Climate Change, Permafrost, and Impacts on Civil Infrastructure
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Recommended Guidelines for Liquefaction Evaluations Using Ground Motions from Probabilistic Seismic Hazard Analyses
RECOMMENDED GUIDELINES FOR LIQUEFACTION EVALUATIONS USING GROUND MOTIONS FROM PROBABILISTIC SEISMIC HAZARD ANALYSES Report to the Oregon Department of Transportation June, 2005 Prepared by Stephen Dickenson Associate Professor Geotechnical Engineering Group Department of Civil, Construction and Environmental Engineering Oregon State University ODOT Liquefaction Hazard Assessment using Ground Motions from PSHA Page 2 ABSTRACT The assessment of liquefaction hazards for bridge sites requires thorough geotechnical site characterization and credible estimates of the ground motions anticipated for the exposure interval of interest. The ODOT Bridge Design and Drafting Manual specifies that the ground motions used for evaluation of liquefaction hazards must be obtained from probabilistic seismic hazard analyses (PSHA). This ground motion data is routinely obtained from the U.S. Geologocal Survey Seismic Hazard Mapping program, through its interactive web site and associated publications. The use of ground motion parameters derived from a PSHA for evaluations of liquefaction susceptibility and ground failure potential requires that the ground motion values that are indicated for the site are correlated to a specific earthquake magnitude. The individual seismic sources that contribute to the cumulative seismic hazard must therefore be accounted for individually. The process of hazard de-aggregation has been applied in PSHA to highlight the relative contributions of the various regional seismic sources to the ground motion parameter of interest. The use of de-aggregation procedures in PSHA is beneficial for liquefaction investigations because the contribution of each magnitude-distance pair on the overall seismic hazard can be readily determined. The difficulty in applying de-aggregated seismic hazard results for liquefaction studies is that the practitioner is confronted with numerous magnitude-distance pairs, each of which may yield different liquefaction hazard results. -
The Pennsylvania State University the Graduate School College of Earth and Mineral Sciences a RECORD of COUPLED HILLSLOPE and CH
The Pennsylvania State University The Graduate School College of Earth and Mineral Sciences A RECORD OF COUPLED HILLSLOPE AND CHANNEL RESPONSE TO PLEISTOCENE PERIGLACIAL EROSION IN A SANDSTONE HEADWATER VALLEY, CENTRAL PENNSYLVANIA A Thesis in Geosciences by Joanmarie Del Vecchio © 2017 Joanmarie Del Vecchio Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Master of Science December 2017 The thesis of Joanmarie Del Vecchio was reviewed and approved* by the following: Roman A. DiBiase Assistant Professor of Geosciences Thesis Advisor Li Li Associate Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering Susan L. Brantley Professor of Geosciences Tim Bralower Professor of Geosciences Interim Head, Department of Geosciences *Signatures are on file in the Graduate School. ii Abstract Outside of the Last Glacial Maximum ice extent, landscapes in the central Valley and Ridge physiographic province of Appalachia preserve soils and thick colluvial deposits indicating extensive periglacial landscape modification. The preservation of periglacial landforms in the present interglacial suggests active hillslope sediment transport in cold climates followed by limited modification in the Holocene. However, the timing and extent of these processes are poorly constrained, and it is unclear whether, and how much, this signature is due to LGM or older periglaciations. Here, we pair geomorphic mapping with in situ cosmogenic 10Be and 26Al measurements of surface material and buried clasts to estimate the residence time and depositional history of colluvium within Garner Run, a 1 km2 sandstone headwater valley in central Appalachia containing relict Pleistocene periglacial features including solifluction lobes, boulder fields, and thick colluvial footslope deposits. 10Be concentrations of stream sediment and hillslope regolith indicate slow erosion rates (6.3 m ± 0.5 m m.y.-1) over the past 38-140 kyr. -
Bray 2011 Pseudostatic Slope Stability Procedure Paper
Paper No. Theme Lecture 1 PSEUDOSTATIC SLOPE STABILITY PROCEDURE Jonathan D. BRAY 1 and Thaleia TRAVASAROU2 ABSTRACT Pseudostatic slope stability procedures can be employed in a straightforward manner, and thus, their use in engineering practice is appealing. The magnitude of the seismic coefficient that is applied to the potential sliding mass to represent the destabilizing effect of the earthquake shaking is a critical component of the procedure. It is often selected based on precedence, regulatory design guidance, and engineering judgment. However, the selection of the design value of the seismic coefficient employed in pseudostatic slope stability analysis should be based on the seismic hazard and the amount of seismic displacement that constitutes satisfactory performance for the project. The seismic coefficient should have a rational basis that depends on the seismic hazard and the allowable amount of calculated seismically induced permanent displacement. The recommended pseudostatic slope stability procedure requires that the engineer develops the project-specific allowable level of seismic displacement. The site- dependent seismic demand is characterized by the 5% damped elastic design spectral acceleration at the degraded period of the potential sliding mass as well as other key parameters. The level of uncertainty in the estimates of the seismic demand and displacement can be handled through the use of different percentile estimates of these values. Thus, the engineer can properly incorporate the amount of seismic displacement judged to be allowable and the seismic hazard at the site in the selection of the seismic coefficient. Keywords: Dam; Earthquake; Permanent Displacements; Reliability; Seismic Slope Stability INTRODUCTION Pseudostatic slope stability procedures are often used in engineering practice to evaluate the seismic performance of earth structures and natural slopes. -
Surficial Geology Investigations in Wellesley Basin and Nisling Range, Southwest Yukon J.D
Surficial geology investigations in Wellesley basin and Nisling Range, southwest Yukon J.D. Bond, P.S. Lipovsky and P. von Gaza Surficial geology investigations in Wellesley basin and Nisling Range, southwest Yukon Jeffrey D. Bond1 and Panya S. Lipovsky2 Yukon Geological Survey Peter von Gaza3 Geomatics Yukon Bond, J.D., Lipovsky, P.S. and von Gaza, P., 2008. Surficial geology investigations in Wellesley basin and Nisling Range, southwest Yukon. In: Yukon Exploration and Geology 2007, D.S. Emond, L.R. Blackburn, R.P. Hill and L.H. Weston (eds.), Yukon Geological Survey, p. 125-138. ABSTRACT Results of surficial geology investigations in Wellesley basin and the Nisling Range can be summarized into four main highlights, which have implications for exploration, development and infrastructure in the region: 1) in contrast to previous glacial-limit mapping for the St. Elias Mountains lobe, no evidence for the late Pliocene/early Pleistocene pre-Reid glacial limits was found in the study area; 2) placer potential was identified along the Reid glacial limit where a significant drainage diversion occurred for Grayling Creek; 3) widespread permafrost was encountered in the study area including near-continuous veneers of sheet-wash; and 4) a monitoring program was initiated at a recently active landslide which has potential to develop into a catastrophic failure that could damage the White River bridge on the Alaska Highway. RÉSUMÉ Les résultats d’études géologiques des formations superficielles dans le bassin de Wellesley et la chaîne Nisling peuvent être résumés en quatre principaux faits saillants qui ont des répercussions pour l’exploration, la mise en valeur et l’infrastructure de la région. -
Contemporary Periglacial Processes in the Swiss Alps: Seasonal, Inter-Annual and Long-Term Variations
Permafrost, Phillips, Springman & Arenson (eds) © 2003 Swets & Zeitlinger, Lisse, ISBN 90 5809 582 7 Contemporary periglacial processes in the Swiss Alps: seasonal, inter-annual and long-term variations N. Matsuoka & A. Ikeda Institute of Geoscience, University of Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan K. Hirakawa & T. Watanabe Graduate School of Environmental Earth Science, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan ABSTRACT: Comprehensive monitoring of periglacial weathering and mass wasting has been undertaken near the lower limit of the mountain permafrost belt. Seven years of monitoring highlight both seasonal and inter- annual variations. On the seasonal scale, three types of movements are identified: (A) small magnitude events associated with diurnal freeze-thaw cycles, (B) larger events during early seasonal freezing and (C) sporadic events originating from refreezing of meltwater during seasonal thawing. Type A produces pebbles or smaller fragments from rockwalls and shallow (Ͻ10 cm) frost creep on debris slopes. Types B and C are responsible for larger debris production and deeper (Ͻ50 cm) frost creep/gelifluction. Some of these events contribute to perma- nent opening of rock joints and advance of solifluction lobes. Sporadic large boulder falls enhance inter-annual variation in rockwall retreat rates. On some debris slopes, prolonged snow melting occasionally triggers rapid soil flow, which causes inter-annual variation in rates of soil movement. 1 INTRODUCTION 9º40'E 10º00'E Piz Kesch Real-time monitoring of periglacial slope processes is 3418 Switzerland useful to predict ongoing slope instability problems in Inn alpine regions. Such a prediction, however, needs long- Piz d'Err Piz Ot term variations in slope processes caused by climate 3378 3246 Samedan Italia change to be distinguished from inter-annual scale vari- A 30'E 30'E º St. -
AGDC Plan Template DRAFT 7Aug2012
ALASKA STAND ALONE PIPELINE/ASAP PROJECT DRAFT Wetlands Compensatory Mitigation Plan ASAP-22-PLN-REG-DOC-00001 November 10, 2016 DRAFT Wetlands Compensatory Mitigation Plan REVISION HISTORY Approval Revision Date Comment Company Preparing AGDC Report 0 11/10/2016 Draft AGDC K Stevenson / M Thompson Document No: ASAP 22-PLN-REG-DOC-00001 Date: November 10, 2016 Page ii NOTICE – THIS DOCUMENT CONTAINS CONFIDENTIAL AND PROPRIETARY INFORMATION AND SHALL NOT BE DUPLICATED, DISTRIBUTED, DISCLOSED, SHARED OR USED FOR ANY PURPOSE EXCEPT AS MAY BE AUTHORIZED BY AGDC IN WRITING. THIS DOCUMENT IS UNCONTROLLED WHEN PRINTED. THIS COPY VALID ONLY AT THE TIME OF PRINTING DRAFT Wetlands Compensatory Mitigation Plan ACRONYMS AND ABBREVIATIONS ADF&G Alaska Department of Fish and Game ADNR-PMC Alaska Department of Natural Resources – Plant Materials Center ADPOT&PF Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities AES ASRC Energy Services AGDC Alaska Gasline Development Corporation AKWAM Alaska Wetland Assessment Method AKLNG Alaska LNG ARR Alaska Railroad ASAP Alaska Stand Alone Pipeline ASA Aquatic Site Assessment ASRC Arctic Slope Regional Corporation CEQ Council on Environmental Quality CFR Code of Federal Regulations CMP Wetland Compensatory Mitigation Plan DA Department of the Army EED Environmental Evaluation Document ENSTAR EPA United States Environmental Protection Agency ERL Environmental, Regulatory, and Land FCI Functional Capacity Index FEIS Final Environmental Impact Statement ft Foot / feet GCF Gas Conditioning Facility HDD Horizontal directional drilling HGM hydrogeomorphic HUC Hydrologic Unit ILF in-lieu fee LEDPA Least Environmentally Damaging Practicable Alternative Mat-Su Matanuska-Susitna MSB Matanuska-Susitna Borough Document No: ASAP 22-PLN-REG-DOC-00001 Date: November 10, 2016 Page iii NOTICE – THIS DOCUMENT CONTAINS CONFIDENTIAL AND PROPRIETARY INFORMATION AND SHALL NOT BE DUPLICATED, DISTRIBUTED, DISCLOSED, SHARED OR USED FOR ANY PURPOSE EXCEPT AS MAY BE AUTHORIZED BY AGDC IN WRITING. -
Oliva Vieira 2017.Pdf
Catena 149 (2017) 637–647 Contents lists available at ScienceDirect Catena journal homepage: www.elsevier.com/locate/catena Soil temperatures in an Atlantic high mountain environment: The Forcadona buried ice patch (Picos de Europa, NW Spain) Jesús Ruiz-Fernández a,⁎,MarcOlivab, Filip Hrbáček c, Gonçalo Vieira b, Cristina García-Hernández a a Department of Geography, University of Oviedo, Oviedo, Spain b Centre for Geographical Studies, Institute of Geography and Spatial Planning, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal c Department of Geography, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic article info abstract Article history: The present study focuses on the analysis of the ground and near-rock surface air thermal conditions at the Received 15 February 2016 Forcadona glacial cirque (2227 m a.s.l.) located in the Western Massif of the Picos de Europa, Spain. Temperatures Received in revised form 13 June 2016 have been monitored in three distinct geomorphological and topographical sites in the Forcadona area over the Accepted 27 June 2016 period 2006–11. The Forcadona buried ice patch is the remnant of a Little Ice Age glacier located in the bottom of a Available online 1 August 2016 glacial cirque. Its location in a deep cirque determines abundant snow accumulation, with snow cover between 8 and 12 months. The presence of snow favours stable soil temperatures and geomorphic stability. Similarly to Keywords: fi Soil temperatures other Cantabrian Mountains, the annual thermal regime of the soil is de ned by two seasonal periods (continu- Cirque wall temperatures ous thaw with daily oscillations and isothermal regime), as well as two short transition periods. -
Chapter 7 Seasonal Snow Cover, Ice and Permafrost
I Chapter 7 Seasonal snow cover, ice and permafrost Co-Chairmen: R.B. Street, Canada P.I. Melnikov, USSR Expert contributors: D. Riseborough (Canada); O. Anisimov (USSR); Cheng Guodong (China); V.J. Lunardini (USA); M. Gavrilova (USSR); E.A. Köster (The Netherlands); R.M. Koerner (Canada); M.F. Meier (USA); M. Smith (Canada); H. Baker (Canada); N.A. Grave (USSR); CM. Clapperton (UK); M. Brugman (Canada); S.M. Hodge (USA); L. Menchaca (Mexico); A.S. Judge (Canada); P.G. Quilty (Australia); R.Hansson (Norway); J.A. Heginbottom (Canada); H. Keys (New Zealand); D.A. Etkin (Canada); F.E. Nelson (USA); D.M. Barnett (Canada); B. Fitzharris (New Zealand); I.M. Whillans (USA); A.A. Velichko (USSR); R. Haugen (USA); F. Sayles (USA); Contents 1 Introduction 7-1 2 Environmental impacts 7-2 2.1 Seasonal snow cover 7-2 2.2 Ice sheets and glaciers 7-4 2.3 Permafrost 7-7 2.3.1 Nature, extent and stability of permafrost 7-7 2.3.2 Responses of permafrost to climatic changes 7-10 2.3.2.1 Changes in permafrost distribution 7-12 2.3.2.2 Implications of permafrost degradation 7-14 2.3.3 Gas hydrates and methane 7-15 2.4 Seasonally frozen ground 7-16 3 Socioeconomic consequences 7-16 3.1 Seasonal snow cover 7-16 3.2 Glaciers and ice sheets 7-17 3.3 Permafrost 7-18 3.4 Seasonally frozen ground 7-22 4 Future deliberations 7-22 Tables Table 7.1 Relative extent of terrestrial areas of seasonal snow cover, ice and permafrost (after Washburn, 1980a and Rott, 1983) 7-2 Table 7.2 Characteristics of the Greenland and Antarctic ice sheets (based on Oerlemans and van der Veen, 1984) 7-5 Table 7.3 Effect of terrestrial ice sheets on sea-level, adapted from Workshop on Glaciers, Ice Sheets and Sea Level: Effect of a COylnduced Climatic Change. -
Quaternary Deposits and Landscape Evolution of the Central Blue Ridge of Virginia
Geomorphology 56 (2003) 139–154 www.elsevier.com/locate/geomorph Quaternary deposits and landscape evolution of the central Blue Ridge of Virginia L. Scott Eatona,*, Benjamin A. Morganb, R. Craig Kochelc, Alan D. Howardd a Department of Geology and Environmental Science, James Madison University, Harrisonburg, VA 22807, USA b U.S. Geological Survey, Reston, VA 20192, USA c Department of Geology, Bucknell University, Lewisburg, PA 17837, USA d Department of Environmental Sciences, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22904, USA Received 30 August 2002; received in revised form 15 December 2002; accepted 15 January 2003 Abstract A catastrophic storm that struck the central Virginia Blue Ridge Mountains in June 1995 delivered over 775 mm (30.5 in) of rain in 16 h. The deluge triggered more than 1000 slope failures; and stream channels and debris fans were deeply incised, exposing the stratigraphy of earlier mass movement and fluvial deposits. The synthesis of data obtained from detailed pollen studies and 39 radiometrically dated surficial deposits in the Rapidan basin gives new insights into Quaternary climatic change and landscape evolution of the central Blue Ridge Mountains. The oldest depositional landforms in the study area are fluvial terraces. Their deposits have weathering characteristics similar to both early Pleistocene and late Tertiary terrace surfaces located near the Fall Zone of Virginia. Terraces of similar ages are also present in nearby basins and suggest regional incision of streams in the area since early Pleistocene–late Tertiary time. The oldest debris-flow deposits in the study area are much older than Wisconsinan glaciation as indicated by 2.5YR colors, thick argillic horizons, and fully disintegrated granitic cobbles. -
Periglacial Processes, Features & Landscape Development 3.1.4.3/4
Periglacial processes, features & landscape development 3.1.4.3/4 Glacial Systems and landscapes What you need to know Where periglacial landscapes are found and what their key characteristics are The range of processes operating in a periglacial landscape How a range of periglacial landforms develop and what their characteristics are The relationship between process, time, landforms and landscapes in periglacial settings Introduction A periglacial environment used to refer to places which were near to or at the edge of ice sheets and glaciers. However, this has now been changed and refers to areas with permafrost that also experience a seasonal change in temperature, occasionally rising above 0 degrees Celsius. But they are characterised by permanently low temperatures. Location of periglacial areas Due to periglacial environments now referring to places with permafrost as well as edges of glaciers, this can account for one third of the Earth’s surface. Far northern and southern hemisphere regions are classed as containing periglacial areas, particularly in the countries of Canada, USA (Alaska) and Russia. Permafrost is where the soil, rock and moisture content below the surface remains permanently frozen throughout the entire year. It can be subdivided into the following: • Continuous (unbroken stretches of permafrost) • extensive discontinuous (predominantly permafrost with localised melts) • sporadic discontinuous (largely thawed ground with permafrost zones) • isolated (discrete pockets of permafrost) • subsea (permafrost occupying sea bed) Whilst permafrost is not needed in the development of all periglacial landforms, most periglacial regions have permafrost beneath them and it can influence the processes that create the landforms. Many locations within SAMPLEextensive discontinuous and sporadic discontinuous permafrost will thaw in the summer months. -
Frost Heave Due to Ice Lens Formation in Freezing Soils 1
Nordic Hydrolgy, 26, 1995, 125-146 No pd11 m,ty ix ~rproduredby .my proce\\ w~thoutcomplete leference Frost Heave due to Ice Lens Formation in Freezing Soils 1. Theory and Verification D. Sheng, K. Axelsson and S. Knutsson Department of Civil Engineering, Lulei University of Technology, Sweden A frost heave model which simulates formation of ice lenses is developed for saturated salt-free soils. Quasi-steady state heat and mass flow is considered. Special attention is paid to the transmitted zone, i.e. the frozen fringe. The permeability of the frozen fringe is assumed to vary exponentially as a function of temperature. The rates of water flow in the frozen fringe and in the unfrozen soil are assumed to be constant in space but vary with time. The pore water pres- sure in the frozen fringe is integrated from the Darcy law. The ice pressure in the frozen fringe is detcrmined by the generalized Clapeyron equation. A new ice lens is assumed to form in the liozen fringe when and where the effective stress approaches zero. The neutral stress is determined as a simple function of the un- frozen water content and porosity. The model is implemented on an personal computer. The simulated heave amounts and heaving rates are compared with expcrimental data, which shows that the model generally gives reasonable esti- mation. Introduction The phenomenon of frost heave has been studied both experimentally and theoreti- cally for decades. Experimental observations suggest that frost heave is caused by ice lensing associated with thermally-induced water migration. Water migration can take place at temperatures below the freezing point, by flowing via the unfrozen wa- ter film adsorbed around soil particles. -
The Periglaciation of Great Britain Colin K
Cambridge University Press 978-0-521-31016-1 - The Periglaciation of Great Britain Colin K. Ballantyne and Charles Harris Index More information Index Abbot's Salford, Worcestershire, 53 aufeis, see also icings, 70 bimodal flows, see ground-ice slumps Aberayron, Dyfed, Wales, 104 Australia, 179, 261 Binbrook, Lincolnshire, 157 Aberystwyth, Dyfed, Wales, 128, 206, 207 Austrian Alps, 225 Bingham flow, 231 Acheulian hand axes, see hand axes avalanche activity, 219-22; 226-30, 236, 244, Birling Gap, Sussex, 102, 108 Achnasheen, NW Scotland, 233 295, 297 Black Mountain, Dyfed, 231, 234 active layer, see also seasonal thawing, 5, 27, avalanche boulder tongues, 220, 226, 295 Black Rock, Brighton, Sussex, 125, 126 35,41,42,114-18, 140,175 avalanche cones, 220, 226 Black Top Creek, EUesmere Island, Canada, 144 detachment slides, 115, 118, 276 avalanche impact pits, 226 Black Tors, Dartmoor, 178 glides, 118 avalanche landforms, 7, 8 blockfields, 8, 164-9, 171, 173-6, 180, 183, processes, 85-102 avalanche tongues, 227, 228 185,187,188,193,194 thickness, 107-9,281-2 avalanche-modified talus, 226-30 allochthonous, 173 Adwick-Le-Street, Yorkshire, 45, 53 Avon, 132, 134, 138, 139 autochthonous, 174, 182 aeolian, processes, see also wind action, 141, Avon Valley, 138 blockslopes, 173-6, 187, 190 155-60,161,255-67,296 Axe Valley, Devon, 103, 147 blockstreams, 173 aeolian sediments, see also loess and Bodmin Moor, Cornwall, 124, 168 coversands, 55, 96, 146-7, 150, 168, Badwell Ash, Essex, 101 Bohemian Highlands, 181 169, 257-60 Baffin Island, 103, 143,219