Intensification of exogenous geodynamic processes in areas with large linear objects, associated with changes in the characteristics of soils displaced by construction and operation activities

Abstract

In the studied region, vast land areas are influenced by construction and operation of large linear facilities, such as oil-gas pipelines, power lines, motor roads and railways. In the areas along and inside the construction right-of-way zones, considerable changes occur in landscapes, microclimate conditions, hydrological features of water bo­dies, and geological engineering characteristics of the rocks. Furthermore, anthropogenic soil materials are produced. In our study, such materials are termed ‘man-made / technogenic soils’, which means the soil material displaced during stripping operations in the areas allocated for construction of linear objects, and the soil material resulting from coal mining and quarrying. The above-mentioned changes in the geological environment lead to intensive exogenous geodynamic processes (EGP) taking place during construction and in the first years of the object operation. In areas where such objects are located near and in residential areas, the EGP impact is observed in the zones that have been previously not at all influenced or only slightly affected by EGP. In our comprehensive study aimed at the assessment of the scale of the regional landslide and mudflow processes, the physical and chemical properties of technogenic soils were determined, their mineral and chemical composition was analyzed, and the levels of chemical contamination of the studied soils were estimated. The research results can be used in engineering-geological, construction, hydrometeorological surveys, as well as forecasting the development of EGP and their impact on the territory adjacent to the large linear objects.

Keywords

• landslide
• mudflow
• exogenous geodynamic processes
• technogenic soil
• chemical and mineral composition of soils
• sakhalin island
• clay mineral