动态变化趋势基本一致,但在程度上有所差异,均表现为景观异质性减弱,破碎度降低,而景观优势度增加;随着相关石漠化治理措施地开展,中度与重度石漠化土地成为研究区内重点关注区域,尤其在阳山与乳源,这种空间格局变化的特征更为明显。     

煤矿开采中地质灾害问题及治理措施浅析——以内蒙古桌子山煤田卡布其矿区鑫达联营煤矿为例

近年来,采矿引发的地表塌陷、河水断流、地下水疏干枯竭、房倒屋裂、农业歉收等地质灾害困扰着众多矿业主产区。煤矿开采诱发的地质灾害不仅破坏了矿区环境,还对矿区居民的生命安全和身心健康造成了严重影响。在研究了地质灾害地质构造稳定性和工程地质条件的基础上,通过搜集整理内蒙古自治区桌子山煤田的相关地质资料,分析了矿区岩土体工程地质条件及地质灾害危险性评估,并结合评价指标进行了综合评价,最后得出煤矿开采诱发地质灾害的防治处理措施。     

Effects of stress on the two-dimensional permeability tensor of natural fracture networks

The effects of stress on the 2-D permeability tensor of natural fracture networks were studied using a numerical method (Universal Distinct Element Code). On the basis of three natural fracture networks sampled around Dounreay, Scotland, numerical modelling was carried out to examine the fluid flow in relation to the variations in burial depth, differential stress and loading direction. It was demonstrated that the permeability of all the networks decreased with depth due to the closure of aperture. The permeability approached the minimum value at some depth below which little further variation occurred. Also, differential stress had a significant effect on both the magnitude and direction of permeability. The permeability generally decreased with increasing major horizontal stress for a fixed minor horizontal stress, but the various networks considered showed different behaviours. A factor, termed the average deviation angle of maximum permeability ( A _m), was defined to describe quantitatively the deviation degree of the direction of the major permeability component from the applied major stress direction. For networks whose behaviour is controlled by set(s) of systematic fractures, A _m is significantly greater than zero, whereas those comprised of non-systematic fractures have A _m close to zero. In general, fractured rock masses, especially those with one or more sets of systematic fractures, cannot be treated as equivalent porous media. Specification of the geometry of the network is a necessary, but not sufficient, condition for models of fluid flow. Knowledge of the in situ stress, and the deformation it induces, is necessary to predict the behaviour of the rock mass.     

Distribution Characteristics of In Situ Stress Field and Vertical Development Unit Division of CBM in Western Guizhou,China

In situ stress is not only a vital indicator for selecting explorative regions of coalbed methane (CBM), but also a pivotal factor affecting CBM production. The present study explored whether in situ stress affected the development potential of CBM in western Guizhou, China. To this end, we collected injection/falloff well test data and gas content data from 70 coal seams in 28 wells. The study found that from top to bottom, strike slip fault stress fields (<?500 m), normal fault stress fields (500–1000 m) and strike slip fault stress fields (>?1000 m) were successively developed in western Guizhou. The distribution features of vertical permeability in western Guizhou are consistent with the stress fields' transformation location. The coal permeability in the western part in Guizhou presents a tendency of increase followed by decrease as a result of increased burial depth. The vertical development characteristics of coal seam gas content are controlled mainly by reservoir pressure, and the relationship between reservoir pressure and buried depth shows a linear increase. The CBM in western Guizhou is divided vertically into three development potential regions dependent on the characteristics of burial depth, permeability and gas content of coal seams. The most favorable vertical development potential region in western Guizhou is 500–1000 m. This region exhibits high gas content, high permeability and moderate burial depth, which are favorable for the production of CBM. These research results can provide basis for geological selection and engineering implementation of CBM in western Guizhou.

     

Analysis and discussion of different methods of artificial ice-high specimen preparation

Because ice-high foundation soil is widely distributed in permafrost regions,the correct preparation of ice-high specimens is of critical interest in engineering design for foundation stability.Past research has shown that the uniaxial compression strength of ice-high frozen soils changes as the ice or total water content increases; the differences of different methods of specimen preparation are analyzed here and the advantages and disadvantages of them are presented.It is confirmed that the role of crushed ice is significantly different from that of naturally frozen ice in frozen soils,and the size and amount of crushed ice will influence the strength and deformation mechanism of frozen soils.Therefore,it is strongly recommended that when a ice-high specimen is artificially prepared,the ice should be frozen through natural means and not be replaced with crushed ice.     

Catastrophic mass movement of 1998 monsoons at Malpa in Kali Valley, Kumaun Himalaya (India)

A devastating landslide on 18 August 1998 near Malpa Village in Kali Valley of Higher Kumaun Himalaya killed 221 persons. The landslide was a complex rock fall–debris flow. The mass movement generated around one million cubic metres of debris and partially blocked the Kali River, Malpa Gad (a tributary of Kali) being blocked completely. The rock mass failed primarily due to the near vertical slopes hanging over the valley along joints, the formation of structural wedges along the free face, the sheared rock mass due to the close proximity of major tectonic planes, and the enhanced pore–water pressure due to prolonged heavy precipitation in the preceding days. The mesoscopic shear zone, exhibiting ramp and flat structure in quartzites, shows a southward thrust movement that might have generated shear stress in the rocks. The slide clearly demonstrates the distressed state of the rock mass in the Himalayan region due to the ongoing northward drift of the Indian plate.     

煤矿区居民的环境污染感知——以陕西省韩城矿区为例

选择陕西省韩城矿区的下峪口矿和燎原矿为研究区域,通过实地访谈和454份有效问卷,利用秩和检验等统计方法,探讨了居民对环境污染的感知的影响因素。主要结论是:(1)矿区居民对环境普遍不满意,他们认为最严重的环境污染是大气污染,其次是噪音污染。矿区环境污染的最主要原因是煤炭加工(洗选、炼焦),采煤并不是最主要的环境污染原因。(2)在居民属性与环境污染感知方面发现:性别对环境污染的感知无明显的影响。年龄和居住时间对大气污染、水污染和噪音污染的感知有显著正向影响。文化程度对水污染、噪音污染和环境卫生感知有显著负向影响,这与文化集团性有关。居住空间对水污染和噪音污染有显著负向影响,说明水污染和噪音污染感知表现出空间层次性。研究结果可以为矿区的环境治理、政策制定等提供参考。