How to obtain alert velocity thresholds for large rockslides

A reliable forecast of the failure stage of large rockslides is difficult, because of non-linear time dependency of displacements and seasonal effects. Aim of this paper is to suggest a practical method to prepare alert thresholds for large rockslides, assessing critical values of velocity for carrying out civil protection actions using monitoring data. Adopted data concern the 20 Mm³ Ruinon rockslide (Valfurva, Central Alps, Italy), still evolving and suitable to originate a fast moving rock avalanche. Multitemporal analysis of aerial photos, LIDAR-ALTM laser topography, field survey and geomechanical analyses allowed to infer the rockslide kinematics and better understand data provided by a monitoring network including distometers, extensometers, GPS benchmarks and inclinometers. The analysis of displacement and rainfall data over five years (1997–2001) allowed to recognise three different evolutionary patterns of displacements, showing a continuously increasing rate since 1997. Data representing large-scale behaviour of the rock mass were fitted by power-law curves, according to the “accelerating creep” model by Voight, in order to evaluate a suitable failure time. This was hampered by the large seasonal deviations, which can significantly delay the occurrence of failure. Data were fitted using the Voight’s equation, expressed in terms of displacement, through non-linear estimation techniques, in order to find values of the controlling parameters (A, α and t_f) suitable to represent the mechanical behaviour of the rock mass approaching the failure. This allowed to compute velocity–time theoretical curves and to define different velocity threshold values (pre-alert, alert and emergency) to be used for emergency management.     

多矿物岩石流变规律的研究进展及存在问题

总结了近年来由多种矿物组成的岩石的流变规律的研究，阐述了多矿物岩石流变性质研究的意义和进展，再从实验和理论两个方面，详细论述了目前最具代表性的三种理论模型，算术平均方法、几何平均方法和能量极小方法，最后，指出这方面研究仍然存在的问题和进一步研究的方向。     

Flow and fracture maps for basaltic rock deformation at high temperatures

Understanding how the strength of basaltic rock varies with the extrinsic conditions of stress state, pressure and temperature, and the intrinsic rock physical properties is fundamental to understanding the dynamics of volcanic systems. In particular it is essential to understand how rock strength at high temperatures is limited by fracture. We have collated and analysed laboratory data for basaltic rocks from over 500 rock deformation experiments and plotted these on principal stress failure maps. We have fitted an empirical flow law (Norton’s law) and a theoretical fracture criterion to these data. The principal stress failure map is a graphical representation of ductile and brittle experimental data together with flow and fracture envelopes under varying strain rate, temperature and pressure. We have used these maps to re-interpret the ductile–brittle transition in basaltic rocks at high temperatures and show, conceptually, how these failure maps can be applied to volcanic systems, using lava flows as an example.     

溪洛渡水电站坝址区岩体蠕变特性试验研究

介绍了溪洛渡水电站坝址区岩体柔性板法蠕变试验方法及试验结果,给出了岩体蠕变模型及其参数,为工程设计提供了参考依据。     

粗粒料流变研究的现状与展望

粗粒料是土石坝的主要填料,高土石坝的流变已成为坝工专家和工程师广为关注的问题,其流变特性是研究的基础。分析了粗粒料流变研究的现状,介绍了长江科学院新取得的进展,并对粗粒料流变研究的前景提出了展望。     

禾青井动水位对断层蠕动与慢地震过程的响应初析

以湖南禾青井深井水位观测的异常图象为例进行定性分析，发现动水位观测有可能直接反映出断层的滑动或断层的慢地震过程，前者可能为地下水物理参量的观测与研究提供亲折思路，后者则可能对震源物理学的发展和地震预报水平的提高具有特殊的意义。     

冻土蠕变的渐进屈服准则

基于冻土蠕变的现象分析表明，冻土蠕变的破坏是由于冻土中非弹性变形积累的结果，在冻土的任何变形阶段都存在着非弹性变形。非弹性变形的积累在一定条件下导致了冻土渐进屈服的出现，渐进屈服反过来又促进了冻土蠕变的进一步增加。     

3-D finite element modeling for evolution of stress field and interaction among strong earthquakes in Sichuan-Yunnan region

Introduction Sichuan-Yunnan region is a major area with frequent strong earthquakes in Chinese mainland, especially the middle-southern segment of South-North Seismic Zone, where many strong earth-quakes occurred in history. In the past 30 years, Sichuan-Yunnan region has two seismically active periods: one is from Tonghai earthquake in 1970 to Longling-Songpan earthquake in 1976, the other is from Lancang earthquake in 1988 to now. During this two periods, the M=7.7 Tonghai, M=7.1 Dagua…     

Experimental pressure solution compaction of synthetic halite/calcite aggregates

Experimental observations are reported of weakening of sediment-like aggregates by addition of hard particles. Sieved mixtures of calcite and halite grains are experimentally compacted in drained pressure cells in the presence of a saturated aqueous solution. The individual halite grains deform easily by pressure solution creep whereas calcite grains act as hard objects and resist compaction. The fastest rate of compaction of the mixed aggregate is not obtained for a 100% halite aggregate but for a content of halite grains between 45% and 75%. We propose that this unusual compaction behavior reflects the competition between two mechanisms at the grain scale: intergranular pressure solution at grain contacts and grain boundary healing between halite grains that prevent further compaction.     

Reaction softening by dissolution–precipitation creep in a retrograde greenschist facies ductile shear zone,New Hampshire,USA

We describe strain localization by a mixed process of reaction and microstructural softening in a lower greenschist facies ductile fault zone that transposes and replaces middle to upper amphibolite facies fabrics and mineral assemblages in the host schist of the Littleton Formation near Claremont, New Hampshire. Here, Na‐poor muscovite and chlorite progressively replace first staurolite, then garnet, and finally biotite porphyroblasts as the core of the fault zone is approached. Across the transect, higher grade fabric‐forming Na‐rich muscovite is also progressively replaced by fabric‐forming Na‐poor muscovite. The mineralogy of the new phyllonitic fault‐rock produced is dominated by Na‐poor muscovite and chlorite together with late albite porphyroblasts. The replacement of the amphibolite facies porphyroblasts by muscovite and chlorite is pseudomorphic in some samples and shows that the chemical metastability of the porphyroblasts is sufficient to drive replacement. In contrast, element mapping shows that fabric‐forming Na‐rich muscovite is selectively replaced at high‐strain microstructural sites, indicating that strain energy played an important role in activating the dissolution of the compositionally metastable muscovite. The replacement of strong, high‐grade porphyroblasts by weaker Na‐poor muscovite and chlorite constitutes reaction softening. The crystallization of parallel and contiguous mica in the retrograde foliation at the expense of the earlier and locally crenulated Na‐rich muscovite‐defined foliation destroys not only the metastable high‐grade mineralogy, but also its stronger geometry. This process constitutes both reaction and microstructural softening. The deformation mechanism here was thus one of dissolution–precipitation creep, activated at considerably lower stresses than might be predicted in quartzofeldspathic rocks at the same lower greenschist facies conditions.