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North Central Past Meetings
==================== PAST SECTION MEETINGS2006 - 2007 MEETINGS2005 - 2006 MEETINGS2004 - 2005 MEETINGS2003 - 2004 MEETINGS==================== 2006 - 2007 MEETINGSSEPTEMBER 2006 - Geologic And Hydrogeologic Considerations In Developing An Alternative Energy Source For A Gas-Fired Chemical Plant
SEPTEMBER 2006 - Geologic And Hydrogeologic Considerations In Developing An Alternative Energy Source For A Gas-Fired Chemical PlantThe North Central Section held their September dinner meeting at Greek Islands Restaurant in Lombard, Illinois. At the meeting, Patricia M. Bryan of URS Corporation discussed how market and environmental pressures are increasing the viability of alternative energy sources to fuel typically petroleum fed manufacturing plants. With natural gas prices climbing, new coal-to-liquid (CTL) technology is being looked at as a possible solution to economic and environmental concerns related to petroleum-based energy sources. The economics of CTL may initially indicate lower costs and greater efficiency, however, what are the geologic, engineering and environmental consequences of using CTL technology? 2005 - 2006 MEETINGSSEPTEMBER 2005 - Risk Analysis in Structural DesignOCTOBER 2005 - Use of Sulfate Amendments in BiodegredationNOVEMBER 2005 - 3-D Groundwater Flow Model in Buried Karst TopographyDECEMBER 2005 - The Search for Life on MarsJANUARY 2006 - Calculating Strain in SoilsFEBRUARY 2006 - In-Situ Chemical OxidationMARCH 2006 - Hurricane Katrina: Geologic Disaster and Personal PerspectivesAPRIL 2006 - McCook Grouting Program as part of the Deep Tunnel ProjectMAY 2006 - A Sensor for Monitoring Large Cable Systems for Ground and Slope Anchors----- SEPTEMBER 2005 - Risk Analysis in Structural DesignThe North Central Section held their September dinner meeting at Athena Greek Restaurant in downtown Chicago. From Secretary Chris Stohr's notes: "Professor Jamshid Mohammadi, Ph.D., S.E., P.E., Chair of Civil and Architectural Engineering at Illinois Institute of Technology, Chicago, gave an engaging account of current considerations in Risk Analysis in Structural Design. Dr. Mohammadi discussed the basic principles underlying structural engineering and use of geology in design beginning with probability and risk. Using equations and statistics, Jamshi showed how probability is used in slope stability, retaining walls, and earthquake-induced ground acceleration. Among these illustrations Prof. Mohammadi calculated probability of failure at IIT based upon ground acceleration from USGS Web site Interactive Hazmaps which determined an epicenter at Sandwich, IL. Of course this raised lively, polite discussion on deterministic versus probabilistic probability, factor of safety, and how all of this is written into international building codes. Best discussion I have heard in an AEG seminar lately." OCTOBER 2005 - Use of Sulfate Amendments in BiodegredationThe North Central Section held their October dinner meeting at Greek Islands Restaurant in downtown Chicago. At the meeting, Patricia M. Bryan of URS Corporation spoke on "The use of Sulfate Amendments in Biodegradation." Ms. Bryan discussed the application of sulfate amendments to a groundwater plume at a chemical plant, accelerating the ongoing natural biodegradation in both soil and groundwater. The plume is comprised of both aromatic and chlorinated compounds. Groundwater data suggested the plume was under methanogenic conditions and natural biodegradation of the plume had been effective in degrading the BTEX compounds and promoting the reductive dechlorination of TCA and TCE; however, biodegradation has become less effective as the daughter compounds of TCA and TCE accumulated and could not be further degraded under the reductive conditions. A common remediation technology is to increase electron acceptors (oxygen, nitrate, and sulfate), specifically dissolved oxygen by either air or ozone sparging, peroxide injections, or oxidant injections to promote the further degradation of the daughter compounds of TCA and TCE and residual BTEX. Patty described how hydrofracturing the glacial materials and injecting sulfate (gypsum) provided an effective and generally less expensive alternative to dissolved oxygen. The presentation was well received and very informative. Enviro-Equipment, Inc., a corporate sponsor of the North Central Section, graciously provided a display of hand-held monitoring instruments for ambient air and water quality analysis during the meeting. NOVEMBER 2005 - 3-D Groundwater Flow Model in Buried Karst TopographyThe North Central Section held their November dinner meeting at Greek Islands Restaurant and Lounge in Lombard. At the meeting, William M. Green, P.G. of GreenSmith, Inc., spoke on "Groundwater Flow Model with Buried Karst Topography in Miami Florida" following an authentic Greek dinner. Mr. Green presented the groundwater control portion of an Environmental Site Remediation Design, including an Air Sparging/Soil Vapor Extraction System used to remove solvents and petroleum hydrocarbons in soil (sand), and a Groundwater Control System designed to capture contaminants in groundwater that would otherwise be driven from the sparging zone. Mr. Green described how the groundwater flow regime was modeled using state-of-the-art software, including buried Karst Topography of the Bedrock combined with fracture flow. Mr. Green also described how extraction pumps were modeled at different rates to determine the necessary pumping rate to capture contaminants in groundwater that would be driven from proposed sparging operations. DECEMBER 2005 - The Search for Life on MarsThe meeting was held at the Ristorante Basilico in Norridge, Illinois. The guest speaker was Dr. Barbara-Ann G. Lewis with Northwestern University, who presented on "The Search for Life on Mars" following a fine Italian family-style dinner. The talk summarized the Viking Landers search-for-life experiments on Mars and why results are still controversial. Studies of Martian meteorites and evidence for water on Mars were also discussed. Studies of microbial life in Antarctica and in other extreme life zones on Earth that have been used as evidence that life could have existed on Mars were provided as applicable terrestrial examples. Recent findings of Pathfinder, the current Rovers, and orbital missions were also discussed in the context of evidence for life on Mars. JANUARY 2006 - Calculating Strain in SoilsThe January dinner was a joint meeting with ASCE at the Erie Cafe in Downtonw Chicago, featuring the AEG guest speaker Dr. Lynn Salvati of Nortre Dame University. Dr. Salvati presented "Predicting Small Strain Properties for Soil," focused on predicting the response of soils subjected to both monotonic and cyclic loads. An example was provided of a deep soil site in the Mississippi Embayment having the potential to significantly amplify earthquake ground motions even if there is no liquefaction. For example clays of sufficient thickness >100 feet (30 meters) can act like sands under stress. A simple model that can describe the maximum shear modulus, modulus reduction, and damping of granular materials was discussed and used to predict the response of deep soil sites. It was shown that, although significant improvements have been made in the prediction of small strain properties of soils, there are still factors that are not well quantified, including cementation, rate of loading and 3 dimensional effects of basins. FEBRUARY 2006 - In-Situ Chemical OxidationThe February dinner meeting was held at the Greek Islands Restuarant in Lombard, Illinois. The honored speaker was Mr. Steven Anderson of Anderson Environmental Consulting of Downers Grove, Illinois (AEC). Mr. Anderson presented a case history of a site with clayey soils and overlying sandy fill that exhibited soil concentrations of tetrachloroethylene (PCE) in excess of State Clean-Up Target Levels. After the performance of a detailed Pilot Test using the injection of Sodium Permanganate and Potassium Permanganate, AEC found that the use of Sodium Permanganate at a 10% solution reduced chlorinated solvent concentrations in soil by 99%. While the use of Potassuim Permanganate at a concentration of 2% reduced chlorinated solvent concetrations in soil by 43%. AEC performed full scale remediation of the site using an approximate 10% solution of sodium permanganate. Althought higher in cost per unit, the use of sodium permanganate allowed for one a single injection event. The material was injected using a double diaphragm pnuematic pump through a GeoProbe at depth, from the bottom up. Note:Splash and Spill Hazards exist when using permanganates. USE CAUTION:When using Permanganates. - - - - - - - - - - - MARCH 2006 - Hurricane Katrina: Geologic Disaster and Personal PerspectivesAEG President - Dr. Darrel Schmitz of the Mississippi State University Department of Geosciences. spoke to the North Central Section about the state of the association and he presented a review of the geological and meteorological conditions in the Gulf Coast region that led to the disaster that was/is Hurricane Katrina. The meeting was held at the Athena Restuarant. in Downtown Chicago. After dinner Dr. Schmitz discussed the electronic versions of our professional publications, which will provide for increased library subscriptions and distribution of professional articles to the world. Additionally, Dr. Schmitz implored us to donate to the AEG Foundation, so that the fund can support the several educational and professional activities that are within its purview. Dr. Schmitz s lecture on Hurricane Katrina included satellite photography, aerial photography including numerous photographs of Mississippi and New Orleans. Dr. Schmitz s lecture included discussion of the life saving merits of the Global Positioning System (GPS) in conjunction with Geographical Information Systems (GIS). With a loss of street signs and with roads under water and debris, emergency response workers relied on the Mississippi State University Department of Geosciences for Longitudinal and Latitudinal directions to stranded survivors, saving hundreds of lives. A synopsis of the lecture follows: Katrina was "born" on August 24 as the twelfth storm of the 2005 Atlantic hurricane season. After raking southern Florida she became an extraordinarily large category 5 (Safer-Simpson scale) storm covering about half of the Gulf of Mexico. Katrina made asecond landfall, the first in the northern Gulf, as a category 4 at Burris, Louisiana. She then made an additional landfall near the Louisiana-Mississippi state line. The large size and prior strength, coupled with the geography of the shoreline, resulted in a record high storm surge. The storm surge affected coastal areas from Louisiana to Florida while spawning tornadoes in Georgia. Katrina's impacts were disastrous. In addition to the devastation by the storm surge, coastal landforms were altered. Some offshore islands are nearly gone, while new sediment has been deposited in other areas. Landform also appears to have limited the inland distance of the storm surge in some areas. Debris deposited by Katrina's storm surge was found inland to the first marine terrace in coastal Mississippi. Having witnessed the second and most destructive to date hurricane landfall along the Mississippi coast, there are many direct and personal impacts described as astounding, amazing, miraculous, and horrendous. Hurricane Camille in 1969 destroyed the Mississippi coast, but even worse destruction occurred from Katrina. Many structures which survived Camille were destroyed by Katrina, primarily due to Katrina's higher storm surge of about thirty feet in western Mississippi. The initial impact along the Mississippi coast was total destruction. Several towns no longer exist. The impact on New Orleans came later from flooding as a result of failed flood walls, that could not withstand the surge forces from Lake Pontchatrain. In northern Mississippi the direct impacts were trivial, compared to those at the coast, but there was damage and power outages over 250 miles from the coast. However, many at Mississippi State had personal impacts. One of our student's parents swam to safety from a top story window in the storm surge. Another student lost his entire family in Gulfport. Most considered the legend of Camille as the ultimate possible hurricane in terms of its destruction along the Mississippi coast. Katrina has now replaced that legend. APRIL 18, 2006 - McCook Grouting Program as part of the Deep Tunnel ProjectThis Dinner Meeting was held at the Greek Islands Restuarant in Chicago, with guest speaker Mr. Joseph Kissane who is a geotechnical engineer and geologist with 19 years of nationwide experience in the Corps of Engineers and 7 years in the private sector as an engineering geologist and environmental consultant. He is a Registered Professional Geologist in Illinois and Wisconsin and specializes in grouting, rock mechanics, rock foundation design and coastal erosion protection. His grouting experience includes upland and abutment grouting at Clarence Cannon Dam in Missouri; evaluation of dewatering grouting at Mel Price Lock and Dam at Alton, Illinois; remedial chemical grouting at Wappapello and Clarence Cannon Dams in Missouri; tunnel grouting at Torrence Avenue tunnel in Chicago and preparation of plans and specifications for grouting at CUP-McCook, and other projects. In addition to his interest in things geotechnical and geologic, He has published a book on technical aspects of fly fishing leaders - Drag Free Drift. The CUP-McCook Reservoir is under construction as a storage endpoint for the Mainstream Tunnel System. The reservoir is located between the Des Planes River and the Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal in the southwest Chicago suburb of Summit, Illinois. The reservoir will be quarried into Silurian dolomite. A large-scale test grouting program was undertaken at the site to assist in the design of lateral groundwater control measures. The test grouting program was undertaken with several purposes in mind: 1. Determine the extent to which state-of-the-art stabilized balanced grout mixes and computer grouting techniques can reduce rock mass permeability at the site 2. Evaluate the effectiveness of grouting to tie the upper portion of the bedrock grout curtain with the newly constructed overburden cutoff wall (slurry wall) 3. Evaluate 2 methods of drilling diamond rotary and percussion used for deep grout holes (nearly 500-feet) with respect to groutability, borehole deviation, production rates and cost; 4. Evaluate existing and post-grouting rock mass permeability to determine the most cost effective approach to managing infiltration and exfiltration. 5. Refine the methods, mixes, grouting layout and contracting details for the production phase of grouting. MAY 16, 2006 - A Sensor for Monitoring Large Cable Systems for Ground and Slope AnchorsSpeaker: Ming L. Wang, PhD with the Department of Civil and Materials Engineering University of Illinois - Chicago TOPIC : Magnetoelastic (EM) stress sensors function by utilizing the dependence of the magnetic properties of structural steels directly to the state of stress. These properties are measured by subjecting the steel to a pulsed or periodic magnetic field, which can be accomplished without any contact. Changes in flux through circuits surrounding the steel allow those magnetic properties to be sensed and deduced through Faraday's law. EM sensor can be designed for all sizes of prestressing steel cables and tendons. It's suitable for measuring quasi-static loads under any environmental conditions. The sensors can be embedded in concrete or fabricated in situ for exposed cables. The sensors are entirely suitable for sheathed cables and require no physical contact with the cable itself. The major contribution of this research is the intended development of a comprehensive testing procedure which can measure the stress in cable sizes of up to 250 (mm) from laboratory characterization of 7 (mm) wires or 0.6 (in) strands. The characteristics of EM sensors are quite ideal for a large number of applications in infrastructure monitoring. These applications include stress measurement in prestressed and reinforced concrete members during or after construction, stress measurement in cable-stayed bridges and in anchorage strands for suspension bridges. Examples of application include monitoring of cable anchors for retaining walls, tunnels, and wire reinforcement in dome structures ==================== 2004 - 2005 MEETINGSSEPTEMBER 2004 - Groundwater Flow Model in Sand with Bedrock Fracture FlowOCTOBER 2004 -Remedial Investigation of a chlorinated solvent plume in a complex geologic settingNOVEMBER 2004 - Remediating Soil and Groundwater using a Two-Tiered ApproachSEPTEMBER 2004 - Groundwater Flow Model in Sand with Bedrock Fracture FlowThe Dinner Meeting was held at the Athena Restuarant in downtown Chicago. The guest speaker was Mr. William M. Green, P.G. of GreenSmith, Inc. Mr. Green presented the groundwater control portion of an Environmental Site Remediation Design. As part of an Air Sparging/Soil Vapor Extraction System to removed solvents and petroleum hydrocarbons in soil (sand), a Groundwater Control System was designed to capture contaminants in groundwater that would otherwise be driven from the sparging zone. The groundwater flow regime was modeled using Visual MODFLOW Pro software by Waterloo Hydrogeologic of Waterloo, Ontario and MODFLOW-SURFACT software from HGL of Herndon, Virginia. The Site model was laid out as a 3D finite difference grid. In order to mimic observed bi-modal Site groundwater flow with a gradient 0.03-ft. across a distance of 49ft. (0.06%), bedrock fracture flow was simulated using drains in linear orientations, in the bottom layer of the model. The groundwater flow rates in the sand layers and the bedrock were both modeled at 32.5 feet per day. Groundwater elevations were maintained in the model to within one-foot of the initial elevations for the 500-day period of the run and extraction pumps were then modeled at different rates to determine the necessary pumping rate to capture contaminants in groundwater driven from proposed sparging operations. OCTOBER 2004 - Remedial investigation of a Chlorinated Solvent Plume in a Complex Geologic SettingThe dinner meeting was held at the Erie Cafe in downtown Chicago. The guest speaker was Mr. Lawrence Louis Fieber, PG, of Burns & McDonnell Engineering Company, Inc.. Mr. Fieber presented a case history of the remedial investigation of a chlorinated solvent plume in a complex geologic setting comprised of unconsolidated sand and a faulted and fractured bedrock aquifer in San Francisco. He described the tools and methods used by an experienced team of geologists and engineers to arrive at the current conceptual site model, e.g. -Drilling methods and challenges -Bore hole geophysics -Surface geophysics (seismic) at an active airport -Solute transport modeling -Bench scale tests of nano-iron, sodium dithionite and Fenton's reaction -Geochemical and biological natural attenuation. 16, NOVEMBER 2004 - Remediating Soil and Groundwater using a Two-Tiered ApproachThe meeting was held at the Athena Restuarant in Chicago, Illinois. The honored speaker was Ms. Patricia M. Bryan of URS Corporation Ms. Bryan discussed her use of a two-tiered approach to soil and groundwater remediation was conducted at a chemical plant in Buffalo, New York. The plant is located near Buffalo's waterfront and has operated for nearly 100 years. Previous uses of the property included a municipal open dump dating back to the early 19th century. Contamination resulted from long-term releases of various chemicals (including toluene and xylenes) from both underground and aboveground storage tank farms. Both soil (fill and underlying glacial till) and groundwater are AEG North Central Section Fall 2004 Newsletter impacted with very high parts per million concentrations. Contaminated groundwater is migrating downgradient and offsite. The first phase of remediation consisted of targeted source removal. Over 4,500 tons of contaminated soils were excavated for offsite disposal. The second phase of remediation consisted of High Vacuum Extraction (HVE), a soil vapor extraction method. The two-phased approach was designed to minimize the time needed to achieve clean-closure by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC). The site was entered in the New York State Voluntary Cleanup Program (VCP), recently modified to the Brownfield Cleanup Program. Project challenges included: space constraints within the plant; problematic nearby abutters including CSX railroad; high volatile organics contamination in soil and groundwater and TCLP lead hazardous soils. The two-phased approach demonstrates the viability of using soil vapor extraction methods in conjunction with source removal to achieve clean closure under an abbreviated remediation schedule, hydrogeologic and geologic investigations; underground storage tank investigations; Brownfield investigations and remediation; risk assessments, and remedial responseactions. DECEMBER 21, 2004 - Everglades Restoration program of the Army Corps and South Florida Water Management DistrictDinner was held at the Basilico Ristorante in Norridge, Illinois. The speaker was Dr. Jean M. Bahr of the University of Wisconsin - Madison. Dr. Bahr presented A case history of the multidecadal, multibillion dollar Everglades Restoration program of the Army Corps and S. Florida Water Management District. The talk will include a number of hydrogeologically related components of that project, including an Aquifer Storage Recovery System of unprecedented scale and construction of subsurface seepage barriers. Dr. Bahr is Chair of a National Research Council committee that has been reviewing the program and their final report should be coming out some time prior to Dec. 21st. Research Council's Committee on Restoration of the Greater Everglades Ecosystem. 2003 - 2004 MEETINGS==================== DIRECTIONSTO RESTUARANTS IN THE CHICAGO AREA: Athena RestuarantBasilico RistoranteErie CafeGreek Islands - ChicagoGreek Islands - LombardRock Bottom Brewery
Athena Restuarant212 S. Halstead St., Chicago, IL 60661-5404 Basilico Ristorante4701 N. Cumberland Ave., Norridge, IL 60706 (708) 452-6400 Erie Cafe536 W. Erie St., Chicago, IL 60610 Greek Islands - Chicago200 S. Halsted St., Chicago, IL 60661 Greek Islands - Lombard300 East 22nd St., Lombard, IL 60148 Rock Bottom Brewery1 W. Grand Ave., ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEERING LECTURESOCTOBER 2005 - Use of Sulfate Amendments in BiodegredationNOVEMBER 2005 - 3-D Groundwater Flow Model in Buried Karst TopographyFEBRUARY 2006 - In-Situ Chemical Oxidation--------------------------------------------------------------------------- CIVIL ENGINEERING LECTURESSEPTEMBER 2005 - Risk Analysis in Structural DesignJANUARY 2006 - Calculating Strain in SoilsMARCH 2006 - Hurricane Katrina: Geologic Disaster and Personal PerspectivesMAY 2006 - A Sensor for Monitoring Large Cable Systems for Ground and Slope Anchors--------------------------------------------------------------------------- MINE ENGINEERING LECTURESSEPTEMBER 2005 - Risk Analysis in Structural DesignAPRIL 2006 - McCook Grouting Program as part of the Deep Tunnel ProjectMAY 2006 - A Sensor for Monitoring Large Cable Systems for Ground and Slope Anchors--------------------------------------------------------------------------- ACADEMIC RESEARCH LECTURESDECEMBER 2005 - The Search for Life on MarsMAY 2006 - A Sensor for Monitoring Large Cable Systems for Ground and Slope Anchors
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