U–Pb zircon age of the Walloon Coal Measures in the Surat Basin,southeast Queensland: implications for paleogeography and basin subsidence

The Jurassic Walloon Coal Measures of the Surat Basin were previously estimated to be of Middle Jurassic age, ranging from Aalenian to Callovian, based on an uncalibrated eastern Australian biostratigraphic framework. New U–Pb dates of 162.55 ± 0.05 Ma and 158.86 ± 0.04 Ma obtained from zircons in ash-fall volcanic tuffs now place the Walloon Coal Measures of the Surat Basin in the Upper Jurassic Oxfordian. The new dates have several implications for the interpretation of the Jurassic strata in the Surat Basin. First-order subsidence rates of 61 m/Myr for the Walloon Coal Measures are more akin to those of foreland basins than the previously assumed intracratonic setting. The dates also imply deposition of the Walloon coals in substantially higher latitudes than previously assumed and that they accumulated as peats in mires that experienced more than three months’ continual darkness each winter. Zircon dating of tuffs and associated geochemistry should assist with the correlation of the laterally impersistent coals, fluvial sandstone and mudstone of the Walloon Coal Measures, which are currently difficult to correlate over distances of more than a few kilometres. Dating of the palynostratigraphic zones APJ4.2 to APJ5 (Aequitriradites norrisii Association Zone to Murospora florida Association Zone) will also need to be recalibrated.     

Synorogenic alluvial-fan – fan-delta deposition in the Papuan foreland basin: Plio-Pleistocene Era Formation,Papua New Guinea

The Pliocene to possibly Pleistocene uppermost Orubadi and Era Formations, southwest margin of the Papuan Peninsula, are interpreted as having been deposited in alluvial-fan, fan-delta and shallow-marine environments. The alluvial-fan facies consists primarily of lenticular, coarse-grained conglomerate (up to 2 m boulders) and cross-bedded and horizontally laminated sandstone. Conglomerate and sandstone were deposited in shallow fluvial channels and by overbank sheetfloods. The facies also contains thick mudflow diamictite and minor tuff and terrestrial mudstone. The shallow-marine and fan-delta facies, in contrast, consists of heterogeneously interbedded marine and terrestrial mudstone, sandstone, diamictite, conglomerate and limestone. Marine mudstone is calcareous, sandy, bioturbated, and contains marine shells. Limestone is mostly packstone that has a varied, open-marine fauna. Rare coral boundstone is also present. Marine sandstone is burrowed to bioturbated and is hummocky cross-stratified in places. Some marine mudstone contains sandstone pillows formed by loading of unconsolidated sand by storm waves. Other sandstone in the fan-delta facies is cross-bedded, lacks shells and was probably deposited by fluvial processes. Several conglomerate beds in the fan-delta facies are well sorted and imbricated and were also deposited by stream floods. The synorogenic Orubadi and Era Formations were deposited in a foreland basin formed from loading of the Papuan–Aure Fold and Thrust Belt on the edge of the Australian craton. Deformation in the fold and thrust belt was probably related to docking and compression of the Finisterre Terrane–Bismarck Arc against the New Guinea Orogen. The Era Formation interfingers with the reefal Wedge Hill Limestone in which reef facies likely grew on a deforming anticline. Era Formation siliciclastics were sourced from volcanic, metamorphic and sedimentary rocks that were uplifted in the orogen to the northeast. Volcanic sediment was derived mostly from a then-active volcanic arc likely related to southward subduction at the Trobriand Trough.     

Age and tectonic significance of the Louth Volcanics: implications for the evolution of the Tasmanides of eastern Australia

Abstract

Re-evaluation of geochemical and geophysical datasets, and analysis of magmatic and detrital zircons from drill-core samples extracted from the Louth region of the southern Thomson Orogen (STO), augmented by limited field samples, has shown that two temporally and compositionally distinct igneous groups exist. The older Lower Devonian, calc-alkaline group corresponds to complexly folded, high-intensity curvilinear magnetic anomalies in the Louth region (Louth Volcanics) and are probable equivalents to Lower Devonian volcanics in the northern Lachlan Orogen. A younger Permo-Triassic alkaline assemblage forms part of an E–W corridor of diatremes that appears to relate to focussed lithospheric extension associated with the later stages of the Hunter–Bowen Orogeny in the New England Orogen. The alkaline group includes gabbros previously considered as Neoproterozoic, but all magmatic rocks, including alkaline basalts, contain an unusual number of xenocrystic zircons. The age spectra of the xenocrystic zircons mimic detrital zircons from Cobar Basin sedimentary rocks and/or underlying Ordovician turbidites, suggesting incorporation of upper crustal zircons into the alkaline basaltic magmas. A distinct difference of detrital zircon age spectra from central Thomson Orogen metasediments indicates the STO metasediments have greater affinities to the Lachlan Orogen, but both orogens probably began in the Early Ordovician during widespread backarc extension and deposition of turbidites in the Tasmanides. A surprising result is that Ordovician, Devonian and Permo-Triassic basaltic rocks from the STO and elsewhere in the Tasmanides, all yield the same Nd-model ages of ca 960–830 Ma, suggesting that Neoproterozoic subcontinental lithospheric mantle persisted throughout the evolution of the Tasmanide orogenic system.     

Continuation of the Ross–Delamerian Orogen: insights from eastern Australian detrital-zircon data

Abstract

Information on the Paleozoic tectonic evolution of the Tasmanides in eastern Australia is limited due to the presence of an extensive younger sedimentary cover. Based on the spatio-temporal distribution of deformation and magmatism, the Tasmanides have traditionally been subdivided into five domains (Delamerian, Thomson, Lachlan, Mossman and New England). To test the relationships between these domains, we compiled over 10000 published detrital-zircon ages from basement rocks of the Tasmanides. We split the dataset spatially to test postulated connectivity between domains, and temporally to isolate corresponding age populations that can highlight subtle variations between domains. Results show that the Delamerian and Thomson domains originated as a single orogenic belt that likely received detritus from an early Paleozoic continental-scale drainage system. We also recognise a remarkably similar pattern of Paleoproterozoic and Archean ages in the Delamerian, Thomson and New England domains. This similarity indicates that the late Paleozoic development of the New England domain involved recycling of rocks from the Delamerian–Thomson domain(s). These findings shed new light on the crustal architecture of eastern Australia, and the nature of Paleozoic drainage and sediment recycling in eastern Gondwana.     

Provenance of zircon xenocrysts in the Neoproterozoic Brauna Kimberlite Field,São Francisco Craton,Brazil: Evidence for a thick Palaeoproterozoic lithosphere beneath the Serrinha block

The 642 Ma-old Brauna Kimberlite Field is located on the northeastern sector of the São Francisco Craton (Serrinha block) and is one of the rare Neoproterozoic kimberlitic events in South America. Zircon xenocrysts from the volumetric most important kimberlite pipes Brauna 03, Brauna 07 and Brauna 04 were used as a tool to identify different components of the lithosphere beneath the northeast region of the São Francisco craton. A composite kimberlite sample of eight representative and different drill holes and three samples of the host rocks (Nordestina granodiorite) were sampled for SHRIMP geochronology. The results were compared with precise U–Pb age data for the regional rocks, i.e. the Archaean basement and the Palaeoproterozoic Rio Itapicuru greenstone belt. Samples from the Nordestina granodiorite gave three different ages: 2155 Ma in the western part of the batholith, 2139 Ma in its central part, and 2132 Ma in its eastern part. Zircon ²⁰⁷Pb/²⁰⁶Pb ages of the Brauna kimberlite zircon grains spread over the timespan 2107–2223 Ma and indicate four age groups at 2105 ± 3 Ma, 2138 ± 7 Ma, 2166 ± 5 Ma, and 2198 ± 4 Ma. Source rocks for the three former age groups can be found in the Rio Itapicuru greenstone belt, including zircon xenocrysts from the Nordestina granodiorite, whereas the latter age group has not yet been reported in the Serrinha block. The new zircon ages show that only rocks of the Palaeoproterozoic Rio Itapicuru greenstone belt and of a hidden 2.17–2.20 Ga crust were sampled by the kimberlite magma during its ascent through the lithosphere. It is proposed that there is none or a few Archaean crust beneath the kimberlite emplacement area, hence implying a thick Palaeoproterozoic lithosphere for this portion of the São Francisco craton.     

基于VC++的梁式桥震害评估软件

震后桥梁结构震害快速评估能够为地震应急救援提供重要参考信息,对减灾工作具有重要价值。为了快速准确地评估遭受地震影响梁式桥的破坏状态,使梁式桥震害评估方法在地震应急中发挥更大作用,基于统计回归模型、神经网络模型和推断模型等三种梁式桥震害评估模型,采用VC++6.0及Access2003数据库软件开发了有关评估软件,并以桥梁震害资料为算例验证了软件的可靠性。     

火灾作用下预应力型钢混凝土简支梁承载性能试验研究

进行了两根足尺预应力型钢混凝土简支梁在火灾高温和竖向恒定加载耦合作用下的耐火性能试验,分析了试验梁的温度场分布规律、竖向变形特点和承载性能劣化过程。通过在试验梁端部预设压力传感器,实测了升温过程中梁端部预压力与升温时间的关系曲线。试验结果表明,预压力对火灾高温作用较为敏感,当标准升温100 min时预压力已降至初始预压力的一半,试验中一根梁出现了侧向弯曲变形。因此,对于预应力混凝土结构,火灾高温作用下应考虑构件可能的侧向变形影响。     

高温后足尺有粘结预应力混凝土梁板力学性能研究

针对足尺有粘结预应力混凝土梁板高温后的抗弯承栽力开展了非线性计算分析。结果表明,综合配筋指标、有效预应力对高温后极限弯矩与常温下极限弯矩比值M_u~A/M_u的影响不大,预应力度和预应力筋的保护层厚度对M_u~A/M_u影响显著。高宽比近似相同的有粘结预应力混凝土梁,当第一排钢筋的保护层厚度相同时,受火时间为3 h,高度为700 mm的梁高温后截面承栽力下降幅度最大约为30%,高度为4500 mm的梁高温后截面承栽力下降幅度不到10%,高温后大尺度梁的力学性能优于小尺度梁。给出了考虑预应力筋保护层厚度和预应力度影响的有粘结预应力混凝土板M_u~A/M_u的计算公式,以及综合考虑预应力筋、非预应力筋合力点到梁底距离和预应力筋梁侧保护层厚度影响的有粘结预应力混凝土梁M_u~A/M_u的计算公式。     

钢筋混凝土梁正截面率相关特性分析

根据混凝土单轴动力特性试验,对规范给出的混凝土应力—应变关系表达式进行了修正,引入了应变率的影响,并利用修正的表达式对钢筋混凝土梁的开裂弯矩、开裂曲率、极限弯矩和极限曲率进行了数值分析。分析考虑2种情况：①只考虑混凝土的动态特性;②既考虑混凝土的动态特性,也考虑钢筋的动态特性。结果表明,对于适筋梁,混凝土的动态特性对梁的开裂弯矩、开裂曲率、极限弯矩和极限曲率的影响很小,但是钢筋的动态特性的影响比较大;而对于超筋梁,混凝土的动态特性和钢筋的动态特性对梁的开裂弯矩、开裂曲率、极限弯矩和极限曲率都有显著影响。     

裹体碎石桩静载试验两个问题分析

通过对青海省察尔汗盐湖地区裹体碎石桩复合地基的静载试验,认为复合地基试验中堆载反力梁装置及正确布设基准梁对试验结果有较大的影响。