Study on the deformation and failure modes of filling slope in loess filling engineering: a case study at a loess mountain airport

Lvliang airport is a typical loess filling engineering located in 20.5 km north of Lvliang City in Shanxi Province, China. By the end of March 2012, 14 fissures extending more than 7.5 m were observed in a loess-filled slope, of which the longest fissure is up to 82 m. Field monitoring and laboratory tests have been performed to investigate the slope failure modes. The test program includes wetting tests on unsaturated compacted samples and stress path tests on saturated samples. Field monitoring and observations show that differential settlement caused by non-homogeneity in compacted loess density might lead to the formation of fissures in the loess-filled slope. It was founded that the wetting deformation contributed to the development of differential settlement. Fissures are the essential factor for the loess-filled slope failure. Four deformation stages exhibit in the loess-filled slope prior final failure including development of the fissures, softening of the compacted loess, creeping of the slope leading edge and fissuring of the trailing edge and formation of the through-sliding surface. Development of the sliding surface mainly includes upward and downward expansion of the fissures. Upward expansion is a wetting failure process in loading condition, while downward expansion is a load-off wetting process. In addition, development of the sliding surface is accelerated by softening of the compacted soils as a result of water infiltration. Therefore, the key for taking countermeasures against filling landslides is to monitor and control the development of differential settlement and fissures in the slope shoulders. Digging out and extra-filling the fissures are an effective way for preventing these landslides.     

Evaluating igneous sources of the Taveyannaz formation in the Central Alps by detrital zircon U–Pb age dating and geochemistry

Late Palaeogene syn-tectonic volcanic products have been found in the Northern Alpine foreland basin and in the South Alpine hemipelagic basin. The source of abundant volcanic fragments is still in debate. We analyzed the geochronology and geochemistry of detrital zircons, and evaluated their temporal and genetic relationships with potential volcanic sources. The study shows that the detrital zircon U–Pb age patterns have two major age groups: a dominance (ca. 90%) of pre-Alpine zircons was found, as commonly observed in other Alpine flysch formations. These zircons apparently derived from erosion of the early Alpine nappe stack in South Alpine and Austroalpine units. Furthermore, a few Neo-Alpine zircons (ca. 10%) have ages ranging from Late Eocene to Early Oligocene (~ 41–29 Ma). Both source materials were mixed during long riverine transport to the basin margins before being re-deposited by gravity flows. These Palaeogene ages match with the activity of Peri-Adriatic magmatism, including the Biella volcanic suite as well as the Northern Adamello and Bergell intrusions. The values of REE and ¹⁷⁶Hf/¹⁷⁷Hf_(t) ratios of the Alpine detrital zircons are in line with the magmatic signatures. We observe an in time and space variable supply of syn-sedimentary zircons. From late Middle Eocene to Late Eocene, basin influx into the South Alpine and Glarus (A) basins from the Northern Adamello source is documented. At about 34 Ma, a complete reorganisation is recorded by (1) input of Bergell sources into the later Glarus (B) basin, and (2) the coeval volcaniclastic supply of the Haute-Savoie basin from the Biella magmatic system. The Adamello source vanished in the foreland basin. The marked modification of the basin sources at ~ 34 Ma is interpreted to be initiated by a northwestern shift of the early Alpine drainage divide into the position of the modern Insubric Line.     

A simple approach to evaluating leakage through thin impervious element of high embankment dams

Internal erosion is the most common reason which induces failure of embankment dams besides overtopping. Relatively large leakage is frequently concentrated at defects of impervious element, and this will lead to eventual failure. The amount of leakage depends not only on integrity of impervious element, but also on dam height, shape of valley, shape of impervious element and water level in reservoir. The integrity of impervious element, which represents the relative level of seepage safety, is not easy to be determined quantitatively. A simple method for generalization of steady seepage state of embankment dams with thin impervious element is proposed in this paper. The apparent overall value of permeability coefficient for impervious element can be obtained by this method with reasonable accuracy and efficiency. A defect parameter of impervious element is defined as an index to characterize seepage safety of embankment dams. It equals the ratio of the apparent overall value of permeability coefficient to the measured value in laboratory for intact materials. Subsequently, seepage safety of three dams is evaluated and the evolution of defect level of impervious element of dams is investigated. It is proved that the newly proposed method in this paper is feasible in the evaluation of relative seepage safety level of embankment dams with thin impervious element.     

闽赣交界武夷山南段“桃溪穹隆”形变特征及构造演化探讨

"桃溪穹隆"由内核、中间层和盖层组成,发育岩石流变,韧性、韧脆性和脆性变形(断裂)。文章以"桃溪穹隆"内核、中间层和盖层为对象,通过研究其形变特征、运动形式及相互关系,探讨穹隆上隆的运动方式,结合沉积事件、岩浆活动和构造运动,阐述穹隆的形成机制和构造演化特征。"桃溪穹隆"于加里东期(志留纪末)隆升,华力西期—印支期(晚二叠世—中三叠世)大规模上隆,燕山期及后期继承性活动,主隆升期(华力西期—印支期)为逆时针旋转上隆。穹隆长期隆升是该区古元古代结晶基底出露的主要原因。     

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.     

Evaluating climate change adaptation efforts on the US 50 states’ hazard mitigation plans

Climate change brings uncertain risks of climate-related natural hazards. The US Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA in Climate change: long-term trends and their implications for emergency management, 2011. https://www.fema.gov/pdf/about/programs/oppa/climate_change_paper.pdf) has issued a policy directive to integrate climate change adaptation actions into hazard mitigation programs, policies, and plans. However, to date there has been no comprehensive empirical study to examine the extent to which climate change issues are integrated into state hazard mitigation plans (SHMPs). This study develops 18 indicators to examine the extent of climate change considerations in the 50 SHMPs. The results demonstrate that these SHMPs treat climate change issues in an uneven fashion, with large variations present among the 50 states. The overall plan quality for climate change considerations was sustained at an intermediate level with regard to climate change-related awareness, analysis, and actions. The findings confirm that climate change concepts and historic extreme events have been well recognized by the majority of SHMPs. Even though they are not specific to climate change, mitigation and adaptation strategies that can help reduce climate change risks have been adopted in these plans. However, the plans still lack a detailed assessment of climate change and more incentives for collaboration strategies beyond working with emergency management agencies.     

基于等时界面识别的浅水三角洲-河流沉积体系研究--以高邮凹陷黄珏地区古近系垛一段为例

利用岩芯观察、粒度统计、古生物对比、测井分析及地震沉积学方法研究了苏北盆地高邮凹陷黄珏地区始新世三垛组一段浅水三角洲-河流沉积体系。研究结果表明:坡缓浅水沉积背景下除了发育传统认识中由构造控制的长期基准面旋回特征转换面,还可形成另一类由气候控制的、浅水三角洲与河流沉积之间稳定的浅水-陆上沉积环境变化界面。以气候主控等时界面为基础,借助地层切片直观分析了浅水三角洲与河流相的沉积演化特征及砂体展布规律,并验证了该界面的可靠性。两类等时界面的综合约束为浅水三角洲-河流沉积体系油气勘探提供了新思路。     

Dynamic Response to Seismic Waves at the Shallow Slope Supported by Bolts

In the soil slope supported by bolts, longitude waves instead of transverse waves, generated by earthquakes, first reach the slope surface. With the dynamic response of the P (pressure) wave along the anchorage structure, first, a theoretical study was conducted to investigate the propagation characteristics of the interference superposition, generated by the SV (shear-vertical) and the P waves. The SV wave was formed by the wave, originating from the bottom and reflected from the free surface of the slope, whereas the latter was the incident P wave, propagating in the slope. In addition, the structural measures, restraining the seismic wave, and the characteristics of the restraint effect at the free segment of the bolt were investigated. According to the wave-way difference between the incident P wave and the reflected SV wave, the minimum critical slope angle, influenced by the interference at the shallow slope, and the maximum influencing depth of the dynamic response, acting vertically to the slope surface, were obtained. The results indicate that the maximum influencing depth linearly correlated with the slope angle. Furthermore, based on the propagation characteristics of the P wave along the bolt, and the coupled relation between the wave length and the anchorage design parameters, the axial acceleration of the wave propagating along the bolt axis was obtained. Then, the theoretical length of the anti-seismic bolt, subjected to seismic waves, and the compensation force of the anchorage structure were obtained. Finally, a numerical study, based on FlAC3D, properly verified the theoretical conclusions.     

甘肃省龙首山芨岭铀矿床成矿热液流体特征研究

芨岭铀矿是中国北方最典型的钠交代型铀矿床之一,文章通过对芨岭矿床ZKJ9-4钻孔深部所见含矿蚀变闪长岩、近矿蚀变闪长岩、远矿蚀变闪长岩、闪长岩原岩地球化学特征和组分迁移计算及矿体中心部位的淡粉红色方解石脉流体包裹体特征、均一温度、盐度和激光拉曼光谱研究,认为芨岭钠交代型铀矿床的成矿流体含有大量碳酸铀酰络合物[UO_2(CO_3)_2]~(2–)和[UO_2(CO_3)_2]~(4–)的同时还含有丰富的SiO_2、Na~+、Ca~(2+)、Mg~(2+)、Fe~(2+)、Mn~(2+)、∑REE、U、Th、Ga、Sr、Zr、Ba、Rb、Nb、Mo、Cd、Sn、Hf、Ti、Ta、CO_2、H_2S和CH_4等组分,成矿流体具有较强的还原性,并对MnO、K_2O、Cr和Co具有较强的交代溶蚀作用。成矿流体是起源于岩浆演化晚期的再平衡岩浆水,热液温度为(300±20)℃,盐度为2.99 wt%~4.57 wt%NaCl,密度为0.75~0.77 g/cm~3。流体沸腾是芨岭钠交代型铀矿成矿物质的早期卸载机制,晚期成矿流体中加入了大量的大气降水,流体混合作用进一步促进了成矿物质的卸载。