The presentation concluded a two-part lecture that began with a presentation of Electronic Engineering Data (EED) in construction, including Automated Machine Guidance (AMG) and automated stakeout and survey. The construction of the new interchange and access roads leading to Stewart Airport used some of these innovative technologies.

Electronic Engineering Data includes coordinates, alignments, and Digital Terrain Model (DTM) surfaces. The benefits of using EED include the elimination of re-entry of field data (e.g., calculation of quantity items for payment), visualizing the designer’s intent and early identification of potential conflicts, automation of calculations, immediate field access to project information (e.g., an inspector in the field carries project data on a handheld unit), and promoting the sharing of data between parties.

Each year National Engineers Week is held to increase public awareness and appreciation of the engineering profession. On February 18, 2008 (President’s Day), the ASCE Met Section celebrated National Engineers Week by organizing a day of interactive activities designed to introduce engineering and basic engineering principles to children at the New York Hall of Science in Flushing, Queens. The event was held in conjunction with the New York Hall of Science’s special event series entitled Invention at Play. Over 1,700 visitors attended the New York Hall of Science on the day of the event, which was a wonderful turnout for the Met Section’s first time at the venue.

Now consider sustainable design in a developing country! How do the projects compare and contrast? First let’s consider the similarities. The first critical step in a successful project is determining a clear definition of the scope with the end users. Developing clearly defined objectives simplifies the second step: the project manager’s assembly of the appropriate project team: selecting those individuals with relevant experience who can ensure implementation of sound engineering principles. Next, we must factor in the critical factor of continued and effective communication with all parties throughout a design and construction process. And, the final ingredient to success is flexibility, experience and determination. This generalized approach can be considered as a universal blueprint for any successful project.

The Geotechnical Group returned to the CUNY Recital Hall in Manhattan for its fifth lecture of 2007-2008 on February 20, 2008. The lecture introduction by Dr. Terry Holman included a brief moment of silence in memory of the recent passing of Dr. Ralph Peck, one of the founding fathers of the field of geotechnical engineering. The lecture focused on dynamic testing of deep foundations installed by non-impact methods, and included a summary of dynamic testing theory, examples of load testing on drilled and cast-in-place foundations, and a brief discussion on integrity testing.

Presented by:  Dov Leshchinsky, Ph.D., P.E.
University of Delaware   

Presented January 17, 2008

The Geotechnical Group held its 33rd Annual Martin S. Kapp Dinner Lecture at the Il Campanello Restaurant in Manhattan on January 17, 2008. The lecture took place after a buffet dinner attended by a full house of more than 100 attendees. It focused on the design and construction of mechanically stabilized earth (MSE) walls and the lessons learned from three specific case history failures, each due to unique conditions.

Dr. Leshchinsky began the lecture by describing several MSE walls that had failed due to a build-up of water pressure behind the walls and the progressive block failures that ensued. Such shallow failures were described as common and often result in loss of fascia blocks without compromising the stability of the geo-reinforced soil.