Modeling disruptions causing domino effects in urban guided transport systems faced by flood hazards

Coastal cities are more vulnerable to floods due to the joint impact of rainfall and tide level. Quantitative risk assessment of disaster-causing factors is critical to urban flood management. This paper presents an integrated method to quantify the hazard degree of disaster-causing factors, rainfall and tide level, and to investigate the optimal management of flooding risk in different disaster-causing factor areas. First, an urban flood inundation model is used to simulate inundated extents in different drainage districts. Then, formulas are put forward to calculate the hazard degree of rainfall and tide level based on inundated extents in different combinations of rainfall and tide level. According to the hazard degree, the main disaster-causing factor could be identified in each drainage district. Finally, the optimal management of flooding risk in different disaster-causing factor areas is selected by disaster reduction analysis and cost–benefit analysis. Furthermore, the coastal city, Haikou of China, is taken as a case study. The results indicate that the hazard degree increases with the increasing distance between the drainage district and the Qiongzhou Strait or the Nandu River in the eastern of Haikou. Heavy rain is the main disaster-causing factor in inland areas, while high tide level is the main disaster-causing factor in island areas. For the area whose main disaster-causing factor is heavy rain, water storage projects could effectively reduce flooding. Meanwhile, pumps are economical choices for the area where tide level is the main disaster-causing factor. The results can provide reference for drainage planning in other coastal areas.     

Experimental and numerical evaluation of single-layer covers placed on acid-generating tailings

This study focuses on the reclamation work being performed on two former acid-generating tailings sites, located in Quebec, Canada. At both sites, the tailings were partially oxidized due to extended exposure, and the pore water is acidic. The reclamation solution applied to control acid mine drainage is a monolayer cover, made of non acid-generating tailings in one case and a till in the other. The goal of this project was to assess the response of the tailings-cover systems under various conditions. Tailings samples were collected in situ and characterized in the laboratory. Large column tests were conducted to evaluate the hydrogeological and geochemical behaviour of the covered tailings following wetting and drying cycles. The instrumented columns were designed to reproduce some of the existing site conditions and provide representative results for longer term analyses. Volumetric water content, suction, and oxygen concentrations were also monitored over time. The experimental data were used to validate different numerical models including those constructed with Vadose/W (GeoSlope Int.). Additional simulations were conducted under field conditions to evaluate the effect of various influence factors such as the depth of the water table, climatic conditions and the thickness of the cover. The combination of experimental and numerical results show how the behaviour and efficiency of a monolayer cover placed over reactive tailings depend on these factors, highlighting the importance of hydrogeological properties and water table depth. In many instances, the cover materials were prone to desaturation, especially when the water table was deeper than about 2 m below the tailings-cover interface. These results tend to indicate that relatively thin monolayer covers would not be able to prevent oxygen ingress under some of the conditions observed in the field. Desaturation of the cover and/or reactive tailings is due to a combination of drainage and evaporation. In such cases, increasing the thickness of the monolayer cover only has a limited effect. A discussion follows on the practical implications of these laboratory experiments and the numerical simulations for field design of reclamation measures at these two tailings impoundments.     

Marine sediment contamination of an industrial site at Port of Bagnoli, Gulf of Naples, Southern Italy

For almost one century an important steel plant has been active at the Bagnoli industrial area (Naples, Southern Italy). The environmental survey of near shore and offshore sediments has been carried out as fundamental part of a clean up project. The characteristics of the area, supposed type of pollution, national and international protocols in force were taken into consideration in designing sampling schemes and selecting analytical parameters. For this work, sediment grain size, PAHs, PCBs, trace elements, total hydrocarbons and organic matter were considered. Factor analysis evidenced two main types of pollution in the proximity of the industrial plant, both probably attributable to the activity of the industrial site. The first one, due to Cd, Pb, Zn and Mn seems determined by localised activities at the southern part of the plant. The second one, due to Fe and Mn, appears directly linked to the whole contaminated area.     

Variability of the gas transfer velocity of CO<Subscript>2</Subscript> in a macrotidal estuary (the Scheldt)

We report a large set of 295 interfacial carbon dioxide (CO₂) flux measurements obtained in the Scheldt estuary in November 2002 and April 2003, using the floating chamber method. From concomitant measurements of the air-water CO₂ gradient, we computed the gas transfer velocity of CO₂. The gas transfer velocity is well correlated to wind speed and a simple linear regression function gives the most consistent fit to the data. Based on water current measurements, we estimated the contribution of water current induced turbulence to the gas transfer velocity, using the conceptual relationship of O'Connor and Dobbins (1958). This allowed us to construct an empirical relationship to compute the gas transfer velocity of CO₂ that accounts for the contribution of wind and water current. Based on this relationship, the spatial and temporal variability of the gas transfer velocity in the Scheldt estuary was investigated. Water currents contribute significantly to the gas transfer velocity, but the spatial and temporal variability (from daily to seasonal scales) is mainly related to wind speed variability.     

Modélisation du festonnage des barres sableuses d'avant-côte : application à la côte aquitaine,France

Nearshore crescentic bars play a key role in nearshore morphodynamics. These bars are observed all along the Aquitanian Coast, with a mean wavelength of about 700 m. A non-linear stability analysis is undertaken to simulate the development of crescentic patterns. Results show that self-organization mechanism can lead alone to the development of these alongshore rhythmic features. Simulated wavelengths are in agreement with observations on the Aquitanian Coast. To cite this article: B. Castelle et al., C. R. Geoscience 338 (2006).     

The 1708 Manosque earthquake (France): A reading of its archaeological traces as a contribution to estimate the effects on buildings

Archaeological techniques and methodology are used to identify seismic traces and disorders in ancient buildings. Clear evidence could be identified as direct seismic consequences or as communities’ technical answers for repair or reinforcement of buildings in order to reduce their vulnerability. This methodology is called “archaeological reading of buildings.” It is based on the identification of different construction phases, modifications and past events (human actions or natural phenomena) suffered by buildings during their life. The data read from the buildings are successively observed, identified, described, and recorded, following the principal of archaeological stratigraphy, in order to explain the buildings history. The seismic pathologies are identified according to detailed engineering knowledge of the behaviour of buildings during seismic motion. In this case study, our approach is applied to the historical city of Manosque, located in a seismic area along the “Moyenne–Durance” active fault. As a result of historical researches (Quenet G, Baumont D, Scotti O, Levret A, Ann Geophys, 47(2/3):583–595, 2004), many historical documents gave evidence about this earthquake’s effects. Among these documents, was an exceptional one: the record of a survey made in Manosque by bricklayers a few days after the 14th August 1708 shock. This gave us specific information concerning the seismic damage caused in the town of Manosque and was the starting point to validate the method. In the present paper, the archaeological reading of buildings method is illustrated by two specific cases: the Charité building in Manosque and the Sainte-Agathe chapel in Saint-Maime village. The buildings suffered various modifications during many centuries. This complicates the application of the method, however the observations made from the buildings correlate well with the indications deduced from written sources, validating our approach. The study highlights the necessity to cross correlate different field data in the frame of a multidisciplinary approach in order to obtain valuable results concerning details of seismic damage, its approximate dating by architectural chronology and the communities’ reaction in terms of repairs and reinforcement techniques.     

Sn-polymetallic greisen-type deposits associated with late-stage rapakivi granites, Brazil: fluid inclusion and stable isotope characteristics

Tin-polymetallic greisen-type deposits in the Itu Rapakivi Province and Rondônia Tin Province, Brazil are associated with late-stage rapakivi fluorine-rich peraluminous alkali-feldspar granites. These granites contain topaz and/or muscovite or zinnwaldite and have geochemical characteristics comparable to the low-P sub-type topaz-bearing granites. Stockworks and veins are common in Oriente Novo (Rondônia Tin Province) and Correas (Itu Rapakivi Province) deposits, but in the Santa Bárbara deposit (Rondônia Tin Province) a preserved cupola with associated bed-like greisen is predominant. The contrasting mineralization styles reflect different depths of formation, spatial relationship to tin granites, and different wall rock/fluid proportions. The deposits contain a similar rare-metal suite that includes Sn (±W, ±Ta, ±Nb), and base-metal suite (Zn–Cu–Pb) is present only in Correas deposit. The early fluid inclusions of the Correas and Oriente Novo deposits are (1) low to moderate-salinity (0–19 wt.% NaCl eq.) CO₂-bearing aqueous fluids homogenizing at 245–450 °C, and (2) aqueous solutions with low CO₂, low to moderate salinity (0–14 wt.% NaCl eq.), which homogenize between 100 and 340 °C. In the Santa Bárbara deposit, the early inclusions are represented by (1) low-salinity (5–12 wt.% NaCl eq.) aqueous fluids with variable CO₂ contents, homogenizing at 340 to 390 °C, and (2) low-salinity (0–3 wt.% NaCl eq.) aqueous fluid inclusions, which homogenize at 320–380 °C. Cassiterite, wolframite, columbite–tantalite, scheelite, and sulfide assemblages accompany these fluids. The late fluid in the Oriente Novo and Correas deposit was a low-salinity (0–6 wt.% NaCl eq.) CO₂-free aqueous solution, which homogenizes at (100–260 °C) and characterizes the sulfide–fluorite–sericite association in the Correas deposit. The late fluid in the Santa Bárbara deposit has lower salinity (0–3 wt.% NaCl eq.) and characterizes the late-barren-quartz, muscovite and kaolinite veins. Oxygen isotope thermometry coupled with fluid inclusion data suggest hydrothermal activity at 240–450 °C, and 1.0–2.6 kbar fluid pressure at Correas and Oriente Novo. The hydrogen isotope composition of breccia-greisen, stockwork, and vein fluids (δ¹⁸O_quartz from 9.9‰ to 10.9‰, δD_H2O from 4.13‰ to 6.95‰) is consistent with a fluid that was in equilibrium with granite at temperatures from 450 to 240 °C. In the Santa Bárbara deposit, the inferred temperatures for quartz-pods and bed-like greisens are much higher (570 and 500 °C, respectively), and that for the cassiterite-quartz-veins is 415 °C. The oxygen and hydrogen isotope composition of greisen and quartz-pods fluids (δ¹⁸O_qtz-H2O=5.5–6.1‰) indicate that the fluid equilibrated with the albite granite, consistent with a magmatic origin. The values for mica (δ¹⁸O_mica-H2O=3.3–9.8‰) suggest mixing with meteoric water. Late muscovite veins (δ¹⁸O_qtz-H2O=−6.4‰) and late quartz (δ¹⁸O_mica-H2O=−3.8‰) indicate involvement of a meteoric fluid. Overall, the stable isotope and fluid inclusion data imply three fluid types: (1) an early orthomagmatic fluid, which equilibrated with granite; (2) a mixed orthomagmatic-meteoric fluid; and (3) a late hydrothermal meteoric fluid. The first two were responsible for cassiterite, wolframite, and minor columbite–tantalite precipitation. Change in the redox conditions related to mixing of magmatic and meteoric fluids favored important sulfide mineralization in the Correas deposit.     

Le genre Culicia (Scléractiniaire): systématique, écologie et biogéographie au Cénozo?que

Resume. Historiquement, le genre Culicia (Anthozoaire Scléractiniaire) n’était connu, jusqu’à Chevalier (1961), qu’à partir du Burdigalien de Basse-Provence (France). L’examen de récoltes récentes en Aquitaine et de diverses collections montre que l’espèce Culicia parasita (MICHELIN 1847) existe en fait dans cette région depuis l’Oligocène (Chattien), ce qui représente une notable extension de l’éventail stratigraphique du genre. Cette espèce est largement illustrée ici, à partir de spécimens de chaque étage où elle a été reconnue, et des données paléoécologiques sont fournies. Par ailleurs, grace à une révision bibliographique la plus complète possible des références concernant le genre Culicia, et à de nouvelles récoltes effectuées dans le Néogène de l’ouest de la France et de Méditerranée, le hiatus stratigraphique existant dans sa répartition entre le Miocène moyen d’Atlantique–Est et le Pliocène–Quaternaire d’Australie est désormais comblé en grande partie. La question des relations phylétiques possibles entre les espèces fossiles et actuelles de Culicia est posée. Une carte de migration biogéographique est proposée, incluant tous les taxons du genre.      

Influence of pH on the interlayer cationic composition and hydration state of Ca-montmorillonite: Analytical chemistry, chemical modelling and XRD profile modelling study

The hydration state of a <2 μm fraction of Ca-saturated SWy-2 montmorillonite was characterised after rapid equilibration (3 hours) under pH-controlled conditions (0.1-12.6 pH range). The solution composition was monitored together with the interlayer composition and X-ray diffraction (XRD) patterns were recorded on oriented preparations. Experimental XRD patterns were then fitted using a trial-and-error procedure to quantify the relative proportions of layers with different hydration states.The montmorillonite is mostly bi-hydrated in basic and near-neutral conditions whereas it is mostly mono-hydrated at low pH. The transition from the bi-hydrated to the mono-hydrated state occurs through very heterogeneous structures. However, the proportion of the different layer types determined from XRD profile modelling and that derived from chemical modelling using Phreeqc2 code strictly coincide. This correlation shows that the hydration modification is induced by a H₃O⁺-for-Ca²⁺ exchange at low pH, the two species being distributed in different interlayers. This layer-by-layer exchange process occurs randomly in the layer stack.Under alkaline conditions, results from XRD profile modelling and from near infrared diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (NIR-DRS) clearly demonstrate that there is no CaOH⁺-for-Ca²⁺ exchange at high pH. The apparent increase in Ca sorption in smectite interlayers with increasing pH is thus probably related to the precipitation of Calcium-Silicate-Hydrate (CSH) phases, which also accounts for the decrease in Si concentration under high-pH conditions. This precipitation is thermodynamically favoured.