The investigations: The World Trade Center towers
On Aug. 21, 2002, the National Institute of Standards and Technology announced it would conduct a building and fire safety investigation of the World Trade Center disaster. This investigation was conducted...
An Academic Safety challenge
The civil engineering curriculum in colleges and universities across the United States needs to include information on workplace safety, argued expert panelists during a recent roundtable discussion. Panelists...
From Good to Great: The Evolution of Cutoff Wall Quality Control and Verification Techniques
The last three decades have brought tremendous improvements to quality control (QC) procedures for construction and post-construction verification of deep cutoff walls installed in active high-hazard dams....
Floating on Air
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration has designed a concept for how Venus�which has a surface that is hot enough to melt lead�can be safely explored by astronauts....
America�s Water Infrastructure Act Reauthorizes WRDA, Safe Drinking Water Programs
The recently enacted America�s Water Infrastructure Act updates the civil works program of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, reauthorizes the federal dam and levee safety programs, and authorizes additional...
Dry Dams and the Dayton Flood of 1913: The Origins of Integrated Systems Engineering Concepts
This article examines the history of integrated flood protection with particular focus on the 1913 Dayton Flood....
Landslide Risk Perception: Consequences of Failure to Reconcile Contradictory Beliefs
While the basis for geotechnical safety is important, public perceptions of risk and its apparent willingness to ignore or discount hazard warnings should also be considered. Why does...
Small Projects are Big Deals
Geotechnical engineers work on a wide array of projects, ranging from small retaining walls or pavement projects, to construction of dams, canals, and foundations for bridges and high-rise...
A Light in the Deep: The Future of Offshore Site Investigations
For deep-water energy developments, hazard identification and risk assessments (that is, assessing the probability of occurrence along with the consequences of failure) are more important...
Summary, Conclusions, and Recommendations
Civil engineers have responsibilities for the planning, design, construction, operation and maintenance of physical infrastructures. These infrastructures include all types of buildings,...
Evaluating Bridges With Unknown Foundations for Susceptibility to Scour: North Carolina Applies Risk-Based Guidelines to Over 3,750 Bridges
Scour occurs when flowing water removes erodible material such as sand and rock. For bridges over water, scour affects the stability of pier and abutment foundations and contributes to...
Very Long-Term Care of Mechanically Stabilized Earth Berms: Limiting the Liability of Future Stakeholders
Since their development over 50 years ago, civil engineering applications of mechanically stabilized earth (MSE) berms have significantly increased. When used as a component of an asset...
Geosynthetic Materials Help Build Optimized Infrastructure
In recent years, the world has begun to realize the negative impacts that limited infrastructure can have on economic growth and the well-being of humankind. Our infrastructure challenges...
Microtunneling Operation
The shaft should provide safe working conditions and fully support the ground. Jacking and receiving shaft support system and sizes are typically determined by the contractor. See Chapter...
Shafts/Temporary Structures
Shafts should be of a size to accommodate the equipment and pipe selected and to allow for safe working practices. If the shaft must accommodate the permanent works, it is the contractor's...
Regulations
The contractor should meet federal, state, and local regulations. The contractor is responsible for jobsite safety....
Conduct of Operational Hail Suppression Projects
Those conducting hail suppression operations should be vigilant and always prepared to react when potential hailstorms begin to develop. In this chapter, some guidance is provided for...
Managing Geotechnical Assets to Improve Highway System Performance
As geoprofessionals, we have a great opportunity to look at our work in new ways and to show its value to others. Highway agencies are looking to get the most from their assets and with...
Multi-scale Health Assessment for Effective Levee Management
Researchers are working on developing a new health assessment framework with the potential to modernize our ability to monitor, manage, and ensure the safety of levees and other systems...
So, Why Do You Want to Write a GBR?
Since 1974, scores of papers, articles, conferences, and legal documents have been dedicated to explaining how to write and/or how to use a Geotechnical Baseline Report (GBR). But the...
Return to search