S. E. M. analysis of quartz sand grains from selected Hong Kong and Chinese littoral environments

This pilot study attempts to demonstrate some underlying scanning electron microscopy themes of quartz grain surface textures. A variety of textural patterns and individual features are described for grains selected from various littoral environments. An attempt was made to differentiate samples on surface textures alone, but limitations of using this technique in sedimentological isolation were apparent. Statistical analysis of checklist data and photographic evidence revealed some of the more important feature combinations used in environmental diagnosis. The use of discriminant analysis provided quantitative sample separation.

Sand Grain Size and Organic Matter Concentration in the Intertidal Zones on the Southwest Coast of Taiwan

From April 2013 to April 2014, the average pH and water temperature of the Taisi oyster cultivation area (TS, Yunlin County, Taiwan) were 8.05 (7.35 - 8.45) and 24.7˚C (13.7˚C - 32.8˚C) (N = 8226) The average organic matter (OM) concentration at sites TS-A and TS-B were 6.9% ± 1.3% and 6.9% ± 1.2%, and the weight of drift sand was 40.3 ± 19.1 g/d/m2 and 28.5 ± 34.3 g/d/m2 (N = 27). Considerable sand drifting typically occurs during the southwest monsoon season in summer. The average OM concentration at five dunes from Zhuoshui estuary to Zengwun estuary was 23.9 ± 4.5 g/kg. The percentage of sand grain weight of 0.15 - 0.25 mm and 0.25 - 0.60 mm was 82.5% ± 14.2% and 10.5% ± 12.0%. In the spring and autumn of 2015, the average OM concentration at the eight intertidal zones from Hanbao to Cigu was 49.8 ± 34.1 g/kg (N = 177), and the OM concentrations at Huwei estuary and Hanbao and Fangyuan intertidal zones were relatively high. The OM concentration (95.3 ± 75.7 g/kg) of the low tide zone of Huwei estuary was the highest among all tidal zones. The OM concentration during spring (59.4 ± 41.7 g/kg, N = 95) was higher than that in autumn (39.1 ± 17.8 g/kg, N = 84). For sand grain size ranges 0.15 - 0.25 and 0.063 - 0.15 mm, the weight ratio of intertidal sediment was 39.4% ± 26.9% and 27.6% ± 20.1%, respectively. The broad and flat intertidal zone was marked by fine sand and long intertidal zone;the weight ratio of SGSs < 0.25 mm exceeded 65%, and the OM concentration was between 20 and 30 g/kg. Coastal habitat diversity creates differences in biological communities, especially among crabs and benthic organisms. A greater understanding of coastal environments can aid in the management of coastal wetlands.

Relationships and Mechanisms of Sand Grain Promotion on Nozzle Cavitation Flow Evolution: A Numerical Simulation Investigation

The objective of this study was to primarily investigate the effects of sand grains with different mean diameters and concentrations on cavitation flow development in a nozzle. One new solid-liquid-vapor three-phase coupling numerical method was presented and a cavitation model was changed to perform numerical simulations. Results indicated that sand grain-pure water-cavitation flow(SG-PW-CF) vapor contents were greater than in pure water-cavitation flow(PW-CF). Sand grains were found to promote cavitation flow development, with the concentration promotion range becoming smaller with increased mean diameter. The mechanisms for these effects were explored and revealed as well. In SG-PW-CF, cavitation nuclei number was greater and tensile stress was also greater than in PW-CF. The maximum and absolute minimum slip velocities and maximum and minimum turbulent kinetic energies of SG-PW-CF were greater than in PW-CF. These effects on SG-PW-CF evolution were large, involving primary factors. The calculated magnitude of the Saffman lift force in SG-PW-CF was small(10^(-2)), with its effects relatively weak and it was thus a secondary factor. Effects of variations of flow fields were more significant than force changes. In SG-PW-CF, variations of a single parameter with the concentration could not reflect the alternating relationships of vapor content with the concentration. Indeed, it was a combination of variations of all parameters.

Influence of Gating System,Sand Grain Size,and Mould Coating on Microstructure and Mechanical Properties of Thin-Wall Ductile Iron

Two gating systems namely stepped and tapered runners were used to cast strip samples with different thicknesses by CO2/silicate process using sand grain sizes of AFS 151 and 171. To assess the effect of mould coating on the properties of thin wall ductile iron, half of the moulds were coated whilst the rest were not coated. Molten metal with the carbon equivalent of 4.29% was prepared and poured at 1 450 ℃. Microstructure of the specimens was analyzed by optical and scanning electron microscopes. Count, area fraction, roundness and diameter of the graphite nodules of the samples were measured by image analyzer. Brinell hardness and tensile tests of all the samples were also conducted. The results show that by using stepped runner gating system with uncoated and coarse sand mould, roundness and count of the graphite nodules decrease whereas diameter and area fraction increase. Although fine sand and coated mould cause longer distance of molten metal travel, hardness and strength of the samples decrease.

The trajectory parameters analysis of saltating sand grains driven by wind

The study of trajectory parameters of saltating sand grains is of great importance to forming the kinematic theory of wind-sand current. By establishing the simplified theoretical pattern and probing into the relationship between lift-off angle (α) and landing angle (β), relationship between the ratio of saltation length ( L) to maximum height (H) and lift-off angle as

Redevelopment of liftoff rates of saltating sand grains based on a simple optimization model

This paper is a redevelopment result of liftoff rates of saltating sand grains based on our previous work.Aeolian sand flow is a complex multi-phase flow because of a special two-phase gas-solid flow near ground surface.Despite extensive research on the movement of blowing sand,no model fully characterizes aeolian sand flow,and large differences often exist between simulations of aeolian sand movement and field observations.One key problem is a few of sufficient research on liftoff rates of saltating sand grains(also called the number of liftoff sand grains per unit time and per unit bed area).It is necessary to re-search in advance liftoff rates of saltating sand grains.We redeveloped liftoff rates of saltating sand grains by establishing an optimization model based on the flux of aeolian sand flow at different heights of the sampler in wind tunnel and the simulated capture of saltating sand grains by different heights of the sampler that are from different liftoff position(distance from the sampler) in order to revise previous inversion condition of liftoff rates of saltating sand grains.Liftoff rates increased rapidly with increasing wind speed.For frictional wind velocities of u=0.67,0.77,0.82,0.83,and 0.87 m s-1,liftoff rates were 3840,954502,5235114,5499407,and 7696291 sand grain s-1 m-2,respectively.These rates could be expressed as the square of the instantaneous frictional wind velocity and a constant(0.663) that differs from the critical(threshold) frictional wind velocity at which saltation begins.Although our results require additional experimental validation and the simple optimization model must be improved,they nonetheless provide a strong basis for future research.

Effect of granulated rubber on shear strength of fine-grained sand

Review of the literature related to the mixture of shredded tire and sand shows that,despite of the increase in shear strength due to addition of tire chips,granulated rubber causes reduction in shear strength of sand.In this study,the shear behavior of mixtures of fine-grained sand and 1-5 mm granulated rubber is investigated.Sixty direct shear tests were conducted on sandegranulated rubber mixtures with various rubber contents(0%,5%,10%,20% and 30%) at different relative densities(50%,70% and 90%) and different normal stresses(34.5 kPa,54.5 kPa,74.5 kPa and 104.5 kPa).The obtained results show that the granulated rubber improves the shear strength of fine-grained sand at medium relative density and low normal stress.The degree of improvement in shear strength is a function of rubber content,relative density and normal stress.The results show that at relative density of 50%,by adding 5% granulated rubber,the internal friction angle of sand increases from 35.1° to 39.2°.However,at relative densities of 70% and 90%,addition of granulated rubber to sand decreases its internal friction angle.The results also indicate that the behavior of sand becomes more ductile with increasing granulated rubber content.Adding granulated rubber leads to greater yielding strain and less tangent stiffness of sand.The maximum dilation angle decreases with the decrease in granulated rubber content.The stress ratio of sample at critical state(ψ= 0°) decreases with increasing granulated rubber content.

An experimental investigation on the effect of grain size on oil-well sand production

Sand production in oil wells is closely related to the mechanical behavior and petrographical properties of sandstones reservoir. Grain size is one of the main parameters controlling the phenomenon, which is studied in this paper. Large-scale hollow cylindrical synthetic samples with the same rock strength but different grain sizes were tested by an experimental setup in the laboratory. Different external stresses and fluid flow rates were applied to the samples and produced sand was measured continuously. Results show two different trends between sanding stress level and grain size. For the samples with finer grain size （D50〈0.3 mm）, the required confining stress for different sanding levels decreased with an increase in the grain size and for the samples with the coarser grains （D50〉0.3 mm） the required confining stress for different sanding levels dramatically increased with an increase in the grain size. Those two different trends were discussed and explained. The first one was production of individual grains and the second was bigger chunks in the slab form. In samples with large grains, plastic zones around hole were changed to a completely loose zone including interlocked individual grains or cluster of grains. In these samples after breakage of these interlocked zones sand was produced in the form of individual grains and clusters. Contrary to this, for samples with smaller grain size, shear bands were formed around the plastified hole and sand was produced in the form of big chunks or slabs.

The reverse sediment transport trend between abandoned Huanghe River(Yellow River) Delta and radial sand ridges along Jiangsu coastline of China——an evidence from grain size analysis

To reveal the sediment transporting mechanism between the abandoned Huanghe River （Yellow River） Delta and radial sand ridges, “End Member” Model and grain size trend analysis have been employed to separate the “dynamic populations” in the surficial sediment particle spectra and to determine the possible sediment transporting pathway. The results reveal four “dynamic subpopulations”（EM1 to EM4） and two reverse sediment transporting directions： a northward transport tend from the radial sand ridges to mud patch, and a southward transport trend in deep water area outside the mud patch. Combined with the published hydrodynamic information, the transporting mechanism of dynamic populations has been discussed, and the main conclusion is that the transporting of finer subpopulations EM1 and EM2 is controlled by the “anticlockwise residual current circulation” forming during tidal cycle, which favor a northward transporting trend and the forming of mud patch on the north of radial sand ridges, while the transporting of coarser EM3 is mainly controlled by wind driven drift in winter, which favors a southward transporting direction.

East Asian Winter Monsoon record from the environmental sensitive grain size component of QF Old Red Sand, Haitan Island, China

The ＂Old Red Sand＂ is widely distributed along the coast of Fujian Province, China. Most studies have been carried out from as- pects of the origin, age and laterization of the ＂Old Red Sand＂, but this paper focused on reconstructing the history of the Asian Winter Monsoon change. On the basis of granulometric analysis of high-resohition samples, we have obtained environmental sen- sitive grain size component （ESGSC） from the Qingfeng （QF） profile by using the grain size-standard deviation method, which proves that the selected ESGSC is an important climate proxy. The mean grain size of this ESGSC could be used to reconstruct the East Asian Winter Monsoon （EAWM） intensity. As such, the history of the EAWM change since 44.0 ka reconstructed here reveals three main phases based on chronology dates of previous researches： （1） 44.0-25.5 ka B.P., the EAWM is relatively weak but increases gradually with fluctuations; （2） 25.5-15.5 ka B.P., relatively strong with high frequency fluctuations; （3） 15.5-7.1 ka B.P., with a weaker winter monsoon, but during 11-10 ka B.P. is remarkably enhanced. The EAWM recorded by mean grain size of the two neighboring sections have a better repeatability, so the millennial scales oscillation should be a reliable signal of the EAWM intensity. The climate recorded by ESGSC of the QF ＂Old Red Sand＂ compared to 6-80 of Huhi Cave stalagmites and Greenland GISP2 ice cores shows a good consistency, especially in detail, the YD event and four Heinrich events are all recorded, but the signal of D-O cycles was relatively weak.

Grain Size Analysis of a Growing Sand Bar at Sonadia Island, Bangladesh

Sonadia is one of the most important islands of Bangladesh. South-eastern shore of the island, which is a growing sand bar, has to encounter continuous and rapid morphological changes. So study of the sediment characteristics of this Sand Bar is very important. In the present study, grain size analysis of this Sand Bar has been done on the basis of laboratory analysis. Sediment samples were collected from 9 (Nine) stations and texture analysis of sediment was completed following a standard procedure of sieve analysis of sand samples. The average value of median (MD), mean (M), standard deviation (s), skewness (SK) and kurtosis (K) of sediment of the Sand Bar of Sonadia Island was 1.93, 1.87, 0.44, 0.11 and 1.88 respectively. Highest median, mean, standard deviation, skewness and kurtosis of Sand Bar of Sonadia Island was 2.98 (Station 2, Lower Shore), 2.68 (Station 1, Lower Shore), 0.83 (Station 1, Middle Shore and Station 2, Lower Shore), 0.65 (Station 2, Lower Shore) and 3.59 (Station 1, Lower Shore) respectively. Lowest median, mean, standard deviation, skewness and kurtosis of Sand Bar of Sonadia Island was 1.42 (Station 9, Middle Shore), 1.45 (Station 9, Middle Shore), 0.30 (Station 5, Lower Shore and Station 8, Lower Shore), 0.04 (Station 5, Upper Shore) and 0.94 (Station 6, Upper Shore) respectively.

Response of Surface Soft Soil and Fine-Grained Sand Layers to Seismic Waves

Shanghai is located in eastern China and is built on overburden soil layers. It can be seen from the Mexico M S=8.1 earthquake on September 19, 1985 and the Hanshin M S=7.4 earthquake on January 17,1995 that heavy casualties and property losses have a direct relationship with overburden soil layers. Ground motions caused by earthquakes are significantly amplified when passing through the soil layers. Under the influence of these amplified motions, building structures, whose nature frequency is within the frequency band of soil amplification response, will experience more severe damage than those built on bedrock. Therefore, engineering seismologists have paid considerable attention the amplification responses in the Shanghai overburden soil layers. The amplification responses of soil and sand layers in this paper are given by the M L=4.1 earthquake in Nantong, Jiangsu Province on December 25, 2001 at 31.8° N, 120.9° E. It can be seen that the responses of soil and sand layers are very different. That is important.

甘肃青土湖地区不同类型沙丘的表沙理化特征及其环境意义

沙丘表层沉积物的理化特征在揭示风沙的来源、沉积过程、风化作用等方面具有重要作用。本研究采用野外实地采样和实验室分析方法分析了甘肃青土湖地区不同类型沙丘表层沉积物的粒度和地球化学特征。结果表明:(1)青土湖地区沙丘表层沉积物以细砂为优势粒级,平均含量达72.08%,其次为极细砂,黏粒成分很少。频率分布曲线为单峰分布,概率累积曲线表现为三段式,反映出沉积环境较为稳定。(2)研究区沙丘表层沉积物常量元素以SiO2为主,平均含量为76.40%,其次为Al2O3和CaO,平均含量分别为5.05%、3.74%。微量元素以Cr、Mn、Co、Sr、Ba、Ti、Ce和P为主,平均含量均>100 mg/L。(3)Y、Zr和Y/Zr、Rb/Zr双变量图、A-CNK-FM图解表明巴丹吉林沙漠和腾格里沙漠为其沙源。风沙搬运过程中的磨蚀、风选作用是研究区富集Fe、Mg元素的主要原因。此外,下伏湖相沉积物就地起砂,石羊河冲积物也为其提供了部分沙物质。(4)A-CN-K和A-CNK-FM三角模式图表明研究区风化程度较弱,处于初期脱Na、Ca阶段。在沙丘固定过程中成土作用增强但淋溶作用减小,这是由于植被的影响导致半固定、固定沙丘Na、Ca含量较高。

增强型金枪鱼群优化指数熵的砂粒显微图像分割

砂粒显微图像分割可以辅助地质评估,但因其种类繁多,特征复杂,为分割的准确度带来了挑战。针对该类图像提出一种增强型金枪鱼群优化指数熵的分割方法(ETSO-EXP),可以有效保留各类砂粒的纹理特征。首先,针对金枪鱼群优化算法(TSO)在全局搜索与局部开发上的若干不足,提出了混沌扰动策略、动态权重策略和余弦干扰策略对其增强,基准函数实验表明ETSO大幅提高了收敛精度,小幅提高了收敛速度。其次,将ETSO用于确定EXP的分割阈值,以分割图像的信息量为标准验证了该方案的可行性。最后,在雅鲁藏布江砂粒显微图像数据集上进行分割实验,与TSO-EXP相比,ETSO-EXP分割的图像在峰值信噪比、结构相似性、特征相似度和寻优速度的评估上分别达到了18.78%,6.85%,4.16%和3.83%的提升,在同类分割方法中性能最优。结果表明,分割方法ETSO-EXP对于对比度较高、纹理丰富或砂粒碎屑尺寸差异较大的图像都具有较高的分割精度和计算速度。

江西星子镇沙岭沙山顶部一处红色砂层的粒度分析及释光年代研究

鄱阳湖作为我国最大淡水湖,其周边分布若干沙山。此前研究多认为这些沙山为风成堆积的产物。选取星子镇沙岭沙山顶部(吴淞高程约58.3 m)一处红色砂层(含泥质团块)为研究对象,开展粒度分析和释光测年,以进一步揭示其形成环境和年代。粒度结果为:(1)以中粗砂为主;(2)粒度分选性差;(3)频率分布曲线显示该红色砂层包含多峰;(4)概率累积曲线显示该红色砂层包含1个推移组分、2个跃移组分和4个悬移组分;(5)萨胡判别公式值均>-2.74。之后,对红色砂层下伏泥层、红色砂层和红色砂层上覆黄色砂层开展石英单颗粒释光测年,其年代分别为:(24.7±2.1) ka、(24.0±2.4) ka和(22.4±3.9) ka。研究表明该红色砂层虽然形成于MIS2阶段,但其不是干旱环境下的风成沉积砂层。

THE LOSS OF STABILITY OF LAMINAR FLOW IN OPEN CHANNEL AND THE MECHANISM OF SAND RIPPLE FORMATION

In the flow on a mobile bed in an open channel, sand ripple often appears after the sediment begins to move. Different scholars have different views on the formation of sand ripples. This paper holds that as the ripple in general is very small, its formation is due to the instability of the laminar flow or the evolution of the small-scale coherent structures in the sublayer adjacent to the wall of the open channel. When the shear stresses caused by the disturbing waves or the coherent structure near the bed surface boundary and the water flow itself are greater than the shields stresses, responses on the bed surface appear and the sand ripple forms. If the frequency of the shear stress caused by the disturbance is close to the natural frequency of the sand grains that produced resonance, such a phenomenon is called the 'detection property' of the sediment. It is at this point that the maximum resonance appears and the sand ripple develops rapidly.

含泥量对砂类硫酸盐渍土工程特性的影响分析

为了明确含泥量对砂类硫酸盐渍土的盐胀和力学特性的影响,人工配制了不同细粒土含量的砂类硫酸盐渍土,在1%和3%(质量分数,下同)含盐量单向冻结盐胀试验的基础上,选取了细粒土含量为5%、15%、30%和40%的砂样进行常温、低温三轴剪切试验。研究结果表明:此试验条件下,不同级配砂类硫酸盐渍土的冻结温度为-0.7~-0.1℃,当砂样孔隙溶液浓度在冻结温度之上达到饱和时,降温过程中会首先生成盐结晶;1%含盐量条件下,高细粒土含量(≥30%)砂样的起胀温度在4~9℃之内,而低细粒土含量砂样的起胀温度在0℃附近,3%含盐量砂样的起胀温度为20~23℃;试验含水率和细粒土含量通过影响土体中自由水的含量对盐冻胀产生显著影响。在力学特性方面,随着细粒土掺量的增加,砂类硫酸盐渍土的抗剪强度表现出先增大后减小的趋势,细粒土由增强摩擦转变为颗粒间的“润滑”作用;此外,冻结后砂土转变为承载能力更强的“土-盐-冰骨架结构”,抗剪强度大幅提高,并呈现出明显的脆性破坏特征,由于冻结砂土受相对温度的影响,随着含盐量的增加,破坏应力呈先减小后增大的趋势。

砂柱法制样及剪切速率对黏性粗料三轴试验的影响

对砂柱法和常规方法制备的黏性粗粒土三轴试样进行饱和试验,对比其饱和效果,同时为论证砂柱对土体排水效果、应力-应变关系和强度特性的影响,开展砂柱法试样和常规试样在不同剪切速率下的三轴CD剪试验,并讨论剪切速率对试验的影响。试验结果表明:砂柱法配合反压饱和6 h,试样基本饱水均匀;常规试样的速率敏感度较高,随着剪切速率的增大,强度指标φd减小、Cd增大,同一围压下,峰值偏应力减小;体应变εv与剪切速率呈反比,且围压越大,越不利于土体排水,峰值偏应力减小的幅度越大;剪切速率与Ei呈反比,与Bi成正比,邓肯-张模型参数Rf、k、n、D和F值随剪切速率的增大而减小;砂柱法制备的试样速率敏感度较低,且砂柱法试样在0.3 mm/min剪切速率下具有同常规试样0.03 mm/min剪切速率下相似的三轴应力-应变特征;该方法获取了相近的CD剪强度指标和邓肯张模型参数,同时缩短了试验在饱和-固结-剪切3个阶段的用时,大幅提高了试验效率,具有良好的经济效益。研究结果可为与黏性粗粒土三轴试验相关的实践和研究工作提供参考。

Features of Sand-dust Deposits in Harbin City,China

From the sedimentologic view,this paper analyses the grain-size distribution and the chemical composition of the deposits from sand-dust storm,occurring in Harbin on March 20,2002.The result indicates that there exist plentiful coarse matters in the sand-dust deposits in Harbin,and the sand-dust composition presents obvious three peak distribu-tion characteristics,indicating that the sand-dust in Harbin is composed of multi-origin components.The grain-size composition consists of silt(4-8Ф),accounting for 71.18% of the total,sand(>4Ф),21.70%,and clay(<8Ф),only 7.13%.The average grain size(Mz) is 5.14Ф.The chemical elements of the deposits are mainly SiO2 and Al2O3 and Fe2O3,totally occupying 77.8%.The enrichment factors(EF) of Mg,K,Si,Fe,Mn,P,Ti,Co,Ni and V elements are all about 1,which mainly come from lithosphere source,while parts of Cu,Pb,Zn,Cr and Se elements are from pollution sources out of lithosphere source,and As,Cd and Sb elements are mainly from pollution sources.Based on the com-prehensive analysis of grain-size,chemical composition,enrichment factor(EF),discriminant function(DF) and matter source index(PI),this paper points out that the grain-size distribution and element composition of the sand-dust deposits in Harbin are evidently different from the loess and sand-dust in Lanzhou,and that matter source of the sand-dust in Harbin is different from the loess in Northwest China and the sand-dust in Lanzhou.The sand-dust deposits in Harbin are an admixture of coarse grains transmitted in short distance and fine grains transported in long distance.The plentiful coarse grains of the sand-dust deposits in Harbin origin from sand of local spot,and are the near-source deposits transported by low altitude airflow.