Trends in monthly precipitation over the northwest of Iran (NWI)

Increasing global temperatures during the last century have had their own effects on other climatic conditions, particularly on precipitation characteristics. This study was meant to investigate the spatial and temporal monthly trends of precipitation using the least square error (LSE) approach for the northwest of Iran (NWI). To this end, a database was obtained from 250 measuring stations uniformly scattered all over NWI from 1961 to 2010. The spatial average of annual precipitation in NWI during the period of study was approximately 220.9–726.7 mm. The annual precipitation decreased from southwest to northeast, while the large amount of precipitation was concentrated in the south-west and in the mountainous areas. All over NWI, the maximum and minimum precipitation records occurred from March to May and July to September, respectively. The coefficient of variation (CV) is greater than 44 % in all of NWI and may reach over 76 % in many places. The greatest range of CV, for instance, occurred during July. The spatial variability of precipitation was consistent with a tempo-spatial pattern of precipitation trends. There was a considerable difference between the amounts of change during the months, and the negative trends were mainly attributed to areas concentrated in eastern and southern parts of NWI far from the western mountain ranges. Moreover, limited areas with positive precipitation trends can be found in very small and isolated regions. This is observable particularly in the eastern half of NWI, which is mostly located far from Westerlies. On the other hand, seasonal precipitation trends indicated a slight decrease during winter and spring and a slight increase during summer and autumn. Consequently, there were major changes in average precipitation that occurred negatively in the area under study during the observation period. This finding is in agreement with those findings by recent studies which revealed a decreasing trend of around 2 mm/year over NWI during 1966–2005.

     

An analytical solution for stresses induced by a post-tensioned anchor in rocks containing two perpendicular joint sets

A new analytical approach for the analysis of stress around a post-tensioned anchor in rock with two perpendicular joint sets is presented. The solution considers nonlinear shear stresses developed along the anchor bond length as well as debonding at the tendon–grout interface. The bearing plate effects are also considered in the analyses. The following assumptions are made: (1) homogeneous and orthotropic elastic rock; (2) half-space rock mass with plane strain conditions; (3) trilinear bond-slip model for the behavior of the tendon–grout interface; (4) an elastic anchor. The employed methodology is to decompose the anchor problem into two problems of simpler loadings: stresses produced under a rigid bearing plate and stresses induced by interfacial shear stresses mobilized along the bond length. Based on the proposed solution, an illustrative example is given and the results show that a large compressive region is formed around the anchor free length. Tensile stress concentrations are also observed around the bond length and near the rock surface outside the bearing plate. A parametric study is also conducted to investigate the effects of joint properties on the induced stresses. The results show that as the number of joints intersecting the anchor axis increases, the magnitude of compressive stresses in the free zone decreases, while the size of compression zone around the anchor increases. To verify the results of the analytical approach, a comparison is made with numerical results obtained by using the finite element method. The analytical solutions compare very well with the results obtained by numerical method.     

Prediction of the collapsing risk of mining slopes based on geostatistical interpretation of geotechnical parameters

Almost all collapses of rock slopes especially in open pit mines are related to discontinuities such as bedding planes, faults and major joints.Geostatistical assessments can be used for understanding the distribution of regionalized variables in any spatial study. In this paper3D spatial dispersion of the fault planes in the Gole Gohar open pit iron mine, located in Kerman province, south east of Iran, is modeled. Then, regionalized variable theory is used to analyze and interpret spatial distribution of the following geotechnical parameters: Geological strength index (GSI), Rock quality designation (RQD), Cohesion (C) and angle of internal friction (f). In order to define regionalized variable distribution, variogram functions were determined for identifying the regional behavior. Structural analysis of variograms showed that the mentioned parameters have spatial structures that make it possible to set up a geostatistical model to predict their values for each non-sampled block on the pit wall. Results showed that there is a relation between the low values of geotechnical parameters and the existence of discontinuities around the pit area. The role of discontinuities in the occurrence of collapses in the area was clearly demonstrated by comparing the estimated parameters models and the model of discontinuities dispersion.     

Video-monitoring of wood discharge: first inter-basin comparison and recommendations to install video cameras

Wood in rivers plays a major role both ecologically and morphologically. In recent decades, due to human activities in the river channels and along the riparian zone, wood obstruction and jamming has exacerbated flooding hazards and infrastructure damage. Therefore, it is necessary to quantify the wood flux and discharge in rivers to improve wood hazard management. Among the various methods for monitoring the wood flux in a river, the streamside videography technique is effective given its high temporal and spatial resolution. Previous work monitored the wood discharge (m³/s) using this technique in the Ain River (France) during three floods (MacVicar and Piégay, 2012), and the same method is implemented on the Isère River (France) to obtain the statistics of wood discharge for two floods. Comparison between the two sites supports the generalization of both the monitoring technique and the link between wood discharge and flood characteristics. We first show that the maximum wood discharge is observed at bankfull discharge, and we confirm the three stage model proposed by MacVicar and Piégay (2012). Additionally, transverse distributions of the number of wood pieces and corresponding wood length appear to be similar for different flood magnitudes on each site. As a technical contribution, the use of the same technique on two sites allows for recommendations on key decisions related to the location and implementation of the equipment. Both statistical and technical contributions can be used by decision makers to implement this monitoring technique, acquire the wood transport parameters, and evaluate the potential wood hazards at local scale or along a river. © 2020 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Cretaceous subduction-related volcanism in the northern Sanandaj-Sirjan Zone, Iran

Cretaceous volcanic rocks (SCV) are widely developed in the northern part of the Sanandaj-Sirjan Zone, northwest Iran. Based on the mineralogy, texture and geochemical composition these rocks are divided in two main groups, the first and main one situated in the central part of the study area and the second one in the northeast. The former is dominantly basalts, andesitic basalts, and andesites and the latter comprises andesite, trachy-andesite to acidic variants, with porphyritic to microlithic porphyry and vitrophyric textures. Beside the differences between these two groups, the chemical compositions all of these rocks show a calc-alkaline affinity and enrichment in LIL elements (Rb, Ba, Th, U, and Pb) and depletion in Nb, Ti, and Zr, as evident in spider diagrams normalized to primitive mantle. The rocks are particularly enriched in Rb and depleted in Nb and Ti, as well as displaying high Rb/Sr and Rb/Ba ratios and low ratios of incompatible elements such as Nb/U (<10; range, 0.6–9), Th/U (<2), and Ba/Rb (<20). The significant U enrichment relative to neighbouring Nb and Th in the mantle-normalized variation diagram is mainly a result of source enrichment by slab-derived fluids. Significantly lower Nb/U ratios are observed in arc volcanics. These low values are generally ascribed to the strong capacity of LILE and the inability to transfer significant amounts of HFSE via slab-derived hydrous fluid. The results of geochemical modelling suggest a mantle lithospheric source that was metasomatized by fluids derived from a Neo-Tethyan subducted slab during the Middle to Late Cretaceous in the northern part Sanandaj-Sirjan Zone.     

Unification of vertical datums by GPS and gravimetric geoid models using modified stokes formula

In general, neighboring vertical datums can be compared directly at one or more common points on the border between the datums. This direct method requires leveling and gravity measurements. Such a direct connection is not possible if the datums are separated by an ocean or another body of water. Then a rigorous mathematical model, an indirect approach, may be useful. In order to connect regional vertical datums, a rigorous mathematical model is derived based on a method by Rummel and Teunissen. In this study, two vertical datums are connected indirectly by means of a combination of precise geocentric positions of tide gauge sites and their geoid heights in one geocentric coordinate system and their height values in the respective height datums. This method is used to connect the Swedish and the Finnish height systems. The difference between Swedish RH70 and the Finnish N60 height systems is estimated to —12.1±2.7 cm. The results are mostly in good agreement with those of the direct approach by Sjöberg and by Ekman and the indirect approach by Pan and Sjöberg.     

Predictive value of Keetch-Byram Drought Index for cereal yields in a semi-arid environment

The study examines the potential of urban roofs to reduce the urban heat island (UHI) effect by changing their reflectivity and implementing vegetation (green roofs) using the example of the City of Vienna. The urban modelling simulations are performed based on high-resolution orography and land use data, climatological observations, surface albedo values from satellite imagery and registry of the green roof potential in Vienna. The modelling results show that a moderate increase in reflectivity of roofs (up to 0.45) reduces the mean summer temperatures in the densely built-up environment by approximately 0.25 °C. Applying high reflectivity materials (roof albedo up to 0.7) leads to average cooling in densely built-up area of approximately 0.5 °C. The green roofs yield a heat load reduction in similar order of magnitude as the high reflectivity materials. However, only 45 % of roof area in Vienna is suitable for greening and the green roof potential mostly applies to industrial areas in city outskirts and is therefore not sufficient for substantial reduction of the UHI effect, particularly in the city centre which has the highest heat load. The strongest cooling effect can be achieved by combining the green roofs with high reflectivity materials. In this case, using 50 or 100 % of the green roof potential and applying high reflectivity materials on the remaining surfaces have a similar cooling effect.     

Estimation of depth of buried conductive sphere from electromagnetic induction anomaly data using linearization process

In this paper, we have developed a least-squares minimization method to estimate the depth of a buried conducting sphere using electromagnetic induction (EMI) data. This approach is basically based on the solving a set of algebraic linear equations to estimate the depth of sphere embedded in an insulating media. In electromagnetic induction method, the transmitter coil produces the incident magnetic and electric fields that obey the Maxwell’s equations. In the receiver coil, the received response is created in two modes—eddy-current mode (V _ec) derived from the perfectly conductor placed in the shallow depth and another mode called current-channeling response (V _cc) which depends on the conductivity of the medium. As expected, these responses differ depending on the direction of the incident field related to the receiver coil’s axis. In our case, the transmitter coil’s axis is parallel to the ground surface, and only the eddy-current response is measured in the receiver coil. The validity of this new method is demonstrated through studying and analyzing synthetic EMI anomalies, using simulated data generated from a known model with different random error components and a known statistical distribution.