Search Results (9)

Geothermal systems play a crucial role in understanding Earth’s heat dynamics. The Yunkai Uplift in southern China exemplifies a geothermally rich region characterized by ancient lithologies and high heat flow. This study investigates the geochemical characteristics of geothermal waters in the Yunkai Uplift. Both geothermal and non-thermal water samples were collected along the Xinyi–Lianjiang (XL) Fault Zone and the Cenxi–Luchuan (CL) Fault Zone flanking the core of the Yunkai Mountains. Analytical techniques were applied to examine major ions, trace elements, and dissolved CO₂ and H₂, as well as isotopic characteristics of O, H, Sr, C, and He in water samples, allowing for an investigation of geothermal reservoir temperatures, circulation depths, and mixing processes. The findings indicate that most geothermal waters are influenced by water–rock interactions primarily dominated by granites. The region’s diverse lithologies, change from ancient Caledonian granites and medium–high-grade metamorphic rocks in the central hinterland (XL Fault Zone) to low-grade metamorphic rocks and sedimentary rocks in the western margin (CL Fault Zone). The chemical compositions of geothermal waters are influenced through mixing contacts between diverse rocks of varying ages, leading to distinct geochemical characteristics. Notably, δ¹³C_CO2 values reveal that while some samples exhibit significant contributions from metamorphic CO₂ sources, others are characterized by organic CO₂ origins. Regional heat flow results from the upwelling of mantle magma, supplemented by radioactive heat generated from crustal granites. Isotopic evidence from δ²H and δ¹⁸O indicates that the geothermal waters originate from atmospheric sources, recharged by precipitation in the northern Yunkai Mountains. After infiltrating to specific depths, meteoric waters are heated to temperatures ranging from about 76.4 °C to 178.5 °C before ascending through the XL and CL Fault Zones under buoyancy forces. During their upward migration, geothermal waters undergo significant mixing with cold groundwater (54–92%) in shallow strata. As part of the western boundary of the Yunkai Uplift, the CL Fault Zone may extend deeper into the crust or even interact with the upper mantle but exhibits weaker hydrothermal activities than the XL Fault Zone. The XL Fault Zone, however, is enriched with highly heat-generating granites, is subjected more to both the thermal and mechanical influences of upwelling mantle magma, resulting in a higher heat flow and tension effect, and is more conducive to the formation of geothermal waters. Our findings underscore the role of geotectonic processes, lithological variation, and fault zone activity in shaping the genesis and evolution of geothermal waters in the Yunkai Uplift. Full article

The rational calculation of groundwater buoyancy directly impacts the safety of underground engineering. However, there is still no consensus on whether the reduction of groundwater buoyancy should be considered, and a theoretical explanation and quantification of buoyancy reduction in clayey soils is lacking. Based on laboratory engineering model tests, this study observed and analyzed the phenomenon of buoyancy reduction in saturated clayey soils. The contact area ratio of gravity water, calculated from geotechnical test data, was compared with the reduction slope. The experimental results indicated that the reduction slope of the fitted line between the static water head in the silty clay layer and the buoyancy water head was 0.8692. And theoretical analysis showed that the distribution of interparticle pore water pressure tends to attenuate from the pore center to the soil particle surface, suggesting a reduction in buoyancy head compared to the groundwater level. The reduction slope is theoretically equal to the contact area ratio of gravity water. Additionally, since limitations in current techniques for generalizing the soil–water constitutive models affect the reduction slope, this study proposes a method for determining the buoyancy reduction slope in saturated clayey soil based on the theory that interparticle pore water pressure distribution attenuates from the pore center to the soil particle surface. This method could potentially change the existing conceptual framework for buoyancy design in underground structures. Full article

Basement anti-flotation design is crucial in modern urban construction. An increase in groundwater buoyancy can cause basement structures to uplift, leading to structural instability or even damage. To ensure the stability and safety of underground structures under various hydrogeological conditions, anti-flotation design must comprehensively consider factors such as construction, design, supervision, structure, and hydrology. During construction, improper dewatering measures or unreasonable construction progress may lead to an abnormal rise in groundwater levels, increasing the risk of anti-flotation. Design considerations must include sufficient safety margins, supervision must fully recognize the impact of groundwater, and the structural dead load must be adequate. Anti-flotation stability verification includes both overall and local anti-flotation, involving the calculation of groundwater buoyancy, structural self-weight, and overburden, and selecting appropriate anti-flotation stability safety factors. The assessment and selection of the anti-flotation design water level are also critical. Common anti-flotation measures include adding counterweights, tension-resistant piles, compression and tension-resistant piles, and hydro-pressure reduction methods, while reinforcement and repair methods include epoxy resin grouting and steel plating reinforcement. Through systematic analysis and comprehensive research, scientific basis and technical support are provided for anti-flotation design, enhancing design efficiency and reliability and ensuring the safety and stability of underground spaces. Future research will develop more accurate calculation methods, improve design standards, and explore new anti-flotation technologies and materials. Full article

The development and expansion of underground space has led to a continuous increase in both the occupied area and the burial depth of underground basements. Meanwhile, due to the inaccurate estimation of groundwater buoyancy, more and more anti-floating problems of underground basement caused by rainstorm have emerged. Combined with the principles of unsaturated seepage theory, this article uses Flac3d 6.0 software to conduct simulations on the influence of various significant factors on the effect of the water discharge pressure relief method, a novel approach to reduce buoyancy. The numerical results show that the water discharge pressure relief method can ensure the stability of the basement under rainstorm conditions compared with the basement without drainage holes. In order to improve the anti-floating efficiency of the water discharge pressure relief method in preventing floating, it is recommended to initially decrease the height and spacing of the drainage holes and follow by increasing the aperture of the drainage holes. The recommended spacing of the drainage holes is between 2 m and 3 m. The height of the drainage holes should be between 1 m and 1.5 m, and the aperture of the drainage holes should be no smaller than 100 mm. Furthermore, the water head of the basement floor is proportional to the permeability of the lower backfill and cushion, and it is not significantly influenced by the upper backfill soil when its permeability is within a low range. Finally, in order to achieve a satisfactory anti-floating effect, it can be attempted to reduce the longitudinal width of the lower backfill soil or moderately increase the thickness of the cushion. Full article

Zerovalent iron nanoparticles (nZVI) are becoming one of the most widely recommended nanomaterials for soil and groundwater remediation. However, when nZVI are injected in the groundwater flow, the behavior (mobility, dispersion, distribution) is practically unknown. This fact generally results in the use of enormous quantities of them at the field scale. The uncertainties are on the effective volumes reached from the plume of nZVI because their tendency to aggregate and their weight can cause their settling and deposition. So, the mobility of nanoparticles is a real issue, which can often lead to inefficient or expensive soil remediation. Furthermore, there is another aspect that must be considered: the fate of these nZVI in the groundwater and their possible impact on the subsoil environment. All these considerations have led us to propose an application of nZVI simulating the permeation technique through a laboratory experience, finalized to have a better, or even simpler description of their real behavior when injected in a flow in the subsoil. A two-dimensional laboratory-scale tank was used to study the dispersion and transport of nZVI. A nZVI solution, with a concentration equal to 4.54 g/L, was injected into glass beads, utilized as porous medium. The laboratory experiment included a digital camera to acquire the images. The images were then used for calibrating a numerical model. The results of the mass balance confirm the validity of the proposed numerical model, obtaining values of velocity (5.41 × 10⁻³ m/s) and mass (1.9 g) of the nZVI of the same order of those from the experimental tests. Several information were inferred from both experimental and numerical tests. Both demonstrate that nZVI plume does not behave as a solute dissolved in water, but as a mass showing its own mobility ruled mainly from the buoyancy force. A simple simulation of a tracer input and a nZVI plume are compared to evidence the large differences between their evolution in time and space. This means that commercial numerical models, if not corrected, cannot furnish a real forecast of the volume of influence of the injected nZVI. Further deductions can be found from the images and confirmed by means the numerical model where the detachment effect is much smaller than the attachment one (ratio k_d/k_a = 0.001). From what is reported, it is worthwhile to pay attention on the localization of the contaminants source/plume to reach an effective treatment and it is important to go further in the improvement of solution for the limiting the nanoparticles aggregation phenomenon. Full article

Accurate estimation of the buoyancy forces exerted on underground structures is a problem in geotechnical engineering that directly impacts the construction safety and cost of these structures. Therefore, studying the buoyancy resistance of underground structures has great scientific and practical value. In this study, an initial difference in the hydraulic head, Δh₀, was discovered to be present in aquitards through analysis of water-level data collected from the observation of real-world structures and in laboratory control tests. That is, seepage occurs beyond a threshold Δh₀. Analysis of test data reveals that a deviation from Darcy’s law is the theoretical basis for Δh₀ and that Δh₀ equals the initial hydraulic gradient multiplied by the length of the seepage path. The general consistency between the experimentally measured and theoretically calculated values of Δh₀ validates the theoretical explanation for Δh₀. The results of this study provide a basis for scientifically calculating the buoyancy resistance required for the construction of underground structures. Full article

The Independence Basin is located in a semi-arid region of Mexico, delimited predominantly by volcanic mountains. Around 30 m³/s of water are extracted from regional aquifers mainly for agro-export activities, causing declines in the water table of up to 10 m/a, increased temperature and dissolved elements that are harmful to health and the environment. Regional groundwater coupled flow and heat transport under current conditions were studied on a basin-wide scale (7000 km²) using a three-dimensional finite-element model under steady-state conditions to provide support for water management decisions and transient modeling. Isothermal, forced and free thermal convection under existing hydrological conditions prior to pumping are analyzed. The results show that the interaction of topography-driven groundwater flow and buoyancy-driven free thermal convection are consistent with historical hydrological records, the characteristics of the water table, and thermal anomalies observed in the basin. The simulated groundwater recharge is near 7 ± 0.25 m³/s, a balance broken since the 1980s by extensive pumping. The results show the importance of considering the groundwater temperature, its transient response in the evolution of groundwater extraction, and the upward migration of a thermal front through the fractured aquifer that has increased risks for health and sustainability. Full article

Karst aquifers are important sources of thermal and groundwater in many parts of the world, such as the Alpine–Dinaric–Carpathian region in Europe. The Upper Triassic dolomites are regionally recognized thermal and groundwater aquifers but also hydrocarbon reservoirs. They are characterized by predominantly fractured porosity, but the actual share of depositional and diagenetic porosity is rarely investigated. In this research, we presented the geometric characterization of the measured microporosity of the Upper Triassic dolomites of the Žumberak Mts (Croatia), through thin-section image processing and particle analysis techniques. Pore parameters were analyzed on microphotographs of impregnated thin sections in scale. A total of 2267 pores were isolated and analyzed. The following parameters were analyzed: pore area, pore perimeter, circularity, aspect ratio (AR), roundness, solidity, Feret AR, compactness, and fractal dimension. Furthermore, porosity was calculated based on the pore portion in each image. The effective porosity on rock samples was determined using saturation and buoyancy techniques as an accompanying research method. We analyzed distributions of each parameter, their correlation, and most of the parameters are characterized by an asymmetric or asymmetric normal distribution. Parameters that quantify pore irregularities have similar distributions, and their values indicate the high complexity of the pore geometry, which can significantly impact permeability. Full article

In this paper, the hydrogeological features of Quaternary deposits in Shanghai as well as the characteristics of groundwater withdrawal and recharge in urban areas are investigated. One phreatic aquifer and five confined aquifers (AqI to AqV) are present in Shanghai, and these aquifers are separated by five aquitards. Groundwater withdrawal from confined aquifers has resulted in land subsidence in Shanghai. To control land subsidence, the groundwater withdrawal volume has been decreased, and the groundwater recharge volume has been increased since 1965. Correspondingly, the pressure head in confined aquifers has risen. The groundwater head increases in shallow aquifers may impact underground structures and lead to the following issues: i) an increased risk of water in-rushing hazards caused by confined water pressure during structural excavations and ii) an increased instability risk caused by groundwater buoyancy. Both excavation anti-uprush and underground structure anti-floating are discussed in this paper. Based on the risk possibilities, the anti-uprush of the excavation is divided into six regions, and the structural anti-floating is divided into five regions in urban areas. To avoid geohazards caused by the rise in groundwater head, real-time monitoring of the pressure head in AqII is recommended. Full article