Two stages of high-pressure metamorphism in the Main Uralian Fault area (northern Urals)

Metamorphism in the northern sector of the Main Uralian Fault (MUF) area, northern Urals, is considered by the example of the Salatim glaucophane-schist and Belokamenka kyanite-staurolite complexes. New isotope-geochronological dates for metamorphic rocks of the MUF area are presented. The obtained data evidence the existence of two metamorphic events, of Early and Late Devonian ages, which apparently correspond to the wedging-up of subduction paleozones.     

Tectonic evolution of the Siberian Platform during the Vendian and Phanerozoic

This paper presents characteristics of the structural regions surrounding the Siberian Platform and discusses the Vendian-present time evolution of the Siberian Paleocontinent with the Siberian Craton making up its nucleus. It shows that the paleocontinent underwent significant intraplate compressional deformations with vertical movements and formation of inversion structural features within broad areas. Such epochs of deformation took place at the Riphean-Vendian time boundary, during the Late Paleozoic, Late Triassic, Early Cretaceous, and during the Late Cenozoic. The principal rifting events took place during the Middle-Late Devonian. The paper presents paleotectonic reconstructions of East Siberia at several key time intervals.     

Expected peak ground acceleration in Uttarakhand Himalaya,India region from a deterministic hazard model

A method of seismic zonation based on the deterministic modeling of rupture planes is presented. Finite rupture planes along identified lineaments are modeled in the Uttarakhand Himalaya based on the semi empirical technique of Midorikawa (Tectonophysics 218:287–295, 1993). The expected peak ground acceleration thus estimated from this technique is divided into different zones similar to zones proposed by the Bureau of Indian standard, BIS (Indian standards code of practice for earthquake-resistant design of structures, 2002). The proposed technique has been applied to Kumaon Himalaya area and the surrounding region for earthquakes of magnitude M > 6.0. Approximately 56000 km² study area is classified into the highest hazard zone V with peak accelerations of more than 400 cm/s². This zone V includes the cities of the Dharchula, Almora, Nainital, Haridwar, Okhimath, Uttarkashi, Pithorahargh, Lohaghat, Munsiari, Rudraprayag, and Karnprayag. The Sobla and Gopeshwar regions belong to zone IV, where peak ground accelerations of the order from 250 to 400 cm/s² can be expected. The prepared map shows that epicenters of many past earthquakes in this region lie in zone V, and hence indicating the utility of developed map in defining various seismic zones.     

Tsunamis generated by landslides at the coast of conical islands: experimental benchmark dataset for mathematical model validation

This paper presents a new experimental campaign aimed at reproducing tsunamis generated by landslides at the flank of conical islands. In order to describe in high details the wave field around the island a special acquisition system, which consists of both fixed and movable wave gauges, has been employed. Indeed, each experiment has been repeated several times by changing the configuration of the movable gauges, then obtaining a single virtual experiment with high spatial resolution measurements. Fixed run-up gauges measure the waves at fixed locations to statistically quantify the repeatability of the experiments. Selected experimental results are illustrated within the paper that is mainly aimed at defining a benchmark dataset, available on request, for the development/calibration/validation of analytical and numerical models of tsunamis generated by landslides.     

Computation of the seismic stability of rock wedges

Summary Newmark's concept of computing the permanent displacement under seismic loads has been combined with the conventional limit equilibrium analysis to compute the displacements of a rock wedge. The rock wedge formed by the intersecting planes may or may not have a tension crack in the upper slope surface. As the static analysis of a rock wedge is available from the literature, only the seismic problem is treated theoretically in more details.A computer program has been developed to compute the displacements from the digitised input data of the acceleration-time-history. The program can take into account the water pressure on the intersecting planes and on the planes of the tension crack. The effect of rock anchors if present is also taken care of in addition to static surcharge loads. The program calculates the conventional static factor of safety, remaining resistance against sliding, the critical acceleration, exciting force, relative velocity with time and the cumulative displacements.Two model examples are presented: one with simple sinusoidal acceleration and the other one with actual earthquake data considering the different systems of forces acting on the wedge. The results are critically discussed with respect to the different parameters e. g. anchor forces, water pressure and cohesion influencing the magnitude of displacements under seismic loads. It is shown that the critical acceleration is a better index for the seismic stability than the conventional factor of safety.The critical acceleration presented in this paper serves as a very handy tool for a site engineer to get the first hand information about the stability of the wedge for a given acceleration-time-history without going into the details of dynamic analysis.Notations A, B Inclined intersecting planes - C, D Geometric points on the intersection ofA andB - a _cr Critical acceleration - a _h Horizontal acceleration - a _v Vertical acceleration - a _r Relative acceleration of the wedge - DF Driving force - DF _dyn Dynamic driving force - DF _st Static driving force - FS Factor of safety - g Acceleration due to gravity - m Mass of the wedge - RF Resisting force - RF _dyn Dynamic resisting force - RF _st Static resisting force - RS Remaining resisting force against sliding - RS _dyn Total seismic induced force - RS _st Remaining static resisting force against sliding - s _r Cumulative relative displacement of the wedge - TRS Total remaining resisting force against sliding - v _r Relative velocity of the wedge - W Weight of the wedge - W _A ,W _B Weight of the wedge in the planeA andB - Dip of line of intersection of the planesA andB - Average friction angle - _A , _B Friction angle of planeA andB - I, II, III, IV Points in the curve shown in Fig. 6     

Probabilistic compressive strength of sound dry granite

Summary The different functions of cumulative probability of fracture that can be used in the Probabilistic Strength of Materials in the case of constant uniaxial compression are described. Sound fine-grained granite was used to study volume influence by fracturing rectangular prisms, and then no noticeable influence was observed. Since this is showing that all the fracture stresses are belonging to a single set they were included in a single group that exhibited two functions of specific risk of fracture. The population with the lesser fracture stress has no critical zone while the other population does have it and a critical zone in the order of 10^–6 m³ is the minimum size exhibiting a complete fracture of the specimen when the same collapses. All the statistical functions were found to be acceptable according to theX ² criterion.     

Detrital zircon geochronology of Palaeozoic Novaya Zemlya – a key to understanding the basement of the Barents Shelf

The Novaya Zemlya fold‐and‐thrust‐belt is the northern continuation of the late Palaeozoic Uralide Orogen. Little is known about its deeper structure and the basement history of the adjacent Barents and Kara shelves. Based on geological evidence and detrital zircon analysis of 28 samples from the northeastern and stratigraphically deepest part of the archipelago, we demonstrate that Cambro‐Ordovician turbidite‐dominated deposition was almost exclusively sourced from rocks consolidated during the Timanian orogeny (Timanian basement). A profound change in provenance occurred near the end of the Ordovician. Over 90% of the zircons from Silurian and about 80% from Devonian strata have ages characteristic of the Sveconorwegian Orogen, implying uplift of these rocks in the vicinity of Novaya Zemlya. The presence of Sveconorwegian and Grenvillian rocks in the high Arctic suggests revision of recent reconstructions of the Rodinia supercontinent, its break‐up and subsequent Caledonian orogeny.