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Abstract: In order to contribute to a reliable, easy-to-handle and economically viable erosion risk assessment of contaminated riverine sites, the present study aims to implement master-variables best characterising the sediment stability. Thus, a wide range of sediment properties was related to the critical shear stress for mass erosion, determined in the SETEG (Stroemungskanal zur Ermittlung der tiefenabhaengigen Erosionsstabilitaet von Gewaessersedimenten) pressurised channel, with special emphasis on vertical and temporal gradients in the Lauffen reservoir on the River Neckar. Over the course of 1 year, positive impacts of some macrofauna species and benthic diatoms on the sediment stability were detected for the sediment surface (0.5cm). However, a high seasonal variability of biological parameters caused varying relations with erosion resistance in the upper sediment layers as shown for the colloidal carbohydrates. Considering only deeper sediment layers (5–35cm), a more general pattern could be revealed with correlations between the critical shear stress and single sediment properties such as depth, grain size, total organic carbon (TOC), cation exchange coefficient (CEC), carbohydrates and proteins. Firstly, the influence of physico-chemical and biological properties on erosion resistance became evident, even over depths at 0–35cm. Secondly, inter-particle forces are most important for erosion resistance. These are enhanced in fine-grained sediment layers, offering high binding capacities but also strengthened by polymeric substances permeating the void space and coating particles. These covariance patterns of sedimentological and biological parameters are addressed by multivariate statistical tests (principal component analysis), resulting in a higher magnitude of the correlation coefficient between critical shear stress and the master-variables in main component II (polymeric substances, grain size, TOC, CEC; ) compared to single correlations. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The Finite Element Method (FEM) is widely used in the simulation of geotechnical applications. Owing to the limitations of FEM to model problems involving large deformations, many efforts have been made to develop methods free of mesh entanglement. One of these methods is the Material Point Method (MPM) which models the material as Lagrangian particles capable of moving through a background computational mesh in Eulerian manner. Although MPM represents the continuum by material points, solution is performed on the computational mesh. Thus, imposing boundary conditions is not aligned with the material representation. In this paper, a non-zero kinematic condition is introduced where an additional set of particles is incorporated to track the moving boundary. This approach is then applied to simulate the seismic motion resulting in failure of slopes. To validate this simulation procedure, two geotechnical applications are modelled using MPM. The first is to reproduce a shaking table experiment where the results of another numerical method are available. After validating the present numerical scheme for relatively large deformation problem, it is applied to simulate progression of a large-scale landslide during the Chi-Chi earthquake of Taiwan in which excessive material deformation and transportation is taking place. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Mass fluxes of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) were calculated for the Three Gorges Reservoir (TGR) in China, based on concentration and discharge data from the Yangtze River. Virtual Organisms (VOs) have been applied during four campaigns in 2008, 2009 (twice) and 2011 at sampling sites distributed from Chongqing to Maoping. The total PAH mass fluxes ranged from 110 to 2160mgs−1. Highest loads were determined at Chongqing with a decreasing trend towards Maoping in all four sampling campaigns. PAH remediation capacity of the TGR was found to be high as the mass flux reduced by more than half from upstream to downstream. Responsible processes are thought to be adsorption of PAH to suspended particles, dilution and degradation. Furthermore, the dependence of PAH concentration upon water depth was investigated at Maoping in front of the Three Gorges Dam. Although considerable differences could be revealed, there was no trend observable. Sampling of water with self-packed filter cartridges confirmed more homogenous PAH depth distribution. Moreover, PAH content of suspended particles was estimated from water concentrations gathered by VOs based on a water–particle separation model and subsequently compared to PAH concentration measured in water and in filter cartridges. It could be shown that the modeled data predicts the concentration caused by particle-bound PAHs to be about 6 times lower than PAHs dissolved in water. Besides, the model estimates the proportions of 5- and 6-ring PAHs being higher than in water phase. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]