TECHNICAL NOTE: Stabilization of embankment foundations by using stone columns

Summary In this Technical Note a parametric study, based on Dimaggio's (1978) approach, of the reinforcing effect of stone columns on the stability of road embankments is examined. For a certain embankment geometry, stability analyses of discrete soil and stone column elements were also carried out. The results of the above analyses are compared to the results of the analyses based on Dimaggio's approach.     

Seasonal deuterium excess in Nagqu precipitation: influence of moisture transport and recycling in the middle of Tibetan Plateau

The Cathedral of St. Giorgio in Ragusa Ibla like the majority of historic buildings in the Ragusa area is constructed mainly from locally outcropping calcarenite belonging to the Ragusa Formation. Through the years, the cathedral has undergone diverse restoration procedures using different protective products, the nature of which was determined by means of Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) and gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry (GC–MS). Regardless of these interventions, the materials used today are still subject to diverse forms of alterations and degradation (alveolitation, differential degradation, decohesions, chromatic alterations and the formation of biological patinas correlated to lichen activity), which cause considerable damage to the façade. In this paper, three protective products were tested on the calcarenite of the Ragusa Formation taken from a quarry: a fluorurated elastomer, a fluorurated anionic polyurethane and linseed oil. The protective efficiency was determined, after undergoing UV radiation aging by means of capillary water absorption, porosimetric and colorimetric procedures. The results highlighted a good and persistent protective capability of both the elastomer and the fluorurated polyurethane, whereas, the linseed oil not only provoked strong chromatic variations but also quickly lost its hydro-repellant capacity with aging.     

Reliability of Conventional Settlement Evaluation for Circular Foundations on Stone Columns

The unit cell idealization has been long adopted in the settlement prediction of stone column-reinforced soils. This paper tests the accuracy of this modeling concept against trusted settlement values of engineering foundations. It is believed that in order to bestow the outcome of this study adequate generality different soil properties and foundation geometries need to be considered. It was, nevertheless, found impracticable to collect field settlement records for all the analyzed cases. The authors, therefore, appealed to the back analysis concept to construct a reliable mathematical model, calibrated against settlement records of full-scale field load test. This model, which is capable of reproducing the real field settlements, is then employed as a generic tool to obtain trusted settlement values for a variety of cases with essential geometrical similarity. The investigation revealed that the unit cell analysis may, in some cases, lead to erroneous estimation for the settlements of foundations with limited extents. Correction factors, dependent on the treated soil properties as well as the foundation size, are introduced.     

Quaternary fossil fauna from the Luangwa Valley,Zambia

This paper describes a large collection of Quaternary fossil fauna from the Luangwa Rift Valley, Zambia. Stone Age artefacts have been recovered from stratified fluvial contexts, but no in situ fossil faunas have yet been recovered. We report on 500 fossil specimens collected from the surface of point bars exposed seasonally along the banks of the main Luangwa River channel. We used non‐destructive X‐ray fluorescence analysis of the fossils' chemical signatures to determine whether they derive from one or many primary contexts, and the relationship between chemical signature and state of preservation. Specimens are identified to taxon (genus) to reconstruct palaeoenvironments and biochronology. A relatively wide range of taxa is identified, including a fossil hominin talus, described here. None of the fossils is positively attributable to extinct species, except a femur of an extinct Theropithecus reported in 2003. Although no additional extinct taxa were identified, some of the remains were attributable to genera that are not currently found in this region. The results suggest that most of the assemblage derives from sediments which are Middle Pleistocene or later, and that past environments in the Luangwa Valley may have differed from the habitat availability found today.     

西藏冈底斯山脉北坡中更新统拉弄组的发现及其特征

拉弄组剖面位于冈底斯山脉北坡布多藏布拉弄沟 (E84°2 3.5′、N30°37.5′) ,各项条件符合《中国地层指南》关于建组 (层型 )剖面的基本要求。拉弄组为一套弱固结滨湖相碎屑岩 ,顶、底均为 型不整合面 ,厚 85 m左右 ;年代地层单位属中更新统。拉弄组常形成大型峭壁浮雕地貌景观 ,新、奇、特显著 ,因此 ,对拉弄组的研究意义不只限于完善该区第四系地层系统 ,充实高原第四纪古地理格局及环境变迁的分析、研究证据 ,还可为西部旅游业的进一步发展起到有力的推动作用。     

福建加良山寿山石的矿物学特征及成因

应用电子探针、化学分析、X射线衍射、红外光谱、拉曼光谱等分析手段对加良山寿山石进行了研究，结果表明其主要组成矿物是叶蜡石，并含有硬水铝石和石英，大部分叶蜡石以2M型为主。该矿区为火山热液矿床，成矿明显分为早、中、晚3个阶段，成矿温度285～405℃，压力小于0．26GPa。     

寿山水坑石的矿物成分、内含物及微量元素特征

为研究寿山水坑石的矿物成分、内含物、微量元素及产地特征,采用了红外光谱、X射线粉晶衍射、扫描电子显微镜、激光拉曼光谱、LA-CP-MS等测试方法。红外光谱和XRD测试结果显示水坑石的矿物组成以地开石为主,珍珠陶石、叶腊石、伊利石在部分样品中作为次要矿物存在;XRD图谱显示地开石有序度较低。扫描电镜测试结果显示萝卜纹的矿物颗粒比基质部分细小,呈不定向排列;暗色颗粒状内含物以自形与它形两种形态镶嵌于地开石基质中。拉曼光谱测试结果表明萝卜纹的主要矿物成分为硫磷铝锶石,暗色颗粒状内含物为黄铁矿。LA-CP-MS测试结果显示高山石、水坑石、田黄的微量元素含量有区别,使用判别分析建立三者的判别函数,对未知样品的判别正确率估计值为90.8%。水坑石中轻、重稀土元素分馏不明显,轻稀土元素富集程度较低。水坑石的原生成矿环境为还原环境,萝卜纹和黄铁矿均为原生包裹体。后期环境的差异造成了高山石、水坑石、田黄在微量元素含量上的差别,地下水环境造成了水坑石中轻稀土元素的迁移;这些差异可作为鉴别三者的依据。     

石材与人类

随着人类文明的进步与发展,石材的应用在不同的国家和民族形成了各自的地域文化和民族文化,中国是世界上应用石材最早的国家之一,有着悠久的历史,是中国民族文化不可分割的一部分,近年来,随着对石材深加工的深入研究,使天然石材越来越显露出它的艺术魅力。     

文化遗址的景观敏感度评价及可持续利用--以新疆塔什库尔干石头城为例

文化遗址景观是人类社会所共同拥有的文化和文明延续的载体,是我国重要的文化景观类型,也是重要的景观资源。文化遗址景观的脆弱性一直是关系到遗址景观保护与持续利用方式的关键因素。本文以石头城为案例,以文化遗址景观敏感度研究为出发点,在对景观生态敏感度、景观视觉敏感度和景观建筑及其环境敏感度评价的基础上,对遗址景观敏感度进行综合评价。以敏感度评价为基础,探讨基于敏感度的遗址可持续利用对策。     

云南地区地震的桥梁震害

收集了云南地区从１６２４～１９８８年遭受地震破坏的各类桥梁６７座的震害资料,并给出了桥梁的震害、建造年代、场地等情况及破坏程度的划分,根据云南地区地震对桥梁的破坏,石拱桥占的数量较多,钢筋混凝土桥较少。章主要对石拱桥及钢筋混凝土桥的构件震害表现进行分析探讨,认为在一般场地地质条件下,当受到不大于Ⅷ度地震的作用,桥梁受力构件基本不会产生明显破坏;而在场地不利情况下,Ⅵ、Ⅶ度地震都可能会遭受破坏。