A preliminary magnetic study of soil samples from west-central Minnesota

Various rock magnetic techniques were applied to characterize magnetically the samples of a soil profile taken from west-central Minnesota. There is a marked change in magnetic properties as a function of depth in the core. X-ray analysis and Curie temperature measurements carried out on the magnetic fractions indicate that magnetite is the dominant iron oxide in both the top soil and the subsoil. The intensity of anhysteretic remanent magnetization (ARM) decreases sharply as the depth increases. In contrast, the stability of ARM was found to be higher for the subsoil. The surface soil sample was capable of acquiring a significant amount of viscous remanent magnetization (VRM). The VRM acquisition coefficient (S_a) of the subsoil (S_{a= 3.18 × 10^?6emu g^?1, 3.18 × 10^?6A m² kg^?1}) was about ten times weaker than that of the top soil sample (S_a = 3.868 × 10^{?7emu g?1, 3.868 × 10?7A m2 kg?1}). The magnetic domain state indicator, the ratio of coercivity of remanence to coercive force, H_cr/H_c, was 1.5 and 3.85 for the top soil and subsoil, respectively. It appears that the observed variations in magnetic properties down the present soil core is due only to a difference in grain size. We conclude that the magnetic grains in surface soil samples were more single-domain (SD) like whereas the magnetite grains in the subsoil samples were more likely in pseudo-single-domain (PSD) or small multidomain (MD) range. The observed lower stability for the surface soil samples is attributed to the presence of superparamagnetic grains whose presence was confirmed by transmission electron micrographs.     

High spatial resolution analysis of ferromanganese concretions by LA-ICP-MS†

A procedure was developed for the determination of element distributions in cross-sections of ferromanganese concretions using laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS). The effects of carrier flow rates, rf forward power, ablation energy, ablation spot size, repetition rate and number of shots per point on analyte intensity were studied. It is shown that different carrier gas flow rates are required in order to obtain maximum sensitivities for different groups of elements, thus complicating the optimisation of ICP parameters. On the contrary, LA parameters have very similar effects on almost all elements studied, thus providing a common optimum parameter set for the entire mass range. However, for selected LA parameters, the use of compromise conditions was necessary in order to compensate for relatively slow data acquisition by ICP-MS and maintain high spatial resolution without sacrificing the multielemental capabilities of the technique. Possible variations in ablation efficiency were corrected for mathematically using the sum of Fe and Mn intensities. Quantification by external calibration against matrix-matched standards was successfully used for more than 50 elements. These standards, in the form of pressed pellets (no binder), were prepared in-house using ferromanganese concentrates from a deep-sea nodule reference material as well as from shallow-marine concretions varying in size and having different proportions of three major phases: aluminosilicates, Fe- and Mn-oxyhydroxides. Element concentrations in each standard were determined by means of conventional solution nebulisation ICP-MS following acid digestion. Examples of selected inter-element correlations in distribution patterns along the cross-section of a concretion are given.     

A methodology for dynamic analysis of linear structure-foundation systems with local non-linearities

An efficient computational technique is presented for the dynamic analysis of large linear structural systems with local non-linearities. The earthquake response evaluation for many practical structures belongs to this class of problems. The technique provides a rational approach to the earthquake-resistant design of structure-foundation systems with predetermined non-linearities occurring along the structure-foundation interface. Various possibilities for base isolation systems are naturally fitted within the proposed framework. In particular, we address uplifting of the structure as a natural base isolation concept. We use the dynamic substructuring technique and an efficient numerical algorithm which accommodates non-proportional damping as a consistent way to reduce significantly the computational effort, which is in sharp contrast to the vast majority of ad-hoc simplified models used for the same purpose. A numerical example which demonstrates the vibration isolation effect when the uplifting of the concrete gravity dam occurs is also presented.     

Earthquake-resistant design according to the most unfavourable seismic direction under combined internal forces

In this study it has been shown that, in the case of linear theory, the combined internal forces corresponding to each seismic direction lie on an ellipsoid having internal forces chosen as the set of axes. A method is proposed to obtain the most unfavourable results easily, in the neighbourhood of the several unfavourable points without actually determining the ellipsoid. The design can be carried out using linear, as well as non-linear, theory. Two examples are given to illustrate the application of the proposed method.     

Landslide risk assessment and management by decision analytical procedure for Dereköy, Konya, Turkey

The Dereköy landslide threatening the town of Dereköy, Konya, Turkey is investigated in order to assess and manage the associated risk. Dereköy town, located 12 km west of Konya city center, which is the second largest city in central Anatolia, has been extending due to the demand for new settlement places in Konya for the last decade. As most of the town is situated on the slopes of Meram river valley, on which the slope movements are observed, the risk of landslide has been increasing due to these new settlements. In this study, the landslide risk in Dereköy is assessed by following the so-called decision analytical procedure. The risk is defined by multiplication of hazard and consequences of the hazard. The hazard, which is the probability of slope failure, is computed by using the first-order second-moment (FOSM) method. The possible consequences of a landslide in Dereköy are analyzed and their costs are assessed relative to each other. A decision tree for choosing among the possible alternatives for reducing the risk is constructed in order to manage the risk.     

Determination of areas vulnerable to pollution in a karstic river basin in Turkey via a decision support system based on DRASTIC,SWAT and isotopes analysis

Determination of areas vulnerable to water pollution in river basins helps to generate appropriate water management protection plans. This study aims to define areas vulnerable to pollutants in a data-scarce karstic river basin in Turkey by using a holistic approach integrating the Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT), the DRASTIC framework, and selected isotopes within a decision support system based on a geographic information system to delineate vulnerable areas. DRASTIC was used to show groundwater vulnerability to pollutants. The concentrations of isotopes ¹⁸O, ²H, and ³H in groundwater were used to define the vulnerable areas of the karst region. SWAT was utilized to show watershed vulnerability to pollutants in shallow aquifers. The recharge rate parameter in DRASTIC was obtained from SWAT. This methodological approach was applied to the Yuvacık Dam Basin in Kocaeli, part of the Marmara River Basin, as it is a good example of a karstic watershed. According to this study, each approach provides different vulnerabilities when applied separately. The final map obtained from the integrated approach shows that drinking water supplies in the northeast and northwest parts of the basin are highly vulnerable to pollution. All the karst spring catchments and areas near the basin outlet are highly vulnerable. Moreover, across all water samples taken across the basin, those exhibiting the highest concentrations in nitrate were all found in the areas mapped as highly vulnerable. The methodology was validated by analyzing nitrate concentration in 22 groundwater and surface-water samples.

     

Thermal shock weakening of granite rock under dynamic loading: 3D numerical modeling based on embedded discontinuity finite elements

This paper presents a numerical study of thermal shock weakening of granite rock under dynamic loading. A fully 3D numerical scheme based on a combined continuum viscodamage-embedded discontinuity model and an explicit scheme to solve the underlying thermomechanical problem was developed and validated through numerical examples. First, the dynamic Brazilian disc test is simulated on intact numerical rock. Then, thermal shock-induced cracking due to a moving external heat flux boundary condition, mimicking experiments based on plasma jet treatment, is numerically predicted. Finally, numerical Brazilian disc test is conducted on the thermal shocked numerical samples. The predicted and experimental weakening effects are in good agreement demonstrating that the present modeling approach has good predictive capabilities. The practical significance of the results is that heat shock pretreatment can substantially enhance rock gravel and rubble crushing.     

Analyzing the occurrence of floods and droughts in connection with climate change in Punjab province,Pakistan

Natural Hazards - Frequency and intensity of extreme weather events are immensely changing throughout the world. This study aims to give insight into the changing climatic patterns leading to...     

Earthquake behavior of steel cushion-implemented reinforced concrete frames

The earthquake performance of vulnerable structures can be increased by the implementation of supplementary energy-dissipative metallic elements. The main aim of this paper is to describe the earthquake behavior of steel cushion-implemented reinforced concrete frames (SCI-RCFR) in terms of displacement demands and energy components. Several quasi-static experiments were performed on steel cushions (SC) installed in reinforced concrete (RC) frames. The test results served as the basis of the analytical models of SCs and a bare reinforced concrete frame (B-RCFR). These models were integrated in order to obtain the resulting analytical model of the SCI-RCFR. Nonlinear-time history analyses (NTHA) were performed on the SCI-RCFR under the effects of the selected earthquake data set. According to the NTHA, SC application is an effective technique for increasing the seismic performance of RC structures. The main portion of the earthquake input energy was dissipated through SCs. SCs succeeded in decreasing the plastic energy demand on structural elements by almost 50% at distinct drift levels.