News – Page 170 – GeoPrac.net

Press Releases

The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet and the Kentucky Geological Survey Utilized Dataforensics’ PLog Enterprise for their Publicly Searchable Geotechnical Database

July 28, 2009 rockman Comments Off

Dataforensics, Inc. Logo

Norcross, Georgia, July 28, 2009 – In a joint project between the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet (KYTC) and the Kentucky Geological Survey (KGS), PLog Enterprise was chosen as a key software component in developing a web-based, searchable database of geotechnical investigation data. [Editor] Click through for the rest of the press release. [/Editor]

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Standards and Codes

ASTM Updates July 2009

July 28, 2009 rockman Comments Off

American Society of Testing Materials Logo - ASTM Revised, new, and reapproved ASTM standards for the month of July. This month was a busy one for the various comittees with 108 standards related to concrete, geotechnical lab testing, asphalt, lab testing and other standards updated. Read on for the list.

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Indefinite “Temporary” Nuclear Waste Storage and the Need for Nuclear Power

July 24, 2009 rockman Comments Off

Since the Yucca Mountain nuclear waste repository has gotten the axe from President Obama, nuclear power plants around the country are faced with the prospect of virtually indefinite "temporary" storage of their nuclear waste in the form of spent fuel rods. The US Department of Energy has a legal obligation to find a permanent disposal facility for the spent fuel, and the agreements currently in place presumed that Yucca Mountain would be accepting nuclear waste by 2025 which clearly won’t happen. (Photo of dry cask temporary storage method for spent nuclear fuel from Connecticut Yankee). More after the break. […]

ASTM standards referenced in the 2009 International Building Code (IBC)

New ASTM-Code Council Book References Standards in 2009 IBC

July 23, 2009 rockman Comments Off

ASTM standards referenced in the 2009 International Building Code (IBC)

July 23, 2009 – Engineers, architects, contractors, code officials and others in the construction industry need access to ASTM standards referenced in the 2009 International Building Code (IBC) to design, construct and regulate safe and reliable buildings. The ASTM Standards: As Referenced in the 2009 International Building Code fulfills this need in one book.

This comprehensive book contains 280 ASTM referenced standards in Chapter 35 of the IBC, including critical topics such as structural steel, concrete, masonry, wood, soil, gypsum, insulation, fire protection, fire prevention, window fall prevention devices, and other important areas that contribute to safe and quality construction. [Editor] Click through for the rest of the press release [/Editor] […]

Rockman's Ramblings

Apollo 11 Lunar Landing 40th Anniversary (not 20th!)

July 21, 2009 rockman Comments Off on Apollo 11 Lunar Landing 40th Anniversary (not 20th!)

I’ll be brief since I have already mentioned this in a previous post and in the July GeoPrac newsletter. But today was the 40th Anniversary of the first time humans set foot on the moon. […]

Failures

Nachterstedt Landslide in Eastern Germany, Three People Believed Missing

July 21, 2009 Wolfgang Fritz Comments Off on Nachterstedt Landslide in Eastern Germany, Three People Believed Missing

A massive landslide in the little town of Nachterstedt in Eastern Germany early on Saturday morning local time caused two houses to vanish into a nearby lake. Three people are believed to have been in the buildings at the time of the slide. Rescue efforts are still on going and had to be halted during the night but were resumed the next morning. Helicopters with infrared cameras and dogs were used to find the missing people, but with no success so far. Approximately 60 residents of nearby buildings had to be evacuated and put up in emergency shelters. (Photo by Spiegel Online) [Editor] More after the break. [/Editor]

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Geologic Hazards

Maitland Sinkhole Stabilization Project – Central Florida

July 14, 2009 rockman Comments Off on Maitland Sinkhole Stabilization Project – Central Florida

A massive sinkhole more than 300-ft in diameter and with depths to bedrock of up to 350-ft is located under a future I-4 traffic interchange in an Orlando suburb. A massive $9 million stabilization project is underway to prepare the site for the eventual TI construction. The size of the Maitland Sinkhole is on par with the largest sinkholes to form in central Florida in recent times. There is not a void present, instead it is infilled with a compressible sand deposit. (Image from FDOT)

The mitigation method includes drilling over 300 grout injection holes, and performing grouting operations to infill cracks in the limestone bedrock. Then in the same holes, compaction grouting will be used as a method of ground improvement to densify the sand in place. Once the grouting is complete, the site will be surcharged to compress any remaining weak layers. Click through for a subsurface profile and location map. Via ASCE SmartBrief.

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Failures

Landslide / Mudslide in Logan Utah

July 14, 2009 rockman Comments Off on Landslide / Mudslide in Logan Utah

A landslide in Logan Utah caused a portion of a canal to fail, causing a second mudslide. Three people, a mother and two children, were believed to be buried when the mud and debris hit their home. Rescue efforts were halted fairly quickly because of concern regarding the stability of the hillside. So far I have not read any reports that the bodies have been recovered. Map, Videos and more after the break. (Photo by Mike Terry, Deseret News, hat tip to Landslides Under a Microscope Blog)

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Miscellaneous

GeoPrac.net July Newsletter Published

July 9, 2009 rockman Comments Off on GeoPrac.net July Newsletter Published

Lunar geotechnical engineering, popular GeoPrac content for June, Dead Sea sinkholes and a toppled building in Shanghai are all featured in the 5th issue of the GeoPrac.net monthly newsletter for July of 2009. You can […]

Miscellaneous

Geotechnical Data Management Presentation

July 8, 2009 rockman Comments Off on Geotechnical Data Management Presentation

Earthsoft, makers of the EQuIS geotechnical and environmental data management software, have posted a presentation titled ODOT Geotechnical Data Management System given by Kirk Beach of the Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) Office of Geotechnical […]