Numerical 3D modeling of the effects of strain rate and confining pressure on the compressive behavior of Kuru granite

This paper deals with numerical modeling of the compressive behavior of granite rock under high strain rate dynamic loading and wide range of confining pressure. For this end, a constitutive model based on damage mechanics and viscoplasticity for rock is formulated and implemented in explicit dynamics FEM. The viscoplastic part is based on a simple power law type yield criterion that incorporates the rate-dependency with a linear viscosity term. Moreover, a Rankine type of tensile cut-off is employed. The damage part of the model is formulated with separate scalar damage variables in tension and compression. The model is calibrated for Kuru granite and validated with the experimental data from dynamic compression tests at the strain rate of 600 1/s up to 225 MPa of confining pressure. The numerical simulations demonstrate that, despite the underlying continuum modeling approach, the model captures the correct experimental failure modes, including the transition from single-to-multiple fragmentation, as well as the dynamic compressive strengths at different confining pressures.     

Numerical investigation of the opening effect on the mechanical behaviours in rocks under uniaxial loading using hybrid continuum-discrete element method

Openings including their size, shape and distribution in rock play a significant role in the performance of rock related structures. The well-established knowledge in this area can contribute to the engineering practices, for example, underground space design, planning and optimisation in Civil and Mining Engineering and wellbore stability in Drilling Engineering, among others. Thus, understanding the failure mechanism of rock with openings is theoretically and practically meaningful. Laboratory testing on rock or rock-like materials with openings have been studied extensively in the literature, which, however, primarily focuses on the cracks/fractures. In this paper, a comprehensive numerical study on the effect of non-banded openings, i.e., circular, rectangular, and triangular opening, on the rock mechanical behaviour is performed using a hybrid continuum-discrete element method. It is revealed that the proposed simulation method can reproduce reasonably the crack initiation and propagation, and predict well the change of the mechanical behaviour due to the openings. In addition, the influence of the opening shape and opening ratio (=area of opening/specimen area) on the mechanical behaviour is also investigated.     

Estimation of elemental abundances of the lunar regolith using clementine UVVIS+NIR data

In this study we propose a regression model for the estimation of lunar elemental abundances from spectral features extracted from Clementine multispectral imagery in the visible and near-infrared domain. We extract a set of spectral features, including the continuum slope, the FWHM of the ferrous absorption trough near 1000 nm, and the wavelengths and relative depths of the absorption minima and inflection points present in the trough. As a “ground truth” for the elemental abundances we rely on the Lunar Prospector gamma ray spectrometer (LP GRS) data. With respect to the elemental abundances of the Apollo and Luna landing sites independently derived from returned samples, the best examined regression model is a second-order polynomial. The proposed regression-based approach allows an estimation of the elemental abundances of Ca, Al, Fe, Mg, and O at an accuracy of about 1 wt% and some tenths of a weight percent for Ti. We examine the influence of calibration of the Clementine UVVIS+NIR data and find that its effect on the results obtained with the regression approach is minor. Furthermore, we define a three-endmember model which allows the petrographic mapping of the lunar surface materials in terms of their Fe, Mg, and Al abundances. We examine the global distribution of Mg-rich rocks, the distribution of cryptomaria, and the occurrence of aluminous mare basalts in the Frigoris region. A possible regional compositional anomaly in northwestern Oceanus Procellarum is found, which corresponds to an extended area displaying spectral characteristics consistent with mare basalt containing significant amounts of olivine. On local scales, we examine in terms of our regression model the highland craters Proclus and Tycho, the compositionally anomalous central peaks of the craters Copernicus and Bullialdus, and the pyroclastic deposits on the floor of Alphonsus and on the northern rim of Petavius. As a general result, we show that the regression-based approach allows the detection of the main lunar terrain classes and rock types based on multispectral imagery in the visible and near-infrared domain.     

Heat Transport Processes in the Earth’s Crust

The heat of the Earth derives from internal and external sources. A heat balance shows that most of the heat provided by external sources is re-emitted by long-wavelength heat radiation and that the dominant internal sources are original heat and heat generated by decay of unstable radioactive isotopes. Understanding of the thermal regime of the Earth requires appreciation of properties and mechanisms for heat generation, storage, and transport. Both experimental and indirect methods are available for inferring the corresponding rock properties. Heat conduction is the dominant transport process in the Earth’s crust, except for settings where appreciable fluid flow provides a mechanism for heat advection. For most crustal and mantle rocks, heat radiation becomes significant only at temperatures above 1200°C.

内蒙古"宝音图隆起"的归属讨论

对比研究表明,内蒙古"宝音图隆起"和狼山地区的古元古代宝音图岩群与新太古代色尔腾山岩群都是由中低级变质的各种片岩、大理岩组成,一致的岩石组合和变质相暗示二者可能是等同物而不是两个岩群.以物探资料为据的构造研究也证实,"宝音图隆起"与狼山地区之间并无槽-台级的大型断裂构造分开,二者实为统一的构造整体而不是分属槽台,只因两侧被两条近于平行的NE向断裂围限,使其总构造线方向呈NE或NNE向而与色尔腾山的构造线不同.结论认为,"宝音图隆起"仍是华北陆块的一部分,不属于内蒙古-大兴安岭地槽褶皱系.     

A new understanding of Demala Group complex in Chayu Area,southeastern Qinghai-Tibet Plateau: Evidence from zircon U-Pb and mica 40Ar/39Ar dating

The Chayu area is located at the southeastern margin of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. This region was considered to be in the southeastward extension of the Lhasa Block, bounded by Nujiang suture zone in the north and Yarlung Zangbo suture zone in the south. The Demala Group complex, a set of high-grade metamorphic gneisses widely distributed in the Chayu area, is known as the Precambrian metamorphic basement of the Lhasa Block in the area. According to field-based investigations and microstructure analysis, the Demala Group complex is considered to mainly consist of banded biotite plagiogneisses, biotite quartzofeldspathic gneiss, granitic gneiss, amphibolite, mica schist, and quartz schist, with many leucogranite veins. The zircon U-Pb ages of two granitic gneiss samples are 205 ± 1 Ma and 218 ± 1 Ma, respectively, representing the ages of their protoliths. The zircons from two biotite plagiogneisses samples show core-rim structures. The U-Pb ages of the cores are mainly 644 –446 Ma, 1213 –865 Ma, and 1780 –1400 Ma, reflecting the age characteristics of clastic zircons during sedimentation of the original rocks. The U-Pb ages of the rims are from 203 ± 2 Ma to 190 ± 1 Ma, which represent the age of metamorphism. The zircon U-Pb ages of one sample taken from the leucogranite veins that cut through granitic gneiss foliation range from 24 Ma to 22 Ma, interpreted as the age of the anatexis in the Demala Group complex. Biotite and muscovite separates were selected from the granitic gneiss, banded gneiss, and leucogranite veins for ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar dating. The plateau ages of three muscovite samples are 16.56 ± 0.21 Ma, 16.90 ± 0.21 Ma, and 23.40 ± 0.31 Ma, and the plateau ages of four biotite samples are 16.70 ± 0.24 Ma, 16.14 ± 0.19 Ma, 15.88 ± 0.20 Ma, and 14.39 ± 0.20 Ma. The mica Ar-Ar ages can reveal the exhumation and cooling history of the Demala Group complex. Combined with the previous research results of the Demala Group complex, the authors refer that the Demala Group complex should be a set of metamorphic complex. The complex includes not only Precambrian basement metamorphic rock series, but also Paleozoic sedimentary rock and Mesozoic granitic rock. Based on the deformation characteristics, the authors concluded that two stages of the metamorphism and deformation can be revealed in the Demala Group complex since the Mesozoic, namely Late Triassic-Early Jurassic (203 –190 Ma) and Oligocene –Miocene (24 –14 Ma). The early stage of metamorphism (ranging from 203 –190 Ma) was related to the Late Triassic tectono-magmatism in the area. The anatexis and uplifting-exhumation of the later stage (24 –14 Ma) were related to the shearing of the Jiali strike-slip fault zone. The Miocene structures are response to the large-scale southeastward escape of crustal materials and block rotation in Southeast Tibet after India-Eurasia collision.©2021 China Geology Editorial Office.     

岩体多尺度异质性及其力学行为

异质性是岩体的重要属性之一,从岩体的物质组成到结构特征,再到微宏观力学行为表现,异质性现象普遍存在。本文在梳理已有研究成果的基础上,从岩体的细微观异质性、结构面异质性和宏观异质性3个不同的尺度,对异质性的产生原因、表现特征、力学效应和时空演化规律等进行阐述,并介绍了相关研究方法以及异质性在不同尺度上的差异表现。岩体异质性的研究,是岩体工程地质力学理论体系的延伸,而多尺度的研究方法也成为全面揭示岩体变形破坏机制的一种有效手段。     

Electromagnetic signals associated with stick–slip of quartz-free rocks

We recorded clear transients in the electric and magnetic fields upon sudden slip in stick–slip experiments on dry, cylindrically shaped, quartz-free rock specimens of basalt and peridotite with a 30° saw-cut (representing a fault) at confining pressures of up to 120 MPa. The amplitudes of the measured electric field signals were always higher at the electrode pair oriented parallel to the strike of the fault than at the pair oriented perpendicular. This anisotropy suggests a preferred electric polarization normal to the slip surface. The transients in the electric and magnetic fields were observed only when the fault slip occurred by stick–slip mode, not by a stable mode of the sliding, and the amplitudes of the electric field signals increased with increasing stress drop. It is suggested that the generation process of the electromagnetic signals is closely related to the characteristic behavior of the fault at the time of the initiation of slip during stick–slip events, probably with respect to the intensity of the signals. We propose that one or both of the following two processes characteristic of the fault at the time of the initiation of slip during stick–slip events are essential for the generation of detectable electromagnetic signals: rapid slip along the simulated fault and separation of the rock masses across the fault.     

Deep-seated gravitational slope deformations and their influence on consequent mass movements (case studies from the highest part of the Czech Carpathians)

Gravitational spreading of mountain ridges displays primary disequilibrium of flysch mountain areas of the Czech Carpathians. The progression of various types of mass movements is a product of long-term ridge disintegration and is predisposed by the geological structure of the area and the upper Tertiary-Quaternary morphogenesis of the mountain area. Deep-seated slope deformations are spatially interconnected by the occurrence of some other types of slope deformations (e.g. debris flows, debris slides, slumps, rock avalanches, etc.), which pose a considerable risk for the existence of human society. An important causative factor in these dynamically developing hazardous processes is, among other factors, the way in which land has been used in the last three centuries. Therefore, the occurrence of various types of slope deformations is studied in terms of their relation to deep-seated gravitational deformations and in terms of other limiting factors (structural geological, morphological and climatic factors, manmade impacts, etc.). The paper presents several case studies of slope deformations (Velká Čantoryje Mt, Lysá hora Mt, Ropice Mt and Smrk Mt) in the area of the Outer Carpathians within the territory of the Czech Republic and also adverts to some consequences in terms of the socioeconomic structure of the landscape.     

内蒙古北山造山带北带晚古生代地层时空格架的建立

内蒙古北山造山带是研究中亚造山带时空演化的重要地区,也是天山造山带与兴蒙造山带对接的关键地区。长期以来,由于工作条件的制约,该地区研究程度相对薄弱,晚古生代地层格架混乱且矛盾。根据近年来在该地区完成的1：5万区调成果,通过晚古生代地层的区域分布、物质组成、时代归属等方面的系统梳理,并结合构造-岩浆配置和造山带结构的认识,重新建立了内蒙古北山地区黑鹰山地层分区晚古生代地层格架。重新划分和厘定出志留纪—泥盆纪雀儿山群红尖山组、碎石山组、清河沟组和圆锥山组,石炭纪绿条山组、白山组及二叠纪双堡塘组、金塔组,明确了雀儿山群为雀儿山陆缘弧环境形成的火山-沉积组合,包括晚志留世—中泥盆世红尖山组岛弧火山岩和碎石山组-清河沟组弧内盆地碎屑岩组合,以及晚泥盆世圆锥山组岛弧火山岩组合;石炭纪绿条山组、白山组形成于沟-弧-盆体系中,以红石山-百合山结合带为界南北具有明显的差异性：绿条山组北区为低成熟度的弧间盆地北缘滨浅海碎屑岩沉积,南区为成熟度较高的弧间盆地南缘滨浅海-半深海碎屑岩沉积;白山组北区为晚石炭世继承岛弧火山组合,南区为石炭纪陆缘弧火山组合。双堡塘组和金塔组为后碰撞－碰撞后的裂谷盆地沉积,具有下部碎屑岩、上部火山岩的二元结构,化石组合指示其时代为早—中二叠世。