SYNOPSIS The density, porosity, and strength of rocks are fundamental in the design of geo-engineering projects. Determining these properties requires the preparation of smooth core samples, which is usually impossible for soft rocks. Besides, only fragmented samples may be available in some projects. A method for predicting rock properties from rock particles such as drilling debris would therefore be useful. This study was undertaken to develop prediction equations for compressive strength (UCS), tensile strength (BTS), density, and porosity values from the crushability index (CI) obtained from rock fragments. The results showed that UCS, BTS, density, and porosity were strongly correlated with the CI. The physical characteristics and strength of rocks may be predicted with the help of the derived equations. The CI test is a valuable tool for estimating rock properties in drilling projects and in situations where core specimens are not available.

ABSTRACT The consumption of potassium (K) fertilizers in Brazilian agriculture exceeds the national production of this input by more than ten times, indicating the need for alternatives to reduce imports of these products. The objective of this study was to evaluate the performance of the remineralizing rocks phonolite and olivine melilitite as sources of K and other nutrients, as well as the effects of inoculation with Bacillus subtilis and Bacillus megaterium on the solubilization of these rocks in the soil. A greenhouse experiment was conducted using a randomized block design, with four replications, in a factorial arrangement consisting of three K sources (potassium chloride, phonolite, and olivine melilitite), three rates (150, 300, and 600 kg ha-1 K2O), with and without inoculant, and two controls without K (one with and one without inoculant). The experimental units consisted of pots containing 3 kg of soil and a strawberry plant grown for eight months. The treatment with olivine melilitite inoculated with rhizobacteria favored phosphate solubilization when applied the highest rate. Olivine melilitite remineralizer, alone or inoculated with rhizobacteria, increased K+ and Ca2+ contents in the soil when applied at the intermediate and highest rates (300 and 600 kg ha-1 K2O), highlighting this remineralizer as an alternative potassium source for plants.

RESUMO O consumo de fertilizante potássico pela agricultura brasileira supera em mais de dez vezes a produção nacional desse insumo, fato que indica a necessidade de alternativas para diminuir a dependência de sua importação. Diante disso, o objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar o desempenho dos remineralizadores fonolito e olivina melilitito, como fonte de potássio e outros nutrientes, bem como o efeito da inoculação dessas rochas com as rizobactérias Bacillus subtilis e Bacillus megaterium, no incremento da solubilização destes materiais. O experimento foi realizado em casa de vegetação, sendo conduzido em delineamento blocos casualizados em arranjo fatorial, sendo três fontes (cloreto de potássio, fonolito e olivina melilitito), três doses (150, 300 e 600 kg ha-1 de K2O) com a presença ou ausência da inoculação, além de dois controles, sem adição de potássio, um com e outro sem inoculação, aplicados em 4 repetições. Foram avaliados os teores de potássio e outros nutrientes no solo. O tratamento com olivina melilitito inoculado com rizobactérias favorece a solubilização de fosfato na maior dose. O remineralizador olivina melilitito, isolado ou inoculado com rizobactérias aumentou os teores de K+ e Ca2+ no solo nas doses intermediária e máxima (300 e 600 kg ha-1 de K2O), destacando esse remineralizador como fonte alternativa de potássio para as plantas.

ABSTRACT Two segments of subduction of the Nazca plate beneath the South American plate occur at low angles based on seismic hypocenter locations, approaching nearly horizontal below ~100 km in depth. In contrast with most of the rest of the subduction zone, the two segments, beneath central Chile, and central and northern Peru, lack active volcanoes along the crest of the Andes and have more subdued topography to the east of the Andean crest. Each low-angle subduction segment occurs to the east of the intersection of inferred mantle hotspot traces on the Nazca plate with the Peru-Chile Trench: the Nazca ridge (at the southern part of the Peruvian segment), and the Juan Fernández island-seamount chain (offshore the Chilean segment). A third inferred trace, the Galápagos-Carnegie ridge, may be correlated with a zone on incipient low-angle subduction beneath Colombia. The importance of such hotspot traces in contributing to low-angle subduction beneath the Andes is strengthened by updated South American-Nazca plate reconstructions, including three oceanic hotspot traces, in comparison with a new isotopic date compilation of igneous rocks from the mountain range. The Juan Fernández hotspot trace, reconstructed from Pacific-hotspot models to the Nazca-Farallon plate, encountered the subduction zone offshore southern Peru ∼65 Ma, broadening arc volcanism to the east; the trace-trench intersection migrated gradually and then rapidly southward, widening the arc east to Bolivia and northern Argentina; it then stabilized about 13 Ma offshore central Chile, producing the contemporary low-angle Pampean segment. The Juan Fernández hotspot may also have been responsible for formation of the Manihiki Plateau on the Pacific plate much earlier, ~125 Ma. The Easter-Nazca hotspot trace intersected the subduction zone beneath Colombia before ~50 Ma and migrated southward beneath Ecuador beginning ~15 Ma, with progressive low-angle subduction implied by migrating volcanic cessation along the Andean crest to southern Peru. The Galápagos-Carnegie hotspot trace only recently encountered the subduction zone, apparently inducing a new low-angle segment and cessation of magmatism in Colombia. The reconstructions and magmatic history provided here strongly support a previously proposed genetic relationship of hotspot traces and low-angle subduction. Additionally, the reconstructions suggest remnants of older subducted traces in the asthenosphere may have sourced post-rift magmatism in eastern Brazil and Paraguay, which cannot be explained otherwise by simple hotspot mechanisms.

RESUMEN La placa de Nazca, en su encuentro con la placa Sudamericana, presenta dos segmentos de subducción de bajo ángulo, ubicados en Chile central y el norte y centro de Perú. A diferencia del resto de la zona de subducción, estos segmentos coinciden con sectores carentes de volcanismo activo y regiones topográficamente más deprimidas al este de la cordillera de los Andes. Ambos se ubican geográficamente al este de la intersección de las dorsales oceánicas con la fosa Perú-Chile: la dorsal de Nazca, que se subduce bajo Perú, y la dorsal de Juan Fernández, que hace bajo Chile. Una tercera dorsal, la dorsal de Galápagos-Carnegie, puede tentativamente correlacionarse con una zona de subducción de bajo ángulo en el sur de Colombia. La relación causal entre la subducción de estas dorsales oceánicas y zonas de subducción de bajo ángulo es reafirmada conforme aparecen nuevas reconstrucciones para las placas Nazca y Sudamericana, así como nuevas compilaciones de edades isotópicas para el volcanismo continental. Estos nuevos datos permiten también refinar la historia de migración de ambas dorsales con respecto a la fosa oceánica. La dorsal de Juan Fernández, por ejemplo, habría sido responsable a los ~125 Ma de la formación del plateau oceánico Manihiki en la placa Pacífico, mientras que entre los ~65 y los ~13 Ma habría migrado desde el sur de Perú hacia Chile central, y provocado un ensanchamiento transitorio del arco volcánico hacia el este. La dorsal de Nazca, en tanto, habría intersecado el margen continental colombiano previo a los ~50 Ma, para después, a los ~15 Ma, migrar hacia el sur, lo que produjo el cese momentáneo de la actividad volcánica hasta alcanzar el centro de Perú. Finalmente, se estima que la dorsal de Galápagos-Carnegie alcanzó hace poco tiempo la zona de subducción, y generó un nuevo segmento de subducción de bajo ángulo y un posible cese en la actividad magmática en Colombia. Las reconstrucciones tectónicas y magmáticas provistas en este estudio sugieren una correlación evidente entre la subducción de dorsales oceánicas como responsables de las zonas de subducción de bajo ángulo observadas en el margen continental sudamericano. Además, se sugiere que la fusión de remanentes de antiguas dorsales subducidas y transportadas hacia el este dentro de la astenosfera podrían haber sido la fuente de volcanismo geoquímicamente anómalo en Paraguay y el este de Brasil.

ABSTRACT A comprehensive tectono-stratigraphic and sedimentological investigation of Early to Middle Devonian rocks was conducted in the southern Floresta Massif and adjacent regions in the Northern Andes of Colombia. A substantially reduced thickness of the Floresta Formation compared to prior studies is suggested here, attributable to pronounced stratal deformation and the prevalence of recumbent folds throughout the area. The deformation in the Floresta Formation manifests as atypical recumbent folds, diverging from the structural behavior observed in the underlying and overlying strata of the El Tibet and Cuche formations respectively, which exhibit minimal deformation. Our findings also reveal that the Floresta Formation accumulated under shallow-water platform conditions, subject to eustatic sea-level fluctuations. This resulted in distinct episodes of carbonate and siliciclastic deposition, with terrigenous sediments sourced from continental origins, potentially encompassing a combination of cratonic areas and uplifted blocks. The identification of a plausible stage of carbonate silicification signifies a post-diagenetic transformation. The sedimentary rocks of the Floresta Formation reached the upper epizone conditions, in proximity to the transition between the epizone and the upper anchizone, which suggests a maximum depth and temperature of ~5-7 km and ~300 °C, respectively. This contribution provides new insights into the geological history of the region, emphasizing the importance of scrutinizing Early to Middle Devonian rocks within the broader geological context of the Northern Andes.

RESUMEN Este trabajo presenta una exhaustiva investigación tectono-estratigráfica y sedimentológica de las rocas del Devónico temprano a Medio en el sur del Macizo de Floresta y regiones adyacentes, Andes del Norte, Colombia. Se sugiere un espesor sustancialmente reducido para la Formación Floresta en comparación con estudios previos, atribuible a una deformación pronunciada de los estratos y a la prevalencia de pliegues recumbentes en toda el área. La deformación en la Formación Floresta se manifiesta mediante pliegues recumbentes atípicos, a diferencia del comportamiento estructural observado en los estratos subyacentes y sobreyacentes de las formaciones El Tíbet y Cuche, respectivamente, que muestran una deformación mínima. Se revela también que la Formación Floresta se acumuló en condiciones de plataforma de aguas someras, sujeta a fluctuaciones eustáticas del nivel del mar. Esto resultó en variados episodios de depositación carbonática y siliciclástica, con aportes de sedimentos terrígenos provenientes de fuentes continentales, los que posiblemente abarcaron una combinación de áreas cratónicas y bloques levantados. La identificación de una posible etapa de silicificación carbonática indica una transformación postdiagenética. Las rocas sedimentarias de la Formación Floresta alcanzaron las condiciones de la epizona superior, en proximidad a la transición entre la epizona y la anquizona superior, lo cual sugiere una profundidad y temperatura máximas de ~5-7 km y ~300 °C, respectivamente. Esta investigación aporta nueva información acerca de la compleja historia geológica de la región, enfatizando la importancia de examinar las rocas del Devónico Temprano a Medio en el contexto geológico más amplio de los Andes del Norte.

Abstract With the advent of critical state Soil Mechanics (CSSM), the void ratio began to be recognized as a key parameter, along with the stress state, which defines the mechanical behavior of soils and other particulate geomaterials by using the state parameter. The state parameter is the difference between the current and critical void ratio so that its definition requires the critical state line (CSL) identification. This work presents numerical calibration results, using the NorSand constitutive model, from three sets of triaxial compression tests selected from the literature. The SIGMA/W module of the Geostudio® System was adopted to perform the simulations of the triaxial compression tests, and the results showed adequate fit between real tests and numerical simulations. The parameters necessary for the modeling with NorSand model, defined from the numerical calibration, were used in a stress-strain evaluation of a hypothetical upstream tailings dam. These simulations allowed the evaluation of the differences in the tailings storage facility (TSF) responses in terms of both deformation behavior and flow liquefaction instability. Flow liquefaction instability is described in the literature as a complete loss in shear strength and the development of excessive strains due to the contractive response of tailings when subjected to low confining stress. The results suggest that the use of the NorSand model is, in general, a good option to reproduce the typical strain-softening behavior of such structures. Furthermore, it was clear the high sensitivity of the constitutive model parameters, drawing attention to the importance of best laboratory practices for carrying out triaxial tests to obtain reliable parameters for NorSand modeling.

Abstract Sorption and desorption tests were carried out for competitive and non-competitive systems with isotherms to verify the presence of Cd and Pb in soils. The soils investigated were: (i) with natural content of organic matter and (ii) with residual content of organic matter. Hydrated nitrate salts of Cd and Pb diluted in 0.01 M calcium nitrate solution in six concentrations were used for the Cd solutions and, for the solutions of Pb, five concentrations. For multi-element solutions, mixtures of the simple Cd and Pb solutions in a 1:1 ratio were used. The results of the first stage tests (i) showed good adjustments of the experimental data to the isotherms of Langmuir, Freundlich and Linear, which did not occur for the tests in stage (ii). According to the tests (i), the organic matter was the soil attribute of dominant influence in the sorting mechanisms. The parameters Qo and Kd were adequate to evaluate the adsorption of the studied metals, especially Cd. In step (ii), there was a significant increase in metal retention, especially for element Pb in the samples of Haplic Cambisol (AM) and Red-Yellow Latosol1 (RO), justified by the combined action of (1) increasing the surface area of the mineral fraction, previously covered by organic matter; and (2) increase in soil pH. The Cd element was more bioavailable in relation to the Pb. This was confirmed by the high desorption values observed for Cd. The samples of Haplic Cambisol and Red-Yellow Latosol demonstrated greater capacity to retain Cd and Pb.

Abstract The Federal University of Goiás (UFG) and the University of Brasília (UnB), in partnership with the company Eletrobras Furnas, have developed research and, based on this, extension projects aimed at education in a broad sense, in which they seek to disseminate and popularise technical-scientific knowledge. This paper aims to present and evaluate educational actions carried out in the area of soil science and geotechnics applied to engineering, geography, and the environment. To do so, the educational experiences developed within the scope of two extension projects are shared. Besides that, the relevance of publishing books and primer, with language adapted to lay society, within the scope of research projects, is analysed. The results collected regarding the effectiveness of the extension actions as a tool for learning point to a positive evaluation by the students. Furthermore, social networks are an important tool for scientific dissemination and have the potential to disseminate knowledge more widely than in a classroom course. By comparing the number of citations in Google Scholar of the books and booklets with the papers arising from these projects, one can observe the reach of this type of publication, although its purpose is the popularisation of science, with reach in places not considered in the technical-scientific publication metrics. Finally, for effective scientific development, it is necessary to have public policies, effective interaction between universities, research centres and schools, and the participation of professional associations, funding and evaluation agencies, Education Departments and the Ministry of Education, Science, Technology, and Innovation.

Abstract An international educational initiative to facilitate the exposure of geosynthetics to undergraduate civil engineering students has been conducted by the International Geosynthetics Society (IGS) for over a decade. Geosynthetics is a comparatively new topic within geotechnical engineering and, consequently, has only been sporadically introduced into undergraduate Civil Engineering curricula. In particular, geotechnical engineering professors themselves may have not been exposed to the basics of geosynthetics to be able to comfortably transfer such knowledge to their students. As part of this educational program, civil engineering professors are invited to take a course on geosynthetics, for which they receive fellowships covering their expenses. The course also includes complementary components such as a workshop consisting of practical demonstrations, pedagogical material, and technical documents. Implementation of the program involves multiple parties, including the IGS, its national chapters, and geosynthetics industry, who are allotted the responsibilities of supporting the program instructors, offering practical project-oriented input. This paper describes the course structure, the educational tools employed, the impact on the program caused by the pandemic, and results from feedback surveys that assessed how the knowledge on geosynthetics acquired by the participants was transferred to their students in terms of new courses on geosynthetics, inclusion of geosynthetics topics in existing undergraduate disciplines, etc. Emphasis is given on the experience of the Brazilian Chapter of IGS, which has already conducted programs. The educational outcomes of the programs currently offered are being evaluated and they suggest excellent acceptance of the course by participants and undergraduate students at the universities.

Abstract Clayey soils are spread in many countries and require significant improvement. Recently, nanomaterial have been entered to the geotechnical research as a treatment material. Current study utilized magnesium oxide (MgO) as an additive to enhance swelling potential, compressibility characteristics, and index properties of clayey soil from Mosul city using different content of nano-MgO and under varies curing periods. The results showed that the free swell and swell pressure of the soil specimens have been reduced by 25%, and 19%, respectively for 0.25, and 0.75% content of nano material under 3 days of curing time at 25C. Results also showed that the compressibility characteristic represented by the compression index parameter has been reduced by 20.3% for 0.75% of nano-MgO material. Moreover, the soil plasticity index exhibited a maximum increase at 0.75% of nano content. Moreover, results showed that the pH value increased while the electrical conductivity (EC) decreased with the nano-MgO content. To evaluate the curing time effect, specimens were cured for varies curing time under curing temperature of 25 ºC. Then, the free swell, swell pressure, compression index, and Atterberg limits were measured. The results revealed that the free swell and swell pressure for both untreated and treated specimens were reduced during different periods of curing time. Furthermore, the compression index of treated soil was reduced by approximately half for curing time of 28 days. In sum, the swelling and consolidation reduction with curing brought significant improvement and promising results for the treated samples.

Abstract Laterite gravels have been successfully adopted as pavement materials in the field. Despite that, they are often rejected in material selection processes because of its base on traditional gradation and consistency limits requirements. To allow a deeper evaluation of such material found abundantly in tropical countries, along to characterizing traditional parameters, repeated load triaxial tests were performed in a Laterite Gravel from Acre/Brazil to evaluate its elastic and plastic behavior through Resilient Modulus (RM) and Permanent Deformation (PD), respectively. In addition, a simulation was conducted in the MeDiNa software, based on the test results considering stress states that are usually applied in pavement layers. The material showed RM values higher than 500 MPa, which was considered high compared to materials such as Quartz and Granite. It was also observed low permanent deformation (below 1 mm for higher tensions applied) and accommodation of displacement (shakedown) for most specimens. The simulation results showed low rutting prediction for the Laterite Gravel applied in highway pavement layers. Thus, the results indicated that the lateritic gravel can be adopted in the composition of base or subbase layers of flexible pavements, even though some limits of the parameters specified by traditional specifications were violated, as expected. In addition, we also highlight the need for adoption of new material selection strategies that are based on key mechanical characteristics to avoid discarding potentially well performing materials.

Abstract Some foundations are placed on or near slopes or excavations, such as roads in mountainous areas, tower footings for power lines, and bridge abutments. The design of foundation under these conditions is complex and the studies available in this regard are limited and concerned mostly about the determination of the reduction of the bearing capacity coefficients associated with the presence of the slope except for Meyerhof who was a pioneer in developing a theory in 1957 to determine the ultimate bearing capacity of a foundation near a slope. However, the theory was independent of the slope inclination. In this study, we attempted to numerical modeling of the behavior of a shallow foundation using the finite element technique together with Plaxis 8.2 software to simulate the case of a foundation near a slope, in terms of examining the bearing capacity of the foundation for given slope features, soil characteristics and geometry conditions located near a slope subjected to a centered and / or eccentric load. The results obtained confirm that the position of the eccentricity of the load relative to the head of the slope has a significant effect on the bearing capacity. Indeed, it becomes larger when the eccentricity is located far from the crest of the slope. Thus, the bearing capacity of a footing subjected to a centered load (e/B = 0) is greater than that of the same footing subjected to an eccentric load (e/B = 0.1). It is noted that the results obtained from the present study are in good agreement with those of the literature.

Abstract Terzaghi (1943) developed an empirical method for primary consolidation due to a load applied at constant rate (ramp load) until the end of construction at time tc. The method considers that the settlement at a time t during construction, can be evaluated admitting the load applied instantaneously at time t/2. In this research, two alternative modifications are proposed for this Terzaghi’s empirical recommendation. The first one is based on a variable fraction of time t and the second modification keeps Terzaghi’s suggestion (t/2) but makes reductions in the average degree of consolidation Uv. Computed results for different construction time factors Tv were compared to Olson (1977) analytical solution. The first approach yielded a maximum difference of approximately 2.40% while the second alternative gave results that are practically the same as those calculated by Olson’s solution. The validity of these new approaches was also proven by reproducing odometer test results with good agreement.

Abstract The study and understanding of the concepts related to critical state soil mechanics is relatively recent in Brazil, especially among practicing geotechnical engineers in the mining industry, where simpler solutions were traditionally adopted. This raises the necessity to develop studies capable of promoting discussions about the benefits of the approaches from the critical state theory. In this context, this research aims to evaluate the behavior of an iron ore tailings from the Quadrilátero Ferrífero through critical state computational models, considering the Modified Cam-Clay and NorSand model. The numerical results from the use of the models simulated the ductile/brittle behavior of the material in drained shear and it was observed that for loose samples both models produced similar results. The simulations in undrained shear, on the other hand, highlighted the differences between the models, with the NorSand showing a strength loss in undrained shear (strain-softening) whereas the Modified Cam-Clay Model exhibited a ductile behavior. In general, the NorSand model was the one that presented the best numerical response in relation to the experimental behavior, which may be linked to the use of the largest number of parameters, to the concept that particulate materials exist in a set of states and the silty characteristic of the material. Additionally, it was observed the difficulty to simulate the dense behavior of materials with the model, which may be associated with the formation of ‘shear bands’ during the experimental test and the complexity of modeling the occurrence of this phenomenon in virtual tests using the NorSand model. Brazil industry adopted theory context CamClay Cam Clay ductilebrittle brittle hand strainsoftening strain softening (strain-softening general parameters Additionally bands