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Program with Abstracts – 2015
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2015 Annual Meeting – Program with Abstracts
AEG News (ISSN 0899-5788; USPS 954-380) is published six times a year by the Association of Environmental & Engineering Geologists (AEG), with the quarterly issues Nos. 1–4, published in March, June, September and December, respectively. The Annual Report and Directory issue is published in January. The Annual Meeting Program with Abstracts issue is published in September. Print copies are distributed at the meeting. Subscriptions for Association members, which includes all six issues of the AEG News, are included in annual membership dues. Nonmember annual subscription is $40.00, and includes only the four regular issues (#1–4) of the News. The Annual Report and Directory issue and the Annual Meeting Program with Abstracts issue are priced separately. Back issues of the AEG News are $10 each. Inquiries should be sent to AEG Headquarters: Marrijane Jones, Association Manager, 1100 Brandywine Blvd. Suite H, Zanesville, Ohio 43701 844-331-7867.
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Table of Contents Table of Contents Hotel Layout Schedule of Events Technical Session Numbers and Names 2015 Annual Meeting Committee Chairs Acknowledgements and Special Thanks Welcome Letter from Governor of Pennsylvania Welcome Letter from Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources Welcome Letter from AEG’s President Welcome Letter from 2015 General Co-Chairs AEG 2015 Awardees AEG Foundation 2015 Scholars
11 12 13 14 15
Exhibitors, Sponsors and Acknowledgements Exhibitors Exhibitor Layout Sponsors
16 22 23
2015 Technical Program Program Keynote Speaker 2015 Karl Terzaghi Lecturer The 2014–15 AEG/GSA Richard H. Jahns Distinguished Lecturer The 2015–16 AEG/GSA Richard H. Jahns Distinguished Lecturer
27 27 28 29 30
Technical Program Schedule Wednesday, September 23, 2015 Thursday, September 24, 2015 Friday, September 25, 2015 Poster Sessions
33 35 39 43
2015 Annual Meeting Abstracts
44
Author and Title Index
96
The association Officers President: KENNETH C. FERGASON Amec Foster Wheeler, 602-329-9714, fergasonaeg@gmail.com Vice President/President Elect: PAUL M. SANTI Colorado School of Mines, 303-273-3108, psanti629@gmail.com Treasurer: DALE C. ANDREWS Carmeuse Lime & Stone, 412-777-0728, dale.andrews@carmeusena.com Secretary: KATHY G. TROOST University of Washington, 206-909-9757, ktroostaeg@gmail.com Past President: GARY C. LUCE Resource Concepts Inc., 775-690-0537, lucegc@charter.net
Association Contacts Headquarters—Association Manager Marrijane Jones 1100 Brandywine Blvd. Suite H Zanesville, Ohio 43701 Phone: 844-331-7867, Fax: 740-452-2552 contact@aegweb.org
October 31, 2015, for the December Issue
AEG Foundation—President: DAVE FENSTER, aegfprez@gmail.com
Canada Agreement number: PM40063731; Return Undeliverable Canadian Addresses to: Station A, PO Box 54; Windsor, ON N9A 6J5; Email: returnsil@imex.pb.com
Communications Directors: MATT BRUNENGO, 503-534-0414, mbrunengo@aol.com and KAMI DEPUTY, KDD@shanwil.com, 425-463-5903
September 2015
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AEG NEWS 58 Annual Meeting Program with Abstracts
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AEG NEWS 58 Annual Meeting Program with Abstracts
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Schedule of Events This schedule will be updated with final locations and times and provided in your registration package. EVENT
PLACE
TIME
MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 21 Registration
Grand Ballroom Foyer
8:00am–5:00pm
Field Trip #1: Bolivar Dam Seepage Barrier Construction Project
Departs from Hotel Lobby
8:00am–4:00pm
Field Trip #2: Landslides in the Vicinity of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Departs from Hotel Lobby
8:00am–4:30pm
Registration Desk
Grand Ballroom Foyer
7:00am–5:00pm
AEG Executive Council Meeting
Kings Terrace
8:00am–5:00pm
AEG Foundation Board Meeting
Chartiers
8:00am–5:00pm
Field Trip #3: All Aboard! Pittsburgh’s Environmental and Engineering Geology from its Waterways
Departs from Hotel Lobby
8:00am–3:00pm
Field Trip #4: Rock Cut Slope Construction Along the Ohio River
Departs from Hotel Lobby
8:00am–4:30pm
Short Course #1: Rockfall Characterization and Control
Rivers
8:00am–5:00pm
Short Course #2: Recent Advances in Deep Foundations
Brigade
8:00am–5:00pm
Short Course #3: Professional Ethics for Geoscientists and Engineers
Traders
4:00pm–5:00pm
Student/Professional Networking Reception
Sterlings
5:15pm–6:15pm
Ice Breaker Reception and Exhibitor Opening
Grand Ballroom 1 & 2
6:30pm–8:30pm
Registration Desk
Grand Ballroom Foyer
7:00am–5:00pm
Committee Room
Kings Terrace
7:00am–2:00pm
Speaker Preparation Room
Traders
7:00am–5:00pm
Speakers/Moderators’ Breakfast
Sterlings 1
7:00am–8:30am
Poster Session Presentations
Grand Ballroom Foyer
8:00am–5:00pm
Exhibitors
Grand Ballroom 1 & 2
8:00am–5:00pm
Guest Tour #2: Heinz History Center
Departs from the Hotel Lobby
9:45am–2:15pm
Opening Session Welcome (Ken Fergason, Dale Andrews and Paul Hale)
Grand Ballroom 3 & 4
8:00am–8:10am
AEG Foundation Awards
Grand Ballroom 3 & 4
8:10am–8:30am
Keynote Speaker: Of Ice and Waters Flowing – The Geologic History of Pittsburgh’s Three Rivers, Dr. John Harper
Grand Ballroom 3 & 4
8:30am–9:25am
2015 Karl Terzaghi Lecturer: The Evolution of Specialty Geotechnical Construction Techniques: The “Great Leap” Theory, Dr. Donald Bruce
Grand Ballroom 3 & 4
9:25am–10:20am
Mid-Morning Break
Exhibit Hall
10:20am–10:40am
2014–15 Jahns Lecturer: Eldon Gath
Grand Ballroom 3 & 4
10:40am–11:20am
Introduction of the 2015–16 Jahns Lecturer
Grand Ballroom 3 & 4
11:20am–12:00pm
Exhibitors’ Luncheon
Grand Ballroom 1 & 2
12:00pm–1:30pm
Dams Technical Working Group Meeting
Kings Terrace
12:15pm–1:15pm
Operational Committee’s “Meet and Greet” and Recruitment of Volunteers
Kings Terrace
1:15pm–2:00pm
TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 22
WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 23
September 2015
AEG NEWS 58 Annual Meeting Program with Abstracts
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PLACE
TIME
WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 23 … Advocacy Committee Workshop
Kings Terrace
2:00pm–5:00pm
Technical Session #1: Tunneling Symposium
Grand Ballroom 3
2:00pm–5:00pm
Technical Session #2: Geology of Pittsburgh
Grand Ballroom 4
2:00pm–3:20pm
Technical Session #3: Licensure and Professional Practice
Grand Ballroom 4
3:40pm–5:00pm
Technical Session #4: Urban Environmental Geology
Brigade
2:00pm–5:00pm
Technical Session #5: Student/Young Professional Career Discussion
Benedum
1:30pm-4:20pm
Technical Session #6: Rockfall Mitigation
Rivers
2:00pm–5:00pm
Mid-Afternoon Break
Exhibit Hall
3:20pm–3:40pm
Environmental & Engineering Geoscience Board Meeting (Invitation Only)
Chartiers
4:30pm–6:00pm
Seismic Risk and Hazards Technical Working Group
Kings Terrace
5:00pm–-6:00pm
Special Event: Evening Aboard the Gateway Clipper
Departs from the Hotel Lobby
6:00pm–10:00pm
Registration Desk
Grand Ballroom Foyer
7:00am–5:00pm
Committee Room
Kings Terrace
7:00am–5:00pm
Speaker Preparation Room
Traders
7:00am–5:00pm
Speakers’/Moderators’ Breakfast
Sterlings 1
7:00am–8:30am
Poster Session Presentations
Grand Ballroom Foyer
8:00am–5:00pm
Exhibitors
Grand Ballroom 1 & 2
8:00am–5:00pm
Technical Session #7: Dams Rehabilitation Symposium - Part I
Grand Ballroom 3
8:00am–12:00pm
Technical Session #8: Importance of Tectonic History and Setting in Site Characterization for Critical Facilities Symposium - Part I
Grand Ballroom 4
8:00am–12:00pm
Technical Session #9: Geotechnical Site Characterization - Part I
Benedum
8:00am–12:00pm
Technical Session #10: Stability Considerations and Rock Slope Design for Stratigraphic Sequences Subject to Differential Weathering Symposium - Part I
Rivers
8:00am–12:00pm
Technical Session #11: General Landslides - Part I
Brigade
8:00am–12:00pm
Guest Tour #3: Fallingwater and Kentuck Knob
Departs from Hotel Lobby
8:00am–3:45pm
Mid-Morning Break
Exhibit Hall
10:00am–10:20am
AEG Awards Luncheon & Corporate Business Meeting
Sterlings 2 & 3
12:15pm–1:45pm
Field Trip #5: “Mid-Conference Stretch” Building Pittsburgh – A Walking Tour of Pittsburgh’s Building Stones
Departs from Hotel Lobby
1:00pm–4:00pm
Technical Session #12: Dams Rehabilitation Symposium - Part II
Grand Ballroom 3
2:00pm–5:00pm
Technical Session #13: Importance of Tectonic History and Setting in Site Characterization for Critical Facilities Symposium - Part II
Grand Ballroom 4
2:00pm–5:00pm
Technical Session #14: Geotechnical Site Characterization - Part II
Brigade
2:00pm–3:20pm
Technical Session #15: Geophysics
Brigade
3:40pm–5:00pm
Technical Session #16: Stability Considerations and Rock Slope Design for Stratigraphic Sequences Subject to Differential Weathering Symposium - Part II
Rivers
2:00pm–5:00pm
Mid-Afternoon Break
Exhibit Hall
3:20pm–3:40pm
Poster Presentations Reception
Grand Ballroom Foyer
6:00pm–7:00pm
Annual Banquet
Grand Ballroom 3 & 4
7:00pm–10:00pm
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 24
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2015 ANNUAL MEETING
Leave the Paper Behind!AEG Has Gone Mobile! Schedule, Maps, Networking and more on your mobile device—completely FREE! Visit https://guidebook.com/g/AEG2015 or scan the QR code using your phone to download. EVENT
PLACE
TIME
FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 25 Registration Desk
Grand Ballroom Foyer
7:00am–5:00pm
Committee Room
Kings Terrace
7:00am–5:00pm
Speaker Preparation Room
Traders
7:00am–2:00pm
Speakers/Moderators’ Breakfast
Sterlings 1
7:00am–8:30am
Women in AEG/AWG Breakfast
Sterlings 2
7:30am–8:30am
Poster Session Presentations
Grand Ballroom Foyer
8:00am–11:30am
Exhibitors
Grand Ballroom 1 & 2
8:00am–11:30am
Guest Tour #4: Burgh Bits and Bites Walking Tour
Departs from Hotel Lobby
10:00am -12:00pm
Technical Session #17: Dams Rehabilitation Symposium - Part III
Grand Ballroom 3
9:00am–12:00pm
Technical Session #18: Stability Considerations and Rock Slope Design for Stratigraphic Sequences Subject to Differential Weathering Symposium - Part III
Rivers
9:00am–12:00pm
Technical Session #19: Material Properties
Benedum
9:00am–12:00pm
Technical Session #20: Seismic and Environmental Hazards
Brigade
9:00am–12:00pm
Technical Session #21: “Time to Face the Landslide Dilemma…Continued” Symposium - Part I
Grand Ballroom 4
9:00am–12:00pm
Mid-Morning Break
Exhibit Hall
10:00am–10:20am
Town Hall Meeting: AEG’s Governance Restructure Update & Open Discussion
Kings Terrace
11:20am–12:00pm
Past Presidents’ Luncheon (Invitation Only)
Sterlings 2
12:00pm–1:45pm
Board of Directors’ Orientation Meeting
Kings Terrace
2:00pm–5:00pm
Technical Session #22: Dam Rehabilitation Symposium - Part IV
Grand Ballroom 3
2:00pm–5:00pm
Technical Session #23: General Landslides - Part II
Rivers
2:00pm–5:00pm
Technical Session #24: “Time to Face the Landslide Dilemma…Continued” Symposium - Part II
Grand Ballroom 4
2:00pm–5:00pm
Technical Session #25: Hydrogeology
Brigade
2:00pm–5:00pm
Technical Session #26: Mine Reclamation
Benedum
2:00pm–3:20pm
Technical Session #27: Environmental Site Remediation
Benedum
3:40pm–5:00pm
Mid-Afternoon Break
Grand Ballroom Foyer
3:20pm–3:40pm
Short Course #4: Characterization of Rock Core and Borehole Conditions for Engineering & Environmental Projects
Rivers
8:00am–5:30pm
Short Course #5: Environmental and Engineering Geology Applications in Marcellus and Utica-Point Pleasant Exploration and Production
Brigade
8:00am–4:00pm
AEG Board of Directors’ Meeting
Commonwealth 1 & 2
8:00am–5:00pm
Commonwealth 1 & 2
8:00am–12:00pm
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 26
SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 27 AEG Board of Directors’ Meeting September 2015
AEG NEWS 58 Annual Meeting Program with Abstracts
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2015 ANNUAL MEETING
Technical Session Numbers and Names See page 33 for full Technical Session listings. SESSION
TIME
WEDNESDAY MORNING, SEPTEMBER 23 Sponsored by Gannett Fleming Opening Session Welcome
8:00am–8:10am
AEG Foundation Awards
8:10am–8:30am
Keynote Speaker: Of Ice and Waters Flowing – The Geologic History of Pittsburgh’s Three Rivers, Dr. John Harper
8:30am–9:25am
2015 Karl Terzaghi Lecturer: The Evolution of Specialty Geotechnical Construction Techniques: The “Great Leap” Theory, Dr. Donald Bruce
9:25am–10:20am
Mid-Morning Break
10:20am–10:40am
2014–15 Jahns Lecturer: Eldon Gath
10:40am–11:20am
Introduction of the 2015–16 Jahns Lecturer
11:20am–12:00pm
WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON, SEPTEMBER 23 Technical Session #1: Tunneling Symposium
2:00pm–5:00pm
Technical Session #2: Geology of Pittsburgh – Sponsored by HDR, Inc.
2:00pm–3:20pm
Technical Session #3: Licensure and Professional Practice
3:40pm–5:00pm
Technical Session #4: Urban Environmental Geology
2:00pm–5:00pm
Technical Session #5: Student/Young Professional Career Discussion
1:30pm-4:20pm
Technical Session #6: Rockfall Mitigation
2:00pm–5:00pm
THURSDAY MORNING, SEPTEMBER 24 Technical Session #7: Dams Rehabilitation Symposium - Part I – Sponsored by Schnabel Engineering
8:00am–12:00pm
Technical Session #8: Importance of Tectonic History and Setting in Site Characterization for Critical Facilities Symposium - Part I
8:00am–12:00pm
Technical Session #9: Geotechnical Site Characterization - Part I
8:00am–12:00pm
Technical Session #10: Stability Considerations and Rock Slope Design for Stratigraphic Sequences Subject to Differential Weathering Symposium - Part I – Sponsored by HDR, Inc.
8:00am–12:00pm
Technical Session #11: General Landslides
8:00am–12:00pm
THURSDAY AFTERNOON, SEPTEMBER 24 Technical Session #12: Dams Rehabilitation Symposium - Part II – Sponsored by Schnabel Engineering
2:00pm–5:00pm
Technical Session #13: Importance of Tectonic History and Setting in Site Characterization for Critical Facilities Symposium - Part II
2:00pm–5:00pm
Technical Session #14: Geotechnical Site Characterization - Part II
2:00pm–3:20pm
Technical Session #15: Geophysics – Sponsored by Spotlight Geophysics
3:40pm–5:00pm
Technical Session #16: Stability Considerations and Rock Slope Design for Stratigraphic Sequences Subject to Differential Weathering Symposium - Part II
2:00pm–5:00pm
FRIDAY MORNING, SEPTEMBER 25 Technical Session #17: Dams Rehabilitation Symposium - Part III – Sponsored by Schnabel Engineering
9:00am–12:00pm
Technical Session #18: Stability Considerations and Rock Slope Design for Stratigraphic Sequences Subject to Differential Weathering Symposium - Part III
9:00am–12:00pm
Technical Session #19: Material Properties
9:00am–12:00pm
Technical Session #20: Seismic and Environmental Hazards
9:00am–12:00pm
Technical Session #21: “Time to Face the Landslide Dilemma…Continued” Symposium - Part I
9:00am–12:00pm
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AEG NEWS 58 Annual Meeting Program with Abstracts
September 2015
2015 ANNUAL MEETING EVENT
TIME
FRIDAY AFTERNOON, SEPTEMBER 25 Technical Session #22: Dam Rehabilitation Symposium - Part IV – Sponsored by Schnabel Engineering
2:00pm–5:00pm
Technical Session #23: General Landslides - Part II
2:00pm–5:00pm
Technical Session #24: “Time to Face the Landslide Dilemma…Continued” Symposium - Part II – Sponsored by Schnabel Engineering
2:00pm–5:00pm
Technical Session #25: Hydrogeology
2:00pm–5:00pm
Technical Session #26: Mine Reclamation
2:00pm–3:20pm
Technical Session #27: Environmental Site Remediation
3:40pm–5:00pm
2015 Annual Meeting Committee Chairs General Co-Chair
Meeting Manager
Sponsorship
Dale Andrews Carmeuse Lime & Stone Pittsburgh, PA 412-777-0728 dale.andrews@carmeusena.com
Heather Clark Vacaville, CA 303-518-0618 heather@aegweb.org
Thomas B. Sturges Pennsylvania Drilling Co. Imperial, PA 724-695-2400 tsturges@penndrill.com
General Co-Chair
Bill Barber BP william.barber@bp.com
Paul Hale L.G. Hetager Drilling, Inc. Punxsutawney, PA 814-938-7370 phale@hetager.com
Field Trips Rich Ruffolo GAI Consultants Homestead, PA 412-476-2000 r.ruffolo@gaiconsultants.com
Finance Nichole J. Wendlandt Gannett Fleming, Inc. Pittsburgh, PA 15220 412-922-5575 nwendlandt@gfnet.com
Guest Tours Faith Andrews PNC Financial Services Group fandrews.phr@gmail.com Elizabeth Morris Werner Co. elizabethmorris08@gmail.com
September 2015
Poster Session
Publicity Nathan Saraceno DiGioia, Gray & Associates, LLC Monroeville, PA 724-498-0984 nsaraceno@digioiagray.com
Short Courses Edward H. Barefield Michael Baker Jr, Inc. Moon Township, PA 412-375-3224 ebarefield@mbakerintl.com Abdul Shakoor Kent State University Kent, OH 330-672-2968 ashakoor@kent.edu
Special Event Steve Ladavat Dawood Engineering, Inc. Harrisburg, PA 724-746-0730 sladavat@dawood.cc AEG NEWS 58 Annual Meeting Program with Abstracts
Student/Volunteer Coordination Caleb Sturges Pennsylvania Drilling Co. Imperial, PA 724-695-2400 csturges@penndrill.com Janet Folajtar AGES, Inc. Canonsburg, PA 724-916-0300 JFolajtar@agesinc.com
Technical Program Committee Brian Greene Gannett Fleming Pittsburgh, PA 412-922-5575 bgreene@gfnet.com Matt Morris Gannett Fleming Pittsburgh, PA 412-922-5575 mmorris@gfnet.com Abdul Shakoor Kent State University Kent, OH 330-672-2968 ashakoor@kent.edu
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2015 ANNUAL MEETING
Acknowledgements AEG wishes to acknowledge the following companies/groups for their support with allowing their employees to assist with the planning of the 2015 Annual Meeting: AGES, Inc.
DiGioia, Gray & Associates, LLC
Michael Baker Jr., Inc.
BP
GAI Consultants
Pennsylvania Drilling Co.
Carmeuse Lime & Stone
Gannett Fleming, Inc.
PNC Financial Services Group
Dawood Engineering, Inc.
L.G. Hetager Drilling, Inc.
Werner Co.
Kent State University
Special Thanks AEG wishes to thank the following individuals for their assistance with the planning of the 2015 Annual Meeting: Frank Banquets (Technical Program Committee)
Dan Martt (Field Trip Committee)
Frank Benacquista (Field Trip #3)
Judy Neelan (Field Trip #5)
Kathleen Bensko (Short Course Committee)
Bill Niemann (Technical Program Committee)
Peggy Bissett (Field Trip Committee)
Paul Painter (Field Trip #4)
Karen Rose Cercone (University Coordination Liaison)
David Plas (Planning Committee)
Larry Drown (Field Trip #1)
Chuck Schultz (Field Trip #5)
Kristen Enzweiler (Poster Session Committee)
Matt Waugh (Planning Committee)
Matt Folk (Field Trip #1)
Jonathan West (Field Trip #1)
Ryan Frandray (Planning Committee)
Jessica Hostetter (Accounting Manager, Offinger Management Co)
Howard Gault (Field Trip #1)
Marrijane Jones (Association Manager, Offinger Management Co)
Tej Gautam (Poster Session Committee)
Yolanda Natividad (Administrative Coordinator, Offinger Management Co)
Richard Gray (Technical Program Committee) James Hamel (Field Trips #2 & 3)
Amy Campbell (Customer Service, Offinger Management Co)
Bob Hedin (Field Trip #6)
AEG Governance Restructure Update: A Member Town Hall Meeting Friday, September 25, 2015 – 11:20am-12:00pm – Kings Terrace A lot of effort is going into bringing about the changes our members asked for out of the needs assessment process that AEG underwent a couple years back. As part of continual communication of the process, AEG’s leadership will be providing a 20-minute update on the past year’s efforts with the ongoing Government Restructure. Following the update, an additional 20 minutes will be available for open discussion. Please consider joining this session if you are interested to learn more about why AEG is choosing to adopt a Region-Chapter model, reducing the size our Board of Directors from 30 to 16; and what has necessitated AEG to have an attorney review and restate our bylaws and articles of incorporation.
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AEG NEWS 58 Annual Meeting Program with Abstracts
September 2015
COMMONWEALTH OF PENNSYLVANIA OFFICE OF THE GOVERNOR
GREETINGS: G REE T ING S:
It is my pleasure to welcome everyone to the Association of Environmental & Engineering Itism y pleasu re to w el lc co o me e ev ve er ry yone to the Assoc iation of E nvir r o onm entaland Geologists (AEG) Annual Meeting in Pittsburgh. E ngine ee eri ing Ge eo olog gs sts sA AEG )Ann ual Con ference i Pit tsb s urg gh. To secure bright for commonwealth, vital that wevital invest in education T o ase ec cu ure afuture bri igh t fuour ture for o our co omm itonisw e ea al alth, itis that w e inve es stand in ed e d u ca c at t i ion an d tr r a ain in g that is r e eq q u ire d e f o or ra r ap id ly gr r o ow in g in d u str i ies r S c ience an d training that is required for rapidly growing industries. Sciences and engineering have been H Q J L Q H H U L R Q H V R I W K H F R P P R Q Z H D O W K ¶ V H F R Q R P \ I R U J H Q H U D W L R Q V Q J K D Y H E H H Q F R U Q H U V W cornerstones of the commonwealth’s economy for generations. Pittsburgh’s very first bridges er ry y fi irsbri idge es w ere co onstr u rcte ed duri ing theRevol v ti on o ar i ry War ; theco oal 3LWWVEXUJK¶V ve were constructed during the Revolutionary War; the coal, iron and steel industries thrived as elindustr i ie r thriv vd asthenat ti ionpro ogr resse s intothe20th century; and today, ironand ste the the 20th century; and today, Pennsylvania proudly Pennation nprogressed iapro oudlyinto isp d lays its ri ich industr i ral a h eri itag and ur rb ban l a andsc ca apdisplays e.I co ommitserich nd nsylva industrial Incommend those attendance fordtheir theritage t te endanceand for o urban their dlandscape. es e sire si tolea rn r and pro ogr r e es ssinin this indust tr ry y,an I am desire cer rt taito those inat learn and wprogress inuethis Ic amancertain AEG will continue foster thatAEG il lco ontin tofost oindustry, tr te echnand olog g ca al de ed duc ca athat at ti ional innova tion for o m anto y ye ea ar rs to om e. technological and educational innovation for many years to come. As G ove er rn nor, and on behal lf of allthe citize in ns of the Com m onw e ea alt of As Governor, and on behalf of all of the citizens of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, I am Pennsylva nia,I am del li g gh i te ed to w el lcome e ev v ve er ry y yone to theco onference. B e es s stw ish es e s for o a delighted to welcome everyone to the meeting. Best wishes for a memorable event and me em m or ra ablee ev ve ent an nc o ontinu ed e d s uccess s continued success.
TOM WOLF Governor G ove ernor o Se ep pte em ber 1 -26, 2015 September 19–26, 2015
225 Main Capitol Building - Harrisburg, PA 17120 - 717-787-2500 - FAX 717-772-8284 - www.pa.gov
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AEG NEWS 58 Annual Meeting Program with Abstracts
September 2015
BUREAU BURE AU OF OF TOPOGRAPHIC TOPOGRAPHIC AND AND GEOLOGIC GEOLOGIC SURVEY SURVEY An Open Open Welcome Welcome to to Members Members of of AEG Welcome Commonwealth off P Pennsylvania We lcome to to the th e C o m m o n w e a lth o ennsylvania and and the the gateway gateway city city of of Pittsburgh! Pittsburgh! As As a resident resident of of Pennsylvania, Pe nnsylvania, a member member of of the the leadership leadership team team of of tthe he Department Department of of Conservation Conservation and Natural Natural Resources, Acting State Geologist Re sources, tthe he A c tin g S ta te G eologist of of the the Pennsylvania Pennsylvania Geological Geological Survey Survey (PGS), (PGS), and and most m ost importantly extend allll o off yyou who attending AEG’s im portantly a ffellow ellow geologist, geologist, I e xtend a warm warm welcome welcome to to a ou w ho are a re a ttending A EG’s 58th 5 8 th Pittsburgh. annual meeting meeting iin nP ittsburgh. afffects the The Th e PGS PGS has been investigating investigating how geology geology affects the lives lives of Pennsylvania’s Pennsylvania’s citizens citizens for for more more than than years. W hile tthe he ear ly day sw ere cconsumed onsumed with with mineral mineral resources, resources, the the last last fifty fifty or so so years years have have 170 years. While early days were seen a significant significant u pswing in in engineering engineering and and environmental environmental concerns concerns resulting resulting from from both both natural natural and seen upswing andslides tto o ssurface urrfface ssubsidence anthropomorphic “geologic” “geologic” iissues. ssues. F rom llandslides ubsidence tto o ccontaminated ontaminated anthropomorphic From idizing ssulfides, ulfides, P ennsylvania has experienced groundwater tto o heav ing ffoundations oundations to to ox experienced a plethora plethora of groundwater heaving oxidizing Pennsylvania provide yyou ou wi th abundant abundant examples “opportunities.” Y our meeting meeting here here will will provide examples to to view, view, learn learn about, about, and and “opportunities.” Your with itself is a city city b uilt around around bridges, learn from from for for yyour our future fu tu re w ork. Pittsburgh Pittsburgh itself bridges, tunnels, tunnels, and and challenging challenging learn work. built topography. T marvels of of your host city city and its ake ti me to get get out out and and visit visit some some of of the the engineering engineering marvels your host its topography. Take time surroundings. surroundings. The missions m is s io n s o EG and and PGS PGS have have much much in in common—helping common—helping the the public public to to understand understand the the impacts impacts of The off A AEG offfice where geology on our llives. ives. W e at the the Survey Survey w elcome you, you, and invite invite you you to to visit visit our Pittsburgh Pittsburgh office where geology We welcome tafff iis geology. s kknowledgeable nowledgeable about many many aspects aspects of the the hydrocarbon hydrocarbon industry industry and the the local local geology. our sstaff our Harrisburg Harrisburg office office is is home home to to a staff staff knowledgeable Should time time allow, allow, our is also also open open to to visits visits and and is k n o w le d g e a b le Should geologic issues to landslides, landslides, and many many interesting interesting topics topics in-between. in-between. issues from from groundwater groundwater to about geologic En jo y ! Enjoy!
Ga le C. C. Blackmer, B la c k m e r , P hD , P G Gale PhD, PG Ac ting State State G eologist and and Director D ir e c to r Acting Geologist Bu reau of of T o p o g r a p h ic a nd G eologic Survey Survey Bureau Topographic and Geologic
September 2015
AEG NEWS 58 Annual Meeting Program with Abstracts
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t a e c n e r e f n o C e Th onfluence! C e h t
2014 ANNUAL MEETING 2015
The 58th Annual Meeting– Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Welcome to the Conference at the Confluence in Pittsburgh, PA. As many of you know, attending the AEG Annual Meeting is far more than just experiencing an excellent technical program, but a time to come together as a community of applied geologists. The community connects through many networks, though ultimately many of us connect as friends. Consider that there are people at this conference who have been both friends and colleagues for over 50 years! Of course it’s not the past that we want to concentrate on but the future, so consider that there are a number of people who are attending their first Annual Meeting. Please join me in making them feel welcome and helping to build those connections that will last for the next 50 years. We all recognize that we are living more and more in a virtual world and increasingly attending a technical meeting may not be viewed as a valuable use of a professional’s time (is it billable?). However, I think that those that attend the Annual Meeting will come away with a very real appreciation of the value of such meetings. As geo-professionals working in an applied world, we all understand the value of getting our boots muddy and our hands dirty. Geologists understand that “the field” has value and to get the full understanding of a problem, fieldwork is necessary to the solution. For technical knowledge, networking opportunities, short course training, presentation skills, recruiting, etc., conferences like AEG’s Annual Meeting are “the field” and an invaluable part of professional development. And there are plenty of actual field trips as well. I urge each of you to take the message back to the office (or equivalent) with you and share it with your colleagues. Be an advocate for your professional development and the opportunities for your colleagues. Tell them what you learned, tell them who you met, tell them who was watching you present. Let them know about that new tool or procedure you learned about and how you think it will work for that project over there. You are a better professional for participating in the Annual Meeting. This meeting presents many opportunities for the development I mention above—excellent field trips in Pittsburgh and surrounding regions, technically superb short courses, and the technical sessions and symposia. Learn more about dams and dam rehabilitation, learn about landslides and the landslide hazard dilemma that bridges science, policy, public safety, and potential loss. And so much more. Please enjoy your stay in Pittsburgh and get all that you can out of the Annual Meeting. Feel free to stop me to chat about whatever is on your mind. And let’s not forget to welcome the 2015–16 officers—especially our next President, Paul Santi.
Ken C. Fergason AEG 2014–15 President
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AEG NEWS 58 Annual Meeting Program with Abstracts
September 2015
e h t o t e m o c l We EG A h t 58 alMeeting u n n A
2015 2014ANNUAL ANNUALMEETING MEETING
On behalf of the 2015 Annual Meeting Committee and the Allegheny-Ohio Section, we warmly welcome you to the Steel City and the Keystone State. The members of the Committee have been working for several years to bring you the “Conference at the Confluence” and are thrilled that it is nearly upon us. We invite you to participate in the many technical and social activities the meeting offers. This program includes all the information for the symposia, technical sessions, poster sessions, field trips, short courses and guest tours. Additionally, it gives information for the ice-breaker reception, lunch and dinner meetings, special event, student activities, and, of course, all of our amazing exhibitors and sponsors, as well as our awards and awardees and our distinguished lecturers. The confluence of our three rivers—the Allegheny from the north, Monongahela from the south, forming the mighty Ohio to the west—has resulted in a landscape of challenging slopes for a growing urban environment. Just below the surface is the Pittsburgh Coal seam, the thickest and most extensive coal bed in the Appalachian Basin. The legacy of mining can still be seen on several of the field trips offered at the conference. Layer in several hundred years of industrial heritage and you have present day Pittsburgh, a virtual showcase of engineering geology and environmental opportunities. We have selected the area field trips to offer visitors a selection of each of the elements that make the Pittsburgh region a wonderful place to work and live. Field trips run before, during, and after the technical sessions. You can choose from trips that involve walking, busing, or ferry riding. Pittsburgh is a thriving city with many attractions. You can experience many of these nearby sites through our guest tours or self-guided exploration. Guest tours highlight the cultural diversity and rich history of the area—from the dining experiences of the strip district to Frank Lloyd Wright’s Fallingwater and Kentuck Knob. There just wasn’t enough space in the schedule to fit all the deserving destinations in the area. If you have time, take a short walk or cab ride to the Andy Warhol Museum, the Carnegie Museum of Natural History, the National Aviary, or one of our many other worthwhile sites. This is the second time that the Allegheny-Ohio Section has hosted an annual meeting in Pittsburgh. Not only are we recycling the former meeting’s hotel 25 years later, we are also recycling several members of the 1990 Annual Meeting Committee! Thank you for coming and enjoy your stay. Let us know if we can help make your experience even better.
Paul A. Hale General Co-Chair
September 2015
AEG NEWS 58 Annual Meeting Program with Abstracts
Dale C. Andrews General Co-Chair
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2015 ANNUAL MEETING
AEG 2015 Awardees Honorary Members
Douglas R. Piteau Outstanding Young Member Nathan R. Saraceno
Abdul Shakoor James Hamel AEG confers an honor of such high esteem that the distinction is recognized as a membership class: Honorary Member. This recognition is given to those persons whose careers have exemplified the ideals of AEG.
This award is presented to a Member or Associate Member who is age 35 or under and has excelled in the following areas: technical accomplishment, service to the Association, and service to the engineering geology profession.
Student Professional Paper Benjamin D. Haugen The Association acknowledges the work of geology students by the Student Professional Paper Contest.
Karl and Ruth Terzaghi Mentor Award Dr. Scott Burns This award, established in 2008, recognizes outstanding individuals for their achievements as Mentors throughout their career. The recipient should be an individual who has made lifelong efforts in providing professional, ethical, and technical mentoring for environmental and engineering geologists.
Floyd T. Johnston Service Award Honoring Service to the Association
Marie Marshall Garsjo
Nazrul I. Khandaker The Association’s highest publication award, the Claire P. Holdredge Award, is presented to an AEG Member who has produced a publication within the past five years that is adjudged to be an outstanding contribution to the Environmental and Engineering Geology Profession.
Richard H. Jahns Distinguished Lecturer in Engineering Geology
This award is presented to a Member for outstanding active and faithful service to AEG over a minimum period of nine years to coincide with Floyd T. Johnston’s tenure as Executive Director.
Jerome V. DeGraff
Schuster Medal Dr. David M. Cruden A joint award from AEG and the Canadian Geotechnical Society that recognizes excellence in geohazards research in North America. Nominees must be residents of North America and meet at least two of the following criteria: professional excellence in geohazards research with relevance to North America; significant contribution to public education regarding geohazards; international recognition for a professional career in geohazards; influential geohazards research or development of methods or techniques; or teacher of geohazards students.
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Claire P. Holdredge Award
A joint committee of AEG and the Engineering Geology Division of the Geological Society of America selects the Richard H. Jahns Distinguished Lecturer. The Lecturer presents an annual series of lectures at academic institutions in order to increase awareness of students about careers in Engineering Geology.
AEG Service Award (one-time special award)
Karen E. Smith AEG will be recognizing Karen E. Smith for her many years of service and important, behind the scenes work as Editorial Assistant for AEG News and Environmental & Engineering Geoscience (E&EG).
AEG NEWS 58 Annual Meeting Program with Abstracts
September 2015
2015 ANNUAL MEETING
AEG Foundation 2015 Scholars Beardsley-Kuper Field Camp Scholarship Ann Sutton Teichmiller University of Mississippi No Photo Available
mega landslides, his worldly travels, his good humor, and his gracious manner. This scholarship supports his legacy.
Christopher C. Mathewson Scholarship Richard Goldberg
Darren Seidel
University of Texas – Arlington Graduate Division, No Photo Available
Angelo State University The Beardsley-Kuper Field Camp Scholarship Fund is proud to announce its fifth annual awards. Funds are intended to support geology field camp expenses with applied environmental and engineering geology that will be useful to the students’ future profession as an environmental or engineer geologist.
Kimberly Belle Barry University of Texas Arlington Undergraduate Division
Norman R. Tilford Field Study Scholarships David Korte
Marliave Scholarship
Kent State University PhD Division
Lauren Schaefer Michigan Technological University
Annette Patton
The Marliave Scholarship Fund was established in 1968 to honor the late Chester E. Marliave, Burton H. Marliave, and Elmer C. Marliave, outstanding engineering geologists and supporters of AEG. The funds are distributed as grants, which are intended to support academic activity and reward outstanding scholarship in Engineering Geology and Geological Engineering.
Sara Fischer Indiana University–Purdue University – Ft. Wayne Undergraduate Division
Stout Scholarship Sara Lindsey Poluga Kent State University Graduate Division – 1st Place
Stephanie Gugolz University of Georgia Graduate Division – 2nd Place
The scholarships are awarded for the summer field season and were established in memory of Norman R. Tilford, who was a leader in engineering geology and a professor of engineering geology at Texas A&M University. Norm died in late 1997 while flying his small aircraft to meet a student field trip. Norm was dedicated to teaching geology in the field and these scholarships will support his legacy.
West-Gray Scholarship
Justin Alford
Patrick Beaudry
East Carolina University Undergraduate Division – 1st Place, No Photo Available
Robert Huber Radford University Undergraduate Division – 2nd Place, No Photo Available Dr. Martin L. Stout was Professor of Geology at California State University, Los Angeles from 1960 to 1990. He is remembered by all of his students for his passionate and insightful instruction in engineering geology. Dr. Stout was well known for his expertise on September 2015
Colorado State University Masters Division
CUNY – Queens College Established in 2014 with initial funding provided as a gift from AEG Past Presidents Terry R. West and Richard E. Gray, this fund supports undergraduate and graduate geology students in the eastern half of the United States through scholarship grants.
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2015 ANNUAL MEETING
Exhibitors Our exhibitors offer an excellent platform to interact one-on-one with you and your company. Your active interest and participation during the exhibit hours will help to ensure that vendor support will remain strong during the years to come. Remember, without these exhibitors, AEG would not be able to offer the special touches that make our 2015 Annual Meeting a “step above the rest.”
Be sure to: ● Visit each and every booth
Exhibit Hours:
● Express your needs
Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday
● Ask questions and get answers ● Learn about new products and services
September 22 September 23 September 24 September 25
6:30 pm–8:30 pm 8:00 am–5:00 pm 8:00 am–5:00 pm 8:00 am–11:30 am
Access Limited Construction – Booth #4
Applus RTD – Booth #9
225 Suburban Rd, San Luis Obispo, CA 93401 805-592-2230 www.accesslimitedconstruction.com Contact: Kevin Wiesman, kevin@accesslimitedconstruction.com
13131 Dairy Ashford Rd, Suite 230, Sugar Land, TX 77478 832-295-5024 www.ApplusRTD.us Contact: Martin Derby, Martin.Derby@Applus.com
Access Limited Construction is a General Contractor specializing in rockfall mitigation, slope stabilization, designing and installing rockfall protection, and performing difficult access drilling throughout the United States.
ADAM Technology – Booth #12 Suite 3, 41 Belmont Ave. Belmont, WA 6104 Australia (61) 8 94795575 www.adamtech.com.au Contact: Kevin Ha, kha@adamtech.com.au 3DM Analyst Mine Mapping Suite – Digital photogrammetric software used in terrestrial, aerial and underground applications. Examples include resource modelling, surveying, geotechnical and geological analysis, blast profiles, stockpile volume measurement and a variety of other tasks. All are performed from a safe distance when combined with 3DM CalibCam, our block adjustment software. Large projects can be undertaken with high accuracy using minimal control.
Appalachian Geophysical Surveys – Booth #48 5511 Greensburg Rd, Apollo, PA 15613-1737 724-327-8119 www.appageos.com Contact: Craig Clemmens, cbclemmens@appageos.com Geophysical Borehole logging services for hydrological studies and rock mechanics.
Applus RTD is a leading global industry service provider, delivering technical assurance through non-destructive testing, inspection, and certification to the capital-intensive, high-risk, utility and infrastructure industries in every region of the world.
Association of Environmental & Engineering Geologists – Registration Area 1100-H Brandywine Blvd., Zanesville, OH 43701 844-331-7867, Fax 740-452-2552 www.aegweb.org Contact: contact@aegweb.org AEG welcomes you to Pittsburgh! We hope your stay is filled with informative technical sessions, great meals, and of course lots of networking.
Association of Environmental & Engineering Geologists 2016 Annual Meeting – Registration Area Contacts: Ken Neal, KenGNeal@aol.com and Steve Evans, sevans@pangeoinc.com AEG is pleased to host the 2016 Annual meeting in Kona, Hawaii. Stop by our booth to get all of the details.
Association of Environmental & Engineering Geologists Foundation – Booths #1–3 17926 Dixie Highway, Suite B Homewood, IL 60430 312-403-0846 www.aegfoundation.org, staff@aegfoundation.org Contact: Patty Bryan, pmbryan24@gmail.com
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AEG NEWS 58 Annual Meeting Program with Abstracts
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2015 ANNUAL MEETING
Bucks Geophysical Corporation – Booth #31 PO Box 249, Ottsville, PA 18942 484-833-3003, Fax 484-833-3004 www.bucksgeophysical.com Contact: Matthew J. McMillen, bucksgeo@bucksgeo.com Bucks Geophysical Corporation is a full service geophysical consulting firm specializing in near-surface and borehole investigations. Our capabilities include EM, GPR, MAG, Seismic, Resistivity, VLF, utility locating, small-diameter video pipe inspections and tracing, and geophysical borehole surveys.
Cascade Drilling – Booth #16 1010 Greene Street, Marietta, OH 45750 614-402-1808 www.cascadedrilling.com Contact: Steve Bratton, shuck@cascadedrilling.com Cascade Drilling, (formally Boart Longyear E&I) is a world wide provider of drilling services specializing in the application of our Sonic drilling system for geotechnical professionals. We have applied the sonic system for numerous soft ground tunnel, dam, geotechnical investigation, and geotechnical construction projects globally in support of both design and construction effort. For more information on our Sonic system visit our website.
Collier Consulting, Inc. – Booth #33 590 E. South Loop, Stephenville, TX 76401 817-915-6174 www.collierconsulting.com Contact: Rusty Branch, Rusty@collierconsulting.com Specializing in surface and borehole geophysics including detection, delineation and characterization of a wide variety of subsurface features and areas of geologic concern. Services include top of rock profiling, fault studies, environmental site characterization, karst investigations, and more. Our toolbox includes seismic, resistivity, EM, mag, gravity, and GPR. We work on land and water.
supported by experienced site investigation professionals in order to provide the highest quality site investigation.
Diedrich Drill, Inc. – Booth #57 5 Fisher Street, LaPorte, IN 46359 219-716-5505 www.diedrichdrill.com Contact: Rob Caho, ddirc@csinet.net Diedrich Drill manufactures a complete line of geotechnical, environmental, drilling rigs and tooling.
Environmental Risk Information Services (ERIS) – Booth #40 38 Lesmill Road, Unit 2, Toronto ON M3B 2T5 866-517-5204, x43713 www.erisinfo.com Contact: Brayden Ford, bford@erisinfo.com Environmental Risk Information Services (ERIS) provides comprehensive data to assess environmental risk for properties in all 50 states. ERIS delivers accurate, affordable, on-demand radius database reports and historical products for Phase I/II, remediation, loan/insurance assessment, or legal due diligence and meets criteria set by the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM).
Field Environmental Instruments, Inc. – Booth #36 301 Brushton Avenue, Suite A, Pittsburgh, PA 15221 412-436-2600 www.fieldenvironmental.com Contact: Mitchell Brourman, mbrourman@fieldenvironmental.com Field Environmental Instruments (FEI), headquartered in Pittsburgh, serves the nation’s environmental industry professionals looking for rental equipment and instruments, health and safety items, and supplies. Technical and field expertise supports project sites before, during, and after the rental period.
ConeTec Inc. – Booth #17
GAI Consultants, Inc. – Booth #20
606-S Roxbury Industrial Ctr., Charles City, VA 23030 800-504-1116 www.conetec.com Contact: Mark Knolle, mknolle@conetec.com
385 E Waterfront Dr, Homestead, PA 15120-5005 412-476-2000 www.gaiconsultants.com Contact: Rich Ruffolo, r.ruffolo@gaiconsultants.com
ConeTec is an international site investigation company with offices throughout the Americas. ConeTec specializes in the design and use of in-situ soil testing equipment worldwide. ConeTec designs, builds and operates the most advanced insitu testing equipment available including a wide range of cone penetration testing (CPT) probes, sampling systems, seismic equipment, geophysical tools and a fleet of purpose built in-situ testing vehicles, drill rigs, and offshore systems. All field investigations are performed by specially trained personnel and
GAI Consultants, Inc. helps clients manage their ground materials and geologic processes that affect their facilities, properties, and project sites. Our geotechnical engineers and geologists are highly experienced in the principles of engineering, geology, soil and rock mechanics, foundation engineering, and subsidence.
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AEG NEWS 58 Annual Meeting Program with Abstracts
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2015 ANNUAL MEETING
Gannett Fleming, Inc. – Booth #43
Geo-Solutions, Inc. – Booth #34
270 Senate Ave., Camp Hill, PA 17011 717-763-7211, Fax 717-761-7059 www.gannettfleming.com Contact: Brian Greene, bgreene@gfnet.com
1250 Fifth Avenue, New Kensington, PA 15068 724-335-7273 www.geo-solutions.com Contact: Ken Andromalos, kandromalos@geo-solutions.com
Gannett Fleming provides a full range of geotechnical and geological services, ranging from foundations, dams, and levees, to earth retaining structures, tunnels and mining operations. These services include geotechnical analysis, digital photogrammetry, drilling and geophysics, site characterization, instrumentation, ground modification, design of earth structures, and groundwater studies. One of only 27 ENR Top 100 Firms to be ISO 9001:2008 certified, Gannett Fleming has more than 60 offices worldwide.
GeoSolutions is a national leader in full service environmental remediation and geotechnical contracting, working nationwide in the areas of subsurface stabilization, remedial actions, groundwater control and subgrade improvement. GeoSolutions offers innovative, cost-effective and practical solutions to environmental and civil engineering problems involving soil and groundwater. The senior managers of GeoSolutions have been in the forefront of numerous construction technologies including soil mixing, jet grouting, slurry walls, biopolymer collection trenches, and other grouting services. We have over 200 years of combined experience in the specialty construction industry and have worked for a range of clients including those in both the public and private sector.
Geobrugg North America, LLC – Booth #19 22 Centro Algodones, Algodones, NM 87001 505-771-4080, Fax 505-771-4081 www.geobrugg.com Contact: Tim Shevlin, tim.shevlin@geobrugg.com Geobrugg is the world leader in the design and fabrication of protection systems using high-tensile steel wire mesh and netting. With standard or customized solutions, years of experience, leading Swiss technology, and collaboration with universities and research institutes, Geobrugg is a reliable partner and the performance benchmark in the industry.
Geokon, Inc. – Booth #18 48 Spencer Street, Lebanon, NH 03766 603-448-1562, Fax 603-448-3216 www.geokon.com Contact: Martin Gradijan, mgradijan@geokon.com Geokon manufactures a full range of high quality geotechnical instrumentation suitable for monitoring the safety and stability of a variety of civil and mining structures including dams, tunnels, foundations, mine openings, piles, etc. Geokon's product line includes piezometers, pressure cells, strain gauges, inclinometers, load cells, extensometers, settlement systems, dataloggers, etc.
The Exhibitors’ Luncheon Sponsored by
GEOVision, Inc. – Booth #45 1124 Olympic Dr., Corona, CA 92881 951-549-1234, Fax 951-549-1236 www.geovision.com Contact: John Diehl, jdiehl@geovision.com GEOVision services include geophysical measurement, analysis, and monitoring. We specialize in non-invasive methods of investigation that may reduce the overall cost and liability in engineering and environmental projects. The use of geophysics can provide a better understanding of subsurface geologic and hydrologic conditions; subsurface infrastructure; engineering properties of soil and rock; and earthquake hazard.
Hayward Baker Inc. (HBI) - Booth #44 53 Century Blvd., Suite 200, Nashville TN 37214. 615-838-9014 x 12301 www.haywardbaker.com Contact: Micheal Marasa, mjmarasa@haywardbaker.com Hayward Baker Inc. (HBI), a Keller company, provides designbuild geotechnical solutions for problems faced by environmental and engineering geologists. Our techniques address issues such as groundwater control, liquefaction mitigation, landslides, structural support, and soil stabilization for soft ground tunneling. HBI is annually ranked #1 in the profession by Engineering News-Record.
Environmental Risk Information Services Wednesday, September 23 Grand Ballroom 1 & 2, Noon–1:30pm The Association of Environmental & Engineering Geologists (AEG), as part of its Annual Meeting, provides an exhibit area with special events. The sole purpose of this exhibition is to provide the attendees of the meeting with an opportunity to view current and relevant products and services that may be of interest to working engineering geologists, environmental geologists, and hydrogeologists. AEG makes no claims or representations with respect to the quality, performance, or fitness for any purpose, of any given product or service that an exhibitor(s) may offer at the conference. AEG makes no endorsement of any product or service. AEG makes no warranty either expressed or implied with respect to any product or service offered at the conference. The quality, performance and/or warranty of any product or service offered at the conference is the exclusive, sole and complete responsibility of the exhibitor(s). AEG shall assume no responsibility for or liability resulting from the representations made by any exhibitor(s) for any product or service offered at the conference.
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AEG NEWS 58 Annual Meeting Program with Abstracts
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2015 ANNUAL MEETING
HI-TECH Rockfall – Booth #38
LogitEasy (SIA ICD Logs) – Booth #24
PO Box 674, Forest Grove, OR 97116 503-357-6508, Fax 503-357-7323 www.hitechrockfall.com Contact: Dane Wagner, dane@hitechrockfall.com
47-30 157th Street, Flushing, NY 11355 914-434-6358 www.logiteasy.com Contact: John Maris Gobins, john.gobins@logiteasy.com
HI-TECH is a General Contractor who specializes in rockfall mitigation and installs rockfall protection systems throughout the United States. HI-TECH constructs a vast array of rockfall mitigation systems in a variety of locations such as highways, railroads, dams, quarries, mines, construction sites, commercial, and residential properties. Protection Systems and Services include, but are not limited to: wire mesh drapery, cable net drapery, rockfall catchment barriers, rock scaling, debris flow systems, rock dowels, and rock bolts.
LogitEasy is a geoconsulting industry service that enables you to obtain high-quality boring logs for a fixed fee using one of three options: 1) Log borings electronically on our field form for iPads, 2) Enter your field notes into our web-based desktop software, or, 3) Send us your field notes for drafting into logs.
Howard Concrete Pumping Co., Inc. – Booth #27 701 Millers Run Rd., Cuddy, PA 15031 412-257-1800 www.howardconcretepumping.com Contact: Arik Way, away@howardconcretepumping.com Howard Concrete Pumping Co., Inc. is a specialty geotechnical construction company specializing in mine stabilization by drilling and grouting, soil mixing/ground improvement, rock anchors, micropiles, retaining walls, compaction grouting, flowable fills, and manufacturing of roller compacted concrete.
L.G. Hetager Drilling, Inc. – Booth #37 1857 Woodland Ave. Ext., Punxsutawney, PA 15767 814-938-7370 www.hetager.com Contact: Paul Hale, phale@hetager.com L.G. Hetager Drilling, Inc. has provided quality innovative drilling services to its clients since 1952. The majority of our rigs were built in-house in our 1,600-Sq.-Ft. headquarters facility in Punxsutawney, PA. Our rigs were built by drillers for drillers to help them help our clients achieve their goals as expeditiously as possible.
Maccaferri, Inc. – Booth #26 10303 Governor Lane Blvd., Williamsport, MD 21795 301-223-6910, Fax 301-223-4590 www.maccaferri-usa.com Contact: Ghislain Brunet, gbrunet@maccaferri-usa.com Maccaferri has locations in over 100 countries. Traditionally, Maccaferri was known for their double-twist wire mesh products, like Gabions, but has expanded its product range to include erosion control, retaining walls, reinforced soil slopes, roads and pavement, rockfall mitigation, marine and coastal protection, and mining solutions.
Midwest GeoSciences Group – Booth #10 6771 County Road 8 SW, Waverly, MN 55390 763-607-0092 www.midwestgeo.com Contact: Dan Kelleher, dan@midwestgeo.com Creating meaningful environmental and engineering educational experiences is the main objective for the Midwest GeoSciences Group. We collaborate with experts to create field tools such as the Field Guide for Soil and Stratigraphic Analysis and the Field Guide for Slug Testing and Data Analysis—our most popular items. We are proud to partner with AEG for online educational events such as webinars. AEG members benefit from reduced registrations coupled with getting access to teach in front of a global audience.
LIM Technology, Inc. – Booth #11
Mount Sopris Instrument Company, Inc. – Booth #13
3495 Piedmont Rd NE – Bldg. 11, Ste. 710, Atlanta, GA 30305 404-661-5299 www.lim.eu Contact: Pierre de Groulard, pierre.degroulard@lim.eu
4975 E. 41st Avenue, Denver, CO 80216 303.279.3211 ext. 103 www.mountsopris.com Contact: John Stowell, john.stowell@mountsopris.com
Specializing in drilling data logging equipment, drilling parameters recorders, CPT datalogging, borehole log software (cloud based), and borehole logging & imaging equipment.
Mount Sopris Instruments is a leading manufacturer of slim borehole geophysical logging systems for the engineering, geotech, groundwater, and environmental industries and features a complete range of downhole probes, rugged winches, data loggers, and best-in-class WellCAD software. We offer measurements for oriented fracture and structural analysis, borehole imaging, rock properties, lithology characterization, and groundwater solutions.
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National Association of State Boards of Geology (ASBOG) – Booth #14 700 S.W. Harrison Street, Topeka, KS 66603-3745 785-291-3860 www.asbog.org Contact: Robert Henthorne, roberth@ksdot.org Professional licensure examinations
Nicholson Construction Company – Booth #32 12 McClane Street, Cuddy, PA 15057 412-221-4500 www.nicholsonconstruction.com Contact: Gretchen Connelly, gretchen.connelly@nicholsonconstruction.com Nicholson is a versatile geotechnical contractor specializing in deep foundations, earth retention and ground treatment. As the North American subsidiary of Soletanche Bachy, one of the world’s leading geotechnical contractors, we are part of a global network of geotechnical resources and expertise. We work in a wide range of industries and environments, from power plants and dams, to bridges and skyscrapers. Headquartered in Pittsburgh, Nicholson has offices around the country to address each region’s unique geotechnical construction needs.
Northwest Geophysics – Booth #15 18392 Redmond Way, Redmond, WA 98052 425-306-0174 www.northwestgeophysics.com Contact: Matt Benson, mbenson@northwestgeophysics.com
PennDrill Manufacturing – Booth #28 500 Thompson Ave., McKees Rocks, PA 15136 412-771-2110 www.penndrillmanufacturing.com Contact: Thomas B. Sturges, tsturges@penndrill.com Specializing in foundation drilling tools, construction augers, deep soil mixing tools, colloidal grout plants, portable electric silos, automated grout plants, and micropile to 24-inch diameter. In addition to our Pennsylvania branch, we have offices in Winchester, VA, and Perris, CA.
Pennsylvania Drilling Co. – Booth #21 281 Route 30, Imperial, PA 15126-1240 724-695-2400, Fax 724-695-2455 www.pennsylvaniadrillingco.com Contact: Thomas B. Sturges, tsturges@penndrill.com Providing geotechnical and environmental drilling services
Pyramid Environmental & Engineering – Booth #23 503 Industrial Ave., Greensboro, NC 27406 336-335-3174, Fax 336-691-0648 Contact: Doug Canavello, doug@pyramidenvironmental.com Specializing in environmental and engineering geophysical surveys including seismic, resistivity, ground penetrating radar, and EM. Experience in international work.
Ruen Drilling, Inc. - Booth #42
Northwest Geophysics is an equipment lease company specializing in land, marine, borehole logging and NDE geophysical instruments for the engineering and environmental communities.
PO Box 267, Clark Fork, ID 83811 208-266-1151 www.ruendrilling.com Contact: Arlan Ruen, arlen.ruen@ruendrilling.com
Olson Engineering, Inc. – Booth #29
Ruen Drilling, established in 1974, provides drilling services including surface, underground and horizontal directional core drilling for the geotechnical, exploration and geothermal industries throughout the U.S. and South America. Available drilling equipment includes truck, track, skid and helicopter supported core drills. Rig capacities are 10,000 ft vertical or angle and 3,000 ft horizontal.
12401 W 49th Ave., Wheat Ridge, CO 80033 303-883-2013, Fax 303-423-6071 www.olsonengineering.com Contact: Paul Schwering, pauls@olsonengineering.com Olson Engineering, Inc., specializes in solving problems for engineers regarding structural and infrastructure condition assessment, and geoscientists regarding geological and geotechnical problems needing site characterization. The company expertly applies both NDE and engineering geophysical methods to provide superior structural assessment and subsurface imaging to our customers. Olson also designs, assembles and distributes world class NDT instrumentation.
Schnabel Engineering – Booth #47 11-A Oak Branch Drive, Greensboro, NC 27407 336-274-9456 www.schnabel-eng.com Contact: Gary Rogers, grogers@schnabel-eng.com Schnabel Engineering is an ENR Top 10 geotechnical engineering firm serving our clients with geologic, engineering geology, and engineering expertise on transportation, dam, tunnel, and large civil projects. Schnabel’s integrated geophysicists also provide a full suite of investigation technologies to understand unseen conditions and provide focused solutions.
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AEG NEWS 58 Annual Meeting Program with Abstracts
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2015 ANNUAL MEETING
Sisgeo North America – Booth #51 24 Celestial Drive, Suite A, Narragansett, RI 02882 401-782-1045 www.sisgeo-northamerica.com Contact: Kenny Campbell, kenny.campbell@geo-instruments.com Specializing in geotechnical instrumentation, SIGs-North America provides geotechnical and structural instruments to the North American market.
Terra Testing, Inc. – Booth #56 260 Meadowlands Blvd., Washington, PA 15301 724-746-9100 www.terratestinginc.com Contact: Michael Tiani, mtiani@terratesting.com Specializing in geotechnical and environmental drilling services. Founded in 1972 and incorporated in 1981, Terra Testing has 23 rigs and an airknife. We have West Virginia Certified Well Installers. Our crews are safety trained with MSHA, OSHA, Range, Safeland, Noble, Hess, First aid, Williams, CSX. Terra is 100% disabled veteran owned.
THG Geophysics, Ltd. – Booth #41 4280 Old William Penn Way, Murrysville, PA 15668 724-325-3996 www.geo-image.com Contact: Kate McKinley, ksm@geo-image.com Services offered by the THG Geophysics include a variety of geophysical data collection that provides clients with detailed maps and data often before our team leaves the field. All of our services provide our clients with data that helps them focus their investigations or improve the accuracy of their design specifications.
Triggs Technologies, Inc. – Booth #39 33977 Chardon Rd., Willoughby Hills, OH 44094-8497 440-585-0111 www.triggstechnologies.com Contact: Lisa Greene, triggstechnologies@yahoo.com Triggs Technologies, Inc. manufactures and sells the WILDCAT dynamic cone penetrometer, which hundreds of engineering and geological firms use to derive foundation bearing capacities.
University of Pennsylvania – Booth #25 269 Hayden Hall, 240 S. 33rd St., Philadelphia, PA 19104 215-573-9145 www.sas.upenn.edu/earth/graduate/professional-mastersprograms Contact: Sally Cardy, cardy@sas.upenn.edu Yvette Bordeaux, Program Director
in theoretical areas of geology with technical expertise in geochemistry, geophysics, hydrogeology, and engineering geology. Students pursuing their MSAG at Penn may concentrate in one of three areas: Environmental Geology, Engineering Geology, and Hydrogeology. Similar to the MES program, the MSAG degree is administered by the College of Liberal and Professional Studies in collaboration with the Department of Earth & Environmental Science.
VERTEK CPT – A Division of ARA – Booth #30 250 Beanville Road, Randolph, Vermont 05060 802-728-4588 www.vertekcpt.com Contact: Ryan Langlois, rlanglois@ara.com VERTEK is a world leader in the development and manufacturing of advanced in-situ soil testing apparatus. VERTEK, a division of Applied Research Associates, Inc., has over 30 years of experience developing and building cone penetrometer testing (CPT) technologies, as well as environmental testing and monitoring equipment for soil and groundwater.
X2 Environmental Contracting, Inc. – Booth #49 6689 Peachtree Ind. Blvd. Ste L, Peachtree Corners, GA 30092 770-335-3919 www.x2ec.com Contact: Michael McJilton, mike.mcjilton@x2ec.com Professional engineers, scientists, and technicians supporting environmental consultants with corrective action contracting services from technology selection, system design and fabrication, to installation and full service operations & maintenance. X2 staff has decades of practical experience in all aspects of environmental remediation; we work seamlessly with our clients to deliver efficient, compliant projects.
Zonge International, Inc. – Booth #46 3322 E. Fort Lowell Rd., Tucson, AZ 85716 520.327.5501 www.zonge.com Contact: Emmett V Reed (Van), emmett.reed@zonge.com Geophysical services provided by Zonge International include seismic, GPR, ground magnetics and gravity, along with Zonge electromagnetic and resistivity surveys. Whether the need is for geophysical tools able to detail near-surface geology or investigate deeper geologic features, Zonge International is able to provide geophysical services suitable for your needs.
The Master of Science in Applied Geosciences (MSAG) degree offers students a specialized degree that combines knowledge
September 2015
AEG NEWS 58 Annual Meeting Program with Abstracts
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2015 ANNUAL MEETING
Exhibitor Hall
AEG 2015 Exhibit Hall Floor Plan
AEG Foundation Silent Auction
Energizing the Seismic Risks and Hazards Technical Working Group Special Meeting: Wednesday, September 23rd, 5:00 pm – 6:00 pm King’s Terrace The dramatic increase in seismic activity in the central and eastern United States have prompted us to address the causes and consequences of these events to reduce associated risks. This is an opportunity for AEG members to contribute their technical resource to the increasing seismic risk and hazards in the United States. As an effort to energize and reform the AEG Seismic Risks and Hazards Technical Working Group, there will be a group meeting during the 58th AEG Annual Meeting in Pittsburgh. The meeting would provide an opportunity to join the technical working group, coordinate technical articles for AEG publications, and contribute your expertise in advancing our knowledge on seismic risks and hazards. Therefore, if you are interested, please join us for this important technical working group meeting. For more information contact Seismic Risk and Hazards Technical Working Group Co-Chairs Thomas Oommentoommen@mtu.edu or Phyllis Steckel psteckel@charter.net
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AEG NEWS 58 Annual Meeting Program with Abstracts
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2015 ANNUAL MEETING
Sponsors Without the help and financial support of the following individuals and companies, it would be impossible to plan the quality meeting to which AEG members have become accustomed.
At Press Time:
Short Course
Mobile App Carmeuse Lime & Stone
#4: Characterization of Rock Core and Borehole Conditions for Engineering & Environmental Projects
3600 Neville Rd., Pittsburgh, PA 15225-1416 412-777-0728 www.carmeusena.com Contact: Dale Andrews, dale.andrews@carmeusena.com
S&ME, Inc. 3201 Spring Forest Road, Raleigh, NC 27616 540-400-6926 www.smeinc.com Contact: Jason Murphy, JMurphy@smeinc.com
Field Trips: Field Trip #1: Bolivar Dam Seepage Barrier Construction Project (9/21)
Abdul Shakoor ashakoor@kent.edu
Field Trip #2: Landslides in the Vicinity of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania (9/21)
Howard Concrete Pumping Co., Inc. 701 Millers Run Rd., Cuddy, PA 15031 412-257-1800 www.howardconcretepumping.com Contact: Arik Way, away@howardconcretepumping.com Howard Concrete Pumping Co. Inc. is a specialty geotechnical construction company specializing in mine stabilization by drilling and grouting, soil mixing/ground improvement, rock anchors, micropiles, and retaining walls.
Field Trip #3: All Aboard! Pittsburgh’s Environmental and Engineering Geology from its Waterways (9/22)
17926 Dixie Hwy, Suite B, Homewood, IL 60430 708-922-9020 www.bryanenv.com Contact: Patricia Bryan, pbryan@bryanenv.com Bryan Environmental Consultants, Inc., is an expert in environmental assessments; site investigations; brownfield redevelopment; and remediation services for industry, lawyers, banks and mortgage owners, and municipalities. We combine our experience and expertise with efficient and cutting edge technology and state and federal regulations in order to deliver timely and quality environmental services at an affordable price. Our focus is always on our clients. and
AEG Carolinas Section www.aegcarolinas.org AEG’s Carolinas Section has been active since its establishment in 1988. AEG Carolinas Section serves the environmental and engineering profession, as well as the public in North and South Carolina.
Duane Kreuger D_Kreuger@geotechnology.com and
L.G. Hetager Drilling, Inc. 1857 Woodland Ave. Ext., Punxsutawney, PA 15767 814-938-7370 www.hetager.com Contact: Paul Hale, phale@hetager.com L.G. Hetager Drilling, Inc., has provided quality innovative drilling services to its clients since 1952. The majority of our rigs were built in-house in our 1,600-sq ft headquarters facility in Punxsutawney, PA. Our rigs were built by drillers, for drillers, to help them help our clients achieve their goals as expeditiously as possible.
September 2015
Student Professional Networking Reception Bryan Environmental Consultants, Inc.
Icebreaker Reception Geobrugg North America, LLC 22 Centro Algodones, Algodones, NM 87001 505-771-4080, Fax 505-771-4081 www.geobrugg.com Contact: Tim Shevlin, tim.shevlin@geobrugg.com Geobrugg is the world leader in the design and fabrication of protection systems using high-tensile steel wire mesh and netting. With standard or customized solutions, years of experience, leading Swiss technology, and collaboration with universities and research institutes, Geobrugg is a reliable partner and the performance benchmark in the industry.
AEG NEWS 58 Annual Meeting Program with Abstracts
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2015 ANNUAL MEETING
Exhibitor Luncheon Environmental Risk Information Services (ERIS)
Past President’s Luncheon Dept. of Geology, San Jose State University
38 Lesmill Road, Unit 2, Toronto ON M3B 2T5 866-517-5204 x43713 www.erisinfo.com Contact: Brayden Ford, bford@eris.ca
San Jose, CA, 95192-0102 408-924-5011 www.sjsugeology.org Contact: John W. Williams, Professor of Geology, Williams@geosun.sjsu.edu
Environmental Risk Information Services (ERIS) provides comprehensive data to assess environmental risk for properties in all 50 states. ERIS delivers accurate, affordable, on-demand radius database reports and historical products for Phase I/II, remediation, loan/insurance assessment, or legal due diligence and meets criteria set by the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM).
Annual Banquet Steele and Associates, LLC 2390 Forest St., Denver, CO 80207-3261 303-333-6071 Contact: Susan Steele Weir, steeleweir@aol.com A woman-owned engineering geology consulting firm, Steele and Associates provides project peer review for dam and tunnel construction projects and slope stabilization projects.
California’s San Jose State University offers an academic program in geology leading to a Master’s Degree with emphasis on engineering geology.
Women in AEG/AWG Breakfast L.G. Hetager Drilling, Inc. 1857 Woodland Ave. Ext., Punxsutawney, PA 15767 814-938-7370 www.hetager.com Contact: Paul Hale, phale@hetager.com L.G. Hetager Drilling, Inc., has provided quality innovative drilling services to its clients since 1952. The majority of our rigs were built in-house in our 1,600-sq ft headquarters facility in Punxsutawney, PA. Our rigs were built by drillers, for drillers, to help them help our clients achieve their goals as expeditiously as possible.
and and
AEG Oregon Section
Gill Editing Online
www.aegoregon.org As the Oregon Section of the Association of Environmental & Engineering Geologists, we are an organization which provides leadership in the development and application of geologic principles and knowledge to serve engineering, environmental and public needs.
Contact: Jane Gill-Shaler, janehgillshaler@gmail.com
Awards Luncheon & Corporate Business Meeting AEG Carolinas Section
AEG’s Carolinas Section has been active since its establishment in 1988. AEG Carolinas Section serves the environmental and engineering profession, as well as the public in North and South Carolina.
www.aegcarolinas.org
and
The Association of Environmental & Engineering Geologists (AEG) Carolinas Section has been in existence as a Section of AEG since 1988. AEG Carolinas Section serves the environmental & engineering profession and the public in North and South Carolina.
Bryan Environmental Consultants, Inc.
University Showcase Be sure to view the University Showcase near registration! We will be spotlighting the work being done in education and research by universities across the region by running a continuous slide show during the conference.
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Student Mini Grant Program AEG Carolinas Section www.aegcarolinas.org
17926 Dixie Highway, Suite B, Homewood, IL 60430 708-922-9020 www.bryanenv.com Contact: Patricia Bryan, pbryan@bryanenv.com Bryan Environmental Consultants, Inc., is an expert in environmental assessments; site investigations; brownfield redevelopment; and remediation services for industry, lawyers, banks and mortgage owners, and municipalities. We combine our experience and expertise with efficient and cutting edge technology and state and federal regulations in order to deliver timely and quality environmental services at an affordable price. Our focus is always on our clients.
AEG NEWS 58 Annual Meeting Program with Abstracts
September 2015
2015 ANNUAL MEETING
Opening Session Gannett Fleming, Inc.
Thursday
270 Senate Ave., Camp Hill, PA 17011 717-763-7211, Fax 717-761-7059 www.gannettfleming.com Contact: Brian Greene, bgreene@gfnet.com
5 Fisher St, La Porte, IN 46350 219-716-5505 www.diedrichdrill.com Contact: Rob Chao, ddirc@csinet.net
Gannett Fleming provides a full range of geotechnical and geological services, ranging from foundations, dams, and levees, to earth retaining structures, tunnels and mining operations. These services include geotechnical analysis, digital photogrammetry, drilling and geophysics, site characterization, instrumentation, ground modification, design of earth structures, and groundwater studies. One of only 27 ENR Top 100 Firms to be ISO 9001:2008 certified, Gannett Fleming has more than 60 offices worldwide.
Diedrich Drill manufactures a complete line of geotechnical, environmental, drilling rigs, and tooling.
Diedrich Drill, Inc.
Friday
AEG San Francisco Section www.aegsf.org
Technical Sessions Geophysics
Speaker/Moderator Breakfasts X2 Environmental Contracting, Inc. 6689 Peachtree Ind. Blvd. Ste L, Peachtree Corners, GA 30092 770-335-3919 www.x2ec.com Contact: Michael McJilton, mike.mcjilton@x2ec.com Professional engineers, scientists, and technicians supporting environmental consultants with corrective action contracting services from technology selection, system design and fabrication, to installation and full service operations & maintenance. X2 staff has decades of practical experience in all aspects of environmental remediation; we work seamlessly with our clients to deliver efficient, compliant projects.
Spotlight Geophysical Services 4618 NW 96 Ave., Doral, FL 33178 305-607-2377 www.spotlightgeo.com Contact: Ron Kaufmann, ron@spotlightgeo.com Spotlight Geophysical provides geophysical surveys for geotechnical and environmental application across the United States, the Caribbean, and Latin America. Our services include microgravity surveys for karst and abandoned mine projects, seismic surveys for land and shallow marine applications, and electrical/electromagnetic methods for environmental and geologic assessments.
Tuesday
Geology of Pittsburgh and Stability Considerations and Rock Slope Design for Stratigraphic Sequences Subject to Differential Weathering Symposium - Part I
Celtic Earth Consulting
HDR, Inc.
Contact: Steve Evans, sevans@pangeoinc.com
11 Stanwix St Ste 800, Pittsburgh, PA 15222-1357 412-497-6252 www.hdrinc.com Contact: Randy Gilbert, randy.gilbert@hdrinc.com Add description:
All Day Coffee Stations
Wednesday
DiGioia Gray & Associates, LLC 570 Beatty Road, Monroeville, PA 15146 724-254-6446 www.digioiagray.com Contact: Paula Deasy, paula@digioiagray.com DiGioia Gray & Associates, LLC, is led by internationally respected engineers and geologists and has extensive experience providing comprehensive consulting services. DiGioia Gray offers interdisciplinary, full-service expertise from planning and design through construction, operation, maintenance, and rehabilitation. With our experts as your trusted advisors, we commit to provide practical, economical, and reliable solutions that exceed your expectations.
September 2015
HDR is an architectural, engineering, and consulting firm that excels at complex projects and solving challenges for clients. More than 9,500 employee-owners, including architects, engineers, consultants, scientists, planners and construction managers, in 225 locations worldwide, gather their strengths to provide solutions beyond the scope of traditional A/E/C firms.
AEG NEWS 58 Annual Meeting Program with Abstracts
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2015 ANNUAL MEETING
Technical Session Breaks
Rite in the Rain Notebooks
Thursday
J.L. Darling Corporation
AEG Kansas City/Omaha Section
253-922-5000 Contact: Ryan McDonald, Marketing Manager, ryan@riteintherain.com www.RiteintheRain.com
www.aegweb.org/group/KCO Contact: Chair Robert Henthorne, roberth@ksdot.org
SymposiumS Dam Symposium
Schnabel Engineering 11-A Oak Branch Drive, Greensboro, NC 27407 336-274-9456 www.schnabel-eng.com Contact: Gary Rogers, grogers@schnabel-eng.com Schnabel Engineering is an ENR Top 10 geotechnical engineering firm serving our clients with geologic, engineering geology, and engineering expertise on transportation, dam, tunnel, and large civil projects. Schnabel’s integrated geophysicists also provide a full suite of investigation technologies to understand unseen conditions and provide focused solutions.
Stability Considerations and Rock Slope Design for Stratigraphic Sequences Subject to Differential Weathering Symposium
“Rite in the Rain” is an all-weather writing paper specifically designed to shed water in any weather condition. Whether you are using a pencil or all-weather pen, “Rite in the Rain” ensures your notes survive. Visit www.RiteintheRain.com to see the full line of writing products available.
REG REVIEW, Inc. STUDY AIDS and COURSES for the NATIONAL (ASBOG®) GEOLOGY LICENSING EXAMS
Looking for help to get focus and direction for the ASBOG® exams?
REG REVIEW, Inc. has the class for you! One-day courses are taught regionally nationwide. Increase your likelihood to pass by 25% over the national average.
Schnabel Engineering 11-A Oak Branch Drive, Greensboro, NC 27407 336-274-9456 www.schnabel-eng.com Contact: Gary Rogers, grogers@schnabel-eng.com
REG REVIEW, Inc. is the leader in providing study aids and courses for geological professionals preparing for the geology licensing exams. Instructors are professionals with direct ASBOG® and California exam experience.
Registration Giveaways
REG REVIEW, Inc. provides the only professional-quality Study Manuals and Flash Cards available for the ASBOG® Geology Licensing Exams, the California Supplemental exam, and the Hydrogeology and Engineering Geology Certification Exams.
Study Aids
Power Banks
Northwest Geophysics 18392 Redmond Way, Redmond, WA 98052 425-497-9015 www.northwestgeophysics.com Contact: Matt Benson, mbenson@northwestgeophysics.com
Order study aids or register for courses at regreview.com e-mail: regreview@aol.com 178 Bowles Road Newbury, NH 03255 (603) 763-3272 fax: (603) 763-3341 (916) 456-4870
Northwest Geophysics an equipment lease company specializing in land, marine, borehole logging, and NDE geophysical instruments for the engineering and environmental communities.
DISCOUNT ADMISSION
Name Badge Lanyards
BETA Analytic Inc. 305-667-5167 www.radiocarbon.com Contact: Darden Hood, dhood@radiocarbon.com BETA Analytic Inc. is the world’s largest and most experienced professional radiocarbon dating service and offers both radiometric and AMS analyses with results reported within 2–30 business days of receipt. Since 1979, more than 6,900 researchers have entrusted BETA with over 157,000 of their research and contract samples. 26
AEG conference attendees receive
$4 off General Admission ($3 off Senior Admission) when you show your conference badge and ID. Plan your visit at aviary.org • Open daily 10:00 to 5:00 Located just two blocks north of PNC Park on Pittsburgh’s historic North Side.
AEG NEWS 58 Annual Meeting Program with Abstracts
September 2015
2015 ANNUAL MEETING
T
2015 Technical Program
he 2015 Technical Program will focus on a variety of topics including: Two full days of Dam Symposium, Importance of Tectonic History and Setting in Site Characterization for Critical Facilities Symposium, Stability Considerations and Rock Slope Design for Stratigraphic Sequences Subject to Differential Weathering Symposium, Tunneling Symposium; Symposium: “Time to Face the Landslide Dilemma… Continued,” Geology of Pittsburgh; Seismic and Environmental Hazards; Licensure and Professional Practice, Urban Environmental Geology, Rockfall Mitigation, Geotechnical Site Characterization, General Landslides, Geophysics, Material Properties, Mine Reclamation, Environmental Site Remediation, and Hydrogeology. The 2015 Annual Meeting Planning Committee has planned a technical program and short courses that are sure to provide an outstanding educational experience for attendees. PDHs will be available for all technical sessions and short courses. The main meeting activities will begin at 8:00 am on Wednesday, September 23, 2015, with the Opening Welcome Session. The Opening Welcome Session will feature keynote speaker Dr. John Harper presenting Of Ice and Waters Flowing: The Geologic History of Pittsburgh’s Three Rivers and the 2015 Karl Terzaghi Lecturer by Dr. Donald Bruce who will present on The Evolution of Specialty Geotechnical Construction Techniques: The “Great Leap” Theory. In addition, the session will feature the current and upcoming Jahns Lecturers and presentation of the AEG Foundation Awards. We will once again feature the Student/Young Professional Career Discussion on Wednesday from 1:30 to 4:20pm. This was one of the most popular and well-received sessions for students at the 2014 Annual Meeting. A Speaker’s Preparation Room will be open from September 23–25, 2015, from 7:00am to 5:00pm Wednesday and Thursday and 7:00am to 2:00pm on Friday. A computer and projector will be available for presenters to practice their presentations. AEG provides an open forum for the presentation of varying opinions and positions. However, opinions expressed by speakers do not necessarily represent the views or policies of AEG.
Registration Packet Giveaways Sponsored by Northwest Geophysics (Charge it up Power Bank), J.L. Darling Corporation (Rite in the Rain notebooks), and Beta Analytic (name badge lanyards).
Opening Session Keynote Speaker John A. Harper, PG, PhD
Technical Program Sponsors Opening Welcome Session: Gannet Fleming, Inc.
Technical Sessions & Symposia: ● ● ● ●
HDR, Inc. Schnabel Engineering Spotlight Geophysics Kansas City/Omaha Section of AEG
September 2015
John received a set of toy dinosaurs for Christmas when he was nine years old, and that simple gift instilled in him the desire to spend his life in the backroom of a dark, dusty museum, working on dinosaurs. Upon receiving his PhD in Paleontology and Paleoecology from the University of Pittsburgh in 1977, however, John went to work for the Pennsylvania Geological Survey researching Pennsylvania’s oil and gas and subsurface geology instead. Over the next 35 years, as
AEG NEWS 58 Annual Meeting Program with Abstracts
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2015 ANNUAL MEETING head of the Pittsburgh office, he managed the staff in their research and development of the state’s oil and gas well database, as well as taking an active role in informing the public about fossil collecting, history of geology, geology of western Pennsylvania, geological hazards such as landslides, and other topics. When he retired from the Survey in 2012, he was actively participating in research on geological sequestration of carbon dioxide and on the geology of oil and gas from shales such as the Marcellus and Utica. He still spends time at the Survey helping the staff with their latest projects. John also has been a Research Associate in the Section of Invertebrate Paleontology, Carnegie Museum of Natural History, since 1983, so he also spends time in the Section fulfilling his longtime dream—more or less. He has been working on fossil snails instead of dinosaurs. Over the years, he has published numerous professional and popular articles on many aspects of geology, paleontology, and petroleum history, and continues to do so in retirement. He still loves dinosaurs, though!
Of Ice and Waters Flowing: The Geologic History of Pittsburgh’s Three Rivers
The Evolution of Specialty Geotechnical Construction Techniques: The “Great Leap” Theory In historic literature, there is the “Great Man” theory, whereby history is reflected in the biographies of preeminent characters. In the more theoretical and academic branches of specialty geotechnical engineering, the theory holds with, of course, Prof. Terzaghi one of the heroic great men—a researcher, problem solver, and inspiration sans pareil. In contrast, in the branch of specialty geotechnical construction, technological advances occur principally through “Great Leaps” as opposed to steady and progressive evolution. Six criteria must be satisfied in support of awarding “Great Leap” status, beginning with a project-specific challenge of unprecedented scope or complexity, and ending with a legacy document detailing and codifying the leap. These steps are illustrated by reference to developments in drilling and grouting, cutoffs for dams, deep mixing, and micropiles—all techniques in which the author has been intimately involved throughout his professional career as a researcher, contractor, educator and consultant.
Pittsburgh’s three rivers, the Monongahela, Allegheny, and Ohio, as well as many of the larger tributary creeks, are ancient, dating back at least to the Tertiary and possibly into the Mesozoic. The effect of tectonics and glacial eustacy, from the Paleozoic to the Late Pleistocene, played a major role in the development of drainage and topography throughout the Phanerozoic. Despite the much older controls, however, what we see today was most profoundly influenced by Pleistocene glaciation, which not only changed the courses of these mighty streams but also furnished the basis for most of western Pennsylvania’s current landscape.
2015 Karl Terzaghi Lecturer Donald A. Bruce, PhD, CEng Donald A. Bruce is President of Geosystems, LP, He specializes in geotechnical construction processes, particularly anchoring (his Ph.D. dissertation topic), drilling and grouting. He has 42 years’ experience in dam anchoring and works on projects throughout North America and four other continents. Donald is former Chairman of the Geo-Institute’s Grouting Committee, and Honorary Chairman of the International Society for Micropiles. He is also an active member of PTI’s Committee on Rock and Soil Anchors and is a co-author of the past (1996, 2004) and new (2012) Anchor Recommendations. He has approximately 300 publications and is co-author of Dam Foundation Grouting, and a new book, Specialty Construction Techniques for Dam and Levee Remediation. He is the recipient of the Kapp, Baker, and Terzaghi Awards from ASCE.
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AEG NEWS 58 Annual Meeting Program with Abstracts
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2015 ANNUAL MEETING
The 2014–15 GSA/AEG Richard H. Jahns Distinguished Lecturer in Engineering Geology Eldon M. Gath
AEG and the Engineering Geology Division (EGD) of GSA jointly established the Richard H. Jahns Distinguished Lectureship in 1988 to commemorate Richard H. Jahns (1915–83). Dick Jahns was an engineering geologist, who had a diverse and distinguished career in academia, consulting and government. Dr. Thomas L. Holzer, who would later become the 1998 Jahns Lecturer, conceived the award and guided it through both EGD and AEG to select the first Jahns Lecturer, Dr. James E. Slosson (1925–2007). The lectureship was created to promote student awareness of engineering geology through a series of lectures offered at various universities. In order to assure continuity of the award, Dr. Jeffrey R. Keaton, then the 1989–90 Chairman of EGD and who would later become the 2004 Jahns Lecturer, and Dr. Gregory L. Hempen, then the 1989–90 President of AEG and later the 2013–14 Jahns Lecturer, collaborated to share the administration and funding of the Jahns Lectureship in their separate organizations. Eldon Gath, PG, CEG was selected as the 2014–15 Richard H. Jahns Distinguished Lecturer in Applied Geology. Eldon, a consulting engineering geologist, has more than 30 years of experience in the identification, investigation, and remediation of geologic hazards, involving land use planning, environmental assessments, field exploration programs, and presentation of findings. He has particular experience with the evaluation of active faults for construction site planning, the development of hazard mitigation programs and policies, and his suite of talks reflect this experience.
September 2015
Eldon is the President of Earth Consultants International, a geological consulting firm [helping our clients solve complex earth-science problems around the world] that he co-founded in 1997, following 12 years with Leighton Consulting in southern California. He has considerable international experience including field projects in Turkey, Panama, Mexico, Costa Rica and Papua New Guinea, as well as project involvement in many others, and his talks also reflect this international flavor. Eldon is a graduate of the University of Minnesota, Institute of Technology, with a BS degree in Geology in 1978. He has been in graduate school ever since: MS program at Cal State LA (1982–90), PhD program at UC Riverside (1993–96), PhD program at UC Irvine (1998–2008), but despite getting very close, he has never managed to complete the degree due to his busy consulting responsibilities, professional organizational involvement, and travel schedules; or conflicted priorities, if you ask his advisors. In 1995 he was awarded the Aki Award for Outstanding Paper Presentation at the California Academy of Sciences Annual Meeting for Active Tectonic Structures in the Eastern Los Angeles Basin, then in 2007 received the Outstanding Presentation Award at the AAPG Annual Meeting for Quaternary Geomorphic Development and Seismic Hazards of Orange County, California. Along with excellent coauthors, he has received the 2010 GSA E.B. Burwell Outstanding Paper Award for The Geology of Los Angeles, and the 2012 AEG Claire P. Holdredge Outstanding Paper Award for Paleoseismology of the Pedro Miguel fault, Panama Canal. In 2003, Eldon was the geosciences representative for the Committee to Develop a LongTerm Research Agenda for the Network for Earthquake Engineering Simulation, National Research Council, Board on Infrastructure and the Constructed Environment. He served as South Coast Geological Society (SCGS) President in 1987; AEG Southern California Section Chair from 1990–92; AEG Treasurer, Vice President, and President from 1993–97; received the AEG Floyd T. Johnston Service Award in 2008; was elected a Fellow by GSA in 2011; and was made an Honorary Member of the SCGS in 2012. He is a member of AEG, GSA, AIPG, AAPG, EERI, IAEG, IAPG, AAAS, AGU, SSA, PDAC, and all local southern California geological groups. Eldon’s talks focus mainly on his experience with active faults and fault hazard definition, including both the process and methodology of the work with the scientific results and their implications. Eldon comments on his experience, “As of this writing (July, 2015), I have given a total of 69 talks to 58 different universities, colleges, or professional groups spanning 20 states and 5 different countries, racking up 54,000 air miles
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2015 ANNUAL MEETING
As the 2014–15 Jahns Lecturer, Eldon offered the following talks. The number given of each appear in brackets after the title. ● The Santa Ana Mountains: Indenter Tectonics and the Earthquake Hazards of “The OC” [5] ● Tectonic Geomorphic and Paleoseismic Investigations for the Panama Canal [25] ● Active Faulting and Beverly Hills High School: An Unexpected Journey into Geo-Ethics [8] ● Paleoseismology of the North Panamá Deformed Belt from Uplifted Coral Platforms at Moín and Limón, Costa Rica [2] ● Geological and Geotechnical Causation Investigation of a Killer Landslide [5] ● Natural Hazard Identification, Impact Analysis, and Risk Assessment for Community Disaster Mitigation Planning [10] ● Mitigation of Surface-Fault Rupture: Updating California’s Alquist-Priolo Earthquake Fault Zoning Act for the New Millennium [4] ● Engineering Geology: An Overview of the Profession IMHO [10]
on United Airlines alone. Eight of the talks were invited to professional organizations, fourteen were to different AEG Sections, and 46 were to university programs, either arranged lunches, weekly symposiums, or regular classes. Lunches, afternoon receptions, or dinners with students and faculty also followed many of the university talks, providing an opportunity to continue the discussions about career options in applied geology. These were always the best part of the visit. There are a lot of amazing students out there, insuring that the future is in good hands. “With the summer university break, things have slowed down talk-wise, allowing time to hit some of the local section meetings, give five talks in Panama, and begin the planning process for the fall series of talks before my retirement at the GSA Annual Meeting in Baltimore. And maybe get some real work in as well. “It has been an honor and a pleasure to represent the profession this year, and one of the most rewarding and complicated years of my career. Thank you for selecting me.”
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Introducing the 2015–16 Jahns Distinguished Lecturer Jerome DeGraff Jerome DeGraff is a native of the Finger Lakes Region of upstate New York. He graduated from SUNY Geneseo in 1967 with a BS in Education/Earth Science. Jerry counted himself lucky both for surviving a year teaching general science to eighth-graders and for then moving on to become a staff member at the newly opened Strasenburgh Planetarium (Rochester Museum & Science Center). His five years as a planetarium instructor and museum associate-ingeology resulted in his decision to pursue a Masters in Geology somewhere in the western United States. In 1976, Jerry received his MS in Geology from Utah State University having completed a thesis on a 595-sq mi mountain range within a nearby National Forest. This started a chain of events resulting in Jerry having a 36-year career with the U.S. Forest Service as an environmental or engineering geologist on National Forests in Utah and California. During his last six years, he was a Forest Service OnScene Coordinator for Superfund-type issues at abandoned mines and closed landfills within National Forests scattered throughout the southern half of California. Since retiring from government service in 2014, Jerry has devoted himself to teaching graduate courses for the Department of Earth & Environmental Science at California State University-Fresno contributing to professional journals as an editor/reviewer/writer, and being active in professional organizations. (http://www.fresnostate.edu/csm/ees/facultystaff/degraff.html),
Jerry will be offering five lectures during his term as the Richard H. Jahns Distinguished Lecturer: ● Fire, Earth & Rain: Emergency Response for WildfireInduced Landslide Hazards. (main talk) ● What Does It Take to Effectively Monitor for Environmental and Engineering Geology Projects? ● The Challenges of Providing Landslide Information during an Emergency Response. ● Dealing with Hazardous Mine Openings – Blasting Is Not Always a Good Option. ● The Story of the Matthieu Landslide-Dam, Dominica, West Indies.
AEG NEWS 58 Annual Meeting Program with Abstracts
September 2015
2015 ANNUAL MEETING
Don’t Miss These Special STUDENT EVENTS: Student/Professional Networking Reception Tuesday, September 22, 2015, 5:15–6:15pm – Sterlings The Annual Student and Professional Networking Event is happening again! This fun and relaxed event is the perfect place for you to make new friends and meet future employers/employees! You don’t want to miss it! BE SURE TO SIGN UP ON YOUR REGISTRATION FORM.
Student Interview Session Wednesday, September 23 to Friday, September 25, 9:00am-4:00pm In case you haven’t heard, the Student and Young Professional Support Committee has revitalized the former INTERVIEW SERVICE. It is now the Informational Interview Service, designed to give students and young professionals a chance to meet with professional members one-on-one to ask questions, conduct practice or mock interviews, or anything else that would help the next generation of professionals prepare for their future careers. We have reserved a dedicated room for the full meeting, and both professional members and student members can SIGN-UP NOW for half hour time slots at your convenience. SIGN UP SHEET LOCATED AT REGISTRATION.
Poster Presentation Reception Thursday, September 24, 2015, 6:00–7:00pm – Grand Ballroom Foyer Another great opportunity to mix and mingle with engineering geology professionals and your peers.
September 2015
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2015 ANNUAL MEETING
35th International Geological Congress August 27 – September 4, 2016 The IGC is an initiative of the International Union of Geological Sciences (IUGS) and is hosted by a different country every four years. As the main activity of the IUGS it covers all geological sub disciplines and aims to provide a forum where discussion and debate of the latest developments in the geosciences can take place. A major Geoscience Expo where suppliers to the geosciences and organizations can display its services and products also forms part of the IGC. The scientific program is the heart and main focus of the 35th IGC and will include three main topics (Geoscience for Society, Fundamental Geoscience, Geoscience in the Economy) with over 50 themes proposed. The themes that may be of most interest to AEG members include: Environmental Geosciences, Geohazards, Groundwater and Hydrogeology, and Engineering Geology and Geomechanics. Another exciting part of the will be the field trips that showcase the geological superlatives of the host country or region have been planned. These include 35 one- and multiple-day trips in South Africa and 17 multiple-day trips in the rest of Africa including a Train-based geo-safari from Cape Town to Victoria Falls, a trip to the highest point on the African Continent (summit of Mt Kilimanjaro) and to the lowest point (bottom of deepest gold mine in the world). A Geohost program designed to assist geoscientists and students from developing countries to attend the 35th IGC has also been developed. Please visit http://www.35igc.org/ for more information. Early bird registration will open in November 2015 so be sure to book your spot early. See you in Cape Town next year!
Call for Papers: AEG Members are encouraged to submit papers on interesting case histories, original research or other projects to its journal on the following topics: • Environmental geology • Engineering geology • Feasibility studies • Geotechnical engineering • Geomorphology • Low-temperature geochemistry • Applied hydrogeology • Near-surface processes • Review papers in applied geosciences and technical notes (< 6 pages)
Benefits Include: • 4 Issues Per Year • Papers Are Peer Reviewed • Best Student Paper Award • Best Paper Award
Instructions for Authors: http://eeg.allentrack.net/ 32
AEG NEWS 58 Annual Meeting Program with Abstracts
September 2015
2015 ANNUAL MEETING
Technical Program Schedule Wednesday, September 23, 2015 – Afternoon Technical Session #1
Tunneling Symposium Room: Grand Ballroom 3
Convener: Paul Headland
AEG has organized a half-day Tunnels Symposium for the Pittsburgh meeting for Wednesday, September 23, 2015. We have several presentations on the investigation, evaluation, and application of engineering geology to design and construction of tunneling projects. Our keynote presentation will be presented by Dr. Paul Marinos attending from Athens, Greece, who will kick off the program with a talk on Tunneling in Difficult Ground – Geological Uncertainties and Decisions. There are eight additional talks that include: geological models, tunneling in karst, control of geological risk, geophysical survey application, and ground characterization. Ground conditions and ground behavior are recognized by professionals working in the tunneling industry as the source of the greatest risk and therefore the skilled application of engineering geology by experienced practitioners and AEG members is a key component to project success. Time
Speaker
Title
2:00–2:40
Marinos, Paul
Tunneling in Difficult Ground - Geological Uncertainties and Decisions
2:40–3:00
Dill, Robin
Ground Characterization for the MDC’s South Tunnel Project: “Redefining the Jurassic of the Hartford North Quadrangle” (Presented by Leo Martin)
3:00–3:20
Rogers, J. David
Influence of Geology on Construction of the Pennsylvania Turnpike
3:40–4:00
Fusee, Rebecca
The New Irvington Tunnek Excavation and Geologic Documentation
4:00–4:20
Piepenburg, Michael
Use of Pre-Cast Concrete Segments in Rock Tunnels for Risk Control
4:20–4:40
Raymer, Jack
Avoiding Karst by Getting Under It: Jefferson Barracks Tunnel, St. Louis
4:40–5:00
Daniel, Joel
Evaluation of Subsurface Conditions using MASW to support Trenchless Construction Design in an Urban Environment
Technical Session #2
Geology of Pittsburgh Sponsored by: HDR, Inc. Room: Grand Ballroom 4
Moderators: Richard Gray and Brian Greene
This session will focus on the unique aspects of Pittsburgh’s geology to include its history, strategic location at the “Forks of the Ohio,” geology, physiography, mineral resources, geohazards, and some regionally significant environmental/engineering projects. The session will begin with a tribute to the geo-pioneers of the region— those engineering geologists and geotechnical engineers that have made a significant difference and led the way for many of the practitioners that work in Pittsburgh today. These geo-pioneers were educators, mentors and highly respected professionals in every sense of the word. The tribute will take the form of a video that will showcase their remarkable careers. Ryan Fandray will introduce the geological setting that will include the physiography, tectonic setting, stratigraphy and structural geology of the Pittsburgh region. The region’s energy and industry production, infrastructure and subsequent geohazards will also be discussed. Richard Gray will discuss the impacts of coal mining on structures in western Pennsylvania. Coal remains the most prevalent energy resource in the Pittsburgh region and its extraction has been linked to many occurrences of mine subsidence with the associated formation of sinkholes and subsidence troughs. Brian Greene will review some of the significant dams that have been built in the region to protect the city of Pittsburgh from flooding that had plagued it for many years. Two of the geo-pioneers that are presented in the opening of the session: Dr. Shailer Philbrick and Harry Ferguson—both had long, distinguished careers with the Pittsburgh District Corps of Engineers and played a key role in many of the dam projects. Time
Speaker
Title
2:00–2:20
Gray, Richard
Geo-Pioneers Video
2:20–2:40
Fandray, Ryan
Summary of Pittsburgh Geology
2:40–3:00
Gray, Richard
Impacts of Coal Mining on Structures in Western Pennsylvania
3:00–3:20
Greene, Brian
Impacts of Geology on Dam Design in Western Pennsylvania
Advocate for Geoscience! – Wed. Sept. 23/Kings Terrace/2:00pm–5:00pm The AEG Advocacy Committee will lead a hands-on, brainstorm workshop that will help participants take practical ideas back to their AEG Sections and workplaces. Geoscience has become marginalized over the past few decades, at least partly because of passive geoscientists. It’s time to change that trend. Please join us to help develop and implement a proactive recovery plan for geoscience.
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2015 ANNUAL MEETING
Technical Session #3
Licensure and Professional Practice Room: Grand Ballroom 4
Moderator: Marie Garsjo
Time
Speaker
Title
3:40–4:00
Steckel, Phyllis
Advocacy and Geoscience: Leveraging Traditional Media for Awareness, Support, and a Wiser Public
4:00–4:20
Toskos, Theodoros
Balancing Professional Judgment and the Risk of Decision
4:20–4:40
Toskos, Theodoros
Professional Geologists and Contaminated Site Remediation Licensure
4:40–5:00
Williams, John
A Study of the Importance of and Trends in Professional Ethics in the Geosciences by the National Association of State Boards of Geology (ASBOG/E)
5:00–5:20
Garsjo, Marie
Improving your Technical Writing to Make Yourself Heard
Technical Session #4
Urban Environmental Geology Room: Brigade
Moderator: Barney Markunas
Time
Speaker
Title
2:00–2:20
Hatheway, Allen
Derelict Manufactured Gas, Coke, and Tar Sites of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
2:20–2:40
Isphording, Wayne
Pratfalls and Pitfalls in Environmental Litigation
2:40–3:00
Lord, Jacques
Low-Threat Closure of a UST Release Site in California: Would the Sierra Club Be Happy?
3:00–3:20
Lord, Jacques
California Mandates 25% Water Use Reduction: Are Cisterns the New Solar Panel Industry?
3:40–4:00
Hatheway, Allen
Reflection on Some of the Remaining Outstanding Environmental Threats of Pennsylvania’s “Remediated” and Unremediated Coal-Tar Sites
4:00–4:20
Saindon, Rosanna
The Clock is Ticking – EPA Coal Ash Rule – Summary and Impacts to the Profession
4:20–4:40
Shriner, Jason
Petroleum Release Investigation and Remediation Overview – Newberry, Indiana (presented by Jason Lenz)
4:40–5:00
West, Terry
Two Ways to Deal With Combined Sewer Overflow: A Tale of Two Cities, Lafayette and West Lafayette, Indiana
5:00–5:20
Rehman, Khaista
Analysis of the Devastating Kashmir Earthquake 2005 Aftershocks
Technical Session #5
Student/Young Professional Career Discussion Room: Benedum
Moderator: Greg Hempen
Greg Hempen, PhD, PE, will offer a presentation to encourage career-topic discussion in Applied Geology by attending students and those with entry positions. (Actually, all professionals are welcome to attend for the benefit of commenting to our younger cadre.) Greg developed the presentation as part of his Jahns Lectureship. The presentation is outlined to cover three areas: 1) Experience and Networking, 2) Obtaining your first (next) job, and 3) Having an enjoyable career. The main purpose of the presentation is: to expose those interested in Applied Geology careers to varied factors in acquiring and developing a job role into a career, and to encourage questions and comments from those attending on their individual concerns. Greg will make suggestions based on his experience as an employee (in government and private practice) and from the developed assessment of friends and some pertinent authors. The intent is to assist those interested in an Applied Geology career to comprehend the “employer’s perspective.” The presentation will offer considerations/recommendations on: an individual’s preparations; presentation of one’s skills, talents, experience; the process of acquiring an offer and negotiating for the position; career development; and, enjoying one’s chosen career. Consider attending, the session may provide some kernel of information that assists you in having a great career. Time
Moderator
Title
1:30–4:20
Hempen, Greg
Student/Young Professional Career Discussion
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AEG NEWS 58 Annual Meeting Program with Abstracts
September 2015
2015 ANNUAL MEETING
Technical Session #6
Rockfall Mitigation Room: Rivers
Moderator: Paul Painter
Time
Speaker
Title
2:00–2:20
Ames, Trevor
Innovations for Slope Instability (Presented by: Martin Woodard)
2:20–2:40
Freitag, George
South River Road – A 25-Year Rockfall Case Study on a Weathered Basalt Slope, Salem, Oregon
2:40–3:00
Jacklitch, Carl
A Geotechnical Investigation of the 2013 Fatal Rockfall in Rockvile, Utah
3:00–3:20
Marchetty, Srikanth
Influence of Slope Characteristics on Rockfall Velocities and Bounce Heights
3:40–4:00
Marchetty, Srikanth
Investigation of Rockfall Characteristics using Full-Scale Rollout Tests
4:00–4:20
Painter, Paul
OH SR (WAS) 7-18.10: Differential Weathering Failure Innovative Remediation
4:20–4:40
Keating, Rebecca
Developing a Customized Rock Slope Inspection and Hazard Rating System
4:40–5:00
Woodard, Martin
Rock Slope Remediation Project in Differentially Weathering Rocks: KY-1460 Pikeville, Kentucky
Thursday, September 24, 2015 – Morning Technical Session #7
Dams Rehabilitation Symposium - Part I Sponsored by Schnabel Engineering Room: Grand Ballroom 3
Conveners: Brian Greene and Kerry Cato
The AEG Dams Technical Working Group has organized a two-day Dams Symposium for the Pittsburgh meeting for Thursday and Friday (September 24–25, 2015). We have several presentations on international structures. Our keynote presentation will be by Dr. J. David Rogers on Gatun Dam, Panama – Megastructure of 100 Years Ago. On Friday, Dr. Paul Marinos, attending from Athens, Greece, will kick off the program with a talk on Rogun Dam, Tajikistan, The Highest Dam of the World in a Challenging Geological Environment. There are 31 additional talks in topical sessions that include: seepage and foundation issues; risk evaluation; site investigation and foundation issues; grouting and cutoffs; seismic, erosion; and stability, data management, and dam removals. This will be the largest concentration of talks on dams at any AEG Annual Meeting, we are fortunate to have so many AEG members working in the renaissance of this important area of our practice. Time
Speaker
Title
8:00–8:40
Dr. Rogers, J. David
Keynote: The Gatun Dam – Megastructure of 100 Years Ago
8:40–9:00
Conway, John
Portugues Dam: Challenges and Success in RCC Dam Foundation Documentation and Treatment
9:00–9:20
Crist, Kristopher
“Is the Dam Leaking?” A Study of the Current Status of the Druid Lake Dam in Baltimore, Maryland
9:20–9:40
Holderbaum, Rod
Dissecting the Catastrophic Foundation Failure of a Newly Constructed Dam
9:40–10:00
Richards, Kevin
Narora Weir – A Historical Perspective of Piping Theory
10:20–10:40
Nield, Michael
A Tale of Three Projects: Addressing Dam Safety Concerns within the Muskingum River Basin, Ohio
10:40–11:00
Shaffner, Pete
Dr. Ralph Peck Warned Us That Risk Assessment Was Likely Not a Sustainable Approach for Assuring the Safety of Our Dams. Was He Correct and What Are We Doing to Resolve His Concerns?
11:00–11:20
Kelson, Keith
An Engineering Geologist’s Role in Risk-Informed Decision-Making for USACE Dam and Levee Safety
11:20–12:00
Open Discussion on Risk
Got Volcanics? Call for abstracts for the March issue of AEG News… The March special edition of the News will be on volcanics. Please submit ideas for articles to AEG News editor Anna Saindon at rmsain@gmail.com. Final articles will be due no later than January 31, 2016. As a reminder, photos and other graphic images must be a minimum of 300 dpi—ideally at 7.5” wide for cover consideration.
September 2015
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2015 ANNUAL MEETING
Technical Session #8
Importance of Tectonic History and Setting in Site Characterization for Critical Facilities Symposium - Part I Room: Grand Ballroom 4
Conveners: Gerry Stirewalt and David Fenster
The goal of this symposium is to illustrate how tectonic setting is considered in characterization of sites for critical facilities that require an assessment of potential geologic and seismic hazards to ensure protection of public health and safety and the environment. Depending on location of the sites for critical engineered structures (e.g., hospitals, bridges, dams, nuclear power plants, or other critical facilities), the potential hazards could include, but might not be limited to, fault displacement; earthquakes; volcanic activity; seismically-induced landslides; flooding due to fault-related, fracture-associated, or seismically-induced dam failure; and tsunami. Speakers should focus on case histories and discuss how geologic and seismic characteristics of the site for a facility relate to the tectonic setting in which the site is located with regard to possible natural hazards that must be assessed. That is, the presentations should not only discuss the results derived from observation, measurement, and analysis of geologic structures and seismic sources or source zones, but also address the relationship of the geologic structures and seismic sources and source zones to the tectonic setting in which the site for the facility is located as a key factor for consideration in the hazard assessment. Time
Speaker
Title
8:00–8:20
Stirewalt, Gerry
Introduction to Symposium and Speakers
8:20–9:00
Hatcher, Robert
The Need to Understand Crustal Structure and Regional Geology in Siting Critical Structures
9:00–9:20
Chapman, Martin
Mineral, Virginia, 2011 and Charleston, South Carolina, 1886: Results from Some Recent Seismological Investigations
9:20–9:40
Cumbest, Randolph
“Correlation of Regional Geologic and Tectonic History with Geologic Mapping of Foundation Excavations at the V. C. Summer Nuclear Station, South Carolina” (Presented by Frank Syms)
9:40–10:00
Fenster, David
Borehole Data Interpretation vs. Excavation Mapping – We Might Be Surprised, or Not!
10:20–10:40
Burns, Scott
Site Characterization of Critical Facilities in Oregon on Cascadia Margin
10:40–11:00
Shlemon, Roy
Site Investigation Case Studies – Lessons Learned & Tectonic Settings
11:00–11:20
Schaeffer, Malcolm
Tectonic History of the Western Sierra Nevada, CA: Implications for Seismic Design of a Proposed Hydroelectric Facility
11:20–11:40
Coppersmith, Kevin
The Influence of Tectonic Setting on the Characterization of Seismic Sources for Probabilistic Seismic Hazard Analysis
11:40–12:00
Coppersmith, Ryan
Challenges in Characterizing Fault Sources in a Reactivated SCR Environment, Southern South Africa
Technical Session #9
Geotechnical Site Characterization - Part I Room: Benedum
Moderators: Steve Evans and Andrew Keffer
Time
Speaker
Title
8:00–8:20
Addison, Priscilla
Characterizing the Vulnerable Sections along a Railway Corridor Underlain by Permafrost Using Remote Sensing
8:20–8:40
Poluga, S. Lindsay
Rock Mass Characterization and Stability Evaluation of Mount Rushmore National Memorial, Keystone, South Dakota
8:40–9:00
Salazar, Sean
Ultra-Violet Near-Infrared Reflectance Spectroscopy for Remote Measurement of Soil Water Potentials
9:00–9:20
ElShinawi, Abdelaziz
Geotechnical Study of The Dredging Sediment Stabilized With Portland Cement Along The Coast of Hurgada City, Red Sea, Egypt
9:20–9:40
Evans, Stephen
Shafting the Lahars - Rebuilding the DNR Rd.1 Bridge over the Nisqually River
9:40–10:00
Steckel, Richard
How to Operate Drones in the United States and not get Busted by the FAA!
10:20–10:40
Keffer, Andrew
Geotechnical Challenges for Streambank Protection Projects
10:40–11:00
Lobo-Guerrero, Sebastian Pile Setup Effect in Driven Friction Piles in Western Pennsylvania: Case Studies
11:00–11:20
Lomoschitz, Alejandro
Geotechnical Units and Associated Problems in Volcanic Terrains: Canary Islands, Spain
11:20–11:40
Monaco, Thomas
Uplift Results in a Sliding Bridge Abutment
11:40–12:00
Perlow Jr., Michael
Development of Unmanned Vehicles for Geo-Environmental Hazard Assessment
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AEG NEWS 58 Annual Meeting Program with Abstracts
September 2015
2015 ANNUAL MEETING
Technical Session #10
Stability Considerations and Rock Slope Design for Stratigraphic Sequences Subject to Differential Weathering Symposium - Part I Room: Rivers
Conveners: Abdul Shakoor, Steve Brewster, Paul Painter
Rocks subject to differential weathering are prevalent in Pennsylvania, Ohio, West Virginia, Kentucky, Illinois, and many other states across the country. Differential weathering results in slope instability problems that may not be adequately evaluated and analyzed by the conventional approaches. This symposium focuses on stability problems and cut slope design that take into account the long-term effects of differential weathering. The specific topics include: site investigation techniques, factors affecting differential weathering, predicting the rate of undercutting, potential modes of failure, global versus local stability considerations, rock fall simulations, risk assessment of rock cut slopes, recent improvements in cut slope design, catchment ditch design, evaluation of cut slope performance over time, remediation measures, case histories, future trends and research needs. This symposium will provide state-of-the-art information to professionals, researchers, and students working in the field of slope stability. Time
Speaker
Title
8:00–8:40
Hamel, James
Geotechnical Framework of Slopes in Flat-Lying Sedimentary Rocks of the Unglaciated Allegheny Plateau
8:40–9:00
Farny, Nicholas J.
Innovative Methods of Measuring Discontinuities: Utilizing Lidar and Smartphone Applications for Rock Slope Stability on Price Mountain, Virginia
9:00–9:20
Watts, Chester
3D Photogrammetry from Unmanned Aerial Vehicles for Generating Virtual Rock Slope Models
9:20–9:40
Tinsley, Ryan
Prioritization of Aging Rock Slopes on I-77 in Virginia
9:40–10:00
Hajdarwish, Ala
Geologic Factors Controlling Cut Slope Design; Case Studies: S.R. 0322, Potters Mill Gap – Centre County and Turnpike Total Reconstruction Project ñ Mile Post 124.5–133.8, Pennsylvania
10:20–10:40
Wooten, Richard M.
Geologic Factors Influencing the Differential Weathering of Metasedimentary and Metavolcanic Rock Sequences: Their Controls on Rock Slope Failures in the Blue Ridge and Piedmont of North Carolina
10:40–11:00
Liang, Robert
Analysis of Flexural Toppling of an Anti-Dip Slope in Fushun Open Pit in China
11:00–11:20
Admassu, Yonathan
A Multifaceted Approach to Designing Cut Slopes Subjected to Differential Weathering: A Case Study from Ohio
11:20–11:40
Painter, Paul
Rock Slope Stabilization Using Pinned Slope Drape and Cellular Wall (Mus-60–6.72)
11:40–12:00
Justice, Samantha
Application of a Hazard Rating System for Rock Slopes Along a Transportation Corridor Using Remote Sensing
Technical Session #11
General Landslides - Part I Room: Brigade
Moderator: Jerome DeGraff
Time
Speaker
Title
8:00–8:20
Admassu, Yonathan
Multivariate Statistical Approach to Re-Evaluate the Slake Durability Index Test (ASTM 4644 - 08)
8:20–8:40
Parks, Dave
Bluff and Beach Sediment Dynamics in the Elwha and Dungeness Drift Cells before, during and after Elwha River Dam Removals
8:40–9:00
Coyle, Kevin
Geohazard Risk ReductionThrough the Installation of High-Tensile Strength Anchored and Draped Steel Mesh
9:00–9:20
Duran, Robert
An Integrated Approach for Mapping and Analysis of the Rio Chama Rockslide, Archuleta County, Colorado
9:20–9:40
Gomez, Francisco
Measuring Spatial and Temporal Variations in Rates of Land Sliding using Ground-Based Radar Interferometry
9:40–10:00
Admassu, Yonathan
Terrestrial Lidar-Based Rockfall Hazard Rating for Cut Slopes along Highways: A Case Study from the Afton Mountain Cut Along I-64W, Virginia
10:20–10:40
Wilhite, Coralie
Slope Failure Investigation and Mitigation Design, Pine Flat Dam, Piedra, Fresno County, California
10:40–11:00
Hamel, James
Alluvial Bank Instability Along the Monongahela River, Southwestern Pennsylvania
11:00–11:20
Hamel, James
Three Fatal Rockfalls in the Pittsburgh Area
11:20–11:40
Korte, David
Modeling Landslide Distribution, Recurrence, and Size in the Drift Creek Watersheds, Lincoln County, Oregon
11:40–12:00
Smith, Joel
Advances in Landslide Monitoring Through Video and Time-Lapse Photography: Examples from USGS Landslide Research Sites
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Thursday, September 24, 2015 – Afternoon Technical Session #12
Dams Rehabilitation Symposium - Part II Sponsored by Schnabel Engineering Room: Grand Ballroom 3
Conveners: Kevin Richards and William Niemann
Time
Speaker
Title
2:00–2:20
Bair, Jeffrey
Dam Foundations & Differing Site Conditions – Calaveras Dam Replacement Project
2:20–2:40
Rogers, Gary
RCC Dam Foundation Preparation and Cleaning – A Photographic Tour of Hard Rock Bottoms
2:40–3:00
Nichols, Holly
The Value of Geologic Services During Construction of Crafton Hills Enlargement Dam, San Bernardino County, California
3:00–3:20
Riley, Donald
RCC Gravity Dam Replacement for the Wohlford Dam, Escondido, California (Presented by Kerry Cato)
3:40–4:00
Wagner, Cassandra
The Failure of Camará Dam: Repetition of a Known Failure Mode from Misinterpretation of a Geologic Vulnerability
4:00–4:20
Simpson, Bryan
Geologic Discontinuity Mapping, Difference Modeling and Rock Scour Delineation Using Photogrammetric Methods
4:20–4:40
Rutledge, Alex
Diverting Water from the Upper Hidden Basin to Terror Lake, Kodiak, Alaska
4:40–5:00
Perry, David
Subsurface Characterization at LADWP Headworks West Reservoir (HWR) Site, City of Los Angeles
Technical Session #13
Importance of Tectonic History and Setting in Site Characterization for Critical Facilities Symposium - Part II Room: Grand Ballroom 4
Conveners: Gerry Stirewalt and David Fenster
Time
Speaker
Title
2:00–2:20
Hanson, Kathryn
Paleoseismicity of the Kango Fault, South Africa: Addressing Fault Characterization Issues in Stable Continental Regions
2:20–2:40
Gath, Eldon
Cocos Ridge Collision as the Tectonic Driver for a Regional Understanding of Seismic Hazard of the North Panama Deformed Belt
2:40–3:00
Waterman, Matthew
Identification and Evaluation of Seismically Induced Geohazards: A Case Study for a Natural Gas Transmission Pipeline (Presented by David Fenster)
3:00–3:20
McCalpin, James
Holocene Surface Faulting in High-Latitude Glaciated Shields
3:40–4:00
Stirewalt, Gerry/Fenster, David A Summary of the Symposium on Importance of Tectonic Setting and History in Site Characterization for Critical Facilities
4:00–5:00
Panel Discussion
Technical Session #14
Geotechnical Site Characterization - Part II Room: Brigade
Moderator: Briget Doyle
Time
Speaker
Title
2:00–2:20
Sturman, John
Collapse Risk Management in an Arid Alluvial Environment
2:20–2:40
Zwissler, Bonnie
Thermal Remote Sensing for Moisture Content Characterization at Mine Tailings Impoundments: a Field Study
2:40–3:00
Bouali, El Hachemi
Can we Extract Information Regarding Transportation Asset Condition from Satellite-Based Radar Interferometric Data?
3:00–3:20
Puente Querejazu, Alvaros
Assessment of the Progression of Coal Mine Subsidence in Colorado Springs, El Paso County, Colorado, using InSAR
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AEG NEWS 58 Annual Meeting Program with Abstracts
September 2015
2015 ANNUAL MEETING
Technical Session #15
Geophysics (Spotlight Geophysics) Room: Brigade
Moderator: Eric Cross
Time
Speaker
Title
3:40–4:00
Beird, Maggie
Geophysical Mapping of Fracture Flow in a Hard Rock Setting
4:00–4:20
Cross, Eric
Sinkhole Mapping & Void Detection in Karst – Electrical Resistivity Case Studies at Carlsbad Caverns and in Tennessee
4:20–4:40
Seliem, Gamal
Geophysical Studies in Some Areas in Egypt
4:40–5:00
Yeakley, Julia
Influence of Salt Tectonics on Seafloor Morphology from Algeria to Sardinia - Seismic
5:00–5:20
Harro, David
Improved Imaging of Covered Karst using the Multi-Electrode Resistivity Implant Technique (MERIT) Case Studies
Technical Session #16
Stability Considerations and Rock Slope Design for Stratigraphic Sequences Subject to Differential Weathering Symposium - Part II Sponsored by Schnabel Engineering Room: Rivers
Conveners: Abdul Shakoor, Steve Brewster, Paul Painter
Time
Speaker
Title
2:00–2:20
Marinos, Paul G.
Deep Seated landslides in Greece: Cases Associated with Infrastructure Works
2:20–2:40
Woodard, Martin
Telegraph Hill Rock Slope Improvement Project: Construction Issues and Value Engineering Proposals
2:40–3:00
Banks, Brian K
I-68 “Sideling Hill” Rock Slope Hazards and Mitigation Concepts, Washington County, Maryland
3:00–3:20
Sheahan, James M.
A 20-Year Performance Review of Major Cut Slopes on US460 in Rock from the Appalachian Plateau of Virginia
3:40–4:00
Bateman, Vanessa
Rockslope Stability in Karst Terrain
4:00–4:20
Rogers, J. David
Various Techniques for Stabilization of Deteriorating Cut Slopes in Sedimentary Strata
4:20–4:40
Roman, William
State Route 87 Rockslide Mitigation near Forksville, Pennsylvania
4:40–5:00
West, Terry
Rock Block Slide Along Ohio River, Indiana, Causes Damage to Residential Buildings
Friday, September 25, 2015 – Morning Technical Session #17
Dams Rehabilitation Symposium - Part III Sponsored by Schnabel Engineering Room: Grand Ballroon 3
Conveners: Nichole Wendlandt and Kristen Enzweiler
Time
Speaker
Title
9:00–9:40
Marinos, Paul
The Highest Dam of the World in a Challenging Geological Environment
9:40–10:00
Robison, David
Successful Foundation Preparations in Karst Bedrock of the Masonry Section of Wolf Creek Dam
10:20–10:40
Gault, Howard
Barrier Wall Verticality and Overlap Approval at Five US Army Corps of Engineers Dams
10:40–11:00
Wullenwaber, Jesse
Challenges of Grouting and Anchoring an 1880’s Masonry Dam
11:00–11:20
Bole, Daniel
Double Row Grout Curtain Design and Construction for Cedar Creek Dam in Malakoff, Texas
11:20–11:40
Rock, Amanda
Two-Dimensional Application of Annandale’s Erodibility Index Method to Estimate Plunge Pool Scour
11:40–12:00
Deputy, Kami
Rerouting a River - The Carmel River Reroute and Dam Removal (Presented by Meredith Beswick)
September 2015
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2015 ANNUAL MEETING
Technical Session #18
Stability Considerations and Rock Slope Design for Stratigraphic Sequences Subject to Differential Weathering Symposium - Part III Room: Rivers
Conveners: Abdul Shakoor, Steve Brewster, Paul Painter
Time
Speaker
Title
9:00–9:20
Lukkarila, Chad
Lessons Learned from the Review and Assessment of a Cut Slope for a Water Tank Reservoir
9:20–9:40
Scarpato, David
Accounting for Icefall Hazards During Rockfall Catchment Ditch Design
9:40–10:00
Weber, Mitchell
Sandstone Highwall Restoration at Stan Hywet Hall and Gardens
10:20–10:40
Painter, Paul
OH SR (JEF)-7-34.2 Emergency Response to Rock Slope Failure
10:40–11:00
Shakoor, Abdul
Stabilization Methods for Cut Slopes Subject to Differential Weathering: Some Examples from Ohio and Pennsylvania
11:00–11:20
Lyne, Bob
Full Scale Mechanics of Surficial Slope Stabilization
11:20–11:40
Liang, Robert
Development of UASLOPE Method for Evaluating Slope Stabilization Using a Single Row of Drilled Shafts
11:40–12:00
Hajdarwish, Ala
Impact of Mudstone and Groundwater on Structurally Oriented Cut Slope Design, Case Study: Pennsylvania Turnpike Roadway Total Reconstruction, Somerset, Pennsylvania
Technical Session #19
Material Properties Room: Benedum
Moderator: Bill Roman
Time
Speaker
Title
9:00–9:20
Stokowski, Steven
Application of Petrography to Highways
9:20–9:40
Babineaux-Sabin, Claire
Incorporating Cullet into Beach Ecosystems: Effects on Biota Health
9:40–10:00
Gautam, Tej
Influence of Geologic and Index Engineering Properties on Disintegration Behavior of Clay-Bearing Rocks under Natural Climatic Conditions
10:20–10:40
Friede, Erik
Sustainability Implications of Excessive Conservatism in Concrete Footing-Rock Foundation Friction
10:40–11:00
Haugen, Ben
Efficient Identification of Potential Settlement Causes Using the Rapid Settlement Diagnostic System (RSDS) (Presented by Jaquelin Negri)
11:00–11:20
Malizia, John
The Effect of Water Content and Density on Strength and Deformation Behavior of Clay Soils
11:20–11:40
Krippner, Janine
Quantitative Mapping of Granular Flows Using <1 m Resolution Satellite Data: Pyroclastic Density Currents in Kamchatka
11:40–12:00
Kee, Michael
Analyzing Contact Metamorphism of the Stanley Shale in the Igneous Intrusive Complex at Magnet Cove, Arkansas
Technical Session #20
Seismic and Environmental Hazards Room: Brigade
Moderator: Joe Krupansky
Time
Speaker
Title
9:00–9:20
Molyneux, Russell
The Assessment and Mitigation of Earthquake Damage to Dwellings in Christchurch, New Zealand - Part 1
9:20–9:40
Awad, Andrew
Geotechnical Case Studies of Mitigation of Earthquake Damage to Dwellings in Christchurch, New Zealand - Part 2
9:40–10:00
Farough, Aida
Evolution of Physical Properties of Ultramafic Rocks at Hydrothermal Conditions: An Experimental Study on Serpentinization Reactions
10:20–10:40
Elhifnawy, Hassan
Urban Feature Extraction Using Sequential Techniques
10:40–11:00
Hatheway, Allen
History of Manufactured Gas and Coal Tar of Pennsylvania
11:00–11:20
Hatheway, Allen
Pennsylvania’s Derelict Coke Oven Sites: Beehives, Beehive Block Ovens, and Coke-Oven By-Product Plants
11:20–11:40
Hatheway, Allen
Derelict Manufactured Gas, Coke, and Tar Sites of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
11:40–12:00
Wintle, Jack
In-Situ Remediation of Chlorinated Solvents in Low-Permeability Soils of the Brevard Fault Zone: Matching Remedial Technologies with Compatible Geo-Chemical Conditions
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AEG NEWS 58 Annual Meeting Program with Abstracts
September 2015
2015 ANNUAL MEETING
Technical Session #21
“Time to Face the Landslide Dilemma…Continued” Symposium - Part I Room: Ballroom 4
Convener: Jennifer Bauer
The theme of this Symposium is to continue the conversation started by the AEG Professional Forum Time to Face the Landslide Dilemma, Bridging Science, Policy, Public Safety, and Potential Loss that was held in Seattle, WA, in February, 2015. It will offer a summary of information learned at the Seattle forum, as well as bring together more voices and perspectives from other parts of the country. Speakers will be from a variety of backgrounds including private, local, and state, geoscientists gathering data on landslides, and those that use this data such as emergency managers, planners, and government. The Symposium will conclude with a panel discussion intended to facilitate discussion among the audience to gather more input on the top priority action items to move foward, and any others that come up. Come be a part of this symposium, which has the purpose of advancing the use of landslide mapping information and assessing risk to save lives. Time
Speaker
Title
9:00–9:20
Bauer, Jennifer
Time to Face the Landslide Dilemma – A Summary of the First AEG Professional Forum
9:20–9:40
Delano, Helen
An Overview of Landslide Mapping in Pennsylvania
9:40–10:00
Waage, Eric
Landslides in the Spectrum of Disasters: Emergency Management Lessons from a Low Landslide Risk State
10:20–10:40
Molinari, Mark
Managing Recognized Landslide Hazards: Land Use Planning and Zoning, Strategies and Public Education/Notification
10:40–11:00
Seadler, Abby
Messaging and Momentum: The Potential for Comprehensive Landslide Legislation in the 114th Congress
11:00–11:20
Morley, Derek
Those Who Forget the Past: Lessons Learned from Wrangling Landslides in the West
11:20–12:00
Troost, Kathy/Bauer, Jennifer Workshop Review and Panel Discussion
Friday, September 25, 2015 – Afternoon Technical Session #22
Dams Rehabilitation Symposium - Part IV Sponsored by Schnabel Engineering Room: Grand Ballroom 3
Conveners: Jim James and Kevin Minninger
Time
Speaker
Title
2:00–2:20
Serafini, David
Characterization and Mitigation of Fault Rupture Hazard: Engineering Basis of Design (Presented by Keith Kelson for Isabella Auxiliary Dam, California)
2:20–2:40
Lindenbach, Evan
Proposed Temperance Flat Dam – Bureau of Reclamation Rock Mechanics Testing and Reporting
2:40–3:00
George, Michael
3D Block Erodibility: Experimental Results and Application
3:00–3:20
Mok, Chin Man
Risk Analysis of Dam Erodibility
3:40–4:00
Loar, Todd
Qualitative Foundation Rock Block Stability Evaluation Performed for Green Peter Dam, Oregon
4:00–4:20
Bateman, Vanessa
The SIMDAMS Project: Bringing Dam Safety into the Information Age
4:20–4:40
Bellusci, Chris
We Need a Dam Sensor Reading
4:40–5:00
Nandi, Arpita
Channel Adjustments Associated with Dam Removal: How Important is the Scale of Study?
Technical Session #23
General Landslides - Part II Room: Rivers
Moderator: Rosiland Munro
Time
Speaker
Title
2:00–2:20
Painter, Paul
OH SR (JEF)-7-5.0: Slope Instability Due to Abandoned Mine Workings
2:20–2:40
Lomoschitz, Alejandro
The Pico de Navas Slump (Burgos, Spain): A Large Rotational Rocky Landslide Caused by Underlying Clayey Sand Layers
2:40–3:00
Sadagah, Bahaaeldin
Debris Flows and Rockfall Case History Along Mountainous Road West of Saudi Arabia
3:00–3:20
Ahmed, M.
Landslide Inventory Mapping Hunza River, Northern Pakistan (Presented by David Rogers)
3:40–4:00
Smithmyer, Andrew
The Importance of Residual Shear Testing in Evaluation of Landslides in Glaciolacustrine Deposits
4:00–4:20
Shu, Biao
Study of Ground Collapse Induced by Large Diameter Horizontal Directional Drilling in Sand Layer Using Numerical Modeling
4:20–4:40
Liang, Robert
Reliability Based Slope Stability Evaluation Using Stochastic Geological Modeling Techniques and FEM Simulations
4:40–5:00
Schwering, Paul
Got Groundwater?
September 2015
AEG NEWS 58 Annual Meeting Program with Abstracts
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2015 ANNUAL MEETING
Technical Session #24
“Time to Face the Landslide Dilemma…Continued” Symposium - Part II Room: Grand Ballroom 4
Convener: Jennifer Bauer
Time
Speaker
Title
2:00–2:20
Keaton, Jeff
Landslide Inventory Maps: Every Square Meter Matters
2:20–2:40
Parks, David
Changes to Washington Forest Practices Rules and Unstable Landform Identification Processes Following the 2014 SR530 (Oso) Landslide
2:40–3:00
Bible, Gary
Landslide Phenomena of Chimaltenango District, Guatemala
3:00–3:20
Audience Discussion
Critical Data Collection for Landslide Inventories
3:40–4:00
Dirringer, Sebastian
Lidar-Based Landslide Inventory and Susceptibility Mapping of the Drift Creek Watershed, Lincoln County, Oregon
4:00–4:20
Kern, Ashley
Predictive Modeling of Debris Flows Probabilities Following Wild Fire in the Intermountain Western United States
4:20–4:40
Marinelli, Matthew
Debris Flow Inventory and Susceptibility of West Prong Little Pigeon River Watershed, Great Smoky Mountains National Parks
4:40–5:00
Audience Discussion of Landslide Susceptibility, Hazard, and Risk Modeling
Technical Session #25
Hydrogeology Room: Brigade
Moderator: William Niemann
Time
Speaker
Title
2:00–2:20
Epstein, Olga
Modeling the Pollution Prevention Benefits of Adding Biochar to Erosion-Prone Agricultural Soils
2:20–2:40
Brunkal, Holly
Bulking Factors to Predict Debris-Flow Peak Discharge (Presented by Paul Santi)
2:40–3:00
Mok, Chin Man
Cost-Effective and High-Resolution Hydrogeologic Characterization Using Hydraulic Tomography
3:00–3:20
Perry, Eric
Groundwater Management in a Closed Flooded Coal Mine-Pool
3:40–4:00
Flewelling, Samuel
Assessing Potential Upward Migration of Hydraulic Fracturing Fluid and Brine through Fractures, Faults, and Intact Rock
4:00–4:20
Krivos, Heather
Electrical Resistivity Imaging of Karst Topography in the Arbuckle Mountains
4:20–4:40
Prvanovic, Alex
Field and Laboratory Investigations of the Time-Dependent Behavior of Permeability of Jointed Glacial Till
4:40–5:00
Yalvac, Sefa
Time Series Modeling of the Up Coordinates in a Subsidence Zone
Technical Session #26
Mine Reclamation Room: Benedum
Moderator: Paul Painter
Time
Speaker
Title
2:00–2:20
Bailey, Pamela
Huntington District Post Mineral Extraction Reclamation
2:20–2:40
Painter, Paul
Mine Remediation under a Major Transportation Corridor
2:40–3:00
Powell, Gabe
Predictive Modeling of Sinkhole Hazards through Correlation of InSAR Subsidence Measurements and Local Geology
Technical Session #27
Environmental Site Remediation Room: Benedum
Moderator: Nichole Wendlandt
Time
Speaker
Title
3:40–4:00
Bardsley, David
Soil Sampling Utilizing Horizontal/Directional Drilling Methods
4:00–4:20
Ball, Brian
A Case Study of Ecosystem Restoration along the Reach of South Fork New River in Boone, North Carolina
4:20–4:40
German, Madeline
Field VOC Analysis – When the Numbers don’t Match
4:40–5:00
Fritz, Brian
Avoiding Archaeological Pitfalls
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AEG NEWS 58 Annual Meeting Program with Abstracts
September 2015
2015 ANNUAL MEETING
Poster Sessions Wednesday, September 23 to Friday, September 25 Times:
Wednesday – Thursday: 8:00am–5:00 pm, Friday: 8:00am–11:30am Poster Presentation Reception – Thursday: 6:00pm–7:00pm
Location: Exhibit Hall in Grand Ballroom Foyer See each poster for presenter’s schedule. A list of presenters and poster numbers along with a map will be included in the registration packets and be available at the registration desk. Presenter
Title
Adem, Esubalew
Analysis of the Inter-Dyking Deformation Pattern at the Ongoing Dabbahu-Manda Hararo (Afar) Rift, Ethiopia Using GPS and InSAR Techniques (out of order)
Coppersmith, Ryan
Yakima Fold Belt Structures, Eastern WA: Style and Rate of Faulting Based on Structural Analyses and Quaternary Studies
Crabtree, Brandon
Water Supply and Usage: Oktibeha County, Mississippi
DiGiulio, Jennifer
Digitization of the 1991 Mount Jefferson Geologic Map: Project motivation and Applicationsa
Duran, Robert
Multivariate Clustering Analysis and 3D Modeling for Rock Mass Characterization in a Hydrothermal Fluid Flow Study
Foote, Jeremy
Changes in the Hydrological Environment in Choctaw County Mississippi since 1995 (out of order)
Harmon, Matthew
Hydraulic Properties of the Stratigraphic Interval Separating Natural Gas Bearing Black Shales and Fresh-Water Aquifers in the Appalachian Basin
Haskin, Jesse
Data Acquisition and Processing Using Freely Available Software and Inexpensive Remote Controlled Aircraft
Hedin, Benjamin
Use of Small Limestone Incubation Devices to Elucidate Factors Affecting the Dissolution of Calcite by Acid Mine Drainage
Huber, Robert
Mountain Lake Alternative Water Source Feasibility Study
Khameiss, Belkasim
A Preliminary Documentation of the Coral Reefs from Libya
Khameiss, Belkasim
Geological Tourism Northeast Libya
Khameiss, Belkasim
Karastic Distribution Between Wadi Aljubiah and Wadi Al Bakur Area
Kumar, Santdeep
Well Logging in Ground Water Hydrology
Linsenbigler, Rochelle
Northern Pennsylvania Groundwater Well Mapping and the Identification of Contaminate Sources
Lomoschitz, Alejandro
Site Investigation in Volcanic Terrains for Building Projects
Nandi, Arpita
Debris Flow Potential Estimation using Hydrological Modeling, a Watershed Scale Case Study from Great Smoky Mountains National Park
Paulina, Tyler
Analyzing Surface Water-Ground Water Interactions in a Pittsburgh Stream
Pfeil-McCullough, Erin
Soil Disturbance via Longwall Coal Mining: Subsidence Impacts to Forests in Southwestern Pennsylvania
Preisberga, Anniya
3D Digital Imaging of Boleo Copper Mine Outcrops with a Quadcopter UAV
Ricketts, Tyler
Economic Salt Dome Development
Schaefer, Lauren
High-Velocity Frictional Properties of Basalt: Implications for Landslides, Earthquakes, and Volcanoes
Seidel, Darren
Using Areas of Concentrated Fecal Coliform Bacteria to Identify Species Specific Sources in Urbanized Sections of the Concho River, Tom Green County, Texas
Semmens, Stephen
Evaluation of Earth Dam and Levee Sustainability through Assessment of the Surrounding Environments (Presented by Wendy Zhou)
Stewart, Joshua
Developing Remote Sensing Methods for Bedrock Mapping of the Front Range Mountains, Colorado
Utevsky, Elinor
Tracers of Ore Fertility & Crustal Signatures: Applying Zircon Geochemistry & Geochronology to Plutons in the Western Cascades, WA & OR
Vargo, Ana
Geologic Evaluation of Battle Creek Debris Basin for Rehabilitation, Utah County, Utah
Don’t miss the Poster Presentation Reception – Thursday, September 24 6:00pm–7:00pm in the Grand Ballroom Foyer September 2015
AEG NEWS 58 Annual Meeting Program with Abstracts
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2015 ANNUAL MEETING
Abstracts Characterizing the Vulnerable Sections along a Railway Corridor Underlain by Permafrost Using Remote Sensing Addison, Priscilla, Michigan Technological University, peaddiso@mtu.edu; Thomas Oommen, toommen@mtu.edu; Pasi Lautala, ptlautal@mtu.edu (TS #9) The Hudson Bay Railway (HBR) is a 510-mile railway that runs in Manitoba, Canada. It connects The Pas in the northwest to the port of Churchill in the north. Permafrost was encountered along the corridor during construction in the 1920s. There is a gradual northward trend in its occurrence from discontinuous to continuous permafrost. Over the past eight decades, warming climate, combined with poor engineering properties of the railway embankment material, has resulted in thawing of the permafrost resulting in differential settlements. To keep the line operational the owner, OmniTRAX Inc., has to perform extensive and costly maintenance annually. A logistic regression model has therefore been developed to delineate vulnerable sections of the embankment to apply preventive measures to. Remotely sensed indices from Landsat ETM+ and high-resolution images giving information on vegetation, surface water, temperature, variable embankment height, and drainage condition were used as predictors. Annual maintenance data of the HBR was used as the response variable. A total of 302 data samples were obtained. These samples were split into 75% training set and 25% hold out set to validate the model. To avoid overfitting and biased estimation of error, ten-fold cross validation was applied to the training set before building the model. Initial results gave an accuracy rate of 85% and a sensitivity of 95%. This model is a first step towards building an effective tool for OmniTRAX Inc. to better allocate limited maintenance funds and also locate most problematic sections to apply extensive permafrost stabilization measures.
Multivariate Statistical Approach to Re-Evaluate the Slake Durability Index Test (ASTM 4644 – 08) Admassu, Yonathan, James Madison University, admassyx@jmu.edu; Hassan Hamdan, hamdanhx@jmu.edu (TS #11) The slake durability index (SDI) test is designed to quantify durability of mainly weak rocks. The test is basically tumbling ten pieces of rocks each weighing 40–60 grams for two ten-minute cycles in a water submerged mesh drum (2mm mesh size). SDI values depend on the fraction of material held within the drum after the test is completed. Some non-durable rocks can have as high SDI as those of durable rocks, due to the fact that fragments of retained material can be larger than 2mm. Is the size of the 2mm mesh appropriate to characterize durability of rocks? We sieved the retained material after the SDI test for 78 mudrocks and 74 sandstones/limestones. The retained material was sieved by 6.33mm, 4.75mm, and 4.00mm; 2mm sieves and the cumulative percentage greater-than-each sieve size were recorded. To describe the degree of fragmentation of the retained material, a fragmentation index is introduced. The index is the ratio of the range of percentage greater (by weight) for each sieve size to the range of grain sizes was calculated. Multiple/bivariate regressions on mudrocks were performed to see which grain size fraction (>6.33mm, 4.75 – 6.33mm, 4-4.75mm, 2-4mm) better explains the observed variation in the fragmentation index. The results showed that the >6.33mm fraction has the highest control on the dependent variable explaining 86.3% of the variation. This implies that the SDI test based on the 2mm mesh should be re-evaluated in light of these results. 44
Terrestrial Lidar-Based Rockfall Hazard Rating for Cut Slopes along Highways: A Case Study from the Afton Mountain Cut along I-64W, VA Admassu, Yonathan, James Madison University, admassyx@mtu.edu; Abdul Shakoor, ashakoor@kent.edu (TS #11) Cut slopes along highways can fail due to the presence of unfavorably oriented discontinuities releasing rockfalls. Rockfall hazard rating systems are used to rate cut slopes with respect to their likelihood of releasing rockfalls. Existing rating systems, which are semi-quantitative, consider geological and non-geological factors to rate cut slope potential to release rockfalls. The main geologic factor in these rating systems is the orientation of discontinuities with respect to slope faces. Discontinuity orientation measurement can be time-consuming and at times dangerous. lidarfrom airborne or terrestrial platforms has been used to remotely measure discontinuities. This research introduces a quantitative rockfall hazard rating method, which is calculated as the product of probability for failure (due to discontinuity orientation) and the presence of rockfall release surfaces. To demonstrate the method, the Afton Mountain cut along westbound I-64 was scanned with a terrestrial lidarscanner (TLS). The collected XYZ points were processed in order to extract discontinuity orientation data using ArcGIS. The process involved creating triangulated irregular networks (TINs) from imported XYZ points and calculating aspect (azimuth) and slope (dip) of each TIN. The TINs were then filtered to pick actual rock discontinuities. The TIN filtering was performed based on frequency, spatial distribution, and total perimeter of TINs. Probabilistic kinematic analysis was performed as well as percentage area of rockfall release area to calculate rockfall hazard rating due to discontinuity/slope face orientation. This rating system, although not inclusive of other non-geological factors appears to be more reliable and easy to interpret.
A Multifaceted Approach to Designing Cut Slopes Subjected to Differential Weathering: A Case Study from Ohio Admassu, Yonathan, James Madison University, yadmassyx@mtu.edu; Abdul Shakoor, ashakoor@kent.edu (TS #10) Cut slopes subject to differential weathering fail as a result of rapid weathering of weak rock units leading to undercutting of the overlying strong rock units, which eventually fail as rockfalls. Therefore, the stability of cut slopes subject to differential weathering does not depend on orientation of discontinuities or rock mass strength. Hence, the traditional methods of slope stability analysis are not applicable to such slopes. To develop a methodology for designing slopes subject to differential weathering, we collected geological, geotechnical, and geometrical data for 26 cut slope sites in Ohio. The slopes were divided into four groups based on their stratigraphic attributes: Type I–thick sandstone underlain by thick shale or claystone/mudstone, Type II–sandstone interlayered with shale or claystone/mudstone in nearly equal proportions, Type III–limestone interlayered with claystone/mudstone in nearly equal proportions, and Type IV–claystone/mudstone interlayered with minor, thin limestone layers. The approaches we used to investigate undercutting-induced failures and propose design recommendations included: multivariate statistics to identify the factors that control depth of undercutting, computer simulation to study trajectories of rockfalls, 2D numerical modeling to study the process of undercutting, and field measurements of natural slope angles of the eroding weak layers. Based on the results, we recommend cut slope angles
AEG NEWS 58 Annual Meeting Program with Abstracts
September 2015
2015 ANNUAL MEETING for each stratigraphic sequence that consider slope angles for undercut units to reduce rockfall potential, slope angles for undercutting units that are close to naturally stable angles, benches to reduce undercutting, drainage to reduce erosion, and catchment ditches to contain rockfalls.
Geotechnical Case Studies of Mitigation of Earthquake Damage to Dwellings in Christchurch, New Zealand – Part 2
Landslide Inventory Mapping of the Hunza River Watershed in Pakistan
The Canterbury Earthquake Sequence (2010–11) caused significant liquefaction-induced damage to dwellings overlying the flat alluvial plains of Christchurch. New Zealand’s Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) commissioned technical specialists and researchers to develop a technical guidance document (Guidance) to aid the remediation works. The aim of the Guidance was to provide a consistent process for assessing the damage and prescribing the appropriate foundation remediation strategy for individual dwellings. Overall, the Guidance proved to be beneficial and innovative in that it introduced the use of ‘readily repairable’ foundations on land that was susceptible to liquefaction damage in future earthquakes. However, because of Christchurch’s depositional geology and historical land use in certain areas, sober engineering judgement at some sites highlighted the limitations of the Guidance. In this session, the authors present case studies where the foundation solutions provided by the Guidance did not meet the site-specific geotechnical challenges and further engineering input was required. The geotechnical challenges in these case studies include: global lateral movement and slope instability; lateral ground stretch; soft compressible and organic soil layers overlying deep liquefiable soils with no adequate bearing layer; large predicted liquefaction-induced settlement; contaminated land; higher flood level requirements; and constructability challenges. The identified hazards, assessment methodology and results for each case study are presented and discussed together with the proposed foundation solutions.
Ahmed, M. Farooq, Missouri University of Science & Technology, mfanr5@mst.edu; J. David Rogers, rogersda@mst.edu (TS #23) This study summarizes the continuation of a series of regional landslide inventories undertaken in Northern Pakistan. The project included assembling an inventory of historic mass wasting features in the basin, including landslides, rock falls, and rock avalanches, and debris obstructions, especially, those along the Hunza River. A hillshade topographic map was created by stitching ASTER Digital Elevation Models (DEMs) with 30m resolution topographic sheets of 40m resolution, using ArcGIS. The methodology utilizes anomalous topographic expression to identify landslide features. The screening process includes examination of topographic anomalies and inconsistencies, which are atypical of underlying lithologic and structural contacts. The most common forms of anomalous topographic expression associated with landsliding include; divergent contours, crenulated contours, arcuate headscarp evacuation zones, isolated topographic benches and knobs, and converging first-order watercourses. The mapped landslide features closely matched several identified historic landslides in the Hunza River watershed. Historic landslide damming of the Hunza River has occurred at Attabad, Boultar Glacier, Gannish-Chiss, and GaneshSaukien, etc. the outbreak floods of landslide dam events leave anomalous geomorphic signatures, which were identified and helped validate the mapping methodology adopted for this study. Landslide dams appear to be the dominant mass wasting processes shaping the morphology of the main river channel in the Hunza River watershed.
Incorporating Cullet into Beach Ecosystems: Effects on Biota Health Babineaux-Sabin, Claire E., Mississippi State University Department of Geosciences, ceb445@msstate.edu; Brenda L. Kirkland (TS #19)
Innovations for Slope Instability Ames, Trevor, GeoStabilization International, trevor.a@gsi.us; Marty Woodard, marty@gismos (TS #6) When we look to contributing factors in slope instability and rockfall hazards, we find that most geohazards can be managed with proactive engineering controls as a viable solution using slope reinforcement and rockfall containment systems. From continually monitoring a slope for instability, assessing and modifying designs with updated geological information, including rock mass properties and slope geometry, to developing a reinforcement protocol that best suites the failure potential. These engineered designs can have a significant and positive impact on slope integrity and safety by reducing potential hazards. This presentation looks into geohazard mitigation topics facing operations with a comprehensive look into practical remediation techniques, including the application and design of rockfall barriers and fences for areas of highly weathered rock near high traffic areas such as access ramps, roadways, and portals. These types of systems provide an adequate measure to reduce the risk to personnel and infrastructure by controlling rocks as they fall from a slope. Considering various proactive steps in managing geotechnical hazards, developing remediation strategies for areas of concern, and minimizing slope and rockfall hazards is a topic of growing concern. Participants should leave with a better understanding of 1) Geotechnical considerations for slope designs; 2) Highwall/slope remediation techniques and investigation protocols; 3) Rockfall mitigation techniques including Stabilization and Protection methodologies and 4) Slope monitoring techniques.
September 2015
Awad, Andrew, Coffey, Andrew.Awad@Coffey.com; David L Knott, David_Knott@coffey.com; Russell Molyneux, russell.molyneux@gmail.com (TS #20)
The goal of this study is to determine whether glass cullet has detrimental effects on biota of all scales, including microbes. Glass cullet— made of recycled, crushed glass of a size comparable to beach sediment—is geologically compatible to aggregate. Sieve analysis shows the grain distributions of glass cullet as it compares to natural beach sand. Glass cullet is also similar to sand in chemical composition. To test the effects of a glass cullet environment on hermit crabs, three aquaria were set up with varying amounts of cullet in each. Sand, mixed glass cullet and sand, and just glass cullet were imaged with standard microscopy and SEM to show size comparisons, surface characteristics and attached microbes. The potential impacts of this study include determining whether crustaceans are compatible with glass cullet and if microbial biota inhabit glass cullet similarly to quartzdominated sand. These experiments are designed to determine if glass cullet is compatible with natural beach sand found in Mississippi on a variety of scales, as well as, identify whether there is need for analysis of how other biota might be affected. Glass cullet as an alternative aggregate in beach nourishment projects has not yet been used on the Mississippi Gulf Coast. The significance of this study is to determine whether glass cullet is safe for use as an alternative beach aggregate, which will induce both ecologic and economic advantages.
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2015 ANNUAL MEETING Huntington District Post Mineral Extraction Reclamation Bailey, Pamela, USACE Engineer Research and Development Center, Pamela.Bailey@usace.army.mil; Michael F. Spoor (TS #26) This presentation should define reclamation requirements to assure formulated Huntington District project benefits. As has been mandated by statutes, regulations, guidelines, and case law precedents mine site reclamation includes phased revegetation, impoundments, wetlands, and adjacent stream restoration. Reclamation actions were predicated on phased bond releases. Long-term consequences were not fully evaluated. Thousands of acres within project lands and adjacent drainage basin areas were adversely impacted by subsequent volunteering of nuisance and exotic species, as a consequence of seasonal revegetation by seeding, shrub and woody species plantings and related reclamation actions. Resulting degradation of wildlife habitat quality and diversity has precluded realization of formulated project benefits. Losses of suitable habitat acreage were partially addressed by natural succession of native woody shrub and tree species from adjacent areas. District and ERDC staffs have evaluated mined lands, within project and adjacent drainage areas, which were reclaimed using established methods. Vegetation and soils surveys indicate these reclamation actions should be revised to provide for extensive planting of native nursery and pioneer herbaceous species. Extended planting periods would be required and total reclamation costs reduced. Shrub and tree succession would, upon establishment of herbaceous vegetation cover, be defined by adjacent forest edge volunteering of native species. Extents and diversity of woody shrubs and trees should, during a period from five to ten years after establishment of herbaceous cover, form significant habitats adapted to local soils and bedrock characteristics, seasonal moisture and shading components, features, slope geometries, and micro-climate conditions.
Dam Foundations & Differing Site Conditions – Calaveras Dam Replacement Project Bair, Jeffrey M., Black & Vetch, BairJM@bv.com; Kerry Cato; Susan Hou (TS #12) Calaveras Dam is located on Calaveras Creek in the Diablo Mountain Range in Alameda County, California. This 220-foot-high earth-fill dam was completed in 1925 and is being re-built to address seismic stability concerns with the existing dam. The new structure will be a zoned earth and rock fill embankment including a new concrete-lined, ungated, ogeecrested spillway and a new intake tower and shaft. Geologic investigations conducted during the planning and design phases of the project revealed existing landslides (active, inactive, and dormant) in the right and left abutments, and highly variable conditions within required excavations for the new dam that included highly fractured sandstones (temblor sandstone), and hard intact schists and greywackes embedded in a matrix of siltstone and shale (Franciscan complex). All major civil construction, particularly those with substantial excavation volumes and other subsurface work, experience some amount of change during construction. Calaveras Dam, which entails excavation and placement of nearly ten million cubic yards of earth and rock in variable difficult geologic conditions, is no exception. Further complicating matters, the project site is very constrained, and only limited options are available for temporary or permanent storage of excavated materials. Required changes in material sequencing to address differing site conditions have been a significant source of extensions in the project schedule and increases in project costs. This paper discusses challenges in the excavation works associated with the project and related to differing site conditions. The paper further discusses steps taken by the Project Team to appropriately manage these risks, and to the full extent practical, minimize impacts to the project schedule and budget. 46
A Case Study of Ecosystem Restoration along the Reach of South Fork New River in Boone, North Carolina Ball, Brian, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Huntington District, Brian.W.Ball@usace.army.mil; Kenneth Darko-Kagya, Kenneth.Darko@usace.army.mil; Michael F. Spoor; Andrew Keffer, Andrew.M.Keffer@usace.army.mil; Phillip Hatfield, Philip.R.Hatfield@usace.army.mil (TS#27) Most valuable and important ecosystems in the world have been subject to considerable degradation, which results in harmful impacts to the livelihoods of people and damage to the ecosystem. Natural and/or anthropogenic activities are the cause of these environmental distresses. There is national mandate to restore the degraded ecosystem structure, function and dynamic process to near its original state or at least to a less degraded more natural condition. Restoration design requires several interdisciplinary professional staff approaches and parameters, which are very complex and interrelated. It is difficult to predict the immediate and long-term successes of ecosystem restoration, however there are several accepted ways to restore an environment that has undergone degradation. This paper presents relevant integrated environmental engineering restoration design and construction requirements as completed along degraded reaches of the South Fork New River in Boone, North Carolina as a case study. Practical restoration techniques such as stream bank characterization and restoration, in-stream placement of rock structures, planting and structural use of native herbaceous shrub and tree species, and related riparian and wetland betterment are presented. The importance of redirecting water flow together with sediment transport related substrate improvements are discussed here. All these methods/procedures should reestablish high quality viable riparian habitat and adjacent wetlands to affect this ecosystem restoration project.
I-68 “Sideling Hill” Rock Slope Hazards and Mitigation Concepts, Washington County, Maryland Banks, Brian K., Schnabel Engineering, Inc., bbanks@schnabel-neg.com (TS #16) Maryland’s largest highway rock cut slopes occur along I-68 in Washington County. Comprised of two opposite-facing rock cut slopes, each about 1,600 feet long and 360 feet high, the Sideling Hill road cut is well known for its impressive exposure of sedimentary rock layers folded into a tight syncline. The orientation of the road is roughly perpendicular to the syncline axis, which offers a unique view of the folded and faulted rock strata. The slopes were designed with four 20-foot-wide benches, with 0.25H:1V bench faces each up to about 80 feet high. The rockfall catchment areas at the base of the slopes were designed to be up to 40 feet wide with a shallow Vshaped configuration. The original construction was completed in 1985. Schnabel Engineering performed a rock slope hazard investigation for the Maryland State Highway Administration (MSHA) to identify slope conditions that may contribute to rock slope instability and rockfall. The investigation included a lidar survey to develop a 3D terrain model and topographic plan of the existing rock slopes; a field reconnaissance to perform rock structure mapping and observe existing rock slope conditions; and digital mapping using the 3D terrain model. Rock slope stability analyses were performed to determine areas of potential instability. Schnabel Engineering developed recommendations and conceptual designs for rock slope maintenance to reduce the rockfall hazard. MSHA is using the results of the concept study to choose a maintenance concept to carry forward into final design and construction.
AEG NEWS 58 Annual Meeting Program with Abstracts
September 2015
2015 ANNUAL MEETING Soil Sampling Utilizing Horizontal/Directional Drilling Methods Bardsley, David, Directed Technologies Drilling, Inc.; david@horizon aldrill.com; Dan Ombalski, dan@horizontaldrill.com (TS #27) Horizontal/directional drilling (HDD) methods have been utilized in the environmental drilling industry for the installation of monitor and remediation systems. New refinements in drilling equipment, steering/locating technology and sampling tooling have given consultants, site owners and drillers the ability to use the technology to obtain soil samples using HDD technology. The specific tooling technology includes a variety of soil samplers for use in multiple types of geologic conditions. The equipment is designed for use with small (less than 25,000 lb. capacity) drilling rigs, which require a limited surface operating footprint. Benefits of the method include: accessing areas under obstructions limiting or preventing the use of vertical drilling equipment; steerable drilling assembly allows for multiple samples from one borehole or rig up location; bore entry point can be located in areas where overlying formations are not contaminated, eliminating the potential for cross contaminating vertical formations, and reduce crew risk by moving the drilling equipment from hazardous locations; busy roadways, ponds and manufacturing-operating units. Several recent projects detailing the effectiveness of horizontal/directional soil sampling operations will be examined, including: sampling beneath a river, sampling beneath a waste storage lagoon, and sampling beneath a landfill.
Rockslope Stability in Karst Terrain Bateman, Vanessa C., U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, vanessa.c. bateman@usace.army.mil (TS #16) While the risks associated with sinkholes in karst terrain are well documented, the risks to both the public and infrastructure presented by both natural and man-made rock slopes in karst terrain are often misunderstood. Rock cut design, even where a rockfall catchment ditch is included, seldom accounts for the unstable epikarst zone and for the secondary toppling failure mode in more competent rock evident in many karst areas. Vertical karst chimneys and weathering along joints can produce substantial stability problems in the remaining rock face. The secondary toppling failure mode often develops from the combination of solution-widened joints in the rock face and from differential weathering of the rocks in the stratigraphic sequence. This failure mode is most often forgotten where the geology is relatively flat lying leading practitioners to discount the possibility for a structurally controlled rock failure in an area that is not considered to be structurally complex. Where the epikarst zone is deep, this can leave large unstable rock boulders and columns surrounded by soil that are relatively stable in-situ, but present rockslope stability risks where they are exposed. The geology of middle Tennessee, particularly in the outer Central Basin, Highland Rim, and at the margins of the Cumberland Plateau is such that many of these problems can be expected, and these issues should be accounted for in design. Illustrations of these problems are given from multiple sites including Center Hill Dam, the Cordell Hull Dam access road, and along several Tennessee roadways.
September 2015
The SIMDAMS Project: Bringing Dam Safety into the Information Age Bateman, Vanessa, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, vanessa.c.bateman@usace.army.mil; Christopher J. Kelly, Christopher.j.kelly2@usace.army.mil; Baron Worsham, Baron.m.worsham@usace.army.mil; William G. Walker Jr, william.g.walker@usace.army.mil; Meghann Wygonik, Meghann.m.wygonik@usace.army.mil; Sarah Wiles, Sarah.g.wiles@usace.army.mil (TS #22) The benefits of information management systems and 3D models for civil works projects are widely known. Yet there have often been many impediments to implementing consistent information management practices for Dam Safety projects. These impediments have included relevant data and information scattered across multiple hard drives, servers and file rooms, as well as limited software access and complicated programs that require a specialist to operate. Information management systems that have been implemented have been done on a project-by-project basis and each has their own organizational structure. The SIMDAMS (Site Information Modeling and Dam Management Solutions) project is providing a consistent framework and structure to bring relevant USACE dam safety information into GIS-based site information models that not only include the spatial representation of dam safety related features, but also the underlying deep data, including historical reports, drawings and documents that make a complete information model of a dam site. Using GIS as the spatial framework, the projects are virtually constructed in 2D and 3D GIS to provide the visual interface. The underlying document library is then connected to spatial data features providing engineers and geologists with organized access to all relevant data needed to assess the safety of the dam. These models are designed to be easily transferrable from site to site, and are also being implemented in a web interface, making both the models and documents widely available and easy to use for non-GIS specialists.
Time to Face the Landslide Dilemma – A Summary of the First AEG Professional Forum Bauer, Jennifer, Appalachian Landslide Consultants, PLLC, Jennifer@appalachianlandslide.com (TS #21) The first AEG Professional Forum—Time to Face the Landslide Dilemma, Bridging Science, Policy, Public Safety, and Potential Loss— was held in Seattle, WA, in February 2015. The forum brought together over 200 geologists, engineers, planners, emergency managers, students, and others from public, private, and academic employers. Twenty-two speakers and 15 poster presenters shared their experiences and knowledge with the intent of working together to develop steps toward reducing landslide impact on public safety. Attendees learned about federal, state and county strategies for landslide hazard assessments, what the insurance industry needs to know to insure landslides, how planning and zoning are used to mitigate geologic hazards, what information Emergency Managers need during landslide crises, and how to communicate with federal representatives about geohazards. Following the presentations, forum attendees participated in an interactive workshop. Groups discussed five different topics: 1) Creation of a “Loss Model,” 2) Communication between science, policy, and the public, 3) Public education, 4) Regulation and Planning, 5) Next steps to continue this discussion. Six top level priority action items came out of these groups: a) to form a central committee to continue the work the forum started, b) work on standardizing core methods such as for lidar and mapping, c) implement priorities of the public education group, d) develop emergency
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2015 ANNUAL MEETING management kits for pre-emergency hazard mitigation plans, e) write an article for the press about the forum, and f) plan the next forum. This Annual Meeting Symposium serves as the next forum and builds upon the conversation started in Seattle.
Geophysical Mapping of Fracture Flow in a Hard Rock Setting Beird, Maggie, THG Geophysics Ltd., mhb@geo-image.com; Peter Hutchinson, pjh@geo-image.com (TS #15) The topographic remnants of mountain building in New Jersey consist of a series of fault-bounded ridges and valleys. These ridges are often composed of Middle Proterozoic granites and metamorphic suites that are fractured and faulted, providing conduit flow for surface water. Surface water exploits the fractures and faults as it migrates down gradient to integrate with the regional aquifer in the adjacent valley. The southeastern side of a northeast trending granitic ridge in this region, is the site of at least five trenches that received hazardous waste. Volatile organic compounds (VOC) associated with the waste disposal have been detected in residential water wells northwest of the ridge. Electrical imaging (EI) proved to be an excellent method of mapping the pathways for conduit flow through a fault and fractures. A sub-regional Middle Paleozoic fault, the Mansfield Fault, traverses the ridge from the north to the south and passes beneath one of the waste trenches on the southeast side of the salient. Electrical imaging of the subsurface documented the placement of the fault and its cataclastic zone. Further, EI provided additional information as to its aerial extent. EI imaged a number of fractures—some that pass beneath the trenches and integrate with the aquifer to the north. These fractures and fault provide pathways to transport the VOCs in the groundwater to residential water wells.
We Need a Dam Sensor Reading Bellusci, Chris, GeoEngineers, cbellusci@geoengineers.com; Lindsay Flangas, lflangas@geoengineers.com (TS #22) As our critical infrastructure ages, the regulations for public safety and federal compliance continue to tighten. GeoEngineers’ Earth Analytics for Hydroelectric Dams is a technology and science platform built to manage critical-asset sensor data, and meet the demanding Federal compliance reporting requirements. We have implemented Earth Analytics for Hydroelectric Dams for Portland General Electric (PGE). PGE staff needed a more efficient and streamlined way to manage and report dam safety data to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC). PGE’s existing process required more than 200 hours to compile, analyze and generate the FERC-required dam safety reports. The agency required its new system to satisfy two critical requirements: 1) improved efficiency and 2) actionable intelligence. In this presentation, GeoEngineers will demonstrate how our Earth Analytics platform solved PGE’s dam safety reporting needs. The new, online, hosted solution allows PGE operations and management staff to access and store dam sensor readings from both traditional data loggers and wireless sensors using a user-role-based security model. The application allows staff to define advanced “listening” triggers or alarms to notify users of exceedances or potential thresholds. PGE staff can now visualize and analyze data in ways that have traditionally required a high degree of subject-matter expertise and additional time to produce.
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Landslide Phenomena of Chimaltenango District, Guatemala Bible, Gary, Cougar Dome, LLC, garybible11@gmail.com; Rachael Cloud Bible, rbible@tamu.edu (TS #24) Landslides continue to cause loss of life and property in Guatemala. One such area, the Chimaltenango District is located in the Central Guatemalan Highlands. Destructive landslides and lahars are a chronic problem in the area. In 2015, a cooperative project was initiated with the Alliance for International Reforestation, also known as AIR Guatemala, to map the known landslides in the District. Landslides were mapped using ESRI ArcView software and the ESRI world image. The northern half of the district is underlain by deeply weathered Tertiary volcanics. Upon deforestation, these volcanics are subject to increased landslide activity. Using Varnes’ classification of landslides, debris slides and mudflows are the dominant type of landslides. At present, this area is being analyzed using open Modeler Desktop 1.1.0 to produce predictive maps of the areas that would be subject to increased landslide activity upon deforestation. The southern half of the Chimaltenango District is underlain by Quaternary volcanics. Debris slides and mudflows are relatively rare in this area. However, lahars emanating from the top of Volcán De Fuego are common on the lower flanks of this volcano. This is one of the most active volcanos in Latin America and there is a large deposit of volcanic ash located primarily around the west side of the cone. This ash deposit appears to be unstable and will continue to ‘feed’ lahars for the immediate future. Avoiding development of the lahar prone areas appears to be the most feasible means to preventing the loss of human life.
Double Row Grout Curtain Design and Construction for Cedar Creek Dam in Malakoff, Texas Bole, Daniel P., Hayward Baker Inc., dpbole@haywardbaker.com; Marc T. Miller, Marc.Miller@freese.com (TS #17) This case history presents the design and construction of a grout curtain, trench drain and collector system, to address the demand for fresh water supply for the Tarrant Regional Water District’s Cedar Creek Dam (Joe B. Hogsett Dam) project on Cedar Creek Lake in Malakoff, TX. The project consists of two significant work phases: the construction of a 1,400 linear-foot double row grout curtain along the left abutment area and the construction of approximately 1,300 linear feet of a trench drain and collector system. The double row grout curtain is spaced 10 feet on center with holes battered at 15° from vertical and an average depth of 80 feet. The design of the grout curtain required work in two different zones of geologic medium. The upper grout zone was composed of a “packsand,” which typically consisted of sands and gravels, while the lower grout zone consisted primarily of fractured shale. The grouting required a suite of grout mixes, all of which are considered balanced stable grouts. In addition to the use of balanced stable grout mixes, all grouting operations were performed utilizing the geotechnical contractor’s proprietary i-Grout system. The final stage of construction was the installation of a 1,300 linear feet drainage trench and collector system that was designed to handle additional water. The trench was excavated into a permeable sand layer to allow for transport of water into the trench drain and collected in a controlled manner.
AEG NEWS 58 Annual Meeting Program with Abstracts
September 2015
2015 ANNUAL MEETING Can We Extract Information Regarding Transportation Asset Condition from Satellite-Based Radar Interferometric Data? Bouali, El Hachemi, Michigan Technological University, eybouali@mtu.edu (TS #14) As many transportation agencies adopt asset management (AM) programs for preventative care and long-term maintenance purposes, it is becoming more apparent that the myriad of disparate asset types across large-scale transportation networks (e.g., state-wide level) are difficult to adequately manage in a timely fashion. There seems to be a disconnect between the robust requirements for successful AM implementation, as described by various transportation agencies’ AM frameworks, and the completion of these requirements in the field. For example, the recently-passed Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act (MAP-21) dictates that each State Department of Transportation is required to develop a risk-based AM plan and are encouraged to include all infrastructure assets within the right-of-way corridor. This is a daunting task if done entirely via field-based methods. The authors investigate the use of radar interferometry, a remote sensing technique where all data are acquired via active microwave sensors attached to polar orbiting satellites, towards the condition assessment of various asset types (e.g., geotechnical, transportation, and pavement) within the transportation corridor. An analysis of different radar interferometry outputs—primary products such as interferograms, coherence maps, amplitude imagery, and persistent scatterer points— is explored to see if secondary products may be generated to further assist in the initial condition assessment and long-term monitoring steps of AM programs.
Bulking Factors to Predict Debris-Flow Peak Discharge Brunkal, Holly, Colorado School of Mines, hbrunkal@western.edu; Paul Santi, psanti@mines.edu (TS #25) The rational equation is a simple and commonly used technique for calculating runoff peak discharges from small drainage basins. The rational equation computes clear water flood values and does not account for increased peak discharges during debris-flow events. A large database of debris-flow peak discharges (Q) allowed for a comparison with the expected basin discharge as computed using the rational equation. The observed values for debris flows in unburned and burned areas were divided by the computed Q values of runoff using the rational equation. This ratio is the bulking factor for that debris-flow event. It is shown that unburned and burned basins constitute two distinct populations for debris-flow bulking. The bulking factors for burned areas are consistently higher than for unburned basins. Previously published bulking factors for unburned areas would be appropriate for this data set in about 50% of the observed cases. Conversely, the bulking factors for burned areas that were found in the published literature were well below the increases seen in over half of the cases investigated in this study. Average bulking factors for unburned areas ranged from 1.4–10X depending on basin size, and for burned areas they range from 2.8–30X. Peak discharge bulking rates were found to be inversely related to basin area. Debris flows are becoming a more frequent hazard and more communities are found in areas of increased risk. An understanding of the potential peak discharges from debris flows reduces the risk to infrastructure. Site Characterization of Critical Facilities in Oregon on Cascadia Margin Burns, Scott, Portland State University, burnss@pdx.edu (TS #8) Oregon lies on the Cascadia Subduction Zone, which has incredible potential for large earthquakes and volcanic eruptions. Siting of critical facilities has to take into consideration the chances of large earthquakes and eruptions. Three different types of earthquakes have to be evaluated for each site: North American crust quakes (up to M = 6.5); Juan de Fuca plate quakes up to M = 7.3; subduction quakes up to M = 9.0+. September 2015
The recurrence interval for the subduction quakes is 500 years for the whole plate boundary and about 300 years for the southern margin. Last complete fracture was in the year 1700. The whole coast has to be concerned with two types of tsunamis: distant ones up to two meters high and local ones during subduction zone quakes up to 15 meters high. The whole coast has been mapped for tsunami inundation and evacuation routes have been drawn up. Critical facilities are not allowed in the tsunami inundation zones (mainly below 15 meters elevation). The distance from different volcanoes needs to also be evaluated. The large composite volcanoes have mainly lahar and ash potential, especially Mt. St. Helens and Mt. Mazama. Steep slopes also have a large potential for landslides in large quakes so landslide potential maps are being produced at this time. The tectonic setting of Cascadia dominates all characterization of critical sites in Oregon.
Mineral, Virginia 2011, and Charleston, South Carolina, 1886: Results from Some Recent Seismological Investigations Chapman, Martin, Virginia Tech, mcc@vt.edu; Qimin Wu; Anna Hardy; Jacob Beale (TS #8) The hypocenters of earthquakes located using data from a temporary network deployment in the Summerville, SC, area define a southstriking tabular seismogenic zone dipping 43 degrees to the west in the upper 12 km, and the majority of the focal mechanisms indicate reverse faulting on approximately N-NW trending nodal planes. Those observations and our previous analyses of reflection profiles in the Summerville, SC, area support the hypothesis that the source of the 1886 Charleston earthquake was compressional reactivation of a south-striking Mesozoic extensional fault. The modern seismicity near Summerville is in many ways similar to the aftershock sequence of the M5.8 2011 Mineral, VA, earthquake, which had a reverse mechanism and most moment release at approximately 7.5 km depth. In both cases, hypocenter locations define a tabular seismogenic zone, with the majority of events at shallow depth (1 to 6 km). In both cases, the focal mechanisms show considerable diversity. In the case of the Mineral earthquake, more than half of the solutions exhibit reverse mechanisms with P-axis trends differing by more than 15 degrees from that of the mainshock mechanism. The same is true for the South Carolina data set in terms of the difference between focal mechanism B-axis trend and the azimuth 186o strike of the seismogenic zone. These similarities suggest the possibility that in both cases the seismicity following the mainshock is largely controlled by Coulomb stress transfer, acting on minor faults with a range of orientations, despite the fact that the hypocenter locations appear to define at least part of a planar mainshock damage zone. This is certainly the case for the Mineral, VA, aftershocks. It appears this is also the case for the on-going seismicity in the epicentral area of the 1886 Charleston earthquake, despite the passage of nearly 129 years since the mainshock.
Portugués Dam: Challenges and Success in RCC Dam Foundation Documentation and Treatment Conway, John, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, john.m.conway@usace.army.mil (TS #7) The Portugués Dam foundation presented challenges for the geologic documentation and foundation treatment due to steep slopes at the abutments, river diversion requirements and complex geology. Documentation and treatment of the rock foundation were some of the most critical activities performed during the construction and prior to the placement of the Dam’s RCC structure. Foundation treatment was necessary in order to remove unacceptable foundation materials and improve its quality for the dam structure stability. The Portugués Dam foundation consisted of approximately 10,000 sq yd of meta-sediments
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2015 ANNUAL MEETING intersected by shears and diorite dikes. It was photographed and mapped immediately after the excavation reached lines and grades and was cleaned sufficiently to allow a view of the geology and its structure. The foundation geology was mapped and documented by state of the art 3DM photogrammetry. Foundation treatment areas consisting of weathered, fractured, soft and loose rocks were also detailed mapped and photographed prior to dental concrete placement in preparation for the dam RCC. This mapping recorded final foundation conditions under the dam. Foundation treatments or improvements consisted in excavating poor quality rock and were necessary replacing it with dental concrete, injecting cement grout for consolidation and building a grout curtain to improve the foundation and reduced the permeability. These methods enhanced the quality of the foundation to meet design needs and the long-term stability of the dam. The PortuguĂŠs Dam Foundation Report has the permanent record of the successful detailed foundation mapping completion and foundation treatments.
The Influence of Tectonic Setting on the Characterization of Seismic Sources for Probabilistic Seismic Hazard Analysis Coppersmith, Kevin, Coppersmith Consulting, Inc., kevin@coppersmithconsulting.com (TS #8) Seismic source characterization (SSC) for probabilistic seismic hazard analysis (PSHA) has become a specialized multi-disciplinary field within the earth sciences that is aimed at defining locations, sizes, and rates of future earthquakes that can give rise to vibratory ground motions at a site or sites of interest. Because relatively rare moderate-to-large earthquakes are of interest for engineering design or safety analyses, the observed record of historical and instrumental seismicity is often not sufficient to define confidently the characteristics of future earthquakes. The SSC tools used to define future earthquake characteristics are functions of the tectonic environment, which ranges from active plate boundary regions to stable continental regions. In all cases, uncertainties in seismic source characteristics must be completely quantified and propagated into the PSHA. This talk will draw from examples of actual SSC models developed for critical facilities to illustrate approaches to defining the spatial and temporal aspects of future earthquakes. The Diablo Canyon SSC model lies within an active tectonic environment and the hazard is dominated by the details of the nearby faults, including their potential rupture geometries, slip rates, magnitude frequency distributions, and temporal distributions. Likewise, active faults and the Cascadia subduction zone in the BC Hydro SSC model are characterized by their slip rates, paleoseismic recurrence intervals, and details of their rupture geometries. Moving to less active tectonic environments, the Yucca Mountain, NV, and the Hanford, WA, SSC models use a combination of fault sources and seismic source zones to represent the future spatial distribution of seismicity. The geometry of nearby faults is important, as is information related to the slip rates on faults, but the spatial distribution and rupture characteristics of future earthquakes within source zones can also contribute to the hazard. In stable continental regions, the causative faults are typically difficult to identify and a variety of geologic and geophysical data are used to define source zones with relatively uniform future earthquake characteristics. Using the CEUS SSC and the Thyspunt, South Africa, SSC models as examples, a variety of tools are available such as spatial smoothing to define future earthquake locations and the assessment of maximum magnitudes becomes quite important. Repeated large magnitude earthquake sources are seen locally, such as New Madrid, and the temporal distribution of seismicity is a key issue. Tools for expressing the uncertainties in SSC characteristics, including logic trees, will also be discussed in this presentation.
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Yakima Fold Belt Structures, Eastern WA: Style and Rate of Faulting Based on Structural Analyses and Quaternary Studies Coppersmith, Ryan, Coppersmith Consulting Inc., ryan@coppersmithconsulting.com; Christopher Slack, christopher.slack@amecfw.com; Kathryn L. Hanson, kathryn.hanson@amecfw.com; Jeffrey Unruh, unruh@lettisci.com (Poster) As part of the SSHAC Level 3 Hanford Sitewide Probabilistic Seismic Hazard Analysis (PSHA) study, regional fault sources in the Yakima Fold Belt (YFB) were characterized to evaluate timing, recency of faulting, and slip rate. Since the initial detailed studies in the 1970s, controversy has existed regarding the style and rate of contemporary deformation in the YFB. To understand the slip history of individual structures within the YFB, a structural analysis combining field, GISbased mapping, and subsurface information from a regional hydrogeologic model was performed for 15 faults and associated anticlines within the Columbia River Basalts (CRB). A 10-m resolution DEM was used to evaluate the amplitude and wavelength of the YFB folds, which in turn provide constraints on the geometry of the underlying dominantly reverse and reverse-oblique faults. Topographic analysis of the folds in conjunction with regional geologic maps, were evaluated to assess varying amounts of structural relief along the entire trend of each fold and potential characteristic rupture segments. Long-term average slip rates used to characterize fault sources in the SSC model were derived from the vertical slip required to generate the structural relief on the CRB in the YFB, and the period of time over which regional shortening occurred (6 and 10Ma). Quaternary mapping and geochronology studies provided new slip-rate information for three of the faults: Rattlesnake Mountain, Manastash, and Umtanum. Late Quaternary vertical slip rates were similar to the long-term (post-10 Ma) average slip rates (generally ranging from ~ 0.02 to 0.12 mm/yr).
Challenges in Characterizing Fault Sources in a Reactivated SCR Environment, Southern South Africa Coppersmith, Ryan, Coppersmith Consulting, Inc., ryan@coppersmithconsulting.com; Kathryn L. Hanson, kathryn.hanson@amecfw.com; Johann Neveling, jneveling@geoscience.org.za (TS #8) A major challenge in characterizing fault sources in SCR environments often stems from the inability to distinguish the recency and slip rates between Quaternary reactivated portions of the fault system and other parts of the fault system that do not show reactivation. Establishing these characteristics for all parts of a fault system is important to seismic hazard studies. A unique opportunity to observe a Quaternary reactivated fault within a portion of a Mesozoic fault system is present in southern South Africa. The late Paleozoic Cape Fold Belt dominates the structural configuration of southern South Africa and formed along the southern margin of Gondwana. Cape Orogeny compression was followed by extension associated with the breakup of Gondwana and the superposition of a Mesozoic extensional system onto the fold belt. The 480 km long Mesozoic fault system includes the major basinbounding Ceres-Kango-Baviaanskloof-Coega (CKBC) fault. Southern South Africa lies within a stable continental region (SCR); however, evidence of up to three Pleistocene to Holocene normal faulting events along a 100 km reactivated portion of the Kango fault has been documented, including 10â&#x20AC;&#x201C;33 m of normal dip slip of pediment surfaces (Hanson et al., 2014). Along the extent of the CKBC, river drainages have incised 150 m into the Paleozoic Table Mountain Group quartzite, resulting in the abandonment of high-level pediment surfaces that are very resistant to erosion. The silcrete and underlying pediment surface at the bedrock alluvium contact are generally considered to be Miocene in age and have exposed surfaces that have been stable for 350 kyr to 3 Myr based on cosmogenic nuclide (26Al /10Be) dating
AEG NEWS 58 Annual Meeting Program with Abstracts
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2015 ANNUAL MEETING (Bierman et al., 2014), providing unique regional strain gauges for evaluating the presence or absence of fault deformation. To determine the recency and relation of fault timing of the reactivated Kango fault segment to major neighboring faults in the CKBC fault system, geologic mapping along pediment surfaces that overlie the Baviaanskloof, Western Coega, and Kouga faults was undertaken. Detailed mapping of the bedrock fault locations and the silcrete unconformity, and the surface itself reveals a demonstrable lack of surface rupture along these faults, thus confirming the lack of Quaternary reactivation along most of the CKBC fault system. The mapping studies provided data used to evaluate the seismogenic probability of these faults for seismic hazard analyses and they provide insights into the spatial and temporal reactivation of faults within SCR.
Geohazard Risk Reduction through the Installation of High-Tensile Strength Anchored and Draped Steel Mesh Coyle, Kevin, Geobrugg North America, kevin.coyle@geobrugg.com (TS #11) Shale gas recovery requires venturing into some of the most remote and rugged country in the Continental U.S. Many of these areas are geologically unstable and prone to surface slides, yet because they are remote these hazards have no impact on society and warrant no remediation. Shale gas recovery in these remote areas exposes people, equipment, and infrastructure used for the harvesting and transmission of shale gas creating significant exposure and risk of loss. The landslide and rockfall hazards that shale gas operations are exposed to can be significantly reduced with anchored or draped flexible-steel mesh protection systems. These mitigation measures can be rapidly installed without heavy equipment even in the most remote areas where access is difficult providing economical geohazard mitigation compared to other currently used options.
Water Supply and Usage: Oktibeha County, Mississippi Crabtree, Brandon, Mississippi State University, bmc369@msstate.edu; Darrell Schmitz, schmitz@geosci.msstate.edu (Poster) Oktibbeha County primarily depends on an aquifer in the Gordo formation for its fresh water needs. This formation has never been analyzed for its ground water potential in the context of usage exclusive to Oktibbeha County. The last hydrogeological study of the formations was completed in 1965 and included analysis of the surrounding counties and focused on extraction by the larger municipalities. This project has investigated the aquifer systems within the county and identifies alternative sources of groundwater. Wells and surface water features have been analyzed for usability by the county. Surface water and ground water was investigated as a potential reservoir source. Potentiometric surface maps have also be updated in the area to reflect current and projected ground water levels. Updated cross sections of the geologic units have been created in order to provide a more detailed understanding of the structure and the hydraulic properties of the aquifer systems in the County.
“Is the Dam Leaking?” A Study of the Current Status of the Druid Lake Dam in Baltimore, Maryland Crist, Kristopher, The Robert B. Balter Company, kcrist@balterco.com; Joseph F. Whittle, Jr.; Matt Leone (TS #7) Historically, the Druid Lake Dam is fascinating. Built between 1864 and 1871 within a 100-foot-deep ravine using soil from the local area and “puddling” methods, the dam was the largest earthen dam in the country. Construction issues and cost over-runs reduced the lake capacity to 430 million gallons of water, down from the 1 billion gallon September 2015
design. Development impacted the dam, including construction of I-83, located at the toe, and the 28th street off-ramp, built into the face of the dam. Studies of the dam’s stability and seepage conditions were performed over the years, identifying no seepage issues, but identifying shallow sloughing failures in the downstream face. An attempt to correct this was made by reducing the top width from 60 feet to 30 feet by flattening the upper slope and constructing a retaining wall upstream of the off-ramp. Recently, settlement within I-83 in front of the dam raised concerns by the Maryland Department of the Environment of the condition of the dam. Contracted by the City, the study team implemented a two-phase plan to study the dam, including a geophysical evaluation supplemented by a geotechnical study. The geophysical study identified concerns at distinct locations of the dam, which were then evaluated using geotechnical borings, piezometers and monitoring wells. Field and laboratory data was used in significant seepage and slope stability analyses. This presentation will describe the study and the challenges that arose during the evaluation of the dam; and will provide a summary of the findings and conclusions.
Sinkhole Mapping & Void Detection in Karst - Electrical Resistivity Case Studies at Carlsbad Caverns and in Tennessee Cross, Eric, Pyramid Environmental & Engineering, eric@pyramid environmental.com; Doug Canavello, doug@pyramidenvironmental.com (TS #15) Variations in resistivity can be used to make inferences into the geologic conditions of the subsurface, including changes in soil type, depth to rock, competency of bedrock, groundwater characteristics, and possible void spaces. Recently, Pyramid has used surface resistivity mapping at two project sites to identify voids in limestone and assess active sinkhole conditions. The first site was located at Carlsbad Caverns National Park in New Mexico. Pyramid designed a two-part electrical resistivity survey to examine the entire length (~7000 feet) of a proposed subsurface utility for possible caves/voids in the upper 75–100 feet of the limestone formation that may prove to be hazardous for construction. The mapping involved both a 2D resistivity survey along the length of the proposed utility route and 3D resistivity surveys at the locations of the possible caves that were identified. The second project was located in Tennessee at a remediation site where a ground collapse had occurred. The site was characterized by shallow limestone, and the ground collapse was thought to be associated with sinkhole conditions resulting from the underlying karst. The resistivity survey combined 2D and 3D imaging to delineate the lateral extent of the sinkhole and assess its potential depth of influence into the limestone formation. This paper presents the results of these electrical resistivity surveys and discusses the interpretations made at each site regarding sinkhole activity and subsurface voids.
Correlation of Regional Geologic and Tectonic History with Geologic Mapping of Foundation Excavations at the V. C. Summer Nuclear Station, South Carolina Cumbest, Randolph J., Lettis Consultants International, Inc, cumbest@lettisci.com; Stephanie Briggs, briggs@lettisci.com; Frank H. Syms, syms@lettisci.com (TS #8) Preconstruction evaluation of foundation conditions for critical facilities is typically based on information from borings augmented by other geologic, geophysical, and geotechnical investigations. Because these techniques are limited in sampling density and spatial resolution, interpretations of geologic conditions at foundation grade based on them involve uncertainty about geologic, seismic, and geotechnical hazards that may be present. This uncertainty can be reduced by documenting
AEG NEWS 58 Annual Meeting Program with Abstracts
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2015 ANNUAL MEETING conditions in plant foundation excavations through a detailed geologic mapping program. Regional geologic and tectonic investigations provide the context for interpreting field data collected during the mapping. The regional context defines geologic conditions that could occur in foundation materials at the site, including characteristics that may warrant further assessment to ensure site suitability. Lithologies, stratigraphy, and structural features encountered during foundation mapping and the geologic and tectonic history inferred from the relationships between these characteristics should fit into the regional context to provide increased confidence in interpretations made based on the detailed geologic mapping. For a new nuclear power plant, a primary impetus for geologic mapping lies in regulatory requirements and guidelines of the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, including a license condition that requires detailed geologic mapping of excavations for safetyrelated structures at the plant site. Geologic investigations performed for the V.C. Summer Nuclear Station (VCSNS) in the South Carolina Piedmont, which included detailed geologic mapping of plant foundation excavations, illustrate the importance of understanding results of the geologic mapping in light of the regional geologic and tectonic framework to minimize uncertainty about the presence of potential geologic, seismic, and geotechnical hazards that could affect site suitability. The mapping revealed the following information about foundation bedrock that conformed with timing of regional geologic and tectonic events: 1) Lithologic units comprising Charlotte Terrane country rock at the VCSNS site were deposited as a volcanic and sedimentary sequence in an island arc, subjected to regional metamorphism, and penetratively deformed prior to 535 Ma (PreCambrian-Cambrian). 2) The Winnsboro Plutonic Complex, which largely comprises foundation bedrock at the VCSNS site, intruded Charlotte Terrane rocks around 309 Ma (Carboniferous). 3) Fracturing and hydrothermal alteration of potassium feldspar collected from the most prominent shear zone in foundation bedrock of Unit 2 occurred around 215 Ma (Triassic). The geologic mapping documented that faults and shear zones younger than Mesozoic did not occur in the excavations for safety-related structures at the plant site, confirming that pre-excavation predictions made about foundation conditions remained valid.
Evaluation of Subsurface Conditions Using MASW to Support Trenchless Construction Design in an Urban Environment Daniel, Joel, Schnabel Engineering, Inc. jdaniel@schnabel-eng.com; James Whitt, jwhitt@schnabel-eng.com; Paul Headland, pheadland@aldeaservices.com; Michael Nuhfer, mnuhfer@aldea services.com (TS #1) The Hornerstown and Industrial Park Interceptor project located in Johnstown, Pennsylvania will comprise approximately 6,300-feet of 36-inch sewer interceptor and 18 new manholes. The planned construction methods include a combination of trenchless drives and open cut reaches. The proposed sewer alignment presents challenges for both open-cut and trenchless installation methods, as it crosses beneath busy roadways/intersections, a rail line, overhead and buried utilities, State Route 56 overpass; and passes very close to numerous building foundations. The subsurface conditions at the site include flood-related debris, fluvial clay, silt, sand, and gravel overlying cyclic sequences of shale, sandstone, and limestone, including coal associated with the Allegheny and Glenshaw Geologic Formations. Preliminary design requires knowledge of local subsurface conditions, including soil stiffness, top of bedrock, and location of possible historical flood debris. The multichannel analysis of surface waves (MASW) seismic method was used to supplement boring data to evaluate subsurface conditions. This method is especially useful in urban areas where ambient electromagnetic noise may negatively impact the success of other geophysical methods such
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as electromagnetics and ground-penetrating radar. The MASW surveys were used to evaluate tunneling conditions along the drive alignments and to evaluate the extent of rock excavation in open cut reaches. This geophysical survey provided a better understanding of subsurface conditions along the entire interceptor alignment at the beginning of the design phase to support the design and decision making process impacting means, construction method selection and construction cost to be made with more confidence.
An Overview of Landslide Mapping in Pennsylvania Delano, Helen L., DCNR - Pennsylvania Geological Survey, hdelano@pa.gov (TS #21) Geologists in Pennsylvania have studied landslides since the 1940s. Landslide mapping by the USGS began as part of the Greater Pittsburgh Regional Geologic Study in the 1970s. Additional mapping by USGS and Pennsylvania Geological Survey (PGS) through the 1980s expanded coverage to include approximately 400 quadrangles in western and north-central Pennsylvania. Features were mapped from aerial photographs of different resolutions, with limited field checking. All of these maps are available in PDF format from the PGS website http://dcnr.state.pa.us/topogeo/. Lidar elevation data was collected for all of Pennsylvania during 2006â&#x20AC;&#x201C;08 as part of the PAMAP program. A 3.2-foot Digital Elevation Model, 2-foot contours, and LAS files are publicly available through the PASDA data portal www.pasda.psu.edu. PGS is working toward a renewed landslide mapping program. Small projects have used lidar data to look for landslides, and new information is compiled digitally. Limited comparisons of lidar data with the historic landslide mapping across the state show that older maps vary in how well they capture slide features and areas of broad susceptibility. In the landslide-dense southwestern Appalachian Plateaus, areas of high incidence match well. In the Ridge and Valley province of central Pennsylvania, lidar confirms generally low incidence of slides, despite steep slopes, but allows recognition of some which are not on the old maps. Across northern Pennsylvania, which is largely forested, the older mapping identified features which lidar does not confirm, and lidar reveals many additional features, especially in areas with glacial lake clays.
Rerouting a River â&#x20AC;&#x201C; The Carmel River Reroute and Dam Removal Deputy, Kami, Kleinfelder, kdeputy@kleinfelder.com (TS #17) San Clemente Dam was constructed between 1920 and 1921 and was built to impound drinking water for the Monterey Peninsula. The dam is a 106-foot-high, 300-foot-wide concrete arch dam with the original capacity to store 1,425 acre-feet of water. Since the dam was commissioned, the reservoir has accumulated over 2.5 million cubic yards of sediment and now impounds less than 100 acre-feet of water. During the 1990s, a safety order was issued based on findings that the dam could fail during the maximum credible earthquake or probable maximum flood. Following a final environmental impact study released in 2008, California American Water (owner) presented the option to remove the dam. Concurrent with this option, geotechnical explorations were performed and an indicative design approach was developed to remove the dam, reroute the Carmel River, and stabilize the accumulated sediments in place. The second year of this multiyear project included the final design approval and start of construction (the first year included additional exploration). The Reroute Channel feature was designed to reroute the Carmel River from its sediment-filled course by excavating through the ridge dividing the Carmel River and San Clemente Creek. The final design evaluated rock mass conditions, kinematic stability, global stability, and erosion potential. As part of the design, an alternative instrumentation system was
AEG NEWS 58 Annual Meeting Program with Abstracts
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2015 ANNUAL MEETING proposed for monitoring movement of the slope. This presentation presents the exploration, design, design differences, and excavation findings of the Reroute Channel feature of the Carmel River Reroute and Dam Removal project.
Lidar-Based Landslide Inventory and Susceptibility Mapping of the Drift Creek Watershed, Lincoln County, Oregon
Digitization of the 1991 Mount Jefferson Geologic Map: Project Motivation and Applications
Light detection and ranging (lidar) elevation data was collected in 2011 for the Drift Creek Watershed, Lincoln County, Oregon. Lidarderived images, including hill-shade and slope maps, were used to map landslide deposits, scarp flanks and head scarps. Landslide features, such as the type of movement, relative age, pre-failure slope angle, head scarp height, failure depth, and direction of movement, were also characterized. Landslide susceptibility zones for the watershed were generated combining a factor of safety approach, which utilizes the infinite slope analysis. Spatial statistics were calculated with respect to landslides and their proximity to roads and streams. A total of 473 landslides were located in the Drift Creek Watershed through applications of the Geographic Information System (GIS). A portion of the total number of landslides mapped using lidar data were field checked to ensure mapping accuracy. Rock and soils samples, collected in the field, were used to classify fine and coarse-grained materials that comprise most of the watershed. Effects of timber harvesting practices are profound in the study area, impacting both hydrological and ecological regimes. Logging roads, in most cases, either cut across the toes of the landslides or apply large live loads to slope crests, thereby promoting landslide-related erosion. This study found that in the Drift Creek Watershed, landslides directly impact 22% of streams and 14% of roads. All of the streams in the study area flow into the Alsea River, which ultimately discharges into the Pacific Ocean.
DiGiulio, Jennifer, Oregon State University, jenny.digiulio@gmail.com (Poster) Geologic maps are fundamental tools for portraying rock, sediment, and soil deposits as well as visualizing spatial and temporal distributions amongst geologic units. They stimulate scientific thinking and facilitate multidisciplinary investigations. Digital databases (shapefiles, attribution tables, metadata, geochemistry) exist for several volcanic and hydrothermal centers from Mount Baker to Mount Lassen along the Cascade arc. With the exception of Mount Jefferson, the Oregon Cascades are particularly well-represented by Mount Hood, Three Sisters, Newberry (in prep), Breitenbush, and Crater Lake. This poster summarizes the methods utilized in constructing an open-file geodatabase of Richard M. Conrey’s 1991 geologic map of Mount Jefferson, thereby “filling the data gap” in the central Cascade arc. The map includes shapefile and attribution data for over 180 individual geologic units, ~1,000 georeferenced whole-rock geochemical analyses (mostly unpublished), 36 age dates, magnetic polarity data, and a trails layer to maximize use of the resource in the field. The production of this map has immediate utility in structure and hazards mapping, geothermal investigations, and incorporation into regional databases (e.g., Oregon Geologic Data Compilation).
Ground Characterization for the MDC’s South Tunnel Project: Redefining the Jurassic of the Hartford North Quadrangle Dill, Robin, AECOM, Rob.Dill@aecom.com; Leo Martin; Andrew Perham (TS #1) AECOM has completed an exploration program for the Metropolitan District’s South Tunnel project in Hartford, CT. The finished tunnel will be 18 feet in diameter and approximately 4 miles long. The tunnel crosses the regional geologic trend and provides a cross section through the middle of the Triassic-Jurassic sedimentary basin, a halfgraben structure. A series of volcanic flows separated the deposition of the lacustrine and fluvial deposits. Faulting continued throughout the depositional period with up to 4,000 feet of displacement along regional faults identified in historical literature. Four formations will be encountered in the proposed tunnel: the Portland Formation; the Hampden Basalt; the East Berlin: and the Holyoke Basalt. The Portland and East Berlin Formations are brownish red siltstone and mudstone deposits with some sandstone lenses. Both have gray lacustrine deposits that are traceable across the project area. The basalts are dark-gray or greenish-gray fine to medium grained. Sixtytwo borings and associated insitu and laboratory testing were completed to characterize the structural geology, hydrogeology, rock properties and ground conditions. Fifteen faults were encountered during the geotechnical investigation program. Artesian conditions were also encountered near the contact between the East Berlin Formation and Holyoke Basalt. One of the main goals of the exploration program was to characterize the extent of faulting and character of bedrock within fault zones. This paper will present the geologic profile along the proposed tunnel; and a characterization of the faults, hydrogeologic conditions, and properties of the bedrock that will be encountered by the South Tunnel.
September 2015
Dirringer, Sebastian, Kent State University, sdirring@kent.edu; Shakoor, Abdul, ashakoor@kent.edu (TS #24)
An Integrated Approach for Mapping and Analysis of the Rio Chama Rockslide, Archuleta County, Colorado Duran, Robert, Department of Geology & Geological Engineering, Colorado School of Mines, roduran@mines.edu; Wendy Zhou, wzhou@mines.edu; Paul M. Santi, psanti@mines.edu (TS #11) The Rio Chama area experienced a natural rockslide in spring 2004. The focus of this study is to quantify and characterize the event, to investigate the possible trigger(s) and failure mechanisms, and to identify possible similar events nearby. An integrated approach was used to investigate the Rio Chama rockslide, which included field mapping, Global Positioning Systems (GPS) surveying, Geographic Information System (GIS) based analysis, and a variety of remote sensing methods. Field mapping incorporated with GPS surveying provided firsthand information about the extent of the event, and elevation point data on the surface of the slide. Optical remote sensing assisted in delineating the boundary of the slide because the vegetation was destroyed and/or covered up during the slide. Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar (InSAR) was used to produce time-series Digital Elevation Models (DEMs) ranging from pre to post-rockslide. The volume of the slide was estimated from the change in elevation pre to post-slide. An elevation surface was interpolated from the GPS point data with GIS, and was used to calibrate the post-slide DEM generated by InSAR. The data collected by the field visit and remote sensing methods was used to produce a hazard map of the surrounding area to identify where similar rockslides could occur. The methods developed during this study can be applied to other areas of southern Colorado and northern New Mexico in order to produce hazard maps for areas where large rockslides are a concern.
AEG NEWS 58 Annual Meeting Program with Abstracts
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2015 ANNUAL MEETING Multivariate Clustering Analysis and 3D Modeling for Rock Mass Characterization in a Hydrothermal Fluid Flow Study Duran, Robert, Department of Geology and Geological Engineering, Colorado School of Mines, roduran@mines.edu; Wendy Zhou, wzhou@mines.edu (Poster) Characterization of discontinuities, including foliations, faults, and joints in the rock mass is essential for geothermal fluid injection studies through a fractured rock network. The objective of this study is to classify discontinuities into different groups in support of analyzing fluid flow through a fracture network and characterizing the heat extraction from the rock mass. Traditionally, discontinuities were identified using orientation only as the basis of cluster analysis. RocScienceâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s DIPS is the most representative software package for traditional joint cluster analysis. In this study, discontinuities are analyzed based on not only orientations but also other parameters using a multivariate clustering analysis algorithm and software package, CYL, developed by one of the authors. CYL takes into account multiple discontinuity parameters including orientation, aperture, infilling, roughness, persistence, spacing, and lithology simultaneously. In this study, scanline surveys were first carried out to collect discontinuity data from Edgar Mine in Idaho Springs, Colorado. The scanline data was analyzed by both traditional and multivariate discontinuity clustering. The results from CYL are compared to and validated with the results from DIPS. A 3D geologic model incorporating discontinuity cluster information was built for a selected section of the Mine using C-Tech Mining Visualization System (MVS). The integration of joint cluster analysis and 3D geologic modeling provides valuable information for determination of the drilling location for hydrothermal fluid flow study. It facilitates the fracture network modeling and visualization, and it can also be potentially used in analyzing fluid flow through virtual mine back simulation.
Urban Feature Extraction Using Sequential Techniques Elhifnawy, Hassan, Department of Civil Engineering, Military Technical College, Cairo, Egypt, hassanelhifnawy@gmail.com (TS #20) This research produces a fully feature classification technique from RGB image. The proposed classification technique makes a combination from different segmentation methods to classify all features in urban areas. The first one is produced using blue and green color channels for vegetation areas identification. The color invariant image is segmented into two clusters; one of them represents vegetation areas. The second color invariant image is produced using all RGB color channels. Otsu segmentation technique is applied to detect shadows areas as one of the resulting clusters. However, RGB color space is not suitable for detecting roads and buildings. Consequently, it is transformed into two other color spaces, YCbCr and HSV. Luminance color channel is extracted from YCbCr color space, and hue and saturation color channels are extracted from HSV color space. This is followed by global color thresholding, as a supervised clustering technique, application on these color channels individually and together to detect roads, sandy, and unhealthy vegetation areas. The remaining features, of the original urban image, are classified as buildings. The investigated technique is automated and suitable for all urban areas from high-resolution RGB images captured by digital cameras or satellite imaging sensors. This technique performs exceptionally when there are high distinguishable texture properties for different features. It will be shown that, in case of existing texture similarity properties of different features, it is recommended to use additional information such as spatial data to be able to separate them efficiently.
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Geotechnical Study of the Dredging Sediment Stabilized with Portland Cement along The Coast of Hurgada City, Red Sea, Egypt ElShinawi, Abdelaziz, Zagaig University, geoabdelaziz@yahoo.com; Viealeta kramarenko, geoabdelaziz@yahoo.com (TS #9) A large volume of sediments is dredged each year in order to maintain harbor activities and make the artificial lagoons along the study area. This research aims to study the feasibility of material on the characteristics of the material as a flexible pavement subgrade material and various purposes. The study conducts a stabilization method using Portland cement in order to increase the strength of the soil sediment. The sediment volume of the dredging on 2007 was about 30 million m3 and growing all the time and disrupted the function of the coastal line. The sediment dredging was examined through research that conducted an unconfined characteristics compressive strength and CBR laboratory test, then stabilized with Portland cement using existing standard codes (ASTM). The analysis result of the dredging sediment showed that: the soil is classified as silt-clay soil with plastic index 17. 62%, which fine-grained soil dominates with the percentage of 96.5% and lies under the type of inorganic soil. The soil has physical and mechanical characteristics which are not suitable to be used directly as subgrade or as any construction materials. The result showed that the addition of cement as well as the percentage of the length of time curing raises soil strength. The utilization of sediment material stabilized by Portland cement can be used for various utilities, especially as subgrade of road pavement.
Modeling the Pollution Prevention Benefits of Adding Biochar to Erosion-Prone Agricultural Soils Epstein, Olga, ARCADIS, Olga.Epshtein@arcadis-us.com; Dakota J. Tallman, djtallma@asu.edu; Steven G. Hart, sghart@asu.edu; Edward Kavazanjian, Edward.Kavazanjian@asu.edu; Rolf U. Halden, Rolf.Halden@asu.edu (TS #25) Water pollution as a result of agricultural runoff is a concern in many parts of the world where agrochemicals such as pesticides and fertilizers are applied in an attempt to increase harvest yields and manage crop blight. Later, after harvest, the disposal of non-compostable agricultural residues poses a waste management problem. With advances in gasification technologies driving the price and size of commercial units down, a green alternative has emerged to address this twopronged problem. The co-production of energy and biochar via gasification of biomass in oxygen-starved conditions stands to decrease the environmental burden of conventional waste disposal, while creating a structural and chemical soil amendment. Modeling rainfallrunoff and landscape erosion generated in unamended versus biochar-amended soils will provide a first line of evidence for beginning to quantify how structural amendments can help mitigate water and soil pollution on a landscape scale. In this study we simulated the rainfall-runoff, sediment transport, and landscape erosion response of agricultural plots using lab-derived physical characteristics of soils amended with 0%, 4%, and 8% ponderosa pine biochar. The results of these modeling experiments are being used to develop screeninglevel metrics to address the question of biocharâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s performance as an agricultural amendment under different soil texture, climate, plant type, and morphologic conditions.
AEG NEWS 58 Annual Meeting Program with Abstracts
September 2015
2015 ANNUAL MEETING Analysis of the SDyking Deformation Pattern at the Ongoing Dabbahu-Manda Hararo (Afar) Rift, Ethiopia Using GPS and InSAR Techniques
Summary of Pittsburgh Geology
Esubalew, Adem, Arba Minch University, esubalew.adem@amu.edu.et; Elias Lewi (Poster)
Pittsburgh is located west of the Appalachian Mountains in a deeply dissected portion of the Appalachian Plateau Province. The plateau consists of erosional remains of the Appalachian Coal Basin, which was formed, and subsequently uplifted as a result of plate tectonic interactions, which created the Appalachians. The strata underlying Pittsburgh are mid to late Pennsylvanian age with most of the Conemaugh and Monongahela series exposed. The paleo-environment of the Pennsylvanian was a time of climate change, with tropical coal swamps located near the equator. Surficial bedrock is associated with deltaic depositional environments with a cyclical nature, from fluctuating sea levels. As a result, the strata are dominated by thin sequences of sandstone, shale, claystone, coal, and limestone. The relatively flat surface of the plateau is dissected by local drainage from the three principal rivers of the region: Allegheny, Monongahela, and the Ohio. The formation of Pittsburghâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s three rivers has a long history from before the Pleistocene Period linked to the retreat of continental glaciation and subsequent meltwaters. Pittsburgh was not glaciated, however, periglacial activity and sand-gravel outwash represent results of the terminated glaciation to just north of the city. The region is considered an energy center due to its abundance of natural resources. Some of the natural resources include coal, natural gas, oil, salt, limestone, sand and gravel, and water; these play a major role in the development of certain industries in the Pittsburgh region. Combining the slopes, climate, resource extraction, infrastructure, and industry has produced many geologic hazards affecting Pittsburgh.
The Afar depression, in the northeastern part of Ethiopia, offers unique opportunities to study the transition from continental rifting to ocean floor spreading. This process, which is the outcome of tectono-magmatic events, has been under investigation using different geophysical and geological techniques. The current study mainly focused on GPS and InSAR methods to analyze the inter-dyking deformation pattern along the Dabbahu-MnadaHararo (Afar) rift segment. The InSAR data was used to identify the time of dyke events and the GPS data to study the inter-diking deformation pattern. A sequence of 12 dyke events occurred from June 2006 to June 2009 and based on the GPS data two major pattern of deformation have been identified. These are being categorized into before and after June 2009 dyke events. Most of the GPS stations before June 2009 showed larger displacement rate whereas after June 2009 intrusion, the displacement in most of the stations was relatively smaller. Even though the deformation process is still active, sites such as DAFT, DA45, DAYR and DATR indicated that the displacement rate is relatively stabilizing in the post seismic relaxation period. Moreover, sites such as, DA25 and DA35, had large offsets in their time series right at the time of dyking events, which is an indication of major deformation due to the rifting process. Except the distant sites DA60 and DASM all the other stations were mostly affected by the dyke intrusion, such that there was an offset in the data during the dike intrusion.S
Shafting the Lahars â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Rebuilding the DNR Rd.1 Bridge over the Nisqually River Evans, Stephen, PanGEO, Inc., sevans@pangeoinc.com; Nicholas Weikel, nweikel@pangeoinc.com (TS #9) The Washington State DNR Road 1 crossed the Nisqually River by means of a 180-foot-long, single-lane bridge south of the town of Ashford, Washington. In 2006, a major flood event caused the river to leave the narrow channel that it had occupied since roughly 1965, migrate north and destroy approximately 180 feet of the approach berm to the bridge. Review of the existing bridge determined that it was in satisfactory condition, so the plan was to join the existing spans to three new spans, lengthening the bridge to 500 feet. PanGEO conducted site exploration at the locations of planned piers. To penetrate the bouldery lahar deposits of the site, a Becker drill was used. Exploration began on April 29, 2013 and finished May 3, 2013. The borings were advanced to between 78 and 80 feet below surface. Due to environmental considerations, shallow groundwater and the close proximity to the Nisqually river bridge, the drilled shafts were selected for the piers and constructed with a hydraulic casing oscillator and top drive rotary drilling machine. In this method the full length temporary casing acts as shoring to stabilize the excavation and control groundwater. Groundwater was controlled by maintaining 10 feet of water head and a 2-foot soil plug in the casing. After the shaft had been excavated concrete was placed from the bottom up by the tremie method, concurrent with casing extraction. The concrete was allowed to flow up inside an oversized permanent surface casing, sealing off the groundwater.
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Fandray, Ryan W., GAI Consultants, Inc. Pittsburgh, r.fandray@gaiconsultants.com (TS #2)
Innovative Methods of Measuring Discontinuities: Utilizing lidarand Smart Phone Applications for Rock Slope Stability on Price Mountain, VA Farny, Nicholas J., Kleinfelder, nfarny@kleinfelder.com (TS #10) To determine stability of rock slopes, discontinuity orientations must be measured precisely, with cost and time efficiency. Several methods exist for taking field measurements of discontinuity orientations. The objective of this study was to compare the traditional method of hand measuring discontinuities with a Brunton compass to the more modern methods of measuring discontinuities with smart phone applications and ground based lidar. The field site is a rock outcrop along Coal Hollow Road on Price Mountain, VA. The Price Mountain structure is a doubly plunging anticline window in the Pulaski Thrust Sheet. The rock outcrop consists of the Upper Price Formation, a Mississippian aged sandstone with frequent coal seams. The site features a set of bedding planes that dip steeply into the slope face, yielding toppling failures. In addition, three distinct sets of joints exist creating both planar and wedge failures. Using window mapping, discontinuity orientations were measured along 200 feet of outcrop using a Brunton compass and a smart phone application, along with a lidarsurvey. These measurements were compared using stereonet analysis to determine the time and cost efficiency and relative accuracy of the different methods. The results show a strong agreement between measurements taken with the Brunton compass and the smart phone application. However, the ground based lidarsurvey shows that lidar, while time efficient, needs calibration with field measurements and observations to yield good results. Methods like lidarcannot completely replace traditional field surveys and input from experienced professionals.
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2015 ANNUAL MEETING Evolution of Physical Properties of Ultramafic Rocks at Hydrothermal Conditions: an Experimental Study on Serpentinization Reactions Farough, Aida, Virginia Tech, afarough@vt.edu; Diane Moore, dmoore@usgs.gov; David Lockner, dlockner@usgs.gov; Robert Lowell, lowell@vt.edu (TS #20) Serpentinization of ultramafic rocks—during which olivine and pyroxene minerals are replaced by serpentine, magnetite, brucite and talc—is associated with aseismic slip in fault zones and hydrothermal activity at mid-ocean ridges. To advance our understanding of the evolution of fluid transport properties of host rocks, we performed a series of flow-through experiments on cylindrical cores of intact and fractured ultramafic rocks, simulating 2 km deep in the crust. Multiple peridotite and pyroxenite samples were tested, to investigate the effect of mineral assemblage on fluid-rock interaction and permeability. The matrix permeability of the samples are estimated to be in the range of 10-(22–23)m2 and the effective permeability varied between 10-(16–21)m2, and it decreased by about two orders of magnitude in 7–10 days, showing that serpentinization reactions result in a rapid decrease in permeability. Assuming flow between parallel plates, we find the fracture permeability varied three–six orders of magnitude higher than effective permeability and decreased by approximately two orders of magnitude during the experiments, which suggests the fracture is the main flow path and zone of precipitation. The mineralogical analysis using electron micro probe and scanning electron microscopy imaging show precipitation of serpentine phases along the walls of the tensile fracture, which is the main flow path. Thus formation of impermeable mineral seals, such as serpentine within fault zones can result in development of high fluid pressure conditions, which could affect aseismic slip in faults and earthquake recurrences.
Borehole Data Interpretation vs Excavation Mapping – We Might Be Surprised, or Not! Fenster, David F., Bechtel Nuclear, Safety and Environmental, dffenste@bechtel.com; Frank Syms, syms@lettisci.com; Nick A. Barbato, nabarbat@becthel.com (TS #8) NRC Regulations require an applicant to demonstrate that a site is suitable for the reactor technology ultimately selected for construction. One of the conditions established by the NRC for the Vogtle site was to confirm the presence, or absence, of tectonic deformation beneath the power blocks by completing detailed geologic maps of the excavations. The initial licensing documentation depends upon the results of a complete site characterization program that includes surface and subsurface investigation programs, the consideration of geologic structures and the tectonic setting of the site and the region. Bechtel Power Corporation, assisted by William Lettis Associates, performed the surface and subsurface investigations at the Plant Vogtle site, located in the Atlantic Coastal Plain about 25 miles south of Augusta, GA. The subsurface investigation included over 100 borings, associated laboratory testing and both seismic refraction and reflection surveys. A structure contour map of the foundation bearing layer (Blue Bluff Marl) and geologic cross sections indicated that this competent stratigraphic unit was not deformed across the site. The subsurface investigation also indicated that the Pen Branch Fault, north of the locations of the proposed reactors is not a capable seismic source. Although the Blue Bluff Marl could be easily identified in the borings, the overlying Utley Limestone appeared to vary in thickness from over 20 to less than 5 feet across the site. Since the Utley Limestone would be completely removed during site excavation, this variation in thickness of the Utley, interpreted as a result of limestone dissolution, did not affect the conclusion that the site would be suitable for a new 56
nuclear power plant. Key aspects of the mapping program were to verify the engineering characteristics of the foundation bearing Blue Bluff Marl as well as the presence, or absence, of tectonic deformation. Detailed maps from the excavation were directly compared to subsurface maps developed from the site characterization investigations. The foundation bearing conditions in the Blue Bluff Marl noted in the excavation compared very well with the predicted conditions from the borings. Mapping of some of the more variable units above the Blue Bluff Marl such as the Utley Limestone enhanced interpretations from boring data. The presence, or absence, of tectonic deformation is often difficult to discern from typical surface and subsurface exploration techniques due to borehole spacing and other limitations. In the NRC regulatory environment, only detailed geologic excavation mapping can confirm and document initial interpretations.
Assessing Potential Upward Migration of Hydraulic Fracturing Fluid and Brine through Fractures, Faults, and Intact Rock Flewelling, Samuel, Gradient, sflewelling@gradientcorp.com; Matt Tymchak, mtymchak@gradientcorp.com; Manu Sharma, msharma@gradientcorp.com (TS #25) Advancements in directional drilling technologies and hydraulic fracturing (HF) have allowed for oil and gas production from previously uneconomical tight formations (e.g., shale, tight sandstone, tight carbonate). The increased HF activity has raised concerns about potential upward migration of HF fluid and brine through rocks that overlay these formations. The pathways along which potential fluid migration might occur include the intact (i.e., not hydraulically fractured) rock, induced fractures, and preexisting faults. In this presentation, we evaluate the constraints on upward fluid migration through these pathways. We derive theoretical limits to fracture height growth and potential fault interactions then compare these predictions to microseismic measurements at over 12,000 HF stimulations across North America. Our analysis shows that induced fractures and fault movements during the HF process are much smaller than the thickness of overlying rocks, and hence these pathways do not create direct hydraulic communication with shallow groundwater resources. Our evaluation also demonstrates that where there is a natural tendency for upward flow through intact rock (i.e., overpressure), geologic constraints limit upward fluid fluxes to insignificant magnitudes. Consequently, it does not appear to be physically plausible for HF fluid and brine to migrate upward and affect shallow potable groundwater via fractures, faults, or intact rock.
Changes in the Hydrological Environment in Choctaw County Mississippi since 1995 Foote, Jeremy, Mississippi State University, jfoote@jeremyfoote.net; Darrel Schmitz, schmitz@geosci.msstate.edu (Poster) This project examines the state of the hydrological environment recorded before the establishment of an industrial complex and compares it to the current state of hydrological environment. This project is broken into two sections; the first is conducting a baseline analysis of the surface and groundwater in Choctaw County. The baseline analysis samples all of the surface water features within and in close proximity to an industrial complex. Each surface water features is inventoried and tested for a verity of variables including specific conductivity, temperature, dissolved oxygen, turbidity and pH. Samples of the surface water are also tested for the presence of chemical constituents as well as a verity of other factors that are detailed by the Environmental Protection Agency water quality standards. The stream flow rates of the inventoried streams and springs are also recorded to analyze the input and output of surface water into the study area.
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2015 ANNUAL MEETING Potentiometric levels and water quality are also recorded in the study area to determine the subsurface water quality and flow rate through the area. This section of the project will show the current condition of the hydrological environment in Choctaw County surrounding the complex. The second part of this project will be an examination of how hydrological environment has changed since the original baseline analysis 15 years prior. This section of the project will show that, with the establishment of an environmentally conscious industrial complex, that the hydrological environment has not been substantially or directly affected by that complex.
South River Road – A 25-Year Rockfall Case Study on a Weathered Basalt Slope, Salem, Oregon Freitag, George, GRI, gfreitag@gri.com; Michael Zimmerman, mzimmerman@gri.com (TS #6) South River Road (SRR) is located in the southwest portion of Salem, OR, at the toe of the west slope of the Salem Hills, an upland area composed of Neogene-aged Columbia River Basalt (CRB) and marine Eugene Formation. SRR occupies a narrow space between the toe of the slope and the UPRR railroad and Willamette River floodplain to the west. East of SRR at the top of the Salem Hills bluff are public utilities and residences. The rock cuts made in CRB on the east side of SRR have been the location of 20+ rockfall events over the past 11 years. SRR rock cuts are in two locations; the north section is about 1,000 feet long and ranges from about 15 feet high in the north to about 45 feet high in the south. The south section is about 300 feet long and up to about 30 feet high. Slopes are typically 0.5H:1V or steeper. A draped mesh system, narrow catchment zone, and concrete barrier with top fence were installed in 1990 and have been effective in reducing damage to SRR from rockfall debris up to about 2 feet in diameter. Several large-diameter rockfall events (including a single 8foot-diameter boulder in 2011) and large rockslides have also impacted the mesh system and barrier. The most recent event occurred in December 2014 when a rockslide about 50 feet wide generated about 400 cubic yards of debris and temporarily closed SRR.
Sustainability Implications of Excessive Conservatism in Concrete Footing-Rock Foundation Friction Friede, Erik, Amec Foster Wheeler, Louisville, KY, erik.friede@amecfw.com; Jeffrey R. Keaton, jeff.keaton@amecfw.com (TS #19) Commonly, Mohr-Coulomb failure criteria is used to calculate shear resistance at the concrete-bedrock interface in designing structure foundations. For dams and other heavy structures, the interface typically is considered to be smooth and planar. Neglecting roughness leads to conservative designs. Conservatism is necessary; however, excessive conservatism is inconsistent with sustainability principles. Initial design of a foundation that needed to resist large lateral loads neglected roughness and incorporated steel dowels in holes drilled in the foundation rock that were tied into the reinforced foundation. Realistic modeling of the rock-concrete interface as a rock joint using the HoekBrown criterion and Barton-Bandis joint roughness allowed steel dowels to be eliminated, thereby conserving material, energy, and time resources. In this case, sustainability factors associated with reducing excessive conservatism include mining, manufacturing and transportation of the steel required for the dowels, drilling and grouting required to install the dowels, and the extra time and energy required to prepare the rock surface for placement of steel and concrete because of edowel stick-up. In the case of laterally loaded concrete foundations, sustainability factors associated with utilizing interface roughness could include reduction in rock excavation and concrete volume if
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passive pressure were used in addition to frictional resistance. Geologists’ contributions in all projects can be at a higher level if they understand sustainability implications.
Avoiding Archaeological Pitfalls Fritz, Brian, Quemahoning LLC, brian@quemahoning.com (TS #27) Unexpected archaeological discoveries can result in costly project delays and expense. Environmental site assessments related to development projects often require completion of cultural resources surveys as part of necessary regulatory clearance for state and federal permit applications and funding. This presentation examines the process of hiring an archaeological consultant for conducting cultural resources surveys. Similar to environmental site assessments, archaeological surveys typically follow a three-step process. An initial survey is designed to identify the presence of archaeological sites. More detailed follow up surveys are conducted to evaluate the integrity and significance of archaeological sites. When a historically significant archaeological site is identified, avoidance and mitigation plans are designed and implemented. Examples of potential pitfalls and case studies will be reviewed. Some useful tips will be provided that will assist project managers in making better decisions when archaeological surveys are required.
The New Irvington Tunnel Excavation and Geologic Documentation Fusee, Rebecca, Hatch Mott MacDonald, rebecca.fusee@hatchmott.com; Sue Bednarz, suebednarzphotography@gmail.com (TS #1) The New Irvington Tunnel (NIT) is part of the 167-mile-long Hetch Hetchy aqueduct system, and a key component of San Francisco’s Water System Improvement Program to upgrade and replace aging water infrastructure. The approximately 3.5-mile-long NIT is located in the eastern San Francisco Bay area of Alameda County. The NIT alignment extends through the East Bay Hills, which consist of faulted, folded and overall highly deformed sedimentary rocks. NIT design and construction were aided by historic records from the nearby and sub parallel Existing Irvington Tunnel (EIT), which was built between 1928 and 1931. EIT construction records were combined with an extensive geotechnical investigation to develop the Geotechnical Data and Geotechnical Baseline Reports for the NIT. Nevertheless, due to the complex geology along the alignment, ground conditions were difficult to characterize throughout the design phase and challenging to anticipate during construction. This paper explains how EIT geology and predesign investigations were used to anticipate conditions for NIT, and how actual ground conditions affected tunnel excavation. This paper also describes geologic mapping techniques, documentation, and practical experience that could be useful for other workers performing geologic characterization and documentation during tunnel construction projects. Note that NIT construction was still underway when this paper was written.
Improving Your Technical Writing to Make Yourself Heard Garsjo, Marie Marshall, Garsjo Technical Communications, texasgarsjo@sbcglobal.net (TS #3) Your writing reflects both you and your company, and it is important to minimize distractions and errors if you want your message to come through. I will present a few simple improvements you can make that will clarify your writing, and share a few pet peeves that will change the way you see the world. This will be an interactive presentation so be prepared to think. Lessons from this talk will not interfere with current texting protocols.
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2015 ANNUAL MEETING Cocos Ridge Indenter Provides a Regional Understanding for the Seismic Hazard of the North Panama Deformed Belt, Caribbean Coast, Costa Rica
Influence of Geologic and Index Engineering Properties on Disintegration Behavior of Clay-Bearing Rocks under Natural Climatic Conditions
Gath, Eldon, Earth Consultants International, gath@earthconsultants.com; Tania Gonzalez; Walter Montero (TS #13)
Gautam, Tej, Dept. Petroleum Engineering and Geology, Marietta College, tpgautam@gmail.com; Abdul Shakoor, ashakoor@kent.edu (TS #19)
As part of a Probabilistic Seismic Hazard Assessment (PSHA) for a new harbor development, we were able to quantitatively investigate the paleoseismic history of the western North Panama Deformed Belt (NPDB) because that history is expressed as a suite of coseismically uplifted coral platforms on the Caribbean coast of Costa Rica, between Moín and Limón. The NPDB is an 800-km-long offshore thrust fault zone that runs westward from Colombia, along the northern coast of Panama, before stepping ashore at Moín, Costa Rica, on the leftlateral Río Blanco tear fault, where it continues west as the SiquirresMatina reverse fault. We interpreted and dated as many as 12 earthquake events spanning the last 7,000 years, including the AD 1991 and 1822 events. The NPDB is accommodating incipient subduction of the Caribbean plate under the Panama microplate. In the project area, the NPDB is accommodating backarc thrusting of the northeast-directed 72–90 mm/yr subduction of the Cocos Plate under eastern Costa Rica. The Cocos Ridge, a NE-trending seamount chain on the subducting plate, is impacting the isthmus as an indenter, resulting in the transfer of ~7 mm/yr northward into the crust because of the ridge’s difficulty in subducting. At Limón, we determined that 3.8 ± 0.3 mm/yr of this convergence slip is occurring on the NPDB, as measured from the 1.9 ± 0.2 mm/yr uplift rate of the coral platforms. Numerous crustal faults onshore may be accommodating the residual strain of ~3 mm/yr; assigning this differential to a regional strain field simplifies the PSHA calculations without having to define fault-specific slip rates. Thus, an understanding of the regional context of tectonic deformation can provide valuable constraints on otherwise unconstrained seismic hazard models and rates.
Geologic and index engineering properties of clay-bearing rocks greatly influence their disintegration behavior. These properties were determined for twenty clay bearing rocks including five claystones, five mudstones, five siltstones, and five shales. The geological properties included amount of clay material, types of clay minerals, and textural characteristics. Engineering properties included natural moisture content, dry density, void ratio, absorption, adsorption, liquid limit, plastic limit, and slake durability index. Twelve replicate samples of each of the 20 clay-bearing rocks were also exposed to natural climatic conditions for one year. Each month, one of the 12 replicate samples of each rock was removed from natural conditions and its grain size distribution was determined. The amount of disintegration of each replicate sample was quantified in terms of disintegration ratio (DR), defined as the ratio of the area under the grain size distribution curve of disintegrated material for a given sample to the total area encompassing all grain size distribution curves of the tested samples. Geologic and engineering properties were correlated with DR values after 1, 6, and 12 months of exposure. Results show that clay content, percentage of expandable clay minerals, plasticity index, adsorption, and slake durability index are better indicators of short-term disintegration behavior, whereas expandable clay mineral content and absorption influence long-term behavior. Regression models suggest that short term disintegration behavior can be predicted more accurately than long term behavior, as indicated by decreasing R2 values (0.81, 0.76, and 0.27) for samples exposed for 1, 6, and 12 months, respectively.
3D Block Erodibility: Experimental Results and Application Barrier Wall Verticality and Overlap Approval at Five U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Dams Gault, Howard, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Howard.W.Gault@usace.army.mil; Kristen M. Enzweiler, Kristen.M.Enzweiler@usace.army.mil (TS #17) Concrete Panel Barrier Walls have been constructed at a number of U.S. Army Corps of Engineer (USACE) dams. Since 2001 USACE has constructed relatively deep concrete panel barrier walls at Mississinewa, Clearwater, Wolf Creek, Center Hill and Bolivar (ongoing) dams. In the simplest terms, these projects involve the excavation of holes at known locations and backfilling them with concrete. We will address the process of verifying the holes location (orientation in space including verticality) and overlap at each of the five cutoff wall projects prior to allowing concrete placement. Verification of the location and dimensions of the excavation is dependent upon on-board hydromill size and instrumentation, as well as, surveying techniques. On board instrumentation allows adjustment to the various geologic conditions at the projects and records important production data. In all of these projects, confirmation of the excavation verticality is primarily achieved with a Koden® survey. Each contractor and USACE team developed similar but different procedures/requirements for verticality and overlap measurement. It is critical to the successful performance of the cutoff walls, and the projects themselves, that these criteria are met.
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George, Michael, University of California – Berkeley, mike.george@berkeley.edu; Nicholas Sitar, sitar@berkeley.edu (TS #22) The stability of rock blocks is highly influenced by the orientations of discontinuities that define block shapes. For scour assessment, however, blocks are typically simplified to rectangular or cubic geometries, which can lead to improper characterization of the block failure mode as well as incorrect determination of block erodibility threshold. Accordingly, an extensive research endeavor was performed to investigate the influence of geologic structure on the erodibility of non-idealized 3D rock block geometries. This presentation covers experimental results from physical hydraulic model testing to determine thresholds for 3D block erodibility, statistics for hydrodynamic pressures distributed around block faces, and kinematics of block failure under hydraulic loads. Knowledge from the hydraulic model as well as from field investigations is used to develop a reliability-based, block theory framework for analysis of block erodibility, which is also discussed. Funding for this project was principally provided by the National Science Foundation (Grant # 1363354) and the Hydro Research Foundation.
Field VOC Analysis – When the Numbers Don’t Match German, Madeline, Smith Gardner, Inc., madeline@smithgardnerinc.com (TS #27) In 2014, a convenience center in North Carolina’s coastal plain received a complaint about a hydraulic line leak from compacting equipment. The initial field screening and soil removal was performed, which indicated hydrocarbon contaminant concentrations on-site were
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2015 ANNUAL MEETING below the10 ppm TPH No Further Action limit. Subsequent, laboratory analysis of on-site soils indicated the presence of DRO still above the TPH No Further Action limit. Therefore additional soil investigation and excavation was required. Multiple analysis options were considered to ensure impacted soils would be removed. Ultimately a state government approved VOC analytical method for field analysis (QROS) was chosen. This presentation will discuss: both phases of the investigation; potential causes for the discrepancy between the initial field screening data and the laboratory data; the process that led up to using QROS; information regarding current options for field analysis of VOCs and a brief summary about how QROS works.
Measuring Spatial and Temporal Variations in Rates of Landsliding Using Ground-Based Radar Interferometry Gomez, Francisco, University of Missouri, fgomez@missouri.edu; Benjamin Lowry, ben.lowry@gmail.com (TS #11) “Close-range” remote sensing technologies provide new means for studying localized surface displacements, including landslides. This study applies a relatively new tool, Ground-Based Interferometric Radar (GBIR), to measure temporal and spatial patterns of movement in a slow-moving (1–2 cm/month) slide near Granby, Colorado. GBIR is capable of measuring sub-millimeter displacements and provides a means of addressing questions about landslides that may require high temporal precision (<1 hr). For example, recent studies have suggested some landslides may exhibit sensitivity to unlikely sources, such as atmospheric tides. Repeated GBIR deployments permit assessing long-term (seasonal) variations in slide kinematics. Each GBIR deployment involves long observation sessions (5–36 hours) with images acquired every 7.5–15 minutes. Data redundancy permits interpolation of displacement time-series with 0.3–0.4mm uncertainties in displacement. Resulting velocities demonstrates seasonal variations corresponding with piezometric changes driven by seasonal snowmelt and precipitation. Additionally, short-span time-series for individual observation sessions document time-dependent displacement rates over periods of several hours, which may reflect short-term variations in hydrogeological conditions. GBIR offers a significant improvement in temporal and spatial resolution compared with satellite and airborne radar interferometry. Like other imaging techniques, GBIR may capture spatial variations of displacement that may elude benchmark surveys or other in situ measurements. The sensitivity and temporal sampling of GBIR complement well the spatial resolution and 3D displacements measured with other methods, such as terrestrial laser scanners and low-altitude photogrammetry.
Impacts of Coal Mining on Structures in Western Pennsylvania Gray, Richard E., DiGioia, Gray & Associates, LLC (TS #2) In 1759 British Soldiers started mining the Pittsburgh Coal Seam on Coal Hill (now Mt. Washington) across the Monongahela River from Fort Pitt (downtown Pittsburgh). A number of coal seams have been mined in the region. However, the Pittsburgh Coal with an average thickness of six feet extends over an area of 6,000 square miles. Active long-wall mining in this seam continues in counties south of Pittsburgh. Subsidence over abandoned mines in the Pittsburgh Coal and other seams has to be considered in the design of western Pennsylvania structures. Although, the vertical components of subsidence are usually largest, horizontal movements and the resulting strains and displacements are often most significant in causing structural damage. Areally, the movements cover from a few square feet to acres and vertically from a few inches to several feet. The most common subsidence features are sinkholes which develop where the cover above a mine is thin, generally 60 feet. Competent strata above the mine will limit sinkhole development. September 2015
Troughs develop where a coal pillar or pillars fail by crushing or punching into the mine floor. Pillar strength may be affected by groundwater fluctuations or weathering. Stress concentrations may cause spalling of pillars; and the resulting smaller pillars, if unable to carry the loads, will fail. Failure of one pillar results in a redistribution of stresses by arching of the mine roof, which may cause adjacent pillars to fail by crushing or punching. Punching occurs where a soft seam of rock, generally claystone, is located immediately below the coal. Subsidence troughs associated with abandoned mines may be up to a few hundreds of feet in diameter. Trough diameters above abandoned mines in the Northern Appalachian Coal Field commonly measure 1.5 to 2.5 times the overburden thickness, reflecting the limit to which the overburden can bridge over local crushed pillars or roof failures before sagging into the distressed area. Unless total coal extraction has occurred, there is no interval above an abandoned mine that is safe from subsidence and subsidence may occur long after mining. If a site is undermined and subsidence cannot be ruled out options available to design professionals include: relocation, insurance, flexible or rigid designs, if mine is shallow—excavate and backfill, and deep foundations extending below the mine
Mine Stabilization Impacts of Geology on Dam Design in Western Pennsylvania Greene, Brian H., Gannett Fleming, Inc. Pittsburgh, bgreene@gfnet.com (TS #2) Flood control dams and navigation lock and dam structures have a long history in western Pennsylvania dating back to 1878 with the Federal Government’s construction of the Davis Island Lock and Dam. Located directly downstream of the City of Pittsburgh, the Davis Island Lock and Dam was the first navigation project to be constructed on the Ohio River, and it incorporated the early use of cofferdams. Since construction of the Davis Island project, numerous U.S. Army Corps of Engineers dams and navigation structures have been built, and re-built, within the region. Geology has played a part in all of these projects, from the alluvial and glacially derived valley soils to the underlying sedimentary bedrock formations. By mapping shallow rock foundations of lock and dam projects in the Pittsburgh region, local geologists and geotechnical engineers were the first to study and understand the phenomena of valley stress release. The presentation will review key flood control dams and navigation lock and dam structures in the region and focus on the foundations built to support them. Included are: wood pile supported structures, shallow foundations on rock, and concrete drilled shafts embedded in rock. Three of the case histories presented involve dam projects that received ASCE Pittsburgh Section Outstanding Civil Engineering Achievement awards. One of these recognized projects involved the innovative use of float-in technology to construct Braddock Dam, located on the Monongahela River approximately ten miles upstream of Pittsburgh. Completed in 2004, the Braddock Dam project represented a construction first.
Geologic Factors Controlling Cut Slope Design; Case Studies: S.R. 0322, Potters Mill Gap, Centre County and Turnpike Total Reconstruction Project, Mile Post 124.5 to 133.8, Pennsylvania Hajdarwish, Ala, A.G.E.S., Inc, ahajdarwish@agesinc.com; Daniel Martt, dmartt@agesinc.com (TS #10) Designing a safe cut slope depends on various important geologic factors such as rock type and its degree of weathering, structural orientations of all discontinuities, and groundwater conditions. Regardless of the financial factor, several cut slope alternatives can be presented, based on understanding the geologic controls within the project area. The proposed roadway alignment is an engineering factor that can be
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2015 ANNUAL MEETING changed if geologic controls warrant. A complete subsurface investigation is needed to create a geologic model of the project area. These factors can change within the project limits, thus allowing for several cut slope designs. The relationship between the roadway orientation and the geologic factors creates a set of favorable or unfavorable conditions that ultimately control cut slope design. The presence of a weak layer with lower shear strength parameters or a higher groundwater table, in a kinematically unfavorable setting, will require a flatter cut slope design. A steeper cut slope design can be reached for the same conditions if a kinematically favorable setting is encountered. The “continuity” of joint systems can create an unfavorable setting even if the lithology is favorable, thus requiring gentler cut slopes. The case study dealing with S.R.0322 represents a favorable-conditions model where bedding strike is perpendicular to roadway alignment; therefore, steeper slopes are considered in better quality bedrock and gentler slopes in lower quality bedrock. The Turnpike Total Reconstruction Project represents an unfavorable-conditions model where bedding strikes parallel to roadway alignment, with weaker layers controlling the potential failures, thus gentler cut slopes are considered.
Impact of Mudstone and Groundwater on Structurally Oriented Cut Slope Design, Case Study; Pennsylvania Turnpike Roadway Total Reconstruction, Somerset, Pennsylvania Hajdarwish, Ala, A.G.E.S., Inc, ahajdarwish@agesinc.com; Suresh Gutta, sgutta@agesinc.com (TS #18) Mudstones are considered problematic mudrocks and the majority of landslide failure in Pennsylvania are related to such rocks. The New Baltimore landslide failure occurs along bedding planes of mudstone where they daylight along the roadway and Raystown branch of Juniata River. The intersection of bedding planes with the roadway and the Juniata River represents unfavorable conditions, which is considered to be the main cause of the landslide. The trigger for the landslide is the undercutting of the toe of the slope by the stream The four-mile section of the roadway, west of the New Baltimore landslide, has very similar kinematic and lithologic conditions to the New Baltimore landslide area, but without any major or minor landslide failures. What causes the failure in one area but not another, despite the similar kinematic and trigger conditions, is the question engineering geologists face. Intensive subsurface investigation at both areas indicated one major difference: the quality of mudstone samples collected west of the landslide area is better. Groundwater monitoring along both areas indicated a seasonal fluctuation of groundwater levels at the New Baltimore landslide; however, groundwater levels were fairly constant along the four-mile section west of the landslide area. Studying aerial photographs and structural orientation of bedrock units for the region, the recharge zone for the landslide area is considered geomorphologically limited and isolated which explains the fluctuation in groundwater table. The recharge zone for the four-mile section of the roadway west of the landslide is geomorphologically larger and continuous. It is believed that mudstones will have higher shear strength values when not subjected to fluctuation of water content and they will degrade faster, even when not exposed to atmospheric conditions, with fluctuating groundwater levels.
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Geotechnical Framework of Slopes in Flat-Lying Sedimentary Rocks of the Unglaciated Allegheny Plateau Hamel, James, Hamel Geotechnical Consultants, jvhamel3918@gmail.com (TS #10) The Unglaciated Allegheny Plateau includes portions of western Pennsylvania, eastern Ohio, and western West Virginia. During Pleistocene time, continental glaciers extended south to this region. Torrential runoff from periglacial precipitation and glacial meltwater rapidly eroded valleys in flat-lying, interbedded, strong and weak sedimentary rocks. Valley stress relief produced characteristic patterns of fractures and discontinuities ó vertical to sub-vertical tension joints in strong, brittle strata, e.g., sandstones; curved shear joints and slickensided fractures in strata of intermediate to low strength and stiffness, e.g., shales, siltstones, claystones; shear zones where strengths had been reduced to residual or near-residual levels along weak bedding contacts, particularly those of argillaceous strata, e.g., clay shales, claystones, coal underclays. This left masses of relaxed and fractured rock extending into valley walls. Some of these rock masses slid out in translational or rotational failure modes, probably pushed by high water pressures from periglacial precipitation and/or rapid drawdown of ponded water. Subsequent erosion removed portions of rockslide masses. Other portions were excavated during railroad and highway construction over the past 160 years. Rockslide remnants have potential for reactivation by excavation, load application, and drainage changes. These remnants, along with zones of rock fractured and loosened by valley stress relief, are sources of shallow rockslides and rockfalls along transportation corridors and other facilities. Examples are presented from slopes along the Monongahela and Ohio Rivers across from downtown Pittsburgh, which were investigated in 1994 and 1995 for a proposed busway that was never constructed.
Three Fatal Rockfalls in the Pittsburgh Area Hamel, James, Hamel Geotechnical Consultants, jvhamel3918@gmail.com (TS #11) The Pittsburgh area is underlain by flat-lying cyclic sedimentary strata—i.e., repetitive sequences of interbedded strong and weak rocks, mainly of Pennsylvanian age. Rockfalls develop where these rocks are exposed in steep natural or excavated slopes. Weathering and erosion of weaker strata, e.g., claystones, clay shales, undercut more resistant strata, e.g., limestones, sandstones, containing vertical to sub-vertical stress relief joints. Blocks of these latter rocks fall by slumping or toppling, depending on geometry, loading, and support conditions. Rockfalls are exacerbated by root pry, ice wedging, and water pressures in joints. Because they occur rapidly, rockfalls occasionally cause injury or death. Most of the historic rock falls causing injury or death have occurred along railroads and highways. On December 25, 1937, a 2 yd3 sandstone boulder fell on railroad tracks across the Ohio River from downtown Pittsburgh. An express train was derailed. The locomotive fell to Carson Street fifty feet below killing the engineer and fireman; several others were injured. On December 22, 1942, 150 yd3 of sandy shale crushed a bus on Route 930 along the Ohio River 16–17 miles downstream from Pittsburgh. Twenty-two people were killed and four were injured. On February 16, 1983, 300 yd3 of sandstone fell on Saw Mill Run Boulevard 1.5 miles southwest of downtown Pittsburgh where slope work was being done to remediate rockfall problems. This occurred ten minutes after the road was reopened to traffic following blasting in rock above. Two people were killed; one was injured.
AEG NEWS 58 Annual Meeting Program with Abstracts
September 2015
2015 ANNUAL MEETING Alluvial Bank Instability along the Monongahela River, Southwestern Pennsylvania Hamel, James, Hamel Geotechnical Consultants, jvhamel3918@gmail.com (TS #11) The Monongahela River flows north into Southwestern Pennsylvania where it joins the Allegheny River at Pittsburgh to form the Ohio River. “Monongahela” is from the Native American name meaning, “river with the sliding banks.” The Monongahela Valley is unique for many reasons, including its Pleistocene history and its coal mining history over the past 250 years. Pleistocene erosion and deposition left a narrow bedrock valley with 300-foot-deep incised meanders, Illinoian-age terraces high on valley edges, and colluvial soil and rock masses lower on steep valley walls, with later Holocene alluvium around meander loops. Coal mining left extensive surface and underground workings and waste disposal areas, some active but most now abandoned. The complex, site-specific conditions of alluvial bank instability are illustrated by a reach 59–60 miles upriver from Pittsburgh. This reach, on the inside of an incised meander loop, has a flood plain 30 feet above river level with a width of 200–1,000 feet, then a bedrock slope 140 feet high to a 0.7 mile wide terrace of Illinoian-age alluvium in an abandoned meander loop. Pennsylvanian age rock strata dip 1% riverward. Groundwater flows riverward through abandoned underground and surface mine workings and flood plain soils, including a stream channel filled with coal waste. Alluvial banks fail by typical mass-wasting processes, i.e., slumps, block slides, soil falls, all exacerbated by piping (seepage erosion). Even without coal mining features, this reach provides a technical basis for the Native American name “river with the sliding banks.”
Paleoseismicity of the Kango Fault, South Africa: Addressing Fault Characterization Issues in Stable Continental Regions Hanson, Kathryn, Amec Foster Wheeler Environment & Infrastructure, Inc., kathryn.hanson@amecfw.com; Christopher Slack, christopher.slack@amecfw.com; Ryan Coppersmith, ryan@coppersmithconsulting.com (TS #13) Challenging aspects to the identification and characterization of active, seismogenic faults in intraplate or stable continental regions are: 1) low cumulative neotectonic displacement, 2) the apparent temporal clustering of surface-faulting events in which relatively short episodes of activity may be separated by quiescent intervals of tens to hundreds of thousands of years or longer, and 3) possible migration of the locus of activity. The Kango fault (a Mesozoic basin-bounding fault) lies in a seismically quiescent region within the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa, but has evidence for three latest Pleistocene to Holocene surface-faulting events preceded by a long period of several tens of thousands of years of no activity/behavior typical of other stable continental region (SCR) faults. The 92ñ101 km long eastern segment of the Kango fault appears to be unique among the faults within the 600-km-long Ceres-Kango-Baviaanskloof-Coega fault system in that it shows evidence of repeated normal-slip surface-rupturing events in the Quaternary. The occurrence of these eventsótwo events in the past 10ñ15 kyr along the western part of the approximately 100-km-long reactivated portion of the fault, and at least one event between 22.6 ka and 25.4 ka along the eastern part of the reactivated part of the faultóindicates that the Kango fault may be within a period of higher activity. Low cumulative Quaternary displacements (10ñ33 m) and low long-term average slip rates are based on measured offsets of high pediment surfaces and a buried erosional strath surface that record long-term (350 kyr to 3 Myr).
September 2015
Hydraulic Properties of the Stratigraphic Interval Separating Natural Gas Bearing Black Shales and Fresh-Water Aquifers in the Appalachian Basin Harmon, Matthew, Marshall University, niemann@marshall.edu; William L. Niemann, niemann@marshall.edu (Poster) The use of hydraulic fracturing (HF) to extract oil and natural gas from black shales, specifically those found in the Appalachian Foreland Basin (AFB), has expanded rapidly in recent years. Commensurate with this expansion has been increased concern for potential upward migration of HF fluid and brine into overlying fresh water aquifers. In the AFB such aquifers are generally separated from HF zones by significant vertical thicknesses (commonly in excess of one mile) of sedimentary strata and would appear to be well protected. However, published literature addressing this risk has relied heavily on theoretical arguments and numerical simulations accompanied by broad assumptions. In addition, these studies have produced widely varying conclusions ranging from possible migration of HF fluids into fresh water aquifers in less than ten years to the absence of the necessary upward hydraulic gradients and permeabilities necessary to drive significant flow over time scales less than 106 years. To help ground-truth some of the assumptions, results and conclusions from these previous studies, the current research seeks to compile a database of published or established measurements of hydraulic properties for AFB strata separating HF zones and freshwater aquifers. Hydraulic-related properties considered include lithology, texture, permeability, porosity, and production data from water/oil/gas records.
Improved Imaging of Covered Karst Using the Multi-Electrode Resistivity Implant Technique (MERIT) Case Studies Harro, David, Geo3Group, david.harro@geo3group.com; Henok Kiflu, hgkiflu@mail.usf.edu; Sarah Kruse, skruse@usf.edu (TS #15) The Multi-Electrode Resistivity Implant Technique (MERIT) involves rapid installation of parallel surface and buried arrays of electrical resistivity electrodes. Implanting, deep electrodes increases the depth of investigation of a resistivity survey by a factor of two, effectively decreasing the required array length by one-half and enhancing resolution capabilities of electrical resistivity tomography at depth. This paper will focus on three case studies performed using this technique. Case Study 1: A revisit to the first full scale field trial location of MERIT at the Bordeaux Village in Tampa, Florida. In 2010 a sinkhole that swallowed a car at the Bordeaux Village made national news. 20 MERIT implants were set at 7.6 meters (25 feet) deep with an array length of 59 meters (194 Feet). The inversion of MERIT data resulted in a 2D Electrical Resistivity Tomography (ERT) profile with resolution to approximately 20 meters (65 Feet) with an image of the car that was swallowed by the sinkhole. Case Study 2: Sinkhole feature at the University of South Florida Geopark. Existing sinkholes at the University of South Florida have been utilized for geophysical and hydrogeological studies over more than 20 years. Multiple monitor wells, cone penetrometer tests (CPTs) and standard penetration tests (SPTs) serve as ground-truthing for numerous geophysical studies. A 56-meter (18-foot) profile consisting of 14 MERIT implants was installed to a depth of 7.6 meters (25 feet). The resulting tomographic images showed the configuration of the competent rock profile of the sinkhole in the subsurface down to approximately 20 meters (65 feet). Case Study 3: Ground subsidence at a self-storage facility in Tampa. The property was identified as a Historic landfill. Differential movement of self-storage facility led to a ground subsidence investigation. An observable area of deflection in the roofline and evidence of interior differential settlement was reported. A geophysical survey using Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR)
AEG NEWS 58 Annual Meeting Program with Abstracts
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2015 ANNUAL MEETING and Standard Penetration Test (SPT) was first utilized to investigate the cause of ground subsidence. The GPR survey and SPT did not intersect the anticipated depth to determine if sinkhole conditions were present. A 65-meter (213-foot) MERIT array, using 14 implants, was installed to 6 meters (20 feet) deep. The resulting MERIT image reveals a break in the continuity in the subsurface with a possible sinkhole feature associated with the landfill to depth of approximately 19 meters (62 Feet).
Data Acquisition and Processing Using Freely Available Software and Inexpensive Remote Controlled Aircraft Haskin, Jesse, University of Missouri at Kansas City, haskinj@gmail.com (Poster) The combination of freely available software for processing data from digital photography and inexpensive remote controlled (RC) aircraft could be an efficient means of acquiring data from areas previously inaccessible. Applications of these technologies could be used to provide entities at all resource levels with a low-risk, high-return method of aerial imaging, as well as deriving meaningful results from the data for a variety of Earth Science applications. Such a method could be applied to volatile areas where the risk of losing more expensive equipment would make data collection otherwise unfeasible. RC quadcopters are a variety of aircraft popular among hobbyists and amateurs for their stability, durability, relative ease of flight, and their potential to be inexpensive when compared to other types of RC aircraft. The video or images gathered could then be manipulated in a variety of ways using software available freely from reputable sources such as using vector graphics software to draw a precise stratigraphic cross-section of the higher altitude of a cliff face. By keeping costs to a minimum, more opportunities are presented to interact with the public through both outreach and “citizen scientist” programs where the general public could submit data acquired through their personal use of such aircraft. A variety of methods, processes, and operational techniques were evaluated for their precision, effectiveness, and ease of use over a wide range of climate and working conditions.
The Need to Understand Crustal Structure and Regional Geology in Siting Critical Structures Hatcher, Robert D. Jr., Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences and Science Alliance Center of Excellence, University of Tennessee, bobmap@utk.edu; J. Wright Horton Jr., David L. Daniels; Stephen L. Snyder (TS #8) Electricity generated by nuclear power plants is competitive with energy output of fossil fuels, and does not contribute to the increasing volume of atmospheric carbon. Enormous effort and finances are expended in the siting and construction of nuclear plants, along with the very detailed geologic and geotechnical foundation investigations required prior to and during construction. Licensing of nuclear power plant sites has customarily involved compilation of regional geologic data, details of local geology, and seismic hazard assessment (current and paleoseismic) within a 200-mile radius. Other data sets, e.g., geomorphic history, geochemical and geochronologic data, and local seismic refraction and reflection surveys are also employed to better understand the local geology. Modern aeromagnetic data with one-mile or closer spacing, in concert with gravity data, available for most of the U.S., are useful for better understanding of geology and crustal structure. These data are particularly useful in regions of the central U.S. and Atlantic and Gulf Coastal Plains, where sedimentary cover or poor density of quality detailed geologic maps obscures surface geology preventing resolution of deep crustal structure. Even where high quality geologic maps exist, potential field data still provide useful 62
insight into crustal structure. All of the earthquakes in the central and east-central U.S. are sourced in the basement below the sedimentary cover. Aeromagnetic and gravity data see through cover and help identify potentially active or reactivated faults, e.g., the bounding faults of the Reelfoot rift and the New York–Alabama magnetic lineament. Earthquakes in the interior of the Appalachians are shallow, but the crystalline Appalachians have <15 percent high-quality geologic map coverage, so potential field data are useful for understanding crustal structure, estimating size and modeling shapes of plutons, and identifying faults. Existence and continuity of the Eastern Piedmont fault system (EPFS) in the southeastern U.S. was first demonstrated using aeromagnetic data. The much greater extent of the EPFS beneath the Atlantic Coastal Plain in the Carolinas could not have been determined without these data. Aeromagnetic data also yield information on displacement sense and magnitude of faults, particularly strike-slip faults. Displaced magnetic anomalies clearly demonstrated dextral displacements on segments of the EPFS beneath the Coastal Plain. A major younger, sinistral fault (the Estill fault) has been recognized that displaces large anomalies as well as segments of the EPFS. Use of potential-field data should be an integral part of the siting and site investigation process for critical structures.
Derelict Manufactured Gas, Coke, and Tar Sites of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA Hatheway, Allen W., HMAEG, allen@hatheway.net (TS #4) Philadelphia is the little known site of America’s first manufactured gas (1792), the greatest degree of U.S. municipal (Philadelphia Gas Trust) ownership of gas manufacturing (since 1834), and of a nationallycentralized, superior degree of technological development and utility holding company supremacy, after 1882. The fledgling gas industry formed (1824) the venerable Franklin Institute and guided it toward much related scholarly activity. In 1888, Philadelphia began the most advanced system of municipal manufactured gas service in the nation, operated by the United Gas Improvement Co. (U.G.I.) on long-term lease. U.G.I. also had control over the entire surrounding county/suburban gas and electric utility service and distribution territory and closely integrated the surrounding consumer gas service. A strong industrial sector provided itself with manufactured fuel gas, with selfoperate producer gas plants for more favorable costs. In many ways the city put into operation the most successful regional gas-manufacturing and distribution system in the nation, resulting in dominance of large (central stations) gasworks, as well as the abandonment of supplanted gasworks, the latter of which then slid into the fog of history. Many of the 117 derelict plants discovered to date remain virtually unrecognized and without significant remedial attention across the 52 numbered wards. A word of caution: no aspect of PAH history or remediation at Philadelphia is either straight-forward or simple. Geologicallybased site and waste characterization remains essential; a formal paper is planned for submittal in 2015.
Derelict Manufactured Gas, Coke, and Tar Sites of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA Hatheway, Allen W., HMAEG, allen@hatheway.net (TS #27) Manufactured gas was established in 1835, one year after Philadelphia’s deliberate research and commitment lead to its first gasworks. By1870 the combination of coal and unrestrained industry made Pittsburg synonymous with massive production of iron and steel, and unrestrained industrial commerce. More than 80 locations of derelict gasworks and other coal-tar sites are now known in the City of Pittsburgh—places where the never-degraded PAH and other toxic residuals and wastes of the manufactured gas, coke and tar-
AEG NEWS 58 Annual Meeting Program with Abstracts
September 2015
2015 ANNUAL MEETING residuals industries have left their human-threat footprints. There is every reason to believe that the actual number of tar-impacted sites eventually will become much greater (perhaps twice the number stated here), considering the high-degree to which gas and cokemaking was paramount to the central economy of the city. Manufactured gas companies were created to respond to gas-lighting needs within the city’s confined ridge-and-valley compartments, and as such were more numerous than the population otherwise would have supported. Pittsburgh could never receive enough of its nearby Connellsville beehive coke, and by 1900 was installing large by-product coke-oven plants (then the vogue nationally). The city, driven by its own iron and steel prominence, had emerged by 1908 as the national higher-education (Carnegie Institute and the Mellon family interests) center for design, construction, and ownership (Koppers Co.; Mellon family interests) of the new by-product coke ovens for the nation at large. Coal tar reigned (1876–1940) here as the master feedstock-center of the national chemical industry; a formal paper is planned for submittal in 2015.
Reflection on Some of the Remaining Outstanding Environmental Threats of Pennsylvania’s “Remediated” and Unremediated Coal-Tar Sites Hatheway, Allen W., HMAEG, allen@hatheway.net (TS #4) Un-remediated (or poorly-characterized and poorly-remediated) coal-tar sites represent the real “thief-in-the-night” environmental tragedy of modern society. Associated toxic compounds and admixtures of coal tar have, by direct affinities with cancer in humans, are poorly understood by the public, its leadership, and by some professionally-qualified science and engineering environmental response practitioners. Environmental response in Pennsylvania is typical of coal-tar cleanup in the developed world-at-large. Qualified technical responders are burdened with two major limitations, sometimes bordering on debilitation. Much of such burden comes from restrictions originating at the hands of individuals of lesser competence and/or persons who bow to strictly economic impacts of coal-tar sites facing remediation under conditions of “good science” and “good engineering.“ It is the author’s sense that the same general set of “bad science” short-comings have been at work in Pennsylvania, where the general PAH threat to public health and environmental safety are at the highest levels of short-fall as any other state or province, worldwide; here the shear magnitude of sites should raise alarm. Meanwhile, environmental regulators “pull their hair out” in frustration. There is but one way to adequately characterize a coal-tar site, and that is with an adroit geologist who learns how the site actually operated historically, then works out that operation on the ground, and tracks the generation and fate of residuals and wastes. The author supports his findings with ten Pennsylvania-generic short-falls in appreciation of the existing-and-prevalent Pennsylvania coal-tar threat; a formal paper is planned for submittal in 2015.
History of Manufactured Gas and Coal Tar of Pennsylvania Hatheway, Allen W., HMAEG, allen@hatheway.net (TS #20) Pennsylvania represents America’s most over-arching scene of historic manufactured gas activity. This is a burdensome “honor,” for its considerable implications in the modern age of uncontrolled hazardous substance site threats. This claim is supported by the historic record, in which Philadelphia witnessed the first gas manufacture (1792) in America, then (1882) assumed national leadership and influence in research, development and spread of manufactured gas technology, holding-company ownership, technical development and marketing of innovative gas-manufacturing technologies, as well as the engineering behind construction of much of the most advanced gasworks designs September 2015
and construction. Accelerated utility holding company activity began about 1895 and produced a complex and interwoven system of gas distribution territories, in which older and smaller gasworks were terminated and have now become lost in the shuffle of time. Additional complexity relates to the unlicensed industrial producer-gas plants, as well as a vigorous coal-tar by-product and fine-chemical industry also flourished and now has been forgotten, leaving their never-degraded residuals and waste remaining in place. Ten reasons are presented to support this claim for Pennsylvania’s national prominence in manufactured gas, as well as the present environmental liability for remediation of its coal-tar sites. Today’s net effect includes the author’s known and suspected tally of more than 1,214 historic coal-tar sites in the state, as well as its determined responsible-party resistance to timely and comprehensive geologically-based site and waste characterization. Several categories of these derelict sites remain unrecognized and, therefore are going unaddressed; a formal paper is planned for submittal in 2015.
Pennsylvania’s Derelict Coke Oven Sites: Beehives, Beehive Block Ovens, and Coke-Oven By-Product Plants Hatheway, Allen W., HMAEG, allen@hatheway.net (TS #20) Coke, mankind’s everlasting great achievement of energy-superior, smokeless fuel, was discovered in England around 1726. Coke remains the ultimate conversion by-product of coal and one of the two (along with petroleum) dominant energy sources on Earth. From 1830, southwest Pennsylvania produced charcoal (from wood) as fuel for its emerging iron industry; this was soon replaced by the first four Youghiogheny River Valley coal-fed beehive coke-oven plants in 1850. The new fuel industry became near-instantly well enough financed to take the American lead in production of a series of constantly improved coke-production technologies. By 1869 the charcoal ovens were under general conversion to beehive coke ovens, which surpassed charcoal in that year and then overrode the use of anthracite coal in 1875, then greatly multiplied after 1888, and carried on by standardized design after 1894, and remained in declining use until 1984. On the other hand, by-product recovery coke oven technology arrived in America (from Belgium) in 1892 and took hold in Pennsylvania in 1895, and was greatly expanded after 1901. Taken together, nearly 31,000 individual coke ovens (in blocks of 500) were operating by 1905, and thereafter expanded, by way of the new by-product recovery ovens, to at least 40,000—the greatest body of coal-tarrelated toxic PAH (polycyclical aromatic hydrocarbon) caches in America, and possibly in the world at large. Most important in terms of potential contamination was the need to quench hot-drawn coke, and the fate of quench-water PAH uptake; a formal paper is planned for submittal in 2015.
Efficient Identification of Potential Settlement Causes Using the Rapid Settlement Diagnostic System (RSDS) Haugen, Ben, Colorado School of Mines, bhaugen@mines.edu; Jacquelyn Negri, jnegri@mines.edu; Dr. Paul Santi, psanti@mines.edu; Hayden Brown, haybrown@mines.edu (TS #19) Differential settlement, commonly referred to as “settlement,” causes extensive damage worldwide and has a significant impact on engineering design and mitigation. Identification of settlement origins (e.g. karst, groundwater withdrawal, liquefaction etc.) can be challenging and expensive. The ability to identify the likely cause(s) of settlement using a rapid forensic analysis can reduce field time and constrain site investigation strategies, thereby reducing costs. The Rapid Settlement Diagnostic System (RSDS) has been developed as a tool for efficiently identifying likely sources of geology-related settlement. The RSDS
AEG NEWS 58 Annual Meeting Program with Abstracts
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2015 ANNUAL MEETING enables personnel to quickly isolate potential causes of settlement using initial site observations and basic site knowledge. Those who would benefit most from the RSDS should have some exposure to settlement analysis and mitigation, but do not need to be experts. RSDS is a four-step questionnaire in Microsoft Excel format. The first step distinguishes whether or not the observations involve geology-related settlement. The second and third steps narrow down the list of likely settlement causes for the area of concern. The fourth step provides the final calculation and rank indicating which settlement types are most likely at fault, and should be investigated further through a detailed site investigation (e.g. drilling, geophysics, mapping). Development of the RSDS is ongoing and would benefit from field validation.
Use of Small Limestone Incubation Devices to Elucidate Factors Affecting the Dissolution of Calcite by Acid Mine Drainage Hedin, Benjamin C., Hedin Environmental, ben.hedin@hedinenv.com; Robert S. Hedin (Poster) Limestone is a commonly used alkaline reagent in the passive treatment of acid mine drainage. The performance of limestone-based systems is difficult to predict using conventional geochemical modeling techniques. We have developed an incubation device (ALKastTM) that provides a simple method for conducting replicated limestone dissolution tests. The device is constructed from 150 cc plastic syringes with 120-gram inserts of limestone gravel. The device is filled with approximately 40 mL of AMD and after a known incubation period the water is discharged and measured for pH and alkalinity. Testing at existing passive limestone treatment systems has shown good correlation between the ALKast alkalinity after six hours and the alkalinity produced by the treatment system. ALKasts are being used to explore the impact of various treatment and system design factors on alkalinity generation including: 1) treatment of “fresh” AMD compared to aerated “stale” AMD, 2) impact of the additional of a cation exchange media to the limestone. The poster will describe the ALKast device and provide result from testing using the devices.
Dissecting the Catastrophic Foundation Failure of a NewlyConstructed Dam Holderbaum, Rodney E., Gannett Fleming, Inc., rholderbaum@gfnet.com; Timothy W. Johnston, tjohnston@gfnet.com (TS #7) Hope Mills Dam, located in the Town of Hope Mills, NC, was constructed in 2007–08 to replace an existing earth dam that failed during a flood event in 2003. The reconstructed dam consisted of a four-cycle, labyrinth spillway on a pile foundation, with a maximum height of approximately 25 feet. Construction was substantially complete in August 2008 and in September 2009 heavy rains caused the reservoir to rapidly fill resulting in flows over the spillway crest. The resulting flows induced vibrations that were felt within shops several blocks away in the Town of Hope Mills. Because of the observed vibrations and other conditions observed during construction, approval for temporary impoundment was issued by the State dam safety regulator in October of that year provided that a rigorous monitoring program was implemented. By September 2009, monitoring of the dam revealed substantial flows exiting the spillway underdrains and minor structure movement. In December 2009, photographic and video evidence appears to show piping of fine-grained soil materials from the dam foundation. In June 2010, drain flows increased dramatically and were accompanied by extensive piping of material from the foundation, resulting in foundation failure and complete release of the reservoir. This presentation will discuss details of the design and construction of the dam, and identify probable mechanisms contributing to the failure.
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Mountain Lake Alternative Water Source Feasibility Study Huber, Robert, Radford University, rhuber@email.radford.edu (Poster) Mountain Lake is one of only two naturally formed lakes in Virginia. It was once a major tourist attraction and was the filming location for the movie Dirty Dancing. It has a history of dramatic natural lake-level fluctuation that extends over the past 4,200 years. Although the lake was full for most of the twentieth century, levels began to drop annually starting in 2001–02 and dried up completely in September 2008. Levels have yet to recover to full pond, causing the tourism and associated economic benefit to dwindle. This is a progress report on the examination of an adjacent unmapped watershed that previous studies have identified as a possible water source that could be developed and managed to restore lake levels. The quantitative objective of this study will be to estimate the amount of water that the watershed could reasonably provide, and determine if its influence would be greater than the water loss side of the water balance equation. The methods used in this study will be seismic and electrical resistivity geophysical surveys to model the subsurface and identify the extents of the proposed watershed. Preliminary geophysical surveys have been completed and show that the surveys completed over the summer will be an effective method for collecting data. In addition to the quantitative objective of this study, it also emphasizes the effectiveness of seismic and electrical resistivity geophysical surveys in identifying water resources.
Pratfalls and Pitfalls in Environmental Litigation Isphording, Wayne, Tulane University, isphordingw@bellsouth.net (TS #4) Geoscientists and engineers now often find themselves called upon to provide testimony as expert witnesses in a variety of litigious matters. As such, this typically involves their being examined by opposing counsel—both in deposition, or during actual trial. Only the most naive or inexperienced individuals enter such situations believing that right ultimately prevails and, assuming the correctness of their conclusions, the opposing litigants will cease to contest the matter in question. Also, not surprisingly, attorneys retained to defend contested allegations are most concerned with maintaining their lifestyles (i.e., justifying their fees!) by demonstrating their abilities to protect their clients, despite being given facts that show them truly in err, and do not concern themselves with the mundane consideration as to which side truly is “correct.” Two examples are provided where defendants’ counsels either blatantly ignored case facts by attempting to utilize a legal procedure known as a Daubert Challenge to prevent mineralogical data harmful to their client’s case from being presented in court or contended that geochemical data that clearly implicated their client was not collected in a scientifically accepted methodology and that the information should be excluded as testimony during the actual trial. Such examples should be of particular value to the novice scientist with little experience in litigation.
A Geotechnical Investigation of the 2013 Fatal Rockfall in Rockvile, Utah Jacklitch, Carl, Kent State University, cjacklit@kent.edu; Abdul Shakoor, ashakoor@kent.edu (TS #6) In December 2013, a rockfall occurred in Rockville, UT, where an estimated 2,700 tons of rock fell on a house, resulting in two fatalities. The main objective of this study was to assess the hazard potential of the east-west slope throughout the town to identify the sections that are most susceptible to slope failures. This was accomplished through detailed field and laboratory investigations of four sites along the slope that included mapping of discontinuities, site stratigraphy, and travel pathways of rockfall debris, and determining the Atterberg limits, dry
AEG NEWS 58 Annual Meeting Program with Abstracts
September 2015
2015 ANNUAL MEETING density, slake durability index, and friction angle of rock samples. A stereonet analysis was performed to determine the principle joint sets for use in the kinematic analysis by the DIPS software. The maximum rollout distances for various block sizes were determined using the RocFall software. The results of the kinematic analysis and field observations indicate that wedge, plane, and toppling failures are possible. Based on the preliminary results of kinematic and RocFall analyses, frequency of freeze-thaw cycles, role of differential weathering, slope height, slope angle, and the proximity of the homes to the slope throughout the town, the eastern portion of the town appear to face the highest rockfall hazard and the central portion a moderate to high hazard. The western portion of the slope has a high to moderate potential for rockfalls but the hazard is low due to the lack of residential property. The proposed remedial measures include wire mesh nets, rock bolts/anchors, and avoidance of the hazardous slopes.
Application of a Hazard Rating System for Rock Slopes along a Transportation Corridor Using Remote Sensing Justice, Samantha, Michigan Technological University, smjustices@gmail.com; Stanley Vitton, vitton@mtu.edu; Thomas Oommen, toommen@mtu.edu; Rudiger Escobar Wolf, rpescoba@mtu.edu (TS #10) Rockfall hazards are a significant and ongoing threat to infrastructure located within steep terrain. Assessing the relative hazard along a transportation corridor, therefore, is important in determining the likely location and mode of rock slope failure. Understanding where to focus attention and funds is vital for the infrastructure agencies because of the high cost of implementing preventative measures for long lengths of infrastructure. Hazard analysis has historically relied upon experienced field engineers assessing each site, which is not time or cost effective. This study focuses on using remote sensing techniques to analyze rock slopes along transportation corridors. A case study from Southern Nevada with several failing rock slopes along a railroad line is presented. The analysis uses Digital Elevation Models (DEMs), orthophotos, and high-resolution remote sensing data to analyze individual rock slopes with a risk of failure. The rockfall hazard is measured using the Rockfall Hazard Rating System (RHRS) method, while the rock mass strength is measured using the Geological Strength Index (GSI) and the Slope Mass Rating (SMR) method. A workflow is developed that can be immediately implemented by transportation agencies for use in maintenance programs.
Developing a Customized Rock Slope Inspection and Hazard Rating System Keating, Rebecca, Jacobs Engineering Group Inc., rebecca.keating@jacobs.com; Paul J. Murphy, paul.j.murphy@jacobs.com (TS #6) Many transportation agencies are experiencing increased costs for maintenance and operations, as rock exposures constructed 50–60 years ago are degrading, posing rockfall hazards and triggering rockfall events. This paper will present the procedures used to develop a customized detailed rock slope inspection and hazard rating system for high-risk rock cuts to be utilized along highways in Massachusetts. The evaluation will take into account the specific geologic conditions found on Massachusetts highways and will build on existing rock slope risk and hazard rating systems, including the Rockfall Hazard Rating System (RHRS), which are used in other States and Countries. The benefits of performing a pilot study to assess the effectiveness of the proposed rating system will be presented. The major components of the customized detailed system will be discussed. A primary goal of the system is to allow MassDOT to systematically rate each high-risk September 2015
rock slope for potential hazards and assign a numerical value to the rating. This rating provides MassDOT with a proactive approach to rock slope maintenance and management and will lead MassDOT to more informed decision making to plan for safety improvements, optimize the benefits from investing limited safety budgets, and reduce maintenance and other operational costs.
Landslide Inventory Maps: Every Square Meter Matters Keaton, Jeffrey, Amec Foster Wheeler, jeff.keaton@amecfw.com (TS #24) Maps of earthquake hazards display at all locations the horizontal acceleration associated with a specified exceedance probability and a specified exposure time period (i.e., 2% in 50 years). Thus, earthquake hazard maps provide continuous information on how big the hazard is and how often it is expected to occur. Landslide inventory maps display locations of landslide features with limited information on how big the hazard is at selected locations only, but contain no information about how often slope movements are expected to occur. A shift in thinking is needed to provide consistent slope hazard information across a state or the nation. This shift would focus on stability of slopes and provide continuous designations. Some slopes are landslides of one type or another, whereas many slopes have geologic evidence of stability. Landslide inventory maps imply that slope hazards do not exist where deposits or features of past landslides are not recognized. A five-part scheme to classify stability of slopes and landslides was developed in the 1980s and updated in the 1990s. Its main categories are: 1) unstable slopes, 2) slopes with inactive landslides, 3) potentially unstable slopes, 4) apparently stable landslides, and 5) apparently stable slopes. This classification provides a useful starting point for a continuous slope hazard map that is a major improvement over landslide inventory maps and approaches the level of earthquake hazard maps. The size and frequency aspects remain to be defined.
Analyzing Contact Metamorphism of the Stanley Shale in the Igneous Intrusive Complex at Magnet Cove, Arkansas Kee, Michael, Arkansas School for Mathematics, Sciences, and the Arts, keet15@asmsa.org (TS #19) A 1963 study described the geochemistry of igneous rocks of the Magnet Cove Intrusive Complex and mapped a zone of contact metamorphism extending outward between 1,000–2,500 feet from the intrusion. Since the study, no more detailed investigations of the effects of the heat of the intrusion on the surrounding Stanley Shale have been conducted. It is evident by visiting Magnet Cove that the zone of metamorphism exceeds these limitations because rocks >2500 feet from the intrusion were observed to display characteristics of hornfels. To investigate this observation, samples collected from Jones Mill Quarry were made into thin sections and examined under a petrographic microscope. Porphyroblastic nonfoliated subhedral biotite growing inside a cryptocrystalline quartz matrix alongside medium-grained quartz, or perhaps andalusite, was observed in the sample 100 feet from the intrusion. The granoblastic biotite crystals observed in the nearest sample were not present in any other samples taken farther from the intrusion, thus indicating a clearly defined biotite isograd. According to a 1952 report, Ouachita sedimentary rocks display regional metamorphism consistent with the chlorite zone but lack a well-developed foliation. Thus, while it is clear from the texture of the first sample that the biotite formed through contact metamorphism, thereby indicating exposure to temperatures of approximately 400∞ to 500∞ C, it is difficult to distinguish whether the surrounding chlorite zone rocks were altered due to contact or regional metamorphism. Future studies could address this by using an SEM for better determination.
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2015 ANNUAL MEETING Geotechnical Challenges for Streambank Protection Projects Keffer, Andrew, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Huntington District, Andrew.M.Keffer@usace.army.mil; Michael F. Spoor; Guy, Enrich, Enrich.D.Guy@usace.army.mil (TS #9) Huntington, and many other USACE Districts, have encountered extensive bank erosion and failure-related endangerment of adjacent Local Protection Projects (LPPs) and critically essential public facilities. As was observed during stream and river reconnaissance, extensive bank retreat often occurred during and immediately after bank full and flood stage events. Flood flow-related bank recharge and subsequent seepage and internal erosion often resulted in the failure and accumulation of soils at the base of slopes. High water shear and tractive forces, including helical, secondary currents, and overland flows reworked and transported these failed soils and recently deposited sediments during subsequent events. These processes continue and banks have become oversteepened and unstable. These banks have continued to erode and fail during stream and river recession from high stages and floods. These failure conditions, which include bank recharge soils saturation and groundwater fluctuations are significant causative processes. However, the relative importance of seasonally persistent groundwater discharge from fine sand and dispersive clay layers and lenses, within and upgradient from, oversteepened banks have not been sufficiently described. Processes of bank groundwater recharge and discharge and related failures, as these conditions affect streambank protection projects, will be discussed during this presentation.
An Engineering Geologist’s Role in Risk-Informed DecisionMaking for USACE Dam and Levee Safety Kelson, Keith I., U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, South Pacific Division Dam Safety Production Center, keith.i.kelson@usace.army.mil; Pete T. Shaffner, Peter.T.Shaffner@usace.army.mil; James E. Wright, James.E.Wright@usace.army.mil (TS #7) USACE dam and levee safety risk management includes risk analysis, assessment, and control, all considered in context of Tolerable Risk Guidelines. The process helps identify and understand primary risk contributors, assists in communicating risk, justifies and prioritizes safety-related decisions, and leads to consistent, defensible courses of action. The engineering geologist plays a critical role in this process as part of multi-disciplinary risk teams that assess potential hazards, and combine them with system response (fragility) and consequences to analyze risk. A geologist’s process-based training and site-specific knowledge informs probability estimates and identifies primary risk contributors in foundation characterization, seismic hazard, and hydrologic loading. Geologists communicate critical information on foundation properties (bedrock strengths, alluvial-deposit continuity, fault and fracture geometries) and potential hazards (landslides, liquefaction, dissolution). Experienced geologists condense large data sets and clarify complex geologic relations via detailed geologic maps, cross-sections, aerial photographic analysis, and sometimes, 3D visualization modeling. Understanding and capturing uncertainties in near-surface materials and geomorphic processes are paramount. Geologic input to seismic loading (fault rupture, strong ground motion) includes characterizing seismic sources and geologic components of site response. Evaluating hydrologic loading can also benefit from geomorphic evidence of paleoflood discharges. For dam-safety modification studies, the geologist can constrain uncertainties and thus help streamline conceptual design. During construction and post-construction activities, a geologic understanding of site conditions is essential for evaluating development of potential failure modes. In summary, careful, informed geologic input is critical for improving dam-safety decisions at all levels of risk-informed decision-making. 66
Predictive Modeling of Debris Flows Probabilities Following Wild Fire in the Intermountain Western United States Kern, Ashley, Michigan Technological University, ankern@mtu.edu; Thomas Oommen, toommen@mtu.edu; Rick Coffman, rick@uark.edu; Priscilla Addison, peaddiso@mtu.edu (TS #21) It has been recognized that wildfire followed by a storm event, triggers both floods and debris flows in mountainous regions. The ability to predict and mitigate these hazards is crucial in order to protect public safety and infrastructure. Data on 15 individual burn basins, which contained 388 samples and 24 predictor variables were obtained from the USGS. After randomly selecting a subset of data to hold out as a test set, modern predictive modeling techniques utilizing machine learning were applied to the remaining data. Ten-fold cross validation was then applied to the training set to ensure nearly unbiased error estimations and also avoid model over fitting. Linear, nonlinear and rule based predictive models were developed and tested on the hold out data set. Results for nonlinear approaches were nearly twice as successful as those for the linear models and previously published work for predicting debris flows. The most important attribute to these models is the ability to correctly identify a “true positive” which is called the sensitivity of the model. When predicting using the test set, the resulting sensitivity for our best model was approximately 80%. This implies that when utilizing this model, 80% of the predicted debris flows should be observed. This paper thoroughly describes all debris flow probability models and techniques used as well as future efforts towards implementation.
A Preliminary Documentation of the Coral Reefs from Libya Khameiss, Belkasim, Ball State University -Geological Department, bkb28_1981@yahoo.com; William Hoyt; Saad K. El Ebaidi, Ahmed Muftah; James Klaus; Ann Budd (Poster) Corals studies in Libya are very limited, although they play an important role in the oil exploration as they form excellent reservoirs of coral reef buildups at some oil fields of Sirt Basin (e.g. Intisar “Idris” and Sahabi Fields). Both fields are producing from Paleocene coral reefs. Meanwhile, in Cyrenaica corals are of less importance, as they are not reported in subsurface Tertiary rocks, which probably to the environmental settings of these sediments out of the core of reef as occurred in the surface. Meanwhile, corals are reported from older (Jurassic) subsurface successions as in Concession NC-152, but the cementation diagenesis led to blocking and destroying the porosity. This study presents the first surface documentation work of eight scleractinian coral species from the exposed sediments in northern Libya, where six taxa reported from Al Jabal al Akhdar region, these include a) an association of huge colonies of Caulastrea sp. and Stylophora sp., from the Middle Eocene Darnah Formation at West Darnah roadcut section. The co-existence of the fast Caulastrea sp. with the slow Stylophora sp. is due to the competition strategy; b) Antiguastrea sp. is reported from the Oligocene Algal Limestone of Al Bayda Formation at Daryanah – Abyar roadcut section; c) Cyphastrea sp. and Aleveopora sp. from Oligo-Miocene Al Faidiyah Formation at Al Fatayah cement quarry and d) Tarbellastraea sp. from Middle Miocene Benghazi Formation at Benghazi cement Quarry. In addition to, two species Astraeaopora sp. and Actinacis parorai are reported from the Upper Miocene sediments of formation “M” in As Sahabi area.
AEG NEWS 58 Annual Meeting Program with Abstracts
September 2015
2015 ANNUAL MEETING Geological Tourism Northeast Libya Khameiss, Belkasim, Ball State University â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Geological Department, bkb28_1981@yahoo.com; Abdelfattah Hamed, Fatah.nore@yahoo.com; Al Zubir Hdhireia, Bekko_13@yahoo.com; Nour Alden Albaaga, nouralbaga@Gmail.com (Poster) Libya is rich in geological features (fossils, type locations, mountains displaying faults, and fold) and geomorphic features such as springs, sinkholes, caves, and dolines etc., in addition to, the famous archeological sites as seen in Cyrene, Apollonia, and Athrun prehistoric cities. This reconnaissance study aimed to: 1) introduce the importance of this subject for local people and international tourists, and 2) educate the visitors how to keep these features, safe to with stand for long time. Most of the previous visits focused on the archeological sites, and most of the geological visits are indirectly during the geological conferences. This paper mainly concentrated on Cyrenaica in particular Al Jabal Al Akhdar, where several spectacular features are commonly developed.
Karastic Distribution Between Wadi Aljubiah and Wadi Al Bakur Area Khameiss, Belkasim, Ball State University - Geological Department, bkb28_1981@yahoo.com (Poster) Karastic features are important in geomorphological studies. Wadi Aljubiah and wadi Al Bakur area are mainly known by varieties of karsatic features in different elevations and formations. These features are result of climatological and structural effects. Wadi Aljubiah and wadi Al Bakur area have different kind of formations from Middle Tertiary. These formations are Apollonia, Darnah, Al Baydah, Al Abraq, Al Faydiah, Benghazi, and Wadi Al Qattarah Formations. The type of sediments changed from west to east directions with fauna giving us different ages in young to old rocks. Karstic Features found on the whole area such as caves, sinkholes, solution cavities, rock falls, and rockslides. The purpose of this paper is to determine and document these karst features, and formations which has large numerous and diversity of these features and the formation which has less diversity. The formations have numerous number of karastic features are the Darnah, Al Baydah (Algal Limestone Member), and Benghazi Formations based on type of content such as fossils and the reaction of carbonate rock with acidic rain (climate effect). On other hand, Apollonia and Wadi Al Qattarah Formation are affected by structural differences are bed sliding, faulting, and jointing.
Quantitative Mapping of Granular Flows Using <1 m Resolution Satellite Data: Pyroclastic Density Currents in Kamchatka Krippner, Janine, University of Pittsburgh, jbk29@pitt.edu; Michael S. Ramsey, mramsey@pitt.edu (TS #19) To better understand dangerous hazards associated with granular flows (e.g. pyroclastic flows, debris avalanches, landslides) sub-meter, high-resolution data are being used to evaluate fresh pyroclastic density current (PDC) deposits. Eruptions originating from the active summit dome of Shiveluch volcano in Kamchatka, Russia, regularly produce PDCs that deposit material on the volcanoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s southern flanks. Using WorldView-02 and QuickBird-02 panchromatic data, the two most extensive deposits have been mapped, one from 2010 covering ~29 km2 and another from 2005 covering ~24 km2, to describe the surficial morphologies and deposit distribution. The deposits are complex with overlapping flows and lobes showing a range of morphologies including channels (up to 36 m wide), levees, variable lobate terminations, compaction features, ripples, and transverse ridges. Arcuate scarps (up to 200 m wide) are the source of secondary September 2015
remobilized flows with developed channel and lobate morphologies, and elongate irregular regions that display down-flow facing arcuate ridges indicating flow compaction. In the 2010 deposit block concentrations are highly variable with the highest surface concentrations within 10 km of the dome. Blocks exceeding 9 m in diameter were found over 10 km from the dome attesting to their high-energy emplacement. The deposit edges show interaction with topography including super-elevation and overbank deposition, and vegetation damage zones where trees were singed or felled and subsequently accumulated. Using satellite data to describe the morphology, distribution, and damage resulting from the PDCs provides a rapid method of post-event evaluation and hazard assessments.
Electrical Resistivity Imaging of Karst Topography in the Arbuckle Mountains Krivos, Heather, THG Geophysics Ltd., hlk@geo-image.com; Peter Hutchinson, pjh@geo-image.com (TS #25) In many regions of the U.S., subsidence related to karst topography poses a major risk to engineered structures. A wind farm project proposed for the western portion of the Arbuckle Mountains area is within a known karst province. The geology of this area consists of the Upper Cambrian to Lower Ordovician Arbuckle Group. The Arbuckle Group consists of intercalated sequences of thick carbonates and thinner shales and sandstones. Post-Pennsylvanian mountain building tilted these beds to a nearly vertical position. Subsequently, caves and voids developed within the carbonate beds, presumably by groundwater migrating along the nearly vertical bedding planes and fractures. Numerous dissolution cavities and several major cave systems have been mapped within the proposed wind farm site. Electrical resistivity imaging was determined to be the most effective method of mapping subsurface voids and caverns for the strong electrical contrast between carbonate units and void-filling sediments. Electrical resistivity imaging during early stages of the wind farm development identified numerous caverns and voids. Several wind tower locations were moved after electrical imaging indicated the presence of a subsurface void. Further, the access road to a major portion of the site had to be rerouted due to the presence of a cavern system.
Well Logging in Ground Water Hydrology Kumar, Santdeep, Rajiv Gandhi Institute of Petroleum Technology, santdeepara@gmail.com; Aniket Saxon, epe120008@rgipt.ac.in (Poster) The annual investment in water supply and sanitation in U.S. is $28.5bn or $97/capita (2005) but providing full water and sewerage connections, with primary wastewater treatment to the urban population would raise the annual cost of meeting the 2015 goal to U.S. $49 billion. This paper discusses in details of several problems pertaining to the interpretation of well logs in ground water hydrology. Certain interpretive methods of the oil industry are demonstrated to be unsatisfactory for hydrologic purposes, and certain other methods, which have not been significant in the oil industry, are recommended for use in ground-water hydrology. The application of geophysical well logging to groundwater hydrology is comparable to its use in petroleum exploration in the 1930s. However, we can take advantage of equipment and interpretation techniques developed in the oil industry that are available now for use in ground-water investigations. Although most petroleum well logging techniques may be utilized in hydrology with modifications in equipment and interpretation to consider basic economic and environmental differences between petroleum and groundwater evaluation. If logging is to be widely applied to groundwater exploration and evaluation, the cost of equipment and services must
AEG NEWS 58 Annual Meeting Program with Abstracts
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2015 ANNUAL MEETING be minimized. Fortunately, this can be easily done, because most water wells are shallower than oil wells and the temperatures and pressures are also lower.
Reliability Based Slope Stability Evaluation Using Stochastic Geological Modeling Techniques and FEM Simulations
geological structure with various joints and discontinuities; furthermore, groundwater, intense rainfall, and mining activities are identified as the main triggers for different failure stages. The simulated evolution process and the recorded deformation patterns help engineers to gain a better understanding of rock mass movement of anti-dip slopes.
Liang, Robert, The University of Akron, rliang@uakron.edu; Xiangrong Wang, superwxr87@gmail.com; Hui Wang, hw34@zips.uakron.edu; Zhao Li, zl28@zips.uakron.edu (TS #23)
Development of UASLOPE Method for Evaluating Slope Stabilization Using a Single Row of Drilled Shafts
Risk analysis has been increasingly applied to geotechnical engineering problems, such as slope stability evaluation, and rockfall hazard assessment, among others. However, despite recent advancement in probabilistic based slope stability analysis, existing methods are limited to only considering uncertainties due to soil properties determination. There is a need to consider other uncertainties that could influence stability analysis outcome. One of such uncertainties is related to subsurface soil and rock formation and layering structures. This paper describes a reliability analysis process suitable for slope stability problems with heterogeneous and anisotropic geological bodies based on an integrated approach using stochastic geological model and FEM simulation techniques. Aimed to reflect the effects of the uncertainty from the subsurface profile formation, the proposed process consists of three components: 1) preprocessing—discretization of the interested geological body and utilization of known site investigation data, 2) subsurface profiles generating—generating subsurface profiles using a novel approach involving neighborhood systems and local transition sampler based on Markov random field simulation to represent all possible subsurface soil/rock profiles of the interested geological body, and 3) reliability simulation—Monte Carlo simulation using FEM program for each generated subsurface soil/rock profiles. To illustrate the presented method, a slope stability case is studied and the corresponding probability distribution function of the factor of safety is obtained by fitting the simulation results. Some realization results are used to elucidate the possible influence of the uncertainty from the subsurface profile formation on the slope stability and failure mechanism.
In this paper, a design procedure for stabilizing an unstable slope with a row of equally spaced drilled shafts is presented. This design approach is based on the concept of the soil arching phenomenon occurring due to the rigid inclusions of the drilled shafts in the moving soil mass. The soil arching will redirect the earth thrust into the drilled shafts, which then transfer the loads into the firm rock layer (rock socket) through the lateral soil-structure interaction. The soil arching therefore would reduce the driving force transmitted down slope on the down-slope side of the drilled shaft. As a result of the reduced driving force, the factor of safety of the slope with the installed drilled shafts is increased. The soil arching effect is quantified by the semiempirical load-transfer factor, which is obtained by regression analysis of more than 90 cases of 3D finite-element simulation results. By incorporating the proposed semi-empirical load transfer factor, a new limiting-equilibrium based slope stability computer program, UASLOPE 2.2, has been developed for complex slope geometry, soil profile and groundwater table conditions. By comparing with the previous version (i.e., UASLOPE 2.1), UASLOPE 2.2 program is capable of performing “1-CLICK” optimization design strategy by simply setting the range and interval increment of the location of a row of drilled shafts, which can efficiently minimize the design period and optimize the design results. Finally, a design example is provided to illustrate the proposed design procedure.
Analysis of Flexural Toppling of an Anti-Dip Slope in Fushun Open Pit in China Liang, Robert, The University of Akron, rliang@uakron.edu; Zhao Li, zl28@zips.uakron.edu; Jin-An Wang, wja@ustb.edu.cn (TS #10) The northern slope of Fushun Open Pit, which is a typical anti-dip engineering rock slope with a weak cutting-through fault, experienced significant toppling deformation when cut at approximately 50o. Since the mining is carried out deep within the steep slope, high stability for this large-scale open pit slope is required. In order to evaluate slope stability and ensure safety in production, the deformation characteristics, the failure mechanism, and the evolution process of the northern slope are analyzed. This study starts with field investigation, involving revealing the hydrogeological features, the structural characteristics, and the deformation attributes as well as obtaining rock properties of the slope. Moreover, a series of numerical simulations are conducted to model the entire progressive flexural toppling process from stability to instability. Four stages have been identified in the deformation process. Furthermore, the simulated results are validated using data obtained from continuous monitoring by employing an advanced remote sensing technique called ground-based interferometric synthetic aperture radar (GB-InSAR), which is capable to provide reliable early warning alerts of slope instability and allow maps (e.g. displacement map and velocity map) showing the overall long-term dynamic evolution of slope movements. This case study indicates the unique 68
Liang, Robert, The University of Akron, rliang@uakron.edu (TS #18)
Proposed Temperance Flat Dam - Bureau of Reclamation Rock Mechanics Testing and Reporting Lindenbach, Evan J., Bureau of Reclamation, elindenbach@usbr.gov; Robert V. Rinehart, rrinehart@usbr.gov (TS #22) The recent successive years of drought are a reminder to Californians of their need for improved water storage capabilities. The Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation) is proposing the construction of an approximately 600-foot-high roller-compacted concrete dam on the San Joaquin River above Millerton Reservoir, to store an additional 1.26 million acre-feet of surface water. As part of the feasibility-level design to be submitted for Congressional approval in summer 2015, an extensive rock mechanics testing program is being completed on cores from borings located along the proposed dam axis, adjacent to the axis, and along the outlet tunnel alignment. The program being performed by Reclamation’s Material Engineering and Research Laboratory in Denver, Colorado, comprises indirect tensile strength testing, petrographic analysis, uniaxial compressive strength (UCS) testing, and direct shear testing of existing joints. In support of finite element modeling being used to optimize the design of the dam, UCS values, RQD values, fracture densities, and other variables used in the Rock Mass Rating (RMR) system are bundled by depth and evaluated probabilistically. Monte Carlo simulation is then performed, using the distributions of the input variables to create an output distribution of RMR values. Based on the RMR distribution, a rock mass modulus distribution is developed via published relationships and used to develop a range of modulus values for the finite element modeling. Details of the test program, methods for obtaining a distribution of RMR values, and results of the simulations are presented.
AEG NEWS 58 Annual Meeting Program with Abstracts
September 2015
2015 ANNUAL MEETING Northern Pennsylvania Groundwater Well Mapping and the Identification of Contaminate Sources
Pile Setup Effect in Driven Friction Piles in Western Pennsylvania: Case Studies
Linsenbigler, Rochelle, The Pennsylvania State University, rsl5137@psu.edu; Tess Russo (Poster)
Lobo-Guerrero, Sebastian, A.G.E.S., Inc., sebastianl@agesin.com; Daniel F. Martt, dmartt@agesinc.com (TS #9)
Potter County drilling records were obtained from 1980â&#x20AC;&#x201C;2013. Drilling records include the depth of the borehole, groundwater elevation, well yield, and notes about water quality if a problem was observed. Groundwater level and quality records from the USGS were used to supplement the original drilling records, providing groundwater data over a longer time period, but at a lower spatial resolution. These data were digitized and put into a database for further analysis. Results of this project include historic groundwater level and yield contour maps, and how they have changed over time. We aim to identify spatial and temporal patterns in groundwater availability and quality, associated with wells at given depths. We hypothesize that areas of intense oil and gas drilling or population development may influence groundwater availability and quality, while legacy oil and gas wells may continue to influence water quality in the years after operation ends. To test this, we will analyze groundwater data with respect to oil and gas activities in northern Pennsylvania. Specifically, we will obtain locations of wells and periods of active drilling to determine if there is a correlation with changes in groundwater availability or quality.
Pile setup is referred to a significant increment in geotechnical resistance exhibited hours or days after a pile is driven. Because of excess pore water pressure, the soil effective vertical stress and the corresponding frictional resistance exerted on the side of the pile decreases significantly during driving operations. However, hours or days after driving is completed, the excess pore water pressure dissipates and the geotechnical frictional (shaft) resistance increases to the normal values. The pile setup factor is referred as the ratio between the geotechnical capacity after the dissipation of the excess pore water pressure divided by the geotechnical capacity at the end of driving. This factor has been documented in the literature to be as high as 2.0, It is usually attributed to loose to medium dense fine sands and silts. Although the pile setup phenomenon is widely known, it is still difficult to predict exactly under what conditions it will occur. If pile setup is suspected to be likely, pile restrike is typically specified during design in case the obtained geotechnical resistance is lower than expected. However, even having pile restrike results, sometimes it is uncertain if the restrike capacity should be accepted or if the foundation should be redesigned using the capacity obtained during driving (or even if the piles should be driven deeper). This study presents pile setup factors obtained for different test piles in western Pennsylvania using pile dynamic tests (PDA and CAPWAP). General geotechnical conditions at the different sites are also presented.
Qualitative Foundation Rock Block Stability Evaluation Performed for Green Peter Dam, Oregon Loar, Todd N., USACE-RMC, todd.n.loar@usace.army.mil (TS #22) Green Peter Dam (GPD) was completed in 1966 and is a 380foothigh, 1,517foot-long, concrete gravity dam located on the Middle Santiam River, 30 miles southeast of Albany, OR. A Potential Failure Mode Analysis (PFMA) and Semi-Quantitative Risk Assessment (SQRA) identified a failure mechanism associated with global stability of monoliths during a seismic event and the presence of potentially removable foundation rock blocks/wedges positioned in the foundation. A qualitative geomechanical evaluation was performed to assess stability conditions associated with geometrically capable and/or potentially removable rock wedges positioned in the foundation of GPD. The foundation rock wedge geometry is formed by underlying, sub-horizontal clayey shear zones within lapilli tuff layers and laterally by rock mass discontinuities such as jointing, bedding, dikes, and faults (i.e. release and side surfaces) in the basaltic lava flow layers. The sub-horizontal shear zones at the site were recognized as potentially adverse geologic features early in the site characterization studies for GPD because they can result in foundation instability issues such as differential settlement, erosion, or more critically foundation sliding. The geometry of sliding (i.e. kinematics) of the rock wedge depends on the shape; loading vectors; configuration of the foundation excavation; and the downstream top of rock topography. Concrete dams have experienced failures due to displacement of rock wedges positioned in the foundation. Most of these failures were related to initial filling and elevated pore/uplift pressures on the rock block. While no concrete dams are known to have failed due to seismic loading, the increased loading associated with an earthquake could conceivably cause sliding of a foundation block that is otherwise stable under static loading. However, an increased knowledge of higher seismic loading at the site warranted a careful evaluation to assure the risks of foundation rock block sliding are understood and that confidence in the available data is acceptable. This presentation summarizes the background, findings, and results of the qualitative foundation rock block evaluation for the GPD structure.
September 2015
Site Investigation in Volcanic Terrains for Building Projects Lomoschitz, Alejandro, Dept. of Civil Engineering & IOCAG, Universidad de Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Spain, alejandro.lomoschitz@ulpgc.es; Luis E. Hernandez, geologoluis@gmail.com; Jose A. Rodriguez-Losada, jrlosada@ull.es; Claudio Olalla, colalla@caminos.upm.es (Poster) This work was developed based on the recent Guide for the Planning and Execution of Geotechnical Studies for Building Projects in the Canary Islands (Spain), GETCAN-011. The Canary Archipelago geology is dominated almost entirely by a succession of volcanic materials and structures. The guide articulates the basic appropriate methodology for planning of geotechnical prospecting in building projects and for conducting geotechnical studies, in accordance with current regulations and volcanic terrains. Once the type of woodard building and type of terrain is defined, guide criteria have to be applied to determine the minimum intensity and extent of the field exploration activities. The minimum depth for surveys is established by taking into account the peculiarities and problems associated with each of the geotechnical units and the type of building. As a result of this work, a geotechnical map of the Canary Archipelago at a scale of 1:25,000 has also been generated. This is now available on-line for building designers and urban planners to consult. Given that almost all the volcanic materials of the planet can be found in the Canary Islands, this guide could be of potential applicable use for other areas of volcanic origin.
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2015 ANNUAL MEETING Geotechnical Units and Associated Problems in Volcanic Terrains: Canary Islands, Spain
Low-Threat Closure of a UST Release Site in California; Would the Sierra Club Be Happy?
Lomoschitz, Alejandro, Dept. of Civil Engineering & IOCAG, Universidad de Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Spain, alejandro.lomoschitz@ulpgc.es; Luis E. Hernandez, geologoluis@gmail.com; Jose A. Rodriguez-Losada, jrlosada@ull.es; Claudio Olalla, colalla@caminos.upm.es (TS #9)
Lord, Jacques, MARRS Services Inc., everydaywonder@sbcglobal.net (TS #4)
Volcanic terrains of the Canary Islands are described and classified in this study. The terrains are grouped into geotechnical units of similar geomechanical behavior to indicate the most common geotechnical problems associated with them. The seven main islands that comprise the Canary Archipelago have a total surface area of 7,450 km2 (2,961 mi2). Despite this relatively small size, an extensive variety of lithologies and volcanic structures can be found here, as well as often very pronounced topographies. As a result, the description and classification of soils and rocks is by no means a simple task. Ten geotechnical units were considered for this study. These include six volcanic units: basal complexes, salic lava flows and massifs, weathered basalt massifs, intact basalt lava flows, pyroclastic materials and brecciated materials; alluvial and colluvial deposits; and 4 sedimentary and anthropic units: alluvial and colluvial deposits; littoral deposits; clayey and/or silty soils and artificial fills. Twenty-two (22) different lithotypes have been identified: 12 in reference to rocks and 10 in reference to pyroclasts. Each was characterized on the basis of laboratory testing to obtain the principal geomechanical characteristics. This classification has been incorporated in the Guide for the Planning and Execution of Geotechnical Studies for Building Projects in the Canary Islands, GETCAN-011, drawn up by the Department of Public Works, Transport and Territorial Policy of the Canary Regional Government (2011). Finally, this type of classification (geotechnical units and lithotypes) may be of potential applicable use for other similar volcanic regions of the planet.
The Pico de Navas Slump (Burgos, Spain): A Large Rotational Rocky Landslide Caused by Underlying Clayey Sand Layers Lomoschitz, Alejandro, Dept. of Civil Engineering & IOCAG, Universidad de Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Spain, alejandro.lomoschitz@ulpgc.es; IgnacioMenendez-Pidal, impidal@caminos.upm.es; Eugenio Sanz, esanz@caminos.upm.es (TS #23) The Pico de Navas landslide, Burgos (Spain), was a large and complex rotational movement, affecting a volume of 50x106 m3. It certainly occurred before the 5th century and probably during the Recent or Middle Holocene, as can be deduced from historical and paleoclimatic data. Although the landslide now appears to be inactive, its study continues to be of interest because of its well-preserved morphology and its similarity to other large and well-known slides such as that at CatherineĂs Point on the Isle of Wight (UK). These slides have in common the existence of underlying clayey to sandy layers, where the surfaces of rupture were established, and the presence of overlying layers of limestone rocks. In the case of the Pico de Navas slide, the surface of rupture on its upper part coincides with a pre-existing vertical fault dating from the Alpine orogeny. It incurves towards the horizontal following a layer of sand with kaolin belonging to the Sand Utrillas Fm (Albian). The geotechnical properties of this material have been studied in detail. The movement to be activated surely needed a high water table and erosion of the slide base, as many other landslides do. This description of the movement may be of use to understand slope ruptures in many other areas of the Iberian Cordillera (mainland Spain) where the Sand Utrillas Fm is present and a very large number of civil works have been affected by landslides. 70
In 2013 the California Water Quality Control Board promulgated guidance that allowed for more rapid closure of petroleum sites. This lowthreat closure strategy takes a new look at old releases. In the past, a release was bad, and free product on the water table was worse. The mantra was that free-product had to be removed or mitigated to the extent practicable. In my first experience with closure using low-threat guidance, I was looking at a sizeable plume of free-product over a foot thick and 300 feet wide, in an urban (densely developed) setting. The site had an absentee owner (residing in a foreign country) and mitigation was going nowhere so the County DEH turned the site over to the State. This presentation looks at the California Low Threat Closure strategy where closing meant walking away from significant contamination. Is it ethical for a professional geologist to do that? The State says I can, but is it the right thing to do as a professional motivated by environmental and habitat restoration? This presentation looks at the factors that allowed the site to be closed (i.e., what made such a major spill low threat?), and examines if that justifies leaving such a significant free product release in place. Your personal and professional conclusion is based on your willingness to compromise for the greater good and statistically sweep things under the carpet.
California Mandates 25% Water Use Reduction; Are Cisterns the New Solar Panel Industry? Lord, Jacques, MARRS Services Inc., everydaywonder@sbcglobal.net (TS #4) Drought is dominating our headlines in California. Mulholland knew 100 years ago that water in California was power. Now it is affecting more and more people as the snowpack dwindles and the Colorado River gets divided up between more water users. What is a geologist to do (other than accept a composting toilet as normal)? Countries with similar situations include Australia and the Bahamas. They both have strong rain catchment industries to supplement or replace traditional water sources. Cisterns, underground rain storage structures, are common in Texas and other parts of the Central western USA. And the cistern may be the new UST for geologists to work with as installation increases in the next decades to come. Rain catchment will not only augment water supply for thirsty parts of California, but with the new 2015 Storm Water Permit for Industrial Facilities that makes discharging rain water from your property so difficult, installing cisterns as retention and/or detention basins will mitigate two major issues; reduce or eliminate storm water discharge from the property, and have readily available irrigation water. Geologists will have a hand in site assessment and design, excavation depth, drainage grading, and other subsurface aspects of rain catchment that are not yet common knowledge. A review of some of the different cistern technologies available today rounds out this presentation.
Lessons Learned from the Review and Assessment of a Cut Slope for a Water Tank Reservoir Lukkarila, Chad, Kleinfelder, clukkarila@kleinfelder.com (TS #18) A new water tank reservoir was constructed north of the city of East Wenatchee in Douglas County, WA. The reservoir tank was constructed on a pad excavated into a hillside, creating a large cut slope in the soil and rock. Kleinfelderâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s services were completed in multiple phases during design and construction including third party report review, field engineering, and construction monitoring. Kleinfelder provided review
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2015 ANNUAL MEETING of the draft geology report and noted the following concerns: 1) limited field investigation, 2) no analysis of rock mass or discontinuity data, 3) no stability analyses completed for proposed 45–76-degree cut slopes, and 4) no rock fall hazard analyses completed for the cut slope. With the limited investigation and analysis, the potential for varying conditions and changes encountered during construction could increase construction and maintenance costs. Additional analyses were not completed by the civil engineer and, as construction began, differing conditions were encountered than observed during the engineer’s initial field investigation. The owner stopped construction and hired Kleinfelder to complete additional investigation and analyses. This presentation will address the concerns for the limited field investigation and engineering analyses, the findings of Kleinfelder’s additional analyses, and a summary of construction activities including lessons learned along the way.
Full Scale Mechanics of Surficial Slope Stabilization Lyne, Bob, Geobrugg North America LLC, bob.lyne@geobrugg.com; Tim Shevlin, tim.shevlin@geobrugg.com (TS #18) Slope stabilization systems that use flexible facings in combination with grouted anchors have been widely used to stabilize steep soil and weathered rock slopes for more than a decade. These systems have proven to be a very cost-effective solution, and have seen widespread acceptance. The tools used to design these systems have been based on small scale modeling and testing of individual components. Empirical evidence has shown that these design models are providing solutions that are technically sound. The absence of scientific, full scale testing, however, has prevented full validation of the design tools. An extensive series of tests has now been performed to provide an indepth look at the full-scale mechanics of slope stabilization. The test series was based on the use of a simulated slope consisting of a large-scale box that could be tilted to simulate a full range of slope angles up to 85o. Multiple soil types where tested in conjunction with a variety of different flexible facing materials. Instrumentation on the test box provided load information, and laser scanning of the slope surface provided detailed data regarding deformations of the soil. This paper will discuss how this full scale test series has provided validation of the system dimensioning concept and the importance of load transfer within the system. It will also introduce new types of mesh and spike plates that offer solutions for a broader range of slope conditions as well as more detailed cost optimization of system designs.
The Effect of Water Content and Density on Strength and Deformation Behavior of Clay Soils Malizia, John, Kent State University, Jmalizi1@kent.edu; Abdul Shakoor, ashakoor@kent.edu (TS #19) Density and water content have a profound effect on the strength and deformation behavior of compacted clays. However, this effect has not been quantified, especially the water content at which the transition from brittle to plastic behavior occurs for low, medium, and high plasticity clays. The objective of this research was to find the transition water content by investigating the effect of varying water content and density on the strength and deformation behavior. Six samples each of low, medium, and high plasticity clay were compacted, three on each side of optimum water content (OWC), to establish their compaction curves. The compacted samples were failed under unconfined compression. Additionally, three compacted samples of each clay type were failed using the direct shear test. Visual inspection and the stress-strain curves from the two tests were used to determine the transition between brittle and plastic behaviors. The low, medium, and high plasticity clays had maximum dry density (MDD) values of 103 September 2015
pcf, 94 pcf, and 89 pcf, with OWC values of 21%, 26%, and 27%, respectively. The compressive strengths were 50 psi, 60 psi, and 59 psi, respectively. The unconfined compressive strength first increased and then decreased with increasing water content, with the transition occurring within 3% of the OWC for each clay type. The high plasticity clay had the highest cohesion while the low plasticity clay had the highest friction angle. The transition between brittle and plastic behaviors for the three clays occurred between 19–20%, 29–30%, and 30–32% water content, respectively.
Influence of Slope Characteristics on Rockfall Velocities and Bounce Heights Marchetty, Srikanth, The University of Akron, sm192@zips.uakron.edu; Abdisa Musa, am147@zips.uakron.edu; Robert Liang, RLiang@uakron.edu; Anil Patnaik, Patnaik@uakron.edu (TS #6) Rockfall trajectories mainly depend on the characteristics such as surface roughness, normal coefficients, and tangential coefficients along the slope profile. Several computer simulation methods use these parameters to estimate the bounce heights and velocities of rockfalls. The sensitivity of these parameters was studied using Colorado Rockfall Simulation Program (CRSP) for typical Ohio slopes. Full-scale rollout tests were performed on three different slopes with inclination 30 degrees, 45 degrees and 55 degrees. The rockfall heights for these test sloped were between 60–80 feet. Rollout tests were conducted with test rocks made from reinforced concrete in the shape of cubic, cylindrical and spherical rock. The test slopes were modeled in CRSP, using lidardata and the coefficients of slope profile were adopted from the CRSP manual based on the test slope characteristics. The sensitivity of slope characteristics on rockfall velocities and bounce heights were studied for a wide range of variables. Computer simulations revealed that with the increase in surface roughness, the bounce heights increase and velocities decrease, whereas with the increase in energy coefficients, bounce heights decrease and velocities increase. The computer simulation results were then compared with rollout test results to validate the accuracy of computer models in predicting the velocities and bounce heights with the range of coefficients defined in the CRSP manual to develop an insight into the influence of the energy coefficients. The results of the study will be presented in this paper.
Investigation of Rockfall Characteristics Using Full-Scale Rollout Tests Marchetty, Srikanth, The University of Akron, sm192@zips.uakron.edu; Abdisa Musa, am147@zips.uakron.edu; Robert Liang, RLiang@uakron.edu; Anil Patnaik, Patnaik@uakron.edu (TS #6) Full-scale rollout tests were conducted on three typical Ohio slopes to investigate the rockfall characteristics such as velocities, bounce heights, and energies. Test slopes with inclinations of 30 degrees, 45 degrees and 55 degrees were prepared at a site in Akron, OH, with slope heights of 58.5 feet, 55.5 feet, and 40.3 feet, respectively. Additional heights ranging from 16–20 feet were achieved by dropping the test rocks from the extended bucket of a trackhoe. Several test rocks were manufactured in different shapes and sizes using steel reinforced concrete. High-speed cameras were used to record the motion of the test rocks down the slope and to capture the velocities and bounce heights of the test rocks at the ditch location and at the concrete barrier at the bottom of each slope. The motion of the test rocks was analyzed using a software program called PONTOS to determine the velocities and bounce heights for each rollout test. The actual slope geometry was scanned with lidar and modeled in Colorado Rockfall Simulation Program (CRSP) to estimate the bounce heights, velocities and energies of the falling rocks. The surface roughness was
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2015 ANNUAL MEETING determined from field measurements. The energy coefficients were used from the CRSP manual based on the slope properties. CRSP analysis was found to underestimate the bounce heights and impact velocities of the rocks compared to the corresponding measured values from rollout tests. The total energies estimated from CRSP analyses were also smaller than those established from these rollout tests.
Debris Flow Inventory and Susceptibility of West Prong Little Pigeon River Watershed, Great Smoky Mountains National Park Marinelli, Matthew, Kent State University, mmarine3@kent.edu; Abdul Shakoor, ashakoor@kent.edu; Arpita Nandi, nandi@mail.etsu.edu (TS #24) The Great Smoky Mountains National Park (GSMNP) is highly susceptible to debris flow hazards. The purpose of this study was to assess debris flow susceptibility of the West Prong Little Pigeon River (WPLPR) watershed of GSMNP. Geographic Information System (GIS) was used to first create a debris flow inventory map based on the data derived from light detection and ranging (lidar), aerial photographs, field observations, and literature. The inventory map was then used as a calibration tool for a GIS-based logistic regression model to predict debris flow susceptibility as influenced by geologic, hydrologic, and structural factors of the watershed. Data regarding these factors was obtained from online sources for both debris flow crests and pathways. The logistic regression model helped reduce the 23 initially selected factors to eight factors for debris flow crests (slope aspect, drainage basin, bedrock geology, liquid limit, plastic limit, stream end-points, amount of rain, and distance to adjacent stream) and seven factors for debris flow pathways (depth to bedrock, bedrock geology, K saturation value, land use, liquid limit, plastic limit, and distance to adjacent stream). The final debris flow susceptibility maps contain areas of very low, low, medium, high, and very high susceptibility. The maps will provide a better understanding and awareness about the risk associated with debris flow occurrence and susceptibility in GSMNP, thereby helping visitors, staff, and researchers. The maps will also serve as a template from which inventory and susceptibility maps can be made of the entire GSMNP.
The Highest Dam of the World in a Challenging Geological Environment Marinos, Paul G., Nat. Tech. University Athens, marinos@central.ntua.gr; Alessandro Palmer (TS #17) Rogun dam, under construction in Tajikistan, will be the highest dam in the world, 335m. The geological context is within the western syntax of the Himalaya, with intensive shortening. Inside the great Tajik depression decollement faults are rooted in a Jurassic evaporitic layer. The site consists of alternating sandstones and siltstones. An earthfill dam with central core was selected. A salt wedge exists under the dam along a creeping fault, which, if not addressed, could impact the feasibility of the project. Under the effect of orogenic forces the salt is being extruded at an estimated rate of 2.5 cm per year. It is being dissolved at the same rate. The impoundment would result in an increase in the hydraulic gradient, which, if not mitigated, would result in an increase in the dissolution rate and formation of cavities. The proposition is to grout all around the top of the salt wedge to create a hydraulic barrier to maintain reservoir pressure and minimize the water gradient between the two sides of the salt wedge. Time dependent deformations were observed in the underground machine cavern. This was not due to softening of the siltstones but to progressive distress of the rock mass, which now could be controlled effectively. An issue of great concern was the presence, immediately downstream of the 72
dam, of a strange morphology possibly due to an old giant landslide. The assessment made is that this is a particular but stable tectonic structure due to evaporitic diapirism.
Deep Seated landslides in Greece: Cases Associated with Infrastructure Works Marinos, Paul G., National Technical University of Athens/Independent consultant, marinos@central.ntua.gr; Vassilis P. Marinos, marinosv@geo.auth.gr (TS #16) The structural and tectonic setting of mountainous Greece is the framework for possible development of large scale, deep-seated gravitational landslides. These landslides are associated with large thrusts in flysch, which result in massive brittle rock formations, such as limestones, thrusting over flysch, or tectonic nappes in flysch, that may form sliding planes. Deep creep is present in flysch, propagating to the surface, which drives the strong rock cover, fracturing and detaching it. As a result, huge isolated blocks of limestones tend to “float” and “travel” on the mountain slopes. The movement is very slow, imperceptible, but may accelerate after accumulation of deformation or due to an extreme external event, natural or manmade. This can result in the occurrence of catastrophic landslides. Erosion or small-scale landslides at the base of slopes can be a triggering factor. The size of these detached masses can reach hundreds of meters in both depth and width along the valley sides. Investigation should be based on structural understanding and a thorough geomorphologic analysis. If feasible and justified by the scope of the project, boreholes and reconnaissance galleries should be long and deep. Surface monitoring is always of great help. This paper presents a number of case histories of large-scale infrastructure works, and the solutions adopted in such landslide-prone terrains. It will include case histories of a highway where major realignments were implemented and of a high dam, just upstream of such an unstable mass, with design modifications of the spillway and diversion tunnels.
Tunneling in Difficult Ground – Geological Uncertainties and Decisions Marinos, Paul G., Nat. Tech. University Athens, marinos@central.ntua.gr (TS #1) The growth of infrastructure needs has increased the demands for the excavation of tunnels in poor ground and varying geological conditions. The assessment of ground for design has to be based on a sound understanding of the regional geological environment and the establishment of a geological model, where data and conditions are translated into an engineering description. A series of geological models for a variety of rocks associated with different structural conditions in various tectonic environments, based on geological history are presented. Site investigation is an important factor for the establishment of the geological model and it must be based on sound geological understanding of regional geology, otherwise it is likely not to provide true value. Examples and case history examples from both mountain and urban tunnels under complex or difficult geological conditions are discussed. Going from the geological model to the ground model, the design requires knowledge of Awad—the quality of the material in which the tunnel will be constructed. Engineering design requires design parameter values and the lecture explores and discusses methods that can be used to assess the geological factors that have an impact on the data quality. These factors are primarily the quality of the intact rock, fabric of the rock mass, the quality of discontinuities. Since the attempt of Terzaghi, in 1946, to correlate the characteristics of a rock masses for tunnel design, a number of rock mass classifications have been developed and play an important
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2015 ANNUAL MEETING role for providing input data on strength and deformation properties of the ground for numerical models. A discussion on this issue is presented, along with field application of this rock mass quantitative characterization and its limitations. Together with the rock mass properties, the in situ field stresses need to be estimated or measured. Although the role of engineering geology has been extended into the area of defining the design parameters, the analytical process, in the form of numerical analysis, should be driven by sound geologic reasoning so that analysis does not misinterpret reality. The understanding of the true ground behaviour is of paramount importance before any calculation is attempted. Thus, the engineering geological “I.D.” of the geomaterial and the stress environment define this ground behaviour such us: brittle failure, gravitational falling or sliding or “chimney” type failure, or ravelling, or formation of a “plastic” zone by shear failure with deformation problems and squeezing, or swelling. Geological uncertainties and decisions, in the design and construction are discussed.
Holocene Surface Faulting in High-Latitude Glaciated Shields McCalpin, James, GEO-HAZ Consulting, Inc., mccalpin@geohaz.com (TS #13) Swedish and Finnish Radiation Safety Authorities (SSM and STUK) have supported studies of seismic hazards to proposed high-level radioactive waste repositories. The repositories (Forsmark, Olkiluoto) will be bored ca. 500 m deep into Precambrian shield rocks at sites on opposite sides of the Gulf of Bothnia. The major concern is coseismic principal or distributed faulting within the repository volume within the next 100,000 years. Fault scarps up to 155 km long with per-event displacements >5 m lie north of 66.25∞N, near the maximum postglacial rebound areas, but were unknown farther south (repository sites at 60.4∞N and 61.25∞N). However, in the late 2000s offshore seismic surveys near Olkiluoto revealed faults displacing the postglacial sediments and seafloor. Starting in 2013, 2m-lidarwas collected over the entire area of Sweden and Finland. To date, several new fault scarps have been discovered in central Sweden and Finland, the southernmost of which is at 61.35∞N (Bollnas, Sweden), several hundred km south of previously known scarps. These discoveries indicate that surface faulting can occur at the latitude of the repositories during the next maximum glacial rebound, which is within the 100,000-yr planning period. That fact further highlights the need to consider the possible effects of distributed faulting in the repository, in response to a surface rupture at some distance from the repository. Current models used in Scandinavia to predict movement on fractures at the repositories are based on rock mechanics principles, and not the seismologically-based Probabilistic Fault Displacement Hazard Analysis (PFDHA) used in the U.S.
Progress in Investigation and Quantification of Water Track Networks in Boreal Regions Mendbayar, Uyanga, University of Alaska Fairbanks, umendbayar@alaska.edu; Debasmita Misra, dmisra@alaska.edu (Poster)
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Water tracks are the most dominant drainage pathways that route water through the soil over permafrost in the polar environments. Existing literature on water tracks is limited and is largely confined to tundra areas devoid of vegetation. The primary objective of this study is to initiate the development of methods for mapping water tracks in boreal areas, many of which contain predominant engineered infrastructures. The ancillary objective of the study is to conduct a preliminary analysis of the geotechnical impact of the water track drainage networks on such infrastructures. The area of interest for this study is the Goldstream Road in Fairbanks, AK. The road September 2015
experiences high amounts of damage, possibly due to prominent water tracks that intercept with the road. To investigate the road damage, the Alaska Department of Transportation have conducted a geophysical study on the Goldstream Road in 2012. As an outcome of our research, we plan to create a water track distribution map from a drainage network around the Goldstream Road using highspatial-and-spectral-resolution satellite and airborne imagery and correlate it with the geophysical data from the 2012 study to test if the water track interaction intensifies the road damage. So far, NDVI processing was done on 2010 SPOT 5 image. Aerial orthophoto and a DEM were acquired in September of 2014. The study is projected to be finished by the end of this summer upon completion of fieldwork and groundtruthing. Findings and conclusions from the study will be presented at the conference.
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Risk Analysis of Dam Erodibility Mok, Chin Man, GSI Environmental Inc., cmmok@gsienv.com; Robert Wright, bob.wright@amecfw.com (TS #22) Many tall dams on fractured rock were designed and constructed over 50 years ago. In recently years, some dams have experienced significantly larger flood events than they were designed for, resulting in overtopping dam crests. When dam overtopping occurs, the hydraulic power of the impinging water jet might cause rock foundation and downstream erosion/scouring, which potentially could lead to significant consequences. Future flood events are expected to be more severe due to climate change. This paper focuses on addressing the prominent risk concern associated with erodibility of foundation rock supporting tall concrete dams, particular for sites with unrecognized adverse geologic conditions. Hydrologic and geologic systems are dynamic and heterogeneous. However, our knowledge of geologic and hydrologic parameters is often limited, raising the concern of uncertainties in dam erodibility analysis. This paper presents the use of risk analysis to evaluate the probability of dam erosion accounting for the uncertainty associated with geologic and hydrologic parameters as well as the erosion criteria. Land-based lidarwas utilized to obtain the statistical characteristics of the rock joint data for developing probabilistic rock joint property models. The stability/erodibility of the rock foundation was evaluated based on Annandale’s Erodibility Index method and Bolleart’s Comprehensive Scour Model. Uncertainty of the Annandale’s erosion criteria is addressed in the reliability analysis. Dam erosion hazard curves can be developed considering the recurrence characteristics of extreme hydrologic events.
Cost-Effective and High-Resolution Hydrogeologic Characterization Using Hydraulic Tomography Mok, Chin Man, GSI Environmental Inc., cmmok@gsienv.com; T. C. Yeh, ybiem@mac.hwr.arizona.edu; Walter Illman, willman@uwaterloo.ca (TS #25) The fate and transport of chemical constituents in the subsurface depends strongly on the spatial distribution of groundwater flow, which is governed by hydraulic conductivity and storativity. Highly permeable regions and fractures are major constituent migration pathways. Lowpermeability zones are potential residual sources. Poor performance of environmental control and remediation at many recalcitrant sites are due to inadequate delineation of the spatial distribution of hydraulic conductivity. Conventional site investigation techniques generally provide only local-scale or regionally averaged estimates. They might not provide direct hydraulic information. Interpretation of various types of information is might be subjective, inconsistent, and uncertain. It is often costly to obtain data for estimating subsurface details in appropriate resolution and reliability. Hydraulic tomography (HT) is a technology
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2015 ANNUAL MEETING developed in recent years for high-resolution delineation of hydraulic conductivity and storativity distributions. It involves: 1) conducting sequential aquifer tests over a well network, and 2) jointly analyzing the complete data set. The aquifer tests involve sequentially pumping/injecting water from different depth intervals or different wells while monitoring the pressure responses at other locations in the aquifer. The principle is analogous to CAT scan. By jointly interpreting the complete data sets from multiple tests, a detailed, consistent, three-dimensional interpretation of the heterogeneous hydrogeologic properties can be obtained, including the spatial distribution of high- and low- hydraulic conductivity zones. The results are critical for performing a reliable risk assessment and for developing optimal environmental control and remediation operations. This presentation will discuss the principle of HT, examples of HT applications, and projects to demonstrate the superior cost-effectiveness of HT over conventional site characterization techniques.
Managing Recognized Landslide Hazards: Land Use Planning and Zoning, Strategies and Public Education/Notification Molinari, Mark, AECOM, mark.molinari@aecom.com (TS #21) Various state and local governmental agencies in the U.S. address known landslide areas and slope stability in the planning/zoning process and provide that information to potential land developers and the general public. This presentation reviews some examples in the western U.S. that the author is most familiar with, but it is likely representative of the type and range of what is done in many other areas. Most land use development is regulated by cities and counties via a combination of zoning, ordinances, permit application requirements and/or building codes. These jurisdictions may address landslides/slope stability, or this may be addressed under more general provision addressing geologic hazards and/or soil foundation condition. Some jurisdictions just adopt the state or international building code with or without some modifications/exemptions; however others have more specific requirements in ordinances and/or guidance for when an engineering geologic and/or geotechnical engineering report is needed. Adjacent/nearby jurisdictions may have substantially different requirements. Some nonengineering methods used to mitigate or manage development on or near slopes and in the vicinity of known landslides include: avoidance, setbacks from slope crests and toes, Geologic Hazard Abatement Districts, designated landslide hazard zones/areas, and incorporation into open space or recreational areas (e.g. parks and golf courses) within subdivisions or large developments. In the current digital age, many people use the appropriate regulatory entity’s website for information on land use permitting and requirements. Current examples will be presented to demonstrate the variability in amount and quality of information and user friendliness.
The Assessment and Mitigation of Earthquake Damage to Dwellings in Christchurch, New Zealand – Part 1 Molyneux, Russell, russell.molyneux@gmail.com; David Knott, David_Knott@coffey.com; Andrew Awad, Andrew_Awad@coffey.com (TS #20) The Canterbury Earthquake Sequence (2010–11) resulted in significant devastation in the Christchurch area. An assessment of damage ensued and properties were grouped into two main zones: Green (repair/rebuild can begin) and Red (land repair would be prolonged and uneconomic). Developing a repair or rebuild strategy for individual dwellings was an involved process that required a thorough understanding of site ground conditions. This presentation focuses on the desktop study and site walkover phase of the work performed for each dwelling. Part 2 presents several case studies. The assessment 74
and mitigation of earthquake impacts was based on the framework developed by the Ministry of Business, Innovation & Employment (MBIE) and provided a common approach. In addition, the Canterbury Geotechnical Database provided a plethora of information to consultants including pre- and post-earthquake aerial photographs, seismic hazard maps, lidardata, and ground motion data. A site walkover was undertaken to observe land and structural damage as well as to assess how the structure performed. The work was complicated by: 1) the presence of potentially liquefiable sediments associated with alluvial and marine depositional environments, 2) the presence of peat and organic-rich deposits and fill, both of varying thickness and extent, 3) lack of information on existing foundations, and 4) groundwater at depths of less than 2m in many areas.
Uplift Results in a Sliding Bridge Abutment Monaco, Thomas, Gannett Fleming Engineers and Architects, tmonaco@gfnet.com; Mitchell Weber mweber@gfnet.com (TS #9) Maintenance workers noticed that the steel girders on the north abutment of a three-span interstate bridge were causing spalling of the back wall concrete. The DOT decided to cut four inches off the girders to relieve the pressure on the abutment. To their dismay, the next annual inspection showed the girders up against the back wall, again. Amazingly, the abutment sits on six rows of piles driven over 70 feet into the sand and gravel foundation strata. The concept that the abutment was sliding seemed unlikely to all involved. The design consultant was engaged to characterize the foundation conditions and to evaluate the sliding stability. Various geotechnical exploration methods were advanced including field reconnaissance; standard penetration borings (SPT); and geotechnical instrumentation (piezometers and inclinometers). The SPT borings encountered blowing sands and characterization of the foundation strata was inhibited. The magnitude of the abutment movement and the potentially artesian foundation conditions warranted the introduction of piezometric, cone penetration testing (CPTU). The rarely used CPTU in conjunction with dispersion testing provided the following in-situ parameters: permeability, equivalent N60, Young’s modulus, relative density, effective internal angle of friction, the constraint modulus, shear modulus, shear strength, undrained strength ratio, over consolidation ratio, shear wave velocity, and stress ratio soil sensitivity. The CPTU continually determined the excess pore pressure, providing insight to interconnectivity of layers. This paper will describe in detail the CPT results, the sliding evaluation, the piezometric surface for the bridge, and the proposed mitigation alternatives.
Those Who Forget the Past, Lessons Learned from Wrangling Landslides in the West Morley, Derek, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, derek.s.morley@usace. army.mil; John Wesling, john.wesling@wildlife.ca.gov (TS #21) Landslides can be unruly beasts. Just when you think you know what you’re doing, you get bit - sometimes quite unpleasantly. Each landslide has its own special character and set of particular factors at play. But collectively, patterns emerge, and some truisms and rules-ofthumb can be inferred about landslides, their evaluation, and remediation design. Leveraging these lessons can help practitioners minimize surprises and stay out of trouble. Years of experience grappling with landslides across California has produced a useful array of lessons, for practice in California and elsewhere. The following lessons will be presented: 1) landslides aren’t for the faint of heart, 2) really big slides can happen—no, really, 3) big slides are usually bigger than they look, 4) you can’t keep a good bump down, 5) not the slide plane, a slide plane, 6) critical-state-dense discrete; critical-state-loose flow, 7) if it’s not a spoon, change your tune, 8) it’s not about the rock mass; it’s
AEG NEWS 58 Annual Meeting Program with Abstracts
September 2015
2015 ANNUAL MEETING about the discontinuities, 9) investigate the slide; investigate the notslide, 10) f you don’t understand the landslide mechanisms, you’re not designing a landslide repair, 11) berm vs. buttress: know what you’re doing and why, 12) rock beats scissors, 13) when in doubt, hog it out, 14) you can’t magic it in, 15) check on the 815; camp on the D8, and 16) you touch it, you own it. These lessons, while not comprehensive or universally applicable, are offered in the spirit of assisting us all in being more successful in taming the beasts.
Channel Adjustments Associated with Dam Removal: How Important is the Scale of Study? Nandi, Arpita, East Tennessee State University, nandi@etsu.edu (TS #22) Dam removal has recently gained attention as a watershed and ecological restoration strategy in the United States. Post dam removal geomorphological change of the stream channel has been documented in scientific literature at the watershed scale and lab scale, but insufficient data exist at the hillslope scale. The objective of this study is to examine whether stream channel geomorphological adjustment is independent of scale. A sediment-loaded silt fence dam was used in this study. The effect of post dam removal on channel morphology was monitored in terms of headcut erosion, and knick point incision (width and depth) and changes in channel sinuosity. After the silt fence dam removal, channel development was initiated by headcut formation, which migrated at a rate of 0.24 cm/day upstream for about eight months and then gradually reached attenuation. The channel progressed through four distinct stages. The wide, shallow, meandering channel (1st stage: initial conditions) became incised to a maximum depth of 0.51 m, and sinuosity decreased as flow was concentrated in a deep, narrow channel (2nd stage: downcutting). Upon reaching base level, surface runoff began to meander within the channel, widening it through slumping and erosion of the channel banks (3rd stage: floodplain development). Maximum width of the incised channel reached 0.46 m. Currently, the channel is in a state of widening and aggradation as some deposition has been observed (4th stage: quasi-equilibrium). The stages of channel development and the headcut retreat pattern are consistent with other findings at the watershed scale.
Debris Flow Potential Estimation using Hydrological Modelling, a Watershed Scale Case Study from Great Smoky Mountains National Park Nandi, Arpita, East Tennessee State University, nandi@etsu.edu; Arpita Mandal, mandalarpitaster@gmail.com (Poster) Debris flows initiations by landslides are a frequent hazard in the Southeastern Appalachians in the United States. The highly weathered low-grade, fractured metasedimentary rocks are typical of the region, which are primary locations of widespread debris flow activity triggered by spring and summer thunderstorms. Field observations and previous studies suggested that favorable geology and the subsurface hydrologic processes play an important role as a trigger mechanism through weathered rock or saprolite infiltration. The study is conducted in watershed scale in West Prong Little Pigeon River watershed (WPLPR), Great Smoky Mountains National Park, TN. Hydrological modeling of watersheds to determine runoff from rainfall has been widely used in flood modeling; however such studies are limited in debris flow research. WPLPR watershed is an ideal candidate to study rainfall-runoff effect, as the extreme rainfall events are often associated with debris flows in the area. Hydrological modeling using the HEC HMS system produced the runoff from rainfall, infiltration capacity of the bedrock and saprolite in debris flow initiation zones. The simulation for peak discharge was estimated by the Curve September 2015
Number method (CN) using the lidar digital elevation model, hydrologic soil group, landuse and rainfall as input parameters. The threshold of runoff was predicted for which failure could occur, and was compared with adjacent weather station data.
The Value of Geologic Services during Construction of Crafton Hills Enlargement Dam, San Bernardino County, California Nichols, Holly J., California Department of Water Resources, holly.nichols@water.ca.gov; Ante Mlinarevic, ante.mlinarevic@water.ca.gov (TS #12) Convincing clients that a full-time engineering geologist is necessary during construction can be a hard sell during project scoping; Crafton Hills Reservoir Enlargement Project was no exception. This project included the construction of an earthen dam, a double-row grout curtain, mass excavation to shape the reservoir, and connecting the two reservoirs by notching through a ridge. These factors provided a unique opportunity to have a full-time engineering geologist provide real-time observations and interpretations during the Crafton Hills Enlargement Dam (CHED) foundation excavation, construction, and post-filling monitoring. The project area is located within a seismically active setting comprised mostly of meta-granitic rock, cross-cutting dikes, and older alluvium. The CHED foundation was mapped at a scale of 1”=10’ and all other cut slopes were mapped at 1”=20’. This mapping detail has proven its worth in determining the bedrock’s structural characteristics, locating borrow material, mitigating unstable cut slopes, installing instrumentation, and in analyzing seepage following the refilling of the enlarged reservoir. Mapping revealed a prominent dike that projects through the original Crafton Hills Dam (CHD) foundation not previously mapped; this dike is believed to be a significant contributor to seepage observed downstream of CHD. Structural geologic blocks and dikes mapped in the CHED foundation are also proving important in understanding the source of new springs. The investment in geologic mapping for the enlargement project has and continues to pay off in terms of understanding the site and providing engineers quick access to information that lead to appropriate and effective mitigation and repairs.
A Tale of Three Projects: Addressing Dam Safety Concerns within the Muskingum River Basin, Ohio Nield, Michael, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, michael.c.nield@usace. army.mil; Adam Kays; Seth Lyle; Jeff Maynard (TS #7) A network of 16 dams was constructed, mostly in the 1930s, to reduce flood impacts within the Muskingum River Basin in eastern Ohio. Detailed risk assessments and/or reanalysis have been conducted for several of these projects due to poor performance during high-water events or important updates in design criteria. To date, three projects have been shown to pose sufficient potential risk to warrant corrective action: Dover Dam, Bolivar Dam and Zoar Levee. Dover Dam is a concrete gravity dam founded on bedrock. Analyses indicated potential sliding and overturning failures within bedrock foundation with concerns for overtopping. This resulted in a recently completed construction project to raise the dam crest and install 137 strand-type rock anchors. Bolivar Dam is an earthen dam founded primarily on glacial outwash. During high-water events, sand boils and excessive uncontrolled seepage develop downstream of the dam through the bedrock abutment. To reduce the risk of internal erosion within the foundation, a downstream seepage berm was extended and a 4,500-foot-long, partial-depth seepage barrier is currently being constructed. Additionally, a grout curtain will be constructed to reduce the risk of scour and erosion within the abutment. Zoar Levee (an appurtenance of Dover Dam) is an earthen levee protecting the historic town
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2015 ANNUAL MEETING of Zoar, Ohio. During high-water events, seepage concerns manifested landward of the levee and downstream of the diversion dam. Risk assessment determined that potential for internal erosion through the glacial outwash foundation warranted corrective actions for the Levee. Risk reduction measures are currently being designed.
Rock Slope Stabilization Using Pinned Slope Drape and Cellular Wall Painter, Paul P., Ohio DOT, ohiogeo94@yahoo.com (TS #10) Through Muskingum County, Ohio the principal north-south roadway corridor is State Route 60, which generally follows the Muskingum River. Just south of the Village of Duncan Falls a section of the road locally known as “the narrows” was constructed through cut and fill methods. The fill section, which was experiencing slope instability, is along the west side of the road. A near vertical rock cut, up to 40 feet in height, is along the east side of the road. The rock slope was constructed through highly variable bedrock types including interbedded sandstone, shale, and claystone units as well as thick and massive channel sandstone within the center of the cut. The rock slope was experiencing multiple modes of failure based on differential weathering and regional joint set patterns. The rock slope was primarily stabilized by re-cutting to a uniform slope angle, securing the interbedded rock using a pinned slope drape consisting of Tecco mesh and rock dowels, and installing rock bolts in areas of localized massive sandstone instability due to joint sets. In areas where the claystone bedrock was present at the base of the cut, the rock was cut at an over steepened angle and armored by construction of a cellular confined wall system to minimize the potential of future differential erosion.
OH SR (JEF)-7–5.0: Slope Instability Due to Abandoned Mine Workings Painter, Paul, Ohio DOT, ohiogeo94@yahoo.com (TS #23) Ohio State Route 7 is a primary north-south highway located along the Ohio River. During the early winter of 2011 a series of major mud debris flows buried portions of the road multiple times, resulting in closing the roadway. Upon investigation it was determined that a nearby mine drain installed to maintain impoundment of mine drainage within an abandoned coal mine had been compromised due to localized slope instability. The resulting loss of the mine drain resulted in a buildup of excess hydrostatic pressures in which led to a mine blowout through the hillside. A Federal Emergency Declaration was issued and the hillside was recut in accordance with ODOT GB3 guidelines. The total project extended a length of 2700 feet with a cut in excess of 430 feet at its apex. Special attention to the area of the mining resulted in widened mid-slope drainage benches. All these features were utilized to correct the resulting hillside instability and mine issues.
OH SR (JEF)-7-34.2 Emergency Response to Rock Slope Failure Painter, Paul, Ohio DOT, ohiogeo94@yahoo.com (TS #18) Ohio State Route 7 is a primary north-south highway located along the Ohio River. During the early winter of 2011, a major slope instability buried portions of the roadway. Constant active debris falls limited the ability of workers to open the roadway. This required a specialty contractor who utilized a pneumatic dragline system called a slusher to remove loose materials, allowing for safe working conditions. Upon investigation it became obvious that the slope failure was a result of weakening of the bedrock through weathering, resulting in a global stability failure. As a result a Federal Emergency Declaration was issued to address the slope instability. A fast track design and construction was initiated to recut the hillside. Limited subsurface 76
exploration information was obtained to augment existing geotechnical data. A slope cut design utilizing ODOT’s GB-3 Rock Cut Slope Guidelines was developed. Two cut slopes were constructed. The southern rock cut was over 700 feet in length and over 100 feet in height and the northern rock cut slope was 1,200 feet in length and up to 280 feet in height. The rock cut slopes, which were constructed through multiple bedrock types with drastic differing engineering characteristics, were completed in nine months.
OH SR (WAS) 7-18.10: Differential Weathering Failure Innovative Remediation Painter, Paul P., Ohio DOT, ohiogeo94@yahoo.com (TS #6) Ohio State Route 7 is a major transportation route along the Ohio River within the Appalachian Basin. During the late 1990s a major slope failure occurred within a bedrock slope primarily due to differential weathering of a basal claystone overlain by massive sandstone with claystone at the top of the slope. The initial remedial alternative consisting of re-cutting the slope failed during construction. Other alternatives were evaluated due to the construction failure and the final corrective action consisted of re-cutting the slope with an over steepened cut angle within the basal claystone, which was armored with dimensioned sandstone blast rock generated from the mid slope cut. This slope has performed well over the past 14 years proving a new alternative to remediate highly erosive basal claystone.
Mine Remediation under a Major Transportation Corridor Painter, Paul P., Ohio DOT, ohiogeo94@yahoo.com (TS #26) Ohio State Route 2 is the primary east-west transportation corridor in northwest and north-central Ohio. Within central northern Ohio in the community known as Gypsum, multi-seam gypsum mining had been conducted into the 1970’s. Underground mining operation ceased as surface mining operations became the norm. These underground workings are currently experiencing direct communication with Lake Erie. As a result of the underground workings and dissolution of the carbonate rock, voids up to 22 feet in height were identified under State Route 2. Due to active subsidence within adjacent properties, the Ohio Department of Transpiration initiated a monitoring program with remedial alternatives to ensure the safety of the roadway through drilling and grouting methods.
Bluff and Beach Sediment Dynamics in the Elwha and Dungeness Drift Cells before, during and after Elwha River Dam Removals Parks, David, Washington Department of Natural Resources, david.parks@dnr.wa.gov (TS #11) Assessment of bluff retreat and associated sediment volumes contributed to the nearshore over time is the first step toward development of a coastal sediment budget for bluff-backed beaches using data sources including aerial photography (1939 and 2001), GPSbased beach profile data (2010-2015), and airborne lidar (2001, 2012, 2015). These data are analyzed in context to determine alongshore rates of bluff retreat and associated volume change for the Elwha and Dungeness littoral cells of the Strait of Juan de Fuca, Clallam County, Washington. Recession rates from 2001–12 range from 0–1.88 m/yr in both drift cells, with mean values of 0.26 ± 0.23 m/yr (N = 152) in Elwha and 0.36 ± 0.24 m/yr (N = 433) in Dungeness. Armored sections show bluff recession rates reduced by 50 percent in Elwha and 80 percent in Dungeness, relative to their respective unarmored sections. Dungeness bluffs produce twice as much sediment per alongshore distance as the Elwha bluffs (avg. 7.5 m3/m/yr vs. 4.1 m3/m/yr, respectively). Historical bluff recession
AEG NEWS 58 Annual Meeting Program with Abstracts
September 2015
2015 ANNUAL MEETING rates (1939–2001) were comparable to those from 2001–12. Continued monitoring of beach cross-shore topographic profiles and grain-size distributions between 2010 and 2015 in the Elwha and Dungeness drift cells away from the Elwha delta show the coastal response to the sediment released from the two Elwha river dams. Transects spatially adjacent to the Elwha river mouth in Freshwater Bay show sustained accretion of up to 1 meter while transects east of the Elwha river demonstrate a more dynamic behavior with periods of accretion and erosion.
Development of Unmanned Vehicles for Geo-Environmental Hazard Assessment Perlow, Max William, maxperlow@gmail.com; Wagner, Joshua, jwag792@gmail.com; Michael Perlow Jr. (TS #9)
Following the SR530 (Oso) Landslide disaster, the Washington Forest Practices Board directed the Washington Department of Natural Resources (WDNR) to develop and adopt regulatory and procedural changes under the Washington Forest Practices Act to better identify proposed forest practice activities on or adjacent to potentially unstable landforms. The Washington Forest Practices Board adopted rule changes that allow the Department of Natural Resources to require additional geotechnical information from applicants regarding forest practices proposals. Additionally, the Washington Forest Practices Board Manual pertaining to potentially unstable landforms was revised with an expanded scope and level of detail to more fully address groundwater recharge processes to deep-seated landslides. This paper will provide an overview of the WDNR landslide screening process and unstable landform identification procedures following the SR530 (Oso) landslide.
Engineering Knowledge Management LLC developed a unique fourstep geo-environmental hazard assessment methodology based upon an evaluation of thousands of failures over the past 35 years. The impacts of aging infrastructure and extreme weather on sinkhole collapse, subsidence, slope, and landslide failures were analyzed in detail along with conventional triggering mechanisms and risk factors. Failure evaluations indicated that man’s activities and extreme weather events were combining to greatly increase the risk and severity of sinkhole collapse, subsidence, slope, and landslide failures. As part of the above research effort, a simple unmanned vehicle named GeoBot was developed for the assessment of sinkhole collapse, subsidence, and slope failures. GeoBot was first used on a 2013 sinkhole collapse investigation adjacent to a major stormwater line. GeoBot was used again in a 2014 investigation and stabilization of an aging stormwater arch that collapsed during an extreme rainfall event. The success of the low technology off-the-shelf video, tilt-level, and temperature GeoBot sensors led to plans to develop an interchangeable suite of thermography, microgravity, GPR, lidar, acoustic, seismic and GPS sensors. In addition, development of a companion GeoCopter unmanned aerial vehicle was also initiated that would utilize the GeoBot suite of interchangeable sensors. Specifications for next generation GeoBot and companion GeoCopter were developed as part of a 2014 University of Pittsburgh undergraduate internship program. Details of the next generation GeoBot and GeoCopter unmanned vehicles are presented along with pre- and post-failure applications for major sinkhole, landslide, slope, wall, and utility failure case histories.
Analyzing Surface Water–Groundwater Interactions in a Pittsburgh Stream
Subsurface Characterization at LADWP Headworks West Reservoir (HWR) Site, City of Los Angeles
Paulina, Tyler, University of Pittsburgh, typ4@pitt.edu; Daniel J. Bain, dbain@pitt.edu; Sarah M. Lavin, sml104@pitt.edu; Krissy M. Hopkins, khopkins@sesync.org; Erin Copeland, ecopeland@pittsburghparks.org (Poster)
Perry, David, L., Amec Foster Wheeler, david.perry@amecfw.com; Alek Harounian; Clint Kautsky (TS #12)
Changes to Washington Forest Practices Rules and Unstable Landform Identification Processes following the 2014 SR530 (Oso) Landslide Parks, David, Washington Department of Natural Resources, david.parks@dnr.wa.gov (TS #24)
Urbanization generally degrades streams, through increased frequency of erosive flows, higher peak discharge, and lower base flow. Panther Hollow Run (Pittsburgh, PA) has been impacted by combined sewage infrastructure, resulting in loss of ground water recharge, lower base flow, and flashy, more excessive, flows during rain events. Observations in Panther Run suggest the altered storm flows in Panther Hollow Run may change interactions between surface water and ground water. This research uses the MODFLOW model to build a physically based ground water model for Panther Hollow Run. Floodplain stratigraphy is combined with groundwater and surface water data to generate model predictions consistent with field observations, therefore confirming our conceptual model of the system. Assessment of hydrology in this riparian aquifer system, will enhance continued efforts to repair and improve Pittsburgh’s and other cities’ natural hydrological infrastructure.
September 2015
The LADWP is in the process of constructing two buried concrete reservoirs to comply with new EPA water quality regulations. The reservoirs are being built on 12 acres within a former groundwater spreading basin facility in the southeastern San Fernando Valley area of Los Angeles. The two reservoirs will have a combined capacity of about 122 million gallons and will replace storage lost from bypassing of two open reservoirs downstream. This presentation will provide the geotechnical exploration and testing methods for site characterization. Amec Foster Wheeler has conducted detailed geotechnical investigations at the site since 2004. The initial site exploration consisted of rotary wash and conventional core borings, suspension P-S wave velocity testing, and monitoring well installations to characterize the basin geometry and hydrogeology. Complexities in the thickness and composition of the granular alluvial deposits (sand, gravels, and cobbles) beneath the proposed HWR resulted in refined explorations consisting of spectral analysis of surface waves (SASW), instrumented Becker Penetration Test (iBPT) soundings for liquefaction evaluation, and continuous sonic core borings for detailed stratigraphic control and large bulk samples for gradation analyses. The geologic units underlying the project site consist of artificial and engineered fill, recent Holocene age alluvial deposits, and late Pleistocene colluvium containing buried argillic paleosols. These units are underlain at depth by highly weathered quartz diorite/granodiorite bedrock. The reservoir will have a mat foundation placed on engineered fill. Potentially liquefiable alluvial deposits will be overexcavated to depths of approximately 20 feet below foundation grade.
AEG NEWS 58 Annual Meeting Program with Abstracts
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2015 ANNUAL MEETING Groundwater Management in a Closed Flooded Coal Mine-Pool Perry, Eric, U.S. Office of Surface Mining, eperry@osmre.gov (TS #25)
Use of Pre-Cast Concrete Segments in Rock Tunnels for Risk Control
Groundwater head and flow in a fully flooded 21,000 Ha coal minepool have been managed for over 15 years to prevent mine water discharge to a large river. Mine water has more than 30 mg/L of dissolved Fe and 3,000 mg/L total dissolved solids. The mine-pool includes eight mines, closed over a 40-year period, separated only by intact coal barrier pillars. The barriers are about 9–45 m in thickness, and about 2 m in height. Head measurements, pumping records and mine maps were used to estimate a water budget, potential for surface discharge, recharge, storage and flow for the mine-pool aquifer. Hydraulic head data from 10 years of post-flooding monitoring in individual mines, and barrier dimensions were used to estimate barrier leakage rates using a one dimensional Darcy calculation. The minepool has an estimated steady state flux of about 8,700 L/min, including outflow by barrier leakage and pumping withdrawal. The mine-pool behaves as a confined or leaky confined aquifer, with specific storativty of about 10-5/m. A pump rate of about 3,200 L/min from a single location, maintains mine-pool head below surface discharge elevation. Intact barriers between mines are less conductive than the workings within a mine. If pumping schedules in adjacent working mines change, flux in the abandoned mine-pool will be affected. Thus, long term mine-pool monitoring and management is still needed. Barrier leakage estimates are an important component of post closure planning and management of mine-pools, especially in large complexes involving multiple mines.
Piepenburg, Michael, Hatch Mott MacDonald, michael.piepenburg@ hatchmott.com; Michael G. Vitale; Ryan P. Sullivan, sullivanr@neorsd.org; Robert J. Auber, auberr@neorsd.org (TS #1)
Soil Disturbance via Longwall Coal Mining: Subsidence Impacts to Forests in Southwestern Pennsylvania
Rock Mass Characterization and Stability Evaluation of Mount Rushmore National Memorial, Keystone, South Dakota
Pfeil-McCullough, Erin, University of Pittsburgh, ekp9@pitt.edu; Daniel J. Bain, dbain@pitt.edu (Poster)
Poluga, S. Lindsay, Kent State University, slschrei@kent.edu; Abdul Shakoor, ashakoor@kent.edu (TS #9)
Subsidence from longwall coal mining impacts the surface and sub-surface hydrology in overlying areas. During longwall mining, coal is completely removed in large rectangular panels and the overlying rock collapses into the void. Though the hydrologic effects of longwall mining subsidence have been studied in arid systems, in humid-temperate regions these effects are not well understood. In particular, it is not clear how longwall mining will impact soil moisture patterns. To explore soil moisture impacts, this study first utilized a simple soil water modeling framework (ArcGIS-based Water Balance Toolbox) with the locations of recent longwall mining to predict potential impacts at the landscape scale. For example, in areas overlying panel edges, soil available water capacities (AWC) were altered based on several scenarios of AWC change and interactions between aspect driven soil moisture regimes and the mining perturbation were explored over a five year period (2008–13). The predictive modeling was followed by a geospatial analysis of tree canopy water content using Landsat satellite imagery of southwestern Pennsylvania. Drought indices (e.g. NMDI) were applied to satellite imagery to expose patterns of vegetation water stress, which were then compared to mine locations and the modeling results. These model predictions and remote sensing observations will serve as a means to guide field campaigns necessary to understand longwall miningís hydrologic impacts in wetter climates.
The National Park Service is interested in the effect of vibrations, caused by July 4th fireworks, on the Mount Rushmore National Memorial (MORU) sculptures. The impact of vibrations on the sculptures will depend on the response of discontinuities traversing the memorial. Mapping of various aspects of discontinuities was conducted at MORU. Two schist and four granite rock blocks, collected from the memorial, were cored and tested to determine their engineering properties. The average compressive and tensile strength values (psi) are 4,839 and 344 for granite, and 8,403 and 722 for schist. Average values of porosity, absorption, specific gravity, density, and friction angle are 2.3%, 0.9%, 2.58, 162.9 lb/ft3, and 41° for granite, and 3%, 1.1%, 2.66, 172.4 lb/ft3, and 40° for schist, respectively. Discontinuity data was used to determine the principal joint sets (PJS) and the Rock Mass Rating (RMR). Granite has two PJS (A: 83°/322°, B: 78°/254°), whereas schist has four PJS (A: 79°/317°, B: 65°/261°, C: 36°/075°, D: 78°/290°). The RMR ranges from 60–65 for granite and 57–70 for schist (both fair to good rock). A preliminary kinematic analysis shows the potential for flexural and oblique toppling failures on the forehead slopes of Washington and Lincoln, and the potential for direct toppling on the forehead slope of Jefferson. Future work includes determining the PJS of the sculptures using lidar, a kinematic analysis for different areas of each sculpture, a global stability evaluation of the rock mass, and an evaluation of the potential for damage by fireworks.
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Erection of a bolted, gasketed pre-cast concrete segmental lining (one-pass lining) within a tunnel boring machine (TBM) is a common practice to support tunnels excavated in soft ground. Tunnels excavated in rock typically use a two-pass liner comprised of initial supports using a combination of steel ribs, rock bolts, mine straps, wire mesh or shotcrete placed at varying spacing. Once tunnel excavation is complete, a reinforced cast-in-place concrete liner is often placed for final tunnel support. Until the final liner is placed, the exposed rockmass may experience slaking, spalling and raveling, creating overbreak which must be stabilized and backfilled. The Euclid Creek Tunnel (ECT) located in Cleveland, OH, was excavated in the Chagrin Shale, a weak to medium-strong, horizontally-bedded, potentiallygassy shale. The slake potential of the shale, combined with stress relief and thin bedding features, creates areas of overbreak primarily in the tunnel crown and invert. On this project, overbreak, invert degradation, and gas and groundwater infiltration into the tunnel were successfully pre-empted with a one-pass lining used in conjunction with a rapid-gelling, two-component grout mixture. This was the first use of such a system in a rock tunnel in conjunction with an unpressurized open face TBM, and it required grout gel times of 20 to 30 seconds to avoid grouting-in of the TBM.
AEG NEWS 58 Annual Meeting Program with Abstracts
September 2015
2015 ANNUAL MEETING Predictive Modeling of Sinkhole Hazards through Correlation of InSAR Subsidence Measurements and Local Geology
Field and Laboratory Investigations of the Time-Dependent Behavior of Permeability of Jointed Glacial Till
Powell, Gabe W., Mississippi Mineral Resources Institute and the Department of Geology and Geologic Engineering, University of Mississippi, wgpowell@go.olemiss.edu; Greg Easson, geasson@olemiss.edu; Louis Zachos, lgzachos@olemiss.edu (TS #26)
Prvanovic, Alex, Hull & Associates, Inc., aprvanovic@hullinc.com; Abdul Shakoor, ashakoor@kent.edu (TS #25)
The Bayou Corne sinkhole in Assumption Parish, LA, began forming in August 2012, growing from two acres to more than 30 acres. The sinkhole has forced the evacuation of approximately 350 local residents, destroyed extensive areas of marsh and trees and threatened a nearby hurricane evacuation route. Solution mining of a brine well at the edge of the Napoleonville Salt Dome caused a sidewall collapse and a rapidly growing sinkhole. The Gulf of Mexico coastal plain of Louisiana and Mississippi has many salt domes created as Jurassic age salt deposits were deformed and pushed toward the land surface, piercing and deforming the overlying sediments. The mining of salt domes provides economically important resources through salt and brine production and storage of petroleum products as part of the U.S. Strategic Petroleum Reserve. In order to assess risk to nearby communities from salt dome collapse, it is important to first understand the growth rate of the Bayou Corne sinkhole and the conditions surrounding the Napoleonville Salt Dome that may have exacerbated its formation. The objective of this study is to create a decision support framework that incorporates geological, topographic and mining designs along with critical infrastructure to better understand sinkhole hazard formation risk on mined salt domes. We achieved the objective through a geologic investigation of the Bayou Corne sinkhole, designed to operationalize interferometric synthetic aperture radar (InSAR) subsidence measurements in a geologic and anthropogenic context to better understand the sinkholeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s formation and growth.
3D Digital Imaging of Boleo Copper Mine Outcrops with a Quadcopter UAV Preisberga, Anniya, University of Missouri Kansas City, apzr3@mail.umkc.edu; Tina Niemi, NiemiT@umkc.edu (Poster) Structure from motion is a range imaging technique in which threedimensional digital models are constructed using two-dimensional photographic data. This method could drastically reduce the amount of time needed and cost associated with collection of geologic data from the field. Our project used a low-cost, Phantom2 DJI quadcopter drone equipped with a GoPro Hero 3 camera to capture large-scale imagery of natural and man-made exposures in the Boleo copper mine of Santa Rosalia, Baja California Sur, Mexico. The implementation of this technique allowed for the collection of geologic metadata in an inexpensive and rapid fashion over both regional and site-specific scales. A 3D reconstruction of several strip mine outcrops was created in Agisoft Photoscanner software and compared to models created using the same data sets in Pix4D and Photosynth. These data allowed us to assess algorithms for correcting the fish eye effect of a wide-angle camera together with photogrammetric triangulation and GPS ground control points to produce a geo-referenced image. The purpose of obtaining the digital outcrop images at the Boleo mine is to define the stratigraphic thickness variations in a geo-referenced GIS image in order to define the geometry of sedimentary layers above and below the ore deposit and interpret the basin-scale, change in the environment of deposition. Measurement of displacements across faults and shortening across folds can also lead to a better understanding of the deformation history of the ore-bearing basin. Our preliminary results suggest that this new remote imaging technology yields high-resolution stratigraphic and structural data.
September 2015
To investigate the effect of soil joints on permeability of glacial till, a series of field and laboratory tests were performed on till from bluffs along the Lake Erie shoreline. The till at the study sites is low plasticity silt to low plasticity clay (MLâ&#x20AC;&#x201C;CL). Joint apertures vary from 1â&#x20AC;&#x201C;30 mm, with most joints partially filled with lacustrine sediment or disintegrated till material. Results showed that the permeability of jointed till was generally time dependent. Field tests performed on jointed portions of till under non-controlled conditions (variable degrees of joint filling, variable water content, and variable water flow regimes) indicated that joint aperture and degree of filling significantly influenced the permeability of till mass. Field permeability of the intact till was found to be almost three orders of magnitude higher than that of intact till samples tested in the laboratory. Laboratory tests indicated that, under controlled conditions, with joints completely filled, variations in aperture did not noticeably influence the permeability of till mass. However, the initial water content significantly impacted the pattern of permeability changes over time as dry samples exhibited a substantially larger drop of permeability than saturated samples, with the largest decrease in permeability occurring during the first 24 hours. For dry samples, open joints with no filling material completely collapsed and the permeability of these samples generally corresponded to the permeability of the collapsed till material. Tests on saturated samples with open joints, different joint patterns, and with no filling material, were inconclusive.
Assessment of the Progression of Coal Mine Subsidence in Colorado Springs, El Paso County, Colorado, Using InSAR Puente Querejazu, Alvaro, Colorado School of Mines/Geological Engineering Dept., apuenteq@mymail.mines.edu; Wendy Zhou, wzhou@mines.edu (TS #14) Colorado Springs, CO, is located on the southern edge of the Denver Basin, where one of the largest and most accessible coal deposits was found in the state. Due to the proximity of this resource to the surface, the northern portion of the city started to be mined for coal in the 1850s. The presence of these mines did not pose a threat to Colorado Springs until its population, unaware of the risk, started to settle on areas underlain by mined bedrock. Numerous troughs and sinkholes have developed above such mined areas since. Studies conducted in 2009 revealed that there are still mined rooms that have yet to collapse. In light of the potential for ongoing subsidence, Interferometry synthetic aperture radar (InSAR) images were generated to assess ground surface elevation changes in northern Colorado Springs. The first step consisted in processing conventional radar data to produce synthetic aperture radar (SAR) images of the surface. Pairs of SAR images were subsequently combined to create interferograms with vertical resolutions in the centimeter range. Ground deformation over time was derived from multiple SAR acquisitions of the same area at different time based on Small Baseline Subset (SBAS) algorithm. The high vertical resolution allowed for the identification of subtle ground surface drops with time. SAR imagery dates back to 1992. Thus, the evaluation of subsidence progression was limited to the last two decades. The obtained results indicate that coal mine subsidence has continued to occur in northern Colorado Springs during the aforementioned period.
AEG NEWS 58 Annual Meeting Program with Abstracts
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2015 ANNUAL MEETING Avoiding Karst by Getting under It: Jefferson Barracks Tunnel, St. Louis Raymer, Jack, Jacobs Engineering, jack.raymer@jacobs.com (TS #1) The Jefferson Barracks Tunnel is a deep gravity sewer that will be bored through Mississippian limestone and dolomite in a notoriously karstic terrain along the Mississippi river on the south side of St. Louis. The karst ranges from small crevices to large, well-known caves. Many of the caves are deeper than the modern level of the Mississippi River. The geotechnical strategy for the project is to set the tunnel deep enough so that it goes under the karst, rather than through it. The intakes and pump station shaft will still pass though the karst to get to tunnel depth. Karst features were recognized in test borings and geophysical surveys; sinkholes were identified using topographic maps. The maximum depth of karst was predicted by understanding that riverbluff karst develops along groundwater flow paths leading from upland areas to the river, and knowing that in the Pleistocene the Mississippi River was 35 m lower and in a different location than it is today. Cross-hole seismic profiling was used to identify karst features and plan a pre-excavation grouting program for the 21-m diameter pump station shaft.
Analysis of the Devastating Kashmir Earthquake 2005 Aftershocks Rehman, Khaista, National Centre of Excellence in Geology, rehmannceg@upesh.edu.pk; Talha Quadric, talhaqadri_uos@hotmail.com (TS #4) Along with most of the northern Pakistan (Kashmir and eastern districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa), Muzaffarabad and Balakot were devastated by a particularly disastrous earthquake in 2005. This earthquake caused more than 80,000 deaths and 70,000 injured people, yet little known about its aftershocks. We analyzed the instrumental earthquake data from the International Seismological Centre (ISC) and United Sates Geological Survey (USGS)/ Preliminary Determination of Epicentres (PDE) for the period October 2005 to March 2006. About 484 aftershocks were identified using Reasenberg’s algorithm (Reasenberg, 1985). The b-value and its spatio-temporal variability are determined together with the time series plots. The resulted values of distribution parameters are p = 1.58 ± 0.07 and b = 1.1 ± 0.07.
Narora Weir – A Historical Perspective of Piping Theory Richards, Kevin, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, kevin.s.richards@ usace.army.mil (TS #7) The Narora weir, the diversion dam for the Lower Ganges irrigation canal system in India, was constructed in 1877. A masonry structure, the crest of the Narora weir is 10 feet above the normal low water level of the river and 4,200 feet long. The Narora weir is founded on fine micaceous sand described as being almost as fine as flour (Buckley 1905), and prone to internal erosion. The left abutment is composed of weak friable soil, the kh dir (lowland plain), and the right bank, the b ngar (highland), is formed of strong, red sand and clay. Due to the unavailability of local stone, the Narora weir was constructed of brick rather than stone masonry. The Narora weir failed the spring of 1898 during a period of high flow. The concrete and stone stilling basin was damaged over a 350-foot-wide section, and failure has been attributed to hydraulic forces related to the high flows (Chanson 2000), but early workers attributed the failure to piping (Bligh 1907). Ultimately, the failure of Narora weir was instrumental in the development of early piping theory (Bligh 1910), which eventually led to the understanding that piping and heave are influenced by both the hydraulic head and foundation conditions at a dam.
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Economic Salt Dome Development Ricketts, Tyler, University of Mississippi, tericket@go.olemiss.edu; Phillips King, cpking@go.olemiss.edu; Greg Easson, geasson@ olemiss.edu (Poster) The Richton Salt Dome is located in Perry County, MS, and moderately underlies the town of Richton. This is the largest as well as the shallowest salt dome in Mississippi, with salt encountered at a depth of 767 feet. At a depth of 2000 feet, there is an estimated 4,376 acres of salt. It is estimated that there are 3,885 acres of limestone cap rock at a depth of 600 feet. These two characteristics make the dome attractive for economic utilization, particularly for hydrocarbon storage and potential for salt mining. Large areas of salt and at shallow depths are characteristics ideal for economic development of the resource. The Richton Salt Dome has been considered as a site for radioactive waste storage, petroleum storage, salt mining and sulfur mining. This project created a Geographic Information Systems (GIS) database of all stratigraphic and lithologic data for the Richton Salt Dome. These sources included data generated by private industry as well as State and Federal governmental agencies. These data were used to develop utilization strategies and to provide a single source for pertinent literature and well information regarding Richton Salt Dome.
RCC Gravity Dam Replacement for the Wohlford Dam, Escondido, CA Riley, Donald, Black & Vetch, RileyDB@bv.com; Bruce Hilton; Kerry Cato; Greg Zamensky (TS #12) Wohlford Dam is an existing 100-foot-high, circa 1895, rock fill and hydraulic fill embankment that was updated in the early 1900s and is being replaced with an RCC dam because of seismic design inadequacy. This new, 115-foot-high RCC gravity structure will be constructed immediately downstream of the existing dam with reservoir volume remaining constant at 6,500 acre feet (AF). Both abutments have 15-degree, upstream oriented axial inflections which have been modeled using FEA and shown to perform within design constraints during seismic loading. The Elsinore Fault, located 11.4 miles away, provides the seismic design event at 7.64 Mw that is estimated to generate 0.29g accelerations at the site. Bedrock at the site is composed of Cenozoic-age quartz diorite at shallow depth lending the site to RCC construction methods. The rock will be excavated to depths ranging from 12 to 30 feet in the bottom of the valley to provide a foundation surface that is moderately weathered and better. No prominent joint sets were identified during exploration and water pressure testing showed that many of the stages tested were relatively tight. Some discontinuous zones of low RQD rock will be grouted in place to minimize blasting of the overlying rock that has an average seismic velocity in the 8,000–11,000 fps range. Persistent, out of slope discontinuities were evaluated to assure that no significant sliding blocks were an issue during construction or long-term. Shallow consolidation grouting will be performed across the entire foundation and a double row grout curtain of oppositely inclined holes will be installed along the dam axis to a depth of 70 feet. All foundation grouting will utilize the split-spacing method. Recent DSOD and FERC requirements include PFMA (Potential Failure Mode Analysis) that will be described as well during our talk.
AEG NEWS 58 Annual Meeting Program with Abstracts
September 2015
2015 ANNUAL MEETING Successful Foundation Preparations in Karst Bedrock of the Masonry Section of Wolf Creek Dam
Influence of Geology on Construction of the Pennsylvania Turnpike
Robison, David M.; U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Louisville District, david.m.robison@usace.army.mil (TS #17)
Rogers, David J., Missouri University of Science & Technology, rogersda@mst.edu (TS #1)
Extensive foundation preparations during construction of the concrete masonry section of Wolf Creek Dam, located on the Cumberland River in southern Kentucky, precluded the need for additional rehabilitation to mitigate seepage through karstic limestone bedrock, while the embankment section has experienced karst related seepage issues. Post-construction efforts to control seepage underneath the embankment included grouting, a centerline concrete diaphragm cut-off wall through the left portion of the embankment section down to competent bedrock, and a second cut-off wall upstream of the first, extending nearly the entire length of the embankment and up to 75 feet deeper than the original wall. No significant remediation below the masonry dam was conducted. The original construction photographs and foundation reports instill confidence that the builders of the concrete monoliths took adequate measures to ensure that all the monoliths were founded on competent bedrock. These measures included extensive borehole investigations both prior to and during excavation, efforts to locate, delineate, remove, and clean all karst solution channels, the removal of all loose rock, grouting in the foundation and side vertical faces, large stair-step faces on the left abutment, extended excavations to remove soft beds, final manual cleaning of rock surfaces, and the careful documentation of foundation preparations. These measures are not a guarantee to prevent seepage, but they do show with reasonable certainty that future seepage issues are either unlikely or will be significantly inhibited by the preparation made to the foundation prior to the construction of the concrete monoliths.
In 1937 the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission was created by the State’s General Assembly to consider the construction of a highspeed highway, which could support heavy truck traffic between Pittsburgh and Philadelphia. The commission decided to utilize the partly completed South Penn Railroad alignment as a means of hastening the project, using seven of the existing tunnels. Their goal was to complete the super highway in just 20 months. Arthur B. Cleaves (1905-85) served as Chief Geologist of the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission from 1937-40. He began his geologic assessment by mapping the geology inside the abandoned railroad tunnels, which had been excavated more than 50 years previous. New tunnel alignments were explored using hollow core diamond drilling, and a horizontal hole 1,450 feet long was advanced from the old Tuscarora Tunnel, a record for horizontal drilling. During construction numerous obstacles had to be overcome, including flowing ground entering the working face of the Kittatinny Tunnel, and a roof failure in the West Allegheny Tunnel. The highest open cut was made at Clear Ridge. It was 153 feet deep and 2,475 feet long, making it the deepest cut in the eastern U.S. The highest rock fill embankment was just under 100 feet deep, supporting the turnpike west of the Clear Ridge Cut. Massive reinforced concrete culverts conveyed discharge from the local stream and the tunnel. The turnpike was completed in 1940, just 20 months after construction began.
Two-Dimensional Application of Annandale’s Erodibility Index Method to Estimate Plunge Pool Scour
Rogers, J. David, Missouri University of Science & Technology, rogersda@mst.edu (TS #16)
Rock, Amanda, Golder Associates, Inc., arock@golder.com; Jerry D. Higgins, jhiggins@mines.edu; George W. Annandale, george_ annandale@golder.com (TS #17)
Cut slopes in sedimentary sequences of differing properties, such as limestone or sandstone with interbeds of shale, exhibit contrasting permeability, stiffness, strength, and erodibility. Weak horizons, like shale, tend to shrink and swell with seasonal variations in moisture. This tendency often fosters differential erosion, leading to undercutting of more resistant strata, which then spills onto the highway shoulder or paved right-of-way. Repair options are often constrained by a general lack of suitable construction access, especially on steep slopes more than 20 feet high. Geotechnical schemes usually employ empirical design procedures, designed to account for marked increase in material strength parameters with increasing confinement (depth of overburden as well as distance behind the exposed slope face). Mitigation options vary, depending on the height and inclination of troubled cuts, erodibility of the exposed face, construction access, staging area(s), and the consequences of continued rockfall, sliding, or erosion problems. Some of the most common corrective schemes include installation of hydrauguer slope drains, slope anchors and wire blankets over biodegradable coir netting, soil nails with gabion mesh, rockbolts with gabion mesh, rockbolts with steel mesh and shotcrete overlays, direct application of sodium silicate and/or fiber-reinforced shotcrete, soil fiber reinforcement, biotechnical stabilization, and various combinations of retention systems, such as mechanically stabilized embankments, various types of retaining walls, and anchored gabion mattresses. In choosing between the various schemes, particular attention is usually paid to past experiences with similar situations in the surrounding area, and the technical abilities and experience of local contracting firms specializing in such work.
This study assesses the accuracy of Annandale’s Erodibility Index Method for estimating rock scour depth and invert location in plunge pools for four BC Hydro dams in British Columbia, Canada. The method compares the stream power of plunging jets, quantified using published research, with the ability of rock to resist the power of flowing water, quantified using a geo-mechanical erodibility index. Annandale’s Erodibility Index relies on in-situ rock parameters including UCS strength, RQD, joint spacing, aperture, alteration, roughness, and orientation. Jet stream power calculations relied on daily discharge records and dam spillway geometries. Numerically generated scour profiles were compared with plunge pool surveys; scour depths and invert locations were matched. The study revealed that correlations between calculated and observed scour profiles improved with the quality of geologic information and the certainty by which jet stream power and decay could be quantified. The geologic information at two sites was incomplete and resulted in generalized characterizations of the plunge pool rock scour resistance. The geologic information at the two other sites was more informative and allowed quantification of the spatial distribution of scour resistance in both cases. Results indicate a strong correlation between surveyed and modeled plunge pool depth and invert location for sites where the hydraulics and geology are well understood. It is concluded that Annandale’s Erodibility Index Method is an accurate method for estimating plunge pool depth when this information is available. A lack of information or understanding of the spatial distribution of materials generally results in less accurate predictions. September 2015
Various Techniques for Stabilization of Deteriorating Cut Slopes in Sedimentary Strata
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2015 ANNUAL MEETING The Gatun Dam – Megastructure of 100 Years Ago Rogers, J. David, Missouri University of Science & Technology, rogersda@mst.edu (TS #7) In 1880 American engineer Charles D. Ward suggested that a dam approximately one and a quarter miles long be constructed across the lower Chagres River near the village of Gatun, on the Atlantic side of the Panama Isthmus. In January 1906 the minority report of the International Board of Consulting Engineers recommended a massive embankment dam at Gatun backing up a lake that would extend more than 30 miles, across the Continental Divide. The embankment was to be 115 feet high, a summit crest 100 feet wide and a maximum base width of 2,625 feet wide, encompassing over 22 million cubic yards of fill. The embankment would stretch 6,400 feet and was intended to retain the largest man-made lake in the world, with 165 square miles of surface area. It would also be equipped with the world’s largest gated spillway, patterned after those fitted to the Chicago Drainage Canal, completed in 1901. As more fill became available to waste, the side slopes were eventually dropped from 3:1 to just 16:1, or 3.6 degrees. This flattening of the side slopes had the added benefit of lengthening “seepage paths” through and around the dam and its foundation, lowering the potential for destabilizing hydraulic uplift or high seepage pressures. The lake began to fill in late April 1912 and has been in continuous operation ever since.
RCC Dam Foundation Preparation and Cleaning – A Photographic Tour of Hard Rock Bottoms Rogers, Gary, Schnabel Engineering, grogers@schnabel-eng.com; Susan M. Buchanan, sbuchanan@schnabel-eng.com; Mark Landis, mlandis@schnabel-eng.com (TS #12) Roller Compacted Concrete (RCC) dams are typically founded on rock, which has a wide variety of definitions and an even wider range of interpretations of those definitions. Examples of excavation, cleaning and treatment of the rock surface prior to the placement of RCC will be explored through project photographs. The process of exposing and cleaning the foundation surface, suitable for approval by an engineering geologist or geotechnical engineer, includes mass excavation through the use of large machinery and sometimes blasting, rough cleaning with mid-size to small excavators, and final cleaning with small excavators, pneumatic jackhammers, hand tools, water and/or air wands, and vacuum trucks. Treatment of the foundation includes placement of slush grout, dental concrete and backfill concrete and control of seepage and springs. Complications that arise during this stage of work include fresh rock overlying weathered rock, seams of weathered rock or sheared material, abrupt topographic changes in rock surfaces, very gradational strength or weathering profiles, springs and seeps, and contractor attitude and experience. Highlighted projects will include recently constructed RCC dams founded on igneous and metamorphic rock.
State Route 87 Rockslide Mitigation near Forksville, Pennsylvania Roman, William, Gannett Fleming, Inc., wroman@gfnet.com; Robert E. Johnson, roejohnson@pa.gov; Andrew J. Smithmyer, asmithmyer@gfnet.com (TS #16) On September 29, 2012, approximately 2,500 cubic yards of rock slid onto a recently-reconstructed, curved portion of State Route 87 near Forksville, PA. Preliminary reconnaissance indicated the rockslide was a planar failure along bedding within micaceous, fine-grained sandstone of the Catskill Formation. Undercutting of the toe of the slope contributed to the rockslide, which may have been triggered by 82
above average precipitation. The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) construction contractor buttressed the remaining undercut portion of the slope with boulders and lined the edge of the roadway with concrete barriers, which successfully retained a second, smaller rockslide on December 23, 2013. The geotechnical study included two test borings, Lidar and digital photogrammetry surveys, and stereonet analyses of discontinuity measurements to assess rockfall kinematics. Factor of safety calculations included limit equilibrium and sensitivity analyses with respect to varying slope orientations, degrees of slope saturation, and failure modes. Rockslide mitigation alternatives included excavation, horizontal drains, cement-grout anchors, and rock buttressing. Rock excavation along 1.75H:1V and 2H:1V slopes was the recommended alternative. PennDOT awarded a contract for the excavation, but before the work was executed, a third rockslide occurred on March 31, 2014, again following relatively heavy precipitation. PennDOT’s contractor successfully completed the rock slope excavation in September 2014. As an added precaution, PennDOT installed 11 rock dowels to increase the factor of safety of an atypically shallow dipping bed that daylighted within a portion of the new cut slope.
Diverting Water from the Upper Hidden Basin to Terror Lake, Kodiak, Alaska Rutledge, Alex, frutledge@schnabel-eng.com, Schnabel Engineering; Steve Brandon, sbrandon@lachel.com; Robert P. Cannon, rcannon@schnabel-eng.com; Gary D. Rogers, grogers@schnabel eng.com; Jennifer Richcreek, jrichcreek@kodiak.coop (TS #12) Kodiak Electric Association, Inc. is pursuing a plan to supplement surface water inflow to the existing Terror Lake Hydroelectric Plant to generate an additional estimated 30 gigawatthours of energy per year for Kodiak Island, Alaska. The objective of the project is to capture a drainage area of approximately four square miles in an area known as the Upper Hidden Basin and convey the water through a tunnel to the existing Terror Lake reservoir. The proposed project features include a 1.2-mile-long, 12-foot-diameter diversion tunnel, two diversion dams connected by a 0.6-mile-long water conveyance route, and a 4-milelong access road. The rocks that will form the foundation and provide the building materials for the above project features include the strong and erosion resistant rocks of the Kodiak Batholith, and the somewhat weaker meta-sedimentary rocks of the Kodiak Formation. Schnabel Engineering performed geologic reconnaissance, an engineering and constructability analysis that examined four tunnel construction alternatives, preliminary design of the two diversion dams, and project hydraulics. Using a tunnel boring machine to drive the tunnel from Terror Lake up to the Upper Hidden Basin was selected as the best tunneling alternative, due to groundwater inflow concerns and anticipated construction duration. Based on the preliminary layout, sequence of construction, risk, and anticipated cost, concrete faced rockfill dams were selected as the best dam type for the two diversion dams at this site. This study determined the project is technically feasible, and is estimated to cost about $67 million.
Debris Flows and Rockfall Case History along Mountainous Roads, Western Saudi Arabia Sadagah, Bahaaeldin, King Abdualziz University, bsadagah@yahoo.com (TS #23) Construction of mountain roads at western Saudi Arabia is a challenge, where the igneous rock masses are high-rising, steep slopes. Al-Hada mountain at 22 km long shows many incidents of debris flows, rock slope instability, and rockfalls. A studied 150 m-wide portion of Al-Hada mountain road lie along a man-made sharp slope cut suffers from
AEG NEWS 58 Annual Meeting Program with Abstracts
September 2015
2015 ANNUAL MEETING debris flows and rockfalls incidents, during rainy seasons. The 20-mhigh rock slope-cut along the road has no benches, backed by a steep natural compacted 25 m steep soil slope. The steep man-made rock slope cut is very close to the road, with a narrow ditch forming a potentially source areas for both rockfalls and debris flows. The RocFall computer program was utilized to perform the modeling and mitigation along the rock slope profile. The gully adjacent to the rock slopes shows signs of water filling materials, due to the rainfall. No remedial measures were taken to prevent the debris flows from taking place. On March, a heavy rainfall took place and the debris flows was the result. It extends for tens of meters across both ascending and descending roads. No casualties occurred, but damage to the road resulted. Analyses show that the soil compaction was unsuitable and designed for dry conditions. Remedial measures are suggested for both rockfalls and debris flows incidents, against the run out distance of the possible next debris flows, utilizing Geographic Information System (GIS) maps to assist emergency management officials in their response, contingency planning, and slope redesign.
The Clock is Ticking – EPA Coal Ash Rule – Summary and Impacts to the Profession Saindon, Rosanna, Geotechnology, Inc., a_saindon@geotechnology.com (TS #4) This presentation will provide a brief overview of the EPA’s coal combustion residual (CCR) regulation published April 17, 2015. The regulation established comprehensive requirements for the safe disposal of CCR under Subtitle D of the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA). In addition, this presentation will cover some of the impacts to the geology and engineering professions regarding who can perform the work and who is required to certify the work. The topics range from siting new CCR disposal facilities to closing facilities and the timelines associated with each.
Ultra-Violet Near-Infrared Reflectance Spectroscopy for Remote Measurement of Soil Water Potential Salazar, Sean, University of Arkansas, ssalazar@uark.edu; Cyrus Garner, cxg021@uark.edu; Richard Coffman, rick@uark.edu; Thomas Oommen, toommen@uark.edu (TS #9) Soil water potential is an important parameter in the hydro-mechanical behavior of unsaturated soils. However, existing methods of obtaining measurements of soil water potential have demonstrable disadvantages. Traditional methods of obtaining unsaturated soil properties, including laboratory based methods (chilled mirror hygrometer, Tempe cell, and pressure plate extractor [PPE]) and in-situ methods (tensiometer, heat dissipation sensor, electrical resistance sensor), provide only point-wise measurements and consequently suffer from low temporal and spatial resolution and limited soil water potential measurement range. Therefore, a remote sensing technique was employed to measure the soil water potential using ultra-violet to near-infrared (UV-NIR) diffuse reflectance spectroscopy at the soil surface without contacting the soil. A partial least squares (PLS) statistical technique was utilized to correlate the effects of soil suction to the diffuse reflectance spectrum in the UV-NIR range (350-2500 nm). In order to validate the relationship, calibration reflectance spectra were collected for 60 specimens consisting of three soil types and prepared at different soil water potential values. PPE were used to prepare specimens between 10 kPa and 1500 kPa. The soil water characteristic curves were determined for each soil using the aforementioned PPE specimens and a WP4 chilled mirror hygrometer. Measured and predicted values of soil water potential showed good correlation. The PLS regression conducted on the 60 calibration specimens explained 98 September 2015
percent of the variance expressed in the specimen reflectance spectra. The remote sensing technique presented has the capability to provide soil water potential measurements at the field scale with high spatial and temporal resolution.
Accounting for Icefall Hazards during Rockfall Catchment Ditch Design Scarpato, David, Scarptec, Inc., dave@scarptec.com (TS #18) Ice accretion can wreak havoc on surface rock excavations and lead to an increase in the frequency of rock and icefall events along highways subject to significant precipitation and cold temperatures. The incidence of icefall is under-reported based on a preliminary poll of DOTs in various northern-tier states subject to ice development. Icefall hazards are not routinely considered as part of the rock slope design process. Although icefall may logically be treated as a variation of a classic rockfall problem, there are some significant differences between rockfall and icefall hazard evaluation. These differences are primarily related to the transient nature of ice thickness and distribution, which are correlated with climatic variability from year-to-year. Ditches designed to accommodate rockfall capture may not be sufficient to capture icefall. Ice slabs can fall from high above, or can slide or topple depending upon underlying slope geometry and rock mass conditions. High-energy icefall impacts can also generate shatter, which can result in the release of ice projectiles. In cases where source or impact zone treatments are not practical, other engineered methods may be utilized for mitigating the risk of icefall impacts to the traveling public. This presentation will cite examples and describe some of the challenges associated with icefall evaluation, prediction of ice block geometry, ditch effectiveness for ditches filled with snow or ice, and alternative mitigation strategies for dealing with the under-represented problem of icefall.
High-Velocity Frictional Properties of Basalt: Implications for Landslides, Earthquakes, and Volcanoes Schaefer, Lauren, Michigan Technological University, lnschaef@mtu.edu; Jackie E. Kendrick; Thomas Oommen; Yan LavallÈe; Gustavo Chigna (Poster) High-velocity rotary-shear (HVR) experiments allow for laboratory analyses of rock under high slip velocities, large slip displacements, and high normal stresses. Combining these three variables can give important insight into coseismic slip, landslide initiation and runout dynamics, and magma ascent. Here, we conduct experiments on basaltic rock gathered from Pacaya Volcano (Guatemala) under a variety of experimental conditions, including: slip velocities of 0.1–1.4 m/s, axial stresses of 0.25–6 MPa, and slip distances of 0–75 m. Results show that the distance at which gouge or melt layers form decreases with increasing axial stress and/or slip velocities, causing the points of rock-rock maximum shear stress and melt maximum shear stress to vary with slip distance. Comparing our results to other materials measured previously- including andesite, gabbro, dacite, and rock gouge- we find that the viscosity of frictional gouge and melt can help to define the recurrence interval of stick-slip events, implying that rock and magma composition affect the magnitude, frequency, and duration of slip events.
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2015 ANNUAL MEETING Tectonic History of the Western Sierra Nevada, CA: Implications for Seismic Design of a Proposed Hydroelectric Facility Schaeffer, Malcolm F., HDR, Malcolm.Schaeffer@hdrinc.com (TS #8) The tectonic history of the Western Sierra Nevada Metamorphic Belt (WSNMB), in the vicinity of a proposed hydroelectric facility, is complex and understanding the history is essential in determining the controlling fault and design earthquake for a proposed hydroelectric facility. The site is located in the Central belt, one of three internal lithotectonic belts of the WSNMB. The belt is comprised of Paleozoic and early Mesozoic age (570-138 mya) metamorphosed igneous and sedimentary rocks of oceanic origin intruded by younger Mesozoic age (138-63 mya) plutonic rocks and related dikes and vein deposits. The internal belts of the WSNMB are separated by steeply dipping major faults collectively referred to as the Foothills Fault System (FFS) The FFS is a zone of complex deformation developed during the Nevadan orogeny (D2; ~160 to 123 mya). Faults of the FFS in many cases followed preexisting structural trends and were concentrated in serpentinitic zones in ultramafic complexes (D1; ~220 to 190 mya). The dominant sense of shear along the FFS is east over west (reverse faulting) with a small component of left-lateral movement. Right-lateral shear along the system occurred during the late stages of the Nevadan orogeny and during the early Cretaceous. Some of the fault segments in the system were reactivated during the Cretaceous (D3; ~138 to 65 mya) and Cenozoic (D4; 65 mya to recent). The WSNMB is characterized by a low level of seismicity (deformation) due to uplift and gradual tilting of the Sierra Nevada block to the west related to the general transform region. The uplift and tilting started during middle Tertiary time (~38 mya). Minor faulting, in response to east-west extension, occurred along older zones of weakness, including the FFS. The faults in the FFS are “conditionally active” based on the criteria of the CA DSOD. The criteria states a conditionally active fault will be “treated as a seismic source for dam design or reevaluation because of incomplete or inconclusive evidence, with the understanding that additional investigation or analysis could change the designation”. The tectonic history of the site is utilized to demonstrate that the nearest FFS segment (Bowie Flat Fault) near the downstream toe of the proposed main dam is inactive (last movement > 35,000 years).
Got Groundwater? Schwering, Paul, Olson Engineering, Inc., pauls@olsonengineering.com; Phil Sirles, phils@olsonengineering.com; Margot Truini, mtruini@infomagic.net (TS #23) Rural land owners rarely get connected to municipal water, therefore they often drill low-yield wells for residential needs. Domestic wells typically need about ten gallons per minute (gpm). At a 700-acre facility known as Tara Mandala Buddhist Retreat, the need for a well with over 30 gpm yield inhibited desires to expand their facilities. Facility wells historically produced 6–10 gpm which required augmenting their water needs by trucking it in. The geology at this property in southwestern Colorado, near Pagosa Springs, is conducive to higher productivity well(s) developed in the Mesa Verde Formation. The owners opted to apply exploration technology in lieu of water-witching, previously used to locate wells. A high-resolution, shallow seismic reflection survey was performed. Two lines were oriented perpendicular to a mapped fault to image its attitude. The geophysical imaging successfully located the fault, but also imaged an antithetic structure defining a small graben. The analysis estimated a depth of 300 feet to intersect the fault(s). At a depth of 277 feet, artesian flows were encountered, with flows exceeding 85 gpm at pressures of ~28 psi Geochemistry tests reveal its source is groundwater and not meteoric, which bodes well for continued production. The seismic survey successfully positioned one well 84
and predicted the depth of production, ultimately providing the owners with recovery of the expense of the seismic exploration and the well development. One year after well completion, artesian flow continues and the yield exceeds facility need, so they are working to sell excess water to neighboring ranches.
Messaging and Momentum: The Potential for Comprehensive Landslide Legislation in the 114th Congress Seadler, Abigail, American Geosciences Institute, aseadler@agiweb.org (TS #21) It often takes a tragedy for society to understand why geoscience is important. The SR 530 landslide in Oso, Washington and the West Salt Creek landslide in Mesa County, CO, were no exception. These devastating events catalyzed scientists, engineers, insurers, emergency managers, the public, and decision makers at all levels to reexamine what we know about domestic landslide hazards and reinvigorated the push for comprehensive, national landslide policy. Although new champions of landslide legislation emerged in the 114th Congress, multiple obstacles still exist to passing legislation. An understanding of the inner workings of Congress and the ability to accurately target your message are crucial to recognize and overcome these potential barriers to passing, and more importantly funding, legislation.
Using Areas of Concentrated Fecal Coliform Bacteria to Identify Specie Specific Sources in Urbanized Sections of the Concho River, Tom Green County, Texas Seidel, Darren S., Angelo State University, dseidel@angelo.edu; James W. Ward; Scott McWilliams (Poster) Seasonality has shown to play an extremely responsible role in the fluctuation of Escherichia coli (E. coli) loading on the Concho River System in San Angelo, TX. However even with temperature change and other physicochemical parameters varying with seasonal change, several sites exceed EPA’s “safe versus unsafe for contact” surface water standard by three to ten times the respected < 320 colony forming units per 100 mL standard threshold value (at 3.2%). The objective of this project is to quantify areas of E. coli loading to further understand local sources of bacteria pollution. Ten sites located along highly urbanized sections of the Concho River will be sampled for E. coli and physiochemical properties including temperature, dissolved oxygen, specific conductance, conductance, total dissolved solids, and pH. The data set will encompass twenty-six sampling periods spread out over a year. The E. coli data will be used to isolate areas where Bacteroidetes identification DNA markers will be sampled for birds, humans, and dogs. After the Bacteroidetes analysis is conducted, results will yield species specific data to determine the main source(s) of contamination. This project gives way to putting a numerical and biological answer to pollution of an urbanized surface water system with eight dam structures located within the area of interest.
Geophsical Studies in Some Areas in Egypt Seliem, Gamal, Egypt, Minia University, Faculty of Engineering, gseliem@yahoo.com; S. M. Abdelmonem (TS #15) The Aswan area is one of the important areas in Egypt and because it encompasses the vital engineering structure of the High dam, so it has been selected for the present study. The Aswan High Dam is considered as a unique structure among all the large irrigation and electric power project in the world. This paper deals with using micro-gravity, precise leveling and GPS data for geophysical and geodetically studies. For carrying out the detailed gravity survey in the area, were established for studying the subsurface structures. To
AEG NEWS 58 Annual Meeting Program with Abstracts
September 2015
2015 ANNUAL MEETING study the recent vertical movements, a profile of 10 km length joins the High and old Aswan dams were established along the road connecting the two dams. This profile consists of 35 GPS/leveling stations extending along the two sides of the road and on the High Dam body. Precise leveling was carried out with GPS and repeated microgravity survey in the same time. GPS network consisting of nine stations was established for studying the recent horizontal crustal movements. Many campaigns from December 2001 to January 2012 were performed for collecting the gravity, leveling and GPS data. The main aim of this work is to study the structural features and the behavior of the area, as depicted from gravity, leveling and GPS measurements. The present work focuses on the analysis of the gravity, leveling and GPS data. The gravity results of the present study investigate and analyze the subsurface geologic structures and reveal to there be minor structures; features and anomalies are taking W-E and N-S directions. The geodetic results indicated lower rates of the vertical and horizontal displacements and strain values. This may be related to the stability of the area.
Evaluation of Earth Dam and Levee Sustainability through Assessment of the Surrounding Environments Semmens, Stephen N., Department of Geology & Geological Engineering, Colorado School of Mines, ssemmens@mines.edu; Wendy Zhou, wzhou@mines.edu (Poster) Earth Dams and Levees (EDLs) provide a series of valuable services including flood protection, tidal protection, and water storage. The ability to prolong the life and wellbeing of EDLs extends these services and helps reduce the potential for levee failures. This NSF funded, ongoing research focuses on creating a logistic model that predicts where levee wellbeing and sustainability are threatened by the character of the surrounding environment, including the configuration of Quaternary geology with respect to the levee alignment, the hydrogeological nature of the alluvial aquifer underneath the levee, and the character of the surrounding ecological landforms. Utilizing Geographic Information Systems (GIS), levees within areas of interest are divided into small sections and the logistical model is applied, incorporating components of surrounding environmental factors and past levee failure events. The system then rates levee increments according to how adversely the surrounding environment may affect the levee section. The final result of this research will be a multiple criteria decisionmaking (MCDM) system which feeds into a logistical regression framework, weighing the model inputs and producing a measure of the sustainability of the levee increment. Currently, the model is being applied to an area of interest within the lower Mississippi Valley, and the model is expected to be applied to portions of the Rhine-Meuse River delta in the Netherlands in the near future.
Characterization and Mitigation of Fault Rupture Hazard: Engineering Basis of Design for Isabella Auxiliary Dam, California Serafini, David C., U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, South Pacific Division Dam Safety Production Center, david.c.serafini@usace.army.mil; Keith I. Kelson, keith.i.kelson@usace.army.mil; Ronn S. Rose, ronn.s.rose@usace.army.mil; Andrew T. Lutz, andrew.lutz@water.ca.gov (TS #22) The active Kern Canyon fault runs beneath the right abutment of Isabella Auxiliary Dam, which impounds Lake Isabella upstream of Bakersfield, California. Comprehensive geologic and paleoseismic investigations define a 150-foot-wide zone of active, east-down faulting in the right abutment. The fault has an average rupture recurrence of 3,200 years and average coseismic displacement of 3.6 feet. A primary consideration for rupture mitigation is the expected September 2015
maximum coseismic slip, which was evaluated based on 1) site-specific paleoseismic data and worldwide empirical data on event-toevent slip variability, and 2) scenario-based fault displacements using empirical relationships between earthquake magnitude and surface displacement. Earthquake rupture scenarios developed from faultspecific paleoseismic and geologic analyses provide a range of expected earthquake magnitudes and associated minimum, mean, and maximum coseismic displacements, with annual exceedance probabilities developed from earthquake magnitude-frequency relations. From these analyses, a design displacement value of 6.8 feet was chosen for sizing filter and drain zones for the downstream buttress modification of the dam. Considering the possibility of coseismic transverse cracking and resultant internal erosion and piping of embankment material at the base of the dam, the design includes a thicker filter layer across the fault zone (about 2x the design displacement). In addition, the overlying drain layer is sized for the design displacement; both the drain and filter will extend for 600 feet within the embankment, straddling the 150-foot-wide fault zone. These measures are designed to reduce the probability of dam distress from coseismic rupture and propagation of transverse cracks in the base of the embankment.
Dr. Ralph Peck Warned Us that Risk Assessment Was Likely not a Sustainable Approach for Assuring the Safety of Our Dams. Was He Correct, and What Are We Doing to Resolve His Concerns? Shaffner, Pete, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Risk Management Center, Peter.T.Shaffner@usace.army.mil (TS #7) Dr. Peck offered his opinions of the risk assessment process in papers in1999 and 2002. In these papers Dr. Peck warned the Bureau of Reclamation and the dam safety community that risk assessment was likely not the best approach for dam safety. His opinion was based partially on what we might call “unknown unknowns” or what he called “oddball” geologic details that cannot be accounted for, yet control performance. Notably, Dr. Karl Terzaghi also warned us about the effect of what he called “minor geologic details”. Dr. Peck’s softened his negative opinion of risk assessment somewhat in the 2002 follow-up paper, but still warned that the risk assessment process is likely not sustainable. This presentation will discuss what Dr. Peck said about the future of risk assessment, the need for geologic expertise, and address serious concerns about the value and implementation of risk assessment now and in the future. Topics will include finding the right experts for “expert elicitation”; the problems with developing future engineering geology “experts” for dam safety; the lost art of high quality site characterization; the critical importance of understanding the experiences of our predecessors and dam case histories, and some serious obstacles we must overcome in an attempt to maintain or improve the current state of the practice.
Stabilization Methods for Cut Slopes Subject to Differential Weathering: Some Examples from Ohio and Pennsylvania Shakoor, Abdul, Kent State University, ashakoor@kent.edu (TS #18) Slope stabilization is an important aspect of cut slope design. The main objective of stabilization methods for slopes cut in rocks subject to differential weathering is to reduce the potential for undercuttinginduced failures and associated hazards. Selection of appropriate methods depends on site stratigraphy, slope design, construction constraints, and cost considerations. Depending upon these factors, the frequently used stabilization methods in Ohio and Pennsylvania, where stratigraphic sequences subject to differential weathering dominate,
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2015 ANNUAL MEETING include rock bolts/rock anchors, shotcrete, benches—especially to delay the process of undercutting, buttresses, wire-mesh nets, erosion control mats, drainage, catchment ditches, rockfall barriers, and removing loose rock blocks. The role of site stratigraphy in selecting the appropriate method(s) is critical. For thickly bedded sequences of harder and softer rock units, constructing a wide bench along the contact appears to be one of the best methods to prevent undercutting induced failures. For inter-layered sequences of relatively thin rock units, a uniform slope of 1.5H:1V to 1H:1V with adequate catchment ditches and barriers may be suitable. For slopes consisting predominantly of softer rock units, gentler slopes, cut at 2H:1V or less, with catchment ditches, mid-slope drains, and erosion control mats appears to work best. This paper presents typical and successful examples of these stabilization methods from Ohio and Pennsylvania. It includes an evaluation of the effectiveness of catchment ditches for various slope configurations, based on rockfall simulations by CRSP and RocFall software packages.
A 20-Year Performance Review of Major Cut Slopes on US460 in Rock from the Appalachian Plateau of Virginia Sheahan, James, HDR Engineering, Inc, JIm.Sheahan@hdrinc.com; Steven Mullins, Steven.Mullins@vdot.virginia.gov (TS #16) The U.S. 460 widening project near Grundy, VA, included 11 rock cuts between 100 and 400 feet in height. The area is within the Allegheny Plateau Physiographic province, which includes interbedded sedimentary “coal measures” rock layers of differing quality. Design, construction and performance of two adjacent rock cuts 300–400-feet-high in massive sandstones coal seams and silty shale units, completed almost 20 years ago in 1996, is the subject of this presentation. Cut slope evaluations included review of geologic information, reconnaissance of existing cut slopes, logging of exposures, a rock joint survey and discontinuity mapping, borings using RQD and RMR for rock units, unconfined compression tests and slake durability (SDI) tests. Cut designs included benching at significant changes in lithology, rockfall simulation with CRSP, design of catchment areas at the base of cuts and slopes based on results of discontinuity studies. Rock durability and structural features, especially valley wall stress relief joints, were evaluated to reduce the potential for undercutting of more durable units while providing slopes based on joints with the highest probability of failure. This was accomplished by using benches at key stratigraphic breaks and selecting the cut slope ratio based on the characteristics of the unit. The performance of the cuts has been visually monitored periodically since its completion and will be presented. This includes comparison of discontinuity analyses and durability testing results against actual performance as well as effectiveness of the “Ritchie Ditch” catchment design since construction was completed.
Petroleum Release Investigation and Remediation Overview – Newberry, Indiana Shriner, Jason, CHMM; Ryan Peterson; Brandon Juergens; Mohamed Asif; Richard Lenz (TS #4) Prior to the passage of the 1976 Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA), 1.6 million bare steel underground storage tanks (UST) were in use in the United States. Approximately 8,085 of them have leaked, resulting in at least 130,000 petroleum releases that need cleaned up across the U.S. Each state has different rules/regulations for petroleum related remediation projects; however, investigation is typically the first step after a release is discovered and reported. The investigation of a historical of petroleum release in Newberry, IN, with multiple off-site sources is documented in this paper/presentation, which discusses the challenges that occur with 86
this type of project. Depending upon the severity of petroleum contaminants in the environment or the presence of sensitive receptors, remediation of a release will be necessary. This paper/presentation will discuss the investigation and remedial approach of this project.
Study of Ground Collapse Induced by Large Diameter Horizontal Directional Drilling in Sand Layer Using Numerical Modeling Shu, Biao, University of Arizona, biaoshucn@gmail.com; Baosong Ma, mabaosong@163.com (TS #23) With large-diameter horizontal directional drilling (HDD) becoming the preferred method to construct oil and gas pipeline and utility pipeline beneath rivers, the issue of potential ground collapse arises when drilling in loose geological layers such as sand. Ground collapse is a result of borehole collapse and may cause much serious damage to the topography and nearby facilities. The present investigation considered the potential causes of ground collapse induced by an actual 1.219 m-diameter HDD river crossing project, using the FLAC3D numerical modeling tool. The analysis showed that the failure zone first developed at the crown of the borehole, resulting in subsequent borehole collapse due to instability of the above sand and eventually leading to ground collapse. Sequential reaming cycles have been simulated and the results indicated very little effect in comparison to a single reaming cycle. The risk of borehole collapse, and consequent ground collapse, increases with borehole diameter. Parametric numerical modeling has also been conducted to study the influence of soil parameters and drilling mud pressure on the stability of the ground surface above the borehole. The results showed that soil cohesion and friction angle have a large influence on the stability of borehole and the ground surface, while elastic modulus and Poisson’s Ratio have relatively little effect. It was also shown that mud pressure is a very important factor in maintaining stability of the borehole, and therefore the ground surface as well.
Geologic Discontinuity Mapping, Difference Modeling and Rock Scour Delineation Using Photogrammetric Methods Simpson, Bryan, USBR, bksimpson@usbr.gov (TS #22) This presentation provides an illustration of recent photogrammetry methods used in support of geologic mapping and difference modeling to evaluate ongoing rock scour of the Thief Valley Dam abutments, as part of the Baker Project located near Bakersfield, OR. Collection methods–terrestrial-based photogrammetry was used successfully in conjunction with field geologic mapping over a five-year period, which included collection of topographic data and measurement of joint and intrusion orientations in order to develop a comprehensive three dimensional model of each of the exposed dam abutments. The accurate capture of the bedrock surfaces and exposed discontinuities at each time interval was vital in order to estimate abutment scour over time for the project. Digital photographs were taken of each dam abutment rock exposure. This work was performed using off-the-shelf cameras and lenses, with rapid data collection and reasonable processing times. Processing methods—each dam abutment DTM (Digital Terrain Model) was constructed using two digital photographs per time event. Processing also included statistical analysis of joint sets and presentation of stereonet pole plots. Lessons learned regarding the processing challenges included using different cameras and lenses for specific field conditions, comparing of DTM surfaces and lighting variations. With the use of photogrammetric methods very accurate data can be easily obtained, which many advantages over traditional surveys.
AEG NEWS 58 Annual Meeting Program with Abstracts
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2015 ANNUAL MEETING Advances in Landslide Monitoring through Video and Time-Lapse Photography: Examples from USGS Landslide Research Sites Smith, Joel, U.S. Geological Survey, jbsmith@usgs.gov; Jason Kean; Jeffrey Coe (TS #11) Increasing capabilities of digital single-lens-reflex cameras have allowed us to develop an inexpensive and simple photography system capable of long-term, low-power, remote monitoring operations. Depending on the rate of image capture, these systems can function as time-lapse still cameras or as video cameras. We developed and began using the photography system with a goal of enhancing our data interpretation and analytical abilities. We have found that having a photographic record helps us to more accurately interpret simultaneously collected time-series data. Our camera systems are usually integrated into the data logging system and are activated only when environmental threshold conditions are exceeded. Alternatively, time-lapse systems may use a microcontroller for triggering at a predetermined interval and time range. We have deployed multiple camera systems at USGS research sites throughout the Western United States, usually in combination with geotechnical and meteorological sensors. Specific examples include a time-lapse system used in conjunction with a rockfall fence to quantify sedimentation rate and relate this rate to time-series data of rock-profile temperatures, precipitation, humidity, and water content. Other time-lapse systems have been used to provide timing information for shallow landslides and regressive headscarp failures, or to see trends in slow earthflow movement. The photography system has proven especially beneficial when analyzing large high-frequency datasets where the mass-movement events may not be immediately evident from the time-series data alone. Additionally, multiple highdefinition video camera systems have enhanced our understanding of micros-seismic vibrations during debris flows and their relation to sediment depth, basal forces, and debris-flow density.
The Importance of Residual Shear Testing in Evaluation of Landslides in Glaciolacustrine Deposits Smithmyer, Andrew, Gannett Fleming, Inc., asmithmyer@gfnet.com; Frank P. Namatka, fnamatka@gfnet.com, Richard D. Bohr, rbohr@pa.gov (TS #23) For many years, an active landslide has been adversely affecting the roadway on S.R. 0029 in Liberty Township, Susquehanna County, PA, near the New York State border. Movement of the slope drastically increased during and following Tropical Storm Lee and Hurricane Irene in 2011. The landslide is characterized by tension cracks, large bumps, offset guiderail, a significant toe bulge and hummocky ground surface. Published literature indicated the project area was underlain by glacial materials, including a glaciolacustrine deposit from the Pleistocene. Ten borings were drilled to confirm and augment historical subsurface conditions at the project site. Instrumentation, consisting of inclinometers and piezometers, was installed to monitor slope movement and groundwater levels. Geotechnical laboratory tests were completed to classify soils and estimate engineering parameters, including shear strength of the glaciolacustrine deposit. Laboratory testing included direct shear with residual measurements and triaxial shear. Inclinometer data verified the failure plane was located within the glaciolacustrine deposit. Multiple landside repair alternatives were considered to remediate the landslide. Back analyses were completed to verify soil parameters, and comprehensive slope stability analyses using the residual shear strength of the glaciolacustrine deposit were performed to evaluate remedial alternatives. Due to the size and geometry of the slide mass, an earth berm with drainage control and stream relocation was selected as the preSeptember 2015
ferred remedial alternative. Distinct features of this project included a deep-seated block failure, historical movement, relatively large size of the slide mass, low residual shear strength, toe erosion, and previous attempts to remediate the landslide.
Advocacy and Geoscience: Leveraging Traditional Media for Awareness, Support, and a Wiser Public Steckel, Phyllis, Earthquake Insight LLC, psteckel@charter.net (TS #3) Many of the most difficult issues facing todayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s world have roots in the geosciences. Climate change, geologic hazards, drought and aquifer depletion, sustainable energy systems, environmental cleanups, and strategic minerals all are national headline issues in the mainstream media. And in your hometown, a proposed plan for a new waterintense development, or a zoning or building-code change, or a needed upgrade to a local highway may be hot-button local issues. But unfortunately, in many places, these geoscience-based dilemmas are coincident with a cutback or even a total loss of basic geoscience instruction for most Kâ&#x20AC;&#x201C;12 students, who are the voters as well as the elected officials of the future. Todayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s practicing geoscientists have a professional responsibility to help the public become better educated on these issues. A proactive and responsible use of mainstream media, both in editorial and opinion pages, is needed. Examples include timely, unbiased fact-based press releases and relevant, enlightening, readable guest editorials.
How to Operate Drones in the United States and Not Get Busted by the FAA! Steckel, Richard, PAL and Associates, richard@palandassociates.com; Phyllis Steckel, psteckel@charter.net (TS #9) The use of Unmanned Air Vehicles (UAV), or drones, has skyrocketed in the last five years. Unlike manned aircraft, many of the drones are being flown by operators who are not familiar or aware of Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) regulations and certification requirements and are being grounded by the FAA. This presentation is an introduction for those who are not radio controlled or manned aircraft pilots and wish to operate fixed or rotor wing drones in the National Airspace System without running afoul with the FAA. The presentation will cover current regulations and requirements for drone operations in the United States and how potential operators can obtain permission to operate their air vehicles. Airworthiness requirements for the vehicle, pilot/operator certification and airspace requirements will be covered. Requirements have been and will continue to evolve and change. This presentation will provide the most current requirements and resources available to those interested in operating unmanned air vehicles in the National Airspace System in the United States. The presenter is an FAA commercial pilot with 4,000+ hours of flight time. The presenter has also successfully applied for and granted a Certificate of Authorization for drone operations.
Tectonic Setting for Critical Facilities: A Hundred Years of Lessons Learned in California Shlemon, Roy J., rshlemon@jps.net (TS #8) Late 19th Century failures of northern California debris-flow (hydraulic mining) dams and southern California flood-control structures foretold the need to assess regional tectonic and local geological setting of proposed and existing critical (essential) facilities. Apprehension grew after the 1928 catastrophic failure of the St. Francis Dam. But concern particularly accelerated with onset of 1970s and early 1980s paleoseismic investigations for the proposed Auburn dam near Sacramento, the safety of the General Electric Test Reactor (GETR) site
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2015 ANNUAL MEETING east of San Francisco, and the Point Conception Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) terminal west of Santa Barbara. Beset by technical debate, by political controversies, and by regulatory arguments, these investigations offer lessons learned still applicable to critical facilities throughout the world. Tectonic assessments for the California facilities ultimately resulted in formal deterministic definitions of “active/capable” faults susceptible of ground rupture within: 1) ~500 ka for nuclear plants [GETR], 2) 100 ka for high, thin-arch concrete dams [Auburn], 3) ~150 ka for LNG facilities [Pt. Conception], 4) ~35 k for earth-fill embankment dams, and 5) 11.5 k for habitable structures [A-P Act; non-essential]. Construction of the ~700-foot-high, concrete, gravity-arch Auburn Dam and appurtenant structures started in 1968. But the 1975, M 5.7 earthquake near Oroville, about 50 miles north, brought construction to a complete halt. Divisive technical and political debate ensued. Were there “active” faults within the foundation? What amount of fault displacement could be amenable to structural mitigation? Which regulatory agencies would make the final decision of licensing? Consensus was never reached; and Auburn Dam was never built. The GETR, a 50 Mw medical test isotope reactor, began operation in 1957 near Pleasanton (Vallecitos), CA. In 1975, the U.S. Geological Survey postulated that the “Verona Fault” impacted the site. Acrimonious geological debate and alternative interpretations of trench exposures ensued. Ultimately, after years of seemingly never-ending meetings, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission permitted reactor restarting. But GE declined, having now lost their medical isotope business to overseas competitors. Proposed in the early 1970s, the LNG terminal at Point Conception was similarly beset by regional and site-specific fault issues. 60-foot-deep and 400-foot-long trenches in marine terrace sediments exposed myriads of faults. But how old were these (>~150 ka?), and how to date the covering sediments? These technical issues, coupled with Native American “sacred land” and the changing economic environment led to formal demise of the project in 1986.
Symposium on Importance of Tectonic Setting and History in Characterization of Sites for Critical Facilities – A Topical Summary Stirewalt, Gerry L., U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Office of New Reactors, Division of Site Safety and Environmental Analysis, gerry. stirewalt@nrc.gov; David F. Fenster, dffenster@bechtel.com (TS #13) Symposium speakers discussed case histories that illustrate the importance of tectonic setting and tectonic history in characterization of sites for critical facilities. These case histories covered the following broad range of examples from multiple locations that included the Central and Eastern United States (CEUS), the Western U.S. (WUS), Canada, South Africa, the Caribbean, Turkey, and Scandinavia: 1) crustal structure and geology derived from aeromagnetic and gravity data for identification of potential tectonic features in the CEUS, 2) subsurface tectonic structures based on aftershock focal mechanism patterns associated with the 2011 Mineral, VA, and the 1886 Charleston, SC, earthquakes, 3) correlation of site-specific geologic characteristics and tectonic features defined by detailed geologic mapping of excavations for safety-related engineered structures at the sites of new nuclear power reactors in South Carolina and Georgia with regional geologic and tectonic framework, 4) tectonic setting of the Cascadia margin and assessment of the potential for faulting, earthquakes, volcanism, and tsunami in Oregon, 5) lessons learned regarding the importance of tectonic setting for siting critical facilities in California, 6) tectonic history of the Western Sierra Nevada Metamorphic Belt for determination of controlling faults and the design basis earthquake for a proposed hydroelectric 88
plant in California, 7) influence of tectonic setting on seismic source characterization data for Probabilistic Seismic Hazard Analysis (PSHA), including settings ranging from active plate boundaries to stable continental regions (SCRs) in the WUS, Canada, CEUS, and South Africa, 8) characterization of fault sources for seismic source model development in a tectonically-reactivated SCR environment in South Africa, 9) paleoseismic history of the western North Panama Deformed Belt as part of a PSHA for development of a new harbor in Costa Rica, 10) natural hazards related to faulting, seismicallyinduced ground motion, liquefaction, landslides, and tsunami for a natural gas pipeline in Turkey, and 11) holocene surface faulting and potential seismic hazard at proposed high-level radioactive waste repositories in Sweden and Finland. For each example, speakers addressed the technical issues involved and technical approaches used to assess the presence of, and the potential for, geologic and seismic hazards by considering site characterization data in light of the tectonic setting and tectonic history of the region in which the critical facility was located. The examples showcased the practical use of geologic data in assessment of natural hazards for critical facilities with the specific purpose of ensuring adequate protection of public health and safety and the environment.
Developing Remote Sensing Methods for Bedrock Mapping of the Front Range Mountains, Colorado Stewart, Joshua, Department of Geology & Geological Engineering, Colorado School of Mines, jostewar@mines.edu; Wendy Zhou, wzhou@mines.edu; Paul M. Santi, psanti@mines.edu (Poster) The Colorado Front Range Mountains have a history of significant debris flow hazards capable of causing losses to both property and life. The recent flash floods in the Larimer, Boulder, and Jefferson Counties exhibited this when a storm event on September 9–13, 2013, triggered a minimum of 1,138 debris flows in the Colorado Front Range leading to eight fatalities and causing damage to buildings, highways, railroads, and infrastructure. Following this event, the United States Geological Survey (USGS) studied the debris flows that were triggered by the rainstorm with the intention of modeling debris flow susceptibility in this region. The objective of our project is to assist in constraining the susceptibility modeling by creating and executing a methodology for using existing remote sensing technology to map bedrock outcrops. Calibrating against seven smaller study areas that span the different geologic formations and ecosystems of the Front Range Mountains, the goal was to produce a map of exposed bedrock outcrops over nine, 7.5-minute quadrangles in the Boulder Creek watershed. The benefit of using remote sensing is to map the bedrock exposures in a time-efficient and cost-effective manner for a significantly sized area of interest. Use of normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) and unsupervised classification methods with Landsat 8 OLI/TIRS imagery yielded the approximate location and size of bedrock outcrops though the ability to discriminate between bedrock, colluvium, and sparsely vegetated areas is limited. Further examination of Landsat imagery using supervised classification was used to improve bedrock identification.
Application of Petrography to Highways Stokowski, Steven J., TEC Services, Inc., SStokowski@tecservices. com; Stephen D. Lane, Stephen.Lane@VDOT.Virginia.gov (TS #19) Many highway professionals consider petrographic analysis primarily for concrete failure investigations, although it has broad applicability to all of the materials encountered in highway construction. Modern petrographic investigations can characterize the raw materials so as to prevent poor performance or, at a later time, resolve performance problems. Petrography can and is done on the materials used in all
AEG NEWS 58 Annual Meeting Program with Abstracts
September 2015
2015 ANNUAL MEETING components of highways: soil and rock cuts and fills, foundations, pavements, bridges, tunnels, and incidental construction. A highway system consists of more than just bridges and pavements constructed of cementitious and bituminous concrete. Historic and modern building materials include brick, dimension stone, and crushed stone, all of which may develop problems that can best be evaluated with a petrographic analysis. Petrography has more recently been used to investigate the suitability of fly ash and related materials as pozzolans and geopolymer binders. Polymer asphalt microstructures are also routinely investigated using fluorescence microscopy. In the as-built highway, petrography is used to resolve problems ranging from expansive or acidgenerating fill to the performance of pavement surface layers and bridges. A relatively new problem is with the usage of crushed concrete as granular base, which may leach lime that is re-deposited as calcite in pavement drains. Another relatively new area of investigation is of bituminous concrete, where the mica content of manufactured sand, asphalt absorption into aggregate, the presence of dust layers on aggregate, the effects of compaction during construction, and the degree of RAP/virgin AC homogenization are quantified.
Collapse Risk Management in an Arid Alluvial Environment Sturman, John, Schnabel Engineering, jsturman@schnabel-neg.com (TS #14) A 16-acre urban site in arid western Asia is being redeveloped into an office complex. The site has slopes ranging from 6:1 to 1:1 and a varying alluvial subsurface profile. The mountains south of the site rise steeply and the surficial deposits represent sedimentary deposits of reworked alluvial fans and mudflows. The site is in a high seismic zone and the city was heavily damaged in a 7.3 earthquake several decades ago. A previous investigation of the site identified collapsible soils with wetting-induced collapse as high as 18%. The collapse potential was based on a test result from a test very similar to ASTM Method 5333. The shallow soils contained gravel and some cobbles and were difficult to sample. However, the previous mudflow and a solidified crust deposit from mudflows had been documented. The challenges in collecting undisturbed samples and the results from our study made the collapse potential difficult to confirm or deny. Our study considered the previous data, site surficial observations, soil boring and test pit observations, and lab testing to develop an approach to manage risks associated with potentially collapsible soils. The performance of existing buildings on the site and the surficial features offered some clues as to site geotechnical risks for the planned development. The approach eventually developed provided some options for the Contractor, and a higher level of assurance for the Owner.
Prioritization of Aging Rock Slopes on I-77 in Virginia Tinsley, Ryan, HDR Engineering, Inc, ryan.tinsley@hdrinc.com; Larry Artman, larry.artman@hdrinc.com; Travis Higgs, travis.higgs@vdot. virginia.gov; Wade Pence, wade.pence@vdot.virginia.gov (TS #10) Interstate 77 (I-77) is a high-traffic volume corridor serving commuter and truck traffic between North Carolina and the interchange of I-77/I81 near Wytheville, VA. HDR Engineering, Inc., (HDR) was contracted by the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) to perform multiphase evaluations of existing cut slopes on I-77 between Mile Posts (MP) 0.0 and 8.0 in Carroll County, VA. The existing rock slopes are a product of I-77 construction in the mid-1970s through the Blue Ridge Mountains. They vary in height from 40 feet to greater than 250 feet and were constructed in biotite gneiss and greywacke of the Precambrian-Aged Alligator Back Formation. There are more than 25 highhazard rock slopes (VDOT RHRS Rating >300) with varying degrees of rockfall activity, a number of failure mechanisms, and remediation chalSeptember 2015
lenges along a short 3.5-mile section. Selecting priority slopes for evaluation and a remediation can be a challenge on a limited budget with this high percentage of hazardous and aging rock slopes on I-77. VDOT has taken a proactive approach to evaluating the existing rock slopes along I-77 between MP 0.0 and 8.0 to reduce the risk to the travelling public. This presentation focuses on the corridor challenges, I-77 Rock Slope Management Program, design considerations, and the approaches utilized to prioritize the rock slopes for remediation and selection of remediation options including client collaboration.
Balancing Professional Judgment and the Risk of Decision Toskos, Theodoros, Amec Foster Wheeler Environment and Infrastructure, Inc., theodoros.toskos@gmail.com, Brian Worden, brian.worden@amecfw.com (TS #3) As professional geologists we routinely collect and interpret data and make recommendations based on our observations and analysis. We are also challenged to â&#x20AC;&#x153;use professional judgmentâ&#x20AC;? when certain decisions must be made. Which often leads to arguments of being too conservative or not conservative enough. At the root of the argument lies the fact that for many people, professional judgment is thought to be a matter of art and intuition rather than fact and analysis. Anything else is a mental shortcut or arbitrary decision. On the other hand, we recognize that any conclusion and recommendation made based on a set of data, carries a certain error and risk. What if the extrapolated position of a fracture or the extrapolated size of a contaminant plume is incorrect? Depending on the question, the consequences of error can be great. Understanding, and quantifying the potential for error and the consequences of that, enables us to exercise our professional judgment to come up with recommendations that meet the project objectives. Examples for actual projects will be used to illustrate the discussion.
Professional Geologists and Contaminated Site Remediation Licensure Toskos, Theodoros, Amec Foster Wheeler Environment and Infrastructure, Inc., theodoros.toskos@gmail.com; Brian Worden, brian.worden@amecfw.com (TS #3) A number of U.S. states and a few foreign countries have adopted licensure of professionals engaged in the remediation of contaminated sites. Most of these jurisdictions do not have a program for licensing professional geologists, even though, in some instances, there had been efforts to do so. Unlike traditional professional licensure that is based on educational background, site remediation licensure is interdisciplinary and has a strong regulatory component. On the other hand, environmental remediation is an important career and occupation path for large numbers of professional geologists, and many obtain these environmental professional licenses. While environmental remediation licensure is often perceived as being mostly regulatory, contaminant release, fate and transport is actually happening in a geologic media context. In many cases the geologic setting is quite complex and a proper solution cannot be devised without fully characterizing and understanding the workings of the geologic framework. Therefore, professional geologists have a great stake in the process of establishing and regulating an environmental remediation licensure system. Both as individuals and through professional organizations, we need to actively participate in the stakeholder process to ensure that proper geologic science considerations are included in regulation, guidance and practice. Examples from the New Jersey LSRP experience will be used to illustrate the discussion.
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2015 ANNUAL MEETING Tracers of Ore Fertility & Crustal Signatures: Applying Zircon Geochemistry & Geochronology to Plutons in the Western Cascades, Washington and Oregon Utevsky, Elinor S., College of Earth, Ocean, & Atmospheric Sciences Oregon State University, utevskye@onid.oregonstate.edu; John Dilles (Poster) Plutonic rocks of the western Cascades in Washington and Oregon are the focus of this study. The western Cascades arc extends from northernmost California to southern British Columbia and is ancestral to modern Cascade magmatism, containing volcanic rocks (~45-25 Ma) and plutonic rocks (~25-10Ma). The modern Cascades arc lies to the east and was apparently built on Pre- Eocene crust that is segmented along the arc from north to south. The ancestral arc overlies the same crust, and hosts a series of epizonal plutons that are locally associated with porphyry (Cu-Mo) and epithermal (Au) ore deposits. We present U-Pb zircon ages and trace element compositions of plutonic zircons, as well as whole rock geochemistry. New SHRIMP-RG and LA-ICP-MS U-Pb analyses of zircon from ten samples collected along strike of the ancestral arc in Washington and Oregon indicate plutons associated with porphyry Cu-Au and epithermal Au deposits were emplaced between 23 and 13 Ma. Zircons from these intrusions have large negative Eu/Eu* anomalies and differ from the small negative Eu/Eu* anomalies of mineralizing plutons in elsewhere in the Cordillera. Likely, the large negative Eu/Eu* anomalies reflect thin crust and relatively low water contents of the ancestral Cascades arc magmas. We have also identified 23 (inherited) zircon grains from the intrusions that have ages between 63 and 30 Ma consistent with derivation from the Eocene Tyee turbidite sandstones and older western Cascades volcanic rocks. These inherited grains suggest the western Cascades in northern Oregon and southern Washington is built on Siletzia oceanic basalts covered by the Tyee. The zircon data suggest that the Miocene ancestral Cascade arc was built on thin and immature crust, which was locally assimilated by the arc magmas. Thin crust and low water contents of magmas are globally associated with small magmatic hydrothermal ore deposits, as in the Cascades.
Geologic Evaluation of Battle Creek Debris Basin for Rehabilitation, Utah County, Utah Vargo, Ana, United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), ana.vargo@co.usda.gov; Todd Sieber, todd.sieber@ut.usda.gov; Jo Johnson, jo.johnson@tn.usda.gov (Poster) Battle Creek Debris Basin was built for flood control and sediment retention in the American Fork Watershed under the Small Watersheds Program in 1962 and is classified as a high hazard dam. Rehabilitation is needed to extend the operational life of the structure and bring it into compliance with current NRCS and Utah Dam Safety requirements. The Battle Creek watershed for the debris basin is 5.5 square miles. The debris basin is a flood control structure, but is proposed to operate as an infiltration basin that maintains a pool of four feet of water that would recharge the groundwater aquifer. The debris basin is only 0.13 miles (0.21 km) to the west of the Wasatch Fault which is a Holocene active fault that could generate a greater than 7 magnitude earthquake. Based on results of the site-specific seismic risk evaluation a peak horizontal ground acceleration of 0.51g and a design earthquake of M = 7.4 is recommended. The Battle Creek Debris Basin was constructed using three zones of material. The dam is on alluvial-fan deposits overlying limestone. The Great Blue Limestone is exposed approximately 150 feet northeast of the reservoir. The dam is
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underlain by gravel with large boulders (GP), and silty or clayey gravel (GM-GC) near the surface that grades to a silty, poorly graded gravel (GP-GM) with depth. Materials beneath the debris basin include silty, poorly graded gravel (GM-GP), silty gravel (GM), GM-GC material, and clayey gravel (GC). Cobbles and boulders may be present.
Landslides in the Spectrum of Disasters: Emergency Management Lessons from a Low Landslide Risk State Waage, Eric, Hennepin County Emergency Management, eric.waage@hennepin.us (TS #21) Emergency managers are charged with addressing all types of hazards in their jurisdictions, from natural to human-caused, both accidental and adversarial. They operate across all phases of emergency management from mitigation and preparation before a disaster strikes to managing the response upon impact, followed by the long process of recovery. Emergency managers coordinate and synchronize emergency activities across all responding departments, disciplines and governmental levels. They often depend on external expertise to assess and prepare for hazards and to trigger public warning. Some of these hazard information support systems are well developed while others are not. Landslides are often in the latter category. Particularly in areas that have long intervals between significant landslides, the potential for slide disasters may be overlooked. In these places, residents and responders alike are surprised when slides occur. Disaster response and recovery procedures that are familiar and effective for floods or severe weather seem complex and confusing for landslides. To properly address the landslide risk to communities, an effective and lasting relationship must be forged between emergency managers and geologists.
The Failure of Camará Dam: Repetition of a Known Failure Mode from Misinterpretation of a Geologic Vulnerability Wagner, Cassandra, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Cassandra.m. wagner@usace.army.mil; Douglas Boyer, Douglas.Boyer@ferc.gov; Pete Shaffner, Peter.T.Shaffner@usace.army.mil (TS #12) Camará Dam, constructed in 2002 and located in the northeastern Brazilian state of Paraíba, breached on the 17th of June 2004. The failure resulted in the release of nearly 14,000 acre-feet of water along the Mamanguape River, and loss of life and property in the downstream towns of Alagoa Grande and Mulungu. The 200-foot-high concrete gravity dam was constructed from roller compacted concrete (RCC). An independent technical review of the failure indicated that high foundation water pressures initiated erosion of the infilling material in the foundation stress relief joints. Continued erosion and increased high foundation water pressures then caused instability of a foundation bedrock block in the left abutment below the dam. In this location, the metamorphic bedrock forming the dam foundation was initially considered to be largely fracture-free and favorable to dam construction, aside from documented stress relief fractures approximately parallel to the topographic surface. During construction of the project, a low shear zone was discovered in the left abutment. Additional investigation was pursued, but the overall extent of the zone was misinterpreted, as the investigation was unable to capture the natural variability of the low shear zone geometry. The resulting mitigation was ineffective to address the ensuing mode of failure. Stress indicators during first-filling may have offered clues to the impending failure mode, but were not realized. The type of failure at Camará Dam is recognized from historical dam failures and better characterization of this type of geologic vulnerability is essential to dam safety.
AEG NEWS 58 Annual Meeting Program with Abstracts
September 2015
2015 ANNUAL MEETING Identification and Evaluation of Seismically Induced Geohazards: A Case Study for a Natural Gas Transmission Pipeline Waterman, Matthew K., Bechtel Nuclear, Safety and Environmental mkwaterm@bechtel.com (TS#13) Geohazard characterization is a standard component of pre-FEED (Front End Engineering and Design) and FEED level studies for infrastructure projects, particularly linear projects that traverse variable terrain over long distances. Although such studies are now routine, historical data clearly demonstrate higher failure rates for projects where geohazards were not adequately characterized and mitigated. This is a case study of the FEED level geohazard identification and evaluation for a planned 1,850 km long natural gas pipeline, which is to extend from Eastern Europe to Western Asia across Turkey, one of the most highly seismic countries in the world. Dominated by an active right lateral, strike-slip fault that has generated seven magnitude 7 earthquakes over the last approximately 75 years, the potential for infrastructure damage resulting from seismic activity is high. The seismically induced geohazards of concern are ground motion, fault displacement and surface rupture, liquefaction, co-seismic landslides, and tsunamis. For the FEED level evaluation, a combination of prior studies combined with desktop and field studies were undertaken to characterize the seismic geohazards. Ground motion estimates were obtained from work performed by in-country public agencies and these studies were used to determine PGA estimates, which were subsequently used as input to design for the aboveground installations. For evaluation of fault displacement and surface rupture a total of thirteen active fault crossings were identified and classified based on activity and potential surface displacement. Planned work subsequent to the FEED stage includes fault trenching and paleoseismic studies to optimize the pipeline route as it crosses the fault and to characterize the magnitude, timing, and direction of movement for input to an updated PSHA. Initial estimates of liquefaction potential were determined using preliminary PGA and controlling magnitude earthquake estimates combined with data collected from a geotechnical investigation program. Identification of landslides was accomplished as part of a field mapping program conducted along the entire alignment. This program built upon prior desktop studies and the data were subsequently used to characterize the hazard to the pipeline. These included submarine landslides with the potential to cause damage. For an offshore portion of the pipeline, tsunamis induced by submarine landslides are a potential concern that will be evaluated at a subsequent stage. The identification, evaluation, and mitigation of these hazards are essential steps in quantifying and reducing risk to an acceptable level.
3D Photogrammetry from Unmanned Aerial Vehicles for Generating Virtual Rock Slope Models Watts, Chester, Radford University, cwatts@radford.edu; Nirjung Karki, nkarki2@radford.edu (TS #10) Researchers at Radford University are exploring the use of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) for mapping rock slopes and extracting geologic structure data from xyz point clouds derived from digital stereo pairs. This is a progress report. Among the topics covered are federal and state regulatory considerations, types of UAV platforms readily available, and advances in software for processing high-resolution video imagery. Post processing software for stability analyses will be described and evaluated. Vertical takeoff UAVs provide the ability to image steep rock slopes. Several test cases will be presented including a natural cliff face, an abandoned highway cut, and an open pit mine. We expect that digital 3D models created in this way may allow for detailed slope measurements including extents of differential weathering and undercutting, rock mass volumes, and structure data for kinematic stereonet stability analyses. September 2015
Sandstone Highwall Restoration at Stan Hywet Hall and Gardens Weber, Mitchell, Gannett Fleming Engineers and Architects, P.C., mweber@gfnet.com (TS #18) Stan Hywet Hall & Gardens is the estate of F.A. Seiberling, founder of the Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company in 1898. In 1910, Seiberling began to silently acquire nearly 1,000 acres of land through an intermediary. Part of the purchased land contained the White Sand and Stone Company’s quarry. The Seiberling’s American County Estate was built between 1911 and 1915. The nearly 60,000-square-foot Manor House residence was located behind the quarry highwall. The quarry slopes and ponds were integrated into the Gardens by 1900’s famed landscape architect, Warren Manning. In 1957, the Seiberling descendants gifted the estate to the Akron community and the grounds are now a world-class garden and the Manor House a glorious representation of the opulence of the early 1900s industrial giants. Over the past 100 years, the 20-foot-high, 780-foot-long, quarry sandstone cliff face suffered the effects of mechanical and chemical deterioration. The areas below the face are frequented daily by visitors to the gardens. The slope stability is being affected by ivy vegetation on the face, root mass and ice wedging in joints, run-off from the structures above the face, and fatigue from the sandstone “Tea House” and “Aspect” structures immediately atop the face. This paper will describe the means and methods used to define the types of failures, their contributing causes, and the mitigation strategies for stabilization. Project mapping of the sandstone face is being accomplished by threedimensional lidarmapping.
Two Ways to Deal with Combined Sewer Overflow, A Tale of Two Cities, Lafayette and West Lafayette, Indiana West, Terry, Purdue University, trwest@purdue.edu; Ashley Murray, murray37@purdue.edu (TS #4) Combined sewer overflow occurs when a combined sewer system reaches its capacity and untreated water is discharged directly into an open water body. Two types of sewer systems exist in cities, sanitary sewers, which transport liquid waste, and storm sewers that carry runoff from streets following rainfall events. Prior to the 1950s to reduce construction costs, combined sewers were built to carry low flows of sanitary water plus higher flows of storm water during rainfall events. All water was sent to a sewage treatment plant for processing. However due to high runoff from urban areas, an intense storm will overfill the system and sewer outflows into a nearby water body are necessary to relieve pressure. Combined sewers are no longer constructed, but in older sections of the city they prevail. As cities grow, increased volumes of both sanitary and storm water occurs. Lafayette has chosen to keep storm water separated and not send it to the treatment plant as the city expands. West Lafayette, by contrast, has increased the size of their collection and storage system, and treatment plant to accommodate the increased volume. Both cities reduce runoff through the use of portable pavements, green roofs, rain barrels and bioswales.
Rock Block Slide Along Ohio River, Indiana, Causes Damage to Residential Buildings West, Terry R., Department of Earth, Atmospheric, and Planetary Sciences Purdue University, trwest@purdue.edu (TS #16) The Ohio River, which forms the southern border of Indiana, is deeply entrenched yielding steep bluffs near the center of the state. Mississippian-aged limestones crop out of the valley wall on the north side of the river. The small community of Levanworth is located south of I-64,
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2015 ANNUAL MEETING Crawford County, 35 miles west of Louisville. In a small residential area, seven houses sit at the edge of the upland overlooking the Ohio River. Thin residual soils overly horizontally bedded, fissured limestone with houses supported on strip footings on residual soil or bedrock. Several houses developed cracked concrete in their garages and walls at the rear of the structures. Rock slope stability was another concern. The subdivision developer removed support at the base of the slope to provide an additional flat area. He proposed to add houses at this lower elevation, but was denied by the Zoning Board because of slope stability and erosion control concerns.
Slope Failure Investigation and Mitigation Design, Pine Flat Dam, Piedra, Fresno County, California Wilhite, Coralie, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, coralie.p.wilhite@ usace.army.mil; Derek Morley, derek.s.morley@usace.army.mil; David Schug, david.schug@aecom.com (TS #11) Pine Flat Dam is a concrete gravity dam located in Piedra, Fresno County, CA. Movement of a slope failure on the downstream right abutment was first noted in the winter of 1995 following a large precipitation event. USACE became concerned about the failure and its potential to impact the dam adit #2, toe drain, and penstocks. This slope failure appears to be an ancient landslide that was undercut during excavation of the dam foundation. The landslide occurs within Mesozoic amphibolite bedrock, which displays flow structures, pervasive joints, and altered dikes. The landslide material is clast supported and composed of very intensely fractured amphibolite fragments with a clay matrix. Slope movement historically occurs when substantial groundwater accumulates within the landslide mass. Two previous mitigation efforts to stabilize the landslide included horizontal drains, surface drainage, and regrading. Construction work for the second effort occurred during the wet winter season of 2013 and had to cease when the landslide reactivated. The most recent (2014) geotechnical investigation expanded on the previous investigations and provides a basis for the current landslide mitigation design. The landslide subsurface geometry was mapped with trenches, HQ-coring, televiewer surveys, and sonic borings. Slope movement data and interpreted subsurface geologic conditions suggest the landslide is crudely wedge-shaped and can be divided into three geologic domains bounded by primary joint surfaces, altered dikes, and an internal shear. This presentation will review the landslide history, investigations, geologic characterizations, and previous and current mitigation options being considered by USACE.
A Study of the Importance of and Trends in Professional Ethics in the Geosciences by the National Association of State Boards of Geology (ASBOG®) Williams, John, National Association of State Boards of Geology (ASBOG®), johnwhartonwilliams@gmail.com; Jack L. Warner, testinc@comcast.net (TS #3) Since its establishment in 1988, ASBOG® has surveyed licensed geoscience practitioners at five-year intervals to determine the knowledge topics that should be included on the written licensing examinations. Beginning in 2005, topics on professional ethics were included in addition to the approximately 40 traditional geological subject areas. In 2005, practitioners completing the surveys rated the 13 professional ethics issues as highly important. In 2010 and 2015, practitioners rated the same 13 professional ethics issues as to “seriousness” and “frequency with which a particular issue is encountered in practice,” to permit direct comparisons of attitudes across time. Correlations of 0.98 and above indicate that the attitudes of practitioners did not change between 2010 and 2015, and that most of the ethics issues 92
are viewed as serious. These data are almost identical to the data reflecting very little change in the attitudes toward the more traditional geological subject areas between 2010 and 2015. Although there are differences in details, the high correlations in the ratings by respondents from different practitioner groups (practicing professionals in the United States, Canada, and academia) indicate a high degree of similarity in the attitudes between these groups.
In-Situ Remediation of Chlorinated Solvents in Low-Permeability Soils of the Brevard Fault Zone: Matching Remedial Technologies with Compatible Geo-Chemical Conditions Wintle, Jack, Clearwater Environmental Resources, LLC, jack.wintle@clearwaterenv.net; Mike McJilton, mike.mcjilton@x2ec.com (TS #20) Beginning in the 1960s and continuing for approximately 15 years, an open waste disposal pit at an auto parts remanufacturing facility was used to dispose of waste materials generated in the plant. Site soil and groundwater was contaminated with various chlorinated and non-chlorinated solvents during this time, tetrachloroethene (PCE) being the main constituent of concern (COC). Groundwater at the site is approximately 43 feet below ground surface (bgs) and bedrock is approximately 70 feet bgs with contamination extending to and possibly into bedrock. The site is located within the Brevard Fault Zone, which represents the suture where Proto-Africa collided with Proto-North America to form Pangaea. Site lithology is low permeability silty sand to sandy silt grading into silty saprolite followed by bedrock. In 1998, the highly impacted soil and groundwater were discovered during the due diligence process during a routine real estate transaction of a neighboring property and the site was listed with the Georgia Hazardous Sites Response (HSRA) Program (Georgia’s Superfund Program). Since that time, the site and surrounding area has been extensively investigated. Two remedial pilot studies were conducted to attempt to inject remedial solutions using either direct-push equipment with pumps or a sonic drill rig utilizing the injectate as the drilling solution. Due to the low-permeability of the geologic formation, injection was not possible and neither study accomplished its goal. In general, liquid injection approaches rely on pressurized flow to distribute the reagent in 3D space throughout the remediation zone. In low-permeability conditions, the pressure tends to force the liquid in narrow paths, thus short-circuiting the process. Based on the results of our investigation and previous pilot study results, an innovative pilot study using Dynamic Diffusion technology was performed for six months with positive results. Dynamic Diffusion is based on continuous gas injection at relatively low pressure and flow rate, successfully creating diffusion gradients through low permeability environments. Diffusion does not rely on advective transport as does liquid injection, but rather on concentration gradients. The reagent gas is injected at the rate that the formation can assimilate it. Operation of the Dynamic Diffusion system to date has yielded measurable positive results. Once the initial remedial technology is selected, geochemical conditions often change in response to the reactions being driven. One of the common phenomenon in reductive dechlorination projects is the growth of methanogenic bacteria, which compete with the dehalococcoides for electrons. The result is generation of methane gas and low levels of reductive dechlorination. Operational changes in the gas injection recipe are required to reduce the hydrogen concentration and therefore minimize competition from methanogens.
AEG NEWS 58 Annual Meeting Program with Abstracts
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2015 ANNUAL MEETING Rock Slope Remediation Project in Differentially Weathering Rocks: KY-1460 Pikeville, Kentucky Woodard, Martin, Geostabilization International, marty@gismos; Paxton Weddington (TS #6) Pikeville, Kentucky is a location with a long and rich history that includes the famous feud between the Hatfields and McCoys. Within the City limits is the historic Hatfield and McCoy Cemetery where members of both families are laid to rest. Adjacent to this cemetery is KY-1460, which is a main route within the town. A large rockfall of nearly 250 tons occurred in a section of the rockslope that is adjacent to KY-1460 that supports a portion of this cemetery. The rock slope is characterized as an interbedded sequence of sandstones, shales, coals, and siltstones that historically has failures due to differential weathering. Along with the section adjacent to the cemetery, a nearly 2,000 lineal foot long stretch of the road with section of the slope reaching nearly 90 feet in height is being remediated to armor the slope against weathering and erosion and rock failures. This presentation will illustrate the failure mechanisms and remediation methods being utilized.
Telegraph Hill Rock Slope Improvement Project: Construction Issues and Value Engineering Proposals Woodard, Martin, Geostabilization International, marty@gismos (TS #16) Telegraph Hill is a well-known topographic high located in San Francisco, California and topped by the Coit Tower landmark. The bay side of Telegraph Hill was historically quarried for rock material between the 1800s through early 1900s and was famously used as ballast for ships leaving the Golden Gate after unloading cargo. Situated within these old quarries is the Telegraph Hill project, which is comprised generally of greywacke sandstone and minor shale interbeds of the Franciscan Assemblage. The project location includes the steep exposed rock faces of these old quarry operations and is approximately 150 feet in height with a condominium complex at the toe of the slope that has been impacted by significant rockfall as recently as 2012. The rock slope improvement project follows numerous historic attempts to remediate the slope and includes rock scaling, installation of post-tensioned rock anchors, shotcrete, and a dual system pinned mesh system. This presentation discusses the construction issues related to the project as well as value engineering alternatives, including the use of passive dowel anchors and newly developed corrosion resistant elements, proposed for the project.
Geologic Factors Influencing the Differential Weathering of Metasedimentary and Metavolcanic Rock Sequences: Their Controls on Rock Slope Failures in the Blue Ridge and Piedmont of North Carolina Wooten, Richard M., North Carolina Survey, Rick.Wooten@ncdenr.gov; Kenneth A. Gillon, kgillon@romarco.com; Rebecca S. Latham, rebeccaslatham@yahoo.com; Timothy W. Clark, twclark@waketech.edu (TS #10) Metasedimentary and metavolcanic sequences in the North Carolina Blue Ridge and Piedmont are complex assemblages of Neoproterozoic to Early Paleozoic rocks that have been subjected to multiple tectonothermal events, and subsequent uplift, weathering and erosion. Differential weathering and its controls on the stability of slopes underlain by these folded, faulted, and fractured rocks are observed at scales ranging from individual layers and discontinuities, to map-scale features. Geologic factors influencing the development of differential weathering include: 1) primary mineralogic and lithologic differences, 2) the presence of pyrite and pyrrhotite, 3) hydrothermal alteration, and 4) September 2015
ductile and brittle structures such as shear and mylonite zones, faults, and fractures. These factors result in zones of preferential weathering with decreased strength and increased permeability. In rock slope failures preferentially weathered zones function as sliding and detachment surfaces, and preferential pathways for water. Examples of rock slope failures that illustrate these factors are presented for two settings in the mountainous Blue Ridge: 1) metasedimentary rocks of the Ashe and Alligator Back Metamorphic Suites, and the Copperhill Formation along the Blue Ridge Parkway; and, 2) metasedimentary and metavolcanic rocks of the Grandfather Mountain Formation where brittle faulting overprints mylonitic rocks of the Linville Falls fault bordering the Grandfather Mountain window near Boone. In the Piedmont, rockslides in an abandoned quarry on Occoneechee Mountain in Eno River State Park near Hillsborough occurred in metatuffs of the Hyco Formation with sericitic and pyrophyllitc hydrothermal alteration overprinted by shearing associated with the Cane Creek fault.
Challenges of Grouting and Anchoring an 1880s Masonry Dam Wullenwaber, Jesse, Schnabel Engineering, jwullenwaber@ schnabel-eng.com; John Harrison, johnh@schnabel-eng.com (TS #17) Antietam Dam is a stone masonry dam originally constructed in the 1880s in Berks County, PA. The dam has performed well throughout its long life forming a water supply and recreational reservoir. However, evaluations in 2004 indicated that the structure did not meet current stability criteria for high hazard dams. The selected upgrading program included grouting and anchoring the dam to meet stability criteria. This approach was found to be cost effective and also preserved the appearance of this historic structure. The dam consists of three zones: 1) a downstream shell composed of large cut stone placed in mortar, 2) a central zone consisting of dumped rock fill with poured grout infilling at 5-foot increments, and 3) an upstream zone comprised of an earthfill slope. The grouting program initially called for a sanded grout mix, otherwise known as medium-mobility grout (MMG) injected to fill the larger voids in the central portion of the dam, followed by high-mobility grout (HMG) to fill the smaller voids. The design intended for a small percentage of holes to utilize downstage grouting methods while the majority of holes would utilize upstage grouting methods. Following grouting, a heavily reinforced concrete slab was constructed across the dam to distribute loads from newly installed post-tensioned strand anchors. Numerous passive anchors were included to tie the downstream and central zones of the dam together. The presentation will focus on the challenges of this unique grouting and anchoring program.
Time Series Modeling of the Up Coordinates in a Subsidence Zone Yalvac, Sefa, Selcuk University, Faculty of Engineering, Department of Geomatics, Konya, Turkey, sefayalvac@selcuk.edu.tr; Aydin Ustun, aydin.ustun@kocaeli.edu.tr (TS #25) Konya Closed Basin (KCB) is located in the central part of Turkey with an area of 60,000 km2, which is the Turkeyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s largest basin. It covers four cities with a population of five million and it is increasing rapidly because of immigration. The basin is a highly productive agricultural area with almost half of the total basin area suitable for farming activities. The rapid rises of population in urban centers and increasing industrial production have caused an extensive use of the groundwater. The water level observations obtained in the last 40 years indicate a groundwater withdrawal of about one meter per year and groundwater depletion is able to induce land subsidence in KCB. There have been some occurrences of land subsidence, sinkhole, earth fissure, etc. in the southwest part of the basin. Additionally, ten-period of campaigns
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2015 ANNUAL MEETING had revealed 11–90 mm/yr subsidence rates on the network contain 28 GNSS site between the years of 2006–15. In this study, it is aimed to summarize the GNSS studies and results between the years of 2006 and 2015 in the basin. According to the results, the land subsidence magnitude in terms of up coordinates varies between -10 mm/year to -90 mm/year and correlated with the rainfall and groundwater level observations. Additionally, the GNSS CORS (Continuously Operating Reference Station) yearly time series data have been gathered and analyzed. The time series results have been evaluated with digital signal processing techniques in order to model the subsidence and its behavior within the year.
Influence of Salt Tectonics on Seafloor Morphology from Algeria to Sardinia – Seismic Yeakley, Julia, Kent State University Department of Geology, jyeakle1@kent.edu; Abdul Shakoor, ashakoor@kent.edu; William Johnson, Bill.Johnson@Rhea.us (TS #15) Marine geophysical data, collected for the proposed Galsi pipeline, was analyzed for salt distribution and associated seafloor deformation. The southern section of the route traverses continental shelves and slopes of Algeria and Sardinia, the Balearic abyssal plain of the Western Mediterranean, as well as convergent African/Nubian/European plate boundary and areas of deeply buried Messinian-age salt. Being unpredictable and non-compressible, salt can flow and form vaguely understood diapiric structures. Since central Mediterranean salt distribution is not precisely mapped, this research identifies salt diapirs and locations where seafloor is displaced upward and faulted as a result of salt movement. Bathymetric, seismic and quantitative analyses were used to determine distribution and influence of salt tectonics (halokinesis) on seafloor morphology and nature of associated diapiric structures developed in compressive plate boundary as well as passive margin environments. Seismic reflection sub-bottom profile interpretations, along with age-dated core samples, quantified amount, timing and style of deformation caused by salt movement. Digital elevation maps were used to correlate high and ultrahigh seismic locations, depicting salt-related structures at different resolutions in multiple dimensions. Measured and plotted offsets, along with predicted sediment age at depth of offset, indicated estimated rates of salt-movement as low as two cm per thousand years near the Cagliari Slope. Seismic profiles identified features of salt-related structures, including faults, folds, domes, depressions and seafloor features such as pockmarks and failure deposits caused by doming and diapiric piercing. Discovered salt-related movement and deformation is also compared to offshore Angola.
Thermal Remote Sensing for Moisture Content Characterization at Mine Tailings Impoundments: a Field Study Zwissler, Bonnie, Michigan Technological University, bezwissl@mtu.edu; Thomas Oommen, toommen@mtu.edu; Stan Vitton, vitton@mtu.edu; Eric Seagren, easeagren@mtu.edu (TS #14) Mine tailings impoundments are among the largest earthen structures in the world. An important and heavily regulated environmental hazard associated with tailings impoundments is tailings dust emissions. In addition to the problem of dust emissions, trafficability can be a concern to tailings impoundment managers trying to monitor/prevent dust emissions. Moisture content is one of the controlling factors for tailing strength, and thus dust susceptibility and trafficability. Therefore, understanding the spatial and temporal variations in moisture content for the surface tailings is critical for characterizing the susceptibility of tailings to dust emissions and trafficability issues. The traditional approach for monitoring the susceptibility of mine tailings 94
to dust emissions involves collecting dust samples from monitoring stations, which cover a limited sampling area and often leads to areas that are susceptible to dust emissions going unnoticed until a dust event occurs. In laboratory testing, thermal remote sensing has proved useful for monitoring the moisture content of mine tailings. The laboratory relationship between the thermal remote sensing and moisture content was then applied to tailings impoundment scales by conducting a field study at a North American iron mine tailings impoundment. Both ASTER satellite data and UAV-based thermal imaging were used to apply these laboratory relationships to the field scale, showing that changes in moisture content can be detected at the tailings impoundment scale with thermal remote sensing.
Added at Press Time: Modeling Landslide Distribution, Recurrence, and Size in the Drift Creek Watersheds, Lincoln County, Oregon Korte, David, Kent State University Department of Geology, dkotre@kent.edu; Abdul Shakoor, ashakoor@kent.edu The objective of this study is to determine the variables that have the most influence on landslide distribution and then use these variables in sensitivity analysis to infer future landslide distribution and susceptibilityin two relatively inaccessible and geologically data-poor watersheds in the Oregon Coastal Range. The areas of study are the Upper and Lower Drift Creek watersheds which are part of the larger Lower Siletz watershed in Lincoln County, Oregon. This research uses a systems approach derived from information theory to model the presence or absence of a landslide in map space (a mapping unit) given a set of environmental variables. This new method models multi-scale interactions, feedbacks, and interactions between geophysical and anthropological processes. The Oregon Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) is interested in this study because unknown sediment stressors are affecting water quality, water treatment plant operations, and ecology in the Drift Creek watersheds. The DEQ needs to know if these stressors are the result of natural or anthropological phenomena in order to properly plan and direct funding for remediation. The results of this study include environmental variables, landslide distribution, and landslide susceptibility maps that can be used as planning tools to ensure both water quality and ecological habitat of the lower Siletz watershed.
AEG’s Mission: AEG contributes to its members’ professional success and the public welfare by providing leadership, advocacy, and applied research in environmental and engineering geology.
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Author and Title Index Author
Title
Abdelmonem, S. M.
See Seliem, Gamal
Addison, Priscilla
Characterizing the Vulnerable Sections along a Railway Corridor Underlain by Permafrost Using Remote Sensing
Addison, Priscilla
See Kern, Ashley
Admassu, Jonathan
Multivariate Statistical Approach to Re-Evaluate the Slake Durability Index Test (ASTM 4644 – 08) (1)
Admassu, Yonathan
Terrestrial LiDAR-Based Rockfall Hazard Rating for Cut Slopes along Highways: A Case Study from the Afton Mountain Cut along I-64W, VA (2)
Admassu, Yonathan
A Multifaceted Approach to Designing Cut Slopes Subjected to Differential Weathering: A Case Study from Ohio (3)
Ahmed, M. Farooq
Landslide Inventory Mapping of the Hunza River Watershed in Pakistan
Albaaga, Nour Alden
See Khameiss, Belkasim (2)
Ames, Trevor
Innovations for Slope Instability
Annandale, George W.
Rock, Amanda
Artman, Larry
See Tinsley, Ryan
Asif, Mohamed
See Shriner, Jason
Auber, Robert J.
See Piepenburg, Michael
Awad, Andrew
Geotechnical Case Studies of Mitigation of Earthquake Damage to Dwellings in
Awad, Andrew
See Molyneux, Russell
Christchurch, New
Zealand - Part 2
Babineaux-Sabin, Claire E. Incorporating Cullet into Beach Ecosystems: Effects on Biota Health Bailey, Pamela
Huntington District Post Mineral Extraction Reclamation
Bain, Daniel J.
See Paulina, Tyler
Bain, Daniel J.
See Pfeil-McCullough, Erin
Bair, Jeffrey M.
Dam Foundations & Differing Site Conditions - Calaveras Dam Replacement Project
Ball, Brian
A Case Study of Ecosystem Restoration along the Reach of South Fork New River in Boone, North Carolina
Banks, Brian K.
I-68 “Sideling Hill” Rock Slope Hazards and Mitigation Concepts, Washington County, Maryland
Barbato, Nick A.
See Fenster, David
Bardsley, David
Soil Sampling Utilizing Horizontal/Directional Drilling Methods
Bateman, Vanessa C.
Rockslope Stability in Karst Terrain (1)
Bateman, Vanessa C.
The SIMDAMS Project: Bringing Dam Safety into the Information Age (2)
Bauer, Jennifer
Time to Face the Landslide Dilemma – A Summary of the First AEG Professional Forum
Beale, Jacob
See Chapman, Martin
Bednarz, Sue
Fusee, Rebecca
Beird, Maggie
Geophysical Mapping of Fracture Flow in a Hard Rock Setting
Bellusci, Chris
We Need a Dam Sensor Reading
Bednarz, Sue
See Fusee, Rebecca
Bible, Gary
Landslide Phenomena of Chimaltenango District, Guatemala
Bohr, Richard D.
See Smithmyer, Andrew
Bole, Daniel P.
Double Row Grout Curtain Design and Construction for Cedar Creek Dam in Malakoff, Texas
Bouali, El Hachemi
Can We Extract Information Regarding Transportation Asset Condition from Satellite-Based Radar Interferometric Data?
Boyer, Douglas
See Wagner, Cassandra
Brandon, Steve
See Rutledge, Alex
Briggs, Stephanie
See Cumbest, Randolph J.
Brown, Hayden
See Haugen, Ben
Bruce, Donald
See Schmutzler, Wesley
96
AEG NEWS 58 Annual Meeting Program with Abstracts
September 2015
2015 ANNUAL MEETING Author
Title
Brunkal, Holly
Bulking Factors to Predict Debris-Flow Peak Discharge
Buchanan, Susan M.
See Rogers, Gary
Budd, Ann
See Khameiss, Belkasim (1)
Burns, Scott
Site Characterization of Critical Facilities in Oregon on Cascadia Margin
Canavello, Doug
See Cross, Eric
Cannon, Robert P.
See Rutledge, Alex
Cato, Kerry
See Bair, Jeffrey M.
Cato, Kerry
See Riley, Donald
Chapman, Martin
Mineral, Virginia, 2011 and Charleston, South Carolina, 1886: Results from Some Recent Seismological Investigations
Chigna, Gustavo
See Schaefer, Lauren
Clark, Timothy W.
See Wooten, Richard M.
Cloud Bible, Rachael
See Bible, Gary
Coe, Jeffrey
See Smith, Joel
Coffman, Rick
See Kern, Ashley
Coffman, Richard
See Salazar, Sean
Conway, John
Portugués Dam: Challenges and Success in RCC Dam Foundation Documentation and Treatment
Copeland, Erin
See Paulina, Tyler
Coppersmith, Kevin
The Influence of Tectonic Setting on the Characterization of Seismic Sources for Probabilistic Seismic Hazard Analysis
Coppersmith, Ryan
Yakima Fold Belt Structures, Eastern WA: Style and Rate of Faulting Based on Structural Analyses and Quaternary Studies (1)
Coppersmith, Ryan
Challenges in Characterizing Fault Sources in a Reactivated SCR Environment, Southern South Africa (2)
Coppersmith, Ryan
See Hanson, Kathryn
Coyle, Kevin
Geohazard Risk Reduction through the Installation of High-Tensile Strength Anchored and Draped Steel Mesh
Crabtree, Brandon
Water Supply and Usage: Oktibeha County, Mississippi
Crist, Kristopher
“Is the Dam Leaking?” A Study of the Current Status of the Druid Lake Dam in Baltimore, Maryland
Cross, Eric
Sinkhole Mapping & Void Detection in Karst - Electrical Resistivity Case Studies at Carlsbad Caverns and in Tennessee
Cumbest, Randolph J.
“Correlation of Regional Geologic and Tectonic History with Geologic Mapping of Foundation Excavations at the V. C. Summer Nuclear Station, South Carolina”
Daniel, Joel
Evaluation of Subsurface Conditions Using MASW to Support Trenchless Construction Design in an Urban Environment
Daniels, David L.
See Hatcher, Robert D. Jr.
Darko-Kagya, Kenneth
See Ball, Brian
Delano, Helen L.
An Overview of Landslide Mapping in Pennsylvania
Deputy, Kami
Rerouting a River - The Carmel River Reroute and Dam Removal
Dharma, Manu
See Flewelling, Samuel
DiGiulio, Jennifer
Digitization of the 1991 Mount Jefferson Geologic Map: Project Motivation and Applications
Dill, Robin
Ground Characterization for the MDC’s South Tunnel Project: “Redefining the Jurassic of the Hartford North Quadrangle”
Dilles, John
See Utevsky, Elinor S.
Dirringer, Sebastian
Lidar-Based Landslide Inventory and Susceptibility Mapping of the Drift Creek Watershed, Lincoln County, Oregon
Duran, Robert
An Integrated Approach for Mapping and Analysis of the Rio Chama Rockslide, Archuleta County, Colorado (1)
Duran, Robert
Multivariate Clustering Analysis and 3D Modeling for Rock Mass Characterization in a Hydrothermal Fluid Flow Study (2)
Easson, Greg
See Powell, Gabe W.
Easson, Greg
See Ricketts, Tyler
El Ebaidi, Saad K.
See Khameiss, Belkasim (1)
September 2015
AEG NEWS 58 Annual Meeting Program with Abstracts
97
2015 ANNUAL MEETING Author
Title
Elhifnawy, Hassan
Urban Feature Extraction Using Sequential Techniques
ElShinawi, Abdelaziz
Geotechnical Study of the Dredging Sediment Stabilized with Portland Cement along The Coast of Hurgada City, Red Sea, Egypt
Enzweiler, Kristen M.
See Gault, Howard
Epstein, Olga
Modeling the Pollution Prevention Benefits of Adding Biochar to Erosion-Prone Agricultural Soils
Esubalew, Adem
Analysis of the Inter-Dyking Deformation Pattern at the Ongoing Dabbahu-Manda Hararo (Afar) Rift, Ethiopia Using GPS and InSAR Techniques
Evans, Stephen
Shafting the Lahars - Rebuilding the DNR Rd.1 Bridge over the Nisqually River
Fandray, Ryan
Summary of Pittsburgh Geology
Farny, Nicholas J.
Innovative Methods of Measuring Discontinuities: Utilizing Lidar and Smart Phone Applications for Rock Slope Stability on Price Mountain, VA
Farough, Aida
Evolution of Physical Properties of Ultramafic Rocks at Hydrothermal Conditions: an Experimental Study on Serpentinization Reactions
Fenster, David F.
“Borehole Data Interpretation vs Excavation Mapping – We Might Be Surprised, or Not!”
Fenster, David F.
See Stirewalt, Gerry L.
Flewelling, Samuel
Assessing Potential Upward Migration of Hydraulic Fracturing Fluid and Brine through Fractures, Faults, and Intact Rock
Flangas, Lindsay
See Bellusci, Chris
Foote, Jeremy
Changes in the Hydrological Environment in Choctaw County Mississippi since 1995
Freitag, George
South River Road – A 25 Year Rockfall Case Study on a Weathered Basalt Slope, Salem, Oregon
Friede, Erik
Sustainability Implications of Excessive Conservatism in Concrete Footing-Rock Foundation Friction
Fritz, Brian
Avoiding Archaeological Pitfalls
Fusee, Rebecca
The New Irvington Tunnel Excavation and Geologic Documentation
Garner, Cyrus
See Salazar, Sean
Garsjo, Marie Marshall
Improving Your Technical Writing to Make Yourself Heard
Gath, Eldon
Cocos Ridge Indenter Provides a Regional Understanding for the Seismic Hazard of the North Panama Deformed Belt, Caribbean Coast, Costa Rica
Gault, Howard
Barrier Wall Verticality and Overlap Approval at Five US Army Corps of Engineers Dams
Gautam, Tej
Influence of Geologic and Index Engineering Properties on Disintegration Behavior of Clay-Bearing Rocks under Natural Climatic Conditions
George, Michael
3D Block Erodibility: Experimental Results and Application
German, Madeline
Field VOC Analysis – When the Numbers Don’t Match
Gillon, Kenneth A.
See Wooten, Richard M.
Gomez, Francisco
Measuring Spatial and Temporal Variations in Rates of Landsliding Using Ground-Based Radar Interferometry
Gonzalez, Tania
See Gath, Eldon
Gray, Richard E.
Impacts of Coal Mining on Structures in Western Pennsylvania
Greene, Brian H.
Impacts of Geology on Dam Design in Western Pennsylvania
Gutta, Suresh
See Hajdarwish, Ala (2)
Guy, Erich
See Keffer, Andrew
Hajdarwish, Ala
Geologic Factors Controlling Cut Slope Design; Case Studies: S.R. 0322, Potters Mill Gap, Centre County and Turnpike Total Reconstruction Project, Mile Post 124.5 to 133.8, Pennsylvania (1)
Hajdarwish, Ala
Impact of Mudstone and Groundwater on Structurally Oriented Cut Slope Design, Case Study; Pennsylvania Turnpike Roadway Total Reconstruction, Somerset, Pennsylvania (2)
Halden, Rolf U.
See Epstein, Olga
Hamdan, Hassan
See Admassu, Jonathan (1)
Hamed, Abdelfattah
See Khameiss, Belkasim (2)
Hamel, James
Geotechnical Framework of Slopes in Flat-Lying Sedimentary Rocks of the Unglaciated Allegheny Plateau
Hamel, James
Three Fatal Rockfalls in the Pittsburgh Area
Hamel, James
Alluvial Bank Instability along the Monongahela River, Southwestern Pennsylvania
98
AEG NEWS 58 Annual Meeting Program with Abstracts
September 2015
2015 ANNUAL MEETING Author
Title
Hanson, Kathryn
Paleoseismicity of the Kango Fault, South Africa: Addressing Fault Characterization Issues in Stable Continental Regions
Hanson, Kathryn
See Coppersmith, Ryan (1) and (2)
Hardy, Anna
See Chapman, Martin
Harmon, Matthew
Hydraulic Properties of the Stratigraphic Interval Separating Natural Gas Bearing Black Shales and Fresh-Water Aquifers in the Appalachian Basin
Harounian , Alek
See Perry, David
Harris, Mark
See Schmutzler, Wesley
Harrison, John
See Wullenwaber, Jesse
Harro, David
Improved Imaging of Covered Karst Using the Multi-Electrode Resistivity Implant Technique (MERIT) Case Studies
Hart, Steven G.
See Epstein, Olga
Haskin, Jesse
Data Acquisition and Processing Using Freely Available Software and Inexpensive Remote Controlled Aircraft
Hatcher, Robert D. Jr.
The Need to Understand Crustal Structure and Regional Geology in Siting Critical Structures
Hatfield, Phillip
See Ball, Brian
Hatheway, Allen W.
Derelict Manufactured Gas, Coke, and Tar Sites of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
Hatheway, Allen W.
Derelict Manufactured Gas, Coke, and Tar Sites of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
Hatheway, Allen W.
Reflection on Some of the Remaining Outstanding Environmental Threats of Pennsylvania’s “Remediated” and Unremediated Coal-Tar Sites
Hatheway, Allen W.
History of Manufactured Gas and Coal Tar of Pennsylvania
Hatheway, Allen W.
Pennsylvania’s Derelict Coke Oven Sites: Beehives, Beehive Block Ovens, and Coke-Oven By-Product Plants
Haugen, Ben
Efficient Identification of Potential Settlement Causes Using the Rapid Settlement Diagnostic System (RSDS)
Hdhireia, Al Zubir
See Khameiss, Belkasim (2)
Headland, Paul
See Daniel, Joel
Hedin, Benjamin C.
Use of Small Limestone Incubation Devices to Elucidate Factors Affecting the Dissolution of Calcite by Acid Mine Drainage
Hedin, Robert S.
See Hedin, Benjamin C.
Hernandez, Luis E.
See Lomoschitz, Alejandro (1) and (2)
Higgins, Jerry D.
Rock, Amanda
Higgs, Travis
See Tinsley, Ryan
Hilton, Bruce
See Riley, Donald
Holderbaum, Rodney E.
Dissecting the Catastrophic Foundation Failure of a Newly-Constructed Dam
Hopkins Krissy M.
See Paulina, Tyler
Horton Jr., Wright
See Hatcher, Robert D. Jr.
Hou, Susan
See Bair, Jeffrey M.
Hoyt, William
See Khameiss, Belkasim (1)
Huber, Robert
Mountain Lake Alternative Water Source Feasibility Study
Hutchinson, Peter
See Beird, Maggie
Hutchinson, Peter
See Krivos, Heather
Illman, Walter
See Mok, Chin Man (2)
Isphording, Wayne
Pratfalls and Pitfalls in Environmental Litigation
Jacklitch, Carl
A Geotechnical Investigation of the 2013 Fatal Rockfall in Rockvile, Utah
Johnson, Jo
Vargo, Ana
Johnson, Robert E.
See Roman, William
Johnson, William
See Yeakley, Julia
Johnston, Timothy W.
See Holderbaum, Rodney E.
September 2015
AEG NEWS 58 Annual Meeting Program with Abstracts
99
2015 ANNUAL MEETING Author
Title
Juergens, Brandon
See Shriner, Jason
Justice, Samantha
Application of a Hazard Rating System for Rock Slopes Along a Transportation Corridor Using Remote Sensing
Kaen, Jason
See Smith, Joel
Karki, Nirjung
See Watts, Chester
Kavazanjian, Edward
See Epstein, Olga
Kays, Adam
See Nield, Michael
Kean, Jason
See Smith, Joel
Keating, Rebecca
Developing a Customized Rock Slope Inspection and Hazard Rating System
Keaton, Jeffrey R.
See Friede, Erik
Keaton, Jeffrey
Landslide Inventory Maps: Every Square Meter Matters
Kee, Michael
Analyzing Contact Metamorphism of the Stanley Shale in the Igneous Intrusive Complex at Magnet Cove, Arkansas
Keffer, Andrew
Geotechnical Challenges for Streambank Protection Projects
Keffer, Andrew
See Ball, Brian
Kelly, Christopher J.
See Bateman, Vanessa C. (2)
Kelson, Keith I.
An Engineering Geologist’s Role in Risk-Informed Decision-Making for USACE Dam and Levee Safety
Kelson, Keith I.
See Serafini, David C.
Kendrick, Jackie E.
See Schaefer, Lauren
Kern, Ashley
Predictive Modeling of Debris Flows Probabilities Following Wild Fire in the Intermountain Western United States
Khameiss, Belkasim
A Preliminary Documentation of the Coral Reefs from Libya (1)
Khameiss, Belkasim
Geological Tourism Northeast Libya (2)
Khameiss, Belkasim
Karastic Distribution Between Wadi Aljubiah and Wadi Al Bakur Area (3)
Kiflu, Henok
See Harro, David
King, Phillips
See Ricketts, Tyler
Kirkland, Brenda L.
See Babineaux-Sabin, Claire E.
Kitschy, Clint
See Perry, David
Klaus, James
See Khameiss, Belkasim (1)
Knott, David L.
See Awad, Andrew
Knott, David L.
See Molyneux, Russell
Korte, David
Modeling Landslide Distribution, Recurrence, and Size in the Drift Creek Watersheds, Lincoln County, Oregon
Kramarenko, Viealeta
See ElShinawi, Abdelaziz
Krippner, Janine
Quantitative Mapping of Granular Flows Using <1 m Resolution Satellite Data: Pyroclastic Density Currents in Kamchatka
Krivos, Heather
Electrical Resistivity Imaging of Karst Topography in the Arbuckle Mountains
Kruse, Sarah
See Harro, David
Kumar, Santdeep
Well Logging in Ground Water Hydrology
Landis, Mark
See Rogers, Gary
Lane, Stephen D.
See Stokowski, Steven J.
Latham, Rebecca S.
See Wooten, Richard M.
Lautala, Pasi
See Addison, Priscilla
LavallÈe, Yan
See Schaefer, Lauren
Lavin, Sarah M.
See Paulina, Tyler
Lenz, Richard
See Shriner, Jason
Leone, Matt
See Crist, Kristopher
100
AEG NEWS 58 Annual Meeting Program with Abstracts
September 2015
2015 ANNUAL MEETING Author
Title
Lewi, Elias
See Esubalew, Adem
Li, Zhao
See Liang, Robert (1) and (2)
Liang, Robert
Reliability Based Slope Stability Evaluation Using Stochastic Geological Modeling Techniques and FEM Simulations (1)
Liang, Robert
Analysis of Flexural Toppling of an Anti-Dip Slope in Fushun Open Pit in China (2)
Liang, Robert
Development of UASLOPE Method for Evaluating Slope Stabilization Using a Single Row of Drilled Shafts (3)
Liang, Robert
See Marchetty, Srikanth (1) and (2)
Lindenbach, Evan J.
Proposed Temperance Flat Dam - Bureau of Reclamation Rock Mechanics Testing and Reporting
Linsenbigler, Rochelle
Northern Pennsylvania Groundwater Well Mapping and the Identification of Contaminate Sources
Loar, Todd N.
Qualitative Foundation Rock Block Stability Evaluation Performed for Green Peter Dam, Oregon
Lobo-Guerrero, Sebastian Pile Setup Effect in Driven Friction Piles in Western Pennsylvania: Case Studies Lockner, David
See Farough, Aida
Lomoschitz, Alejandro
Site Investigation in Volcanic Terrains for Building Projects (1)
Lomoschitz, Alejandro
Geotechnical Units and Associated Problems in Volcanic Terrains: Canary Islands, Spain (2)
Lomoschitz, Alejandro
The Pico de Navas Slump (Burgos, Spain): A Large Rotational Rocky Landslide Caused by Underlying Clayey Sand Layers (3)
Lord, Jacques
Low-Threat Closure of a UST Release Site in California; Would the Sierra Club Be Happy?
Lord, Jacques
California Mandates 25% Water Use Reduction; Are Cisterns the New Solar Panel Industry?
Lowell, Robert
See Farough, Aida
Lowry, Benjamin
See Gomez, Francisco
Lukkarila, Chad
Lessons Learned from the Review and Assessment of a Cut Slope for a Water Tank Reservoir
Lutz, Andrew T.
See Serafini, David C.
Lyle, Seth
See Nield, Michael
Lyne, Bob
Full Scale Mechanics of Surficial Slope Stabilization
Ma, Baosong
See Shu, Biao
Malizia, John
The Effect of Water Content and Density on Strength and Deformation Behavior of Clay Soils
Mandal, Arpita
See Nandi, Arpita (2)
Marchetty, Srikanth
Influence of Slope Characteristics on Rockfall Velocities and Bounce Heights (1)
Marchetty, Srikanth
Investigation of Rockfall Characteristics Using Full-Scale Rollout Tests (2)
Marinelli, Matthew
Debris Flow Inventory and Susceptibility of West Prong Little Pigeon River Watershed, Great Smoky Mountains National Park
Martin, Leo
See Dill, Robin
Marinos, Paul G.
The Highest Dam of the World in a Challenging Geological Environment (1)
Marinos, Paul G.
Deep Seated landslides in Greece: Cases Associated with Infrastructure Works (2)
Marinos, Paul G.
Tunneling in Difficult Ground - Geological Uncertainties and Decisions (3)
Marinos, Vassilis P.
See Marinos, Paul G. (2)
Martin, Leo
See Dill, Robin
Martt, Daniel
See Hajdarwish, Ala (1)
Martt, Daniel F.
See Lobo-Guerrero, Sebastian
Maynard, Jeff
See Nield, Michael
McCalpin, James
Holocene Surface Faulting in High-Latitude Glaciated Shields
McJilton, Mike
See Wintle, Jack
McWilliams, Scott
See Seidel, Darren S.
Menendez-Pidal, Ignacio
See Lomoschitz, Alejandro (3)
September 2015
AEG NEWS 58 Annual Meeting Program with Abstracts
101
2015 ANNUAL MEETING Author
Title
Miller, Marc T.
See Bole, Daniel P.
Mlinarevic, Ante
See Nichols, Holly J.
Mok, Chin Man
Risk Analysis of Dam Erodibility (1)
Mok, Chin Man
Cost-Effective and High-Resolution Hydrogeologic Characterization Using Hydraulic Tomography (2)
Molinari, Mark
Managing Recognized Landslide Hazards: Land Use Planning and Zoning, Strategies and Public Education/Notification
Molyneux, Russell
The Assessment and Mitigation of Earthquake Damage to Dwellings in Christchurch, New Zealand - Part 1
Molyneux, Russell
See Awad, Andrew
Montero Walter
See Gath, Eldon
Monaco, Thomas
Uplift Results in a Sliding Bridge Abutment
Moore, Diane
See Farough, Aida
Morley, Derek
Those Who Forget the Past, Lessons Learned from Wrangling Landslides in the West
Morley, Derek
See Wilhite, Coralie
Muftah, Ahmed
See Khameiss, Belkasim (1)
Mullins, Steven
See Sheahan, James
Murphy, Paul J.
See Keating, Rebecca
Murray, Ashley
See West, Terry
Musa, Abdisa
See Marchetty, Srikanth (1) and (2)
Namatka, Frank P.
See Smithmyer, Andrew
Nandi, Arpita
Channel Adjustments Associated with Dam Removal: How Important is the Scale of Study? (1)
Nandi, Arpita
Debris Flow Potential Estimation using Hydrological Modelling, a Watershed Scale Case Study from Great Smoky Mountains National Park (2)
Nandi, Arpita
See Marinelli, Matthew
Negri, Jacquelyn
See Haugen, Ben
Neveling, Johann
See Coppersmith, Ryan (2)
Nichols, Holly J.
The Value of Geologic Services during Construction of Crafton Hills Enlargement Dam, San Bernardino County, California
Nield, Michael
A Tale of Three Projects: Addressing Dam Safety Concerns within the Muskingum River Basin, Ohio
Niemann, William L.
See Harmon, Matthew
Niemi, Tina
See Preisberga, Anniya
Nuhfer, Michael
See Daniel, Joel
Olalla, Claudio
See Lomoschitz, Alejandro (1) and (2)
Ombalski, Dan
See Bardsley, David
Oommen, Thomas
See Addison, Priscilla
Oommen, Thomas
See Justice, Samantha
Oommen, Thomas
See Kern, Ashley
Oommen, Thomas
See Salazar, Sean
Oommen; Thomas
See Schaefer, Lauren
Oommen, Thomas
See Zwissler, Bonnie
Painter, Paul P.
Rock Slope Stabilization Using Pinned Slope Drape and Cellular Wall
Painter, Paul P.
OH SR (JEF)-7-5.0: Slope Instability Due to Abandoned Mine Workings
Painter, Paul P.
OH SR (JEF)-7-34.2 Emergency Response to Rock Slope Failure
Painter, Paul P.
OH SR (WAS) 7-18.10: Differential Weathering Failure Innovative Remediation
Painter, Paul P.
Mine Remediation under a Major Transportation Corridor
102
AEG NEWS 58 Annual Meeting Program with Abstracts
September 2015
2015 ANNUAL MEETING Author
Title
Parks, David
Bluff and Beach Sediment Dynamics in the Elwha and Dungeness Drift Cells before, during and after Elwha River Dam Removals
Parks, David
Changes to Washington Forest Practices Rules and Unstable Landform Identification Processes following the 2014 SR530 (Oso) Landslide
Palmer, Alessandro
See Marinos, Paul G. (1)
Patnaik, Anil
See Marchetty, Srikanth (1) and (2)
Paulina, Tyler
Analyzing Surface Water-Ground Water Interactions in a Pittsburgh Stream
Pence, Wade
See Tinsley, Ryan
Perham, Andrew
See Dill, Robin
Perlow, Max William
Development of Unmanned Vehicles for Geo-Environmental Hazard Assessment
Perlow Jr., Michael
See Perlow, Max William
Perry, Eric
Groundwater Management in a Closed Flooded Coal Mine-Pool
Perry, David
Subsurface Characterization at LADWP Headworks West Reservoir (HWR) Site, City of Los Angeles
Peterson, Ryan
See Shriner, Jason
Pfeil-McCullough, Erin
Soil Disturbance via Longwall Coal Mining: Subsidence Impacts to Forests in Southwestern Pennsylvania
Piepenburg, Michael
Use of Pre-Cast Concrete Segments in Rock Tunnels for Risk Control
Poluga, S. Lindsay
Rock Mass Characterization and Stability Evaluation of Mount Rushmore National Memorial, Keystone,
South Dakota
Powell, Gabe W.
Predictive Modeling of Sinkhole Hazards through Correlation of InSAR Subsidence Measurements and
Local Geology
Preisberga, Anniya
3D Digital Imaging of Boleo Copper Mine Outcrops with a Quadcopter UAV
Prvanovic, Alex
Field and Laboratory Investigations of the Time-Dependent Behavior of Permeability of Jointed Glacial Till
Puente Querejazu, Alvaro
Assessment of the Progression of Coal Mine Subsidence in Colorado Springs, El Paso County, Colorado, Using InSAR
Quadric, Talha
See Rehman, Khaista
Ramsey, Michael S.
See Krippner, Janine
Raymer, Jack
Avoiding Karst by Getting under It: Jefferson Barracks Tunnel, St. Louis
Rehman, Khaista
Analysis of the Devastating Kashmir Earthquake 2005 Aftershocks
Richards, Kevin
Narora Weir – A Historical Perspective of Piping Theory
Richcreek, Jennifer
See Rutledge, Alex
Ricketts, Tyler
Economic Salt Dome Development
Riley, Donald
RCC Gravity Dam Replacement for the Wohlford Dam, Escondido, CA
Rinehart, Robert V.
See Lindenbach, Evan J.
Robison, David M.
Successful Foundation Preparations in Karst Bedrock of the Masonry Section of Wolf Creek Dam
Rock, Amanda
Two-Dimensional Application of Annandale’s Erodibility Index Method to Estimate Plunge Pool Scour
Rodriguez-Losada, Jose A. See Lomoschitz, Alejandro (1) and (2) Rogers, David J.
Influence of Geology on Construction of the Pennsylvania Turnpike
Rogers, J. David
Various Techniques for Stabilization of Deteriorating Cut Slopes in Sedimentary Strata
Rogers, J. David
The Gatun Dam – Megastructure of 100 Years Ago
Rogers, J. David
See Ahmed, M. Farooq
Rogers, Gary
RCC Dam Foundation Preparation and Cleaning – A Photographic Tour of Hard Rock Bottoms
Rogers, Gary
See Rutledge, Alex
Roman, William
State Route 87 Rockslide Mitigation near Forksville, Pennsylvania
Rose, Ronn S.
See Serafini, David C.
Russo, Tess
See Linsenbigler, Rochelle
Rutledge, Alex
Diverting Water from the Upper Hidden Basin to Terror Lake, Kodiak, Alaska
Sadagah, Bahaaeldin
Debris Flows and Rockfall Case History along Mountainous Roads, Western Saudi Arabia
September 2015
AEG NEWS 58 Annual Meeting Program with Abstracts
103
2015 ANNUAL MEETING Author
Title
Saindon, Rosanna
The Clock is Ticking - EPA Coal Ash Rule - Summary and Impacts to the Profession
Salazar, Sean
Ultra-Violet Near-Infrared Reflectance Spectroscopy for Remote Measurement of Soil Water Potential
Sanders, James
See Schmutzler, Wesley
Santi, Paul
See Brunkal, Holly
Santi, Paul
See Haugen, Ben
Santi, Paul
See Duran, Robert
Santi, Paul
See Stewart, Joshua
Sanz, Eugenio
See Lomoschitz, Alejandro (3)
Saxon, Aniket
See Kumar, Santdeep
Scarpato, David
Accounting for Icefall Hazards during Rockfall Catchment Ditch Design
Schaefer, Lauren
High-Velocity Frictional Properties of Basalt: Implications for Landslides, Earthquakes, and Volcanoes
Schaeffer, Malcolm F.
Tectonic History of the Western Sierra Nevada, CA: Implications for Seismic Design of a Proposed Hydroelectric Facility
Schmitz, Darrel
See Crabtree, Brandon
Schmitz, Darrel
See Foote, Jeremy
Schug, David
See Wilhite, Coralie
Schwering, Paul
Got Groundwater?
Seadler, Abigail
Messaging and Momentum: The Potential for Comprehensive Landslide Legislation in the 114th Congres
Seagren, Eric
See Zwissler, Bonnie
Seidel, Darren S.
Using Areas of Concentrated Fecal Coliform Bacteria to Identify Specie Specific Sources in Urbanized Sections of the Concho River, Tom Green County, Texas
Seliem, Gamal
Geophsical Studies in Some Areas in Egypt
Semmens, Stephen N.
Evaluation of Earth Dam and Levee Sustainability through Assessment of the Surrounding Environments
Serafini, David C.
Characterization and Mitigation of Fault Rupture Hazard: Engineering Basis of Design for Isabella Auxiliary Dam, California
Shaffner, Pete T.
Dr. Ralph Peck Warned Us that Risk Assessment was Likely not a Sustainable Approach for Assuring the Safety of Our Dams. Was He Correct, and What Are We Doing to Resolve His Concerns?
Shaffner, Pete T.
See Kelson, Keith I.
Shaffner, Pete T.
Wagner, Cassandra
Shakoor, Abdul
Stabilization Methods for Cut Slopes Subject to Differential Weathering: Some Examples from Ohio and Pennsylvania
Shakoor, Abdul
See Admassu, Jonathan (2) and (3)
Shakoor, Abdul
See Dirringer, Sebastian
Shakoor, Abdul
See Gautam, Tej
Shakoor, Abdul
See Jacklitch, Carl
Shakoor, Abdul
See Korte, David
Shakoor, Abdul
See Malizia, John
Shakoor, Abdul
See Marinelli, Matthew
Shakoor, Abdul
See Poluga, S. Lindsay
Shakoor, Abdul
See Prvanovic, Alex
Shakoor, Abdul
See Yeakley, Julia
Sharma, Manu
See Flewelling, Samuel
Sheahan, James
A 20-Year Performance Review of Major Cut Slopes on US460 in Rock from the Appalachian Plateau of Virginia
Shevlin, Tim
See Lyne, Bob
Shlemon, Roy J.
Tectonic Setting for Critical Facilities: A Hundred Years of Lessons Learned in California
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2015 ANNUAL MEETING Author
Title
Shriner, Jason
Petroleum Release Investigation and Remediation Overview – Newberry, Indiana
Shu, Biao
Study of Ground Collapse Induced by Large Diameter Horizontal Directional Drilling in Sand Layer Using Numerical Modeling
Sieber, Todd
See Vargo, Ana
Simpson, Bryan
Geologic Discontinuity Mapping, Difference Modeling and Rock Scour Delineation Using Photogrammetric Methods
Sirles, Phil
See Schwering, Paul
Sitar, Nicholas
See George, Michael
Slack, Christopher
See Coppersmith, Ryan (1)
Slack, Christopher
See Hanson, Kathryn
Smith, Joel
Advances in Landslide Monitoring through Video and Time-Lapse Photography: Examples from USGS Landslide Research Sites
Smithmyer, Andrew
The Importance of Residual Shear Testing in Evaluation of Landslides in Glaciolacustrine Deposits
Smithmyer, Andrew J.
See Roman, William
Snyder, Stephen L.
See Hatcher, Robert D. Jr.
Spoor, Michael F.
See Keffer, Andrew
Spoor, Michael F.
See Bailey, Pamela
Spoor, Michael F.
See Ball, Brian
Steckel, Phyllis
Advocacy and Geoscience: Leveraging Traditional Media for Awareness, Support, and a Wiser Public
Steckel, Phyllis
See Steckel, Richard
Steckel, Richard
How to Operate Drones in the United States and Not Get Busted by the FAA!
Stirewalt, Gerry L
Symposium on Importance of Tectonic Setting and History in Characterization of Sites for Critical Facilities – A Topical Summary
Stewart, Joshua
Developing Remote Sensing Methods for Bedrock Mapping of the Front Range Mountains, Colorado
Stokowski, Steven J.
Application of Petrography to Highways
Sturman, John
Collapse Risk Management in an Arid Alluvial Environment
Sullivan, Ryan P.
See Piepenburg, Michael
Syms, Frank H.
See Cumbest, Randolph J.
Syms, Frank
See Fenster, David
Tallman, Dakota J.
See Epstein, Olga
Tinsley, Ryan
Prioritization of Aging Rock Slopes on I-77 in Virginia
Toskos, Theodoros
Balancing Professional Judgment and the Risk of Decision (1)
Toskos, Theodoros
Professional Geologists and Contaminated Site Remediation Licensure (2)
Truini, Margot
See Schwering, Paul
Tymchak, Matt
See Flewelling, Samuel
Unruh, Jeffrey
See Coppersmith, Ryan (1)
Ustun, Aydin
See Yalvac, Sefa
Utevsky, Elinor S.
Tracers of Ore Fertility & Crustal Signatures: Applying Zircon Geochemistry & Geochronology to Plutons in the Western Cascades, WA & OR
Vargo, Ana
Geologic Evaluation of Battle Creek Debris Basin for Rehabilitation, Utah County, Utah
Vitale, Michael G.
See Piepenburg, Michael
Vitton, Stan
See Justice, Samantha
Vitton, Stan
See Zwissler, Bonnie
Waage, Eric
Landslides in the Spectrum of Disasters: Emergency Management Lessons from a Low Landslide Risk State
Wagner, Cassandra
The Failure of Camará Dam: Repetition of a Known Failure Mode from Misinterpretation of a Geologic Vulnerability
Wagner, Joshua
See Perlow, Max William
Walker Jr., William G.
See Bateman, Vanessa C. (2)
September 2015
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2015 ANNUAL MEETING Author
Title
Wang, Hui
See Liang, Robert
Wang, Jin-An
See Liang, Robert (2)
Wang, Xiangrong
See Liang, Robert
Ward, James W.
See Seidel, Darren S.
Warner, Jack L.
See Williams, John
Waterman, Matthew K.
Identification and Evaluation of Seismically Induced Geohazards: A Case Study for a Natural Gas Transmission Pipeline
Watts, Chester
3D Photogrammetry from Unmanned Aerial Vehicles for Generating Virtual Rock Slope Models
Weber, Mitchell
Sandstone Highwall Restoration at Stan Hywet Hall and Gardens
Weber, Mitchell
See Monaco, Thomas
Weikel, Nicholas
See Evans, Stephen
Wesling, John
See Morley, Derek
West, Terry
Rock Block Slide Along Ohio River, Indiana, Causes Damage to Residential Buildings
West, Terry
Two Ways to Deal with Combined Sewer Overflow, A Tale of Two Cities, Lafayette and West Lafayette, Indiana
Whitt, James
See Daniel, Joel
Whittle, Joseph Jr.
See Crist, Kristopher
Wiles, Sarah
See Bateman, Vanessa C. (2)
Wilhite, Coralie
Slope Failure Investigation and Mitigation Design, Pine Flat Dam, Piedra, Fresno County, California
Williams, John
A Study of the Importance of and Trends in Professional Ethics in the Geosciences by the National Association of State Boards of Geology (ASBOG®)
Wintle, Jack
In-Situ Remediation of Chlorinated Solvents in Low-Permeability Soils of the Brevard Fault Zone: Matching Remedial Technologies with Compatible Geo-Chemical Conditions
Woodard, Martin
Telegraph Hill Rock Slope Improvement Project: Construction Issues and Value Engineering Proposals
Woodard, Marty
See Ames, Trevor
Wooten, Richard M.
Geologic Factors Influencing the Differential Weathering of Metasedimentary and Metavolcanic Rock Sequences: Their Controls on Rock Slope Failures in the Blue Ridge and Piedmont of North Carolina
Worden, Brian
See Toskos, Theodoros (1) and (2)
Worsham, Baron
See Bateman, Vanessa C. (2)
Wright, James E.
See Kelson, Keith I.
Wright, Robert
See Mok, Chin Man (1)
Wu, Qimin
See Chapman, Martin
Wullenwaber, Jesse
Challenges of Grouting and Anchoring an 1880’s Masonry Dam
Wygonik, Meghann
See Bateman, Vanessa C. (2)
Yalvac, Sefa
Time Series Modeling of the Up Coordinates in a Subsidence Zone
Yeakley, Julia
Influence of Salt Tectonics on Seafloor Morphology from Algeria to Sardinia – Seismic
Yeh, T.C.
See Mok, Chin Man (2)
Zachos, Louis
See Powell, Gabe
Zamensky, Greg
See Riley, Donald
Zhou, Wendy
See Duran, Robert (1) and (2)
Zhou, Wendy
See Puente Querejazu, Alvaro
Zhou, Wendy
See Semmens, Stephen N.
Zhou, Wendy
See Stewart, Joshua
Zimmerman, Michael
See Freitag, George
Zwissler, Bonnie
Thermal Remote Sensing for Moisture Content Characterization at Mine Tailings Impoundments: a Field Study
106
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2015 ANNUAL MEETING
Notes
September 2015
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s r o s n o p S Corporate
2015 ANNUAL MEETING
AEG is grateful to the corporations and individuals who contribute to our operating fund through their sponsorship.
Presidentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Club Creek Run Environmental Jason Lenz PO Box 114 Montpelier, IN 47359 765-728-8051 www.CreekRun.com
Platinum Kleinfelder, Inc. Chad Lukkarila 550 West C Street, #1200 San Diego, CA 92101 619-831-4600 CLukkarila@kleinfelder.com www.kleinfelder.com
Ruen Drilling, Inc. Arlan Ruen 2320 River Road Clark Fork, ID 83811 208-266-1151 office@ruendrilling.com www.ruendrilling.com
Gold Parratt-Wolff, Inc. Gary Ellingworth 501 Millstone Dr. Hillsborough, NC 27278 919-644-2814 Gellingworth@pwinc.com www.pwinc.com
Silver
Bronze
Earth Consultants International, Inc.
Enviro-Equipment, Inc.
Tania Gonzalez 1642 East Fourth Street Santa Ana, CA 92701 714-544-5321 tgonzalez@earthconsultants.com www.earthconsultants.com
Exponent Betsy Mathieson 475 14th St., Suite 400 Oakland, CA 94612 510-268-5011 emathieson@exponent.com www.exponent.com Gregg Drilling & Testing, Inc. Patrick Keating 2726 Walnut Ave. Signal Hill, CA 90755 562-427-6899 Info@greggdrilling.com www.greggdrilling.com Michael F. Hoover Consulting Michael F. Hoover PO Box 30860 Santa Barbara, CA 93130 805-569-9670 www.hoovergeo.com
Denise Chew 11180 Downs Rd Pineville, NC 28134 704-588-7970 info@enviroequipment.com www.enviroquipment.com
Feffer Geological Consulting Josh Feffer 1990 S Bundy Dr, Suite 400 Los Angeles, CA 90025 310-207-5048 www.feffergeo.com
Geodynamics Consulting Group, Inc. Harry Audell 33282 Golden Lantern Street Dana Point, CA 92629 949-493-1352 www.geodynamicsinc.com
ADD YOUR NAME TO THIS LIST OF SUPPORTERS. See the ad on the inside back cover to learn about the benefits that come with AEG Sponsorship.
Robertson Geotechnical, Inc. Hugh S. Robertson 2500 Townsgate Road, Suite E Westlake Village, CA 91361 805-373-0057 info@robertsongeotechnical.com www.robertsongeotechnical.com
Sage Engineers, Inc. Ara Sanjideh 2251 Douglas Blvd., Suite 200 Roseville, CA 95661 916-677-4800 asanjideh@sageengineers.com www.sageengineers.com
Shannon & Wilson, Inc Bill Laprade 400 N 34th St Seattle, WA 98103 206-632-8020 wtl@shanwil.com www.Shannonwilson.com 108
AEG NEWS 58 Annual Meeting Program with Abstracts
September 2015
For more information about advertising or sponsorship opportunities, please contact AEG at contact@aegweb.org or 844-331-7867.
Experience the magic! AEG 59th Annual Meeting – September 18–25, 2016
Kona – Island of Hawaii Waikoloa Beach Marriott Resort & Spa – Group Rate Only $185 Located beachfront along the sun-splashed Kohala Coast, the luxurious Waikoloa Beach Marriott Resort welcomes guests with gracious style and Hawaiian service. With the bounty of land and sea captured in stunning views, this Big Island Hawaii hotel and resort is the perfect place for a memorable meeting with colleagues. Experience an authentic Polynesian show at the Sunset Luau as our Special Event. Set upon 15 acres of oceanfront splendor, the Waikoloa Beach Marriott Resort & Spa offers a truly magical setting.
Planned Symposia Rock Engineering-Rock Mechanics Symposium Engineering Geology for Tunnels and Underground Construction Reaching the Last Mile: Our responsibility to effectively communicate to those in harms way what geohazards they face and implement disaster mitigation strategies Environmental Impacts and Cleanup for Military Bases Application of Geophysics to Geotechnical Investigations Coastal and Harbor Projects Archeology and Engineering Geology Dam Safety Projects
Additional Possible Symposia for 2016: Volcanic Hazards in Hawaii and Elsewhere, convener from HVO possible tie-in with a field trip. Shoreline Processes and Climate Change Impacts A Landslide Symposium
Join us on one or more of these great field trips and guest tours.
FIELD TRIPS The Big Island: Volcanoes, Geohazards & Active Structural Geology The Hāmākua Coast Kīlauea Volcano and Hawaii Volcanoes National Park Evening Stargazing at Ozinuka Center for International Astronomy – Mauna Kea Volcano Ka Lea (South Point) and Papakōlea Green Sand Beach
Guest Tours Volcanoes National Park & S. Island Tour Traditional Hawaiian Culture & Gourd Art Macadamia Nut Co & Parker Ranch Downtown Kona Historic Walking Tour