Specification and prediction of nickel mobilization using artificial intelligence methods

Groundwater and soil pollution from pyrite oxidation, acid mine drainage generation, and release and transport of toxic metals are common environmental problems associated with the mining industry. Nickel is one toxic metal considered to be a key pollutant in some mining setting; to date, its formation mechanism has not yet been fully evaluated. The goals of this study are 1) to describe the process of nickel mobilization in waste dumps by introducing a novel conceptual model, and 2) to predict nickel concentration using two algorithms, namely the support vector machine (SVM) and the general regression neural network (GRNN). The results obtained from this study have shown that considerable amount of nickel concentration can be arrived into the water flow system during the oxidation of pyrite and subsequent Acid Drainage (AMD) generation. It was concluded that pyrite, water, and oxygen are the most important factors for nickel pollution generation while pH condition, SO₄, HCO₃, TDS, EC, Mg, Fe, Zn, and Cu are measured quantities playing significant role in nickel mobilization. SVM and GRNN have predicted nickel concentration with a high degree of accuracy. Hence, SVM and GRNN can be considered as appropriate tools for environmental risk assessment.     

Application of geostatistical methods to estimation of water flow from upper reservoir of Azad pumped storage power plant

The objective of this paper is to estimate water seepage from the upper reservoir of Azad pumped storage power plant, based on combined geotechnical investigations and geostatistical methods. In order to select the optimum water tightening alternative, such as clay blanket, concrete cover (or concrete lining), geomembrane, asphalt cover, etc., estimation of water seepage from the reservoir is essential. Six exploratory boreholes were drilled at the pumped storage reservoir area and permeability tests (Lugeon tests) were conducted in all of them. Records at the boreholes have been considered as the main source for seepage calculations. Due to expansion of upper reservoir and a few boreholes, distribution of permeability and permeability changes in the reservoir area is not an indicator for reservoir. In this research using geostatistical method (Kriging), Lugeon values have been estimated for walls of reservoir. According to correspondence between estimated permeability distribution and geological conditions, the estimated values are acceptable. In addition, results show that in about 60% of tests, permeability is very high and potential of water seepage is very dangerous. Afterward, seepage was estimated for reservoir by using both analytical (Vedernikov method) and numerical method. Results from both methods are very close together and the average seepage is around 280,000 m³/day according to analytical and numerical results. Regarding results and general geological considerations, seepage is concentrated at fault zones. Results show that using appropriate permeability distribution, the estimated values of water seepage are acceptable and reliable. Due to the high amount of water seepage and economical value of water in this region, water tightening is necessary.     

Effect of physical parameters on static undrained resistance of sandy soil with low silt content

Previous researches concerning the behavior of sand mixed with non-plastic fine show that the void ratio related to sand grains (e_c) plays a more important role in comparison with the total void ratio, where soil undrained resistance will be improved due to increase in FC at the constant e_c. In spite of this fact, the recent works indicate that e_c is unable to show perfectly the role of the non-plastic fines that are in voids between sand grains. For this reason, an equivalent void ratio (e_c)_eq has been defined that takes into account the non-plastic fine participation ratio in the soil bearing skeleton. In the present work, the generality of the expression of (e_c)_eq is verified. For this, a set of static undrained triaxial tests were performed. The results of tests indicate that the undrained behavior of a given sand mixed with different percentages of non-plastic fine can be described by (e_c)_eq. But if the grading curves of sand change, we cannot find a logic retention between (e_c)_eq and undrained resistance of soil, unless the physical and mechanical characteristics of soil are well introduced in expression of (e_c)_eq.     

Study of the Engineering Geological Problems of the Havasan Dam,with Emphasis on Clay-Filled Joints in the Right Abutment

Havasan dam site is located in northwest of Iran. The planned concrete dam is to be built on Cretaceous limestone. Faulted and fractured limestone is exposed at the dam abutments and in the reservoir area. Rock mass properties including the deformation modulus and uniaxial compressive strength were calculated using different rock mass classification systems (RMR, Q, GSI and DMR). Laboratory tests indicate that joint filling materials contain clay with low to high plasticity (CL to CH) and low to medium potential swelling pressures. X-ray diffraction analysis confirms that the reason for potential swelling of joint fillings is the existence of clay minerals (such as illite and montmorillonite). The study results about the shear strength of clay-filled joints show that under JRC–JCS condition (laboratory scale), JRC _n –JCS _n (large scale) and normal stress equal to 0.25–4 MPa, the range of shear strength of clay-filled joints will be equal to 0.2–2.17 and 0.14–1.72 MPa. In some areas dissolution along the joints results in high permeability, especially in the right abutment. Three dominant joint sets occur in the exploration galleries which have been excavated in the right abutment. The maximum aperture of these joints varies from 7 to 9 cm, and the joints are typically filled with clay. Preliminary analysis shows that the presence of open joints which will cause seepage of water, combined with the impact of the clay-filled joints and forces acting on the slopes, could lead to slope failures and rock falls. In addition, the assessment of slope stability results in abutments using limited equilibrium method and Swedge software under dynamic and static conditions shows that two wedges formed on the slopes of the abutment by the natural joints are potentially unstable. The rock wedge on the left abutment is smaller but presents higher sliding potential. In addition, there is no probability of planar failure due to the geological condition of the dam abutments. This paper summarizes the site investigation and subsequent analysis, which resulted in a recommendation not to construct this site. We offer some potential mitigation plans to consider if a dam were to be built at this site.     

A Numerical Comparison of the Behavior of a Braced Excavation Using Two and Three-Dimensional Creep Plastic Analyses

Current study deals with investigating the effects of both time factor and the selection of a constitutive model type on predicting deformations of an excavation braced by nailing using two and three-dimensional finite element analyses. In addition, the effects of stress path and the type of defined initial conditions of the analytical model on deformations of the floor and walls of the excavation are also studied. Time factor, in the form of earth materials’ creep, can largely be entered into calculation of deformations of excavations by conducting viscoelastic and viscoplastic analyses. On the other hand, there hasn’t been done a comprehensive study regarding the creep behavior of excavations through comparing the results of two-dimensional and three-dimensional numerical analyses so far. The results showed that it’s largely possible to approach the actual deformation behavior of an excavation by considering the constitutive model of soft soil creep, SSC model, in the numerical plastic analyses. The effects of stress path on the deformation behavior of the excavation walls and excavation floor are investigated by using OCR stress ratio and POP stress difference; These two factors, both of which are also analogous, represent a boundary value for swelling behavior of the excavation floor and an increasing rate for the deformation behavior of the excavation walls since the increase in OCR or POP is equal to the increase in the soil lateral pressure coefficient at rest.     

Gate road layout design for two-seam longwall mining

Summary Results of instrumentation, test mining and computer aided stability analyses were combined to design the most stable gate road layout for two-seam longwall mining at the Plateau Mining Company. Five layouts were evaluated; these layouts used a combination of yield and/or large pillars with either three-entry or two-entry development systems.A layout which used a yield pillar within a two-entry development system resulted in the most stable gate roads for two-seam mining. Another layout using a yield and large pillar was shown to be most stable for single-seam mining of the top seam, but it was unsuitable for two-seam mining because of seam interaction problems.The size of the yield pillar was determined by satisfying several design requirements, as well as by limited test mining; test results showed good, medium-term stability for the yield pillars, with a possible need for rib control. It was shown that the yield pillars might be effective in controlling the floor heave, and could minimize interaction problems in two-seam mining.     

Impact of excavation technique on strength of oil shale pillars

Summary The load carrying capacity of oil shale pillars excavated by conventional blasting can be increased significantly by presplit blasting and mechanical mining. Comparisons ofin situ vertical stresses and fractures obtained from overcoring horizontal holes in the Colony Mine, Piceance Creek Basin, Colorado indicate that conventional blasting causes a strength loss in a zone of damage approximately 3 m (10 ft) thick. Presplit blasting reduces damage significantly, and increases the load carrying capacity in the 3 m (10 ft) thick zone by 5.93 MPa (860 psi). Mechanical mining causes little or no rock damage, and an increase of 9.83 MPa (1425 psi) in strength in the same 3 m (10 ft) thick zone. Pillar design using presplit blasting and mechanical mining techniques can increase the extraction ratio by at least 3% and 5%, respectively, as compared to conventional blasting. It is speculated that comparable increases in extraction should also occur due to increases in span dimensions.     

Adaptation of an existing constitutive model for describing mechanical behaviour of cemented granular soils

In this paper, an existing elastoplastic constitutive model, originally developed for granular soils, is adapted to describe the stress–strain behaviour of cemented granular soils. The existing model (CJS), due to its modular formulation, can be easily developed to take into account different supplementary behavioural aspects in soil mechanics. In the present study, the failure mechanism of the CJS model is modified by introducing the essential aspects in the behaviour of cemented granular soils in its formulation. All of the model parameters have clear physical meaning and can be identified using classical laboratory tests. A set of direct relations between model parameters and famous mechanical parameters of soils such as internal friction angle and cohesion at peak and residual states is presented. In order to validate the model, the results of triaxial and uniaxial tests in the compression and extension performed on cemented granular materials are used. The validation results indicate the good capability of the proposed model.