Dec 1: Our Civil Engineering Seminar of this week will be presented by three
graduate students: Michael Hochscheidt, Karl Krueger, and Tony Oxley.
Public welcome. Our seminar is archived:
http://www.cee.mtu.edu/grad/CE_seminar/index.html
Title: Cut Slope Design for the Access to an Underground Copper Mine
Name: Michael Hochscheidt
Advisor: Dr. Stanley J. Vitton
Abstract:Slope stability analysis is a major area of research in geotechnical engineering. That being said, very little is written in the geotechnical engineering literature on the design of box-cuts. The goal of this thesis will be to investigate the proper design of a box-cuts, and to design a box-cut for access to an underground copper mine. Issues that need to be considered in the box-cut design include, long term dewatering design, slope stability analysis, and erosion control. The soils at the project site were extremely low permeability, as a result a system of ejectors was designed both to improve the stability of the slopes and prevent flooding. Based on the results of limit equilibrium analysis and finite element analysis, a slope design of two horizontal on one vertical was selection, with a rock fill buttress providing reinforcement. Finally, Michigan DOT standards for seeding were used to provide erosion control.
Title: Comparison of Three Methods for Driven Pile Capacity
Name: Tony Oxley
Adviser: Stan Vitton
Abstract: Several different methods for determining pile capacity are in use today. Three of these methods were evaluated to determine the accuracy of the predictions with regards to the actual capacity determined from testing. After analyzing the data the most accurate method for all soil types appeared to be the Army Corps method. The DRIVEN program was shown to be extremely inaccurate in cohesionless soils, and the API method was fairly close to the Army Corps method. It was also determined that no trends due to pile size, type or material or soil strength were present. However, there was significant variability in the data, so it is recommended that additional testing and analysis be performed to confirm the conclusions reached.
Name: Karl Krueger
Advisor: Dr. Stanley J. Vitton
Title: The Michigan Cone Tests: A Reliability Study
The Michigan cone test is a compaction control test used to determine the maximum density of granular materials. This test has been used in Michigan as a field compaction test for over 50 years. However, the Proctor test is more often used as a method of compaction control in other states. Recently, the question has risen concerning the reliability of the cone test compared to methods used in other states. Specifically, does the Michigan cone test lead to better overall compaction control than use of the Proctor test would? Specific questions concerning the cone test include: how was the test developed, does the cone test yield a greater maximum density than the Proctor test, is the cone test repeatable between multiple technicians, and what should be done for quality assurance testing on MDOT projects. The purpose of this report is to:
• Research the origins of the cone test and gain insight into the compaction principles behind it.
• Better answer how well the cone test compares to testing employed by other DOT agencies.
• Determine the repeatability of the cone test for a single user as well as for multiple users.
• Make recommendations regarding the continued use of the cone test.
Public welcome.
Our seminar is archived: http://www.cee.mtu.edu/grad/CE_seminar/index.html
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