A constitutive model for mechanical and chemo‐mechanical compaction in sedimentary basins and finite element analysis

Compaction and associated fluid flow are fundamental processes in sedimentary basin deformation. Purely mechanical compaction originates mainly from pore fluid expulsion and rearrangement of solid particles during burial, while chemo‐mechanical compaction results from Intergranular Pressure‐Solution (IPS) and represents a major mechanism of deformation in sedimentary basins during diagenesis. The aim of the present contribution is to provide a comprehensive 3D framework for constitutive and numerical modeling of purely mechanical and chemo‐mechanical compaction in sedimentary basins. Extending the concepts that have been previously proposed for the modeling of purely mechanical compaction in finite poroplasticity, deformation by IPS is addressed herein by means of additional viscoplastic terms in the state equations of the porous material. The finite element model integrates the poroplastic and poroviscoplastic components of deformation at large strains. The corresponding implementation allows for numerical simulation of sediments accretion/erosion periods by progressive activation/deactivation of the gravity forces within a fictitious closed material system. Validation of the numerical approach is assessed by means of comparison with closed‐form solutions derived in the context of a simplified compaction model. The last part of the paper presents the results of numerical basin simulation performed in one dimensional setting, demonstrating the ability of the modeling to capture the main features in elastoplastic and viscoplastic compaction. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Mass transport triggered by heavy rainfall: the role of endorheic basins and epikarst in a regional karst aquifer

This study aims at recognizing the mechanisms of mass transport between the karst surface and the saturated zone in a morphostructural relief of the Mesozoic karst carbonate platform of Murgia (Puglia, Southern Italy). The large dimension of the karst aquifer, the regional scale of the flow system, the boundary condition constituted by the sea, and the lack of freshwater springs constrain to the use of wells as monitoring points and limit the study area to the recharge area comprising 986 endorheic basins. The concentrations of non‐reactive tracers (nitrates) in the waters of autogenic recharge (from endorheic basins) have been modeled through the evaluation of effective infiltration, land use, and nitrogen surplus, with reference to a time window, which includes a low precipitation period followed by significant rainfall events. The comparison between the modeled nitrate concentrations and the nitrate concentrations measured in ground waters, coupled with the analysis of groundwater chemograms and records of hydraulic heads (all referred to the same time window), allows inferring the mechanism of mass transport between the karst surface and the groundwater table. The mass transport conceptual model requires the presence of the epikarst. The infiltration of significant rainfall in the endorheic basins after a low precipitation period displaces waters stored in the epikarst toward the saturated zone. Ground waters in the post‐event period show higher concentrations of nitrates, lower concentrations of total organic carbon, and higher Mg/Ca ratios than both those of the pre‐event period and the autumn‐winter recharge period. The post‐event recharge from epikarst storage determines a transient hazard of groundwater pollution with a time lag from the occurrence of the heavy rainfall.     

Palaeoproterozoic mid‐basin inversion in the northern Mt Isa terrane,Queensland

The Mellish Park Syncline is located in the northern part of the Mt Isa terrane. It has an axial trace that transects the remnants of the unconformity‐bounded Palaeoproterozoic Leichhardt and Isa Superbasins. The syncline is separated into a lower and upper component based upon variation in fold geometry across the basin‐bounding unconformity. The lower syncline, in the Leichhardt Superbasin, is tight and has an inclined west‐dipping axial plane. The upper syncline, in the Isa Superbasin, is open and upright. The geometry of the lower syncline is a consequence of a period of shortening and basin inversion which post‐dated the Leichhardt Rift Event (ca 1780–1740 Ma) and pre‐dated the Mt Isa Rift Event (ca 1710–1655 Ma), forming an open and upright north‐oriented syncline. Subsequent southeast tilting and half‐graben development during the Mt Isa Rift Event resulted in the lower syncline being tilted into its inclined geometry. Sequences of the Isa Superbasin were then deposited onto the eroded syncline. The geometry of the upper syncline reflects regional east‐west shortening during the Isan Orogeny (ca 1590–1500 Ma). The position of the upper syncline was largely controlled by the pre‐existing lower syncline. At this time the lower syncline was reactivated and tightened by flexural slip folding.     

Curve‐Number/Green–Ampt mixed procedure for streamflow predictions in ungauged basins: Parameter sensitivity analysis

A procedure combining the Soil Conservation Service‐Curve Number (SCS‐CN) method and the Green–Ampt (GA) infiltration equation was recently developed to overcome some of the drawbacks of the classic SCS‐CN approach when estimating the volume of surface runoff at a sub‐daily time resolution. The rationale of this mixed procedure, named Curve Number for Green–Ampt (CN4GA), is to use the GA infiltration model to distribute the total volume of the net hyetograph (rainfall excess) provided by the SCS‐CN method over time. The initial abstraction and the total volume of rainfall given by the SCS‐CN method are used to identify the ponding time and to quantify the hydraulic conductivity parameter of the GA equation. In this paper, a sensitivity analysis of the mixed CN4GA parameters is presented with the aim to identify conditions where the mixed procedure can be effectively used within the Prediction in Ungauged Basin perspective. The effects exerted by changes in selected input parameters on the outputs are evaluated using rectangular and triangular synthetic hyetographs as well as 100 maximum annual storms selected from synthetic rainfall time series. When applied to extreme precipitation events, which are characterized by predominant peaks of rainfall, the CN4GA appears to be rather insensitive to the input hydraulic parameters of the soil, which is an interesting feature of the CN4GA approach and makes it an ideal candidate for the rainfall excess estimation at sub‐daily temporal resolution at ungauged sites. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Abrupt behaviours of streamflow and sediment load variations of the Yangtze River basin,China

Monthly sediment load and streamflow series spanning 1963–2004 from four hydrological stations situation in the main stem of the Yangtze River, China, are analysed using scanning t‐test and the simple two‐phase linear regression scheme. Results indicate significant changes in the sediment load and streamflow from the upper reach to the lower reach of the Yangtze River. Relatively consistent positive coherency relations can be detected between streamflow and sediment load in the upper reach and negative coherency in the middle and lower reaches. Interestingly, negative coherency is found mainly for larger time scales. Changes in sediment load are the result mainly of human influence; specifically, the construction of water reservoirs may be the major cause of negative coherency. Accentuating the human influence from the upper to the lower reach results in inconsistent correlations between sediment load and streamflow. Decreasing sediment load being observed in recent years has the potential to alter the topographical properties of the river channel and the consequent development and recession of the Yangtze Delta. Results of this study are of practical significance for river channel management and evaluation of the influence of human activities on the hydrological regimes of large rivers. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Accounting for sparsely observed rainfall space—time variability in a rainfall—runoff model of a semiarid Tunisian basin/Prise en compte d'observations peu denses de la variabilité spatiotemporelle de la pluie dans une modélisation pluie—débit d'un bassin semi-aride Tunisien

Abstract

The management of water excesses and deficits is a major task in semiarid Mediterranean regions, where the variability of rainfall inputs is high at different time and space scales. Thus intense hydrometeorological events, which generate both potential resource and hazards, are of major interest. A simple method is proposed, with the example of the Skhira basin (192 km²) in central Tunisia, to account for the event space–time variability of rainfall in a rainfall–runoff model, in order to check its influence on the shape, magnitude and timing of resulting hydrographs. The transfer function used is a geomorphology-based unit hydrograph with an explicit territorial significance. Simulations made for highly variable events show the relevance of this method, seen as the first step of a downward approach, and its robustness with respect to the quality and the density of rainfall data.     

Improving kriging of groundwater level data using nonlinear normalizing transformations—a field application

Abstract

The present research study investigates the application of nonlinear normalizing data transformations in conjunction with ordinary kriging (OK) for the accurate prediction of groundwater level spatial variability in a sparsely-gauged basin. We investigate three established normalizing methods, Gaussian anamorphosis, trans-Gaussian kriging and the Box-Cox method to improve the estimation accuracy. The first two are applied for the first time to groundwater level data. All three methods improve the mean absolute prediction error compared to the application of OK to the non-transformed data. In addition, a modified Box-Cox transformation is proposed and applied to normalize the hydraulic heads. The modified Box-Cox transformation in conjunction with OK is found to be the optimal spatial model based on leave-one-out cross-validation. The recently established Spartan semivariogram family provides the optimal model fit to the transformed data. Finally, we present maps of the groundwater level and the kriging variance based on the optimal spatial model.

Editor D. Koutsoyiannis; Associate editor A. Montanari

Citation Varouchakis, E.A., Hristopoulos, D.T., and Karatzas, G.P., 2012. Improving kriging of groundwater level data using nonlinear normalizing transformations—a field application. Hydrological Sciences Journal, 57 (7), 1404–1419.     

Impact of an inter‐basin water transfer and reservoir operation on a karst open streamflow hydrological regime: an example from the Dinaric karst (Croatia)

This paper describes the hydrological changes caused by inter‐basin water transfer and the reservoir development on the hydrological regimes of two rivers. The Sabljaki Reservoir in the Zagorska Mre?nica River and the Bukovik Reservoir in the upper Dobra River began operation in 1959. Both are part of the hydroelectric power plant (HEPP) Gojak, whose installed capacity is 50 m³/s. Their water volumes at the spillway altitudes of 320·10 and 320·15 m a. s. l. are 3·3 × 10⁶ and 0·24 × 10⁶ m³ respectively. Both the Dobra and Mre?nica Rivers are losing, sinking and underground karst rivers. A 9376‐m‐long tunnel provides water from the Sabljaki Reservoir to the HEPP Gojak, which was constructed in the Lower Dobra River. The Sabljaki Reservoir is located in the Pla?ki karst polje, while the Bukovik Reservoir is located in the neighbouring Ogulin karst polje. The consequences of the inter‐basin water transfer are strong and have caused abrupt changes in the hydrological regimes of the downstream sections of both rivers. At the same time, the construction and development of both the reservoirs have also caused hydrological changes to the upstream section of the Upper Dobra River. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

The influence of dam and lakes on the Yangtze River streamflow: long‐range correlation and complexity analyses

Employing long‐range correlation, complexity features and clustering, this study investigated the influence of dam and lake‐river systems on the Yangtze River flow. The impact of the Gezhouba Dam and the lake systems on streamflow was evaluated by analysing daily streamflow records at the Cuntan, the Yichang and the Datong station. Results indicated no evident influence of the Gezhouba Dam on streamflow changes. Distinct differences in scaling behaviour, long‐range correlation and clustering of streamflow at the Datong station when compared with those at the Cuntan and Yichang stations undoubtedly showed the influence of water storage and the buffering effect of the lake systems between the Datong station and other two hydrological stations on streamflow in the lower Yangtze River basin. Decreased regularity, enhanced long‐range correlation and increased clustering of streamflow in the lower Yangtze River basin due to the effect of water storage of the lake systems were corroborated. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.