Grain size distribution of soils within the Cordillera Blanca,Peru: An indicator of basic mechanical properties for slope stability evaluation

This paper presents results of a study on the mechanical properties of sandy and gravely soils within the Cordillera Blanca, Peru. The soils were divided into groups according to their origin （glacial, fluvial, or debris flow）. The grain size distribution of forty three soil samples was used to classify the soils according to the scheme of the Unified Soil Classification System （USCS）. These distributions have then been used to estimate shear strength and hydraulic properties of the soils. There are clear differences between the soils which reflect their divergent origins. The glacial soils normally fit within one of two distinctive groups according to the proportion of fines （Group A, 7%-21.5%; Group B, 21%-65%）. The estimation of shear strength at constant volume friction angle and peak shear strength of the glacial sediments with low content of fines was made using published data relating to the measured shear strength characteristics of soils with similar origins and grain size distributions. The estimated values were supported by measurements of the angle of repose taken from fourteen samples from two moraines and by shear tests on samples from one locality. The results of the grain size distribution werealso used to estimate the average hydraulic conductivity using the empirical Hazen formula which results were verified by field infiltration tests at two localities.     

Effects of soil organic matter components and iron aluminum oxides on aggregate stability during vegetation succession in granite red soil eroded areas

Soil aggregates determine the basic structure of soil,and their composition and stability are influenced by the various types of cementitious substances occurring in soil.To explore the main limiting factors of soil aggregation in the process of vegetation succession with granite as the parent material,five stages of vegetation succession in an eroded area were selected:bare land(BL),grassland(GL),grassland shrub transition land(GS),shrubland(SL) and secondary forest(SF).Soil samples were collec...     

Plant diversity as a good indicator of vegetation stability in a typical plateau wetland

Biotic indicators have been widely used to monitor wetland health. However, few studies have explicitly evaluated if plant diversity could serve as a useful community-level indicator of wetland stability, especially when wetlands are confronted with anthropogenic perturbations. Based on three-year record of wetland plant species abundance in Napahai plateau wetland, Shangri-la under the influence of varying anthropogenic perturbation types, our study tests the impact of such perturbations on plant richness and the relationship between ecosystem temporal stability and plant richness, and further assesses the effectiveness of using plant diversity indicator to probe ecosystem temporal stability of Napahai plateau wetland and the potential mechanisms. The results showed that anthropogenic perturbations could have contributed significantly to realistic variation in plant diversity, and further demonstrated that ecosystem temporal stability was positively related to realistic variation in plant diversity. In particular, communities with high levels of diversity might have better capacity to dampen perturbation impacts than communities with low levels of diversity, and statistical averaging could have played an important role in causing greater stability in more diverse communities. Also, asynchrony might have a stabilizing effect on community stability, and diversity could have stabilized communities through both species asynchrony and population stability propagation. Therefore, our results suggest that plant diversity could be used as a useful indicator of the stability conditions of plateau wetland ecosystems confronted with anthropogenic perturbations, and the preservation of plant communities at sufficient abundance and diversity is necessary for maintaining healthy plateau wetlands and for sustaining their essential ecosystem functions and services.     

An evaluation method for internal erosion potential of gravelly soil based on particle size distribution

Internal erosion occurs when fine particles escape from the soil driven by seepage flow, which is considered to be the crucial factor causing the failure of earth structures filled with gravelly soil. The objective of this paper is to suggest an appropriate method to assess internal erosion potential of gravelly soil. By analyzing the sensitivity of soil material to internal erosion, the variable(Dc15/df85)max and the content of coarse particles(Pc) are selected as the evaluation indexes(Dc15 an...     

Rock slope stability evaluation using kinematic and kinetic methods along the Kamyaran-Marivan road,west of Iran

Interest in rock slope stability in mountainous regions has increased greatly in recent years.This issue has become a topic of major interest for geoscientists and engineering professionals,as well as for private citizens and local administrators,in many parts of the world.This paper evaluates the stability of seven rock slopes along the KamyaranMarivan tourist road,Kurdistan province,Iran,using various methods.The two main reasons for performing this research were to determine whether different methods of stability analysis provide the same results,and to determine how different factors such as the presence of water,tension cracks,and seismic forces affect the stability of these rock slopes.Firstly,field investigations were performed to obtain the engineering characteristics of the rock masses,discontinuities,and intact rocks of the slopes.Secondly,laboratory tests were carried out on rock samples obtained from the slopes,to determine the engineering properties of the intact rocks.Then for each rock slope,the contour diagram of discontinuities and slope face was drawn in the Dips v.5.1 software environment,and the failure mechanism was determined based on the kinematic or stereographic method.Next,the factors of safety of the rock slopes were calculated using the limit equilibrium method,based on the failure mechanisms resulting from the kinematic method.The accuracy of the results obtained by these two methods was investigated using SWedge v.4.0 software.The results indicated that four rock slopes have a potential for plane,wedge,and toppling failure,and three others are stable.Also,it was found that the stability of the studied rock slopes decreases greatly in the presence of water,tension cracks,and seismic forces.     

Influence of filling velocity on stability of subgrade with marine soft soil

Filling velocity and thickness of soft layer are major factors affecting subgrade stability according to an example study by means of finite element stress method (FESM). A case is studied and shows that the subgrade was slided because of excessive filling velocity. To determine a reasonable filling velocity is a key problem to a subgrade with marine soft soil.     

Influence of filling velocity on stability of subgrade with marine soft soil

Filling velocity and thickness of soft layer are major factors affecting subgrade stability according to an example study by means of finite element stress method (FESM). A case is studied and shows that the subgrade was slided because of excessive filling velocity. To determine a reasonable filling velocity is a key problem to a subgrade with marine soft soil.     

Evaluation of soil erodibility factor (k) for loess derived landforms of Kechik watershed in Golestan Province,North of Iran

The technique proposed by Wischmeier Smith for estimating the soil erodibility factor is among the most important methods in this regard.Given the high amounts of silt and lime content in loess soils of eastern parts of Golestan province in Iran,this study aims to evaluate the ability of Wischmeier Smith index to estimate the soil erodibility of this region.Soil erodibility was first obtained by Wischmeier nomograph and then was compared with the actual values obtained by selecting six plots and then performing physical and chemical tests on these samples.Using the nomograph,Wischmeier index was calculated to be about.0.5-0.092 Mg h MJ-1 mm-1.The results showed that Wischmeier index was 182,4.11,6 and 0.35 times than actual value in field with half-hour rainfall,Fournier index,SWAT value with half-hour rainfall and SWAT value with Fournier index,respectively.Obtained results showed that erodibility estimated by Wischmeier Smith index was higher than the actual measured value.Poor performance of this index in loess soils indicates the need for further research in this field.     

Influence of inflow discharge and bed erodibility on outburst flood of landslide dam

Accurate prediction of the hydrographs of outburst floods induced by landslide dam overtopping failure is necessary for hazard prevention and mitigation. In this study, flume model tests on the breaching of landslide dams were conducted. Unconsolidated soil materials with wide grain size distributions were used to construct the dam. The effects of different upstream inflow discharges and downstream bed soil erosion on the outburst peak discharge were investigated. Experimental results reveal that the whole hydrodynamic process of landslide dam breaching can be divided into three stages as defined by clear inflection points and peak discharges. The larger the inflow discharge, the shorter the time it takes to reach the peak discharge, and the larger the outburst flood peak discharge. The scale of the outburst floods was found to be amplified by the presence of an erodible bed located downstream of the landslide dam. This amplification decreases with the increase of upstream inflow. In addition, the results show that the existence of an erodible bed increases the density of the outburst flow, increasing its probability of transforming from a sediment flow to a debris flow.     

Dynamics of soil inorganic phosphorus fractions at aggregate scales in a chronosequence of Chinese fir plantations

Successive cultivation of Chinese fir(Cunninghamia lanceolata) would markedly affect the distribution and accumulation of soil inorganic phosphorus (Pi).However...     

Analysis and evaluation on seepage stability of Hongxing reservoir dam , Heilongjiang

Hongxing reservoir was constructed on the floodplain of Hulan River in Heilongjiang. The geological problem of the reservoir is the seepage of the dam base and its related seepage stability. The leakage of the reservoir is caused by the water head differences between the upstream and downstream of the dam. Severe seepage could decrease the engineering benefits of the reservoir. Moreover, infiltration function of water will influence the safety of the dam. Through the analysis on the granule constitute and the formation of the dam base, the types of the seepage failure apt to happen were defined and the anti-infiltration and the permissible depression ratio were determined. Using the numerical simulation software GMS, the two-dimension numerical modeling has been carried out to analyze the seepage field of the reservoir. Through the two conditions modeling with concrete impervious wall and no concrete impervious wall, the largest flow rate, single-wide seepage discharge and the max infiltration gradient of the dam base were calculated. According to the permeable depression ratio of the dam base, the seepage stability of Hongxing reservoir dam base was analyzed.     

Analysis and evaluation on seepage stability of Hongxing reservoir dam,Heilongjiang

Hongxing reservoir was constructed on the floodplain of Hulan River in Heilongjiang. The geological problem of the reservoir is the seepage of the dam base and its related seepage stability. The leakage of the reservoir is caused by the water head differences between the upstream and downstream of the dam. Severe seepage could decrease the engineering benefits of the reservoir. Moreover, infiltration function of water will influence the safety of the dam. Through the analysis on the granule constitute and the formation of the dam base, the types of the seepage failure apt to happen were defined and the anti-infiltration and the permissible depression ratio were determined. Using the numerical simulation software GMS, the two-dimension numerical modeling has been carried out to analyze the seepage field of the reservoir. Through the two conditions modeling with concrete impervious wall and no concrete impervious wall, the largest flow rate, single-wide seepage discharge and the max infiltration gradient of the dam base were calculated. According to the permeable depression ratio of the dam base, the seepage stability of Hongxing reservoir dam base was analyzed.     

基于多源数据的谭家湾滑坡变形机制及稳定性评价

针对2016年5月发生于秭归县西北部的谭家湾滑坡,结合卫星遥感影像、现场勘查资料以及历史资料等多源数据,初步明确了滑坡的影响区域、特征及发生时序;综合采用钻探、槽探、物探等手段,开展室内外相关实验,明确了滑坡区的地层特性以及岩土体物理力学性质指标,通过分析该区裂缝位移及GPS数据,对该边坡的变形机制进行了探讨,并对该区稳定性进行了评价。结果表明:①谭家湾滑坡属于不规则"圈椅形"中型松散层的水库下降型滑坡,滑坡区的地表形态、地质构造及岩性等因素决定了滑坡的形成和发育,库水位和降雨的共同作用激励了滑坡的变形;②滑坡根据时序共分为3级滑体,总体呈现多次、多层、相互影响的演化特点,第三级滑体具有牵引式特征;③滑坡体内地下水位随库水位下降而下降,但下降速率缓于库水位,随之坡体内水力梯度和渗透力显著变大,此时碰到强降雨,将会导致坡体地下水赋存,岩土体软化,加剧滑坡变形,须施加必要的防护措施。④稳定性分析表明,该滑坡现处于临界稳定状态,一旦发生降雨和库水位变化,局部段可能发生失稳滑动。      

Diatom distribution as an environmental indicator in surface sediments of the West Philippine Basin

The distribution of diatoms from surface sediments of the West Philippine Basin was analyzed,with 68 species and varieties of diatoms from 26 genera identified.Diatom abundance varied spatially,with the absolute abundance of diatoms ranging from 0 to 3.4×10~4 frustules/g.The seven tropical pelagic diatoms were Alveus marinus,Azpeitia africana,Azpeitia nodulifera,Hemidiscus cuneiformis,Hemidiscus cuneiformis var.ventricosus,Roperia tesselata and Rhizosolenia bergonii.The relative abundance of these species was greater than 20%,and their distribution pattern in the sediments was overlaid by the flow of the Kuroshio Current.Ethmodiscus rex was present at 159 stations,formed the most abundant and dominant species in the diatomaceous ooze,and thus referred to as Ethmodiscus ooze.Ethmodiscus rex was also a major contributor to primary production in the region.A principal component analysis was employed to explain the relationship between samples and variations in diatom species from the WPB.Four diatom assemblages were distinguished,representing different oceanographic conditions;their spatial distributions were closely related with the North Equatorial Current and Kuroshio Current patterns in the region.These diatom assemblages can therefore be useful in deciphering late Quaternary palaeoceanographic reconstructions of the West Philippine Basin.     

EXPERIMENTAL STUDY ON SOIL MOISTURE USING DUAL-FREQUENCY MICROWAVE RADIOMETER

1INTRODUCTIONSoil is the basis of human's living. Soil moisture plays asignificant role in studying the matter and energy ex-changes in global hydrology sphere. The evaporation ofsoil moisture has an influence on the water vapor cycle.Meanwhile soil moisture is also one of the firsthandmeasurable parameters in crop yield estimation and wa-ter resources management (JACKSON et al., 1993). Theinfluence of the interaction of land and atmosphere onsoil moisture can bring about anomalous cli…     

Analytical expressions for determining the stability of cohesionless soil slope under generalized seismic conditions

In recent major earthquakes, the researchers have found the need for consideration of vertical seismic acceleration for the stability analysis of the man-made and natural slopes. However, in most past studies, the performance of slopes has been assessed by accounting only the horizontal seismic component of the ground motion, without giving due weightage to the effect of vertical component. In the present study, analytical expressions are derived to determine the factor of safety, yield seismic coefficient and consequently the seismic displacement of cohesionless soil slope under combined horizontal and vertical components of the ground motion. The derivation uses the Newmark’s sliding block approach, in which the soil slope with a planar failure surface within the framework of conventional pseudo-static analysis is assumed to follow the Mohr-Coulomb failure criterion. The effects of vertical seismic coefficient on the stability of cohesionless slope have been studied through a set of graphical presentations for a specific range of soil parameters. It is observed that overlooking the effect of the vertical component of the ground motion on factor of safety and the displacement while designing the slope may be detrimental, resulting in the slope failure. The general expressions presented in this paper may be highly useful in the field of earthquake geotechnical engineering practice for designing the cohesionless soil slopes under combined horizontal and vertical seismic loads.     

呷爬滑坡滑带土蠕变特性及其稳定性

水库滑坡变形破坏受其岩土体蠕变特性及环境因素的影响。当滑坡进入加速变形阶段后,变形骤然增大,失稳概率增加。为了研究滑坡岩土体蠕变特性及其稳定性,选取锦屏一级水电站呷爬滑坡为研究对象,采用坡表位移监测曲线分析与室内三轴蠕变试验相结合的方法,建立了Burgers蠕变模型结合FLAC3D软件进行了滑坡稳定性研究。分析坡表位移-时间曲线发现,坡体变形特征与一般滑坡土体的蠕变特征具有相似性,滑带土室内三轴蠕变试验结果表明,滑带土变形可划分为瞬时蠕变、减速蠕变与稳定蠕变3个阶段,同时其瞬时变形量、稳定蠕变速率均随围压以及应力水平的增大而增大。基于滑带土蠕变特性的Burgers蠕变模型的计算结果,对比了常规强度折减法与考虑蠕变的强度折减法的滑坡稳定性系数,计算结果表明呷爬滑坡目前处于稳定状态,在一个计算周期内考虑蠕变的强度折减法较常规强度折减法的稳定性系数下降了0.04,因此,揭示滑坡土体蠕变特性并在此基础上研究其稳定性具有实际意义。      

Temporal stability of apparent soil electrical conductivity measured by electromagnetic induction techniques

Assessing and managing the spatial variability of hydropedological properties are important in environmental,agricultural,and geological sciences.The spatial variability of soil apparent electrical conductivity（ECa） measured by electromagnetic induction（EMI） techniques has been widely used to infer the spatial variability of hydrological and pedological properties.In this study,temporal stability analysis was conducted for measuring repeatedly soil ECa in an agricultural landscape in 2008.Such temporal stability was statistically compared with the soil moisture,terrain indices（slope,topographic wetness index（TWI）,and profile curvature）,and soil properties（particle size distribution,depth to bedrock,Mn mottle content,and soil type）.Locations with great and temporally unstable soil ECa were also associated with great and unstable soil moisture,respectively.Soil ECa were greater and more unstable in the areas with great TWI（TWI 〉 8）,gentle and concave slope（slope 〈 3%; profile curvature 〉 0.2）.Soil ECa exponentially increased with depth to bedrock,and soil profile silt and Mn mottle contents（R2= 0.57）,quadratically（R2 = 0.47）,and linearly（R 2 = 0.47）,respectively.Soil ECa was greater and more unstable in Gleysol and Nitosol soils,which were distributed in areas with low elevation（〈 380 m）,thick soil solum（〉 3 m）,and fluctuated water table（shallow in winter and spring but deep in summer and fall）.In contrast,Acrisol,Luvisol,and Cambisol soils,which are distributed in the upper slope areas,had lower and more stable soil ECa.Through these observations,we concluded that the temporal stability of soil ECa can be used to interpret the spatial and temporal variability of these hydropedological properties.     

Recreational potential as an indicator of accessibility control in protected mountain forest areas

The article presents research findings related to recreational use of forests located in protected mountainous areas with forestage of over 80%. The study was designed to identify recreational potential of the Carpathian national parks(Bieszczady National Park, Babia Góra National Park, Gorce National Park and Magura National Park; southern Poland) and to compare these findings with the actual number of visitors. The information received on the recreational potential of parks is important from the point of view of protection of natural resources and the financial situation of the parks. The calculated ratio may be an effective tool of management for park administration, that allows to reconcile statutory social and protective functions of national parks. The study determined the recreational potential of the forests with the use of recreational valorisation method designed for areas with varied terrain, and the evaluated factors included the stands of trees with their habitat and land relief. The permissible number of national park visitors, expressed as manhour/ha/year ranges from 19.31 in Bieszczady National Park(BG: 19o 35' E, 49o 35' N) to 32.06 in in Bieszczady National Park(B: 22o 40' E, 49o 10' N). In 3 out of 4 investigated parks, Magura National Park(M: 21°25' E, 49o 30' N), Gorce National Park(G: 20o10' E, 49o 35' N), B) recreation carrying capacity was not exceeded, whether or not the strictly protected area is taken into account. Only in BG was the recreation carrying capacity exceeded by nearly 24%,or by 85% if the strictly protected area isexcluded from tourism-related exploitation. The presented procedure for monitoring access to mountain forests in national parks, from the viewpoint of natural resources conservation, can be applied in other mountainous areas covered with forests and exposed to tourist and recreational traffic,and in forests facing particular risk of recreational damage, e.g. in urban and suburban forests growing in areas with varied orography.