Made available in DSpace on 2014-06-12T18:04:20Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 2 arquivo3914_1.pdf: 7804823 bytes, checksum: dac62eba5cadcb01c3ffb66598ca8bd3 (MD5) license.txt: 1748 bytes, checksum: 8a4605be74aa9ea9d79846c1fba20a33 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2008 / Este estudo tem como objetivo mapear o fundo marinho e identificar os geohazards em uma área de aproximadamente 51 km2 localizada a 130km da costa do Rio de Janeiro, entre a batimetria de 1590 m e 2040 m. A área apresenta-se deformada pela tectônica salífera, possui relevo acidentado com declividade de até 40 graus, com falhas relacionadas ao soerguimento do sal atingindo a superfície. As interpretações geológicas tiveram como base dados de fundo e subfundo de sísmica 3D, sonar e da sísmica de alta freqüência SBP (sub bottom profile), ambos com peixe rebocado próximo ao fundo, amostras a pistão e filmagens de ROV (Remotely Operated Vehicle). Foram identificadas as facies sedimentares: Drape Lamoso Hemipelágico, Depósitos de Movimento de Massa e Rochas Sedimentares (predominância de lamitos). O Drape corresponde à cobertura superficial quaternária, que recobre a maior parte da área, composta por sedimentos lamosos hemipelágicos. Os depósitos de movimento de massa ocorrem na maior parte da área de estudo, recobertos pelo drape, aflorando em escarpas do fundo do mar. Devido ao movimento dos domos de sal, litologias terciárias da Fácies Rochas Sedimentares originalmente depositadas na forma de camadas horizontais, foram dobradas, falhadas e soerguidas. Os geohazards observados na área de estudo são: diápiros, declividades altas, diamictitos, falhas superficiais, pockmarks, concreções calcárias e afloramentos. Essas feições trazem risco para ancoragem, jateamento de poços, instalações de equipamentos e dutos no fundo do mar

The purpose of this study was to assess the effect of earthquake instruction on students' earthquake content and preparedness for earthquakes. This study used an innovative direct instruction on earthquake science content and concepts with an inquiry-based group activity on earthquake safety followed by an earthquake simulation and preparedness video to help middle school students understand and prepare for the regional seismic threat. A convenience sample of 384 sixth and seventh grade students at two small middle schools in southern Illinois was used in this study. Qualitative information was gathered using open-ended survey questions, classroom observations, and semi-structured interviews. Quantitative data were collected using a 21 item content questionnaire administered to test students' General Earthquake Knowledge, Local Earthquake Knowledge, and Earthquake Preparedness Knowledge before and after instruction. A pre-test and post-test survey Likert scale with 21 items was used to collect students' perceptions and attitudes. Qualitative data analysis included quantification of student responses to the open-ended questions and thematic analysis of observation notes and interview transcripts. Quantitative datasets were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistical methods, including t tests to evaluate the differences in means scores between paired groups before and after interventions and one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) to test for differences between mean scores of the comparison groups. Significant mean differences between groups were further examined using a Dunnett's C post hoc statistical analysis. Integration and interpretation of the qualitative and quantitative results of the study revealed a significant increase in general, local and preparedness earthquake knowledge among middle school students after the interventions. The findings specifically indicated that these students felt most aware and prepared for an earthquake after an intervention that consisted of an inquiry-based group discussion on safety, earthquake content presentation and earthquake simulation video presentation on preparedness. Variations of the intervention, including no intervention, were not as effective in significantly increasing students' conceptual learning of earthquake knowledge.

UK (United Kingdom) infrastructure networks are fundamental for maintaining societal and economic wellbeing. With infrastructure assets predominantly founded in the soil layer (< 1.5m below ground level) they are subject to a range of soil-related geohazards. A literature review identified that geohazards including, clay-related subsidence, sand erosion and soil corrosivity have exerted significant impacts on UK infrastructure to date; often resulting in both long-term degradation and ultimately structural failure of particular assets. Climate change projections suggest that these geohazards, which are themselves driven by antecedent weather conditions, are likely to increase in magnitude and frequency for certain areas of the UK through the 21st century. Despite this, the incorporation of climate data into geohazard models has seldom been undertaken and never on a national scale for the UK. Furthermore, geohazard risk assessment in UK infrastructure planning policy is fragmented and knowledge is often lacking due to the complexity of modelling chronic hazards in comparison to acute phenomenon such as flooding. With HM Government's recent announcement of £50 million planned infrastructure investment and capital projects, the place of climate resilient infrastructure is increasingly pertinent. The aim of this thesis is therefore to establish whether soil-related geohazard assessments have a role in ensuring climate-resilient UK infrastructure. Soil moisture projections were calculated using probabilistic weather variables derived from a high-resolution version of the UKCP09 (UK Climate Projections2009) weather generator. These were then incorporated into a geohazard model to predict Great Britain's (GB) subsidence hazard for the future scenarios of 2030 (2020-2049) and 2050 (2040-2069) as well as the existing climatic baseline (1961-1990). Results suggest that GB is likely to be subject to increased clay-related subsidence in future, particularly in the south east of England. This thesis has added to scientific understanding through the creation of a novel, national-scale assessment of clay subsidence risk, with future assessments undertaken to 2050. This has been used to help create a soil- informed maintenance strategy for improving the climate resilience of UK local roads, based on an extended case study utilising road condition data for the county of Lincolnshire, UK. Finally, a methodological framework has been created, providing a range of infrastructure climate adaptation stakeholders with a method for incorporating geohazard assessments, informed by climate change projections, into asset management planning and design of new infrastructure. This research also highlights how infrastructure networks are becoming increasingly interconnected, particularly geographically, and therefore even minor environmental shocks arising from soil-related geohazards can cause significant cascading failures of multiple infrastructure networks. A local infrastructure hotspot analysis methodology and case-study is provided.

A sequence of siliceous dolomite and magnesian limestone, known as Knox group rock are prevalent in karst landforms of Southern Appalachians. Thick blanket of clay-rich red soils (terra rossa) are common along fractures, cavities, and between bedding planes of these calcareous, cavernous rocks. The red soil causes serious environmental and geotechnical hazards, hence proper understanding of the soil's pedology, geochemistry and engineering behavior can lead to better site characterization for safer development. Twenty four terra rossa samples were collected and laboratory analysis was performed such as: geochemistry (mineral content using X-Ray diffraction, and geotechnical characterization (grain size distribution, porosity, hydraulic conductivity, and shrink-swell potential). The soil profile above Knox rock exhibits distinct vertical variation in geochemical and geotechnical characteristics. The soils are well drained in the upper horizon and exhibit slight reduction in porosity and hydraulic conductivity with depth. The analysis indicate that these soils overall are good foundation materials, however proper drainage should be installed to prevent foundation damage, soil erosion and landslides in slopes.

Approximately 720 square miles of digital 3-dimensional seismic data covering the eastern Mississippi Canyon area, Gulf of Mexico, continental shelf was used to examine the structural and stratigraphic evolution of the geology in the study area. The analysis focused on salt tectonics and sequence stratigraphy to develop a geologic model for the study area and its potential impact on engineering and geologic hazards. Salt in the study area was found to be established structural end-members derived from shallow-emplaced salt sheets. The transition from regional to local salt tectonics was identified through structural deformation of the stratigraphic section on the seismic data and occurred no later than ~450,000 years ago. From ~450,000 years to present, slope depositional processes have become the dominant geologic process in the study area. Six stratigraphic sequences (I-VI) were identified in the study area and found to correlate with sequences previously defined for the Eastern Mississippi Fan. Condensed sections were the key to the correlation. The sequence stratigraphy for the Eastern Mississippi Fan can be extended ~28 miles west, adding another ~720 square miles to the interpreted Fan. A previously defined channel within the Eastern Fan was identified in the study area and extended the channel ~28 miles west. Previous work on the Eastern Fan identified the source of the Fan to be the Mobile River; however, extending the channel west suggests the sediment source to be from the Mississippi River, not the Mobile River. Further evidence for this was found in ponded turbidites whose source has been previously established as the Mississippi River. Ages of the stratigraphic sequences were compared to changes in eustatic sea level. The formation stratigraphic sequences appear decoupled from sea level change with ?pseudo-highstands? forming condensed sections during pronounced Pleistocene sea level lowstands. Miocene and Pleistocene depositional analogues suggest the location of the shifting Mississippi River Pleistocene depocenter is a more dominant influence on sequence formation. Thus, the application of traditional sequence interpretation with respect to sea level change should be reconsidered to also account for the shifting depocenter for both the study area as well as the broader Eastern Mississippi Fan.

The Fraser delta hosts a population of over 500,000 including the municipalities of Richmond and Delta and the Vancouver International Airport. The main arm of the Fraser River has been fixed in place by construction of a jetty focusing sediment deposition on the Sand Heads area. There is a history of submarine slide events at the delta crest which pose substantial risk to coastal infrastructure near the delta front. A submarine channel, characterized by prominent levee deposits, extends seaward from the Sand Heads area. In this study, sand beds in cores from levee overspill deposits are dated using excess 210Pb activity. They are interpreted as the downstream deposits of channelized turbidity currents generated by liquefied slide material. Sedimentation is characterized by sandy mud, interpreted to be deposited continuously by river plume suspension fall-out, and two distinct kinds of sand beds which represent two genetically different processes. The first type of sand bed (Facies 6) is thick, sharp based and clean, often showing classic Bouma turbidite elements including a massive sand base with laminated sands fining up to a mud top and is interpreted as the deposit from slides involving large volumes of material at the upper reaches of the tributary channels. The second type of sand bed (Facies 5) is characterized by muddy sand, has gradational contacts, and is interpreted as a low density deposit from either river generated turbidity currents or distal turbidites from smaller slide events. Facies 6 sand beds often occur as sets of 2 to 4 beds and individual bed sets have been dated to approximately the same ages of known large-scale slide events. Facies 5 sand beds occur more frequently and generally occur after periods with high flow. Sediment cores show three distinct phases of levee growth within the past 100 years approximately. A basal phase consists of very thick beds of medium sand that are interpreted to represent the early stage of channel-levee evolution when continuous overspill occurs during turbidity current events. The second stage is characterized by thick sets of frequent Facies 6 fine grained sand beds separated by less than one year of mud deposition. These sand beds are interpreted as representing a period of levee growth where channel relief is low and overspill events occur often. The third phase is characterized by thick mud intervals with less frequent fine sand beds. Phase 3 is interpreted to reflect a state when levee growth has increased channel relief to a height greater than that of the typical channelized turbidity current. In the third phase, sediment bypass is common and only larger density flows are capable of spilling onto the levees. Deposits interpreted to represent large slides have a return interval of 10 to 15 years during the past 40 years. Deposits of smaller events occur on average every four to five years. Event ages are compared to large spring floods from the Fraser River and seismic activity to determine any causal relationship. There is some relationship between ages of event beds and river flood years, but the largest sand beds do not correspond to unusually large flood years or seismic activity. It is concluded that there are likely a combination of factors which contribute to slope failure including over steepening and increased pore pressure. / Graduate / 0372 / cooper.stacey@nrcan.gc.ca

No description available.

The emphasis of this dissertation is on using numerical and plasticity based methods to study two main areas of offshore geotechnics. The first part of this dissertation focuses on the undrained behavior of deeply embedded anchor plates under combined shear and torsion. Plate anchors are increasingly being used instead of typical foundation systems to anchor offshore floating platforms to sustain uplift operating forces. However extreme loading cases would create general loading conditions involving six degrees of freedom. The focus of my research was to evaluate the bearing capacity of plate anchors under two-way horizontal and torsional loading and to study the decreasing effect of torsional moment on the horizontal bearing capacity of these foundations. The study takes advantage of several approaches: Numerical simulation (two and three dimensional finite element analysis) Evaluating and modification of the available plasticity solutions Developing equations for three degree-of-freedom yield locus surfaces The same methodology is applied to evaluate the response of shallow foundations for subsea infrastructure subjected to significant eccentric horizontal loads. The second part of this study focuses on offshore geohazards. Coastal communities and the offshore industry can be impacted directly by geohazards, such as submarine slope failures, or by tsunamis generated by the failed mass movements. This study aims at evaluating the triggering mechanisms of submarine landslide under cyclic wave and earthquake loading. A simple effective stress elasto-plastic model with a minimal number of parameters accounting for monotonic and cyclic response of fine-grained material is developed. The new constitutive soil model could be used to simulate case histories and conduct parametric study to evaluate the effect of slope inclination angle, the earthquake loading with different PGA, frequency content, and duration, as well as various deposition rates to simulate different over pressure levels. This study will generate more insight on the static and cyclic behavior of submarine slopes and influencing factors on their triggering mechanisms using more comprehensive and realistic modeling tools. Several objectives are defined: Developing an appropriate constitutive formulation, Evaluating the constitutive model and material parameters for available databases.

Lihir Gold Mine in Papua New Guinea is one of the largest gold mines in the world situated in a seismically sensitive zone. The gold deposit is located in an extinct volcano in close proximity to the sea shore and presents a series of geohazards. Some geohazards are uncommon and include: geothermal outbursts, cavities, water inrush and earthquake/ tsunami. After a major multi-batter (5 benches high) slope failure that occurred on the 1st of October 2009, a team of engineers, lead by the author investigated the incident and made series of recommendations. Arising out of these recommendations, a comprehensive Geohazard Management Plan was formulated by revisiting, revising and putting together all the individual geohazard management plans as a single document. This thesis describes the outcomes of the investigation and presents an overview and systematic approach in formulation of the Geohazard Management Plan, apart from a summary of the gaps that were identified in the existing system, major contributions that were made as well as the expected improvements and constraints in managing these geohazards. / Mining Engineering

No description available.