Second Issue of International Journal of Geoengineering Case Histories [Official This Time]
Project Related
Voids Open as a Result of Tunneling Under Seattle’s Beacon Hill
The Seattle Times (hat tip to ASCE SmartBrief) has reported that seven voids have been discovered above the Beacon Hill Tunnel with one opening up at the ground surface. The tunnel is being constructed by Sound Transit, the area’s transportation agency as part of a roughly $2.6 billion (yep, billion) light-rail project connecting downtown Seattle with the University of Washington and SEA-TAC airport. The voids were a result of running sand pockets in the otherwise stable clay units that were encountered by the tunnel boring machine or TBM. These voids migrated up like a chimney with one reaching the surface, almost 160-ft above the tunnel. This void was apparently 21-ft deep and opened up in a resident’s front yard and could have easily swallowed her up as she noticed it while gardening. The other voids were discovered at a depth of 20- to 65-ft below the ground surface. More after the break. (Illustration from Seattle Times)
Geologic Hazards
Seismic upgrade of San Francisco’s huge water system moves into high gear to prepare for the next big quake
The San Francisco Public Utility Commission has a $4.6B program in place to try and make the water storage and supply system for the Bay Area ‘earthquake proof’ by 2015. It involves 86 separate projects, […]
Project Related
Video: NY Second Ave Subway Project on CBS News
This news story aired a few weeks back. It has some great views of the tunneling process but also focuses on some of the social issues, such as complaints about Rats, as well as noise […]