Sustainability of Water Resources in Karst Undermined by Tunneling: A Case Example

Water resources in karsts are scarce due to the high cavernosity in the otherwise low-permeability limestone rock mass. The highly variable porosity and transmissivity of karst aquifers are caused by a network of channels, caverns, and caves that typically act as water-bearing, connected vessels. Tunneling in a karst environment can severely deplete an aquifer and undermine the sustainability of water resources over the long term. A research study was carried out to elaborate and develop measures for the sustainable preservation of the water resources in a Slovenian karst, in which two approximately 7 km-long tunnels will be driven as part of the construction of the new Divača–Koper railway line. Hydrogeological site investigations were carried out with an aim to evaluate the transmissivity and spatial spreading of the karst aquifer along the route of the tunnels, including the observation of the long-term variation of the groundwater levels and trace experiments. The main findings, which are presented in this paper, were used to develop a methodology for the selection of adequate measures for tunnel construction with an aim of ensuring the sustainability of water resources in karst aquifers. The construction measures comprise limiting the inflows using injection grouting, obscuring the groundwater intake by undrained sections of the tunnel, and constructing bypasses around the tunnel to preserve the current groundwater flow regime. The presented methodology of dynamically accommodating the preventive measures to the actual hydrogeological conditions onsite is generally applicable for common cases in which the state of the karst aquifer could not be pre-determined with a sufficient accuracy of tens of meters to a meter. The spatially and temporally continuous hydrogeological investigations and decision-making charts to reduce the tunnelling’s impact on the karst aquifer are explained in detail in this paper.

Modified Carbon Dots with Lowered Retention and Improved Colloidal Stability for Application in Harsh Reservoir Condition

Tracer technology has been increasingly used in inter-well tests to investigate reservoir performance, reservoir connectivity and residual oil saturation for providing useful information to improve decision making in reservoir management. Stable nanoparticle tracers with high-sensitive real-time detectability are highly desired, and as one of the nanoparticles tracers, carbon dots (C-dots) have been studied and tested as nano-agent tracer in field trial for reservoir monitoring. In this research, we report a modified method to synthesize fluorescent C-dots and fluorinated, sulfonated or zwitterionic functional groups were incoprtated into the C-dots. The synthesis reaction occurs at hydrothermal conditions with inexpensive starting materials and is readily to scale up for industrial application. Optical properties of the synthesized colloidal C-dots were studied by UV-visible and fluorescence spectroscopies. Colloidal stability was studied by dynamic light scattering (DLS) measurements, and retention of the C-dots in porous medium was evaluated by adsorption experiment with limestone rock. The synthesized C-dots are readily dispersible in freshwater and synthetic brines and exhibit improved colloidal stability in hot brine and lowered retention in reservoir rocks. In comparison with those C-dots reported in literatures, our results suggest that the synthesized C-dots using the modified procedure have excellent fluorescence properties, improved thermal stability, photostability, and water dispersibility, enabling their use as optically detectable nano-agent tracer in oil field application.

Seismic Analysis of a Limestone Rock Slope Through Numerical Modelling: Pseudo-Static vs. Non-Linear Dynamic Approach

In the present work, a seismic analysis was performed in advance on a limestone rock slope (height = 150 m) outcropping along the Tagliamento River valley, in the Friuli Venezia Giulia Region, north-eastern Italy. The analysed slope is characterised by strong rock mass damage, thus resulting in a critical stability condition (unstable volume = 110,000–200,000 m3). The seismic analysis was performed adopting the 2D finite difference method (FDM) and employing both a pseudo-static approach and a non-linear dynamic approach. Model outcomes demonstrate that the seismic motion induces internal, localised ruptures within the rock mass. Some important differences in the mechanical behaviour of the rock slope were highlighted, depending on the specific modelling approach assumed. When adopting a pseudo-static approach, the slope failure occurs for PGA values ranging between 0.056 g and 0.124 g, depending on the different initial static stability condition assumed for the slope (Strength Reduction Factor SRF = 1.00–1.15). According to the non-linear dynamic approach, the slope failure is achieved for PGA values varying between 0.056 g and 0.213 g. Pre-collapse slope displacements calculated with the pseudo-static approach (12–15 cm) are much more greater than those obtained through the non-linear dynamic approach (0.5–3 mm). The modelling results obtained through the non-linear dynamic analysis also testify that the seismic topographic amplification is 1.5 times the target acceleration at the slope face and 2.5 times the target acceleration at the slope toe.

Geomechanical Characteristics And Failure Analysis of The Limestone Slope At Sahastradhara-Chamasari Road Dehradun Uttarakhand India

In this study, the rock slope failure analysis was carried out to predict the stability of the limestone rock in the Sahastradhara-Chamasari Road Dehradun Uttarakhand, India. The limestone rock samples were collected from the study area for testing purposes. The geomechanical parameters like compressive strength, axial strain, young’s modulus, cohesive strength, angle of internal friction, etc., were experimentally determined to study their application in the simulation of slope failure analysis. A 2D model of the study area was developed using the field data for modelling and simulation purposes. Slope failure analysis was carried out using the Finite element method (FEM). Results indicated maximum compressive strength of the core sample as 85.14 MPa while axial strain and elastic modulus were 0.02197 and 842.45 MPa, respectively. The cohesive strength and the angle of internal friction of the core sample were evaluated as 38.59 kPa and 12.96 degree. The slope failure analysis was carried out to determine the factor of safety (FOS) of the slope at variable loading conditions. A decreasing trend of the FOS was observed with loading. The lesser value of FOS at higher loading conditions required the supporting system at the foot level of the slope for the slope stability in the study area.

Investigation of Aquifer Zone in Tambakromo Village, Ponjong Subdistrict, Gunung Kidul Regency, Yogyakarta, Indonesia

The presence of surface water is always being a primary issue in Gunung Kidul regency. An aquifer investigation would support groundwater exploration. The research area is located in Tambakromo village, Ponjong subdistrict, Gunung Kidul Regency, Daerah Istimewa Yogyakarta Province. The aim of this research is about geological and subsurface conditions based on geological data and geoelectrical resistivity methods. By resistivity value interpretation, the position, depth, and thickness of aquifer could be determined. The purpose of this research is to identification of geological conditions that supported being aquifer rock. The method in this research is used geological mapping combined with petrographic analysis. The geophysics method is used to identification of aquifer in research area. Three locations were selected to acquisition geoelectrical resistivity survey. In Grogol village, there is no aquifer based on resistivity values of more than 10000 ohmmeters (andesitic breccia). An akuifuge is interpreted there in andesitic breccia instead of the presence of aquifer. The tuffaceous is interpreted as lapillistone that contained the glass with resistivity value of 43.63 and 340.11 ohmmeters. The Garon and Sumberejo village have aquifer at depth of 50 to 80 meters with a thickness of 13 to 70 meters. The type of aquifer in both area is included an unconfined aquifer, specifically located in between the limestone rock layer and andesitic breccia. By regional stratigraphic correlation, tuffaceous lapillistone is interpreted as derived from Semilir Formation. In addition, the presence of aquifer in research area could recommend for local people and government to reduce the drought disaster.

Demonstration of Optical Microscopy and Image Processing to Classify Respirable Coal Mine Dust Particles

Respirable coal mine dust represents a serious health hazard for miners. Monitoring methods are needed that enable fractionation of dust into its primary components, and that do so in real time. Near the production face, a simple capability to monitor the coal versus mineral dust fractions would be highly valuable for tracking changes in dust sources—and supporting timely responses in terms of dust controls or other interventions to reduce exposures. In this work, the premise of dust monitoring with polarized light microscopy was explored. Using images of coal and representative mineral particles (kaolinite, crystalline silica, and limestone rock dust), a model was built to exploit birefringence of the mineral particles and effectively separate them from the coal. The model showed >95% accuracy on a test dataset with known particles. For composite samples containing both coal and minerals, the model also showed a very good agreement with results from the scanning electron microscopy classification, which was used as a reference method. Results could further the concept of a “cell phone microscope” type monitor for semi-continuous measurements in coal mines.

3. The architects of a reef

Coral reefs are tropical ecosystems but show global patterns. The Caribbean has about 60 reef-building coral species, while Southeast Asia has nearly 1,000, this number broadly diminishing with distance east and west from the Southeast Asian region. Diversity of corals also diminishes broadly with distance north and south of the equator. While basic patterns exist, there are several kinds of reef in the same sense that there are different kinds of forests, sometimes forming near-monocultures, sometimes with more diverse mixtures of species. Their key to success is that they house vast numbers of captive dinoflagellates that photosynthesize in a close symbiosis, which explains how these complex ecosystems persist in the absence of substantial fields of large, visible seaweeds. All deposit limestone in its aragonite form, in a way characteristic to each species, which has been used for distinguishing between species. The basic unit of a coral, the polyp, reproduces sexually, but more importantly by asexual budding, which allows for the growth of large colonies of polyps, all clones. Numerous other organisms have crucial associations with the coral polyp: bacteria and archaea especially, the whole forming what is now termed the coral holobiont. Aside from photosynthesis, corals have nematocysts in their tentacles to capture zooplankton food. Corals compete for space using these stinging cells also, amongst other methods. On any reef, soft corals are numerous, especially in the Caribbean, though these do not deposit limestone rock. Calcareous algae are crucial reef-building components too, particularly in the shallows.

2. Ancient reefs and islands

Reefs in deep geological time have been built by a succession of different kinds of life: plant, bacterial, and animal. Stromatolites and bryozoans were major reef-builders that persist today in minor or non-reef-building forms, sponges built entire reefs and are still important reef components, while several groups of major reef-builders flourished for a while and then became extinct: archaeocyathids which were similar to sponges, and coral-like forms including rugose and tabulate corals. Today’s reef-builders, cnidarian corals, appeared well after the great Permian-Triassic extinction event. All of these groups deposited vast quantities of limestone rock on which they live, often visible today as low mountain ranges. Reefs grow to the surface but not beyond, but upon them sand and sediments may build up, forming an island that attracts plants, then birds and other terrestrial forms of life. The sediments become cemented with the aid of rainwater too, and ‘low islands’ develop. Many islands also show their old, central volcanoes, resulting in the vast array of different combinations of coral island type. Today, however, there is a coral reef crisis due to overexploitation of a reef’s rich resources, from pollution of several kinds, and climate change.