Techniques to measure grain-size distributions of loamy sediments: a comparative study of ten instruments for wet analysis

Ten instruments for measuring the grain‐size distribution of loamy sediments in water were tested in a comparative study. Instruments tested were: the Malvern Mastersizer S, the Coulter LS 200, the Fritsch Analysette 22 (version C), the Horiba Partica LA‐950, the Sedigraph 5100, the Atterberg cylinder, the Coulter Multisizer 3, the CIS‐100, the EyeTech and the image analysis software Histolab. The first four instruments use laser diffraction. The Sedigraph and Atterberg cylinder are based on sedimentation. The Coulter Multisizer 3 uses impedance measurements and the last three instruments use optical techniques. Grain‐size analyses were carried out on four sediments with median grain diameters of approximately 35, 30, 12 and 9 μm, respectively, and with no particles >90 μm. The laser diffraction instruments produced the best results for the various criteria considered in this study, followed by the Coulter Multisizer 3 (electrical sensing zone technique), the sedimentation techniques and the optical methods. However, the study also showed that there is no such thing as an ‘ideal’ method because techniques may score differently according to the criterion tested. An appropriate evaluation thus requires that various criteria be considered. Issues to be taken into account are: type of sediment, quantity of sediment available, speed of measurement, complexity of the measurement protocol, processing of the data, reproducibility of the results and the specific aims of the study undertaken.     

Diagenesis, palaeoclimate and tectono-sedimentary influences on clay mineralogy and stable isotopes from Upper Cretaceous marine successions of the Basque-Cantabrian Basin (N Spain)

Clay mineralogy and whole-rock stable isotopes (δ¹⁸O and δ¹³C) of Upper Cretaceous marly sediments on the Basque-Cantabrian Basin have been integrated to determine the main effects of diagenesis, palaeoclimate and tectono-sedimentary factors in sections belonging to deep- (Barrika) and platform-marine (Isla de Castro, Villamartín and Olazagutía) settings.The mean values for the clay assemblages and δ¹⁸O exhibit notable differences among the sections, partially explainable by the influence of diagenesis. The Barrika sediments, with more diagenetically advanced illite-smectite (I-S) mixed-layer (R1, 70% illite), authigenic chlorite, and low δ¹⁸O (−4.05‰ PDB), experienced higher diagenetic grade than Isla de Castro and Olazagutía, which have R0 I-S (20% illite) and heavier δ¹⁸O. Villamartín was also affected by higher diagenesis than Isla de Castro and Olazagutía, given the occurrence of R1 I-S (60% illite) and low δ¹⁸O (−4.11‰ PDB). However, the absence of other clays in Villamartín (e.g. authigenic chlorite) is indicative of less diagenetic grade than Barrika. These results show the useful integration of clay mineralogy and stable isotopes to detect different diagenetic grades in distinct marine successions of the same basin.Despite being influenced by diagenesis, the clay mineralogy partially preserves its inherited signature. This allows detection of major contents of I-S and mica, and minor kaolinite, interpreted as indicative of warm palaeoclimatic conditions. High kaolinite content in Villamartín and absence of kaolinite in Isla de Castro, though, are considered to be a product of neither diagenesis nor palaeoclimatic influences. Instead, tectono-sedimentary causes, related to unsuitable conditions for clay formation and transport from the local source areas, contributed to original clay differences. The inferred effects of diagenesis, palaeoclimate and tectono-sedimentary factors make this work important to show the potentially great variety of controls on the clay mineralogy of marine sections, which are often uncritically treated in studies concerning the Late Cretaceous.     

Degradation in Cemented Marine Clay Subjected to Cyclic Compressive Loading

The influence of cyclic loading on the strength and deformation behavior of cemented marine clay has been studied. This marine clay is of recent Pleistocene origin and deposited in a shallow water marine environment. Open pits were dug in sheeted enclosures and from these pits, undisturbed samples were taken for strength testing. A series of standard triaxial shear tests and stress controlled one-way cyclic load tests were conducted at consolidation stress ranges below and above the preconsolidation pressure. For the stress levels below the preconsolidation pressure, the cyclic loading has brought about the collapse of the cementation bond through an increase in strains, and at higher pressure ranges, the soil behaves like typical soft clay. This experiment studied the rate of development of strain and pore water pressure and shows that rate is a function of number of cycles, applied stress, and stress history. In addition, soil degradation during cyclic loading is studied in terms of Degradation Index. Attempt has been made to predict stain, pore water pressure, and degradation index through an empirical model.     

一种提高粘土矿物去除赤潮生物能力的新方法

在研究粘土颗粒与赤潮生物絮凝作用的基础上，建立了粘土表面改性对其絮凝作用影响的理论模型，认为改变粘土颗粒的表面性质提高其去除赤潮生物能力的主要途径，提出在粘土中引入ＰＡＣＳ（聚羟基氯化铝）的改性方法。结果表明，对于微型原甲藻（Ｐｒｏｒｏ－ｃｅｎｔｒｕｍ ｍｉｎｉｍｕｎ）体系，粘土中引入微量ＰＡＣＳ后，其去除率达９０％以上的高岭土用量由原来的２ｇ／Ｌ降至０．１ｇ／Ｌ，去除效率提高近２０倍。考察了ＰＡ     

粘土矿物对海水中主要营养盐的吸附研究

对海水中磷盐和硝酸盐在粘土矿物上的吸附行为的研究发现，海水体系中高岭土对磷酸盐的吸附能力大于蒙脱土，其原因为，粘土颗粒的表层铝／硅结构比是控制磷酸盐吸附的主要因素，其中铝含量越高，肿附能力越大。考察ＰＨ、粘土酸改性处理等因素对吸附作用的影响，结果表明，ＰＨ＜８．５的磷酸盐吸附ＰＨ曲线呈峰形，其吸附作用以阴离子交换为主；ＰＨ＞８．５时磷酸盐的吸附作用以沉淀吸附为主。酸改性蒙脱土可提高吸附磷酸盐的能力     

黄、东海海域水团发育对底质沉积物分布的影响

通过对黄、东海海域底质沉积物中的细粒级粘土矿物组合特征和全粒级碳酸盐含量分析、对比上覆水团和悬浮体资料，探讨研究区水团发育消长对底质沉积物分布的影响作用。结果表明研究区可以划分为长江冲淡水影响的长江型物质沉积区；黄海水影响的黄河型物质沉积区和黑潮水以及东海次表层水影响的残留型物质沉积区。而水团发育消长可直接影响下伏底质的分布特征。黄河型物质沉积区与残留型物质沉积区的分界相应于黄海冷水向东南扩展与黑潮次中层混合水向陆架爬升互为消长的长期综合平衡位置，而黄海冷水向东南的扩展范围代表着黄河物质在陆架向东南扩展沉积的最大范围．     

“标贯”确定粘性土承载力标准值简易计算法

标准贯人（“标贯”）试验锤击数,要确定粘性土地基承载力标准值简易计算公式。将经杆长修正的标准贯人击数N进行统计分析,再把修正击数平均值带人相关方程,计算粘性土的承载力标准值fk,从而简化了计算过程。     

Mechanism for the rapid motion of the Qianjiangping landslide during reactivation by the first impoundment of the Three Gorges Dam reservoir, China

The first impoundment of the Three Gorges Dam reservoir in China started from a water surface elevation of 95 m on June 1, 2003 and reached 135 m on June 15, 2003. Shortly after the water level reached 135 m, many slopes began to deform and some landslides occurred. The Qianjiangping landslide is the largest one; it occurred on the early morning of July 14, 2003 and caused great loss of lives and property. Field investigation revealed that, although failure occurred after the reservoir reached 135 m, the stability of the slope was already reduced by preexisting sheared bedding planes. To study the mechanism of the rapid motion of this reactivated landslide, two soil samples were taken from a yellow clay layer and a black silt layer in the sliding zone, respectively, and a series of ring shear tests were conducted on the samples. One series of ring shear tests simulates the creep deformation behavior, while the other series simulates different shear rates. Conclusions drawn from analysis of the ring shear tests indicate that the mechanism of the rapid motion of the reactivated landslide was caused by the rate effect of the black silt layer during the motion phase after the creep failure. The yellow clay layer did not play any important role in the rapid motion in the 2003 event.     

Initiation and development of pull-apart basins with Riedel shear mechanism: insights from scaled clay experiments

Typical pull-apart structures were created in scaled clay experiments with a pure strike-slip geometry (Riedel type experiments). A clay slab represents the sedimentary cover above a strike-slip fault in the rigid basement. At an early stage of the development of the deformation zone, synthetic shear fractures (Riedel shears) within the clay slab display dilatational behaviour. With increasing basal displacement the Riedel shears rotate and open further, developing into long, narrow and deep troughs. The shear displacement and the low angle with the prescribed principal basal fault set them apart from tension gashes. At a more evolved stage, synthetic segments (Y-shears) parallel to the basal principal fault develop and accommodate progressive strike-slip deformation. The Y-shears connect the tips of adjacent troughs developed from the earlier Riedel shears, resulting in the typical rhomb-shaped structures characteristic for pull-apart basins. The Strait of Sicily rift zone, with major strike-slip systems being active from the Miocene to the Present, comprises pull-apart basins at different length scales, for which the structural record suggests development by a mechanism similar to that observed in our experiments.