Intelligent prediction of slope stability based on visual exploratory data analysis of 77 in situ cases

Slope stability prediction research is a complex non-linear system problem.In carrying out slope stability prediction work,it often encounters low accuracy of prediction models and blind data preprocessing.Based on 77 field cases,5 quantitative indicators are selected to improve the accuracy of prediction models for slope stability.These indicators include slope angle,slope height,internal friction angle,cohesion and unit weight of rock and soil.Potential data aggregation in the prediction of slope stability is analyzed and visualized based on Six-dimension reduction methods,namely principal components analysis(PCA),Kernel PCA,factor analysis(FA),independent component analysis(ICA),non-negative matrix factorization(NMF)and t-SNE(stochastic neighbor embedding).Combined with classic machine learning methods,7 prediction models for slope stability are established and their reliabilities are examined by random cross validation.Besides,the significance of each indicator in the prediction of slope stability is discussed using the coefficient of variation method.The research results show that dimension reduction is unnecessary for the data processing of prediction models established in this paper of slope stability.Random forest(RF),support vector machine(SVM)and k-nearest neighbour(KNN)achieve the best prediction accuracy,which is higher than 90%.The decision tree(DT)has better accuracy which is 86%.The most important factor influencing slope stability is slope height,while unit weight of rock and soil is the least significant.RF and SVM models have the best accuracy and superiority in slope stability prediction.The results provide a new approach toward slope stability prediction in geotechnical engineering.

Spatiotemporal Characteristics and Future Scenario Simulation of the Trade-offs and Synergies of Mountain Ecosystem Services: A Case Study of the Dabie Mountains Area, China

Mountain ecosystems play an essential role in supporting regional sustainable development and improving local ecological environments. However, economic development in mountainous areas has long been lagging, and multiple conflicts related to resource assurance, ecological protection, and economic development have emerged. An accurate grasp of the current status and evolutionary trends of mountain ecosystems is essential to enhance the overall benefits of ecosystem services and maintain regional ecological security. Based on the In VEST(Integrated Valuation of Ecosystem Services and Trade-offs) model, this study analyzed the spatiotemporal evolution patterns and the trade-offs and synergies among ecosystem services(ES) in the Dabie Mountains Area(DMA) of eastern China. The Markov-PLUS(Patch-generating Land Use Simulation) model was used to conduct a multi-scenario simulation of the area's future development. Water yield(WY) and soil conservation(SC) had overall increasing trends during 2000-2020, carbon storage(CS)decreased overall but slowed with time, and habitat quality(HQ) increased and then decreased. The ecological protection scenario is the best scenario for improving ES in the DMA by 2030;compared to 2020, the total WY would decrease by 3.77 × 10^(8) m^(3), SC would increase by 0.65 × 10^(6) t, CS would increase by 1.33 × 10^(6) t, and HQ would increase by 0.06%. The comprehensive development scenario is the second-most effective scenario for ecological improvement, while the natural development scenario did not have a significant effect. However, as the comprehensive development scenario considers both environmental protection and economic development, which are both vital for the sustainable development of the mountainous areas, this scenario is considered the most suitable path for future development. There are trade-offs between WY, CS, and HQ, while there are synergies between SC, CS, and HQ. Spatially, the DMA's central core district is the main strong synergistic area, the marginal zone is the weak synergistic area, and trade-offs are mainly distributed in the transition zone.

Effects of confining pressure on acoustic emission and failure characteristics of sandstone

In this study,uniaxial and triaxial compression acoustic emission(AE)tests were implemented to investigate the AE effect and failure characteristics of sandstone under different confining pressures(σ3).The evolution of AE parameters in the rock failure process and fracture fractal dimension characteristics after failure were analyzed.The results revealed that the activity of the AE signal is strongly related toσ3.The evolution of the Ib value can be divided into the I-fluctuation,II-stability,and III-decrease stages.In the first stage,the Ib value of the AE was relatively high,and the AE energy was low.Then,the Ib value tended to be stable;however,the fluctuation amplitude decreased,and the AE energy rapidly increased.In the stage of decrease,the AE energy sharply increased before the load approached the peak value,and the Ib value significantly decreased and dropped to the lowest point before the peak value.Asσ3 increased,the rock’s failure mode changed from tensile failure to shear failure and became more coordinated.As the confining pressure increased,the shape dimension decreased,and the order degree of rock failure increased.The confining pressure exerted a certain control effect on the rock failure.

Status and distribution changes of the endangered Green Peafowl (Pavo muticus) in China over the past three decades (1990s-2017)

Background: Understanding the changes in population dynamics, including demographics, distribution and threats, is essential for species status assessing. The endangered Green Peafowl(Pavo muticus) has experienced sharp population declines and distribution range diminishing both in China and Southeast Asia. Field population surveys have not been conducted in China since the 1990 s, which hindered conservation planning and decision-making.Methods: With interview and line transects methods, we figured out the population and distribution changes of Green Peafowl across its historical ranges over the past three decades in China during 2014-2017.Results: The Green Peafowl once habituated in 54 counties in China. Nearly 60% of the distribution counties were lost in the past three decades, with the left 22 counties distributed in central, southern and western Yunnan, SW China. Population decrease detected in all distribution areas except for Shuangbai and Xinping county where more than 60% of the total population is located. Only about 30% of the former bird population were recorded with the same interviewing method as 20 years ago. Three birds, 1 carcass, 6 calls and 12 footprints were detected along the 865 km line transects, indic-ating extremely low encounter rate of Green Peafowl in field. Sharp decreases in flock sizes were also detected, from 820 birds per flock in the 1990 s to 3-5 birds at present. Poaching and habitat conversion are two widespread and long-lasting threats, while poisoning caused mortality in the past and hydropower construction affect regional population's survival. Large flocks of 18–27 birds were discovered in the field, which increases our confidence of population recovery of this endangered pheasant in China.Conclusions: Only interviewed bird number and counts based on line transects were presented in this study, without further population estimation due to limitation of the data sets. Although the actual population of this cryptic bird must be underestimated, dramatic population declines and distribution concentrations of the endangered Green Peafowl occurred over the past 30 years in China undoubtedly.

Design of Landscape Ecological Restoration for “Five Mining Areas” of the Laoqing Mountain in the Dianchi Lake Basin

Through analyzing basic conditions of the "five mining areas" in the Laoqing Mountain of the Dianchi Lake Basin, in Kunming City, South China, the ecological restoration design of "integrating engineering protection and biological restoration, building the landscape ecological security pattern of the Laoqing Mountain" was proposed. Considering the different ecological functional areas, varying engineering measures, greening patterns, and irrigation means were selected for the ecological restoration, including site management, vegetation restoration, management and utilization etc.. These ecological restoration measures will produce favorable ecological benefits, and also take landscape effect and sustainable development into consideration, which will contribute to the ecological restoration of the "five mining areas", and provide a scientific and feasible reference for the ecological restoration in China.

The Origin of the Black Shale Series and Bentonites from the Wufeng Formation in the Southwestern Upper Yangtze:Implications for the Convergence of the Yangtze and Cathaysia Blocks in the Late Ordovician

Early Paleozoic black organic sediments and bentonites occur widely in the craton basin within the Yangtze block and are generally believed to be genetically related to a specific tectonic setting on the cratonic boundary.However,the intimate relationship between their origins and the dynamic mechanisms are unclear,as exemplified by the genesis of the black shale series and bentonites from the Wufeng Formation during the Ordovician–Silurian transition(OST).In order to reveal the relationship between the Wufeng Formation and the convergence of the Yangtze and Cathaysia blocks(i.e.,the intracontinental Kwangsian Orogeny),two stratigraphic sections respectively in Zhaotong area(Northeast Yunnan)and Puyi area(Northwestern Guizhou)that were located in the semi-restricted inner Yangtze Sea during the OST were systematically studied,on the basis of whole-rock geochemical composition,pyriteδ^(34)S(δ^(34)Spy),total organic carbon(TOC),stable Sr isotope,pyrite framboid size distribution and zircon U-Pb age,trace elements.The evidence shows that the paleo-oceanic environment changed significantly at the turn of the early–late Katian and formed the black shale series in the Wufeng Formation.These acritarch assemblages were formed in the transition process of the Upper Yangtze Basin from passive continental margin basin to foreland basin during this interval.Based on previous research on the genetic relationship between black shale series and plate tectonic movement,a basin-mountain evolution model suitable for South China in the Late Ordovician is presented.The two bentonites in the Wufeng Formation with U-Pb ages of 445.5±0.8 Ma and 441.9±2.4 Ma primarily originated from the intermediate–acid volcanic eruption during the collision and convergence between the Yangtze and Cathaysia blocks in the Late Ordovician,the provenance region probably being located in the Jiangnan orogenic belt.Thus,we believe that the appearance of the black shale series and bentonite in the Wufeng Formation at the turn of the early–late Katian may represent the initiation of basin-mountain transformation and the Kwangsian Orogeny in South China,which provides important evidence for the collision and convergence of the Yangtze and Cathaysia blocks in the Late Ordovician.