Deformation patterns of upper Quaternary strata and their relation to active tectonics,Po Basin,Italy

Despite increased application of subsurface datasets below the limits of seismic resolution, reconstructing near‐surface deformation of shallow key stratigraphic markers beneath modern alluvial and coastal plains through sediment core analysis has received little attention. Highly resolved stratigraphy of Upper Pleistocene to Holocene (Marine Isotope Stage 5e to Marine Isotope Stage 1) alluvial, deltaic and coastal depositional systems across the southern Po Plain, down to 150 m depth, provides an unambiguous documentation on the deformation of previously flat‐lying strata that goes back in time beyond the limits of morphological, historical and palaeoseismic records. Five prominent key horizons, accurately selected on the basis of their sedimentological characteristics and typified for their fossil content, were used as highly effective stratigraphic markers (M1 to M5) that can be tracked for tens of kilometres across the basin. A facies‐controlled approach tied to a robust chronology (102 radiocarbon dates) reveals considerable deformation of laterally extensive nearshore (M1), continental (M2 and M3) and lagoon (M4 and M5) marker beds originally deposited in a horizontal position (M1, M4 and M5). The areas where antiformal geometries are best observed are remarkably coincident with the axes of buried ramp anticlines, across which new seismic images reveal substantially warped stratal geometries of Lower Pleistocene strata. The striking spatial coincidence of fold crests with the epicentres of historic and instrumental seismicity suggests that deformation of marker beds M1 to M5 might reflect, in part at least, syntectonically generated relief and, thus, active tectonism. Precise identification and lateral tracing of chronologically constrained stratigraphic markers in the ¹⁴C time window through combined sedimentological and palaeoecological data may delineate late Quaternary subsurface stratigraphic architecture at an unprecedented level of detail, outlining cryptic stratal geometries at the sub‐seismic scale. This approach is highly reproducible in tectonically active Quaternary depositional systems and can help to assess patterns of active deformation in the subsurface of modern alluvial and coastal plains worldwide.     

Sedimentology of the continental end‐Permian extinction event in the Sydney Basin,eastern Australia

Upper Permian to Lower Triassic coastal plain successions of the Sydney Basin in eastern Australia have been investigated in outcrop and continuous drillcores. The purpose of the investigation is to provide an assessment of palaeoenvironmental change at high southern palaeolatitudes in a continental margin context for the late Permian (Lopingian), across the end‐Permian Extinction interval, and into the Early Triassic. These basins were affected by explosive volcanic eruptions during the late Permian and, to a much lesser extent, during the Early Triassic, allowing high‐resolution age determination on the numerous tuff horizons. Palaeobotanical and radiogenic isotope data indicate that the end‐Permian Extinction occurs at the top of the uppermost coal bed, and the Permo‐Triassic boundary either within an immediately overlying mudrock succession or within a succeeding channel sandstone body, depending on locality due to lateral variation. Late Permian depositional environments were initially (during the Wuchiapingian) shallow marine and deltaic, but coastal plain fluvial environments with extensive coal‐forming mires became progressively established during the early late Permian, reflected in numerous preserved coal seams. The fluvial style of coastal plain channel deposits varies geographically. However, apart from the loss of peat‐forming mires, no significant long‐term change in depositional style (grain size, sediment‐body architecture, or sediment dispersal direction) was noted across the end‐Permian Extinction (pinpointed by turnover of the palaeoflora). There is no evidence for immediate aridification across the boundary despite a loss of coal from these successions. Rather, the end‐Permian Extinction marks the base of a long‐term, progressive trend towards better‐drained alluvial conditions into the Early Triassic. Indeed, the floral turnover was immediately followed by a flooding event in basinal depocentres, following which fluvial systems similar to those active prior to the end‐Permian Extinction were re‐established. The age of the floral extinction is constrained to 252.54 ± 0.08 to 252.10 ± 0.06 Ma by a suite of new Chemical Abrasion Isotope Dilution Thermal Ionization Mass Spectrometry U‐Pb ages on zircon grains. Another new age indicates that the return to fluvial sedimentation similar to that before the end‐Permian Extinction occurred in the basal Triassic (prior to 251.51 ± 0.14 Ma). The character of the surface separating coal‐bearing pre‐end‐Permian Extinction from coal‐barren post‐end‐Permian Extinction strata varies across the basins. In basin‐central locations, the contact varies from disconformable, where a fluvial channel body has cut down to the level of the top coal, to conformable where the top coal is overlain by mudrocks and interbedded sandstone–siltstone facies. In basin‐marginal locations, however, the contact is a pronounced erosional disconformity with coarse‐grained alluvial facies overlying older Permian rocks. There is no evidence that the contact is everywhere a disconformity or unconformity.     

高山区雪堆储雪的实验和模拟计算

随着全球气候变暖,滑雪运动呈现出对气候变化高度的敏感性和依赖性,各地滑雪季将不同程度地缩短。储雪作为一种应对气候变化的方法在雪务保障中逐渐得到研究和应用。在新疆阿勒泰地区吉木乃县开展储雪实验,应用谐波反应法研究了雪堆融化量与外界空气温度、太阳辐射和绝热保温结构热学性能之间的定量关系。实验中,覆盖两层绝热保温材料雪堆1的平均融化量为18.0 kg·d^-1（相当于初始质量的0.85%）,未覆盖绝热保温材料雪堆2的平均融化量为120.8 kg·d^-1（相当于初始质量的6.67%）。模拟期间观测到的雪堆1质量减少了1 438.0 kg,对应的模拟值为1 520.8 kg。谐波反应法可以为评价绝热保温结构的热学性能和提前确定储雪量提供重要的参考依据。由于许多物理过程都未考虑,导致模拟的雪堆融化量与实际融化量之间存在不确定性。雪堆所用绝热保温结构的性能可以用反射率、总传热系数、衰减度和延迟时间来衡量。     

210Po法在粤北青障山地区花岗岩型铀矿找矿中的应用研究

为扩大粤北花岗岩型铀矿找矿成果,以青嶂山矿集区1:5万210Po测量数据为依据,研究了210Po法在粤北花岗岩型铀矿找矿中的异常特征及应用效果。结合研究区地质特征,应用趋势面分析等数理统计方法对数据进行处理,结果表明:趋势面分析消除了不同铀含量的地质背景对提取210Po异常的影响;210Po法与地面伽马能谱、氡气测量、 AMT组合应用对寻找花岗岩区深部隐伏矿体具有良好的效果,多种测量方法均出现峰值的部位,为含矿构造带或铀矿体产出部位;经钻探工程验证,在210Po法及相关方法异常区揭露到铀矿工业矿段,210Po法在粤北花岗岩型铀矿勘查中具有较大的指导意义。     

花岗岩风化料弃土快速堆填过程中不排水抗剪强度评估

沿海沿江城市地下开挖产生的工程渣土含泥量大、含水率高且较松散,主要运往渣土场进行堆填处置。由于产量巨大而处置场地有限,许多渣土场在运营过程中存在堆填速度快、缺乏排水设施、超高超库容堆填等问题,容易引发堆填体失稳事故。目前对于非饱和工程渣土堆体在快速堆填过程中的失稳机制认识尚不清晰,尤其是对这一过程中的高饱和度工程渣土强度增长规律缺乏足够的认识。以深圳红坳渣土场填料——花岗岩风化料(CDG)填土为研究对象,对不同初始饱和度土样进行三轴不排水不排气等向压缩和剪切试验,结果表明:非饱和CDG填土不排水抗剪强度随围压增大呈非线性增长,增长速率与试样初始饱和度密切相关;当土样压缩后的饱和度超过0.7,不排水强度随围压的增长速率显著降低。基于有效固结应力法的原理,结合Hilf孔压公式和修正剑桥模型,提出了一种工程渣土不排水抗剪强度估算方法,并通过与试验结果对比验证了该方法对初始饱和度高于0.6的CDG填土的适用性。利用该方法确定的不排水强度cu与正应力σn的关系可应用于高饱和度工程渣土快速堆填中的稳定性分析。     

节理分布空间变异的地下洞室稳定性概率分析

以岩土材料力学参数空间变异性的"点估计-有限元"分析方法为基础,结合节理分析时自身存在几何模型、网格划分等特性,扩展了该方法在节理分布空间变异性分析方面的适用性,明确了具体的研究步骤与方法。以某抽水蓄能水电站为例,通过分析节理空间变异性对围岩变形与塑性区的影响,验证了扩展后该方法的准确性和合理性。对工程案例开挖揭露的1400余条节理进行概率统计,建立了节理空间变异性的有限元分析模型;采用扩展后的概率分析方法,研究了节理分布对地下洞室群围岩开挖稳定性的影响。研究结果表明:(1)对比概率分析得到的围岩变形概率分布与现场监测结果,发现剔除变形异常点后监测变形量值大部分位于得到的位移概率分布范围内,说明节理的空间变异性是导致监测变形波动的主要影响因素;(2)围岩变形概率分布的标准差能有效识别出围岩开挖变形受节理空间变异性的影响程度,对于所给出的案例依次为:机窝>边墙>顶拱;(3)围岩塑性区的概率分区能合理判断地下洞室群开挖时受节理影响较大的区域和范围,为工程施工的支护设计提供依据。     

成层软土地基预固结处理后桩基水平承载力估算方法

目前通过对软土地基预加固处理来提高桩基水平承载力已被工程界认可,但如何在工程前期设计过程中估算软土地基预处理后桩基水平承载力提高值仍是技术难点。基于此,参考Bowles[1]的地基土水平抗力计算式,同时考虑成层软土地基预排水固结处理影响,通过数学推导,推求出根据原状软土室内土工试验抗剪强度指标及预加固处理时间,估算软土地基预处理后桩基水平承载力提高值的实用计算方法。考虑桩侧土弹塑性屈服影响,推导出成层软土中水平受荷桩弹塑性解析解及塑性区深度的计算式,给出了桩顶水平位移、桩身最大弯矩的无量纲计算式及相关计算源代码。依托于浙江省某水闸桩基工程案例,根据提出的计算方法对桩基水平承载力、桩顶水平位移及桩身最大弯矩等性状进行预估计算,并与地基预处理前、后现场试桩检测值进行验证对比,认为桩基水平承载力、桩顶水平位移及桩身最大弯矩等预估计算成果与工程现场试桩的检测值较接近,对类似工程设计具有较好的参考价值。     

非饱和土中水平入渗方程显式求解

在求解非饱和态土中水分入渗问题时,水力函数是体积含水率或者吸力的函数,致使其控制方程呈现出强非线性的特征,进而使得其求解变得十分困难。基于水分在土体介质中流动耗时取极值路径的选择这一假定,引入时间泛函,基于变分法原理将水平入渗问题转化为泛函极值问题。通过求解Euler–Lagrange方程,结合边界条件,得到非线性瞬态水平入渗问题的显式解析解。结合Brooks-Corey型水力函数,显式地求解出该类型非饱和态土的体积含水率发展分布规律。通过计算4种不同类型土体的水平入渗规律,将求解结果与已有结果以及数值结果进行对比,验证了该方法的有效性。结果表明:体积含水率分布与位置距离和湿润峰距离比值呈幂函数关系,指数取决于土-水特征曲线的形状参数;初始条件与边界条件会对体积含水率分布造成不同程度的影响。     

ASTER mapping of gypsum deposits of Thumrait region of southern Oman

This study demonstrates the use of ASTER data for the mapping of gypsum deposits and associated geological formations that occurred in the Thumrait region of southern Oman. The measurement of spectra over samples of gypsum in the 1,300–2,500 nm wavelength using a PIMA spectrometer showed the presence of distinct absorptions at 1400–1600, 1750, 1940, 2,100, and 2,400 nm characteristics to O? H stretching, H₂O combinations, and S? O bending overtones and stretching, respectively. Studying the unique spectral absorption characters of gypsum samples, we developed a false color composite (FCC) and an image by decorrelation stretch using the spectral bands 7, 3, and 2 of ASTER. The results FCC showed the regions of gypsum occurrences, and the decorrelated image discriminated the gypsum occurrences from other geological formations of the area. The study of surface mineralogy of the region using the VNIR‐SWIR bands by the spectral angle mapper method showed the presence of sulfate, carbonate, and clay minerals of the geological formations in the study area. We compared the results of ASTER with the results obtained using spectral bands 12, 8, and 4 of Sentinel‐2A processed by the same methods. The study showed that the spectral bands of ASTER can be used for mapping the gypsum and associated geological formations.     

Effect of the Dry Ashing Method on Cadmium Isotope Measurements in Soil and Plant Samples

A dry ashing method is commonly used to remove organic material from samples prior to geochemical analysis. In the course of this study, the Cd isotope ratios of a series of soil and plant reference materials and samples were studied to evaluate the effect of the dry ashing method on measurement results of Cd isotope ratios. The samples were pre‐treated using the dry ashing method and high‐pressure bomb for comparison. The results show that the digestion using high‐pressure bombs did not lead to Cd loss, but using the dry ashing method would cause different proportions of Cd loss. The whole range of Cd isotope difference between two methods was from ?0.07‰ to 3.01‰. There was also an obvious difference in measured Cd isotope ratios from the same leaf sample pre‐treated independently by the dry ashing method, indicating that the amount of Cd loss and the effect on Cd isotope measurement during dry ashing is related to the properties of the samples. Therefore, dry ashing may not be appropriate for the removal of organic material in Cd isotope ratio measurement, especially for samples with high organic contents. The δ^114/110Cd values of reference materials NIST SRM 1573a and GSD‐30 are reported for the first time in this study.