Spatial variation in fluvial hydraulics with major bed erosion zone: a study of Kharsoti river of India in the post monsoon period

This study attempts to assess the spatial variation of fluvial hydraulics with special emphasis on hydrological components at upper, middle and lower part of the Kharsoti river basin. The study encompasses the scenario of a micro bedrock river of India in the post monsoon period. This paper includes the study of hydrological components such as discharge, velocity, shear stress, stream power, specific stream power, width-depth relation and roughness and its interrelationships with different parts of the river basin with related mathematical equations and identification of major river bed erosive zones coupled with geo-hydrological components with geological explanation. Kharsoti is a typical example of rejuvenated antecedent tributary river of Subarnarekha River basin in Chota Nagpur Plateau. It is necessary to give a new threshold to the quantitative methods regarding the fluvial hydraulic studies under a systematic scientific geographical and hydrological background. The results also involve some specific techniques, equations and GIS mapping. The result of this study will help to open the scenario of hydraulics of a micro river basin in a contemporary method.     

On the photo-gravitational restricted four-body problem with variable mass

This paper deals with the photo-gravitational restricted four-body problem (PR4BP) with variable mass. Following the procedure given by Gascheau (C. R. 16:393–394, 1843) and Routh (Proc. Lond. Math. Soc. 6:86–97, 1875), the conditions of linear stability of Lagrange triangle solution in the PR4BP are determined. The three radiating primaries having masses \(m_{1}\), \(m_{2}\) and \(m_{3}\) in an equilateral triangle with \(m_{2}=m_{3}\) will be stable as long as they satisfy the linear stability condition of the Lagrangian triangle solution. We have derived the equations of motion of the mentioned problem and observed that there exist eight libration points for a fixed value of parameters \(\gamma (\frac{m \ \text{at time} \ t}{m \ \text{at initial time}}, 0<\gamma\leq1 )\), \(\alpha\) (the proportionality constant in Jeans’ law (Astronomy and Cosmogony, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, 1928), \(0\leq\alpha\leq2.2\)), the mass parameter \(\mu=0.005\) and radiation parameters \(q_{i}, (0< q_{i}\leq1, i=1, 2, 3)\). All the libration points are non-collinear if \(q_{2}\neq q_{3}\). It has been observed that the collinear and out-of-plane libration points also exist for \(q_{2}=q_{3}\). In all the cases, each libration point is found to be unstable. Further, zero velocity curves (ZVCs) and Newton–Raphson basins of attraction are also discussed.     

Decomposition of wind speed fluctuations at different time scales

Understanding the inherent features of wind speed (variability on different time scales) has become critical for assured wind power availability, grid stability, and effective power management. The study utilizes the wavelet, autocorrelation, and FFT (fast Fourier transform) techniques to analyze and assimilate the fluctuating nature of wind speed data collected over a period of 29–42 years at different locations in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The analyses extracted the intrinsic features of wind speed, including the long-term mean wind speed and fluctuations at different time scales (periods), which is critical for meteorological purposes including wind power resource assessment and weather forecasting. The long-term mean wind speed varied between 1.45 m/s at Mecca station and 3.73 m/s at Taif. The annual variation is the largest (±0.97 m/s) at Taif and the smallest (±0.25 m/s) at Mecca. Similarly, the wind speed fluctuation with different periods was also discussed in detail. The spectral characteristics obtained using FFT reveal that Al-Baha, Najran, Taif and Wadi-Al-Dawasser having a sharp peak at a frequency f = 0.00269 (1/day) retain a more regular annual repetition of wind speed than Bisha, Khamis-Mushait, Madinah, Mecca, and Sharourah. Based on the autocorrelation analysis and FFT results, the stations are divided into three groups: (i) having strong annual modulations (Al-Baha, Najran, Taif and Wadi-Al-Dawasser), (ii) having comparable annual and half-yearly modulations (Bisha, Khamis-Mushait, and Mecca) and (iii) having annual modulation moderately prominent (Madinah and Sharourah).     

Influence of geochemistry on toughening behavior of organic-rich shale

Our research objective is to understand the influence of geochemistry on the fracture behavior of organic-rich shale at multiple length-scales. Despite an increasing focus on the fracture behavior of organic-rich shale, the relationships between geochemistry and fracture behavior remain unclear and there is a scarcity of experimental data available. To this end, we carry out 59 mesoscale scratch-based fracture tests on 14 specimens extracted from 7 major gas shale plays both in the USA and in France. Post-scratch testing imaging reveals fractures with a small crack width of about 411–660 nm. The fracture toughness is evaluated using the energetic size effect law, which is extended to generic axisymmetric probes. A nonlinear anisotropic and multiscale fracture behavior is observed. In addition, a positive correlation is found between the fracture toughness and the presence of kerogen, clay and calcite. Moreover, the geochemistry is found to influence the timescale and the regime of propagation of the hydraulic fracture at the macroscopic length-scale. In particular, shale systems rich in total organic content, clay and calcite are more likely to exhibit high values of the fluid lag and a low hydraulic crack width. Our findings highlight the need for advanced constitutive models for organic-rich shale systems and advanced hydraulic fracturing solutions that can fully integrate the complex fracture response of organic-rich shale materials.

     

LOCAL SCOUR ESTIMATION AT BRIDGE SITE: MODIFICATION AND APPLICATION OF LACEY FORMULA

In the recent years, it has been established that b/h or h/b (b = length of the structure in the lateral direction and h = approach flow depth) is the dominant factor for the estimation of local scour depth around abutments and piers. One of the major limitations of the Lacey formula is that it predicts only one value of the scour depth for a specific river because of the absence of important parameters b and h. Therefore, its application is quite uncertain for variable b and h. Considering its limitations and experimental facts of flow concentration and shear stress amplification close to above structures, the original Lacey formula is modified introducing the parameters b and h. The applicability of the original as well as modified Lacey formula is tested to the data collected from major rivers in Bangladesh.     

Cyclic liquefaction screening of sand with non-plastic fines:Critical state approach

There have been significant advances in the application of critical state,CS,in liquefaction potential assessment.This was done by comparing state parameter,j with estimated characteristic cyclic stress ratio,CSR due to an earthquake.A cyclic resistance ratio,CRR curve,which can be determined from cyclic liquefaction tests,separates historical liquefied and non-liquefied data points(j,CSR).On the other hand,the concepts of equivalent granular state parameter,j*,which was developed for sands with fines,can be used in lieu j to provide a unifying framework for characterizing the undrained response of sands with non/low plasticity fines,irrespective of fines content(fc).The present work combines these two propositions,and by merely substituting j*for j into the aforementioned CS approach to capture the influence of fc.A series of static and cyclic triaxial tests were conducted,separately and independently of the concept of j*,for sand with up to fc of 30%.The clean sand was collected from Sabarmati river belt at Ahmedabad city in India which was severely affected during the Bhuj earthquake,2001.The experimental data gave a single relation for CRR and j*which was then used to assess liquefaction potential for a SPT based case study,where fc varies along the depth.The prediction matched with the field observation.     

A long-term trend in precipitation of different spatial regions of Bangladesh and its teleconnections with El Niño/Southern Oscillation and Indian Ocean Dipole

A long-term (1948 to 2012) trend of precipitation (annual, pre-monsoon, monsoon, and post-monsoon seasons) in Bangladesh was analyzed in different regions using both parametric and nonparametric approaches. Moreover, the possible teleconnections of precipitation (annual and monsoon) variability with El Niño/Southern Oscillation (ENSO) episode and Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD) were investigated using both average and individual (both positive and negative) values of ENSO index and IOD. Our findings suggested that for annual precipitation, a significant increasing monotonic trend was found in whole Bangladesh (4.87 mm/year), its western region (5.82 mm/year) including Rangpur (9.41 mm/year) and Khulna (4.95 mm/year), and Sylhet (10.12 mm/year) and Barisal (6.94 mm/year) from eastern region. In pre-monsoon, only Rangpur (2.88 mm/year) showed significant increasing trend, while in monsoon, whole Bangladesh (3.04 mm/year), Sylhet (7.17 mm/year), and Barisal (6.94 mm/year) showed similar trend. In post-monsoon, there was no significant trend. Our results also revealed that the precipitation (annual or monsoon) of whole Bangladesh and almost all of the spatial regions did not show any significant correlation with ENSO events, whereas the average IOD values showed significant correlation only in monsoon precipitation of western region. The individual positive IODs showed significant correlation in whole Bangladesh, western region, and its two divisions (Rajshahi and Khulna). So, in the context of Bangladesh climate, IOD has the more teleconnection to precipitation than that of ENSO. Our findings indicate that the co-occurrence of ENSO and IOD events may suppress their influence on each other.

     

The relationship between the shear strength and water retention curve of unsaturated sand at different hydraulic phases

Acta Geotechnica - This technical paper focuses on evaluating the shear strength of unsaturated sand at drying, wetting and alternate drying–wetting cycles, as well as the correlation between...     

Simultaneous monitoring of soil 222Rn in the Eastern Himalayas and the geothermal region of eastern India: an earthquake precursor

Natural Hazards - Activity of 222Rn gas in soil has been recorded continuously at three monitoring centres, namely Ravangla and Diphu in the Eastern Himalayan region and Tantloi in the geothermal...