Bearing capacity of rock over mined cavities in Nottingham

A significant geohazard is created in Nottingham, UK, by hundreds of man-made caves cut in the weak sandstone beneath the city centre. Stability of the caves has been assessed by a single full-scale loading test, by numerical modelling with FLAC and by physical modelling in plaster. For typical caves 4 m wide, bearing capacity of the rock roof rises from 2 MPa where it is 1 m thick to 8 MPa where 3 m thick. Stability decreases over wider caves and where the loading pad edge is over the edge of the cave. Numerical modelling of a very wide cave revealed the failure mechanisms and also showed that an internal support wall increased roof bearing capacity by 50%. Local building regulations that require 3-5 m of rock cover over the sandstone caves appear to be conservative. In stronger rocks, including karstic limestone, a guideline that cover thickness exceeds 70% of the cave width appears to be appropriate.     

Geological investigations at a high altitude, remote coal mine on the Northwest Pakistan and Afghanistan frontier, Karakoram Himalaya

The Northwest Pakistan and Afghanistan frontier is located one of the most remote, inaccessible, and inhospitable part of the Himalayan orogenic belt. In this region, two of the world's largest and most distinct mountain belts intersect; the Karakoram Himalaya (mainly in Pakistan) and the Hindu Kush (mainly in Afghanistan). Located at high altitude, in a remote part of Northwest Pakistan, close to the border with Afghanistan, tribal villagers began excavating a series of adits into the steep mountain slopes, beneath glaciers, to extract valuable coal and carbonaceous shale resources. These were discovered in 1996, by the villagers, whilst hunting, and may represent some of the highest mine workings in the world. Small-scale mining operations subsequently developed using rudimentary mining methods and the mine became known as the Reshit or Pamir Coal Mine.The coal deposits are sedimentary, highly disturbed and tectonised, having been subjected to multiple phases of orogenic crustal deformation. The coal occurs as discrete lenses, several tens of metres in their lateral dimension, between steeply dipping, overturned and thrusted limestone beds of Jurassic age. The coal provided a vital, alternative source of fuel for the villagers since the local, traditional fuel supply was wood, which had become severely depleted, and imports of kerosene from neighbouring China and Afghanistan were too expensive.The mining operations experienced severe problems. These included several collapses of mine entrances, the failure of the adits to intersect the coal-bearing zones, the potential threat of geological hazards, mining-induced hazards and harsh high-altitude operating conditions, particularly during the winter months. International aid was provided to assist the villagers and a geological investigation was commissioned to investigate the problems at the mine.The geology of Karakoram Himalaya is relatively poorly understood. Until recently the region was restricted to foreign visitors and large areas of this mountain belt are virtually unmapped. Existing geological and topographic maps are difficult to obtain or are unavailable due to the close proximity of political frontiers, national borders and security reasons. The mineral resource potential of this region is virtually unknown. Few western geologists have visited this area due to its inaccessibility and political constraints, being situated close the frontiers with China, Afghanistan, and the disputed Pakistan and India territory of Kashmir.The Pakistan and Afghanistan border, is once again, now closed to foreign visitors. The objectives of this paper are to document the occurrence of coal and carbonaceous shale, at high altitude, in the Karakoram Himalaya and to provide details on the geology, geological hazards, reserves and labour-intensive mining operations. These observations and information may provide the basis for future mineral exploration, mining-geology, mining-engineering, feasibility studies and engineering geological investigation in the Karakoram Himalaya.     

基于智能手机的地质灾害群测群防终端

群测群防作为一种有效的地质灾害监测预警手段愈发受到重视,针对目前我国地质灾害群测群防工作存在的监测信息逐级传递不及时、信息失真等弊端,提出了一种基于智能手机的地质灾害群测群防监测系统的设计方法及实现技术。分析了Android系统的Socket无线通信API和位于不同内网节点进行双向通信的条件,设计了基于智能手机的群测群防终端软件架构,采用GPRS无线通信技术,以公网服务器作为信息转发端,设计了基于TCP协议的信息转发机制,实现了智能手机终端-公网服务器-内网PC（监测平台）的3级通信,保证了监测信息的安全性和稳定性。同时对于通信过程控制,在应用层设计了良好的通信机制和数据封装机制,能够大大减少数据传输量和数据传输时间,提高通信效率。实际应用表明：无论是GPRS移动通信还是VPN网络通信,系统能够实现地质灾害群测群防信息的便捷录入与高效稳定传输。     

A comparative study of the main factors controlling geohazards induced by 10 strong earthquakes in Western China since the Wenchuan earthquake in 2008

Determining the main controlling factors of earthquake-triggered geohazards is a prerequisite for studying earthquake geohazards and post-disaster emergency response. By studying these factors, the geomorphic and geological factors controlling the nature, condition, and distribution of earthquake-induced geohazards can be analyzed. Such insights facilitate earthquake disaster prediction and emergency response planning.The authors combined field investigations and spatial data analysis to examine...     

Geomorphology of coal seam fires

Coal fires occur in underground natural coal seams, in exposed surface seams, and in coal storage or waste piles. The fires ignite through spontaneous combustion or natural or anthropogenic causes. They are reported from China, India, USA, South Africa, Australia, and Russia, as well as many other countries. Coal fires lead to loss of a valuable resource (coal), the emission of greenhouse-relevant and toxic gases, and vegetation deterioration. A dangerous aspect of the fires is the threat to local mines, industries, and settlements through the volume loss underground. Surface collapse in coal fire areas is common. Thus, coal fires are significantly affecting the evolution of the landscape. Based on more than a decade of experience with in situ mapping of coal fire areas worldwide, a general classification system for coal fires is presented. Furthermore, coal seam fire geomorphology is explained in detail. The major landforms associated with, and induced by, these fires are presented. The landforms include manifestations resulting from bedrock surface fracturing, such as fissures, cracks, funnels, vents, and sponges. Further manifestations resulting from surface bedrock subsidence include sinkholes, trenches, depressions, partial surface subsidence, large surface subsidence, and slides. Additional geomorphologic coal fire manifestations include exposed ash layers, pyrometamorphic rocks, and fumarolic minerals. The origin, evolution, and possible future development of these features are explained, and examples from in situ surveys, as well as from high-resolution satellite data analyses, are presented. The geomorphology of coal fires has not been presented in a systematic manner. Knowledge of coal fire geomorphology enables the detection of underground coal fires based on distinct surface manifestations. Furthermore, it allows judgments about the safety of coal fire-affected terrain. Additionally, geomorphologic features are indicators of the burning stage of fires. Finally, coal fire geomorphology helps to explain landscape features whose occurrence would otherwise not be understood. Although coal fire-induced thermal anomalies and gas release are also indications of coal fire activity, as addressed by many investigators, no assessment is complete without sound geomorphologic mapping of the fire-induced geomorphologic features.     

Seismic Activity in the Himalayan Orogenic Belt and Its Related Geohazards

Himalayan orogenic belt is the highest and largest continental collision and subduction zone on the Earth. The Himalayan orogenic belt has produced frequent large earthquakes and caused several geohazards due to landslides and housing collapse, having an impact on the safety of life and property along a length of over 2500 km. Here we took three earthquake clusters as examples, which occurred at Nepal Himalaya, eastern Himalayan syntaxis and western Himalayan syntaxis, respectively. Here we calculated the earthquake locations and fault plane solutions based on the waveform data recorded by seismic stations deployed in source areas by the Institute of Tibetan Plateau Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences. We found that at the Nepal Himalayan, the Main Himalayan Thrust is the major tectonic structure for large earthquakes to occur. At the eastern Himalayan syntaxis, most earthquakes are of the reverse or strike-slip faulting. The major tectonic feature is the combination of the NE-dipping thrust with the southeastern escape of the Tibetan plateau. At the western Himalayan syntaxis, intermediate-depth earthquakes are active. These observations reveal the geometry of the deep subduction of the continental plate with steep dipping angle.     

马兰黄土动强度及其微结构变化实验

黄土斜坡灾害已经成为黄土地区农村城镇化及交通建设的瓶颈,是当前地质灾害领域的研究热点.因震(振)动影响而降低黄土强度、改变黄土自身结构形态的研究是揭示黄土斜坡灾变机理的基础.基于GDS试验系统,采用应变控制等效正弦波逐级加载方式,进行马兰黄土动三轴试验;利用扫描电镜,观察马兰黄土试验前后微结构变化.试验结果表明:马兰黄...     

722岷县漳县地震地质灾害分布、特征及与影响因子间关系分析

2013年7月22日在甘肃省定西市岷县、漳县交界处发生了MS6.6级地震。此次地震造成了大量房屋、基础设施破坏以及人员伤亡,并诱发了一系列的滑坡、崩塌、不稳定斜坡等地质灾害隐患。通过现场调查和分析,对此次地震地质灾害隐患类型、分布与主要特点进行概括。利用边坡地质灾害数量和面积发育率两个统计指标,对受灾最为严重的岷县灾区的地震地质灾害分布与地形、地质、地震因子变量间关系进行分析,结果表明:(1)地震地质灾害隐患在高程为2200～2800m范围内集中分布,在0～15缓坡内分布最多,坡向为S、SW和W的斜坡在地震作用下易诱发地质灾害,坡位为中坡的边坡内分布地质灾害数量最多; (2)软弱岩层在地震作用下易发生地质灾害,区内泥盆系和二叠系板岩、灰岩岩组内分布近50%的地质灾害,面积发育率最大的则为新近系中厚层软弱泥岩、砂岩岩组。地质灾害主要沿发震断裂通过或距离较近的地方成片集中分布,地质灾害主要分布在距离发震断裂20km以内的范围内; (3)震中距和PGA与地质灾害数量对应关系不明显,但是面积发育率整体趋势是随着震中距增加而减小,随着PGA增大而增加; 地质灾害易发程度随烈度增大而增强; (4)越靠近公路和河流,地质灾害越易发生,集中分布区间分别为距公路0～800m和距河流0～600m。     

喜马拉雅山东南地区地质灾害发育规律初步研究

利用遥感手段,结合MapGis,研究了喜马拉雅山东南地区地质灾害的发育情况,发现本区发育的主要地质灾害有滑坡、崩塌、泥石流、冰湖以及堰塞湖。其中崩塌、滑坡、泥石流斜坡地质灾害是本区最重要的地质灾害类型,占到总灾害数量的95.3%。在此基础上对喜马拉雅山东南地区地质灾害发育规律初步研究,发现本区地质灾害的发育在空间上的分布并非均匀,而是具有丛集性的特点。滑坡灾害主要发育在隆子和朗县。泥石流灾害比较严重的有米林、隆子和洛扎3县,而崩塌则主要集中在隆子县。研究发现,本区滑坡发育与地层、地形坡度以及土地类型关系密切,其中修康群、日当组和念青唐古拉群是本区的易滑地层。涅如组由于面积大,其中发育的滑坡较多,但是滑坡的发育率只略高于本区的平均水平。统计表明,16～30的坡度范围是滑坡最容易发生的。大于45以上的坡段很少发生滑坡。灌木林和天然草地这两种土地类型滑坡发育率最高。对于泥石流,研究表明,涅如组中泥石流发育面积最大,发育率也最高。泥石流发育的最适宜坡度也是16～30这样一个坡度范围。冰川和永久积雪区则最易发生泥石流。崩塌发育与地层类型、坡度的关系较为密切,崩塌主要发育在涅如组中,并且集中在坡度大于60以上的陡坡段中。这些初步成果的取得,是以后进行该区地质灾害空间预测的基础。     

Geological and environmental implications of the evaporite karst in Spain

In Spain, evaporite outcrops cover approximately 7% of the total area of the country. Most of the evaporitic formations are made up of Ca-sulfates (gypsum/anhydrite) or Ca-sulfates and halite. Certain Paleogene marine evaporites also contain K-Mg-chlorides, and some Tertiary continental formations bear substantial amounts of Na-sulfates in the subsurface (glauberite and thenardite). Mesozoic evaporitic formations commonly wedge out towards the ground surface, passing into condensed sequences and dissolution-collapse breccias. Some of these highly porous breccias constitute major regional aquifers. In several areas, interstratal karstification of the evaporites has given rise to gravitational deformations such as basin structures, monoclines, and collapse structures covering several square kilometers that record a cumulative subsidence in excess of 200 m (Teruel and Calatayud Grabens). A widespread consequence of evaporite dissolution processes in Spain is the hydrochemical degradation of surface waters. Some of the largest and most outstanding lake systems, from an environmental perspective, occur in karstic depressions developed in evaporitic formations (Fuente de Piedra, Gallocanta, Bujaraloz, and Bañolas lakes). Sinkhole activity is a major geohazard in several evaporite karst areas. The sinkhole risk has a particularly high impact in sectors where Tertiary evaporites are overlain by Quaternary alluvial aquifers (Calatayud, Zaragoza, and Madrid areas). Some of the detrimental effects of subsidence include severe damage to historical monuments (Calatayud), the demolition of a whole village (Puilatos), or the derailment of a freight train (Zaragoza area). The deepest gypsum caves are found in Triassic diapiric structures (El Sumidor Cave, 210 m deep), and the longest ones are developed in horizontally lying Neogene sequences (Sorbas caves, and Estremera maze cave). The Cardona diapir hosts salt caves up to 4,300 m long whose genesis is related to flooding of mine galleries caused by the interception of a phreatic conduit. The main anthropogenic impacts on the endokarstic systems are related to the disposal of wastewaters and the destruction of caves by quarrying. The fluvial valleys that cross Tertiary evaporitic outcrops commonly show peculiar geological characteristics related to dissolution-induced synsedimentary subsidence phenomena: (1) Thickened alluvium filling dissolution basins up to several tens of kilometers long and more than 100 m deep. The largest thickenings are found in areas where the bedrock contains halite and glauberite. (2) Superimposed alluvial units locally bounded by angular unconformities. (3) Abundant deformational structures and paleosinkholes related to the rockhead and/or interstratal karstification of the substratum. These fluvial valleys typically are flanked by a prominent gypsum escarpment. Rock-falls favored by the dissolutional enlargement of joints derived from these scarps are the type of mass movement which has caused the highest number of casualties in Spain.