This presentation/workshop is a summary of 40 years of research by the Colorado DOT, Federal Highway Administration, U. S. Forest Service and several universities in the U. S. and beyond. Topics will include the history of reinforced soil, the evolution of Mechanically Stabilized Earth (MSE) and the next generation of technologies based on the phenomenon of confined soil, Geosynthetically Confined Soil (GCS). Retaining walls to 300 feet high are possible. Bridges that last longer, cost less and are much faster to build are now mainstream in some parts of the U. S. These bridges and box culverts can be built in less than 24 hours in some cases.
The presentation concludes with innovations in rockfall mitigation and landslide and erosion control - there are tools and technologies that can cut costs in half. These include the Soil Nail Launcher, SuperNails, SuperMicropiles, GCS retaining walls, GCS Rockfall Impact Barriers and more. Some discussion will be presented on newer technologies for rockfall mitigation and for scour remediation.
Presenters:
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Robert K. Barrett |
Picture from NOVA AWARD PRESENTATION, Orlando, Florida, Nov, 2009. Timothy Alter and Dr. Rasha Stino of the Construction Innovation Forum; Mike Adams, FHWA and Bob Barrett, recipients; Egon Larsen and Gregory Sizemore of the Construction Users Roundtable.
Robert is the former owner and President of Soil Nail Launcher, Inc., a company that provides design/build solutions for landslides and erosion problems. Co-Founder of LandslideSolutions, Inc. of California and GeoStabilization, Inc. of Colorado.
Past Chairman of NCHRP Project 12-59, charged with preparing Design and Construction Guidelines For Bridge Abutments on Geosynthetically Reinforced Soil. Past Chair of the TRB Committee on Geosynthetics, and the NCHRP project that developed proper closure methods for geotechnical borings.
Recipient of 1991 Colorado Governor’s Award for creativity and innovation. Ruckman and Barrett were recipients of the IFAI International Design Award in 1998 for design and construction of a 55-foot-high GRS retaining wall. Co-Recipient of the international 2009 NOVA award from the Construction Innovation Forum for development of GCS bridge abutments.
Partner Al Ruckman and Mr. Barrett have been awarded 6 patents, on retaining wall design, on rockfall fences, on earthquake resistant abutments on fiberglass nails, on shotcrete alternatives and on scour micropiles. Co-inventor of the Colorado Rockfall Simulation Program, a program that predicts the behavior of a rock in motion.
We have presented GRS, landslide mitigation and rockfall technology transfer programs all over the U. S. and on all continents except Africa. Constructed GRS abutment and wall demonstration projects in several countries.
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Colby Barrett |
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