Hillsborough County Florida is using a mix of expanding polyurethane foam and conventional cement grout as a more cost effective means of filling sinkholes. Officials say the mix uses 30 to 40% less grout adding up to a 30% cost savings. The article in the Tampa Tribune did not indicate the contractor or product name that they are using but apparently several agencies in California and other states are using the same material. Story via ASCE SmartBrief.
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7 Amazing Holes
A colleague of mine (thanks Jamie!) sent me an email with this intriguing title. I have no idea where it originated, but it is an interesting compilation of some amazing photos and short descriptions of various natural and man-made "holes". A few sinkholes, glory holes, and of course open pit mines. By the way I didn’t write (or edit) this, just some minor formatting updates. Check it out.
40 Foot Sinkhole in Tenn. Stadium Endzone
A large 40 foot wide by 40 foot deep sinkhole opened up just outside the endzone of Austin Peay State University’s Governors Stadium in Tennessee. The stadium is currently undergoing upgrades for next year’s football season. Sinkholes are not unexpected on Austin Peay campus, and the video below shows one example of how the University has actually incorporated the remediated sinkholes into the landscaping. Representatives from the University and the contractor expect the sinkhole will be filled without any problems.
[Updated 1/19/2015] Click through for the video since I can’t figure out how to turn off the auto-play on this one. [/Updated]
Polyurethane Used in Marcellus Shale Region Pipeline
Pipeline Contractor Uses Advanced Technology Product in Challenging Marcellus Shale Region: Saves Money, Reduces Labor Costs and Erosion, and Protects Pipeline
MOUNT AIRY, NC—As the largest consumers of world energy, the U.S. is counting on natural gas to play a greater role in our energy mix. The U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) predicts U.S. demand to increase 14 percent from 2008 to 2035 with heavy growth in the industrial and utility sectors, which means infrastructure for extracting, transporting, and storing gas is increasingly vital.
Companies like Canada’s Talisman Energy and it’s U.S. partners, are racing to build that infrastructure by putting down and protecting essential pipeline in rough, rural areas like the Marcellus Shale region of northeastern PA where severe climates can be challenging and requires new technologies like TerraThane polyurethane foam systems.
[Editor] Click through for the rest of this press release from NCFI [/Editor]