Australian Geomechanics Society South Australia & Northern Territory – 1998 Meetings
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February, 1998
Modelling of Offshore Foundations
Professor Mark Randolph
The lecture focussed on recent results of physical and numerical modelling of a range of foundation systems in uncemented calcareous sediments typical of Australia's offshore hydrocarbon fields. Foundation types included skirted foundations, suction-emplaced caissons, and drag anchors. In each case, simplified models of behaviour were described, and the results compared with those from more sophisticated modelling.
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March, 1998
Mt Barker Road Project Visit
Andrew Campbell
This meeting involved a visit to the South Eastern Freeway project and a talk by Andrew Campbell from Maunsell who is involved with the geotechnical design on the project. The visit and the talk covered all aspects of the project including the design and stabilisation of the rock slopes between the Tollgate and Crafers, the tunnel and the Clarendon Fault.
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April, 1998
Enhanced Natural Biodegradation (ENB) of Diesel Contaminants at the Mile End Railyards
Craig Barker
One of the largest "design and construct" above ground bio-remediation projects implemented in Australia has been completed recently at the former Mile End rail-yards site, Adelaide. A total of 8,000m3 of diesel and oil impacted soil was successfully treated using the ENB process. This process involved the growth stimulation of naturally occurring aerobic micro-organisms and the controlled addition of oxygen, soil moisture and nutrients. Petroleum hydrocarbon compounds were broken down as a food source to produce carbon dioxide, water and organic salts. Work involved initial treatability testing, soil excavation and conditioning with the final construction of specifically designed active aeration treatment piles. Soils were successfully remediated to contract clean up levels within a 7 month period following performance monitoring and statistical soil validation sampling and testing.
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May, 1998
Annual Half-Day Seminar - Recent Developments in Pavement Technology*
Richard Cavagnaro, Don Cameron, Bob Andrews, Doug McInnes, Ted Booth, Chris Mathias, Kevin Mills, Craig Gilbert
- Increased Legal Axle Loads
- Resilient Modulus Variations in Clay Subgrades
- Crushed Rocks Related to Pavement Performance
- Haul Road Design
- Recent Advances in Sealing Technology
- New Applications for the Falling Weight Deflectometer
- Recent Experience with Local Pavements
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June, 1998
Southern Expressway Project
Dr Peter Mitchell
Stage 1 of the Southern Expressway project between Darlington and Reynella has been one of the most significant road projects in recent times both from environmental and geotechnical aspects. This seminar covered many of these aspects and included a detailed discussion of a number of slope stability "challenges" that were encountered.
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July, 1998
Cobblers Creek Retention Dam Project
Brenton Curtis, Andrew Telfer
The Cobbler Creek retention dam in the City of Salisbury was constructed in 1997. Exposures seen during excavation for the dam and spillway foundations provided interesting insights into the geological formations in the foothills of the Mount Lofty Ranges. These formations, including the Quaternary sediments and folding and faulting of the underlying rocks, were discussed as were the design of the dam and the spillway foundations.
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August, 1998
Collapsing Soils
Dr Peter Mitchell
Collapsing soil is defined in AS2870 as a weakly cemented soil subject to large settlements under load as a result of degradation by water on the cementing action. These soils are frequently encountered in South Australia and present challenges for geotechnical engineers and footing designers. Dr Mitchell described some experiences with collapsing soils, presented several case histories and gave an outline of techniques used to minimise the effects of collapsing soils.
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September, 1998
The Response of Reactive Clay Soils to Wetting in the Presence of Active Vegetation
Kevin Mills
The presentation outlined personal research in swelling soils, research undertaken to find sound modelling techniques to help answer questions on the long term effects of infiltration trenches around residential footings on clay soils, and the impact of adjacent vegetation on footing design.
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October, 1998
Construction of the Blanchetown Bridge
Dr Peter Mitchell, Richard Herraman
Construction of the new bridge at Blanchetown is nearly complete. The new bridge was incrementally launched and its deck is a post tensioned concrete box girder 407m long. Some difficult ground conditions and the close proximity of the existing bridge posed problems for both design and construction. Prior to construction, predictions were made of the following: movement of bridge piers during launching of the deck settlement of the eastern approach embankment movement of the existing bridge during placement of fill nearby In this presentation the monitoring and performance of these structures was described in addition to foundation and earthworks construction.
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November, 1998
India - Roads and Life
Bob Andrews
Annual visitors night
Did you ever wonder why the Taj Mahal has lasted as long as it has? Did you ever wonder how they build roads in India? In this seminar Bob regaled us with pictures and words of his recent trip to the subcontinent where he went to exchange knowledge on the intricacies of road building, and to experience the Indian way of doing many other things.