Comparison of DSHA-based response spectrum with design response spectrum of building code of Pakistan (BCP-SP-2007) for a site in Muzaffargarh area,Pakistan

The building code of any country is considered to be a basic technical guidance document for the seismic design of structures. However, building codes are typically developed for the whole country, without considering site specific models that incorporate detailed site-specific data. Therefore, the adequacy of the design spectrum for building codes may sometimes be questionable. To study the sufficiency of the building codes of Pakistan (BCP-SP-2007), a deterministic seismic hazard analysis (DSHA) based spectrum was developed for a site in the Muzaffargarh area, Pakistan, using an updated earthquake catalogue, seismic source model, and a next generation attenuation model (NGA-WEST-2). Further, an International Building Code (IBC-2000) spectrum was developed for the study area to compare the results. The DSHA-based response spectrum resulted in a peak ground acceleration (PGA) value of 0.21 g for the Chaudwan fault. The evaluation of BCP-SP-2007 and IBC-2000 spectra provided a critical assessment for analyzing the associated margins. A comparison with the DSHA-based response spectrum showed that the BCP-SP-2007 design spectrum mostly overlapped with the DSHA spectrum unlike IBC-2000. However, special attention is needed for designing buildings in the study area when considering earthquake periods longer than 1 s, and the BCP-SP-2007 spectrum can be enhanced when considering a period range of 0.12–0.64 s. Finally, BCP-SP-2007 is based on a probabilistic approach and its comparison with deterministic results showed the significance of both methods in terms of design.     

A large encrusting clionaid sponge in the Eastern Mediterranean Sea

An excavating sponge, which covers extensive areas of limestone rock, has been found at several locations of the Eastern Mediterranean Sea. This zooxanthellate clionaid, brown with yellow oscula, may have an extension of several square meters under the β-form, similar to what has been described in coral reef areas. It has been observed at 3–30 m depth, generally in clear water in the Ionian Sea, Crete, Cyprus and Lebanon. The gross morphology and the spicule characters are described from all the collected specimens. The spicule complement, with variable tylostyles and rare, sometimes absent, thin spirasters, is compared with that of Cliona parenzani Corriero & Scalera-Liaci 1997 from the Apulian coast (Ionian Sea, Mediterranean Sea), and of several Caribbean and Indo-Pacific clionaid species, which display the same morphology and rather similar spicule characters. The sponge is tentatively identified as C. parenzani , although there are some differences with the type specimens in the highly variable spiculation, suggesting that it may represent a species complex similar to what is known for other species in the Caribbean and Indo-Pacific areas. Although the sponge appears to be closely related to large brown spreading clionaids from tropical areas and was previously practically overlooked in the Eastern Mediterranean, it does not appear to be a recent introduction. It is suggested that it could be a survivor in the warmer area of the Mediterranean of an ancient thermophilous fauna, which did not survive in the colder Western Basin during glacial episodes of the Pleistocene.     

Transpressional regime in southern Arabian Shield: Insights from Wadi Yiba Area, Saudi Arabia

Detailed field-structural mapping of Neoproterozoic basement rocks exposed in the Wadi Yiba area, southern Arabian Shield, Saudi Arabia illustrates an important episode of late Neoproterozoic transpression in the southern part of the Arabian-Nubian Shield (ANS). This area is dominated by five main basement lithologies: gneisses, metavolcanics, Ablah Group (meta-clastic and marble units) and syn- and post-tectonic granitoids. These rocks were affected by three phases of deformation (D₁–D₃). D₁ formed tight to isoclinal and intrafolial folds (F₁), penetrative foliation (S₁), and mineral lineation (L₁), which resulted from early E-W (to ENE-WSW) shortening. D₂ deformation overprinted D₁ structures and was dominated by transpression and top-to-the-W (?WSW) thrusting as shortening progressed. Stretching lineation trajectories, S-C foliations, asymmetric shear fabrics and related mylonitic foliation, and flat-ramp and duplex geometries further indicate the inferred transport direction. The N- to NNW-orientation of both “in-sequence piggy-back thrusts” and axial planes of minor and major F₂ thrust-related overturned folds also indicates the same D₂ compressional stress trajectories. The Wadi Yiba Shear Zone (WYSZ) formed during D₂ deformation. It is one of several N-S trending brittle-ductile Late Neoproterozoic shear zones in the southern part of the ANS. Shear sense indicators reveal that shearing during D₂ regional-scale transpression was dextral and is consistent with the mega-scale sigmoidal patterns recognized on Landsat images. The shearing led to the formation of the WYSZ and consequent F₂ shear zone-related folds, as well as other unmappable shear zones in the deformed rocks. Emplacement of the syn-tectonic granitoids is likely to have occurred during D₂ transpression and occupied space created during thrust propagation. D₁ and D₂ structures are locally overprinted by mesoscopic- to macroscopic-scale D₃ structures (F₃ folds, and L₃ crenulation lineations and kink bands). F₃ folds are frequently open and have steep to subvertical axial planes and axes that plunge ENE to ESE. This deformation may reflect progressive convergence between East and West Gondwana.     

Numerical investigation of hydraulic characteristics and prediction of cavitation number in Shahid Madani Dam's Spillway

The prediction of the probability of cavitation occurrence to prevent serious damages in the spillways is the major concern for hydraulic engineers. In this research, the three-dimensional model of Shahid Madani Dam’s spillway was simulated with the Flow 3D software and by the comparison of numerical model results with the experi-mental data, the probability of occurrence of the cavitation phenomenon has been investigated. The flow parameters including pressure, velocity, and water depth were calculated for three different flow rates of 495 m3/s, 705 m3/s and 2 205 m3/s respectively. The Renormalization Group (RNG) turbulence model was used to simulate current turbulence. Comparison of simulation results for pressure, velocity and water depth with the results of the experimental model with two statistical indices Root Mean Square Error (RMSE) and Coefficient of Determination (R2) showed that the numerical simulation results are in good consistency with experimental model. However, simulation results indicated that at any flow rates with a return period of 1 000 years, probable maximum flood and designed flow rates, the cavitation number is not lower than the critical cavitation number; Therefore, it is predicted that the cavitation phenomenon in Shahid Madani Dam’s spillway will not happen.     

A homogenization approach for evaluating the longitudinal shear stiffness of reinforced soils: column versus cross trench configuration

The macroscopic linear elastic behaviour of inclusion‐reinforced soils, regarded as periodic composite media, is investigated by means of the homogenization theory. Special attention is given here to the determination of their longitudinal shear stiffness properties, which strongly govern the reinforced ground response under lateral loading. Combining the use of analytical, variational and numerical methods, we thoroughly examined three particular engineering‐relevant configurations: single trench, column and cross trench reinforcements. Fairly accurate closed‐form expressions are thus obtained, giving the value of the reinforced soil longitudinal shear stiffness as a function of the individual components shear moduli and reinforcement volume fraction. It is shown in particular that adopting a cross trench reinforcement layout instead of the classical column configuration results in a much higher improvement of the longitudinal shear stiffness. The results are then applied to assessing the reduction of soil liquefaction risk, which can be attributed to the presence of the reinforcing inclusions. Again, they clearly demonstrate the excellent performance of the cross trench configuration as compared with the complete inefficiency of the column reinforcement technique. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Finite element simulations of the behavior of piled‐raft foundations using a multiphase model

Finite element simulations of the behavior of a piled raft foundation have been carried out using a multiphase model conceived as an improved homogenization approach. According to this model, the ground reinforced by a group of piles is treated as a homogeneous continuous medium. In this approach, no specific interface elements are necessary to account for the mechanical interaction between the piles and the ground: this interaction is described by means of two scalar parameters, one stiffness parameter and one which can easily be derived from the maximum ground‐pile friction. The implementation of the model into a finite element code provides an efficient tool for the analysis of the influence of the pile number or length on the settlement and bearing capacity of a square piled raft foundation and of the way the total applied load is shared between the raft and the piles. Results are compared with a standard 3D finite element analysis. The comparison highlights the fact that the proposed approach remains to be improved to account for tip resistance. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Subsurface lithofacies analysis of the Fluvial Early Permian Warchha Sandstone, Potwar Basin, Pakistan

The Early Permian Warchha Sandstone is well preserved in subsurface in the Potwar Basin and the Punjab Plain of Pakistan. However, this succession is only exposed in the Salt Range, and within this region, only a modest number of the many outcrops are of sufficient quality to enable the preparation of lateral and vertical log profiles. From the subsurface, data from five wells drilled in the Salt Range and Potwar Basin have been analysed. Although they are of restricted coverage, these subsurface data — which take the form of gamma ray logs and well cuttings — provide a valuable addition to the outcrop dataset of the Warchha Sandstone as they provide useful information about vertical textural changes, type and thickness of bedding and the nature of sandbody contacts with underlying strata. Overall, the Warchha Sandstone succession is composed of repeated fining-upwards cycles indicative of a meandering fluvial succession. Sub-components of each cycle are themselves classified into six subsurface sedimentary facies. Through comparison with outcropping parts of the succession, the origin and significance of these subsurface facies can be related to specific architectural elements within the meandering fluvial system responsible for generating the Warchha Sandstone succession.     

Comparative zinc dynamics in Atlanta metropolitan region stream and street runoff

Zinc, major ion, and other trace metal (V, Cr, Co, Ni, Cu, Cd, and Pb) concentrations were measured within 172 street and stream runoff samples in the Atlanta metropolitan region and in relatively undeveloped watersheds within the Georgia Piedmont and Blue Ridge Provinces. Peachtree Creek, draining a densely populated area of Atlanta, was the primary sampling location and samples were acquired under a wide range of hydrological conditions. Zinc concentrations within street runoff [median (Zn)_{urban street runoff}=905 µg/l] were significantly greater than zinc concentrations within storm runoff [median (Zn)_{Peachtree Creek}=60 µg/l], which were, in turn, greater than zinc concentrations within non-storm runoff [median (Zn)_{Peachtree Creek}=14 µg/l]. Zinc concentrations were not significantly greater within urban base flow than within non-urban base flow, indicating that the primary source of pollution is "event water" or street runoff. Zinc was the only heavy metal present in greater than "background" concentrations (i.e., >10 µg/l), which is likely the result of automotive pollution that is omnipresent within the study area. Analysis of storm alkalinity dilution trends indicate that simple mixing between polluted street runoff and groundwater cannot account for the zinc concentrations observed within storm and recession flows. A two end member mass balance model suggests that a large proportion of the zinc present in the street runoff is adsorbed and transported on surfaces of the suspended sediment. Adsorption is readily possible at the near neutral pH (~6.5) of turbid storm discharge.     

Lead in archaeological samples: an isotopic study by ICP-MS

Inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) has been used to measure the concentration and isotopic composition of Pb in archaeological human and animal skeletal remains, soil from a village site of the Omaha tribe (U.S.A.) and cosmetic pigments.Lead concentrations in human bones from the Omaha tribe vary between 4.8 and 2570 μg/g, with younger people having the highest concentrations. Lead concentrations in animal bones from an Omaha village vary between 0.6 and 3.7 μg/g, and those of three soil samples range between 18 and 21 μg/g. Lead concentrations found in human bones from Anasazi (Utah, U.S.A.) and Alta (Peru) populations vary between 0.7 and 3.2 μg/g.Isotope ratios of a reagent grade Pb(NO₃)₂ solutions were measured by thermal ionization mass spectrometry (TIMS), as well as by ICP-MS to provide laboratory reference materials. The accuracy of the ICP-MS measurements relative to TIMS for the standard solution were found to be within 0.02–0.31% for²⁰⁶Pb/²⁰⁴Pb, 0.02–0.55% for²⁰⁷Pb/²⁰⁴Pb, and 0.16–0.56% for²⁰⁸Pb/²⁰⁴Pb. The precision of measurements on artifacts was 0.42–0.65% for²⁰⁶Pb/²⁰⁴Pb and 0.41–0.62% for²⁰⁷Pb/²⁰⁴Pb, whereas the precision for the same ratios for the bones was 0.85–1.8 and 0.82–1.67%, respectively. For the cosmetic lead-bearing pigments, a precision of 0.07–0.15% was found for both²⁰⁶Pb/²⁰⁴Pb and²⁰⁷Pb/²⁰⁴Pb ratios. Lead isotope ratios of artifacts give a radiogenic Pb signature, of which are close to signatures from PbZn mines of the central U.S. region. Lead isotope ratios of the pigments give non-radiogenic Pb signatures. Lead isotope ratios of the bones differ from those of the artifacts, and although similar in isotopic ratio to the pigments, they are more scattered, suggesting potential mixing of Pb from different regions.     

Integrated Reservoir Characterization and Petrophysical Analysis of Cretaceous Sands in Lower Indus Basin,Pakistan

The reservoir character of the Cretaceous sand is evaluated in Lower Indus Basin, Pakistan where water flooding is very common. Thus, prediction of subsurface structure, lithology and reservoir characterization is fundamental for a successful oil or gas discovery. Seismic reflective response is an important tool to detect sub-surface structure. Seismic reflection response is not enough to highlight geological boundaries and fluids in the pore space therefore, the use of integrated approach is vital to map sub-surface heterogeneities with high level of confidence. Based on seismic character and continuity of prominent reflectors four seismic horizons are marked on the seismic sections. All the strata is highly disturbed and distorted with presence of a network of fault bounded horst and graben structures, which indicate that the area was under compressional tectonic regime. These fault bounded geological structure formed structural traps favorable for the accumulation of hydrocarbon. The petrophysical analysis reveals that the Cretaceous sand formation has four types of sand: Sand A, B, C and D with good porosity (15 % average) and low volume of shale. Although complete petroleum system is present with structural traps and reservoir character of sand interval is very good but these sands are highly saturated with water thus are water flooded, which is the main reason of the abundant wells in the study area.