Detecting Clay Minerals in Hydrothermal Alteration Areas with Integration of ASTER Image and Spectral Data in Kösedag-Zara (Sivas), Turkey

Remote sensing technology and its terrestrial components are more useful than classical geological investigation in mineral exploration and mapping the hydrothermal alteration areas and help to investigate larger areas in short time. Intrusive and volcanic rocks, namely Kösedag syenite and Karatas volcanics in Kösedag (Zara) area shows argillic alteration zones. Two different test area were chosen and sampled for mineralogical studies. XRD-CF investigations showed that kaolinite and illite are the dominant clay minerals in test areas of A and B respectively. The spectroradiometer measurements were carried out 5 times on different surfaces of clayey samples with self-illuminated contact-probe lens within the wavelength range of 350-2500 nm. The spectroradiometer measurements used as endmember were resampled to ASTER short wave infrared (SWIR) bandwidths. Band ratio, principal component and decorrelation stretching analysis were performed to visualize the distribution of clay minerals. In spectral classification method, matched filtering (MF) was used for integrating the satellite image and spectroradiometer measurement data. It was concluded that co-interpretations of the band ratio, principal component, decorrelation stretching analysis, MF results and geological map are very useful in determining, classifying and mapping of the argillic alteration zones related to hydrothermal processes on ASTER image and they seem to be very useful to identify the target areas for mineral exploration.     

An improved input energy spectrum verified by the shake table tests

Input energy is the principal component of the energy balance equation. It is beneficial to determine, through its components, how the recoverable and irrecoverable energies are distributed within the structural elements. Several equations and attenuation relations to define mass-normalized input energy spectra exist in the literature. They are mainly proposed for elastic systems subjected to far-fault EQs. There is a lack of experimental verification of these proposed spectra. In this paper, experimental assessment was performed to the existing spectra, and further improvements were accomplished. For this purpose, steel cantilever columns were tested on the shake table for two specific historical EQs coincidently having similar spectral acceleration values. Based on the experimental results, a three-part mass-normalized relative input energy spectrum was formulated including soil type, EQ (corner period, intensity, duration, spectral acceleration, and velocity), and structural behavioral characteristics (period and structural damping). The proposed input energy spectrum was experimentally calibrated and numerically validated for various EQs featuring near- and far-field types. Analytical and experimental comparisons were made between the previously developed spectrum and the newly proposed one. The validation studies and the statistical evaluations exposed that the proposed spectrum yielded better agreement with the experimental and numerical results.     

A rapid seismic safety assessment method for mid-rise reinforced concrete buildings

The majority of existing buildings are not safe against earthquakes in most of the developing countries. Existing building stocks should be assessed with a seismic safety assessment method before a devastating earthquake. Cheaper and quicker rapid seismic safety assessment methods can be used instead of code-based assessment methods to determine the seismic performance of existing buildings. In this study, an approach was introduced to determine the seismic performance of existing mid-rise reinforced concrete buildings with fewer parameters and process steps than code-based detailed assessment procedures. Calibration and regulation of the introduced method were conducted on the 39 collapsed buildings’ projects in 1999 Kocaeli, Turkey, earthquake. Finally, 55 existing buildings located in Eskisehir, Turkey, assessed with this calibrated method and the results were compared with the results of a code-based detailed assessment method; the results showed a very good agreement of about 83%. This study shows that the proposed method can be applied for the determination of the seismic performance of existing mid-rise reinforced concrete buildings quickly and without compromising reliability.     

A taxonomic study on the families Lepadellidae and Trichocercidae （Rotifera： Monogononta） of Turkey

Thirteen rotifer species belonging to the families Lepadellidae and Trichocercidae were studied taxonomically from nine water bodies in Turkey. Lepadella biloba is a new entry to the Turkish rotifer fauna. All species were drawn under a light microscope using a camera lucida.     

On the Use of Crushed Recycled Glass Instead of Silica Sand in Dual‐Media Filters

Crushed recycled glass was evaluated as an alternative to silica sand in dual‐media filters. Pilot scale inline filtration experiments were carried out using raw waters from three different water sources with turbidities between 6.0 and 14.0 NTU. Two physically identical filter columns were operated in parallel in the experiments. One filter consisted of 62.5 cm silica sand and 41.5 cm anthracite coal, whereas the other filter contained 62.5 cm crushed recycled glass plus 41.5 cm anthracite coal. The total bed depth was 104 cm for both filters. The properties of the media were as follows: Glass effective size = 0.77 mm, uniformity coefficient = 1.41. Sand effective size = 0.79 mm, uniformity coefficient = 1.33. Coal effective size = 1.45 mm, uniformity coefficient = 1.39. Experiments were repeated five times as follows: (i) Without the use of a coagulant, (ii–iii) with 5 and 10 mg/L of alum, and (iv–v) with 5 and 10 mg/L of ferric chloride. The filtration rate used was 11.5 m/h. Turbidity, particle counts, and head losses were measured and compared as functions of time. The following were observed: (i) Effluent turbidities and particle counts of the two filters were very close, i.e., essentially the same effluent quality was obtained when crushed glass was used instead of silica sand. (ii) In the majority of the tests, the filter with crushed glass generated both a smaller clean‐bed head loss and smaller clogging head losses than those of the filter containing sand. It is concluded that crushed glass may be a good alternative to silica sand in dual‐media filtration.     

Carbon and nitrogen isotope,and mineral inclusion studies on the diamonds from the Pozanti–Karsanti chromitite,Turkey

The Pozanti–Karsanti ophiolite (PKO) is one of the largest oceanic remnants in the Tauride belt, Turkey. Micro-diamonds were recovered from the podiform chromitites, and these diamonds were investigated based on morphology, color, cathodoluminescence, nitrogen content, carbon and nitrogen isotopes, internal structure and inclusions. The diamonds recovered from the PKO are mainly mixed-habit diamonds with sectors of different brightness under the cathodoluminescence images. The total δ¹³C range of the PKO diamonds varies between ??18.8 and ??28.4‰, with a principle δ¹³C mode at ??25‰. Nitrogen contents of the diamonds range from 7 to 541 ppm with a mean value of 171 ppm, and the δ¹⁵N values range from ??19.1 to 16.6‰, with a δ¹⁵N mode of ??9‰. Stacking faults and partial dislocations are commonly observed in the Transmission Electron Microscopy foils whereas inclusions are rather rare. Combinations of (Ca_0.81Mn_0.19)SiO₃, NiMnCo-alloy and nano-sized, quenched fluid phases were observed as inclusions in the PKO diamonds. We believe that the ¹³C-depleted carbon signature of the PKO diamonds derived from previously subducted crustal matter. These diamonds may have crystallized from C-saturated fluids in the asthenospheric mantle at depth below 250 km which were subsequently carried rapidly upward by asthenospheric melts.     

Finite Element Modeling of Swelling Soil Pressures Using Joint/Interface Elements

There could be some discontinuities in a soil media such as layers, earth structures, cracks, and fissures so that estimation of stresses and deformations in these types of soil masses are somewhat different from continuous masses. The discontinuities in a soil mass could be considered as a special link between two blocks. Transmitted swelling pressures affected by the soil properties of the backfill especially at the interface between the backfill and retaining wall. In order to estimate the transmitted swelling pressure distribution behind a retaining wall, using with interface element, a new finite element model and a code (SWELPRES) have been developed. To evaluate the effect of backfill characteristics and interface element from the transmitted lateral swelling pressures, four cases of thickness of backfills with or without interface elements are investigated.     

Seakeeping assessment of fishing vessels in conceptual design stage

The main idea of this paper is to identify functional relations between seakeeping characteristics and hull form parameters of Mediterranean fishing vessels. Multiple regression analysis is used for quantitative assessment through a computer software that is based on the SQL Server Database. The seakeeping attributes under investigation are the transfer functions of heave and pitch motions and of absolute vertical acceleration at stern, while the ship parameters influencing motion dynamics have been classified into two groups: displacement (Δ) and main dimensions (L, B, T), coefficients that define the details of the hull form (C_WP, C_VP, LCB, LCF, etc.).Four multiple regression models having different parameter combinations are here investigated and discussed, giving way to the so-called ‘Simple Model’, ‘Intermediate Model’, ‘Enhanced 1 Model’ and ‘Enhanced 2 Model’. The obtained results are more than satisfactory for seakeeping predictions during the conceptual design stage.