Extreme deformation characteristics and countermeasures for a tunnel in difficult grounds in southern Shaanxi,China     

Jinxing Lai  Xiuling Wang  Junling Qiu  Jianxun Chen  Zhinan Hu  Hao Wang 《Environmental Earth Sciences》2018,77(19):706

The Qingling–Bashan (QB) mountain region in southern Shaanxi mainly consists of strongly compressive zones from east to west, with tight folds and compressive fractures. There is a wide distribution of soft rocks of various types, such as phyllite and slate, accompanied by complex geological structures. Ironically, tunnel construction in these difficult grounds with complicated geological conditions embraces a high risk of extreme deformation due to various unpredictable reasons, which can frequently cause collapse and result in budget overruns during the construction period. Therefore, it is crucial to conduct effective countermeasures to eliminate or avoid such adverse impacts. This paper provides a case study on the “Yingfeng tunnel” (a tunnel constructed in soft rock consisting of a slate ground) based on a geological survey, indoor experiments and in situ monitoring. A successive rock mass deformation resulted in the tunnel lining seriously intruding into construction clearance and some other sections, even collapsing during the construction. The maximum displacement amount was 62.5 cm, while the maximum deformation speed reached as high as 34.18 mm/day. Additionally, to evaluate the construction impacts of tunnelling-induced geo-hazards, an investigation on extreme deformation was conducted. Considering the time-dependent features of the rock mass deformation, the constraint-convergence method was used to put forward applicable countermeasures in this paper. Finally, from the feedbacks of monitoring results, extreme deformation of the Yingfeng tunnel was effectively controlled.  相似文献   

Mapping lithological variations in a river basin of West Bengal,India using electrical resistivity survey: implications for artificial recharge     

K. Pratima Panda  S. P. Sharma  Madan K. Jha 《Environmental Earth Sciences》2018,77(17):626

Groundwater is a treasured earth’s resource and plays an important role in addressing water and environmental sustainability. However, its overexploitation and wide spatial variability within a basin and/or across regions are posing a serious challenge for groundwater sustainability. Some parts of southern West Bengal of India are problematic for groundwater occurrence despite of high rainfall in this region. Characterization of an aquifer in this area is very important for sustainable development of water supply and artificial recharge. Electrical resistivity surveys using 1-D and 2-D arrays were performed at a regular interval from Subarnarekha River at Bhasraghat (south) to Kharagpur (north) to map the lithological variations in this area. Resistivity sounding surveys were carried out at an interval of 2–3 km. Subsurface resistivity variation has been interpreted using very fast simulated annealing (VFSA) global optimization technique. The analysis of the field data indicated that the resistivity variation with depth is suitable in the southern part of the area and corresponds to clayey sand. Interpreted resistivity in the northern part of the area is relatively high and reveals impervious laterite layer. In the southern part of the area resistivity varies between 15 and 40 Ωm at a depth below 30 m. A 2-D resistivity imaging conducted at the most important location in the area is correlated well with the 1-D results. Based on the interpreted resistivity variation with depth at different locations different types of geologic units (laterite, clay, sand, etc.) are classified, and the zone of interests for aquifer has been demarcated. Study reveals that southern part of the area is better for artificial recharge than the northern part. The presence of laterite cover in the northern part of the area restricts the percolation of rainwater to recharge the aquifer at depth. To recharge the aquifer at depth in the northern part of the area, rainwater must be sent artificially at depth by puncturing laterite layers on the top. Such studies in challenging areas will help in understanding the problems and finding its solution.  相似文献   

Borehole diffusive flux apparatus for characterizing diffusive mass-transfer in subsurface systems     

Mark L. Brusseau  Kenneth C. Carroll  Zhilin Guo  Jon Mainhagu 《Environmental Earth Sciences》2018,77(18):648

The concept of the Borehole Diffusive Flux Apparatus (BDFA) is presented herein. The BDFA is an innovative apparatus designed to provide continuous direct access to an undisturbed column of sediment that can be monitored at multiple discrete vertical intervals to provide high-resolution characterization of local-scale mass transfer and attenuation. The conceptual basis and technical design of the device are presented, along with an example of borehole design and installation at a field site. Mathematical simulations are used to illustrate its application for two scenarios. The results of these simulations indicate that test periods of several weeks to a few months should be sufficient to obtain robust results. The device has the potential to improve our ability to characterize critical mass-transfer and attenuation processes and to quantify the associated rates. This information is key to the evaluation of remediation alternatives, for enhancing the accuracy of mathematical models, and to support more effective long-term management of large groundwater contaminant plumes present at many sites.  相似文献   

Satellite altimetry for measuring river stages in remote regions     

Ganming Liu  Frank Schwartz  Kuo-Hsin Tseng  C. K. Shum  Sangsuk Lee 《Environmental Earth Sciences》2018,77(18):639

The advent in satellite altimetry with the most accurate satellite radar altimeter since 1992 and its successive missions have enabled the routine global monitoring of water-level (or stage) for surface waters and changes in the quantities of dammed water reservoirs. However, satellite altimeter measurements typically have spatial resolution capable of observing only large water bodies, such as major lakes and rivers. This paper addresses the challenges of how to investigate water levels in medium (~?1 km in width) to small (~?100 m and narrower) rivers. Comparisons between the ENVISAT altimetry ICE-1 waveform retracking height and standard water-level measurements for multiple sections of Ohio River, Columbia River, and Red River of the North in the United States (US) reveals that the satellite altimetry measured water levels agree well with those observed at nearby US Geological Survey gaging stations over the 10-year period starting from 2002. The significant results include those obtained at Thompson, North Dakota (ND, correlation coefficient or R value of 0.76 between satellite and in situ water-level measurements) and Fargo, ND (R?=?0.74), where the stream channels of Red River are merely?~?50 m and ~?40 m wide, respectively, under normal climatic conditions. In addition, demonstrations of the approach over largely inaccessible portions of Tigris–Euphrates Rivers and Helmand River in the Middle East aided in understanding hydrology in these systems. This study demonstrates the ability of satellite radar altimetry to characterize rivers in these study regions which are much narrower than 100 m in width.  相似文献   

The determination of present and possible environmental risks in solid waste dumping site,Tunceli, Turkey     

Nuran Cikcikoglu Yildirim  Deniz Demirbilek  Gokhan Onder Erguven  Rahime Kayar  Senay Basaran  Dilan Tulpar 《Environmental Earth Sciences》2018,77(17):622

Leachate was a major cause of high risk classification. This landfill was set as one with highest possible risk classification due to high vulnerability of private water wells to contamination from leachate flows. The aim of this study is to determine the present and possible environmental risks of the leachate spreading from solid waste dumping site in Tunceli and offer solutions for those determined environmental risks. For this purpose, the characteristics of the leachate were monitored at two station points detected in the solid waste dumping site for 7 months. The characteristics of the leachate were found for pH between 7.9 and 8.7. Oxidation reduction potential (ORP) occurred between ??143 and ??48 mV while conductivity was between 2.8 and 2.6 mS. Total solid matter (TSM) and suspended solid matter (SSM) were between 1000 and 7000 mg/l, 0.2–22.5 mg/l, respectively, while total volatile solids (TVS) occurred between 300 and 1800 mg/l for the two stations. Alkalinity was approximately between 290 and 5210 mg/l, while biological oxygen demand (BOD₅) and chemical oxygen demand (COD) results were 15–606 mg/l and 60–1160 mg/l, respectively, for two stations in all sampling time. In both stations, orthophosphate, ammonium nitrogen, nitrate, sulfate, and chloride analyses stayed between 3.04 and 921.1 mg/l; 0.29–619.36 mg/l; 8.94–135.04 mg/l; 125.9–1360.9 mg/l and 99.9–1249.9 mg/l, respectively, in 6 months. As a result of the characterization studies obtained from the leachate, it was found that the amounts of water entering into the waste mass and the retention period of the water in the mass were very effective in the temporal character change of the leachate. According to the Discharge Standards for Solid Waste Assessment and Disposal Facilities and Discharge to Waste Water Infrastructure Facilities of waste management regulation, the results were found to be risky. Consequently, the site in question needs to be urgently rehabilitated when considering the environmental risks of the leachate spreading from the site.  相似文献   

Using spatial statistics to identify the uranium hotspot in groundwater in the mid-eastern Gangetic plain,India     

Deepak Kumar  Anshuman Singh  Rishi Kumar Jha  Sunil Kumar Sahoo  Vivekanand Jha 《Environmental Earth Sciences》2018,77(19):702

The occurrence of uranium in groundwater is of particular interest due to its toxicological and radiological properties. It has been considered as a relevant contaminant for drinking water even at a low concentration. Uranium is a ubiquitously occurring radionuclide in the environment. Four hundred and fifty-six (456) groundwater samples from different locations of five districts of South Bihar (SB) were collected and concentrations of uranium (U) were analyzed using a light-emitting diode (LED) fluorimetric technique. Uranium concentrations in groundwater samples varied from 0.1 µg l^?1 to 238.2 µg l^?1 with an average value of 12.3 µg l^?1 in five districts of Bihar in the mid-eastern Gangetic plain. This study used hot spot spatial statistics to identify the distribution of elevated uranium concentration in groundwater. The hypothesis whether spatial distribution of high value and low value of U is more likely spatially clustered due to random process near a uranium hotspot in groundwater was tested based on z score and Getis-Ord Gi* statistics. The method implemented in this study, can be utilized in the field of risk assessment and decision making to locate potential areas of contamination.  相似文献   

Preparation of integrative cubes as a novel biological permeable reactive barrier medium for the enhancement of in situ aerobic bioremediation of nitrobenzene-contaminated groundwater     

Na Liu  Yuting Zhang  Yonglei An  Liu Wang 《Environmental Earth Sciences》2018,77(19):707

Recent studies have indicated that in situ aerobic bioremediation is one of the most effective methods for remediating groundwater contaminated with nitrobenzene (NB). Aerobic bioremediation is largely dependent on the maintenance of adequate dissolved oxygen (DO) levels in the groundwater. Traditional in situ aeration has various disadvantages, such as high operational costs and nonuniform aeration. In this study, integrative cubes were prepared and utilized as a novel biological permeable reactive barrier (bio-PRB) medium to enhance the aerobic bioremediation of NB-contaminated groundwater. The results revealed an NB removal rate greater than 98.68% after 15–20 days of continuous oxygen release from the bio-PRB medium. DO concentrations reached 8.0 mg/L during treatment, and NB-degrading bacteria were able to tolerate a range of pH conditions. This multifaceted bio-PRB medium can simultaneously adsorb and biodegrade NB, release oxygen, and neutralize the pH with phosphate buffer. The results of this study suggest that this bio-PRB medium represents a highly effective in situ bioremediation method for NB-contaminated groundwater.  相似文献   

Application of a unified linear yield criterion in plane strain to study the strength theory effect in geotechnical engineering     

Changguang Zhang  Mingming Cai  Junhai Zhao  Lizhou Wu 《Environmental Earth Sciences》2018,77(22):758

The plane strain condition is a common, but polyaxial stress state for geotechnical structure designs, in which the selection of an appropriate yield or failure criterion is crucial to reasonably account for the intermediate principal stress. Under plane strain condition, a unified linear yield criterion for seven commonly used geotechnical yield criteria is presented in conjunction with the inductive method. These seven yield criteria considered in this study are the Mohr–Coulomb, Tresca, Drucker–Prager, Mogi–Coulomb, Extended Matsuoka–Nakai, Extended Lade–Duncan criteria, and the Unified Strength Theory. The generalized analytical solutions for earth pressure of retaining walls, critical load of strip foundations as well as stress and displacement of circular tunnels are derived on the basis of the proposed unified yield criterion, and their respective theoretical significance is analyzed. Thereafter, the critical load of strip foundations obtained herein is compared with two numerical results from the literature. Furthermore, the effect of strength theory on result differences of the three typical geotechnical problems by simply selecting constants, which conform to different yield criteria, is explored through a parametric study. It is found that the proposed unified yield criterion is convenient for investigating analytical solutions of the aforementioned geotechnical structures. The strength theory effect due to adopting different yield criteria is considerably significant, which cannot be ignored. Additionally, recommendations are provided on how to make use of these seven yield criteria for an optimum design.  相似文献   

The influence of the Three Gorges Reservoir regulation on a typical tributary heat budget     

Yao Cheng  Yuchun Wang  Huaidong Zhou  Chenghua Dang 《Environmental Earth Sciences》2018,77(22):764

Reservoir regulation and local climate both affect the heat budget of tributary bay. It is difficult for traditional methods to identify the influence of different factors on heat budget quantitatively. In this paper, for analysis of the control mechanisms of the heat budget of a large reservoir tributary, the water temperature distribution, and heat budget processes of the Meixi River, a typical tributary to the Three Gorges Reservoir was measured, and a new method was used to calculate the heat content composition of the tributary bay and identify the key factor of the heat balance. The result shows significant variation in the spatial and temporal distributions of water temperatures in the Meixi River, ranging from 12.4 to 28.9 °C on the surface and 12.0 to 24.4 °C at the bottom. The total heat exchange across the air–water interface that ranges from 0.1 to 6% of the budget is not the primary control factor of the annual tributary heat budget. Rather, the change in water depth produced by regulation of the Three Gorges Reservoir is the primary control factor of the tributary heat budget in the whole year, which ranges from 72 to 99% of the budget. The water temperature difference between the main stream and tributary is the not key factor of the heat budget, which ranges from 0.1 to 28% of the heat budget.  相似文献   

Ecotoxicological evaluation of dredged sediments from Rodrigo de Freitas Lagoon (Rio de Janeiro State,Brazil) using bioassays with earthworms and collembolans     

Mariana Vezzone  Ricardo Cesar  Helena Polivanov  Aline Serrano  Danielle Siqueira  Leticia Abreu  Miriam Bianchi  Maria Elizabeth Correia  Zuleica Castilhos  Tácio de Campos 《Environmental Earth Sciences》2018,77(21):743

The toxicity and metal bioavailability were studied in dredged sediments from Rodrigo de Freitas Lagoon (Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil) using acute and avoidance tests with Eisenia andrei, and reproduction tests with Folsomia candida. The sediment was mixed with an artificial soil, and two natural soils (ferralsol and chernosol—representative Brazilian tropical soils) to obtain the following doses: 1, 3, 6, 12, 18, 24 and 30%. Total metal concentrations were determined in the sediment to support the interpretation of ecotoxicological data. Metal concentrations in the mixtures were in agreement with the threshold limits established by Brazilian law. However, significant avoidance responses were found on doses ≥?3% and were the most sensitive endpoint. Earthworm mortality found in artificial soil mixtures (LC50?=?3.9) suggests higher toxicity levels than those obtained in ferralsol (LC50?=?7.6%) and chernosol (11.0%) treatments. Earthworm mortality, avoidance responses and collembolan reproduction levels found in ferralsol mixtures (LC50?=?9.2; avoidance EC50?=?2.3%; reproduction EC50?=?2.8%) were higher compared to chernosol treatments (LC50?=?11.0%; avoidance EC50?=?4.3%; reproduction EC50?=?4.9%). The reduction of toxicity levels in chernosol mixtures is probably due to the abundance of expansive clay minerals in chernosols with capacity of adsorbing metals and other xenobiotic substances from soil pore water, decreasing metal bioavailability. Finally, threshold limits defined by Brazilian legislation for soil quality and land disposal of dredged sediments are not sufficient to prevent noxious effects on soil fauna and should be complemented with a preliminary ecotoxicological evaluation.  相似文献