<Superscript>226</Superscript>Ra, <Superscript>232</Superscript>Th and <Superscript>40</Superscript>K activities in soils of Cuihua Mountain National Geological Park,China

Gamma activity from the naturally occurring radionuclides namely, ²²⁶Ra, ²³²Th, the primordial radionuclide ⁴⁰K was measured in the soil of Cuihua Mountain National Geological Park, China using γ-ray spectrometry technique. The mean activity of ²²⁶Ra, ²³²Th and ⁴⁰K were found to be 27.2 ± 6.5, 43.9 ± 6.2 and 653.1 ± 127.6 Bq kg⁻¹, respectively. The concentrations of these radionuclides were compared with the typical world values and the average activities of Chinese soil. The radium equivalent activity, the air absorbed dose rate, the annual effective dose rate, and the external hazard index were evaluated and compared with the internationally approved values. All the soil samples have Ra_eq lower than the limit of 370 Bq kg⁻¹ and H _ex less than unity. The overall mean outdoor terrestrial gamma dose rate is 66.3 nGy h⁻¹ and the corresponding outdoor annual effective dose is 0.081 mSv.     

Environmental risk evaluation of the use of mine spoils and treated sewage sludge in the ecological restoration of limestone quarries

The ecologic restoration criteria in areas degraded from extraction activities require making use of their mine spoils. These materials do not meet fertility conditions to guarantee restoration success and therefore, need the incorporation of organic amendments to obtain efficient substratum. Reducing the deficiencies in the organic material and restoration material nutrients with the contribution of treated sewage sludge is proposed in this work. This experiment was based on a controlled study using columns. The work was conducted with two mine spoils, both very rich in calcium carbonate. The first mineral, of poor quality, came from the formation of aggregates of crushed limestone (Z). The other residual material examined originated in limestone extraction, formed by the levels of interspersed non-limestone materials and the remains of stripped soils (D). Two treatments were undertaken (30,000 and 90,000 kg/ha of sewage sludge), in addition to a control treatment. The water contribution was carried out with a device that simulated either short-duration rain or a flooding irrigation system in order to cover the surface and then percolate through the soil. The collection of leached water took place 24 h after the applications. Different parameters of the leached water were determined, including pH, electrical conductivity, nitrate anions, ammonium, phosphates, sulphates and chlorides. The values obtained for each irrigation application are discussed, and the nitrate values obtained were very elevated.     

Impact of lightning on organic matter-rich soils: influence of soil grain size and organic matter content on underground fires

A detailed study was carried out on a piece of land that had been struck by lightning during the violent rainstorm that raged over the Island of S?o Miguel (Azores Archipelago) in late October 2006. Temperature and gas measurements (CO₂, CO, H₂S and CH₄) were performed in four study trenches, dug in an area of ∼3 m², where an underground fire had been initiated by the impact with a lightning stroke, followed by the emission of a column of gases and smoke. The soil under study was originally a well-pedogenized about 80 cm thick bed, made of volcanic clayey to silty tephra fallouts and contained 5.5–9.7% of organic matter. The underground fire was monitored for one week and revealed a peak release of 404 ppm CO and 3.4% CO₂ originating from a horizon located about 45 cm under the soil surface. Measurements of temperature, performed one week after the impact, indicated a maximum value of 326°C inside the soil, while 516.5°C were measured on the surface of a lava block interred about 20 cm under the surface. Subsequently, a stratigraphic and sedimentologic study proved the role of the grain-size of the soil and of the organic matter content of the different horizons of the impact area, in determining the ratio between anoxic/oxidised combustion conditions and in the progress of the process itself. It was also noticed that combustion was not total all over in the soil bed and that the process had slightly migrated toward SW during the observation period. The combustion process went on for about ten days, in spite of several other violent rainstorms, until it was artificially extinguished through the excavations made to obtain study trenches. This particular circumstance evidenced the potential natural hazard represented by this kind of atmospheric event, especially in a land where the volcanic nature of the soil may easily mislead inexperienced observers and, consequently, delay proper action.     

The effect of naturally acidified irrigation water on agricultural volcanic soils. The case of Asembagus, Java, Indonesia

Acid water from the Banyuputih river (pH  3.5) is used for the irrigation of agricultural land in the Asembagus coastal area (East Java, Indonesia), with harmful consequences for rice yields. The river water has an unusual composition which is caused by seepage from the acidic Kawah Ijen crater lake into the river. This unique irrigation setting allows the study of soil acidification in situ. This paper assesses the effects of volcanogenically contaminated irrigation water on the chemical properties of the agricultural soils.The changes in soil properties were evaluated by comparing samples taken from the topsoil and sub-soil (1–3 m depth) from areas irrigated with acid water and areas irrigated with neutral water. The field survey thus resulted in four soil categories. Bulk soil composition, organic matter content, moisture content and particle size distribution were determined. Reactive phases were quantified with the selective extractions 1 M KCl, 0.1 M Na-pyrophosphate and 0.2 M acid ammonium oxalate (AAO).By comparing the four soil categories it is shown that the use of the naturally polluted irrigation water has had a large influence on the chemical composition of the topsoil. The composition of the soil solution has changed over the entire investigated soil profile. Furthermore the acid irrigation water has strongly modified the composition of the reactive phases, extracted as KCl, pyrophosphate, and AAO extractable elements, and also the bulk soil composition has been significantly modified. Overall this has resulted in the net dissolution of some elements and the net precipitation of others. The changes in the reactive phases and bulk soil composition are only apparent in the topsoil (0–20 cm) but not in the deeper soil.     

Effect of Inter-Column Spacing on Soil Stresses due to Vibro-Installed Stone Columns: Interesting Findings

This paper reveals the interesting relation between the inter-column spacing and the corresponding alteration of soil state of stresses due to the vibro-installation technique. This relation is inferred from analyses for load settlement records of various field load tests, performed for stone columns arrangements with different inter-column spacing values. In order to have adequate confidence in the findings, a well-documented case history, involving three columns patterns along with their relevant field and laboratory test results, is utilized for this study. Moreover, a well-tested finite element model, capable of simulating both elasto-plastic and time dependent soil deformations as well as pore water pressure building and dissipation, is employed in the analysis. Instead of determining the soil response to the test load, based on known initial soil stresses and material properties, the analysis is inversely posed to determine the soil initial stresses, based on the recorded settlements and the post-installation material properties. The alteration in the soil state of stress is represented by the increase in the post-installation horizontal to vertical stress ratio, K*, as a function of the inter-column spacing. It is found that this alteration experiences a systematic decrease in its magnitude as the inter-column spacing increases.     

A semi-analytical solution for random wave-induced soil response and seabed liquefaction in marine sediments

In this study, unlike most previous investigations for wave-induced soil response, a simple semi-analytical model for the random wave-induced soil response is established for an unsaturated seabed of finite thickness. Two different wave spectra, the B-M and JONSWAP spectra, are considered in the new model. The influence of random wave loading on the soil response is investigated by comparing with the corresponding representative regular wave results through a parametric study, which includes the effect of the degree of saturation, soil permeability, wave height, wave period and seabed thickness. The maximum liquefaction depth under the random waves is also examined. The difference on the soil response under the two random wave types, B-M and JONSWAP frequency spectra, is also discussed in the present work.     

Stability of waterfront retaining wall subjected to pseudo-static earthquake forces

Waterfront retaining walls supporting dry backfill are subjected to hydrostatic pressure on upstream face and earth pressure on the downstream face. Under seismic conditions, if such a wall retains a submerged backfill, additional hydrodynamic pressures are generated. This paper pertains to a study in which the effect of earthquakes along with the hydrodynamic pressure including inertial forces on such a retaining wall is observed. The hydrodynamic pressure is calculated using Westergaard's approach, while the earth pressure is calculated using Mononobe-Okabe's pseudo-static analysis. It is observed that when the horizontal seismic acceleration coefficient is increased from 0 to 0.2, there is a 57% decrease in the factor of safety of the retaining wall in sliding mode. For investigating the effect of different parameters, a parametric study is also done. It is observed that if φ is increased from 30° to 35°, there is an increase in the factor of safety in the sliding mode by 20.4%. Similar observations were made for other parameters as well. Comparison of results obtained from the present approach with [Ebeling, R.M., Morrison Jr, E.E., 1992. The seismic design of waterfront retaining structures. US Army Technical Report ITL-92-11. Washington DC] reveal that the factor of safety for static condition (k_h=0), calculated by both the approaches, is 1.60 while for an earthquake with k_h=0.2, they differ by 22.5% due to the consideration of wall inertia in the present study.     

Action mechanism of geotextile-reinforced cushion under breakwater on soft ground

Various measures including material experiments, centrifuge modeling tests and FEM numerical analyses were performed to study systematically the action mechanism of the geotextile-reinforced cushion under breakwater on soft ground and the effects of the strata characterization and the reinforcement condition on the stability of the breakwater-ground system. In the aspect of controlling the deformation, the geotextile-reinforced cushion under breakwater constrains the lateral displacement of both the embankment and the ground. From the viewpoint of stress, the reinforcement suppressed the range of high stress level in the system. In general, the weaker the ground is and the greater the modulus of the geotextile is, the more effective the reinforcement is. The tensile force in the geotextile is greater in the range of the main part of the embankment.     

防冒浆泥浆优化设计软件的开发与应用

冒浆问题不仅给工程带来影响和经济损失,同时还对当地的环境保护造成一定程度的影响,严重时还会危及地表建筑物的安全,本文介绍了针对冒浆问题自主研发的防冒浆泥浆优化设计软件。     

Applications of AnnAGNPS model for soil loss estimation and nutrient loading for Malaysian conditions

The study evaluated the performance and suitability of AnnAGNPS model in assessing runoff, sediment loading and nutrient loading under Malaysian conditions. The watershed of River Kuala Tasik in Malaysia, a combination of two sub-watersheds, was selected as the area of study. The data for the year 2004 was used to calibrate the model and the data for the year 2005 was used for validation purposes. Several input parameters were computed using methods suggested by other researchers and studies carried out in Malaysia. The study shows that runoff was predicted well with an overall R² value of 0.90 and E value of 0.70. Sediment loading was able to produce a moderate result of R² = 0.66 and E = 0.49, nitrogen loading predictions were slightly better with R² = 0.68 and E = 0.53, and phosphorus loading performance was slightly poor with an R² = 0.63 and E = 0.33. The erosion map developed was in agreement with the erosion risk map produced by the Department of Agriculture, Malaysia. Rubber estates and urban areas were found to be the main contributors to soil erosion. The simulation results showed that AnnAGNPS has the potential to be used as a valuable tool for planning and management of watersheds under Malaysian conditions.