As part of an ongoing ADSC research project on axial capacity of drilled shaft rock sockets in the Southeastern US, several test shafts were constructed this past week and the load test portion will commence later in August. Dan Brown and Associates are hosting a contest to predict the results of the O-Cell testing. Feeling lucky? Go read more about the project and the contest. Photos and other info should be posted this week to help with the predictions that are due by COB August 12. [Source: Dan Brown and Associates, PC]
Miscellaneous
A day in the life of a Case Foundations drilling superintendent
In this 2007 ENR article, a drilling superindtendent from Case Foundation, Rob Jones, is profiled while his company works on the foundations for a Chicago highrise. As a geotechnical engineer who designs drilled shaft foundations, […]
Project Related
Launch Pit Retaining Walls Completed for SR 99 Tunnel in Seattle
Drilled shafts have been installed by Malcolm Drilling to form the secant pile retaining walls to support the 400 ft x 80 ft x 80 ft launch pit for the SR 99 tunnel boring machine […]
Failures
Drilled shaft rig falls into hole – Iowa
On May 15 a drilled shaft rig operated by Mid America Drilling Corp was nearly swallowed by the 9-ft diameter hole it was drilling for a cell tower foundation near Harlan, Iowa. Fortunately nobody was injured and the truck did not suffer any significant damage.
In Arizona, the standard of practice is to use a temporary surface casing to prevent dangerous failures like that. I once saw pictures of a drilling contractor superindendent almost get sucked into a collapsing shaft, even with the temporary casing. Pretty scary stuff. Source: Harlan Tribune. (Photo by Samantha Bruck)