A Concrete Slab and Buttress Dam is a freshwater-retaining structure comprising reinforced concrete slabs that are supported in-place by buttresses. The foundation of a Concrete Slab and Buttress Dam receives a large load. Thus, the foundation must be structurally sound, impervious, and competent. The alternative types of dams are Concrete Gravity Dams, Concrete Arch Dams, and Embankment Dams.
Environmental Law Environmental Law refers to the various categories of law that are put in place to protect the quality and condition of the earth and the environment. This sect of law aims to protect the well being of people and to preserve the earth’s natural resources, reserves, and wildlife. In fact, environmental laws apply…
Ultramafic Definition In the study of geology, the term “ultramafic” refers to an igneous rock that comprises up to 90% mafic minerals, or more.
Twinning Definition Twinning is the observed intergrowth of multiple crystals in a symmetrical fashion. This term applies to the examination of rock thin sections, in the field of optical mineralogy.
Gravel Blanket in Methane Mitigation A gravel blanket is a 2-inch or 4-inch thick layer of gravel, sand, or approved material that transmits methane soil gas to the horizontal sub-slab perforated pipes and verticle vent riser of a passive methane mitigation system.
Focus (Hypocenter) Focus (Hypocenter): In the seismology branch of geology, a focus, or hypocenter, refers to the specific place where an earthquake rupture originates. The focus, or hypocenter, underlies the epicenter when an earthquake occurs at a dip-slip fault, strike-slip fault, oblique-slip fault, or listric fault. In the event of an earthquake, geologists, and seismologists…
Methane Soil Gas Methane Soil Gas: In geology, methane soil gas refers to the confinement of CH4 within the interstitial pore spaces of subsurface soils. On Earth and potentially on Mars, methane derives from subsurface pockets of biogenic and petrogenic natural gas. To illustrate, accumulations of buried organic matter decay via microbial or thermal degradation….
