The landscape drives the geotechnical engineering in Indiana. Glacial movement dominates the majority of the geological history. Made up of gray till, the Tipton Till Plain resides in Northern most Indiana. Coming to a more central position, kettle holes and lakes dot the land. Southern Indiana is still recognized for its limestone quarries.

Human-Portable Hydraulic Power: The Vertek Lightweight CPT Push System

The Vertek Lightweight CPT Push System is the most portable hydraulic CPT push system on the market. Offering 10 tons of push force, yet compact enough to be transported and operated by a two-person team, this system is ideal for testing locations that would be inaccessible to a rig-based or truck-mounted system. Weighing only 480 pounds, the hydraulic load frame is can be transported to the job site via truck or small trailer, then unloaded and rolled to hard-to-access test locations by hand. The system is designed so that the handle weight is less than 25 lbs when tilted on its wheels for travel, and large tires make the system easy to roll on uneven ground. The hydraulic power pack and cylinders, weighing 430 lbs and 335 lbs respectively, are independent of the frame for ease of transportation. The system is easy to assemble and disassemble via hydraulic quick disconnects. The twin cylinders are coupled by a platen that can push or pull digital electronic or mechanical cones and water or soil samplers. The anchoring system includes four sturdy augers, a drive unit and all necessary tools. Watch the easy set-up and see the system at work in the video below. At Vertek CPT, we love to develop innovative yet practical CPT solutions with real ROI. Our Lightweight CPT Push System offers ultra-mobile yet robust hydraulic push power to bring your CPT business wherever you need to go. From lab applications to remote locations on rough terrain, this system is highly portable, economical, and provides enough depth and power for many types of soil tests. [/fusion_youtube]

Drilling in Southwest Indiana at a 15-year peak

Indiana State officials say Southwest Indiana is experiencing a boom in oil and gas exploration, with a peak number of wells drilled over the past 15 years. The Indiana Department of Natural Resources Division of Oil and Gas released a report earlier this week that says oil and gas wells are being drilled in Indiana "At a pace that hasn't been seen for at least 15 years," according to Herschel McDivitt, director of the DNR Division of Oil and Gas. DNR officials say the division issued more than 450 drilling permits in 2006, a number that McDivitt expects to steadily increase during the next several years, due to the anticipated higher prices for crude oil and natural gas. "This is an exciting time to be in the oil and gas business," McDivitt said in a press release announcing the news. "While much of the interest is in drilling for crude oil, a growing number of wells are being drilled for natural gas, especially in the southwestern part of Indiana where companies are actively developing wells." McDivitt acknowledged that along with the increase in drilling applications has come a significant number of questions from landowners who have been approached by companies seeking to obtain leases from the landowners allowing them to drill on their properties. "Many landowners are unfamiliar with the process of leasing their land for oil and gas and are seeking more information about oil and gas operations and looking to find answers to their questions," McDivitt said. DNR has also made some changes in the Division of Oil and Gas's organizational structure. Jim AmRhein will be responsible for all inspections and compliance- related functions within the division's program. Previously, AmRhein was in charge of all permitting functions, as well as inspections and enforcement duties in central and northern [...]

Upcoming Tunneling Projects – Tunnel

2/10/2016 Upcoming Tunneling Projects CALIFORNIA Laguna Beach Tunnel   Stabilization   and   Sewer   Pipeline   Replacement Approved by the South Coast Water District Board of Directors in 2010 and the City of Laguna Beach in late 2013, the Tunnel Stabilization & Sewer Pipeline Replacement Project (Tunnel Project) is a 100-year solution to protect the environment, local economies and neighboring communities. The project comprises two key components: Tunnel Stabilization: The District will enlarge the size of the tunnel from an average of 6 to 9 ft. This will ensure safer working conditions and greater access for future pipeline maintenance and repair. Permanent shotcrete lining and steel supports will be installed at several locations where required, replacing rotten timber supports and removal of loose rock that currently exist. Pipeline Replacement: The District will install a new 24-in. pipeline throughout the tunnel. The current pipeline – also 24 in. in diameter – will be encased in concrete, but preserved for redundancy and emergency use. The cost to repair the tunnel is estimated at approximately $90 million and will be funded through low-interest state loans, grants and the District’s general fund. Shortlisted tunnel contractors announcement was anticipated for 2014-2015 with request for bids expected in 2015 and NTP in 2015-2016. Los Angeles The   North East   Interceptor   Sewer   (NEIS)   Phase   2A The North East Interceptor Sewer (NEIS) Phase 2A project is currently the northern extension of the NEIS Phase 1 project. The project will construct approximately 3.03 miles of 8-ft diameter sewer in tunnel and associated structures. The sewer will be constructed from the Division St. Shaft site, near the intersection of San Fernando Road and Cazador Street and terminate at the northern overflow parking lot for the Pony and Train Rides in Griffith Park, just north of the I-5 Griffith Park On/Off Ramps (I-5 Shaft Site) east [...]

I-65 construction south of Indy tests commuters’ patience

Trips from Southport to southern Johnson County can take up to an hour longer Story Highlights More than $286M in road projects from Indy to Louisville on I-65 this summer. 20 motorists have died in accidents on I-65 this year Southside commuters are swerving, merging and yielding a lot for road construction this summer — and there’s little relief in sight. From Southport Road to Edinburgh and beyond, concrete testing barricades and orange traffic barrels on Interstate 65 have led drivers through myriad lane shifts and closures, adding precious time to rush-hour commutes, as the highway and bridges are rebuilt or repaired. Alternative routes, including portions of U.S. 31, also are being revamped. “There aren’t too many areas (of I-65) where we don’t have construction testing and inspection going on right now,” said Indiana Department of Transportation spokesman Harry Maginity. “If you are driving from Indianapolis to Louisville (Ky.), you are going to see a lot of it all year.” INDIANAPOLIS STAR I-65 NB lanes reopen in Lafayette area The biggest projects are on I-65 around Greenwood where about 63,000 cars travel both ways each day. Heavy machinery in the blocked-off medians and on bridges has made space in the travel lanes tight and twisting. Combined with reduced speeds, the journey in and out of Indianapolis can add more than hour of travel time for a trip between Southport and Edinburgh. “Our drivers plan that a trip from I-465 on the Southside to Edinburgh is going to be 45 minutes slower,” said Tim Piper, owner of Same Day Transportation, Indianapolis, which has 35 trucks. “If there’s an accident, it’s going to be even longer.” Overall, INDOT Construction Testing is doing three repair projects worth a combined $156 million on I-65 in the metro area. Four other projects to the Kentucky [...]

World Tunnelling News

Jan 05, 2016 - Helsinki-Tallinn fixed link seems feasible Yle Uutiset Jan 04, 2016 - India awards large $1.5 billion road link contract India Times Jan 01, 2016 - Bangladesh to improve infrastructure BD News 24 Dec 30, 2015 - India's longest road link to open in July NDTV Dec 29, 2015 - India envisages first underwater link India Times - India Today Dec 29, 2015 - China opens longest lake crossing GB Times Dec 28, 2015 - Japanese court ruling on fatal ceiling collapse The Yomiuri Shimbun - Japan News Dec 28, 2015 - Shanghai completes 13th river link Shanghai Daily Dec 26, 2015 - Bids placed for Istanbul mega-project Daily Sabah Dec 25, 2015 - Complex Singapore road link delayed Straits Times Dec 25, 2015 - Ottawa LRT enters final phase Ottawa Sun Dec 22, 2015 - Rio Metro Line 4 needs more funding The Rio Times Dec 20, 2015 - Work starts on Auckland's City Rail Link Stuff.co.nz Dec 18, 2015 - Study looks at replacing old Baltimore rail link The Baltimore Sun Dec 14, 2015 - US transportation bill boosts Hudson rail project New York Times Dec 14, 2015 - Cost of Mumbai Metro Line 3 underestimated The Indian Express Dec 14, 2015 - Cologne LRT opens phase III Railway Gazette Dec 14, 2015 - Qatar progresses with rail infrastructure Doha News Dec 10, 2015 - Tunnelling to start on Shinkansen maglev line The Asahi Shimbun Dec 09, 2015 - Sweden opens its longest rail tunnel International Railway Journal Dec 04, 2015 - Barge launches Thames Tideway construction Tideway news release Dec 03, 2015 - Memorial ceremony for Sasago tunnel collapse Japan Today Dec 02, 2015 - TT2 recognised for work with the disabled Shield's Gazette Nov 30, 2015 - Group to lobby for Malta-Gozo fixed [...]

Louisville Indiana – Kentucky Ohio River Bridges Project

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=26r9MpVATsI Today's "Walk the Bridge" event attracted tens of thousands of people. The Louisville-Southern Indiana Ohio River Bridges Project addresses cross-river transportation needs in Louisville, Kentucky and Southern Indiana and will result in safer travel, less congestion and improved access to destinations in the region. LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Governor Steve Beshear announced that the new Ohio River bridge between Kentucky and Indiana in downtown Louisville will be named the Abraham Lincoln Bridge – connecting, as it does, the states of Lincoln’s birth and raising. “Lincoln led our nation through its bloodiest and greatest constitutional and political crisis – the American Civil War,” Gov. Beshear said. “But at the end of that national trauma, we remained a ‘United’ States of America. It’s therefore fitting that we honor Lincoln’s legacy with a bridge that further unites Kentucky, where he was born, with Indiana then Illinois, where he emigrated as a youth and grew to adulthood.” Kentucky and Indiana jointly are building the bridges project to improve cross-river mobility between Louisville and Southern Indiana. The project also includes construction of a new bridge eight miles upriver, connecting Prospect, Kentucky, and Utica, Indiana.  

Percolation test

Testing method A percolation test consists of digging one or more holes in the soil of the proposed leach field to a specified depth, presoaking the holes by maintaining a high water level in the holes, then running the test by filling the holes to a specific level and timing the drop of the water level as the water percolates into the surrounding soil. There are various empirical formulae for determining the required size of a leach field based on the size of facility, the percolation test results, and other parameters. For leach line testing, a minimum of three test holes are drilled, most commonly six to eight inches in diameter. Ideally, these should be drilled to different depths from three to six feet below the surface. For better, more conclusive results, five drill holes are used in a pattern of one hole at each corner of the proposed leach field and one test hole in the center. Testing of these holes will result in a value with units of minutes per inch. This value is then correlated to a predetermined county health code to establish the exact size of the leach field. Testing for horizontal pits typically requires five to eight test holes drilled in a straight line, or along a common contour, from three to ten feet below the surface. Testing is identical to leach line testing, though the end result is a different type of septic system, established through a different calculation. Vertical seepage pits are slightly different in testing methods due to their large size, but the basic testing method is essentially the same. A hole, typically three to four feet in diameter is drilled to a depth of twenty or thirty feet (depending on the local groundwater table), and a fire hose is used to [...]

Contractor refuses to refund INDOT for crumbling asphalt | Construction Dive

Indiana highway contractor Brooks Construction said the transportation department's specifications are to blame for the state's asphalt problems. Indiana highway contractor Brooks Construction said it will not comply with the Indiana Department of Transportation’s (INDOT) ultimatum that the company either refund $5.15 million or re-install three miles of crumbling asphalt, according to a statement released by John Brooks, executive vice president of Brooks Construction. Brooks said INDOT conducted 72 successful tests on the asphalt mix in question during the course of the project, paid his company in full for their work, and even paid bonuses of $18,000 for "an asphalt mix that exceeded requirements." INDOT is currently testing asphalt samples from 188 recent road projects across the state, and up to $71 million worth of pavement may be defective and could deteriorate ahead of schedule due to flaws in the asphalt mix. Brooks Construction is the first contractor to be held responsible since INDOT begain its investigation into the faulty asphalt on state roads, and INDOT has not yet released any other results that implicate other highway contractors. INDOT maintains that the fault lies in the asphalt mix that contractors have been using, but critics of INDOT blame the road problems on the recycled asphalt INDOT incorporated into its specifications in 2010. In response to Brooks' refusal to comply with INDOT’s demand, an INDOT spokesman told WRTV that the department would seek to resolve the issue through Brooks' insurance company. "As a family-owned business building projects in Indiana for more than 100 years, we are committed to working with INDOT to resolve the state's widespread pavement issues,” Brooks said in his statement. “We will not, however, accept legal responsibility for an industry problem caused by INDOT's specifications and quality assurance program.” Source: Contractor refuses to refund INDOT for crumbling asphalt | Construction Dive

Geotechnical Experts on site Today Developing a Plan at Wildcat Creek Bridge

August 8, 2015 Geotechnical Experts on site Today Developing a Plan at Wildcat Creek Bridge TIPPECANOE COUNTY, Ind. – Geotechnical experts observed conditions at the I-65 northbound bridge over Wildcat Creek today and are working to test and analyze the soils and develop a detailed plan to address and prevent further pier settlement. INDOT Commissioner Brandye Hendrickson briefed Governor Mike Pence by phone today and he is monitoring the situation. What happened Structural engineers monitoring the I-65 northbound bridge over the Wildcat Creek noticed movement in the riverbank pier and ordered the bridge closed Friday afternoon.  An estimated reopening date for the bridge will not be known until soils testing and analysis is completed.  INDOT will work to provide updates as new information is available. Detour I-65 northbound merges to one lane and is diverted onto U.S. 52 at Exit 141 north of Lebanon. Follow U.S. 52 north for nearly 17 miles, then turn left at State Road 28. Follow S.R. 28 west for about 10 miles, then turn right onto U.S. 231. Follow U.S. 231 north for about 33 miles until it intersects I-65 again in White County. INDOT thanks the motoring public for their patience while engineers and other experts work to safely reopen the bridge.  INDOT is installing temporary traffic signals at the S.R. 28 intersections with U.S. 52 and U.S. 231.  Until those are completed late on Sunday, INDOT and law enforcement staff are helping to direct traffic. INDOT engineers are monitoring traffic flow on U.S. 231 signals and adjusting timing patterns.  INDOT has asked contractors to suspend work where the official detour rejoins I-65 in White County. Message alerting travelers of the closure are posted on dynamic message signs as far south as the Louisville metro area. INDOT is working to identify and clear alternate routes [...]

California highway landslide leaves vehicles buried – video

Aerial footage shows work crews clearing mud and debris following flash floods that left nearly 200 vehicles stuck in up to 5ft (1.5 metres) of mud. The Leona Valley, about 20 miles north of Los Angeles, saw extensive downpours on Thursday, with 3.58 inches (9 cm) of rainfall during a 30 minute period. Elsewhere in southern California, several roads were washed out and there were reports of motorists having to be rescued from torrential flooding  

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