News – Page 203 – GeoPrac.net

Engineering Geology in World War 1

August 21, 2007 rockman 2

People (including myself) tend to forget the origins of the term "Land Mine". Mines in medieval times referred to excavations for the purpose of undermining an enemy’s fortifications. In World War 1, before the age of aerial bombardment and cruise missiles, underground mines were used to plant explosives under enemy lines. In addition to British, German and American sappers that performed these tasks, the Australians had a contingent of miners and geologists who were involved in the Western Front of the War in France and Belgium and were responsible for what was then the largest man-made explosion in history. I hope you enjoy this interesting article. Thanks to Geology.com for the link.

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Geosynthetics Manufacturer Posts Product Videos

August 15, 2007 rockman Comments Off

Gundle/SLT Environmental, Inc. (GSE) is a manufacturer and marketer of geosynthetic lining products and services in the following markets: agriculture, aquaculture, canals, civil, golf courses, mining, power, sportsfields, stormwater retention, waste containment, wastewater, and other industrial applications. They have recently released a series of product videos on YouTube. But you don’t have to search for them yourself, you can watch them right here on GeoPrac, just read on! Thanks to Geosynthetica.net for the heads up.

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USACE Blasts Time Magazine Article

August 14, 2007 rockman Comments Off

USACE responds to TIME magazine’s August 13, 2007, cover story, "The Threatening Storm"

WASHINGTON (August 13, 2007) – TIME magazine’s August 13, 2007, cover story, "The Threatening Storm," contains many errors and misrepresentations of facts with respect to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Hurricane Katrina, and ongoing efforts to improve hurricane and storm damage reduction for southeast Louisiana.

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Available Resources

Google Earth for Geotechnical Engineers and Geologists

August 7, 2007 rockman 1

Google Earth - Logo copyright Google Inc. Google Earth is a software application that uses satellite and aerial photo imagery, terrain, maps, 3D buildings and Google Search data to view information in our world in two and three dimensions in real time. Iâ€™m curious how other geotechnical engineers and engineering geologists are using Google Earth in their practice. Read on for some GE related resources Iâ€™ve found useful or interesting, and then post a comment on how you use Google Earth in your practice and for fun! (Logo copyright Google Inc.)
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Japan Quake Kills 9, Effects Nuclear Plant

July 19, 2007 rockman Comments Off

A magnitude 6.8 earthquake struck Japan on 7/16/07, killing 9 and injuring more than 150. The hardest hit areas were near the town of Kashiwazaki, northwest of Tokyo. It triggered mudslides in the town that was already effected by a Typhoon several days before. One of the most newsworthy things about this earthquake is the damage to and minor leakage of radioactive waste and coolant from the world’s largest nuclear power plant in Kashiwazaki. Read on for links and video. (Photo by Kazuhiro Nogi, AFP – Getty Images)

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Drilled Shaft Industry Notes

July 15, 2007 rockman Comments Off

In the May 2007 edition of Foundation Drilling Magazine, a publication of the Association of Drilled Shaft Contractors (ADSC), Silas Nichols, PE of the Federal Highway Administraton provided a summary of the FHWA’s role in providing guidance on drilled shaft design and construction over the years through research funding, publications and involvement in AASHTO and other agencies. Also in the article is an overview of upcoming updates to AASHTO codes, and FHWA publications. Read on for more details.

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Jefferson Memorial’s Signs of Sinking Raise Fresh Alarms

July 15, 2007 rockman Comments Off

The National Park Service is carefully monitoring a settlement problem at the Jefferson Memorial in Washington D.C. The geotechnical problem area is a seawall that borders the Memorial’s plaza that seems to be settling away from the plaza. Read on for more info. [Photo by esev]

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Decommissioning of Dounreay, UK nuclear waste dump

July 15, 2007 rockman Comments Off

From ContractJournal.com: Dounreay is the most northerly and remote of the UK’s nuclear sites. It is located on the coast above the stormy North Atlantic Ocean, looking directly at the North Pole. Temperatures are low […]

Faces of Earth – The geology of the Earth in HD

July 15, 2007 rockman Comments Off

Faces of Earth is a 4-hour high-definition television series about the ever-changing planet we live on. The only thing constant on Earth is change and Faces of Earth examines this phenomenon through the eyes of […]

Researchers examine carbon capture and storage to combat global warming

July 15, 2007 rockman Comments Off

While solar power and hybrid cars have become popular symbols of green technology, Stanford researchers are exploring another path for cutting emissions of carbon dioxide, the leading greenhouse gas that causes global warming.

Carbon capture and storage, also called carbon sequestration, traps carbon dioxide after it is produced and injects it underground. The gas never enters the atmosphere. The practice could transform heavy carbon spewers, such as coal power plants, into relatively clean machines with regard to global warming. [Image Credit: Statoil]

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