Hydraulic modeling of flood pulses in the Middle Bussento Karst System (MBSKS), UNESCO Cilento Global Geopark,southern Italy

Karst systems provide water for domestic and industrial uses and for generating hydropower, but they can also create fluvial hazards, such as upstream back‐flooding and downstream karst flash‐flood events. However, these hazards are difficult to foresee due to the complex recharge‐discharge processes as well as the lack of information on the inside of the system, which has often not been completely surveyed by speleologists or explored by boreholes. To overcome these difficulties, hydro‐chemical data from the monitoring system in the Middle Bussento Karst System (MBSKS), one of the first Experimental Karst Systems in southern Italy, were recorded and previously discussed. Based on shared background in flood karst hydraulic modeling, this paper describes the conceptual premises and rationale of a general‐purpose hydraulic model that is suitable both for the MBSKS and for other Mediterranean, multi‐recharge, mature, conduit‐dominated karst systems. To test the reliability of the model, simulations of time–space behavior and response are performed using natural and artificial flood pulses “as tracers”, considering a “pulse” as a significant variation in water quantity and/or quality. The results of the model explain the interactions between allogenic, autogenic, and anthropogenic recharges from differentiated sources and phreatic conduit systems. These results also clarify the overall response of karst springs at typical time scales of flood pulses. Table acronym name     

An original semi‐discrete approach to assess gas conductivity of concrete structures

For civil engineering structures with a tightness role, structural permeability is a key issue. In this context, this paper presents a new proposition of a numerical modelling of leakage rate through a cracked concrete structure undergoing mode I cracking. The mechanical state of the material, considered in the framework of continuum mechanics based on finite element modelling, is described by means of the stress‐based nonlocal damage model which takes into account the stress state and provides realistic local mechanical fields. A semi‐discrete method based on the strong discontinuity approach to estimate crack opening is then considered in the post‐treatment phase. Using a Poiseuille's like relation, the coupling between the mechanical state of the material and its dry gas conductivity is performed. For validation purposes, an original experimental campaign is conducted on a dry concrete disc loaded in a splitting setup. During the loading, gas conductivity and digital image correlation analysis are performed. The comparison with the 3D experimental mechanical global response highlights the performance of the mechanical model. The comparison between crack openings measured by digital image correlation and estimated by the strong discontinuity method shows a good agreement. Finally, the results of the semi‐discrete approach coupled with the gas conductivity compared with experimental data show a good estimation of the structural conductivity. Consequently, if the mechanical problem is well modelled at the global scale, then the proposed approach provides good estimation of gas conductivity. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Electrical resistivity imaging of hydrologic flow through surface coal mine valley fills with comparison to other landforms

Surface coal mining has altered land cover, near‐surface geologic structure, and hydrologic processes of large areas in central Appalachia, USA. These alterations are associated with changes in water quality such as elevated total‐dissolved solids, which is usually measured via its surrogate, specific conductance (SC). The SC of valley fill effluent streams is a function of fill construction methods, materials, and age; yet hydrologic studies that relate these variables to water quality are sparse due to the difficulty of conducting traditional hydrologic studies in mined landscapes. We used electrical resistivity imaging (ERI) to visualize the subsurface geologic structure and hydrologic flow paths within a valley fill. ERI is a noninvasive geophysical technique that maps spatiotemporal changes in resistivity of the subsurface. We paired ERI with artificial rainfall experiments to track infiltrated water as it moved through the valley fill. Results indicate that ERI can be used to identify subsurface geologic structure and track advancing wetting fronts or preferential flow paths. Our results suggest that the upper portion of the fill contains significant fines, whereas the deeper profile is primarily large rocks and void spaces. Water tended to pond on the surface of compacted areas until it reached preferential flow paths, where it appeared to infiltrate quickly down to >15 m depth in 75 min. ERI applications can improve understanding of how fill construction techniques influence subsurface water movement, and in turn may aid in the development of valley fill construction methods to reduce water quality effects.     

Influence of heterogeneity on unsaturated hydraulic properties: (1) local heterogeneity and scale effect

Spatial heterogeneity is ubiquitous in nature, which may significantly affect the soil hydraulic property curves. The models of a closed‐form functional relationship of soil hydraulic property curves (e.g. VG model or exponential model) are valid at point or local scale based on a point‐scale hydrological process, but how do scale effects of heterogeneity have an influence on the parameters of these models when the models are used in a larger scale process? This paper uses a two‐dimensional variably saturated flow and solute transport finite element model (VSAFT2) to simulate variations of pressure and moisture content in the soil flume under a constant head boundary condition. By changing different numerical simulation block sizes, a quantitative evaluation of parameter variations in the VG model, resulting from the scale effects, is presented. Results show that the parameters of soil hydraulic properties are independent of scale in homogeneous media. Parameters of α and n in homogeneous media, which are estimated by using the unsaturated hydraulic conductivity curve (UHC) or the soil water retention curve (WRC), are identical. Variations of local heterogeneities strongly affect the soil hydraulic properties, and the scale affects the results of the parameter estimations when numerical experiments are conducted. Furthermore, the discrepancy of each curve becomes considerable when moisture content becomes closer to a dry situation. Parameters estimated by UHC are totally different from the ones estimated by WRC. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Investigation of directional hydraulic fracturing based on true tri-axial experiment and finite element modeling

The initiation and propagation of directional hydraulic fracturing (DHF) was investigated based on true tri-axial experiment and finite element modeling. The influences of notch angle, notch length and injection rate on the DHF were investigated. The initiation and propagation of DHF was modeled by a 3D nonlinear finite element method. A comparison between experimental investigation and numerical modeling results indicates that there is a good correlation between unbalanced force (UF) and fracturing. UF can be used to predict the hydraulic fracture initiation and propagation.     

低温低压条件下辉石粉末的热导率实验分析:对月球及火星表面热环境研究的指示

在真空条件下矿物粉末热导率的实验测量,可为我们研究月球及行星表面的热属性和热演化,解译热红外和微波探测数据,开展月球及行星探测载荷设计提供重要的数据参数。本研究主要采用改造后的Hot Disk TPS 2500S导热仪对辉石粉末的热导率进行测量。同时,分析了真空度、温度对辉石粉末热导率的影响。实验结果表明:1)热导率随着真空度的降低呈下降趋势,大气压力在1000Pa时,辉石粉末热传导机制发生明显改变。在低压条件下(1000Pa)热导率随真空度的变化趋于平缓;2)辉石粉末热导率随温度的升高而增大,但是增大的幅度在低压和常压条件下存在明显差异。根据实验结果,提出了低压条件下辉石粉末热导率随真空度和温度变化的关系式。本研究表明,在月球和火星表面热环境的研究中,温度和压力对热导率的影响程度是不同的。上述结果对未来开展地外样品的热导率测量提供了重要的参考。     

冰盖下矩形河道的综合糙率

综合糙率是采用曼宁公式确定河道水位和流量关系的关键参数。在河道冰封期,冰盖的出现增加了流动的阻力,明流条件下确定的综合糙率不再适用,需要重新估算。基于Einstein阻力划分过流断面的原理,冰盖下矩形河道的过水断面可划分为冰盖区、河床区和边壁区。根据总流的连续性方程,在确定各分区糙率系数、水力半径和断面面积的基础上,提出了冰盖下矩形河道综合糙率的计算公式。采用已有的试验水槽测量数据和天然河道实测资料对公式进行了验证,结果表明:公式计算的综合糙率与实测值吻合较好,与Einstein公式和Sabaneev公式相比,计算精度更高;对于冰封水流,宽浅河道采用分区水深代替水力半径进行简化计算的条件有别于明渠水流,在宽深比大于20时,计算结果才满足精度要求。     

钻孔压水试验水压式栓塞排水泄压问题研究

压水试验水压式栓塞较其他类型栓塞可靠、灵活,但一直存在试验结束后排水泄压难题,使该类型栓塞使用局限于浅孔及地下水位高的钻孔。本文对该问题进行了研究,提出了解决方案,设计了新型水压式栓塞结构。解决了一直以来水压式栓塞的排水泄压难题,突破了试验孔深限制,使水压式栓塞能得到广泛应用。介绍了该新型水压式栓塞的结构和工作原理以及工程应用效果。     

基于Neuman井流理论确定玄武岩潜水含水层渗透系数的应用——以吉林靖宇煤矿为例

全面分析研究区玄武岩潜水含水层水文地质条件的基础上,对稳定流和非稳定理论确定潜水含水层渗透系数的优缺点进行了对比,认为非稳定井流公式确定玄武岩潜水含水层渗透系数是合理的。Aquifer Test软件基于Neuman井流理论配线法求参原理,运用计算机完成了自动求参,避免了人工配线的不足。该文根据吉林靖宇煤矿研究区玄武岩潜水含水层非稳定流抽水试验,分别用Aquifer Test软件和稳定井流公式进行了求参,并对比分析得出:玄武岩含水层弹性释水作用影响时间较长,利用Neuman潜水井流公式求参可靠,且更逼近现实;用Aquifer Test软件实现了自动求参,具有操作简单规范、可比性好的优点。     

Leachate studies on fly ash-stabilised expansive clay liners

This paper presents leachate studies on fly ash-stabilised expansive clay liners. Fly ash in different contents (0%, 10%, 20% and 30%) by dry weight of the expansive clay was added to the clay, and the ash-clay blend was compacted as a liner overlying a compacted lateritic clay layer. Deionised water (DIW) and calcium chloride (CaCl₂) solutions of varying concentration (5 mM, 10 mM, 20 mM, 50 mM, 100 mM and 500 mM) were used as the permeating fluids in the leachate studies. Chemical analysis of the leachate was performed. For a given CaCl₂ concentration, the concentrations of both calcium ion and chloride ion in the leachate decreased up to a fly ash content of 20%, and thereafter they increased when the fly ash content was increased to 30%. Further, for a given fly ash content, concentrations of calcium ion and chloride ion increased with increasing CaCl₂ concentration.