Darcian flow under/through a leaky cutoff wall: Terzaghi–Anderson's seepage problem revisited

An analytical solution is obtained for 2‐D steady Darcian flow under and through a cutoff wall partially obstructing a homogeneous isotropic foundation of a dam. The wall is leaky; that is, flow across it depends on the ratio of hydraulic conductivity of the wall and the wall thickness that results in the third‐type (Robin) boundary condition along the wall, as compared with the Terzaghi problem for an impermeable wall. The Laplace equation for the hydraulic head is meshlessly solved in a non‐standard flow tube. A Fredholm equation of the second kind is obtained for the intensity of leakage across the wall. The equation is tackled numerically, by adjusted successive iterations. Flow characteristics (total Darcian discharge and its components through the wall and the window between the wall top and horizontal bedrock, stream function, head distribution, and Darcian velocity along the wall and tailwater bed) are obtained for various conductivity ratios, head drops across the structure, thicknesses of the foundation, and the degree of its blockage by the wall. Comparisons with the Terzaghi limit of an impermeable wall show that for common wall materials and thicknesses, the leakage may constitute tens of percent of the discharge under the dam. The through‐flow hydraulic gradients on a vertical wall face (Robin's boundary condition) as well as the exit gradients along a horizontal tailwater boundary (Dirichlet's boundary condition) acting for decades have deleterious impacts on dam stability because of potential heaving, piping, and mechanical–chemical suffusion. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Effects of mixed physical barrier on residual saltwater removal and groundwater discharge in coastal aquifers

Physical barriers are widely used to control seawater intrusion (SWI). Amongst different kinds of physical barriers, mixed physical barriers (MPBs) are shown to be an effective approach to prevent SWI. However, the system may hinder the discharge of fresh groundwater and the removal of residual saltwater trapped in the inland aquifers of MPBs. Herein, using the validated numerical model, for the first time, we investigated the dynamics of residual saltwater and groundwater discharge after the installation of MPBs. For examining the applicability of MPB and its response to structural variations and hydraulic gradient, the comparison with traditional physical barriers and sensitivity analysis was also carried out. The MPB increased the mixing area of freshwater and saltwater at the beginning of the removal process, resulting in the reduction of the saltwater wedge length (R_L) by 74.6% and the removal of total salt mass (R_M) by 62.6% within the 4% of the total removal time. Meanwhile, the groundwater discharge (Q') rose rapidly after a sharp decline from 100% to 40% in the first stage. As the residual saltwater wedge was retreated, the mixing intensity and removal efficiency decreased substantially in the second stage. Similarly, Q' raised with a declining rate at this stage. The removal efficiency was positively correlated with wall depth and hydraulic gradient and there were optimal distance of the middle spacing and height of lower dam to reach the highest efficiency. The groundwater discharge reduced monotonously with the increase of dam height and wall depth as well as the decrease of barrier spacing and hydraulic gradient. Under certain conditions, the efficiency of MPB in removing residual saltwater could be 40%–100% and 0%–56% higher than that of traditional subsurface dam and cutoff wall, respectively. The laboratory scale conclusions provide valuable physical insight for the real field applications regarding dynamic mechanism and regularity. These findings will always help decision makers choose proper engineering measures and protect groundwater resources in coastal areas.     

GZK cutoff distortion due to the energy error distribution shape

The development of an ultra high energy air shower has an intrinsic energy fluctuation due both to the first interaction point and to the cascade development. Here we show that for a given primary energy this fluctuation has a lognormal distribution and thus observations will estimate the primary energy with a lognormal error distribution. We analyze the UHECR energy spectrum convolved with the lognormal energy error and demonstrate that the shape of the error distribution will interfere significantly with the ability to observe features in the spectrum. If the standard deviation of the lognormal error distribution is equal or larger than 0.25, both the shape and the normalization of the measured energy spectra will be modified significantly. As a consequence, the GZK cutoff might be sufficiently smeared as not to be seen (without very high statistics). This result is independent of the power law of the cosmological flux. As a conclusion we show that in order to establish the presence or not of the GZK feature, not only more data are needed but also that the shape of the energy error distribution has to be known well. The high energy tail and the sigma of the approximate lognormal distribution of the error in estimating the energy must be at the minimum set by the physics of showers.     

Indicator kriging for unit vectors: Rock joint orientations

Indicator kriging (IK) is extended to analyze three-dimensional random unit vectors and evaluate the local probability distribution of rock joint orientations in geological formations. The pole vector representing joint orientations is regionalized and projected on a plane normal to the mean attitude of the joint family and centered at the mean. A two-dimensional cutoff system is developed to define the indicator variable, and corresponding indicator variograms and indicator kriging. The cutoff system defines probability regions similar to those of a bivariate distribution, concentric rings sliced into radial sectors. A case study made on an open pit mine proved positively the efficiency of IK and encourages its applications to localized probabilistic structural modeling for geotechnical or geohydrological analysis and oil and gas reservoir analysis.     

应用可变T2截止值确定束缚水饱和度

为了得到准确的束缚水饱和度数据,以T2截止值模型为基础,分别用基于经验固定T2截止值、经验可变T2截止值及渗透率Coates模型的可变T2截止值3种方法确定束缚水饱和度,利用常规岩心分析实验数据验证其计算精度.结果表明,基于渗透率Coates模型的可变T2截止值计算核磁束缚水饱和度精度最高,与常规岩心分析束缚水饱和度平均相对误差为9.5%,而且此方法可确定Coates模型中的地区经验系数C、m、n,提高了核磁渗透率的计算精度.     

黄河下游断流对傍河水源地影响的研究

保持黄河不断流是傍河水源地存在的必要条件,黄河频繁的断流威胁傍河开采水源地的稳定性。本文建立了黄河下游影响带地下水系统模拟模型,模拟预测黄河下游在断流和恢复过流条件下,傍河开采时黄河侧渗量的变化趋势及傍河开采水源地地下水的演变趋势。研究表明:断流条件下,因傍河水源地开采而激发的黄河侧渗补给量增加幅度达28．4％-126．4％;小浪底水库运行对于傍河水源地实现稳定开采具有重要意义。     

重庆松藻煤矿茅口灰岩岩溶水害与治理

松藻煤矿井下＋335大巷C6岩溶裂隙出水点,由于接受地表汇水洼地水源的补给,最大涌水量达3 500m3/h,对矿井安全构成极大威胁.通过物探、巷探、施工截流巷等勘查方案揭露了C6＇岩溶裂隙通道,经过高压帷幕注浆阻断下渗通道等治理措施,排除了困扰该矿20多年的水害威胁,为煤矿类似水害的治理积累了宝贵经验.     

Neutron monitor latitude surveys at aircraft altitudes

The Space Research Unit operates four stationary neutron monitors and it has conducted several latitude surveys with mobile neutron monitors. Our sea-level surveys have resulted in a clear identification of drift effects in the modulation. We have also conducted several latitude surveys at aircraft altitudes, the data of which have primarily been used to study the barometric attenuation coefficient of a neutron monitor, as well as cutoff rigidities in the Cape Town Magnetic Anomaly. In this contribution we present differential response functions of these aircraft surveys, and conclude that the drift effect is not detectable in them.     

长江重要堤防防渗与垂直防渗墙技术

历来长江中下游堤防洪水险情不断，堤基渗漏、堤身隐患、河岩崩塌是三大主要险情，而堤基渗漏尤其突出。本文阐述了堤基渗漏的地下渗流场，依渗流规律制定渗流控制措施，同时结合实际叙述了垂直防渗的主要措施－垂直防渗墙技术的多种工法。     

静效应校正的波数域滤波方法

探讨了在波数域作静效应校正的可能性,提出利用各频点互相关矩阵作为选择滤波截止波数的理论依据,并对三维数值模拟结果作了处理,表明在波数域消除静效应是可行的。最后,对云南某地的CSAMT数据作了试算,得出了较好的效果。