Tsunami hydrodynamic force on a building using a SPH real-scale numerical simulation

Natural Hazards - One of the most important aspects in tsunami studies is the behaviour of the wave when it approaches the coast. Information on physical parameters that characterize waves is often...     

Determination par activation neutronique des rapports Cl/Br des inclusions fluides de divers gypses. Correlation avec les donnees de la microcryoscopie et interpretations genetiques

Gypsum contains liquid inclusions which fill mainly primary cavities. Analysis of inclusions may give some information about the mineral formation process. In places, diagenetic solutions have filled secondary cavities along cleavage planes or replaced initial liquid inclusions in primary cavities; the presence of such secondary inclusions must, therefore, be taken into consideration. This study presents our results on the Cl/Br ratio of liquid inclusions in gypsum. The Cl/Br ratio is practically constant in present sea water, and has been measured in many different types of waters. The Br content of halite has also been extensively studied to trace the compositional changes of a salt-depositing brine. In gypsum Br is present only in microscopic fluid inclusions. For this reason we used the neutron-activation method. We adopted the technique in order to prevent any contamination and obtain directly Cl/Br ratio within 10% accuracy. In order to ascertain that liquid inclusions reside mainly in primary cavities of gypsum, we selected our samples only after microscopic observation. Fifty-eight samples from different types of gypsum were analysed. The salinities of the inclusions, obtained through the data on freezing, and the Cl/Br ratio, obtained through activation-analysis, give us clues as to the nature of the fluids depositing the gypsum. Recent gypsum deposits from French salt-pans of Mediterranean and Atlantic coasts were sampled. The latter has apparently been diagenetically altered by meteoric water; the salinity of many inclusions having been changed while the Cl/Br ratio (315 and 350) in both remains close to the value of present sea water (#300). Liquid inclusions of Recent crystals from New Caledonia, deposited in mangrove swamps are enriched in Br (Cl/Br = 150 and 200). The enrichment might be related to the presence of abundant organic materials. Inclusions in crystals from Sebkha el Melah (Tunisia) also show high Br content (Cl/Br = 194). In this case, the brine was highly concentrated and was saturated with NaCl. The Upper Miocene gypsum from Sicily was studied to test the various models for the genesis of this important evaporite formation of the Mediterranean. Freezing data show some decrease of salinities, probably by groundwater diagenesis, but the Br content is high. The Cl/Br ratio is 175, and this value is similar to that of Sebkha el Melah. Samples from three thick Eocene and Oligocene sequences near Paris and in the South of France were studied. Freezing data and Cl/Br ratio of their inclusions indicate that those gypsum deposits have crystallized in marine environments receiving considerable influx of river-waters.     

Pliocene and late Pleistocene (MIS 5e) decapod crustaceans from Santa Maria Island (Azores Archipelago: Central Atlantic): systematics,palaeoecology and palaeobiogeography

The presence of decapod crustaceans in the Pliocene and Pleistocene (MIS 5e) fossil record of Santa Maria Island (Azores Archipelago) is herein reviewed. Our study raises the number of fossil decapods from this island from one species to 10 taxa (three for the Pliocene and seven for the Last Interglacial). Four of these 10 taxa are reported for the first time in the fossil record, worldwide. A new species of a mud shrimp is also described (Upogebia azorensis n. sp.). Our study suggests that the Plio–Pleistocene decapod assemblages of the Azores did not differ significantly from modern ones, being dominated by species that are today widespread across the Webbnesia ecoregion, the Mediterranean Sea, and the eastern Atlantic shores, including the Azores. As far as can be judged from the limited fossil record, apparently no tropical crab species with a Cabo Verdean/Senegalese provenance reached the Azores during windows of opportunity associated with Glacial Termination 2 or with the initial setting of the Last Interglacial period. This contribution increases the total number of marine taxa reported for the Pliocene and Pleistocene outcrops of Santa Maria Island to 218 and 155, respectively, highlighting the scientific relevance of its palaeontological heritage.     

Clay mineralogy as a tool for integrated sequence stratigraphic and palaeogeographic reconstructions: Late Oligocene–Early Aquitanian western internal South Iberian Margin,Spain

The different hydrodynamic behaviour of detrital clay minerals in the marine depositional environment allows assessment of relative sea‐level variations in the sedimentary record. Comparison of smectite and kaolinite:illite (S+K:I) changes with the global sea‐level curves and with the third‐order cycles of the eustatic curve for European basins allows assessment of the influence of global eustasy and local tectonics on sequence stratigraphy. In the South Iberian Margin, sedimentation took place both on open‐marine platforms and in deeper water areas. On this margin during the Late Oligocene to Early Aquitanian, the variations in sedimentation were caused not only by global eustasy but also by compressive tectonics. Correlations were made between the S+K:I cycles and the third‐order cycles for European basins, enabling the definition of four third‐order sedimentary sequences (here called C1, C2, C3, and A1) and two lower‐order sequences within C3 and A1 (here called C3a, C3b, A1a, and A1b) related to tectonic movements. High S+K:I values were observed during episodes of maximum flooding in each sequence and lower‐order sequence and in each succession, enabling changes in palaeocoastal morphology to be considered. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

The last deglaciation in the Picos de Europa National Park (Cantabrian Mountains,northern Spain)

A sedimentological and geochemical study of the Lago Enol sequence (Cantabrian Mountains, northern Spain), together with detailed geomorphological mapping, provides a first record of glacier evolution and climate change over the last 40 ka in the Picos de Europa National Park. The Enol glacier retreated from its maximum extent prior to 40 ka BP as demonstrated by the onset of proglacial lacustrine sedimentation in two glaciated depressions: the Comella hollow to the north (before 40 ka BP) and the Lago Enol (before 38 ka BP). These results support previous evidence that the maximum extent of southern European glaciers occurred earlier than in northern Europe. Alternation of homogeneous and laminated proglacial sediments during the glacier retreat illustrate a dynamic glacial evolution during the Marine Isotope Stage (MIS) 3 (40–26 ka BP). A slight warming is detected at 26 ka ago with the change from proglacial sediments (in a lake located in contact to the glacier) to glaciolacustrine sedimentation (in a non‐contact or distal lake). Finally, the onset of organic‐rich sediments took place at 18 ka ago. This last transition occurred in two phases, similarly to the North Atlantic Last Termination, suggesting a link between North Atlantic Deep Water formation oscillations and palaeohydrological variability in the Cantabrian Mountains. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Adaptive neuro-fuzzy modeling for the swelling potential of compacted soils

This paper aims to present the usability of an adaptive neuro fuzzy inference system (ANFIS) for the prediction swelling potential of the compacted soils that are important materials for geotechnical purposes such as engineered barriers for municipal solid waste, earth dams, embankment and roads. In this study the swelling potential that is also one of significant parameters for compacted soils was modeled by ANFIS. For the training and testing of ANFIS model, data sets were collected from the tests performed on compacted soils for different geotechnical application in Nigde. Four parameters such as coarse-grained fraction ratio (CG), fine-grained fraction ratio (FG), plasticity index (PI) and maximum dry density (MDD) were presented to ANFIS model as inputs. The results obtained from the ANFIS models were validated with the data sets which are not used for the training stage. The analyses revealed that the predictions from ANFIS model are in sufficient agreement with test results.     

Taphonomic analysis of small mammal bone remains preyed upon by wildcats (Carnivora: Felidae) from the central Monte Desert (Mendoza,Argentina)

The present study analysed the taphonomic characteristics of small mammal bone accumulations produced by small felids in an area from the central Monte Desert (Mendoza, Argentina). In order to provide criteria to identify the role that these predators had in the formation of zooarchaeological assemblages, the anatomical representation, bone breakage patterns and degrees of digestive corrosion were evaluated. The main taphonomic results are: low average values for the relative abundance of skeletal elements; greater representation of mandibles, maxillae, isolated incisors, humeri and femora than the remaining elements; preponderance of cranial elements with high proportion of isolated teeth; elevated frequencies of proximal limb bones compared with distal parts; high degree of breakage in all skeletal elements and digestive corrosion on almost all diagnostic bones (mainly moderate and heavy). The values of the studied taphonomic variables indicate that small felids in this area made severe alterations to the bones of their prey (mainly rodents), attributable to the category of extreme modifier, while preserving enough skeletal elements to allow their taphonomic characterization. Tooth marks or grooves on bone surfaces produced by scratching and chewing were not detected. The low relative abundance of skeletal elements, the high degree of breakage and the elevated frequency of elements with digestion traces represent general taphonomic patterns that fall within those reported for other South American small carnivores.     

Évolution de l'onde semi-diurne M2 de la marée à Brest de 1846 à 2005

The work of searching, recovering and quality control of ancient sea-level measurements at Brest is presented. This work enables us to complete a study carried out by Cartwright in 1972, which showed a decrease in the tidal M2 semi-diurnal amplitude of 1% per century. After including these ancient data, as well as the last four decades of observations in the analysis, our results show an increase of the amplitude of M2 after 1960 and a decrease before 1880, suggesting a long-period oscillation rather than a steady secular trend. To cite this article: N. Pouvreau et al., C. R. Geoscience 338 (2006).     

Probabilistic compressive strength of sound dry granite

Summary The different functions of cumulative probability of fracture that can be used in the Probabilistic Strength of Materials in the case of constant uniaxial compression are described. Sound fine-grained granite was used to study volume influence by fracturing rectangular prisms, and then no noticeable influence was observed. Since this is showing that all the fracture stresses are belonging to a single set they were included in a single group that exhibited two functions of specific risk of fracture. The population with the lesser fracture stress has no critical zone while the other population does have it and a critical zone in the order of 10^–6 m³ is the minimum size exhibiting a complete fracture of the specimen when the same collapses. All the statistical functions were found to be acceptable according to theX ² criterion.