Geotechnical properties of evaporite soils of the Dead Sea area

The Dead Sea Basin is the lowest point on earth and is tectonically subsiding. During the Holocene Period the climate became much drier with increasing evaporation whereby initially lacustrine sediments were deposited from the non-marine brines, giving a multi-layered stratigraphy of lime carbonate and halite sediments. The lime carbonate sediments are comprised of laminated, clay to silt sized, clastic sediments (calcite) and authigenic aragonite and gypsum. The halite commonly appears as rock salt. Chemical industries, based on harvesting the salts from the Dead Sea, have developed on both the Israeli and the Jordanian sides of the basin. The lime carbonate soils are used for dike construction, and these soils, together with significant salt layers, are encountered in the foundations of structures, dikes, and tailings dams, requiring definition of their geotechnical properties. Use of standard soil mechanics definitions and testing approaches for the lime carbonates have been found inapplicable, particularly in view of their exceptionally high saline content, and it has been necessary to develop new concepts. The rock salt is encountered at shallow depths, with unit weights considerably lower than those usually discussed in the literature, and with correspondingly different mechanical properties. The geotechnical properties of these soils, and approaches used to define them, are discussed in the paper.     

Stress deformation properties of macroporous loess soils

Milovic, D., 1988. Stress deformation properties of macroporous loess soils. Eng. Geol., 25: 283–302.

Herein are presented the results of laboratory and field tests which were carried out on loess in Yugoslavia.

Experience gained during recent decades show that the loess soil in some cases undergoes structural collapse and subsidence due to inundation. In order to find the explanation of such behaviour, numerous laboratory and field load tests on loess soil have been performed. Using the obtained results, several correlations have been established.

On the basis of the unconfined test results, a correlation between the initial dry density, initial water content and unconfined compression strength has been established.

A relatively large number of the consolidation subsidence tests (about 550), carried out on undisturbed loess samples, made possible the determination of the degree of subsidence and the corresponding values of the dimensionless coefficients of subsidence. These coefficients have been determined for several values of the initial dry density, for various degrees of saturation and for several stress levels upon wetting. Using these coefficients, the values of the additional settlement caused by flooding of loess under the foundation can easily be calculated. It is of particular interest to note that, in general, water penetrates under one part of the building, producing differential settlements, which are in most cases very dangerous.

By the comparative laboratory investigation of the undisturbed loess samples obtained by thin walled sampler and samples obtained from pits, it has been shown that the mechanical disturbance is an extremely important factor which governs the shear and deformation parameters of loess soils.

The laboratory test results obtained on undisturbed loess samples, cut from blocks in the vertical and horizontal direction, have shown that this soil exhibits anisotropic properties. For this reason a stress deformation problem in an anisotropic medium has been treated by the finite element method.

Static penetration tests and field load tests in loess soils with natural water content and also after saturation have been performed and are described.

The results of the observed settlements for two statically identical multi-storey buildings are also presented. Using the coefficients of subsidence for the undisturbed samples cut from blocks, very good agreement between the calculated and the observed settlements has been obtained.     

Peri-Amazonian,Avalonian-type and Ganderian-type terranes in the South Carpathians,Romania: The Danubian domain basement

The Danubian domain basement of the South Carpathians, Romania, comprises two Neoproterozoic continental crustal fragments, the Dr?g?an and Lainici-P?iu? terranes, which were sutured by the closure of an intervening oceanic domain, the Ti?ovi?a terrane. Magmatic and detrital zircons extracted from an orthogneiss, four granitoid plutons, two metasedimentary units, and a Liassic sandstone were dated by zircon U/Pb LA-ICP-MS. The F?ge?el augen gneiss from the Dr?g?an terrane basement yielded an age of 803.2 ± 4.4 Ma, the oldest well-constrained crystallization age reported from the Romanian Carpathians basement. The Tismana, ?u?i?a, Novaci and Olte? granitoid plutons, which intrude the Lainici-P?iu? terrane basement, yielded ages of 600.5 ± 4.4, 591.0 ± 3.5, 592.7 ± 4.9, and 588 ± 2.9 Ma, respectively. The Tismana granitoid age of 600 Ma and the youngest detrital zircon ages of 637–622 Ma from a metaquartzite within the Lainici-Paiu? terrane, constrain the deposition of the metaquartzite protolith to ca. 620–600 Ma. The 803 Ma age represents an old Pan-African age, whereas the younger Neoproterozoic ages suggest Pan-African/Cadomian thermotectonic events. Detrital and inherited zircon ages within the Dr?g?an and Lainici-Paiu? terranes attest to a peri-Amazonian, Avalonian-type provenance for the Dr?g?an terrane and possibly a Ganderian-type provenance for the Lainici-P?iu? terrane. The Lainici-P?iu? terrane rifted off Gondwana before the Dr?g?an terrane. Both terranes were attached to Moesia during the Early Paleozoic.     

The loess of north-central China: Geotechnical properties and their relation to slope stability

Loess is an aeolian deposit consisting of predominantly silt-sized quartz particles, and containing variable amounts of clay-sized minerals. Loess is generally classified as a water-softening material, because upon wetting the loess fabric rapidly weakens or collapses. The strain hardening of Malan loess and the brittle failure of Lishi and Wucheng loess are in strong contrast to the failure behaviour of these loess deposits in a remoulded state. From tests carried out on samples with varying moisture contents, using a modified Bromhead ring shear apparatus, it was found that the effective apparent cohesion gradually increases and the effective internal friction angle decreases with an increase in moisture content. When the moisture content reaches a material-specific threshold, the effective cohesion decreases rapidly and the effective internal friction angle stabilises at a residual value.

The frequent failure of loess slopes in the western part of the Chinese Loess Plateau is closely related to progressive weathering along zones in these slopes, which causes a dramatic decrease in strength from the peak strength condition. Progressive weathering is common in the loess slopes in the western part of the Chinese Loess Plateau. During the process shear strength reduction along potential slip surfaces may be achieved by leaching of readily soluble salts, destruction of cementation bonds, and redistribution of particles. Localized collapse of the loess fabric causes internal deformation and consequently peak strength conditions are concentrated on a progressively smaller area of the failure plane. Therefore, the mode of failure of loess slopes is generally determined by brittle failure of the undisturbed, and unweathered, central parts of the slopes. It is important that both the weathered and unweathered strength of the loessmaterials in this area be established in order to analyze the stability of existing loessslopes, many of which are steepand lie directly above domestic and industrial urban areas.     

Subsidences and erosion in loess soils

The properties of loesses are very peculiar. The formation of loess is stable in the dry state, but under the effect of moisture it could present great subsidence. Sometimes in loess some processes are in progress. Similar to karst formation in the water-soluble rocks, but chiefly connected with mechanical suffosion (loess pseudokarst). In the water saturated condition loess soils are of a lower bearing capacity. Locally the loess is characterized by some self-progressing processes of underflooding by underground waters. Provoked by earthquakes and explosions some thixotropical liquefaction of loess soils may occur. All these processes have drawn the attention of researchers, engineers and agronomists of different countries to loess. In the first part of this paper we consider the collapse deformations and wash-outs of loess (Savvateev 1974), in the second part — pseudokarst processes (Kriger; Lavrusevich; Petrov 1983).     

Geotechnical characterisation of pyroclastic soils involved in huge flowslides

Landslides of the flow type involving granular geo-materials frequently result in casualties and damage to property because of the long travel distance and the high velocities that these may attain. This was true for the events that took place in Campania Region (Southern Italy) in May 1998, involving pyroclastic soils originating from explosive activities of the Somma-Vesuvius volcano. Although these phenomena have frequently affected various areas of the Campania region over the last few centuries, there were no useful geological and geotechnical references available in the aftermath of the May 1998 events. For this reason Salerno University, which was involved in the scientific management of the emergency, addressed the issue of acquiring data on the geological, geomorphological and hydrogeological features of the slopes where the landslides had taken place. The information acquired made it possible to set up a slope evolution model that is able to interpret, from a geological point of view, past and more recent landslides that had occurred in the same area. As preliminary geotechnical analyses had already validated the above model, more detailed investigations were performed both on the pore pressure regimen of the covers still in place as well as on the physical and mechanical properties of pyroclastic soils, in saturated and unsaturated conditions. The present paper begins by discussing the data acquired during the .rst phase of the studies and then goes on to illustrate the laboratory results so far obtained with the aid of approximate procedures. These help advance our knowledge of pyroclastic soils within a reasonable time frame, thus improving landslide triggering analysis.     

Geotechnical properties of the Ptolemais lignite

Summary The paper describes an investigation of the geotechnical properties of the Ptolemais lignite (brown coal) and shows that the soil mechanics principles used in the study of natural and cemented soils are applicable. The material has a high and variable void ratio incompatible with its preconsolidation pressure, which may be attributed to the existence of structure (chemical bonding). Bond strength and degradation have been studied and are found to be isotropic, while the stress-strain response in the prevield domain is intensely cross-anisotropic. The shear strength determined from triaxial CU and CD tests is variable but strongly dependent on the in situ moisture content. Tests on high quality intact specimens having a wide range of moisture contents (100–150%) verify a hypothesis that the magnitude of bond strength (expressed by the peak shear strength) is inversely proportional to the moisture content. A Hvorslev-type normalization process shows that the peak shear strength of the material can be estimated from the in situ moisture content with reasonable accuracy, thus facilitating preliminary stability calculations of production cuts in lignite mines. The properties of the Ptolemais lignite are compared with the properties of a lignite from another location in Greece (Megalopolis) and an Australian lignite (Morwell). It is shown that the shear strength characteristics of the lignite types studied are similar and strongly dependent on the in situ moisture content, which seems to be a measure of the magnitude of inter-particle bonding.     

非饱和重塑黄土基质吸力变化特征与物理性质的关系

本文以兰州重塑黄土为对象,通过室内试验分析6组非饱和重塑黄土土-水特征曲线分段特征值与主要物性指标的统计关系,探讨了非饱和重塑黄土物理性质对其基质吸力变化特征的影响。结果表明,对于非饱和重塑黄土,分段特征含水量、特征饱和度、特征基质吸力与干密度关系密切,与颗粒级配关系较弱。随干密度增加,过渡区特征饱和度、残余饱和度线性增加,饱和含水量、过渡区特征含水量线性降低,残余基质吸力及过渡区特征基质吸力分别为线性及非线性增加。过渡区特征饱和度、残余饱和度与土体中粘粒含量线性正相关,与粉粒含量负相关。饱和含水量与粉粒含量线性正相关,残余基质吸力与其线性负相关。重塑黄土的微观结构显示这些关系受制于土体的孔隙结构和颗粒间的相互关系。     

The stratigraphic and paleoenvironmental setting of Aptian OAE black shale deposits in the Pieniny Klippen Belt, Slovak Western Carpathians

During the Jurassic and Cretaceous, the Pieniny Klippen Belt units of the Outer Western Carpathians were situated on the edge of the Paleoeuropean shelf rimming the northermost margin of the Mediterranean Tethys. During the late early Aptian humid event, Lower Cretaceous pelagic carbonate (Maiolica) sedimentation was interrupted by terrigenous input as a consequence of the first major mid-Cretaceous climate perturbations. The fluctuation of radiolarian abundance indicated an expansion of the oxygen-minimum zone due to upwelling conditions and salinity changes. Foraminifera, radiolarians, non-calcareous dinocysts, and calcareous nannofossils encountered in the West Carpathian Rochovica section enable a comparison of the black shales of the upper lower Aptian Koňhora Formation with the well-known Selli Event. Subsequent anoxia patterns (depositional, productive, and stagnant) have taken part in the depositional regime. Early Aptian climate perturbations both in the Outer Western Carpathians, Swiss Prealps (situated in a similar position on the distal southern edge of the former Paleoeuropean shelf) and/or in other parts of the world are traceable with sedimentological, biological, and chemical proxies.     

沈阳城区岩土工程特性

从区域地质、地貌、工程地质和水文地质条件及建筑场地的稳定性几个方面,综合分析评价了沈阳城区的岩土工程特性,据此,将其划分为5个工程地质分区。这为城市总体规划布局、充分利用土地资源提供了区域性的工程地质依据。     

Geotechnical properties of the Corinth Canal marls

Summary The Corinth Canal crosses the isthmus of Corinth and is of great importance for Mediterranean navigation as well as the railroad and highway connections between southern and central Greece. In the century-long history of the Canal, the slopes have shown only minor stability problems despite their significant length, very steep inclination and, more importantly, the strong earthquakes that have frequently shaken the Corinth area. This type of unsual behaviour has motivated research into the mechanical behaviour of the bluish grey marl which is the main geological formation in the Canal area.Geotechnical investigation of the Corinth Canal marl was performed with an extensive laboratory testing programme on high quality undisturbed samples of the intact marl. The material was shown to exhibit brittle behaviour, high stiffness and significant apparent cohesion at low and moderate stress levels. These characteristics indicate that the material possesses significant structural bonding which is believed to be due to cementation between individual particles, caused by the deposition of carbonates at the time of material genesis. With stressing, the material yields due to a gradual bond degradation. The locus of the initial yield points (yield surface) seems to be an ellipse oriented along the isotropic axis.The testing programme was supplemented with a series of tests on the de-structured marl obtained by thorough remoulding. These tests showed a significant difference in the pre-yield stiffness and the peak strength at low stress levels, but comparable post-rupture shear strengths.     

Sorption kinetics of naphthalene and phenanthrene in loess soils

A laboratory study was executed to investigate the effect of surfactants to enhance sorption of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) contaminants in loess soil. Phenanthrene and naphthalene were chosen as organic contaminant indicators in loess soil modified by the cation surfactant hexadecyltrimethylammonium (HDTMA) bromide. The kinetic behavior of sorption during transport in natural and modified loess soil was studied. The results indicated that sorption rate in the cation surfactant modified loess soils was at least 3 times faster than that of the natural soil. A first-order kinetics model fitted the sorption data well for both soils. The sorption rates of the two organic compounds were related to their primary residual quantity on the soils. The experiments showed that sorption amounts approached constant values approximately within 30 and 90 min for naphthalene and phenanthrene at 298–318 K, respectively. The rate constants, however, displayed negative correlation with increasing temperature. With changing temperature, the activation energy was calculated at –6.196–1.172 kJ/mol for naphthalene and –28.86–15.70 kJ/mol for phenanthrene at 298–318 K. The results can be used to predict the sorption kinetics of phenanthrene and naphthalene in loess soils, and in a wider perspective, be used to better understand the transport of petroleum contaminants in the soil environment.     

Geotechnical properties of the Great Limestone in northern England

This paper is concerned with the mechanical properties of the Great Limestone in northern England. After first outlining the geological structure of the limestone at East Layton in north Yorkshire, the problem of the basal dolomitization of the limestone is introduced and the geochemistry of the rock profile evaluated. It is shown that chemical alteration due to dolomitization is accompanied by a mechanical weakening of the rock and a reduction in the quality of the bond between a tar or bitumen coating medium and the surface of the stone. The two types of rock are compared via specific gravity, moisture absorption, unconfined compressive strength, aggregate impact and aggregate crushing tests. The results from a detailed series of shear box tests taken through from peak to residual shear strength are interpreted through the fundamental strength properties of calcite and dolomite to show that whereas in the size range 200B.S. sieve, dolomite is a little weaker than limestone due to internal weakness associated with volume change; the situation is reversed as the particles decrease in size to form an aggregate of single dolomite crystals which are inherently more resistant to shear.     

Geotechnical properties of municipal sewage sludge

The geotechnical properties of municipal sewage sludge, in particular those pertinent to the handling and landfilling of the material, are presented. Index, drying, compaction, shear strength and consolidation tests were conducted on the material at different states of biodegradation. The organic content and specific gravity of solids were found to be inversely related, with typical organic contents of 50–70% and specific gravity of solids values of 1.55–1.80. The density of the compacted material was low in comparison with mineral soils. Standard Proctor compaction yielded a maximum dry density of 0.56 tonne/m³ at 85% water content. Laboratory vane-shear and triaxial compression tests indicated that, below about 180% water content, the shear strength of the sludge material increased exponentially with reducing water content. Consolidated-undrained triaxial compression tests on the pasteurised sludge material indicated an effective angle of shearing resistance of 32° for the moderately degraded material and 37° for the strongly degraded material. Biogas was produced at rates of up to 0.33 L/day/kg slurry due to ongoing biodegradation and the resulting pore pressure response must be taken into account in any stress analysis. Consolidation tests using the hydraulic consolidation cell, oedometer and triaxial apparatus indicated that the sludge material was highly compressible although practically impermeable, for example the coefficient of permeability for the moderately degraded slurry was of the order of 10⁻⁹m/s. However, creep deformation was significant with typical coefficient of secondary compression values of 0.02–0.08 for the compacted material. A more free-draining material was produced at higher states of biodegradation.     

黄土骨干曲线模型比较分析

对饱和重塑黄土进行了一系列不同加载条件下的动三轴试验,研究了对每级荷载应用多个滞回圈构造骨干曲线的方法,该方法可以考虑更多的试验信息,减小试验随机性对模拟曲线的影响。并运用该方法对试验数据采用Hardin-Drnevich模型、修正Hardin-Drnevich模型和Martin-Darvidenkov模型3种不同的骨干曲线模型进行数值模拟,分析了不同的骨干曲线模型对试验数据模拟的准确性和参数敏感性。结果表明,在试验条件变化时Hardin-Drnevich模型并不能总是很好地模拟试验骨干曲线,而且在有些情况下偏离较多。修正Hardin-Drnevich模型和Martin-Darvidenkov模型相比于Hardin-Drnevich模型能更好地模拟试验数据。在对不规则动载下黄土动力反应的数值模拟中,可以考虑用修正Hardin-Drnevich模型和Martin-Darvidenkov模型模拟骨干曲线。考虑到Martin-Darvidenkov模型参数对试验数据相对敏感,因此,建议采用修正Hardin-Drnevich模型模拟骨干曲线。     

Geotechnical properties of lower trench inner-slope sediments

Geotechnical property analyses on sediments recovered by DSDP drilling within select convergent margins were integrated to determine the variability in these properties along the trench inner-slope and to delineate the effects of convergence on these properties. Consolidation states range from very underconsolidated to highly overconsolidated, with preconsolidation pressures exceeding 46,000 kPa in Quaternary sediments. Underconsolidated sediments are attributed to:

1. (1) high sedimentation rates.

2. (2) low sediment permeability relative to the length of the drainage path; (3) laterally applied stresses; and (4) induced pore water pressures resulting from the subduction of pelagic sediments with high water content. Factors contributing to the state of overconsolidation include: (1) tectonically induced overpressures; (2) removal of overburden by mass movement processes.

3. (3) low sediment accumulation rates.

4. (4) age.

Vertical gradients of index properties also vary greatly with the maximum gradient associated with overconsolidated sediments. Values of porosity generally exceed 30% at all margins studied, suggesting this porosity represents the minimum attainable solely by the effects of convergence.Geotechnical property results and site-specific parameters suggest two end members should be considered in the general geotechnical property model for convergent margin sediments. Clastic dominated margins form the basis for the initial geotechnical property model. These margins are characterized by thick trench sediment sequences which are folded and faulted and become progressively more deformed upslope. Convergence rates are low, and no well-developed faults or hrst and graben structures are evident on the downbending oceanic plate. Highly overconsolidated sediments and index property values which change rapidly with depth result from the slow progressive deformation of trench and lower slope sediments. Examples of clastic-dominated margins include the Nankai Trough, Aleutian Trench, and Washington continental margin.Pelagic-dominated margins have significantly different geotechnical properties and site-specific parameters. These margins are characterized by thin clastic trench sediment sequences overlying pelagic sediments on a rapidly converging oceanic plate. Well-developed faults and/or hrst and graben structures are evident on the downbending oceanic plate. Sediment deformation along the trench and lower slope appears limited. These sediments are underconsolidated and index property values change gradually but often irregularly with depth. Japan Trench and Middle America Trench-Guatemala margins are considered pelagic-dominated. Middle America Trench-Mexico appears to represent an intermediate case having characteristics of both margin types.     

Geotechnical properties of combusted western oil shale

The engineering properties of solid waste produced by the combustion of Western oil shale are evaluated and discussed. Index properties and their variability, moisture—density relationships, shear strength, stress—strain characteristics, and hydraulic conductivity were evaluated in laboratory tests. Cementation caused by the formation of hydrous cements when combusted oil shale is exposed to water was found to be the most significant factor affecting its engineering properties. With increasing initial water content, shear strength increases and hydraulic conductivity decreases significantly, primarily because of cementation. Implications for the design of waste disposal embankments are discussed.     

Geotechnical properties of stabilised Indian red earth

Locally available soils amended with sufficient bentonite are generally used for construction of liners for water and waste retention facilities. The amount of bentonite required to keep the hydraulic conductivity low varies with the nature of the local soil. Many studies have shown that bentonite content higher than 20% by weight is not usually required. This is also the case with Indian red earth containing predominantly quartz and kaolinite minerals. Incorporating bentonite, though keeps the hydraulic conductivity of soil low, increases the swelling and shrinkage potential; increases the loss of strength due to reduction in cohesion. This paper aims to improve the geotechnical properties of red earth and bentonite mixture with lime or cement. The studies reveal that the geotechnical properties of red earth with 20% by weight bentonite stabilised with 1% by weight of lime or cement are greatly enhanced, particularly after curing for 28 days. it has been shown that the early gain in strength is better with cement whereas its long-term strength gain is better with lime.     

Variations in the subsidence of buried soils in cyclic loess in the Northern Eurasia Region

The subsidence of buried soils in cyclic loess sequences in the Northern Eurasia Region was described. Two types of variations in the relative subsidence of the buried soils were established. The relationships between the subsidence indexes of buried soils, over- and underlying loess were studied.     

Hydro-electricity in the Romanian Carpathians

Hydropower developments are of major importance for the national economy and constitute one of the most impressive symbols of modernisation in the mountains of Romania. Development dates back to the turn of the century and comprehensive surveys were carried out during the 1930s; but construction on a sustained basis has occurred only during the postwar period, involving 118 water storages and some 5700 MW of installed power, a quarter of all installed electricpower in the country. The paper provides an outline of the programme, as a contribution to the wider electrification programme, and considers the impact of these developments in the Carpathians where there is much evidence of integrated rural planning to combine electricity generation with forestry and tourism. The prospects for further development in the context of a market economy are considered in the light of both economic and ecological issues.Because of translation problems this paper was written by the editor from notes submitted by the authors. Grateful acknowledgement is made for additional information provided by Dr. Ion Zavoianu