Sample Disturbance in Soft and Sensitive Clays: Analysis and Assessment

Despite the sophisticated methods employed to obtain high quality samples, they are prone to disturbance, due to stress release, let apart, due to sampling tools and techniques adopted. Critical reappraisal of different methods suggest that any method of sample quality assessment involving strength and deformation parameters would enable easier implementation and correct other engineering parameters for estimated sample disturbance. In this technical paper, sample disturbance index, using merely the slopes of compression paths, (representing mechanical response), in the pre- and post-yield stress regimes under odeometric loading conditions is proposed. This method is based on single oedometer test results on samples of unknown degrees of disturbance during sampling and handling. The unique feature of this approach is that the ideal rigid plastic material behavior is taken as reference. This eliminates the need for any additional experimental data or any calculations from the relationships formulated with any set of assumptions.     

关键元素与生命健康:中国耕地缺硒吗?

地球上的生命和非生命都是由自然界已发现的92种化学元素组成的,通过全国土壤地球化学基准值与人体血液元素含量对比研究,发现血液中40~50种化学元素平均值与土壤地球化学基准值的分布高度一致,表明这些关键元素与生命息息相关。近年大家持续关注的硒(Se)元素是人体必需的微量元素,缺乏会产生健康风险,但摄入过量也会导致中毒,因此被称为健康窗口元素。过去研究认为,中国耕地缺硒是造成健康危害的原因之一。本文通过对全国3 382个网格化点位土壤采样,获得Se的地球化学基准值和空间分布数据,发现中国贫硒国土面积,按照世界卫生组织推荐值(0.1 mg/kg)和中国规范(0.125 mg/kg)计算,分别占21.1%和31.6%;适宜区(0.125~0.40 mg/kg)面积大约555万km²,占国土面积约57.1%;富硒区(>0.40 mg/kg)面积达110万km²,占国土面积约11.2%。贫硒国土主要分布在青藏高原和内蒙古局部地区,而中国9大平原的粮食主产区耕地总体上不缺硒,其中珠江三角洲平原、广西平原、成都平原、长江中下游平原是富硒区(>0.40 mg/kg),华北平原、东北平原、三江平原、关中平原是硒边缘区-适量区(0.125~0.40 mg/kg),只有河套平原是缺硒区(<0.125 mg/kg)。根据覆盖全国的网格化土壤采样分析结果,发现低硒带呈不连续的片状分布于内蒙古东部至青藏高原一带,与传统认为“低硒带分布于东北三省至西南云贵高原”不完全一致。硒的空间分布模式主要受地质背景、岩石类型、土壤类型和自然地理景观控制。     

A Generalized Backward Euler algorithm for the numerical integration of an isotropic hardening elastoplastic model for mechanical and chemical degradation of bonded geomaterials

An extended version of the classical Generalized Backward Euler (GBE) algorithm is proposed for the numerical integration of a three‐invariant isotropic‐hardening elastoplastic model for cemented soils or weak rocks undergoing mechanical and non‐mechanical degradation processes. The restriction to isotropy allows to formulate the return mapping algorithm in the space of principal elastic strains. In this way, an efficient and robust integration scheme is developed which can be applied to relatively complex yield surface and plastic potential functions. Moreover, the proposed algorithm can be linearized in closed form, thus allowing for quadratic convergence in the global Newton iteration. A series of numerical experiments are performed to illustrate the accuracy and convergence properties of the algorithm. Selected results from a finite element analysis of a circular footing on a soft rock layer undergoing chemical weathering are then presented to illustrate the algorithm performance at the boundary value problem level. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

煤矿立井非采动破裂工程地质勘察方法

深厚表土中煤矿立井非采动破裂是一种新的矿井地质灾害.以往的煤田地质勘探工作没有涉及该问题.本文建议立井破裂工程地质勘察可划分为初步勘察和详细勘察两阶段,提出了各阶段应包含的具体工作内容和工作方法;特别是提出要进行模拟土与井壁相互作用试验,获得不同埋深土层与井壁相互作用的力学参数;提出在勘探阶段判断厚表土层中煤矿立井非采动破裂的系统工作方法.最后给出了一勘察分析实例.     

A highlight of environmental and engineering geology in Fargo, North Dakota, USA

Several unfavorable environmental and engineering geologic conditions exist in Fargo, North Dakota. Dominantly, the behavior of smectitic clays within the proglacial Lake Agassiz sediments of the Sherack and Brenna Formations creates subsoil instability beneath engineered structures in the Fargo area and slope instability within cutbank meanders of the Red River of the North. Unfavorable engineering geologic conditions encountered include: the elastic deformation of clayey glaciolacustrine soils, shrink-swell properties, inadequate bearing capacities, and mass movements. These conditions are responsible for structural failures including the Fargo Grain Elevator in 1955 and the Northern Pacific railroad grade. Bank failures along the Red River are common due to the inherent instability of Brenna Formation smectitic clays which are subject to plastic deformation in the subsurface, with resultant block failure of overlying Sherack Formation. Recent alluvial sediments due to typical fluvial action and the continued seasonal saturation of cutbank meanders within the floodplain also add to soil instability.     

A non‐coaxial critical state soil model and its application to simple shear simulations

The yield vertex non‐coaxial theory is implemented into a critical state soil model, CASM (Int. J. Numer. Anal. Meth. Geomech. 1998; 22 :621–653) to investigate the non‐coaxial influences on the stress–strain simulations of real soil behaviour in the presence of principal stress rotations. The CASM is a unified clay and sand model, developed based on the soil critical state concept and the state parameter concept. Without loss of simplicity, it is capable of simulating the behaviour of sands and clays within a wide range of densities. The non‐coaxial CASM is employed to simulate the simple shear responses of Erksak sand and Weald clay under different densities and initial stress states. Dependence of the soil behaviour on the Lode angle and different plastic flow rules in the deviatoric plane are also considered in the study of non‐coaxial influences. All the predictions indicate that the use of the non‐coaxial model makes the orientations of the principal stress and the principal strain rate different during the early stage of shearing, and they approach the same ultimate values with an increase in loading. These ultimate orientations are dependent on the density of soils, and independent of their initial stress states. The use of the non‐coaxial model also softens the shear stress evolutions, compared with the coaxial model. It is also found that the ultimate shear strengths by using the coaxial and non‐coaxial models are dependent on the plastic flow rules in the deviatoric plane. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Finite element formulation and algorithms for unsaturated soils. Part I: Theory

This paper presents a complete finite‐element treatment for unsaturated soil problems. A new formulation of general constitutive equations for unsaturated soils is first presented. In the incremental stress–strain equations, the suction or the pore water pressure is treated as a strain variable instead of a stress variable. The global governing equations are derived in terms of displacement and pore water pressure. The discretized governing equations are then solved using an adaptive time‐stepping scheme which automatically adjusts the time‐step size so that the integration error in the displacements and pore pressures lies close to a specified tolerance. The non‐linearity caused by suction‐dependent plastic yielding, suction‐dependent degree of saturation, and saturation‐dependent permeability is treated in a similar way to the elastoplasticity. An explicit stress integration scheme is used to solve the constitutive stress–strain equations at the Gauss point level. The elastoplastic stiffness matrix in the Euler solution is evaluated using the suction as well as the stresses and hardening parameters at the start of the subincrement, while the elastoplastic matrix in the modified Euler solution is evaluated using the suction at the end of the subincrement. In addition, when applying subincrementation, the same rate is applied to all strain components including the suction. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Processing map and well log data for geological and soil surveys

Design of a system which accepts geological maps or soil maps, together with corresponding well logs and produces interpretation maps, is described. The major aim was to get a processing program that would be useful at an operational scale that avoids the use of special purpose graphics hardware. This was achieved by using segment encoding of lines and by treatment of mapped units as basic graphical units (atoms). The system operation was split into an input phase and a processed phase. Input- and file-building require some technical experience, but are a one-time affair, whereas subsequent processing requires less (graphical) resources and experience, but is of a repetitive nature. When writing processing programs, emphasis was placed on ease of adding options. Clever improvements of efficiency (e.g., disk traffic) were not deemed worthwhile or even wise. Two driving forces behind the project required the programs reported here. First was the observation that digital data can be used only if appropriate programs are readily available to produce required results without need for large investments in hardware. Second was the idea that digital tools could be most effective if they allow the end-user (customer) to interact directly with the full base of data without recourse to technical experts. The resulting system is operational and running on a VAX 11/750, coded in FORTRAN.