Foundation For Investigation Research Articles

Using spectral mapping techniques on short wave infrared bands of ASTER remote sensing data for alteration mineral mapping in SE Iran

Spectral mapping techniques were applied on shortwave infrared of advanced spaceborne thermal emission and reflection radiometer (ASTER) data for discriminating between hydrothermal alteration zones, and the identification of high potential mineralized lithologic unit associated with hydrothermal porphyry copper mineralization in the Central Iranian Volcanic Belt. In this study, shortwave infrared radiations of ASTER data were processed with spectral angle mapping, linear spectral unmixing, matched filtering, and mixture tuned matched filtering techniques. Two copper mining districts were used as reference to demonstrate the applicability of the spectral mapping techniques for spectral distinction of specific hydrothermal alteration zones such as argillic, phyllic and propylitic. The results of this study showed that spectral information can be used for generating spatial alteration mineral maps for purely virgin regions, and it can provide a cost-effective method to discriminate the new prospects for porphyry copper exploration prior to detailed and costly ground investigations. Key words: ASTER, spectral mapping techniques, hydrothermal alteration minerals, copper exploration.

B4 Ground investigation

The term ground investigation refers specifically to the investigation of subsurface soil, rock and groundwater conditions, either through intrusive methods (principally boreholes and trial pits and the associated soil/rock sampling and testing) or surface and borehole geophysics. Ground investigation methods are described in numerous textbooks including more recently Clayton et al. (1995), Simons et al. (2002), Cornforth (2005) and Bond & Harris (2008), for example. Ground investigations for low-cost roads can often be low on the priority list. They are sometimes seen to be costly and time consuming, providing little information of any value. However, if planned and implemented correctly, they can yield valuable information when compared to the cost of design. Ground investigations are undertaken for new roads to determine: Ground investigations are undertaken for existing roads when examining: In all cases, desk studies and field mapping (Sections B2 & B3) are essential prerequisites to ensure that the ground investigation is planned effectively and that it is able to yield the maximum information. As with field mapping techniques, the description of soils and rocks for engineering purposes forms a key element of ground investigation and should follow recognized engineering standards, such as ISRM (1981), GCO (1988), BSI (1999) and BSI (EN) (2003). Norbury …

About this title - Slope Engineering for Mountain Roads

This book provides a complete guide to the study, design, construction and management of landslide and slope engineering measures for mountain roads, with an emphasis on low-cost. The geographical focus of the book is on the tropics and sub-tropics, but is also highly relevant to other regions where heavy rain, steep slopes and weak soils and rocks combine to create slope instability. The causes and mechanisms of landslides are described, and the hazards they pose to mountain roads are illustrated. Methods of desk study, field mapping and ground investigation are reviewed and illustrated, with an emphasis on geomorphological and engineering geological techniques. The design and construction of alignments, earthworks, drainage, retaining structures, the stabilization of soil slopes and rock slopes, and the control of erosion on slopes and in rivers and streams are covered. Slope management as part of road maintenance and operation is reviewed, and procedures for risk assessment and works prioritization are described.

Estimation of Ground Resistance Characteristics of Piles used in Different Construction Methods Based on a Load Test Database

The design bearing capacity of piles can be calculated by multiplying the characteristic value with its corresponding resistance factor. In this study, we proposed a method for calculating these parameters from a loading test database of several different construction methods. Initially, we proposed the formula for calculating the characteristic value by using results from a ground investigation. Secondly, we proposed the resistance factor obtained from the statistical analysis of the loading test database by use of the first-order reliability method. The proposed method can be used to compare the effectiveness of various pile construction methods with the same reliability.

Study of the Integrated Environmental Monitoring in Mining Area Based on Image Analysis

The mining area environment is a complex and dynamic system and is effected by mining activities. Therefore, knowing the dynamic change of the mining area environment is very important for mining and management of the mining area. But the traditional ground investigation always needs a lot of work and incomprehensive, it also takes a long period and lacks of real time. In recent years, the remote sensing monitoring method which has been applied widely to the mining area has been improved, but it still contains deficiencies, such as the singleness of the monitoring contents, the difficulties in the synthesized analysis of the new data with existing information. This paper integrates various remote sensing explanation methods and brings forward the concept about integrated environment monitoring in mining area based on image analysis, and discusses the strategy and technique of comprehensive information extracting, such as atmosphere pollution, earth covering and sinking, underground structure, etc.

C3 Soil slope stabilization

This section focuses on techniques of soil slope stability analysis and stabilization and provides selected case studies to illustrate some of the approaches commonly adopted. The first distinction to make is whether the materials forming the slope under consideration behave primarily as soil or rock. A soil slope will fail through its granular mass, whereas a rock slope (Section C4) usually fails principally along discontinuities (bedding, foliation or other joints). Relict joints may be present in soil weathering profiles, associated with the original rock structure (Section A3.1). These normally have a weakening effect and, if adversely orientated, may become preferred planes of failure. In practice, a clear distinction between soil slopes and rock slopes cannot always be made. As described in Section A3, rock structure, weathering profiles and taluvium/colluvium deposits on mountain slopes can be highly variable; it is not uncommon to find that a given slope will fail partly through rock and partly through soil. In in situ weathered soil profiles it is often the weathering grade boundaries, for example between weathering grade III and IV and IV and V, that tend to form the basal slip surfaces of shallow rainfall-induced landslides in the humid tropics and subtropics. However, in weathering grade I–III rock, the presence of jointing, folding and faulting often results in the development of complex weathering and strength profiles to the extent that zones of ‘rock’ with strengths not much greater than that of soil may be present at considerable depth (as illustrated in Sections B4 & B5). This will often exert significant control on the depth and configuration of existing or potential failure surfaces. ### C3.2.1 Ground model Before a slope stability assessment or analysis is made it is first necessary to establish a ground model. This is a normal progression from the field mapping and ground investigation activities …

B1 Scope and Programming

‘… if you do not know what you should be looking for in a site investigation, you are not likely to find much of value’ (Glossop 1968, p. 113). The term site investigation is conventionally used in civil engineering practice (e.g. Dumbleton & West 1974; Weltman & Head 1983; Hawkins 1986; Fookes 1997; BSI 1999; Simons et al. 2002) to describe a range of studies and investigations undertaken to assess the topography, geology, geomorphology and geotechnical ground conditions of a site or an area for the purposes of engineering design. In hilly and mountainous areas, landslide and slope stability assessments usually form important elements of these studies, and are often undertaken as part of a terrain evaluation . This terrain evaluation includes office-based desk studies and field-based assessments, and comprises techniques designed to investigate, classify and interpret: As described by Lawrance et al. (1993), a site investigation comprises terrain evaluation followed by subsurface (or intrusive ) ground investigation principally by trial pitting, drilling and boring and …

Bulging as a pile imperfection

Piled foundation is a method of overcoming difficulties of founding on soft soils to ensure structural safety by transferring structural load through weak soil to a stiff stratum. Due to piles importance, it is becoming necessary to avoid pile defects. These defects arouse from inadequate ground investigations, construction phases, pile loading test, and natural unforeseen geological causes. In this paper bulging is studied as a pile imperfection. The effects of bulging width, length, and shape on the pile ultimate load are investigated. Bulging may increase pile ultimate load though it is still considered as a pile defect. It was found that bulging can increase the ultimate pile load up to 200%.

Design and construction of Third Karnaphuli Bridge, Bangladesh

The Third Karnaphuli Bridge is the first major cable-supported crossing to be constructed in Bangladesh. It spans the Karnaphuli River immediately to the north of Chittagong port. The bridge is founded on alluvial soil affected by deep soil liquefaction and river scour. The final design solution was based on extensive ground investigation and on the results of pile testing carried out using a jack-up self balancing method. The foundations of the main bridge incorporate 3 m diameter, bored, cast in situ piles which were base grouted post-construction. The main bridge includes three 200 m long main river spans with an extradosed prestressed concrete single cell box girder deck constructed by the balanced cantilever method.

Characterization of gold mineralization in Garin Hawal area, Kebbi State, NW Nigeria, using remote sensing

Garin Hawal area, Kebbi State, NW Nigeria is part of the Neoproterozoic to Early Phanerozoic terrane separating the west African and Congo Cratons. Three main gold-bearing shear zones were detected in the study area from the processed Landsat ETM+ images and extensive ground investigation. Field and petrographical studies indicate that the Neoproterozoic rocks are represented by a highly folded and faulted belt constituted of hornblende, muscovite and graphite schist. They are intruded by granondiorites and late to post granitic dykes. Extensive alteration zones were identified using high resolution QuickBird image along Garin Hawal shear zone. The alteration zones and associated quartz veins are generally concordant with the main NE–SW regional structural trend and are dipping to the NW. Geochemical studies indicate that the gold content reaches 8 g/t in the alteration zones, while it reaches up to 35 g/t in the quartz veins. Mineralogical studies indicate that the alterations are strongly potassium-enriched. Pyrophyllite, kaolinite, illite, gypsum and quartz also occur. The main ore minerals are gold, chalcopyrite, arsenopyrite, pyrite, galena and iron oxides. This study indicates that the alteration zones and the associated quartz veins in the muscovite schist are promising and need more detailed exploration for Au and Ag mineralization to evaluate their potential.

Failures of harbour walls at Malaga and Barcelona

The paper describes the failure of harbour walls which occurred at Malaga on 4th July 2004 and at Barcelona on 1st January 2007, associated with an inadequate consideration of the ground conditions in the light of the marine environment. At Malaga, there was an existing breakwater hence the new harbour was protected from the effect of the waves while at Barcelona, the construction of the quay wall proceeded at a faster rate than the breakwater. In both cases the wharf backfill was placed rapidly on the soft muds, progressing from the inland side. The paper discusses the importance of an overview including the ground investigation, engineering design, construction method and speed of construction.

A GIS-based modeling approach for fast assessment of soil erosion by water at regional scale, loess plateau of China

The objective of this study is to develop a unique modeling approach for fast assessment of massive soil erosion by water at a regional scale in the Loess Plateau, China. This approach relies on an understanding of both regional patterns of soil loss and its impact factors in the plateau area. Based on the regional characteristics of precipitation, vegetation and land form, and with the use of Landsat TM and ground investigation data, the entire Loess Plateau was first divided into 3 380 Fundamental Assessment Units (FAUs) to adapt to this regional modeling and fast assessment. A set of easily available parameters reflecting relevant water erosion factors at a regional scale was then developed, in which dynamic and static factors were discriminated. ArcInfo GIS was used to integrate all essential data into a central database. A resulting mathematical model was established to link the sediment yields and the selected variables on the basis of FAUs through overlay in GIS and multiple regression analyses. The sensitivity analyses and validation results show that this approach works effectively in assessing large area soil erosion, and also helps to understand the regional associations of erosion and its impact factors, and thus might significantly contribute to planning and policymaking for a large area erosion control in the Loess Plateau.

Technology Design of Sichuan Province Grassland Monitoring Geographic Information System Based on Multiple Source SpatialData

Using modern information technology,network technology,GIS,RS,GPS and traditional ground investigation technique to monitor the grassland is the inevitable trend.Construction target,system structure,system data base,system function,technology train of thought and key technology have been designed all-round.The technology basis for the construction of Sichuan Province grassland monitoring information system established.

Probability assessment of river blocking by debris flow associated with the Wenchuan Earthquake

This paper assesses the probability of the main stream in the Dujiangyan–Wenchuan reach of the Minjiang River becoming blocked by debris flows in response to the Wenchuan Earthquake of 12 May 2008, on the basis of analyses of remote sensing data and ground investigations. Background information of debris flow gullies was developed from field investigations and high-resolution remote sensing image interpretation, and was used to estimate the maximum discharge per unit width by means of the revised model of debris flow magnitude according to the situation after the Earthquake. Based on improved discrimination equations of river blocking induced by debris flow, 29 debris flow gullies were evaluated and classified as four probability levels: extreme high, high, moderate and low. The results show that most of the debris flow gullies were at or over moderate hazard level, accounting for 72.4% of the total area. The present results provide a scientific basis for the prevention, elusion and mitigation of debris flow hazards and will contribute to the reconstruction of an earthquake prone area.

Donald Campbell's doubt: Cultural difference or failure of communication?

The objection, rightfully noted but then dismissed by Henrich et al., that the observed variation across populations "may be due to various methodological artifacts that arise from translating experiments across contexts" is a theoretically profound and potentially constructive criticism. It parallels Donald Campbell's concern that many cultural differences reported by psychologists "come from failures of communication misreported as differences." Ironically, Campbell's doubt is a good foundation for investigations in cultural psychology.

Preferential flow paths through soil and rock and their association with landslides

AbstractThis article discusses preferential flow paths through soil and rock and how these contribute to the style and timing of landslides. The importance of geological compartmentalization because of the presence of aquicludes such as weathered dykes and faults is emphasized as is channel flow through fracture networks and through natural pipes in soil‐like material. Although piping is a contributing factor to some landslides, as generally recognized, it can also be a sign of inherent distress in a developing landslide where water flow exploits cracks in the dilating rock mass. It is suggested that the association might be targeted in ground investigation. Inactive or low activity pipe systems can be identified by the anomalous presence of alluvial sediments at depth in the geological profile, whereas active pipe systems may simply comprise voids that could be misinterpreted as core loss during ground investigation. Examples of pipe systems encountered during ground investigations are given for various landslides and several case studies are illustrated in this article. Mitigation measures for preventing landslides triggered by rainfall are discussed together with the difficulties associated with preferential flow paths. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Eurocode 7 Geotechnical design. Part 1: General rules and its latest developments

Eurocode 7 on geotechnical design consists of two parts: General rules (Part 1) and Ground investigation and testing (Part 2). The conversion of the two parts into full European Standards (ENs) has been completed and they are now being implemented in European countries. The contents and main principles of Part 1 of Eurocode 7 are described and it is shown how the standard fits into the concept of limit states in the system of the ten structural Eurocodes. Some aspects of particular interest are presented, such as ultimate limit state verifications in persistent and transient design situations. Eurocode 7 gives a number of options which have to be decided upon by the national standards bodies, such as three design approaches for the verification of geotechnical ultimate limit states in persistent and transient situations and the values of the partial factors. On the one hand, this is of course a shortcoming for a code but, on the other hand, it constitutes an openness which makes adoption of the code attractive not only in Europe but also worldwide. However, in future, further harmonisation will be necessary to improve the competitiveness of the construction industry. The evaluation of questionnaires dealing with the issue of which of the three design approaches has been selected for the verification of geotechnical ultimate limit states in the various European countries and which values of the partial factors have been chosen is presented. It shows that there is great potential for the harmonisation of geotechnical design in Europe which must be investigated by research to support and prepare the next steps of further standardisation.

Detecting forest degradation in Kochi, Japan: ground‐based measurements versus satellite (Terra/ASTER) remote sensing

AbstractForest degradation, due mainly to poor management, is of increasing concern in Japan. Major ecosystem functions, such as biodiversity, productivity, and soil and water retention, are being lost or weakened in Japan's forests, especially in Japanese cypress (Hinoki; Chamaecyparis Obtusa Sieb.) plantations. Detecting forest degradation is critical to the restoration of the ecosystem in the Kochi area, but ground‐based detection methods are labour intensive and difficult to implement in mountainous areas. In this study we examined the ecological characteristics (e.g. soil water content (SWC) and leaf water content) of degraded and healthy forests, based on in situ measurements and controlled experiments, and present a new method for mapping forest degradation based on remote sensing techniques. A field survey was carried out to record the locations and conditions of the degraded Japanese cypress plantations. Empirical relationships among the degraded plantation, SWC, fuel moisture content (FMC), and vegetation indices (VIs) were investigated by field survey and control experiments. We found that the SWC of the degraded Japanese cypress plantations was lower than that of the well‐managed Japanese cypress plantations. We also found that the SWC, FMC, and VI are highly correlated (R > 0·80). In addition to the ground investigation, we used the advanced spaceborne thermal emission and reflection radiometer (ASTER) data and compared a number of VIs to determine their relationships to the biophysical/biochemical attributes of vegetation canopies. Our results showed that the ASTER thermal band was the most effective method used to detect degraded Japanese cypress plantations in the study area. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Water Inflow during Ground Investigation and Construction at Po Shan Drainage Tunnels

Estimation of water inflow during tunnel construction is traditionally regarded as a difficult task and is associated with a high level of uncertainty due to unexpected ground conditions. With new ground investigation techniques, in particular the use of horizontal directional coring (HDC), detailed ground conditions along the proposed tunnel alignment can be obtained prior to actual construction. This information can be used to identify potential problematic zones in which high water inflow is expected due to local adverse geological conditions. More importantly, the measurements of water flow rates during HDC can be used to provide a first approximation of the actual amount of water ingress during construction. This paper presents a procedure to estimate the amount of water ingress during tunnel construction using measurements made during ground investigations. Using the data obtained from the Po Shan drainage tunnels, comparisons are made for water inflow estimations using various methods that follow t...

Full-Scale Field Test on Estimation of Countermeasure for Liquefaction by Densification Method for Runway Pavement

The role of an airport during and after a great earthquake is important because of its helpful function for emergency medical services and special activities of the transport of relief supplies to the disaster areas. In this study, the authors conducted a full-scale field experiment on liquefaction phenomena induced artificially by controlled-blast technique in the experimental site at the Ishikari Bay New Port in Hokkaido Island, in order to investigate the influence of a great earthquake on the airport's function in Japan. This experiment especially focused on the assessment of the performance of runway pavement and the effect of densification method as countermeasure for liquefaction with a cost-reduction design. This study concludes that densification method examined with cost-reduction design in this experiment keeps its effectiveness based on results of measurements of liquefaction behavior of liquefied layer and runway pavement, ground investigations after liquefaction and liquefaction-induced residual deformation analysis.