Displacement properties of landslide masses at the initiation of failure in quick clay deposits and the effects of meteorological and hydrological factors

This study aimed to identify displacement properties of landslide masses at the initiation of failure and factors that affect the landslides activities in areas where quick clay is found. We set up a research site in a quick clay deposit area in Norway and monitored the displacements of landslide masses and meteorological and hydrological factors for a long period of time using an automatic monitoring system. The system collected data for two landslides that occurred at the site from the start of their movement until their ultimate collapse.

The two landslides that were monitored showed definite secondary and tertiary creep stages before they collapsed. One of the landslides moved from the secondary stage to the tertiary creep stage when another landslide occurred nearby. The tertiary stage of this landslide showed reconstruction of short primary, secondary, and tertiary creep stages. These phenomena suggested that (1) the stress at the end of the landslide mass was released during the nearby landslide, and (2) a new stress distribution was formed in the landslide mass. The critical strain differed for 14 times between the two landslide masses we monitored. The difference was likely attributable to the difference in the contents of quick clay, which shows small critical stress against slope failure, as well as topological factors.

Our analyses of the effects of hydrological and meteorological factors on landslides showed that the precipitation of 3 and 10 days before six slope failures as the final stages of the landslides that had occurred in the research area was no different from the mean precipitation of periods that showed no slope failure, suggesting that precipitation had no direct effects on the collapse of the landslide masses. On the other hand, the traveling velocities of the landslide masses during the secondary creep stage, which was prior to their collapse, were affected by the water content of the soil and precipitation (and the amount of snowmelt water), but was little correlated with the pore-water pressure of the quick clay layer. We also found that the presence of snow cover scarcely affected landslide movements.     

Behaviour of a trial embankment on hydraulically placed pfa

The paper describes the performance of a 5.3-m trial embankment constructed on approximately 45 m of hydraulically placed pulverised fuel ash (pfa). It is planned to redevelop the 17-ha lagoon containing the pfa as a landfill. There is little variation in the particle size distribution of the uniformly graded silt sized pfa over the lagoon. However, the density of the pfa varies with depth with loose material underlying a denser surface layer, in a pattern that probably results from the water level in the lagoon during pfa deposition.

Settlement under the trial embankment was apparently largely complete by the end of the construction period (17 days), with approximately 300 mm of settlement under the crest of the embankment. The embankment settlement is significantly affected by compression of the loose layers within the deposit. Analysis of the problem using the conventional one-dimensional settlement method, and an m_v profile determined by CPT calibrated against laboratory tests gave a reasonable prediction of the embankment crest settlement.     

Controlling introduced predators in the Gibson Desert of Western Australia

Three introduced predators, the dingo (Canis lupus dingo), the fox (Vulpes vulpes) and the feral cat (Felis catus) are widespread throughout the arid interior of Western Australia. While the dingo has been present for an estimated 3500–4000 years, the fox and the feral cat are relatively recent arrivals and have been implicated in the modern decline and in some cases extinction of arid zone fauna, especially medium size mammals. This paper reports on a long-term, large-scale project aimed at developing control strategies for these introduced predators. Broad area control of foxes and dingoes in the Gibson Desert using 40–60 g dried meat baits impregnated with the poison sodium monofluoroacetate (1080) and delivered by aircraft at a density of 5 baits km⁻² proved to be highly effective. Following a single aerial baiting of some 1600 km², foxes and dingoes were virtually eradicated from a core area for up to 15 months, but feral cats appeared to increase in abundance. Two aerial baitings (each 400 km²) carried out during periods of below average rainfall using a small (about 30 g) fresh meat bait developed to be attractive to feral cats reduced their abundance by an estimated 75% and 100% when baits were delivered at a density of 10 and 22 km⁻², respectively. A third aerial baiting at a density of 11 baits km⁻² carried out during a period of above average rainfall reduced feral cat density by only 25% when surveyed 3 months after baiting. Baiting density, frequency and season are key factors likely to affect the impact of baiting on feral cat populations. Preliminary studies reveal that the home range of feral cats in this environment varies from about 700 to 1200 ha. Reptiles and small native mammals form the major dietary items of feral cats and the seasonal variation in abundance of these items is likely to affect bait uptake. These observations have important implications for control strategies.     

紫外线强度指数监测和控制系统

根据单片机原理和计算机通信技术，采用ATML89C51、ADC0809等芯片微控制器和集成电路、紫外辐射宽波段传感器，结合计算机串口通讯技术，设计出实用的紫外线强度指数监测和控制系统。该系统可自动采集紫外线强度指数数据，进行历史数据库的分析和查询，研究该地区紫外线强度的变化规律。     

我国西部垂直形变趋势面演变与震情分析

本文在研究我国西部各垂直形变监测区形变特征及其演变的基础上，提出了垂直形变趋势面的概念。据此对我国西部七十年代以来垂直形变进行了阶段划分，并讨论了其与构造应力场变化及地震大形势的关系。进而结合青藏块体近年地震群体特征，对我国西部近期震情进行了分析。     

Auto-covariance estimation of variable samples (ACEVS) and its application for monitoring random ionospheric disturbances using GPS

 Ionospheric variation may be considered as a stationary time series under quiet conditions. However, the disturbance of a stationary random process from stationarity results in the bias of corresponding samples from the stationary observations, and in the change of statistical model parameters of the process. From a general mathematical aspect, a new method is presented for monitoring ionospheric variations, based on the characteristic of time-series observation of GPS, and an investigation of the statistical properties of the estimated auto-covariance of the random ionospheric delay when changing the number of samples in the time series is carried out. A preliminary scheme for monitoring ionospheric delays is proposed. Received: 18 August 2000 / Accepted: 12 April 2001     

降水预压软基处理技术中孔隙水压力效应研究

降水预压是通过降低地下水位而加固软土地基的一种软基处理技术。这项处理技术的中孔压变化与堆载预压的孔压变化有所不同, 它是在通过降水减小静水压力增大有效正应力, 从而使土体固结沉降。通过上海浦东某工程降水预压试验的孔压测试, 本文分析了降水预压加固软土地基原理及孔隙水压力效应。     

Causes, mechanism and environmental impacts of instabilities at Himmetoğlu coal mine and possible remedial measures

 Since the commencement of mining at the Himmetoğlu coal mine, northwest Turkey, serious stability problems have led to interruptions in mining and some environmental effects. A geotechnical investigation was initiated in 1997 and the significant factors that influence the stability have been defined. This paper outlines the results of the field and laboratory studies associated with the causes and mechanism of the slope instabilities and their environmental impacts. The possible remedial measures to improve the stability and to minimize the environmental problems are also described. Back-analyses and data from long-term monitoring indicate that the failures occur along two or three planar surfaces by combination of faults and localized strata steepening adjacent to the faults. The stability is sensitive to changes in length of the lower part of the basal sliding surface and shear strength of the bedding surfaces in the overburden. Suitable remedial measures include slope flattening (i.e. staged bench stripping), proper drainage and spreading of a rock blanket on the pit floor to increase spoil pile stability. Received: 18 April 2000 · Accepted: 15 August 2000     

应用FY－1B气象卫星监测1991年江淮洪水的研究

本文研究了ＦＹ－１ＢＶＨＲＳＲ的三个可见光通道和一个近红外通道监测１９９１年夏天中国江淮地区洪水的能力。分析该区域不同水体的各个通道的光谱状况表明，ＶＨＲＳＲ第二通道区别水、陆（植被）边界十分显著，ＶＨＲＳＲ第一通道有感应洪水泥沙含量信息的能力，ＶＨＲＳＲ的第三、四通道（海洋通道）则可以获得水深信息。文中针对ＦＹ－１Ｂ的波段的特点设计了几种信息增强方法，从而有效地识别出水陆边界，计算了洪水深度及洪水浑浊度的相对等级，精确地统计出洪水的面积。结果表明ＦＹ－１Ｂ在洪水监测中大有潜力。     

地电自动测量系统国产化（C—ATS）研究

本文简要介绍了地电自动测量系统C－ATS中所采取的技术措施，系统结构和它在地震前兆观测中广泛的应用前景。