Urban Seismic Risk Evaluation: A Holistic Approach

Risk has been defined, for management purposes, as the potential economic, social and environmental consequences of hazardous events that may occur in a specified period of time. However, in the past, the concept of risk has been defined in a fragmentary way in many cases, according to each scientific discipline involved in its appraisal. From the perspective of this article, risk requires a multidisciplinary evaluation that takes into account not only the expected physical damage, the number and type of casualties or economic losses, but also the conditions related to social fragility and lack of resilience conditions, which favour the second order effects (indirect effects) when a hazard event strikes an urban centre. The proposed general method of urban risk evaluation is multi hazard and holistic, that is, an integrated and comprehensive approach to guide decision-making. The evaluation of the potential physical damage (hard approach) as the result of the convolution of hazard and physical vulnerability of buildings and infrastructure is the first step of this method. Subsequently, a set of social context conditions that aggravate the physical effects are also considered (soft approach). In the method here proposed, the holistic risk evaluation is based on urban risk indicators. According to this procedure, a physical risk index is obtained, for each unit of analysis, from existing loss scenarios, whereas the total risk index is obtained by factoring the former index by an impact factor or aggravating coefficient, based on variables associated with the socio-economic conditions of each unit of analysis. Finally, the proposed method is applied in its single hazard form to the holistic seismic risk evaluation for the cities of Bogota (Colombia) and Barcelona (Spain).     

An experimental study of effect of pre‐existing fabric on deformation of foliated mylonite at high temperature and pressure

We performed deformation experiments on a foliated mylonite under high temperature and pressure conditions in this study. To investigate the effect of pre‐existing fabric on the rheology of rocks, our samples were drilled from natural mylonite with the cylinder axis parallel to the foliation (PAR) and perpendicular to the foliation (PER). We performed 25 tests on seven PAR samples and 21 tests on seven PER samples at temperatures ranging from 600 to 890 °C, confining pressures ranging from 800 to 1400 MPa, and steady‐state strain rates of 1 × 10⁻⁴, 1 × 10⁻⁵ and 2.5 × 10⁻⁶ s⁻¹. In the temperatures of 600–700 °C, the deformation is accommodated by semi‐brittle flow, with the average stress exponent being 6–7 assuming power law flow; in the temperature range of 800–890 °C, deformation is mainly by plastic flow, with an average stress exponent of n = 3 and activation energies of Q = 354 ± 52 kJ/mol (PER and PAR samples). The experimental results show that the strengths of PER samples are higher than those of PAR samples. Deformation microstructures have been studied by optical and electron microscopy. The original foliation of PER samples is destroyed by deformation and replaced by a new foliation, but the deformation of PAR samples followed the original foliation. Electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD) measurements show a strong lattice preferred orientation (LPO) of the quartz c axis fabrics of the starting samples and deformed PER and PAR samples. However, the c axis fabric of quartz in experimentally deformed PER and PAR samples varied with temperature and strain rate is different from that seen in the starting mylonite sample. The initial quartz c axis fabric of the starting mylonite sample has been transformed into a new fabric during experimental deformation. Dehydration melting of biotite and hornblende occurred in both PER and PAR samples at temperatures of 800–890 °C. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

徐家围子断陷深层火石岭组致密火山岩储层地应力分布规律研究

徐家围子断陷位于松辽盆地北部,其深层中生代火石岭组为致密火山岩气藏,天然裂缝发育,地应力分布非均质性强。结合诱导裂缝法与井径崩落法进行单井现今地应力方向分析,利用声波测井法计算现今地应力大小的纵向分布。依据火石岭组构造顶底面图、火山岩相组及断层分布特征建立非均质三维地质模型;在动、静态岩石物理参数拟合校正的基础上,结合实验测试及已有研究成果,确定不同岩相组和断层岩石物理参数,建立三维力学模型;利用Ansys有限元数值模拟软件建立火石岭组三维数学模型并进行相关运算获得三维现今地应力分布模型。计算结果表明在火石岭组地层中,水平最大主应力方向主要为东西向,应力值范围在86~110 MPa;水平最小主应力方向主要为南北向,应力值范围在67~84 MPa。分析模拟结果可知火山岩相、断层和构造起伏三者对火石岭组现今地应力分布影响较大。其中水平主应力的方向主要受断层和近火山口相分布的影响,而水平主应力的大小则是受三者综合作用。在构造低部位,近火山口相组发育处,断层上盘及断层端部皆为主应力的集中区域。依据现今地应力研究成果可为徐家围子断陷下一步开发井网部署、压裂改造方案和水平井的设计以及注水管理提供重要指导。      

胜利东二号露天矿6煤层直接液化性能评价

基于褐煤直接液化特性与煤性质的关系,从煤岩组分和煤质基本性质出发,结合前人对与褐煤直接液化相关的煤岩组分和煤质指标研究成果,通过采样测试与收集数据,探讨了胜利煤田东二号露天矿6煤层煤岩组分、灰分、挥发分、H/C原子比对其直接液化的影响,提出了褐煤作为直接液化的指标要求范围。结果表明:该煤层活性组分(腐植组和稳定组)含量较高,挥发分含量大于35%、H/C原子大部分大于0. 70、浮煤灰分大部分小于10%,符合液化指标要求,可作为较理想的直接液化原料煤。     

平庄盆地六家立井地区找铀目标层岩石学特征及其找矿意义

六家立井地区位于平庄盆地北缘,白垩系下统阜新组上段是该区砂岩型铀矿床目标层位,具有较好找铀前景。为深入了解该区砂体的岩石学特征,通过野外钻探工作、岩心编录、样品采集及岩矿测试方法,详细研究了目标层碎屑岩类型、碎屑岩成分、结构构造等岩石学方面特征。结果表明目标层碎屑岩成分成熟度和结构成熟度均较低,具有搬运距离短、沉积速度快的特点,其物源较单一,初步判断物源来自盆地东北部和西北部隆起带酸性花岗岩,同时也为铀成矿提供了良好的铀源。     

Holocene tectono-geomorphic evolution of Haryana plains,Western Ganga plain,India

Haryana plain is the drainage divide between the Ganga plain in the east and the Indus plain in the west. Being a part of the Himalayan foreland, its geomorphology, sedimentation processes, and tectonism are broadly controlled by the Himalayan tectonics. Soil and geomorphological mapping in Haryana plain bring out geomorphic features such as paleochannels, various active drainage patterns, and landforms such as old fluvial plains, floodplains, piedmonts, pediments, terminal fans, and eolian plains. Based on the degree of soil development, and Optical stimulated luminescence (OSL) ages, the soil-geomorphic units were grouped into six members (QIMS-I to VI) (Quaternary Indus Morphostratigraphic Sequence) of a morphostratigraphic sequence: QIMS-VI 9.86–5.38 Ka, QIMS-V 5.38–4.45 Ka, QIMS-IV 4.45–3.60 Ka, QIMS-III 3.60–2.91 Ka, QIMS-II <?2.91–1.52 Ka, and QIMS-I <?1.52 Ka. OSL chronology of different geomorphic features suggests six episodes of tectono-geomorphic evolution in the region since 10 Ka. Neotectonic features such as nine faults, two lineaments, and five fault-bounded tectonic blocks have been identified. Independent tilting and sagging of the blocks in response to neotectonics have resulted in modification of landforms, depositional processes, and hydro-geomorphology of the region. Major rivers like the Yamuna, the Ghaggar, and the Sutlej show different episodes of shifting of their courses. Lineament controlled few extinct channels have been recorded between 20 and 25 m depth below the surface in the ground-penetrating radar (GPR) profiles. These buried channels are aligned along the paleo-course of the Lost Saraswati River interpreted from the existing literature and hence are considered as the course of the lost river. Seven terminal fans have been formed on the downthrown blocks of the associated faults. The Markanda Terminal Fan, the first of such features described, is indeed a splay terminal fan and was formed by a splay distributary system of the Markanda River. Association of three terminal fans of different ages with the Karnal fault indicates the segment-wise development of the fault from west to east. Also, comparison with other such studies in the Ganga plain to further east suggests that the terminal fans formed by streams with distributary drainage pattern occur only in semiarid regions as in the present area and thus are indicators of semiarid climate/paleoclimate. Though the whole region is tectonically active, the region between the Rohtak fault and Hisar fault is most active at present signified by the concentration of earthquake epicenters.     

Application of instantaneous amplitude gradient for ground penetrating radar signal analyses

Ground penetrating radar (GPR) is an effective geophysical method for environmental and engineering exploration. However, significant background interference occurs around most work sites, which increases the difficulty of analyzing and interpreting GPR profiles. For time-distance profile analyses, more accurate results can be obtained using the instantaneous parameters of the analytic signals. In this study, these instantaneous parameters are extracted and compared using 1D model waveform and 2D model strong interference profiles. The results show that the instantaneous amplitude gradient effectively reflects the model information, even under strong interference. The instantaneous amplitude gradient is applied to GPR survey data from a study site, and the results indicate that the technique reflects the underground structure information of the survey area. Drilling verification further confirms that the instantaneous amplitude gradient accurately reflects the underground structure information.