Role of Siliceous Fossil Dissolution in Downcore Variations of Grain Size and Water Content: Western Margin of Clarion-Clipperton Fracture Zone, NE Equatorial Pacific

Grain size and water content in box-core sediments from the Clarion-Clipperton fracture zone (C-C zone) in the northeast equatorial Pacific were analyzed in detail to understand the downcore variations across a hiatus between Quaternary and Tertiary layers. Grain-size distributions in the topmost core sediments show two modes: a coarse mode (peaked at 50 μm) and a fine mode (at 2-25 μm). The coarse mode disappears gradually with depth accompanied by the dissolution of siliceous fossil tests, whereas the fine mode coarsens due to the formation of authigenic minerals. Water content increases abruptly across a color boundary between an upper pale brown layer and a lower dark brown layer that is the hiatus between Quaternary and Tertiary layers. Abundant smectites and microvoid molds, which are created by the prolonged fossil dissolution in the underlying sediment, are attributed for the abrupt downcore variation of water content. Overall variations in grain size and water content in the topmost core sediments in the western C-C zone are possibly constrained by the dissolution of biogenic siliceous fossils. Variations in geotechnical properties related to these changes must be considered in the design of nodule collectors.     

Geomechanical modeling of hydrate‐bearing sediments during dissociation under shear

Methane hydrate‐bearing sediments exist throughout the world in continental margins and in Arctic permafrost. Hydrates are ice‐like compounds when dissociate due to temperature rise or reduction in fluid pressure, release gas. Because of the mechanical property changes caused by dissociation in which the loads supported by the hydrates are transferred to soil grains, these sediments may become unstable. To quantify the risk of ground instability triggered by dissociation, which may happen during operation to extract methane gas or from climate changes, a reliable predictive model is indispensable. Even though many models have been proposed, a detailed validation of the ability to model dissociation impact is still needed. This study investigated the adequacy of an spatially mobilized plane constitutive model and a modeling framework using laboratory‐induced dissociation tests under shear from literature. Using laboratory‐imposed temperature and pressure changes and the resulting hydrate saturation changes as input, this study was able to capture the geomechanical responses and determine the stability state of methane hydrate‐bearing sediments as observed. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Three-dimensional analysis of bearing behavior of piled raft on soft clay

The piled raft has proved to be an economical foundation type compared to conventional pile foundations. However, there is a reluctance to consider the use of piled rafts on soft clay because of concerns about excessive settlement and insufficient bearing capacity. Despite these reasons, applications of piled rafts on soft clay have been increased recently. Current analysis methods for piled rafts on soft clay, however, are insufficient, especially for calculating the overall bearing capacity of the piled raft. This study describes the three-dimensional behavior of a piled raft on soft clay based on a numerical study using a 3D finite element method. The analysis includes a pile–soil slip interface model. A series of numerical analyses was performed for various pile lengths and pile configurations for a square raft subjected to vertical loading. Relatively stiff soil properties and different loading types were also used for estimating the bearing behavior of the piled raft. Based on the results, the effect of pile–soil slip on the bearing behavior of a piled raft was investigated. Furthermore, the proportion of load sharing of the raft and piles at the ultimate state and the relationship between the settlement and overall factor of safety was evaluated. The results show that the use of a limited number of piles, strategically located, might improve both bearing capacity and the settlement performance of the raft.     

Shear Load Transfer Characteristics of Drilled Shafts Socketed in Rocks

This paper presents a shear load transfer function and an analytical method for estimating the load transfer characteristics of rock-socketed drilled shafts subjected to axial loads. A shear load transfer (f–w) function of rock-socketed drilled shafts is proposed based on the constant normal stiffness (CNS) direct shear tests. It is presented in terms of the borehole roughness and the geological strength index (GSI) so that the structural discontinuities and the surface conditions of the rock mass can be considered. An analytical method that takes into account the coupled soil resistance effects is proposed using a modified Mindlin’s point load solution. Through comparisons with load test results, the proposed methodology is in good agreement with the general trend observed in in situ measurements and represents an improvement in the prediction of the shear behavior of rock-socketed drilled shafts.     

Eocene I-type magmatism in the Eastern Pontides,NE Turkey: insights into magma genesis and magma-tectonic evolution from whole-rock geochemistry,geochronology and isotope systematics

ABSTRACT

The Eastern Pontides orogenic belt in NE Turkey hosts numerous I-type plutons of Eocene epoch. Here, we report new U–Pb SHRIMP zircon ages and in situ zircon Lu-Hf isotopes along with bulk-rock geochemical and Sr-Nd-Pb-O isotope data from the Kemerlikda??, Ayd?ntepe and Pelitli plutons and mafic microgranular enclaves (MMEs) to constrain their parental melt source(s) and evolutionary processes. U-Pb SHRIMP zircon dating yielded crystallization ages between 45 and 44 Ma for the studied plutons and their MMEs. The plutons range from gabbro to granite and have I-type, medium to high-K calc-alkaline, and metaluminous to slightly peraluminous characteristics. On the primitive mantle-normalized multi-trace-element variations, the plutons and their MMEs are characterized by signi?cant enrichment in LILE/HFSE. Chondrite-normalized REE patterns of the plutons and their MMEs are close to each other and show moderate enrichment with variable negative Eu anomalies. The studied plutons have fairly homogeneous isotope composition (⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr_(i) = 0.70502 to 0.70560; εNd_(i) = +0.9 to – 1.4; δ¹⁸O = +5.0 to +8.7‰, εHf_(i) = – 2.2 to +13.5). The MMEs show medium to high-K calc-alkaline and metaluminous character. Although the isotope signatures of the MMEs (⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr_(i) = 0.70508 to 0.70542; εNd_(i) = +0.9 to ?1.1; δ¹⁸O = +5.8 to +8.0, εHf_(i) = +4.3 to +10.4) are very similar to those of the host rocks. Fractionation of plagioclase, amphibole, pyroxene and Fe-Ti oxides played an important role in the evolution of the plutons. The isotopic composition of the studied plutons and MMEs are similar to I-type plutons derived from mantle sources. The MMEs show incomplete magma mixing/mingling, representing small bodies of mafic parental magma. The parental magma(s) of the studied plutons were generated from the enriched lithospheric mantle and then modified by fractional crystallisation, and lesser assimilation and mixing/mingling in the crustal magma chambers.     

Influence of rainfall-induced wetting on the stability of slopes in weathered soils

Shallow failures of slopes in weathered soil are caused by infiltration due to prolonged rainfall. These failures are mainly triggered by the deepening of the wetting band accompanied by a decrease in matric suction induced by the water infiltration. This paper reports trends of rainfall-induced wetting band depth in two types of weathered soils that are commonly found in Korea. Both theoretical and numerical analyses for wetting band depth are presented based on the soil–water characteristic curve obtained using filter paper as well as tensiometer tests. It is found that the magnitude of wetting front suction plays a key role in the stability of slopes in weathered soils. Theoretical analysis based on modified Green and Ampt model tends to underestimate the wetting band depth for typical Korean weathered soils. It was also deduced that for Korean weathered soils, the factor of safety drops rapidly once the wetting band depth of 1.2 m reached.     

Microscopic observation and contact stress analysis of granite under compression

To study the damage process of microscale to macroscale in coarse-grained granite specimen under uniaxial compressive stress, we have observed micro-damage localization and propagation by using a newly developed experimental system that allows us to observe the damaging process continuously.

The results showed that pre-existing microcracks lead to macroscopic shear fracture through the damage development process. The mechanism of micro-damage initiation in a granite specimen under uniaxial compressive stress may be considered for two cases. One is that two grains such as quartz and feldspar contact each other in the same direction as the axial stress, and the other is that a biotite grain inclined to the axial stress direction is surrounded by feldspar grains. The homogenization theory was applied to verify numerically the micromechanics of stress-induced damage in the mineral contacts. Local stress distribution in the periodic-micro structure was also calculated by the homogenization theory. It is shown that this analysis, which takes into account the initial state of the specimen, is well adapted to the behavior of two grains for which microcracking is the fundamental mechanism of damage.