Assessment of Aquifer Storage and Recovery (ASR) feasibility at selected sites in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi,UAE

Aquifer storage and recovery (ASR) is considered as a strategy for the storage of water to ensure a sustainable water supply in the Abu Dhabi emirate. Earlier investigations have been conducted, and two sites were proposed for the installation of ASR in the surficial aquifer. Recently, the site located in the center of Abu Dhabi (sand dune area) was executed, and the second site is undergoing the pilot phase of the study. However, the performance and influence of the regional groundwater system may vary depending on regional hydrogeological characteristics, which have not been investigated. Hence, this study attempts to understand the feasibility of the proposed ASR sites in the surficial aquifer using a regional model developed by the finite-difference approach with an accuracy of 0.28 m mean residual difference. Additionally, six sites were selected on the basis of the literature and aquifer parameters and were investigated for their suitability for future ASR installation. Six cycles of injection and recovery at various rates were analyzed at each ASR site by using a transient calibrated model until the end of the year 2030. The area of influence is axisymmetrical in the sand dune area and non-symmetrical in the east and northeastern areas because of the steep topography and groundwater table gradient. At the sites that possess a non-symmetrical influence, the area of influence is always high upstream of the groundwater flow. Heterogeneity-induced variation in the fluctuation of the groundwater table is noted in all sites. Even with 100% recovery, the groundwater table did not reach the ambient groundwater table during the recovery period. This finding confirms the contribution of regional groundwater to the site during recovery. All sites selected for future ASR installation, except site 5, are capable of storing the volume needed to meet expected water demand. Site 2 is considered the most suitable site for ASR installation in the future. This study will facilitate the scientific communities and authorities in understanding the feasibility of ASR installation for sustainable water storage and supply in the Abu Dhabi emirate.     

Deformed dike swarms as an implication of transpression deformation in Western Arabian shield,Wadi Fatima,Saudi Arabia

Utilization of satellite images and field observations of dike swarms in pre-Fatima basement show that these dikes are older than the overlaying Fatima Formation. Dikes digitization and orientation analysis on satellite images show that the prevailing trend of the dikes is ENE-WSW. The granitic rocks of pre-Fatima basement and its hosted dikes expose evidences of completely a different deformation regime from the overlaying Fatima Formation. These evidences include shearing, dextral shear indicators, isoclinal folds, deflection and rotation of crystals, mineral elongation, and mylonitic and gneissose textures. Strain analysis results of using Fry method on quartz and feldspar grains support the presence of deformation in these ENE-WSW dikes. These results gave a strain ratio of 2.1:1.3:1, which suggest an amount of 40% stretching in the ENE-WSW direction parallel to the dike walls, and an amount of 30% shortening in the NNW-SSE direction. Mesoscopic and microscopic scale structures confirm the existence of dextral ductile-brittle shearing followed the emplacement of the dikes and before the pure shear deformation that caused the thrusting and folding of Fatima Formation. This ductile-brittle deformation is correlated with the dextral transpression that formed the Fatima Shear Zone (FSZ).     

Conflicts and water governance challenge in irrigated areas of semi-arid regions

Agriculture in arid and semi-arid regions faces two of the principal global challenges: sustainability and water scarcity in the context of climate changes. To overcome the water scarcity constraint, Tunisia adopted different strategies and policies. Since 1989, it has embarked on a policy of decentralization and participatory water management in irrigated areas “IA.” This policy has led to the state disengagement in favor of collective water management. Since then, water management becomes a task of irrigator associations. These associations have experienced a series of transformations ranging from “collective interest associations: CIA” to the current form “Development Agricultural Groups: GDAs.” In spite of these institutional changes, GDAs are suffering from several problems impeding their functioning such as budgetary deficit, conflicts between stakeholders, leaving of irrigated activity by some farmers, and inequality. The current situation of GDA and most IA hypothesizes the existence of local governance problems; these governance problems are causing a performance decrease in IA. The analysis of the interdependence between governance and performance of irrigation water management, in Nadhour IA, is the main aim of this paper. To conduct this analysis, the strategic analysis approach was adopted. Assuming that IA forms a concrete action system, the analysis of structured games between actors allowed assessing their power, convergence, divergence, and ambivalence. Results confirm the hypothesis of a significant effect of governance problems, including political source, on the performance of water management in IA.     

Improving the existing roadway tunnels capacity by adding new tunnels—a structural approach

The roadway tunnel is considered a good solution for the success of modern roadway networks. It can help to overcome possible traffic congestion and considerably reduce journey time. The continuous growth of traffic volumes leads to increase congestion and decrease safety. This leads to the need for extra tunnel space. The extra tunnel space can be achieved either by the widening of the existing tunnel or by adding a new one. The choice of the suitable method is dependent on many factors like tunnels alignment, site conditions, construction method, tunnel operation, risk assessment…etc. The current research investigates the second alternative through a specific case study as an example. The method comprises adding two new tunnels to an existing twin roadway tunnels. The investigated problem considers the new tunnels to be added vertically or horizontally. The influence of the new tunnel construction on the existing tunnels is investigated considering both the variation of relative position and spacing distance in a parametric study context. Several numerical models are employed to check the construction sequence and the tunnelling safety. These models are used to evaluate the induced stresses in surrounding ground for two different soil types, straining actions in tunnels’ liner and deformations of both ground and liner. The result demonstration shows how to find out the minimum practical and safe spacing distance between the driven new tunnels and the existing ones without the need for the relatively expensive soil strengthening techniques.     

Correction to: Uncertainty in the prediction and management of CO2 emissions: a robust minimum entropy approach

Natural Hazards - The Mahi—one of the major rivers in Western India—is subject to frequent major flooding, which severely affects the local economy and infrastructure. Little has been...     

Development of a GIS-based alert system to mitigate flash flood impacts in Asyut governorate,Egypt

Natural Hazards - Egypt is one Arab country that is vulnerable to flash floods caused by heavy and intensive rainfall. Different locations in Egypt are vulnerable to the hazards of flash floods,...     

Landslide susceptibility mapping using machine learning algorithms and comparison of their performance at Abha Basin,Asir Region,Saudi Arabia

The current study aimed at evaluating the capabilities of seven advanced machine learning techniques(MLTs),including,Support Vector Machine(SVM),Random Forest(RF),Multivariate Adaptive Regression Spline(MARS),Artificial Neural Network(ANN),Quadratic Discriminant Analysis(QDA),Linear Discriminant Analysis(LDA),and Naive Bayes(NB),for landslide susceptibility modeling and comparison of their performances.Coupling machine learning algorithms with spatial data types for landslide susceptibility mapping is a vitally important issue.This study was carried out using GIS and R open source software at Abha Basin,Asir Region,Saudi Arabia.First,a total of 243 landslide locations were identified at Abha Basin to prepare the landslide inventory map using different data sources.All the landslide areas were randomly separated into two groups with a ratio of 70%for training and 30%for validating purposes.Twelve landslide-variables were generated for landslide susceptibility modeling,which include altitude,lithology,distance to faults,normalized difference vegetation index(NDVI),landuse/landcover(LULC),distance to roads,slope angle,distance to streams,profile curvature,plan curvature,slope length(LS),and slope-aspect.The area under curve(AUC-ROC)approach has been applied to evaluate,validate,and compare the MLTs performance.The results indicated that AUC values for seven MLTs range from 89.0%for QDA to 95.1%for RF.Our findings showed that the RF(AUC=95.1%)and LDA(AUC=941.7%)have produced the best performances in comparison to other MLTs.The outcome of this study and the landslide susceptibility maps would be useful for environmental protection.     

Cartographie de l’érosion dans le bassin versant de l’Oued Mina en Algérie par télédétection et SIG

Résumé

Dans cette étude, on a fait appel à la télédétection et aux systèmes d’information géographiques (SIG) pour évaluer et cartographier l’érosion hydrique en utilisant l’équation universelle des pertes en sol USLE dans le bassin versant de l’Oued Mina en Algérie. Ce bassin est caractérisé par une grande irrégularité dans les précipitations, une forte pente, une lithologie essentiellement marneuse et une couverture végétale très faible ce qui le rend très vulnérable à l’érosion. L’USLE est la combinaison de six facteurs spécifiques qui décrivent les caractéristiques du bassin versant. Les données de télédétection multi-temporelles et les SIG sont utilisés pour évaluer et cartographier chaque facteur individuellement. L’intégration des cartes thématiques des facteurs du modèle USLE dans le SIG permet de cerner l’impact de chaque facteur dans les pertes en sol, de classer par importance relative les zones d’érosion, et de quantifier les pertes en sol dans le bassin.

Editeur Z.W. Kundzewicz

Citation Toumi, S., Meddi, M., Mahé, G., et Brou, Y.T., 2013. Cartographie de l’érosion dans le bassin versant de l’Oued Mina en Algérie par télédétection et SIG. Hydrological Sciences Journal 58 (7), 1542–1558.     

Evaluating the performance of an explicit dynamic relaxation technique in analyzing non-linear geotechnical engineering problems

Explicit dynamic relaxation is an efficient tool that has been used to solve problems involving highly non-linear differential equations. The key feature of this method is the ability to use explicit dynamic algorithms in solving static problems. Few attempts have been made to date to apply this technique in conventional geotechnical engineering. In this study, an algorithm that incorporates the application of a stiffness dependent time step scheme is proposed. The algorithm has been successfully used to solve 2D and 3D non-linear geotechnical engineering problems. To calibrate the developed algorithm, numerical simulations have been conducted for a strip and square footings supported by Mohr–Coulomb material. Performance of four different types of brick elements used in collapse load calculation is examined in terms of convergence speed and accuracy. In addition, the role of employing adaptive time steps in reducing the number of iterations needed for convergence is also evaluated.     

Sequence stratigraphy and cyclicity in the Middle Eocene of the Fayoum ranges,Western Desert,Egypt: Implications for regional sea level changes

The Middle Eocene deposits in the Fayoum Ranges are composed of complex alternative clastic (claystone and sandstone) and carbonate (limestone and dolostone) facies and dominated carbonate (limestone) facies. Facies are arranged mainly in regression and shallowing upward (emergence) cycles and sequences. Field stratigraphic and microfacies analysis of the study area permits recognition of four major sequences, reflecting 3rd-order cycles. Depositional sequences and cycles are bounded by subaerial erosive surfaces or caliche deposits, ferruginous crust, and by their correlative conformities. Sequence-1 consists of two shallowing-upward cycles (dominate carbonate facies), each of which starts with nummulitic wackestone, capped with nummulitic packstone including Globigerinatheka subconglobata subconglobata biozone. These cycles were deposited under tropical to subtropical conditions as evidenced by the carbonate nature of the rocks and the abundance of nummulites, which need warm conditions for their flourishing. Sequence-2 consists of four emergence cycles based with claystone and capped with wackestone including Morozovella lehneri biozone. The duration (Ma) of sequence-2 (Morozovella lehneri zone) is 3.05 Ma (44.25 Ma for the upper of TA3 3.3 to 41.2 Ma for the lower of TA3 3.5). Sequence-3 includes three rock units (includes Trucorotaloides rohri biozone). The lower unit involves lowstand systems tract, the middle unit contains transgressive systems tract and the upper rock unit includes highstand systems tract. The lowstand systems tract consists of emergence cycles of mixed clastic- carbonate facies, clays at the base and capped with wackestone and packstone facies. The transgressive systems tract consists of dominant carbonate facies, wackestone at the base and capped with packstone facies. Sequence 4 involves transgressive systems tract. The duration of both sequence-3 and sequence 4 has been estimated as 1.8 Ma.