Lateral loads on bridges can result from earth pressure, seismic forces, wind loads, traffic or even ship impact or wave action. In cases where lateral loads govern, it is not uncommon to see designers add additional piles or drilled shafts or increasing the size of pile or shaft caps. This document by the Transportation Research Board provides recommendations for ground improvement methods for improving lateral resistance of weak soils, including a simplified approach for assessing the lateral resistance of improved soils using commercially available software packages. [Source: TRB. Image: TRB]
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Review of GeotechTools.org – Geo-Construction Information and Technology Selection Guidance
I first heard about Geotech Tools through a TRB Strategic Highway Research Program (SHRP 2) publication titled Geotechnical Solutions for Soil Improvement, Rapid Embankment Construction, and Stabilization of the Pavement Working Platform. The final version of the report was released in February of this year. The report is one of the project deliverables for the SHRP 2 Project R02.
The primary deliverable of the project and the subject of this review is Geotechtools.org, a web-based tool for geotechnical engineers, structural engineers and pavement engineers. This website is a “toolkit of geotechnical information to address all phases of decision making from planning to design to construction.” What does that mean exactly? Great question. In this article I will give you an overview of the site and its resources and how it might help you on your next project.