Logistic regression model for sinkhole susceptibility due to damaged sewer pipes

The occurrence of anthropogenic sinkholes in urban areas can lead to severe socioeconomic losses. A damaged underground sewer pipe is regarded as one of the primary causes of such a phenomenon. This study adopted the best subsets regression method to produce a logistic regression model that evaluates the susceptibility for sinkholes induced by damaged sewer pipes. The model was developed by analyzing the sewer pipe network as well as cases of sinkholes in Seoul, South Korea. Among numerous sewer pipe characteristics tested as explanatory variables, the length, age, elevation, burial depth, size, slope, and materials of the sewer pipe were found to influence the occurrence of sinkhole. The proposed model reasonably estimated the sinkhole susceptibility in the area studied, with an area value under the receiver-operating characteristics curve of 0.753. The proposed methodology will serve as a useful tool that can help local governments to choose a cavity inspection regime, and to prevent sinkholes induced by damaged sewer pipes.     

An attempt to correlate non-predicted variations of distribution coefficients with mineral grain internal inhomogeneity using a field example studied near Sudbury,Ontario

This study is an attempt to understand anomalous distribution coefficient values in the light of the fact that many metamorphic minerals are internally inhomogeneous. A number of models are proposed to show how the non-sytematic variation of distribution coefficient values may be produced by partial re-equilibration (and/or reaction) of ions between minerals and which samples would give the values most closely corresponding to those expected from the index minerals. It is suggested that the irregularity of the distribution coefficients is due to chemical variations of the bulk chemistry, both from handspecimen to handspecimen and in different parts of a single handspecimen. Samples from a field area containing the Staurolite-Quartz, Kyanite-Muscovite and Sillimanite-K feldspar subfacies of the Almandine Amphibolite facies, located near Sudbury, Canada, were submitted to mineral separation and analysis as well as electronmicroprobe analysis. Despite the fact that much scatter occurs between distribution coefficients due to partial re-equilibration, the values of Mg and Fe⁺² of D _{biotite/Garnet} decrease and Mn and Ca increase recognizably across the area. Generally, the model(s) proposed seem applicable to the field data presented.     

Three-dimensional visualization of mission planning and control forthe NPS autonomous underwater vehicle

The Naval Postgraduate School (NPS) is constructing a small autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) with an onboard mission control computer. The mission controller software for this vehicle is a knowledge-based artificial intelligence (AI) system requiring thorough analysis and testing before the AUV is operational. The manner in which rapid prototyping of this software has been demonstrated by developing a controller code on a LISP machine and using an Ethernet link with a graphics workstation to simulate the controller's environment is discussed. The development of a testing simulator using a knowledge engineering environment (KEE) expert system shell that examines AUV controller subsystems and vehicle models before integrating them with the full AUV for its test environment missions is discussed. This AUV simulator utilizes an interactive mission planning control console and is fully autonomous once initial parameters are selected     

Phosphorus fractionation and release characteristics of sediment in the Saemangeum Reservoir for seasonal change

Periodical algal blooms result in deposition and release of phosphorus (P) from the sediment into the water. Therefore, during seasonal changes when algal particles begin to settle to the bottom, understanding the behavior and distribution characteristics of the P in sediment is the most important key to manage the water quality of the Saemangeum Reservoir. In this study, the variation of water quality and sediment composition including chlorophyll-a (Chl-a) and P was investigated to determine the interaction between water and sediment. The study focused primarily on algal particle sedimentation that affects the P release and mineralization of sediment. The Chl-a concentration in water showed a sharp decline in October when the algae began to die in the fall, and afterward the concentration of chemical oxygen demand (COD) and total P (TP) in the sediment increased due to the sedimentation of decaying algal particles in November. During the same period of time, the readily bio-available P (RAP) in the sediment showed a drastic increase in the upper region where the Chl-a concentration of water was high. In sequence, the high RAP zone shifted from the upper region to the lower region in the early winter. The RAP shift was considered to be derived from the physical flow of the overlying water from which the decomposing algae settled on the surface of the sediment. The Saemangeum Reservoir was constructed recently; therefore, all the types of inorganic P fractions except soluble reactive phosphorus (SRP) that exist on the bottom surface of the lake and the marsh's sediment layer were not sufficient to significantly influence the overlying water. On the other hand, the released P from the algae was distinct and sensitive to the seasonal change. In conclusion, the algal particle sedimentation was important to control eutrophication rather than P release from the mineralized inorganic P of the sediment surface layer in the Seamangeum Reservoir.     

The nomenclature of carbonate replacement deposits,with emphasis on Sn‐F(‐Be‐Zn) ‘wrigglite’ skarns

The nomenclature of replacement deposits is reviewed in terms of two processes, namely those involving the reaction between: (a) carbonate and siliceous rocks and (b) carbonate and unusual solutions, commonly, but not always, related to granitoids. ‘Wrigglite’ skarn is an example of a replacement deposit produced by process (b). It is highly characteristic rock consisting of alternating light layers of fluorite ± other F‐rich minerals and dark layers composed usually of Fe‐rich minerals or, rarely, Be‐rich minerals. The layers formed parallel or sub‐parallel to fractures, which are now veins, by a Leisegang‐type diffusion process. Repeated periods of fracturing, with growth away from sequentially produced fractures, produced an apparently chaotic ‘wrigglite’ skarn. The skarn is invariably enriched in Fe, F, Sn, Be, W, Bi and Zn. For ‘wrigglite’ to form, fluorine must be greater than 9 weight percent in the rock, and the intrusion of a Sn‐leucogranite ('A‐type') high into the crust is needed. Recognition of ‘wrigglite’ is important because (1) in some areas it is an ore of Sn (Mt Bischoff, Tas.), rare earth metals (Bayan Obo, China) or Be (Lost River, Alaska); (2) it indicates a high‐level environment of emplacement of a Sn‐granitoid; and (3) it indicates clearly that intricate layering can be produced by a diffusional process and not only by primary sedimentation.     

Near-surface soil stabilization by enzyme-induced carbonate precipitation for fugitive dust suppression

Acta Geotechnica - To resolve the environmental and sustainability issues from fugitive dust emission and conventional mitigation methods, multiple experiments were conducted to evaluate the...     

Mass density of the upper atmosphere derived from Starlette’s Precise Orbit Determination with Satellite Laser Ranging

The atmospheric mass density of the upper atmosphere from the spherical Starlette satellite’s Precise Orbit Determination is first derived with Satellite Laser Ranging measurements at 815 to 1115 km during strong solar and geomagnetic activities. Starlette’s orbit is determined using the improved orbit determination techniques combining optimum parameters with a precise empirical drag application to a gravity field. MSIS-86 and NRLMSISE-00 atmospheric density models are compared with the Starlette drag-derived atmospheric density of the upper atmosphere. It is found that the variation in the Starlette’s drag coefficient above 800 km corresponds well with the level of geomagnetic activity. This represents that the satellite orbit is mainly perturbed by the Joule heating from geomagnetic activity at the upper atmosphere. This result concludes that MSIS empirical models strongly underestimate the mass density of the upper atmosphere as compared to the Starlette drag-derived atmospheric density during the geomagnetic storms. We suggest that the atmospheric density models should be analyzed with higher altitude acceleration data for a better understanding of long-term solar and geomagnetic effects.     

Hydrodynamics and Thermodynamics of Newtonian Stars

We investigated spherically symmetric solution for nonrelativistic cosmological fluid equations and thermodynamic equation of state for Newtonian stars. It was shown that the assumption of a polytropic equation, , at the center of the star only suffices to integrate the equations explicitly. Our exact solution yields many fruitful results such as stellar stability, spherical oscillation and collapses of stars. Pressure, temperature, and density profiles inside stars were obtained. Central densities, pressures and temperatures of the Newtonian stars such as Sun, Jupiter and Saturn were also calculated. Collapse and expansion mechanism was explained by the heat transfer mechanism inside star. The upper bound value of white dwarf mass obtained by the Newtonian cosmological fluid equations turns out to be comparable to the static limit of Chandrasekhar one. Motion of the Universe was also discussed within the framework of Newtonian mechanics. Our calculation results without considering nuclear reactions inside stars may be applicable to the formation of protostars.     

Probabilistic Analysis of Fracture Reactivation Associated with Deep Underground CO2 Injection

In the context of carbon capture and storage, deep underground injection of CO₂ induces the geomechanical changes within and around the injection zone and their impact on CO₂ storage security should be evaluated. In this study, we conduct coupled multiphase fluid flow and geomechanical modeling to investigate such geomechanical changes, focusing on probabilistic analysis of injection-induced fracture reactivation (such as shear slip) that could lead to enhanced permeability and CO₂ migration across otherwise low-permeability caprock formations. Fracture reactivation in terms of shear slip was analyzed by implicitly considering the fracture orientations generated using the Latin hypercube sampling method, in one case using published fracture statistics from a CO₂ storage site. The analysis was conducted by a coupled multiphase fluid flow and geomechanical simulation to first calculate the three-dimensional stress evolution during a hypothetical CO₂ injection operation and then evaluate the probability of shear slip considering the statistical fracture distribution and a Coulomb failure analysis. We evaluate the probability of shear slip at different points within the injection zone and in the caprock just above the injection zone and relate this to the potential for opening of new flow paths through the caprock. Our analysis showed that a reverse faulting stress field would be most favorable for avoiding fracture shear reactivation, but site-specific analyses will be required because of strong dependency of the local stress field and fracture orientations.     

Assessment of dynamic impact force of debris flow in mountain torrent based on characteristics of debris flow

Landslides and debris flows that occur around residential areas are considered, globally, as significant disasters that cause damage to human life and property. With terrain slope defining the flow characteristics of debris flows, flow depth, flow velocity, and impact force vary by time and distance. In particular, when a structure is located in the flow path of debris flows, the flow characteristics of debris flows vary by terrain slope and direction angle. To simulate the flow characteristics of these debris flows, the simulation results obtained by FLO-2D were analyzed with six-stage conditions for the research area. In the analysis, the flow depth, flow velocity, and impact force were estimated on the basis of the outlet of the research area in the presence and absence of structure(s) at certain distances. With this, the variation of the impact force in accordance with the variation of the flow depth of the debris flows was highly similar to the simulation results obtained by FLO-2D, when the correction index (α) of the suggested dynamic impact force equation was 0.3–0.4. There were sections where the estimated value of the impact force was overestimated near the outlet, and it was judged that the fixed values of the terrain factors (width, roughness coefficient, slope, etc.) caused the impact force to be overestimated. However, the correlation analysis showed that the correlation index was above the normal ranges in the suggested dynamic impact force equation for debris flows with the application of the terrain factors.