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Office of Geotechnical Engineering

Announcements

 

 

 

 2020 Geotechnical Consultant Workshop

 
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The Geotechnical Consultant Workshop, traditionally held every year in June, is cancelled this year due to gathering restrictions based on the COVID-19 epidemic. We hope to see you next year in 2021!
Adobe Acrobat Viewer (pdf) versions of the PowerPoint presentations of topics presented and discussed at past workshops are available HERE.
  
 

 2020 Bridge Design Manual Geotechnical Revisions

 
​The 2020 Bridge Design Manual (BDM) has been posted as of January 17, 2020. The revisions to the submissions and design specifications in the new Sections 200 and 300 have been a long, many years' work. Specific Geotechnical revisions can be found in Section 305, Foundations, Section 307, Retaining Walls, Section 600, Typical General Notes, and Section 700, Typical Detail Notes. Please review the new BDM in detail, as there are many changes beyond the new two-column format. You can see a summary of the Geotechnical changes in a powerpoint presentation delivered at the Engineering Division webcast on February 14, 2020. This document represents the entire outline of Sections 305 and 307, with important changes described in red text. The document can be accessed at this link.
 

 Visual Classification for Geotechnical Logging of Soil and Rock Stratum

 
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Course Description:
The Ohio Department of Transportation’s (ODOT) Visual Classification Course for Geotechnical Logging of Soil and Rock Stratum is being offered by the Office of Geotechnical Engineering on September 8, 2020. The focus of the course will be to provide a working knowledge of the current requirements for the classification of both soil and rock materials as related to geotechnical explorations for ODOT projects. Anticipated attendees for the course are individuals who will be involved in field or laboratory visual classification of samples, development of boring logs, or the QA/QC of the process as required by the ODOT Office of Consultant Services. The course is designed to be hands-on, involving both classroom and laboratory instruction and exercises. The course goal is to provide adequate instruction so that the Consulting community will be able to provide a standardized and uniform submission of boring logs and soil profiles.
Course Outline:
08:30 - 10:30: Soil Classification
10:30 - 10:45: Break
10:45 - 11:30: Soil Classification – Hands On
11:30 - 12:30: Lunch – On Own
12:30 - 14:30: Rock Classification
14:30 - 14:45: Break
14:45 - 16:00: Rock Classification – Hands On
16:00 - 16:15: Break
16:15 - 17:00: Practical Exam
For the September 8 course flyer, click HERE.
For on-line registration, click HERE. 
Course Instructors:
The course will taught by Mr. P. Paul Painter and Mr. Adam Willis, Geologists with the ODOT, Office of Geotechnical Engineering. Mr. Painter has been with ODOT since 2005 and Mr. Willis has been with ODOT since 2009. Prior to working for ODOT, both were employed as consultants working on a wide range of transportation, heavy infrastructure and site development projects. Mr. Painter is a Licensed or Registered Geologist in three states.
 
 

 Subsurface Investigation Qualification

 
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National Highway Institute Course Offered:
132079, Subsurface Investigation Qualification
 
September 9-11, 2020 (Re-scheduled from April 21-23)
ODOT Central Office, 1980 W. Broad St., Columbus, OH 43223
Days 1 & 2 – Room GB; Day 3 – Room GA
 
This three-day course is normally offered 1-2 times per year at various locations. Taught by NHI-approved instructors, this course is part of a series to develop a training and qualification/certification program for geotechnical inspectors and field personnel. This course is intended for drillers, drilling inspectors, engineers, geologists, and technicians involved in field data collection and quality assurance of subsurface investigations. The course follows FHWA guidelines and practices for subsurface investigations.
 

ODOT Consultant Prequalification Requirements and Procedures state that in addition to experience requirements, two prequalification categories require certification of personnel by successful completion of NHI Course 132079. For the category of Geotechnical Field Exploration (2.16), field drill crew supervisors shall be certified. Only drill crew supervisors that meet these requirements are eligible to supervise geotechnical field explorations in the field. For the category of Geotechnical Drilling Inspection Services (2.17), at least one drilling inspector shall be certified. Only drilling inspectors that meet these requirements are eligible to perform these duties in the field.

 
Detailed course and registration information can be found on the National Highway Institute Course Description page.  
 
On-line registration for the course can be made through the
National Highway Institute.
 
 
 

 Prefabricated Retaining Wall System (PRWS) Approval Process

 
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To our Consultants, Contractors, and Wall Suppliers,
 
Please note that ODOT instituted the current approval process for Prefabricated Retaining Wall Systems (PRWS) on April 01, 2016.  Prefabricated Retaining Wall suppliers seeking approval of their PRWS for use on ODOT projects must submit applications in accordance with the requirements of the PRWS Approval Process. The approval status of any wall system on the ODOT Approved Product List (Approved List) will expire five years from the date of placement on the list or when there are changes in the wall system as described in the Prefabricated Retaining Wall Systems Approval Process.
 
The PRWS Approval Process documentation can be located on the ODOT Approved Products List (Approved List) located here:
http://www.dot.state.oh.us/Divisions/ConstructionMgt/Materials/Approved-List/Pages/default.aspx.
A link to the PRWS Approval Process documentation is also available on the left-hand menu bar of the ODOT Office of Geotechnical Engineering (OGE) web site:
http://www.dot.state.oh.us/Divisions/Engineering/Geotechnical/Pages/default.aspx
 
The following types of Prefabricated Retaining Wall Systems are subject to approval by this process:
·         Precast Gravity and Semigravity Retaining Wall Systems
 
·         Prefabricated Modular Retaining Wall Systems:
            - Bin Wall Systems
            - Crib Wall Systems
            - Modular Block Wall Systems
     (also known as Segmental Retaining Walls (SRW), Modular Segmental Retaining Walls, and Modular Concrete Block Retaining Walls)
·         Mechanically Stabilized Earth (MSE) Wall Systems
 
Please note that Modular Block Wall Systems that incorporate soil reinforcements, such as geogrids, are considered MSE Walls, and must meet the requirements of Supplemental Specification (SS) 840, and the Submittal Requirements for Approval of Mechanically Stabilized Earth (MSE) Wall Systems as given in the PRWS Approval Process. Modular Block Wall Systems used as gravity walls must meet the requirements of SS870 and the Submittal Requirements for Approval of Prefabricated Modular Retaining Wall Systems. If a Modular Block Wall System is to be used as either a gravity wall or an MSE wall, the supplier must make two submissions: one for each of the wall system types.
 

 gINT Download Files

 

The ODOT gINT Library, Data Template, and Example Project files are available HERE.  gINT version 10.00.00.69 or greater is required to use these files.  For those who do not have gINT version 10.00.00.69, or do not wish to use the ODOT gINT Library and Template, we are also making available the Official ODOT Symbols and Tiles for use in gINT Reports.