Numerical Analysis of Slope Stability Due to Excavation of Diversion Tunnel at Pamukkulu Dam Site, Indonesia

Located in the Takalar Regency of South Sulawesi Province, the Pamukkulu Dam is planned to use a tunnel type as its diversion structure. One of the critical parts in the tunnel construction is the stability of portal slopes. This research aimed to estimate the effect of tunnel excavation on the stability of the portal inlet and outlet slopes under static and earthquake loads by using the finite element method. The slope stability analyses were carried out under conditions of prior to and after tunnel excavation. The input parameters used were laboratory test results in the forms of index properties and mechanical properties taken from rock core drilling samples, completed with the rock mass quality parameters based on the Geological Strength Index (GSI) classification. The Mohr-Coulomb failure criterion was used to model strength of the soil, while the Generalized Hoek-Brown failure criterion was used to model strength of the rocks. The results of rock cores analysis using the GSI method showed that the inlet tunnel slope consisted of four types of materials, namely residual soil, fair quality of basalt lava, good quality of basalt lava, and very good quality of basalt lava. Meanwhile, the outlet portal slope consisted of three types of materials, namely residual soil, good quality basalt lava, and very good quality basalt lava. The calculated horizontal seismic coefficient for the pseudo-static slope stability analysis was 0.0375. The analysis results of slope stability in the Y1 inlet section had a critical Strength Reduction Factor (SRF) value of 2.35 in a condition prior to the tunnel excavation and a critical SRF value of 2.34 after the tunnel excavation. The Y2 outlet section had a critical SRF value of 13.27 in a condition before tunnel excavation and a critical SRF value of 5.55 after the tunnel excavation. The earthquake load addition at the Y1 inlet section showed a critical SRF value of 2.05, both before and after the tunnel excavation. The Y2 outlet section showed a critical SRF value of 11.49 before the tunnel excavation and a critical SRF value of 5.54 after the tunnel excavation. The numerical analysis results showed that earthquake load reduced critical SRF values of the slopes. At the Y1 inlet section, the tunnel excavation did not have a significant effect on slope stability. It was demonstrated by an extremely small decrease in a critical SRF value of 0.43% for a condition without an earthquake load and an unchanged critical SRF in a condition with an earthquake load. At the Y2 outlet section, the tunnel excavation had a more significant effect on the slope stability. It was exhibited by the decrease in the critical SRF value of 58.18% in a condition without an earthquake load and a decrease in the critical SRF value of 51.78% in a condition with an addition of an earthquake load. However, the analysis of slope stability for both sections showed that all design slopes were above the required allowable safety factor value.

Red-coloured pedosediments of the Lori Basin, Armenia

<p>In this work, the samples of red-coloured pedosediments were analyzed. They were found in two sections of the Lori Basin, Armenia - Kurtan-IV and Yagdan. Micromorphological analysis, the measurement of magnetic susceptibility, particle size distribution, CHN, determination of bulk, and biomorphic composition was made. Based on the results of previous studies, the age of the deposits overlying these sections was known. The pedosediment from the Kurtan-IV section is overlain by a mixture of sand and volcanic ash, which is dated at about 1.4 Ma (Calabrian). The pedosediment from the Yagdan section is overlain by 2-2.5 Ma basaltic lava (Gelasian). As a result of our research, it was revealed that both pedosediments were formed in conditions differ from current ones and have differences between themselves also. The pedosediment from the Yagdan section was formed during the dominance of the subtropical climate. It was revealed the presence of manganese-ferruginous and clayey films, a low index of carbonization and salinity, and a relatively high index of weathering. Pedo-sediments from the Yagdan section can be classified as Cambisols with vitric, argic, chromic qualifiers. By the time the later section Kurtan-IV was formed, the climate became cooler, which was reconstructed by the appearance of phytoliths of coniferous plants. Pedosediment from the Kurtan-IV section can be classified as Stagnic Luvisols. The later factors influencing the preservation of pedosediments and changes in their composition and properties were identified. Thus, the upper horizon of the Yagdan section sharply differs from the underlying ones in increased weathering and oxidation, and these properties are retained up to the third layer. It has increased indicators of magnetic susceptibility and the content of copper elements, cobalt, nickel, vanadium, chromium, which were brought in by basalt lava. The pedosediment from the Kurtan-IV section was overlain by lacustrine deposits, which led to a decrease in the magnetic susceptibility and an increase in the SiO<sub>2</sub> content and carbonation index. This work was supported by RFBR, grant N19-29-05024 mk.</p>

Thickness Characteristics of Pāhoehoe Lavas in the Deccan Province, Western Ghats, India, and in Continental Flood Basalt Provinces Elsewhere

Constraining the eruption rates of flood basalt lava flows remains a significant challenge despite decades of work. One potential observable proxy for eruption rates is flood basalt lava-flow lobe thicknesses, a topic that we tackle here quantitatively. In this study, we provide the first global compilation of pāhoehoe lava-lobe thicknesses from various continental flood basalt provinces (∼ 3,800 measurements) to compare characteristic thicknesses within and between provinces. We refer to thin lobes (∼ ≤5 m), characteristic of “compound” lavas, as hummocky pāhoehoe lava flows or flow-fields. Conversely, we term thicker lobes, characteristic of “simple” flows, as coming from sheet-lobe-dominated flows. Data from the Deccan Traps and Columbia River flood-basalt provinces are archetypal since they have the most consistent datasets as well as established chemo- and litho-stratigraphies. Examining Deccan lobe thicknesses, we find that previously suggested (and disputed) distinct temporal and regional distributions of hummocky pāhoehoe and sheet-lobe-dominated flow fields are not strongly supported by the data and that each geochemically defined formation displays both lobe types in varying amounts. Thin flow-lobes do not appear to indicate proximity to source. The modal lobe thickness of Deccan formations with abundant “thin” lava-lobes is 8 m, while the mode for sheet-lobe-dominated formations is only 17 m. Sheet-lobes up to 75–80 m are rare in the Deccan and Columbia River Provinces, and ones >100 m are exceptional globally. For other flood basalt provinces, modal thickness plots show a prevalence toward similar lobe thicknesses to Deccan, with many provinces having some or most lobes in the 5–8 m modal range. However, median values are generally thicker, in the 8–12 m range, suggesting that sheet-lobes dominate. By contrast, lobes from non-flood basalt flow-fields (e.g., Hawai’i, Snake River Plain) show distinctly thinner modes, sub-5 m. Our results provide a quantitative basis to ascertain variations in gross lava morphology and, perhaps, this will in future be related to emplacement dynamics of different flood basalt provinces, or parts thereof. We can also systematically distinguish outlier lobes (or regions) from typical lobes in a province, e.g., North American Central Atlantic Magmatic Province lava-lobes are anomalously thick and are closely related to feeder-intrusions, thus enabling a better understanding of conditions required to produce large-volume, thick, flood basalt lava-lobes and flows.

Lower Permian basaltic agglomerate from the Tsengel River valley, Mongolian Altai

A new occurrence of Permian volcanic and volcaniclastic rocks in the Mongolian Altai south of the Main Mongolian Lineament was described between soums of Tugrug and Tseel in Gobi-Altai aimag. Studied vitrophyric pyroxene basalt lies in a layer of agglomerate and amygdaloidal lavas, which is a part of NE–SW trending subvertical sequence of varicolored siltstones and volcaniclastic rocks in the Tsengel River valley. This high-Mg basalt is enriched in large ion lithophile elements, Pb and Sr and depleted in Nb and Ta. LA-ICP-MS dating on 44 spots reveals several concordia clusters. The whole rock geochemistry of sample fits volcanic arc characteristic in the geotectonic discrimination diagrams. Dominant zircon data yield Upper Carboniferous and Permian magmatic ages 304.4 ± 2.3 and 288.6 ± 1.9 Ma. Two smaller clusters of Upper Devonian (376 ± 4.7 Ma) to Lower Carboniferous ages (351.9 ± 3.5 Ma) indicate probably contamination of ascending magmatic material. Youngest Triassic age found in three morphologically differing grains reflects probably lead loss. Described high-Mg basalt lava represents sub-aerial volcanism in volcanic arc environment developed over the N dipping subduction zone in the southwestern Mongolia in the time span from Uppermost Carboniferous to Permian during terminal stage of its activity.

Stratigraphy and age of Karoo basalts of Lesotho and implications for correlations within the Karoo igneous province. Sani Pass.xls

The Lesotho remnant contains the type succession for Karoo low-Ti basalts of central southern Africa. The ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar dating indicates that the sequence was emplaced within a very short period at about 180 Ma and consists of a monotonous pile of compound basalt lava flows which lacks significant palaeosols and persistent sedimentary intercalations. We have used geochemistry to establish a stratigraphic subdivision of the lava pile. Thin units of basalt flows, the Moshesh's Ford, Golden Gate, Sani, Roma, Letele, and Wonderkop units, with diverse geochemical character and restricted geographical distribution, are present at the base of the succession. These are overlain by extensive units of compositionally more uniform basalt, the Mafika Lisiu, Maloti, Senqu and Mothae units, which build the bulk of the sequence.<p>Location of this section is described in Marsh et al. (1997) AGU Geophysical Monograph, 100, 247-272.</p> <div>Title of data set: Sani Pass </div>

Stratigraphy and age of Karoo basalts of Lesotho and implications for correlations within the Karoo igneous province. Springbok Flats.xls

The Lesotho remnant contains the type succession for Karoo low-Ti basalts of central southern Africa. The ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar dating indicates that the sequence was emplaced within a very short period at about 180 Ma and consists of a monotonous pile of compound basalt lava flows which lacks significant palaeosols and persistent sedimentary intercalations. We have used geochemistry to establish a stratigraphic subdivision of the lava pile. Thin units of basalt flows, the Moshesh's Ford, Golden Gate, Sani, Roma, Letele, and Wonderkop units, with diverse geochemical character and restricted geographical distribution, are present at the base of the succession. These are overlain by extensive units of compositionally more uniform basalt, the Mafika Lisiu, Maloti, Senqu and Mothae units, which build the bulk of the sequence.<p>Location of this section is described in Marsh et al. (1997) AGU Geophysical Monograph, 100, 247-272.</p> <p>Title of data set: Springbok Flats</p> <p>Location of Borehole RL1 (SF samples) – S24.9367 deg; E 28.3750 deg</p> <p>Location of Borehole RTL1 – S 24.4400 deg; E 29.1767 deg</p> <p>Location of Borehole WD4 – S 24.6483 deg; E 28.7450 deg</p> <p>Location of Borehole LB1 – S 24.8817 deg; E 28.5833 deg</p> <p>Borehole TF2 – base of volcanic sequence – 768m</p> <p>Borehole TF1 – base of volcanic sequence – 357m</p> <div>All Sr-, Nd- and Pb-isotope values are MEASURED values. </div>

Stratigraphy and age of Karoo basalts of Lesotho and implications for correlations within the Karoo igneous province. Roma Section.xls

The Lesotho remnant contains the type succession for Karoo low-Ti basalts of central southern Africa. The ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar dating indicates that the sequence was emplaced within a very short period at about 180 Ma and consists of a monotonous pile of compound basalt lava flows which lacks significant palaeosols and persistent sedimentary intercalations. We have used geochemistry to establish a stratigraphic subdivision of the lava pile. Thin units of basalt flows, the Moshesh's Ford, Golden Gate, Sani, Roma, Letele, and Wonderkop units, with diverse geochemical character and restricted geographical distribution, are present at the base of the succession. These are overlain by extensive units of compositionally more uniform basalt, the Mafika Lisiu, Maloti, Senqu and Mothae units, which build the bulk of the sequence.<p>Location of this section is described in Marsh et al. (1997) AGU Geophysical Monograph, 100, 247-272.</p> <div>Title of data set: Roma Section </div>