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Weekend CUP

Weekend CUP March 22, 2010

Compressed air storage of renewable energy – Arizona Geology Parsons Brinckerhoff marks 125th anniversary – CE News Tunnel bids for Crossrail – New Civil Engineer Open to the public for the first time in 145 […]

Selection of Spread Footings on Soils to Support Highway Bridge Structures
Available Resources

New FHWA Manual on Spread Footings for Highway Structures

Selection of Spread Footings on Soils to Support Highway Bridge Structures Hot on the heals of the revised MSE Wall Manual, the FHWA has released another manual, this one on Spread Footings. Selection of Spread Footings on Soils to Support Highway Bridge Structures was authored by Naresh C. Samtani, PE, PhD, Edward A Nowatzki, PE, PhD and Dennis R. Mertz, PE, PhD. So what is this manual all about? I think the foreword by Scott Anderson, PE, PhD of the FHWA Resource Center says it best:

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Design of Mechanically Stabilized Earth Walls and Reinforced Soil Slopes
Available Resources

New FHWA Mechanically Stabilized Earth Retaining Wall (MSE Wall) Manual

Design of Mechanically Stabilized Earth Walls and Reinforced Soil Slopes The much anticipated LRFD update to the MSE Wall and Reinforced Soil Slope Manual is now available for download from the FHWA’s website. The full title of the document is Design of Mechanically Stabilized Earth Walls and Reinforced Soil Slopes and it was authored by Ryan R. Berg, P.E.; Barry R. Christopher, Ph.D., P.E. and Naresh C. Samtani, Ph.D., P.E. Find the abstract and download link below. As time permits, I’ll try to post more about some of the changes in this important geotechnical publication.

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Weekend CUP

Weekend CUP March 15, 2010

Death toll in NW China landslide rises to 23 – China Daily Italian Team Repairing Collapsed Head-Race Tunnel at Ethiopian Dam – ENR: Engineering News Record OSHA Cites Company Following Trench Fatality – KPVI NEWS […]

New regional manager for Midwest operations of Moretrench
Press Releases

Joseph A. Sopko, Ph.D., P.E., joins Moretrench to head up new Midwest office

New regional manager for Midwest operations of Moretrench Moretrench is pleased to announce that Joseph A. Sopko, Ph.D., P.E., has joined the company as Regional Manager for its Midwest operations. Strategically located just north of Milwaukee in Port Washington, Wisconsin, the new office will offer the full range of Moretrench’s technologies to the Milwaukee, Chicago, Detroit and St. Louis areas. These include dewatering and groundwater control, ground freezing, earth retention and excavation support, deep foundations, underpinning systems, grouting systems and environmental remediation.

[Editor] Click through for the rest of this press release from GeoPrac.net premier sponsor Moretrench. [/Editor]

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Weekend CUP
60-ft plus deep sinkhole in Frostproof takes a carport, threatens a house
Geologic Hazards

Dozens of Sinkholes in Plant City, Florida after Farmers Pump Extra Water Trying to Protect Crops from Bitter Cold

60-ft plus deep sinkhole in Frostproof takes a carport, threatens a houseIn early January of this year, Florida experienced some unusually cold temperatures that forced Plant City area strawberry farmers to pump extra groundwater to try to protect their crops. Over the course of about 11 days, the groundwater table in areas of Plant City was lowered by as much as 60-ft.

Almost immediately as many as 80 sinkholes began opening up around that region. Including ones that jeopardized a 500,000-gallon water tower, several that shut down an elementary school and numerous ones that shut down roads and highways and affected individual property owners. Around 20 local homeowners were left homeless after sinkholes left their house uninhabitable. For comparison, based on data from Florida Department of Environmental Protection’s Sinkhole Database for the period of 1998 to 2008 (the last year for which data is available), 77 sinkholes were reported to have opened up in Polk, Pasco and Hillsborough counties combined.

Local officials are seeking help from the State and FEMA to cover the estimated $3 million in damages.  That figure is double what Plant City received from FEMA for the particularly bad 2004 hurricane season. And that dollar amount does not include what individual homeowners and property owners will be seeking from their insurance carriers. (Photos by Tampa Bay Online)

Read on for maps of Plant City sinkhole locations and more information.

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