The opening of the Plio-Quaternary Gibraltar Strait: assessing the size of a cataclysm

Abstract

The widespread Lago-Mare facies show that the Mediterranean was fully isolated from the World Ocean at the end of the Messinian salinity crisis (MSC): the Plio-Quaternary Gibraltar Strait has no geographical feature in common with the Miocene Portals, which were continentalised before the end of the MSC. A copy of a budget model has been modified to study the infilling of the Mediterranean. The yearly Atlantic water supply follows an exponential increase law. The level of the basins does not change significantly during the 26 early years, but the refill of the Mediterranean basins is completed within the next 10–11 years. The high velocity of the flow of Atlantic water can be reconfirmed by hydraulic calculations. The morphological study of the area suggests that the Gibraltar Strait originates from an eastwards flowing stream, which drained the eastern slope of an emergent Gibraltar Isthmus to the Mediterranean Basins at the end of the Messinian. Similar canyons are still found in the marine topography towards the Alboran Sea. The present Spartel and Camarinal Sills both originate from the coeval mass sliding of the northern bank of the strait. The strait of Gibraltar results from the work of a stream, which managed water-piracy from an Ocean. © 2002 Éditions scientifiques et médicales Elsevier SAS. All rights reserved.     

Experimental Investigations on the Behaviour of Pile Groups in Clay Under Lateral Cyclic Loading

This paper presents the results of two-way cyclic lateral load tests carried out on model pile groups embedded in soft marine clay. The tests are conducted on 1 × 2, 2 × 2 and 3 × 3 pile groups having length to diameter ratio (L/D) of 15, 30 and 40 with the spacing to diameter ratio (S/D) of 3, 5, 7 and 9. The experimental results are presented in the form of load–deflection curves and bending moment profiles. Cyclic group efficiency, critical spacing, critical cyclic load level and cyclic p-multipliers are evaluated. It is found that the lateral capacity of the 3 × 3 group reduces by about 42% after 50 cycles of loading. The cyclic p-multipliers of 3 × 3 pile group are found to be 0.41, 0.25 and 0.29 for leading, intermediate and rear rows respectively. The test results are compared with the numerical analysis carried out by p–y method using GROUP program. The analysis carried out with experimentally evaluated p-multipliers predicts load—deflection and bending profiles of pile groups reasonably well, but underestimates the depth to maximum bending moment by about 15%.     

Experimental Study of Mechanical Behaviour of Rock Joints Under Cyclic Loading

Summary Evaluation of the effects of small repetitive earthquakes on the strength parameters of rock joints in active seismic zones is of interest of the designers of underground constructions. In order to evaluate these effects, it is necessary to study the behaviour of rock joints under dynamic and cyclic loadings. This paper presents the results of a systematic study on the behaviour of artificial rock joints subjected to cyclic shearing. More than 30 identical replicas have been tested using triaxial compression devices under different conditions of monotonic and cyclic loading. At the first stage a few samples have been tested in monotonic loading modes under various confining pressures and rate of displacement. In the second series of tests, small cyclic loads were applied on the samples for increasing number of cycles, frequency levels and stress amplitudes. These were then followed by monotonic loading again. The variations of maximum and residual shear strengths for each test have been studied. The results show increase of shear strength as a result of the increase in confining pressure and they display decrease of shear strength due to the increase of rate of loading, number of cycles, frequency levels and stress amplitudes.     

地铁行车荷载下隧道周围加固软粘土孔压特性试验

由于上海轨道交通四号线海伦路站隧道周围软土在地铁行车荷载作用下产生变形,使隧道发生局部开裂、渗水而需要对地铁隧道进行加固处理。通过上海地铁4号线海伦路站附近隧道周围加固软粘土进行应力控制的循环三轴试验,研究了地铁行车荷载作用下加固软粘土的动孔压发展情况,充分考虑了土体围压、固结比、轴向循环荷载的大小及频率对动孔压的影响。研究结果认为,其他条件相同时,加固软粘土孔压随振动次数、循环荷载幅值的增大而增大,随围压和加载频率的增大而减小,可以用二次对数关系曲线对加固软粘土残余孔压变化进行预测。     

Constraints on the geodynamic evolution of the AfricaeIberia plate margin across the Gibraltar Strait from seismic tomography

Geophysical studies point to a complex tectonic and geodynamic evolution of the Alboran Basin and Gulf of Cadiz. Tomographic images show strong seismic waves velocity contrasts in the upper mantle. The...     

A new high-resolution gravimetric geoid for South Spain and the Gibraltar Strait area: SOSGIS

A new gravimetric geoid is computed for South Spain and the Gibraltar Strait area. This geoid is located just in the junction between two tectonic plates (Euro-Asiatic and African plates) and in the junction of two gravimetric geoids: IGG2005 (the Iberian Gravimetric Geoid obtained in 2005) and MORGEO (the MORoccan GEOid). IGG2005 is the Iberian geoid and MORGEO is the Moroccan geoid, both geoids have been previously obtained. The new geoid is the gravimetric geoid solution that connects the two above-mentioned geoids, getting a more accurate and reliable picture of this area than the other previous geoids. The method used is the Stokes integral in convolution form, which shows to be an efficient method to reach the proposed objective. The terrain correction and the indirect effect have been taken into account. The new geoid is obtained as a regular grid (with a mesh size of 1.5′ × 1.5′) in the GRS80 reference system, covering the study area from 34° to 40° of latitude and from −8° to 0° of longitude. This gravimetric geoid and the previous geoids: IGG2005 and MORGEO; are compared to the geoid undulations derived at the validation points located on the study area (four GPS/levelling points measured on Morocco and five points of the European vertical reference network (EUVN) measured on Iberia). As it is expected, the new geoid is a more precise and reliable model, fitting the geoidal heights of these validation points with more accuracy than the other previous geoids. This new model will be useful for orthometric height determination by GPS in the mountains and remote areas, where levelling has many logistic problems. Also, it can be interesting for other geophysical purposes different to the height measurements, because it can provide a constraint for the density distribution, the thermal state of Lithosphere and the viscosity in the mantle. Such details can be inferred from a geoid model and the seismic velocity structure.     

软弱围岩隧洞施工性态的力学模拟与分析

本文着重对软弱围岩隧洞施工中的力学性态进行了计算机模拟和分析。文中除提出了考虑隧洞开挖面时空效应的三维分析模型外，还计入岩体流变时效，进行了弹－粘塑性数值计算。其中，研讨了开挖面推进过程中洞室围岩与错喷支护的相互作用以及设置整筑式二次内衬的影响。用所建议的力学模型和编制的程序软件，结合某实际工程，分别就洞室上下台阶法分部开挖、全断面法一次开挖和侧壁导坑法扩大开挖等三种最常见的隧洞施工作业方式进行了模拟分析，并将计算成果与现场实测数据作了比较验证。     

Mechanical Tests on Pervasively Jointed Rock Material: Insight into Rock Mass Behaviour

Summary In the exploration phase for the design of an underground cavern in a limestone formation a large number of triaxial compression tests were carried out on laboratory specimens which were characterized by a variable degree of fracturing. The data were analyzed to investigate the influence of fracture intensity and of confining stress on the mechanical parameters. In particular, investigations focused on the relationships between the parameters of the strength criteria, respectively in residual and peak conditions, on the decay of the Young modulus with stress level in the prepeak phase of the test, and on the brittleness of the rock in the postpeak phase. The tested rock can be considered as a small-scale model of a jointed rock mass, and the laboratory data therefore provide useful insight into the mechanical behaviour of rock masses, especially the relationships between residual and peak strength parameters, which are required in many analytical models and in numerical codes for the analysis of underground excavations.     

台湾海峡隧道地质与地震条件条件

“台湾海峡隧道”这一伟大工程，由构想到正式调研，历经许多过程，存在许多疑难。台湾海峡的海底地质情况较复杂，且是一个多地震地区，在当前技术条件下，到底能不能修海底隧道，引起两岸许多学者的关注。根据当前已经获得的各种科技成果，在海峡北部的台湾桃园县沿海地区，分布着厚度较大、岩层水平、并已固结的第四纪砂页岩，形成良好的承力层和隔水层。海峡西端的福建平潭岛是大片的花岗岩分布区，场地开阔，是理想的隧道终端。因此，可以初步认为，从平潭到新竹一线，地质及地震条件较为稳定单一，可以考虑作为首选海底隧道线路。     

某露天煤矿泥岩的物理力学特性试验研究

本文对某大型露天煤矿一坑道泥岩的物理力学和物理化学特性的试验研究进行了全面的介绍。试验结果表明泥岩中含有的大量亲水性粘土矿物和少量的水稳性胶结物质及其较松弛的结构和高的含水量是泥岩物理力学特性形成和演变的基本因素。本文给出了在动态荷载作用下泥岩的强度与重复荷载次数之间的关系,泥岩在不同围压条件下的破坏机理以及泥岩强度与含水量之间的关系。最后,通过有限元的分析计算得出了均质泥岩路基与非均质(层状)泥岩路基的变形与轮压下的位移值。     

Experimental Study for the Physical Mechanical Behaviour of Mud Stone In One Open Pit Coal Mine

This paper presents the experimental study for the physical-mechanical-chemical behaviour of the mud stone for one open pit coal mine. The experimental results indicate that large amount water affinity and colloid material are contained in the mud stone. It is find out that the mud stone under investigation has loose structure and high degree of saturation. The relation between the number of dynamical loading cycle and the strength, deformation of mud stone. It is find out that the mud stone under investigation has loose structure and high degree of saturation. The relation between the number of dynamical loading cycle and the strength, deformation of mud stone is obtained through the dynamical triaxiali shear tests. The failure mechanism under different confine stress and the relation between the moisture content and the strength of the mud stone are also investigated. Finally, the displacement under wheel points and the deformation and non-homogenous road base under different loading by finit element analysis are given in this paper.     

Eustatic and tectonic controls on Quaternary Ras Leona marine terraces (Strait of Gibraltar, northern Morocco)

Well-preserved Quaternary staircased marine terraces appear on Ras Leona limestone relief. This is a peculiar sector of the Betic-Rif Cordillera, lying in the four-way junction between the Atlantic and the Mediterranean, and Europe and Africa. The age and altitude correlation of the Ras Leona terraces with travertine-covered lateral equivalent terraces fashioned in the neighbouring Beni Younech area, and comparison with those along the Moroccan Atlantic coasts, would suggest that the Ras Leona terraces were mainly formed by eustatic factors. The importance of the eustasy is supported by further comparisons with Spanish and Moroccan Mediterranean terraces and with different marine terraces developed on passive-margin coasts around the world. A tectonic event occurred mainly during the period between the formation of the Maarifian and the Ouljian terraces (i.e., between 370 and 150 ka). The moderate Quaternary tectonic uplift deduced from the marine terraces and its comparison with uplifted marine terraces developed in active subduction setting disagrees with the model of an active eastwards subduction below the Gibraltar tectonic arc.     

2D Tunnel Numerical Investigation: The Influence of the Simplified Excavation Method on Tunnel Behaviour

Tunnel excavation is a three-dimensional (3D) problem. However, despite recent advances in computing resources, 3D models are still computationally inefficient and two-dimensional (2D) simulations are therefore often used. Modelling the tunnelling process in a 2D plane strain analysis requires a specific approach that allows a 3D tunnelling effect to be taken into consideration. As far as the urban tunnels are concerned, most cases reported in the literature have focused on estimating the applicability of these equivalent approaches that are based on the evaluation of the settlement that develops on the ground surface, without considering the influence of segment joints. The main objective of this study was to provide a 2D numerical investigation to highlight the influence of two equivalent approaches, that is, the convergence-confinement method (CCM) and the volume loss method (VLM), on the behaviour of a tunnel built in an urban area, in terms of not only the surface settlement but also the structural lining forces, taking into account the effect of segment joints. A technique that can be used to simulate the tunnel wall displacement process, based on the principles of the VLM, has been developed using the FLAC^3D finite difference program (Itasca in FLAC fast Lagrangian analysis of continua, version 4.0; User’s manual, http.itascacg.com, 2009). A comparison with 3D numerical results has been introduced to estimate the precision of these 2D equivalent approaches. The results have shown a significant influence of the tunnel boundary deconfinement technique and segment joints on the tunnel lining behaviour and surface settlements. The structural forces obtained by means of the CCM are often smaller than those determined with the VLM for the same surface settlement. Generally, the structural lining forces determined by the CCM are in better agreement with the 3D numerical results than the ones obtained with the VLM. However, in order to obtain an accurate estimation of the structural forces, the impact of the construction loads during tunnelling should be taken into account.     

Mechanical Behaviour of Cyclically Heated Fine Grained Rock

Summary The most vital difference between rock and rock mass are fractures and fissures. They affect the behaviour and strength of rock masses. According to their origin, size, and shape, rock mass contains several types of weakness planes varying from microfissure to faults. Other parameters such as underground water, temperature, time and stress state affect the rock's behaviour in its natural environment. The frequency of discontinuities in fractured rock is one of the basic parameters for reducing its strength. However it is generally difficult to test undisturbed fractured rock in a laboratory environment. In this study it was tried to open and loosen the grain boundaries of fine-grained rock specimens by cyclical heating and cooling. This should serve as a physical simulation of fractures in the rock mass and enables a discussion of the changes in mechanical behaviour of fractured rock. For this reason, laboratory test specimens of Carrara marble and Buchberger sandstone were used. The heating cycles were varied from 0 to 16. From the results of uniaxial compression, Brazilian and “Continuous Failure State” triaxial tests, it was pointed out that all of the mechanical parameters decreased gradually with an increasing number of heating cycles. Uniaxial compressive strength was reduced to about 50%, while the tensile strength decreased to about 60% for both types of rock. It was also observed that the variations of strength parameters were higher after the first heating cycles. As a result of cyclical heating, the slopes of pre-failure and post-failure curves in the stress-strain plane changed similarly, but the variations of modulus of elasticity were higher than the slopes of the post-failure curves for sandstone. The ratio between compressive and indirect tensile strength rose to a value of 98 after the last heating cycle. For unheated specimens of Carrara marble this ratio is 20. The axial strain at the failure point increased suddenly after the first heating cycle and the failure developed entirely intergranular in cyclically heated specimens.     

Mechanical Behaviour of Reservoir Rock Under Brine Saturation

Acoustic emissions (AE) and stress–strain curve analysis are well accepted ways of analysing crack propagation and monitoring the various failure stages (such as crack closure, crack initiation level during rock failure under compression) of rocks and rock-like materials. This paper presents details and results of experimental investigations conducted for characterizing the brittle failure processes induced in a rock due to monocyclic uniaxial compression on loading of two types of sandstone core samples saturated in NaCl brines of varying concentration (0, 2, 5, 10 and 15 % NaCl by weight). The two types of sandstone samples were saturated under vacuum for more than 45 days with the respective pore fluid to allow them to interact with the rocks. It was observed that the uniaxial compressive strength and stress–strain behaviour of the rock specimens changed with increasing NaCl concentration in the saturating fluid. The acoustic emission patterns also varied considerably for increasing ionic strength of the saturating brines. These observations can be attributed to the deposition of NaCl crystals in the rock’s pore spaces as well some minor geo-chemical interactions between the rock minerals and the brine. The AE pattern variations could also be partly related to the higher conductivity of the ionic strength of the high-NaCl concentration brine as it is able to transfer more acoustic energy from the cracks to the AE sensors.