Seismic piezocone interpretation for shear wave velocity (<Emphasis Type="Italic">V</Emphasis><Subscript>S</Subscript>) determination in the Persian Gulf

Shear wave velocity is one of the important factors representing the dynamic characteristics of soil layers. Hence, many researchers have focused their studies on determining shear wave velocity by direct field measurements or expressions developed by other soil parameters. The shear module and damping ratio of the soil layers also play a similar role in the majority of dynamic soil response analyses. Nevertheless, since they have to be measured in the laboratory by resonant column or cyclic triaxial tests on undisturbed samples, the possibility of preparing such samples and the reliability of the obtained results are of great concerns. In the present study, great effort has been made to determine the above dynamic factors by means of field data obtained from a versatile instrument, namely the seismic piezocone (SPCT_U), and to derive expressions correlating them with some parameters obtainable by much simpler instruments. The reliability of laboratory measurements on undisturbed samples is also evaluated. The seismic piezocone test apparatus has been employed to evaluate the soil properties at 1-m depth intervals by means of measuring tip resistance, sleeve resistance, pore pressure and shear wave velocity. The shear module and the damping ratio are calculated using field data. Meanwhile, in order to assess the laboratory measurements of these parameters, some resonant column tests and cyclic triaxial tests on undisturbed samples of the same soil layers have been carried out. In order to compare the field results of shear modulus and damping ratios with those obtained from laboratory tests, the influences of the soil nature and sample disturbance on the conventional laboratory methods are evaluated and discussed. The shear wave velocity is correlated to overburden pressure and the corrected tip resistance for two groups of fine soils, namely silty clays and carbonate clayey silts, which mainly cover the areas under study in this project, are located in southern parts of Iran near the Persian Gulf. According to the results of the present study, there are narrow limits of shear modulus regarding soils for which the laboratory tests and the field measurements yield approximately the same shear modulus. This limit of shear modulus is about 30–50(MPa) for clay deposits and 70–100 (MPa) for sandy deposits. Also the shear wave velocity can be calculated by a simple expression from total overburden pressure and the tip resistance of simple cone penetration test results conventionally available in many soil explorations prior to engineering practices. However, if the pore pressure inside the saturated soil deposits can be measured by a piezocone apparatus, the shear wave velocity may be calculated using another suggested equation in terms of effective overburden pressure in the present study. Regarding the shear module and the damping ratio, due to the disturbances of the stiff deposits in the sampling process and great deviations of laboratory results from field results, the laboratory measurements of these parameters out of the above limits are not recommended.     

Groundwater vulnerability and risk mapping of the Hajeb-jelma aquifer (Central Tunisia) using a GIS-based DRASTIC model

The aim of this study is to elaborate a synthetic document for the assessment of groundwater vulnerability to pollution in the Hajeb-Jelma aquifer. The specific object is to incorporate the Geographical Information System (GIS) to generate groundwater vulnerability and risk maps with DRASTIC model. Indeed, GIS could help to make the results of a complicated model more clear through visual representation, providing an applicable tool for decision makers. The vulnerability map of Hajeb-Jelma watershed shows three classes: moderate, high and very high depending on the intrinsic properties. The risk map shows a very high risk dependant on hydrogeological characteristics, land use and human impacts in major part of the Hajeb-Jelma region. These maps could serve as a scientific basis for sustainable land use planning and groundwater management in the Hajeb-Jelma region.     

A framework for predicting abrasion rupture of crusts in wind erosion

Crusts play a crucial role in the reduction or control of wind erosion. In this regard, the resilience and durability of crusts are of prime importance. Crusts have high resilience and durability against wind flow shear stresses; however, they are prone to abrasion induced by saltating particles. Therefore, estimating crust durability in abrasion rupture has practical importance. In this study, a cyanocrust and a biocemented sand crust were subjected to a controlled flux of saltating particles for different sandblasting periods to provide a framework for predicting crust rupture. The velocity and pre- and post-collision energy of the saltating particles were measured using high-speed photography. The changes in the strength of the crusts after different periods of sandblasting were determined using a scratch test. The results suggested that the average strength of the cyanocrust and biocemented sand crust became 0.25 and 0.7 of their corresponding initial values after 30 min of sandblasting. Also, the average stiffness of the cyanocrust and biocemented sand crust decreased to 0.5 and 0.9 of their initial values, respectively. Furthermore, the amount of impact energy absorbed by the crusts increased by the deterioration of the crusts. Compiling the results of the wind tunnel experiment and scratch tests yielded an exponential equation which can be used to estimate crust durability in a given condition of saltation. Based on this equation, the cyanocrust and biocemented sand crust will break down entirely after 23 and 449 min, respectively, at a wind velocity of 6.8 m/s and a saltation flux of 1 g/s/m.     

Modeling forest fire risk in the northeast of Iran using remote sensing and GIS techniques

Fire in forested areas can be regarded as an environmental disaster which is triggered by either natural forces or anthropogenic activities. Fires are one of the major hazards in forested and grassland areas in the north of Iran. Control of fire is difficult, but it is feasible to map fire risk by geospatial technologies and thereby minimize the frequency of fire occurrences and damages caused by fire. The fire risk models provide a suitable concept to understand characterization of fire risk. Some models are map based, and they combine effectively different forest fire–causing variables with remote sensing data in a GIS environment for identifying and mapping forest fire risk. In this study, Structural Fire Index, Fire Risk Index, and a new index called Hybrid Fire Index were used to delineate fire risk in northeastern Iran that is subjected to frequent forest fire. Vegetation moisture, slope, aspect, elevation, distance from roads, and vicinity to settlements were used as the factors influencing accidental fire starts. These indices were set up by assigning subjective weight values to the classes of the layers based on their sensitivity ratio to fire. Hot spots data derived from MODIS satellite sensor were used to validate the indices. Assessment of the indices with receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves shows that 76.7 % accuracy of the HFI outperformed the other two indices. According to the Hybrid Fire Index, 57.5 % of the study area is located under high-risk zone, 33 % in medium-risk zone, and the remaining 9.5 % area is located in low-risk zone.     

Development of a New Index to Assess the Rock Mass Drillability

Knowledge of drillability of rock masses in engineering projects is very important in determining drilling costs. In drilling operations, so many parameters such as the properties of rock and the drilling equipment affect the drilling performance. In this study, after discussing the rock mass drillability process and identifying all the effective parameters, interaction matrixes based on the rock engineering systems, that analyze the interrelationship between the parameters affecting rock engineering activities, is introduced to study the rock mass drillability tribosystem. Given that interaction matrix codes are not unique numbers, and then possible interactive intensities are calculated for each matrix and a group decision-making method, Fuzzy–Delphi–AHP technique has been used to obtain appropriate weights. As a result, rock mass drillability index (RMDI) is presented to classify the rock mass drillability. The results indicate the ability of this method to analyze rock mass drillability procedure. Drilling data along with laboratory rock properties from Sungun copper mine were collected and were ranked according to the new classification system. Fifteen zones at the mine site were ranked based upon the new index RMDI and a reasonable correlation was obtained between measured drilling rate at the zones and RMDI data.     

The magmatic record in the Arghash region (northeast Iran) and tectonic implications

The area of Arghash in northeast Iran, prominent for its gold mineralization, was newly mapped on a scale of 1:20,000 with particular attention to the occurring generations of igneous rocks. In addition, geochronological and geochemical investigations were carried out. The oldest geological unit is a late Precambrian, hornblende-bearing diorite pluton with low-K composition and primitive isotope signatures. This diorite (U–Pb zircon age 554 ± 6 Ma) is most likely a remnant from a Peri-Gondwana island-arc or back-arc basin. About one-third of the map area is interpreted as an Upper Cretaceous magmatic arc consisting of a volcanic and a plutonic part. The plutonic part is represented by a suite of hornblende-bearing medium-K, I-type granitoids (minor diorite, mainly quartz–monzodiorite and granodiorite) dated at 92.8 ± 1.3 Ma (U–Pb zircon age). The volcanic part comprises medium-K andesite, dacite and tuffitic rocks and must be at least slightly older, because it is locally affected by contact metamorphism through the hornblende–granitoids. The Upper Cretaceous arc magmatism in the Arghash Massif is probably related to the northward subduction of the Sabzevar oceanic basin, which holds a back-arc position behind the main Neotethys subduction front. Small occurrences of pillow basalts and sediments (sandstone, conglomerate, limestone) tectonically intercalated in the older volcanic series may be relics of earlier Cretaceous or even pre-Cretaceous rocks. In the early Cenozoic, the Cretaceous magmatic arc was intruded by bodies of felsic, weakly peraluminous granite (U–Pb zircon age 55.4 ± 2.3 Ma). Another strong pulse of magmatism followed slightly later in the Eocene, producing large masses of andesitic to dacitic volcanic rocks. The geochemistry of this prominent Eocene volcanism is very distinct, with a high-K signature and trace element contents similar to shoshonitic series (high P, Zr, Cr, Sr and Ba). High Sr/Y ratios feature affinities to adakite magmas. The Eocene magmatism in the Arghash Massif is interpreted as related to thermal anomalies in crust and mantle that developed when the Sabzevar subduction system collapsed. The youngest magmatic activities in the Arghash Massif are lamprophyres and small intrusions of quartz–monzodiorite porphyries, which cut through all other rocks including an Oligocene–Miocene conglomerate cover series.     

The hydrogeochemical characterization of groundwater in Gafsa-Sidi Boubaker region (Southwestern Tunisia)

Gafsa region is one of the most productive artesian basins in Southern Tunisia. It is located in the southwestern part of the country, and its groundwater resources are developed for water supply and irrigation. Proper understanding of the geochemical evolution of groundwater is important for sustainable development of water resources in this region. A hydrogeochemical survey was conducted on the Plio-Quaternary shallow and on the Complex Terminal aquifers system using major (Ca, Mg, Na, SO₄, Cl, NO₃ and HCO₃) and minor (Sr) elements, in order to evaluate the groundwater chemistry patterns and the main mineralization processes occurring in this system. Hydrochemical and isotopic data were used in conjunction with hydrogeological characteristics to investigate the groundwater composition in these aquifers. It has been demonstrated that groundwaters acquire their mineralization principally by water–rock interaction, i.e. dissolution of evaporites (halite/gypsum, pyrite, etc.) and return flow of irrigation waters, and by anthropogenic activities due to the use of nitrogen (N) fertilizers–pesticides in agriculture. The isotopic study of “stable isotopes, radiocarbon and tritium” (Yermani 2002) shows that a paleoclimatic recharge is corroborated by the relatively low carbon-14 activities (5–25.3%) of the referred groundwater group samples, which were interpreted as recharge occurring during the late Pleistocene and the early Holocene periods. The water feedings of these aquifers are mainly provided by infiltration of precipitations, infiltration of irrigation water, lateral feeding from Cretaceous relieves from the South and the North and along recent and fossil drainage networks that constitute major freshwater sources in groundwater tables (Hamed et al., J Environ Protect 1:466–474, 2010a).     

Capability of ETM+ in estimates standing stock in beech stands of mountain forest

Stand volume is an important criterion in forest sciences for monitoring status and function of forests, estimation of productivity, prediction and modeling of forest disturbance, economic and environmental issues, and forest planning. The aim of this research is to evaluate the ETM+ sensor of Landsat 7 satellite data ability for forest timber volume estimation. For this purpose, 40 selective sample plots with 60?×?60 m dimension were selected, and in each sample plot, standing volume was calculated. Correspondent digital data to plots were extracted from spectral and considered as independent variables. Original stand volume data, square root, and logarithm of them were considered as dependent potential for stand volume estimation. Variables using stepwise regression, the best model with coefficient of determination, and adjusted coefficient of determination with regard to determining the appropriate model were modified Log?V=?07.546?+?0.85Greenness???10.564NDWI???28 0.063Band1. In this model, the coefficient of determination and adjusted coefficient of determination were obtained 0.778 and 0.770, respectively. Result showed that spectral data of the mentioned sensor have a moderate.     

Influence of Collective Boulder Array on the Surrounding Time-averaged and Turbulent Flow Fields

Arrays of large immobile boulders,which are often encountered in steep mountain streams,affect the timing and magnitude of sediment transport events through their interactions with the approach flow.Despite their importance in the quantification of the bedload rate,the collective influence of a boulder array on the approach timeaveraged and turbulent flow field has to date been overlooked.The overarching objective is,thus,to assess the collective effects of a boulder array on the time-averaged and turbulent flow fields surrounding an individual boulder within the array,placing particular emphasis on highlighting the bed shear stress spatial variability.The objective of this study is pursued by resolving and comparing the timeaveraged and turbulent flow fields developing around a boulder,with and without an array of isolated boulders being present.The results show that the effects of an individual boulder on the time-averaged streamwise velocity and turbulence intensity were limited to the boulder’s immediate vicinity in the streamwise（x/d c 〈 2-3） and vertical（z/d c 〈 1） directions.Outside of the boulder’s immediate vicinity,the time-averaged streamwise velocity was found to be globally decelerated.This global deceleration was attributed to the form drag generated collectively by the boulder array.More importantly,the boulder array reduced the applied shear stress exerted on theindividual boulders found within the array,by absorbing a portion of the total applied shear.Furthermore,the array was found to have a ＂homogenizing＂ effect on the near-bed turbulence thus significantly reducing the turbulence intensity in the near-bed region.The findings of this study suggest that the collective boulder array bears a portion of the total applied bed shear stress as form drag,hence reducing the available bed shear stress for transporting incoming mobile sediment.Thus,the effects of the boulder array should not be ignored in sediment transport predictions.These effects are encapsulated in this study by E