Identification of the near-surface geological structure and deposits for land use planning purposes in the Doubrava Region (Czech Republic)

The objective of this paper is to highlight the importance of taking engineering geological characteristics and structures into account in land use planning. There have been a number of studies worldwide dealing with this issue. However more extensive implementation into land use planning practice still remains a task for the future in many places. A case study analyzing the geological environment in relation to the sites assigned for future development according to an existing land use plan was conducted in the Doubrava Region (north-east of the Czech Republic). Here, the geological conditions have been mostly influenced by anthropogenic processes connected with black coal mining. The engineering-geological zones, the pre- Quaternary basement and rock workability classes in the localities where future development is proposed on land use plans were evaluated using overlay analysis in a Geographic Information System (GIS). Landscape factors were also taken into account. Significant variability was identified in the investigated geological factors that have a bearing on safe cost effective development. Use of the results in future land use planning would have considerable financial benefits in implementation of future built development and these important conditions should be used by architects and designers, builders, land use planners, developers and scientists.Web of Science3621049

Properties of the loess sediments in Ostrava Region (Czech Republic) and comparison with some other loess sediments

This study deals with a methodical identification and evaluation of physical-mechanical properties of one genetic type of geological structure. This is represented by an engineering-geological zone of eolian sediments, which is regionally rather abundant. The paper contributes to a need to identify typical soil properties for widespread geological environments in a particular region and thus add to good engineering geologists and geotechnical engineers’ awareness in the region. Such information is much required as it permits comparing results of newly conducted engineering-geological investigations and research with the results characteristic for the region in question. It is vital for engineering geologists and geotechnical engineers to be sufficiently informed on the foundation soil properties of widespread geological environments because of professionalism and higher quality of their work results. Comparing other loess sediment studies worldwide it was discovered that the physical properties of the most abundant clays of low to medium plasticity, sandy clays, and sands as foundation soils vary as for the plasticity index, porosity, natural water content, and bulk density to a certain extent but not as significantly as once expected.Web of Scienceart. no. 52943

Influence of the soil genesis on physical and mechanical properties

Thepaper deals with the influence of soil genesis on the physical-mechanical properties.The presented case study was conducted in the region of theOstrava Basinwhere there is a varied genetic composition of the Quaternary geological structure on the underlying Neogeneous sediments which are sediments of analogous granulometry but different genesis. In this study, 7827 soil samples of an eolian, fluvial, glacial, and deluvial origin and their laboratory analyses results were used. The study identified different values in certain cases, mostly in coarser-grained foundation soils, such as sandy loam S4 (MS) and clayey sand F4 (CS). The soils of the fluvial origin manifest different values than other genetic types. Next, based on regression analyses, dependence was proved neither on the deposition depth (depth of samples) nor fromthe point of view of the individual foundation soil classes or the genetic types. The contribution of the paper is to point at the influence of genesis on the foundation soil properties so that engineering geologists and geotechnicians pay more attention to the genesis during engineering-geological and geotechnical investigations.Web of Scienceart. no. 47471

Characterisation and multifaceted anisotropy assessment of Corvio sandstone for geological CO2 storage studies

We present a comprehensive characterisation of the physical, mineralogical, geomechanical, geophysical, and hydrodynamic properties of Corvio sandstone. This information, together with a detailed assessment of anisotropy, is needed to establish Corvio sandstone as a useful laboratory rock-testing standard for well-constrained studies of thermo–hydro–mechanical–chemical coupled phenomena associated with CO2 storage practices and for geological reservoir studies in general. More than 200 core plugs of Corvio sandstone (38.1 and 50 mm diameters, 2:1 length-to-diameter ratio) were used in this characterisation study, with a rock porosity of 21.7 ± 1.2%, dry density 2036 ± 32 kg m?3, and unconfined compressive and tensile strengths of 41 ± 3.28 and 2.3 ± 0.14 MPa, respectively. Geomechanical tests show that the rock behaves elastically between ?10 and ?18 MPa under unconfined conditions with associated Young's modulus and Poisson's ratio of 11.8 ± 2.8 GPa and 0.34 ± 0.01 GPa, respectively. Permeability abruptly decreases with confining pressure up to ?10 MPa and then stabilises at ?1 mD. Ultrasonic P- and S-wave velocities vary from about 2.8–3.8 km s?1 and 1.5–2.4 km s?1, respectively, over confining and differential pressures between 0.1 and 35 MPa, allowing derivation of associated dynamic elastic moduli. Anisotropy was investigated using oriented core plugs for electrical resistivity, elastic wave velocity and attenuation, permeability, and tracer injection tests. Corvio sandstone shows weak transverse isotropy (symmetry axis normal to bedding) of <10% for velocity and <20% for attenuation

Influence of underground mining activities on the slope deformation genesis: Doubrava Vrchovec, Doubrava Ujala and Staric case studies from Czech Republic

One the most important manifestation of underground mining activities is its potential influence on the initiation and reactivation of the slope movements. However, an adequate attention has not yet been paid to these problems. The goal of this study is to analyze the possible influence of present and former mining activities on the selected set of model slope deformations in the Ostrava–Karviná Coalfield and also to describe a methodology for their observation for the application to similar conditions and influence. Three different methodologies applied in three different case studies of slope deformations, where the subsidences are still active. In the first case study (Doubrava Vrchovec) inclinometer was not used, in the second (Doubrava Ujala) case study only one inclinometer was installed in landslide body, and in the third case study (Staříč) two inclinometers were installed as one of them was inside of the landslide body while the other inclinometer was outside. For evaluation of the impact, isocatabase maps, terrain deformation parameters calculated for the point lying on the slope deformation surface, length measurement by zone extensometer and dilatometer measurement in cracks was also provided. In order to show that inclination of both boreholes is an evidence of underground mining impact, localization of inclinometer measurement on boreholes in the active part as well as in the near vicinity was found as very important. Thus, the study contributed to a more objective knowledge of these problems of interest for the professional public and also for the state administration to solve problems associated with the utilization and settlement of such affected areas.Web of Science147-148513

Landslide hazard and risk assessment: a case study from the Hlohovec–Sered’ landslide area in south-west Slovakia

Landslide hazard or susceptibility assessment is based on the selection of relevant factors which play a role on the slope instability, and it is assumed that landslides will occur at similar conditions to those in the past. The selected statistical method compares parametric maps with the landslide inventory map, and results are then extrapolated to the entire evaluated territory with a final product of landslide hazard or susceptibility map. Elements at risk are defined and analyzed in relation with landslide hazard, and their vulnerability is thus established. The landslide risk map presents risk scenarios and expected financial losses caused by landslides, and it utilizes prognoses and analyses arising from the landslide hazard map. However, especially the risk scenarios for future in a selected area have a significant importance, the literature generally consists of the landslide susceptibility assessment and papers which attempt to assess and construct the map of the landslide risk are not prevail. In the paper presented herein, landslide hazard and risk assessment using bivariate statistical analysis was applied in the landslide area between Hlohovec and Sered’ cities in the south-western Slovakia, and methodology for the risk assessment was explained in detail.Web of Science64157554

An assessment on the use of bivariate, multivariate and soft computing techniques for collapse susceptibility in GIS environ

The paper presented herein compares and discusses the use of bivariate, multivariate and soft computing techniques for collapse susceptibility modelling. Conditional probability (CP), logistic regression (LR) and artificial neural networks (ANN) models representing the bivariate, multivariate and soft computing techniques were used in GIS based collapse susceptibility mapping in an area from Sivas basin (Turkey). Collapse-related factors, directly or indirectly related to the causes of collapse occurrence, such as distance from faults, slope angle and aspect, topographical elevation, distance from drainage, topographic wetness index (TWI), stream power index (SPI), Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) by means of vegetation cover, distance from roads and settlements were used in the collapse susceptibility analyses. In the last stage of the analyses, collapse susceptibility maps were produced from the models, and they were then compared by means of their validations. However, Area Under Curve (AUC) values obtained from all three models showed that the map obtained from soft computing (ANN) model looks like more accurate than the other models, accuracies of all three models can be evaluated relatively similar. The results also showed that the conditional probability is an essential method in preparation of collapse susceptibility map and highly compatible with GIS operating features.Web of Science122238837

Gypsum collapse hazards and importance of hazard mapping

Collapse in gypsum terrains is a serious geological hazard and can damage engineering structures, settlement areas, natural lakes, and allow infiltration of contaminants into the groundwater. Presentation of engineering geological data in the form of a hazard map is a useful tool in urban planning. To avoid the problems and thus save property and money, detailed geoscientific data should be collected and used in urban planing. Interpretation of future collapse occurrence requires an understanding of conditions and processes controlling collapse events. To predict collapse, it is necessary to assume that collapse occurrence is determined by collapse-related factors, and that future collapses are likely to occur under the same conditions as past collapses. In this study, collapse hazard was reviewed and a method was presented for collapse susceptibility mapping in gypsum terrain in of Sivas basin (Turkey) using a statistical method (conditional probability)

Using GRASS in evaluation of landslide susceptibility in Handlovská Kotlina Basin

The Handlovská kotlina Basin (Fig.1) belongs to the areas with the highest occurrences of slope movements in Slovakia. Forty eight percent of the total area is affected by slope deformations. This phenomenon is markedly reducing the possibility of land use in this area. Catastrophic landslide destroyed 216 houses of Handlová city at the beginning of the year 1961. Thus for future development of the area, it is necessary to make prognosis of the slope movement. The modern methods of the regional slope movement evaluation and prognosis are based on effective use of analytical GIS tools. GRASS represents an ideal environment for presented kind of prognoses, including data import, morphological terrain analysis and statistical processing

Variations in the building site categories in the underground mining region of Doubrava (Czech Republic) for land use planning

In terms of demands and needs of ground investigation and foundation engineering, the engineering-geological conditions in the underground mining territories represent anthropogenically influenced areas in the most complicated manner, since they suffer the impacts from the underground mining of mineral resources. The subjects of observation are the so-called building site categories, which represent a certain risk factor that must be taken into consideration during foundation engineering and engineering-geological studies in the undermined territories. It is necessary to realise that underground mining is an anthropogenic geodynamic process which significantly varies over time due to mining change, and consequently with variations in the position, shape and size of subsidence in a subsidence basin. All the above mentioned variations should be mandatory knowledge for land use planners, engineering geologists, geotechnicians, foundation engineers and designers because of the evident logicality of these needs. This work presents a case study (Ostrava-Karvina Coal District in the north-east of the Czech Republic) of variations in the building site categories over time, and the results show that the chronology of the changes has a very significant influence in this area of interest. The results of the building site category evaluation imply that the majority of the interest area falls within relatively good conditions for founding all kinds of structures. However, it was then necessary to consider variations over time in the surface area of less suitable building site categories. A trend certainly confirmed the existence of the previously presumed mutual relationship between building site categories and subsidence size distribution. It is apparent from the analytic results of the relationship between building site categories and planned development that the negative impacts of mining have been only partly considered, or completely disregarded, in the development planning process. Consequently, future land use planners should carefully consider these particular building site categories as the most important and significant factors in the undermining of a region. In this manner, development can be successfully planned for present and future safety.Web of Science1223-417816