The squeezing potential of rock around tunnels: Theory and prediction with examples taken from Japan

Summary Large deformations of surrounding media around tunnels are often encountered during excavations in rocks with squeezing characteristics. These deformations may sometimes continue for a long period of time. Predictions of deformations of tunnels in such grounds are urgently needed, not because of stability concerns, but also of their sevicability. In the present study, the squeezing phenomenon of rock around tunnels and its mechanism and associated factors are first clarified by carefully studying failures of tunnels, and a survey of tunnels in squeezing rocks in Japan is presented and its results are summarised. Then, a practical method is proposed to predic the squeezing potential and deformation of tunnels in squeezing rock and this method has beeen applied to actual tunnelling projects, where squeezing problems were encountered, to check its applicability and validity. Finally, an extension of this method to the time-dependent behaviour of squeezing rocks is given and an application of this method to an actual tunnel is presented.     

Selection of a Landfill Site for Solid Waste Management: An Application of AHP and Spatial Analyst Tool

Selection of a suitable landfill site for Solid Waste Management (SWM) forms an important component of urban planning. The problem of SWM has assumed significant proportion for the municipal authorities in the wake of rapid industrialization, urbanization and resultant pressure on existing resources. Many criteria such as distance from residential locations, transport connectivity, presence of water-bodies (drains, ponds, rivers etc.) and forests, ground water table and geology are taken into consideration while planning for suitable sites. Spatial Analyst Tool along with Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) model is extremely useful in such multicriteria decision making process. The present study, based on these tools/techniques, endeavours to identify a suitable location for landfill site in a part of the National Capital Territory of Delhi. The study identifies six potential sites out of which one has been proposed and recommended as the best suitable site.     

A low plain between arcadia and agronomy: Ippolito Nievo and the Friulan landscape

An analysis of the historical and cultural context of a large number of literary works illuminates the concept of landscape, a recurrent theme in contemporary humanistic geography. In this context, the works of Ippolito Nievo present an opportunity to look closer at the socio-economic circumstances of his time while also offering suggestive interpretative elements about the attitudes held concerning the wetlands of the lower Friulan plain.     

The impact of land use and land cover changes on soil erosion in western Iran

Natural Hazards - Analysis of long-term land use and land cover (LULC) changes requires up-to-date remotely sensed data to assess their effects on erosion. This is a particularly important...     

The meteoritic origin of Tutankhamun's iron dagger blade

Scholars have long discussed the introduction and spread of iron metallurgy in different civilizations. The sporadic use of iron has been reported in the Eastern Mediterranean area from the late Neolithic period to the Bronze Age. Despite the rare existence of smelted iron, it is generally assumed that early iron objects were produced from meteoritic iron. Nevertheless, the methods of working the metal, its use, and diffusion are contentious issues compromised by lack of detailed analysis. Since its discovery in 1925, the meteoritic origin of the iron dagger blade from the sarcophagus of the ancient Egyptian King Tutankhamun (14th C. BCE) has been the subject of debate and previous analyses yielded controversial results. We show that the composition of the blade (Fe plus 10.8 wt% Ni and 0.58 wt% Co), accurately determined through portable x‐ray fluorescence spectrometry, strongly supports its meteoritic origin. In agreement with recent results of metallographic analysis of ancient iron artifacts from Gerzeh, our study confirms that ancient Egyptians attributed great value to meteoritic iron for the production of precious objects. Moreover, the high manufacturing quality of Tutankhamun's dagger blade, in comparison with other simple‐shaped meteoritic iron artifacts, suggests a significant mastery of ironworking in Tutankhamun's time.     

National ocean policy—new opportunities for Malaysian ocean development

Being a littoral state, Malaysian maritime sectors provide the basis for the growth and development of marine-related activities. As the country enters the new millennium along with the ‘2020 Vision’ which serves as the basic template against which the economic performance of these sectors should be judged, it poses a new challenge for Malaysia in developing these sectors. This paper attempts to address three basic issues: Firstly, is there any national ocean policy in place? Secondly, are the maritime sectors adequately organized to play an important role in achieving the objectives? Thirdly, what are the opportunities available in developing the ocean?It can be seen that existing policies to develop comprehensive ocean governance have not received the full attention they deserve. Organizational structures governing the ocean for implementing national policies are well in place but in a fragmented and uncoordinated fashion. As a result, sectoral and intersectoral management problems were created such as multiple-use conflicts, overlapping of jurisdiction and duplication of efforts. Environmental problems have also not been properly addressed. A few sectors have been identified as offering opportunities to further develop the Malaysian maritime areas. Among these are marine education and human resources development, marine tourism and the seafood industry.     

Hydrocarbon distribution in coals and in dispersed organic matter of different maceral compositions and maturities

More than 60 samples from 5 coal seams and adjacent siltstones and sandstones were selected from a well through Westphalian B sediments from Northern Germany in order to study bitumen generation and migration. The cores were drilled between 1200 und 1530 metres depth. In this interval, vitrinite reflectance (Rr) is increasing from 0.70 to 0.92%. Results reveal high hydrocarbon generation potentials for all coal samples, but not for adjacent clastic rocks, although maceral compositions of both are quite similar. Yields and compositions of thermal extracts from the coals depend on maceral compositions and rank. However, the bulk of the already generated bitumen has not been removed during natural coalification and is not easily releasable by thermovaporisation. A mass balance based on elemental composition of dull coals indicates that in the rather narrow rank interval (0.70–0.92% Rr) a total mass loss of 20% may have occurred by migration. This is evidenced by a loss of about 20% of the original hydrogen, the rest being stored in the coals.

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Zusammenfassung Um die Entstehung und Migration von Bitumen zu untersuchen wurden in Norddeutschland mehr als 60 Proben aus 5 Kohleflözen und benachbarten Silt- und Sandsteinen aus einer Bohrung durch Westphal B-Sedimente bearbeitet. Die Entnahmetiefe der Bohrkerne liegt zwischen 1200 und 1530 Metern. Innerhalb dieses Intervales steigt die Vitrinit-Reflexion (Rr) von 0,70 auf 0,92%. Für alle Proben aus den Flözen ergeben sich hohe Kohlenwasserstoff-Bildungspotentiale, nicht aber für die benachbarten klastischen Gesteine, obwohl die Mazeral-Zusammensetzungen in beiden ähnlich sind. Die Ausbeute und Zusammensetzung thermaler Extrakte aus den Flözen hängen von Mazeral-Zusammensetzung und Reife ab. Allerdings wurden weder während der Inkohlung größere Mengen des Bitumens abtransportiert, noch ist dieses durch Thermovaporisation leicht freisetzbar. Eine Massenbalanzierung auf der Basis der Elementzusammensetzung ergibt für das relativ schmale Interval von C,70-0,92% Rr ein Massenverlust von 20% durch Migration. Diese Angabe basiert auf einer 20%igen Reduzierung der ursprünglichen Wasserstoffmenge, wobei die restlichen 80% in der Kohle gespeichert bleiben.

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Résumé Dans un forage pratiqué à travers le Westphalien B du nord de l'Allemagne, on a sélectionné plus de 60 échantillons provenant de 5 couches de charbon ainsi que des siltites et grès adjacents, dans le but d'étudier la formation et la migration du bitume. Les carottes proviennent de profondeurs situées entre 1200 et 1530 m. Dans cet intervalle, le pouvoir réflecteur de la vitrinite (Rr) passe de 0,70 à 0,92%. L'étude révèle des potentiels élevés en hydrocarbure pour tous les échantillons de charbon, mais pas pour les roches détritiques voisines, bien que les compositions «macérales» soient analogues dans les deux cas. L'importance et la composition des extrait athermiques des charbons dépendent de la composition «macérale» et du degré d'évolution. Toutefois, la plus grande partie du bitume engendré est restée sur place au cours de la houillification naturelle et elle est difficile à extraire avex la methode de thermovaporisation. Une balance des masses d'éléments indique pour cet intervalle relativement étroit (0,7–0,92% Rr) une perte totale de masse de 20% due à la migration. Ce résultat correspond à une perte d'environ 20% de l'hydrogène originel, les 80% restants étant demeurés dans le charbon.

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Mechanisms of ice accumulation in a river bend-an experimental study

In this study,under conditions of different flow and ice discharge,extensive experiments have been carried out in a 180°-bend flume and an S-shaped bend channel.The phenomenon and mechanisms of ice accumulation in the bend channel have been studied.Ice accumulation along the convex bank was normally thicker than that along the concave bank.The maximum thickness of ice accumulation in the downstream bend channel occurred close to the convex bank.The difference between the maximum thickness and the minimum thickness of ice accumulation was significant.The entire ice accumulation became unstable if flow Froude number was large.When the flow Froude Number is high,the entire ice accumulation becomes unstable.For Froude Number between 0.035 and 0.060,the bottom surface of ice accumulation became waved in form.Small changes in Froude number and ice discharge rate can change a channel from a state of no ice accumulation to uniform accumulation over the channel bend.The higher the ice discharge,the more uniform the ice accumulation.The experimental results have been compared with field observations of ice jams at the Hequ Reach of the Yellow River.     

Intra-seasonal climate variability of Madagascar. Part 1: Mean summer conditions

Summary Variability of the summer climate of Madagascar is studied using area-averaged rainfall (1961–1992) and ECMWF meteorological data (1987–1992). Rainfall time series illustrate a seasonal onset in late December, a convective peak in mid-February and cessation near the end of March. Convective cycles with periods of 10–20 and 40 days are common. The former are contributed by easterly waves and the latter by monsoon surges which may resonate with the Madden Julian Oscillation. Using ECMWF January–February means, the summer climate of the Madagascar region is described. Characteristics of the region include SST>28°C, a quasi-permanent, topographic trade wind trough, sudden cyclogenesis, and distinct circulation regimes with easterly (westerly) shear to the north (south). The most poleward limit of deep convection and sustained uplift is near 20°S, 45°E. A convective vortex embedded in the ITCZ is a prevalent feature owing to the interaction of the NW monsoon and local topography.With 11 Figures     

Sea Level Variations and Geomorphological Changes in the Coastal Belt of Pakistan

The UNEP in its regional seas program in 1989 has included Pakistan in a group of countries which are vulnerable to the impact of rising sea level. If the present trend of sea level rise (SLR) at Karachi continues, in the next 50 years the sea level rise along the Pakistan Coast will be 50 mm (5 cm). Since the rising rates of sea level at Karachi are within the global range of 1-2 mm/year, the trends may be treated as eustatic SLR. Historical air temperature and sea surface temperature (SST) data of Karachi also show an increasing pattern and an increasing trend of about 0.67°C has been registered in the air temperature over the last 35 years, whereas the mean SST in the coastal waters of Karachi has also registered an increasing trend of about 0.3°C in a decade. Sindh coastal zone is more vulnerable to sea level rise than Baluchistan coast, as uplifting of the coast by about 1-2 mm/year due to subduction of Indian Ocean plate is a characteristic of Baluchistan coast. Within the Indus deltaic creek system, the area nearby Karachi is more vulnerable to coastal erosion and accretion than the other deltaic region, mainly due to human activities together with natural phenomena such as wave action, strong tidal currents, and rise in sea level. Therefore, The present article deals mainly with the study of dynamical processes such as erosion and accretion associated with sea level variations along the Karachi coast and surrounding Indus deltaic coastline. The probable beach erosion in a decade along the sandy beaches of Karachi has been estimated. The estimates show that 1.1 mm/year rise in sea level causes a horizontal beach loss of 110 mm per year. Therefore, coast eroded with rise in sea level at Karachi and surrounding sandy beaches would be 1.1 m during a period of next 10 years. The northwestern part of Indus delta, especially the Gizri and Phitti creeks and surrounding islands, are most unstable. Historical satellite images are used to analyze the complex pattern of sediment movements, the change in shape of coastline, and associated erosion and accretion patterns in Bundal and Buddo Islands. The significant changes in land erosion and accretion areas at Bundal and Buddo Islands are evident and appear prominently in the images. A very high rate of accretion of sediments in the northwestern part of Buddo Island has been noticed. In the southwest monsoon season the wave breaking direction in both these islands is such that the movement of littoral drift is towards west. Erosion is also taking place in the northeastern and southern part of Bundal Island. The erosion in the south is probably due to strong wave activities and in the northeast is due to strong tidal currents and seawater intrusion. Accretion takes place at the northwest and western parts of Bundal Island. By using the slope of Indus delta, sea encroachment and the land area inundation with rising sea level of 1 m and 2 m have also been estimated.