Trench Dam: Per the Los Angeles Department of Building and Safety (LADBS) Methane Code, Ordinance Number 175790, a trench dam is part of a methane mitigation system. A trench dam is essentially a subsurface barrier that exists within a furrow or ditch, that is adjacent to the foundation of a building in a methane zone or methane buffer zone. And the purpose of a trench dam is to prevent the migration of methane soil gas through any permeations of a building foundation.
Growth Fault Growth Fault: In geology, a growth fault is a strike-slip fault or dip-slip fault that moves contemporaneously with deposition. This causes the throw (amount of vertical displacement) to increase with depth and the strata to be thicker on the downthrown side as compared to the upthrown side.
Mineral Definition A mineral is defined as an inorganic element, compound, or substance that naturally develops with an organized internal structure and/or crystal form over time. Minerals are also distinguishable by their chemical composition and physical properties, as determined in laboratories by geologists. Typical earth minerals found in most igneous, metamorphic, and sedimentary rocks are…
Plutonic Rock (Igneous) Definition The term “Plutonic” in the field of geology refers to an igneous rock, wherein the magma had originally cooled, solidified, and crystalized underground. A plutonic rock is generally coarsely crystalline (phaneritic) and is formed during a massive geologic intrusion of magma. In fact, outcropping (or daylighting) plutonic rocks are geologic features…
Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs): Volatile Organic Compounds are toxic organic chemicals with higher tendencies to change from liquid to vapor phase under typical earth pressures and temperatures, and usually have little-to-no water solubility characteristics. VOCs are commonly found within hydrocarbon-based fuel additives, industrial solvents, refrigerants, hydraulic fluids, degreasers, and more. These…
Methane Mitigation Soil Gas Pressure Sensor Methane Mitigation Soil Gas Pressure Sensor: A Methane Mitigation Soil Gas Pressure Sensor is a device that measures and communicates sub-slab soil gas pressure to a methane control panel system. High levels of methane soil gas then trigger the integrated methane alarm system to notify occupants of danger. Much…
Strike-Slip Fault or Transform Fault Strike-Slip Fault (Transform Fault): In the field of geology, a strike-slip fault, or a transform fault, is a fault in which movement is parallel to the strike of the fault plane. The opposite of a strike-slip fault is a dip-slip fault. Left-Lateral or Right-Lateral Strike-Slip Fault A transform fault can…
