A bucket wheel dredge system for offshore tin mining beyond the 50 m water depth

A bucket wheel dredge (BWD) for offshore tin mining is part of the long term plan of PT Timah Tbk to identify new dredging technologies for mining in greater than 50 m water depths. Measured tin-ore physical properties are used in a new BWD computer model to investigate deep water tin mining. The model simulates the cutting and hydraulic transport of submerged tin-ore. The results show that hydraulic tin mining beyond water depths of 50 m is feasible. It is best to employ hydraulic transport for lifting the tin-ore from the ocean floor to the surface and to use barges to transport the tin-ore to land processing plants.     

An automated full waveform logging system for high-resolution P-wave profiles in marine sediments

An automated, PC-based logging system has been developed to investigate marine sediment cores by full waveform transmission seismograms. High-resolution P-wave velocity and amplitude attenuation profiles are simultaneously derived from the transmission data to characterize the acoustic properties of the sediment column.A pair of ultrasonic, piezoelectric wheel probes is used to generate and record the transmission signals travelling radially through the sediment core. Both unsplit and split cores are allowed. Mounted in a carriage driven by a stepping motor via a shaft the probes automatically move along the core liner, stopping at equidistant spacings to provide a quasi-continuous inspection of the core by the transmission data. The axial travel distance and the core diameter are determined by digital measuring tools.First arrivals are picked automatically from the transmission seismograms using either a threshold in the seismogram's envelope or a cross-correlation algorithm taking the zero-offset signal of both wheel probes into account. Combined with the core diameter these first arrivals lead to a P-wave velocity profile with a relative precision of 1 to 2 m s^–1. Simultaneously, the maximum peak-to-peak amplitudes of the transmission seismograms are evaluated to get a first idea on the amplitude attenuation along the sediment core.Two examples of gravity cores taken during a recent cruise of R.V. METEOR in the Western Equatorial Atlantic are presented. They yield that the P-wave profiles can be used for locating strong and fine-scale lithological changes, e.g. turbidite layers and slight variations in the sand, silt or clay content. In addition, the transmission seismograms and their amplitude spectra obviously seem to reveal a correlation between the relative amount of low-frequency spectral components and the sediment grain size, and thus provide a tool for the determination of additional, related physical or sedimentological parameters in future investigations.     

Morphological evolution of gravel and sand extraction pits, Tromper Wiek, Baltic Sea

The growing demand for marine mineral resources introduces anthropogenic impacts in the coastal zone, among others also through aggregate dredging. Pits created by anchor hopper dredging may affect local sediment budgets, local hydrodynamics and biological habitats. In this study we investigate the processes and time-scales of pits refilling at two extraction sites over 6 years following cessation of dredging. We focused on the evolution of a single pit at a gravel extraction site and the development of a group of three pits located at a sand extraction site. In the case of the gravel pit, a series of six sonograph and two multibeam surveys were evaluated. We observed a spatial expansion of the edge of the pit, decreasing availability of screened sand in the neighbourhood of the pit (a possible source of refilling), and a slowing down of the refilling process with time. At the sandy pit site a series of seven sonographs and two multibeam surveys were available. We observed a smoothing of the edges and larger mean refilling rates than in the gravel pit case. We conclude that the most effective method for monitoring of pit evolution is to make measurements every six months by simultaneously deploying sidescan sonar and multibeam devices.     

The chemical, physical and structural properties of estuarine ice in Great Bay, New Hampshire

The purpose of this study was to provide general information on the chemical, physical and structural properties of estuarine ice and show how it compares with sea ice found at higher latitudes in order to determine whether the ice in Great Bay can be used as an analog in the study of arctic sea ice.Ice cores and water samples were collected during the 1983–1984 winter season at Adams Point in Great Bay, New Hampshire. Concentrations of chloride, nitrogen (as nitrate and nitrite), bromide, phosphate, sulfate and silicate were determined for samples chosen on the basis of identifiable stratigraphic layers (i.e. bubble size and shape, sediment layers, etc.).Similarities between ice formation in Great Bay and those in the arctic regions include the nature of the freezing process and the ice types produced. In addition, the distribution and concentration of chemical constituents were found to be similar to those observed in arctic sea ice. Factors affecting the chemistry of the ice in Great Bay include rainfall during the freezing season, the presence of sediment layers in the ice cores, the nature of incorporation of brine into the crystal structure of the ice and the drainage of brine.     

海底沉积物声速经验方程的分析和研究

比较国内外主要研究者提出的海底沉积物声速单参数、双参数和多参数预报经验方程的物理意义和适用性,提出了孔隙度-含水量预报海底沉积物声速新的双参数公式,该式避免了单一参数预报声速经验方程和某些双参数公式中物理意义不明确以及多参数方程复杂性及对提高预报计算能力效果不显著之处.基于理论分析,改进孔隙度-含水量双参数计算公式得到的通用模型具有明确的物理意义,可以通过修改参数适用于不同海域的声速预报,提高了泛化能力,扩大了适用范围.通过对孔隙度、含水量等物理参数的权值分析研究,更加明确了孔隙度是影响海底沉积物声速大小的最关键参数.用台湾海峡北部、南海海域、珠江口大陆架三处的海域沉积物测量数据比较了不同模型,验证了本模型的优越性.     

Wave run-up on cylindrical and cone shaped foundations for offshore wind turbines

During the last decade, several offshore wind-farms were built and offshore wind energy promises to be a suitable alternative to provide green energy. However, there are still some engineering challenges in placing the foundations of offshore wind turbines. For example, wave run-up and wave impacts cause unexpected damage to boat landing facilities and platforms. To assess the forces due to wave run-up, the distribution of run-up around the pile and the maximum run-up height need to be known. This article describes a physical model study of the run-up heights and run-up distribution on two shapes of foundations for offshore wind turbines, including both regular and irregular waves. The influence of wave steepness, wave height and water depth on run-up is investigated. The measured run-up values are compared with applicable theories and previous experimental studies predicting run-up on a circular pile.     

海洋环流和潮,余流数值计算中海区内较小尺度建筑物的一种处理方法

在海洋流场数值计算中，当流场中建筑物尺度相对平面网格步长太小时，计算中难以引进其作用，在所得计算结果中难以反映其影响。本文依据流量连续、能量守恒规律，通过水力学物模实验，求得建筑物存在情况下的谢才系数Ｃ，解决了计算中的难题。     

Physical Properties and their Relationship to Texture and Consolidation Effects in Pliocene-Quaternary Sediments from Madeira Abyssal Plain

Multi-sensor core logger data and index properties were measured onboard the JOIDES resolution during ODP Leg 157 and compared with grain size distribution and carbonate contents measured in the on-shore laboratory. Cored sediments are similar in grain size, but very variable in carbonate content. Magnetic susceptibility clearly defines the volcanic turbidite layers, whereas GRAPE density and acoustic velocity help to define the coarser (silty) bases of some organic or calcareous turbidite layers. Index properties are mostly controlled by consolidation effects.