Numerical Analysis of Gravity Coring Using Coupled Eulerian-Lagrangian Method and a New Corer

The shortcomings of gravity corers in sampling marine sediments have been observed extensively in various field tests. In order to optimize the coring, this article provides an alternative numerical way to model the gravity coring and analyze the sampling effect. Based on this analysis, a new hydraulic hammer corer is devised. A coupled Eulerian-Lagrangian method with capability of simulating the problem involving extreme deformation, penetration is used to simulate the coring process. The results show that the hydrostatic pressure and deviator stress increase and reach their peak when the pile tip is slightly above or at the level of the observation point and then drop rapidly when the pile tip slides below the observation point. In addition, the stress path indicates that the soil element sustains plastic compression before yielding and then expands until recovering to the original state. The obvious “under-sampling” phenomenon is also well-captured by the finite element model.     

Seismic Stability of Gravity Retaining Structures by Pseudo-Dynamic Method

An analytical expression of a gravity retaining wall's seismic stability against sliding and overturning is proposed in this article. The derivation, aiming at the cohesionless soil with inclined backfill surface and nonvertical wall back, is based on limit equilibrium analysis and the pseudo-dynamic method. The variations of the sliding and overturning stability safe factors with the horizontal seismic acceleration are investigated for different seismic amplification factors, soil friction angles, wall friction angles, vertical seismic acceleration coefficients, wall back inclination angles, and backfill surface inclination angles. The results indicate that the soil friction and horizontal seismic action significantly impact the seismic stability. The increase of vertical earthquake action changes the curvature of stability factor curves. The wall friction and back inclination strengthen the gravity retaining wall's resistance to sliding and overturning failure while the backfill surface inclination plays a negative role in the seismic stability. We also found that the seismic stability safe factors calculated by the proposed method are larger but more reasonable than those by the Mononobe-Okabe method.     

Petrological and Os Isotopic Characteristics of Zedong Peridotites in the Eastern Yarlung–Zangbo Suture in Tibet

The Zedong ophiolites in the eastern Yarlung–Zangbo suture zone of Tibet represent a mantle slice of more than 45 km~2. This massif consists mainly of mantle peridotites, with lesser gabbros, diabases and volcanic rocks. The mantle peridotites are mostly harzburgite, lherzolite; a few dike-like bodies of dunite are also present. Mineral structures show that the peridotites experienced plastic deformation and partial melting. Olivine(Fo89.7–91.2), orthopyroxene(En_(88–92)), clinopyroxene(En_(45–49) Wo_(47–51) Fs_(2–4)) and spinel [Mg~#=100×Mg/(Mg+Fe)]=49.1–70.7; Cr~#=(100×Cr/(Cr+Al)=18.8–76.5] are the major minerals. The degree of partial melting of mantle peridotites is 10%–40%, indicating that the Zedong mantle peridotites may experience a multi–stage process. The peridotites are characterized by depleted major element compositions and low REE content(0.08–0.62 ppm). Their "spoon–shaped" primitive–mantle normalized REE patterns with(La/Sm)_N being 0.50–6.00 indicate that the Zedong ultramafic rocks belong to depleted residual mantle rocks. The PGE content of Zedong peridotites(18.19–50.74 ppb) is similar with primary mantle with Pd/Ir being 0.54–0.60 and Pt/Pd being 1.09–1.66. The Zedong peridotites have variable, unradiogenic Os isotopic compositions with ~(187)Os/~(188)Os=0.1228 to 0.1282. A corollary to this interpretation is that the convecting upper mantle is heterogeneous in Os isotopes. All data of the Zedong peridotites suggest that they formed originally at a mid-ocean ridge(MOR) and were later modified in supra–subduction zone(SSZ) environment.     

Ore-forming Fluid and Mineral Source of the Hongshi Copper Deposit in the Kalatage Area, East Tianshan, Xinjiang, NW China

The Hongshi copper deposit is located in the middle of the Kalatage ore district in the northern segment of the Dananhu-Tousuquan island-arc belt in East Tianshan, Xinjiang, NW China. This study analyses the fluid inclusions and H, O, and S stable isotopic compositions of the deposit. The fluid-inclusion data indicate that aqueous fluid inclusions were trapped in chalcopyrite-bearing quartz veins in the gangue minerals. The homogenization temperatures range from 108°C to 299°C, and the salinities range from 0.5% to 11.8%, indicating medium to low temperatures and salinities. The trapping pressures range from 34.5 MPa to 56.8 MPa. The δ18OH2O values and δD values of the fluid range from ?6.94‰ to ?5.33‰ and from ?95.31‰ to ?48.20‰, respectively. The H and O isotopic data indicate that the ore-forming fluid derived from a mix of magmatic water and meteoric water and that meteoric water played a significant role. The S isotopic composition of pyrite ranges from 1.9‰ to 5.2‰, with an average value of 3.1‰, and the S isotopic composition of chalcopyrite ranges from ?0.9‰ to 4‰, with an average value of 1.36‰, implying that the S in the ore-forming materials was derived from the mantle. The introduction of meteoric water decreased the temperature, volatile content, and pressure, resulting in immiscibility. These factors may have been the major causes of the mineralization of the Hongshi copper deposit. Based on all the geologic and fluid characteristics, we conclude that the Hongshi copper deposit is an epithermal deposit.     

层状土毛细水上升过程中Lucas-Washburn模型评价及修正

受界面效应影响,毛细水在层状土中运移规律还难以用描述均质土中水分运移规律的Lucas-Washburn（LW）渗吸模型进行描述。基于此,本文设计了层状土室内模型试验,采用分布式的主动加热光纤法（简称AHFO）监测毛细水上升过程。根据AHFO测试结果,进一步对LW模型进行了修正,提出了适用于描述层状土中毛细水上升规律的ILW模型,并对ILW模型进行了试验验证。试验结果表明:（1）当毛细水湿润锋抵达“黏土（下部）-砂土（上部）”界面时,会产生“毛细屏障作用”,从而导致上部砂土中毛细水含水率急剧下降;（2）“毛细屏障作用”由砂土和黏土中的基质吸力不均衡造成,基质吸力大小由含水率决定;（3）当毛细水湿润锋抵达“砂土（下部）-黏土（上部）”界面时,在界面处出现“反毛细屏障作用”,从而导致上部黏土层中的含水率比相邻下部砂土层含水率更高;（4）虽然常见的LW模型可准确预测均质土中毛细水上升高度及速率,但受“毛细屏障作用”和“反毛细屏障作用”影响,LW模型在层状土中失效;（5）相比LW模型,ILW模型精度更高,能够更加准确地描述层状土中毛细水上升规律。     

藏北羌塘南部埃迪卡拉系达布热组的建立及其地质意义

羌塘位于青藏高原腹地,构造上处于冈瓦纳大陆北缘。因其特殊的构造位置,羌塘地体的起源及构造演化对于探讨青藏高原的早期形成演化、冈瓦纳大陆裂解,以及特提斯洋演化等关键科学问题至关重要。最近,在羌塘南部达布热地区发现一套碎屑岩夹玄武岩的岩石组合,碎屑岩具有低成分成熟度的特点,虽然岩石发生了低绿片岩相变质,但仍然保留了原岩类复理石沉积的特点。根据碎屑锆石定年结果,该套地层中碎屑锆石的最年轻年龄为550Ma左右。此外,该套地层中玄武岩夹层的测年结果表明,该套地层形成于埃迪卡拉纪(约550Ma)。结合地层剖面及区域地层对比,建立了埃迪卡拉纪达布热组。达布热组是羌塘地区首次发现的埃迪卡拉纪地层,该组地层的建立为探讨冈瓦纳大陆北缘构造演化提供了重要线索。