Diagenetic evolution vis-a-vis reservoir characteristics of Dhosa sandstones,Ler dome,Kachchh, western India

The detrital mineralogy as well as diagenetic characters of the Dhosa Sandstone Member of Chari Formation exposed at the Lerdome, south of Bhuj was studied. In order to assess the potential of the Dhosa Sandstone as a reservoir, it is substantial to understand the diagenetic processes that are controlled largely by post-depositional cementation and compaction in addition to framework composition and original depositional textures. The petrologic analysis of 33 thin sections was carried out to discern primary composition and diagenetic features including primary and secondary porosity patterns. Monocrystalline quartz dominates the detrital mineralogy followed by polycrystalline quartz. Among the polycrystalline variety recrystallized metamorphic quartz surpasses stretched metamorphic quartz in terms of abundance. Feldspars comprise microcline and plagioclase where the former is dominant over the latter. Orthoclase too comprises a very small percentage. Mica, chert, rock fragments, and heavies form the remaining detrital constituent in descending order of their constituent percentage. The diagenetic precipitates are mainly carbonate (8.30%) and iron (7.80%) followed by clay (0.66%) and silica (0.88%) that are minor constituent of the total cementing material. The main paragenetic events identified are early cementation, mechanical compaction, late cementation, dissolution, and authigenesis of clays. The overall reservoir quality seems to be controlled by compaction and authigenic carbonate cementation. The minus cement porosity average 29.4%. The porosity loss due to compaction is 21.92% and by cementation is 29.71%. The loss of original porosity was due to early cementation followed by moderate mechanical compaction during shallow burial. Preservation of available miniscule primary porosity was ascribed to dissolution of carbonates and quartz overgrowth which resisted chemical compaction during deep burial. The studied sandstones may have low reservoir quality owing to existing porosity of less than 9%. More carbonate dissolution and its transformation in dolomite in sub-surface condition and macro-fracture porosity may result in enhanced secondary porosity and good diagenetic traps.     

Simulation of the Tornado Event of 22 March, 2013 over Brahmanbaria,Bangladesh using WRF Model with 3DVar DA techniques

Journal of Earth System Science - A severe thunderstorm produced a tornado (F2 on the enhanced Fujita–Pearson scale), which affected the Brahmanbaria district of Bangladesh during...     

Implementation of online model updating in hybrid simulation

Hybrid simulation combines numerical and experimental methods for cost‐effective, large‐scale testing of structures under simulated earthquake loading. Structural system level response can be obtained by expressing the equation of motion for the combined experimental and numerical substructures, and solved using time‐stepping integration similar to pure numerical simulations. It is often assumed that a reliable model exists for the numerical substructures while the experimental substructures correspond to parts of the structure that are difficult to model. A wealth of data becomes available during the simulation from the measured experiment response that can be used to improve upon the numerical models, particularly if a component with similar structural configuration and material properties is being tested and subjected to a comparable load pattern. To take advantage of experimental measurements, a new hybrid test framework is proposed with an updating scheme to update the initial modeling parameters of the numerical model based on the instantaneously‐measured response of the experimental substructures as the test progresses. Numerical simulations are first conducted to evaluate key algorithms for the selection and calibration of modeling parameters that can be updated. The framework is then expanded to conduct actual hybrid simulations of a structural frame model including a physical substructure in the laboratory and a numerical substructure that is updated during the tests. The effectiveness of the proposed framework is demonstrated for a simple frame structure but is extendable to more complex structural behavior and models. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Impact model for simulation of base isolated buildings impacting flexible moat walls

Base isolated buildings subjected to extreme earthquakes can exceed their design displacements and impact against the surrounding moat wall. To better understand the consequences of impact on the superstructure, an impact element considering moat wall flexibility is proposed based on impact theory and observations during experimental simulations. It is demonstrated that numerical simulations using the proposed impact element can capture the dominant characteristics of the contact force observed in experiments of base isolated buildings impacting various moat wall configurations including concrete walls with soil backfill and rigid steel walls. The contact force is dependent on impact velocity, geometry, and material properties at the contact surface, and the global dynamic characteristic of the moat wall. Properties of the moat wall impact element are derived based on mechanics‐based models considering material properties and geometric measurements of the experimental setup. For this purpose, the moat wall is modeled as a flexural column with a concentrated nonlinear hinge at its base and soil backfill considered through a damped elastic foundation then generalized into a single degree of freedom system. The resulting impact element is shown to accurately capture both local deformation and the vibration aspects of impact observed in experiments and the effects of impact on superstructure response. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Rock mass rating and Kinematic analysis for slope stability investigation of Utari dam,Lalitpur district,Uttar Pradesh

Rock mass characterization of Utari dam in Lalitpur district of Uttar Pradesh was done to identify different stability classes of rock mass. For better stability of Utari dam, foundation conditions were carefully studied by detailed field investigations of the site supplemented by laboratory tests. During feasibility and preliminary stages, rock mass characterization of slopes was conducted to identify the vulnerable zones of failure. Rock mass characterization was done by compilation of information obtained from intact rock as well as from rock mass to determine its grade and long term slope stability of the site. On the basis of Rock Mass Rating (RMR) and Geological Strength Index (GSI) slope stability is identified which lies under good quality rock mass. Kinematic analysis was conducted to find out the probability for different types of structurally controlled slope failure. Microscopic analyses were conducted to identify the degree of chemical alteration of feldspar. Clay formation by sericitization along joint planes is harmful for the stability of dam structure. Remedial measures must be taken to reduce the extent of chemical alteration. Granitoids at dam site forms a compact and stable foundation consisting of four sets of joints in which two sets were prominent which are dipping on the upstream side of the dam which reveals good condition on the dam site as leakage from reservoir will be minimum and least up-thrust on the dam structure.     

SMR geomechanics and kinematic analysis near Rasulpur,Fatehpur Sikri,Uttar Pradesh

Slope stability of mine slopes is often associated with safety and economics during excavation. Sandstone is excavated from Rasulpur area of Fatehpur Sikri in Uttar Pradesh for the purpose of crushed, decorative and dimension stones. In the present paper an attempt has been made to characterize the rock slope faces into different stability classes. Characterization is based on geological and geotechnical parameters recorded on the outcrop during field investigation and supplemented by geomechanical properties by the laboratory test for strength of the rock intact. SMR Geomechanics classification is used to identify the stability class and remedial measures are also suggested to reduce any possible hazard. Kinematic analysis of slope was also investigated to determine the probability of any possible structurally controlled failure. On the basis of SMR Geomechanics calculations slope under investigation lies under good stability class i.e. 2a and 2b. Installation of nets during excavation can be done and for better safety spot and systematic rock bolting can be done. Kinematic study reveals that toppling failures may occur, special care must be given to the joint set which can trigger toppling failure.     

Fluvial herring-bone cross-stratification in a modern tributary mouth bar, Coonamble, New South Wales, Australia

Herring-bone cross-stratification occurs in tributary mouth bar sediments less than 150 yr old in Warrena Creek near its confluence with the Castlereagh River some 2000 river kilometres from the sea in northern New South Wales. These streams have low gradients, with straight to anastomosing channels which become sinuous and distributive downstream. Channel beds are sand but banks are almost exclusively mud which is burrowed and extensively penetrated by roots. Herring-bone cross-stratification results from flow reversals in Warrena Creek during flood events. Flow direction depends upon discharge and stage in the creek relative to that in the adjacent river. The lithofacies resemble inter-tidal deposits and could easily be misidentified on the basis of herring-bone cross-stratification in an ancient sedimentary sequence. Herringbone cross-stratification should be regarded as diagnostic of depositional environments in which current directions are principally determined by reversals of water surface gradient, rather than by regional slope. Flow reversal phenomena may be a characteristic of very low gradient fluvial systems.     

Petrography and geochemistry of Jumara Dome sediments,Kachchh Basin: Implications for provenance,tectonic setting and weathering intensity

In the Kachchh Mainland, the Jumara Dome mixed carbonate-siliciclastic succession is represented by the Jhurio and Patcham formations and siliciclastic-dominating Chari Formation （Bathonian to Oxfordian）. The Ju- mara Dome sediments were deposited during sea-level fluctuating, and were interrupted by storms in the shallow marine environment. The sandstones are generally medium-grained, moderately sorted, subangular to subrounded and of low sphericity. The sandstones are mineralogically mature and mainly composed of quartzarenite and subar- kose. The plots of petrofacies in the Qt-F-L, Qm-F-Lt, Qp-Lv-Ls and Qm-P-K ternary diagrams suggest mainly the basement uplift source （craton interior） in rifted continental margin basin setting. The sandstones were cemented by carbonate, iron oxide and silica overgrowth. The Chemical Index of Alteration values （73% sandstone and 81% shale） indicate high weathering conditions in the source area. Overall study suggests that such strong chemical weathering conditions are of unconformity with worldwide humid and warm climates during the Jurassic period. Positive correlations between A1203 and Fe203, TiO2, Na20, MgO, K20 are evident. A high correlation coefficient between A1203 and K20 in shale samples suggests that clay minerals control the major oxides, The analogous con- tents of Si, A1, Ti, LREE and TTE in the shale to PAAS with slightly depleted values of other elements ascribe a PAAS like source （granitic gneiss and minor mafics） to the present study. The petrographic and geochemical data strongly suggest that the studied sandstones/shales were deposited on a passive margin of the stable intracratonic basin.     

Impact of cloud microphysics and cumulus parameterization on simulation of heavy rainfall event during 7–9 October 2007 over Bangladesh

In the present study, the Advanced Research WRF (ARW) version 3.2.1 has been used to simulate the heavy rainfall event that occurred between 7 and 9 October 2007 in the southern part of Bangladesh. Weather Research and Forecast (WRF–ARW version) modelling system with six different microphysics (MP) schemes and two different cumulus parameterization (CP) schemes in a nested configuration was chosen for simulating the event. The model domains consist of outer and inner domains having 9 and 3 km horizontal resolution, respectively with 28 vertical sigma levels. The impacts of cloud microphysical processes by means of precipitation, wind and reflectivity, kinematic and thermodynamic characteristics of the event have been studied. Sensitivity experiments have been conducted with the WRF model to test the impact of microphysical and cumulus parameterization schemes in capturing the extreme weather event. NCEP FNL data were used for the initial and boundary condition. The model ran for 72 h using initial data at 0000 UTC of 7 October 2007. The simulated rainfall shows that WSM6–KF combination gives better results for all combinations and after that Lin–KF combination. WSM3–KF has simulated, less area average rainfall out of all MP schemes that were coupled with KF scheme. The sharp peak of relative humidity up to 300 hPa has been simulated along the vertical line where maximum updraft has been found for all MPs coupled with KF and BMJ schemes. The simulated rain water and cloud water mixing ratio were maximum at the position where the vertical velocity and reflectivity has also been maximum. The production of rain water mixing ratio depends on MP schemes as well as CP schemes. Rainfall depends on rain water mixing ratio between 950 and 500 hPa. Rain water mixing ratio above 500 hPa level has no effect on surface rain.