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BTU
The formation of dunes in central Europe reflects ample sediment supply during the last deglacial hemicycle. A Quaternary inland dune complex in southern Brandenburg, Germany, was studied to frame the duration of pedogenesis in two outcrops containing buried paleosols. An integrative approach, which combined geomorphological, sedimentological, pedological and chronological methods was used to identify aeolian deposition events, ensuing pedogenesis and anthropogenic remobilization. At the outcrops, which were situated approximately 2 km apart from each other, a total of twelve samples of the aeolian sands were dated using optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) and a further six samples using 14C dating. Although the dunes have similar morphological features, these forms have a different history of aeolian sand deposition and pedogenesis. At the older dune (Gl 1) the surface soil is a well developed Podzol, whereas soil development of the younger dune (Gl 2) is clearly in an initial state. The studied sites of the dune complex also differ in grain size distribution and in the presence of buried soils, thereby indicating a climatic impact on aeolian remobilization.
Natural shear forces due to gravity along inclined terrain surfaces are controlled by the inclination of the terrain, material composition and its mechanical properties, stratification and hydraulic stress states. Both shear forces and shear strength under a given inclination of the terrain surface strongly depend on the interaction between mechanical and hydraulic stresses. These internal conditions as well as the interactions between these various components are fundamentals in all nonplanar regions under arable, forest or grassland management and they dominate also under various geoscientific aims. Generally, soil creep is a slow soil movement downslope under gravity. It can occur even on gentle slopes when the shear forces exceed the shear strength of the soil. Deposited material on slopes is more sensitive to such movements than well-developed soils due to the absence of a pronounced soil structure, site and management dependent hydraulic properties and functions, which results in low soil strength. We applied the described measurements and the modelling approaches to investigate and to analyse the stability of an artificially constructed water catchment (Chicken Creek) in the mining district of Cottbus/Germany, where glacial sand was deposited above a clay layer with an inclination of about 3.5%. At the lower part of the catchment, an impermeable barrier (claywall)was positioned transversally to the main slope. Mechanical and hydraulic parameters of the soil layers were determined on soil samples taken from the field site. The measured values were inserted as input parameters for the finite element model (Plaxis 2D) to simulate soil movements and their effect on the stability of the catchment. The obtained results showed that the kind of construction negatively affected the physical low soil strength (low precompression stress) although the bulk density was very high (1.7–1.9 g/cm3 for the sandy material). Hydraulic conductivity revealed a significant anisotropy with higher hydraulic conductivity values in the horizontal direction. Furthermore, finite element results showed that the design of the newly formed landscape remains weak concerning mass movements too. The high water table in the sandy material in conjunction with low soil strength enhances the downslope movement and increases the shear stress near the clay wall at the lower end of the slope, which finally results in soil creep processes. These results also proof that such geotechnical and modelling approach is also suitable to validate or to predict mass movements and the internal processes responsible for these internal mass erosion.
Cross-linked polyacrylates in post-mining substrates: persistence and effects on plant growth
(2014)
Application of hydrophilic polymers composed of cross-linked polyacrylate can improve soil water-holding capacity and accelerate the restoration of post-mining substrates. In this work, we studied the persistence of a polyacrylate polymer incorporated into a soil and its impact on plant nutrients at a reclamation site of former lignite mining in Lusatia (Germany). In contrast to autumn application, the incorporation of the polymer enhanced the sequestration of plant-derived carbon in the soil, which was reflected by a significant increase in the concentration of a lignin marker. Attenuated total reflexion–Fourier transform infrared spectra (ATR-FTIR) and total elemental contents in the applied polymer suggested an intensive cation exchange between the polymer framework and the soil-forming substrate. In addition, there was an enrichment of carbonaceous material, which seems to reduce the swelling and thus the water-holding capacity of the cross-linked polyacrylate. Conversely, this process protected the polymer structure from rapid decomposition.
Introduction
(2006)