A Method for Modeling of a Creeping Slope with a Visco-Hypoplastic Material Law

This paper presents the numerical simulation of a creeping slope in Upper Austria, using a visco-hypoplastic material law which describes the mechanical behavior of cohesive soils allowing for viscous effects, i.e. creep and relaxation. The method consists of: (1) determination of the parameters of the material law, based on laboratory tests on soil samples taken from the slope; (2) simulation of the laboratory tests with an element test program in which the used material law was implemented, in order to test whether the model holds for the soils studied; and (3) simulation of slope movements at different sections along the slope, assuming an infinite slope. The simulation results fit well with the field measurements. This demonstrates that despite strongly simplified boundary conditions and limited availability of subsurface data (e.g. density) the visco-hypoplastic law is a promising tool for predicting creep movements.     

冰川保护与旅游开发的抵触性分析--以蒂罗尔州皮茨山谷为例

本文基于一个实例研究。该研究聚焦于奥地利的皮茨山谷，其从冰川保护防线之危机、冰川灾难，以及经济利益驱使下的不可避免的旅游开发三个方面阐述了冰川保护与旅游开发的相互矛盾。本文力图从法律上和民意调查的资料上为冰川保护，抑或旅游开发寻求依据。面对区域开发这个不得不面对的现实问题，本文同时考虑到了环境保护与经济发展的双重方面。本文重在介绍西方学者的研究思路，以及法律和民意在西方决策层次上的重要意义，希望能飨同行，并与之切磋。     

Sequence stratigraphy in a mixed carbonate-silicilastic depositional system (Middle Miocene; Styrian Basin,Austria)

The mixed carbonate-siliciclastic Weißenegg (Allo-) Formation records three depositional sequences corresponding approximately to the TB 2.3, TB 2.4 and TB 2.5 global cycles. Sea-level fluctuations were of the order of at least 30 m. Siliciclastic lowstand systems tracts comprise lignite deposits, reworked basement and tidal siltstones (above a tectonically enhanced sequence boundary) as well as coastal sand bars. Coastal sands of the transgressive systems tract contain distinct layers of well cemented nodules. They are interpreted as the first stage in hardground formation and record superimposed minor sea-level fluctuations. Coral patch reefs and rhodolith platforms developed during transgressive phases and were subsequently drowned and/or suffocated by siliciclastics during early highstand. Shallowing upwards siliciclastic parasequences, each terminated by a bank of rhodolith limestone, form the (late) highstand systems tract. The limestone beds record superimposed fourth-order transgressive pulses. Occasionally a carbonate highstand wedge developed. Lowstand carbonate shedding occurred where the top of a platform which suffered incipient drowning during highstand was near sealevel again during the following lowstand. Late highstand delta progradation is common.     

Susceptibility analysis for slides and rockfall: an example from the Northern Calcareous Alps (Vorarlberg, Austria)

In this paper a tool for semi-quantitative susceptibility assessment at a regional scale is presented which is applicable at areas with complex geological setting. At a study area within the Northern Calcareous Alps geotechnical mappings were implemented into a Geographical Information System and analysed as grid data with a cell size of 25 m. The susceptibility to sliding and falling processes was considered according to five classes (very low, low, medium, high, very high). Susceptibility to sliding was analysed using an index method. The layers of lithology, bedding conditions, tectonic faults, slope angle, slope aspect, vegetation and erosion were combined iteratively. Dropout zones of rockfall material were determined with help of a Digital Elevation Model. The movement of rolling rock samples was modelled by a cost analysis of all potential rockfall trajectories. These trajectories were also divided into five susceptibility classes. The susceptibility maps are presented in a general way to be used by communities and spatial planners. Conflict areas of susceptibility and landuse were located and can be presented destinctively.     

1951年以来奥地利人口变化的空间特征

根据1951-2001年奥地利人口调查统计数据,分析了近50年来奥地利人口变化的时空间规律,以及人口变化中的增长区和下降区的区域配置等特征,并建立人口变化模式。研究表明：20世纪后半叶奥地利经历了其他欧盟国所表现出的城市化、城市郊区化和人口老龄化的各个过程。特别是城市老龄化表现更为突出,据预测推算,到2035年奥地利将会有1/3的人口超过60岁。在分析过程中,不仅应用了行政区划的区域方法,而且也依据土地利用的经济性质,在“土地经济生产小区”的基底上,对人口的变化规律进行了更为深入的透视。研究结果显示：奥地利西部阿尔卑斯山地中的城市区域人口增长幅度最大。沿着捷克和斯洛伐克边界伸展的北部和东北部区域是最严重的人口缺失地区。而奥地利阿尔卑斯山地东部的一些早期产业都市及其郊区,乃至更远一些的南部和东南部的老工业区域,目前由于普遍存在着经济的困境,也直接导致了这些地区人口的下降。但奥地利未来的总人口趋势将持续稳定。     

Comparative analysis of the seasonality of hydrological characteristics in Slovakia and Austria / Analyse comparative de la saisonnalité de caractéristiques hydrologiques en Slovaquie et en Autriche

Abstract

The main objective of this study is to compare the seasonality of selected precipitation and runoff characteristics in Austria and Slovakia. Monthly seasonality indices are analysed to interpret the long-term climatic behaviour, while the seasonality of extremes is analysed to understand flood occurrence. The analysis is based on mean monthly precipitation data at 555 (Austria) and 202 (Slovakia) stations, annual maximum daily precipitation at 520 (Austria) and 56 (Slovakia) stations, and mean monthly runoff and annual maximum floods at 258 (Austria) and 85 (Slovakia) gauging stations. The results suggest that the seasonality of the selected hydrological characteristics is an important indicator of flood processes, but varies considerably in space. The seasonality of extreme flood events and, hence flood processes, tends to change with the flood magnitude. This change is more pronounced in the lowland and hilly regions than it is in the mountains. Both in Austria and Slovakia, decades of flood seasonality exist.     

Dependence between flood peaks and volumes: a case study on climate and hydrological controls

Abstract

The aim of this paper is to understand the causal factors controlling the relationship between flood peaks and volumes in a regional context. A case study is performed based on 330 catchments in Austria ranging from 6 to 500 km² in size. Maximum annual flood discharges are compared with the associated flood volumes, and the consistency of the peak–volume relationship is quantified by the Spearman rank correlation coefficient. The results indicate that climate-related factors are more important than catchment-related factors in controlling the consistency. Spearman rank correlation coefficients typically range from about 0.2 in the high alpine catchments to about 0.8 in the lowlands. The weak dependence in the high alpine catchments is due to the mix of flood types, including long-duration snowmelt, synoptic floods and flash floods. In the lowlands, the flood durations vary less in a given catchment which is related to the filtering of the distribution of all storms by the catchment response time to produce the distribution of flood producing storms.

Editor Z.W. Kundzewicz     

Stalagmite from the Austrian Alps reveals Dansgaard-Oeschger events during isotope stage 3:: Implications for the absolute chronology of Greenland ice cores

A mass-spectrometric uranium-series dated stalagmite from the Central Alps of Austria provides unprecedented new insights into high-altitude climate change during the peak of isotope stage 3. The stalagmite formed continuously between 57 and 46 kyr before present. A series of ‘Hendy tests’ demonstrates that the outer parts of the sample show a progressive increase of both stable C and O isotope values. No such covariant increase was detected within the axial zone. This in conjunction with other observations suggests that the continuous stable oxygen isotope profile obtained from the axial zone of the stalagmite largely reflects the unaltered isotopic composition of the cave drip water. The δ¹⁸O record shows events of high δ¹⁸O values that correlate remarkably with Interstadials 15 (a and b), 14 and 12 identified in the Greenland ice cores. Interstadial 15b started rapidly at 55.6 kyr and lasted ∼300 yr only, Interstadial 15a peaked 54.9 kyr ago and was even of shorter duration (∼100 yr), and Interstadial 14 commenced 54.2 kyr ago and lasted ∼3000 yr. This stalagmite thus represents one of the first terrestrial archives outside the high latitudes which record precisely dated Dansgaard-Oeschger (D/O) events during isotope stage 3. Provided that rapid D/O warmings occurred synchronously in Greenland and the European Alps, the new data provide an independent tool to improve the GRIP and GISP2 chronologies.     

Correlation of late Cretaceous calcareous nannofossil zones with ammonite zones and planktonic Foraminifera: the Austrian Gosau sections

The late Turonian to early Campanian calcareous nannofossil biostratigraphy of the Austrian Gosau Group is correlated with ammonite and planktonic foraminiferal zones. The standard Tethyan zonations for nannofossils and planktonic foraminifers are applied with only minor modifications. The basal marine sediments of the Gosau Group, bearing late Turonian-early Coniacian macrofossils, belong to the Marthasterites furcatus nannofossil Zone (CC13). The Micula decussata Zone (middle Coniacian to early Santonian) is combined with the Reinhardtites anthophorus Zone because of the rare occurrence of Renhardtites cf. R. anthophorus already in the Coniacian and taxonomic problems concerning the correct identification of this species. The Santonian-Campanian boundary lies within the Calculites obscures Zone (CCl7).