Sensitivity Analysis of Coal Rib Stability for Internal Mine Dump in Opencast Mine by Finite Element Modelling

The present paper discusses the impact of the geometrical parameters of the coal rib and the mine dump on the stability of the coal rib. The geometrical parameters such as the slope angle, the height of dragline dump, the height of main dump, the gradient of seam and the thickness of coal rib have been considered as input to the numerical model for the stability analysis of the coal rib. Sensitivity analysis has been performed based on the results of the analysis in term of factor of safety of the coal rib. The input parameters have been classified in terms of significance (i.e. very high significance, high significance medium significance and low significance). The factor of safety is more influenced by highly significant parameters. The height and the slope angle of dragline dump and the thickness of the coal rib are highly significant parameters for the stability of the coal rib. The gradient of the seam is a medium significant parameter whereas, height of main dump and the number of dragline cut dump are low significant parameters for stability of coal rib.     

Rockfall hazard assessment at Ajanta Cave,Aurangabad, Maharashtra,India

The Ajanta caves are situated in Deccan Trap basalt and declared as one of the World Heritage Sites by UNESCO. The present study aims to investigate and understand the damage of caves and to protect the life of the visitors from the rockfall phenomenon at and around the caves. Information related to the detached rock mass/block was acquired by using Barton–Bandis model in Universal Distinct Element Code. Parameters for rockfall simulation were determined by rigorous field study and laboratory experiment and then calibrated some of the parameters by back analysis. RocFall 4.0 program has been used to calculate maximum bounce heights, total kinetic energies, and translational velocities of the falling blocks of different weights. The maximum bounce height varies from 14.0 to 19.0 m for the weight of the block size ranging from 500 to 2,000 kg, whereas the maximum velocity and maximum kinetic energy are 30.0 m/s and 917.66 kJ, respectively. Finally, the results of simulation have been used to find out the position of the barrier and its capacity to design the protection barrier. The barrier capacity was found to be 325 kJ for 2,000 kg of falling blocks at a height of 50.0 m.     

Stability investigation of hill cut soil slopes along National highway 222 at Malshej Ghat,Maharashtra

The section of about 12 km of National highway 222 passing through the Malshej Ghat experience frequent slope failure due to complex geological condition, heavy rainfall and slope geometry. The area is part of Western Ghat Deccan trap and slope masses are made of basalt and its weathered crust (debris/soil). The soil slope failure problem mainly occur in rainy seasons due to induced pore water pressure and reduced strength of the slope mass. The present study has been carried out to investigate the slope forming material and assess the stability of soil slopes by numerical approach. For the identification of the vulnerable zones, field study has been carried out and five vulnerable soil slopes identified namely MGS1, MGS2, MGS3, MGS4 and MGS5 on the basis of degree of weathering and slope geometry. The laboratory experiments were carried out to determine the strength properties of the geomaterials. All the input variables acquired from the field and laboratory experiments have been used for numerical simulation, which was performed with the help of limit equilibrium method (LEM) and finite element method (FEM). Numerical analysis provides understanding of the slope behaviour and illustrates that MGS1 and MGS3 are stable slopes, MGS2 and MGS4 are critically stable, whereas, slope MGS5 is unstable. This study recommend the protection of soil slopes and suggest that more detailed investigation is required for long term remedial measures to prevent risk of damage in Malshej Ghat.     

Overcoming source limitations in drainage delineation by combining the streams of toposheet and DEM in river morphometric studies

A potential head ward retreat landslide area was identified in Munnar, a hill station in Western Ghats of Kerala, India. This imminent landslide was suspected to be formed in three different stages viz., evolution of plateau region, upliftment of the plateau region and the consequent slope modification which ultimately facilitated landslide occurrence. Geophysical study through vertical electrical sounding reveals that more than 11 m thick soil is still left in an overhanging position in the crown portion of the landslide and the thickness continues to the top of that ridge. In the event of high rainfall, the land can fail as there is no toe support, and the slope angle is >40º. This area is adjacent to a college building and in the event of any further landslide, the consequence will be high. Slope stability analysis using one-dimensional infinite slope stability model reveals that the entire area occupied by the college and the adjacent areas are unstable even in dry conditions. Rainfall threshold analysis shows that the landslide occurred due to very high amount of a 5-day antecedent rainfall rather than a daily rainfall during the monsoon. All these point towards a pressing requirement of landslide management practices in this area. This study also attempts to suggest a few management practices to minimize the effect of landslides.     

Assessment of Durability and Weathering State of Some Igneous and Metamorphic Rocks Using Micropetrographic Index and Rock Durability Indicators: A Case Study

Weathering and durability are the key factors of the rock in the suitability and usefulness of different construction materials, building materials and engineering structures. A single test never predicts the entire factor for suitability of rock stone and aggregate in different uses. Thus, variety of physical, mechanical and chemical tests and indices of rocks are widely used to estimate and evaluate the rocks for the suitability of the required purpose. In all the cases, knowledge of durability and weathering properties are the most important along with the strength of the rock. Micropetrographic index and rock durability indicators (dynamic and static) are the one of the best methods to evaluate the rock for weathering and durability. To estimate these indices, variety of tests are performed such as petrographic examination test, point load index, sulfate soundness test, water absorption test, modified aggregate impact value test and test for specific gravity. Slake durability index and impact strength index tests were also performed for correlation with static and dynamic rock durability indicators due to its application and usefulness in the durability and strength of the rock materials. Micropetrographic index was obtained by petrographic examination test and correlated with all the physical and mechanical properties used for find out the durability indicators. The present study is to express the usefulness of these three indices in the classification of weathering and durability classes and estimation of durability indices by slake durability index, impact strength index and micropetrographic index.     

Seismic passive earth resistance in submerged soils using modified pseudo-dynamic method with curved rupture surface

The sparsity of examination of seismic passive earth pressure acting on retaining wall holding soil backfill with full submergence, which is more common in waterfront areas, can be noticed from the literature. In the current study, a closed-form solution to compute the seismic passive earth pressure on nonvertical rigid retaining wall retaining a backfill with full submergence is proposed using the modified pseudo-dynamic approach. A nonlinear rupture surface (logarithmic spiral?+?straight line) in a submerged backfill of viscoelastic nature has been assumed. The presented modified pseudo-dynamic method overcomes the limitations of the existing pseudo-dynamic method for submerged soils. The proposed methodology has been thoroughly validated with the available literature. The influences of seismic acceleration coefficients, excess pore water pressure ratio, wall inclination, and soil and wall friction angles have been studied. It has been noticed that the consideration of excess pore pressure ratio leads to significant decrease in seismic passive resistance of the soil which in turn lead to extra hydraulic pressure acting on the wall in submerged backfill. There is a 57% decrease in seismic passive earth pressure coefficient as the wall inclination changes from ?15° to 15°.     

Lichen as quantitative biomonitors of atmospheric heavy metals deposition in Central India

Three different growth forms of lichens belonging to six species; Phaeophyscia hispidula, Parmotrema praesorediosum (foliose); Caloplaca subsoluta, Diploschistes candidissmus (crustose) and Peltula euploca, Phylliscum indicum (squamulose) were studied comparatively for the biomonitoring of Al, Cd, Cr, Cu, Fe, Ni and Zn in Mandav city in central India. Based on the anthropogenic activities three sites were selected for lichen collection. To identify the sources of heavy metal pollution, their concentration was analyzed in thallus as well as in their respective substrates. The thallus of studied lichens showed higher concentration of metals such as Cd, Cr, Ni and Zn, while most of the metals were absent or present in negligible amount in substrates (Fe, Al, Cu), which proves that the accumulated metals were air borne. The foliose lichens (P. hispidula and P. praesorediosum) found highly significant in metal accumulation at each sites followed by crustose and squamulose forms. Lichen samples collected from site 2, adjacent to road side accumulated maximum quantities of Zn, Ni, Cd and Cr whereas the city centre (Site 1) had maximum concentrations of Fe, Cu and Al. The site 3 situated away from the city had lowest amount of all the metals. The analysis of variance and LSD indicated that the metal concentrations among lichen species as well as between substratum is significant at p < 0.05% and P < 0.01% level respectively.