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| Subject | Date Asked | Expert |
| about the choice of method and material for a 'shell' structure | 2/7/2012 | Albert Roy Horne |
| Q: I am preparing the plan of a residential bungalow of a well big budget and i want to prepare a ... A: This is honestly outside my scope of knowledge, However I do believe that the shell part would be ... | ||
| FOUNDATION ON ROCK | 2/6/2012 | Robert Cummings, P.E. |
| Q: I have to design foundation of 3-storeyed building each column carries service load around 500 kN. ... A: Although the service load is only 1/10 of the recommended bearing capacity you should adopt a ... | ||
| Spreader Beams | 2/4/2012 | Albert Roy Horne |
| Q: Could you explain to me what a spreader beam is and what does it do? They are being used on my ... A: The only spreader beams i am familiar with are those that are used in lifting objects with a crane. ... | ||
| Rock Anchoring | 1/14/2012 | Robert Cummings, P.E. |
| Q: Mr. Cummins, I work in an underground facility. It is surrounded by rock on all sides. I have ... A: I don't blame you on being nervous about the all-thread. Because it is so widely available it can ... | ||
| rock stability | 1/8/2012 | Robert Cummings, P.E. |
| Q: "I'm helping an NGO in a Skywalk feasibility study ,this project has humanitarian target to improve ... A: You are proposing a fascinating project and I wish you the best of luck with it. I would love to ... | ||
| Patch-up Storage House | 1/3/2012 | David Coil/C. R. Construction |
| Q: There is a pretty nice shed in the back yard of the house that we just moved into, that the previous ... A: I think I have a simple solution. Get some Green treated 2x4s, lay them flat on the existing deck ... | ||
| Blasting Vibration | 12/12/2011 | Robert Cummings, P.E. |
| Q: I'm using horizontal acceleration that i get from velocity differentiation to measure blasting ... A: Waveforms, whether displacement, acceleration, or particle velocity, represent particle excitement ... | ||
| Vector Sum | 12/7/2011 | Robert Cummings, P.E. |
| Q: How is Vector Sum calculated from the data on a blast report? An example of the data on a typical ... A: Actually, the machine calculates the vector sum at all points along the time history. They don't ... | ||
| Vector Sum | 12/7/2011 | Robert Cummings, P.E. |
| Q: How is Vector Sum calculated from the data on a blast report? An example of the data on a typical ... A: The vector sum is the square root of the sum of the squares of the parameters at any given time. ... | ||
| PPV from vibratory hammers | 12/7/2011 | Robert Cummings, P.E. |
| Q: I am tasked with driving 4 foot diameter piles approximately 30 feet deep into previously disturbed ... A: This is an interesting question. Your piles at 4 ft diameter are pretty healthy. Prediction of ... | ||
| Blast Induced Ground Vibration | 11/24/2011 | Robert Cummings, P.E. |
| Q: I am right now researching about ground vibration effect to slope stability. As i know, ground ... A: Yes. Using the highest component of horizontal acceleration regardless of directionality is ... | ||
| Blast Induced Ground Vibration | 11/23/2011 | Robert Cummings, P.E. |
| Q: I am right now researching about ground vibration effect to slope stability. As i know, ground ... A: The action of ground vibration on slope stability is twofold. The vertical accelerations -- which ... | ||
| grade rod | 11/6/2011 | Robert Cummings, P.E. |
| Q: how to read a grade rod and turn the tenth to feet,and inches A: If you are thinking about the white telescoping fiberglass rods or a grade rod that is similarly ... | ||
| Pipefitting freelance | 11/2/2011 | Lee Kilcup |
| Q: This question concerns the pipefitting trade. I know that a welder can sub-contract themselves and ... A: I am currently building a house for myself and have been using some smaller subs that work by the ... | ||
| FOUNDATION ON A SWAMPY AREA. | 10/31/2011 | Albert Roy Horne |
| Q: I am building a pent house, with heavy reinforcement. After 1.2m depth of foundation excavation i ... A: If you can find a company, that can supply concrete that they use on tower cranes then that is the ... | ||
| FOUNDATION ON A SWAMPY AREA. | 10/26/2011 | Albert Roy Horne |
| Q: I am building a pent house, with heavy reinforcement. After 1.2m depth of foundation excavation i ... A: First is to take and determine3 if the water is constantly coming in, is it holes for piers or ... | ||
| foundations on rock | 10/26/2011 | Robert Cummings, P.E. |
| Q: how would you advice on the construction on an outcrop of rock that has been blasted before for ... A: This is a very site-specific question. Here are some ideas for you to consider. Are the cracks ... | ||
| Purchasing a Home to Renovate | 10/24/2011 | Lee Kilcup |
| Q: I just started the process of looking for a property to purchase. I am interested in a property ... A: There are obviously many variables such as are you adding space or remodeling. If you are remodeling ... | ||
| converting 100s to inches | 10/22/2011 | Robert Cummings, P.E. |
| Q: I'm setting some castings to grade but the stakes are in 100s how do I translate F-0 followed by 20 ... A: There are lots of different staking conventions but I think you are saying the stake reads something ... | ||
| Effect of 2D analysis on displacement | 10/16/2011 | Robert Cummings, P.E. |
| Q: I have almost same question as the last answered question by you. I am modelling several caverns in ... A: There is a fundamental text by Obert and Duvall on rock mechanics that gives many idealized stress ... | ||
| Effect of 2D analysis on displacments | 10/5/2011 | Robert Cummings, P.E. |
| Q: I would be grateful if you could help me with thisWhat are the effects of a 2D analysis ion ... A: For a hydrostatic or conventional lithostatic stress field, it depends on the dimensions of the ... | ||
| Commercial Construction | 9/27/2011 | Albert Roy Horne |
| Q: I recently read a news story about two men who fell to their death trying to install a steel beam ... A: Well i can tell you for sure one piece of equipment they should have had and that is a harness, or ... | ||
| Building house same time as creating landscape | 9/25/2011 | Robert Cummings, P.E. |
| Q: I would like to if it is EASIER and LESS EXPENSIVE to build a new construction and create a ... A: Actually you build the foundation first and worry about the landscape later. Your idea is ... | ||
| Rock blasting | 9/23/2011 | Robert Cummings, P.E. |
| Q: Sir, We have to do surface mining 6o billion cubic meter rock excavations from hill available on the ... A: I wrote out a long answer to your followup and my ISP crashed before I could send it; I don't have ... | ||
| house location and its facing direction | 9/21/2011 | Michael Hughes |
| Q: Michael, I am wondering if a new construction has to face exactly its street address. Let's say ... A: Typically the house can face any direction. There could be HOA or local zoning requirements that ... | ||
| Rock blasting | 9/19/2011 | Robert Cummings, P.E. |
| Q: Sir, We have to do surface mining 6o billion cubic meter rock excavations from hill available on the ... A: 60 billion cubic meters? That is an absolutely immense quantity of excavation. Are you sure? ... | ||
| How to make your own canopy? | 9/16/2011 | Albert Roy Horne |
| Q: How do you make a decent medium-sized canopy for the backyard without buying a pre-made one in a ... A: ok send me your email, if you are comfortable with that, and i will send you the pictures that he ... | ||
| Mechanical method of tunneling in hard rock | 9/16/2011 | Robert Cummings, P.E. |
| Q: We have to construct twin highway tunnels in a sensitive location. The location become sensitive due ... A: Rock splitters and expansive grouts are options for rock breakage but when constructing an ... | ||
| Vibrationless tunneling in hard rock | 9/16/2011 | Robert Cummings, P.E. |
| Q: We have to construct twin highway tunnels in a sensitive location. The location become sensitive due ... A: I am not trying to be evasive but there is no method of making small granite fragments out of larger ... | ||
| Pool excavation costs | 9/14/2011 | Robert Cummings, P.E. |
| Q: We have just begun excavation on our pool and have been told that there will be an additional ... A: The explanation that comes to mind is that if the fill was not properly compacted it will not ... | ||
| How to make your own canopy? | 9/12/2011 | Albert Roy Horne |
| Q: How do you make a decent medium-sized canopy for the backyard without buying a pre-made one in a ... A: Sorry it took a while was looking for a file to send you, another questioner has built a sunshade ... | ||
| Construction and the Economy | 9/10/2011 | Lee Kilcup |
| Q: How are contractors dealing with the economy for long term projects already under construction? What ... A: The largest risk for projects under contract and being constructed is subcontractor failure. Steps ... | ||
| building or remodeling | 9/10/2011 | Lee Kilcup |
| Q: I am in the process of looking for a lot to build or a house to remodel. I heard mixed information. ... A: Remodeling may be the right choice depending on the property. Things to evaluate include the ... | ||
| house foundation | 9/7/2011 | Albert Roy Horne |
| Q: In a cottage country there is bed rocks in the ground. I was told that to make a foundation we need ... A: Ok well not overly familiar with that area in general, however if you contact C Billings ... | ||
| house foundation | 9/6/2011 | Albert Roy Horne |
| Q: In a cottage country there is bed rocks in the ground. I was told that to make a foundation we need ... A: you should have about 6 inches out of the footing to attach to the foundation wall, the best idea is ... | ||
| House foundation on expansive soils | 9/1/2011 | Robert Cummings, P.E. |
| Q: We are getting ready to build a house.About six years ago we were going to build on this site and ... A: You are quite right to spend some money on proper geotechnical characterization and foundation ... | ||
| basement footing on blasted limestone | 9/1/2011 | Robert Cummings, P.E. |
| Q: We are considering blasting 4 ft deep in limestone for a basement. The blasting company said they ... A: The blasting company is referring to subdrill. This practice, which is nearly universal in ... | ||
| Safe Distances from a Blasting Quarry | 8/23/2011 | Robert Cummings, P.E. |
| Q: I'm in Fife, Scotland, and a local quarry has just had permission to start blasting for Dolerite. ... A: There is no "safe" distance because the effect on the surroundings depends on the design of each ... | ||
| concret loadbearing | 8/20/2011 | Albert Roy Horne |
| Q: I have a front porch with a full basement wall . I would like to add a 12 inches overhang ,to put up ... A: if you are going to just add the over hang then use re bar, the size should be about 3/8 to 1/2, it ... | ||
| Contractor obligations | 8/20/2011 | Michael Hughes |
| Q: Our home is being renovated after an electrical fire. Our homeowners is paying over $150k due to ... A: Monique, I am not sure where to start. Who is the contract with you, your insurance company or your ... | ||
Construction & Contractors
Answers by Expert:
Robert Cummings, P.E.
Top Expert on this page
Expertise
I can answer questions related to rock blasting, rock and soil excavation (such as tunnels and highway cuts), stability of such excavations, and foundations in rock and soil. I can also answer questions related to geology and mining.
Experience
30+ years as a geotechnical engineer and minerals engineer. Active consulting practice in rock blasting, geotechnical engineering, and rock mechanics for mining and heavy construction.
Organizations
Society of Mining Engineers, Deep Foundations Institute, Association of Engineering Geologists, and International Society of Explosives Engineers.
Publications
Mining Engineering, AEG Bulletin.
Education/Credentials
BS and MS Geological Engineering
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