Известия Томского политехнического университета: Инжиниринг георесурсов (Jul 2021)

ASSESSMENT OF SUFFOSION IN THE TERRITORY OF SETTLEMENT SABETTA, THE YAMAL PENINSULA

  • Lyudmila A. Strokova,
  • Ekaterina A.Epifanova

DOI
https://doi.org/10.18799/24131830/2021/7/3267
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 332, no. 7
pp. 95 – 106

Abstract

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Relevance. The active development of the Yamal Peninsula leads to the transformation of the geological environment, often accompanied by the activation of natural and technological processes. Numerous studies are devoted to the description of geocryological processes in this region. In this work, we paid attention to a special poorly studied process – suffusion, based on the study of the grain size distribution of sands that are widely distributed in the territory of Yamal. The main aim of the research is to assess the suffusion stability of soils and determine the spatial patterns of the distribution of suffusion-hazardous soils in the area of the settlement Sabetta. Methods. At the first stage, we compiled the thematic maps of the factors that determine the development of suffusion in ArcGIS. We chose four factors, namely: the slope, the curvature of the surface, the exposure of the slopes, and the geological structure of the territory. At the second stage, we processed the data on the grain size distribution of soils. The following factors were determined: uniformity coefficient, the maximum size of suffosion particles, and the degree of soil suffosion of the main stratigraphic-genetic complexes distributed in the area. The assessment of the suffusion of sandy soils was performed using two methods. An inventory map of the manifestations of suffusion-hazardous sands has been compiled. The final stage was the preparation of a forecast map of the territory's susceptibility to suffusion based on the study of spatial patterns of the distribution of its manifestations. Results. The zones of development of modern alluvial deposits are the most prone to suffusion, the territory of the second above-floodplain terrace is characterized by an average susceptibility and surface slopes of more than 12 degrees, the territory of development of modern alluvial-marine deposits is the least susceptible to suffusion. We recommended using the obtained data on the degree of suffosion of sandy and coarse-grained soils in the design of engineering structures. We recommended using the technology of susceptibility mapping in the study of geocryological processes, first of all, heaving mounds.

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