RockWorks 14 Software Released

April 15, 2008 rockman Comments Off

It’s been a busy month for geo-software. RockWare has announced Version 14 of its popular RockWorks software package, a subsurface data visualization software tool that can handle maps, cross-sections, logs, fence diagrams, 3-D stratigraphic models and volumetrics. A new single-user license is $2,499 and the upgrade price for a single-user license from RockWorks 2006 is $399 (US$). Highlights of a few new features, more images and links after the break. (Images from RockWare – rockware.com)

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Software Updates

Geo-Studio 2007 Version 7.1 Released

April 15, 2008 rockman Comments Off

On April 10, GeoStudio 2007 version 7.1 was released, a significant service pack update. There are numerous bug fixes and some major improvements. Geo-Slope claims that the overall speed of the product is faster when switching between analyses and views, a welcome change. There are some nice changes to the way Sketch Text is handled, which makes it easier to handle annotation of multiple analyses. And something interesting that’s new in SLOPE/W that allows you to specify a â€œSpatial Mohr-Coulombâ€ model which allows unit weight, cohesion and friction angle to vary across the geometry as a function of x and y. I canâ€™t think of a case where I would have used such a model, but it is very intriguing. More features listed after the break along with links.

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Press Releases

National Work Zone Awareness Week, April 7-11 2008

April 7, 2008 rockman Comments Off

April 7-11 is National Workzone Awareness Week (NWZAW) which draws attention to the hazards roadway construction crews face from motorists not heeding safety warnings. For 2006â€”the last year for which data is availableâ€”more than 1,000 died in work zones. Figures for 2007 will be released by the National Work Zone Safety Information Clearinghouse later this year. Motorists are also at risk for not following work zone safety precautions. They may face damage to their vehicles, injuries, and loss of life. For 2006, 614 motorists died in work zone crashes. (Graphic by Caltrans)

Below are a few items to think about the next time youâ€™re driving through a workzone taken from a Caltrans fact sheet. More after the break (sorry for the â€œDuhâ€ ones, but I didnâ€™t write them). As someone who occasionally works on the road and knows many more people who do, please, please remember to slow down!

Most injuries and deaths in the Cone Zone are from rear-end collisions.
If you slow from 65 to 55 mph for one mile, you only lose 10 seconds on your travel time.
The first cause of death for people aged 16 to 20 is car crashes. Even if you don’t lose your life causing a car crash, it could still cost you your license or a heavy fine.
If a car’s speed is doubled, the stopping distance is doubled twice over. For example, if a car traveling at 30 mph requires 100 feet to stop, the same car at 60 mph takes not 200 but 400 feet to stop.
At 60 mph, you’re traveling 88 feet per second. A lot can happen in one second, so give yourself plenty of room to stop in case of an emergency.
For the 15,000 miles of California highway Caltrans maintains, it must buy 120,000 new cones every year to replace ones run over by careless drivers.

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GeoPrac Turns One!

April 3, 2008 rockman 1

I can hardly believe it, but today marks the one year anniversary of the launch of GeoPrac! It has been a good ride so far, things haven’t exactly gone quite like I planned, but when has that ever happened? I’m grateful to all of the visitors who frequent the site and particularly to the people who have contributed an article or geonews item. I intend to do a wrapup of the most popular articles/news items of Q1 2008 and a "state of the union" type post with some thoughts about where I intend to take the site in the coming year. But I’ve just been out of gas with the newborn in the house. I’ll try to get to it this weekend.

Here’s to a good first year and many more to come! Cheers!

— Randy (Rockman)

(Cake photo…and actual cake by Khol-y after an original T-Shirt design by Tim Babb. Thanks to Rock Bandit for finding the photo)

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Finland’s Nuclear Waste Storage Plans

April 1, 2008 rockman Comments Off

As the U.S. continues to fight over hurdles for its Yucca Mountain Nuclear Waste repository, Finland is on track to become the first country with a permanent storage facility for spent fuel rods from nuclear reactors. Their Onkalo tunnel, on the western coast of Finland will eventually stretch for 5-km (2-miles) and reach a depth of 500-m (1,600-ft) in solid granite bedrock. Once at depth a grid of horizontal tunnels will be constructed. Vertical storage holes will be excavated in these horizontal shafts, and the spent rods, encased in steel cannisters with copper corrosion protection, will be placed on layers of bentonite clay. The clay will cushion the cannisters and protect them against long term geologic movement. The clay also serves as a barrier to water, swelling in its presence to seal off any cracks or conduits for water that could potentially transport nuclear contamination in the distant future if the primary measures of protection are compromised. The tunnels will eventually be backfilled with bentonite and rock. The facility is projected to open in approximately 15 years at a cost of about 3 billion euros. The projected life of the facility is through 2100. Links after the break. (Illustration by BBC)

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Landslide on Arizona SR 87 Closes Highway

March 27, 2008 rockman Comments Off

On March 21, 2008 a landslide caused the closure of Arizona State Route 87 between Payson and Phoenix near mile post 224. So far there are no official estimates as to the size, but based on aerial photos, it appears to be at least 50,000 sq-ft in plan. The offset at the head scarps was approximately 2-meters (6.6-ft) according to AZGS Geologists on site. It appears to have been a rotational slide as the toe of the landslide heaved the southbound roadway up by as much as 1-meter (3.3 ft). There was an existing soil-nail retaining wall on the slope that was destroyed by the slide as well. Lateral deformations can be seen in photos of the median barrier and the roadway striping. The deformations extended into the northbound lanes as well. More photos and links after the break. (Photo by ADOT)

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Future Geo Engineer

March 19, 2008 rockman 2

Regular readers of GeoPrac are probably used to the sporadic nature of my blogging. Sometimes I add entries a couple times a week, sometimes once a week. But I wanted everyone to know why I haven’t posted in a while and why it may be kind of sporadic for the next few weeks as well.

My second daughter, Michaela (Makayla), was born on Thursday, March 13. I’ve been enjoying time at home with my family, helping my wife get adjusted to the prospect of two kids around the house! Thanks for your patience. I’m hoping that by next week’s 1-year anniversary of GeoPrac.net I’ll have a chance to write about "the state of the union" so to speak and talk a little about my goals for the site in the coming year. Thanks to all you loyal readers for sticking with me! — Randy (rockman)

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Landslide Blocks Road in LA, Inconveniences UCLA Hoops Fans

March 9, 2008 rockman Comments Off

Mud and debris from a small landslide closed a portion of Sepulveda Blvrd. In Westwood California on Thursday. The slide took out at least one local resident’s backyard and was large enough to block several lanes of the roadway with debris up to 6-ft high in addition to knocking out several power poles and disrupting service. The material was cleared up by 10pm but not before it cause some inconvenience to UCLA basketball fans on their way to watch their team beat Stanford. The LA Times reports that there were questions about possible broken water lines, of course it is the old "chicken or the egg" argument that’s been seen before (including on a recent landslide) about whether the broken water lines contributed to the landslide, or the landslide caused the water line breaks. (Photo by Al Seib / Los Angeles Times)

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Utah Company has 7 Western-US Geothermal Projects Under Development

March 8, 2008 rockman Comments Off

Utah-based Raser Technologies has started development of two additional geothermal projects which will bring the total number of projects under development to seven. There are three projects in Nevada, two in Utah, one in New Mexico, and one in Oregon. The company has initiated approximately 75 MW of geothermal projects since April of 2007. By 2011 they plan to initiate 150 MW of projects per year. Links after the break. (Photo copyright Raser Technologies, Inc.)

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Changes in Geotechnical Engineering Practice in Arizona

March 7, 2008 rockman Comments Off

[Editor] Note: NCS Consultants, LLC is Randy Post’s full time employer…ie. my day job! [/Editor]

There are some significant changes being made to the state of the practice in geotechnical engineering in Arizona. NCS Consultants, LLC has prepared three policy memoranda for the Arizona Department of Transportation or ADOT that have been issued to consultants all over the State. These memos are on the topics of bearing capacity and settlement of spread footings and retaining walls, the design of drilled shaft foundations in gravelly soils, and the preparation of drilled shaft axial capacity charts for use by bridge engineers.

Although primarily applicable to upcoming ADOT projects implementing the AASHTO 2007 LRFD code, the memos will have a ripple effect down through other local agencies within the state who frequently defer to ADOT guidelines for geotechnical engineering. Also, the memos and the ADOT/NCS approach to LRFD implementation in geotechnical engineering were presented by NCS at the 2008 TRB Conference in Washington D.C., and many other state DOTs and the FHWA were very excited about the memos. The approach used if not the exact content may become a model for other agencies. More info and links to download the policy memoranda are provided after the break.

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Articles by rockman