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  1. Focht3

    french drain with sand??

    You aren't preventing piping - in fact, you are encouraging it to form through the slits. That's a very bad idea! It sounds to me as though the drain is simply too small to act as a proper filter. And the gradation of your "super clean" sand may not be appropriate for a sand filter. Also be...
  2. Focht3

    french drain with sand??

    Agreed. [pacman] Please see FAQ731-376 for great suggestions on how to make the best use of Eng-Tips Fora. See faq158-922 for recommendations regarding the question, "How Do You Evaluate Fill Settlement Beneath Structures?"
  3. Focht3

    Burklin Method for laterally loaded piles

    Do you have Burklin's full name? Or a citation of a paper s/he has co-authored? [pacman] Please see FAQ731-376 for great suggestions on how to make the best use of Eng-Tips Fora. See faq158-922 for recommendations regarding the question, "How Do You Evaluate Fill Settlement Beneath Structures?"
  4. Focht3

    Laterally loaded pile's tip elevation

    Hmmm, You never indicated what type of structure that you are concerned about. Office buildings have one set of concerns; transmission towers for high voltage power lines are quite different. (Industry expectations and acceptable consequences of failure cause the major differences.) I use...
  5. Focht3

    Vibration monitoring for residential home

    JamesDean7: Why not start a new message thread? You'll get more respondents that way - [pacman] Please see FAQ731-376 for great suggestions on how to make the best use of Eng-Tips Fora. See faq158-922 for recommendations regarding the question, "How Do You Evaluate Fill Settlement Beneath...
  6. Focht3

    specific questions about soldier piles

    I agree with most of what PEinc has posted. But over the years I have learned to be more tolerant of other construction methods when site conditions don't require "best performance", only "ordinary performance." I know almost nothing about geoeng05's alignment; but it is quite possible that...
  7. Focht3

    DESIGN OF LATERALLY LOADED PILES

    If the problem is large, complex or critical, stick with p-y curves and the current version of LPILE to model your problem. Make good use of the technical support offered by the program's developers. If the problem is small and simple, use Broms' hand methods. They're fast, pretty cheap - and...
  8. Focht3

    Residential Foundation Recommendation

    Forget the square U shape unless you are prepared to live with cracks/distortion at the corners. Stick with a reasonably square shape - you will have far fewer problems that way. The soils get better as you move north of Buffalo Bayou - so yours should be pretty good. SHOULD. But you also...
  9. Focht3

    auger to test soil bearing

    Very few reputable engineers/firms see any real benefit in using it, I suppose. There isn't much market for it. [pacman] Please see FAQ731-376 for great suggestions on how to make the best use of Eng-Tips Fora. See faq158-922 for recommendations regarding the question, "How Do You Evaluate...
  10. Focht3

    ground water flow into detention pond

    Depending on the soil profile, a cutoff wall may be a very good solution. What does your geotechnical engineer say? [pacman] Please see FAQ731-376 for great suggestions on how to make the best use of Eng-Tips Fora. See faq158-922 for recommendations regarding the question, "How Do You...
  11. Focht3

    Seismic Exam

    Took the seismic twice; the first was developed by the Board, second by the test service. The first one was terribly obscure - not sure why a geotechnical engineer needs to know how to detail a roof to wall connection. A really poorly considered problem. The second test covered seismic design...
  12. Focht3

    Career Advice

    Well, I'm a legitimate Texas Ex - so "Hook'em" sounds good to me! HgTX gave you the citations. Now for the "hard to swallow" part. Not all UK "masters" degrees match up very well with US degree programs. This is particularly true for geotechnical engineering for some reason. Your experience...
  13. Focht3

    Soil Stiffness values for Lateral Load Analysis

    Using what design approach? What foundation type? Kind of structure? [pacman] Please see FAQ731-376 for great suggestions on how to make the best use of Eng-Tips Fora. See faq158-922 for recommendations regarding the question, "How Do You Evaluate Fill Settlement Beneath Structures?"
  14. Focht3

    Direct Simple Shear Testing, ASTM D6528

    DSS is a nice test, but it is seldom used in practice. If the client wants you to run DSS tests, establish a firm contract for that firm to purchase x number of DSS tests per quarter until the machine is paid for. This will quickly determine the seriousness of their intent... [pacman] Please...
  15. Focht3

    AREA SURCHARGE AND EFP

    You still need to evaluate the surcharge independently, then add the pressure distribution to the back of the wall. Don't try to use an equivalent fluid approach for surcharges - it's not appropriate for most problems. [pacman] Please see FAQ731-376 for great suggestions on how to make the...
  16. Focht3

    Meyerhoff vs Th. of Elasticity Settlement

    Personally, roughly [½] inch "discrepancy" in settlement calculations from two different methods isn't cause for consternation - it's cause for celebration! Theory of elasticity applies to both sands and clays; the key is picking the modulus of elasticity. That's easier said than done -...
  17. Focht3

    Shallow Foundation Suggestion

    Put a drill rig on a barge and go. You can also drill for the docks, bulkheads and marina at the same time. Just be sure the rig has diesel engine(s). Hire an experienced geotechnical engineer. Particularly one with marine experience; the project you have described is not that unusual - I'm...
  18. Focht3

    Horizontal moisture Barrior for P-T foundation

    Get the Thornthwaite moisture index for the National Weather Service. Moisture barriers don't work for houses - too many penetrations during construction: water, sewer, gas, phone, cable, sometimes electric. (My neighborhood has buried electrical lines. No power poles - very nice.) And let's...
  19. Focht3

    Battered Piles working in Tension and Compression

    I don't like the idea of battered piles in high seismic areas. I'd use another system. Remember the expression, "load seeks resistance." The battered piles will create "hard" spots - with damage likely in a seismic event. [pacman] Please see FAQ731-376 for great suggestions on how to make...
  20. Focht3

    Allowable Bearing Pressure

    Thanks for the kind words, DRC1. With 15 feet of fill - compacted or not - settlement is definitely the principal issue. That's 180 inches; at 2% shrinkage (typical for lean clays) you will get about 3[½] inches of settlement due to fill shrinkage alone. And we haven't even discussed...

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