Rock slope stability and design in Arafat–Muzdalifa area,Saudi Arabia

The present contribution is a complete study extending before, during, and after the excavation of the mountain side that lying north of road 7. It includes slope stability analysis, rock cut design, and rockfall modeling for natural slope and rock cut face. Neoproterozoic granodiorite and biotite granite forming the slope body have medium to very high strengths. Mineral compositions and textures of these intact rocks control the strength values. These rocks are intensively dissected by fractures that are filled with montmorillonite and chlorite. The high plasticity and slippery nature of these filling materials represent the main problem that may face a rock cut designer because they damage the mechanical properties of these fractures. The problem begins with the selection of the rock mass classification that deals with the fracture fillings and extends during the stability analysis and the suggestion of mitigation and supporting measures. The rock masses building the natural slope are suffered by plane, wedge, and toppling failures. Therefore, two rock cut designs are suggested to avoid the hazards related to these failures and considering the construction cost as well. Rockfall modeling for the natural slope and rock cut designs was done to assess the hazards related to these falling of the blocks. The kinetic energy of falling blocks is represented on the roadway by the coverage distance and block rebound amplitude. Slope height has a positive effect on the values of these distance and amplitude, whereas the steepness of berm height has a negative effect on them. Coverage distance is a function to the location of rockfall barrier and to the width of road ditch, while the amplitude controls the barrier height.     

The motion of artificial satellites in the set of Eulerian redundant parameters

In this paper, the connections between orbit dynamics and rigid body dynamics are established throughout the Eulerian redundant parameters, the perturbation equations for any conic motion of artificial satellites are derived in terms of these parameters. A general recursive and stable computational algorithm is also established for the initial-value problem of the Eulerian parameters for satellites prediction in the Earth's gravitational field with axial symmetry. Applications of the algorithm are considered for the two cases of short and long term predictions. For the short-term prediction, we consider the problem of the final state prediction of some typical ballistic missiles in the geopotential model with zonal harmonic terms up to J ₃₆, while for the long-term prediction, we consider the perturbed J ₂ motion of Explorer 28 over 100 revolutions.     

Prediction of satellite motions in the Earth's gravitational field with axial symmetry by the KS regularized theory

In this paper, economical and stable recurrence formulae for the Earth's zonal potential and its gradient for the KS regularized theory will be established for any numberN of the zonal harmonic coefficient. A general recursive computational algorithm based on these formulae is also established for the initial value problem of the KS theory for the prediction of artificial satellites in the Earth's gravitational field with axial symmetry. Applications of the algorithm for the problem of the final state prediction are illustrated by numerical examples of three test orbits each for two geopotential models corresponding toN=2 andN=36. A final state of any desired accuracy is obtained for each case study, a result which shows the flexibility of the algorithm.     

Encke's special perturbation technique associated with the KS regularized variables

In this paper of the series, a special perturbation technique of Encke-type associated with the KS regularized variables will be developed for satellite motions in the Earth's gravitational field with axial symmetry. Its computational algorithm is of recursive nature and could be applied for any perturbed conic motion whatever the number of the zonal harmonic coefficients may be. Applications of the algorithm are also included.Now at the Department of Mathematics, Girls College of Education, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.     

Rupture line and damage effects in Aqaba area, Egypt

Strong-motion parameters, peak ground acceleration, peak ground velocity, and peak ground displacement depend on several factors, such as the source of earthquake, distance between the source and site, and the characteristics of that site. Five seismographs and two accelographs were installed by the Egyptian Geological Survey team along the western side of the Gulf of Aqaba from Taba to Sharm El-Sheikh to record seismic events during the period from September 1995 to June 1996. During this period, two events were recorded by the accelographs. The two accelographs were located on the surface of the basement rocks, the first near the epicenter and the second at a farther distance. However, the farthest accelograph recorded higher values compared to the nearer one. Fault mechanics are an important factor in determining the values of strong motion parameters, where the direction of the rupture line plays an important role in detecting the values of strong motion parameters, the strong motion parameters and damage effects seem to be attenuated very fast in the direction perpendicular to the rupture line. This can be interpreted by the fact that the farthest accelograph lies at the extension of the fault rupture (azimuth = 30°), while the nearer one was perpendicular to the strike of the fault rupture.     

The structural and sedimentological setting of the Quaternary deposits in Al-Ain area, UAE

Quaternary sediments represent the main constituent which covers an ENE–WSW elongated depression some 25 km long and 10 km wide (Al-Ain area). This depression is encountered between two north and south low fault scarps and is located perpendicular to the Al Jaww plain and Jabel Hafit axes.Four main types of Quaternary surface deposits were identified belonging to: flood plain and braided channels; desert plain; aeolian sand; and sabkha. The first type shows many pedogenic and non-pedogenic features of which are dolocrete, calcrete and gypcrete.An ENE–WSW closely-spaced dip-slip, stepping pattern fault set could be traced in dolocretized-calcretized braided channel deposits, on the south margin of this depression, where the relationship between fault geometry, displacement and geomorphology suggest a model of either graben or half-graben. The role of this system in developing the landscape of Al-Ain is well documented near the surface but a comprehensive study to assess its role in the sub-surface is needed.     

Effect of sewage effluent on the sediments of Nordåsvatnet (a land-locked fjord), Norway

Nordåsvatnet is a land-locked anoxic fjord along the west coast of Norway which is used as a natural recipient of untreated domestic sewage. The study of four core sediments collected from the heavily polluted basin of the fjord reflects the enrichment of surface sediments by Fe, Mn, Cu, Zn and organic matter. This surface enrichment is entirely attributed to the anthropogenic input.     

Heat flow in Eastern Egypt: The thermal signature of a continental breakup

The Red Sea is a modern example of continental fragmentation and incipient ocean formation. Heat flow data have been collected from eastern Egypt to provide information relating to the mode and mechanism of Red Sea opening. Preliminary heat flow data, including new data reported here, are now available from twenty-five sites in eastern Egypt and one site in western Sinai. A pattern of low to normal heat flow (35–55 mW m⁻²) inland with high heat flow (75–100 mW m⁻²) in a zone within 30 to 40 km of the coast is indicated.Moderately high heat flow (around 70 mW m⁻²) is indicated for the Gulf of Suez. The coastal zone thermal anomaly appears continuous with high heat flow previously reported for the Red Sea shelf. Heat production data indicate that the coastal thermal anomaly is not primarily related to crustal radiogenic heat production. The effects of rapid erosion may contribute to the anomaly, but are not thought to be the primary cause of the anomaly. If the anomaly is caused by lateral conduction from hot, extended, offshore lithosphere, the extension must have been active for the last 30 Ma or so, and a minimum of 100% extension is indicated. Alternatively, the anomaly is primarily caused by high mantle heat flow causing lithospheric thinning, centred beneath the Red Sea. The Red Sea is probably underlain by dominantly basic crust, formed either by intrusion into attenuated continental crust or sea-floor spreading, and for most purposes the crust formed in these two modes of extension may be essentially indistinguishable. Fission-track ages from eastern Egypt indicate that uplift started prior to, or at latest at the time of initial Red Sea opening, and this result, together with thermo-mechanical considerations, suggests an active asthenospheric upwelling beneath the Red Sea and high temperature in the lithosphere prior to extension.     

Dissolved organic matter in coastal waters at Jeddah,Saudi Arabia

Water samples collected during April 1982–April 1983 from Red Sea coastal waters at Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, were investigated for dissolved organic carbon, dissolved organic nitrogen, dissolved lipid, dissolved organic phosphorus, dissolved monosaccharides, total dissolved sugars and dissolved polysaccharides. All showed extremely high values at two stations. This can be attributed to the direct effect of untreated wastes on these two locations and the limited water exchange between the study area and the open sea.