We, as consultants, have been awarded the contract to perform a
geotechnical feasibility study for the proposed Old Town - Bangor
commuter rail line (OTRail). The study will include testing and
analysis of proposed granular fill materials, and the soft clays underlying
parts of the project.
On a weekly basis, you will be expected to perform the laboratory tests
and communicate the results and analysis via email
memos.
week 2: Perform the wet sieve analysis and report
whether or not the material meets specifications for MDOT type D Subbase (section
703.06 part b.)
week 3: We have discovered some soft clays underlying
parts of the project. For initial identification purposes, perform the atterberg limits
tests.
week 4: The soft clay is definitely a significant concern. To
determine the distribution of clay and silt size particles, perform the
hydrometer test.
week 5: Some good quality
granular fill is required to build the embankment. Perform the
permeability test to determine
whether the fill is permeable enough to prevent water accumulation and
subsequent frost problems.
week 6: The granular fill appears to be
adequate for the embankment construction. We need to perform the
standard proctor test in the lab,
to determine the maximum dry density and optimum water content for
compaction testing in the field.
week 7: NO LABS, since Judy Hakola will
cover progress reports in ECP 366 class.
weeks 8 through 14: To better
accommodate the consolidation testing, we're going to split the labs:
