Geo-Strata November-December 2012.Indd

Geo-StrataNovember/December 2012

Regional Geotechnics II

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Piedmont Residual Soils and Rocks 18 By Daniel A. Brown, Ph.D., P.E., D.GE, M.ASCE and Paul W. Mayne, Ph.D., P.E., M.ASCE

Challenging Soils in Seattle, Washington 24 By Bill Laprade, L.E.G, C.E.G., F.GSA

Foundation Challenges for Tall Buildings in the Middle East 28 32 By Harry G. Poulos, D.Sc.Eng., P.E., Dist.M.ASCE

Ten Practical Employee Engagement Steps 38 That Drive Results! By Bob Kelleher

86 ©iStockphoto.com/Igor Djurovic 39

November/December • 2012 10 DEPARTMENTS Geo-Poem: Do You Classify What I Classify? 6 By Brittney Veeck Thoughts from the President 8 By Craig Benson, Ph.D., P.E. D.GE, F.ASCE From the Editorial Board 10 By James L. Withiam, Ph.D., P.E., D.GE, M.ASCE 12 Commentary: Applying Geology to Geotechnical Investigations By Roy E. Hunt, P.E., P.G., F.ASCE

12 Lessons Learned from Geo-Legends: An Interview with 14 John B. Burland, Ph.D., P.E. By Menzer Pehlivan, S.M.ASCE, Katherine Zadrozny, E.I.T, S.M.ASCE, and Onur Kacar, S.M.ASCE

The GeoCurmudgeon: Foolproof Writing 42 By John P. Bachner

OMC Looking Out for You/Organizational Member News 44 By Linda Bayer, IOM, A.M.ASCE

Look Who's a D.GE 48 By Richard D’Ambrosia, PE, D.GE, SECB, CBIE, M.ASCE 49 COREBITS 15 By Linda Bayer, IOM, A.M.ASCE

EDITORIAL BOARD 2012 – 2013 G-I BOARD OF GOVERNORS GEO-STRATA STAFF

James L. Withiam, Ph.D., P.E. , D.GE, M.ASCE William K. Petersen, P.E., M.ASCE Craig Benson, Ph.D., P.E. D.GE, NAE, F.ASCE – President Stephan Jaeger D’Appolonia URS Corporation William M. Camp, III, P.E., D.GE, M.ASCE – Vice President Publisher [email protected] [email protected] 703.295.6286 Barbara Luke, Ph.D., P.E., D.GE., M.ASCE – Treasurer Veronica L. Streich, P.E., M.ASCE N. Catherine Bazán-Arias, Ph.D., P.E., M.ASCE Philip G. King, P.E., D.GE, F.ASCE – Past President Dianne Vance, CAE Linda R. Bayer, IOM, A.M.ASCE DiGioia, Gray & Associates, LLC HNTB Corporation Allen Cadden, P.E., D.GE, M.ASCE Director of Advertising Manager and Production [email protected] [email protected] 703.295.6234 Patricia J. Culligan, Ph.D., M.ASCE [email protected] Jeff Dunn, Ph.D., P.E., G.E., M.ASCE J. Tanner Blackburn, Ph.D., P.E., M.ASCE Kleinfelder, Inc. Hayward Baker William F. Marcuson, Ph.D., P.E., D.GE, NAE Suzanne Davenport Sean Richardson [email protected] [email protected] Kord Wissmann, Ph.D., P.E., D.GE, M.ASCE Content Coordinator Production [email protected] [email protected] Beth Gross, P.E., M.ASCE Peter G. Nicholson, Ph.D., P.E., F. ASCE Robert Schweinfurth, A.M.ASCE – Secretary Geosyntec Consultants University of Hawaii at Manoa non-voting Board member [email protected] [email protected] ADVERTISING SALES MANAGERS Morgan Eddy, P.E., A.M.ASCE Ken Fishman, Ph.D., P.E., M.ASCE Chris Myers Ellen Tucker Steele Foundation, LLC McMahon & Mann Consulting Engineers 214.291.3652 214.291.3661 kﬁ [email protected] [email protected]

Brian Hubel, P.E., G.E., M.ASCE Geo-Strata magazine designed by U.S. Army Corps of Engineers ISSUE NO. 6 • VOL 16 Marketing Ahead [email protected]

Geo-Strata is a forum for the free expression and interchange of ideas. The opinions and positions stated within are those of the authors, and not necessarily those of Geo-Strata, the Geo-Institute, or the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE). Geo-Strata—ISSN 1529-2975—is published bi-monthly by ASCE, 1801 Alexander Bell Drive, Reston, VA 20191-4400 and is a free ASCE/Geo-Institute membership benefit, not available by subscription. ADDRESS CHANGES: ASCE/G-I members should e-mail [email protected], or click on “My Profile” at asce.org. Copyright © 2012 by the American Society of Civil Engineers. All rights reserved. Materials may not be reproduced or translated without written permission from ASCE. Periodicals postage paid at Herndon, VA, and at additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Geo-Strata, 1801 Alexander Bell Drive, Reston, VA 20191-4400.

4 Geo-Strata l geoinstitute.org DEPARTMENTS

5524_gINT_GS_0410.indd 1 28-4-2010 10:35:57 Geo-Poem By Brittney Veeck

Do You Classify What I Classify? Said the soil sample to the little tare: Said the ﬁ ne grains to the mighty sieve: The soil, the soil, Do you see what I see Do you know what I know? Classiﬁ ed it’s true: Falling through the sieve number 4? I am either silt or I’m clay. We can call it Elastic Silt. Do you see what I see? Do you know what I know? We can call it Elastic Silt. The gravel, the gravel The test, the test,

Won’t pass through the holes. The liquid limit test AUTHOR All that’s left is sand, clay, and silt. Will determine if I’m silt or clay. All that’s left is sand, clay, and silt. Will determine if I’m silt or clay. Brittney Veeck is a senior at Tufts University. This seasonally appropriate Said the coarse grains to the fi ne Said the liquid limit test to the soil: poem was part of her fi nal project for Professor Swan’s Soil Mechanics class in grained soil: Listen to what I say. the fall semester of 2011. Do you hear what I hear? The limit is less than fi fty. They say that the sand outweighs the gravel. Listen to what I say: Consultation and minor edits were provided by Mary C. Nodine, P.E. Mary is Do you hear what I hear? P-I, P-I, a geotechnical poet and a project engineer The fi nes, the fi nes, No organics here. with GEI Consultants, Inc. in Woburn, What percent are they? P-I plots below the “A” Line. MA. She can be reached at Does the sample classify as sand? P-I plots below the “A” Line. [email protected] Does the sample classify as sand?

6 Geo-Strata l geoinstitute.org For more than 30 years, the village of Belleville, Wisconsin, had been trying to restore a local community park and surrounding 94-acre lake. Sediment discharge had decreased the lake depth, reducing oxygen levels, water quality and local ﬁsh and wildlife populations. With the help of Tensar International and TriAx® Geogrid, Glenn Joski was able to construct a 3,200 ft. long berm and pedestrian path to prevent water ﬂows from entering the lake, thus eliminating the deposition of river sediment into the newly restored Lake Belle View. The result? A cost-eective and environmentally friendly solution that allows the animals to breathe a little easier.

To read the whole story, submit your own, or to put TriAx to work for you, visit triaxstories.com/GS or call 888-826-0706. Thoughts from the President by Craig Benson

The Year Ahead

have been a member of ASCE all of my professional life, Geo-Institute’s Diversity and Inclusion Committee (D&IC), and a member of the Geo-Institute since its inception. I which is ably led by Dr. Sebastian Bryson of the University was fortunate to be invited to the formative discussions of Kentucky. The purpose of the D&IC is to understand key and meetings that led to the creation of the Geo-Institute, factors that influence diversity within our profession and to de- Iwhich I contend is now the largest and most successful profes- velop strategies that will promote a more diverse community sional organization for geo-professionals worldwide. To serve of young geo-professionals who enter the Geo-Institute as new as President of the Geo-Institute for the upcoming year is a members. The D&IC hosted an extremely successful working tremendous honor, and I’m grateful to have this opportunity luncheon at the 2012 Geo-Congress in Oakland, and has been to serve the profession and our membership. As President, I active since then gathering information about factors affecting will serve our membership by maintaining focus on our core diversity in our professional pipeline. purpose – to advance the geo-professional community. As President, I am embracing the original concept of the Over the next year, the Board of Governors will focus on Geo-Institute as a large tent for the entire geo-professional key elements of the Geo-Institute’s Strategic Plan. We will community. I believe we are stronger as a profession when we emphasize our initiative to become the authoritative source engage a broad range of disciplines within the definition of of information for geo-professionals through Internet-based “geo-professional.” I personally have had my best professional outlets such as the Geo-Institute website, and will focus on experiences while working with others who have had different developing a richer and more comprehensive web-based training than my own. continuing education program for our members through the To enhance the reach of the Geo-Institute and the size of ASCE Continuing Education program. These initiatives will our “tent,” I intend to develop stronger relationships with complement the Geo-Institute’s exceptionally successful con- other professional organizations of geo-professionals, in- ference program and strong technical publications, including cluding our traditional partners ASFE/The Geoprofessional the Journal of Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Engineering, the Business Organization and ASTM International, as well as our International Journal of Geomechanics, Geo-Strata, and our wealth less frequent partners such as the Association of Engineering of Geotechnical Special Publications (GSPs) and Geotechnical Geologists (AEG) and the National Groundwater Associa- Practice Publications (GPPs). tion (NGWA). Stronger links and greater communication Having the resources of the Geo-Institute at a member’s between these organizations will benefit all geo-professionals, fingertips is a key goal. We want the Geo-Institute to be the and alignment on strategy, where possible, will provide more source of technical information and continuing education consistent messaging regarding the geo-profession to stake- for our membership, and we want the information to be holders outside of our professional community. In all of these available whenever our members need it. We realize that relationships, and all activities within the Geo-Institute, I will modern geo-professionals work around the globe and during emphasize the importance of professionalism, fairness, and non-traditional work hours, so our technical resources need transparency in all that we do. The emphasis on professional- to be available at all times. We hope to accomplish these ism is essential, as our value to our stakeholders is strongly goals through a more effective website that has a rich library coupled to their perception of the quality and importance of of technical resources available to members, and a more com- our professional community. prehensive portfolio of webinars that provides both breadth I look forward to interacting with many of you over the and depth within our profession. Moreover, we are commit- next year and am truly excited to have this opportunity to ted to ensuring that the resources available through the Geo- serve our membership. Please share your perspective about our Institute’s website have the highest level of quality expected initiatives with me, and offer any suggestions about how the by our membership. Geo-Institute can better serve you. This year, the Geo-Institute will emphasize our initiative to create a more diverse geo-professional community. The rationale for focusing on diversity is simple – organizations are more effective and innovative when their initiatives and strategies reflect a broad range of perspectives and experiences. And, organizations that are more innovative are more success- Craig H. Benson, Ph.D., P.E., D.GE, NAE, F.ASCE ful and better compensated over time. We have created the [email protected]

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or the July/August 2009 issue of Geo-Strata, we as- sembled a group of articles related to geotechnical problems that are, for the most part, unique to a given Fgeographic region. The idea was to offer a glimpse into a few of the geotechnical situations that occur beyond one’s usual physiographic setting, and it was what we hoped would be just the first in a series of issues with a similar theme. Now, nearly three and a half years later, we bring you “Region- al Geotechnics II.” Aside from just their curiosity value, these articles give you a better appreciation for the inconsistency of earth materials between different locales. Gaining this appreciation is important for two reasons, in my opinion. First, it demonstrates how strong an influence geology plays in controlling the distribution of soil and rock materials having highly irregular properties. Second, it underscores the fact that engineering judgment can never be replaced by codes or computer programs. The potential risks associated with not recognizing either of these items are large. Unfortunately, a developed understanding of geologic processes tends to be more the exception than the norm within our profession. This is an enigma because trying to predict soil/rock behavior without an awareness of how and when the material got there and where it came from is akin to a doctor evaluating a patient without asking anything about his or her medical history. Roy Hunt’s commentary further takes on this issue and also provides advice on including geologic input to site characterization. Consider his point that many rock formations which were deposited throughout the world during specific geologic periods have similar physical properties regardless of location. This time element adds a key geologic viewpoint to the idea of regional geotechnics in that the depositional environment has at least as much influence on the material properties as does the present-day location of the material. In this sense, regional geotechnics is as much about when as it is about where. Of course, factors such as climate and topography play a role in weathering and soil behavior that will vary between different areas. Regarding the replacement of engineering judgment with codes and computer programs, the trend towards design codes that dictate a “one size fits all” approach to geotechnical engineering is troubling at best. As part of my Editor’s Message in the first Regional Geotechnics issue, I opined that “…it should be apparent that judgment and experience can never be removed from the analysis of earth materials – and any attempts to strictly codify the practice of geotechnical engineering are fu- tile, short-sighted and completely ignore the regional nuances that further complicate an already complex field of study.” This lofty rhetoric seems quaint in light of the increasingly

10 Geo-Strata l geoinstitute.org COMING IN JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2013 rigid “code mentality” that some agencies and their review STABILITY OF SLOPES AND consultants exercise in the review of geotechnical work. Even EMBANKMENTS more unsettling are structural design computer programs that Stabilizing Colorado’s Rock Slopes by Gluing, blindly process empirical geotechnical computations without Scanning and Bolting even allowing for a “reality check” by the engineer supplying By Ben Arndt, P.E., M.ASCE, Ty Ortiz, P.E., and Matthew DeMarco the soil and rock input parameters. Avoiding Surprises in Slope Stability Unlike the July/August 2009 issue, which primarily dealt By Timothy D. Stark, Ph.D., P.E., F.ASCE, D.GE, Brian H. Queen, with geotechnical phenomena within North America, this and Hangseok Choi, Ph.D., P.E. issue expands the focus to Africa, the Middle East, and Asia. Double Nickel Landslide Stabilization: Innovative Conditions along the way will vary from parched desert to wet Use of Micropiles By Jamie Martens, P.E. and John Szturo, R.G. tropics, and we will encounter laterites, weakly cemented soils, Development and Field Testing of a Pressure-Sensing evaporites, highly plastic volcanic clays, and other troublesome Grout Packer materials. Once back in the U.S., we will take a look at par- By David Paul, P.E., M.ASCE, Jeff Schaefer, Ph.D., P.E., P.G., tially weathered rock of the Piedmont region and the convo- Brook Brosi, P.G., and Patrick Carr, P.E. luted web of glacial deposits underlying Seattle, which author Laterite – A Stable or Unstable Tropically Weathered Soil? Bill Laprade describes as “the poster child for the complexity of By S.I.K. Ampadu, Ph.D. subsurface conditions.” Enjoy the tour and remember that you As I See It: The Importance of Geology in Structurally Controlled Rockslides are travelling through both time and space. By Chester F. Watts, Ph.D., P.G., M.ASCE Lessons Learned from Geo-Legends: Charles C. Ladd, Sc.D., AUTHOR P.E., D.GE, NAE, Dist.M.ASCE By Alain El Howayek, S.M.ASCE This message was prepared by Bill Petersen, P.E.,M.ASCE, of the Geo-Strata Editorial Board. Bill can be reached at [email protected].

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Geo-Strata l geoinstitute.org 11 Commentary By Roy E. Hunt, P.E., P.G., F.ASCE

Applying Geology to Geotechnical Investigations

comprehensive subsurface investigation is critical duricrusts, and pedological. Each soil type can pose unique for the successful design and construction of a new distribution patterns and behaviors that must be recognized at project. However, adequate planning of the inves- the exploration planning stage if their impacts on design and tigation should be based on geologic conditions. construction are to be meaningfully considered. Unfortunately,A many geotechnical engineers have never had a Standard and readily available geologic maps identifying university course in geology or any other training in the subject, rock formations by age and rock type should also be reviewed at even though all construction projects involve the earth in some the planning stage. To obtain information from a geologic map, manner. geotechnical engineers must be familiar with geologic history as These individuals may not realize that applying a few basic summarized on the geologic time scale, the Periods in particular. elements of geology enables them to foresee potential trouble- Each Period has a dominant rock type with particular properties some foundations or other hazardous conditions that otherwise and characteristic residual soils which enable possible founda- may be overlooked when planning a geotechnical investigation. tion problems to be predicted. Interestingly, for a particular rock This is most important when the investigation is outside of the type and age, characteristic rock properties are similar every- engineer’s normal practice area, although new and unfamiliar where in the world where it is found. conditions can also be encountered “close to home,” particu- In many parts of the world, a necessary ﬁrst question should larly where the geology is complex and variable. be, “Has the site been glaciated?” In non-glaciated areas, rock is The initial, but occasionally overlooked, step in planning subjected to decomposition, often over millions of years. The a geotechnical investigation is to obtain a geologic map of the residual soil type and its thickness resulting from decomposi- site area depicting rock and/or soil types, a USGS quadrangle tion depend upon the climate and rock type. In warm, moist topographic sheet, and a soil survey depicting shallow soil and climates, metamorphic rocks tend to decompose and soften, rock materials at the project site. Based on the mapping data, forming residual soil that may extend to hundreds of meters in soil formations can be classed based on origin, having charac- depth. In glaciated areas, the residual soils have been removed teristic soil types and properties. When classed by origin, soil by glaciation and thus hard, fresh bedrock may be exposed on types include residuum, colluvium, alluvium, aeolian, glacial, the surface or at shallow depth. In addition, during glacial and

12 Geo-Strata l geoinstitute.org post-glacial periods, a large variety of soil types are deposited, to the potential for perched or artesian conditions. For example, within the glacier itself and/or far downstream. valleys ﬁlled with alluvium adjacent to relatively high hills may A rare but potentially dangerous phenomenon, seldom have artesian conditions. Field reconnaissance should look for reported, occurs with granite, which is usually a hard rock. As hillside springs as evidence of perched conditions. granite decomposes in warm, moist climates, corestones, or Geotechnical engineers should take this subject seriously hard boulders, are formed within the matrix of the weathered and apply adequate geologic input when initiating site inves- rock mass. Because these can be several meters in diameter, tigations. When planning a test boring program, geotechnical they are often mistaken for intact bedrock in core borings that engineers must keep in mind that the selection of soil sampling are not taken to adequate depth. Because they are underlain by and rock coring methods should be based on the predicted soft, decomposed rock, heavily loaded foundations bearing on geologic conditions. a corestone may unexpectedly undergo detrimental settlements. In addition to the standard test boring program, there are This phenomenon is commonly associated with the British Isles, many other exploration tools and methods to be considered, but has also been encountered in Brazil and Pennsylvania. Boul- including in situ testing and geophysics. Troublesome construc- ders suspended within glacial deposits, termed glacial erratics, tion problems and disastrous events usually result from poorly often present a similar foundation problem. planned and incomplete exploration programs. Groundwater conditions are another area where understanding geology is critical, particularly where perched water and arte- AUTHOR sian conditions may exist. The water table is not really static, but Roy E. Hunt, P.E., P.G., F.ASCE, is a consulting geotechnical varies with the climate and the time of the year. With experience and geological engineer with 60 years of practice ranging from and some understanding of applied geomorphology, groundwa- foundation investigations for major structures to numerous ter conditions at a site can be predicted using USGS topographic landslides as well as the author of two books on geotechnical sheets. The streams and lakes shown on the maps give the engineering analysis and investigation. He can be reached at elevation of the water table at the time the map was made. The [email protected] landform, as illustrated by the topography, also yields clues as

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Geo-Strata l geoinstitute.org 13 Lessons Learned from Geo-Legends: An Interview with John B. Burland, Ph.D., P.E.

By Menzer Pehlivan, S.M.ASCE, Katherine Zadrozny, E.I.T, S.M.ASCE, and Onur Kacar, S.M.ASCE

his article is the fourth in a series of “Lessons Learned was the London Underground’s expert witness for the Parlia- from Geo-Legends.” The articles are written by student mentary Select Committees on the Jubilee Line Extension un- members of the Geo-Insti- derground railway and has advised T tute’s Student Leadership on many geotechnical aspects of Council (SLC) who believe the insights that project, including ensuring the they convey will beneﬁ t students and stability of the Big Ben Clock Tower. younger G-I members by providing an He was a member of the interna- opportunity to learn from those who I became excited tional board of consultants advising have excelled in advancing the geotech- about research the stabilization of the Metropolitan nical engineering profession. Cathedral of Mexico City and was a John B. Burland was born in the because my professor member of the Italian Prime Minis- United Kingdom and later moved ter’s Commission for stabilizing the to South Africa, where he studied was doing a lot of Leaning Tower of Pisa. civil engineering at the University of interesting work… Dr. Burland has received many the Witwatersrand. He returned to awards and medals including the England in 1961 and worked with Ove Thinking back, I Gold Medal for Engineering Excel- Arup and Partners for a few years. After found soil mechanics lence of the World Federation of receiving his Ph.D. from Cambridge Engineering Organizations. He also University, Dr. Burland joined the UK and geotechnics received gold medals from both the Building Research Station in 1966, unbelievably UK Institution of Structural Engi- where he became head of the Geo- neers and the UK Institution of Civil technics Division in 1972 and then boring because the Engineers. In 1994, he was awarded assistant director in 1979. In 1980, the Kevin Nash Gold Medal of the he was appointed to the Chair of Soil professor…was not International Society of Soil Me- Mechanics at the Imperial College of very inspiring. chanics and Geotechnical Engineer- London. He is now Emeritus Professor ing “In recognition of outstanding and Senior Research Investigator at services to ISSMGE, to International Imperial College. Goodwill and to International Geo- In addition to being very active technical Practice and Education.” in teaching and research, Dr. Bur- In 1996, he was awarded the Harry land has been responsible for advising on the design of many Seed Memorial Medal of the American Society of Civil Engi- large geotechnical engineering projects world-wide, including neers “for distinguished contributions as an engineer, scientist the underground car park at the Palace of Westminster and the and teacher in soil mechanics.” He is a Fellow of both the foundations of the Queen Elizabeth II Conference Centre in UK Royal Academy of Engineering and the Royal Society of London. He specializes in problems relating to the soil-struc- London and was appointed Commander of the Most Excellent ture interaction speciﬁ cally relating to masonry buildings. He Order of the British Empire in 2005.

14 Geo-Strata l geoinstitute.org Q: Please tell us a little bit about your everybody all around the world knows about it. To pretend background. How did you end up being a that there are other jobs more enjoyable or more challenging would be ridiculous. geotechnical engineer? In 1948, I was 12 years old when my family immigrated Q: Have you been involved with the to South Africa. I attended secondary school after a year of restoration of other historical structures? primary school there, during which I was very sensibly put into an Afrikaaner school. By that time, there was the Dutch Yes, the Metropolitan Cathedral of Mexico City, as a mem- instruction in South Africa; so a large percentage of the white ber of the board of consultancy. Also, I have been involved population had Dutch instruction. At the end of that year, I with many other structures, particularly some that involved was able to speak better Afrikaans than English. Later I went to deep excavations and tunneling. With ever-growing popula- an English-speaking school and my Afrikaans got deteriorated, tions living in congested urban environments, you realize but I can still understand some Afrikaans. there’s often just one way to go—underground—which means I received my bachelor’s degree at The University of Johan- you can impact existing buildings. And in Europe and other nesburg. I became excited about research because my professor places, that means many lovely, valuable, historic buildings was doing a lot of interesting work. At that time my big interest can be impacted. Thus, I have spent a lot of time working with was hydraulics. Thinking back, I found soil mechanics and experts in conservation, architecture, and so on. geotechnics unbelievably boring because the professor of the I have worked on many ancient buildings as well. To do so, soil mechanics was not very inspiring. He was a great engineer, you must understand their history and how they were built be- but he didn’t communicate it well in the classroom. I didn’t fore you can understand how much movement they can toler- understand effective stress or pore water pressures because the ate. You have to also be able to persuade others that what you complicated concepts were diffi cult. are doing is not stupid but well thought out and considered, However, I got very interested in hydraulics and registered and you have taken all the risks involved into account. It’s very to do a master’s in structures and hydraulics. There were not challenging and interesting, since you need to work with a very enough students at that time and I was asked to stay on and diverse range of specializations of people and understand their run a small research project for the soil mechanics profes- exceptions, emotions, all of it. sor. Of course, just as you start getting into a subject, it gets Q: Can you recall a project where your interesting. Soil mechanics caught up with me during that year. Then, I got a master’s degree in soil mechanics and hydraulics. estimations or predictions did not match Upon returning to England in 1961, I worked the next two your observations? years for the structural engineering fi rm Arup and then went to Cambridge University to get my Ph.D. just as critical state soil No one predicts anything perfectly. So every job where I had mechanics was beginning. Having been fortunate enough to to make a prediction, I’ve been wrong to some degree. And on be there at the very beginning, I am not only able to talk about the origins, benefi ts, and limitations of the critical state soil mechanics, but, more importantly, I can talk about the person- alities and the disputes that brought the subject to life. After receiving my Ph.D., I was asked to stay on but de- clined because I really needed to fi nd out how the real world was working, even though I would miss the research. I moved on to the Building Research Station, a government-funded agency. I spent 14 years there, specializing and observing how real geotechnical structures work by measuring their behavior using instrumentation and trying to fi nd out what actually happens when the structure is built. In 1980, I moved to Imperial College following Professor Bishop’s retirement; I have been there ever since. Now that I have been an emeritus professor for 10 years, my wife contends the only thing retired is my paycheck, as I still teach a post-graduate course and I lecture at the undergraduate level as well. Q: Which project have you most enjoyed being a part of or are most proud of? I would have to say stabilizing the Leaning Tower of Pisa. Because it has to be! It is such an incredible building and John Burland at the Leaning Tower of Pisa.

Geo-Strata l geoinstitute.org 15 some occasions dramatically wrong. But importantly, almost ev- Q: If you had the chance, what kind of ery occasion presents an opportunity to learn something. I think improvements or changes would you have it’s a mistake to go into engineering thinking that you are going to make a precise prediction. In fact, let me give you a saying: made in the education system in the “any design that depends on a precise prediction for its success undergraduate or graduate level? is a bad design.” No one can predict that accurately because the Let me give you a saying of the head of the department at boundary conditions and soil properties are not known that Cambridge University, Charles Ingles. He defined the univer- accurately. A design has to be robust; it has to take into account sity education as installing that habit of mind which you retain the uncertainty. It is a mistake to think that engineers are there when you’ve forgotten everything that you’ve ever been taught. to make precise predictions, because they are not. They are there We have to get back to that. It’s really easy to teach the latest to build safe structures and to account for unforeseen conditions gizmo, but everything is changing so quickly now. As profes- of variability. You make a prediction, put bounds on it, and then sors, our job is to give students the tools to think. We are not you make observations to find out what really happens. That is there to stuff them with the facts, but to teach them how to the fastest way of learning. think and with that they will retain all their knowledge. This Q: What important lessons applies to all levels of education. If you have you learned through- give a man a fish, he will live today but if you teach him how to fish, he will live out your career that you can for the rest of his life. All we are giving share with young engineers? …stabilizing students is fish; instead, we should teach them how to fish. There are so many lessons in life when the Leaning you are a geotechnical engineer, because Tower of Pisa… Q: You have been a you are working with nature the whole consultant, teacher, and time. You can never take nature for grant- to pretend ed. Let me give you an example. When researcher. Which have you we came onto the Pisa project, there were that there are enjoyed the most? all sorts of theories laid down by people other jobs I absolutely love teaching. However, as eminent as Terzaghi, Skempton, and please don’t take me away from my Bishop. Each had theories on how the more enjoyable research. And my consulting drives my tower was behaving. When we reviewed or more research. the history of the tower’s performance, all the theories were blown apart. You challenging Q: Is there anyone that has have got to be prepared to approach any had a particularly significant problem in a very childlike way, with eyes would be wide open and asking questions all the ridiculous. influence on your career? time. Many engineers try to just follow the I had the good fortune to work with codes. Just remember, an exciting feature three of the most difficult people in about geotechnics is that the ground geotechnical engineering. The first was hasn’t read the codes. Therefore, you’ve Michael Jennings, the man who made got to think outside the box. You’ve got to look, see, challenge, me hate soil mechanics because he taught so badly. But when I ask questions, and find out for yourself. There’s no doubt that conducted research with him, he was a very intuitive engineer this would make someone distinguished in this field. and a very dominant figure. Then, I worked with Ken Roscoe at Q: Which part of geotechnical engineering Cambridge University. With Roscoe, you were guilty until prov- en innocent. He taught me to stand up to others by justifying has the greatest potential for research today what I was doing. He made me realize you must be rigorous in and tomorrow? what you’re doing. Later, I worked with Bill Ward, an East End Londoner, a brilliant scientist who was also extremely difficult. We must continually make measurements to see what These three strong-minded but very difficult people helped actually happens when we build things. We have to continue shape my character. When you stand up to tough people and monitoring in order to learn. It’s so easy to take for granted don’t allow them walk all over you, they almost inevitably that the design is working, but we actually need to see how it’s respect you; otherwise, they don’t. But others have helped shape behaving. In my opinion, it repeatedly comes back to measur- my career. Alec Skempton was a tremendous writer. I read his ing what actually happens in the field, because we are in the writings and tried to write in the same way. When I got to know field working with nature. I think that applies to all parts of him late in life, he was a great inspiration and a great encour- geotechnical engineering.

16 Geo-Strata l geoinstitute.org I think it is important to spend two years in practice before you do your master’s, if you can. Then, you can learn the basics of working as an engineer.

ager. Victor de Mello was also a tre- The important thing is to again ask mendous inspiration and a wonderful questions and understand the regulato- engineer. Unfortunately, people didn’t ry climate regarding what is important appreciate him because they didn’t in design in that part of the world. understand what he was getting at. Q: How important do you Q: You have been working in think graduate studies in different parts of the world. geotechnical engineering What kind of differences are as opposed to solely have you observed in the undergraduate studies? geotechnical engineering The master’s level is terribly impor- field among the localities? tant. It’s very difficult to get across the There are huge differences. Codes essence of geotechnical engineering in of practice differ across the world. The the undergraduate level because the influence from regulatory authorities philosophy of geotechnical engineer- is significant. Some can completely ing is significantly different than the suppress innovation, while others are other branches of civil engineering. It much more open-ended and can allow is a hugely diverse area and there are more creative approaches to design. All too many different specializations. I can say is you have to try to under- You can’t pick all of the specializations stand the system. According to my ex- up in the undergraduate level. I think perience, you get nowhere if you try to it is important to spend two years in break an existing system; you will just practice before you do your master’s, if upset people. You need to understand you can. Then, you can learn the basics the strength of where you are working of working as an engineer. During your and need to take the trouble of trying master’s, the more in-depth lectures to understand the practice. Then, you and research teach you more than you might try to bend the rule a little bit. can learn as an undergraduate.

AUTHORS

Menzer Pehlivan, S.M.ASCE, is a Ph.D. candidate and graduate research assistant at The University of Texas at Austin, where she is conducting studies on incorporating site response analysis and associated uncertainties into seismic hazard analysis. She can be reached at [email protected].

Katherine Zadrozny, E.I.T, S.M.ASCE, is a master’s degree candidate at The University of Texas at Austin, where she is working on interpreting soil data from the Gulf of Mexico. She can be reached at [email protected].

Onur Kacar, S.M.ASCE, is a Ph.D. candidate at The University of Texas at Austin, where he is conducting research on dynamic soil properties. He can be reached at [email protected].

Geo-Strata l geoinstitute.org 17 Piedmont Residual Soils and Rocks

By Daniel A. Brown, Ph.D., P.E., D.GE, M.ASCE, and Paul W. Mayne, Ph.D., P.E., M.ASCE

he Piedmont region of eastern North America lies hillsides. The rocks have been subjected to eons of weather- between the Appalachian Mountains and the Coastal ing, which have now broken down to form residuum that Plains (Figure 1), extending from Alabama to New Jersey appears as fi ne sandy silts to silty fi ne sands and other soil-like Tand covering large portions of Georgia, the Carolinas geomaterials with trace mica that commonly have a reddish to and Virginia. The name comes from Latin, meaning “foot (pied) orange-tan color due to iron oxides. of the mountains (mont).” The eastern boundary of the Piedmont is commonly called the “fall line,” in reference to the location at Characteristics of Piedmont Soils and Rock which upstream navigation became diffi cult for colonial settlers. The thickness of residual overburden soils varies from The elevation change promoted grist mills, sawmills, and subse- zero, as with rock outcrops, to depths of 45 m or more. Some quently textile mills, and cities grew in locations such as Colum- prominent rock exposures include Kennesaw Mountain, Stone bus, Macon, and Augusta, GA, Columbia, SC, and Richmond, VA. Mountain, King's Mountain, and Great Falls at the Potomac Major metropolitan cities within the Piedmont include Atlanta, River. Rock quality designations (RQD) can vary from 0 to 90 Charlotte, Washington, D.C., Baltimore, and Philadelphia. percent with corresponding rock mass ratings (0 < RMR < 80 percent). The granitic inclusions are often used as an excellent source of aggregates, frequently shipped to Florida and other coastal regions where such materials are scarce or non-existent. Because the soils are formed from slow disintegration of the parent rock, there is typically a transition from soil-like, through a zone of progressively less intensely weathered materials, to solid rock. This zone of decomposed rock, often called “partially weathered rock” or “PWR” in the southern Piedmont, is often characterized as an intermediate geomaterial (IGM), transi- tional between soil and rock. The partially weathered rock zone presents a challenge when determining engineering properties because sampling is diffi cult. Standard penetration tests are commonly used to delineate the decomposed rock zone from the residual soil, with PWR characterized as those materials with SPT N-values exceeding 100 blows/30 cm. Towards a better understanding of Piedmont residual soils, Auburn University and the Alabama Department of Transporta- tion established a national geotechnical experimentation site (NGES) with the Piedmont geology at a 150-hectare property just south of Opelika, AL. The extensive laboratory and fi eld test data from this site provide a useful cross-reference for com- parison of geotechnical site characterization in the Piedmont Figure 1. Piedmont Region. and for understanding the behavior of this unique soil. The subsurface conditions were explored with many series of soil The Piedmont is composed of residual soils, saprolites, and test borings for sampling and a wide array of laboratory testing, decomposed rocks formed by the in-place disintegration of including index, consolidation, resonant column, triaxial, and very old metamorphic and igneous bedrocks. Ancient meta- direct shear testing. The in situ test methods used included: morphic mountain chains of Precambrian Z-age gneiss and schist with later igneous intrusions of Paleozoic age granites • standard penetration testing (SPT), form the original parent materials. As the mountains are long • cone penetration and piezocone (CPT and CPTu), gone, the remnant topography is now refl ected by rolling • fl at dilatometer (DMT),

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Geo-Strata-Nov2012-F.indd 1 10/5/12 1:35 PM The partially weathered rock zone presents a challenge when determining engineering properties because sampling is difﬁcult.

Figure 2. Proﬁles of SPT, DMT, PMT, CPTu1, and CHT at Opelika NGES.

• pressuremeter (PMT), duration loading conditions, with the result that soil response • borehole shear tests (BST), is difﬁcult to predict, being somewhere between drained and • ﬁeld permeability tests, undrained triaxial loading conditions. • crosshole tests (CHT), • downhole tests (DHT), and Engineering Behavior of Piedmont • surface wave methods (SASW). Soil and Rock

Figure 2 shows a sampling of these in situ test results. In The characteristics of Piedmont soils present a number of addition, a number of specialty tests on a wide range of deep geotechnical challenges and opportunities. The silty nature of foundations have been conducted at the Opelika NGES. the soil makes it particularly prone to erosion. The high mica The Unified Soils Classification System (USCS) was devel- content results in greater compressibility than might be ex- oped on the basis of sedimentary soil deposits, and therefore pected for otherwise similar siliceous soils. The transition zone the residual soils of the Piedmont geology often do not fare of decomposed rocks provides a stratum which is quite strong well within this system. For instance, at the Opelika NGES, the but difficult to characterize and quantify and may contain large grain size distributions show approximately 50 percent fines inclusions of relatively unweathered rock. with a mean grain size D50 ≈ 0.08 mm. Thus, small differ- The intact rock provides a very strong bearing layer, but ences in percent fines content can show fluctuations in depth may include seams of highly fractured or decomposed mate- intervals of boring logs between ML and SM soil types when rial. Variability in the rock surface and the potential for large no such variations actually occur. rock inclusions within the transition zone presents a challenge The notion of “layers” and “strata” are misleading too, as in predicting the quantity of rock excavation in cut areas and the formations result from in-place differential weathering of the difficulty in removal of rock. This challenge has led to fre- metamorphic rock strata, which may be folded, faulted, and contorted so that spatial variation is quite unpredictable. More clayey soils are common within the upper few meters due to the more advanced chemical weathering and leaching of surficial soils. Desiccation of surficial layers having higher clay content often produces a strong surface crust. As a result of training via textbook problems in university classes, geotechnical engineers often come to think of soils as composed of either “sand” (drained) or “clay” (undrained). The Piedmont soils do not conveniently fit into these two box- es. In some cases, the silty soils appear to behave drained as in a loose sand behavior, and in others the silts behave as stiff clays. A summary of triaxial test data from the Opelika NGES is shown in Figure 3, exhibiting a relatively low drained friction with small amount of cohesion. However, pore water pressures can control effective stress conditions for many short- Figure 3. Summary of triaxial test data from Opelika NGES.

20 Geo-Strata l geoinstitute.org quent construction claims and lawsuits related to expectations mat only to discover the building actually settled 250 mm after and responsibility for this aspect of construction. completion. Erosion of the fine-grained soils can be a significant prob- A broad range of deep foundation options, from steel H lem for drainage features, and is a constant concern on large piles driven to rock to augered cast-in-place (ACIP) piles to earth-moving projects, as is dust control. The silty soils also drilled shafts, is employed in the Piedmont. The optimum tend to absorb rainwater in the relatively wet climate of this deep foundation type depends upon the specific ground area, and the clay content is often just sufficient that the soils conditions and project requirements. ACIP piles, also known may be slow to dry out to suitable moisture content for compaction. Earthwork requires careful planning and attention to details to stay on schedule. This soil’s susceptibility to seepage erosion also requires careful attention to design of earth dams and flood control structures. The combination of compressibility related to mica content and erosion-susceptibility affects the design and performance of pavement structures. Good drainage is especially important because when saturated the silty soils can be very much affected by pore water pressures from cyclic loading and prone to pumping. Deflections at pavement joints combined with pumping and erosion of silty subgrade soils can lead to pot- holes and premature failures of concrete pavements. The clay content of the soil and small amount of cohesion intercept can be beneficial for excavation support. Cut slopes will often stand for periods of many days or weeks, and construction of excavation support using techniques such as sol- dier beams and lagging or soil nailing are generally well suited to these soils. However, the partial drainage conditions which may exist can provide apparent cohesion (i.e., undrained shear strength) and lead to a false sense of security. Trench excavations will often stand for short periods and tempt workers to Figure 4. Installation of drilled displacement piles for place pipelines without suitable shoring, as evidenced by the the Georgia Aquarium, Atlanta, GA. reports of disastrous consequences from news broadcasts in the Piedmont region. as continuous flight auger piles, in the range of 40 to 60 cm diameter are quite popular for commercial buildings where Foundation Engineering in Piedmont the speed and economy of these piles can be used to great Soil and Rock advantage. Because of the small cohesion typical in Piedmont soils, construction of these piles into or through the PWR is Shallow foundations are suitable for routine construction relatively simple. Where deep residual soils are present, drilled of light commercial structures up to several stories in height displacement piles (Figure 4) can be used to actually densify for most urban areas of the Piedmont. Soil bearing capacity the soil around the pile and install a cast-in-place pile with a is often sufficient for high foundation bearing pressures, but minimum of spoil. settlements of the micaceous silty soils typically control design Drilled shafts are commonly used for very heavy structures of these structures. A careful consideration of the localized soil to transfer loads into the strong bedrock formation within conditions is paramount, as evidenced by one case study in the Piedmont. Because the capacity of drilled shafts on rock Atlanta where the geotechnical firm estimated 35 mm of maxi- may be limited only by the structural capacity of the shaft mum settlement for a 14-story dormitory on a large structural itself, these foundations are often used to support individual

The intact rock provides a very strong bearing layer, but may include seams of highly fractured or decomposed material.

Geo-Strata l geoinstitute.org 21 The partial drainage conditions which may exist can provide apparent cohesion…and lead to a false sense of security.

columns without the need for a footing. Besides tall buildings, mid-Atlantic region of the U.S. The residual soils and decom- bridges and transmission structures in the Piedmont often posed rocks often behave quite differently than the usual employ drilled shaft foundations for support. For example, the types of sands and clays, and thus can present some unique new elevated rail line project extending the Washington, D.C. geotechnical challenges. Geotechnical engineers and construc- Metrorail to Dulles Airport includes single-column hammer- tors practicing in this area must understand and consider the head piers located within existing highway right-of-way and particular characteristics of the Piedmont geology; experience founded on drilled shafts up to 3 m in diameter. in the area is a strong component of a geotechnical skill set. Recent research provides useful information on the perfor- This rapidly growing region of the country promises to present mance of drilled shafts in the Piedmont, including some of many future opportunities for geotechnical engineers to gain the challenges with design and construction of drilled shafts in valuable practical experience. this unique geology, as well as load test results from a site in Lawrenceville, GA. The load tests performed at this site demonstrate the extremely high potential side and end bearing resistance which can be mobilized in the Piedmont bedrock. As shown in Figure 5, the values of E represent the computed displacement of a circular plate bearing on an elastic half space with an equivalent elastic modulus equal to E. The research also summarizes the consensus approach to design of drilled shaft foundations in the Atlanta area developed by a working committee of local practicing engineers. Experience Is Everything

Like geological and geotechnical challenges in other regions, the soils and rocks in the Piedmont region pose their own unique challenges that may not be immediately apparent to a geoprofessional who has not encountered them before, yet they cover a signiﬁcant portion of the southeastern and Figure 5. Measured base resistance from Lawrenceville, GA load tests.

AUTHORS

Dan Brown, Ph.D., P.E., D.GE, M.ASCE, is the president of Paul W. Mayne, Ph.D., P.E., M.ASCE, is a professor at the Georgia Dan Brown and Associates in Jasper, TN. He served on the faculty Institute of Technology in Atlanta, GA. His areas of expertise include of Auburn University for over 20 years and is known for his work in in situ testing, geotechnical site characterization, and foundation foundation engineering and construction of deep foundations for systems. He can be reached at [email protected]. bridges and other structures. He can be reached at [email protected].

22 Geo-Strata l geoinstitute.org Discover more TenCate Geosynthetics at www.mirafi.com or call 1-800-685-9990 Challenging Soils in Seattle, Washington

By Bill Laprade, L.E.G, C.E.G., F.GSA

complex mixture of rock and soil in the Seattle area has resulted in a relatively large concentration of geotechnical engineers and engineering geologists. ADramatic changes in subsurface conditions occur over short distances, resulting in the need for a disproportionate number of geo-professionals in this fast-growing urban area. The complexity is mainly due to the imprinting of repeated glaciation over older Tertiary rocks that underlie and surround the basin in which the population resides. As with most other areas of North America that are underlain by glacial soils, Seattle and environs has its geotechnical challenges with respect to design and construction. Physical Setting

Seattle, Washington is located in the middle of the Puget Lowland, an elongated trough that extends from Vancouver, British Columbia, on the north to Olympia, Washington, on the south. The lowland is a basin that has been fi lled with sediment and eroded several times during the past two million years. It extends to an elevation of roughly 400 ft above sea level and is fl anked by the Cascade Range to the east and the Olympic Mountains to the west. Puget Sound is a long and circuitous water body that dominates the central part of the basin (Figure 1). Volcanic and sedimentary rocks poke through the Pleistocene basin fi ll sporadically. The large cities in this region are located on glacial and nonglacial soils deposited during the past two million years. The thickness of Pleistocene soils varies widely from zero, where the bedrock is surfi cial, to more than 3,000 ft beneath Figure 1. Seattle and the Puget Lowland, Western Washington. Seattle. Active tectonics, chiefl y from north–south compression, is responsible for warping and faulting of these sediments. streamlined (drumloidal) hills, all a legacy of ice movement and The Puget Lowland is thought to have been glaciated subglacial water erosion during glacial incursions. Although the 6–8 times during the Pleistocene. Where not complicated upper elevations of the central part of the Puget Lowland glacial by erosion or faulting, this results in a repeating sequence fi ll are only about 400 ft high, steep and often unstable slopes of glaciolacustrine fi ne-grained deposits, coarse-grained out- are a legacy of the glacial molding followed by 16,000 years wash, till and various nonglacial soils such as delta deposits, of slope regression, particularly along Puget Sound and river marine and lacustrine deposits, and colluvium. However, the sidewalls. The instability, to a great degree, is due to the repeated more that the landscape is geotechnically explored, the more interlayering of deposits with highly variable hydraulic conduc- complicated the subsurface picture seems to become. tivities and resulting impacts on groundwater fl ow. Seattle is no exception to the regional depositional sequence and may indeed be the poster child for the complexity Seattle Area Soils and Their Properties of subsurface conditions. The greater Seattle area is a dissected In the Seattle and surrounding areas of the Puget Lowland, plain upon which is superimposed linear ridges and glacially there are four main types of glacial soil (glaciolacustrine,

24 Geo-Strata l geoinstitute.org

Figure 2. Simplifi ed hypothetical stratigraphy of a Seattle hill. glaciomarine, outwash, and till) and two types of nonglacial tion till, laid down more or less as the ice melts, is typically soil (fi ne-grained and coarse-grained). The soils have differ- medium dense to dense and has a higher water content. Puget ing grain sizes and chemistries. A principal differentiator in Sound till, a matrix-supported diamict containing a wide range the geotechnical properties of the soils is whether or not the of grain sizes, is different from most other tills of the world soil has been glacially overridden. The approximate 3,000-ft in that the matrix is typically not clayey. Because most of the thickness of ice repeatedly compressed and overconsolidated source rocks to the north are crystalline, the matrix is silty, the soils beneath it. The recessional glacial deposits of the 20–60 percent fi nes by weight, but not plastic. Till has a very most recent glacial ice and subsequent Holocene deposits have low hydraulic conductivity, 10-6 to 10-7 cm/sec, and is common- different engineering properties from their pre-ice deposited ly called “hardpan” by non-geoprofessionals. The youngest till, equivalents because they have not been glacially overridden. A Vashon Till, forms the surfi cial layer over much of the upland simplifi ed hypothetical geologic profi le is presented in Figure area of Seattle and its surroundings. 2. In reality, all of Seattle’s hills and ridges are composed of Glaciomarine sediment was deposited in salt or freshwa- different confi gurations of these components. ter in the Puget Sound when fl oating or shallowly grounded Glaciolacustrine soils are clayey silt and silty clay derived glacial ice was in relatively close proximity to the deposition primarily from rock fl our and are dependent on their proximal zone. It is a diamict. The primary differentiating factor from rock or soil source for their chemical properties. Where this typical Puget Sound-area till is that glaciomarine drift (GMD) clay and silt mix has been overridden by ice, it is very stiff to has a clayey, plastic matrix. GMD is not widely found in the hard, except as described below. Where it has not been over- central and southern parts of the Puget Lowland. Its presence ridden, it is commonly soft to stiff. The mix has a low vertical becomes more dominating farther north toward the Vancou- hydraulic conductivity, typically in the range of 10-6 to 10-8 ver, BC area. Although the matrix is clayey, there is a highly centimeters per second (cm/sec), but a slightly higher (10-4 to variable percentage of sand, gravel, and cobbles, so the deposit 10 -5 cm/sec) horizontal hydraulic conductivity owing to the can range from gravel to clay as its primary constituent over ubiquitous presence of fi ne sand and silt lenses or partings. short distances. Outwash is mostly fi ne to medium sand with varying Where glacially overridden, GMD is overconsolidated and amounts of gravel and fi nes contents ranging from less than very dense or hard, but where it is normally consolidated, it is 5 to about 20 percent by weight. Gravel layers are widely scat- very soft to very stiff. In the northern portion of the Puget Low- tered. Extensive gravel strata, particularly south of Seattle, are land, these sediments were deposited during recession of the associated with glacial outburst fl oods. Outwash is very dense where it has been glacially overridden, but medium dense to dense where it has not. Owing to its coarse nature, outwash has relatively high hydraulic conductivity, ranging from ap- The more that the proximately 10 to 10-3 cm/sec. As such, the outwash deposits commonly provide aquifers for water supply and, where landscape is geotechnically unsaturated, a potential subsurface reservoir into which treated stormwater can be injected. explored, the more Till is the basal lodgment deposit of glacial ice and is complicated the subsurface deposited along the contact between the ice and underlying ground surface. Where the ice continued to override this soil, picture seems to become. it was compacted to a high degree and is very dense. Abla-

26 Geo-Strata l geoinstitute.org Heavy Civil and Geotechnical Contractors Micropiles • Caissons • Sheet Piling • Anchors/Tiebacks 724.443.1533 | www.brayman.com Bridges & Complex Structures • Demolition Vashon-age ice, about 15,000 years ago. They are unusual because Puget Lowland Challenging Soils post-glacial desiccation has dried and hardened the upper 10–30 ft, but the underlying clay remains very soft in this area. Three challenging soils come to mind with regard to the Three Holocene soil units make up much of the surfi cial Puget Lowland: glaciolacustrine deposits, till, and depression cover in the Puget Lowland: colluvium, depression fi llings, fi llings. Glaciolacustrine deposits include the glacially depos- and alluvium. Colluvium, a heterogeneous soil, is ubiquitous ited and overridden fi ne-grained soils of many ages. They may on sloping ground surfaces to depths of about 3–15 ft. It is be associated with any of the six or more advances of glacial composed of a mixture of the soils that underlie the slope ice during the Pleistocene. Where the deposit can be strati- plus organics that have become incorporated in the mixture. graphically tied to the youngest glaciation, it is termed Lawton The colluvium has developed from freeze-thaw, root wedging, Clay. Older layers of the same material are simply called erosional deposition, and landslide deposition. Colluvium pre-Vashon glaciolacustrine deposits because their exact age or commonly has a higher water content, higher fi nes content, place in the stratigraphic column cannot be ascertained. As a and lower strength than the underlying in situ soils. Its actual group, and because the type-section or representative outcrop engineering properties depend on the combination of the con- for the Vashon-age unit, Lawton Clay, is in Seattle, this clay and tributing soil units. Because sloping ground is so widespread silt are often referred to as Seattle Clay. in the Seattle area, colluvium and its properties commonly Overconsolidated glaciolacustrine deposits commonly have must be considered during geotechnical evaluations. a dry unit weight ranging from 90 to 110 pcf. When relatively Depression fi llings occur primarily in hollows on the upland intact and laterally restrained, the glaciolacustrine soils exhibit ridges and plateaus that were left from the last glaciations. They high effective shear strengths, with internal friction angles range from tens of square feet to a half mile in diameter and of about 25 to 30 degrees with 200 to 2,000 psf cohesions. from 5 to 30 ft deep. Following the disappearance of the ice, However, the soil is more often jointed, fractured, or sheared. the depressions were fi lled with fi ne-grained sediment and then Where disturbed more seriously, it has been described with peat. Both are commonly very soft to medium stiff, depending such terms as diced, fi ssured, sheared, broken, blocky, or slick- on their desiccation or groundwater fl uctuation history. ensided (Figure 3). Alluvial or stream-deposited soils are not widespread in Where the discontinuities are minor and widely spaced, Seattle. They are concentrated in the Duwamish River Valley the cause is thought to have been tensile stresses from gla- where much of Seattle’s medium and heavy industry is located, cial rebound fl exure or gentle warping from seismic regional including Boeing Field. Alluvium consists mostly of fi ne and compression. Where intense disturbance is encountered, local fi ne to medium sand and silt. Much of the 200- to 300-ft-thick hypotheses include such processes as seismic shearing move- alluvial accumulation has been deposited as the distal runout ment, landsliding, and glacial thrusting or bulldozing. Actual of lahars from Mount Rainier, a Quaternary volcano. This sand processes at any specifi c site are not usually determinable, and silt are characteristically dark gray with red andesite grains. except when a landslide shear zone is obviously identifi ed in a The Duwamish alluvium increases in density from loose in the landslide area. upper tens of feet to very dense at the 200-ft depth or deeper. A Areas of disturbed glaciolacustrine deposits are not identifi - signifi cant proportion of the liquefaction-prone areas in Seattle able without subsurface exploration and are not predictable ver- is coincident with this deposit in the Duwamish River Valley. tically or horizontally. Because of this unpredictability, residual

Figure 3. Sheared, blocky, and slickensided Seattle Clay in excavation face in Bellevue, WA.

28 Geo-Strata l geoinstitute.org strength values for very stiff to hard clay Depression fi llings are commonly low- and silt are commonly used in engineering lying, and many are regulated wetlands. practice with internal friction angles ranging With environmental regulations more from about 12 to 19 degrees and zero cohe- stringent now than in the past, depression sion. Observations of excavation walls at fi llings consisting of soft and organic soils construction sites confi rm that blocks of the are commonly avoided. Where avoid- clay/silt have failed unexpectedly where not ance is not possible, and the potential to laterally restrained. The boundaries of such surcharge or preload the site not practical, blocks are defi ned by linear joints or some lightweight fi ll, including foam blocks, other of the discontinuities listed above. is becoming more commonly used to re- Related to the overridden glaciolacus- duce loading on the weak subgrade soils. trine deposits, but in a different context, are many of the landslides that plague Seattle Learning, Sharing, Moving Forward slopes and surrounding areas. In these The Puget Lowland is composed of areas, it is common for the contact between complexly interwoven layers of glacial the clay and overlying sand to be exposed and nonglacial soils, several of which can on or buried below colluvium on the steep be challenging to deal with. Sharing of slopes. The fi ne-grained layer, being of low information and experience, particularly vertical hydraulic conductivity, perches infi l- regarding problematic soils, through trating water and forces it laterally toward a active geotechnical engineering and engi- common elevation on the slope. Pore pres- Figure 4. Landslide inventory neering geology organizations has helped sures build up there, because outlets for the map of Seattle Landslide Study. to reduce failures of engineered works in water are typically covered by colluvium. Seattle and the surrounding region. Slope instability ensues, either in the over- In the 1960s and 1970s, along with the growth in industry lying sand or in the slope-blanketing colluvium. This relation- and population in the Puget Sound region came the expan- ship was noted in 1974 and confi rmed later in the 2000 Seattle sion of infrastructure to serve the people and business. The Landslide Study (SLS). A map of the landslide inventory from the understanding of soil properties sometimes lagged behind SLS is depicted in Figure 4. The study found that 68 percent of the the construction of infrastructure, and slope failures such as 1,426 recorded landslides occurred as debris avalanches or debris on the Interstate I-5 corridor and unsuccessful embankment fl ows in the colluvial layer of a hillside. fi ll construction with overly wet glacial soils ensued. Through Combinations of drainage and structural remediation are combined study of the properties by academics, the Washing- used to combat these instabilities. The Seattle Department of ton State Department of Transportation, and the consulting Transportation maintains one of the best landslide records geotechnical community, failures of geotechnical projects are in the world, which aids geotechnical engineers, engineer- now uncommon. However, the use of residual strength values ing geologists, and private citizens in decisions regarding the when dealing with glacially overridden lacustrine soils and development of property in the city. The Seattle Department conservative designs related to landslide prevention and reme- of Planning and Development’s geotechnical group enforces diation remain high priorities in the Puget Lowland. steep slope rules and reviews all development proposals in Another positive change for the better over the past 20 or so landslide-prone areas of the city. years has been the increased involvement in large public works Vashon Till, or any older till, is a superb foundation bearing projects by engineering geologists in the interpretation of soil layer, normally good for 6–8 tons per square foot (tsf); however, samples, preparation of subsurface profi les, and integration with modern designs have successfully pushed this value up to 12 tsf the engineering team. The complex glacial mixture requires this. in some circumstances. Once the till is disturbed, however, its silty The Pacifi c Northwest is known for its thick evergreen nature and its over-optimum natural water content commonly cover of vegetation. Unfortunately, this is not conducive to make it unsuitable for use as structural fi ll. Long periods of open- clearcut interpretation of the landforms. With the advent of air drying are not usually available in western Washington, so this LiDAR, geo-professionals are able to “see through the canopy,” soil has to be wasted in situations where a high degree of compac- discovering instability and geologically signifi cant landforms tion is required. If protected from additional water and if worked that often-times went unrecognized until problems cropped up during dry weather, till may sometimes be used in lower parts of during design or later. embankment fi lls or non-structural situations.

AUTHORS

Bill Laprade, L.E.G, C.E.G., F.GSA, is a senior vice president with Shannon & Wilson, Inc. in Seattle, WA. He is a member of the AEEG and a Fellow of the GSA. His 39 years of experience and expertise include glacial stratigraphy, the behavior of glacial soils, and slope stability issues in urban areas and timberlands. Bill can be reached at [email protected].

30 Geo-Strata l geoinstitute.org

Foundation Challenges for Tall Buildings in the Middle East

By Harry G. Poulos, D.Sc.Eng., P.E., Dist.M.ASCE

he last two decades have seen a remarkable increase in least within feasible foundation depths, which are encountered the rate of construction of tall buildings in excess of 150 in Doha, Qatar. In such cases, alternative strategies need to m in height, and their number seems to be increasing be explored because it may not be feasible or economical to Tat an almost exponential rate. A signifi cant number achieve design objectives by increasing the length of the piles. of these very tall buildings have been constructed in the Middle • The chemically aggressive ground conditions that often East over the past 20 years, and many more are either planned or prevail that may cause accelerated deterioration of foundation already under construction. Dubai has now the tallest building in materials such as steel and concrete. Consequently, reinforced the world, the Burj Khalifa, which is 828 m in height. concrete in coastal areas of the Middle East may have only half the “Super-tall” buildings in excess of 300 m in height are pre- life expectancy of the same concrete in more temperate conditions. senting new challenges to engineers, particularly in relation to It is critical that these factors be identifi ed during the ground structural and geotechnical design. Many of the traditional design investigation phase and that appropriate in situ, laboratory, and methods cannot be applied with any confi dence because they fi eld testing be undertaken to assess the extent to which such require extrapolation well beyond the realms of prior experi- factors, if present, may infl uence the foundation performance. ence. Accordingly, structural and geotechnical designers are being An example of the subsurface geology and soils found in forced to use more sophisticated methods of analysis and design. the Middle East is illustrated in the typical geotechnical profi le Geological and Geotechnical Features showing the main stratigraphic units encountered in Dubai of Some Middle Eastern Countries (Figure 1). The main strata consist of weakly cemented calcare-

The Arabian Peninsula poses a number of potentially sig- niﬁ cant regional geologic and geotechnical factors which must be considered when designing foundations in Middle Eastern countries, especially for high-rise buildings. Among the more The Arabian Peninsula important and frequently occurring factors are: poses a number of • Very weak rock with variable cementation. If subjected to high stresses and the cementation breaks down, these rocks potentially signiﬁ cant may become very compressible and result in troublesome regional geologic and long-term settlements. • Interbedded layers with variable properties, or deposits geotechnical factors which containing gypsum which can make them highly heterogeneous. In such cases, relatively small variations in foundation must be considered when pile tip toe level may lead to considerable differences in pile performance characteristics. designing foundations • Deposits which are naturally loose and rich in carbon- in Middle Eastern countries, ates. They may be susceptible to degradation during cyclic loading. • Limestone deposits with possible karstic features. The especially for high-rise end bearing capacity of foundations in karstic strata may be very small or absent, and there’s often a risk that the ground support buildings. conditions may deteriorate with time if a solution cavity is formed. • Ground conditions that do not improve with depth, at

32 Geo-Strata l geoinstitute.org Figure 1. Typical Dubai stratigraphy.

ous sands, including calcareous sandstone, calcarenite, cal- the load-sharing among the various components of the system, cisiltite, claystone, and siltstone, with some gypsum layers. The and the distribution of loads within the piles. For this and most groundwater table is typically 1–3 m below ground surface. other components of design, it is essential that the geotechnical designers and the structural designers collaborate closely. Key Foundation Design Issues for Tall Buildings Combined Pile-Raft Foundation Systems

Several key issues need to be addressed in the design of Combined pile-raft foundation systems have proved to be foundations for high-rise buildings: very effective and economical for super-tall buildings because they provide redundancy for situations where the ground or 1. The ultimate capacity of the foundation under vertical, foundation conditions may not be uniform, such as where lateral, and moment loading combinations. there may be cavities within limestone strata. In such cases, the 2. The infl uence of the cyclic nature of wind, earthquakes, presence of the raft facilitates load redistribution from weaker and wave loadings, if appropriate, on foundation capacity and or softer piles to stiffer and stronger piles. This foundation type movements. is particularly suited to ground conditions where the upper 3. Overall settlements. strata are relatively dense or stiff and where the raft can de- 4. Differential settlements, both within the high-rise foot- velop considerable load capacity and stiffness. Such conditions print and between high-rise and low-rise areas. are prevalent in much of the Middle East. 5. The possible effects of externally imposed ground movements on the foundation system, such as movements arising Typical Foundation Systems for Middle East from excavations for pile caps or adjacent facilities. Tall Buildings 6. Earthquake effects, including the response of the structure-foundation system to earthquake excitation, and the Emirates Towers, Dubai. The Emirates Towers project in possibility of liquefaction in the soil surrounding and/or sup- Dubai involved the construction of two triangular towers: an porting the foundation. offi ce tower 355 m tall and a hotel tower 305 m tall (Figure 7. The dynamic response of the structure-foundation sys- 2). When they were completed in 2000, the Offi ce Tower was tem to wind-induced and, if appropriate, wave forces. the eighth tallest building in the world, while the Hotel Tower 8. The structural design of the foundation system, including was the seventeenth tallest. The twin towers are located on a

Geo-Strata l geoinstitute.org 33 Figure 2. Emirates Twin Towers, Dubai.

Design/Build site approximately 200,000 m2, which also Earth Retention incorporates low-level retail and parking Foundation Support podium areas. Data on the unconﬁ ned compressive Slope Stabilization strength (UCS) of the cemented strata in Ground Improvement Dubai indicate low values, generally ranging between 1 and 3 MPa. For design purposes, Dewatering the ultimate skin friction values for compression piles have ranged between about Donald B. Murphy Contractors, Inc. 200 and 450 kPa. Under uplift loading, 800-562-8460 WWW.DBMCONTRACTORS.COM these values have been reduced by about 30

34 Geo-Strata l geoinstitute.org

12dB102DbmGeoStrataBwAd.indd Ad size: 4.5682" x 4.875" tall October 2012 Online graduate degree and certi cate program percent. Values of ultimate end bearing of 2–3 MPa have been adopted for design. Geotechnics The foundation system for both towers Geological Engineers Civil Engineers Mining Engineers Geologists involved the use of large-diameter piles in conjunction with a raft. The number, depth, diameter, and locations of the foundation piles were altered several times during the design process, with the geotechnical and structural designers collaborating in an interactive process of Earn your degree computing structural loads and foundation response. In the final design, the while you work. piles were primarily 1.2 m diameter and extended 40 or 45 m below the base of Only 10 courses to complete your graduate degree. the raft. There were 102 piles supporting Missouri University of Science and Technology is one of the top the office tower and 91 piles supporting geotechnology schools in the country. Our online Geotechnics the hotel tower. In general, the piles were graduate program combines both the elds of soil and rock located directly below 4.5-m-deep walls mechanics with engineering to form a comprehensive program which spanned between the raft and the of study. Level 1 floor slab. The raft itself was rela- http://gtech.mst.edu tively thin, only 1.5 m thick. [email protected] | 573-341-6714 The maximum settlements were predicted to be about 130–140 mm, but the measured settlements turned out to be MISSOURI UNIVERSITY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY considerably less. The over-prediction was A Premier Technological Research University | Founded 1870 attributed subsequently to an overestima- tion of the effects of interaction among the foundation piles. This case provided valuable data for settlement prediction in future projects in Dubai. Burj Khalifa, Dubai. The Burj Khalifa project in Dubai comprises the construction of a 160-storey high-rise tower, with a podium development around the base of the tower, including a below- ground garage. Completed in 2010, the Burj Dubai Tower (Figure 3) is now the world’s tallest building, rising 828 m above ground level. The ground conditions are similar to those at the Emirates Towers. It is founded on a 3.7-m-thick raft supported on 196 bored piles, 1.5 m in diameter, extending approximately 45 m below the base of the raft. The average pressure exerted on the foundation is about 1,250 kPa. Figure 4 shows the layout of the tower piles. The surrounding podium area was also designed as a piled raft, with 750 piles 0.9 m in diameter and 30 m long. To date, the foundation has a measured maximum settlement of only about 45 mm, well below the predicted final value of about 75 mm.

Geo-Strata l geoinstitute.org 35 Figure 5. Dubai Tower, Doha (artist’s impression).

Dubai Tower, Doha, Qatar. A high-rise tower is currently under construction in Doha, Qatar (Figure 5). The tower will be in excess of 400 m tall and will have 74 storeys and 3 base- ment levels. The average foundation pressure due to dead plus Figure 3. Burj Khalifa, Dubai. live loading is about 950 kPa. The tower is founded on a pile- supported raft, 2.5 m thick, with a total of 232 piles extending about 32 m below the base of the raft. A low-rise podium area is located adjacent to the tower. The ground conditions at the site are very challenging, with a good quality limestone near the surface, but with the strength of the rock deposits diminishing with depth. Therefore, unlike many other sites, the ground conditions do not improve with depth, at least within the feasible founding depth of the piles. As a result, the piles have had to be designed as relatively short friction piles, relying signiﬁcantly on the shaft friction developed along the upper sections of the piles, which pass through the good quality Simsima limestone and then shale. What Have Foundation Designers Learned?

There are a number of geotechnical and foundation Figure 4. Layout of piles for Burj Dubai Tower engineering challenges that arise with high-rise building foundation. projects in Middle Eastern countries, and these challenges need to be identiﬁed during the ground investigation phase

36 Geo-Strata l geoinstitute.org so that appropriate testing can be undertaken. Piled raft Combined pile-raft foundations provide an economical, effective, and redundant foundation systems have foundation system for tall building projects in this region. Because fewer piles are required for this system than for the proved to be very effective more conventional fully piled foundation, savings in both and economical for super- cost and construction time have been made. In particular, the time savings can be important for commercial develop- tall buildings because they ments in which each day of construction time saved can lead provide redundancy for to considerable monetary beneﬁts. The complexity of the ground and loading conditions situations where the ground for super-tall buildings demand that state-of-the-art analy- or foundation conditions may ses be employed during the design process. Measurements on buildings founded on piled rafts have demonstrated not not be uniform. only that this foundation system leads to greater economy, but also that the settlements experienced are less than were predicted during the design process. Measurements of the AUTHOR performance of foundations have therefore enabled more Harry G. Poulos, D.Sc.Eng., P.E., Dist.M.ASCE, is a senior principal relevant and less conservative design parameters to be em- at Coffey Geotechnics in Sydney, Australia and an Emeritus Professor ployed on subsequent projects, thus emphasizing the endur- of Civil Engineering at the University of Sydney. He can be reached at ing value of such measurements. [email protected].

Geo-Strata l geoinstitute.org 37 Ten Practical Employee Engagement Steps That Drive Results!

By Bob Kelleher

he extended downturn in the economy has taken Here Are Some Facts... its toll on your employees. Training budgets were slashed, wages frozen, and promotions delayed as I don’t think I’m being an alarmist. In fact, a recent Deloitte Hu- Temployees were asked to “do more with less.” I’m man Capital Special Report, “Managing Talent in a Turbulent Econ- projecting that we’re entering the era of the “disengaged” as omy,” based on survey respondents, revealed statistics that should many employees seek alternatives elsewhere. Companies will keep leaders and Human Resources executives awake at night: start hiring again soon, employees will again believe that it • Nearly half (49 percent) of employees surveyed are either is okay to be someone’s low man on the totem pole, and the looking for a new job or plan to do so after the recession ends. “musical chairs” aspect of job movement will take root. Is • 22 percent of surveyed Generation X employees have your company prepared? been actively job hunting over the past year. I’m also projecting that ﬁ rms will not simply return • Among surveyed Generation X members, only 37 percent to their pre-recession turnover levels. For instance, if your plan to stay with their current employer, while 44 percent of sur- traditional voluntary turnover dropped from 15 percent to veyed Generation Y members expect to remain in their current job. 5 percent, the 10 percent of the workforce that didn’t leave during the past year is now in queue and will be in addition What Can You Do? to your traditional 15 percent of voluntary turnover. Can your company handle turnover levels of 25 percent or higher? Companies need to focus on their engagement and reten- How will this impact employee engagement, client satisfaction strategies today to be prepared for tomorrow by adopting tion, and your bottom line? the following 10 engagement practices.

38 Geo-Strata l geoinstitute.org 1. Link your engagement efforts to high performance. Em- leaders” have very different behaviors and traits than effective ployee engagement is not about employee satisfaction. The last individual contributors. thing you should want is a team of satisfi ed but underperform- 4. Focus on communication, the cornerstone of engagement. ing employees. Employee satisfaction can be a desirable out- Successful leaders recognize the power of a robust communica- come of a great culture, it just shouldn’t be a company’s goal. tion plan, one built on clarity, consistency, and transparency. I defi ne engagement as “the unlocking of employee potential Learn how to leverage the various communication venues to drive high performance.” This mutual commitment leads available to you, especially social media, and how to tailor to greater discretionary effort and commitment from your em- communications to reach vastly different generations in the ployees – keys to achieving extraordinary client service. workplace. Communication experts used to say that an em- 2. Engagement starts at the top. Most studies show that the ployee needed to see or hear a message seven times before they actions of senior leaders are a key engagement driver. Leaders “heard” it. With today’s error of technological communication must demonstrate support for an engaged culture by personal- overload, experts now claim employees need to hear or see a ly living their company’s values. In today’s times, leaders have message 13 times before it resonates. large shadows – and your employees are watching everything you do! Leaders need to give as much focus to engagement as to profi t, revenue growth, client satisfaction, and quality! 3. Engage fi rst line leaders. The old adage that “employees Nearly half (49 percent) of join great companies but quit bad managers” is true. Based on research, the key driver of engagement is the relationship with employees surveyed are one’s direct manager. Studies show that if one’s line manager either looking for a new job is disengaged, his/her employees are three times more likely to be disengaged. However, we woefully under-invest in both or plan to do so after the selection of fi rst line leaders and the necessary supervisory recession ends. training. We assume if you’re a good accountant, you’ll be a good manager of accountants. However, effective “people

Geo-Strata l geoinstitute.org 39 5. Individualize your engagement. Today’s leaders must tai- hall meetings, pulse surveys, blogs, action learning teams, and lor their communication approaches, rewards, and recognition “walk-bys” are also effective feedback mechanisms. programs and training and development investments to the 8. Reinforce and reward the right behaviors. I’ve learned that unique motivational drivers of each employee. It is no longer employees are incredibly motivated by achievement, not money. “treat people they way you want to be treated;” the new man- I do believe that money can disengage if employees perceive tra is “treat people the way they want to be treated.” Key factors unfairness. Because you will get the behavior you measure, I to consider when individualizing your engagement is one’s age strongly suggest a blend of both quantitative and qualitative (i.e., Generation Y’s engagement drivers are significantly dif- metrics. And celebrate your successes and achievements fre- ferent than Boomers), tenure, ethnicity, gender, thinking styles quently as you tend to get the behavior that you recognize! (right vs. left brain), and culture. 9. Track and communicate progress. It’s amazing to me how 6. Create a motivational culture. I don’t believe leaders can few companies have balanced scorecards in place. Employees motivate employees long-term. They must create motivational are no different than leadership – they both want to work for a cultures where employees can flourish. Leaders do need to “winning” organization. You need to strengthen your interac- understand the different intrinsic motivational drivers of their tion with employees by telling them where your organization employees and customize their leadership to these drivers. is headed, how the company is performing, and where they fit And always remember to be an empathetic leader – experts in. These are key alignment and engagement necessities. agree that leaders who demonstrate that they care about their 10. Hire and promote the right behaviors and traits for your employees as people will gain their discretionary effort! culture. I often tell clients that they don’t have an engage- 7. Create feedback mechanisms. Companies need to ask ment issue, they have a hiring issue – they’re hiring the wrong employees what they think. Employee engagement surveys are a behaviors and traits to succeed in their culture. To reinforce this great tool to check your organizational pulse. Are your employ- message, I share my B.E.S.T profile of staff selection. Although ees currently engaged? Are you capturing their discretionary we place much emphasis on one’s educational background and effort? As we recover from this deep recession, some enlightened skills (the E and S), people generally succeed or fail because of companies are beginning to ask their employees, “What do you their behaviors and traits (the B and T). It is amazing how much think?” as they conduct employee engagement surveys. Town time, energy, and money organizations invest in understanding

40 Geo-Strata l geoinstitute.org It is no longer “treat people they way you want to be treated”; the new mantra is “treat people the way they want to be treated.”

their customers and markets. However, these same companies ment investments and efforts as a dimmer switch – during woefully underinvest in understanding their employment value financially challenging times, you lower slightly, and during proposition (EVP). Why do employees work here? What is boom times, you elevate slightly, while continuously com- unique about our brand? What are the behaviors and traits that municating with your employees the realities of your business define our successful employees, and are we building these into challenges and successes. our selection criteria? Successful organizations link their service/ product brand with their employment brand. AUTHOR Where Are We Headed? Bob Kelleher is an author, speaker, consultant, and founder of The Employee Engagement Group, a global consulting firm that works I anticipate significant job movement in the months ahead. with leadership teams to implement leadership and employee Your retention and engagement investments should not be engagement programs, workshops, and surveys, and has recently analogous to a light switch – you shouldn’t just turn them on introduced the world’s first cloud-based employee engagement resource center, The Employee Engagement Library. Bob can be or off. You need to have a strategy in place that can sustain the reached at [email protected]. good times and the not-so-good times. Think of your engage-

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Geo-Strata l geoinstitute.org 41 GeoCurmudgeon by John P. Bachner

Foolproof Writing

+ 4 = 7 is an error. 2 + = 6 is also an error. The former report. He should have told us we were doing it wrong. His firm is an error of commission, the latter of omission, needs to contribute to the correction.” According to the field because someone forgot the 4 between the + and =. representative’s testimony, “I looked at the hole after the contrac- As such, the term errors and omissions (E&O) insur- tor dug it. That’s what ‘I observed the excavation’ means. I had no 2ance is patently wrong, given that the omissions covered by way of knowing the contractor did it wrong.” professional-liability insurance are errors. I’m pointing this Consider, too, the phrase “In general compliance with….” out because geo-professionals need to be sticklers for precise, Does the client know it actually means “We did not comply accurate, complete, correct – i.e., foolproof – writing. After all, with…” whatever specification or standard may be involved? almost all instruments of geo-professional service are in writ- And does the client know what will and will not be done? ing, giving inaccuracies or ambiguities potentially lethal effect. Five issues make foolproof writing more important than Consider, for example, the specification requiring an earth- ever before. works contractor to contact a paleontologist were it to discover First, geoprofessional organizations have become flatter any bones, and to recover them. The contractor did just that than ever. Whereas just about anything anyone has written when its work revealed the ossified remains of a mother used to be subject to review by senior technical profession- zebra and child. The paleontologist, quickly on the scene, was als above, and concerned, capable clerical personnel below, delighted. She told the contractor's representative she would today’s reviews commonly are performed only by senior return the following day, then left. But when the paleontolo- technical personnel (some of whom lack good writing skills) gist returned with her equipment 15 hours later, filling was and only for proposals, contracts, and final reports. Writing under way; the discovery had been destroyed. “I did just what via electronic media – e-mails, texts, and such – often goes the spec called for,” the contractor’s representative testified. “I unchecked, even though it often is written hastily by less-expe- recovered what we uncovered.” rienced personnel and lasts forever. How about a phrase like “I observed the excavation.” That’s Second, based solely on my own exposure to it, “awful” what a construction-materials engineering and testing (CoMET) is how I would describe the quality of English-composition representative wrote in his daily field report. According to the tes- instruction given in today’s schools. And when one chooses a timony of a contractor’s representative, “The CoMET guy watched technical career, higher education involves no English-compo- us doing the excavation – it says so right there in his daily field sition instruction at all, or it focuses on “technical writing,” a

42 Geo-Strata l geoinstitute.org euphemism for bad writing mired in the passive voice. Third, litigation has become little more than a commonly used business tool, nonchalantly applied to enhance proﬁt or effect “contribution.” Fourth, in the event of a dispute, the best evidence is what’s in writing. If a proposal, report, memorialization, e-mail, text, correspondence, or other written instrument is less than foolproof, it could be used to allege it caused or contributed to the problem behind the dispute. At best, it will fail to provide the unequivocal support needed to discour- age or defend a claim. Fifth, geo-professionals are too often treated like project-team pariahs, engaged only on the periphery. This marginal- ization denies them an opportunity to explain or expand upon their writing’s intent, to catch a mole-hillish misinter- pretation before it achieves mountainous proportions. As such, what geoprofessionals write has to be foolproof the ﬁrst time. (If it were, geoprofessional issues would not remain the principal source of construction-industry claims and disputes.) Without the support of foolproof writing, it’s the geoprofessional’s word against the other guy’s (or the word of the geoprofessional’s expert witness vs. the other guy’s), leaving interpretation to the trier of fact, more often than not a jury of individuals selected for their complete ignorance of matters geoprofessional. I used to say, given the price they have to pay for second-rate writing, geo- professionals arguably need to be the best writers of all. Today, I believe, there’s no argument about it at all.

AUTHOR

John P. Bachner is the executive vice president of ASFE/The Geoprofessional Business Association, a not-for-profit association of geoprofessional firms; i.e., firms that provide geotechnical, geologic, environmental, construction materials engineering and testing (CoMET), and related professional services (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ Geoprofessions). ASFE develops programs, services, and materials that its members apply to achieve excellence in their business and professional practices. Contact [email protected]

Geo-Strata l geoinstitute.org 43 Looking Out for You from the G-I Organizational Member Council

Join us in standing behind the Geo-Institute. Become an Organizational Member. Download the application at http://www.asce.org/uploadedFiles/geo/About_GeoInstitute/Organizational_Member/Organizational%20brochure%205.16.12(1).pdf

From l to r: Scott Mackiewicz, P.E., D.GE, M.ASCE, Kleinfelder; Michelle Bolding, P.E., LEED AP, M.ASCE, Schnabel Engineering; Arthur G. Hoffmann, Jr., P.E., Hon.D.GE, M.ASCE, Gannett Fleming, Inc.; Howard Thomas, P.Eng., P.E., F.ASCE, CH2M Hill Canada Ltd; Swaminathan Srinivasan, P.E., M.ASCE, HC Nutting/Terracon; Kord Wissmann, Ph.D., P.E., D.GE, M.ASCE, Geopier Foundation, Inc.; John Bischoff, P.E., M.ASCE, URS

OM Activities at the 2013 Free Publicity for Your the G-I logo on your website and on Geo-Congress Organization printed materials. Request a logo and preferred format at [email protected]. Plan to take advantage of your 50% One of your OM member beneﬁ ts is OM discount for registration to the the publicizing of your company’s non- 2013 Geo-Congress in San Diego, CA, sales related information in these pages March 3-7, 2013. Details will be mailed of Geo-Strata. Send award news, new ORGANIZATIONAL MEMBERS in early December. staff member notices, company project news; upcoming meetings, etc. to "Thank you for supporting students and Organizational Member/Student [email protected]. the geo-profession." Career Fair Event – By invitation only

Monday, March 4, 2013 Things You Should Know AECOM 7:00 - 8:00 p.m. as an OM Agru America, Inc. Town and Country Resort 1. Let the G-I know about your recent AMEC San Diego, CA Facebook and Twitter business posts so Ardaman & Associates, Inc. This special reception for we can help you publicize your infor- Atlas EPS Organizational Member student mation. “Like” us on the G-I Facebook Bechtel stipend winners brings together future page at: facebook.com/GeoInstitute and Bentley Systems employers and employees for the Follow Us on Twitter at twitter.com/ Berkel and Co. Contractors, Inc. CH2M Hill chance to relax and learn about the GeoInstitute. ConeTec, Inc. profession and each other. 2. Please renew your 2013 G-I Organiza- D’Appolonia tional Membership which was mailed to DBM Contractors, Inc. Organizational Member/Student/D.GE each ﬁ rm’s G-I Organizational Member Dan Brown and Associates, Inc. Reception – Open to Organizational contact. Contact [email protected] with ECS Corporate Services Members, Geo-Institute student members, questions. Fudo Construction, Inc. newly-inducted D.GEs and their families, 3. OMs receive a 5% discount for ad- Fugro Consultants LP and current D.GEs. vertising in Geo-Strata magazine. Be GRL Engineers, Inc. Monday, March 4, 2013 sure to mention this to your advertising Gannett Fleming, Inc. 8:00 - 9:30 p.m. representative. Geocon Incorporated Town and Country Resort GeoEngineers, Inc. San Diego, CA 4. Is your logo posted on the G-I Geokon, Inc. website at www.asce.org/geo/About-Geo- Organizational Member executives, Geopier Foundation Company Institute/Organizational-Members/Organi- members of the Organizational Member Geo-Solutions, Inc. zational-Members-of-the-Geo-Institute/ If Council, newly-inducted and current GeoStructures, Inc. not, send your logo in a png, jpg, of gif D.GEs, and fellow students join together Geosyntec Consultants format to [email protected]. for this special career networking Geotechnology, Inc. opportunity. Students are encouraged to 5. Maximize your professional commit- Golder Associates Inc. Haley & Aldrich, Inc. bring cards and/or resumes. ment to the Geo-Institute by displaying Hayward Baker Inc. Insulfoam Jafec USA, Inc.

44 Geo-Strata l geoinstitute.org 6. We continue to solicit business-related retweet news and list it at @GeoInsti- including compaction grouting, jet articles from OM members for publica- tute/GIOrgMembers. We also follow grouting, soil mixing, vibro-compaction in Geo-Strata. Send your 200-word OMs who are on Facebook. E-mail us tion, vibro-replacement, and more. abstract to [email protected]. at [email protected] when you join Whether you have an ofﬁ ce of 5 or 50, 7. The OMC has discontinued the Orga- Facebook and Twitter so we can follow contact Greg Simmons at 410.551.1980 nizational Member Corporate Volunteer you and add your name to our list. or [email protected]. Award Program due to lack of entries. Pile Dynamics Celebrates

CATCH UP ON G-I’S NEWEST VIDEOS G-I Members 40 Years of Engineering and G-I Organizational Innovation Take a few minutes to view an Member News Organizational Member’s video, Pile Dynamics, Inc. (PDI) com- or one that’s been thoughtfully memorated its 40th anniversary on Geo-Institute member names are bolded selected by the Geo-Institute October 12, with a series of events that throughout this section and CoreBits. at http://www.youtube.com/user/ showcased its past achievements and The G-I Follows Its Organizational GeoInstituteofASCE. welcomed the future. Members Field demonstrations of PDI’s latest Got a video to share with us that’s technologies were given to a group of The G-I not only follows its Organi- already posted on YouTube? Send invited guests, who included Interna- zational Members on Twitter, but we us the link so we can add it to our tional Association of Foundation Drill- YouTube page. Or, send us your ing (ADSC-IAFD) Director of Opera- video for posting. Send to geo- tions Tony Marinucci, P.E., M.ASCE [email protected]. and PDI’s representative in China, Frank Ko. PDI also demonstrated a combination of wireless transmission Ground Improvement and of dynamic pile testing data with real Special Foundations Lunch time pile capacity calculation (using Kleinfelder, Inc and Learn signal matching software). Pile driving Langan Engineering & Hayward Baker now offers educational was simulated with a small SPT ham- Environmental Services lunch seminars in your offi ce. Their mer that transmitted data to the guests Layne GeoConstruction one-hour ground improvement and seated in PDI’s lecture hall. CAPWAP- Loadtest, Inc. special foundation services presenta- like results were instantly displayed for Magnus Pacifi c Corporation tion will keep your offi ce up-to-date each of the hammer blows. Malcolm Drilling Company, Inc. and well-informed about available The day continued at the newly- McKinney Drilling Company services for challenging soils. The renovated Allen Theater in downtown Menard, Inc. presentation includes special founda- Moretrench Cleveland, OH. The theater's expansion NTH Consultants, Ltd. tions such as micropiles and aggregate is supported by foundations that were Nicholson Construction Company piers to ground improvement solutions dynamically tested using PDI’s Pile PB Americas, Inc. RADISE Reinforced Earth Company Rembco Geotechnical Contractors, Inc. Richard Goettle, Inc. RocScience S&ME Inc. Sanborn, Head & Associates, Inc. Schnabel Engineering Schnabel Foundation Company Soil and Materials Engineers, Inc. Strata Systems, Inc. TTL, Inc. TenCate Geosynthetics Terracon, Inc. Terra Insurance Company Tolunay-Wong Engineers, Inc. URS Corporation The beautifully-renovated Allen Theater in downtown Cleveland, OH. ZETAS Zemin Teknolojisi A.S.

Geo-Strata l geoinstitute.org 45 G-I Organizational holder in this joint venture (JV), with the connection between the virtual and remaining investment coming from physical environments for infrastructure Member News Russian partners. The plant will produce projects. The alliance will establish a Tensar’s TriAx geogrid range, used to new benchmark for construction and stabilize road construction over soft operations quality, effi ciency, and safety. Driving Analyzer®. Several of the guests soils and to optimize pavement design Working smarter, together, and employing had strong connections to PDI’s begin- for roads, ports and airfi elds. It will also advanced information mobility innova- nings and were instrumental for its success, produce Tensar’s high-strength range tions, the exchange of physical and virtual including Ohio Department of Transpor- of geogrids, with major applications data can now be more easily leveraged by tation (ODOT) engineer Jawdat Siddiqi in reinforced soil structures including engineers and contractors to reduce project (ODOT funded the original academic retaining walls and embankments. risk while increasing overall productivity. research on dynamic foundation testing), Plans for the multi-million dollar Bentley Systems CEO Greg Bent- Case Western Reserve University (CWRU) project are well underway, with manu- ley, A.M.ASCE, said, “In working with Professor Emeritus Tom Kicher, and Cleve- facturing equipment on order and a Trimble, whose leading-edge technolo- land State University Professor Emeritus factory building currently undergoing a gies many of our major project delivery John Tomko, Ph.D., P.E., M.ASCE. complete refurbishment. The plant is set user organizations already rely upon, we The afternoon lectures were preced- for operation by January 2014. together realized there’s a combination ed by the release of a new video which “World-wide manufacturing operations of our offerings that can uniquely pro- showcased Pile Dynamics products. PDI are a vital element of our global position- vide benefi ts to construction processes President Garland Likins, P.E., M.ASCE, ing and with the robust global demand that neither could independently. In gave a recounting of PDI’s history from for Tensar products, particularly our new- particular, through the intrinsic ‘geo-co- its early days at the Civil Engineering est technology TriAx geogrids, this new ordination’ in Bentley’s applications and Department of CWRU to the present. facility, coupled with the joint venture, en- ProjectWise geospatial services, almost Silas Nichols, Aff.M.ASCE, Federal ables us to enhance our product offering every project’s information modeling Highway Administration (FHWA) prin- in this signifi cant market and elsewhere,” content is virtually positioned with engi- cipal geotechnical engineer, spoke about said Bob Vevoda, chief operating offi cer neering precision in the ‘project space.’ trends in foundation engineering from and president of Tensar International. FHWA’s perspective, followed by Gregg David Cashman, Tensar’s busi- New Rocscience Software Lowe, president and CEO of Freescale ness manager for Russia, is keen to see Licensing Semiconductors, formerly with Texas completion of the new plant. “With our Instruments, who discussed the future With the release of Dips 6.0 on October Russian distribution partner and JV Part- of electronics in everyday life. 25, 2012, Rocscience has implemented a ner, Grand Massar, we have been sup- Adel (Tony) Saada, Ph.D., P.E., new licensing system, which now includes plying Tensar geogrids into Russia for F.ASCE, professor emeritus at CWRU, Personal, Portable and Flexible licenses. over 15 years and have completed some discussed the impact that research con- This new licensing system offers new fea- great projects in roads, rail, and the en- ducted there had on soil mechanics and tures for its users and will be introduced ergy sector. Right now our products are foundation engineering. PDI recognized into Rocscience’s other software products being installed into the new Grand Prix Dr. Saada’s 50 years of teaching with a as they are upgraded in the future. track and infrastructure works for the plaque and a gift towards the construc- Winter Olympic venues in Sochi. We tion of a new soil mechanics laboratory Franklin Joins Fugro need this new plant located in Russia to at CWRU. Also recognized were Frank Consultants meet demand there and our expanding Ko, for 25 years of friendship and part- Fugro business in Central Asia.” nership between Earth Products China Consultants, Inc. and Pile Dynamics, and Mohamad announced that A Partnership that Leverages Daniel L. Franklin, Hussein, P.E., M.ASCE, and Marcia Precision for Construction and Giterman, for more than 30 years of Jr., P.E., M.ASCE, Operations Quality, E ciency, joined the fi rm as distinguished service to PDI. and Safety geotechnical manager, TENSAR International Bentley Systems, Incorporated, the and will be based in Continues Global Expansion leading company dedicated to provid- Daniel L. Franklin Dallas, TX. Franklin with New Russian Plant ing comprehensive software solutions earned his bachelor of science in civil for sustaining infrastructure, and engineering at The Citadel, The Military Tensar International signed an agree- Trimble, the leading provider of con- College of South Carolina in 1987 and ment to build a manufacturing plant in nected construction solutions for heavy, a master of science in civil engineering Russia on the southern shore of the Gulf civil, and building contractors, recently at Auburn University in 1992. He of Finland. Tensar is the majority share- announced a strategic alliance to further holds a professional engineer license in

46 Geo-Strata l geoinstitute.org Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Louisiana, als to oversee the safe delivery of a suite of shared vision to return sites to benefi cial Mississippi, and Alabama. Franklin also projects to cost and schedule. reuse. The Olathe site is a prime example is and a member of the American Society Clive White, vice president of of how this can be accomplished. of Civil Engineers (ASCE) and Society of AMEC’s nuclear business, said, “This As a result of this work, Boeing received American Military Engineers (SAME). important contract builds on our experi- the fi rst ever Region 7's fi rst Leading Envi- ence of providing support to nuclear fa- ronmentalism and Forwarding Sustainabil- Schnabel Engineering Opens cilities throughout the UK and overseas. ity (LEAFS) award. During October 2012 New York O ce We are looking forward to working in ceremony, Haley & Aldrich staff members partnership with NNL to deliver a fi rst Bruce Wilkinson, Michael Basel, and Schnabel announced the opening of its Jennifer Kingston received certifi cates of fi rst New York offi ce on November 5, and class service to our customer.” appreciation from the EPA. the hiring of Dr. Gregory Daviero, P.E. as Keith Johnson, NNL’s head of facili- a principal engineer and Kevin Ruswick, ties, added, “I’m delighted that AMEC is supporting us on this project, and I Geo-Solutions President Ryan CFM, P.E., as an associate engineer. Retires Schnabel’s new offi ce is located in the look forward to working with them to Geo-Solutions, Inc. Capital District region, approximately deliver a successful outcome.“ President, Chris 20 miles north of Albany in Clifton Park, James H. Kleinfelder Honored Ryan, moves to a NY. The offi ce will focus on providing new role as Chair- dam engineering services and specialize by University of California, Berkeley man of the Board in dam and water resources engineering. effective January 1, Schnabel’s geotechnical, geostructural, Kleinfelder, a global architecture, en- 2013. Ryan founded and tunnel engineering services will also gineering and science consulting fi rm, the company in be available to New York clients. announced that company founder James Chris Ryan 1996 and has pro- The offi ce will be managed by Grego- (Jim) H. Kleinfelder, P.E., M.ASCE, was vided strong leadership the past 16 years. ry Daviero, Ph.D., who for over 20 years honored by the Academy of Distin- The company has grown to be a dominant has applied his expertise to a wide range guished Alumni (Academy) of the Civil player in the geo-environmental construc- of water resource engineering, hydraulic and Environmental Engineering depart- tion industry on sites in the U.S. and design, and hydraulic and hydrologic ment at the University of California around the world. Expected corporate analyses for the benefi t of state, federal, (U.C.), Berkeley. The fi rst annual inaugu- 2012 revenues are more than $35M. municipal, and industrial clients. ral event took place on November 8, 2012 Bob Schindler, current vice presi- Ruswick, who has 18 years of at the U.C. Berkeley Memorial Stadium. dent of Operations, will succeed Ryan experience in water resources and dam The Academy, of which Kleinfelder as the company's president. Schindler engineering, provides an excellent com- is a founding member, will recognize has been in the geo-environmental bination of education and experience distinguished alumni on an annual construction market for 25 years. “Bob in all phases of water resources-related basis with regard to personal/profes- joined me in 2003,” said Ryan. “He projects, and profi ciency in state of the sional achievements, advancements to has been instrumental in transforming art hydrologic and hydraulic modeling. the engineering industry and ongoing the company from having a consulting commitment to the university. profi le with revenues of around two AMEC Awarded Five-Year “It is a great honor to be recognized by million dollars to a turnkey specialty Contract by National Nuclear my alma mater. I owe much of what I have construction fi rm with the distinction of Laboratory accomplished to the wonderful education I having strong consulting capabilities.” received at U.C. Berkeley,” said Kleinfelder. Ryan will continue to work on AMEC, the international engineering relationships with long-time clients, as and project management company, was well as new ones, and will contribute awarded a fi ve-year contract by the UK’s Haley & Aldrich and Boeing technical and managerial support as National Nuclear Laboratory (NNL) for Recognized by EPA for Leadership in Revitalization needed. "When I founded this company the provision of project management in 1996, I expected it to be a small support to the refurbishment of NNL’s EPA Region 7 recently recognized Boe- consulting practice,” said Ryan. “Instead, Active Handling Facility. ing and Haley & Aldrich for their work I found an unmet need in devising and The program of multi-discipline proj- at the Chemical Commodities, Inc. implementing cost-effective constructed ects will help to ensure the facility is refur- Superfund Site in Olathe, KS. Haley & solutions to problems involving soil bished and remains fi t for the delivery of Aldrich worked closely with Boeing to in- and groundwater. Former associates, its commercial operations for a further 20 stall a pollinator habitat and educational as well as new ones, joined me in this years. AMEC will provide a team of project trail for monarch butterfl ies on top of the effort and we quickly grew beyond my and engineering management profession- site following remedial efforts. The work wildest imagination.” refl ects Haley & Aldrich’s and Boeing’s

Geo-Strata l geoinstitute.org 47 LOOK WHO’S A D.GE Richard D’Ambrosia, P.E., D.GE, SECB, CBIE, M.ASCE

ichard D’Ambrosia has worked was a considerable amount of new highway, sewer and in the engineering field for building construction ongoing at the time, I made those more than forty years, most places regular stops on the daily rounds. I became fasci- of which has been in the nated with those projects and the site activities and pretty Rpublic sector. He is a graduate of the much decided what direction I was headed in for a career. Illinois Institute of Technology with a Did you have other aspirations of going into another B.S. in civil engineering and completed discipline or field other than civil engineering at any point? four additional advanced degrees in If so, can you share with us? engineering from the Illinois Institute of Technology. He Since my decision on career direction came pretty early also received an MBA from DePaul University. As an under- during the later years of elementary school, I never did graduate, he took time off from school to enlist in the U.S. much in the way of vacillating about careers and never Marine Corps Reserve and was honorably discharged. really focused on any different career choices. My mind After working for a few years in design at the Illinois Divi- was made up and there was no changing it. I am certainly sion of Highways, he spent most of his career at the Metropol- pleased with the choice I made and I have no regrets. itan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago. He began What is your message to professional engineers out there at the entry level and progressed through the ranks until be- regarding specialty certification that you feel that they should coming the assistant chief engineer retiring after after 35 years know or be aware of? of service. As an assistant chief engineer, he was in charge of I believe certification represents a commitment to a the District’s Construction Division and Capital Improvement greater level of professionalism. Using standard dictionary Construction Program, which included the Chicago Deep definitions for professionalism would call for there being Tunnel project (TARP) and numerous sewer, wastewater treat- “conduct, aims or qualities that characterize or mark a pro- ment plant, stormwater, and waterway construction projects. fessional person.” This has been stated in the literature to After retiring from the Water Reclamation District, he clearly include emphasis on specialized knowledge, compe- worked as a civil/structural project engineer and project tency, honesty and integrity, accountability and self-regula- manager in the Facilities Engineering Department at Ar- tion. All of these qualities can be embodied in the certifica- gonne National Laboratory. Ambrosia continues working tion process or be embraced by the person being certified. in private practice and under part-time employment assign- How do you feel about the state of Civil Engineering and ments such as geotechnical program manager for the Public the profession as it is today? Building Commission of Chicago, performing various design I believe that the entire profession is facing challenges re- and inspection/assessment projects, various forensic investi- garding liability issues, frivolous claims that hamper profes- gations, and working as a liability consultant and expert in sional practice, the need for maintaining respectable salary support of litigation. and benefit levels, concerns for the state of our infrastructure D’Ambrosia remains a member of various professional and the need to maintain a high level of professional compe- associations, including ASCE, where he actively participated tence through continuing education and training. on the Paraprofessional Task Committee and volunteers as What do you personally feel are the biggest challenges a career mentor. that are on the horizon for the profession? What was the most fun project you worked on? I believe some of the biggest challenges involve consen- I can’t say for sure if there is one particular project that sus for raising the bar for engineers and for greater recogni- stands out as being the most fun. I guess what I reflect on tion of the educational effort and work effort required to the most are the projects that I was associated with from become an engineer. The profession goes through up-and- start to finish that gave me the greatest satisfaction and feel- down cycles, but too many talented, intelligent individuals ing of accomplishment. bypass the pursuit of an engineering education due to per- How early on did you know that you wanted to study civil ceived inadequacies in salary and benefits. Other pressures engineering? What were the key factors in your decision to be from fee structures, litigation issues and insurance costs a civil engineer? require redress and efforts are needed to eliminate frivolous During my boyhood years growing up in the city, there claims and there is a great need to streamline the entire li- were endless places to explore with my friends. Since there ability resolution process.

48 Geo-Strata l geoinstitute.org CORE BITS From intensive short courses to a Synchro Pile, Inc., passed the G-I comprehensive range of technical President’s gavel to Craig Benson, Ph.D, sessions including case history evaluation, P.E., D.GE, F.ASCE, NAE, University of G-I NEWS numerical modeling, fi eld testing, Wisconsin, Madison to offi cially become monitoring, rehabilitation and more, the 17th Geo-Institute president. Benson has 2013 Geo-Congress your time and money will be well spent. served on the G-I Board since 2007, most recently as the G-I vice-president for 2011- March 3-6, 2013 Ways to Save $$$ 2012. Benson stated during the meeting Town and Country Resort Hotel that one of his goals for this year will be to San Diego, CA • Register by December 31, 2012 focus on achieving the G-I’s strategic goals. www.geocongress.org for your chance to win a $200 Star- King will remain on the Board for 2012- bucks gift card. You asked. We listened. Over 85% 2013, serving as the past-president. • Register by January 30, 2013. Save of the Geo-Institute’s Technical up to $120 on your Congress registration. Committees that span the geo- • Organizational Members: Save G-I Announces Its New 2012-2013 Board profession have contributed their hundreds on your registration by using Other events during the recent G-I Board thoughts, ideas, and papers to help your code. meeting included the election of new G-I build the 2013 Geo-Congress program. • Exhibitors: Receive an Organiza- offi cers for 2012-2013. Billy Camp, P.E., You’re guaranteed a cost-effective tional Membership for $500. Valued at D.GE, M.ASCE, of S&ME was elected program that will provide you a $1,000. (New members only.) vice-president, having served as G-I full-spectrum view of the dozens • Reserve your room at the Con- treasurer during 2011-2012. Camp has of geotechnical aspects related to gress hotel for $155/night. served on the Board since 2008. Barbara embankments, dams, and slopes. • Students: Visit the Student page Luke, Ph.D., P.E., M.ASCE, University of of the 2013 Congress website for sti- Nevada, Las Vegas, was elected treasurer. pend information. Luke joined the Board in 2009. Check the enclosed 2013 Geo-Con- Kord Wissmann, Ph.D, P.E., D.GE, gress Highlights foldout for program, M.ASCE, Tensar Geopier Founda- event, tour, registration and hotel tions became the newest G-I governor, information. replacing Larry Jedele, P.E., D.GE, Twitter at http://twitter.com/GeoInstitute M.ASCE, Soil and Materials Engineers, to check for updates or follow us Benson Becomes 2012-2013 G-I Inc., who completed his term as past using a Twitter account, or one of the President president. Wissmann previously served many other web applications that The Geo-Institute (G-I) Board of as the chair of the G-I Organizational work with Twitter. Access the Governors held its Fall board meeting Member Council (OMC) and will G-I Facebook page at www.facebook.com/ on October 29, 2012 in Chicago, IL serve as Board liaison to the OMC dur- GeoInstitute. Access the G-I LinkedIn where Phil King, P.E., D.GE, F.ASCE, ing 2012-2013. at http://www.linkedin.com

Viewers Want to Know… • Does anybody know about FLAC 3D software? • My understanding is that the internal angle of friction is inﬂ uenced by seepage of water into soil — the higher the water saturation, the less the internal friction. (I) think this is right, as water tries to reduce the internal particle friction. But, I did see the friction angles being unchanged for the strata in many cases. Are there any reasons for this? • How can I calculate the Spring stiffness when I have the Winkler’s ratio? Any good reference? Phil King passes G-I gavel to incoming president, Craig Benson.

Geo-Strata l geoinstitute.org 49 CORE BITS 2012 / 5.5 x 8.5 / 2,200 pp. Soft Cover $221.25 ASCE Member/$295.00 List. Free domestic shipping.

Help Students with Your Voluntary Contribution ASCE/G-I Members, when renewing your 2013 membership, please include a voluntary contribution which goes directly into a restricted fund for G-I 2013 student activities. Last year’s contributions helped to partially fund MSE Wall team travel to 2012 Geo-Congress, Geo-Prediction and Poster Competitions, grants to Graduate Student Organizations, travel Phil King addresses the Illinois Chapter audience. grants, and more. Other G-I Board governors include: GSP 228 is the Proceedings of the Allen Cadden, P.E., D.GE, M.ASCE, Sch- Fourth International Conference on ASCE/G-I Co-Sponsored Online Webinars nabel Engineering; Patricia J. Culligan, Grouting and Deep Mixing, held in This winter, sharpen your skills and add Ph.D., M.ASCE, Columbia University; New Orleans, LA, February 15-18, to your working knowledge online or in and William Marcuson, Ph.D., P.E., 2012. The Conference was sponsored person. All times are Eastern Time (ET). NAE, M.ASCE, and non-voting G-I Direc- by the Deep Foundations Institute, Load and Resistance Factor Design tor, Robert Schweinfurth, Aff.M.ASCE International Conference on Grouting, (LRFD) for Geotechnical Engineering Inc., and the Geo-Institute. Features - Two Part Series This GSP contains 189 peer-reviewed G-I Governors Participate in Illinois January 7, 2013, 11:30 AM-1:00 PM G-I Chapter Event papers focusing on the science and January 24, 2013, 11:30 AM-1:00 PM The Geo-Institute governors participated technology of grouting. Papers describe Earthwork 101 - New Webinar in a special event hosted by the Illinois advances in materials, instrumentation, January 10, 2013, 11:30 AM-12:30 PM Geo-Institute Chapter on October control, and the basic science of grout- 29, 2012. Nearly 30 people attended ing and deep mixing, and they lead the Geosynthetic Applications the Chicago dinner event where way to a better understanding of and Accompanying Shale Gas Drilling G-I President Phil King presented a new applications for these technologies. Operations - New Webinar technical case history about ex-situ soil Several papers focus on new develop- January 17, 2013, 11:30 AM-1:00 PM ments in jet grouting and deep mix- mixing. Additionally, G-I Vice-President Designing Water Balance Covers ing, which are used extensively in the Craig Benson lead an open discussion (ET Covers) for Landfills and Waste restoration of levee and flood control engaging attendees to share their ideas Containment - New Webinar structures in and around New Orleans. on how the G-I can better serve the geo- February 5, 2013, 11:30 AM-1:00 PM profession and the Illinois chapter. The Topics include anchors and piles; For more webinars and informa- Board thanks Fran Miller, P.E., M.ASCE, cement-based grouts; chemical and tion: www.asce.org/Continuing-Educa- for organizing this event. other grouts; dam foundation grouting, grout curtains, and cutoffs; deep mixing tion/Webinars/Live-Webinars/ Grouting and Deep Mixing 2012 methods, applications, and performance testing; grouting for seepage ASCE/G-I Co-Sponsored Seminars Geotechnical control; highways and transportation; Design of Waste Containment Liner Special jet grouting; karst grouting; levees and and Final Closure Systems Publications flood walls; low mobility grouting; January 17-18, 2013 (GSP) 228, mine applications; permeation grout- Denver, CO Edited by ing; performance testing; structural Earth Retaining Structures Selection, Lawrence F. Johnsen, support; and tunneling. Order online at Design, Construction and Inspection Donald A. Bruce, www.asce.org/Books-and-Journals/Books/ January 24-25, 2013 and Michael J. Byle. Books/ or call: 1.800.548.2723 (U.S.) or Nashville, TN 703.295.6300 (International)

50 Geo-Strata l geoinstitute.org Deep Foundations: Design, G-I Facebook Page Sets New Record Donald A. Bruce, Ph.D., D.GE, Construction and Quality Control M.ASCE, president of the geotechnical The G-I is pleased to announce that its February 7-8, 2013 consultancy Geosystems, and Facebook page at www.facebook.com/ Miami, FL former winner of ASCE’s Martin S. GeoInstitute is now being followed by Kapp and Wallace Hayward Baker Earthquake-Induced Ground Motions 1,033 persons as of November 6, 2012! awards, published the book, Specialty February 7-8, 2013 Check us out soon. St. Louis, MO Construction Techniques for Dam and Levee Remediation on September 26, For seminar information: www.asce. Connect With myASCE. 2012. The 447-page book: org/Continuing-Education/Seminars/Face- ASCE members can • provides useful guidance on a to-Face-Seminars/ easily connect with wide range of specialty geotechnical other members and interact virtually processes; Members: Are You Reading Geo-Strata with groups and committees with • presents recent U.S. case studies Online? myASCE. on major remediation projects with Geo-Strata online offers a new page- myASCE makes online communi- worldwide relevance; turning format which makes reading cation, collaboration, and network- • emphasizes practical methodolo- current and past issues of the magazine ing easy by bringing a variety of tools gies, with contributions by leading easier. ASCE/G-I members or G-I only and features into a single community. practitioners, and members can access Geo-Strata magazine Features include a personal profi le for • covers all specialty geotechnical online at www.asce.org/geo/Members-Only/ all members which includes spaces for construction techniques for dam and View-Geo-Strata-Magazine/. Tell us what photos, as well as documents. You can levee remediation. you think by sending your comments to post status updates and blog posts on geo-strata.org. your message board for virtual conver- Wilder Addresses DVGI Audience sations. There’s a brief tutorial video Darrell Wilder, P.E., M.ASCE, senior to help you navigate your way through Know An Award-Winning Colleague? associate engineer, Geostructural your profi le at www.asce.org/Member- While the 2012 ASCE/G-I awards cycle Group, Schnabel Engineering, West Benefi ts/myASCE-Video-Tutorial/. is winding down, it’s a great time to Chester, PA, delivered an overview Access myASCE at www.asce.org/ consider the variety of awards available of emergency repairs to the Jefferson myasce or from the “myASCE” link at for members and non-members. Get a Memorial Seawall in Washington, the top of most pages on the website. jump on thinking about which of your D.C. at the October Delaware Valley Once you have logged in, you can colleagues deserve these renowned Geo-Institute chapter meeting. begin editing your profi le by adding a honors. Note, the Geo-Institute Board Wilder has more than 13 years of profi le picture or updating your status. of Governors are ineligible to receive design and construction experience awards (i.e., the Terzaghi Lecture and in geostructural projects, specializing the Cross-USA Lecture) while serving MEMBERS in stability analysis, earth retaining on the Board, and for a period of one structures including multi-anchored year following their term of service. New Dam and Levee Remediation systems and tied-back excavation View the awards list at: www.asce.org/ Book by Bruce support systems, deep foundations, and geo/Awards/Geo-Institute-Awards/ underpinning of existing structures. Specialty Construction Techniques for Dam and Levee Remediation Wilder has a BS in civil engineering Edited by Donald A. Bruce, Geosystems L.P., USA

G-I Monogrammed Golf Shirts, Addressing various specialized geotechnical processes currently used from Clarkson University (1997) and a for dam and levee remediation, this book deals with the construction of hydraulic cut-offs in fill, soil and rock, which are mainly, but not Caps and Bags exclusively, applicable to embankment dams and levees. Explaining MS in civil engineering from Syracuse how to use pre-stressed rock anchors to stabilize existing concrete dams and appurtenant structures, the book includes an outline of the means, methods, materials, and properties involved in the University (1999). You can now process. It illustrates with case histories, covering quality assurance, control and verification, background issues, instrumentation, and Wilder discussed how settlement order everything specifications and contracts. It then summarizes lessons learned and recommendations for future applications. and lateral movement of the seawall G-I from Land’s Key Features • A thorough, and focused book ISBN: 978-0-415-78194-7 • Illustrated by case studies Catalog #: Y112416 and plaza observed in 2006 prompted End. Have the May 2012 | $165.00 • Heavy practical emphasis and rooted in the authors’ experience HB | 304 pp. the National Park Service to close a G-I logo stitched • US case studies Table of Contents portion of the Memorial to the public on everything from baseball caps and 1. Introduction, Background Perspective, and Scope 2. Drilled and Grouted Cutoffs 3. Mix In Place Cutoffs 4. Backfilled Cutoffs 5."Composite" Walls 6. Rock Anchors for Concrete Structures shirts to towels and coolers. Shop the 7. Instrumentation Monitoring and Performance 8. Specifications and Contracts 9. Lessons Learned due to safety concerns. The work at Author Biography Donald A. Bruce is President of the geotechnical consultancy Geosystems, and former winner of the the Memorial is one of the ﬁ rst large Land’s End website at www.landsend. ASCE’s Martin S. Kapp and Wallace Hayward Baker Awards

Delegates save 20% on this book projects under the American Recovery com/Geo and ask to have the G-I logo using promotional code AQL52 at checkout Offer expires 12/31/2012 and Reinvestment Act 2009 to take added to most items. To view our full range of books and order online visit: www.crcpress.com CRC Press place in D.C. Taylor & Francis Group

Geo-Strata l geoinstitute.org 51 CORE BITS Lateral movements of the subsur- STUDENTS Due to the success of last year’s face soils are anticipated to generate student stipend winners’ Career Fair/ forces not only on the new seawall Reception, the events will again be held foundation elements, but also the A Message from the G-I in 2013 with a new added twist. existing H-Piles that support the North Keep up with G-I news and relevant Stipend winners will have a unique Plaza. The new seawall foundation geo information by following the G-I opportunity to participate in the OM system is designed to support the new on Facebook and Twitter. Also, keep up Career Fair “speed-dating” style, during seawall and resist the anticipated lateral with student info on the Student page which you can spend a brief time with forces by acting as an “A Wall” system. of the G-I website at www.asce.org/geo/ each Organizational Member prior to Additionally, the transitions zones Audience/Students/ the general reception which opens at (from pile-supported slab to slab-on- 8:00 PM. This exclusive time brings grade) to the east and west have been Student GeoChallenge at the 2013 together future employers and employ- designed to accommodate future settle- Geo-Congress ees for the chance to learn about the ment of the surrounding Memorial profession and each other. GeoChallenge is a set of student grounds without exceeding wheelchair All students will then have the competitions sponsored by ASCE’s Geo- accessibility standards. chance to network with new and cur- Institute and held during the 2013 Geo- rent D.GEs during the 8-9:30 PM por- Congress in San Diego, CA on March 4, tion of the event, in addition to the G-I ISSMGE NEWS 2013. The competitions are designed to Organizational Member participants. challenge and encourage undergraduate This free event, organized by the G-I and graduate civil engineering students Organizational Member Council, was who are interested in geotechnical funded by the generosity of the G-I’s engineering. There are three different Organizational Members. Become an ISSMGE Member components to the GeoChallenge: To be considered for one of 45 The International Society of Soil • GeoWall: Design and build a student $275 stipends, you must have Mechanics and Geotechnical model mechanically stabilized earth wall first registered for the Congress, and Engineering (ISSMGE) has 89 • GeoPrediction: Predict the behav- then completed the Student Stipend National Member Societies worldwide ior of a real world geotechnical system Questionnaire on the G-I web site by representing over 18,000 individual • GeoPoster: Present your research January 25, 2013. Student stipend win- members which include practicing in poster form ners must attend the entire Organi- engineers, teachers, researchers, Visit the Student Geo-Challenge zational Member/Student Reception and equipment designers and website at https://sites.google.com/site/geo- on Monday, March 26 and be willing manufacturers. challengecompetition/ for stipend infor- to work as a volunteer, if requested, Discover what activities are taking place mation and contest details or contact during one Congress event. Successful worldwide that impact your profession. Jennifer Canning at [email protected]. stipend winners will be notified via To become a member: email by February 1, 2013. ASCE members: Your $15 ISSMGE 2013 Geo-Congress Student Stipend Contact Linda Bayer at lbayer@asce. membership is in addition to your ASCE and Travel Grant Information org with questions about the reception and G-I membership. Log in to your and travel stipends. member account at or contact ASCE Travel grants are available to student members of the G-I through the G-I Member Services at 1.800.548.2723 to The G-I Welcomes Two New GSOs renew your ISSMGE membership. Organizational Member Council and The Geo-Institute Board approved Geo-Institute members, but not an for competitors in the GeoChallenge formation of its 17th and 18th Graduate ASCE member? Your ISSMGE member- competitions. Only one travel grant will Student Organizations (GSO) on ship is included in your G-I member- be awarded to an applicant. Check the G-I October 29, 2012. Welcome to ship. If you haven’t renewed your G-I website at www.asce.org/geo for information. The University of California, Los membership for 2012, contact ASCE 4th Annual Student/Organizational Angeles and. the Georgia Institute of Member Services at 1.800.548.2723. Member Career Fair Technology GSOs. Not a member of the Geo-Institute? Monday, March 4, 2013 ASCE members can add the G-I as 7:00-8:00 PM (Stipend winners & Do You Have a GSO at Your School? a primary or secondary Institute of Organizational Members only) Interest. Discover the benefits of G-I Enhance your education as you membership on the G-I website at 8:00-9:30 PM (Open to all registered prepare to become a geo-professional. www.asce.org/geo. students) Plus, have a lot of fun by forming

52 Geo-Strata l geoinstitute.org a local GSO (Graduate Student nounces its newly elected officers, who Then become a Geo-Institute Chapter. Organization) at your school. You’ll will serve through September 30, 2014: There are no fees or chapter dues be able to network with any of required by the G-I – just one short President: David Johnson, P.E., A.M.ASCE, the Geo-Institute’s 18 GSOs and signed Memorandum of Understanding Bhate Geosciences Corporation engage in activities of your GSO’s (MOU) is all that’s needed. Increase choice, provided the activities are in Vice President: Brad Ralph, P.E., your membership recruitment efforts compliance with the Geo-Institute’s M.ASCE, Thompson Engineering, Inc. and event marketing by converting Code of Ethics. Secretary/Treasurer: OPEN your ASCE Geotechnical Group to All GSO members must be active a G-I Chapter or by forming a new Director: Jim Pegues, P.E., M.ASCE, Geo-Institute members. There are no G-I Chapter. Discover the benefits of Southern Company Services dues requirements for the GSO. For affiliation. Download the MOU from information and an application: Director: Kevin Blake, P.E., M.ASCE, the G-I web site at www.asce.org/geo/ www.asce.org/geo/Student-Organizations/ CTL, Inc. Chapters/How-to-Become-a-G-I Chapter/ Student-Organizations/ Invite a Friend or Colleague to Your ALLIED ORGANIZATIONS Student Internship Opportunities Local Meeting Looking for an internship opportunity Do you faithfully attend your local Geosynthetics 2013 Addresses geotechnical group’s monthly meetings to help further your career path? There Water & Energy Challenges but wonder why you always see the are numerous opportunities listed on the April 1-4, 2013 same people there? ASCE website. Check back often since Long Beach Convention Center Have you ever invited anyone new to new positions are added all the time. Long Beach, CA attend? How about the new, young engi- Visit: http://careers.asce.org/jobs#/results/key www.geosynthetics2013.com words=internship&resultsPerPage=12/1,false neer your company just hired (or whom you are possibly mentoring)? What The Geosynthetics 2013 conference about inviting a client? Or, maybe you and tradeshow is co-locating with the G-I CHAPTER NEWS have recently changed positions and Southwest Geotechnical Engineers could ask a few of your new co-workers Conference, and features the Check the G-I website for upcoming to attend. Based on survey informa- Geosynthetic Research Institute’s GRI-25 chapter meetings and events at tion received from local groups during Conference. www.asce.org/geo/Conferences/ the G-I Geo-Summits, it’s clear that the Geosynthetics 2013 is organized by Chapter-Event success of many local G-I chapters and the Industrial Fabrics Association Inter- geotechnical groups is a direct result of national (IFAI) and the Geosynthetic ASCE NY Metropolitan Geo-Institute the marketing actions of their members. Materials Association (GMA), and sup- Chapter Help your local group succeed. Invite ported by the North American Geosyn- The NY Met Chapter will be hosting the someone new to your next meeting. thetics Society (NAGS) and the Interna- following events. tional Geosynthetics Society (IGS). Thurs, January 24 2013 – Kapp Dinner/ DVGI Chapter News The conference will present major Lecture; Speaker: Dr. Ray Sterling, Over the last several months, Delaware new developments in geosynthetics Louisiana Tech University Valley Geo-Institute Chapter (DVGI) has engineering and technologies through short courses, technical sessions, panel Thurs, February 14, 2013 – TBD added additional content to its web site at www.dvgi.org. The web site now includes discussions and papers, plenary lectures, Thurs, March 14, 2013 – GZA Lecture links to its corporate sponsors’ web pages, and an exhibit hall. Attendees can earn Thurs, April 11, 2013 – William Barclay past newsletters, industry-related links and up to 26 professional development Parsons Lecture events, and a form for online reservations hours. The Geosynthetics 2013 techni- to DVGI’s monthly meetings. It is suggested cal program encompasses geosynthet- Thurs, May 16, 2013 – One-day seminar; that persons use the online reservation to ics engineering and technologies for Keynote Speaker: Dr. Wayne Clough, streamline the reservation process. Secretary of the Smithsonian water and energy challenges and other geotechnical topics. Attend a four-day Expand Your Reach. Become a schedule of short courses, panel discus- Alabama Section Chapter Elects Geo-Institute Chapter New Officers sions, papers and plenary lectures cover- Looking for a more extensive way to get ing such topics as energy, mining, water, The Alabama Section Chapter of the your section and/or branch message out drainage, environmental, shoreline Geo-Institute, founded in 2008, an- to prospective and existing members? protection, transportation, agriculture,

Geo-Strata l geoinstitute.org 53 CORE BITS geosynthetic properties, and more. The National Institute for Hometown of Offshore Oil Extraction: A New Model Examine the industry’s past and Security and the University of Louisville of Water-Based Urbanism in the Pre-Salt glimpse the future of geosynthetic are looking for volunteer subject matter Region off the Southeast Coast of Brazil,” structure, materials, systems and organiza- experts to sit on an advisory group for a which outlines the challenges of safely tions at two half-day GRI-25 Conference new research project entitled, Dams Sec- accessing critically-needed offshore oil sessions. Explore a variety of geotechnical tor Roadmap to Secure Control Systems. The reserves. The report details the creation topics and case histories at the two- project will map and prioritize cyber vul- of a 600-km-long chain of man-made day Southwest Geotechnical Engineers nerabilities at dams including the assess- islands which could sustain a population Workshop, considered one of the Federal ment of currently available mitigation of 50,000. The population can raise crops, Highway Administration’s most successful strategies and the applicability of legacy build schools, and drill oil – seeding the geotechnical technology transfer activity. system security pre-processor technology growth of a community and making drill- Early bird registration discounts are developed for the water sector. ing for oil more environmentally, socially, available before March 8, 2013 for groups If you are interested in volunteering and financially sustainable. of three or more from the same organiza- for this project, contact Sam Varnado The top prize grants $40,000 in cash, tion, students, and government employees. at the National Institute for Home- of which students receive $20,000. The For information, contact Bonnie J. Hanson town Security at [email protected] or advising professor and their university each at [email protected] or 651.225.6923. 606.451.3450. receive $10,000. In addition, the students receive admission to the process to become ASDSO Continues Partnership with the Most Innovative Ideas for a an Odebrecht Young Partner or Braskem As- DHS Office of Infrastructure Protection Sustainable Future sociate, trainee programs with global lead- Entering into a fifth cycle of coordina- Hundreds of students answered the call ers, which are highly-competitive programs tion and funding support, ASDSO and for the Odebrecht Award for Sustainable sought by students from across the globe. the DHS Dams Sector will spend the Development Names for the next 22 students registered to compete for next year working together to provide the prestigious award, representing 40 tools and guidance to and improving nationalities and 173 universities across communication between the Office of the U.S. The award is currently presented in Infrastructure Protection and the state seven other countries. dam safety offices and critical dam own- “These award entries are snapshots ers. Projects include the following: of what the future could look like if we handed the reins to these emerging • continuation of the annual nation- leaders,” said Gilberto Neves, president al dam security forum, held in conjunc- and CEO of Odebrecht USA. “I have no tion with the ASDSO annual conference, doubt that we will continue to see great • data collection and analysis to 1) things from these students.” measure how well states are utilizing Learn more about the award pro- tools and guidance from DHS and 2) gram at www.odebrechtaward.com. feed dam failure and incident data into the national Significant Incident Report- ing database housed at DHS through (L to R) Neeraj Bhatia, the team’s advising GEO-INSTITUTE ANNUAL professor; David Peebles, VP of Business CONGRESS CALENDAR the Dam Safety Analysis Tool (DSAT), Development, Odebrecht; winning team members • training and workshops for state Joanna Luo, Weijia Song, and Alexander Yuen. officials and dam owners to provide 2013 Geo-Congress revolutionary idea in sustainability. The guidance on available tools, “Stability and Performance of Slopes • distribution of communications next “Big Idea” was clinched by the team and Embankments” from DHS, and, of three Rice University juniors, Joanna March 3-6, 2013 • maintenance of the dam security Luo, Wejia Song, and Alexander Yune. Town & Country Resort web site included as part of the ASDSO The team’s advising professor was Neeraj San Diego, CA website. Bhatia. The team’s winning concept www.asce.org/geocongress presents a bold solution for oil seekers INDUSTRY NEWS venturing further and further out to sea to 2014 Geo-Congress 2014 tap dwindling reserves. February 23-26, 2014 Subject Matter Experts Needed for The team was sparked by a Petrobras Westin Peachtree Plaza Hotel Research Project report, “Addressing the Logistical Crisis Atlanta, GA

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