Geotechnical New York Archives - GEOTILL provides geotechnical, construction testing and Environmental services Indianapolis Indiana

Long-Term Testing Of Concrete Bond Durability

Source: Long-Term Testing Of Concrete Bond Durability The definition of concrete durability can be explained as the ability of a specimen to resist any form of weathering action, namely abrasion, chemical, physical, or any other process of deterioration. In other words, the durability of concrete can also be defined as the ability to last a long period of time without significant deterioration or failure. Image Credit: Peshkova/Shutterstock.com Types of weathering include mechanical, physical, and chemical weathering of concrete including the alkali-aggregate reaction of sulfate attack and chloride attack. Different long-term testing methods have been used over the years and more research has been done to improve the existing methods to be more economical and environmental. Consideration has also gone into methods that reduce the time in which these tests can be completed and assessed. The Importance Of Long-Term Durability Testing It is important to test for the durability of concrete bonds because of the following reasons. Firstly, concrete testing will allow the designers to determine accurately the lifespan of a specific structure according to its specific needs or requirements. If a structure is intended to last a specific period of time, long-term concrete testing can reveal the combination that is required for it to last that long. There can be economic and environmental benefits to this testing. Economically, constant rehabilitation and patching up of structures are very expensive. Hence, long-term testing can reveal the right combination of concrete mixtures for durable structures, thereby reducing the number of times for rehabilitation. Environmentally, constant rehabilitation will require more use of natural resources such as sources of energy, gypsum, or steel to continuously rehabilitate worn-out structures. Continued rehabilitation increases the carbon footprint, which is not environmentally friendly. Developments In Concrete Bond Materials New studies have revealed that the addition of carbon fibers amounting [...]

By kk42|December 10th, 2021|Geotechnical Services, Geotechnical California, Geotechnical Colorado, Geotechnical New York, Geotechnical Texas|0 Comments

Studying the ground under your feet: Interview with Taylor Hall about rock and soil stability

Source: Studying the ground under your feet: Science Moab speaks with Taylor Hall about rock and soil stability | Get Out & Go | moabsunnews.com Moab is renowned for its biological soil crusts, but what’s happening underneath all that crusty black — with the soil and rock itself? This week, we speak with geotechnical engineer Taylor Hall, owner of the Moab Geotechnical Group, about soil mechanics, engineering tools, and how he decided — at age 15, in a McDonald’s — to start working with the dirt. Science Moab: What is geotechnical engineering? Hall: Geotechnical engineering generally deals with rock and soil mechanics and physics: how those materials will respond to structures or just how they respond to gravity. We might look at something like a bridge to understand its foundations, or we might look at a landslide that gets triggered by natural causes. We’re fortunate to be able to come in there and tell you how things are responding and why and what to expect. Science Moab: How do you test soil? Hall: When geotechnical engineering got its feet in the 1940s and 1950s, they would sample soil by drilling a hole and driving a sampler into the ground using a fixed-weight hammer. Using that method, we were able to acquire a sample and get some resistance associated with that sample. That's much of what we do today, but we do it now because it's backed by 60 or 70 years’ worth of empirical relationships. Generally, you're only dealing with one or two such holes, and you have to use them to characterize a whole site. It's tough, but that's why I chose geotechnical engineering: because no two sites are the same. It provides the opportunity to really think on your feet. Science Moab: Once you’ve taken measurements, how do [...]

By kk42|October 15th, 2021|Geotechnical Oregon, Geotechnical Utah, Geotechnical Wyoming, Geotechnical Kentucky, Geotechnical Arizona, Geotechnical California, Geotechnical Idaho, Geotechnical Montana, Geotechnical New York|0 Comments

HS2 tunneling machine completes first mile under the Chilterns

Source: HS2 tunneling machine completes first mile under the Chilterns The first 2,000 ton tunneling machine passed the one mile mark this week during the construction of the first tunnels for HS2. Launched in May, the 170m long Tunnel Boring Machine (TBM) covered the first mile cutting through a mix of chalk and flint beneath the Chiltern hills just outside London. The TBM – named Florence – is one of two identical machines excavating the twin ten-mile-long tunnels. A second machine, Cecilia, is a short way behind, with both TBMs expected to break out in around three years’ time. Designed specifically for the geology of the Chilterns, each machine is a self-contained underground factory, digging the tunnel, lining it with concrete wall segments and grouting them into place as it moves forward. Welcoming the progress, HS2 Ltd Project Client Rohan Perin said: “The 10 mile Chiltern tunnel will take HS2 underneath the hills and safeguard the woodlands and wildlife habits above ground as well as significantly reducing disruption to communities during construction and operation of the new railway. “Once complete, HS2 will offer low carbon journey options linking London with the major cities of the north and releasing capacity for more freight and local trains on our existing mainlines. It’s great to see how much progress has been made over the summer and I’d like to thank the crew of Florence and all the tunneling team for their hard work.” The first two TBMs are operated by HS2’s main works contractor, Align – a joint venture formed of Bouygues Travaux Publics, Sir Robert McAlpine, and VolkerFitzpatrick. A crew of 17 people keep the machines running, working in shifts and supported by over 100 people on the surface, managing the logistics and maintaining the smooth progress of the tunnelling operation. Align Project Director [...]

By kk42|October 1st, 2021|Geotechnical Texas, Geotechnical Alaska, Drilling, Geotechnical Colorado, Geotechnical Massachusetts, Geotechnical New Jersey, Geotechnical New York|0 Comments

Mitigating carbon may have unintended consequences

Source: Mitigating carbon may have unintended consequences | Penn State University UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Controlling carbon release into the atmosphere will reduce carbon dioxide and slow global warming, but could there be unintended consequences for human health? Now, thanks to a three-year grant of about $400,000 from the National Science Foundation, researchers at Penn State will investigate potential positives and negatives of decarbonization. "There can be unintended health co-harms from some carbon mitigation strategies," said Wei Peng, assistant professor of international affairs and civil and environmental engineering and principal investigator on the project. "For instance, large-scale bioenergy production may drive up food prices, which leads to nutrition-related health co-harms." Of course, mitigating carbon can also bring health benefits, including a reduction of pollution in the atmosphere. "Tangible human health co-benefits can motivate stronger support for climate policy," said Peng. The researchers aim to improve understanding of what factors determine the size and scope of health outcomes from decarbonization and to identify strategies most likely to yield overall health benefits. Focusing on the U.S., Peng and her team will develop a framework integrating energy, food and health. They will improve health variables in a state-level integrated assessment model and connect it to a fine-resolution, health impact assessment model. They will also develop a large number of scenarios of decarbonization to encompass future uncertainties, technology and markets. This project is the extension of two seed grants from Penn State's Institutes of Energy and the Environment and Institute for Computational and Data Sciences. Vivek Srikrishnan, assistant professor of biological and environmental engineering, Cornell University, is the co-principal investigator (PI) on this project. Peng is also a co-PI on a project looking to model the interactions of climate change, air quality and social inequalities. This five-year, $1.5 million NSF grant, co-led by Mark [...]

By kk42|September 29th, 2021|Geotechnical Texas, Geotechnical Washington, Geotechnical Alabama, Geotechnical Iowa, Geotechnical Kansas, Geotechnical North Carolina, Geotechnical California, Geotechnical New York, Geotechnical Oklahoma, Geotechnical Oregon|0 Comments

Europe on course for healthier, more sustainable soil

Source: On course for healthier, more sustainable soil On course for healthier, more sustainable soil Soil is home to about a quarter of all living species. Credit: Amadeu Biasco, Shutterstock If we want to transition to a greener, healthier and more climate resilient Europe, it is important to ensure our soils are in good condition. However, the quality of soils is worsening because of unsustainable management practices, depletion of resources, climate change and pollution. Soil hosts a quarter of our planet's biodiversity and is home to about a quarter of all living species. But how many of us give this precious resource a second thought? We should, because soil directly or indirectly produces about 95% of our food. Soil is important in so many other ways, too. It provides us with raw materials to fight diseases and ecosystem services that purify our drinking water, lower the risk of floods and droughts, and store huge amounts of carbon to alleviate climate change. Storehouse of life Soil biodiversity is the life that exists within the soil, from bacteria to earthworms. These living organisms keep soil healthy and fertile. Soil biodiversity is key to meeting European Green Deal objectives such as climate neutrality, biodiversity restoration, zero pollution, healthy and sustainable food systems, and a resilient environment. The EU wants to lead the transition towards healthy soils for food, people, nature and the climate by 2030. One problem is that about 970 million tons of soil is lost to erosion each year in Europe. If this underground treasure is so important to us, then why are we allowing it to be destroyed? To repair or reverse the damage to soil's rich yet fragile habitat takes decades—even centuries. We need to preserve the quality of soil before it is too late. Soil health is a major concern for the commission. It [...]

By kk42|September 29th, 2021|Geotechnical Nebraska, Geotechnical California, Geotechnical New Mexico, Geotechnical New York, Geotechnical Vermont|0 Comments

Project removes old, disused dams to make healthier waterways

Source: Project removes old, disused dams to make healthier waterways - VTDigger Seen through the window of Patty Smith’s home in East Bethel, James Rogers, left, and Fran Rhynhart, right, watch as Ben Canonica, of Canonica Farm and Forest, makes a buffer to protect the bank of the Second Branch of the White River while preparing to remove the Hyde Dam on Tuesday, Sept. 15. “As kids, this was our playground,” said Rhynhart. “All the East Bethel village kids would swim here.” Photo by James M. Patterson/Valley News EAST BETHEL — A yellow excavator ambled over the uneven bed of the Second Branch of the White River as it rearranged boulders above the Hyde Dam earlier this month. Within weeks, the dam will be gone, opening 60 miles of waterways for fish passage. From the 1700s to the 1950s, hydropower ruled and the Hyde Dam in turn gave life to a sawmill, a gristmill, a creamery and a woolen mill that employed over 30 workers in 1860. The current dam replaced an older dam destroyed in what is known as the Great Vermont Flood of 1927. These days, industry has departed from the Second Branch. A half-acre plot of empty land on the north side of the dam gives no hint of the artifacts of production buried below. The mill that leans on the southern edge of the dam is now a home. Conservation nonprofits and state agencies worked together to remove the dam, part of a statewide effort to remove out-of-use dams to improve rivers for both wildlife and people. Greg Russ, a watershed restoration coordinator at the White River Partnership who is overseeing the project, estimated that it will cost anywhere between $120,000 and $150,000. He listed many reasons to remove the dam, for both the [...]

By kk42|September 29th, 2021|Geotechnical Vermont, Geotechnical Alaska, Geotechnical Connecticut, Geotechnical Massachusetts, Geotechnical New Hampshire, Geotechnical New York, Geotechnical Rhode Island|0 Comments

Himalayan hydropower ‘clean but risky,’ warn scientists

Source: Himalayan hydropower 'clean but risky,' warn scientists With its steep topography and abundant water resources the Himalayas offer sustainable, low-carbon hydropower for energy-hungry South Asia. But there is a catch—the mountain range falls in one of the world's most seismically active regions. A group of 60 top Indian scientists and environmentalists wrote an open letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi earlier this month seeking his intervention in stopping "any more hydroelectric projects in the Himalayas and on the Ganga whether under construction, new or proposed." The letter cites the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change's sixth assessment report which says that the Himalayas have been affected by warming. The report warns that "rising temperature and precipitation can increase the occurrence of glacial lake outburst floods and landslides over moraine-dammed lakes" in high mountain Asia. Moraine consists of rocks and soil left behind by moving glaciers. Hydropower, the world's largest source of renewable electric power with1,308 gigawatts of installed capacity in 2019, is expected to play a critical role in decarbonizing power systems, according to the International Energy Agency (IEA), an inter-governmental body. Stretching 2,400 kilometers in an arc that includes the world's highest peaks, the Everest in Nepal and K2 in Pakistan, the Himalayas rank high among global hot spots for developing hydropower, though only 20 percent of the estimated 500 gigawatt potential has been tapped so far. But that situation is rapidly changing with hydropower projects mushrooming along the Himalayan arc—which covers territory in Bhutan, China, India, Nepal and Pakistan—despite proven risks from quakes, landslides and glacial lake outburst floods. The immediate trigger for the appeal to Modi was a decision by India's Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change to allow the restarting of seven controversial hydropower projects in the Himalayan state of Uttarakhand. Three of these projects—Tapovan-Vishnugad (520 [...]

By kk42|September 28th, 2021|Geotechnical Oregon, Geotechnical Washington, Geotechnical Tennessee, Geotechnical Alabama, Geotechnical California, Geotechnical Idaho, Geotechnical Montana, Geotechnical New York|0 Comments

Informed Streets Pavement Management Solution

Source: Horrocks' Informed Streets Pavement Management Solution Road maintenance is an essential component of city infrastructure. However, deciding what needs to be fixed and when is often a subject of debate. That's where Horrocks' new pavement management system comes it. Using data-driven analysis, it takes some of the guesswork out of the entire process making road maintenance more cost-effective. This will be an exceptionally great tool for cities like Anchorage, Atlanta, Boulder, Chicago, Indianapolis, Little Rock, Los Angeles, San Francisco, New York, and Phoenix. Informed Streets for Pavement Management Horrocks’ new pavement management system has been dubbed Informed Streets. This is simply because it helps create road maintenance schedules, allowing our clients to maximize their budgets by applying the right treatment to the right road at the right time. This system assesses existing pavement conditions and uses predictive models to develop unique, data-driven management plans that optimize costs and upkeep. These plans are created through the following four stages: 1. Initial Assessment and Survey Horrocks’ mobile LiDAR unit during initial survey In the initial phase of service, Horrocks’ in-house survey crews complete a thorough survey and pavement assessment of the roadways. This is done using a truck-mounted Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) unit to assess the pavement by collecting one million survey-grade points every second. Our experts then use this data to develop a baseline for a pavement management plan by providing one of two pavement ratings, depending on our client’s needs: the Pavement Surface Evaluation and Rating (PASER) or Pavement Condition Index (PCI). 2. Data Analysis and Planning Once the pavement rating is complete, an online platform is set up for our client, which includes the Informed Streets3D Viewer. Horrocks’ Informed Streets 3D Viewer integrates GIS systems, LiDAR point clouds, and photography in one robust platform that allows for [...]

By kk42|September 28th, 2021|Chicago, Atlanta, Phoenix, Little Rock, Los Angeles, San Diego, San Francisco, Boulder, New York, Anchorage, Indianapolis|0 Comments

International Conference on Earthquake Geotechnical Engineering ICEGE in February 2023 in Paris

Source: International Conference on Earthquake Geotechnical Engineering ICEGE in February 2023 in Paris The International Research Conference Aims and Objectives The International Research Conference is a federated organization dedicated to bringing together a significant number of diverse scholarly events for presentation within the conference program. Events will run over a span of time during the conference depending on the number and length of the presentations. With its high quality, it provides an exceptional value for students, academics and industry researchers. International Conference on Earthquake Geotechnical Engineering aims to bring together leading academic scientists, researchers and research scholars to exchange and share their experiences and research results on all aspects of Earthquake Geotechnical Engineering. It also provides a premier interdisciplinary platform for researchers, practitioners and educators to present and discuss the most recent innovations, trends, and concerns as well as practical challenges encountered and solutions adopted in the fields of Earthquake Geotechnical Engineering Call for Contributions Prospective authors are kindly encouraged to contribute to and help shape the conference through submissions of their research abstracts, papers and e-posters. Also, high quality research contributions describing original and unpublished results of conceptual, constructive, empirical, experimental, or theoretical work in all areas of Earthquake Geotechnical Engineering are cordially invited for presentation at the conference. The conference solicits contributions of abstracts, papers and e-posters that address themes and topics of the conference, including figures, tables and references of novel research materials. Guidelines for Authors Please ensure your submission meets the conference's strict guidelines for accepting scholarly papers. Downloadable versions of the check list for Full-Text Papers and Abstract Papers. Please refer to the Paper Submission Guideline, Abstract Submission Guideline and Author Information before submitting your paper. Conference Proceedings All submitted conference papers will be blind peer reviewed by three competent reviewers. The peer-reviewed conference proceedings are indexed in the Open Science Index, Google Scholar, Semantic Scholar, Zenedo, OpenAIRE, BASE, WorldCAT, Sherpa/RoMEO, and [...]

By kk42|September 27th, 2021|Geotechnical Florida, Geotechnical Nebraska, Geotechnical California, Geotechnical New York, Geotechnical Texas, Earthquakes, Conferences|0 Comments

Monsoon Claims 432 Lives In HP Landslides

Source: Monsoon Claims 432 Lives In HP; Landslides, Accidents Increasing Due To Widespread Rain & Snowfall Monsoon death toll in Himachal Pradesh climbs to 432 which is considered as the highest in last five years while twelve people have died in last 24 hours, according to the Disaster Management Authority. Widespread rains and snowfall at high altitude passes resulting in a series of landslides, disruption of major roads and National Highways threw life completely out of gear in Himachal Pradesh, even as temperature dropped significantly in Shimla—the capital city, and Lahaul-Spiti district. Wintry conditions prevailed all over the state on Thursday as result of the rains and snowfall in Lahaul-Spiti valleys. Thick fog engulfing the hills for the past 24 hours created havoc trouble for the travelers which also resulted in several road accidents. Few of these were fatal, others left many people injured due to skidding of the vehicles and mid-way collusions . (Photo Credit- Sanjay Sood) Superintendent of Police Lahaul Spiti Manav Verma told Outlook that it has been raining incessantly. A travel advisory has been issued for the people asking them to avoid journey during next 24 hours . There has been a road disruption near Nehru Kund on Manali Leh road (National Highway no 3) due to landslides. It has been continuously raining at Baralacha La Pass ( 15,922 feet) affecting the mobility of the vehicles on Manali Leh road . Only those vehicles used for essential supplies to Leh are allowed to move as the pass has been very slippery for normal mobility of the vehicles. Tourists are not allowed to take-up their journeys . “There is two to three cms of snow at the Pass” said SP Manav Verma, adding that Lahaul may experience snow much before the normal timing. The biggest advantage, however, remains Rohtang Tunnel [...]

By kk42|September 24th, 2021|Landslides, Houston, Geotechnical Illinois, Dallas, Chicago, Geotechnical California, Los Angeles, San Jose, San Francisco, Geotechnical New York, New York, Geotechnical Texas|Comments Off