News

News, announcements, policy updates, spotlighted websites, software updates and other info that may be of interest to practicing geotechnical engineers, engineering geologists, geophysicists, hydrogeologists and related professions.

Press Releases

Wold Creek Dam – “Significant chance of failure”

May 3, 2007 rockman Comments Off on Wold Creek Dam – “Significant chance of failure”

WASHINGTON–The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) today released the Wolf Creek Dam Consensus Report, Engineering Risk and Reliability Analysis, an external independent peer review that validates the USACE high-risk classification of the dam and the interim risk reduction measures currently in effect.

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Project Related

World’s 2nd Longest MSE Wall

May 3, 2007 rockman Comments Off on World’s 2nd Longest MSE Wall

ENR Reports that Pennsylvania Route 22/322 now has the longest MSE Wall in the U.S. and Canada, and the 2nd longest in the world. The project is located in Mifflin County, Pa. and involves adding […]

Geologic Hazards

Assessment of Volcanic Hazard in Yellowstone

April 30, 2007 rockman Comments Off on Assessment of Volcanic Hazard in Yellowstone

[Update 5/10/07] A small swarm of  earthquakes measuring up to 2.7 on the Richter Scale was recorded in the Yellowstone area on  Wed. May 2, 2007 [/Update]

The USGS has released an Open File Report (OFR) entitled Preliminary Assessment of Volcanic and Hydrothermal Hazards in Yellowstone National Park and Vicinity. Possible future violent events in the active hydrothermal, magmatic, and tectonic system of Yellowstone National Park pose potential hazards to park visitors and infrastructure. Most of the national park and vicinity are sparsely populated, but significant numbers of people as well as park resources could nevertheless be at risk from these hazards. Read on for the link.

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Press Releases

Hayward Baker Completes Ambitious Landslide Repair Project on U.S. Highway 61 in Mississippi

April 30, 2007 rockman Comments Off on Hayward Baker Completes Ambitious Landslide Repair Project on U.S. Highway 61 in Mississippi

Hayward Baker, Inc., announces the completion of an ambitious landslide repair project for the Mississippi Department of Transportation. The work was conducted along a stretch of U.S. Highway 61, one of the nation’s landmark roads that extends from the Canadian border to the Gulf of Mexico.

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Available Resources

New Publications from Transportation Research Board

April 30, 2007 rockman Comments Off on New Publications from Transportation Research Board

Two new publications have been released from the Transportation Research Board. Pavement Management; Monitoring, Evaluation, and Data Storage; and Accelerated Testing 2006 and Geotechnical Challenges of the Interstate Highway System: The First 50 Years and […]

Geologic Hazards

Europe’s Nuclear Waste Connundrum

April 30, 2007 rockman Comments Off on Europe’s Nuclear Waste Connundrum

The German Federal Institute for Geosciences and Natural Resources on Wednesday released a report indicating that a large chunk of northern Germany, and a bit of the south as well, is geologically suitable for the indefinite storage of highly radioactive nuclear waste. Read more for details.

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Geologic Hazards

Drillers target earthquake zone

April 30, 2007 rockman Comments Off on Drillers target earthquake zone

Drillers and researchers are attempting to drill up to 7km into an active earthquake zone off the coast of Japan. The  Nankai Trough Seismogenic Zone is at a subduction zone boundary and is thought to […]

Geologic Hazards

Volcano Erupts in Colombia

April 28, 2007 rockman Comments Off on Volcano Erupts in Colombia

NEIVA, Colombia — Thousands of people were evacuated after a long-dormant volcano erupted provoking avalanches and floods that swept away houses and bridges. The Nevado del Huila volcano’s eruptions were its first on record since […]