Geological Engineering Commons^™

Vertical Shear Wave Velocity Profiles Generated From Spectral Analysis Of Surface Waves: Field Examples, Neil Lennart Anderson, Genda Chen, Siasi Kociu, Ronaldo Luna, Thanop Thitimakorn, Alexi A. Malovichko, D. Malovichko, D. Shylakov

Geosciences and Geological and Petroleum Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Surface wave (Rayleigh wave) seismic data were acquired at six separate bridge sites in southeast Missouri. Each acquired surface wave data set was processed (spectral analysis of surface waves; SASW) and transformed into a site-specific vertical shear-wave velocity profile (SASW shear-wave velocity profile). The SASW shear-wave velocity profiles generated for each bridge site were compared to other geotechnical data including seismic cone penetrometer shear-wave velocity profiles, cross-borehole shear-wave velocity profiles, and borehole lithology logs. The geotechnical data presented herein indicate the SASW shear-wave velocity profiles correlate well with subsurface lithology logs and available cross-borehole shear-wave velocity control. More specifically, clays, …

Numerical Modeling Of Focused Remediation Using A Groundwater Circulation Well, Gretchen R. Miller

Masters Theses

"Groundwater circulation wells (GCWs) allow for the in situ treatment of contaminated water resources. Focused remediation with a GCW could be used to treat groundwater before it enters an existing domestic well already in use. GCWs have been installed at the former Nebraska Ordnance Plant; the model originally developed for these was slightly modified and used to perform a feasibility study of a focused remediation system.

If the focused remediation system works properly, the capture zone of the domestic well should be within the recharge zone of the GCW. Deterministic modeling with capture zone analysis indicated that a GCW installed …

Using Psychotherapy Techniques To Reveal Misconceptions And Improve Learning, Paul Michael Santi, Michele M. Santi

Geosciences and Geological and Petroleum Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

When students are aware that they do not understand a concept, the main impediment to developing an understanding is their willingness to ask questions of the instructor or of fellow students. When students think that they understand a concept, but really have some significant misconception lodged in their mental picture of the concept, they may not supplant this misconception for years, if ever. Both situations can be corrected if the students identify the need to ask questions, are brave enough to do so in the traditional academic settings, and if the answers adequately address the actual misunderstanding (which may be …

Field Analyses Of Rdx And Tce In Groundwater During A Gcw Pilot Study, Andrew Curtis Elmore, Lisa A. Travaglin, Jennifer L. Triplett

Geosciences and Geological and Petroleum Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Contaminant concentrations in groundwater are typically analyzed using traditional laboratory analytical procedures approved by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) or state regulatory agencies. The use of off-site laboratories provides very high-quality water quality data at a relatively high cost in terms of time and money. Yet there are many instances when it is desirable to have water quality data measured in the field. The field methods for measuring water quality typically cost much less than the corresponding laboratory methods. However, the usability of the field data may be uncertain when the results are qualitatively compared to duplicate laboratory results. Groundwater …

Incorporation Of Cerium And Neodymium In A Uranyl Hydroxide Solid, Chang-Soo Kim, David J. Wronkiewicz, R. J. Finch, E. C. Buck

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

The migration behavior of radionuclides in a nuclear-waste repository will be influenced, in part, by their equilibrium solubilities in the presence of radionuclide-bearing solids and/or adsorption affinities as trace components onto the surfaces of solid host phases. Uranium phases that precipitate on the surface of altered spent nuclear fuel may thus influence the mobility of radionuclides released in the near-field environment, since by proximity, these will be the first phases that the radionuclides encounter following their release from the spent fuel matrix. We have evaluated the potential for incorporating radionuclides into crystalline compounds by precipitating uranyl phases from aqueous solutions …

Remediation Of Trapped Free-Phase Lnapl, T. M. Whitworth, Andrew Curtis Elmore

Geosciences and Geological and Petroleum Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Free-phase light nonaqueous phase liquids (LNAPLs) may be trapped in certain stratigraphic and structural features near or at contaminated sites due to seasonal or other variations in the water table elevation. The purpose of this article is to point out particular subsurface conditions that are conducive to trapping of free-phase LNAPLs and to suggest approaches to remediating LNAPL-contaminated sites exhibiting similar subsurface geometry and stratigraphy. To trap free-phase LNAPL, a structure must have, in addition to closed contours, an upper boundary with pores small enough so that the LNAPL will not enter them. This boundary usually consists of clay-rich sediments. …

Best Available Treatment Technologies Applied To Groundwater Circulation Wells, Andrew Curtis Elmore, Thomas Graff

Geosciences and Geological and Petroleum Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Groundwater circulation wells (GCWs) are a quasi-in-situ method for remediating groundwater in areas where remediation techniques that limit the water available for municipal, domestic, industrial, or agricultural purposes are inappropriate. The inherently resource-conservative nature of groundwater circulation wells is also philosophically appealing in today's culture, which is supportive of green technologies. Groundwater circulation wells involve the circulation of groundwater through a dual screen well, with treatment occurring between the screens. The wells are specifically designed so that one well screen draws in groundwater and the second returns the groundwater after it has been treated within the well. Historically, the treatment …

Earthquake Hazard Assessment Along Designated Emergency Vehicle Priority Access Routes, Neil Lennart Anderson, Hal Baker, Genda Chen, Tom Hertell, David J. Hoffman, Ronaldo Luna, Yulman Munaf, Shamsher Prakash, Paul Michael Santi, Richard Wesley Stephenson

Geosciences and Geological and Petroleum Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Because of the compelling need to reopen vehicular access routes to Sikeston, Cape Girardeau and St. Louis following a devastating earthquake, Missouri Department of Transportation initiated a study of those portions of US 60 and MO 100 that have been officially designated as emergency vehicle priority access routes. The primary objectives of this study were twofold. Objective 1 was to establish a current subsurface and earthquake design geographic information systems (GIS) database for areas in proximity to designated portions of US 60 and MO 100 (includes counties of Butler, Stoddard, New Madrid, Franklin and St. Louis). Objective 2 was to …

A Case Study Of The Beneficial Reuse Of Treated Groundwater, Andrew Curtis Elmore, Thomas Graff

Geosciences and Geological and Petroleum Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

The future disposal of treated groundwater at the former Nebraska Ordnance Plant (NOP) Superfund site has been a topic of interest to the local property owners, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and the local regulatory agencies. The Record of Decision for the site includes the extraction, treatment, and disposal of almost 3,000 gpm of groundwater with an estimated restoration time period exceeding 100 years. Interest from property owners and the Nebraska agency charged with regulating groundwater supply prompted the Corps of Engineers to consider several strategies for beneficially reusing the treated water. Alternatives included the establishment of a rural …

Design And Installation Of Horizontal Wick Drains For Landslide Stabilization, Paul Michael Santi, C. Dale Elifrits, J. A. Liljegren

Geosciences and Geological and Petroleum Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

One of the most effective options to stabilize landslides is to reduce the amount of water they contain by installing horizontal drains. A new type of horizontal drain material, geosynthetic wick drains, and a new installation method, driving drains rather than drilling them, were evaluated. Horizontal wick drains offer several advantages over conventional horizontal drains: They resist clogging, are inexpensive, may be deformed without rupture, and may be installed by unskilled laborers with a minimal investment in equipment. More than 100 drains were installed at eight sites in Missouri, Colorado, and Indiana using bulldozers, backhoes, and standard wick drain-driving cranes. …

Simulation Of Temperature And Stress Fields During Rcc Dam Construction, Ronaldo Luna, Yongfu Wu

Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

The worldwide experience in the construction of roller-compacted concrete (RCC) dams together with the use of numerical solutions, allows the simulation of different scenarios in a computer. It is well documented that thermal control is one of the most important problems for RCC dam construction. The dam temperature changes due to the heat produced by the internal hydration of concrete and the environmental boundary conditions influencing the elastic modulus and creep properties of concrete. The construction process was simulated to study how the temperature and stress change during dam construction. The numerical methodology considers the effect of temperature on the …

Ethics Exercises For Civil, Environmental, And Geological Engineers, Paul Michael Santi

Geosciences and Geological and Petroleum Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

The practices of civil, environmental, and geological engineering share many common ethical dilemmas. These fields typically require extensive interaction with clients and regulatory agencies, while dealing with unpredictable earth materials for design and uncertain design parameters. Consequently, a capstone design course must address not only technical issues, but also a wide range of ethical and behavioral issues. This study presents a series of exercises used in the classroom to teach these issues through dealing with "gray" ethical areas, concepts of advocacy and the use of compromise, relating specific stories to global concepts, proper behavior in the corporate environment, and the …

Manufactured Gas In California, 1852-1940: Basis For Remedial Action, Allen W. Hatheway

Geosciences and Geological and Petroleum Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

California was a relatively late entry (1852) in the manufactured gas industry. However, its gas entrepreneurs showed considerable invention and enterprise in establishing more than 250 separate gas plants, this in a total geographic environment approximating a whole nation of separate-operating and now environmentally endangering, conditions. Virtually all of the many gas generation processes and patent variations were employed in the state, and a wide variety of geologic conditions have created an even wider variety of fate and transport conditions related to their far and other residuals. A complex development of holding companies and other management forms also need interpretation …

Remedy Selection For Cleanup Of Uncontrolled Waste Sites, Paul D. Bennett, Brad Brumbach, Tyrone W. Farmer, Preston L. Funkhouser Iv, Allen W. Hatheway

Geosciences and Geological and Petroleum Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Selection of remedy for uncontrolled hazardous waste sites involves comparisons of various technological approaches for minimization of threats and achievement of cleanup action levels. Approaches specified in the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act (SUPERFUND Law) National Contingency Plan (40 CFR 300) are broadly labeled as actions, alternatives, and technologies. We have found considerable perplexity in denoting the rank-hierarchy of these approaches and have developed a classification system for dealing with the totality of available measures for consideration in selection of remedy.

Predicting The Unconfined Compressive Strength Of The Breathitt Shale Using Slake Durability, Shore Hardness And Rock Structural Properties, Engin C. Koncagül, Paul M. Santi

Geosciences and Geological and Petroleum Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Compressive strength is the most widely used design parameter in the construction industry and in rock engineering. For example, Bieniawski [Bieniawski, Z.T., Estimating the strength of rock materials, Is. J. S. Afr. Inst. Min. Metall., 1974, 74, 312-320.] reported that mining engineers request the uniaxial compressive strength (UCS) more often than any other rock property. However, standards set for specimen preparation are very demanding. Therefore, it is quite difficult and sometimes impossible to fulfill these requirements using weak rocks and especially shales. This paper evaluates the use of the slake durability and Shore hardness tests to estimate UCS, based on …

Improving The Jar Slake, Slake Index, And Slake Durability Tests For Shales, Paul M. Santi

Geosciences and Geological and Petroleum Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

This study proposes modifications to three shale durability tests to improve reproducibility, reduce the level of effort required, and better correlate the test to actual slaking characteristics. Modifications to the jar slake test reduced test variability by one-third, offering a substantial improvement in consistency, with only a slight loss in the ability of the test to predict slake durability. Analysis showed that slake index test error could be reduced or at least pinpointed by testing groups of samples, rather than single samples. Furthermore, the wet-sieving procedure should be more carefully defined. Analysis of correlations between single- and multiple-cycle slake durability …

Methods For Predicting Shale Durability In The Field, Paul Michael Santi, Jerry D. Higgins

Geosciences and Geological and Petroleum Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Durability of shales and other weak rock is an important parameter describing the material's susceptibility to breakdown upon exposure to water or during construction work. While laboratory methods have been developed to measure durability, no correlations between laboratory results and simple field tests have been determined. The results of this study show that certain field parameters can predict slake durability with acceptable accuracy. The recommended field tests, in order of desirability, are slake index, jar slake, hammer rebound, and NGI "Q" value. Single variable and multiple variable linear regression equations are given, including equations conservatively modified so that 95% of …

Relative Permeability Effects On The Migration Of Steamflood Saturation Fronts, A. Erkal, Daopu Thompson Numbere

Geosciences and Geological and Petroleum Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

The effects of various relative permeability-saturation relationships on the movement of water saturation fronts during steam flooding is investigated. Empirical correlations, curve fitting and spline interpolation functions are used to represent the relative permeability data. The effects of these correlations on water saturation movement and ultimately on oil recovery performance are compared. It was observed that only the spline function is able to adequately represent a given set of data throughout its saturation range. All the other correlations fit the given data well only at high water saturations and fit poorly at the low saturations. Furthermore, the correlations converge at …

Effect Of Variable-Ph Landfill Leachate On A Carbonate Rock Aggregate, William L. Niemann, Allen W. Hatheway

Geosciences and Geological and Petroleum Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Carbonate rock aggregate is commonly used as drainage stone in leachate collection systems of RCRA Subtitle D landfills. U.S. EPA technical guidance for waste containment facilities states that excessive carbonate in drainage stone may result in dissolution and clogging at sites of reprecipitation (Daniel and Koerner, 1993, p. 197). Unfortunately, this theoretical concern does not appear to be confirmed by any experimental evidence with typical landfill leachate or documented instances of clogging at typical Subtitle D landfills. This paper describes a practical laboratory experiment that measured the effects of landfill leachate - maintained at three distinct pH levels - on …

Sensitivities Of Report Writing For Weak-Rock Projects, Allen W. Hatheway

Geosciences and Geological and Petroleum Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Weak rock is the natural realm of geological engineers and engineering geologists. We are the best equipped geotechnical professionals to deal effectively with these difficult and generally complex earth materials, and we have the obligation to produce the most informative technical reports possible in weak-rock assignments. Because of the strength-related problems of weak rock, we should remain cognizant of the need to emphasize several aspects of our reports. For this purpose weak rock occurs because of one or more strength-degrading considerations: 1. Weak to deleterious lithology; the latter imparting damaging characteristics to concretes and to rock utilized as rip-rap and …

Tracking Thermal Saturation Fronts By A High Level Pc Programming Language, A. Erkal, Daopu Thompson Numbere

Geosciences and Geological and Petroleum Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

This paper presents a PC based alternative procedure for determining the water saturations within the hot water zone of a thermal project for use in analytical oil recovery calculations. Conventional analytical calculation of oil recovery under steam and hot water injection requires the tracking of the movements of the saturations advancing within the variable-temperature hot-water zone. This involves an adaptation of the Buckley-Leverett theory to this variable temperature zone after dividing it into a number of constant temperature or isothermal zones. If the number exceeds two, the calculation can become very tedious unless done with a computer program. FORTRAN programs …

Assessment Of Environmental Implications Of Abandoned Oil And Gas Wells, Donald L. Warner, Cary L. Mcconnell

Geosciences and Geological and Petroleum Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

A detailed study was made of the potential for abandoned oil and gas wells in the Lower Tuscaloosa sand of Mississippi and Louisiana to act as conduits for movement of saline water from the Lower Tuscaloosa into underground sources of drinking water (USDW's). Finite-difference numerical modeling determined the extent that water might be forced from the Lower Tuscaloosa sand into a USDW as a result of injection into the Lower Tuscaloosa. Within the range of conditions modeled, water from the Lower Tuscaloosa never traveled into a USDW. On the basis of the modeling, we concluded that it is unlikely that …

The Fractal Dimension As A Measure Of The Roughness Of Rock Discontinuity Profiles, Y. H. Lee, J. R. Carr, David J. Barr, Charles J. Haas

Geosciences and Geological and Petroleum Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

An important factor in the analysis of deformation and failure of rock masses along discontinuities is the roughness of the jointing surfaces. The fractal dimension is proposed as a method of objectively quantifying the roughness profile of such discontinuities. With this method much less engineering judgement and experience are required in determining the surface roughness,sb than is required for other methods such as the widely used joint roughness coefficient (JRC) suggested by the International Society for Rock Mechanics [1] (Int. J. Rock. Mech. Min. Sci. & Geomech. Abstr. 15, 319-368, 1978). The fractal dimension, suggested by Mandelbrot [2] (Fractals-Form, Chance …

Improved Streamline-Generating Technique That Uses The Boundary (Integral) Element Method, Daopu Thompson Numbere, D. Tiab

Geosciences and Geological and Petroleum Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

The boundary element method (BEM) has been used to generate streamlines for homogeneous and sectionally homogeneous reservoirs having irregular boundaries. This technique is superior to earlier methods that use 'image wells' to simulate the reservoir boundary, especially for cases where the reservoir boundary is irregularly shaped. It has wider applicability to different kinds of reservoirs and eliminates the need for trial-and-error solutions. The errors caused by discretization and numerical approximation arise on and adjacent to the boundaries only, therefore the pressures and pressure gradients on which the streamlines are derived can be calculated with very high accuracy in the interior …

Statistical Analysis Of A Compound Power-Law Model For Repairable Systems, Max Engelhardt, Lee J. Bain

Geosciences and Geological and Petroleum Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Conclusions - A compound (mixed) Poisson distribution is sometimes used as an alternative to the Poisson distribution for count data. Such a compound distribution, which has a negative binomial form, occurs when the population consists of Poisson distributed individuals, but with intensities which have a gamma distribution. A similar situation can occur with a repairable system when failure intensities of each system are different. A more general situation is considered where the system failures are distributed according to nonhomogeneous Poisson processes having Power Law intensity functions with gamma distributed intensity parameter. If the failures of each system in a population …

The Mechanical Properties Of The Bonne Terre Formation Dolostone According To Carbonate Facies And Moisture Conditions, Sweetwater Mine, Viburnum Trend, Southeast Missouri, Harvey Edwin Goodman

Masters Theses

"The mechanical properties of the Bonneterre Formation dolostone are critical to the design of underground mine openings at Ozark Lead Company's Sweetwater Mine, southeast Missouri. Host rock strength and elastic moduli, as affected by carbonate facies and varying moisture conditions, can influence rock stability in this multi-horizon mine.

Lead and zinc sulfide ores occur throughout the 350 foot-thick Bonneterre formation found in the mining area. Orebodies are mined in all four carbonate facies of the Bonneterre, including the (1) micrite (mudstone/wackestone) and shale facies, (2) the oolitic (packstone/ grainstone) facies, (3) the digitate stromatolite (boundstone) facies, and (4) the planar …

Site Characterization Of Riverfront Park, Kansas City, Missouri, For The Purpose Of Hazardous Waste Site Remediation, Helen Hudson Scannell

Masters Theses

"Riverfront Park, Kansas City, Missouri is located on a point bar along the Missouri River. Portions of the site have historically been used (1950 - 1973) as a municipal landfill receiving residential, commercial and industrial wastes. Relatively high concentrations of elemental lead have been found in small areas of the surface soil within the limits of the Park. Chemicals that may be present in the landfill wastes create a potential for groundwater contamination. A Remedial Investigation, including a series of groundwater monitoring wells is necessary to characterize groundwater geochemistry and flood-induced changes in groundwater flow direction, and to assess any …

Swelling Pressure Studies Of Shales, S. L. Huang, N. B. Aughenbaugh, John D. Rockaway

Geosciences and Geological and Petroleum Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

A swelling model was developed to predict the swelling pressure which occurs within shale or shale material when it is immersed in water. This model is also capable of estimating the magnitude of shale swelling when subject to humidity changes. The model was developed on a basis of the moisture susceptibility of the shale and the initial humidity of the ventilated mine air. The Moisture Activity Index (IRH) was selected to describe the susceptibility of shale to moisture because of its close association with the other physical properties, its strong correlation with the swelling of the shale, and because it …

Selection Of Remedial Engineering Techniques For Dioxin-Contaminated Soil Sites ; Based On Site Geological Characteristics, Jeffrey John Lux

Masters Theses

"Specific geologic, hydrologic, and topographic characteristics influence the selection of technologies employed in the remediation of sites affected by dioxin-contaminated soil. These characteristics are significant in the selection of equipment and methods for excavation and materials processing.

The only currently sociologically acceptable method of treatment of dioxin-contaminated soils is incineration. As more is learned concerning the nature of dioxin sorption to soil particles and the mobility of dioxin in the environment, long-term storage in underground mines, and land burial appear to offer strong potential alternatives. Strong public sentiment against non-destructive remedial options would have to be overcome. There are also …

On The Mean Time Between Failures For Repairable Systems, Max Engelhardt, Lee J. Bain

Geosciences and Geological and Petroleum Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Much of the recent work on modeling repairable systems involves Poisson processes with nonconstant intensity functions, viz, nonhomogeneous Poisson processes. Since times between failures are not identically distributed when the process is nonhomogeneous, it is not clear what concept should take the place of the mean time between failures in assessing the reliability of a repairable system. A number of alternate concepts can be found in the literature. We investigate the relationship between two of the most frequently considered alternatives: the reciprocal of the intensity function, and the mean waiting time from t until the next failure. Theorem 1 states …