Long-term dynamic bearing capacity of shallow foundations on a contractive cohesive soil

The calculation of the long-term dynamic bearing capacity arises from the need to consider the generation of maximum pore-water pressure developed from a cyclic load. Under suitable conditions, a long-term equilibrium situation would be reached, when pore-water pressures stabilized. However, excess pore-water pressure generation can lead to cyclic softening. Consequently, it is necessary to define both the cohesion and the internal friction angle to calculate the dynamic bearing capacity of a foundation in the long term, being necessary to incorporate the influence of the self-weight of soil and therefore the width of the foundation. The present work is based on an analysis of the results of cyclic simple shear tests on soil samples from the port of El Prat in Barcelona. From these experimental data, a pore-water pressure generation formulation was obtained that was implemented in FLAC2D finite difference software. A methodology was developed for the calculation of the maximum cyclic load that a footing can resist before the occurrence of the cyclic softening. The type of soil studied is a contractive cohesive soil, which generates positive pore-water pressures. As a numerical result, design charts have been developed for long-term dynamic bearing capacity calculation and the charts were validated with the application of a real case study.

     

Organic matter characteristics in a Mediterranean stream through amino acid composition: changes driven by intermittency

Amino acid composition (quality) and abundance (quantity) of organic matter (OM) in an intermittent Mediterranean stream were followed during transitions from wet to dry and dry to wet conditions. Amino acids were analyzed in benthic material (epilithic biofilms, sand sediments, leaf material) as well as in the flowing water (dissolved organic matter, DOM). A principal component analysis and the estimation of the amino acid degradation index (DI) elucidated differences in amino acid composition and quality among the wet–drought–wet cycle. Amino acid content and composition were dependent on the source of OM as well as on its diagenetic state. The highest-quality OM (high DI and high N content) occurred on epilithic biofilms and the most degraded and lowest-quality OM occurred in sandy sediments. Differences between the pre- and post-drought periods were evident in DOM quality; autochthonous-derived material was predominant during the pre-drought (wet period preceding drying), while allochthonous inputs dominated during the post-drought period (wet period following drying). In contrast, benthic OM compartments were more stable, but benthic OM quality decreased continuously throughout the drought period. This study revealed that wet–drought–wet cycles resulted in subtle changes in benthic OM quality, and degradation of DOM was related to flow intermittency.     

Trends of AOT40 at three sites in the Catalan Pyrenees over the last 16 years

Ozone mixing ratios were monitored at three stations at different altitudes along the Catalan Pyrenees from 1994 to 2009. The AOT40 greatly exceeded the critical level for the protection of forest and semi-natural vegetation set by the UNECE’s CLRTAP and the target value and long-term objective for the protection of vegetation set by the European Directive 2008/50/EC. The AOT40 showed an overall increasing trend over time with a slight decrease during the last 3 years, although longer-term records of ozone levels are required before affirming with certainty a declining or stabilising trend. These results indicate that plant life in the Pyrenean region can be at risk of ozone damage due to the high ozone mixing ratios detected. Nevertheless, more effort is warranted to determine the uptake of ozone by vegetation in this mountainous range. An ozone flux-based index that takes into account the local environmental conditions, plant phenology, and nocturnal uptake of ozone would provide a more accurate assessment of the risk from ozone for the particular vegetation in each area.     

Chronological reconstruction of metal contamination in the Port of Maó (Minorca, Spain)

In this work we discuss the historical record of metals as derived from a sediment core from the Port of Maó (Minorca, Spain), the second natural largest harbour in Europe. The sedimentation rate derived from radionuclide profiles increased by a factor of five since the 1960s due to the urbanisation of the town waterfront. Metal concentrations showed two different trends: (i) Pb and Sn inputs started during the second half of the 19th century and remained relatively high until mid-20th century; and (ii) Ag, Cd, Ni, Zn, Cu and Cr accumulation began in the 1940s, peaking in the late 1970s. The commissioning of a submarine outfall in 1978 reduced metal concentrations in subsequently deposited sediments since, thereafter, urban and industrial wastes have been dumped out of the estuary. This study also shows that evaluating the quality of sediments on the basis of surface concentrations may be misleading.