The effects of water interactions on engineering structures

ABSTRACT

The intended performance of hydraulic structures such as dams built on soluble rock or soil foundations may depend upon rates of dissolution caused by water seeping through joints, fissures or granular zones. Previous papers by one author and collaborators have defined the rates of dissolution for soluble rocks by means of a simple equation: dM/dt = K A (C_s—C)^θ. This relationship may be used as an aid to prediction of enlargement of joints and fissures in rocks, settlements of granular foundation strata, the deterioration of filters, risks to shallow but intensely loaded foundations, and durability of underground storage caverns in soluble rocks. The relationship requires a knowledge of the solution potentials of groundwater associated with these features of engineering structures. They in turn require an understanding of the relevant hydrochemistry and hydrology which is discussed in this paper.     

EARLY PLIOCENE EXPANSION OF THE EAST ANTARCTIC ICE SHEET, UPPER WRIGHT VALLEY, ANTARCTICA

Whereas the glacial geomorphology of lower and central Wright Valley is reasonably well understood, the upper valley region, including the North and South Forks and the Dais, has received little attention. Our studies suggest that a wet-based glacier overrode the area and deposited what has been mapped elsewhere as the Peleus till. While we did not observe this silt-rich till in the Labyrinth, it occurs on the Dais and in protected areas of the North and South Forks. Most importantly, our findings imply that the Wright Upper Glacier, an outlet glacier of the East Antarctic Ice Sheet, deposited lateral moraines and lateral-moraine segments along the north and south walls of both the North and South Forks following deposition of the Peleus till. We argue that this drift is correlative with Taylor IVa drift in central Taylor Valley and Alpine III drift in central Wright Valley, based on landscape features, surface-boulder weathering, soil development, and stratigraphy. The presence of meltwater channels, outwash, kame moraines, esker-like features, and kames suggests that ice-marginal or supraglacial water may have accompanied this glaciation.     

Bear Mountain Igneous Complex, Klamath Mountains, California: an Ultrabasic to Silicic Cale-Alkaline Suite

The Bear Mountain igneous complex, Klamath Mountains, California,can be divided into distinct lithologic suites (order accordingto apparent relative age): (1) satellitic masses of clinopyroxene-richultramafic and gabbroic rocks with subordinate dunite and hornblende-plagioclasepegmatoid; (2) two-pyroxene-biotite diorite and monzodiorite;(3) heterogeneous hornblende-rich rocks varying from gabbroto diorite; (4) leucocratic rocks, chiefly consisting of biotitetonalite and granodiorite; and (5) late dikes (mafic to felsic).Elongate masses of unit (1) flank a composite pluton consistingof units (2–4), while the late dikes (unit 5) intrudethe adjacent country rocks. The rocks of the complex invadedan ophiolite allochthon during the Late Jurassic Nevadan orogeny,and well-defined contact aureoles surround the complex. Lowergreenschist facies rocks, chiefly metabasalt, impure siliceousmetasedimentary rocks, and serpentinized peridotite, have beendynamothermally metamorphosed to mineral assemblages indicativeof hornblende-hornfels facies and locally pyroxene-hornfelsfacies. The emplacement of the igneous complex was chiefly byforcible shouldering aside, although local tectonic featuressuch as faults in the ophiolite allochthon were instrumentalin the emplacement history. The ultramafic and gabbroic rocks are interpreted as crystalcumulates of a fractionated basaltic magma. Mineral compositionsand whole-rock chemical characteristics of the proposed cumulatessuggest that the Mg/Fe ratio of the parental basaltic liquidwas high. The activity of silica was low, while water vaporpressure apparently increased through time until it was moderatelyhigh during the late magmatic stage. These cumulates were subsequentlyremobilized during lateral tectonic compression and emplacedhigher in the crust as hot, semisolid aggregates. A diverse array of data, including pyroxene compositions, major-,minor-, and rare-earth-element abundances and field relations,suggest that the two-pyroxene-biotite diorite/monzodiorite unitwas consanguineous with the clinopyroxene-rich ultramafic andgabbroic rocks. The diorite/monzodiorite unit, therefore, isan intermediate differentiate of an early primitive basalt.Furthermore, major-, trace, and rare-earth-element data characteristicof the diorite/monzodionte unit indicate strong similaritiesto low-Si andesite and clearly suggest a calc-alkaline affinity. Age relations indicate that the hornblende-rich and leucocraticunits are younger and represent the intrusion of other magmasinto the same igneous locus. Petrographic and geochemical datafrom the hornblende-rich unit suggest recrystallization fromhydrous magmas similar in composition to high-Al basalt andbasaltic andesite. The leucocratic suite, consisting chieflyof calc-alkaline tonalitic rocks, is similar to other quartz-richfelsic rocks widespread throughout the Klamath Mountains-westernSierra Nevada. The available petrographic and geochemical dataare consistent with formation of these rocks by either fractionalcrystallization of a wet basaltic magma or partial melting ofamphibolite or eclogite. The Bear Mountain igneous complex is an example of a diversebut distinctive association of ultrabasic to silicic rocks whichcharacterize numerous plutonic complexes in the Klamath Mountains-westernSierra Nevada. These intrusive complexes invade older ensimaticrocks and appear to define the roots of a complex, Middle toLate Jurassic calc-alkaline magmatic arc. The ultramafic andgabbroic rocks characteristic of this plutonic association aresimilar to Alaskan-type complexes but differ in detail. Moresignificantly, these rocks are important clues to the compositionof early magmas as well as the complex processes operative inreservoirs that form the core of calc-alkaline magmatic centers.     

Petrology and Geochemistry of the Late Eocene Harrison Pass Pluton, Ruby Mountains Core Complex, Northeastern Nevada

The late Eocene Harrison Pass pluton was emplaced in the transitionzone between the infrastructure and suprastructure of the RubyMountains core complex. Emplacement was at     

High fO2 During Sillimanite Zone Metamorphism of Part of the Barrovian Type Locality, Glen Clova, Scotland

The redox state of sillimanite zone (650–700°C, 5–6kbar) metasediments of the Barrovian type area, Scotland, wasinvestigated using estimates of metamorphic oxygen fugacity(f_O2), sulfur fugacity (f_S2), and fluid chemistry based on newdeterminations of mineral and rock compositions from 33 samples.A total of 94% of the samples lack graphite, contain both ilmenite–hematitesolid solutions (RHOMOX) and magnetite, and had metamorphicf_O2 about 2 log₁₀ units above the quartz–fayalite–magnetite(QFM) buffer. The regional variation in metamorphic f_O2 forthese rocks was minimal, about ±0·3 log₁₀ units,reflecting either a protolith that was homogeneous with respectto redox state, or an initially variable protolith whose redoxstate was homogenized by metamorphic fluid–rock interaction.RHOMOX inclusions in garnet porphyroblasts that become richerin ilmenite from the interior to the edge of the host porphyroblastsuggest that at least some syn-metamorphic reduction of rockoccurred. Significant variations in bulk-rock oxidation ratio(OR) that are probably inherited from sedimentary protolithsare found from one layer to the next; OR ranges mostly between     

Potassic Mafic Lavas of the Bearpaw Mountains, Montana: Mineralogy, Chemistry, and Origin

The volcanic rocks of the Bearpaw Mountains are part of theMontana high-potassium province, emplaced through Archaean rocksof the Wyoming Craton between 54 and 50 Ma ago. Extrusive rocks,dominated by minettes and latites, have a volume of 825 km³.The minettes range in composition from 20 to 6% MgO. The moremagnesian varieties contain the phenocryst assemblage forsterite+ Cr-spinel + diopside phlogopite. More evolved rocks areolivine-free, with an assemblage of either salite + phlogopite+ pseudoleucite or salite + phlogopite + analcime. The analcimeis thought to be secondary after leucite, produced by loss ofpotassium from the minettes. Mineral chemistry and textures,especially of clinopyroxenes, indicate that mixing between minettemagmas of varying degrees of evolution was commonplace. Compositionalvariation was further extended by accumulation of olivine +spinel + clinopyroxene phenocrysts, and by the preservationof mantle xenocrysts in the minettes. The primary minette magmasare inferred to have had 12–14% MgO and to have been generatedat 30 kb from an olivine + diopside + phlogopite-bearing source.The primary magmas evolved dominantly by fractionation of olivine+ diopside. The minettes have high contents of large ion lithophile elements(LILE) and light rare earth elements (LREE), with K₂O up to6.18%, Ba 5491 ppm, Sr 2291 ppm, and Ce 99 ppm. (⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr)⁰ranges from 0.707 to 0.710 and Nd varies from –10 to–16. These data, plus high LILE/HFSE (high field strengthelements) values, are interpreted to show that the minettescontain at least three different mantle components. The lithospherewas initially depleted in Archaean times, but was metasomaticallyenriched in the Proterozoic and in the late Cretaceous and earlyTertiary. The latites have many chemical features in common with the minettes,such as potassic character and high LILE/HFSE values. They formedby fractional crystallization of minette magma in combinationwith assimilation of crustal rocks; this process enriched themagmas in SiO₂ and raised Na₂O/K₂O and ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr values. Chemicaldata for phenocrysts and bulk rocks in minettes suggest mixingbetween minette and latite magmas.     

Diastasis cracks: mechanically generated synaeresis-like cracks in Upper Cambrian shallow water oolite and ribbon carbonates

Upper Cambrian limestones and dolostones of western Newfoundland, Canada, display conspicuous synsedimentary mud cracks. Cracks occur in carbonate mudstone interbedded with ooid and peloid grainstone (unwashed oolite and ribbon rock lithofacies). The traditional interpretation is that these are desiccation cracks. The weight of evidence supports an alternative explanation: cracks resulted from the differential mechanical behaviour under stress of stiff mud interlayered with loose ooid/peloid sand. The processes envisaged to cause such diastasis cracks may be applicable to a wide variety of both carbonate and terrigenous clastic deposits composed of interlayered sediments of contrasting material properties, and may be a viable alternative to synaeresis. Diastasis cracks are not depth limited, and may form in any subtidal environment from the beach zone to below wave base. If this interpretation is correct, there may not be nearly as many intertidal lithofacies in the rock record as are presently assumed.