Application of a unified linear yield criterion in plane strain to study the strength theory effect in geotechnical engineering

The plane strain condition is a common, but polyaxial stress state for geotechnical structure designs, in which the selection of an appropriate yield or failure criterion is crucial to reasonably account for the intermediate principal stress. Under plane strain condition, a unified linear yield criterion for seven commonly used geotechnical yield criteria is presented in conjunction with the inductive method. These seven yield criteria considered in this study are the Mohr–Coulomb, Tresca, Drucker–Prager, Mogi–Coulomb, Extended Matsuoka–Nakai, Extended Lade–Duncan criteria, and the Unified Strength Theory. The generalized analytical solutions for earth pressure of retaining walls, critical load of strip foundations as well as stress and displacement of circular tunnels are derived on the basis of the proposed unified yield criterion, and their respective theoretical significance is analyzed. Thereafter, the critical load of strip foundations obtained herein is compared with two numerical results from the literature. Furthermore, the effect of strength theory on result differences of the three typical geotechnical problems by simply selecting constants, which conform to different yield criteria, is explored through a parametric study. It is found that the proposed unified yield criterion is convenient for investigating analytical solutions of the aforementioned geotechnical structures. The strength theory effect due to adopting different yield criteria is considerably significant, which cannot be ignored. Additionally, recommendations are provided on how to make use of these seven yield criteria for an optimum design.     

Development of efficiently coupled thermo-hydro-mechanical model to predict hydraulic fracture morphology in heavy oil reservoirs

The aim of the study involves examining the effect of heavy oil viscosity on fracture geometry in detail by establishing a heavy oil fracturing model and conventional fracturing model based on thermal–hydraulic–mechanical (THM) coupled theory, Walther viscosity model, and K–D–R temperature model. We consider viscosity and density within the heavy oil fracturing model as functions of pressure and temperature while that as constants within the conventional fracturing model. A heavy oil production well is set as an example to analyze the differences between the two models to account for the thermo-poro-elastic effect. The results show that temperature exhibits the most significant influence on the heavy oil viscosity while the influence of pressure is the least. In addition, a cooling area with a width of 0–1 m and varied length is generated near the fracture. The heavy oil viscosity increases sharply in this area, thereby indicating an area of viscosity increment. The heavy oil viscosity increases faster and is closer to wellbore, and a high viscosity increment reduces the mobility of the heavy oil and prevents the fracturing fluid from entering into the reservoir. The special viscosity distribution results in significant differences in pore pressure, oil saturation, and changing trends between these two models. In the heavy oil reservoir fracturing model, the thermal effect completely exceeds the influence of pore elasticity, and the values of the fracture length, width, and static pressure exceed those calculated in the conventional fracturing model. Thus, a comparison of the measured values indicates that the results obtained by considering viscosity as a function of temperature and pressure are more accurate. Therefore, the results of this study are expected to provide good guidelines for the design of heavy oil fracturing.     

In situ investigation into fracture and subsidence of overburden strata for solid backfill mining

Controlling the subsidence of overburden strata is the main objective for backfill mining technology. In order to understand the controlling effect of filling body, a detection scheme with three direction boreholes was designed in the tailgate of T₃290 mining face in Tangshan Coal Mine to monitor the fracture developing process of overburden strata. In addition, a few displacement and stress sensors used for monitoring the roof subsidence and filling body stress were arranged behind the longwall face to monitor and record the force and deformation of gangue. The field investigation shows that the solid backfill mining technology can effectively reduce the fracture of overburden strata, i.e., the fracture height and the damage degree. The subsidence of overburden strata is mainly caused by the subsidence of roof which is divided into four stages: roof subsidence stage of mining face, rapid subsidence stage of gob roof, relatively stable stage, and long-term rheological stage. The gauge plays an essential role in slowing down the subsidence in each stage of the overburden subsidence, especially the relatively stable stage.     

Ion chemistry of groundwater and the possible controls within Lhasa River Basin,SW Tibetan Plateau

In order to study the major ion chemistry and controls of groundwater, 65 groundwater samples were collected and their major ions measured from wells within Lhasa River Basin. Groundwater has the characteristics of slightly alkaline and moderate total dissolved solid (TDS). TDS concentration ranged from 122.0 to 489.9 mg/L with a median value of 271.2 mg/L. Almost all the groundwater samples suited for drinking and irrigation. The major cations of groundwater are Ca²⁺ and Mg²⁺, accounting for 59.6 and 31.3% of the cations, respectively. Meanwhile, HCO₃^? and SO₄^2? constituted about 56.7 and 36.9% of the anions, respectively, in Lhasa River Basin. The hydrochemical type of groundwater is HCO₃-SO₄-Ca-Mg. The chemical composition of groundwater samples located in the middle of Gibbs model, which indicates that the major chemical process of groundwater is controlled by rock weathering. Carbonate weathering was the dominant hydro-geochemical process controlling the concentration of major ions in groundwater within Lhasa River Basin, but silicate weathering also plays an important role.     

Assessment of water inrush risk using the principal component logistic regression model in the Pandao coal mine,China

In order to improve the accuracy of floor water inrush assessment, the risk prediction model of floor water inrush was established by combining the principal component logistic regression analysis (PCLRA) and GIS spatial geographic analysis. In this paper, the geological data of Pandao coal mine was taken as the engineering background. First of all, main controlling factors of floor water inrush were determined and quantified. Next, PCLRA was used to determine the weight of each factor and establish the mathematical model for predicting the floor water inrush. And then, GIS’s spatial analysis and data processing function was used to draw related single factor thematic maps. Related thematic maps were weighted superposed to draw a floor water inrush zoning map based on PCLRA mathematical model. The study areas were divided into five levels by Jenks optimization method and vulnerability index initial model. And the corresponding threshold range was determined. The results show that (1) the high sensitivity factors in floor failure depth were added to evaluate the water inrush, and the fault fractal dimension was used to replace the fault structure related factors, and the main controlling factors of floor water inrush are more comprehensive; (2) the fitting degree of PCLRA model is high and the test accuracy is 83.3%; (3) the prediction results were well fitted to the actual position of water inrush (three water inrush points are located in the dangerous area, and two water inrush points are located in the relatively dangerous area).     

Stability study on the northern batter of MBC Open Pit using Plaxis 3D

Cracks appeared on the northern batter at Maddingley Brown Coal Open Pit Mine, Victoria, Australia, on 8 November 2013 and a 2-day rainfall event happened 5 days later. This study models the stability of the northern batter considering the effect of the rainfall event and an emergency buttress using finite element method (FEM) encoded in Plaxis 3D. It is found that the batter tended to lead to block sliding after overburden removal. The observed vertical crack would be a combined action of the overburden removal and groundwater flow. The simulated location of cracks agrees well with the actual location, and the simulated heave of the coal seam is in good agreement with the experience in Victoria brown coal open pit mining. The rainfall accelerated the development of the cracks. With the construction of the emergency buttress, the batter became stable that is in good agreement with the monitored data.     

Geochemistry of organic matter and elements of black shale during weathering in Northern Guizhou,Southwestern China: Their mobilization and inter-connection

Different from previous studies on effect of weathering upon geochemical variation along a single weathered profile, this paper provides a new methodology validated by comparing a weathered outcrop samples and their stratigraphic counterpart un-weathered core samples in a nearby shallow borehole. This outcrop and borehole penetrated the Ordovician-Silurian Wufeng–Longmaxi shales, located in the same anticline structure in the northern part of Guizhou Province, Southern China. The mineral composition, major, trace and rare earth elements (REEs) composition and Rock-Eval parameters of outcrop and core samples were analyzed and compared. Organic matter (OM) was observed in the microscope and extracted for elements analysis. The results show that short-term weathering still has significant influence on OM, mineral and elemental composition of black shales. The elements composition shows the outcrop profile was moderately weathered. The REEs compositions do not alter much during weathering process and the REEs composition and their relative ratios still are valid for rock origin determination. The OM, mainly composed by graptolite and bitumen, even entering the highly-over thermal maturity, is still sensitive to the weathering with a systematic loss 30–50% of TOC along the outcrop profile, which suggests that the OM consumption is predominantly controlled by weathering duration and the distance from the weathering surface. In turn, OM has significant influence on the trace elements transportation behavior during weathering. Some trace elements associated with the OM such as V, Cr, Th, U, Ni and Co, change significantly in their absolute concentration during weathering, but their relative ratios do not necessarily change too much and might be still reliable proxies for paleo-environmental determination. The mobility of shale minerals during weathering is in the following order: plagioclase?>?potassium feldspar and dolomite >pyrite and OM. Short-term weathering can also result in considerable transportation of elements and significant variation of minerals content in black shale, which may pose potentially high environmental and engineering risk in the regions rich in black shale.     

北山南部敦煌岩群铁矿化磁铁石英岩的变质成因①

北山南部地区敦煌岩群广泛分布着铁矿化磁铁石英岩,这些铁矿化磁铁石英岩沿片岩顺层分布,长度几米到一百多米不等,宽几十厘米到两米左右,浅灰色到肉红色,具强磁性。为了研究这种石英岩的成因,笔者对新疆与甘肃的交界处白山西南侧这套地层的斜长角闪片岩中具有代表性的磁铁石英岩完整采集样品,样品具石英、磁铁矿、白云母、黑云母和绿泥石五种矿物,TFe为12.60%~12.70%。根据野外磁铁石英岩产出地质特征、室内显微镜薄片鉴定结果和电子探针检测各矿物特征,结合化学简项分析和岩石化学分析结果,发现本文研究的磁铁石英岩与国内外BIF(Banded iron formation)型磁铁石英岩不同,不具有沉积特征,可能为单纯变质成因。北山地区敦煌岩群这套古老变质地层可能经历了晚太古代、古元古代两次重要的变质事件,本文研究的铁矿化磁铁石英岩可能是在其中一次变质事件过程中形成的。这套变质地层是铁、铜、金等金属元素富集的含矿地层,具有极其重要的研究意义和找矿意义。     

基于高分二号卫星数据的煤矿区地质灾害信息提取研究

随着遥感数据获取技术和能力的全面提高,遥感数据呈现出明显的大数据特征。发展适应于遥感大数据的智能分析和信息挖掘技术,成为当前遥感技术研究的前沿。高分二号（GF-2）卫星数据是我国首颗自主研发的亚米级高分辨率卫星数据,具有观测幅宽、重访周期短、高辐射精度、高定位精度等优势,为未来我国地质灾害的长期、动态地监测和研究提供了高精度、稳定可靠的数据源。本文选取安徽谢桥煤矿2015年1月8日的GF-2卫星影像为研究数据,在对煤矿区主要地质灾害遥感地学分析的基础上,采用面向对象的影像分析方法对研究区由采煤活动所诱发的地质灾害信息进行自动提取。结果表明：利用GF-2卫星数据能够有效地识别地质灾害体的位置、范围、形态等空间分布特征;面向对象的自动提取方法对于煤矿区大面积的积水塌陷盆地、小规模的塌陷坑和线性的地裂缝都有很高的提取精度,识别精度达90% 以上;基于逐层剔除的思路构建的提取规则,为GF-2数据在地质灾害调查和大数据分析中的应用提供了很好的技术支持,也为其它地物目标的提取提供了参考,但在特征的选择和阈值的设定上需要具体分析。