Dynamic propagation criteria for catastrophic failure in planar landslides

Quantitative assessment of the risk of submarine landslides is an essential part of the design process for offshore oil and gas developments in deep water, beyond the continental shelf. Landslides may be triggered by a reduction in shear strength of subsea sediments over a given zone, caused for example by seismic activity. Simple criteria are then needed to identify critical conditions whereby the zone of weakness could grow catastrophically to cause a landslide. A number of such criteria have been developed over the last decade, based either on ideas drawn from fracture mechanics, or considering the equilibrium of the initial weakened zone and adjacent process zones of gradually softening material. Accounting for the history of the weak zone initiation is critical for derivation of reliable propagation criteria, in particular considering dynamic effects arising from accumulating kinetic energy of the failing material, which will allow the failure to propagate from a smaller initial zone of weakened sediments. Criteria are developed here for planar conditions, taking full account of such dynamic effects, which are shown to be capable of reducing the critical length of the softened zone by 20% or more compared with criteria based on static conditions. A numerical approach is used to solve the governing dynamic equations for the sliding material, the results from which justify assumptions that allow analytical criteria to be developed for the case where the initial softening occurs instantaneously. The effect of more gradual softening is also explored. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Engineering characteristics and uses of duricrusts in Australia

The uses and shortcomings of duricrusts (ferricrete, calcrete and silcrete) in engineering construction (as used for road‐base, aggregate, foundation materials and aquifers) are reviewed. Australian production of these materials represents about one‐third of all unprocessed road‐base and they are especially important as pavement courses for lightly trafficked, low‐cost rural and outback roads. However, duricrusts are regarded as marginal materials at best because of their typically poor grading, particle unsoundness, high fines plasticity, and absorption of water and bitumen. These materials are used because they are available locally in areas that are otherwise lacking in hard rock materials, such as deeply weathered and sedimentary rock terrains. The weathering profiles of which they form part are characterized by high permeability (despite being clay‐rich), variable cementation, low compressibility and a tendency to become weaker with depth. Although the more indurated layers are unrippable, they are also difficult to blast. Pedogenic (nodular) duricrusts were formerly sought for natural road‐base, because they occur widely and require only rudimentary processing. However, well‐cemented groundwater (vadose) duricrusts are now the preferred deposits, even though they require crushing and screening. Ferricrete is the most widely exploited of the duricrusts for engineering purposes, especially in northern and southwestern Australia, although calcrete is important in South Australia and in the Murray Basin. Silcrete is only a minor source of aggregate and road‐base, mainly in western Queensland.     

Hydrodynamic characteristics and sediment transport of a tidal river under influence of wading engineering groups

By taking the Yong River for example in this paper, based on the multiple measured data during 1957 to 2009, the change process of runoff, tide feature, tidal wave, tidal influx and sediment transport are analyzed. Then a mathematical model is used to reveal the influence mechanism on hydrodynamic characteristics and sediment transport of the wading engineering groups such as a tide gate, a breakwater, reservoirs, bridges and wharves, which were built in different periods. The results showed the hydrodynamic characteristics and sediment transport of the Yong River changed obviously due to the wading engineering groups. The tide gate induced deformation of the tidal wave, obvious reduction of the tidal influx and weakness of the tidal dynamic, decrease of the sediment yield of flood and ebb tide and channel deposition. The breakwater blocked estuarine entrances, resulting in the change of the tidal current and the reduction of the tidal influx in the estuarine area. The large-scale reservoirs gradually made the decrease of the Yong River runoff. The bridge and wharf groups took up cross-section areas, the cumulative affection of which caused the increase of tidal level in the tidal river.     

上海及其邻区潜在地质灾害的构造背景与成因机理

本文基于上海及其邻区活动断裂构造及有关地区潜在地质灾害特点的研究,论证了上海及其邻区潜在地质灾害的三种基本类型及其构造背景与成因机理;指出:上海及其邻区楔形断裂系统的存在与活动是诱发有关地区潜在地质灾害的主导因素。文中明确指出了上海及其邻区楔形断裂系统的研究在相关地区进行潜在地质灾害评价与预测方面的应用前景与发展方向。     

我国工程地质现状与发展方向

本文回顾了我国工程地质及其分支学科的发展和现状,指出了我国工程地质工作中存在的主要问题以及今后的发展趋向。     

勘探工程地质统计信息法

勘探工程地质统计信息法试图运用定量评价准则研究勘探工程,而定量评价准则是建立在矿体数学模型基础上。本文在最优勘探方案和最优工程位置选择方面作了一些研究。     

The System Analysis and Reliability Evaluation of Rock Slopes

The principal of preferred plane analysis is a new research view and model of rock slope engineering geology. It advocates that the rock slope stability, boundary conditions and failure model are controlled by preferred planes. Therefore, the problem of slope stability evaluation can be converted into the search for preferred planes and determination of preferred separating bodies. The organic combination of the deterministic model and the indeterministic model can be realized by applying the systems engineering principle and the research model and method of reliability analysis in the quantitative evaluation and prediction of rock slope stability. Finally, the paper presents the case studies of slopes of the Yangtze Gorge Project and the Ma'anshan openpit mine.     

华南湘赣粤地区红层残积红土的工程地质研究

通过对红层残积红土的粒度成分、矿物成分、化学成分、物理化学特性、宏观结构、微观结构特征的全面系统分析，揭示红层残积红土不仅经历了物理风化作用，而且经受过红土化作用，具有红土的一般特点，是一种强度稍高，压缩性中等，含较多游离氧化物的超固结土。最后对红层残积红土的工程地质评价提出建议，认为其特性与母岩有关，砂砾岩、砂岩残积红土接近花岗岩残积红土；粉砂岩、泥岩残积红土接近红粘土，并对地基承载力和变形等问题提出具体的评价意见。     

电磁波井间CT成象技术及其在岩土工程中的应用

简要叙述了电磁波ＣＴ成象技术的基本原理、工作方法及其在岩土工程中诸如机场跑道、隧道工程和高层建筑地基评价中的应用。通过井下激发和观测电磁波能量的衰减，利用ＣＴ技术重建了地下介质在观测平面内相对吸收系数的二维分布图象，这些图象直观准确地反映出地下介质的构造形态、地层界面、风化壳以及破碎带的分布特征，在岩土工程探测中发挥了重要作用。