Simple monitoring method for precaution of landslides watching tilting and water contents on slopes surface

A low-cost and simple monitoring method for early warning of landslides is proposed. To detect abnormal deformation of a slope, this method employs a tilt sensor in place of an extensometer on the slope surface. In order to examine the relevance of measuring rotation angle on a slope surface by tilt sensor, model tests were conducted, and rotation on the slope surface was observed together with slide displacement along the surface. The rotation data responded 30 min before failure in a model test, which could be useful as a signal for early warning. However, the behavior of rotation before failure varies from case to case, and thus, criteria to issue warning should be defined more carefully. For a model slope made of uniform loose sand, measurement of slide displacement along the slope surface is sensitive to failure at the toe, while the measurement of rotation on the slope surface is useful to detect the development of progressive failure upward along the slope. Wireless sensor units with microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) tilt sensor and volumetric water content sensor were also examined on a real slope in Kobe City, and a long-term monitoring was attempted. A simple but possible way to define the criteria of judgment to issue warning can be proposed based on combination of data obtained by the tilt sensors and volumetric water content sensors.     

地震液化条件下重力式码头的变形破坏机理

现场调查发现在神户地震期间重力式码头破坏时都发生了相当大的侧向位移，因此，阐明挡土墙有变形机理对于改善抗震设计具有十分重要的意义。为此，根据相似原理设计了重力式码头的地基模型，进行了一系列的振动台试验。试验结果表明：基底土的强度降低和局部液化是挡土墙变形破坏的主导因素。墙后动土压力的增加为挡土墙的运动提供了条件。在液化条件下重力式码头地基的运动以侧向位移为主。重力作用是地基侧向运动的主要影响因素。减少作用于挡土墙上的动土压力和充分填实基底下的砂土是增加重力式码头抗震稳定性的重要措施。     

Volatilization of sodium from silicate melt spheres and its application to the formation of chondrules

The rates of volatilization of Na from liquid spheres of chondrule compositions have been determined as functions of time, temperature, partial pressure of oxygen, and sizes of the spheres. The Na₂O content in the sphere is uniform in each run. but it decreases with time of the run, indicating that the rate of diffusion of Na in the liquid is greater than that of volatilization, and that the latter is the rate-controlling process. The rate of sodium volatilization becomes greater with increasing temperature and with decreasing P_O2 and size of the spheres. The relation of the Na₂O content in the liquid sphere with time and its size indicate that the amount of Na₂O volatilized from the liquid spheres within unit time is proportional to the surface area of the spheres and the concentration of Na₂O in the liquid. From these relations, the rate of volatilization of sodium can be obtained at constant temperature and P_o2. The rate of volatilization of sodium satisfies the Arrhenius relation within the temperature range from about 1450–1600 C at 10^?9,2 atm p_O2; the activation energy for the sodium volatilization is approximately 100 kcal-mole^?1. The rate is also approximately proportional to within the range of p_O2 from 10^?10.2 to 10^?5.0 atm at about 1500° C. Based on the present results and the Na₂O contents in chondrules. it is suggested that they experienced an instant heating with maximum temperature of 1400–2200° C followed by an immediate cooling.     

A possible effect of melt structure on the Mg-Fe partitioning between olivine and melt

Partitioning of Mg and Fe²⁺ between olivine and mafic melts has been determined experimentally for eight different synthetic compositions in the temperature range between 1335 and 1425°C at 0.1 MPa pressure and at fo₂ ∼1 log unit below the quartz-fayalite-magnetite buffer. The partition coefficient [K_D = (Fe²⁺/Mg)^ol/(Fe²⁺/Mg)^melt] increases from 0.25 to 0.34 with increasing depolymerization of melt (NBO/T of melt from 0.25-1.2), and then decreases with further depolymerization of melt (NBO/T from 1.2-2.8). These variations are similar to those observed in natural basalt-peridotite systems. In particular, the variation in NBO/T ranges for basaltic-picritic melts (0.4-1.5) is nearly identical to that obtained in the present experiments. Because the present experiments were carried out at constant pressure (0.1 MPa) and in a relatively small temperature range (90°C), the observed variations of Mg and Fe²⁺ partitioning between olivine and melt must depend primarily on the composition or structure of melt. Such variations of K_D may depend on the relative proportions of four-, five-, and six-coordinated Mg²⁺ and Fe²⁺ in melt as a function of degree of NBO/T.     

Geology of the Gorny Altai subduction–accretion complex, southern Siberia: Tectonic evolution of an Ediacaran–Cambrian intra-oceanic arc-trench system

The Gorny Altai region in southern Siberia is one of the key areas in reconstructing the tectonic evolution of the western segment of the Central Asian Orogenic Belt (CAOB). This region features various orogenic elements of Late Neoproterozoic–Early Paleozoic age, such as an accretionary complex (AC), high-P/T metamorphic (HP) rocks, and ophiolite (OP), all formed by ancient subduction–accretion processes. This study investigated the detailed geology of the Upper Neoproterozoic to Lower Paleozoic rocks in a traverse between Gorno-Altaisk city and Lake Teletskoy in the northern part of the region, and in the Kurai to Chagan-Uzun area in the southern part. The tectonic units of the studied areas consist of (1) the Ediacaran (=Vendian)–Early Cambrian AC, (2) ca. 630 Ma HP complex, (3) the Ediacaran–Early Cambrian OP complex, (4) the Cryogenian–Cambrian island arc complex, and (5) the Middle Paleozoic fore-arc sedimentary rocks. The AC consists mostly of paleo-atoll limestone and underlying oceanic island basalt with minor amount of chert and serpentinite. The basaltic lavas show petrochemistry similar to modern oceanic plateau basalt. The 630 Ma HP complex records a maximum peak metamorphism at 660 °C and 2.0 GPa that corresponds to 60 km-deep burial in a subduction zone, and exhumation at ca. 570 Ma. The Cryogenian island arc complex includes boninitic rocks that suggest an incipient stage of arc development. The Upper Neoproterozoic–Lower Paleozoic complexes in the Gorno-Altaisk city to Lake Teletskoy and the Kurai to Chagan-Uzun areas are totally involved in a subhorizontal piled-nappe structure, and overprinted by Late Paleozoic strike-slip faulting. The HP complex occurs as a nappe tectonically sandwiched between the non- to weakly metamorphosed AC and the OP complex. These lithologic assemblages and geologic structure newly documented in the Gorny Altai region are essentially similar to those of the circum-Pacific (Miyashiro-type) orogenic belts, such as the Japan Islands in East Asia and the Cordillera in western North America. The Cryogenian boninite-bearing arc volcanism indicates that the initial stage of arc development occurred in a transient setting from a transform zone to an incipient subduction zone. The less abundant of terrigenous clastics from mature continental crust and thick deep-sea chert in the Ediacaran–Early Cambrian AC may suggest that the southern Gorny Altai region evolved in an intra-oceanic arc-trench setting like the modern Mariana arc, rather than along the continental arc of a major continental margin. Based on geological, petrochemical, and geochronological data, we synthesize the Late Neoproterozoic to Early Paleozoic tectonic history of the Gorny Altai region in the western CAOB.     

Diamond-bearing and diamond-free metacarbonate rocks from Kumdy–Kol in the Kokchetav Massif, northern Kazakhstan

Abstract Dolomite marble from the Kumdy–Kol area of the Kokchetav Massif contains abundant microdiamond, mainly in garnet and a few in diopside. The mineral assemblage at peak metamorphic condition consists of dolomite + diopside + garnet (+ aragonite) ± diamond. Inclusions of very low MgCO₃ calcite and almost pure calcite occur in diopside and are interpreted as aragonite and/or aragonite + dolomite. Single-phase Mg–calcite in diopside with a very high MgCO₃ component (up to 21.7 mol%) was also found in diamond-free dolomitic marble, and is interpreted as a retrograde product from aragonite + dolomite to Mg–calcite. The dolomite stability constrains the maximum pressure (P) at < 7 GPa using previous experimental data, whereas the occurrence of diamond yields the minimum peak pressure–temperature (P–T) condition at 4.2 GPa and 980 °C at X co ₂ = 0.1. The highest MgCO₃ in Mg–calcite constrains the minimum P–T condition higher than 2.5 GPa and 800 °C for the exhumation stage. As these marbles were subjected to nearly identical P–T metamorphic conditions, the appearance of diamond in some carbonate rocks was explained by high X co ₂. A low X co ₂ condition refers to high oxidized conditions and diamond (and/or graphite) becomes unstable. Difference in X co ₂ for marble from the same area suggests local heterogeneity of fluid compositions during ultrahigh-pressure metamorphism.     

Recent insights into analytical precision and modelling of DDA and NMM for practical problems

This paper discussed the analytical precision on equations of motion in some practical studies that use 2-D DDA, 2D-Coupled analysis of NMM & DDA, and 3D-DDA. We point out the main reason for numerical instability in DDA is loss of the effective digits when superposing the global stiffness matrix under the variable conditions of large and the small blocks. Categories of analyses are distributed in 2D-DDA static masonry structures such as the Great Pyramid and the Pont du Gard, 2D-DDA dynamic rock fall problems and the sensitivity of its analysis on the velocity ratio and the penalty, earthquake response analysis of rock slopes, 2D-NMM, 2D-coupled analysis of DDA and NMM and 3D-DDA rock fall problem. The selected examples on the Great Pyramid, Pont du Gard and Bayon Temple at Angkor Thom are located in Egypt, France and Cambodia respectively as UNESCO world heritages sites. The authors evaluated the applicability of the methods and the reliability of the results by comparing different methods and site observations from the practical problems.     

Dynamic analysis of ground with rigorous use of strain dependency and its application to seismic microzonation of alluvial plane

Seismic microzonation is one of the most important measures to mitigate earthquake hazards in urban areas. Because the ground motion varies significantly with the subsurface geology, it is needed for microzonation to account as much as possible for the local soil conditions. Noteworthy is that nonlinear deformation properties of soil play essential roles in amplification of strong ground motion. It is desired furthermore to focus on the expected damage extent in addition to the calculated maximum acceleration and/or velocity. The present study first developed a computer code for one-dimensional response analysis of ground that reasonably takes into account nonlinear dynamic soil properties. Second, correlations between the calculated ground motion and damage extent were obtained by examining seismic damages during the past earthquakes. By combining these two issues, seismic microzonation was carried out, and detailed damage distribution was assessed. The product of this study covers not only the damage caused by ground shaking but also liquefaction problem and lifeline damage.     

Experimental Study of Dry Granular Flow and Impact Behavior Against a Rigid Retaining Wall

Shallow slope failure in mountainous regions is a common and emergent hazard in terms of its damage to important traffic routes and local communities. The impact of dry granular flows consisting of rock fragments and other particles resulting from shallow slope failures on retaining structures has yet to be systematically researched and is not covered by current design codes. As a preliminary study of the impact caused by dry granular flows, a series of dry granular impact experiments were carried out for one model of a retaining wall. It was indirectly verified that the total normal force exerted on a retaining wall consists of a drag force (F _d), a gravitational and frictional force (F _gf), and a passive earth force (F _p), and that the calculation of F _d can be based on the empirical formula defined in NF EN Eurocode 1990 (Eurocode structuraux. Base de calcul des structures, AFNOR La plaine Saint Denis, 2003). It was also indirectly verified that, for flow with Froude number from 6 to 11, the drag coefficient (C _d) can be estimated using the previously proposed empirical parameters.     

Mitigation measures for pile groups behind quay walls subjected to lateral flow of liquefied soil: Shake table model tests

This paper presents experimental results of a series of 1g shake table tests on mitigation measures for a model consisting of a 3×3 pile group and a sheet-pile quay wall in which the pile group was subjected to liquefaction-induced lateral spreading. First, general observations associated with the mechanism of lateral spreading and pile response are presented based on tests without remedial measures, followed by in depth discussions. Second, three remedial techniques were deployed to provide an adequate seismic performance of the pile group and the quay wall: (i) mitigating sheet pile of floating type, (ii) mitigating sheet pile of fixed end type, and (iii) anchoring the quay wall to a new pile row. The main objective of these mitigation methods was to restrict ground distortion behind the quay wall, enhancing seismic response of pile group and quay wall. This mitigation philosophy was decided based on the outcome of the first part, which consisted of a series of tests without mitigation measures. In addition, it should be noted that the proposed countermeasures were selected to be applicable for existing vulnerable pile groups, which are at risk of liquefaction and lateral spreading. Results of different mitigation tests are comparatively examined using a parameter called reduction factor, and the effectiveness of each countermeasure is discussed in detail. The results demonstrate that by applying the proposed mitigation measures the seismic performance of both pile group and quay wall can be improved, as a result of reduction in soil displacement and velocity of soil flow.