Effect of Geotextile Ties on Uplift Capacity of Anchors Embedded in Sand

This paper presents the results of experimental investigation on the effect of geotextile ties on uplift capacity of anchors embedded in sand. Uplift capacity of anchor increases with increase in embedment depth to base diameter (H/D) ratio irrespective of type of anchor. With the introduction of tie to anchors, uplift capacity of anchors increases and optimum number of layers of ties is found to be 2. A non linear power model has been developed to predict the uplift capacity at any settlement (Q _R) of anchors with tie in terms of uplift capacity at any settlement (Q _URs) of anchor without tie, H/D ratio, number of layers of tie and displacement to base diameter ratio (Δ/D). The model is applicable for predicting Q _R having the values of Q _RS, H/D, N and Δ/D in the range of 0.257 ≤ Q _URs ≤ 1.420, 1.5 ≤ H/D ≤ 3.0, 1 ≤ N ≤ 4, 0.8 ≤ Δ/D ≤ 8.     

Comparative Analysis of Phytoplankton Composition and Abundance over a Two-Decade Period at the Land–Ocean Boundary of a Tropical Mangrove Ecosystem

Inter-annual variations of phytoplankton abundance and community organization were observed over a two-decade period along with the ancillary parameters at the land–ocean boundary associated with the Sundarban mangrove forest (21°32′ and 22°40′ N and 88°05′ and 89° E), along the NE Coast of the Bay of Bengal. The number of definable Bacillariophyceae species exceeded Dinophyceae taxa, and the total number of bloom-forming species declined from a maximum of ten in 2000 and a minimum of two in 2007. Blooms of the diatom Coscinodiscus radiatus were common in 2000 and 2007. Tide cycles and the onset of the monsoon season played important roles in diurnal and seasonal variability of phytoplankton. Phytoplankton biovolume showed seasonality, with the highest levels during post-monsoon periods and lowest levels during the monsoon period. Phytoplankton abundance was correlated to rainfall patterns, which may be altered by long-term changes in climate.     

Inferred attenuation from site effect-correctedT phases recorded on the island of Hawaii

Coda site amplification factors are used to eliminate the site effect from records of three circum-PacificT phases recorded by the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory (HVO) network on the island of Hawaii. ObservedT-phase amplitudes across the island generally decrease with increasing distance from the conversion point where acoustic waves in the SOFAR channel become seismic waves propagating through the crust. However, the decay of the observedT-phase signal across the island is not regular in regions of dense station coverage, in particular, the Kilauea caldera region. We divide the maximum observedT-phase amplitudes at a given station by the coda site amplification factor obtained for the same station and frequency band (3.0Hz); the distribution of these amplitudes reveals a smooth pattern over the entire island. The distance over which the site effect-correctedT-phase amplitude decreases by one-half, combined with the apparent velocity of propagation ofT phases across the island, allows for an approximate determination of near-surfaceQ over much of the island of Hawaii. We found a region of lowQ in the Kilauea summit area (Q≈30) and east rift zone (Q≈60) with considerably higherQ in the Kaoiki and northern portions of the island (Q≈150 to 200). The lowQ values obtained in the Kilauea summit region and east rift zone are significantly lower than estimates of codaQ in the same region, suggestingT phases may be sampling the earth's near-surface properties.     

An electromagnetic prospecting instrument for subsurface conducting zones

Summary A portable electromagnetic prospecting unit comprising a transmitter, receiver and resolver, designed and constructed to operate with a vertical setup of coils at a single frequency of 1250 cps, measures the components of the magnetic field at the receiver station resolved in phase and at quadrature with field near the transmitter. This may be used to locate vertical or steeply dipping conductors down to a depth of about 0.6 times the maximum workable transmitter receiver separation of 120 meters, the accuracy of measurements of the resolved components being better than 2%. The variation of resolved components over a buried conductor indicates its position and depth.This paper is published by the kind permission of the Director General, Geological Survey of India.     

Implications of north pacific plate tectonics in central Alaska: Focal mechanisms of earthquakes

The focal mechanisms for 86 selected earthquakes (3.0 m_b 5.5) located in central Alaska have been investigated from P-wave first motions; the data were gathered by local seismic networks. The results show a depth-dependent characteristic to the fault-plane solutions. For earthquakes having focal depths shallower than 60–70 km, the focal mechanisms indicate either strike-slip or normal faults, while for earthquakes with foci at intermediate depths the focal mechanisms correspond to thrust faults. The nature of the seismicity indicates the hinge line of the Pacific lithospheric plate under the study area to be striking N17°E from Cook Inlet towards interior Alaska. The comparison of the focal mechanisms with the seismicity shows that the strike-slip and normal faults are the predominant processes of stress release along the shallow section of the plate. The earthquakes with intermediate foci systematically occur along the inclined section of the plate. If the gently dipping nodal planes for these earthquakes are chosen as the fault planes, the focal mechanisms correspond to underthrust motions at the foci. In these, the slip vectors are oriented either to the west or north with the resultant being in the N30°W direction. The tension axes for the underthrust solutions are also found to be parallel to the local dip of the plate, indicating that the subducted plate in interior Alaska is undergoing gravitational sinking.     

On the propagation of love waves in a heterogeneous layer lying on a homogeneous medium

Summary The present note is devoted to find out the possibility of propagation of love waves in a heterogeneous layer of finite depth lying on a homogenous semi-infinite elastic medium, the rigidity and density in the upper layer varying as (1–sinz), where is a constant andz is the vertical distance from the interface. The numerical results for the phase velocity for some special Earth models are given.     

Earth-flattening procedure for the propagation of Rayleigh wave

Summary The propagation of Rayleigh waves in the earth is investigated in the period range of about 60 to 590 seconds. It has been shown that a set of earth-flattening approximations can be used to transform the heterogeneous spherical earth into plane-layered earth on which the dispersion computations by matrix method can be applied effectively to describe the fundamental mode of spheroidal oscillations involving the crust and the mantly only.     

Transmission of elastic waves through a second-order fluid layer sandwiched between elastic media

Summary The present paper is concerned with the transmission of elastic waves through a second-order fluid layer sandwiched between homogeneous elastic media having identical properties. It is concluded that the transmission ratio increases with the increasing absolute values of visco-elastic co-efficient and also with the wavelength of the wave transmitted.     

Dispersion-flocculation studies on hematite-clay systems

Studies have been made on the separability of clay minerals such as kaolinite, illite and montmorillonite from hematite in dispersant-starch flocculant systems. The grossly different dispersibility of hematite from that of clay minerals aided separation by selective dispersion and flocculation. Moderate success has been achieved with a selectivity index nearing 4.0 (average recovery values around 80%).The studies have been extended to hematite recovery and clay rejection from the slimes of the Barsua iron ore washing plant owned by Rourkela Steel Plant, India. Limited success achieved in the starch selective flocculation method has been attributed to the difficulties associated with fine grain size, clay mineraloty and liberation.The ore exhibits the phenomenon of differential grinding. Hematite-rich coarser particles in the slime can be separated by differential settling in dispersant systems followed by selective flocculation in low-starch systems.