Structural Evolution of Ore-Controlling Trans-Crustal Faults of the Olchan-Nera Zone: Constraints from the Khangalas Ore Cluster, Yana-Kolyma Metallogenic Belt, NE Russia

The article studies the structural evolution of ore-controlling trans-crustal faults of orogenic deposits and occurrences of the Khangalas ore cluster located in the southeastern part of the Olchan–Nera metallogenic zone, in the Upper Indigirka sector of the Yana–Kolyma metallogenic belt, North–East of Russia. Studies have shown that the formation of tectonic structures occurred during four Mesozoic deformation stages. Accretionary thrust stage D1 resulted in formation of the main pattern of the Mesozoic tectonic structures of the region. Further tectonic evolution occurred in a strike–slip setting of the accretionary D2 and post-accretionary D3–D4 stages. Post-ore strike-slip faults activate and complicate the earlier formed structures of the reverse and thrust paragenesis. Mineralization associated with the strike-slip faults has not been established, whereas formation of the gold-antimony mineralization is associated with sinistral strike–slip faults in the Adycha–Taryn metallogenic zone located to the southwest. The new data obtained are consistent with the previously proposed model of the evolution of the deformation structures of the Khangalas deposit.

Early Warning Indicators of Landslides Based on Deep Displacements: Applications on Jinping Landslide and Wendong Landslide, China

Real-time monitoring and early warning have great significance in reducing/avoiding the consequences caused by landslides. The deep displacement-based monitoring method has been proven to be a suitable solution for landslide risk management. However, the early warning indicators based on the deep displacement method need to be fully understood. This paper reports on an investigation into early warning indicators and deformation monitoring of several natural landslides. A series of indicators using the profiles of the accumulative displacement, kinetic energy, and their rates against time for early warning are developed and calibrated by monitoring and analyzing a natural landslide. The early warning indicators are then applied to monitor and identify the different deformation stages of the Jinping County North Landslide and the Wendong Town Landslide.

Experimental Study on Tensile Mechanical Properties and Reinforcement Ratio of Steel–Plastic Compound Geogrid-Reinforced Belt

The steel–plastic compound geogrid has been widely used as a new reinforcement material in geotechnical engineering and other fields. Therefore, it is essential to fully understand the mechanical properties of steel–plastic compound geogrid-reinforced belts to utilize steel–plastic compound geogrids efficiently. In this study, tensile mechanical tests of steel wire, polyethylene geogrid belt, and steel–plastic compound geogrid-reinforced belt were conducted with respect to the tensile mechanical properties of steel–plastic compound geogrid-reinforced belts. In addition, the minimum reinforcement and optimal reinforcement ratios of steel–plastic compound geogrid-reinforced belts were summarized. The results showed that the steel–plastic compound geogrid-reinforced belts possessed an incongruent force of the internal steel wire during the tensile process. The tensile stress–strain curve of the steel–plastic compound geogrid-reinforced belt can be divided into the composite adjustment, steel wire breaking, and residual deformation stages. The tensile strength of the steel–plastic compound geogrid-reinforced belt is proportional to the diameter and number of steel wires in the reinforced belt. The minimum and optimum reinforcement ratios of steel wire in the steel–plastic compound geogrid-reinforced belt were 0.63% and 11.92%, respectively.

A novel specimen shape for measurement of linear strain fields by means of digital image correlation

Strains on the surface of engineering structures or biological tissues are non-homogeneous. These strain fields can be captured by means of Digital Image Correlation (DIC). However, DIC strain field measurements are prone to noise and filtering of these fields influences measured strain gradients. This study aims to design a novel tensile test specimen showing two linear gradients, to measure full-field linear strain measurements on the surface of test specimens, and to investigate the accuracy of DIC strain measurements globally (full-field) and locally (strain gauges’ positions), with and without filtering of the DIC strain fields. Three materials were employed for this study: aluminium, polymer, and bovine bone. Normalized strain gradients were introduced that are load independent and evaluated at two local positions showing 3.6 and 6.9% strain change per mm. Such levels are typically found in human bones. At these two positions, two strain gauges were applied to check the experimental strain magnitudes. A third strain gauge was applied to measure the strain in a neutral position showing no gradient. The accuracy of the DIC field measurement was evaluated at two deformation stages (at $$\approx $$ ≈ 500 and 1750 μstrain) using the root mean square error (RMSE). The RMSE over the two linear strain fields was less than 500 μstrain for both deformation stages and all materials. Gaussian low-pass filter (LPF) reduced the DIC noise between 25% and 64% on average. As well, filtering improved the accuracy of the local normalized strain gradients measurements with relative difference less than 20% and 12% for the high- and low-gradient, respectively. In summary, a novel specimen shape and methodological approach are presented which are useful for evaluating and improving the accuracy of the DIC measurement where non-homogeneous strain fields are expected such as on bone tissue due to their hierarchical structure.

Study on the Permeability Evolution Model of Mining-Disturbed Coal

Coal permeability plays an important role in the simultaneous exploitation of coal and coal-bed methane (CBM). The stress of mining-disturbed coal changes significantly during coal mining activities, causing damage and destruction of the coal mass, ultimately resulting in a sharp increase in permeability. Conventional triaxial compression and permeability tests were conducted on a triaxial creep-seepage-adsorption and desorption experimental device to investigate the permeability evolution of mining-disturbed coal. The permeability evolution models considering the influence of the stress state and stress path on the fracture propagation characteristics were established based on the permeability difference in the deformation stages of the coal mass. The stress-strain curve of the coal was divided into an elastic stage, yield stage, and plastic flow stage. As the axial stress increased, the permeability decreased and then increased, and the curve’s inflection point corresponded to the yield point. The permeability models exhibited a good agreement with the experimental data and accurately reflected the overall trends of the test results. The results of this study provide a theoretical basis for coal mine disaster prevention and the simultaneous exploitation of coal and CBM.

Geological Analysis and Model Test of Bedding Rock Cutting Landslide

To explore the staged catastrophic evolution mechanism and failure process of bedding rock landslides under construction disturbance and rainfall conditions, we selected water content, displacement, strain, and soil stress as the study objects and carried out a model test. Combining the test phenomena, the following conclusions are drawn: first, bedding rock landslides have experienced three different stages of initial, constant velocity, and accelerated deformation affected by construction and rainfall factors. Then, the mode of bedding rock landslides is both sliding and traction sliding compound sliding mode. Finally, in the initial and constant deformation stages, the stress and strain values in the soil both increase slightly. In the accelerated deformation stage, the horizontal and vertical deformation at the slope foot increases sharply. Meanwhile, the strain value increases greatly, the stress decreases, and the stress in the slope increases significantly. Therefore, stress, strain, and displacement can be used as early warning indicators for staged disasters of bedding rock landslides.

Loss of CEP70 function affects acrosome biogenesis and flagella formation during spermiogenesis

The spermatogenesis process is complex and delicate, and any error in a step may cause spermatogenesis arrest and even male infertility. According to our previous transcriptomic data, CEP70 is highly expressed throughout various stages of human spermatogenesis, especially during the meiosis and deformation stages. CEP70 is present in sperm tails and that it exists in centrosomes as revealed by human centrosome proteomics. However, the specific mechanism of this protein in spermatogenesis is still unknown. In this study, we found a heterozygous site of the same mutation on CEP70 through mutation screening of patients with clinical azoospermia. To further verify, we deleted CEP70 in mice and found that it caused abnormal spermatogenesis, leading to male sterility. We found that the knockout of CEP70 did not affect the prophase of meiosis I, but led to male germ-cell apoptosis and abnormal spermiogenesis. By transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analysis, we found that the deletion of CEP70 resulted in the abnormal formation of flagella and acrosomes during spermiogenesis. Tandem mass tag (TMT)-labeled quantitative proteomic analysis revealed that the absence of CEP70 led to a significant decrease in the proteins associated with the formation of the flagella, head, and acrosome of sperm, and the microtubule cytoskeleton. Taken together, our results show that CEP70 is essential for acrosome biogenesis and flagella formation during spermiogenesis.

Revised tectonostratigraphy and structural evolution of the Köli Nappe Complex, Central Caledonides in Nordland, Norway

The nappe stack in the Røssvatnet-Hattfjelldal region in the Central Norwegian Caledonides consists of seven nappes formed at the boundary between tectonostratigraphically upper and uppermost Caledonian levels. The rocks of all nappes share a polyphase tectono-metamorphic evolution that is younger than the 491±10 Ma depositional (volcanic) age of parts of the succession. Early deformation stages characterized by centimetre- to kilometre-scale folding and intense shearing accompanied by greenschist- to amphibolite-facies peak metamorphism are correlated with the Early Ordovician Taconian accretionary orogeny along the Laurentian margin. The Taconian structures are cut by the Krutfjellet gabbro and diorite, which yield U-Pb zircon ages of 446±5 and 444±4 Ma, respectively. Large-scale nappe stacking and folding postdating emplacement of the gabbro was related to collision of Laurentia with Baltica (Scandian orogeny) and followed by late-/postorogenic extension. The revised tectonostratigraphy assigns the structurally higher nappes to the Uppermost Allochthon while the lower nappes are correlated with the Middle Köli Nappe Complex (Upper Allochthon). The boundary between them is marked by an imbricate zone. Taconian deformation was probably much more penetrative and widespread than hitherto thought; thus, parts of the nappe stack were likely assembled prior to Scandian collision.Supplementary material:https://doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.c.5357255

Mechanism of deformation in rock mass surrounding intersection of mine shaft and salt bed

A bed of rock salt in Komsomolsky Mine occurs in sedimentary strata enclosing cage and skip shafts. When water enters rock salt via underground excavations, boreholes and fractures, rock salt can dissolve and wash out, and voids appear in rock mass. Voids at the lining and rock interface should be eliminated so that never re-appear or grow during shaft operation. Materials used to eliminate voids should ensure stable mechanical linkage both with enclosing rocks and lining. Assessment and analysis of geomechanical processes induced by leaching need monitoring of deformations in a shaft. To this effect, one of the simplest and most informative methods is arrangement of an observation station directly in the shaft lining to measure varying distances between check points. The article briefly describes activities aimed to eliminate voids using different composition grouts. From the analysis of monitoring data, the deformation mechanism is described, and the interaction between different deformation stages and grouting steps is determined. The authors appreciate participations of experts M. P. Sergunin, I. A. Shishkina, A. K. Ustinov, V. V. Tsatskin, V. S. Orlov.