The role of sedimentation rate and permeability in the slope stability of the formerly glaciated Norwegian continental margin: the Storegga slide model

Despite the gently dipping slopes (ca 1°), large-scale submarine slope failures have occurred on the mid-Norwegian continental margin (Storegga, Sklinnadjupet, Traenadjupet), suggesting the presence of special conditions predisposing to failure in this formerly glaciated margin. With a volume estimated between 2,400 and 3,200 km³ and an affected area of approximately 95,000 km², the Storegga slide represents one of the largest and best-studied submarine slides of Holocene age known worldwide. Finite element modeling of slope failure indicates that a large (6.5 < Ms < 7.0) seismic triggering mechanism would not be sufficient to cause failure at more than 110 m below the seabed as observed for the slip planes at Storegga (northern sidewall). This implies that other factors (e.g., liquefaction, strain softening, gas charging, rapid burial) are needed to explain the occurrence of the Storegga slide with a deep surface of failure. In this paper, we discuss the importance of the compaction effect of rapidly accumulated sediments in the slide area. During compaction, sediment grains reorganize themselves, thereby, expelling pore water. Consequently, depending on sedimentation rate and permeability, excess pore pressures might result beneath less permeable sediments. Our modeling and cross-checking illustrate how excess pore pressure generation due to high sedimentation rate could explain the development of layers of weakness, and thus, how such a large slide might have been initiated in deep sediments. Using the highest sedimentation rate estimated in the area (36 and 27 m/kyr between 16.2 and 15 kyr BP), 1D modeling shows excess pore pressure values of around 200 kPa at a depth of 100 m below the seafloor 15 kyr BP and 60 kPa at a depth of 100 m at the time of the slide (8 kyr BP). Excess pore pressure apparently drastically reduced the resistance of the sediment (incomplete consolidation). In addition, 2D modeling shows that permeability anisotropies can significantly affect the lateral extent of excess pore pressure dissipation, affecting, that way, normally consolidated sediments far from the excess pore pressure initiation area.     

Simulation-optimization approach to assess groundwater availability in Refugio County, TX

Sustainable management of groundwater resources is critical for viable development of semi-arid regions. Refugio County, TX, is predominantly a rural community that is in close proximity to two large urban areas of Corpus Christi and San Antonio. Large-scale water supply projects are being planned to export surplus water available in Refugio County to nearby growing cities. Being a coastal county with several sensitive bays and estuaries, these projects have caused concerns with regard to decreases in freshwater inflows to coastal bodies and raised the possibility of saltwater intrusion. A simulation model characterizing groundwater flow in the shallower unconfined and the deeper semi-confined formations of the Gulf coast aquifer was calibrated and evaluated. The model results were used in conjunction with a mathematical programming scheme to estimate maximum available groundwater in the county. Stakeholder concerns were incorporated as constraints, which included prevention of saltwater intrusion in the aquifer, limiting the amount of allowable drawdown in shallow aquifers, as well as maintaining current flow gradients especially near baseflow-dependent streams and rivers. For the conditions assumed in this study, the model results indicate that roughly 4.93 × 10⁷ m³ of water can be extracted in a typical year. The management model was noted to be very sensitive to the imposed saltwater intrusion constraint.     

Simulated effect of a forest road on near‐surface hydrologic response: redux

In the work reported here the comprehensive physics‐based Integrated Hydrology Model (InHM) was employed to conduct both three‐ and two‐dimensional (3D and 2D) hydrologic‐response simulations for the small upland catchment known as C3 (located within the H. J. Andrews Experimental Forest in Oregon). Results from the 3D simulations for the steep unchannelled C3 (i) identify subsurface stormflow as the dominant hydrologic‐response mechanism and (ii) show the effect of the down‐gradient forest road on both the surface and subsurface flow systems. Comparison of the 3D results with the 2D results clearly illustrates the importance of convergent subsurface flow (e.g. greater pore‐water pressures in the hollow of the catchment for the 3D scenario). A simple infinite‐slope model, driven by subsurface pore‐water pressures generated from the 3D and 2D hydrologic‐response simulations, was employed to estimate slope stability along the long‐profile of the C3 hollow axis. As expected, the likelihood of slope failure is underestimated for the lower pore pressures from the 2D hydrologic‐response simulation compared, in a relative sense, to the higher pore pressures from the 3D hydrologic response simulation. The effort reported herein provides a firm quantitative foundation for generalizing the effects that forest roads can have on near‐surface hydrologic response and slope stability at the catchment scale. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Calibration of the high-pressure cohesive strength meter (CSM)

Coastal erosion is an immense economic and social problem that has been receiving increased attention in recent years. A number of devices have been developed to determine the sediment stability in coastal areas: laboratory and field flumes; a range of different erosion devices; shear vanes and fall cone penetrometers. The cohesive strength meter (CSM) erosion device was developed to determine in situ the temporal and spatial variations in the erosion threshold of muddy intertidal sediments. Technological developments have enabled considerable improvements to be made to the original design over the last 15 years.     

利用滚动式相关分析方法普查历史资料初探

介绍了一种新的普查历史资料的方法－滚动式相关分析方法，并将滚动相关分析法与一般相关分析法的相关分析结果进行了对比分析。结果表明，滚动式相关分析方法提高了相关稳定性，预报效果优于一般相关分析法。     

遗传算法在边坡抗震稳定性分析中的应用

根据遗传算法的思想和拟静力瑞典法基于圆弧滑动面的假定，提出一种用遗传算法搜索最危险滑动面及其对应的最小安全系数的方法。该方法模拟了生物遗传进化过程，克服了传统方法容易陷和局部极小值的缺点，是一种全局优化算法。并通过一个工程实例对其进行了验证。     

监测网的稳定性分析

讨论了变形监测网的参考系问题，举例说明了不同的参考基准对应着完全不同的位移场。对监测网点位稳定性进行了分析，重点介绍了平均间隙法，稳健迭代权法和单点位移分量法。     

浅析山区高等级公路中的边坡工程岩体

随着山区高等级公路建设的飞速发展，各类边坡工程岩体问题也日益增多。从卸荷岩体力学的基本观点入手，探讨了边坡工程岩体的变形破坏特性、稳定性评价方法以及开挖设计理论。研究表明，边坡工程岩体的变形破坏特性完全符合卸荷岩体力学行为，不同于常规的加载岩体行为；边坡工程岩体的稳定性分析计算中必须重视水力学因素和卸荷作用的影响，并得到了有意义的表达式；边坡工程岩体的开挖设计应在充分认识其工程力学性状的基础上，针对边坡岩体地质特性，结合已有各类稳定边坡的资料，进行既经济又可靠的优化设计。     

滑坡稳定性判别的非计算方法

用计算来确定滑坡的稳定性，由于参数选取存不确定因素，就必然导致了其计算结果的不确定性。而滑坡稳定性判别的非计算方法，是通过对滑坡发育程度、形成条件的综合分析来确定滑坡的稳定程度的方法。文中通过归纳分析波坡的形成条件，然后从滑坡地貌条件、动力作用、堆积物特征、诱发因素等方面详细阐述了滑坡稳定性判别的方法，最后，例举了川藏公路102滑坡实例对该方法进行了验证。实践证明该方法是滑坡稳定性中非常实用和有效的方法。     

Arnol'd Nonlinear Stability Theorems and their Application to the Atmosphere and Oceans

Within the context of atmospheric and oceanic fluid dynamicsthe problems of nonlinear stability and instability, particularlythe Arnol'd second type nonlinear stability, are surveyed.The stability criteria obtained by means of the energy-Casimirand energy-Lagrange methods are presented for a varietyof models, the estimates for various generalized perturbationenergy and enstrophy are given. Potential applications of thesecriteria are shown in the estimation of bounds on the perturbationenergy and enstrophy, in the diagnostic study of the persistence orbreakdown of jet flows in the middle and high latitudes, and in theverification of the validity of the tangent linear model in bothatmospheric dynamics and oceanography.Some further research results are also highlighted.