Morphodynamic interactions of continental shelf,beach and dunes: the Cabopino dune system in southern Mediterranean Spain

The complex morphodynamic interactions between nearshore, shoreface and dune systems are usually simplified by studying these zones and their associated processes in isolation. However, the established relationships between each of them suggests that an integrated approach is required to examine the genesis, evolution and adaptation of the entire morphodynamic system. The Cabopino dune system in the southern Spanish Mediterranean Sea provides a clear example of a linked morphodynamic system in which a relatively large dune system has been generated and grown through the supply of sediments from an adjacent littoral supply environment. Here, we present a conceptual model of how the nearshore has provided suitable conditions for beach and dune development. We purport that synchronization of sediment activation in the marine and aeolian sections of the system have played a major role in this microtidal setting in which temporal aspects are not only tied to storm action, but to large sedimentary features moving alongshore. © 2019 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Ant colony optimization of tuned mass dampers for earthquake oscillations of high-rise structures including soil–structure interaction

This paper investigates the optimized parameters for tuned mass dampers (TMDs) to decrease the earthquake vibrations of tall buildings; involving soil–structure interaction (SSI) effects. The time domain analysis based on Newmark method is employed in this study. To illustrate the results, Tabas and Kobe earthquakes data are applied to the model, and ant colony optimization (ACO) method is utilized to obtain the best parameters for TMD. The TMD mass, damping coefficient and spring stiffness are assumed as design variables, and the objective is to reduce both the maximum displacement and acceleration of stories. It is shown that how the ACO can be effectively applied to design the optimum TMD device. It is also indicated that the soil type greatly affects the TMD optimized parameters and the time response of structures. This study helps the researchers to better understanding of earthquake vibrations, and leads the designers to achieve the optimized TMD for high-rise buildings.     

Observed dynamic soil–structure interaction in scale testing of offshore wind turbine foundations

Monopile foundations have been commonly used to support offshore wind turbine generators (WTGs), but this type of foundation encounters economic and technical limitations for larger WTGs in water depths exceeding 30 m. Offshore wind farm projects are increasingly turning to alternative multipod foundations (for example tetrapod, jacket and tripods) supported on shallow foundations to reduce the environmental effects of piling noise. However the characteristics of these foundations under dynamic loading or long term cyclic wind turbine loading are not fully understood. This paper summarises the results from a series of small scaled tests (1:100, 1:150 and 1:200) of a complete National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) wind turbine model on three types of foundations: monopiles, symmetric tetrapod and asymmetric tripod. The test bed used consists of either kaolin clay or sand and up to 1.4 million loading cycles were applied. The results showed that the multipod foundations (symmetric or asymmetric) exhibit two closely spaced natural frequencies corresponding to the rocking modes of vibration in two principle axes. Furthermore, the corresponding two spectral peaks change with repeated cycles of loading and they converge for symmetric tetrapods but not for asymmetric tripods. From the fatigue design point of view, the two spectral peaks for multipod foundations broaden the range of frequencies that can be excited by the broadband nature of the environmental loading (wind and wave) thereby impacting the extent of motions. Thus the system lifespan (number of cycles to failure) may effectively increase for symmetric foundations as the two peaks will tend to converge. However, for asymmetric foundations the system life may continue to be affected adversely as the two peaks will not converge. In this sense, designers should prefer symmetric foundations to asymmetric foundations.     

3D SPH numerical simulation of the wave generated by the Vajont rockslide

A 3D numerical modeling of the wave generated by the Vajont slide, one of the most destructive ever occurred, is presented in this paper. A meshless Lagrangian Smoothed Particle Hydrodynamics (SPH) technique was adopted to simulate the highly fragmented violent flow generated by the falling slide in the artificial reservoir. The speed-up achievable via General Purpose Graphic Processing Units (GP-GPU) allowed to adopt the adequate resolution to describe the phenomenon. The comparison with the data available in literature showed that the results of the numerical simulation reproduce satisfactorily the maximum run-up, also the water surface elevation in the residual lake after the event.Moreover, the 3D velocity field of the flow during the event and the discharge hydrograph which overtopped the dam, were obtained.     

Quantification of the effect of forest harvesting versus climate on streamflow cycles and trends in an evergreen broadleaf catchment

ABSTRACT

A new method known as Unobserved Components–Dynamic Harmonic Regression (UC-DHR) was applied to a 39-year record of rainfall and streamflow for three sub-catchments of the Sarukawa Experimental Watershed in southwestern Japan. Some 25% of the timber was harvested from one of the sub-catchments in May–July 1982 and the objective was to quantify the magnitude of this effect relative to the effects of climate cycles (e.g. Southern Oscillation Index). The observed effects of inter-annual climate cycles (i.e. 0.89–1.36 mm/d) were seen to be comparable (i.e. 0.70–1.17 mm/d) to the effects of harvesting 25% of the standing timber. This result underlines the importance of always quantifying the effect of climate on streamflow response when harvesting impacts are studied.

Editor D. Koutsoyiannis; Associate editor T. Okruszko     

Palaeozoic porphyry Cu–Au and ultramafic Cu–Ni deposits in the eastern Tianshan orogenic belt: temporal constraints from U–Pb geochronology

During late Palaeozoic time, extensive magmatism and associated ore deposits were developed in the eastern Tianshan orogenic belt (ETOB), Northwest China, which is part of the Central Asian Orogenic Belt. To understand the petrogenesis of the intrusions in this area, we performed in situ zircon U–Pb and Hf isotopic analyses on the Tuwu–Yandong (TW–YD) stocks and the Xianshan, Hulu, Luodong, and Poshi batholiths. Two major suites of intrusive rocks have been recognized in the ETOB: (1) 338–339 Ma plagiogranite porphyries and 265–300 Ma ultramafic and mafic rocks, of which the former are associated with 323 Ma porphyry Cu–Mo deposits and have enriched radiogenic Hf isotopic compositions (?_Hf(t) = +11.5 to +15.6), which were derived from a depleted mantle source, whereas the latter are associated with 265–300 Ma magmatic Ni–Cu deposits and have variable Hf isotopic compositions (?_Hf(t) = ?10.3 to +14.3), indicating an origin via the hybridization of depleted mantle magma and variable amounts of ancient lower-crustal components. The proposed magma sources, combined with the geochemical differences between these two suites of intrusive rocks, indicate that in the lower to middle Carboniferous, a N-dipping subduction zone beneath the Dananhu arc triggered the emplacement of granitic porphyries in the Tousuquan and Dananhu island arc belt in the east Tianshan, leading to the formation of the TW and YD porphyry Cu–Mo deposits. In the Upper Carboniferous to Lower Permian, large mafic–ultramafic complexes were emplaced during the closure of the ancient Tianshan Ocean, resulting in the formation of several magmatic Cu–Ni sulphide deposits.     

The Mazarrón basin,SE Spain: a study of mineralization processes,evolving magmatic series,and geothermal activity

The Miocene to Present Mazarrón basin provides a window on the metallogenic role of an evolving magmatic series. High-K calc–alkaline magmas gave rise to an important cluster of Pb–Zn–Ag–Cu vein and stockwork deposits emplaced in dacitic to rhyodacitic domes, part of a complex volcanic–metallogenic province (Au, Hg, Pb–Zn–Cu–Ag, Sn) stretching for ～150 km along the Mediterranean coast of SE Spain. By Pliocene time the former magmatic series had been replaced by intraplate alkaline basaltic volcanism, thus becoming the southern branch of the Western/Central Europe alkaline province. In terms of base metal sulphide deposits, this European province is barren, although it triggered widespread, CO₂-rich geothermal activity. Modern geothermal activity at El Saladillo (Mazarrón) resulted in the deposition of carbonate sinter deposits and formation of microbial mats. Proximal facies consist of millimetric to centimetric multicoloured layers of microbial mats, including yellow-orange thin bands of calcified bacteria and mineral growths of aragonite and calcite; green layers of live thermophilic Lyngbya-type cyanobacteria; black, degraded organic matter; and pyrite as the sole sulphide phase. Except for arsenic (37–63 μg g^?1), all of the studied trace elements (Ag, Ba, Bi, Cd, Cu, Pb, Sb, Se, and Sn) appear in remarkably low concentrations in the geothermal sinters. This is consistent with compositional data for the El Saladillo waters, with no significant metal concentrations. We present the first conceptual model (Miocene to Present) for the ore-forming processes, magmatism, CO₂ degasification, and geothermal activity for this realm. We argue that the time- and space-limited character of this volcanism (small, scattered outcrops), the deep magma emplacement level, the metal sulphide behaviour in alkaline basaltic magmatic chambers, and the dry character of these magmas prevented any metallogenic interaction between the chambers and the much shallower meteoric waters that drove the El Saladillo geothermal system and others of the same kind in Spain and elsewhere in Europe.     

Emergency water supply capacity analysis of major cities in Hebei

In order to prevent the catastrophic events such as extreme drought, continuous drought and source-water quality pollution, 15 groundwater emergency water sources are to be selected in 11 important cities in Hebei, and the evaluation of allowable emergency exploitation quantity is 180.19×104 m3/d. Under the current conditions, the water supply quantity of emergency water sources and the total emergency water supply quantity will meet the emergency water demand with the guarantee rate of 65.79% to 377.78% and 90.35% to 270.51% respectively. By 2020, the water supply quantity of emergency water source places and the total emergency water supply quantity will meet the emergency water demand with the guarantee rate of 22.08% to 74.49% and 82.65% to 144.08% in the benefited areas of South-to-North water diversion (SNWDP); and for non-SNWDP areas, the guarantee rate will be 74.64% to 337.78% and 74.64% to 377.78%.