Dam Collapse Research Articles

Exotic Seismic Events Catalog (ESEC) Data Product

Research Article| April 10, 2019 Exotic Seismic Events Catalog (ESEC) Data Product Manochehr Bahavar; Manochehr Bahavar aIRIS DMC, 1408 NE 45th Street, Seattle, Washington 98105 U.S.A., manoch@iris.washington.edu Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Kate E. Allstadt; Kate E. Allstadt bU.S. Geological Survey, 1711 Illinois Street, Golden, Colorado 80401 U.S.A. Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Mick Van Fossen; Mick Van Fossen aIRIS DMC, 1408 NE 45th Street, Seattle, Washington 98105 U.S.A., manoch@iris.washington.edu Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Stephen D. Malone; Stephen D. Malone cEarth and Space Sciences, University of Washington, 4000 15th Avenue NE, Seattle, Washington 98195‐1310 U.S.A. Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Chad Trabant Chad Trabant aIRIS DMC, 1408 NE 45th Street, Seattle, Washington 98105 U.S.A., manoch@iris.washington.edu Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Seismological Research Letters (2019) 90 (3): 1355–1363. https://doi.org/10.1785/0220180402 Article history first online: 10 Apr 2019 Cite View This Citation Add to Citation Manager Share Icon Share Facebook Twitter LinkedIn MailTo Tools Icon Tools Get Permissions Search Site Citation Manochehr Bahavar, Kate E. Allstadt, Mick Van Fossen, Stephen D. Malone, Chad Trabant; Exotic Seismic Events Catalog (ESEC) Data Product. Seismological Research Letters 2019;; 90 (3): 1355–1363. doi: https://doi.org/10.1785/0220180402 Download citation file: Ris (Zotero) Refmanager EasyBib Bookends Mendeley Papers EndNote RefWorks BibTex toolbar search Search Dropdown Menu toolbar search search input Search input auto suggest filter your search All ContentBy SocietySeismological Research Letters Search Advanced Search ABSTRACT Nonearthquake seismic events from sources such as landslides, debris flows, dam collapses, floods, glaciers, and avalanches are rarely included in traditional earthquake catalogs. The new Incorporated Research Institutions for Seismology (IRIS) Data Management Center Exotic Seismic Events Catalog data product provides information on such events to help accelerate research in the area of environmental seismology. This catalog initially offers information on 113 events in four general categories consisting of flows, lahars, debris flows and outburst floods (17 events); rock or debris falls (23 events); rock, ice, or debris avalanches and slides (68 events); and snow avalanches (5 events). This database will be expanded as information regarding new recent and historical events becomes available. This catalog is now available to the research community at IRIS (see Data and Resources). You do not have access to this content, please speak to your institutional administrator if you feel you should have access.

Brazil in the mud again: lessons not learned from Mariana dam collapse

Brazil in the mud again: lessons not learned from Mariana dam collapse

Nonlocal numerical simulation of low Reynolds number laminar fluid motion by using peridynamic differential operator

A considerable fluid load can cause local damages on the offshore structures, which may be a risk in the field of ocean engineering. Therefore, an accurate fluid motion prediction is a crucial issue in predicting the offshore structure motion. In this study, a non-local Lagrangian model is developed for Newtonian fluid low Reynold's number laminar flow. Based on the peridynamic theory, a peridynamic differential operator is recently proposed for directly converting the partial differential into its integral form. Therefore, the peridynamic differential operator is applied to convert the classical Navier-Stokes equations into their integral forms. The numerical algorithms are developed both in total and updated Lagrangian description. Finally, several benchmark fluid flow problems such as Couette flow, Poiseuille flow, Taylor Green vortex, shear-driven cavity problem and dam collapse problems are numerically solved. The simulation results are compared with the ones available in the published literature. The good agreements validate of the capability of the proposed non-local model for Newtonian fluid low Reynold's number laminar flow simulation.

Quasi-exact solution of the Riemann problem for generalised dam-break over a mobile initially flat bed

This paper investigates dam-break problems with flows on one or two sides of zero or nonzero velocities over a mobile initially flat bed, and quasi-exact solutions are presented by solving the Riemann problems using the simple wave theory. The flow structures after dam collapse for nonzero velocities are much richer than those for zero velocities on both sides, although they are also a combination of waves of different characteristic families, which are consistent with Lax [CBMS-Regional Conference Series in Applied Mathematics, SIAM, 1973]. The wave can be a rarefaction, a shock, or a combination of a rarefaction and a semi-characteristic shock. The semi-characteristic shock is related to the morphodynamic characteristics. The relationship between morphodynamic and hydrodynamic characteristics is illustrated, along with types of waves (shock, rarefaction or a combination of these), and sediment convergence and type of characteristic. It is shown that the types of waves that may occur in the Riemann solution, and, in some cases, their possible approximate locations, can be determined prior to the construction of the Riemann solution itself. The Riemann solution presented here can be used to study shock–shock interactions.

Modeling the Sediment Load of the Doce River after the Fundão Tailings Dam Collapse, Brazil

The collapse of the Fundão tailings dam in Brazil spilled 32 million cubic meters of mine waste, causing a severe socioeconomic and environmental impact in the Doce River. Approximately 90% of the spilled volume settled on floodplains, over 118 km downstream of Fundão Dam. A hyperconcentrated flow (≈400,000 mg/L) reached the Doce River, where the floodwave and sediment wave traveled at different celerities over 570 km until the Atlantic Ocean. The one-dimensional advection-dispersion equation with settling was solved and calibrated to fit the observed concentration using an analytical solution to determine the longitudinal dispersion coefficient and the settling rate, both along the river and in the reservoirs. The longitudinal dispersion coefficient ranged from 30 to 120 m2/s, and the sediment settling rate corresponded to particle sizes from 1.1 to 2.0 μm. Moreover, simulations with the calibrated model revealed that without the presence of three hydropower reservoirs on the Doce River, the sediment concentration at the watershed outlet would have been 64,000 mg/L instead of the observed 1,500 mg/L. The temperature effects were also examined, and a decrease from 30°C to 5°C in water temperature would have caused a concentration 12 times higher at the outlet.

Impactos do rompimento da barragem de rejeitos de Brumadinho, Brasil: uma análise baseada nas mudanças de cobertura da terra

The collapse of tailings dams may cause severe socioambiental and economic impacts. On February 25, 2019, the tailings dam of the mine “Córrego do Feijão”, associated with the mining company “Vale S.A.” collapsed in Brumadinho, MG, Brazil. The rupture caused dozens of deaths, and the tailings mud spread all over many areas of the municipality. Geoprocessing tools were used to estimate and to characterize the area affected by the mud, as well as to identify impacts caused by the rupture, under the perspective of land cover changes. The results showed that the tailings mud buried 297,28 ha of land, and at least 193 corporate (41%) and family (59%) facilities were compromised. 51% of the affected land was occupied by native vegetation (most of it preserved vegetation), 19% by human activities with a high circulation of people and 13% by agricultural activities. These changes suggest severe impacts, like contamination of the physical and biotic environments; deterioration of the physical and mental health of the affected populations; and local socioeconomic destabilization. Specific and multidisciplinary studies in different scientific fields are required to characterize and to find solutions to mitigate these impacts.

Effects of slope and rainfall intensity on runoff and soil erosion from furrow diking under simulated rainfall

Furrow diking is a type of conservation tillage practice that is widely used throughout the world and has been proved to be effective for preventing runoff and soil loss. However, it is not easy to maintain a stable conservation effect of furrow diking in various environments. Few studies have focused on the effects of rainfall and slope on the integrity and conservation efficiency of furrow diking. Therefore, simulated rainfall experiments were conducted with four rainfall intensities (30 mm/h, 60 mm/h, 90 mm/h and 120 mm/h) and three slopes (2, 4 and 8°) to study the effects of rainfall intensity and slope on soil and runoff production of furrow diking as well as its conservation efficiency. The conservation efficiencies were obtained by comparing furrow diking with up-down slope ridges.The result indicated that as rainfall intensity and slope increased, furrow diking dams may suffer from runoff overtopping resulting in damage and ultimate collapse. During this process, runoff and soil loss increased rapidly, severe rill erosion developed on dams resulting in the loss of the ability of furrow diking to store rainwater and sediment and obvious declines of water and soil conservation efficiencies. This paper established empirical equations to estimate the conservation efficiency of furrow diking under undamaged and damaged conditions. An empirical equation was also presented to estimate the critical rainfall and slope conditions that may cause overtopping, damage or collapse of dams in order to guide the implementation of furrow diking and predict its conservation efficiency.

THE PERCEPTION OF ADULT AND YOUNG ADULT STUDENTS ON THE RIVER RIO DOCE - CARTOGRAPHIES OF FEAR

Abstract The article is part of a series of debates that are concerned with the effects of the socio-technical disaster caused by the Fundão dam collapse in the year 2015, which affected the river Rio Doce, and presents results of a study that sought to understand the perceptions of Adult and Young Adult Education (EJA) students about the river. The theoretical framework establishes a dialogue between EJA, Environmental Education, and the contributions of the geographer Yi-Fu Tuan. The empirical material was produced through mental maps and interviews. The results indicate that the subjects’ perceptions on the river are marked by cartographies of fear of environmental degradation, before the disaster and post-disaster, health concerns, household budget, and work loss. The conclusions point to the importance of providing further information about water to the population, and the effects of the disaster, which intensify social inequalities.

Effects of compaction on soil undrained shear strength deteriorating during undrained cyclic loading and controlling seismic stability of embankment

Effects of compaction on the undrained shear strength of saturated earth-fill dam materials are presented. Poorly and well compacted saturated soils may exhibit undrained shear strengths, respectively, significantly lower and higher than corresponding drained shear strength and this trend is amplified as the undrained strength deteriorates by preceding undrained cyclic loading. These features are implemented in a new simplified seismic analysis to evaluate residual deformation of earth-fill dams. The analysis consists of: 1) a modified Newmark sliding block analysis; and 2) a pseudo-static non-linear FEM analysis, both formulated in a unified framework based on the cumulative damage concept, total stress earthquake response analysis and a direct total stress modelling of undrained monotonic and cyclic stress-strain behaviours obtained by triaxial tests. The analysis simulates very well the collapse of an earth-fill dam by the 2011 Off the Pacific Coast of Tohoku Earthquake, Japan, and indicates a substantially higher seismic stability under the same conditions of the newly restored dam completed in 2017. Paramount effects of soil compaction on the seismic stability of earth-filled dam are demonstrated.

Cardiovascular risks in subjects exposed to the Brumadinho dam collapse, Minas Gerais, Brazil

On January 25th, 2019, structural problems with the Dam in Brumadinho, MG, Brazil caused serious fatalities for numerous families. It was responsible for 99 registered deaths and over 250 individuals disappeared, including employees and local residents (,). According to a survey by the Oswaldo Cruz Foundation of Brazil, the area concerned affects many kilometers of the Paraopeba River (). The likelihood of an outbreak of diseases has already been highlighted, including yellow and dengue fevers, leptospirosis and schistosomiasis. Moreover, the [...]

CSR Sensemaking Applied to the Facts Related to the Collapse of the Samarco Tailings Dam

This paper examines the fundamental orientation guiding the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) activities in the voluntary report published by Samarco – a Brazilian mining company, identifying how the company perceives itself regarding a severe environmental disaster occurred in 2015. Our analysis applied Basu and Palazzo (2008)'s model based on an organizational sensemaking process to explain how the organization expresses its thinking, how it discusses and acts to cope with the accident expectancy and its consequences. We analyzed the reports that depict the tailings dam collapse, observing whether the risks and damages to the ecosystem would be mentioned and anticipated to the stakeholders. Our evidence point out that the company had not disclosed beforehand any relevant information about the real hazards or critical impacts of its operating activities. After the accident, Samarco seems to maintain its relational posture towards society. However, the practical actions signal that the company is after its own business.

30 years of the Lakes Nyos and Monoun gas disasters: A scientific, technological, institutional and social adventure

The gas explosions of the mid 80's at Lakes Monoun and Nyos in Cameroon released huge quantities of magmatic CO2 gas that asphyxiated close to 1800 people and thousands of livestock in the surrounding villages, giving birth to a new type of natural disaster called limnic eruption which, interestingly, is both predictable and preventable. These unique events generated renewed interest in volcanic lake studies across the world, resulting in the creation of new associations such as the International Association of Volcanology and Chemistry of the Earth's Interior (IAVCEI) Commission on Volcanic Lakes (IAVCEI-CVL) and institutional reforms regarding civil protection and disaster management as a whole in Cameroon and beyond. Post scientific studies indicated not just gas buildup in the bottom layers of both lakes, but also identified the potential risk of collapse of the natural dam at the outlet of Lake Nyos. As an introduction to this special issue, this paper revisits these two lakes alongside the other Cameroon Volcanic Line (CVL) maars and appraises the scientific and technological achievements registered, discusses the phenomena of limnic eruption and lake turnover in some other Cameroonian lakes, and highlights the lessons learnt as well as perspectives.Design and test degassing experimentation started at Monoun in 1992 and at Nyos in 1995 and led to full-scale degassing with a single pipe at Nyos in January 2001 and at Monoun in 2003. Two more pipes were installed at Monoun in 2006 and at Nyos in 2011 so as to accelerate the degassing, which worked well and rendered the lakes safe by decreasing their CO2 contents to inoffensive levels. Moreover, the much dreaded potential risk of dam collapse and downstream flooding at Nyos has also been averted following the success of dam reinforcement works. In view of these achievements, the science underlying gas accumulation in lakes and subsequent similar catastrophic phenomenon is now understood. Lakes Nyos and Monoun are today infamous and have, over the past 30 years, not only attracted considerable scientific interest and media coverage but have above all, become natural laboratories for capacity development (design and testing of new investigation methods and equipment) and capacity building (infrastructural and human) which were largely boosted under a 5-year joint Japan Cameroon cooperation project code named ‘Satreps NyMo’.

Colapso de la Presa El Guamito (Venezuela) ante las Lluvias Extraordinarias de Diciembre de 1999: Condicionantes Hidrogeomorfológicos en la Cuenca del Río Guapo

La infraestructura del proyecto original de la presa del rio Guapo en el sitio El Guamito (estado Miranda, Venezuela), construida y puesta en servicio durante el periodo 1975-1977, colapso en Diciembre de 1999 como consecuencia de las lluvias extraordinarias observadas en ese mes, que produjeron caudales maximos con magnitudes superiores al caudal de diseno de la obra. En tal sentido, es necesario analizar la relacion entre la respuesta hidrogeomorfologica de la cuenca del rio Guapo generada por este evento extraordinario de lluvias, las caracteristicas de los medios fisico y biologico y las condiciones que estos determinaron para el colapso de la presa. Se caracterizaron las variables de los medios fisico y biologico, en particular los aspectos climaticos e hidrologicos. Se midieron y calcularon los parametros morfometricos de la cuenca y de su red de drenaje. Las caracteristicas topograficas y geomorfologicas se describieron con la construccion de perfiles. Los elementos fisicos y biologicos (geologia, relieve, geomorfologia, topografia, suelo, vegetacion, clima, drenaje e hidrologia) que coexisten en el area de la cuenca tienen una influencia importante en el condicionamiento de las respuestas hidrogeomorfologicas (inundaciones, produccion y acarreo de sedimentos y procesos de remocion en masa) del sistema. Las caracteristicas morfometricas de la cuenca indican una alta correspondencia entre estos aspectos y el colapso del aliviadero, ya que favorecieron los altos caudales que se estimaron en el sitio de la presa durante la ocurrencia del evento adverso.

Far-reaching cytogenotoxic effects of mine waste from the Fundão dam disaster in Brazil

On November 2015, one of Brazil's most important watersheds was impacted by the mine waste from Fundão dam collapse in Mariana. The mine waste traveled over 600 km along the Doce River before reaching the sea, causing severe devastation along its way. Here we assessed trace element concentrations and cytogenotoxic effects of the released mine waste. Water samples were collected along the Doce River ten days after the disaster in two impacted sites and one non-impacted site. Sampling points were located hundreds of kilometers downstream of the collapsed dam. Water samples were used for trace element quantification and to run an experiment using Allium cepa to test cytogenotoxicity. We found extremely high concentrations of particulate Fe, Al, and Mn in the impacted sites. We observed cytogenotoxic effects such as alterations in mitotic and phase indexes, and enhanced frequency of chromosomal aberrations. Our results indicate interferences in the cell cycle in impacted sites located hundreds of kilometers downstream of the disaster. The environmental impacts of the dam collapse may not only be far-reaching but also very likely long-lasting, because the mine waste may persist in the Doce River sediment for decades.

Atlantic Forest loss caused by the world´s largest tailing dam collapse (Fundão Dam, Mariana, Brazil)

The collapse of Fundão dam in Mariana, Minas Gerais, Brazil, released more than 50 million cubic meters of ore tailings into the environment, representing the world's largest mining disaster. Three analyses estimating the forest loss to the ore tailings were produced soon after the collapse but the values varied threefold between them due to differences in objective and spatial resolution. Our aim was to estimate the riverside forest loss due to the flooding of the ore tailings. We analyzed Landsat Normalized Difference Vegetation Indexes (NDVI) with the digital elevation model (DEM) specific for flooded forest and limited to analyze an area floodable and contiguous from the water stream. Our forest loss quantification resulted in the same order of magnitude than the two of previous estimates. The area other than forest flooded by the ore tailings accounted for 1176.6 ha. The loss of the forest area due to the collapse was 457.6 ha and concentrated along the first 74 km from the Fundão Dam.

Marine benthic communities affected by the Doce River (southwestern Atlantic): Baseline before a mining disaster

Prior to Brazil's worst environmental disaster, caused by a mining dam collapse, we had carried out a study of the marine benthic macrofauna (11–51 m depth) under the influence of the Doce River. Our results showed significant diversity, in which mollusks, polychaetes, and crustaceans had the highest frequency, density, and abundance, represented by 162 families in summer and 173 in winter. Our results suggested that richness, abundance, and diversity increase with distance from the coast. Furthermore, with increasing distance from the coast and river mouth, in addition to increasing depth, there was a differentiation in composition and abundance. Multivariate analyses showed depth, carbonate, and organic matter as important factors that explain variations in composition and diversity across the continental shelf. The results could provide an invaluable baseline for measuring the effects on shallow and mesophotic communities of one of the largest tailings dam failures worldwide.

Hidden Diversity Hampers Conservation Efforts in a Highly Impacted Neotropical River System.

Neotropical Rivers host a highly diverse ichthyofauna, but taxonomic uncertainty prevents appropriate conservation measures. The Doce River Basin (DRB), lying within two Brazilian threatened hotspots (Atlantic Forest and Brazilian Savanna) in south-east Brazil, faced the worst ever environmental accident reported for South American catchments, due to a dam collapse that spread toxic mining tailings along the course of its main river. Its ichthyofauna was known to comprise 71 native freshwater fish species, of which 13 endemic. Here, we build a DNA barcode library for the DRB ichthyofauna, using samples obtained before the 2015 mining disaster, in order to provide a more robust biodiversity record for this basin, as a baseline for future management actions. Throughout the whole DRB, we obtained a total of 306 barcodes, assigned to 69 putative species (with a mean of 4.54 barcodes per species), belonging to 45 genera, 18 families, and 5 orders. Average genetic distances within species, genus, and families were 2.59, 11.4, and 20.5%, respectively. The 69 species identified represent over 76% of the known DRB ichthyofauna, comprising 43 native (five endemic, of which three threatened by extinction), 13 already known introduced species, and 13 unknown species (such as Characidium sp., Neoplecostomus sp., and specimens identified only at the sub-family level Neoplecostominae, according to morphological identification provided by the museum collections). Over one fifth of all analyzed species (N = 16) had a mean intraspecific genetic divergence higher than 2%. An integrative approach, combining NND (nearest neighbor distance), BIN (barcode index number), ABGD (automatic barcode gap discovery), and bPTP (Bayesian Poisson Tree Processes model) analyses, suggested the occurrence of potential cryptic species, species complex, or historical errors in morphological identification. The evidence presented calls for a more robust, DNA-assisted cataloging of biodiversity-rich ecosystems, in order to enable effective monitoring and informed actions to preserve and restore these delicate habitats.

Hydrodynamic Study of the Flows Caused by Dam Break around Downstream Obstacles

Introduction: Studying dam break and the resultant flood routing along with identifying critical areas at the dam downstream are of great importance in safety management of the dam break issues. To reduce the risk of the dam break, an accurate estimation of the effective parameters on the energy dissipation due to the collapse of dams and the flood routing around the downstream natural and artificial obstacles is necessary. Methods: In this research, effects of downstream obstacles (e.g. bridge piers) caused by dam break were investigated on different flood patterns in the flow characteristics. Accordingly, two different geometries of the long and wide reservoirs were considered in the experimental tests and 3D numerical simulations. Results and Conclusion: The results indicated the formation of different flow patterns at downstream of the long and wide reservoirs depends on the reservoir geometry. Due to the alignment of the channel and the reservoir in the long reservoir case, the dominant flow was one-dimensional up to the collision with the pier. Therefore, the one-dimensional solutions, including Ritter analytical solution could be applied in this range. After the flow passes through the pier, due to the formation of the wake vortices, the one-dimensional state was no longer valid. This caused turbulence at the surface of the water, which continued to the end of the channel. In the wide reservoir, from the beginning of the flow entry into the channel until its moment of collision with the pier, as well as passing through it, the flow lost its one-dimensional state. In such a case, the use of 3D models was necessary to achieve the appropriate accuracy.

Contextualizing Environmental Migration: the gap between the legal nature of refuge and environment during the age of global warming and natural catastrophes

Migration has attracted increasing attention and it has been a source of concern from academia to politics for the past couple of decades. While mankind faces its biggest migration crisis since World War II, many discussions arise from the complex and intricate dynamics of refuge, considering that the object of study, both human and mobile, has to flee a given area of residence in order for one to protect him or herself from war, persecution and serious violations of human rights. Given the organicity of the theme, and as encompassing as the current concept of refugee might be, there is a special contingent category of migrants that is not yet encompassed by the current notion of who is eligible for refugee status: those who flee environmental catastrophes. On the verge of multiple natural events – such as the case of Haiti and the 2010 earthquake - and some man-made disasters – such as the Samarco dam collapse in Brazil – how to legally address individuals fleeing naturally devastated areas, facing the gap between the legal nature of the status of refugees in international law and the legal nature of environment, in a century named “The Age of Global Warming”? Considering the perspective on climate change for the coming decades, the reshaping of the concept of refugee status is of vital importance, given the increasing population of environmentally displaced persons - an alarming number that has not yet been addressed by the current legal framework. For the present study, we opted for the deductive-analytic research method, using bibliographic research as technique.

Metals and Arsenic in Water Supply for Riverine Communities Affected by the Largest Environmental Disaster in Brazil: The Dam Collapse on Doce River

Considered the worst environmental disaster in Brazilian history, the collapse of Samarco dam directly affected the Doce river. Inhabitants living along the river who relied mainly on Doce river's water supply for agriculture and human consumption faced risk from the mining residue exposure. This study aimed to investigate the disaster’s impact on small family farmers living in Minas Gerais and Espirito Santo States by water elemental quantification and evaluate the potential pathways of contamination by survey. In July 2016, 48 water points - including well, river and public distributed water - of 3 cities (Belo Oriente, Governador Valadares and Colatina) were sampled for determination of As, Cd, Cr, Cu, Fe, Hg, Mn, Ni, Pb, Sn and Zn elements. Ninety-eight percent of the inhabitants interviewed related Doce river water usage before the tragedy for diversified purposes, while only thirty-six per cent used it after the disaster, mainly for irrigation. Fe and Mn presented concentrations above the Brazilian legislation for drinking water and irrigation in all locations, but not in all samples. Pb concentration was above the drinking water legislation in one location. All the other elements concentrations were within safe limits. Colatina, the farthest city from the dam, presented the highest values, followed by Governador Valadares and Belo Oriente. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.17807/orbital.v10i4.1081