Recent models of groundwater flow in the Blue Ridge Province suggest multiple aquifers and flow paths may be responsible for springs and seeps appearing throughout the region. Deep confined aquifers and shallow variably confined aquifers may contribute water to spring outlets, resulting in vastly different water quality and suitability for potable water supplies and stock watering. A new Low Flow Recording System (LoFRS) was developed to measure the discharge of these springs that are so ubiquitous throughout the Blue Ridge Province. Analysis of spring discharge, combined with electrical resistivity surveying, aquifer tests, and water chemistry data reveal mixed shallow and deep aquifer sources for some springs, while other springs and artesian wells are sourced only in the deep aquifer. The technique is suitable for rapid characterization of flow paths leading to spring outlets. Rapid characterization is important for evaluation of potential water quality problems arising from contamination of shallow and deep aquifers, and for evaluation of water resource susceptibility to drought. The spring discharge technique is also suitable for use in other locations where fractured rock and crystalline rock aquifers are common. / Master of Science

No description available.

Geotechnical characterization of crystalline rock is often dependent upon the influence of the rock's fracture system. To test ensemble fracture behavior in situ, a series of cross-hole and single-hole electrical conductivity measurements were made within saturated Oracle granite. The tests were conducted with a point source and a point reference electrode and employed electrode separations ranging from 8 inches to over 100 feet. A volume of rock approximately 50 x 50 x 150 feet was tested (as bounded by the vertical test borings). Analysis of the data in terms of an equivalent homogeneous material showed that the effective electrical conductivity increased with electrode separation. The cross-hole data indicate that the rock can be treated as a non-homogeneous, isotropic material. Further, the spatial variation of measured conductivities along a line can be fit to a fractal model (fractional Brownian motion), implying that the scale-dependence is a result of a fractal process supported by the fracture system. Scale-dependence exists at the upper scale limit of the measurements, hence a classical representative elemental volume was not attained. Two directions were taken to understand the scale-dependence. The rock mass is treated in terms of a disordered material, a continuum with spatially varying conductivity. First, a percolation-based model of a disordered material was examined that relates the conductivity pathways within the rock to the backbone of a critical percolation cluster. Using the field data, a fractal dimension of 2.40 was derived for the dimensionality of the subvolume within the rock that supports current flow. The second approach considers an analytic solution for a non-homogeneous, isotropic material known as the alpha center model (Stefanescu, 1950). This model, an analytic solution for a continuously varying conductivity in three dimensions, is a non-linear transform to Laplace's equation. It is employed over a regular grid of support points as an alternative to spatially discretized (piece-wise continuous) numerical methods. The model is shown to be capable of approximating the scale-dependent behavior of the field tests. Scaling arises as a natural consequence of the disordered electrical structure caused by the fracture system.

Made available in DSpace on 2014-06-11T19:32:21Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2005-03-16Bitstream added on 2014-06-13T20:03:44Z : No. of bitstreams: 1 neves_ma_dr_rcla.pdf: 12430426 bytes, checksum: 2ab3404f8510043b13aa942ec5d477a4 (MD5) / Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq) / Ministério da Ciência, Tecnologia e Inovação (Mcti) / O uso intenso e a poluição dos recursos hídricos superficiais na bacia do rio Jundiaí têm levado à busca acelerada por recursos hídricos subterrâneos. A maior parte da bacia se situa sobre o Embasamento Cristalino, onde o fluxo subterrâneo é condicionado pela presença de descontinuidades. Para investigar o comportamento da água subterrânea neste contexto é necessária, além da caracterização hidrogeológica, a definição das características geológico-estruturais e tectônicas da área. Além do Sistema Aqüífero Cristalino, a bacia envolve também o Sistema Aqüífero Tubarão, situado no lado oeste da área, e o Sistema Aqüífero Cenozóico, distribuído ao longo das drenagens principais. Identifica-se um importante controle estrutural sobre a produtividade dos poços, não só daqueles que explotam as rochas cristalinas, mas também dos que captam água das rochas sedimentares. A integração de dados geológico-estruturais e hidrogeológicos indica que o controle estrutural ocorre principalmente em zonas de abertura, onde esforços transtrativos induzem a formação e/ou reativação de estruturas rúpteis de direção NW-SE e E-W, comumente associadas à presença de depósitos aluviais. Outros fatores de interferência também foram identificados, como a localização dos poços em relação à compartimentação morfoestrutural da área e a superexplotação dos aqüíferos, que, ao contrário daquelas estruturas, tende a diminuir a produtividade dos poços. / The intensive use and pollution of superficial water resources in the Jundiaí River Catchment lead to an increasing groundwater exploitation. The major part of Jundiaí Catchment is located on the Crystalline Basement, where water flow is dependent on discontinuities. In order to investigate the behavior of groundwater in such a context, it is necessary, besides the hydrogeologic characterization, the definition of geologic, structural and tectonic characteristics. The Tubarão Aquifer System occurs on the west side of the area and the Cenozoic Aquifer System is distributed along the main channels. It is possible to identify an important structural control over well productivity, not only on those located in crystalline rocks, but also on those located in sedimentary rocks. The integration of geologic, structural and hydrogeologic data shows that structural control happens mainly in distensive areas, where transtractive tension leads to formation and/or reactivation of brittle NW-SE and E-W structures, commonly associated with the occurrences of alluvial deposits. Other factors that affect well productivity were identified, for example, the location of wells with respect to some morphostructural compartments and the overexploitation of groundwater, which, despite favorable geologic structures, tend to decrease well productivity.

<p>Kunskap om grundvattenbildningen är nödvändig för att man ska kunna förutsäga konsekvenserna av grundvattenuttag och underjordsbyggande. Grundvattenbildningen i berggrunden är dock svår att uppskatta. Syftet med avhandlingen var att öka förståelsen av grundvattenbildningen i kristallin berggrund, att undersöka hur grundvattenbildningen ska uppskattas samt att utveckla nya modeller för att beskriva grundvattenbildningen. Studien grundades på tre angreppssätt: grundvattendatering med freoner (CFC), geohydrauliska observationer och matematisk modellering.</p><p>Koncentrationerna av CFC-11 och CFC-113 befanns vara låga i det undersökta berggrundvattnet, vilket i kombination med låga syrgashalter tyder på anaerob nedbrytning. Koncentrationerna av CFC-12 och tritium överensstämde ganska väl, vilket betyder att den skenbara åldern kan vara den sanna åldern. Resultaten tyder på att CFC-datering inte är pålitlig i skogsmiljöer med finkornigt jordtäcke.</p><p>Vid nederbörd observerades ett snabbt gensvar i den hydrauliska potentialen i den studerade bergakviferen, trots det 10 m mäktiga moräntäcket. En avsevärd del av de observerade potentialvariationerna befanns vara belastningseffekter, som inte innebar någon magasinsförändring eller något vattenflöde. Berggrundens belastningseffektivitet uppskattades, ur potentialens svar på lufttrycksförändringar, till 0,95. Ytbelastningen beräknades från mätningar av lufttryck, vatten i jordtäcket och snö. Omkring 20 % av årstidsvariationen hos den hydrauliska potentialen uppskattades bero på enbart belastningsförändringar. En enkel begreppsmässig modell kunde användas för att simulera den observerade hydrauliska potentialen. För att beskriva enskilda grundvattenbildningstillfällen på bästa sätt var det nödvändigt att ta hänsyn till effekten av ytbelastningen.</p><p>Numeriska experiment gjordes med en modell av en jord–bergprofil. När berget modellerades som ett heterogent kontinuum bildades omättade zoner i berget vid stora hydrauliska gradienter. Fenomenet uppträdde i områden där låggenomsläppliga zoner låg uppströms höggenomsläppliga zoner, och ledde till minskad hydraulisk konduktivitet i berget.</p> / <p>Knowledge about the groundwater recharge is essential for the prediction of impacts of groundwater withdrawal and underground construction. Recharge in the bedrock is, however, difficult to estimate. The objectives of this thesis were to increase the understanding of groundwater recharge in crystalline bedrock, to investigate how the recharge could be estimated, and to develop new models to describe the recharge. The study was based on three approaches: groundwater dating using chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), geohydraulic field measurements, and mathematical modelling.</p><p>Low concentrations of CFC-11 and CFC-113 were found in the bedrock groundwater, which in combination with low dissolved-oxygen levels indicated anaerobe degradation. The CFC-12 and tritium concentrations agreed fairly well, which means that apparent ages could be true ages. The results suggest that CFC dating may not be reliable at forested, humid sites covered by fine-grained soil.</p><p>A quick response in hydraulic head to precipitation was observed in the studied bedrock, despite the 10-m thick till cover. A substantial portion of observed head variations was found to be loading effects, involving no storage changes or water flow. The loading efficiency of the bedrock was estimated, from the air-pressure response, to be 0.95. The surface loading was calculated from measurements of air pressure, water in the soil, and snow. About 20% of the seasonal variation of the hydraulic head was estimated to be related to loading changes only. A simple conceptual model could be used to simulate the observed hydraulic heads. The loading effect had to be included to properly describe individual recharge events.</p><p>Numerical experiments were performed with a soil–bedrock profile. When the rock was modelled as a heterogeneous continuum, unsaturated zones developed at high hydraulic gradients. The phenomenon appeared in areas where low-conductive zones were located upstream of high-conductive zones, decreasing the effective hydraulic conductivity of the material.</p>

Kunskap om grundvattenbildningen är nödvändig för att man ska kunna förutsäga konsekvenserna av grundvattenuttag och underjordsbyggande. Grundvattenbildningen i berggrunden är dock svår att uppskatta. Syftet med avhandlingen var att öka förståelsen av grundvattenbildningen i kristallin berggrund, att undersöka hur grundvattenbildningen ska uppskattas samt att utveckla nya modeller för att beskriva grundvattenbildningen. Studien grundades på tre angreppssätt: grundvattendatering med freoner (CFC), geohydrauliska observationer och matematisk modellering. Koncentrationerna av CFC-11 och CFC-113 befanns vara låga i det undersökta berggrundvattnet, vilket i kombination med låga syrgashalter tyder på anaerob nedbrytning. Koncentrationerna av CFC-12 och tritium överensstämde ganska väl, vilket betyder att den skenbara åldern kan vara den sanna åldern. Resultaten tyder på att CFC-datering inte är pålitlig i skogsmiljöer med finkornigt jordtäcke. Vid nederbörd observerades ett snabbt gensvar i den hydrauliska potentialen i den studerade bergakviferen, trots det 10 m mäktiga moräntäcket. En avsevärd del av de observerade potentialvariationerna befanns vara belastningseffekter, som inte innebar någon magasinsförändring eller något vattenflöde. Berggrundens belastningseffektivitet uppskattades, ur potentialens svar på lufttrycksförändringar, till 0,95. Ytbelastningen beräknades från mätningar av lufttryck, vatten i jordtäcket och snö. Omkring 20 % av årstidsvariationen hos den hydrauliska potentialen uppskattades bero på enbart belastningsförändringar. En enkel begreppsmässig modell kunde användas för att simulera den observerade hydrauliska potentialen. För att beskriva enskilda grundvattenbildningstillfällen på bästa sätt var det nödvändigt att ta hänsyn till effekten av ytbelastningen. Numeriska experiment gjordes med en modell av en jord–bergprofil. När berget modellerades som ett heterogent kontinuum bildades omättade zoner i berget vid stora hydrauliska gradienter. Fenomenet uppträdde i områden där låggenomsläppliga zoner låg uppströms höggenomsläppliga zoner, och ledde till minskad hydraulisk konduktivitet i berget. / Knowledge about the groundwater recharge is essential for the prediction of impacts of groundwater withdrawal and underground construction. Recharge in the bedrock is, however, difficult to estimate. The objectives of this thesis were to increase the understanding of groundwater recharge in crystalline bedrock, to investigate how the recharge could be estimated, and to develop new models to describe the recharge. The study was based on three approaches: groundwater dating using chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), geohydraulic field measurements, and mathematical modelling. Low concentrations of CFC-11 and CFC-113 were found in the bedrock groundwater, which in combination with low dissolved-oxygen levels indicated anaerobe degradation. The CFC-12 and tritium concentrations agreed fairly well, which means that apparent ages could be true ages. The results suggest that CFC dating may not be reliable at forested, humid sites covered by fine-grained soil. A quick response in hydraulic head to precipitation was observed in the studied bedrock, despite the 10-m thick till cover. A substantial portion of observed head variations was found to be loading effects, involving no storage changes or water flow. The loading efficiency of the bedrock was estimated, from the air-pressure response, to be 0.95. The surface loading was calculated from measurements of air pressure, water in the soil, and snow. About 20% of the seasonal variation of the hydraulic head was estimated to be related to loading changes only. A simple conceptual model could be used to simulate the observed hydraulic heads. The loading effect had to be included to properly describe individual recharge events. Numerical experiments were performed with a soil–bedrock profile. When the rock was modelled as a heterogeneous continuum, unsaturated zones developed at high hydraulic gradients. The phenomenon appeared in areas where low-conductive zones were located upstream of high-conductive zones, decreasing the effective hydraulic conductivity of the material.

No description available.

This thesis presents a systematic numerical modeling framework to simulate the stress-deformation and coupled stress-deformation-flow processes by performing uniaxial and biaxial compressive tests on fractured rock models with considering the effects of different loading conditions, different loading directions (anisotropy), and coupled hydro-mechanical processes for evaluating strength and deformability behavior of fractured rocks. By using code UDEC of discrete element method (DEM), a series of numerical experiments were conducted on discrete fracture network models (DFN) at an established representative elementary volume (REV), based on realistic geometrical and mechanical data of fracture systems from field mapping at Sellafield, UK. The results were used to estimate the equivalent Young’s modulus and Poisson’s ratio and to fit the Mohr-Coulomb and Hoek-Brown failure criteria, represented by equivalent material properties defining these two criteria. The results demonstrate that strength and deformation parameters of fractured rocks are dependent on confining pressures, loading directions, water pressure, and mechanical and hydraulic boundary conditions. Fractured rocks behave nonlinearly, represented by their elasto-plastic behavior with a strain hardening trend. Fluid flow analysis in fractured rocks under hydro-mechanical loading conditions show an important impact of water pressure on the strength and deformability parameters of fractured rocks, due to the effective stress phenomenon, but the values of stress and strength reduction may or may not equal to the magnitude of water pressure, due to the influence of fracture system complexity. Stochastic analysis indicates that the strength and deformation properties of fractured rocks have ranges of values instead of fixed values, hence such analyses should be considered especially in cases where there is significant scatter in the rock and fracture parameters. These scientific achievements can improve our understanding of fractured rocks’ hydro-mechanical behavior and are useful for the design of large-scale in-situ experiments with large volumes of fractured rocks, considering coupled stress-deformation-flow processes in engineering practice. / <p>QC 20141111</p>

The Czech deep repository development programme resulted in identification of several localities with favourable geological conditions. The Czech concept of a deep repository construction targets on crystalline host rocks. The dissertation focuses on combined petrographic and physico-mechanical properties (rebound hardness, uniaxial and triaxial compressive strength, indirect tensile strength) of crystalline rocks (durbachite, ganulite) from the most favoured localities – Horka near Velké Meziříčí and Kraví hora near Dolní Rožínka.

In dieser Arbeit werden bohrlochseismsiche Messungen sowohl mit Bohrlochmessungen als auch mit oberflächenseismischen Messungen ausgewertet und verglichen um das bohrlochnahe Umfeld der Forschungsbohrung COSC-1 (Collisional Orogeny in the Scandinavian Caledonides) zu beschreiben. Die bohrlochseismischen Daten zeigen deutlich hohe Reflektivität und seismische Anisotropie der erbohrten geologischen Einheit, der Seve-Decke. Diese Decke zeichnet sich durch einen häufigen Wechsel von mafischen und felsischen Gesteinen aus, welcher auch durch eine Clusteranalyse der Bohrlochmessungen deutlich wird. Die Ergebnisse der Clusteranalyse korrelieren gut mit den seismisch abgebildeten Untergrundstrukturen und den seismischen Geschwindigkeiten. Abschließend wurde die virtual source method als Beispiel der seismischen Interferometrie an einem Teildatensatz erfolgreich getestet. Mit dem Ansatz wurde eine künstliche Messgeometrie mit seismischen Quellen und Empfängern im Bohrloch erzeugt, welche eine gute Datenqualität aufzeigen. / In this thesis, the vicinity of the scientific borehole COSC-1 (Collisional Orogeny in the Scandinavian Caledonides) is investigated by the combination of a borehole seismic survey with downhole logging data and a surface seismic survey. The borehole seismic data show a significantly higher reflectivity and seismic anisotropy within the drilled geological unit, the Seve Nappe. This nappe is characterised by frequent changes of mafic and felsic lithologies that are also highlighted by a cluster analysis. The results of the cluster analysis correlate well with structures of the subsurface as imaged by the surface seismic survey and with seismic velocities. Additionally, the virtual source method as example for seismic interferometry is applied to a data subset. This approach created a virtual survey geometry with seismic sources and receivers within the borehole and a good data quality.