Spatial Variability of Rock Depth in Bangalore Using Geostatistical, Neural Network and Support Vector Machine Models

Geospatial technology is increasing in demand for many applications in geosciences. Spatial variability of the bed/hard rock is vital for many applications in geotechnical and earthquake engineering problems such as design of deep foundations, site amplification, ground response studies, liquefaction, microzonation etc. In this paper, reduced level of rock at Bangalore, India is arrived from the 652 boreholes data in the area covering 220 km². In the context of prediction of reduced level of rock in the subsurface of Bangalore and to study the spatial variability of the rock depth, Geostatistical model based on Ordinary Kriging technique, Artificial Neural Network (ANN) and Support Vector Machine (SVM) models have been developed. In Ordinary Kriging, the knowledge of the semi-variogram of the reduced level of rock from 652 points in Bangalore is used to predict the reduced level of rock at any point in the subsurface of the Bangalore, where field measurements are not available. A new type of cross-validation analysis developed proves the robustness of the Ordinary Kriging model. ANN model based on multi layer perceptrons (MLPs) that are trained with Levenberg–Marquardt backpropagation algorithm has been adopted to train the model with 90% of the data available. The SVM is a novel type of learning machine based on statistical learning theory, uses regression technique by introducing loss function has been used to predict the reduced level of rock from a large set of data. In this study, a comparative study of three numerical models to predict reduced level of rock has been presented and discussed.     

Analysis of the 2003 Varunawat Landslide,Uttarkashi, India using Earth Observation data

Mass movements such as landslides in mountainous terrains are natural degradation processes and one of the most important landscape-building factors. Varunawat Parbat overlooking Uttarkashi town witnessed a series of landslides on 23 September 2003 and the debris slides and rock falls continued for 2 weeks. This landslide complex was triggered due to the incessant rainfall prior to the event, and its occurrence led to the blockage of the pilgrim route to Gangotri (source of the Ganges river) and evacuation of thousands of people to safer places. Though there was no loss of lives due to timely evacuation, heavy losses to the property were reported. High-resolution stereoscopic earth observation data were acquired after the incidence to study the landslide in detail with emphasis on the cause of the landslide and mode of failure. Areas along the road and below the Varunawat foothill region are mapped for landslide risk. It was found that the foothill region of the Varunawat Parbat was highly disturbed by man-made activities and houses are dangerously located below steep slopes. The potential zones for landslides along with the existing active and old landslides are mapped. These areas are critical and their treatment with priority is required in order to minimise further landslide occurrences.     

Monitoring Large-Scale Tests for Nuclear Waste Disposal

Two large-scale “in situ” demonstration experiments and their instrumentation are described. The first test (FEBEX Experiment) involves the hydration of a compacted bentonite barrier under the combined effect of an inner source of heat and an outer water flow from the confining saturated granite rock. In the second case, the progressive de-saturation of Opalinus clay induced by maintained ventilation of an unlined tunnel is analyzed. The paper shows the performance of different sensors (capacitive cells, psychrometers, TDR’s) and a comparison of fill behaviour with modelling results. The long term performance of some instruments could also be evaluated specially in the case of FEBEX test. Capacitive sensors provide relative humidity data during long transient periods characterised by very large variations of suction within the bentonite.     

DEFORMATION OF SEISMIC WAVELETS BY THIN LAYERS AND LAYERED BOUNDARIES*

Using plane wave theory and assuming a given input wavelet the shape of the reflected (or transmitted) wavelet from a layered boundary is derived. Several types of boundaries are considered, among them the weathered layer and a wedge shaped intermediate layer. Different angles of incidence and all internal multiples are taken into account. The examples shown in the figures can be used for a direct comparison between theoretical and observed shapes of reflected (or transmitted) wavelets from special boundaries.     

SOME EXPERIMENTS CONCERNING THE PRIMARY SEISMIC PULSE*

Recordings were made with three types of detector of the primary compressional (P) and shear (S) wave pulses generated by explosions in boreholes. Charge weights varied from 0.08 kg to 9.5 kg and detector distances varied from about 3 m to about 80 m. Scaling by the simple factor W^1/3 where W is the charge weight, enabled observations from different sized charges to be fitted to a single expression. Experiments were carried out in the Bunter sandstone and the London clay and both fluid and solid tamping were used. This variation in tamping had no significant effect on the P-waves but it may have affected the generation of SV-waves. In both media the P-wave energy carried at 30 m from the shot by frequencies less than 100 Hz decreased rapidly with depth and was usually 1–2 % of the available chemical energy for a shot depth of 15 m. The S-wave energy was much less than this, but was highly directional. The P-wave pulse had the appearance of a damped sinusoid in very good agreement with the predictions of the ‘equivalent radiator’ hypothesis. However, the surface of this radiator should be identified not with the blown cavity but with the surface at which the tensile stresses associated with the stress wave become less than the tensile strength of the rock. The predominant frequency for a 1 kg charge at a depth of 15 m was 24 Hz in the clay and 52 Hz in the sandstone. In these and similar media, therefore, an effort should be made to keep individual charges less than 1 kg in reflection shooting and less than 10 kg in refraction shooting. The value of Q was about 50 in clay and about 25 in the sandstone. These estimates are rather uncertain because of the small distances over which the pulses were observed. The Z-transforms of the sampled pulses indicated that they were all of minimum phase, or very near to it.     

THE ELECTRICAL CURRENT PATTERN INDUCED BY AN OSCILLATING MAGNETIC DIPOLE IN A SEMI INFINITE CONDUCTIVE THIN PLATE*

In a paper by Koefoed and Kegge (1968), which was based on previous work of Wesley (1958), the electrical current pattern has been derived that is induced by an oscillating magnetic dipole in a semi-infinite thin plate of infinitesimal resistivity. In the present paper, the range of validity of the assumptions, on which the work of Wesley is based, is subjected to a theoretical analysis. It is found that the decisive factor for the validity of Wesley's derivation is the quotient of the square of the penetration depth of the electrical current over the product of the thickness of the plate and a distance that is indicative of the size of the current loops in the plate. Wesley's derivation is shown to be valid only when this factor is negligible. It is also shown that in this condition the imaginary component of the anomaly must be negligible. Model experiments are described in which the electrical current pattern is studied also in the range in which the derivation of Wesley is not valid. The procedure used in these model experiments was to measure the tangential component of the magnetic field strength very close to the metal plate that simulated the conductive dyke. In order to express the results of the measurements in terms of the imaginary to real ratio, these results are compared with an interpretation graph for field measurements that was published by Hedström and Parasnis (1958). It is found that the current pattern in the plate is essentially the same as that which follows from Wesley's derivation, provided that the imaginary to real ratio is less than one third. The measurements do not permit to draw conclusions regarding the current pattern in the plate in conditions that correspond to larger values of the imaginary to real ratio.     

THE LAUSANNE CONGRESS

The International Society for Photogrammetry held the Xlth International Congress at Lausanne during July 1968. The authors review the activities of five of the seven I.S.P. Commissions.