Construction Problems on the Karstified Limestone Tuffs of Condeixa, Central Portugal: A Case Study

During the excavations for the foundations of a three storey building on the limestone tuffs of Condeixa, Central Portugal, a large dissolution fissure and smaller dissolution voids were found. Since the area has never been the subject of engineering geology investigation, it was decided to evaluate the risk associated with the construction of the building. These limestone tuffs were formed in a continental environment by the precipitation of calcite carried by the water coming from the large limestone body in the east. The precipitated calcite mixed with the terrigenous materials and around trunks and leaves of plants, originating a very heterogeneous and porous ground, which is characteristic of limestone tuffs. The study started with a detailed geological survey followed by a large number of destructive drillings, located essentially under the pad foundations. The results revealed several karstic cavities with serious problems for the building foundations and the structure, and many smaller dissolution cavities, often filled with clayey soils. The ground treatment solutions used included, dental cleaning, filling with concrete or granular material the dissolution structures accessible at the level of the foundation, reinforcement of the footing and the structure of the building and adding a continuous foundation beam to hold the foundations together. The cost of the engineering geology study, site investigation, ground treatment, and the reinforcement of the foundation and building, increased the total construction cost from 2%, at the design stage, to 4.8%.     

Early Estimation of Seismic Hazard for Strong Earthquakes in Taiwan

A shakemap system providing rapid estimates of strong ground shaking could be useful for emergency response providers in a damaging earthquake. A hybrid procedure, which combines site-dependent ground motion prediction models and the limited observations of the Real-Time Digital stream output system (RTD system operated by Central Weather Bureau, CWB), was set up to provide a high-resolution shakemap in a near-real-time manner after damaging earthquakes in Taiwan. One of the main factors that affect the result of ground motion prediction analysis is the existence of site effects. The purpose of this paper is to investigate the local site effects and their influence in the ground shaking and then establish an early estimation procedure of potential hazard for damaging earthquakes. Based on the attenuation law, the site effects of each TSMIP station are discussed in terms of a bias function that is site and intensity-level dependent function. The standard deviation of the site-dependent ground motion prediction model can be significantly reduced. The nonlinear behavior of ground soil is automatically taken into account in the intensity-level dependent bias function. Both the PGA and the spectral acceleration are studied in this study. Based on the RTD data, event correctors are calculated and applied to precisely estimate the shakemap of damaging earthquakes for emergency response.     

Site Investigation for the Effects of Vegetation on Ground Stability

The procedure for geotechnical site investigation is well established but little attention is currently given to investigating the potential of vegetation to assist with ground stability. This paper describes how routine investigation procedures may be adapted to consider the effects of the vegetation. It is recommended that the major part of the vegetation investigation is carried out, at relatively low cost, during the preliminary (desk) study phase of the investigation when there is maximum flexibility to take account of findings in the proposed design and construction. The techniques available for investigation of the effects of vegetation are reviewed and references provided for further consideration. As for general geotechnical investigation work, it is important that a balance of effort is maintained in the vegetation investigation between (a) site characterisation (defining and identifying the existing and proposed vegetation to suit the site and ground conditions), (b) testing (in-situ and laboratory testing of the vegetation and root systems to provide design parameters) and (c) modelling (to analyse the vegetation effects).     

河流形态的分维及与洪水关系的探讨——以长江中下游为例

河流水系形态特征可以通过河流的分形特征来反映,分形维数则是河流分形特征的量化表示,其与河流洪水之间存在着一定的关系。以长江中下游为例,利用网格覆盖法计算出长江中下游河流分维,分析了长江中下游河流的分形特性,并在此基础上结合长江中下游洪水分析不同水系特征下洪水的特点。研究结果表明,一般来说河道分维越大、河网分维越小,洪水发生可能性则越高。     

基于遥感和GIS的选址策略研究与实现

以某地新建化工厂选址为例,详细介绍了基于遥感和GIS的工程项目选址建模方法。该方法通过遥感获得地物的空间属性和类别特征,通过GIS的缓冲区分析、再分类、栅格叠加、归组、面积计算等空间分析与统计方法实现满足多个条件的目标区块的提取。作为选址模型的具体实现,以遥感和GIS分析软件为依托,规划出了某地适宜兴建化工厂的区块,实施了化工厂选址的遥感和GIS辅助决策。     

工程场地的特征与工程地质分区

工程场地与城市在空间尺度上相去甚远 ,但工程场地所具备的与环境行为相近的共性 ,使其属性分析可以推广应用到城市建设所面对的整个工程地质环境。从这一意义上说 ,工程场地是整个城市宏观工程地质环境的微观单元 ,众多微观单元的组合构成了环境的宏观总体。为此 ,工程场地的三大属性特性、适宜性、稳定性 ,可以作为城市工程地质环境分析中分析方法的基础。从工程场地分析推广到城市工程地质环境分析 ,还将有助于保证城市工程地质环境分析的定量化水平。     

羌塘盆地那底岗日地区中侏罗世层序地层与碳、氧、锶同位素响应

羌塘盆地那底岗日地区中侏罗世沉积了一套稳定的滨浅海相碳酸盐岩与碎屑岩地层,通过层序地层研究划分出五个三级层序。对其中四个层序内碳酸盐岩碳、氧、锶稳定同位素测试分析得出,不同层序、层序界面及层序内不同体系域的δ13 C、δ180、N(87Sr/86Sr)值均有明显的差异,并具规律性变化,整体上反映出研究区中侏罗世发生了多次海平面升降变化和气候、构造活动的演变,为层序地层研究提供了定量的地质地球化学依据。     

长江中游湖泊沉积微结构特征与沉积环境

在长江中游的洪湖、东湖、网湖和大九湖等四个地点取得湖沼沉积物的钻孔样品,用偏光显微镜下和电子显微镜观察微结构特征并以此解释三种湖相粘土的成因和沉积环境的变化。在长江沿岸湖泊中,0.4~ 0.5kaBP以来形成的浅色粘土的微结构类型主要有 :显微层理构造、颗粒的定向性、较大的微孔隙和颗粒粒径,面与面或边与边接触方式。物源主要来自河流带来的泥沙.当时河湖相通,河流入湖水沙量大。 1~ 2.5kaBP期间形成的青色粘土的典型微结构是 :凝胶结构、絮凝结构、细颗粒粒径和小孔隙、低球度和淡水中心冈硅藻。主要是有机质胶体与粘土胶体相互作用形成的。此期间,河流带入湖泊的泥沙少,江汉平原拥有一个开阔、稳定、浮游生物较多的淡水湖泊环境。 0.4~ 1kaBP期间形成的黑色粘土的主要微结构类型是 :凝胶结构、大的圆孔隙和植物纤维的生物框架结构、呈双峰分布的孔隙。它主要是由于维管束植物残体大量积累形成的。当时江汉平原湖泊湖水变浅,大量挺水植物生长,有些湖泊沼已经沼泽化了。鱼骨框架结构证明,在 2.9~ 4kaBP的全新世温暖期山间盆地大九湖出现大量鱼类,但并没有导致喜温鱼类向上游明显迁徙。