Stochastic continuum modeling of flow and transport in a crystalline rock mass: Fanay-Augères,France, revisited

A stochastic discrete-fracture model was used by Cacas et al.^a,b to interpret flow measurements and transport experiments in a fractured crystalline rock mass at Fanay-Augères. They considered continuum models to be incapable of properly interpreting small-scale measurements or tracer tests in fractured systems, which, in their view, require three-dimensional modeling of numerous discrete channels; in their opinion, continuum modeling applies only to average flow on a relatively large scale. Cacas et al. considered their discrete fracture model to have been validated by its demonstrated ability to reproduce selected experimental results. In this paper, flow and transport at Fanay-Augères are modeled by viewing the fractured rock as a stochastic continuum in a manner originally proposed by Neuman^c,d. The stochastic continuum approach obviates the need for detailed information about fracture geometry or assumptions about how individual fractures control flow and transport. All it requires is the delineation of a few dominant features, which can be embedded into the stochastic continuum model as heterogeneous porous slabs. Though a fault zone has been identified at the Fanay-Augères experimental site, it has been modeled neither by Cacas et al. nor in this paper. In fact, in this paper, a larger selection of experimental results than those considered by Cacas et al. are reproduced merely by modeling the rock as a statistically homogeneous continuum in two dimensions. These results demonstrate that a continuum approach may be well suited for the analysis of flow and transport in fractured rock. This does not constitute a validation of the continuum approach, just as the results of Cacas et al. fall short of validating the discrete fracture approach. Instead, the two sets of results illustrate jointly the well-established principle that an open system, especially one as complex as fractured hydrogeologic environments tend to be, cannot be described uniquely on the basis of sparse data and need not be described in great detail to capture its salient behavior by a model.^a Cacas MC, Ledoux E, de Marsily G, Barbreau A, Calmels P, Gaillard B, Margritta R (1990a) Modelling fracture flow with a stochastic discrete fracture network: calibration and validation. 1. The flow model. Water Resour Res 26(3):479–489^b Cacas MC, Ledoux E, de Marsily G, Barbreau A, Calmels P, Gaillard B, Margritta R (1990b) Modelling fracture flow with a stochastic discrete fracture network: calibration and validation. 2. The transport model. Water Resour Res 26(3):491–500^c Neuman SP (1987) Stochastic continuum representation of fractured rock permeability as an alternative to the REV and fracture network concepts, in Rock Mechanics. In: Farmer IW, Daemen JJK, Desai CS, Glass CE, Neuman SP (eds) Proceedings of the 28th U.S. Symposium, Tucson, Arizona. Balkema, Rotterdam, pp 533–561^d Neuman SP (1988) A proposed conceptual framework and methodology for investigating flow and transport in Swedish crystalline rocks. SKB Swedish Nuclear Fuel and Waste Management Co., Stockholm, September, Arbetsrapport 88–37, 39 pp     

Eddy Covariance Measurements On Mountain Slopes: The Advantage Of Surface-Normal Sensor Orientation Over A Vertical Set-Up

The measurement of scalar fluxes employing the eddy covariance method is a widely used experimental approach,for which the flow distortion due to obstacles (e.g., sensor mounts and mast)is a well-known but not fully solved problem. In order to reduce flow distortion we installed a sonic anemometer in a surface-normal orientationrelative to the terrain slope, and a second instrument in a verticalposition at a horizontal distance of 1.54 m from the first instrumentWe found a significant reduction in the rotation angle necessary for the coordinaterotation procedure in the x-z plane whencomputing 30-minute flux averages with the surface-normal orientation. In 91% of all cases this rotation angleremained within the angle of incidence of ±10° recommended bythe manufacturer. In contrast, only 24% of the measurements taken with the vertically mounted anemometer were obtained at an angle of incidencewithin ±10°, and 3% were outside the ±30° range specified for an acceptable operation.A data quality test based on the variance of vertical windspeed normalized with friction velocity (_w/u_*) revealed problems for application under stable conditions due to large uncertainties in the determination of the Monin–Obukhov stability parameter z/L. An alternative test using the bulk drag coefficient C_D revealed other problems related to the dependence of C_D on z/z₀, the measuring height normalized by the roughness length, which do not appear to be constantin complex terrain. With both tests, a tendency for a slightly improved dataquality was found for the surface normal set-up, which, however, proved statistically insignificant.It is concluded that the surface-normal set-up of a sonic anemometer significantly reduces flow distortion by thesensor head. Although the surface-normal mounting position therefore appears to be the preferred one, with decreased flow distortion and a slightly improved data quality, no significant differences in turbulent quantities were found between the two set-uppositions. Hence, the consequences for short-term measurements of massand energy fluxes with a surface-normal set-up in complex terrain appearto be relevant only if single flux events are to be inspected, while for long-term measurements of integrated fluxes both the surface-normaland vertical installation of the sonic anemometer are adequate,indicating that eddy covariance measurements in complex terrain are lessdelicate than expected.     

中国泥石流形成环境剖析

丰富的松散固体物质、充沛的水源和陡峻的地形,作为泥石流形成的三个基本条件,已得到学者们的认同。就本质而言,这三者可归纳为能量和物质两大因素。本文从中国泥石流区域分布着眼,从不同尺度的自然环境因素和人为活动,探讨中国泥石流形成发展的基本规律。研究结果表明,大尺度的区域地质背景、大地貌单元和犬气候系统是控制泥石流形成发育的主导因素;不稳定斜坡因子、小尺度水文气象因子、流域形态因子、森林植被因子等,在大尺度因素的基础上,对泥石流的形成有重要影响;历史上,特别是近期人类经济活动对环境的不良影响,加剧了泥石流的发展。泥石流灾害非单一因子所致,而是诸多因子综合作用的结果,是山地环境退化的产物。泥石流活动具有开放性、内外营力作用的共同性以及自然因素和人为因素的复合性这三大特点。     

The response of flow duration curves to afforestation

The hydrologic effect of replacing pasture or other short crops with trees is reasonably well understood on a mean annual basis. The impact on flow regime, as described by the annual flow duration curve (FDC) is less certain. A method to assess the impact of plantation establishment on FDCs was developed. The starting point for the analyses was the assumption that rainfall and vegetation age are the principal drivers of evapotranspiration. A key objective was to remove the variability in the rainfall signal, leaving changes in streamflow solely attributable to the evapotranspiration of the plantation. A method was developed to (1) fit a model to the observed annual time series of FDC percentiles; i.e. 10th percentile for each year of record with annual rainfall and plantation age as parameters, (2) replace the annual rainfall variation with the long term mean to obtain climate adjusted FDCs, and (3) quantify changes in FDC percentiles as plantations age. Data from 10 catchments from Australia, South Africa and New Zealand were used. The model was able to represent flow variation for the majority of percentiles at eight of the 10 catchments, particularly for the 10–50th percentiles. The adjusted FDCs revealed variable patterns in flow reductions with two types of responses (groups) being identified. Group 1 catchments show a substantial increase in the number of zero flow days, with low flows being more affected than high flows. Group 2 catchments show a more uniform reduction in flows across all percentiles. The differences may be partly explained by storage characteristics. The modelled flow reductions were in accord with published results of paired catchment experiments. An additional analysis was performed to characterise the impact of afforestation on the number of zero flow days (N_zero) for the catchments in group 1. This model performed particularly well, and when adjusted for climate, indicated a significant increase in N_zero. The zero flow day method could be used to determine change in the occurrence of any given flow in response to afforestation. The methods used in this study proved satisfactory in removing the rainfall variability, and have added useful insight into the hydrologic impacts of plantation establishment. This approach provides a methodology for understanding catchment response to afforestation, where paired catchment data is not available.     

横观各向同性软土地基上大圆筒防波堤稳定性研究

对于横观各向同性软土地基上沉入式大圆筒防波堤结构提出了一种准三维上限极限分析方法,所假设的破坏机制为大圆筒结构绕筒体内中轴线上某点发生转动失稳,泥面处形成楔体破坏,而筒底部形成圆弧滑裂面。本方法可以考虑土的三轴压缩、拉伸强度与直剪强度的差异。利用ABAQUS分别进行平面应变以及三维有限元分析,软土采用Hill本构模型,所得到的破坏模式以及大圆筒结构水平承载力与上限极限分析方法吻合较好,同时可以得出考虑地基土各向异性的大圆筒结构承载力比不考虑时有较大降低。     

Synthesis of PGE sulfide standards for laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS)

Sulfide compositions with known Re, Os, Ir, Ru, Rh, Pt, and Pd contents are synthesized to be used as standards for noble metal analysis in solid solution in sulfides. Major elements were added as metals and elemental S. The noble metals, i.e. 35 and 60 ppm each, were added as solutions by micro syringe. Following synthesis at 1 atm the sulfides were sintered at 1.5 to 2 GPa to obtain pellets with theoretical density. Aliquots of the pellets were analysed by isotope dilution ICP-MS for bulk Re and platinum-group elements (PGE). The spatial noble metal distribution was investigated with an ArF excimer laser coupled to a single collector ICP mass spectrometer. Sample homogeneity is shown to depend on the metal/S spectrum and the major element composition of the sulfide, as well as on more subtle factors like oxygen partial pressure during synthesis, run temperature, and degree of partial melting. The most homogeneous sulfide composition is a (Fe,Ni)_{1 − x} S monosulfide with 5 wt % Ni and 1-sigma variations in ³⁴S-normalized noble metal count rates of <3.6%. Nearly as homogeneous is a pure Fe_{1 − x} S monosulfide with 1-sigma variations in ³⁴S-normalized noble metal count rates of <5.8 %. A Cu-bearing Fe_{1 − x} S monosulfide with 2 wt % Cu was found to be considerably more heterogeneous, suggesting that Cu in solid solution in monosulfides promotes noble metal heterogeneity. The sulfide composition least suitable for the synthesis of noble metal sulfide standards is NiS.     

城市周边地下水系统脆弱性评价——以栾城县为例

地下水脆弱性评价作为保护地下水资源的重要手段，自上世纪70年代以来，越来越多的科研人员开始相关研究工作，本文在参阅以往相关文献的基础上，结合我国存在大面积污水灌溉区，且污灌区主要集中在城市周边的实际情况，在确定这类区域地下水脆弱性评价方法、评价指标及其权重的基础上，以河北省栾城县为例，对这类区域地下水系统进行脆弱性评价。     

Disturbance, stream incision, and channel evolution: The roles of excess transport capacity and boundary materials in controlling channel response

Channel incision is part of denudation, drainage-network development, and landscape evolution. Rejuvenation of fluvial networks by channel incision often leads to further network development and an increase in drainage density as gullies migrate into previously non-incised surfaces. Large, anthropogenic disturbances, similar to large or catastrophic “natural” events, greatly compress time scales for incision and related processes by creating enormous imbalances between upstream sediment delivery and available transporting power. Field examples of channel responses to antrhopogenic and “natural” disturbances are presented for fluvial systems in the mid continent and Pacific Northwest, USA, and central Italy. Responses to different types of disturbances are shown to result in similar spatial and temporal trends of incision for vastly different fluvial systems. Similar disturbances are shown to result in varying relative magnitudes of vertical and lateral (widening) processes, and different channel morphologies as a function of the type of boundary sediments comprising the bed and banks. This apparent contradiction is explained through an analysis of temporal adjustments to flow energy, shear stress, and stream power with time. Numerical simulations of sand-bed channels of varying bank resistance and disturbed by reducing the upstream sediment supply by half, show identical adjustments in flow energy and the rate of energy dissipation. The processes that dominate adjustment and the ultimate stable geometries, however, are vastly different, depending on the cohesion of the channel banks and the supply of hydraulically-controlled sediment (sand) provided by bank erosion.The non-linear asymptotic nature of fluvial adjustment to incision caused by channelization or other causes is borne out in similar temporal trends of sediment loads from disturbed systems. The sediments emanating from incised channels can represent a large proportion of the total sediment yield from a landscape, with erosion from the channel banks generally the dominant source. Disturbances that effect available force, stream power or flow energy, or change erosional resistance such that an excess of flow energy occurs can result in incision. Channel incision, therefore, can be considered a quintessential feature of dis-equilibrated fluvial systems.     

TIME EVOLUTION OF LOCAL SCOUR AT OBSTACLES PROTRUDING FROM CHANNEL SIDE WALLS

1 mnCnONLocal scour close to bridge piers and abUtInnts has long been a subect of concem for engineers, sinceit can We total or partial collapse of bridges. Until to the Present, local scour has been assessed, moshy,on the basis of resultS of labOratOry stodis. These sthes were cwhed out for steady flows lashng longenough as to gUarantee the develoPment of equlllbrium scour i.e., the develoPmen of scour holes whosedePth and 8haPe no lOnger significanti evolve with hme.In nta, such long l…