Sulfated glycosaminoglycan-like polymers are present in an acidophilic biofilm from a sulfidic cave

Sulfated glycosaminoglycans (sGAG) are negatively charged extracellular polymeric substances that occur in biofilms from various environments. Yet, it remains unclear whether these polymers are acquired from the external environment or produced by microbes in the biofilm. To resolve this, we analyzed the presence of sGAGs in samples of an...

Silicification, flow pathways, and deep-seated hypogene dissolution controlled by structural and stratigraphic variability in a carbonate-siliciclastic sequence (Brazil)

Fractured and karstified carbonate units are key exploration targets for the hydrocarbon industry as they represent important reservoirs. Furthermore, large water reserves and geothermal systems are hosted in carbonate aquifers. This paper documents the relationships between stratigraphy, structural patterns, silicification, and the spatial...

The influence of subseismic-scale fracture interconnectivity on fluid flow in fracture corridors of the Brejões carbonate karst system, Brazil

The present study used a multitool approach to characterize fractures of several orders of magnitude in large fracture corridors, caves, and canyons to investigate their impact on fluid flow in carbonate units. The study area is the Brejões carbonate karst system that is located in the Neoproterozoic Salitre Formation in the Irecê Basin, São...

Dimensional and Mechanical Stability Analysis of Caves in Bahia, Brazil

The interest in carbonate lithologies has risen in the last few decades, due to discoveries of giant and supergiant carbonate reservoirs. While studying the properties of this lithology, the existence of cave systems at great depths was highlighted, since their presence can lead to drilling related problems, as well as change the flow direction...

External Human-Machine Interfaces can fail! An examination of trust development and misuse in a large CAVE-based pedestrian simulation environment

<b>Aim:</b> In this study, we aimed to investigate pedestrians’ trust, crossing behaviour, and misuse of an automated vehicle (AV) equipped with an external human-machine interface (eHMI). We hypothesized that participants’ trust would drop to a low level when the eHMI fails (i.e., the eHMI turns on, but the vehicle does not brake), followed by...

Comparative study of the S-shaped and Hoek-Brown failure criterion by finite-difference modelling, Northparkes, NSW, Australia

Cave mining operations produce bulked ore from self-sustainable propagating caves in high stress regimes. Undercut development creates even higher abutment stresses and a stress-shadow which have significant impact on extraction level stability. Geotechnical assessment of the infrastructure is vital for the safety performance and continuity of...

The design and development of CaveCad: A state of the art integrated cave management system

This thesis describes and substantiates the design and development of CaveCad, a state of the art integrated cave management system. CaveCad is Rio Tinto proprietary software. The scope of this project is to design, develop and implement an integrated cave management system for Rio Tinto Underground Technology Centre. A successful outcome will...