Geological Engineering Commons^™

Controls On The Stratiform Copper Mineralization In The Western Syncline, Upper Peninsula, Michigan, William C. Williams, Theodore J. Bornhorst

Michigan Tech Publications

The Western Syncline hosts reduced-facies, or Kupferschiefer-type, sedimentary rock-hosted stratiform Cu deposits (SSC) in the lowermost meters of the Nonesuch Formation, which is part of a thick section of clastic sedimentary rocks that comprise the upper fill of the Mesoproterozoic Midcontinent Rift of North America. Located in the Porcupine Mountains Cu district in Upper Peninsula, Michigan, these blind deposits were discovered in 1956, but are not yet developed, although recent renewed interest may result in near-term production. The deposits are distinguished by their relatively undeformed nature and lack of superposed hydrothermal events. Prior to lithification, chalcocite mineralization replaced diagenetic pyrite …

Uav-Based Quantification Of Dynamic Lahar Channel Morphology At Volcán De Fuego, Guatemala, Jerry C. Mock, Jeffrey B. Johnson, Armando Pineda, Gustavo Bejar, Amilcar Roca

Michigan Tech Publications

This study quantified erosional and depositional processes for secondary lahars in Las Lajas drainage at Volcán de Fuego, Guatemala, during the rainy season from May to October 2021. Abundant pyroclastic material from ongoing eruptive activity is remobilized seasonally during heavy precipitation, which can impact infrastructure and populations living near Fuego. Our region of focus was in an agricultural zone 6 to 10 km from the summit, surveyed with an unoccupied aerial vehicle (UAV) quadcopter at monthly intervals. Imagery was processed into overlapping time-lapse structure from motion digital elevation models (DEMs). DEMs were differenced to find volumetric changes as a function …

Terrain Characterization Via Machine Vs. Deep Learning Using Remote Sensing, Jordan Ewing, Thomas Oommen, Jobin Thomas, Anush Kasaragod, Richard Dobson, Colin Brooks, Paramsothy Jayakumar, Michael Cole, Tulga Ersal

Michigan Tech Publications, Part 1

Terrain traversability is critical for developing Go/No-Go maps for ground vehicles, which significantly impact a mission’s success. To predict the mobility of terrain, one must understand the soil characteristics. In-situ measurements performed in the field are the current method of collecting this information, which is time-consuming, costly, and can be lethal for military operations. This paper investigates an alternative approach using thermal, multispectral, and hyperspectral remote sensing from an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) platform. Remotely sensed data combined with machine learning (linear, ridge, lasso, partial least squares (PLS), support vector machines (SVM), and k nearest neighbors (KNN)) and deep learning …

Covid-19 Pandemic Lockdown Modulation Of Physico-Chemical Parameters Of Surface Water, Karamana River Basin, Southwest India: A Weighted Arithmetic Index And Geostatistical Perspective, S. P. Prasood, M. V. Mukesh, K. S. Sajinkumar, K. P. Thrivikramji

Michigan Tech Publications

The coronavirus disease or COVID-19 pandemic continues imposing restrictions on the human population from full-scale normal/routine activities all over the world. This study primarily spotlights the consequences of the COVID-19-pandemic-lockdown on physicochemical parameters of water (samples) of the Karamana river system (KRS) during the pre-monsoons (or January) of 2021 and 2022, using the Weighted Arithmetic Index method and Geostatistical analysis (ArcMap 10.2). Even though the Karamana river supported the water needs of the people during the past several decades, the quality of water deteriorated due to the rising population and consequent anthropogenic activities. Hence, it is imperative to evaluate the …

Multi-Sensor And Multi-Scale Remote Sensing Approach For Assessing Slope Instability Along Transportation Corridors Using Satellites And Uncrewed Aircraft Systems, Marta Zocchi, Anush Kasaragod, Abby Jenkins, Chris Cook, Richard Dobson, Thomas Oommen, Dana Van Huis, Beau Taylor, Colin Brooks, Roberta Marini, Francesco Troiani, Paolo Mazzanti

Michigan Tech Publications, Part 1

Rapid slope instabilities (i.e., rockfalls) involving highway networks in mountainous areas pose a threat to facilities, settlements and life, thus representing a challenge for asset management plans. To identify different morphological expressions of degradation processes that lead to rock mass destabilization, we combined satellite and uncrewed aircraft system (UAS)-based products over two study sites along the State Highway 133 sector near Paonia Reservoir, Colorado (USA). Along with a PS-InSAR analysis covering the 2017–2021 interval, a high-resolution dataset composed of optical, thermal and multi-spectral imagery was systematically acquired during two UAS surveys in September 2021 and June 2022. After a pre-processing …

Analysis Of Soil From The Palouse Prairie Restoration Project: Sample Pp-3, Jarod Imel, Spencer Hagel, Keagan Ives, Richard Orndorff , Phd

2023 Symposium

The Palose Prairie Restoration Project is a project devoted to the restoration of 120 acres of land to the west of Eastern Washington University. This land is actively being restored to its once natural state for the purpose of recreational activities for the students attending EWU and the community members of Cheney, WA. Our group was tasked with conducting soil analysis testing from a soil sample at the restoration site. We used ASTM standardized testing during soil analysis and have compiled valuable information to assist in the restoration project.

A Hidden Spider Web Of Roots: Utilizing Ground Penetrating Radar To Uncover Laterally Expansive Roots Of An Oak Tree, Megan Lapkoff

All Theses

Roots are critical to understanding tree health, subsurface biomass, and overall tree root stability. However, accessing tree roots is difficult and traditional methods used to quantify roots harm or kill the tree. Ground penetrating radar (GPR) provides a non-invasive way to characterize subsurface roots without harming the tree. GPR provides high-resolution data and the ability to collect data with high spatial coverage, making it an ideal tool for characterizing roots. GPR works by detecting contrasts in dielectric permittivity or electromagnetic (EM) velocity at interfaces between materials. Small scattering objects, like roots, generate predictable artifacts called diffraction hyperbolas. Diffraction hyperbolas will …

Predicting The Damage Behavior And Fracture Propagation In A 3d-Printed Synthetic Rock Material With The Distinct Element Method (Pfc3d) And Hybrid Finite-Discrete Element Method (Irazu3d), Frankie Johnston

Graduate Theses & Non-Theses

The ability to monitor and predict the evolution of rock damage and fracture is key for creating reliable and sustainable civil infrastructure. Rock crack propagation is a complex process that is dependent on material properties such as tensile strength, compressive strength, density, elastic modulus, Poisson's ratio, friction coefficient, cohesion, and specimen conditions such as preexisting microcracks, particle size distribution, and mineral distribution. In conjunction with the 56th US Rock Mechanics/Geomechanics Symposium, researchers primarily at Purdue University organized the Damage Mechanics Challenge to determine the current state and future direction of the rock modeling community’s ability to simulate rock crack formation. …

Dual Crosslinked Poly(Acrylamide-Co-N-Vinylpyrrolidone) Microspheres With Re-Crosslinking Ability For Fossil Energy Recovery, Jingyang Pu, Baojun Bai, Jiaming Geng, Na Zhang, Thomas P. Schuman

Geosciences and Geological and Petroleum Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Microspheres have been proposed to be applied in controlling wastewater production for mature oilfields and migrating leakage for gas and nuclear waste storage. However, it remains challenging for stacked microspheres to maintain strong blocking ability in micron-sized small pores or fractures. In this study, a novel microsphere was developed with comprehensive properties including high deformability and long re-crosslinking time upon tunable swelling ratio for the applications. A dual covalent and physical crosslinking strategy was used to develop novel microspheres reinforced by a hydrogen bond (H-bond, between pyrrole ring and amide group) and coordination bond (between chromium acetate (CrAc) and carboxyl …

Outboard Onset Of Ross Orogen Magmatism And Subsequent Igneous And Metamorphic Cooling Linked To Slab Rollback During Late-Stage Gondwana Assembly, Timothy Paulsen, John Encarnación, Anne Grunow, Jeffrey Benowitz, Paul Layer, Chad Deering, Jakub Sliwinski

Michigan Tech Publications, Part 1

Changes in magmatism and sedimentation along the late Neoproterozoic-early Paleozoic Ross orogenic belt in Antarctica have been linked to the cessation of convergence along the Mozambique belt during the assembly of East-West Gondwana. However, these interpretations are non-unique and are based, in part, on limited thermochronological data sets spread out along large sectors of the East Antarctic margin. We report new 40Ar/39Ar hornblende, muscovite, and biotite age data for plutonic (n = 13) and metasedimentary (n = 3) samples from the Shackleton–Liv Glacier sector of the Queen Maud Mountains in Antarctica. Cumulative 40Ar/39Ar age data show polymodal age peaks (510 …

Infrasound Detection Of Approaching Lahars, J B. Johnson, A Roca, A Pineda, R Mérida, R. Escobar-Wolf, J F. Anderson, J Mock, A Bosa, G Bejar, G. P. Waite

Michigan Tech Publications, Part 1

Infrasound may be used to detect the approach of hazardous volcanic mudflows, known as lahars, tens of minutes before their flow fronts arrive. We have analyzed signals from more than 20 secondary lahars caused by precipitation events at Fuego Volcano during Guatemala's rainy season in May through October of 2022. We are able to quantify the capabilities of infrasound monitoring through comparison with seismic data, time lapse camera imagery, and high-resolution video of a well-recorded event on August 17. We determine that infrasound sensors, deployed adjacent to the lahar path and in small-aperture (10 s of meters) arrays, are particularly …

Earthquake Resistant Buildings, Admin Stem For Success

STEM for Success Showcase

Students learn about earthquakes and engineering by building a structure that can survive an earthquake.

Seasonal Seepage Fluid Flow And Pressure Detection Beneath Flood Protection Levees In The Lower Mississippi River Valley Using Non-Invasive Geophysical Methods, Daniel Locci

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

This study explores the use of shear-wave seismic reflection and electrical resistivity techniques to complement our understanding of seepage pore pressure variations and soil type estimation beneath earthen levees in the Mississippi River floodplain. The seasonal variations of water level in the river create changes in pore pressure in the adjacent aquifer, which can be detected using time-lapse shear-wave velocity analysis. The seismic reflection patterns during these pressure variations show changes in velocity that can be translated into changes in effective pressure, allowing us to distinguish between confined and leaky aquifers.

In addition, the integration of geophysical methods such as …

Beirut Arab University - Faculty Of Engineering - Newsletter Issue 0, Faculty Of Engineering, Beirut Arab University

Engineering Newsletters

No abstract provided.

Estimating Aquifer System Storage Loss With Water Levels, Pumping And Insar Data In The Parowan Valley, Utah, Ryan G. Smith, Jiawei Li, Katherine R. Grote, Jim Butler

Geosciences and Geological and Petroleum Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

In the Parowan Valley of Utah, Groundwater Levels Have Declined by as Much as 30 M over the Past 50 Years with Accompanying Subsidence Rates of Up to 5 Cm/year. Traditional Methods to Estimate Groundwater Storage Change Use a Combination of Groundwater Level and Storativity Estimates, But There is Often Considerable Uncertainty in These. in This Study, We Demonstrate a New Method that Relies on a Combination of Geodetic Data from InSAR, as Well as Groundwater Level and Pumping Data, to Estimate Both the Total Groundwater Storage Loss and the Percentages of Storage Loss in Fine- and Coarse-Grained Layers within …

Organic Matter Assessment And Paleoenvironmental Changes Of The Middle Jurassic Main Source Rocks (Khatatba Formation) In The North Western Desert, Egypt: Palynofacies And Palynomorph Perspectives, Ahmed Mansour, Sameh S. Tahoun, Aya Raafat, Mohamed S. Ahmed, Francisca Oboh-Ikuenobe, Thomas Gentzis, Xiugen Fu

Geosciences and Geological and Petroleum Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

The Middle Jurassic in the north Western Desert, Egypt, was a time of complex tectonics and increased environmental perturbations attributed to the predominant sedimentation of organic carbon-rich fine siliciclastic and carbonate deposits of the Khatatba Formation. Although some studies have addressed the hydrocarbon potential and source rock characteristics of the Khatatba Formation, a regional-scale investigation of the prevalent paleoenvironmental conditions and organic matter characteristics is still necessary. In this study, the Khatatba Formation is investigated for detailed palynofacies analysis and palynomorph composition to assess organic matter kerogen types and reconstruct the depositional paleoenvironmental patterns on a regional scale. For this …

Characterization Of The Spatial And Temporal Dynamics Of Floodplain Surface-Water Circulation, Shailesh Cyriel Van Der Steeg

Theses and Dissertations

Floodplains are spatially complex landscapes with a variety of surface features and landforms. These low-relief, low-gradient landscapes may contain extensive networks of well-defined channels and topographically connected depressions, and in some cases, the channels originate as cuts across levees or banks of the main river, referred to as through-bank channels. Corresponding complex patterns of inundation and flow have been detected through remote sensing and in field observations. The complex floodplain flows in response to the passing of flood waves is, however, poorly quantified. This work aims to increase fundamental understanding of floodplain flows and to highlight controls on floodplain wetting, …

Biodegradable Preformed Particle Gel (Ppg) Made Of Natural Chitosan Material For Water Shut-Off Application, Reem Elaf, Ahmed Ben Ali, Mohammed Saad, Ibnelwaleed A. Hussein, Hassan Nimir, Baojun Bai

Geosciences and Geological and Petroleum Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Oil and Gas Extraction Frequently Produces Substantial Volumes of Produced Water, Leading to Several Mechanical and Environmental Issues. Several Methods Have Been Applied over Decades, Including Chemical Processes Such as In-Situ Crosslinked Polymer Gel and Preformed Particle Gel, Which Are the Most Effective Nowadays. This Study Developed a Green and Biodegradable PPG Made of PAM and Chitosan as a Blocking Agent for Water Shutoff, Which Will Contribute to Combating the Toxicity of Several Commercially Used PPGs. the Applicability of Chitosan to Act as a Crosslinker Has Been Confirmed by FTIR Spectroscopy and Observed by Scanning Electron Microscopy. Extensive Swelling Capacity …

Laboratory Comparative Study Of Anionic And Cationic High-Viscosity Friction Reducers In Moderate To Extremely High Total Dissolved Solids Environments, Xiaojing Ge, Abdulmohsin Imqam

Geosciences and Geological and Petroleum Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

High-Viscosity Friction Reducers (HVFRs) Have Been Recently Gaining More Attention and Increasing in Use, Not Only as Friction-Reducing Agents But Also as Proppant Carriers. Reusing Produced Water Has Also Been Driven by Both Environmental and Economic Benefits. Currently, Most Friction Reducers on the Market Are Anionic Friction Reducers, Which Are Fully Compatible with Most Produced Water with Low to Medium Level of Total Dissolved Solids (TDS) But Show a Significant Drop at High TDS Conditions in Terms of their Friction Reduction Performance in Most Cases. on the Contrary, Cationic Friction Reducers Are Believed to Have Better TDS Tolerance and Friction …

Molecular And Cellular Level Characterization Of Cytoskeletal Mechanics Using A Quartz Crystal Microbalance, Emily M. Kerivan, Lyle Tobin, Mihir Basil, Dana N. Reinemann

Faculty and Student Publications

A quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) is an instrument that has the ability to measure nanogram-level changes in mass on a quartz sensor and is traditionally used to probe surface interactions and assembly kinetics of synthetic systems. The addition of dissipation monitoring (QCM-D) facilitates the study of viscoelastic systems, such as those relevant to molecular and cellular mechanics. Due to real-time recording of frequency and dissipation changes and single protein-level precision, the QCM-D is effective in interrogating the viscoelastic properties of cell surfaces and in vitro cellular components. However, few studies focus on the application of this instrument to cytoskeletal systems, …