Selected aspects of the stability assessment of slopes with the assumption of cylindrical slip surfaces

A comprehensive analysis of maintaining stability by model homogeneous and stratified slopes, with possible surcharge loading, is carried out within the article. Calculations are performed by the Swedish method of Fellenius under the assumption of a cylindrical slip surface passing through the slope foot. Proposals for searching for the reach of the break-off wedge of a potential slip surface are put forward. An analysis of the effect of surcharge load location on general slope stability is also made, providing the capability to determine the safe distance of positioning of an excavator on the surcharge of a non-encased excavation.     

Tensional crack development in physical models with inhomogeneities under load

Summary The paper deals with a study of the mean stress field (_M) and its gradient (_M/x) in uniaxially loaded two-dimensional models of small thickness with respect to other dimensions, in which two inhomogeneities, e.g., a circular opening and a linear slit have been made. Particular attention was paid to the stress field development in the treated models durin gthe change of the mutual geometric configuration of both the inhomogeneities in question. The problem was analysed theoretically by means of Muskhelishvili's potentials of the two-dimensional theory of elasticity. To compare the results of calculations, the schlieren method was used to visualize and record the studied gradients of stress fields in physical models. The results of the calculations were calibrated by laboratory tests. In this way the individual model situations were classified from the point of view of their resistance to the applied load.     

Solution of the downward continuation problem by collocation

Summary The modern satellite techniques enable to measure the gravity acceleration in space. The downward continuation of this measurements to the earth's surface is by the closed theory practically impossible. Using the method of collocation we can estimate the values of Δ g in the limited region underneath the observation with a little loss of accuracy. Results of some numerical tests for elevation of 300 km are presented.     

Factors Controlling Seismic Susceptibility of the Sele Valley Slopes: The Case of the 1980 Irpinia Earthquake Re-Examined

Most of the documented slope failures triggered by the 1980 Irpinia earthquake (M_s 6.9) occurred in the upper Sele valley epicentral area (southern Italy). The early investigations revealed some puzzling characteristics of the slope failure distribution, i.e., (i) the higher landslide concentration on the valley slopes located farther away from the earthquake fault; (ii) the predominance of re-activations over first-time movements. The analyses of factors controlling the landslide concentrations indicates that the differences in hydrological setting and in slope were the two main causal factors whereas the seismic shaking, according to the radiation pattern modelling, could have been characterised by a relatively low rate of decrease across the valley. The aspect of the slopes did not play a significant role. The differences in groundwater conditions between the western and eastern valley sides were probably enhanced by the earthquake. In addition to the probable pore-water pressure rise, the seismic shaking caused large increases in the flow of springs draining the western aquifer, and this made the adjacent flysch slopes more prone to landsliding. Data from the available literature suggest that the effects of earthquake-induced groundwater release on seismic landslide distribution is especially important for normal-fault events. The Sele valley case also indicates that the slope of the pre-existing landslides is an important factor controlling their susceptibility to seismic re-activations.     

M split(q) estimation: estimation of parameters in a multi split functional model of geodetic observations

The method presented here assumes that a single observation can be identified with one of q functional models that compete with one another. The estimation method is based on the assumption that a theoretical quantity, called elementary split potential, can be assigned to each observation. Such quantity is referred to the theory of probability as well as to the theory of information. Parameters of the competitive functional models are estimated by maximizing the split potential globally over for the whole observation set. Additionally, such M _split(q) estimates minimize the amount of information that could be provided by other estimates computed for the same observation set. The method is a certain kind of extension of the maximum likelihood method and if one considers the generalizations presented in the paper it can also be regarded as the development of M-estimation. Special attention is paid to the squared M _split(q) estimation where the objective function is a squared one. If q = 1, then the squared M _split(q) estimation is equivalent to the least squares method. The last part of the paper presents some numerical examples illustrating the properties of the squared M _split(q) estimation as well as pointing at possible applications in geodesy and surveying.     

High-resolution computed microtomography for the characterization of a diffusion tensor imaging phantom

This paper addresses the issue of the quantitative characterization of the structure of the calibration model (phantom) for b-matrix spatial distribution diffusion tensor imaging (BSD-DTI) scanners. The aim of this study was to verify manufacturing assumptions of the structure of materials, since phantoms are used for BSD-DTI calibration directly after manufacturing. Visualization of the phantoms’ structure was achieved through optical microscopy and high-resolution computed microtomography (µCT). Using µCT images, a numerical model of the materials structure was developed for further quantitative analysis. 3D image characterization was performed to determine crucial structural parameters of the phantom: porosity, uniformity and distribution of equivalent diameter of capillary bundles. Additionally calculations of hypothetical flow streamlines were also performed based on the numerical model that was developed. The results obtained in this study can be used in the calibration of DTI-BST measurements. However, it was found that the structure of the phantom exhibits flaws and discrepancies from the assumed geometry which might affect BSD-DTI calibration.     

Hydrological modelling of the Vistula and Odra river basins using SWAT

This paper presents a large-scale application of the SWAT model for water balance and natural streamflow simulation in the entire basins of the Vistula and the Odra, covering most of the territory of Poland. A tailored calibration approach was designed to achieve satisfactory goodness-of-fit across a range of catchment sizes. Model calibration and evaluation driven by high-resolution climate data showed overall good behaviour for 80 benchmark catchments divided into eight clusters, and spatial evaluation for 30 gauges showed that the designed regionalization scheme performed well (median KGE of 0.76). Basin-averaged estimates of blue and green water flow and green water storage estimated using the calibrated model were 185, 517 and 206 mm, respectively. This study provides a basis for future work, such as assessing climate change impacts on hydrology, assessing flow alterations, and water quality simulation. The model output is publicly available through an online research data archive (doi:10.4121/uuid:b8ab4f5f-f692-4c93-a910-2947aea28f42).

EDITOR A. Castellarin

ASSOCIATE EDITOR G. Thirel     

Correlation between Loess profiles on the basis of mineralogical,malacological, and anthropogenic indicators: A case study from Moravany-Lopata,western Slovakia

Moravany-Lopata, located in the complex of sites in the middle Vah basin, dates to the period immediately preceding the LGM. The authors use this site to demonstrate the usefulness of mineralogical, sedimentological, palaeomalacological, and anthropogenic criteria for the correlation of loess profiles. This analysis is especially concerned with sites in loess territories where the loess layers covering archaeological levels are not thick. Such sites occur frequently on the plateaus of the northern part of Central Europe, though they appear most notably in the areas in which the last loess cover, corresponding to the period after the last Pleniglacial and/or Late Glacial postloess sediments, is absent. The archaeological levels dated to before or directly after the LGM occur in the upper portion of the loess, overlain by the Holocene soil. The investigations at the Moravany-Lopata site have confirmed the usefulness of the anthropogenic indicators in the 0.1–1.0 mm fraction for the identification of occupation levels extending even beyond the area of occurrence of macrofinds and evident type structures. On this basis, a relationship could be established between two occupational levels and two ice-wedge generations in the period from 21.4 to 20 ky. Gravettian settlement in western Slovakia seems to have persisted up to the maximum of the LGM. Population groups representing the end of the shouldered points horizon (pointes à cran) appeared in western Slovakia in the intervals between the formation of large networks of ice wedges. The next settlement phase in that territory falls at about 18–17 ky B.P. This is the Epigravettian settlement, which is culturally unrelated to the shouldered points horizon. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.