Geotechnical Properties of Low Calcium and High Calcium Fly Ash

In this paper, a comparative study has been made for physical and engineering properties of low calcium and high calcium Indian fly ash. The grain size distribution of fly ash is independent of lime content. Fly ash particles of size >75 μm are mostly irregular in shape whereas finer fractions are spherical for low calcium fly ash. For high calcium fly ash, chemical and mineralogical differences have been observed for different size fractions. Compared to low calcium fly ash, optimum moisture content is low and maximum dry density is high for high calcium fly ash. Optimum moisture content is directly proportional and maximum dry density is inversely proportional to the carbon content. The mode and duration of curing have significant effect on strength and stress–strain behavior of compacted fly ash. The gain in strength with time for high calcium fly ash is very high compared to that of low calcium fly ash due to presence of reactive minerals and glassy phase.     

Geochemistry and geochronology of A-type basement granitoids in the north-central Aravalli Craton:Implications on Paleoproterozoic geodynamics of NW Indian Block

The basement granite gneisses from the north-central Aravalli Craton in NW India were investigated for geochemistry and geochronology.In a peneplain terrain,the granite gneiss outcrops are scanty and samples were collected mainly from two small hills and several ground-level exposures in the Sakhun–Ladera region.Wellfoliated granite gneiss is the dominant lithology that also hosts dark,lenticular enclaves,and is in turn,intruded by mafic dykes.The granite gneiss has silica content ranging from 61.37 wt.% to 68.27 wt.% that marks a slight overlap with the enclaves(54.32 wt.% to 62.17 wt.%).Both groups have a high K_2O/Na_2O(～2 or higher) ratio.Geochemically,the granite gneiss classify as granite–granodiorite,and enclaves as granodiorite-diorite.The In-situ LA-ICP-MS zircon U–Pb geochronology of granite gneiss has yielded a statistically valid 1721 ± 9 Ma age that we interpret as the emplacement age for the granitic protolith.Geochemical characteristics of granite gneiss underline fractional crystallization of an I-type melt as the main process,and continuity of trends in enclaves underlines their mutual genetic link.The genetic association is further verified by a consistency in the trace element characteristics and REE patterns.The Nd-isotope signatures define a single grouping for both granite gneiss and enclaves,with εNd(t) values ranging from-6.38 to-6.61,further substantiating a common source.The geochemical tectonic discrimination schemes consistently point toward an extensional setting and A-type characteristics for granite gneiss and enclaves.These are analogous to the coeval(1.72–1.75 Ga),A-type granitoids from the Khetri and Alwar basin in the North Delhi Fold Belt,implying a much larger areal extent for the Paleoproterozoic anorogenic magmatism in the northern segment of the Aravalli Craton.The Paleoproterozoic age for the presumed ‘Archean' basement in this region offers tacit evidence that the BGC–II is a stratigraphically younger terrane as compared to the Archean age,BGC–I.     

Role of groundwater protection planning in groundwater governance: A case study from North India

In the present case study, impact of urbanization and industrial development on the shallow groundwater regime of Saharanpur town of Uttar Pradesh in India is examined with the aim of planning groundwater protection for better governance. The hazardous physicochemical and bacteriological parameters and heavy metals detected in the shallow aquifer include harmful pathogens like fecal coliforms, heavy metals like cadmium, chromium, nitrates and sulphates. An assessment of ground water vulnerability using the well known DRASTIC method has confirmed that the shallow groundwater in some central and southern localities of Saharanpur town fall in the medium risk zones. Further, using field data of 32 electrical resistivity soundings, the protective capacity of the unconfined aquifer is assessed in terms of a ‘total longitudinal conductance’ of the semi-pervious to impervious sediments overlying the unconfined aquifer. However, some areas aligned along a northwest-southeast and in the western parts of the town seem to have relatively higher protective capacity against infiltrating waste pollutants. A ground water protection planning map prepared by combining the DRASTIC map and the ‘potentially hazardous pollutants’ map has brought out the need to install eleven new groundwater quality monitoring wells in the town at locations near the line sources and point sources of pollution. This approach can be readily employed by the decision makers in framing sound guidelines for groundwater protection and governance.     

Shallow lithosphere-asthenosphere boundary beneath Cambay Rift Zone of India: Inferred presence of carbonated partial melt

A vast area between Phalodi in Jodhpur and Pokaran in Jaisalmer district of western Rajasthan, is occupied distinctly by rocky, shallow gravelly surfaces and occasional hills. These surfaces exhibit quartz and quartzite pebbles, angular, sub-angular and few rounded sandstone gravels, have slightly convex outline and can be best described as desert pavements. Such land features assume significance because of their extent and variability under a dominantly dry aeolian environment. Morphology and distributional pattern of such formations indicate that sediments are either of in situ origin or may have been transported to a short distance. The present study is based on field level assessment of such surfaces in the above two desert districts. Over much of the area, the profile shows a surficial concentration of gravels followed by thick sand and silt mixed with gravels and then the parent material. There are also occasional rock outcrops of very low relief exhibiting vertical, horizontal and conchoidal pattern of fractures over these surfaces near Pokaran and north of Jaisalmer which indicate disintegration of rocks under extreme diurnal fluctuation of temperature. Such manifestations in the morphology indicate impact of both thermal as well as aeolian processes. In the east of Jaisalmer town near Basanpir and Bhojka, the pavement surfaces are found covered with abundant sub-rounded to rounded pebbles and cobbles. This type of condition would indicate a profound action by fluvial activities followed by wind sorting. Our study found significant spatial variability in the distribution of pavement surfaces, which carried imprints of climatic fluctuations and environment of deposition during Holocene.     

Consistent seasonal snow cover depth and duration variability over the Western Himalayas (WH)

Precipitation in solid form, i.e., snow, during winter season over the Western Himalayas (WH) leads to the build-up of seasonal snow cover. Seasonal snow cover build-up (snow cover depth and duration) largely depends on atmospheric variables such as temperature, precipitation, radiation, wind, etc. Integrated (combined) influence of atmospheric variables on seasonal snow cover gets reflected in terms of spatial and temporal variability in seasonal snow cover build-up pattern. Hence spatial and temporal variability of seasonal snow cover build-up can serve as a good indicator of climate change in high altitude mountainous regions like the WH. Consistent seasonal snow cover depth and duration, delay days and early melt days of consistent seasonal snow cover at 11 stations spread across different mountain ranges over the WH were analyzed. Mean, maximum and percentiles (25th, 50th, 75th, 90th and 95th) of consistent seasonal snow cover depth and duration show decline over the WH in the recent past 2–3 decades. Consistent seasonal snow cover is found to melt early and snow cover build-up pattern is found to show changes over the WH. Decline in consistent seasonal snow cover depth, duration and changing snow cover build-up pattern over the WH in recent decades indicate that WH has undergone considerable climate change and winter weather patterns are changing in the WH.