| Subject | Date Asked |
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| Concrete Load Bearing | 11/11/2009 |
Q: I am remodeling a 30 years old 2 storey condo. The entire structure is reinforced concrete and the ...
A: My opinion after looking at the floor plans is that the kitchen wall running the long way probably ...
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| Load bearing concrete floor | 11/8/2009 |
Q: What would the thickness of the concrete floor have to be to sustain forklift traffic tare 4000kg + ...
A: Floor slabs on grade should be analyzed for adequate structural live loads. Since floor slabs maybe ...
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| Concrete Load Bearing | 11/8/2009 |
Q: I am remodeling a 30 years old 2 storey condo. The entire structure is reinforced concrete and the ...
A: I have tried to diagram the floor plans of the first and second stories to see what rooms and walls ...
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| Concrete loading | 11/2/2009 |
Q: Even though concrete is given (for example) a 3500 psi load rating, where does the thickness become ...
A: The strength of concrete is measured in uniaxial compression on either a 4x8 right cylinder (small ...
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| blasting and damaging vibrations | 10/28/2009 |
Q: i have been issued a stop work order because i have exceeded 2" PPV on my monitor which has been ...
A: A stop work order is pretty serious. Utilities continue to mis-apply conventional vibration ...
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| Fordham Gneiss | 10/5/2009 |
Q: We may need to remove up to 250 CY of Fordham Gneiss in Westchester county, NY. What kind of ...
A: I can't give you many specifics without knowing how the rock is situated. If it is in a confined ...
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| effect of dynamite on tree roots | 9/30/2009 |
Q: For a recent sewer installation, the contractor dynamited (through subterranean ledge) from the road ...
A: Odd that blasting had to be used for a septic tank site. One would think that rock requiring ...
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| rock excavation | 9/23/2009 |
Q: We are placing vault toilets which shall require 4-6 inches (in depth) of lime coral rock removal to ...
A: This is very uncertain because it depends on the hardness of the lime coral rock and whether it is ...
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| clinker | 9/15/2009 |
Q: "I am studying the frequency distribution of size of crystals in a cement clinker. As a clinker is ...
A: The cooling rates of igneous rocks vary widely and the formation of crystals has not only to do with ...
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| Concrete slab over root cellar | 8/23/2009 |
Q: Mr. Cummings, I have an 8'x12' root cellar with concrete walls. Will a 6" thick slab roof with #4 ...
A: All three, actually. The standard details for a reinforced concrete box culvert for the Colorado ...
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| Concrete slab over root cellar | 8/22/2009 |
Q: Mr. Cummings, I have an 8'x12' root cellar with concrete walls. Will a 6" thick slab roof with #4 ...
A: I'm not a structural engineer but I think a single mat of #4 on 2 ft centers sounds just a little ...
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| HORIZONTAL REBAR IN FOOTINGS | 8/14/2009 |
Q: BUILDING A NEW HOUSE IN NC. Residential code in NC does not call for rebar in footings. In ...
A: I have not done a survey nationwide of footing construction so I can't say how common it is to omit ...
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| concrete footings O.K.? | 8/14/2009 |
Q: We recently poured some concrete spread footings for a new house. Footings were 10" thick and 24" ...
A: The concrete should have attained its initial cure and set long before (24 hrs) you had weather ...
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| compaction of fill | 8/13/2009 |
Q: I'm in the initial stages of building a 42 x 48' shop, currently having a contractor do the dirtwork ...
A: Somebody should be testing your fill compaction to eliminate all this guesswork -- you are spending ...
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| Vibration Limits and Human Perception | 8/12/2009 |
Q: Good Afternoon, I work for a regulatory agency that looks after medium scale surface quarries. We ...
A: This is a huge topic and I could go on and on but I will try to give you a concise answer, which ...
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| soil compaction testing for pool construction | 8/4/2009 |
Q: We are in the process of having a pool built by a contractor. The city required us to review the ...
A: OK, from soup to nuts, here is what I think. You stated that the original soil investigation report ...
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| redoing concrete pilings under pool deck | 7/15/2009 |
Q: I live in the northeast and had a gunite pool build into the 45 degree slope of my back woods in ...
A: First, this is a complex geotechnical question and the requirements for drilled shaft diameter, ...
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| Underground walkway specifications | 7/11/2009 |
Q: Is there any relatively simply way (or formula that could be used) to determine the needed ...
A: In order to get an idea of what will be required, my suggestion would be to get a hold of a standard ...
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| Concrete footings for a playhouse | 6/30/2009 |
Q: I am building a treehouse using 4-8x8x14' either pine or cedar vertical beams 10' apart with a metal ...
A: If this were a more critical structure you would need to perform a bearing capacity analysis for the ...
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| Concrete slab strength/design load | 6/22/2009 |
Q: Mr. Cummings, I'm trying to determine if a concrete floor slab will support a 80000 lb steel block ...
A: You're right, 760 psf is not much load, considering presumptive bearing pressures for spread ...
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| Concrete slab strength/design load | 6/22/2009 |
Q: Mr. Cummings, I'm trying to determine if a concrete floor slab will support a 80000 lb steel block ...
A: The 3,000 psi as you described it would be the minimum allowable compressive strength of cylinders ...
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| Lake Limestone Retaining Walls | 6/22/2009 |
Q: Our lake has many homes building giant flat stone limestone retaining walls. They are bowed in my ...
A: Stacked-rock retaining walls are commonly built to nominal heights (say, no more than 3 times the ...
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| Concrete slab strength/design load | 6/12/2009 |
Q: Mr. Cummings, I'm trying to determine if a concrete floor slab will support a 80000 lb steel block ...
A: Please excuse me for not responding sooner. I just returned from my first vacation in several ...
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| Concrete Structural loading | 6/8/2009 |
Q: I a have a mezzanine to install on a concrete floor: Slab is 7" thick, 25mpa with 10m rebar on 18" ...
A: Please excuse me for not responding sooner. I just returned from my first vacation in several ...
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| linker rod | 6/8/2009 |
Q: sir i need to know how to READ the linker rod thank you
A: I could try to describe this to you but a picture is worth a thousand words -- try the link below; ...
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| anchoring | 6/5/2009 |
Q: Can you recommend a name brand adhesive/hydraulic cement...available at Home Depot or Lowes that ...
A: Use por-rock if you can get it. Also there is a product called (I think) Anchor-Lock, comes in a ...
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| slope vs. percent of grade | 5/31/2009 |
Q: Mr Cummings, I understand % of grade as rise over run, but slope derivied from contours ...
A: In the US, cut slopes are commonly given in H:V. Therefore a 1/2:1 slope is quite steep (horizontal ...
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| Rock Excavating | 5/23/2009 |
Q: My excavating/foundation contractor made it known in his contract that rock excavation would be ...
A: Actually, I don't know what size excavator and hoe-ram he is using but $1500/day isn't bad. A large ...
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| Dam Construction | 5/20/2009 |
Q: I wonder if you may know who are the main construction contractors in the US or Canada that are ...
A: Most major earthmoving and general contractors have involvement in dam projects of various sizes. ...
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| Removing Bedrock from Backyard | 5/12/2009 |
Q: Our house has bedrock in the backyard with a fairly steep incline. It takes up majority of the ...
A: This all depends on the structural fabric of the rock. In most cases the rock can be removed ...
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| concerns over a propose granite quarry nearby | 5/11/2009 |
Q: I would like to know what kind of effects blasting at a proposed granite quarry will have on my ...
A: Trees and intervening topography will help with some of the airblast overpressure but the main pulse ...
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| concerns over a propose granite quarry nearby | 5/10/2009 |
Q: I would like to know what kind of effects blasting at a proposed granite quarry will have on my ...
A: The fact that you are aware of the frequency dependence on vibration response indicates that you ...
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| construction of house foundation on exposed rock slope | 5/4/2009 |
Q: I've read some of your previous answers and I would be grateful to your response to this question. ...
A: The limestone should not be moving (if it is actively moving you are in a slide area and should not ...
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| construction of house foundation on exposed rock slope | 5/1/2009 |
Q: I've read some of your previous answers and I would be grateful to your response to this question. ...
A: I doubt you will encounter unweathered limestone at the depths of interest. The idea is to minimize ...
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| construction of house foundation on exposed rock slope | 4/30/2009 |
Q: I've read some of your previous answers and I would be grateful to your response to this question. ...
A: Good quality, sound crushed stone should not slide on a slope whose inclination is less than 20 ...
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| determining the mesurements on a surveys range pool | 4/16/2009 |
Q: Trying to get information on how to read the elevations on the surveyors range pole in Ft, In, Hun.
A: Most range poles are graduated in hundredths of a foot -- which is about an eighth of an inch. ...
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| building a deck on bedrock | 4/3/2009 |
Q: I am planning to build a series of decks/stairs on exposed limestone bedrock and would appreciate ...
A: The number of anchors depends on the total amount of resistance needed. Using 10-12 inch sonotubes ...
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| building a deck on bedrock | 4/2/2009 |
Q: I am planning to build a series of decks/stairs on exposed limestone bedrock and would appreciate ...
A: My opinion is that you are on the right track -- anchor concrete footings to the rock surface, and ...
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| grantie outcropping | 4/2/2009 |
Q: We would like to build a small cottage with a basement on a lot that has a large 20x20 granite ...
A: If I understand your question (a way to measure the depth of the rock), the rock that exists at the ...
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| the blasting work in Turkey | 3/29/2009 |
Q: I got a contract in Iskenderan Turkey including rock blast work of quantity 70,000m3, and want to ...
A: You have a contract with no price for blasting? Lucky you. Even in the United States I could not ...
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| Rock Excavation | 3/23/2009 |
Q: I am doing a project in Bayonne NJ in extremely hard rock and a 80,000 lb excvator with a 10,000 lb ...
A: Obviously you should consider blasting, but I'm guessing that site conditions may be making you ...
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| Backfilling using wet soil | 3/9/2009 |
Q: Recently I installed/rebuilt a landscaping drain system. The system consisted of a 12" dia and a 15" ...
A: 15 inch culvert pipe -- quite a drain system for a landscaping project! You didn't say how wet the ...
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| online grade checking exercises | 12/16/2008 |
Q: i have been searching the net for any online grade checking exercises to practice setting slopes and ...
A: Good on you for committing to learn this. I have worked with a lot of equipment operators who don't ...
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| Anchoring into rock for a big (16 foot swinging gate) | 12/15/2008 |
Q: I'm wanting to install a swinging (16')steel gate across my cottage lane in Newfoundland. There is ...
A: The unsupported vertical loads for a swinging steel gate 16 ft wide are significant and would ...
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| Trenching charges | 12/2/2008 |
Q: Our electrical company is a small one and we have a ditch witch. We are starting on a large project ...
A: In this case I would try to negotiate an hourly rate because you cannot predict the state of frost ...
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| rock foundation and house | 12/2/2008 |
Q: Robert: I read an answer you gave in 2005 about rock foundations “As an aside I don't know why ...
A: There are dozens of references on foundations and soil mechanics, one of the best being by Bowles, ...
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| pan deck construction | 11/22/2008 |
Q: I'm trying to learn more about pan decks for a residential garage on a sloped lot. Is this a common ...
A: If I understand you right, you think perhaps the use of pan decking rather than another floor method ...
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| rock blasting and our well | 11/14/2008 |
Q: We live in a rural area on 16 acres of a very rocky hillside. Our neighbours have blasted an ...
A: It would be highly unusual, if not impossible, for blasting to cause a well to "run dry" that was ...
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| fence poles in lava rock | 11/13/2008 |
Q: only thing is that the property is in Hawaii and it is on the slope of a volcano so I need a easy ...
A: First of all I wonder why it takes 200 holes to fence a 1/2 acre lot with chain link. According to ...
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| rock/cement covering inside house | 10/14/2008 |
Q: My house was built about 30 years ago on rock. There is a room inside my house that has cement ...
A: By cement I presume you mean concrete, although it really does not matter. The answer is yes, you ...
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| trencing with boulder buster | 10/1/2008 |
Q: Good day Mnr. Cummings the Boulder Buster works wonders with loose boulders,but i need to blast a ...
A: When you say 1.5 meter trench I assume you are talking about the depth, not the width because you ...
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| concrete porch | 9/21/2008 |
Q: We would like to add a layer of concrete to an existing porch. The structure is in good condition. ...
A: Do not add new concrete unless the surface it is to bond to is clean concrete and treated with a ...
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| Retaining wall | 9/20/2008 |
Q: My house is on a slope and was built 40 years ago. We moved in 10 years ago, and the concrete ...
A: It gives me a much better idea of what you are dealing with. Apparently, the retaining wall must ...
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| ledge blasting | 9/20/2008 |
Q: is it possible to break up ledge using a high pressure water jet rather than explosive charges ?
A: That all depends on the hardness of the rock, the prevalence of fracturing, and the intensity of the ...
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| Groundwater control | 9/12/2008 |
Q: The site in Anacorets WA has a pit where shallow , seasonal, groundwater stands at a depth of ...
A: You may be misinterpreting the geotechnical recommendations. My guess is that the sheet piling was ...
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| method to dig and break rocks with excavator | 9/1/2008 |
Q: I'm looking for some method to dig and break rocks with excavator.Do you have some knowledge of this ...
A: Depending on the size of the excacvator, there are attachments that will either break rocks directly ...
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| excavating and backfilling | 8/30/2008 |
Q: I am contemplating putting an addition onto my home using a cargo shipping container (20'X8'X8.5'). ...
A: Most wet sand-silt-gravel mixes will weigh in the neighborhood of 135 pcf if compacted and 125 pcf ...
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| Vibration Monitoring | 8/28/2008 |
Q: I am an Environmental Officer working for construction company and responsible for vibration ...
A: I can see why you are confused about the vibration specification. From what you sent it looks like ...
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| Retaining wall | 8/24/2008 |
Q: My house is on a slope and was built 40 years ago. We moved in 10 years ago, and the concrete ...
A: I don't know that I have ever heard of a wooden retaining wall. I am familiar with soldier pile ...
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| Rock Removal | 8/20/2008 |
Q: I have a 12' x 4' rock sticking up about 2' above the ground exactly where I want to put a shed. How ...
A: Breaking rock always involves the input of energy sufficient to overcome whatever bonds are holding ...
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| foundation on piles | 8/13/2008 |
Q: just came across this board, thanks a lot for sharing your expertise on here! Your background ...
A: The pile estimate was from Means' Heavy Construction 2008. Residential construction may be slightly ...
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| foundation on piles | 8/12/2008 |
Q: just came across this board, thanks a lot for sharing your expertise on here! Your background ...
A: I understand your quandary. You have a price point and want to know if the site improvements will ...
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| basement under garage | 8/11/2008 |
Q: Planning to build a log 34 x 36 3 bay garage with 2nd floor. Foundation planned to be cement slab. ...
A: It depends in part on the basement foundation but yes, in general, you can park autos on a suspended ...
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| Drawing Elevation | 8/6/2008 |
Q: How do you determine the difference in elevations from a drawings and then convert that number to ...
A: Depends on what the elevation units are to begin with. If the elevations are already in feet, it's ...
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| Underground blasting within 25' of my home! | 8/5/2008 |
Q: As part of an upgrade to it's sewer system, the city of Baltimore will be tunneling beneath the ...
A: You should have blasting seismographs placed at your home, and monitored in accordance with the ...
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| Environmental Concerns - New Construction | 8/4/2008 |
Q: The adjoining property has been sold to a builder, and they are planning to build seven large homes, ...
A: Spread foundations are dug out. If the homes have suspended floors they may partially be founded on ...
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| Drilling into Rock - Massachusetts | 7/28/2008 |
Q: I have dug out holes for footings for a deck. I have hit ledge on almost every hole after digging ...
A: 20 minutes and 1/4 inch, huh? You should be doing better than that. Did it toast the bit? It ...
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| water well | 7/26/2008 |
Q: I purchased this newly constructed home in March of 2004. Everything was checked and certified, ...
A: You're welcome. I would be curious to know what they find. If the well is 175 ft and the static ...
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| water well | 7/25/2008 |
Q: I purchased this newly constructed home in March of 2004. Everything was checked and certified, ...
A: The water table would not drop in 2 days especially if the aquifer was prolific to start with, ...
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| water well | 7/25/2008 |
Q: I purchased this newly constructed home in March of 2004. Everything was checked and certified, ...
A: Sorry to hear about this. Being out of water is a pain. First of all, you might as well contact ...
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| Basement wall bulging | 7/19/2008 |
Q: Good morning Mr. Cummings. I have a home that was built in 1969. At the front of the house, the ...
A: You didn't conclude with a question but I bet you wanted to know if all this sounds reasonable, and ...
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| mountain lot foundation | 7/16/2008 |
Q: I own the top of a mountain that adjoins Old Rag Mountain in the Shenandoah National Park. The road ...
A: From a geotechnical standpoint, the erosion of the highway has little to do with your structure ...
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| breaking rock | 7/11/2008 |
Q: My house sit on top of a rock cap which I am thinking of blasting to increase the height in the ...
A: General guidance is to make the hole burden not more than 10 times the hole diameter, and start with ...
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| effects of blasting on preserved wood foundation | 7/7/2008 |
Q: What could be the potential effects of upslope (approx 500ft from house) highway-type rock and bluff ...
A: This is about the third time I have put together a reply and sent it through but had AllExperts drop ...
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| Building a House on Moist Ground | 7/7/2008 |
Q: We live in Middle TN, with lots of rock just under the soil. We own two adjacent lots: one has our ...
A: In general, yes, you can bring in fill to raise the grade and make building a house feasible. ...
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| rock excavation | 6/30/2008 |
Q: Could you suggest some references comparing various rock excavation techniques (blasting, mechanical ...
A: A great question. Until you brought it up, it had never occurred to me that I know of no single ...
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| french drain weeping tile in bedrock | 6/30/2008 |
Q: We excavated our hole for our home to be built on a 8" high footing and a 24" stem wall. The bottom ...
A: Why would the pipe have to be perforated under the driveway? It sounds like you need just to just ...
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| poured wall foundation on rock | 6/27/2008 |
Q: As a follow-up question to the answer you gave gave last year (06/07): I have property that is on a ...
A: I answered this question right after it was posted but the site says it is pending. I have asked ...
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| effects of blasting on preserved wood foundation | 6/25/2008 |
Q: What could be the potential effects of upslope (approx 500ft from house) highway-type rock and bluff ...
A: Is the blasting occurring above or below you? Is the blasting progressing toward or away from your ...
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| proper depth for footings; caliche layer | 6/23/2008 |
Q: Help, please! I live in the Phoenix, Arizona area and would like to construct a 10' high trellis ...
A: I answered this question right after it was posted but the site says it is pending. I have asked ...
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| survey stakes | 6/15/2008 |
Q: m shure the will survay the points for them but i need to read the stakes i think can you help me
A: You need to get with the surveyor and see how he puts the cut stake information on. Different ...
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| Basement walls and slab failure | 6/10/2008 |
Q: I have a home in upstate NY where I have two problems. The first is that it appears as if the ...
A: If the cracking in the walls is in fact settlement rather than a response to active earth pressures ...
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| Slotted/ Bored Piers | 6/10/2008 |
Q: I am building my first home and have been advised by my builder that they had to do these bored ...
A: One would ordinarily not switch from a shallow spread foundation to a pier foundation just because ...
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| Driveway poured while raining | 6/4/2008 |
Q: On Tuesday, May 27, we had approximately 50 yards of concrete poured to provide a 4" dirvieway ...
A: When concrete is finished, the surface is worked repeatedly which causes the aggregate to ...
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| Driveway poured while raining | 5/31/2008 |
Q: On Tuesday, May 27, we had approximately 50 yards of concrete poured to provide a 4" dirvieway ...
A: In my opinion it was a mistake to go ahead and pour. A concrete contractor should be used to ...
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| steep slopes | 5/30/2008 |
Q: how can i measure the steep slops % on the property. is there a simple way
A: The % slope is the vertical slope change divided over the horizontal distance over which that change ...
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| Post holes | 5/27/2008 |
Q: I have a stockade privacy fence that had 3 sections fall over, posts and all. In looking in the post ...
A: Wow. Must be some really hard rock if jackhammers and a rotary hammer drill with a carbide tipped ...
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| Concrete Load | 5/26/2008 |
Q: I was wondering what the max load for concrete is? I have a shop with 12in thick concrete and want ...
A: The capacities of concrete slabs-on-grade are matters for a structural engineer to consider, and ...
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| PPV (in/s) to G? | 5/22/2008 |
Q: I'm a project manager with a heavy construction firm, and we've been blasting rock for about a month ...
A: Acceleration (g) is related to the particle velocity in inches per second (ips) through the ...
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| (107) shafts excavation | 5/21/2008 |
Q: There is a requirement to dig 110 holes in the ground about 500 meters apart.Each between 8-10 ...
A: This is a huge question and well beyond this forum. I will try to give you some ideas but this is ...
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| Slope Creep | 5/17/2008 |
Q: It seems like our whole street (which is on top of a hill) is having problems with the retaining ...
A: Unless soil liquefaction or earthquake motions are the reason (I don't recall hearing of any major ...
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| We hit rock when digging our pool | 5/16/2008 |
Q: Mr. Cummings - I need your advice!!! We began digging our pool yesterday and hit rock about 2-3 ...
A: I have a few questions before I can give you an answer. First, how much rock remains to be removed ...
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| concrete post footing on rock | 5/13/2008 |
Q: So it seems the perfect little spot for my two story 16x24 cabin is on a 4:1 slope and has solid ...
A: You didn't say what the spacing of these pier foundations would be, or the type of construction, ...
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| SIMOPS Diving & underwater D&B | 4/24/2008 |
Q: What is the safe distance for a diver/swimmer to be in the water while conducting underwater D&B? ...
A: OK, in that case, a general rule of thumb would be around 1000 ft. for charges of 30 lb or so. ...
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| Soil Nails | 4/22/2008 |
Q: I have had varying advice about the placement of soil nails on my landslide. Two consultants said ...
A: There are no set standards for nail coverage. The design requirements for soil nails are dependent ...
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| Pavers over Aggregate? | 4/17/2008 |
Q: I have small porch/stoop (6x8 or so) that is covered in exposed aggregate. Leading up to the stoop ...
A: I don't know anyone who has a brick stoop although if the pavers were set in concrete I don't know ...
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| marl road | 4/17/2008 |
Q: Mr. Cummings, I live on a private road, a marl road, the maintenance of which is shared by myself, ...
A: I agree, especially if the subgrade is clayey which I bet it is, given your description. However ...
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| Roadway Defect Expertise | 4/16/2008 |
Q: I had an accident driving my Harley on a highway after dark as a result of gaps in the road surface ...
A: Actually, I don't litigate in these areas so don't have the contacts you are seeking. You should ...
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| Roadway Defect Expertise | 4/13/2008 |
Q: I had an accident driving my Harley on a highway after dark as a result of gaps in the road surface ...
A: Probably busted up the Harley, too. Sorry to hear about that. What a bummer. You didn't say what ...
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| Excavator for use in Rock Blasting | 4/7/2008 |
Q: I have read your answers and find them very helpful. I am using a blasting company to break around ...
A: I answered your question the day it was posted, but I have just been informed that the system dumped ...
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| Concrete block wall | 4/2/2008 |
Q: I want to build a concrete block wall that will be have cultured stone affixed to the one side of ...
A: If you are backfilling against the wall that makes it a retaining wall. Hopefully you are designing ...
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| Retaining Wall Failing | 3/24/2008 |
Q: Mr. Cummings thank you for the additional information on the Slope Creep issue. You have helped me ...
A: I think you are on the right track. I hope 4 ft will be enough but even that would be an ...
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| Dir. Horizontal Boring - Test data required? | 3/20/2008 |
Q: We, a state DOT, need to install about 700' of utility pipes by primarily subsurface methods. We've ...
A: I think it kind of depends on where you are and what geotechnical conditions are extant. If for ...
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| retaining wall failing | 3/20/2008 |
Q: I have begun to weigh the different options to determine how to deal effectively with the "slope ...
A: One thing to keep in mind when considering a supplemental footing and piers is that you are adding ...
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| interceptor drain to dewater unstable slope | 3/4/2008 |
Q: Behind my house I have a 1:1 slope which since the loss of three large oak trees from the top of the ...
A: The intent of the intercept would be to remove infiltration before it becomes ground water. You are ...
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| interceptor drain to dewater unstable slope | 2/29/2008 |
Q: Behind my house I have a 1:1 slope which since the loss of three large oak trees from the top of the ...
A: I have been considering this, especially the part about the shallow (5 ft) ground water table. The ...
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| interceptor drain to dewater unstable slope | 2/29/2008 |
Q: Behind my house I have a 1:1 slope which since the loss of three large oak trees from the top of the ...
A: Because your crawl space is dry, this sounds more like an erosion problem than a geotechnical slope ...
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| Retaining Wall Failing | 2/23/2008 |
Q: Mr. Cummings: This is a followup to the 48'x24' retaining wall failing post on February 19. I will ...
A: I answered the followup right after you posted it and apparently that answer was lost. Aorry. I ...
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| Retaining Wall Failing | 2/19/2008 |
Q: I have a 48' x 24' detached two car garage on a slope. It has a concrete slab and the slab is not ...
A: I suspect that this is mostly a drainage-induced bearing capacity or settlement problem but need a ...
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| Vibration Blast Monitoring | 2/19/2008 |
Q: scaled distance of 100 to .." Your response was excellent! Do you bury the triaxial seismic geophone ...
A: If the geophone is vibrating in resonance with the incoming ground motion then a prolonged exposure ...
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| Vibration Blast Monitoring | 2/18/2008 |
Q: scaled distance of 100 to .." Your response was excellent! Do you bury the triaxial seismic geophone ...
A: Some pracitioners bury the seismograph sensor which is hard to argue with, but I question the need ...
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| big rock encountered when digging a pool | 2/10/2008 |
Q: Mr. Cummings, Our pool contractor hit a rock that is approximately the size of a rhinoceros. Should ...
A: I am not sure what the difference is between your hoe-ram designations. If 500, 750, and 1500 are ...
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| Rock Excavation | 1/22/2008 |
Q: Job Info: Norther NJ job site very tight site and well populated. The rock is Basalt very dense ...
A: That's the first time i have heard of the swiss cheese method not working. Sometimes the ...
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| Rock Excavation | 1/20/2008 |
Q: Job Info: Norther NJ job site very tight site and well populated. The rock is Basalt very dense ...
A: I think you have the right idea, but my first reaction is, if you can bring in a drill for 2 inch ...
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| pool rock | 1/18/2008 |
Q: Mr. Cummings, Is the expansive grout something I could find at a local hardware store? Is it ...
A: I doubt you can find this specialty material at ordinary retail stores. The yhave trade names like ...
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| big rock encountered when digging a pool | 1/18/2008 |
Q: Mr. Cummings, Our pool contractor hit a rock that is approximately the size of a rhinoceros. Should ...
A: This is the ideal application for the Boulder Buster, RocKracker, or NONEX. The Boulder Buster ...
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| Excavating Rock | 1/9/2008 |
Q: Is it remotely practical for me to think I could "excavate" rock ledge in by basement to accomodate ...
A: The trick to breaking rock with a jackjammer is to have the rock on a hard surface and starting ...
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| Excavating Rock | 1/4/2008 |
Q: Is it remotely practical for me to think I could "excavate" rock ledge in by basement to accomodate ...
A: First let me apologize for not answering you sooner. I have been preoccupied with personal issues ...
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| sewer lines through bedrock | 1/4/2008 |
Q: There is a property that I wish to build on that is at the end of a culdesac in an established ...
A: Actually, you can blast that close. You just use small holes on close spacings, little charges, and ...
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| blasting near pipe 2 | 12/22/2007 |
Q: Test blasting near pipe 8 inches API5LX65 buried 5 feet depth, No blasting specification. Results: ...
A: Please refer to my earlier reply stressing the consideration of peak particle displacements and ...
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| blasting near pipeline | 12/21/2007 |
Q: Our company test blasting near a slurry pipeline distance 30 feet, PPV result 30,98 mm/seg (1,22 ...
A: Do you mean that the pipeline depth is 5 ft? or that you measured the 1.22 in/seg (inches para ...
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| Subsurface conditions rock removal | 12/13/2007 |
Q: We are building a new home in central PA. Construction started around two weeks ago and they were ...
A: They probably used a hydraulic hammer (hoe-ram) to excavate the rock. These are powered maul points ...
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| foundations on sandy (beach) soil | 12/5/2007 |
Q: We are getting through our permits for our coastal zone and are hoping to raise our house this ...
A: You need a decent soil report before investing in a foundation system in this case. I know you are ...
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| Rock on a Home Building Site | 11/19/2007 |
Q: We are looking at a building site that is up on a cliff overlooking a lake. There is quite a bit of ...
A: How level is the site? If it's not level then you are involved in cut and fill operations. You ...
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| well water problem from blasting? | 10/24/2007 |
Q: Cummings my name is Jesse Quimby a resident of Barrington NH. I was hoping that you could take just ...
A: First I have to confess that I am not an expert in the issue of water well response to blasting, so ...
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| Blasting within 250' of my home; Q's to ask blast. company/concerns | 9/17/2007 |
Q: I own an antique home w/granite slab & rock foundation, old windows, 600' dug well (H2O), septic ...
A: Sorry I was traveling and in the field so did not get you inquiry until this morning. First, ...
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| Rocks in the plot we are planning to purchase | 9/14/2007 |
Q: We would like to purchase a plot(1200 square feet) in Electronic city, Bangalore,India. But the ...
A: It all depends if the rocks are small or large, and if they are loose boulders in soil or if they ...
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| Root cellar restoration | 9/13/2007 |
Q: I'm seeking repair and restoration information for a circa 1840's root cellar. It is built into a ...
A: Masonry arches derive their stability from the ring stresses developed around the perimeter. If the ...
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| Root cellar restoration | 9/11/2007 |
Q: I'm seeking repair and restoration information for a circa 1840's root cellar. It is built into a ...
A: Is it tunnelled into the hillside or just built out from a hillside cut with the brick arch ...
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| foundation on a steep slope | 8/23/2007 |
Q: I have a lakeside lot with a fairly steep slope. I'd like to put a house on it. How can I ...
A: There are many ways to measure a slope in the field. The simplest way is to use a hand level, a ...
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| Moving rocks on island home | 8/22/2007 |
Q: I am trying to move rocks of 200/350 lbs down to shoreline at an island home. Island is an old ...
A: Estimate/measure the length, width, and height in ft/fractions of ft; multiply to get the volume (in ...
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| Moving rocks on island home | 8/22/2007 |
Q: I am trying to move rocks of 200/350 lbs down to shoreline at an island home. Island is an old ...
A: You can fool around with hand tools and "pissant" them along but if you have any distance to go at ...
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| digging a basement after the fact | 8/6/2007 |
Q: We live in a 15+doublewide home, that we have remodeled from the inside ...
A: First, I'm confused about the foundation arrangement for this structure. Is it slab on grade or ...
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| pinning footing to exist rock | 8/5/2007 |
Q: Mr Cummings - I'm working on a three story wood frame townhome and the footings are going to be ...
A: In general, anchors are designed to resist uplift. The shear strength of the steel elements forming ...
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| Residential footing | 7/24/2007 |
Q: I am under contract on a house and discovered that the sun room and second story addition were added ...
A: This kind of retrofit is a poor substitute for underpinning but you might be able to get away with ...
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| Oceanfront house on a steep hill | 7/11/2007 |
Q: I'm trying to build a 2-story house (3000 sq.ft., 60'W x 36'D) on a hill next to a beach in Seattle. ...
A: Cast in place concrete piers are a method, not a marketed product, so I don't know of any websites. ...
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| Oceanfront house on a steep hill | 7/11/2007 |
Q: I'm trying to build a 2-story house (3000 sq.ft., 60'W x 36'D) on a hill next to a beach in Seattle. ...
A: Why the piles at all? Is the foundation material some kind of loose shifting sand? Or are the piles ...
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| foundation pinning to solid rock | 6/28/2007 |
Q: I live in Norther Minnesota and am going to build on a exposed solid rock outcropping. I have read ...
A: If you are pouring directly on the rock you need to remove any loose or extensively weathered rock ...
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| Site Preparation | 6/14/2007 |
Q: Our company is looking to develop a fairly large site in northeastern CT that we believe has ...
A: Odd.....I received no notice of non-delivery, and the email address I typed in looked correct. Just ...
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| Site Preparation | 6/12/2007 |
Q: Our company is looking to develop a fairly large site in northeastern CT that we believe has ...
A: Sounds like the kind of project our company ordinarily does as a compensated service! The first ...
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| ROCK | 6/11/2007 |
Q: I'm in the process of installing a chain link fence. I hit a BIG ROCK right where I need to install ...
A: Here's the thing about expansive grouts -- they will crack off the rock but not displace it much, ...
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| What to do with large rocks | 6/8/2007 |
Q: We just finishing digging our basement and ended up with some beautiful, large glacial rocks we are ...
A: The trouble with accumulations of large rocks is that they tend to look bony and like a mistake ...
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| construction | 6/2/2007 |
Q:
A: I am answering you with the understanding that this is not a homework question. If you were to cut ...
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| Drilling into Rock | 5/20/2007 |
Q: Request: Please suggest a practical and effective approach, and the appropraite tools (e.g., drill, ...
A: Neither. If your rock is like most New England coastal igneous or meta-igneous rock, high carbon ...
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| Drilling into Rock | 5/19/2007 |
Q: Request: Please suggest a practical and effective approach, and the appropraite tools (e.g., drill, ...
A: You should anchor the footings at an elevation that will be below the frost line, I think. I don't ...
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| steep hill foundation | 5/14/2007 |
Q: My wife and i have found 5 acres on the water that we would like to build a little weekend cottage ...
A: Really, you can do it either way. I cannot tell you which is cheaper because the answer is too site ...
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| reading a grade rod | 5/9/2007 |
Q: sir ! i need to learn how to read a grade rod and to understand what the readings are on cut and ...
A: Grade rods are graduated in feet, tenths, and hundredths of feet. The rod is used to determine ...
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| pinning foundation to ledge | 5/2/2007 |
Q: Building a roughly 20'x 20'addition onto @10 degree sloped ledge which has been chipped down to a ...
A: How much are you spending on the addition? Now, how much is due to the rebar pins? Probably a ...
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| Excavating retaining wall | 5/1/2007 |
Q: I own the hillside, my HOA covenant says I can not make any deep grading cuts to the hillside approx ...
A: First let me say I don't live in a neighborhood with a HOA and every time I hear stories like yours ...
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| 4ft Crawl space to New Room | 11/28/2006 |
Q: we bought our home in Malden, MA (just north of Boston) about 25 years ago. 20 years ago, we added a ...
A: If I understand you correctly, the original 1-story addition is now a 2-story addition. It is, I ...
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| Lake Construction | 11/1/2006 |
Q: I'm actually a fellow volunteer in the real estate department. Hopefully you can shed some light on ...
A: I can't speak to all the legal issues. If you have a private lake you have to fill it somehow and ...
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| Best way to prep a site for foundation digging | 9/26/2006 |
Q: I have 30 days to get a site ready for a Modular Home, I have a floor guy to do the concrete, I have ...
A: I'm having trouble picturing the issue. I think I would start digging the long wall first so you ...
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| Preparing correct footing base after blasting | 9/25/2006 |
Q: We have just finished excavating our foundation which was just blasted this week. The blasting ...
A: Depends on the footing loads. Most residential structures are not that heavy so if you gouge out ...
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| Asphalt Millings | 8/26/2006 |
Q: I recently acquired some asphalt millings to pave a rear lot for dust control. I elected to use ...
A: I wish I could be more help to you but asphalt millings are not my bag. I can offer this, though. ...
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| generators | 8/19/2006 |
Q: I work on a construction site. I have argued with my boss that all towed generators have to be ...
A: This is not really my bag and you should get confirmation from somebody else. The reason I am ...
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| concrete and rain | 8/3/2006 |
Q: We are building a new home and had the footings poured today in a heavy rain. Will it be ok?
A: Concrete cures under water about as well as it does in the dry, in fact better from the standpoint ...
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| Rock Removal | 7/9/2006 |
Q: I have a job in Northern NJ where we are builing a 40x80 home witha 9' deep basement we encountered ...
A: $100/cy for a small job seems like a lot, maybe the blaster thought there were extenuating ...
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| Rock blasting for raod widening near crude oil pipeline. | 6/9/2006 |
Q: Sir I have calculated the peak stress induced in a 34 inch diameter crude oil pipeline located 130 ...
A: I hate it when pipeline blast vibration issues come up because so often the damage potential is ...
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| Foundation & Basement after Blasting | 6/4/2006 |
Q: We are buying a home that is currently just begun construction. The area where the foundation will ...
A: For the most part, if a foundation for a single detached residential structure requires blasting, ...
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| boulders | 3/26/2006 |
Q: We just moved into a new house and we have a few large rocks in the back yard. They are embedded in ...
A: A Bobcat will lift a lot, actually. There are different sizes of Bobcat. Check with the rental ...
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| Water problems | 3/23/2006 |
Q: We live on a farm in central New York State. There is a 25' x 50' pole barn on the property. This ...
A: It sounds like the french drain is the most cost effective thing to try right now. If the soil ...
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| Water problems | 3/19/2006 |
Q: We live on a farm in central New York State. There is a 25' x 50' pole barn on the property. This ...
A: I did a little sketch in order to better understand the layout. It sounds like the heave is ...
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| How to keep hillside in place? | 2/16/2006 |
Q: Mr. Cummings; Thanks for your detailed response. Your understanding of my project and site is ...
A: I'm not a structural engineer but the 6x8 inch blocks should be fine for a small wall like this. ...
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| How to keep hillside in place? | 2/13/2006 |
Q: Cummings; I own several acres of land in Divide, Colorado (near Pikes Peak). I have an approx. ...
A: You have a classic problem in soil mechanics. And you are quite right to be concerned about the ...
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| Trenching | 1/27/2006 |
Q: I have some property about 20 miles S on 287 from Laramie and about 3 miles E. It is decomposed ...
A: Sorry to be delayed but AllExpert's servers kept crashing when I sent my replies. Went on for ...
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| Earthmoving machinery | 1/27/2006 |
Q: What are the names of some of the larger manufacturers of earthmoving equipment, like graders, ...
A: Sorry for the delay. For several days AllExpert's servers kept crashing whenever I tried to reply ...
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| peak particle velocity | 12/19/2005 |
Q: We are currently blasting at a construction site in the Hudson Valley area of New York. Our ...
A: I'm not sure what exactly the spec writer means by "maximum resultant peak particle velocity" ...
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| blasting in Texas | 6/13/2005 |
Q: Where does one receive a permit to blast rock or ground? Is such a permit easy to receive? I'd like ...
A: Check with the Texas registrar of commercial contractors. They will be able to tell you about Texas ...
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| Mine question | 6/13/2005 |
Q: What do they call vehicles used to drive into mine passages in order to dig or drill ore from the ...
A: Depends. Multi-boom drills are called drill jumbos. Powder is usually loaded by hand but ...
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| water | 5/16/2005 |
Q: I had asked the question about gallons and length of time to fill a lake. Thanks for your quick ...
A: The question is not an engineering question, it is a question in basic solids geometry, which ...
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| clink | 5/6/2005 |
Q: In the cement industry, can you tell me what "Clinker" is? What is used for?
A: "clinker" in coal processing refers to the residual inert material remaining after coking. In ...
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| roads | 4/1/2005 |
Q: what causes pot holes on dirt roads?
A: Good question. I am not aware of studies on this but there may be some. To the extent that pot ...
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| Foundation advantages | 3/28/2005 |
Q: I am doing a project on the advantages and disadvantages of different types of foundations and was ...
A: The main difference I can think of is cost. Masonry if constructed properly will cost more, because ...
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| Landscape | 1/8/2005 |
Q: I have told that contractor I cannot be his sales, he understands. The construction industry is ...
A: I make my living doing engineering designs that are built by construction contractors. Worse yet, ...
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| it is about this contractor,... | 1/2/2005 |
Q: it is about this contractor, he is a nice guy, but we don't have deep conversation, I feel empty ...
A: I am not entirely clear who you are or what relationship you have to this contractor but my guess is ...
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| Pile Driving | 11/18/2004 |
Q: In regard to bridge construction, when did the use of driven piles become acceptable design? A ten ...
A: I have no idea off the top of my head, because it depends on what you call "acceptable design". ...
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| Basement Excavation, Weather, and footings | 11/9/2004 |
Q: I'm helping my Mother-in Law with decisions related to building her home. Right now we're trying to ...
A: First of all I am not in a position to judge the dispute between your two subcontractors, except ...
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| blasing and excavation of a foundation | 9/14/2004 |
Q: Now that the rock has been blasted, we have a follow up question, which is what kind of residues ...
A: In all probability the explosive mainly used by your contractor would be ANFO, either dry or as a ...
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| blasting | 8/31/2004 |
Q: Who could you recomend to do some blasting on a project that has already been drilled? They must ...
A: Try Franklin Drilling and Blasting out of Durango, CO. I know Jeff and he is as good as they come. ...
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| blasing and excavation of a foundation | 7/28/2004 |
Q: My husband and I are in the process of building a new home. The lot has ledge under 2 feet of ...
A: I believe I answered this already. I don't know if it is a duplicate or if my original answer was ...
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| Rock Removal | 7/22/2004 |
Q: The existing foundation is actually 100 yrs old and does have a structure on top which we are ...
A: I was unaware of your reply until now, and it has been so long I don't remember all the details of ...
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| Rock Removal | 7/21/2004 |
Q: I am building a house in the NE. My contractor found rock during excavation and tried using ...
A: harmful? It depends on the qualifications of the blasting subcontractor and the type and extent of ...
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| boring and jacking of utilitiies under streets | 7/12/2004 |
Q: We have a manager here in city govt that wants to make it a standard policy to bore and jack all new ...
A: I'm not qualified to evaluate boring and jacking feasibility of all kinds of projects but I am ...
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