Value of Information Introduced by a Resource Model Updating Framework

A primary concern of the mining industry is to meet production targets, which are required and defined by customers. Deviations from these targets, in terms of quality and quantity, highly affect the economical aspect. Recently, an efficient resource model updating framework concept has been proposed aiming for the improvement of raw material quality control and process efficiency in any type of mining operation. The concept integrates online sensor measurements, obtained during production, into the resource model. In this way, due to the spatial variability, quality attributes of the blocks that will be produced in the next days or weeks are being updated based on real-time measurements. The concept has been applied in a lignite field with the aim of identifying local impurities in a lignite seam and to improve the prediction of coal quality attributes in neighbouring blocks. This paper investigates the added value of using the resource model updating framework by using the value of information analysis. The expected benefit of additional information (integration of the online sensor measurements into the resource model) is compared to a case where there is no additional information integrated into the process. These benefits are evaluated based on the economic impact determined by applying the resource model updating framework in mine planning.

     

Development and Evaluation of Geostatistical Methods for Non-Euclidean-Based Spatial Covariance Matrices

Mathematical Geosciences - Customary and routine practice of geostatistical modeling assumes that inter-point distances are a Euclidean metric (i.e., as the crow flies) when characterizing spatial...     

Comprehensive study of the drying behavior of Boom clay: Experimental investigation and numerical modeling

This paper presents a thermo‐hydro‐mechanical framework to model the drying behavior of Boom clay. First, the experimental campaign conducted Noémie Prime is briefly presented because it is used to validate the model. The data acquisition and processing is emphasized because of the use of X‐ray microtomography to be able to more accurately compare experimental and numerical strain fields. The different submodels are introduced. Numerical simulations are performed to illustrate the capability of the proposed model to reproduce the observed behavior. Finally, a comprehensive sensitivity study on several key model parameters associated with the water retention curve, and the permeability of the medium, is performed to get a better understanding of the physics behind the coupled model.     

Characterization of complex groundwater flows in the environment of singular buildings by combining hydrogeological and non-destructive geophysical (ground-penetrating radar) techniques: Punta Begoña Galleries (Getxo,Spain)

Locating and quantifying groundwater flow in many built-up areas are a priority with regard to its complete restoration. In this work, a hydrogeological survey of the surroundings of the Punta Begoña Galleries (Getxo, Bizkaia), built on a coastal cliff, was completed by using ground penetrating radar (GPR) testing. Thus, the preliminary characterization of soils and rocks in accessible areas of the cliff was first improved by hydrogeological information gathered from a single survey borehole, including permeability measurements by low pressure injection tests (LPTs) and continuous water level monitoring. As a complementary method, the non-destructive GPR technique was performed during both dry and wet hydrological periods and in tandem with the injection tests, providing more complete spatial and temporal images of water flows. Specifically, GPR allows mapping of flow paths in soils and assessing the continuity of fractures in rock masses. Altogether, this complementary approach provides greater knowledge of complex underground flow dynamics in built environments, thus making it easier to make decisions for their management.     

Understanding the hydrological system dynamics of a glaciated alpine catchment in the Himalayan region using the J2000 hydrological model

This paper provides the results of hydrological modelling in a mesoscale glaciated alpine catchment of the Himalayan region. In the context of global climate change, the hydrological regime of an alpine mountain is likely to be affected, which might produce serious implications for downstream water availability. The main objective of this study was to understand the hydrological system dynamics of a glaciated catchment, the Dudh Kosi River basin, in Nepal, using the J2000 hydrological model and thereby understand how the rise in air temperature will affect the hydrological processes. The model is able to reproduce the overall hydrological dynamics quite well with an efficiency result of Nash–Sutcliffe (0.85), logarithm Nash–Sutcliffe (0.93) and coefficient of determination (0.85) for the study period. The average contribution from glacier areas to total streamflow is estimated to be 17%, and snowmelt (other than from glacier areas) accounts for another 17%. This indicates the significance of the snow and glacier runoff in the Himalayan region. The hypothetical rise in temperature scenarios at a rate of +2 and +4 °C indicated that the snowmelt process might be largely affected. An increase in snowmelt volume is noted during the premonsoon period, whereas the contribution during the monsoon season is significantly decreased. This occurs mainly because the rise in temperature will shift the snowline up to areas of higher altitude and thereby reduce the snow storage capacity of the basin. This indicates that the region is particularly vulnerable to global climate change and the associated risk of decreasing water availability to downstream areas. Under the assumed warming scenarios, it is likely that in the future, the river might shift from a ‘melt‐dominated river’ to a ‘rain‐dominated river’. The J2000 model should be considered a promising tool to better understand the hydrological dynamics in alpine mountain catchments of the Himalayan region. This understanding will be quite useful for further analysis of ‘what‐if scenarios’ in the context of global climate and land‐use changes and ultimately for sustainable Integrated Water Resources Management in the Himalayan region. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Solid–fluid transition modelling in geomaterials and application to a mudflow interacting with an obstacle

Given the contrasting behaviour observed for geomaterials, for example, during landslides of the flow type, this contribution proposes an original constitutive model, which associates both an elasto‐plastic relation and a Bingham viscous law linked by a mechanical transition criterion. This last is defined as the second‐order work sign for each material point, which is a general criterion for divergence instabilities. Finite element method with Lagrangian integration points is chosen as a framework for implementing the new model because of its well‐known ability to deal with both solid and fluid behaviours in large deformation processes. A first boundary model considering a sample of initially stable soil, a slope and an obstacle is performed. The results show the power of the constitutive model because the consistent evolution of initiation, propagation and arrest of the mudflow is described. A parametric study is led on various plastic and viscous parameters to determine their influence on the flow development and arrest. Finally, forces against the obstacle are compared with good agreement with those of other authors for the same geometry and a pure viscous behaviour. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Temporal variation of suspended sediment transport in the Koga catchment,North Western Ethiopia and environmental implications

Event sediment transport and yield were studied for 45 events in the upstream part of the 260 km² agricultural Koga catchment that drains to an irrigation reservoir. Discharge and turbidity data were collected over a period of more than a year, accompanied by grab sampling. Turbidity was very well correlated with the sediment concentrations from the samples (r = 0.99), which allowed us to estimate the temporal patterns of sediment concentrations within events. The hysteresis patterns between discharge and sediment concentrations were analysed to provide insight into the different sediment sources. Anticlockwise patterns are the dominant hysteresis patterns in the area, suggesting smaller contributions of suspended sediment from the river channels than from the hillslopes and agricultural areas. Complicated types of hysteresis patterns were mostly observed for long events with multiple peaks. For a given discharge, sediment yields in August and September, when the catchment was almost completely covered with vegetation, were much smaller than during the rest of the rainy season. The hysteresis patterns and timing suggest that the sediment availability from the agricultural areas and hillslopes affects sediment yields more strongly than does peak discharge. Two distinct types of sediment rating curves were observed for the season when the agricultural land was covered with vegetation and when it was not, indicating the dominating contribution of land use/cover to sediment yields in the catchment. The rate of suspended sediment transport in the area was estimated as 25.6 t year^?1 ha^?1. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Analysis of uncertainties in the hydrological response of a model‐based climate change impact assessment in a subcatchment of the Spree River,Germany

Climate change impact assessments form the basis for the development of suitable climate change adaptation strategies. For this purpose, ensembles consisting of stepwise coupled models are generally used [emission scenario → global circulation model → downscaling approach (DA) → bias correction → impact model (hydrological model)], in which every item is affected by considerable uncertainty. The aim of the current study is (1) to analyse the uncertainty related to the choice of the DA as well as the hydrological model and its parameterization and (2) to evaluate the vulnerability of the studied catchment, a subcatchment of the highly anthropogenically impacted Spree River catchment, to hydrological change. Four different DAs are used to drive four different model configurations of two conceptually different hydrological models (Water Balance Simulation Model developed at ETH Zürich and HBV‐light). In total, 452 simulations are carried out. The results show that all simulations compute an increase in air temperature and potential evapotranspiration. For precipitation, runoff and actual evapotranspiration, opposing trends are computed depending on the DA used to drive the hydrological models. Overall, the largest source of uncertainty can be attributed to the choice of the DA, especially regarding whether it is statistical or dynamical. The choice of the hydrological model and its parameterization is of less importance when long‐term mean annual changes are compared. The large bandwidth at the end of the modelling chain may exacerbate the formulation of suitable climate change adaption strategies on the regional scale. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Coupled groundwater flow and heat transport simulation for estimating transient aquifer–stream exchange at the lowland River Spree (Germany)

Subsurface flow and heat transport near Freienbrink, NE Germany, was simulated in order to study groundwater–surface water exchange between a floodplains aquifer and a section of the lowland River Spree and an adjacent oxbow. Groundwater exfiltration was the dominant process, and only fast surface water level rises resulted in temporary infiltration into the aquifer. The main groundwater flow paths are identified based on a 3D groundwater flow model. To estimate mass fluxes across the aquifer–surface water interfaces, a 2D flow and heat transport modelling approach along a transect of 12 piezometers was performed. Results of steady‐state and transient water level simulations show an overall high accuracy with a Spearman coefficient ρ = 0.9996 and root mean square error (RMSE) = 0.008 m. Based on small groundwater flow velocities of about 10^?7 to 10^?6 ms^?1, mean groundwater exfiltration rates of 233 l m^?2 d^?1 are calculated. Short periods of surface water infiltration into the aquifer do not exceed 10 days, and the infiltration rates are in the same range. The heat transport was modelled with slightly less accuracy (ρ = 0.8359 and RMSE = 0.34 °C). In contrast to the predominant groundwater exfiltration, surface water temperatures determine the calculated temperatures in the upper aquifer below both surface water bodies down to 10 m during the whole simulation period. These findings emphasize prevailing of heat conduction over advection in the upper aquifer zones, which seems to be typical for lowland streams with sandy aquifer materials and low hydraulic gradients. Moreover, this study shows the potential of coupled numerical flow and heat transport modelling to understand groundwater–surface water exchange processes in detail. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.