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About GeoPrac.net
GeoPrac.net is a community of practitioners of geotechnical engineering, geological engineering, engineering geology, geophysics, hydrogeology and related disciplines. We offer members and visitors the foremost collection of geo-related articles, news, and online resources to keep those geo-professionals in practice at the forefront of their respective fields.
Dr. Dave has some financial analysis of the Bingham Canyon Mine Landslide in Utah. His interpretation of some of the financial data being thrown around is a financial loss of $770M, ouch! [Source: Read the full post at The Landslide Blog. Image: The Landslide Blog]
There is a great collection of aerial photos and other photos from last week's Bingham Canyon Mine Landslide at Kennecott Utah Copper's Flickr Photostream. Thanks to my colleague Wolfgang Knudson at Golder for sending the link. There's a great couple of shots of the radar monitoring equipment that allowed the mine to monitor the slide with great accuracy, and safely evacuate the areas prior to its triggering. [Source: Kennecott Utah Copper's Flickr Photostream. Image: Flickr Page of Kennecott Utah Copper]
This video for the Massena Lateral Bridge Slide from Iowa DOT shows a very nice 3D rendering of the entire accelerated bridge construction process. They are using a lateral slide method to construct the bridge adjacent to the existing one and then slide it into place within 9 days. From a geotechnical perspective, this bridge will be founded on driven piles, and then pre-cast abutment caps with CMP block-outs will be placed over the piles and the block-outs grouted up. The wingwalls will also be precast with the CMP block-outs and supported on driven piles as well. There will also be a driven pile temporary support structure, and driven piles will be used for the reaction frame to attach the threaded anchor rod used to jack the bridge into place.
This is a great video montage of rock blasting for Washington State DOT's I-90 Snoqualmie Pass project. It's not clear from the description if this blasting actually occurred on this project or its from other projects meant to give Washington drivers a preview of what will be going on this summer on the project. All that's missing is a little classical music, perhaps 1812 Overture?
A new publication was released from the TRB's NCHRP program on Geofoam Applications in Slope Stability Projects.
TRB's National Cooperative Highway Research Program (NCHRP) Research Results Digest 380: Guidelines for Geofoam Applications in Slope Stability Projects explores the use of expanded polystyrene-block geofoam for slope stabilization projects. For the purpose of the report, slope stabilization projects include new roadways as well as repair of existing roadways that have been damaged by slope instability or slope movement.
A large landslide last week at Kennecott Utah's Bingham Canyon copper mine has stopped poduction and could result in furloughs or layoffs. The landslide occured on April 10, 2013 at around 9:30 pm in the northeast pit wall. The slide had been actively monitored for some time, and prior to the failure, the rate of movement did increase significantly and all employees were safely evacuated. No word on volume estimates at this point, but the flow of ore has stopped until the cleanup has taken place. Work resumed in another part of the mine, but that involved removing overburden material. [Source: Deseret News. Image: Ravell Call, Deseret News]
DFI Educational Trust Appoints New Board Members - Source: Deep Foundations Institute
The DFI Educational Trust (www.trust.dfi.org) recently appointed three new members to the Board of Trustees.
The world's largest Tunnel Boring Machine or TBM just arrived in Seattle last week from Japan. Hitachi Zosen Corp built the 57 foot diameter TBM and tested it before disassembling it for the journey by boat to the Port of Seattle. Bertha will soon begin it's 16 month journey to bore a tunnel to replace the famous Alaskan Way Viaduct along Seattle's waterfront. [Source: Puget Sound Business Journal via ASCE SmartBrief. Image: www.bizjournals.com/]
Green energy from cheese? That's right, whey is not just for Miss Muffett I guess. In 2011, Foundation Service Corporation, the licensed installer of GeoPier GP3™ systems in Wisconsin installed over 1,600 GeoPier elements to stiffen the poor subgrade soils at a GreenWhey Energy plant under construction in Turtle Lake, Wisconsin.
Upon completion this summer, the plant will take byproducts from cheese production and use it to create biogas, heat and clean water. According to GreenWhey the biogas will eventually generate enough electricity to power 3,000 homes. Renewable energy from cheese.
Onsite Visit Leads To Ledgewood-Bonair Landslide Quick Report
OLYMPIA – The Washington State Department of Natural Resources Division of Geology & Earth Resources has released their quick report on the Whidbey Island “Ledgewood-Bonair” landslide that occurred March 27, 2013. [Editor] Photo Credit: Washington DNR via Flickr[/Editor]
In addition to managing more than 5.6 million acres of state-owned lands and serving as the state’s wildland fire department, DNR houses the Washington State Geologist. The department regulates surface mining reclamation and provides technical assistance to citizens, industry and government on geologic hazards, forest stewardship, and other issues. Lands managed by DNR provide numerous public benefits, including outdoor recreation, native fish and wildlife habitat, and clean and abundant water.
Media Contact: Jessica Payne, Communications Public Information Officer, 360-584-7760,Jessica.Payne@Dnr.Wa.Gov
Six years ago today I officially launched the GeoPrac.net website! It’s been my honor to try to serve my fellow geoprofessionals over that time, providing news and articles in a format unlike any other site on the internet. I want to take this opportunity to thank all the folks who have contributed content, provided feedback or otherwise helped over the years. I would also like to thank all of my sponsors. Their support compensates me for the considerable time and energy I pour into the site. And of course, thank you to all of my readers and subscribers!
I thought it would be fun to look back at some of my favorite posts and articles over the years. Some of them are contributed and some I wrote. So join me on a trip down memory lane and read on!
Onsite Visit Leads To Ledgewood-Bonair Landslide Quick Report
Six years ago today I officially launched the GeoPrac.net website! It’s been my honor to try to serve my fellow geoprofessionals over that time, providing news and articles in a format unlike any other site on the internet. I want to take this opportunity to thank all the folks who have contributed content, provided feedback or otherwise helped over the years. I would also like to thank all of my sponsors. Their support compensates me for the considerable time and energy I pour into the site. And of course, thank you to all of my readers and subscribers!