Laboratory Study for Influence of Clay Content (CC) on Wave-Induced Liquefaction in Marine Sediments

In this artice, the influence of clay content on the wave-induced liquefaction in marine sediments was reported. The one-dimensional (1-D) equipment was setup with a vertical cylinder and 1.8–m–thick clayey sandy deposit and 0.2–m–thick water above the deposit. Unlike the previous experimental study for a single soil layer, this study used sand-kaolin mixtures, sand-illite mixtures, and sand-bentonite mixtures as the experimental samples. A series of experiments with 3,000 wave cycles in each test were conducted under numerous wave and soil conditions, which allowed us to examine the influence of clay content (CC) on wave-induced liquefaction in marine sediments. The experimental results showed that the clayey sandy deposit will become prone to liquefaction with the increase of CC when CC is less than a critical value, which depends on the type of clay. However, when CC is greater than the critical value, liquefaction depth will decrease as CC increases. Furthermore, when the CC value reaches a certain level, liquefaction will not occur. For example, no liquefaction occurs when CC ≥ 33% for both kaolin-sand and illite-sand mixtures and CC ≥ 16.36% for bentonite-sand mixtures.     

Unconsolidated sediment distribution patterns in the KwaZulu-Natal Bight,South Africa: the role of wave ravinement in separating relict versus active sediment populations

This paper examines the distribution of unconsolidated sediment in the KwaZulu-Natal Bight located along the east coast of South Africa. Results show that there is a general shelf-wide sediment distribution of coarser grain sizes between depths of 60 and 100?m, punctuated by a broad swathe of mud offshore of the Thukela River. Seasonal changes in sediment distribution patterns are small, being restricted to seaward fining on the inner shelf off the fluvial sources. Sediment distribution reflects a partitioning between sediment populations that are current- influenced and relict (palimpsest) populations associated with submerged shorelines. Wave ravinement during the deglacial transgression, the reworking of submerged shorelines during sea-level stillstands and, to a lesser extent, the Agulhas Current system, are the dominant controls on sediment distribution.     

What is preserved in the aeolian rock record? A Jurassic Entrada Sandstone case study at the Utah–Arizona border

Aeolian dune fields evolve from protodunes and small dunes into a pattern of progressively fewer, larger and more widely spaced dunes within limits defined by boundary conditions. However, the allogenic boundary conditions that promote aeolian dune‐field development, accumulation of strata and preservation of accumulated strata are not the same. Autogenic processes, such as dune interactions, scour‐depth variation along migrating dunes and substrate cannibalization by growing dunes, result in removal of the stratigraphic record. Moreover, dune‐field events may be collapsed into major erosional bounding surfaces. The question is what stages of evolving dune fields are represented in the rock record? This case study of ca 60 m of Jurassic Entrada Sandstone on the Utah/Arizona border (USA) defines stratigraphic intervals by gross architecture of bounding surfaces and sets of cross‐strata. The interpreted intervals in stratigraphic order consist of: (i) a lower sabkha bed that transitions upward into erosional remnants of small sets representing an initial wet aeolian system; (ii) large, compound cross‐strata representing a mature dune field; (iii) isolated scour‐fill representing negatively climbing dunes that produced ca 25 m of palaeo‐topographic relief; (iv) downlapping sets that fill the landscape‐scale relief; (v) four intervals of stacked climbing sets that each represent short periods of time; and (vi) an upper sabkha bed that again transitions into small sets representing a wet system. Accumulations appear to be associated with sediment pulses, a rising water table, and filling of scoured troughs and landscape‐scale depressions. Preservation of the accumulations is selective and associated with a rising water table, burial and subsidence. The preserved record appears remarkably incomplete. Speculation about missing strata gravitates towards cannibalization of the record of early dune‐field construction, and strata removed during the formation of bounding surfaces. This local Entrada record is thought to represent a point in the spectrum of preservation styles in the rock record.     

丹霞山世界地质公园蜂窝状洞穴特征及成因分析

蜂窝状洞穴以其精致的形貌和众说纷纭的成因吸引着科研人员和普通大众的兴趣。丹霞山世界地质公园蜂窝状洞穴主要产于晚白垩世丹霞组二段(锦石岩段)风成砂岩的崖壁上。本文以园区长老峰锦石岩寺和睡美人禄意堂两处蜂窝状洞穴为研究对象,通过野外实地调查,了解洞穴生长环境,定量统计分析其形态特征,并采集砂岩样品进行显微镜下观察,探讨洞穴形成与盐风化作用的关系。研究表明:蜂窝状洞穴所在的岩性主要为中—细粒长石岩屑砂岩,发育大型高角度交错层理,渗透性较好;洞穴开口均向下朝向锦江,有利于来自锦江河流的湿润水汽较长时间地保持在小洞内部;洞穴开口基本服从泰森多边形分布。因此,碎屑颗粒相对比较均匀的风成砂岩为丹霞山蜂窝状洞穴的发育提供了重要的岩石基础,锦江河流为盐风化提供了必要的湿润水汽和盐分。在初始发育阶段,从岩壁上最适合盐风化作用的若干个点开始形成细小的坑洼,逐步向同层位扩张。单个小洞穴由于盐风化作用,洞穴内部风化速率大于洞穴开口边缘,导致蜂窝状洞穴内部空间扩大较快。然后,蜂窝状洞穴的发育突破纹层的限制,逐步加大、变深而呈泰森多边形规则分布。最终,随着洞穴加深,在重力、风力的影响下,蜂窝状洞穴隔壁减薄失稳,洞穴消亡。     

风积沙环境下高等级公路冻土块石路基降温性能分析

青藏高原脆弱的生态系统以及人类工程活动,加剧了青藏工程走廊线性工程两侧沙漠化、荒漠化发展趋势,尤其冻土块石路基面临日益严重的风积沙灾害问题。以多年冻土区高等级公路块石路基为研究对象,采用数值模拟分析风积沙环境下封闭块石路基的降温性能和长期热稳定性。结果表明：风积沙堆积对封闭块石路基下部土层冻土温度的影响程度高于冻土上限,1.0 m湿沙工况降低冻土温度,0.2 m干沙则增大冻土温度。升温背景下,随年平均气温增加风沙堆积对路基冻土上限影响程度增强,干沙增大冻土融化深度,湿沙抬升冻土上限。随冻土含冰量减小,路基中心冻土上限对气候升温敏感性增加,风沙堆积影响减弱。气候升温和风沙堆积条件下,在年平均气温低于-5.5℃时,宽幅沥青路面封闭块石路基能够满足降温要求,使人为冻土上限保持在块石层内。研究成果可为风沙危害区多年冻土块石路基的病害治理和拟建青藏高速公路块石路基设计提供科学依据。     

Characterization of hard‐to‐differentiate dune stratification types in the Permian Coconino Sandstone (Arizona,USA)

Dune stratification types, which include grainfall, grainflow and ripple lamination, provide a record of the fine‐scale processes that deposited sediment on palaeo‐dune foresets. While these facies are relatively easy to distinguish in some cross‐bedded sandstones, for others – like the Permian Coconino Sandstone of northern and central Arizona – discrete stratification styles are hard to recognize at the bedding scale. Furthermore, few attempts have been made to classify fine‐scale processes in this sandstone, despite its renown as a classic aeolian dune deposit and Grand Canyon formation. To interpret depositional processes in the Coconino Sandstone, cross‐bed facies were characterized using a suite of sedimentary textures and structures. Bedding parameters were described at multiple scales via a combination of field and laboratory methods, including annotated outcrop photomosaics, strike and dip measurements, sandstone disaggregation and laser‐diffraction particle analysis, high‐resolution scans of thin sections, and scanning electron microscopy. Cross‐beds were observed to be laterally extensive along‐strike, with most dip angles ranging from the mid‐teens to mid‐twenties. While some cross‐bed sets are statistically coarser near their bases, others exhibit no significant vertical sorting trends. Both massive and laminated textures are visible in high‐resolution scans of thin sections, but laminae contacts are commonly indistinct, making normal and reverse grading difficult to define. Diagenetic features, such as stylolite seams and large pores, are also present in some samples and might indicate alteration of original textures like detrital clay laminae and carbonate minerals. Observed textures and sedimentary structures suggest that the cross‐beds may consist of grainflow and grainfall deposits, but these remain difficult to differentiate at outcrop and thin‐section scales. This characterization of fine‐scale processes will play a critical part in the development of depositional models for the Coconino Sandstone and elucidate interpretations for similar cross‐bedded formations.     

六种成膜封堵剂的室内实验优选与评价

为更好地服务深部钻探工程,准确了解冲洗液封堵性能,对6种成膜封堵剂开展了砂床实验、API静失水量实验、流变性能实验及抗温实验等室内实验进行优选与评价。实验结果表明,2号和4号成膜封堵剂在6种成膜封堵剂中封堵性能最好,它们在基浆中的最优加量均为2%,100 ℃温度条件下加入这2种封堵剂的冲洗液具有较好的抗温性能;冲洗液中膨润土含量和处理剂是影响冲洗液封堵性能的2个重要因素：膨润土含量越高,冲洗液封堵性能越好,加入聚合物、降滤失剂等处理剂可以提高冲洗液的封堵性能。砂床实验是评价冲洗液封堵性能好坏的重要依据。     

粗砂砾石地层中高压旋喷桩隔水帷幕施工技术

太原万达广场A2区商住楼基坑工程部分区域为粗砂砾石地层,基坑隔水帷幕中深层搅拌桩无法有效使用。提出了在粗砂砾石地层采用高压旋喷桩隔水帷幕的施工技术方案,采用双套管锚杆钻机引孔、单管高压喷射工艺进行施工,成功实施了这一工程。经检查,喷射注浆体相互咬合良好,有效桩径内水泥含量均匀无夹块现象,隔水帷幕止水效果良好。     

确定砂土动剪切模量和阻尼比的方法对比

确定土体动剪切模量的常用方法有规范法、Kumar法和自相关函数法,确定相应阻尼比的方法有规范法、Das and Luo法、Kokusho法、Kumar法和互相关函数法,为了分析不同方法所产生差异,实现定量化对比分析,笔者以福建标准砂（粒径为0.5~1.0 mm）为研究对象,采用不排水的应力控制动三轴试验,探讨不同的确定土体动剪切模量和阻尼比方法的差异性,并给出了不同土体条件建议选用的方法。结果表明：1）3种方法确定动剪切模量的结果有一定的差异,随剪应变的增大结果的差异逐渐增大,有效围压对结果的差异性有所影响,当剪应变为4×10^-3,有效围压为100 kPa时,3种方法差异显著,相对误差最大接近20%;2）而5种方法确定阻尼比的结果差异显著,随着剪应变的增大,5种方法确定的阻尼比相对误差大体上均在迅速减小,只有规范法在有效围压为100 kPa时,其相对误差有较小的增大趋势;5种方法中,Kumar法确定的阻尼比最接近平均阻尼比,互相关函数法远高于平均阻尼比,Das and Luo法和Kokusho法确定的阻尼比基本一致但低于平均阻尼比。建议以后的工程应用中,加载方式为应力控制时,可采用自相关函数法确定动剪切模量,采用Kumar法确定阻尼比,二者确定的动剪切模量和阻尼比均最接近平均值。