Occurrence of displacements of shallow mat foundations resting on saturated silt-clay mixtures were reported in Mexico City during 1985 Mexico Earthquake, and in Adapazari during 1999 Kocaeli (izmit) Earthquake. Soft surface soils, shallow ground water, limited foundation embedments and deep alluvial deposits were the common features pertaining to such foundation displacements in either case. Experience shows, while uniform foundation settlements, even when excessive, do not limit post earthquake serviceability of building structures, tilting is particularly problematic. In this study, a simplified methodology is developed to estimate the seismically induced irrecoverable tilting potential of shallow mats on fine saturated soils. The undrained shear and deformation behavior of silt-clay mixtures encountered at the Adapazari sites with significant foundation displacements are investigated through a series of standard and rapid monotonic, and stress-controlled cyclic triaxial tests conducted over anisotropically consolidated natural soil samples. Test results show that, while the shear strength of these soils do not significantly degrade under means of loading comparable to that of Kocaeli earthquake, their plastic strain accumulation characteristics critically depend on the mode of loading as well as the relative levels of applied load with regard to the monotonic strength. Based on the results of laboratory tests, the response of nonlinear soil-foundation-structure system is reduced to a single-degree-of-freedom oscillator with elastic-perfectly plastic behavior. The natural period of the system is expressed by simplified soil-structure-interaction equations. Pseudo-static yield acceleration, which is required to initiate the foundation bearing capacity failure when applied to the structural mass, is estimated by the finite-element method. Eventually, the tilting potential of the foundations is estimated utilizing inelastic response of the nonlinear oscillator. Response of the deep alluvium sites, which involves velocity pulses with periods consistent with the fundamental site period, is significant in determination of inelastic response of low bearing capacity systems. Predictive capability of the methodology developed is tested with actual case data. The methodology is observed to predict irrecoverable tilting potential of foundations consistent with the observations, except for the cases with low seismic bearing capacity. Deviations are explained considering the sensitivity of low-strength systems to asymmetrical behavior and uncertainties involved in seismic demand.

Submitted by Maria Eneide de Souza Araujo (mearaujo@ipen.br) on 2017-03-10T16:25:16Z No. of bitstreams: 0 / Made available in DSpace on 2017-03-10T16:25:16Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 / O Pantanal da Nhecolândia, localizado no estado do Mato Grosso do Sul, é parte do Pantanal Brasileiro e possui características específicas, dentre elas a existência de lagos salinos, comumente conhecidos como Salinas. Para se estimar uma possível influência humana no Pantanal da Nhecolândia quatro perfis de sedimento foram coletados, em 2010, nas Salinas A, 6, M e V com o objetivo de se fazer a caracterização química inorgânica dos sedimentos determinando os elementos As, Ba, Ca, Ce, Co, Cr, Cs, Eu, Fe, Hf, K, La, Lu, Na, Nd, Rb, Sb, Sc, Sm, Ta, Tb, Th, U, Yb e Zn pela técnica de análise por ativação com nêutrons instrumental nas frações fina (silte + argila) e grossa (areia média + areia fina) do sedimento e também determinar as taxas de sedimentação e idade do sedimento pelo método do 210Pb. Para auxiliar na interpretação dos resultados determinou-se a composição granulométrica e o conteúdo de água das amostras de sedimento. A análise granulométrica indicou que as Salinas possuem um percentual da fração fina oscilando entre 3,5 % na Salina M a 70 % na Salina A, o que é característico dessa região. Os quatro perfis de sedimento apresentaram diferentes taxas de sedimentação, o que está provavelmente relacionado aos períodos de seca e enchentes. Os resultados obtidos de concentração dos elementos químicos foram comparados com os valores da Upper Continental Crust UCC e da North American Shale Composite NASC, e alguns elementos, como As, Hf, Rb e Sb, apresentaram valores acima destes nas duas frações granulométricas do sedimento, sugereindo à existência de depósitos naturais destes elementos nas quatro Salinas estudadas. Os resultados de concentração dos elementos estudados indicam a não existência de influência antrópica na região. Calculou-se também o fator de enriquecimento - FE dos elementos químicos usando como valores de referência os valores da UCC, NASC, e os valores da base do perfil-FEB, concluindo-se que o FEB foi a melhor metodologia para se avaliar o enriquecimento dos elementos. / Dissertação (Mestrado em Tecnologia Nuclear) / IPEN/D / Instituto de Pesquisas Energeticas e Nucleares - IPEN-CNEN/SP

Submitted by Pedro Silva Filho (pfsilva@ipen.br) on 2017-11-21T12:03:53Z No. of bitstreams: 0 / Made available in DSpace on 2017-11-21T12:03:53Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 / O estudo objetivou desenvolver uma novo método de extração para analisar os poluentes orgânicos persistentes (POPs), no sedimento da Represa Billings em São Paulo, via cromatografia a gás com espectrometria de massas (GC/MS). O Tratado de Estocolmo realizado na Suécia em 1972, patrocinado pela ONU, possuindo 113 países participantes, inclundo o Brasil objetivou a eliminação de menos doze POPs, colaborando com a questão ambiental. Os POPs são compostos que persistem no meio ambiente e são altamente estáveis, podendo ultrapassar a barreira placentária. Neste trabalho foram abordados o Aldrin, Endrin, Dieldrin, DDT. DDE, DDD e Heptacloro. Para garantir a confiabilidade dos resultados analíticos, foram realizados ensaios de validação do método, baseados nas diretrizes do INMETRO. O método de extração dos analitos foi o Quechers, obtendo resultados de recuperação entre 40 e 120% para todos os POPs analisados neste trabalho, valores aceitáveis para matrizes complexas como o sedimento. Os limites de detecção e quantificação fora, 0,3 e 0,5 μg/kg respectivamente. As amostras analisadas não apresentaram contaminação significativa por POPs perante a Legislação Brasileira vigente. / Dissertação (Mestrado em Tecnologia Nuclear) / IPEN/D / Instituto de Pesquisas Energéticas e Nucleares - IPEN-CNEN/SP

Submitted by Pedro Silva Filho (pfsilva@ipen.br) on 2017-11-23T11:02:37Z No. of bitstreams: 0 / Made available in DSpace on 2017-11-23T11:02:37Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 / O sistema Cananéia-Iguape é um grande complexo de canais lagunares e estuarinos, localizado no sul do estado de São Paulo. Este sistema passou a receber as águas do rio Ribeira de Iguape após a abertura do canal do Valo Grande, finalizado no ano de 1852. Este canal tornou-se a principal rota de transporte das produções da região do Vale do Ribeira, e nas décadas de 1940 a 1990 as atividades de mineração da região contaminaram o rio Riberia de Iguape, causando alterações nas características originais do sistema Cananéia-Iguape. Este estudo avaliou os níveis de urânio e tório nas amostras de sedimentos superficiais deste sistema. Esta avaliação foi feita através de um método espectrofotométrico utilizando Arsenazo III. As amostras foram digeridas em um forno micro-ondas com aplicação de HNO3, HF e H2O2. As concentrações de urânio variam de 1,3 mg·kg-1 a 5,8 mg·kg-1 e as de tório de 0,82 mg·kg-1 a 12,1 mg·kg-1. Estes resultados foram comparados com os dados da região, e observou-se que as concentrações determinadas são similares. O índice de geoacumulação foi calculado, classificando a região como \"Não contaminada a moderadamente contaminada\" para urânio e \"Não contaminada\" para tório, indicando que não há contaminação por estes metais. Estes resultados podem ser considerados como a concentração basal da região. As avaliações estatísticas identificaram uma maior afinidade do urânio e do tório com a fração de argila e silte. As concentrações de U e Th não apresentaram um comportamento homogêneo ao longo do sistema estudado. / Dissertação (Mestrado em Tecnologia Nuclear) / IPEN/D / Instituto de Pesquisas Energéticas e Nucleares - IPEN-CNEN/SP

Pore water pressure in a silt slope in Sollefteå, Sweden, was measured from 2009-2016. The results from2009-2012 were presented and evaluated in a publication by Westerberg et al. (2014) and this report is an extension of that project.In a silt slope the pore water pressures are generally negative, contributing to the stability of theslope. In this report the pore water pressure variations are analyzed using basic statistics and a connection between the pore water pressure variations, the geology and parameters such as temperature, precipitation and soil moisture are discussed.The soils in the slope at Nipuddsvägen consists of sandy silt, silt, clayey silt and silty clay. The main findings were that at 2, 4 and 6 m depth there are significant increases and decreases in the pore water pressure that can be linked with the changing of the seasons, for example there is a significant increase in the spring when the ground frost melts. As the seasons change, so do the temperature and amount and type of precipitation. Other factors that vary with the season are the amount of net radiation, wind speed and relative humidity, all of which affect the amount of evapotranspiration. At greater depths the pore water pressue is most likely affected by a factor/factors that varies from year to year, possibly the total amount of rainfall. Therefore, the anticipated increase in precipitation in Scandinavia due to climate change could be an important factor influencing slope stability.What precipitation, temperature and evapotranspiration have in common is that they affect the amount of water infiltrating the soil, and thereby the soil moisture content. How the soil moisture is distributed and flows through the soil (sub-surface flow) is governed by the different soil types and their mutual order in the slope, as well as by factors affecting the structure of the soil, e.g. animal burrows and aggregation. The formation of ground frost also affects the way in which the water present in the soil is redistributed.At c. 14 m depth in the slope, there is a saturated layer with positive pore water pressures, which could be one of several such layers. The overall groundwater situation in a silt slope is complex; several different bodies of water can develop, and to get a complete picture of the ground water situation (andthereby also the pore water pressure variations) thorough hydrological surveys are needed. / Under  2009-2016  mättes  porvattentrycket  i  en  siltslänt  i  Sollefteå.  Resultaten  från  2009-2012presenterades och utvärderades i en publikation av Westerberg et al. (2014) och detta examensarbete är en förlängning av det projektet.I en siltslänt är porvattentrycket vanligtvis negativt vilket bidrar till stabiliteten i slänten. I den härrapporten är variationerna av porvattentrycket analyserade med hjälp av enkel statistik och en koppling mellan variationerna och geologin samt parametrar så som temperatur, nederbörd och fukthalt i marken diskuteras.Jordarterna i slänten vid Nipuddsvägen består av sandig silt, silt, lerig silt och siltig lera. Slutsatsen var att på 2, 4 och 6 m djup ökade och minskade porvattentrycket med årstiderna, till exempel ökade porvattentrycket signifikant vid tjällossningen. När årstiderna skiftar ändras även temperaturen och mängden, och typen, av nederbörd. Andra faktorer som varierar över året är netto-instrålningen, vindhastigheten och den relativa fuktigheten och dessa faktorer påverkar i sin tur evapotranspirationen. På större djup beror antagligen portrycksvariationerna på någon eller några faktorer som skiljer sig åt från år till år, möjligtvis den totala mängden nederbörd. Därmed skulle den ökade nederbörd som förväntas i Skandinavien på grund av klimatförändringarna kunna påverka släntstabiliteten.Vad nederbörd, temeperatur och evapotranspiration har gemensamt är att de påverkar mängden vatten som infiltrerar marken, det vill säga de påverkar markens fukthalt. Hur vattnet är födelat i marken beror på de olika jordarterna och deras inbördes ordning i slänten, men också av faktorer som påverkar markens struktur så som aggregation och uppluckring av jorden på grund av marklevande djurs aktivitet. Även formationen av tjäle på vintern har troligtvis en viss inverkan på hur vattnet i marken omfördelas.På 14 m djup finns ett vattenmättat lager med positiva porvattentryck vilket skulle kunna vara ett av flera sådana lager. I en siltslänt är grundvattensituationen mycket komplex, flera magasin av vatten kan bildas. För att få en bra bild av grundvattensituationen (och där med också porvattentrycksvariationerna)behöver noggranna hydrologiska undersökningar genomföras.

Although clays are generally considered stable materials under seismic conditions, recent failures initiated in clay layers after earthquakes have emphasized the need to study the cyclic and post-cyclic behavior of these materials. Moreover, if strength loss as a result of cyclic loading were to occur in the material comprising the dam and/or dam foundation, the consequences of failure could be substantial. The objective of this study is to evaluate the effect of plasticity characteristics, mineralogical composition, and accumulated energy on the cyclic behavior, post-cyclic shear strength and the degradation in shear strength due to cyclic loading in normally consolidated clays. Seventeen soil samples prepared in the laboratory from kaolinite, montmorillonite, and quartz were tested using static and cyclic simple shear apparatuses. In addition, the results of cyclic simple shear tests on twelve natural samples were provided by Fugro Consultants, Inc. in Houston, TX. Using the results, cyclic strength curves were developed to represent 2.5%, 5% and 10% double amplitude shear strains. These curves were used to examine the influences of mineralogical composition, plasticity characteristics and shear strain on the cyclic resistance of soil samples. A power function was used to represent the cyclic strength curves. The samples were found to become increasingly resistant to cyclic loading as the plasticity index increased. Moreover, the soils with montmorillonite as the clay mineral were noted to have consistently higher cyclic resistances than the soils with kaolinite as the clay mineral. By examining the power functions, it was found that the cyclic strength curve approaches linearity as the plasticity index increases in soils having kaolinite as the clay mineral. However, the opposite trend is observed in soils having montmorillonite as the clay mineral. The study shows that the post-cyclic shear strength increases with increasing plasticity index. Moreover, the post-cyclic shear strengths of soils with montmorillonite as the clay mineral were significantly higher than the post-cyclic shear strengths of soils with kaolinite as the clay mineral. The degradation in shear strength due to cyclic loading appeared unaffected by mineralogy, but a greater reduction in strength was noted with decreasing plasticity index. The post-cyclic shear strength was also found to reduce as the number of cycles required to cause 10% double amplitude shear strain increased. The energy approach considering the accumulated energy per unit volume in the soil mass as a result of cyclic loading was also utilized in this study. The results from the energy approach were independent of the cyclic wave form, but were still dependent on the amplitude of the cyclic load used during the testing. An increase in the amplitude of the cyclic loading function results in a decrease in the accumulated energy per unit volume. Furthermore, an increase in the liquid limit and/or plasticity index of the soils containing kaolinite as the clay mineral shows an increase in the accumulated energy, whereas an increase in plasticity of the soils containing montmorillonite as the clay mineral results in a decrease in the amount of accumulated energy. In both types of materials, the amount of accumulated energy per unit volume is found to increase with increasing double amplitude shear strain. Relationship between the ratio of post-cyclic undrained shear strength to the baseline undrained shear strength and the accumulated energy is also determined. / Ph. D.

A research program was undertaken to quantify the effect of flow induced erosion on the stability of natural river banks along the Red River in Manitoba. The Erosion Measurement Device (EMD) was designed and built in the Geotechnical Laboratory of University of Manitoba to approximate the erosion rate profiles of soil samples from nine sites along the RedRiver. Two simulations of a natural flood event and one of the same flood with the operation of the Floodway were then used to determine the difference in the lower toe erosion and the slopes reduction of the global factor of safety. These results indicate that the operation of the Floodway does not have negative impact on the stability of river banks upstream of the Floodway inlet.

Submitted by Pedro Silva Filho (pfsilva@ipen.br) on 2017-11-22T17:15:11Z No. of bitstreams: 0 / Made available in DSpace on 2017-11-22T17:15:11Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 / O excessivo processo de urbanização da Região Metropolitana de São Paulo resultou na perda das características naturais dos seus cursos d\'água ocasionando profundas alterações nos regimes de vazão e de qualidade. O objetivo desse estudo foi avaliar a concentração de metais tóxicos, os semi-metais As, Sb e Se e os elementos terras raras, presentes em amostras de sedimento superficiais coletadas nos Reservatórios Billings, Guarapiranga e Rio Grande. Os elementos Ag, Al, As, Ba, Ca, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, K, Li, Mg, Mn, Na, Ni, Pb, Sb, Se e Zn foram determinados pela técnica de Espectrometria de Emissão Ótica com Plasma Indutivamente Acoplado (ICP OES). Alguns elementos maiores, traço e elementos terras raras (Ce, Eu, La, Lu, Nd, Sm, Tb e Yb) foram determinados pela técnica de Análise por Ativação Neutrônica Instrumental (INAA). A concentração de Hg total foi determinada pela técnica Espectrometria de Absorção Atômica com Geração de Vapor Frio (CVAAS). A validação das metodologias foi realizada por meio da análise de materiais de referência certificados. Para avaliar as possíveis fontes de contaminação antrópicas foram utilizadas as ferramentas de fator de enriquecimento (FE) e o índice de geoacumulação (IGeo). Os resultados obtidos pelas técnicas foram comparados com os valores orientadores TEL e PEL estabelecidos pelo CCME (Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment) e adotados pela CETESB. Todos os pontos analisados apresentaram valores > TEL para todos os metais e dois pontos da represa Billings (BILL02100 e 02030), valores > PEL para As, Cr, Cu, Hg, Ni, Pb e Zn, provavelmente em decorrência do recebimento das águas do Rio Pinheiros e das bacias de drenagem do ribeirão Cocaia e Bororé. Os valores de FE e IGeo calculados apontaram possíveis contaminações antrópicas para Sb e Se para os elementos determinados por ICP OES e de As, Cr, Sb e Zn, por INAA. O reservatório Billings apresentou, em geral, as maiores concentrações para os elementos analisados, indicando uma má qualidade de seus sedimentos. Este estudo confirma a necessidade de um monitoramento frequente da qualidade do sedimento nos reservatórios estudados como procedimento indispensável para avaliação periódica da qualidade das bacias, considerando sua importância no fornecimento de água para a Região Metropolitana de São Paulo. / Dissertação (Mestrado em Tecnologia Nuclear) / IPEN/D / Instituto de Pesquisas Energéticas e Nucleares - IPEN-CNEN/SP

The Portland Cement Association commissioned a research project at Brigham Young University to compare selected laboratory durability tests available for assessing stabilized subgrade materials. Improved understanding of these tests is needed to enable more objective selection of durability tests by design engineers and to facilitate more meaningful comparisons of data obtained for different stabilizer treatments using different evaluation procedures. The laboratory research associated with this project involved two subgrade materials, four stabilizers at three concentrations each, and three durability tests in a full-factorial experimental design. The two subgrade soils used were a silty sand and a lean clay, while the four stabilizer types included Class C fly ash, lime-fly ash, lime, and Type I/II portland cement. The three tests used in this comparative study were the freeze-thaw test, the vacuum saturation test, and the tube suction test. On average, to achieve the same 7-day unconfined compressive strength (UCS) values, the sand required 4.4 times more Class C fly ash than cement, 3.6 times more lime-fly ash than cement, and 6.0 times more lime than cement. Likewise, the clay required 10 times more Class C fly ash than cement, 7.5 times more lime-fly ash than cement, and 1.8 times more lime than cement. Analyses of the test results indicated that the UCS and retained UCS were higher for specimens tested by vacuum saturation than the corresponding values associated with freeze-thaw cycling. This observation suggests that the freeze-thaw test is more severe than the vacuum saturation test for these particular fine-grained materials. Testing also suggested that specimens with 7-day UCS values below 200 psi will generally not survive freeze-thaw cycling. After both freeze-thaw and vacuum saturation testing, the sand specimens treated with lime-fly ash had significantly higher UCS and retained UCS than specimens treated with Class C fly ash, lime, or cement. Similarly, the clay specimens treated with Class C fly ash or lime-fly ash had significantly higher UCS values than specimens treated with cement or lime; however, clay specimens treated with Class C fly ash and lime-fly ash were not significantly different. None of the four stabilizer types were significantly different from each other with respect to retained UCS after vacuum saturation testing. Dielectric values measured in tube suction testing were lowest for specimens treated with lime-fly ash and cement with respect to the sand and for specimens treated with Class C fly ash and cement with respect to the clay. The lime-fly ash and cement successfully reduced the dielectric value of sand specimens to a "marginal" rating, while no stabilizer reduced the moisture susceptibility of the clay to a satisfactory level. A strong correlation was identified between UCS after the freeze-thaw test and UCS after the vacuum saturation test, while very weak correlations were observed between the final dielectric value after tube suction testing and all other response variables. Differences in variability between test results were determined to be statistically insignificant in an analysis of the CVs associated with data collected in this research. Although the freeze-thaw test utilized in this research was determined to be more severe than the vacuum saturation test for materials similar to those tested in this study, the vacuum saturation test is recommended over both the freeze-thaw and tube suction tests because of the shorter test duration, usability for specimens with 7-day UCS values even below 200 psi, and lack of a need for daily specimen monitoring.

Fine grained sediment deposition in urban environments during natural hazard events can impact critical infrastructure and properties (urban terrain) leading to reduced social and economic function and potentially adverse public health effects. Therefore, clean-up of the sediments is required to minimise impacts and restore social and economic functionality as soon as possible. The strategies employed to manage and coordinate the clean-up significantly influence the speed, cost and quality of the clean-up operation. Additionally, the physical properties of the fine grained sediment affects the clean-up, transport, storage and future usage of the sediment. The goals of the research are to assess the resources, time and cost required for fine grained sediment clean-up in an urban environment following a disaster and to determine how the geotechnical properties of sediment will affect urban clean-up strategies. The thesis focuses on the impact of fine grained sediment (<1 mm) deposition from three liquefaction events during the Canterbury earthquake sequence (2010-2011) on residential suburbs and transport networks in Christchurch. It also presents how geotechnical properties of the material may affect clean-up strategies and methods by presenting geotechnical analysis of tephra material from the North Island of New Zealand. Finally, lessons for disaster response planning and decision making for clean-up of sediment in urban environments are presented. A series of semi-structured interviews of key stakeholders supported by relevant academic literature and media reports were used to record the clean-up operation coordination and management and to make a preliminary qualification of the Christchurch liquefaction ejecta clean-up (costs breakdown, time, volume, resources, coordination, planning and priorities). Further analysis of the costs and resources involved for better accuracy was required and so the analysis of Christchurch City Council road management database (RAMM) was done. In order to make a transition from general fine sediment clean-up to specific types of fine disaster sediment clean-up, adequate information about the material properties is required as they will define how the material will be handled, transported and stored. Laboratory analysis of young volcanic tephra from the New Zealand’s North Island was performed to identify their geotechnical properties (density, granulometry, plasticity, composition and angle of repose). The major findings of this research were that emergency planning and the use of the coordinated incident management system (CIMS) system during the emergency were important to facilitate rapid clean-up tasking, management of resources and ultimately recovery from widespread and voluminous liquefaction ejecta deposition in eastern Christchurch. A total estimated cost of approximately $NZ 40 million was calculated for the Christchurch City clean-up following the 2010-2011 Canterbury earthquake sequence with a partial cost of $NZ 12 million for the Southern part of the city, where up to 33% (418 km) of the road network was impacted by liquefaction ejecta and required clearing of the material following the 22 February 2011 earthquake. Over 500,000 tonnes of ejecta has been stockpiled at Burwood landfill for all three liquefaction inducing earthquake events. The average cost per kilometre for the event clean-up was $NZ 5,500/km (4 September 2010), $NZ 11,650/km (22 February 2011) and $NZ 11,185/km (13 June 2011). The duration of clean-up time of residential properties and the road network was approximately two to three months for each of the three liquefaction ejecta events; despite events volumes and spatial distribution of ejecta. Interviews and quantitative analysis of RAMM data revealed that the experience and knowledge gained from the Darfield earthquake (4 September 2010) clean-up increased the efficiency of the following Christchurch earthquake induced liquefaction ejecta clean-up events. Density, particle size, particle shape, clay content and moisture content, are the important geotechnical properties that need to be considered when planning for a clean-up method that incorporates collection, transport and disposal or storage. The geotechnical properties for the tephra samples were analysed to increase preparedness and reaction response of potentially affected North Island cities from possible product from the active volcanoes in their region. The geotechnical results from this study show that volcanic tephra could be used in road or construction material but the properties would have to be further investigated for a New Zealand context. Using fresh volcanic material in road, building or flood control construction requires good understanding of the material properties and precaution during design and construction to extra care, but if well planned, it can be economically beneficial.