The role of the Geotechnical Engineering Section begins during the location study phase of a project, addressing the geologic hazards around the locations of new bridges and roads. Recommendations are then made for how to deal with any geologic hazards, such as landslide prone areas, sinkhole terrain, rock fall problems, soft soils, and environmental concerns such as acid producing rocks.
Design Phase
During the design phase of a project, the Geotechnical
Engineering Section investigates the geotechnical aspects of the
general roadway alignment chosen for a particular area. Surface
geology recognizance and mapping, drilling of the subsurface
soil and bedrock information, and sampling the soil and bedrock
for engineering properties are conducted. A recommendation is
then made for an appropriate geotechnical and geological design.
The Geotechnical Engineering Office provides the designer with a
narrative report covering issues on the project and makes
recommendations. These recommendations include cut and fill
slope design, foundation recommendations, special notes and
mitigation of problem areas. Technical drawings are also
included.
Construction
The Geotechnical Engineering Section is often involved in
construction related issues, including geotechnical inspection
of footing condition, approval for bridges and retaining walls,
wet or soft soil conditions encountered by a contractor,
unstable cut slopes or potentially dangerous rock fall areas,
encapsulation of acid producing rock, sinkholes that occur
during construction activity, and problems with the construction
of geotechnical related retaining walls (MSE walls, tieback
walls, soil nail walls, pile lagging walls, etc.)
Maintenance
The Geotechnical Engineering office often provides to the TDOT
Maintenance Division information to repair subsidence areas
related to sinkholes, landslides and embankment failures.
