Cover of FHWA/NHI Manual 'Drilled Shafts: Construction Procedures and LRFD Design Methods' by Brown, Turner and
Available Resources

FHWA NHI Manual: Drilled Shafts Construction Procedures and LRFD Design Methods

Cover of FHWA/NHI Manual 'Drilled Shafts: Construction Procedures and LRFD Design Methods' by Brown, Turner and

The FHWA has released for download a comprehensive update to the 1999 O’Neil and Reese manual “Drilled Shafts: Construction Procedures and Design Methods”, lovingly referred to in the industry as the “Brown Book” or the “Drilled Shaft Bible”.  This 2010 manual from the National Highway Institute (NHI) of the FHWA is entitled “Drilled Shafts: Construction Procedures Procedures and LRFD Design Methods” and was authored by Dan A. Brown, Ph.D, P.E. of Dan Brown and Associates, John P. Turner, Ph.D, P.E. of the University of Wyoming, and Raymond J. Castelli, P.E. From an FHWA Memo on the manual:

Distributed with this memorandum is the publication entitled "Drilled Shafts: Construction Procedures and LRFD Design Methods" (FHWA-NHI-10-016). This manual is the reference text used for the National Highway Institute (NHI) course numbered 132014 on Drilled Shafts. The publication will become the tenth in the series of geotechnical engineering guidelines called "Geotechnical Engineering Circulars." Geotechnical Engineering Circular (GEC) No. 10 is prepared as a significant revision and update to "Drilled Shafts: Construction Procedures and Design Methods" (FHWA IF-99-025), and reflects the standard of practice for the design, construction and inspection of these features. The guidance is developed following Load and Resistance Factor Design (LRFD) procedures and will enable engineers to identify and evaluate technical feasibility and potential applications. The text is developed with a sufficiently broad scope to be of value to a wide range of transportation specialists responsible for assisting with selection, design, development of materials specifications, construction monitoring, and contracting methods for Drilled Shafts.

Click through for the download link and some preliminary comments on what has been updated in this significant new publication in the drilled shaft construction industry as well as the geotechnical engineering profession.

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Selection of Spread Footings on Soils to Support Highway Bridge Structures
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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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Trimble Yuma ruggedized tablet PC
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Trimble Yuma Field Tablet PC has Pricing Info

Trimble Yuma ruggedized tablet PC

I introduced this ruggedized field tablet PC by Trimble here back in March, but there wasn’t any pricing information available at that time. To refresh, it has a military grade ruggedized design to keep out dirt and water, 32GB solid state drive (no moving parts), built in GPS, Wi-Fi, bluetooth 2.0, 2 integrated digital cameras with geotagging functionality (why 2?), Windows Vista Business, and a 7″ sunlight readable screen all in a 2.6-lb package. Read on for the $$.

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