Biomonitoring of Atmospheric Heavy Metal Deposition by Mosses in the Vicinity of Industrial Sites

At four industrial regions, heavy metal concentrations and calculated depositions were investigated by sampling and analysing mosses. In each region, a special spatial pattern of heavy metal concentrations was detected, reflecting the industrial processes. Metals most likely originating from the industrial sites showed an exponential decrease of concentrations and depositions with increasing distance from the pollution source. The exponential deposition pattern was in some cases modified by a series of natural factors, like the main direction of winds or orographic conditions. The distance at which deposition dropped to background values was up to 20 km. Beside the fact that the moss-metho is a useful tool for deposition measurement in the vicinity of stationary sources, some improvements for using this method are discussed, highlighting factors such as a proper calculation of deposition from concentrations, or the better knowledge of correlations between heavy metal concentrations in mosses and effects on human health.     

Salinisation de l’aquifère libre de la Chaouia côtière (Azemmour-Tnine Chtouka), Maroc

L’aquifère libre de la Chaouia côtière constitue un exemple des aquifères les plus exploités au Maroc. Ce travail est consacré à l’étude des processus de la salinisation des eaux souterraines par l’analyse physico-chimique de 39 puits répartis dans la zone. Deux types de faciès ont été révélés, l’un est chloruré-sodique dans la frange côtière ; l’autre faciès est de type chloruré bicarbonaté-calcique caractérisant les eaux exploitées dans les calcaires marneux du Crétacé. L’influence marine (aérosols et intrusion marine), la dissolution/précipitation de la roche aquifère et l’infiltration des eaux d’irrigation, sont parmi les causes de l’augmentation de la salinité des eaux souterraines, en plus de l’exploitation excessive de l’eau souterraine.     

Uncertainty analysis and probabilistic segmentation of electrical resistivity images: the 2D inverse problem

In this paper, we present the uncertainty analysis of the 2D electrical tomography inverse problem using model reduction and performing the sampling via an explorative member of the Particle Swarm Optimization family, called the Regressive‐Regressive Particle Swarm Optimization. The procedure begins with a local inversion to find a good resistivity model located in the nonlinear equivalence region of the set of plausible solutions. The dimension of this geophysical model is then reduced using spectral decomposition, and the uncertainty space is explored via Particle Swarm Optimization. Using this approach, we show that it is possible to sample the uncertainty space of the electrical tomography inverse problem. We illustrate this methodology with the application to a synthetic and a real dataset coming from a karstic geological set‐up. By computing the uncertainty of the inverse solution, it is possible to perform the segmentation of the resistivity images issued from inversion. This segmentation is based on the set of equivalent models that have been sampled, and makes it possible to answer geophysical questions in a probabilistic way, performing risk analysis.     

Characterization and reconstruction of a rock fracture surface by geostatistics

It is well understood that, in studying the mechanical and hydromechanical behaviour of rock joints, their morphology must be taken into account. A geostatistical approach has been developed for characterizing the morphology of fracture surfaces at a decimetre scale. This allows the analysis of the spatial variability of elevations, and their first and second derivatives, with the intention of producing a model that gives a numerical three‐dimensional (3D) representation of the lower and upper surfaces of the fracture. Two samples (I and II) located close together were cored across a natural fracture. The experimental data are the elevations recorded along profiles (using recording steps of 0.5 and 0.02 mm, respectively, for the samples I and II). The goal of this study is to model the surface topography of sample I, so getting estimates for elevations at each node of a square grid whose mesh size will be, for mechanical purposes, no larger than the recording step. Since the fracture surface within the sample core is not strictly horizontal, geostatistical methods are applied to residuals of elevations of sample I. Further, since structural information is necessary at very low scale, theoretical models of variograms of elevations, first and second derivatives are fitted using data of both that sample I and sample II. The geostatistical reconstructions are computed using kriging and conditional simulation methods. In order to validate these reconstructions, variograms and distributions of experimental data are compared with variograms and distributions of the fitted data. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Experimental and modelled mechanical behaviour of a rock fracture under normal stress

Summary  The mechanical and hydromechanical behaviour of isolated rock joints is of prime importance for a correct understanding of the behaviour of jointed rock masses. This paper focuses on the mechanical behaviour of a fracture under normal stress (fracture closure), using approaches based on both experimentation and modelled analysis. Experimental closure tests were carried out by positioning four displacement transducers around a fracture, leading to results which tended to vary as a function of transducer location. Such variations can be explained by the non-constant void space distribution between both walls of the fracture. The present study focuses on the importance of transducer location in such a test, and on the significant role played, in terms of mechanical response, by the morphology of the fracture surfaces. An analytical mechanical model is then developed, which takes into account the deformation of surface asperities and of the bulk material surrounding the fracture; it also includes the effects of mechanical interaction between contact points. The model is validated by simulating the behaviour which is very similar to experimental observations. Various parametric studies (scale effect, spatial distribution of contact points) are then carried out. The study of scale effects reveals a decrease in the normal stiffness with increasing fracture size. Finally, analysis of the role of various mechanical parameters has shown that the most influential of these is Young’s modulus corresponding to the bulk material surrounding the joint. Many applications, such as geothermal fluid recovery from fractures, could benefit from these results. Correspondence: Antoine Marache, Université Bordeaux 1, GHYMAC, Av. des Facultés, 33405 Talence Cedex, France     

Morphological Characteristics of Till Formations in Relation with Mechanical Parameters

The study of landslides stability on mountain slopes can become very difficult when materials in movement are heterogeneous: it is a current problem with the old glacial till formations presently under study (Aspe Valley, Pyrénées, France). Analysis of slope stability using numerical models necessitates accurate data about mechanical and physical properties. Because tills are very heterogeneous, a large sample is necessary but, unfortunately, data acquisition costs a lot of time and money. Therefore, we would like to estimate mechanical data from correlated parameters that are easier to acquire (morphological parameters using image analysis). Observations in the field and previous mechanical results in the laboratory have shown that differences between the behavior of tills seem to be related not only to their 3D structure but also to the morphological and petrographical characteristics of their components. The aim of this paper is first to illustrate how to classify the till formations textural and petrographical characteristics at the sample scales; these classifications are based on the distributions of size, shape of their constitutive elements (blocks, matrix, etc.). Significant statistical results are available by applying image analysis methods based on mathematical morphology. Next we show how these characteristics are related to the mechanical characteristics (friction angle, cohesion). Six specific till formations were collected, and we establish the relation between the effective internal angle of friction and the elongation factor.     

Electrical resistivity tomography to characterize a karstic Vauclusian spring: Fontaine d’Orbe (Pyrénées,France)

The study site lies on a karst system in the Pyrénées (France) that crosses the Urgonian limestones. Organic matter was dumped on the west bank of the River Vert d’Arette, which polluted a spring (the Fontaine d’Orbe) situated on the east bank. Electrical resistivity tomography was utilised in order to understand the geometry of this karst outlet. After tests with the pole-pole array, the ideal electrode spacing was found to be less than 3 m. A conduit, a little less than 10 m wide, was discovered, which proved to be the terminal conduit of the karst system. It was established that the conduit traverses both banks of the River Vert d’Arette, thus presenting a hydraulic link between the two sides. Moreover, this conduit, which is totally submerged, passes under the riverbed and goes upwards to the spring. In addition to the geophysical measurements, hydrogeological measurements and observations were made. Based on the characterisation of the geometry of the karst network’s terminal conduit, and the fact that is completely full of water and inclined, it is concluded that the Fontaine d’Orbe spring is of the Vauclusian variety.