Origin and stratigraphy of phreatomagmatic deposits at the Pleistocene Sinker Butte Volcano, Western Snake River Plain, Idaho

Sinker Butte is the erosional remnant of a very large basaltic tuff cone of middle Pleistocene age located at the southern edge of the western Snake River Plain. Phreatomagmatic tephras are exposed in complete sections up to 100 m thick in the walls of the Snake River Canyon, creating an unusual opportunity to study the deposits produced by this volcano through its entire sequence of explosive eruptions. The main objectives of the study were to determine the overall evolution of the Sinker Butte volcano while focusing particularly on the tephras produced by its phreatomagmatic eruptions. Toward this end, twenty-three detailed stratigraphic sections ranging from 20 to 100 m thick were examined and measured in canyon walls exposing tephras deposited around 180° of the circumference of the volcano.Three main rock units are recognized in canyon walls at Sinker Butte: a lower sequence composed of numerous thin basaltic lava flows, an intermediate sequence of phreatomagmatic tephras, and a capping sequence of welded basaltic spatter and more lava flows. We subdivide the phreatomagmatic deposits into two main parts, a series of reworked, mostly subaqueously deposited tephras and a more voluminous sequence of overlying subaerial surge and fall deposits. Most of the reworked deposits are gray in color and exhibit features such as channel scour and fill, planar-stratification, high and low angle cross-stratification, trough cross-stratification, and Bouma-turbidite sequences consistent with their being deposited in shallow standing water or in braided streams. The overlying subaerial deposits are commonly brown or orange in color due to palagonitization. They display a wide variety of bedding types and sedimentary structures consistent with deposition by base surges, wet to dry pyroclastic fall events, and water saturated debris flows.Proximal sections through the subaerial tephras exhibit large regressive cross-strata, planar bedding, and bomb sags suggesting deposition by wet base surges and tephra fallout. Medial and distal deposits consist of a thick sequence of well-bedded tephras; however, the cross-stratified base-surge deposits are thinner and interbedded within the fallout deposits. The average wavelength and amplitude of the cross strata continue to decrease with distance from the vent. These bedded surge and fall deposits grade upward into dominantly fall deposits containing 75–95% juvenile vesiculated clasts and localized layers of welded spatter, indicating a greatly reduced water-melt ratio. Overlying these “dryer” deposits are massive tuff breccias that were probably deposited as water saturated debris flows (lahars). The first appearance of rounded river gravels in these massive tuff breccias indicates downward coring of the diatreme and entrainment of country rock from lower in the stratigraphic section. The “wetter” nature of these deposits suggests a renewed source of external water. The massive deposits grade upward into wet fallout tephras and the phreatomagmatic sequence ends with a dry scoria fall deposit overlain by welded spatter and lava flows.Field observations and two new ⁴⁰Ar–³⁹Ar incremental heating dates suggest the succession of lavas and tephra deposits exposed in this part of the Snake River canyon may all have been erupted from a closely related complex of vents at Sinker Butte. We propose that initial eruptions of lava flows built a small shield edifice that dammed or disrupted the flow of the ancestral Snake River. The shift from effusive to explosive eruptions occurred when the surface water or rising ground water gained access to the vent. As the river cut a new channel around the lava dam, water levels dropped and the volcano returned to an effusive style of eruption.     

Nonlinear seismic response analysis of arch dam-foundation systems- part II opening and closing contact joints

A time-domain method for the analysis of arch dam-foundation rock dynamic interaction during earthquake was proposed, and the dynamic relaxation technique was adopted to obtain the initial static response for dynamic analysis by [Du et al. (2005). The paper has been contributed to Bulletin of earthquake engineering]. In this paper, a nonlinear explicit method in time domain considering the opening and closing effect of contact joints on arch dam during earthquake is further proposed by introducing the dynamic contact force model into the method. The simulation accuracy of dynamic contact force model is verified by comparing its calculation result and test result of scale model on shaking table. Finally, the influence of joints on the seismic response of Xiaowan arch dam is studied by the proposed method and some conclusions are given.     

Detection of seepage paths in earth dams using self-potential and electrical resistivity methods

Earth and rockfill dams are designed to operate under steady state seepage. Anomalous seepage may be a threat to the integrity of the structure. In spite of advances made in the fields of geotechnical engineering, it is not possible to have 100% leak-proof structure. Any excessive and unplanned seepage may lead to the failure of the dam, especially in unconsolidated or fractured terrains. Geophysical methods play an important role in mapping seepage paths and monitoring the changes of the seepage with time, enabling to plan technically and economically worthwhile remedial measures. In the present paper, utilisation of electrical methods for delineation of seepage zones at two of the four Saddle dams of the Som-Kamla-Amba project, Rajasthan State, India; which is founded on heterogeneous rock mass, is discussed. Electrical resistivity method was used to delineate zones favourable for seepage, whereas, self-potential (SP) method was used to delineate the seepage paths. SP measurements have shown negative anomaly of the order of 10–20 mV in amplitude, indicating low seepage, coinciding with the seepage measurements made by the project authorities.     

白杨河水库砼坝的地震动力分析

水坝抗震能力的评估在新疆具有重要的现实意义．采用有限单元法对白杨河砼坝的动力强度及稳定性进行了计算，结果表明地震时坝的破坏不取决于空库或是满库，而是与它们的周期有关；而且下游坝面遭到破坏的可能性大于上游坝面．在考虑水平及竖向地震荷载作用下，白杨河砼坝满足强度及稳定性要求。     

Modelling of ground motion in the vicinity of massive structures

A two-dimensional elastic Chebyshev spectral element method (SPEM) is used to model the seismic wavefield within a massive structure and in its vicinity. We consider 2-D models where a linear elastic structure, with quadrangular cross-section, resting on an elastic homogeneous half-space, is impinged upon by the waves generated by a surface impulse at some distance. The scattering of Rayleigh waves and the response of the structure are extensively analysed in a parametric way, varying size, mechanical parameters and shape of the load. Some of the models considered are representative of embankments and earth dams. The simulation shows that some models resonate, storing part of the incoming energy. With realistic parameters, the lowest resonance frequency is due to pure shear deformation and is controlled by the shear velocity and height of the load. Flexural modes are excited only at higher frequencies. The acceleration at the top of the structure may be five/seven times higher than at the base, depending on the mass of the structure. The gradual release of trapped energy produces a ground roll lasting several seconds after the wave front has passed. The ground-roll amplitude depends on the sturcture's mass and can be as large as 30% of the peak acceleration. Outside resonance conditions, the ground motion is almost unaffected by the presence of the artefact; the horizontal motion on top of it is nearly twice the motion at ground level. Similar results should be expected when the incident field is an upcoming shear wave. A qualitative discussion shows that the presence of anelastic attenuation in the embankment does not significantly alter the preceding conclusions, unless it is of very low values (e.g. Q < 15).The modelling results that we discuss indicate that the soil-structure interaction may substantially alter the ‘free-field’ ground motion. From a practical point of view, the main conclusions are: (1) careful analysis is necessary when interpreting seismic records collected in the vicinity of large artefacts; (2) seismic hazard at a site may depend on the presence of man-made structures such as embankments, dams, tall and massive buildings.     

Lateral migration,thermoluminescence chronology and colour variation of longitudinal dunes near Birdsville in the Simpson Desert,central Australia

The longitudinal dunes of the Simpson Desert, in the vicinity of Birdsville, have been reworked largely during the Holocene from dunes deposited up to 80000 years ago or earlier. The widespread asymmetry of these roughly northward-trending dunes, with steeper eastern faces and more gentle western faces, supports wind-rose data showing sand-transporting winds from the southwest obliquely intersecting the dunes. While this suggests a change in the wind pattern since the dune field was oriented, it does not indicate that the dunes are necessarily shifting leeward (eastward) as a consequence. It is hypothesized that the direction of migration is controlled by the extent to which the dunes are vegetated. Relatively well-vegetated dunes can accrete sand on their gentle stoss slopes and erode on their lee slopes causing them to shift westward and hence obliquely into the wind, a condition that probably prevails in wetter regions and during episodes of relatively humid climate. In contrast, in very dry areas or during arid phases, sand can move unimpeded up a sparsely vegetated stoss face and over the crest to form an avalanche or slip face on the lee side, thereby causing the dunes to shift eastward. Despite evidence that longitudinal dune crests can shift laterally to some extent, the dunes in the western part of the Simpson Desert have not migrated, either westward or eastward, more than 100m or so from their Pleistocene cores. Aeolian transport and partial or complete removal of iron cutans from around quartz grains results in dunes of widely varying colour yet of similar age.     

A Study of Seismicity and Earthquake Hazard at the Proposed Kalabsha Dam Site,Aswan, Egypt

High and Aswan Dams Authority (HADA) proposed a plan aiming at constructing a rockfill dam in the Kalabsha area, about 60 km south of Aswan High Dam. The aim of this dam is to restrain the overflow of water to the Kalabsha Valley for keeping one billion cubic meters from being lost due to seepage and evaporation. The safety of dams during earthquakes is extremely important because failure of such a structure may have disastrous consequences on life and property. Therefore, different factors were considered as part of a site assessment. Five seismic source zones, close enough to the site to give rise to potentially damaging earthquake ground motions, were identified. Seven active faults that have the potential for producing significant earthquakes and that pass through or near the dam site were also identified. The earthquake loading represented by ground motions at the site was evaluated. Probabilistic seismic hazard procedures were used for assessing the earthquake loading at six individual sites using Area-and Line-Source Models (ASM & LSM). The ASM is based on current observed seismicity, whereas the LSM is based on geological slip rates. The output represents the expected acceleration amplitude with 90 percent probability of not being exceeded in exposure times of 20, 50, and 100 years. The results from the two models appear to be different, the expected ground motions from ASM were twice as high as expected from LSM. This difference is due to the load of the Aswan reservoir (Nasser Lake) triggering earthquakes on those parts of the faults that lie under the lake at Kalabsha area. The hazard at the selected sites is given by the hazard curve that is represented by the relationship between the peak ground acceleration and its annual exceedance probability. By comparing the curves for the six individual sites for the same source model, it can be concluded that the potential ground acceleration level for all the sites is almost the same. Considering the mean results from the two models, the annual exceedance probability of the expected ground acceleration from ASM is approximately ten times higher than the annual exceedance probability from LSM.Since ASM is based on current seismicity, it is more appropriate forrepresenting the actual hazard for the dam site.     

上犹江水电站坝基渗漏检测与分析

本文以上犹江水电站左岸地下水渗漏检测及分析为例。介绍以伪随机流场法、综合水量均衡法、水质和析出物化学分析法等相结合的渗漏检测与分析的方法技术，检测的结果与已有的工程地质资料以及水工观测资料是一致的。该方法技术体系不仅能查明水库渗水来源，还对渗漏通道、渗漏原因进行推断分析。避免以往单一方法的片面性，为检测分析水库坝基的渗漏提供了一种新的思路。     

基于多源卫星图像融合的水坝检测方法的研究

本文提出了一种基于多源卫星图像融合的水坝检测方法，该方法在特征级融合的模式下，利用多源卫星图像特征信息互补的优势，先后提取多个卫星图像中目标的特征信息，再通过多传感器数据融合方法中的逻辑模板法对特征进行融合，得到系统的目标结果输出。试验结果显示，该算法能在大幅复杂背景下有效地对水坝进行检测并定位，并减少了单源卫星图像进行目标检测的错判、误判率。整个算法能完全实现自动检测，可达到预想的目的。     

澜沧江大朝山水库蓄水前的地震活动本底

分析了大朝山水库蓄水前，水库区域历史中强、强地震背景与1992年来的地震活动格局，及蓄水前9年中库坝区天然地震活动的时、空、强分布，结果表明：大朝山水库区为地震活动水平较低的区域，库坝附近30km以2、3级地震活动为主，库首方向距大坝40km左右的景谷与库尾方向距大坝50km的昌宁、凤庆一带为5级地震活动区，外围100km左右的耿马、澜沧、普洱等地区为6、7级强震活动区；库坝区的地震活动基本符合G—R关系式，b值为0．69，累积应变曲线呈稳定增长趋势，时间分布上出现活跃与平静交替的分布格局。