Geological and Geotechnical Engineering in the New Millennium: Opportunities for Research and Technological Innovation

221 Pages·2006·33.8 MB·English

by  National Research Council, Committee on Geological and Geotechnical Engineering in the New Millennium, Opportunities for Research and Technological Innovation, Committee on Geological and Geotechnical Engineering

Geological and Geotechnical Engineering in the

New Millennium: Opportunities for Research and

Technological Innovation

Committee on Geological and Geotechnical Engineering

in the New Millennium; Opportunities for Research and

Technological Innovation, Committee on Geological and
Geotechnical Engineering, National Research Council

ISBN: 0-309-65331-2, 222 pages, 7 x 10, (2006)

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Geological and Geotechnical Engineering in the New Millennium: Opportunities for Research and Technological Innovation
http://www.nap.edu/catalog/11558.html
GEOLOGICAL
AND
GEOTECHNICAL
ENGINEERING
IN THE
NEW
MILLENNIUM
OPPORTUNITIES FOR RESEARCH AND
TECHNOLOGICAL INNOVATION
Committee on Geological and Geotechnical Engineering
in the New Millennium:
Opportunities for Research and Technological Innovation
Committee on Geological and Geotechnical Engineering
Board on Earth Sciences and Resources
Division on Earth and Life Studies
THE NATIONAL ACADEMIES PRESS
WASHINGTON, D.C.
www.nap.edu
Copyright © National Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved.
Geological and Geotechnical Engineering in the New Millennium: Opportunities for Research and Technological Innovation
http://www.nap.edu/catalog/11558.html
THE NATIONAL ACADEMIES PRESS 500 Fifth Street, N.W. Washington, DC 20001
NOTICE: The project that is the subject of this report was approved by the Governing
Board of the National Research Council, whose members are drawn from the councils of
the National Academy of Sciences, the National Academy of Engineering, and the
Institute of Medicine. The members of the committee responsible for the report were
chosen for their special competences and with regard for appropriate balance.
This study was supported by Grant No. CMS-0229020 between the National Academy
of Sciences and the National Science Foundation. Any opinions, findings, conclusions, or
recommendations expressed in this publication are those of the author(s) and do not
necessarily reflect the views of the organizations or agencies that provided support for the
project.
International Standard Book Number 0-309-10009-7
Additional copies of this report are available from the National Academies Press,
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Copyright 2006 by the National Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved.
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Copyright © National Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved.
Geological and Geotechnical Engineering in the New Millennium: Opportunities for Research and Technological Innovation
http://www.nap.edu/catalog/11558.html
The National Academy of Sciences is a private, nonprofit, self-perpetuating society of
distinguished scholars engaged in scientific and engineering research, dedicated to the
furtherance of science and technology and to their use for the general welfare. Upon the
authority of the charter granted to it by the Congress in 1863, the Academy has a
mandate that requires it to advise the federal government on scientific and technical
matters. Dr. Ralph J. Cicerone is president of the National Academy of Sciences.
The National Academy of Engineering was established in 1964, under the charter of the
National Academy of Sciences, as a parallel organization of outstanding engineers. It is
autonomous in its administration and in the selection of its members, sharing with the
National Academy of Sciences the responsibility for advising the federal government.
The National Academy of Engineering also sponsors engineering programs aimed at
meeting national needs, encourages education and research, and recognizes the superior
achievements of engineers. Dr. Wm. A. Wulf is president of the National Academy of
Engineering.
The Institute of Medicine was established in 1970 by the National Academy of Sciences
to secure the services of eminent members of appropriate professions in the examination
of policy matters pertaining to the health of the public. The Institute acts under the
responsibility given to the National Academy of Sciences by its congressional charter to
be an adviser to the federal government and, upon its own initiative, to identify issues of
medical care, research, and education. Dr. Harvey V. Fineberg is president of the
Institute of Medicine.
The National Research Council was organized by the National Academy of Sciences in
1916 to associate the broad community of science and technology with the Academy’s
purposes of furthering knowledge and advising the federal government. Functioning in
accordance with general policies determined by the Academy, the Council has become
the principal operating agency of both the National Academy of Sciences and the
National Academy of Engineering in providing services to the government, the public,
and the scientific and engineering communities. The Council is administered jointly by
both Academies and the Institute of Medicine. Dr. Ralph J. Cicerone and Dr. Wm. A.
Wulf are chair and vice chair, respectively, of the National Research Council.
www.national-academies.org
Copyright © National Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved.
Geological and Geotechnical Engineering in the New Millennium: Opportunities for Research and Technological Innovation
http://www.nap.edu/catalog/11558.html
COMMITTEE ON GEOLOGICAL AND GEOTECHNICAL
ENGINEERING IN THE NEW MILLENNIUM:
OPPORTUNITIES FOR RESEARCH AND
TECHNOLOGICAL INNOVATION
Members
JANE C. S. LONG, Chair, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory,
Livermore, California
BERNARD AMADEI, University of Colorado, Boulder
JEAN-PIERRE BARDET, University of Southern California, Los
Angeles
JOHN T. CHRISTIAN, Waban, Massachusetts
STEVEN D. GLASER, University of California, Berkeley
DEBORAH J. GOODINGS, University of Maryland, College Park
EDWARD KAVAZANJIAN JR., Arizona State University, Tempe
DAVID W. MAJOR, GeoSyntec Consultants Inc., Ontario, Canada
JAMES K. MITCHELL, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State
University, Blacksburg
MARY M. POULTON, The University of Arizona, Tucson
J. CARLOS SANTAMARINA, Georgia Institute of Technology,
Atlanta
Staff
ANTHONY R. DE SOUZA, Director
JENNIFER T. ESTEP, Financial Associate
CAETLIN M. OFIESH, Research Assistant
RADHIKA CHARI, Senior Project Assistant (until March 2004)
AMANDA M. ROBERTS, Program Assistant (from July 2004)
iv
Copyright © National Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved.
Geological and Geotechnical Engineering in the New Millennium: Opportunities for Research and Technological Innovation
http://www.nap.edu/catalog/11558.html
COMMITTEE ON GEOLOGICAL AND GEOTECHNICAL
ENGINEERING
Members
NICHOLAS SITAR, Chair, University of California, Berkeley
SUSAN E. BURNS, University of Virginia, Charlottesville
JOHN T. CHRISTIAN, Waban, Massachusetts
KIM DE RUBERTIS, Cashmere, Washington
THOMAS W. DOE, Golder Associates, Redmond, Washington
JOANNE T. FREDRICH, Sandia National Laboratories, Albuquerque,
New Mexico
LARRY W. LAKE, The University of Texas, Austin
RAY E. MARTIN, Ray E. Martin, LLC, Ashland, Virginia
MARY M. POULTON, The University of Arizona, Tucson
DONALD W. STEEPLES, University of Kansas, Lawrence
Staff
SAMMANTHA L. MAGSINO, Program Officer
AMANDA M. ROBERTS, Program Assistant
v
Copyright © National Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved.
Geological and Geotechnical Engineering in the New Millennium: Opportunities for Research and Technological Innovation
http://www.nap.edu/catalog/11558.html
BOARD ON EARTH SCIENCES AND RESOURCES
Members
GEORGE M. HORNBERGER, Chair, University of Virginia,
Charlottesville
M. LEE ALLISON, Office of the Governor, Topeka, Kansas
STEVEN R. BOHLEN, Joint Oceanographic Institutions,
Washington, D.C.
ADAM M. DZIEWONSKI, Harvard University, Cambridge,
Massachusetts
KATHERINE H. FREEMAN, The Pennsylvania State University,
University Park
RHEA L. GRAHAM, New Mexico Interstate Stream Commission,
Albuquerque
ROBYN HANNIGAN, Arkansas State University, State University
V. RAMA MURTHY, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis
RAYMOND A. PRICE, Queen’s University, Kingston, Ontario
MARK SCHAEFER, NatureServe, Arlington, Virginia
BILLIE L. TURNER II, Clark University, Worcester, Massachusetts
STEPHEN G. WELLS, Desert Research Institute, Reno, Nevada
THOMAS J. WILBANKS, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak
Ridge, Tennessee
Staff
ANTHONY R. DE SOUZA, Director
ELIZABETH A. EIDE, Senior Program Officer
DAVID A. FEARY, Senior Program Officer
ANNE M. LINN, Senior Program Officer
ANN G. FRAZIER, Program Officer
SAMMANTHA L. MAGSINO, Program Officer
RONALD F. ABLER, Senior Scholar
HEDY J. ROSSMEISSL, Senior Scholar
VERNA J. BOWEN, Administrative and Financial Associate
JENNIFER T. ESTEP, Financial Associate
TANJA E. PILZAK, Research Associate
CAETLIN M. OFIESH, Research Assistant
JAMES B. DAVIS, Program Assistant
JARED P. ENO, Program Assistant
AMANDA M. ROBERTS, Program Assistant
vi
Copyright © National Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved.
Geological and Geotechnical Engineering in the New Millennium: Opportunities for Research and Technological Innovation
http://www.nap.edu/catalog/11558.html
Acknowledgment of Reviewers
his report has been reviewed in draft form by individuals
chosen for their diverse perspectives and technical expertise, in
T accordance with procedures approved by the National Research
Council’s (NRC) Report Review Committee. The purpose of
this independent review is to provide candid and critical
comments that will assist the institution in making its pub-
lished report as sound as possible and to ensure that the report
meets institutional standards for objectivity, evidence, and
responsiveness to the study charge. The review comments and
draft manuscript remain confidential to protect the integrity of
the deliberative process. We wish to thank the following
individuals for their review of this report:
Braden Allenby, Arizona State University, Tempe
Chris Breeds, Sub Terra, North Bend, Washington
Corale Brierley, Brierley Consultancy LLC, Highlands Ranch,
Colorado
John Dunicliff, Geotechnical Instrumentation Consultant,
Devon, England
Henry Hatch, Former Chief of Engineers, U.S. Army,
Oakton, Virginia
Elvin R. Heiberg, III, Heiberg Associates, Arlington, Virginia
Norbert Morgenstern, University of Alberta, Edmonton,
Canada
vii
Copyright © National Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved.
Geological and Geotechnical Engineering in the New Millennium: Opportunities for Research and Technological Innovation
http://www.nap.edu/catalog/11558.html
GEOLOGICAL AND GEOTECHNICAL ENGINEERING IN THE NEW MILLENNIUM
Acknowledgment of Reviewers
Although the reviewers listed above have provided many constructive
comments and suggestions, they were not asked to endorse the conclu-
sions or recommendations, nor did they see the final draft of the report
before its release. The review of this report was overseen by William
Fisher, The University of Texas at Austin. Appointed by the NRC, he
was responsible for making certain that an independent examination of
the report was carried out in accordance with institutional procedures
and that all review comments were carefully considered. Responsibility
for the final content of this report rests entirely with the authoring
committee and the institution.
viii
Copyright © National Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved.
Geological and Geotechnical Engineering in the New Millennium: Opportunities for Research and Technological Innovation
http://www.nap.edu/catalog/11558.html
Preface
he charge to this committee—to envision the future of geo-
technology—is at once a grand challenge and a problem. In
T many ways, geotechnology is a mature field having come to its
majority in the last 50 years. Many serious problems have been
solved. We know how to build strong foundations, safe dams,
and stable roads and tunnels. We have a good understanding
about the behavior and protection of groundwater, how to
extract the petroleum resources, and develop a geothermal
field. We understand quite a bit about the soil conditions that
lead to liquefaction during an earthquake or make landslides
likely. If there is a major problem, it is that the state of the
practice worldwide does not match the state of the art. Even
when the knowledge exists, economics or ignorance lead to
harmful, suboptimal, and dangerous practice. People still build
trailer parks on flood plains.
Those of us who have been trained to this state of the art
are trained to keep digging deeper (in the intellectual sense)
and to refine and improve our understanding and methods.
We are more tuned to what we still do not know and cannot
yet do versus reflecting on how far we have come and how
much we are now capable of compared to the past. Given the
approaches and lexicons we are used to, we have a kind of
Zeno’s paradox in moving forward. Each step forward is
smaller than the last in comparison to the totality of progress
ix
Copyright © National Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved.