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.

Fugro geophysical vessel used for UXO detection
Press Releases

Fugro Releases FY 2015 Results

February 26, 2016 rockman Comments Off on Fugro Releases FY 2015 Results

Fugro released their 2015 Fiscal Year results, and the headline is ‘Strong cash flow in continuing challenging oil and gas market’. The Dutch company’s biggest market sector is oil and gas, and they are forecasting […]

NYDOT Geotechnical Design Manual Cover
Available Resources

NYDOT Geotechnical Design Manual

February 26, 2016 rockman Comments Off on NYDOT Geotechnical Design Manual

The New York DOT has been working on a geotechnical design manual (GDM) since at least 2012. It is a very detailed document that covers pretty much every possible geotechnical aspect of a transportation project. […]

Geologic Hazards

Drones and Natural Disasters

February 10, 2016 rockman Comments Off on Drones and Natural Disasters

This is my colleague Dimitrios Zekkos, Associate Professor at the University of Michigan, and the founder of Geoengineer.org. He’s talking about his group’s research involving utilizing drones after natural disasters. Cool stuff! [Source: University of […]

Geologic Hazards

Pucker-worthy Debris Flow Video

February 10, 2016 rockman Comments Off on Pucker-worthy Debris Flow Video

I saw this video a few weeks back on The Landslide Blog, and it’s also been posted on GeoEngineer.org. It’s well worth the watch. It’s one of the scariest debris flow videos I’ve seen. Some […]

Pinkerton Tunnel
Press Releases

Historic Pennsylvania Tunnel Reopens with Help From NCFI’s TerraThane Polyurethane Foam

January 26, 2016 rockman Comments Off on Historic Pennsylvania Tunnel Reopens with Help From NCFI’s TerraThane Polyurethane Foam

Pinkerton TunnelMOUNT AIRY, NC—A $2 million tunnel construction project on the Great Alleghany Passage (GAP) is reopened to the public with help from a geotechnical polyurethane foam called TerraThane, by US company, NCFI Polyurethanes.

The GAP rail-trail is 150 miles of hiking and biking between Cumberland, Md, and Pittsburgh, Pa. created along the former railway line. In Cumberland, the GAP joins the C&O Canal Towpath, creating a continuous 335-mile long trail experience all the way to Washington, DC. It’s become a favorite biking destination for people from around the Mid-Atlantic states. One of its main tunnels, the Pinkerton Tunnel, an 849-foot former Western Maryland Railway tunnel, has been closed since 1975 due to erosion and unstable conditions. The Allegheny Trail Alliance, the organization that built and now maintains the 150-mile GAP, and the Somerset County Rails-to-Trails Association (SCRTA), wanted the tunnel reopened and helped fund the project.

[Editor] Click through for the rest of the press release from GeoPrac sponsor, NCFI Polyurethanes (makers of TerraThane). [/Editor]

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