FEATURE ARTICLE GeoTech Tools – Geo-Construction Information and Technology Selection Guidance A large toolbox for the engineering and construction of earthworks has just been rolled-out. This collection of tools is a must-have for anyone involved in earthwork and ground improvement design. It is a readily accessible web-based system that is full of useful geotechnics information. A catalog with detailed information on 46 geotechnologies (geoconstruction and ground improvement techniques) is contained on this websi te. The technologies within this system are listed in Table 1. The system collects, synthesizes, integrates and organizes a vast amount of critically important information on these geotechnologies. This system was developed under the second Strategic Highway Research Program (SHRP 2). The development project scope was aimed at identifying geotechnical solutions for three elements, or transportation features: (1) construction of new embankments and roadways over unstable soils, (2) widening and expansion of existing roadways and embankments, and (3) stabilization of geotechnical pavement components and of working platforms. This scope was used to select the 46 technologies contained within the system. However, the information on these geotechnologies is also applicable to non- transportation features and applications. In developing this system, the project team was guided by this vision: To make geotechnical solutions more accessible to public agencies in the United States for rapid renewal and improvement of the transportation infrastructure. 74 • DEEP FOUNDATIONS • JAN/FEB 2013 Figure 1. Homepage of the GeoTechTools.org website The home page for the system is shown in Figure 1. Four primary pieces of the system are explained on this page: the Geotechnical Design Process, which provides an overview of considerations in evaluating geotechnical projects; the Catalog of Technologies, which provides a listing of the 46 technologies in the system; the Technology Selection System, which provides an interactive tool to help select solutions; and the Glossary, which provides definition of terms. Additional website tabs are shown on the left hand side of the page and provide ready access at any time. The main website tabs on the left are: Home, SHRP 2 R02 Project Background, Geotechnical Design Process, Catalog of Technologies, Technology Selection, Glossary, Abbreviations, Frequently Asked Questions, Submit a Comment, Links and About This Website. Under the Catalog of Technology tab, when a user selects any one of the 46 technologies, the user will find eight tools, as illustrated in Figure 2. These user tools are concise documents containing information for assessing potential applicability and engineering of geocon- struction technologies for transportation infrastructure. These information documents are downloadable in Adobe PDF format. The tools are: Technology Fact Sheet, Photos, Case Histories , Design Guidance, QC/QA, Cost Information, Specifications and Bibliography. The Technology Fact Sheets are two-page, summary information sheets that provide basic information on the technology including basic function, general description, geologic applicability, cons t ruct ion methods , SHRP 2 applications, complementary technologies, al ternate technologies, potent ial disadvantages, example successful applications and key references. The Photos show pictorially the equipment or methods used in the technology and can be valuable to provide a perspective on the technology. The Case Histories provide summaries of projects which contain project location, WEBSITE TEAM This article was prepared by Professor Vern Schaefer and Ryan Berg, co-project managers, SHRP 2 R02 project. Principal investigators for this research team are: Ryan Berg, Donald Bruce, Barry Christopher, Jim Collin, Gary Fick, George Filz, Jie Han, James Mitchell, Vern Schaefer, Dennis Turner, Linbing Wang, and David White. The key system developer was Caleb Douglas, Ph.D. student, Iowa State University. This study was funded by the Strategic Highway Research Program 2 of The National Academies, with Dr. James Bryant as program manager. The opinions, findings and conclusions presented here are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect those of the research sponsor.
