Composite particles of a hard core coated by a layer of hydratable, swellable clay such as bentonite are useful for constructing, modifying and/or supporting lifeline structure such as dams, berms and levees, and/or pipelines or conduits for oil, gas, sewage, water, or cables or wires for transmission of electrical power or data information. The method involves placing the composite particles in a location within, below, or about the lifeline structure, and hydrating them to cause them to swell and fill and seal the voids around the structure to form a resilient support having a high damping ratio and low hydraulic conductivity that is maintained after exposure to strain forces. The composite particles are advantageous in damping seismic waves and reducing the potential damage from an earthquake, explosion, tremor, fatigue loading, or similar seismic event.

A method of constructing an underwater concrete block structure includes assembling a plurality of concrete blocks into a concrete block assembly, forming a drilled borehole in the underwater ground under a concrete hole of the concrete block assembly, and forming a concrete column in the concrete hole and the drilled borehole, thereby greatly increasing the stability of the underwater concrete block structure.

A feedstock processing apparatus for applying, distributing, and compacting feedstock in defined layer heights may include a chassis with a traction drive and a first and second undercarriage, a frame structure that connects the two undercarriages over a span width of the feedstock processing apparatus, a material feeding device coupled to the frame structure, a material distributing device coupled to the material feeding device and displaceable in certain sections over the span width and configured to apply the feedstock in layers on soil in different, predefinable height positions between the undercarriages, and a compacting device displaceably mounted on the frame structure and/or the material distributing device. The compacting device and the material distributing device can be displaced in a manner dependent on one another respectively along a predefinable movement path. A corresponding method is also disclosed.

A feedstock processing apparatus for applying, distributing, and compacting feedstock in defined layer heights may include a chassis with a traction drive and a first and second undercarriage, a frame structure that connects the two undercarriages over a span width of the feedstock processing apparatus, a material feeding device coupled to the frame structure, a material distributing device coupled to the material feeding device and displaceable in certain sections over the span width and configured to apply the feedstock in layers on soil in different, predefinable height positions between the undercarriages, and a compacting device displaceably mounted on the frame structure and/or the material distributing device. The compacting device and the material distributing device can be displaced in a manner dependent on one another respectively along a predefinable movement path. A corresponding method is also disclosed.

The invention disclosed herein includes apparatus and a method for collecting leachate and storing it to provide ballast on top of landfill covers at a landfill. A control berm is built on top of the exposed landfill cover forming a barrier for ponding leachate. Leachate is collected from the waste interred at the landfill through known leachate collection system methods and apparatus and transported for deposit on the top surface of a landfill cover thereby resulting in the impoundment and ponding of the leachate on top of the landfill cover and providing ballast to keep the landfill cover in place and minimizing, if not preventing, wind uplift or shearing of the cover.

The invention disclosed herein includes apparatus and a method for collecting leachate and storing it to provide ballast on top of landfill covers at a landfill. A control berm is built on top of the exposed landfill cover forming a barrier for ponding leachate. Leachate is collected from the waste interred at the landfill through known leachate collection system methods and apparatus and transported for deposit on the top surface of a landfill cover thereby resulting in the impoundment and ponding of the leachate on top of the landfill cover and providing ballast to keep the landfill cover in place and minimizing, if not preventing, wind uplift or shearing of the cover.

A block for geotechnical applications is disclosed, the block having a composite body which is a section of a used wind turbine blade including a part of its leading edge, trailing edge and the windward surface and leeward surface of the used blade. The body is open from above and below. Fragments of the windward surface, leeward surface, leading edge and trailing edge of the used blade are the block's side walls. The inside of the body is filled with a filling material. A method of making a block for geotechnical applications is also disclosed. Under the method, a section is marked on a used wind turbine blade between its tip and root for mounting in a hub. Then, within this section, the block body is cut out, in two cutting planes parallel to each other, in the form of a fragment with a closed cross section, including a part of a leading edge, trailing edge, windward shell and leeward shell of this blade, then this body is filled with a filling material, making its filling.

A surveying system for assisting placement of a slope staking tool including a picket, a crossbeam, and a slope beam. The surveying system includes a design information acquisition unit configured to acquire design information including a designed slope; a current slope estimation unit configured to calculate a current slope in accordance with the results of surveying the current slope; a first intersection calculation unit configured to calculate a coordinate of a first intersection between the current slope and the designed slope using the current slope estimated by the current slope estimation unit and the design information, and to display the coordinate on the screen unit; and a second intersection calculation unit configured to calculate, using the surveying device, an altitude difference between any position on the crossbeam placed and a plane including the designed slope and to display the altitude difference on the screen unit.

The present disclosure discloses an earthen dam structure including a core wall that includes a homogeneous mixture of clay, sand, powdered tire rubber and Portland cement. Additionally, the core wall contains the powdered tire rubber in an amount sufficient to increase a modulus of elasticity of the core wall to over 10 MPa while keeping a hydraulic conductivity of the core wall under 100 feet/year. The earthen dam structure further includes an upstream embankment portion and a downstream embankment portion, each positioned adjacent to the core wall, and a spillway configured to prevent water from overtopping a crest of the core wall.

The present disclosure discloses an earthen dam structure including a core wall that includes a homogeneous mixture of clay, sand, powdered tire rubber and Portland cement. Additionally, the core wall contains the powdered tire rubber in an amount sufficient to increase a modulus of elasticity of the core wall to over 10 MPa while keeping a hydraulic conductivity of the core wall under 100 feet/year. The earthen dam structure further includes an upstream embankment portion and a downstream embankment portion, each positioned adjacent to the core wall, and a spillway configured to prevent water from overtopping a crest of the core wall.