GEOLQGICAL .SURVEY CffiCULAR 75 . 

SELECTED ABSTRACTS ON ENGINEERING 

GEOLOGY AND RELATED SUBJECTS 

Severine:JI. Britt 
UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR 

Oscar L. Chapm.an, Secretary· 

GEOLOGICAL SURVEY 

W. E. W\l"~ther, Director 

Washington, D. C . . 
SELECTED ABSTRACTS ON ENGINEERING GEOLOGY 

AND RELATED SllBJECTS 

Dy Severine H. Dritt 

CONTENTS 

Page 

Constru-ction materials ••••••••••••••••••••••••••• •••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• 1 

Construction works ••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• 5 

Drilling and exploration methods • •••••• •••••••••• ••••• •••••••••••• ••• •• •• •• ••• ...... 11 

General engineering geology ••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• ••••• 13 

Landslides and subsidences •••••••• ••••••• ••• ••• ••••• •••••••• •••• •••• •• •••••••••. ••• • 15 

!\lapping techniques ••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••·• 18 

Permafrost • ••••••••••• ••••••••••••• •• •••••• ••• ••• ••• •• •••• •• ••• ••• •••••••••• ••• ••• •• ••• • ••• 18 

Physical properties of rocks ..................................................... ..... 20 

Soils and soil mechanics ..... ~......................................................... 20 

INTRODUCTION 

The following 84 abstracts are a selection from a much larger number of 

abstracts recently prepared for use within the Geological Survey. The selection 

is meant to represent material that is not generally brought to the attention of 

geologists directly and, for the most part, may not find its way into English· 

language abstracts normally consulted by American geologists. All but four 

of the abstracts deal with subjects outside the United States;' 35 are originals, 

26 are based on translations of abstracts in foreign languages, and 19 are adapted 

from English-language abstracts of foreign material. A few of the abstracts bear 

a notation that complete translations have been prepared. Abstracts followed 

by the initials D. J, V. and H. V., respectively, are by David j. Varnes and 

Helen Varnes; all others, except authors' abstracts, are by the writer. Where 

dates of publication are not shown, they are unknown to this writer. 

The coverage, of necessity, is far from complete, but the writer hopes that 

the abstracts will indicate the wide range of work going on abroad and will 

further stimulate the interest of American geologists. It is expected that, in the 

future, similar selections will be published as the need may arise •. 

., CONSTRUCTION MATERIALS 

Ariana, R. I material.i .stradali [Road materials] , Milano, Editions Garlic h. 

This book deale· in a very up-to-~ate manner. with three main subjects: 

soils, aggregates, and binding materials. (1) The study of soils include classical 

tests and investigation, foundation, and stabilization methods. (2) The aggregates are treated so as to enhance the value of procedures that facilitate their 

classification according to their qualities as road materials. (3) The subject 

of hydraulic hinders is largely developed. Two particularly informative chapters 

refer to emulsions· and asphalts. The question of asphalts has been thoroughly 

studied in Italy, and original solutions have been found that have proved successful.--Translated and adapted from a review in Genie civil, tome 76, no. 9, 

May 1949. Date of publication and number of pages not given.· 

Buisson, Maurice. Les pierr_es. Etude de leurs proprietes liees a la presence 

et a la circulation de l'eau dans les pores [Study of stone properties in 

connection with the prensence and movement of pore water] : Centre Sci. 

Tech. du Batiment Cahier C7, 16 pp., fig., Paris, July 1948. 

This is a study of the proper,ties of stones with regard to the presence 

of water in the pores. Included are generalities based on the law of capillarity; 

manifestation of capillary pressure in stones; compression of stones by capillary 

pressure; direct determination of capillary pressure; indirect method for the 

determination of capillary movement; test proposed by the project of norm and 

its discussion; study of the experimental verification of the independence of 

capillarity and the hygrometric state and influence of evaporation on the measure• 

ments; capillarity of some building materials; influence of quarry water or p·artial 

absorption on the capillarity value; swelling pressure; and conclusion as to the 

methods of capillarity tests.-Based on a translation of abstract 89·21, Docu• 

mentation technique des Annales de 1 'lnstitut Technique du Batiment et des 

Travaux Publics, ~aria, Jan. 1949. 

Oenissov, N. J. Process of gravitational consolidation of argillaceous rocks 

as affected by their cohesiveness: Acad. sci. U.R.S.S. Comptes rendus 

[ Doklady] , vol. 55, no. 5, pp. 429-432, 194 7. 

It has been shown that recent deposits of argillaceous sediments constantly 

under water have a. low density, in the neighborhood of 1.3 grams per cubic 

centimeter. It is also observed that if these fluid sediments are subsequently 

covered by coarse-grained materials the boundaries between the clay and gravel 

are generally sharp, indicating that the particles of overlying material did not 

sink into the muds. From this it must be concluded that cohesion and structure 

are characteristic to a .certain extent of argillaceous sediments extracted from 

under water results from destruction of cohesion between particles by the sampling process. 

It is characteristic of the. initial state of formation of argillaceous rocks 

that those formed in water are less compact and more compressible than those 

formed subaerially. 

1 
The optimal conditions of consolidation for water deposits occur when 

the particles are enveloped by colloidal films reducing friction, when cohesion is low and during high rates of sediment accumulation. Pessimal conditions of consolidation will be determined by the: maximum effect of electrolytes that increase friction and cohesion bet~een particles, by the slow rise of 

compacting pressure, due to low rates of sediment accumulation, and by interruptions in sediment accumulation. 

For subaerial deposits the optimal conditions of consolidation will he 

determined by the constant influence of moisture and the absence of cohesion; 

the pessimal, by compacting in the dry state.--D.j.V. 

Duriez, ..•..••. Les gravillons routiers. Resistance a 1 attrition et a la fragmentation par choc [Road gravel. Resistance to attrition and to fracture 

under impact] : Rev. gen. des routes, no. 198, pp. 13-16, July 1948. 

This paper consists of_ generalities on road tests; discussion of abrasion 

and impact tests of. crushed gravel for road material; general study of the coefficient of resistance to abrasion (Deval), of the coefficient of fracture under 

impact (Am~de'e Mannheim} for crushed gravel, and of the relation between these 

two coefficients; statistic study of the resistance to abrasion and to impact of 

road gravel of the same mineralogic nature; considerations regarding the selection 

or elimin~tion of crushed gravel for road material; special study of rolled gravel 

from dredging; conclusions. 

Frye, J. C., Plummer, Norman, Russel, T., Runnels, .•.••.•• , and Hladik, William. 

Ceramic utilization of northern Kansas Pleistocene loesses and fossil 

soils. Kansas Geol. Survey Bull. 82, pt. 3, 124 pp., 3 pls., 10 figs., 7 

tables, bibl., 1949. 

Late Pleistocene loesses, classed as Loveland, Peoria, and Bignell silt 

members of the Sanborn formation, and their contained fossil soils (Loveland 

and Brady} constitute the most widespread ceramic raw material in Kansas. The 

silt deposits were made ~y the action of winds on stream-horne sediments during 

intervals of northern and mountain glaciation. The silts were modified by weathering processes that produced deep soils on former upper surfaces now buried 

by younger deposits. These silts and soils were sampled at 46 locations extending from the Missouri River on the east to the Colorado State-line. Ceramic tests 

on 318 samples and chemical analyses of 52 samples are reported. Spectrographic 

analyses supplement the ceramic and chemical data. The data show a high degree 

of uniformity from east to west, hut the greater effect of weathering in the eastern 

part of the state has increased the clay content and plastic .properties. The Loveland is especially· suitable for manufacture of brick, tile, and light-weight ceramic 

aggregates. The Peoria silt (exclusive of the Brady soil} is suitable for manufracture of dense "ceramic slag." At many localities the entire ·thickness of the 

Sanborn formation, including the fossil soils, may be utilized as raw material for 

brick, tile, and both light and heavy ceramic aggregates.-Authors' abstract.· 

2 
Hager"man, T. H. Om svens'ka · bergarter och deras provning for konstruktionsandamal · (On Swedish rock types and tests for structural purposes] : 

S~atens Provningsanstalts Meddelande 85, 181, pp., 73 figs., 12 tables, 

b1hl., Stockholm, 1945. Price,. Kr. 5. , 

Conununication 85 of the State Testing Laboratory. (S~atens Provningsanstalt) 

has the following contents: Forward •. '(1) Classificati()n of kinds of rock {erup• 

tive, sedimentary, metamorphic). (2) Properties of rock {chemical composition, 

mineral composition, specific gravity, color, structure, density and pore ratio, 

homogeneity, other properties). {3) Quarrying and working. {4) Different uses 

of rock and desirable properties for different purposes; foundation stone, stone 

for load bearing' facing stone, stone for bridges and harbor works, etc.; stone 

for air-raid shelters; .stone for outdoor flights of steps, paving, and curbs; thin 

stone slabs for fa~ing and roof covering; stone for stairs and flooring; stQne 

for internal walls and seats indoors; stone for sculpture, monuments, etc.; stone 

sets and stone Jor paving; crushed stone. {5) Determining the technical .prop• 

erties of unworked stone {open-pore ratio, capillarity, permeability to water and 

air, water absorption); weathering, durability of surface appearance and color; 

insulation and transmissivity in respect to heat, electricity, and sound; behavior 

·of stone at . h~sh temperatures; elasticity and strength; static loading tests; 

dynamic loading tests; hardne•s .and abrasion resistance; taking rock specimens. 

{6) Determining the technicalproperties of worked stone (tests of crushed stone, 

tests of natural stone slabs, tests of stone sets). (7) Summary of some results 

of tests. Concluding remarks.~Adapted from Building Science Abstracts, new 

ser., vol. 20, no. 8, Aug;l947 (abstract 994). 

Kerr, P •. F., and Kulp, J. L •. Reference clay localities, United States; Am. Petro· 

le·um Inst. Project 49, Preliminary Rept. 2, Clay. Mineral .Standards, 101 

pp., New York, Columbia University, Feb. 1949. 

This is a 'list of clay localities in the United States. The clay minerals 

included are chiefly those of the kaolin, montmorill6nite, and hydromica groups, 

Location, geological data, samples colle~ted, and references are given for each 

item, The text is illustrated by 38 maps and 29 photographs, 

Patton, J. B. Crushed stone in Indiana: Dept. Cons., Geolpgy Div., Progress 

Rept. '3, 4 7 pp., Bloomington, Apr. 1949 • 

. The author describes and locates limestone formations quarried in southern 

and: northern Indiana. .A list of 92 crushed-stone quarries is given with their 

location, date of field examination., geologic formation, and. products. A table 

shows the results of analyses of limestones quarried in Indiana, and ·the text 

is accompanied by a bibliography and a map showing the quarries producing 

crushed stone. 

Phemister, J ., Guppy, E. _M.,_ Marwick, A. H. D., and Shergold·, F. A., _Roadstone; 

Geological aspects and physical tests·: Dept. Sci. Ind. Research (Great 

Britain] Road Research Bull. 3, 42 pp., 1946. 

3 
This report is the result of collaboration between the Geological Survey of 

'Great Britain and the Road Research Laboratory. It was ·made in an attempt to 

bring together the geologic~! a~d the engineering aspects of roadstones. It gives 

a description of the geology of ~oadstones and the .characteristics of the constituent minerals and discusses the influe~ce of both these factors on the physical properties of the rock. The sections prepared ·by the Road Research Lab· 

oratory describe the accepted mechanical tests for roadstones, summarize the 

results of a large number of such tests carried out on British stones over a period 

of 30 years, and discuss the significance of the results in relation to engineering 

practice. · 

Plummer, Norman, and Hladik, W. B. The manufacture of ce.ramic railroad ballast 

and constructional aggregates from Kansas clays and silts: Kansas Geol. 

Survey Bull. 76, pt. 4, 212 pp.; 8 pls., 1 map, 6 tables, bibl., 1~48. 

The State of Kansas chiefly is dependent on crushed limestone for such 

uses as railroad ballast, ~oncrete aggregate, and road metal. Relatively hard 

limestone is plentiful in the eastern half of the State, but only soft limestone 

occurs in abundance in the western half. 

Under conditions of severe use limestone is regarded as inadequate for 

railroad ballast due to its softness, dustiness, and tendency to form a wa~erretaining mud. · Concrete made with some limestone aggregates tends to dis• 

integrate under conditions such as those to which concrete highway slabs and 

bridges are subjected. The needs of the railroads for a durable ballast are par• 

ticularly acute in this vast central area of the United States where sources of 

naturally occuring hard rock are inadequate. 

A series of tests conducted in the ceramics laboratory of the State Geo· 

logical Survey has demonstrated that a dll;l'able material suitable for use as rail· 

road ballast; concrete aggregate~ and allied uses can be manufactured with stand· 

ard industr.ial equipment from the cheap and abundant clay and silt resources· of 

Kansas. The method of manufacture involves the vitrification or pyroplas,ic 

agglomeration of the raw materials in a rotary kiln, or possibly some other type 

of firing equipment. In this report the product is termed •ceramic slag" to avoid 

the use of more accurately descriptive but awkward terms such as •ceramic ag• 

glomerate," •ceramic aggregate, • or •vitrified clay.• 

Laboratory production of ceramic slag chiefly was conducted in a hightemperature el~ctric kiln. Check runs were~ made on a number of representative 

samples in a batch-type gas-fired rotary kiln. Pilot-plant tests on one type of 

material, a Pleistocene clay, have been made by the Mineral Products Co. in 

a 'SO-foot continuous rotary kiln. 

Materials tested included silt, clay, and shale samples of Pleistocene, 

Cretaceous, Permian, and Pennsylvanian age collected over a wide geographical 

range. In general, Pleistocene silts and clays, particularly those from loess 

dep~its, have proved to be the most satisfactory materials. 

It is estimated that the cost of producing ceramic slag will range from S 1.15 

to S2.25per ton if the processing is carried out on a large scale in a rotary kiln.-

Authors' abstract. 

4 
Portevin, M., La pierre [Stone] : Construction moderne, no. 7, pp. 246-255. 

15 figs., July 1949. 

The topics discussed by the author include terminology referring to stone 

cutting; crushing strength, hardness, and oresistanc!3 to wearing by friction; 

approximate relation between breaking. stress and density; difficulty of cutting 

deduced from theoretical hardness; Brinnel hardness; •specific value of stone 

cutting• (Rondelet); ·classification and coefficients of stone cutting; standard 

scale of typical hardnesses; comparison of cutting difficulties (test principle, 

selection of workmen and tools, tests, applications of results); and determination 

of susceptability to frost action (standard method, Buisson's method, microscopic 

examination advocated by M. Bourcart).-Translated and adapted from abstract 

46-29, Documentation technique des Annales de l'Institut Technique du Batiment 

et des Travaux Publics, Paris. 

Smith, W. H. Sand and gravel ~esources in northern Ohio: Ohio Geol. Survey Inv. 

Rept. 6, 24 pp., 1 map, Columbus, 1939. 

This is the report of a study made in an ·area of northern Ohio, which, 

owing to the increase in building activity during the past several years, expe· 

rienced a serious shortage of sand and gravel for construction purposes. General 

information was collected regarding the geological structures in the critical 

regions that have not been prospected for sand and gravel largely because of 

lack of knowledge regarding their location and possibilities for commercial 

production, After data on production, transportation, processing of sand and 

gravel, and specifications and grading of aggregates, the geology and distribution 

of the deposits are given, followed by a discussion of deposita .by counties. The 

text is accompanied by bibliographic references and a glacial map of Ohio showing 

the location of producers, 

CONSTRUCTION WORKS 

Andrae, Charles. Les grands souterrains transalpins [The large Transalpine 

tunnels], 200 pp.,, 69 figs., Zurich, S. A •. Leeman Freres & Cie., 1948. 

Price, F. :22 (Swiss) • 

. This is the second revised edition, in French, of a volume published in 

German in 1926 but now out of print. In it the author, who at that time was a 

professor at the Federal Polytechnic School of Zurich, included the subject 

matter of a course he gave in order to initiate the students in the practical 

experiences and scientific results obtained from the construction of the large 

Alpine tunnels (Mont_ Blanc, Grand St. Bernard, and others), to which he per· 

sonally contributed. 

The author deals successively with the main problems, technical and 

practical as well as scientific, that arose from the construction of long tunnels 

at great depths. The more deeply a tunnel is driven, the more important is the 

question of pressures due· to the load of the roof, and the question of temperatures 

becomes the cardinal problem. The latter is treated with particular care, taking 

into account the observations made at the Simplon and the methods that were 

5 
suggested in order to avoid as far as possible any incident in the future. Although 

this hook was originally intended for students, it will also be valuable to the 

practician. The following subjects are treated: mechanical drilling; remo'\fal 

of materials; geological problems (general observations, earth pressures, temperatures, and groundwater); ventilation and cooling; tunneling methods; lini~g; 

sanitary measures; work organization; costs; bibliography. ! 

Bendel, Ludwig. Das Sprengen in F els [Rock blasting 1 , 60 pp., 17 figs., 

Lucerne, Eugen Haag, 1942. 

This booklet deals with the main uses of explosives in quarries and in the 

construction of galleries and twmels. The use of these materials for destructive purposes is not considered. 

The main terms used in blasting technics are first explained, and ·some 

theories concerning the different kinds of explosives and blasting methods are 

mentioned. The composition and combination of the various explosives used 

in quarries and their methods of appUcation are given in detail, as is information on drilling in rocks. The formulas for the determination of the probable 

explosive requirement constitute the essential part of the work; the Bendel 

formula takes into account the influences of geologic and petrographic factors 

on the quantity of explosives required. The discussion of the composition and 

combination of explosives contains information acquired through experience and, 

where it can be turned to account, information from other publications on the 

subject. A few computations regarding the construction of tunnels, quarrying, 

and ice blasting show practical application of the results of research on blasting. 

The last part of the book deals with possible effects of explosives (air displacement, vibrations, etc.) and indicates preventive measures • 

• .•••••• , Untersuchungen i.iber die physikalischen und dynamischen Eigenschaften 

des Untergrundes von Strassen, FlugpHitzen und Trambahnen [Investigations concerning the physical and ·dynamic properties of foundation 

ground for roads, airfields, and tramways]: Strasse und Verkehr, 28 pp., 

36 figs., Jan. 19, Feb. 13, and Mar. 12, 1948. · 

On the basis of concrete cases, the author, an expert in geotechnical 

problems, studies the physical and dynamic properties of foundation grounds 

for roads, tramways, and airfields. He gives interesting and useful information on the most recent methods of soil investigation.--Translated and 

adapted from Bull. tech. de la Suisse Romande, Jan. 1, 1949. 

British Intelligence Objectives Sub-Committee. German underground installations, 

Part 1, Unique de sign and construction methods: Final rept. 1, 63 pp., 

Sept. 1945. 

In an effort to minimize the effectiveness of allied bombing the ·German 

military and civilian elements resorted to underground installations. There 

are three reports by the British Joint Intelligence Objectives Agency on the 

actual physical structures and their utilitarian and protective features. The 

first discusses the unique design and construction methods used by Germany 

in building large underground factories, only nine of whi.ch have been described 

at length. 

6 
The most unique COJlstructiQn was that of th~ four semi-underground 

Messerschmitt factories near Munich. These factories were unusual in construction because (1) the roof. Waf!' a 10-foOt•thick reinforced concrete arch With a 

span of 280 feet; (2) ~he roof arc:P. was ppured on 163,000 cubic yards of gravel 

fill that had to be excavated EJ,fter :the. arch concrete had set; (3} the 5- and 8-

story buildings constructed undem~ath the"se roof arches were made entirely of 

precast columns, beams, and floor slabs; and (4) the heating and ventilating 

designs were larger and more elaborate than those for any other underground 

factory. 

The oil-distillation factory and the tank-part factory at Ebensee were 

also outstanding because (1) they incorporated all the latest design features 

o-f German underground factories and (2) the tunnels were concrete-lined in a 

rapid, efficient manner by using precast concrete arch ribs to.support the precast 

wall-liner plates. The salient features of many other underground factories are 

also described-Adapted from India Central Board of Irrigation abstract 52, 

Feb. 1949. 

British Intelligence Objectives Sub-Committee. German underground installations, 

Part 2, Adaptations of existing facilities: Final rept. 2, 35 pp., Sept. 1945. 

For the most part the Germans simply remodeled existing mineEI, caves, 

beer cetlars, railroad tunnels, etc., for the purpose of accommodating factory 

installations previously housed above ground. This type of· installation is here 

considered, and though nothing new from an engineering viewpoint is introduced, 

the report is important in portraying what may be accomplished through minor 

revisions to existing under.ground structures.-Adapted from India Central Board 

of Irrigation abstract 82, Feb, 1949 • 

... ~..... German underground installations, Part 3, Various installations of general 

interest·: Final rept. 3, 'Sept. 1945. 

This report considers a miscellaneous group of installations of general 

interest, some -of which are introduced principally because of their ,usage--for 

example, Hitler's retreat at Berchtesgaden and S. S. headquarters at Munich. 

There are eight sections: (1) headquarters and residences; (2) power plants; 

(3) shelters; (4) munition plants; (5) oil depots; (6) tunnels; (7) communication 

centers and (8) fortifications.-Adapted from India Central Board of Irrigation 

abstract 82, Feb. 1949. 

Disney, C. P., and Legget, R. F. Modern railroad structures, 213 pp., 151 ills., 

London, McGraw-Hill Publishing Co.,. Ltd., 1949. Price, 30s •. 

This .is a profusely illustrated record of advanced ideas used econ.omically 

and successfully in the design and construction of railway structures in the 

United States, Canada, and Great Britain. A whole chapter of the book, with 

many references in other chapters, is devote.d to the importance of site inves• 

tiga:tions before any form of design is undertaken for new or the replacement of 

old structures. The structures surveyed include earth structures, substructures 

and superstructUres of -bridges, turn~bles a~d turntable pits, and engb1e sheds.-

Adapted froma review in Civ, ,Eng. and Pub, Works Rev,, ~ondon, Jan, 1950, 

7 
Eckel, E •. B< Engineering geology in Germany: Joint Intelligence Objectives 

Agency, Rept. 18, 1949. 

This is a teport on the following: (1) undergr~und factories in anhydrite 

and gypsum near Nordhausen; (2) a sulfur-cement plant at Niedersachswerfen; 

(3) interrogation of the geologic consultant on underground factories; (4) source . 

data for investigations of German· and French underground factories, including 

a descriptive list of underground factories and $torage depots with locations, 

sizes, uses, etc.--Adapted from JIOA subject index of scientific and technical 

reports, vol. 1, Aug. 1949.; 

Feger, •••••••• 

tories] : 

1949. 

Les usines souterraines allemandes [German underground fac· 

Rev. genie militair.e, tome 82, pp. 165-199, fig., Mar. - Apr. 

German attempts to place the country's war industry under shelter .are 

described. Included in the report are a geologic and geographic study of the 

sites of underground factories and discussions of various types of underground 

factories (one or more stories), excavation methods, linings, inside equipment 

(heating, ventilation, electric supply, etc.), and organization of production.-

Translated and adapted from abstract 485-28, Documentation technique des 

Annales de l'lnstitut Technique du B&timent et des Travaux Publics. 

• •• •••.•• Les usines souterraines suedoises [Swedish underground factories] : 

Rev.· genie militaire, tome 82, pp. 229-253, 8 figs ... ,. May • June 1949. 

The installation of underground factories itt Sweden . is discussed with 

sections on excavation methods, underground constructions (lining, floors), 

inside equipment (ventilation, lighting, motive power, water supply~ protection·-

against fire, social equipment), and outside features.-Translated and adapted 

from abstract 265-29, Documentation technique des Annales de l'lnstitut Tech· 

nique du B~timent et des Travaux Publics. · · 

Kollbrunner, C. F. Fun dation und ·Konsolidation [ Foundati~n and consolidation] , 

vol. 1, ·4 76 pp. '· 216 figs.'· Zurich, Schweizer Kruckund· Verlagshaus, 1948. 

This . is a detailed review of the present state of knowledge concerning 

types of foundation ground and its application to foundation technics. Included 

are· useful data on ground water (flowing, pumping, etc.), a critical analysis 

and synthesis of testing methods presently applied in the laboratory and in the 

field to determine the character of foundation ground, and a detailed study of 

the distribution of stresses beneath constructions and the computation of settlement. There are numerous charts.-Adapted from a review in Bull. tech. de Ia 

Suisse Romande, no. 15, July 17, 1948. · 

Maclean, D. J •. The effect of the soil foundation on the road surface· and outline 

of .existing knowledge: Dept •. Sci. Ind. Research [Great Britain] Road 

Re.search Tech. Paper 11, 29 pp.,:1948. 

In the last decade a great deal has b~en leamed of the properties of soil 

as an engineering material and of the part played by the subsoil in the behavior 

8 
of road pavements. This paper is a progress report attempting in a brief compass 

to bring the various phases of knowledge together. It deals with the effect of 

the subgrade on the road surface; factors affecting soil strength; the measurement 

of soil strength; the regression of subgrades due to traffic, frost, or moisture, 

pavement design; and the effect of the road surface on soil layers below the snhgrade.··Adapted from India Central Board of Irrigation abstract 139, Feb. :949. 

McCutchen, W. R. Similitude in the study of military geology: Military Engineer, 

vol. 41, no. 279, pp. 7-9, 1949. · 

The problem of creating dimensionally valid models to use in simulating 

large-scale explosion tests is explained. Using the fundamental ratios of 

length, mass, and time, the model ratios for values of density, velocity, acceleration, pressure, strain, and work are derived. The amount- and kind of explosive to be used in a 1:200 model to simulate an atomic bomb is determined. A 

brief discussion by Col. S. B. Smith is included.--D.J. V. 

Muller, W. Erdbau [Earthwork] , 287 pp., 121 figs., Berlin, Wilhem Ernst & Sohn, 

1948. 

This is the study of the earthwork required for the construction of rail· 

roads and roads. The conditions to be fulfilled in order to provide economical 

construction and operation are stated, and the design of railroads and highways 

is discussed with particular reference to the crossing of other lines of commu· 

nication (la~d or water ways), The last three chapters deal with the soil as 

foundation ground; earth movement; and material used for excavations and fills 

and the construction and protection of dams, fills, and cutting~. 

Nipkow, ••••••••. Construction of an intake tunnel for Moerel power plant through 

a zone of high pressure: Schweizerische Bauzeitung, vol. 65, pp. 522·523, 

12 figs., Sept. 20, 194 7. 

The irruption of water loaded with dolomitic muds and disintegrated 

phyllitic clay in a zone of contact between the Triassic and the Jurassic is 

described. Considerable pressure was noticed on the framework of the tunnel, 

which caused a partial crushing of the timbering. These followed the setting 

of a reinforced concrete sole, 0.6 meter thick, constituting a segment of the 

intended tunnel. The use of quick-setting alumina cement and the reinforcement 

of frames and timberings are discussed.--Adapted and translated from Documentation technique de l'Institut Te.chnique du B~timent et des Travaux Publics, 

tome 4, Dec. 1947. 

Ott, J. C. La construction du barrage de Bou-Hanifia~ Algerie [Construction o.f 

the Bou·Hanifia dam, Algeria] , 30 pp., 17 bibl. ref., .special edition published by the Societe du Bulletin Technique de la Suisse Romande, 1946, 

taken from Bull. tech. de la Suisse Romande, Feb. 5, and 19, 1944. 

9 
This is a general description of the rr.ajor structures at the Bou-Hanifia 

irrigation project. The river regimen and the geologic and topographic conditions 

inherent in the site presented an unusual number of difficult construction problems. This project is an outstanding example of the solution of these problems 

through the skillful use of modern engineering knowledge.-H. V. Complete 

translation prepared. 

H~essinger, R. Irrigations et houille blanche en Algerie [Irrigation and water 

power in Algeria] : Bull. de la Societe Neuchtteloise de Geographi~, 

tome 52, fasc. 1, no. 4, pp. 1-7, Neuchatel, Switzerland, 1946. · 

This paper deals with the construction of irrigation dams in Algeria, 

studying the regimen of Algerian streams, the subsurface material (as compared 

to dams in Switzerland), and one typical dam of each group built: the rock-fill 

dam of the Ghrib, multiple-arch dam of Beni-Bahdel, and gravity dam of Oued 

Fodda. Subsurface water stops and elaborate drainage systems that involve 

unusual elaborations in rbck-fill practice are described. Photographs and 

drawings are attached.--Complete translation prepared. 

Seaton, T. H. Coast erosion and sea defense, with special reference to problems on the east coast of England associated with the London and North 

Eastern Railway: lnst. Civ. Eng. [Great Britain] Railway Paper 29, 

pp. 3-20, May 1948. 

In this paper the author treats the subject on broad lines, suggesting the 

direction in which investigation might be made. He analyzes the causes of 

coast erosion and describes the movement of beach material, the silting up of 

harbors and river mouths, erosion due to wave action, and' such measures to 

counteract current and wave action as the setting up of ·groins and sea walls--

Adapted from. India Central Board of Irrigation abstract 152, Feb. 1949. 

Stokstad, 0. L. German airfields design and construction methods: Joint Intelligence Objectives Agency Rept. 48, 129 pp., 1949. 

This report is a compilation of evaluation reports on the design and construction methods of German airfields. It does not represent a complete cov• 

erage of all enemy airfields, hut is a representation of selected fields with 

regard to general geological and dominant soil areas into which Germany is 

divided. Map, plans, diagrams, and photographs are included'.-From JIOA subject index of scientific and technical reports, vol. 1, Aug. 1949. 

Tchekotillo, A. M. Underground caches in the layers of permafrost [in Russian] : 

Priroda [SSSR], no. 11, pp. 27-32, 5 figs., bibl., 1946. 

Th~ permafrost area in Siberia extends south to the Kiev parallel. Its 

depth ranges between 40 to 50 meters in the south and 600 meters at lakoustsk. 

The natives have for a long time used this frozen ground for the construction 

of underground caches for the purpose of conserving their provisions. Lately 

the State has started making tests with a view to large-scale application of 

10 
such caches, the advantages of. which can briefly be summarized as follows: 

very simple construction, constant temperature and humidity, possibility of 

maintaining the temperature up to 8 to 10° C. (by ventilation), very simple 

exploitation,. use for .. scientific research, safety with regard to fire.-Translated and adapted from Bull. anal. du Centre National de Ia Recherche Sc.ientifique, 1949 (10-16816). 1 

UtUdjian, E. Urbanisme Souterrain Oere section). ~apport general [Underground 

town planning (1st section). General report] : · Monde sout~rrain, no. 49, 

pp. :126-128, 5 figs., Oct. 1948. 

This report was presented at the second world cl»ngress, at Rotterdam, on 

underground technics and town planning. It conce ns methodical underground 

arrangement and embodies the program of the congr ss, divide.d into two parts, 

The first section deals with the general . problems of town planning and doctrinary order. The second part discusses more p rticularly the problems of 

geology, soil mechanics, hnilding methods, mono aphs of works, and underground equipment.-Translated and adapted from ah~tract 46-23, Documentation 

technique de l'Institut Technique du Batiment et de$ Travaux Publics, no. 23, 

Paris, Mar.-Apr. 1949. 

Van Welter, L.,. and de Clerq,. J., Le barrage-res~rvoir de la Vesdre, a E up en 

(The Vesdre storage dam at Eupen): Ann~les des Travaux Publics de 

Belgique, tome 49, pp. 19-48, 21 figs., 4 plst, Feb •. 1948 •. 

This is a description of the main structures ~f a storage dam (capacity, 

25,000,000 cubic meters) on the Vesdre River upstr~.· am from Eupen in Belgium. 

The regimen of the Vesdre and its tributaries, ge~logic and· topographic con· 

ditions, the selection of a gravity dam, and projecte1d power stations are among 

other topics discussed.·· Translated and adapted from abstract 473-21, Docu· 

mentation technique des Annales de 1 'Institut Technique du Batiment et des 

Travaux Publics, Paris, Jan. 1949. · 

Wiedgman, K. Guide for the construction of tunnels in unstable rock (Germ·an 

"Kunz method" for excavating tunnels): Joint Intelligence Objectives 

Agency Rept. 42, 47 pp., 1949. 

The Kunz plan was to discard the old schemes of tunneling, which utilized large quantities of timbers for shoring purposes and required large crews 

of skilled carpenters for their installation, and to substitute a steel shell that 

would not only carry the rock load hut also he available as form work for the 

concrete work.-Adapted from JIOA subject index of scientific and technical 

reports, vol. 1, Aug. 1949. 

DRILLING AND EXPLORATION METHODS 

Anoriymou~ •. Le fonctge d'un puits en sables boulants par le procede Honigmann 

[ ~h?.ft sinking in quicksand by me~ns of the Honigmi:mn process] : Genie 

c1vll, tome 124, no. 18, p. 363, Par1s, Sept. :15, 194 7. · 

11 
The lignite basin of Cologne, one end of which is actually being operated by the open-cut method, subsided in its central section, where there is a 

lignite layer· 40 meters thick; its roof and wall, of clay, are good. Intention~ 

are to mine this, underground layer by slices, )>ecause it contains a reserve 

of 30 billion tons, hut in order to· reach it, 300 m~ters of quicksand must be 

penetrated. In such circumstances the shaft is usually sunk by the artificialfreezing process; here, however, ·two shafts were sunk, 300 meters apart, one 

by artificial freezing and the other by Honigmann's process, which proved 

satisfactory. 

By the Honigmann process, described in detail by Pinsard in the Revue 

de l'industrie minerale of April 1947, the bore hole is first filled with a dense 

suspension of clay in water, the level of which is maintained higher than the 

water-bearing stratum; under high pressure, the suspension penetrates the 

level of saturation and yields its clay to form an impervious wall. A succession 

of drillings of increasing diameter is made until the final diameter is reached, 

and the metallic tubing for the bottom of the shaft is put down, after being 

hermetically closed at the bottom by a cement plug; the tubing floats in the 

suspension; it is lowered by filling it with water. When the upper ring is 

flush with the surface, the following ring is jointed, and so on. After the casing 

is completed, the annular space between the tubing and the ground is filled 

with cement. 

It is estimated that, up to a diameter of 4.50 meters, the Honigmann 

process is more advantageous than artificial freezing; beyond 5 meters, artificial 

freezing would be preferable.··Complete translation prepared. 

Lemaire, E. Use of sulphide liquor to reduce the resistance of quartzose rocks 

in drilling: Genie civil, tome 121, pp. 33·34, 1 fig., Feb. 15, 1944 •. 

Identification of a large number of materials can he made by measuring 

their hardness. However, hardness is not a constant characteristic of materials 

and varies according to the medium in which the test is carried on. This variation, although generally slight, is large enough to justify the adoption of new 

methods of drilling. Tests were carried out on quartz by using different solutions 

that showed the variation in hardness. The practical conditions for using the 

aqueous solutions of lignin-solphonic acid and its salts, which were found to 

reduce the hardness of quartzose rocks, were determined by means of an appa• 

ratus similar in operation to the crown of a rotary drilling machine. A descrip· 

tion of the apparatus and test is given.--Complete translation prepared. 

Poldini, E. La prospection electrique du sous-sol [Electrical prospecting 

of the subsoil] , 1 vol., 114 pp., 22 figs., Lausanne, Switzerland, F. 

Rouge & Cie., 1947. 

The new edition of this work includes new developments in geophysics 

and improvements in its methods. Only . a few pages deal with theory; the 

author, professor at the University of Geneva, pays particular attention to the 

services that may he rendered by geophysics, showing the results, good and 

12 
had, oh~in~~ :in ~~.e Ji~ld during many years of experience. The main chapter 

headings ·follow:····Heterogeneity of soils in relation to electricity and technics 

used in electrical prospecting;, Measurement of apparent resistivity (boring, 

electric. h~ri~g, .. ~p o,f, resi~tivitit!.s, telluric currents); Tracing of equipotential em-Yes~_:· ·E~hfng; Anisotrophy. of soils·. Natlu-al electric currents; Electri~~l ,explor~tion ()f borehole~; Possibilities .of .elec1rical prospecting: tectonic 

studie.s, ore"s,: ~~?l~~· ~a~~rr civil engineering. 

: · .. Th~, 'p~~~~~aiion. of ·numerous practical fesults attained by different geophysical Qiis.sio~~. ~~s authorized .by the Soci~te de Prospection Electrique and 

the Compa~ie G~neral~ de Geoph'ysique. 

GENERAL' ENGINEERING GEOLOGY 

Bendel, L_udwig. ~n:ge,nieur-Geologie, vol. 2, 832, 20 pp., 620 ills.,: 252 tables, 

Vienna, Sp:riJ~ger Ve'rlag, 1948. Price, L 7 17s. 

Besides ._ consid~rahle amount of personal research and theoretical work 

by the author, this hook eontains a compilation of more than' 6,000 observational 

results, collected from· books, magazines, papers and lectures all over the 

world. More than 1,000 specialized theories are explained. 

The first volume, which is out of print at present, contains as main chap• 

ters:, Geology and petrography for· the civil engineer; Properties of the soil 

(physics, chemistry., and biology); Statics and dynamics of the soil (including 

earth pressure, settlement, hearing capacity, permissible loads, pore-water 

movement, and ground•water movement), and an extraordinarily valuable chap• 

ter on mathematical. statistics .for engineering geologists. 

The second volume deals in detail with site investigations, including 

borings, liotmdinga, geophysical surveys, hydrological investigations, local 

hearing tests, ·chemical· investigations of water and· soil, meteorological inves• 

tigations in the field and recording of settlements; soil tests in the laboratory 

(for dams, piles, tunnels, etc.); model tests, including similarity laws; and 

dynamics (vibration and earthquakes). A chapter on snow, avalanches, and 

glaciel:S by the Zurich expert, Dr. Haefeli, ·is of particular interest because 

of the close association of snow and soil.· Also included is a chapter on soil 

surveys in connection with town and country planning. 

The 'main value of this work lies in its accurate description of methods and 

of field and laboratory apparatus and other equipment used in the more important 

countries all over the world, .as well as references to the original publications 

where more detailed information can he gained. 

A third .vol'Ume ··containing the newest developments in engineering geology 

is to he published in 1949.-Adapted from a review in Civ. Eng. and Pub. Works 

Rev.,_ vol. 44, no. 515, London, May 1949. 

13 
Bray, Arthur. Geology applied- to building and engineering, 196 pp., 53 figs., 

London, Sir Isaac Pitman & Sons, Ltd., 1948. 

This book deals with certain raw materials that are extensively used .in 

the building industry and in civil engineering. A short introductory chapter 

on the general principles of geology is given, which makes the rest of the 

work readily understood. Other chapters deal with quarrying and mining methods, 

surface deposits and sites, sands and gravels, sandstone for masonry and other 

purposes, limestone for building stone, brick clays and fire clays, slates and 

other roofing materials, igneous rocks, water supply, materials used in paints 

and pigments, etc. This book should be of great help to students, as well as 

to practicing builders, architects, and civil engineers.-Adapted from the book's 

announcement. 

Desio, Ardito. Geologia applicata all'ingegneria. L'esplorazione delPsottosuolo. 

ldrogeologia . applicata. Geomorfologia applic_ata. Geologia delle construzzioni. Geologia mineraria [Engineering geology. Ground investigation. Applied hydrology. Applied geomorphology. Geology of building 

materials. Mining geology], 850 pp., 305 figs., Milan, Ulrico Hoepli, 

1949. 

This volume treats of geologic investigation of the ground, rocks, minerals, their mode of occurrence, dislocations of the earth crust, geologic mapping, 

geophysics, methods of deep exploratory drilling, and applied geomorphology. 

The chapters on applied hydrology include studies of surface water and of 

ground water; the second part, which is treated at great length, analyzes methodically the problems of finding water. The chapters on the geology of building 

materials will be useful to engineers and architects seeking· the geologist's 

viewpoint regarding the carrying out of large construction works; foundations, 

dikes, airports, etc. In connection with mining geology, the metalliferous 

deposits and the methods of prospecting for liquid and solid fuels are thoroughly studied. 

Fox, C. S •. The geology of water supply, 220 pp.,_ 49 figs., Kingston Hill, Surrey, 

England, the Technical Press, Ltd., 1949, Price, 25s. 

The author discusses the circulation of water in nature; rain (formation, 

distribution, influence of soil, temperature, etc.); geologic and geographic 

considerations (influence of soil relief, hills of volcanic origi:n' moist winds, 

glaciers, torrents, etc.; regimen of streams;· stability of slopes; distribution 

of surface water); circulation of ground water (influence on flow of streams; 

artesian wells); dams, aqueducts, and other structures; and q~ality of water. 

Froment, G. Procedes generaux de construction [General construction methods] , 

· 2 vols., 490 and 314 pp., 285 and 277 figs., Paris, Eyrolles, 1949. Price, 

F. 2300 (vol. 1) and F. 1600 (vol. 2).: 

14 
Included here is the subject matter ·of a course given by the author to 

students of public-works engineering. The first volume deals with soil investigation, drilling, earthworks, drainage, underground works, blasting methods, 

transport of excavated material, etc·. The second volume mainly treats of soil 

mechanics and foundations: determination of the foundation layer, prep~tory 

work for the foundations, use of piles and sheeting ·piles, pile driving, and 

various types of foundations and their protection. 

Kaisin, Felix, Jr. Geologie du genie civil [Engineering geology], Louvain, 

Belgium, Dewallens, 1947 (?). 

This volume deals with the contribution of geology to engineering work, 

in conjunction with the knowledge recently acquired on soil mechanics, an.d 

discusses geologic formations and rock characteristics, stratigraphy, age of 

formations, tectonics, landslides, erosion and recent sedimentation, glaciers, 

seashore erosion, wind action, hydrography, and surface and ground water. 

Examples of the ·application of geology to engineering work are given, as are 

examples of failures in construction that were due to lack of geological information. Numerous pictures and drawings show the application of geology in 

specific instances.-From a reference in Genie civil, no. 1, 1947. Date of 

publication and number of pages not given. 

Trefethen, J. M. Geology for civil engineers: Maine Univ ., Maine Technology 

Exper. Sta., Paper 56, 3 pp., June 1949. 

The use of geology as a tool of engineering has become an integral part 

of modem engineering practice. The civil engineer meets a .variety of problems in which geological training is of service. Therefore his engineering 

course should include. the basic principles of geology. The author gives several 

specific aims. of a properly organized course in geology for . engineers, which 

course of study should enable the engineer himsel~ to make use of geology as 

a tool and also to use the geological investigations· of others in the course of 

his professional practice. 

LANDSLIDES AND SUBSIDENCES 

Agard, M. Les glissement$, e~ eboulements des quartiers Saint-Raphael et 

Telemly a Alger et les travaux envisages en vue de la st~bilisation des 

terrains [The landslides and rock falls of the Saint~Raphael and Telemly 

districts in Algiers and stabilization methods· contemplated]: Ann ales 

des ponts et chaussees,. no. 4, pp. 465-480, 10 figs., July-Aug. 1948. 

The causes of the landslides and rock falls are here studied, including 

the breaking away of large blocks of molasse through disintegration and the 

perforation of the underlying marl layer, which expands under the effect. of 

infiltration accelerated by the glauconite present in the upper layers. The 

stabilization measures consist of drainage, construction of a dam for controlling the slide, and support of a cliff by means of underpinning.-Translated and 

adapted from abstract 41-23, Documentation technique de 1 'Institut Technique 

du B.ti"ment et des Travaux Publics, no. 23, Paris, Mar. 1949. 

15 
Cailleux, A.,, and Tricart, J. Urt type de solifluction, les coul~es-.boueuses [A 

type of solifluction, mud slides]: Rev. _geomorphologie dynamique, -vol. 1, 

no. 1, pp. 4-46, 15 figs., 2 tables, bibl., 1950. · 

. Topics discussed are characteristic external forms of mud slides, including 

various types in valleys and on steep smooth slopes; mechanism of sliding; original causes of mud slides as determined by the factors of lithology, permeability, fracturing, water content, slope, and several types of climate; and 

preventive and curative measures. A condensation in English ·is provided.-

D. J. V. . 

Denissov, N. J. On the theory of the processes of landslides·: Aka d. N auk 

SSSR, Doklady, vol. 54, no. 8, pp. 717-719, 1946. 

The sliding property of clay soils in the fluviatile valleys and along sea 

coasts depends ·upon the type of clay. This is a study of various factors that 

have to do with the sliding process: pressure,. cohesion, friction, etc.-Translated and adapted from Bull. anal. du Centre National de Ia Recherche Scientifique (10-16316), 1949. 

Dervieux, F. Etude geotechnique des glissements de terrains des coteaux d 'ElBiar, Alger [Geotechnical study of the landslides on the hillsides of E 1 

Biar, Algiers] : Terres, eaux, no. 1, pp. 48·57, 1 fig.,_ Jan.-Feb •. 1948. 

This is a geotechnical study of the ·ground upstream ·and downstream from 

the cliffs of El Biar for the purpose of finding out the causes of the disturbances that have occurred for many years in this region.-Translated and adapted 

from abstract 45-23, Documentation technique de 1 'Institut Technique du BQtiment 

et des Travaux Publics, no. 23, Paris, Mar.-Apr. 1949. 

Kit~l, Erwin. Derrumbamientos, deslizamientos y torrentes en caminos de montana 

de Ia Republica. Argentina [Rock falls, landslides and torrents . alo!lg 

mountain roads in the Argentine Republic]·: Universidad de Buenos Aires, 

Publicaciones de la Faculdad de ciencias exactas, fisicas y naturales, 

ser. B., no. 16, 91 pp., 41 figs. and photographs, 1939. 

This volume deals with certain superficial movemen~ of the earth crust 

and in particular with those soil movements that affect roads and. railroads. A 

study of these phenomena may help in avoiding or repairing the damages they 

cause. Before discussing and describing specific phenomena that have occurred 

along mountain roads in Argentina, the author first gives general data on 

(1) classification of mass movements; (2) causes of movements; (3) slides of 

loose masses; (4) slips of rock over inclined surfaces; (5) falls of rock of ·different types (granitic, volcanic, gneiss, mica-schist, slate, quartzite, etc.); (6) erosion and deposition of alluvium by torrents. This is followed by a description 

and a .special study of seven instances of landslides of various types in Argentina. · 

16 
Mackin, J. H. Engineering geology in West Seattle: Trend in Engineering, vol. 1, 

no. 3, pp. 24-26, Seattle, University of Washington, July 1949. 

Following a conference of representatives of the City Engineer's office, a 

committee of West Seattle residents concerned with. the Alki Avenue slide problem, and members of the University of Washington faculty, the work of mapping 

foundation materials in the Seattle area was started in West Seattle. A diagrammatic cross section of the West Seattle hill illustrates the general geologic 

relations of the larger sedimentary units that make up the hill.--Adapted from 

PRA's abstract. 

Messines, J. Les eboulements ?ans les gypses. Inefficacite des travaux de 

reboisement [Landslides 1n gypsum. Ineffectiveness of reforestation] : 

Paris Acad. Sci., Comptes rendus, tome 226, no. 16, pp. 295-296, Apr. 

1948. 

On January 30, 1948, a landslide occurred at Breuil, commune of PugetTheniers, in the Maritime Alps, France, on a steep slope consisting of gypsum 

and clayey ·marl and crowned by a terrace of old alluvium. A lake of about 

10 hectares was formed behind a dam due to the accumulation of fallen materials, and communications. were interrupted for several weeks.. The author 

studied the causes of the slide. They are multiple and result from morphologic, 

geologic, and exceptional meteorologic conditions. Owing to- heavy rain that 

fell for 8 days before the catastrophe, a sudden flood of the· Var and the afflux 

of seepage water from Gourdan Mountain filled the system of caves and underground galleries of .the Breuil terrace. Under the pressure of water, a collapse 

was produced by the rupture of one or several underground cavities, The 

pressure of captive water, ·with a strong horizontal component, combined with 

gravity, projected materials ·horizontally and completely dammed the valley 

across a width of more than 80 meters. This slide is similar to that of Roquebilliere in 1926. No direct intervention seems possible to avoid the reoccurrence of such a phenomenon in formations where the presence of extravasated 

gypsuin is found, and reforestation, in partic~lar, would be without ef~ect.­

Complete translation prepart:d• 

Wedler, D. B., and Leutkens, Vd. Bauten im Bergsenkungsgebiet [Constructions 

in mining districts subject to subsidences] , 1 vol., 100 pp.,numerous 

figs., Berlin, Max I.ipfert, 1948. 

The author deals with the effects, on surface structures, of settlements 

and subsidences ·resulting from mining. Theoretical and practical study of some 

practical solutions, with diagrams and plans, is included.-Translated and 

adapted from abstract 68-29, Documentation technique des Annales de'l Institut 

Technique du B&timent et des Travaux Publics, Paris, 1949. 

17 
MAPPING TECHNIQUES 

Hagen, Toni. . The use of ground photogrammetry for large-scale geological 

mapping: Eidgenossische Tech. Hochschule, Geod. Inst •• Mitt., no. 2, 

23 pp., 11 figs., Zurich, 1948. 

This communication is addressed to geologists, mining engineers, surveyors, 

and civil engineers. It describes the making of a photo-geological map from 

start to finish. The main chapters are: (l) The process ·of photo•geological 

mapping {principle of ground photogrammetry, selection of map scales,· instruments employed, station position, geodetic field work, plotting of the map, 

expenses of photo-geological method); {2) The plotted survey photographs; 

(3) Plotting of front elevation in the Wild stereo-mapping machine A6. Tpe text 

is ·supplemented by 3 plates: geological map of Mont Dolin, Valais, Switzerland; 5 geological front elevations of Mont Dolin; and 12 geological sections of 

Mont Dolin. 

Linton, D. T. The ideal geological map: Advance Sci. [Great Britain], no. 5, 

pp. 141-149, July 1948. 

This is a review of the geological maps existing in the various countries 

with an appreciation of. the methods followed in each one t~ solve the problems 

involved: indications that must be given, colors used, characteristics of the 

topographic background, etc, Deduction is made therefrom as to what should 

be the ideal geological map.··Translated from Bull, anal, du Centre National 

de la Recherche Scientifique, 1949 (10-16897), 

PERMAFROST 

Berezantsev, V. G. : On the strength of permanently frozen soil under the footings 

of structures: Myorzlotovedenie, vol. 2, no. 1, pp. 48-54, 194 7. 

The first question of importance ·is to which class the soil belongs; that is, 

whether its load-bearing. capacity depends on internal friction, on shear strength, 

or on both. A compression diagram for clay at a temperature of -10.4° C. and 

for ~andy soil at - 3.1o C. shows. a fundamental distinction in the behav~or 

of these soils after the proportionality limit is reached. Slightly frozen soil 

behaves like a hard, plastic body, but soil at lower temperatures acts like 

a hard, brittle body. It appears that the load-bearing capacity of frozen soils, 

with the exception of dry sandy soil, depends essentially on the shear strength. 

This conclusion is confirmed by a theoretical deduction based on Prandtl's 

theory and his formula for the ultimate bearing capacity. ·In that formula the 

intemal friction is relatively unimportant and may be neglected, especially, in 

the present case, with a shear strength of 2 kilograms per square centimeter or 

more and an angle of internal friction 20° or less, Values are given 'for the 

compressive strength of various soils at temperatures from 0.5° c. to - 2.00 c. 

A discussion of the phenomena in soil under strip footings follows, A formula 

is obtained for the initial plastic deformation at a given point. Experiments 

showed that with an increase in the extent of deformation in frozen ground a 

consolidated ela·stic body js formed, as in the' case of. rammed unfrozen soil. 

For frozen soil the shape of the consolidated body can likewise be assumed to 

be a prism of triangular cross section, The application of Prandtl's differential 

18 
equation to frozen soil is considered. It is found that the load at which failure 

occurs can be calculated for soil at not very low, though freezing, temperatures 

and that the results are sufficiently in agreement with the experimental values •. 

The formulas for initial plastic deformation and that for the load causing failure 

may . be used even for soil at rather low temperatures. The extremely high 

pressures that would be required in such cases make tests difficult.-Adapted 

from Building Science Abstracts, no. 502, Apr. 1948. 

Dementyev, A. I. On the classification of permanently frozen soil from the engineering point of view: Myorzlotovedenie, vol. 2, no: 1, pp. 55-57, 1947 •. 

In the classification of permanently frozen soils that is in common use in 

the U. S. S. R. the following are distinguished: horizontal extension (three 

soil types); vertical extension (two soil types); dependence on &easonal changes 

(two cases); physical condition of the soil, whether it is frozen soil in the normal state (that ~. cemented by ice to a solid monolithic body), dry ground, or 

plastic, permanently frozen ground. Russian Standard Specifications OST 

90032-39 state two principles for the design of buildings on permanently frozen 

ground, one to be applied when the soil condition is to be regarded as constant, 

the other when changes in the condition of the soil are to be expected. This 

connection between the condition of the soil and the principle of the structural 

design is of paramount importance. Suggestions have been made by experts 

for the classification of permanently frozen soil, some of which are' quoted; 

including the regulations for the design and construction of railways on frozen 

soil. A. precise definition of what is meant by a constant and a variable condition in frozen soil is needed, and also a numerical scale of conditions. It 

has been suggested that the temperature gradient--not only . the temperatures 

themselves, but also their vertical distribution-could be used. The development 

of such a numerical scale is of urgent importance for the design of structures in 

permanently frozen soil.-Adapted from Building Science Abstracts, no. 501, 

Apr. 1948. 

Kudryavtsev, V. A •. On the determination of the lower limit of permanent freezin_g·: 

Myorzlotovedenie, vol. 2, no. 1, pp •. 44-4 7, 194 7 •. 

The lower limit of a frozen soil stratum is determined by test borings in 

the soil, which has been thawed with a warm salt solution. A diagram .is given 

of the temperature gradient in a 500-meter· ·deep test pit during the gradual restoration of normal soil temperatures. These curves have a sharp break, .in this 

particular case at a depth of 200 meters; the conclusion reached, which was 

confirmed by theory, is that the break marks the lower . limit of the zone of 

permanent frost. The same conclusion applies t~ dry soil, but the break in the 

curve is less abrupt. Results can thus be obtained within a few hours which 

otherwise would necessitate waiting for months until the soil had frozen. again. 

--Adapted from Building Science Abstracts, no. 500, Apr. 1948. 

19 
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES OF ROCKS 

Denissov, N. J. On the relation of the properties of clayey rocks to climatic 

conditions [in Ru~sian] : Akad. Nauk SSSR, lzv., Ser. Geog. i Geofiz., 

vol. 12, no. 3, pp. 283-288, bibl., 1948. 

Climatic conditions influence the various stages in the formation of clayey 

rocks. The author describes particularly the relation between these conditions 

and the de;J&ity of clay of subaerial origin and assumes that the increase of 

moisture in clay formations with loess structure observed in southern Russia 

would be connected with the process of condensation of aqueous vapor.-Translated from Bull. anal. du Centre National de Ia Recherche Scientifique, 1949 

(10-66077). 

McCutchen, W. R. The behavior of rocks and rock masses in relation to military 

geology: Colorado Scha.ol of Mines Quart., vol. 44, no. 1, 74 pp., Golden, 

Colo., Jan. 1949. 

After a brief introduction giving a general classification of rocks in the 

earth's crust that are of interest to the military geologist, the effect of various 

factors on the physical properties of rocks is summarized. 

The properties of elasticity and plasticity in rocks are then treated. Some 

other characteristic phenomena of importance in the study of rock strengths, 

such as creep, fatigue, and endurance, are also mentioned. 

Failure of rock specimens under stress is given a detailed study. First, 

the accepted classical theories of failure are stated briefly; then the Mohr stress 

diagram .. is developed for a number of types of loadings, ending with a general 

state of stress. Using the Mohr stress diagram, a carefully controlled laboratory 

experiment on rock specimens is analyzed to deduce the manner of failure of rocks 

and the form of the envelope of rupture. 

Finally, several examples of static and dynamic loadings on rock masses, 

including stresa diatribution around a tunnel opening, propagation of elastic 

strain, and crater blaating, and the principles of similitude as they may be used 

in the study of military geology are diacuased. A specific example involving 

the detonation of an atomic bomb above an underground tunnel is presented as 

an illustration of the application of these similari~y principles.-Author's abstract. 

SOILS AND SOIL MECHANICS 

Ariano, R. Sulla coesione e sull'attrito interno delle terre [Cohesion and internal 

friction of soils] : Strade, no. 6, pp. 135-14't, 9 figs., June 1948. 

The knowledge of the coefficients of intemal friction and cohesion or" soils 

is of great importance in road construction. Generally one refers for these 

questions to Coulomb formulas, but experience shows that owing to the complexity of the method, they are not adequate. There is not always complete 

agreement on the definition of the parameters of these formulas. The author 

gives the reason for these divergences and stresses the influence of the moisture 

content on these parameters. Several apparatus for the determination of soil 

strength are described, a.nd diagrams and numerical tables show the reaults that 

20 
have been ottained.-Translated and adapted from abstract 58-21, Documentation 

technique des Annales de I 'Jnstitut Technique du Batiment et des Travaux Publics, Paris, Jan. 1949. 

Baudart, •••••. •• He flexions sur les pressions de terrains [Earth pressures] : 

Rev. univ. mines, vol. 60, no. 7, pp. 268-273, 3 figs., Liege, 1947. 

Topics discussed are the validity of the hypothesis concerning the plasticity of rocks; advantages derived from it in the representation or concept of the 

pressure phenomena that occur at great depth; danger of applying to earth 

pressures the conclusions drawn from the mathematical study of stresses in 

pulverulent media (coherent or elastic), as it is presently established; advisability of first determining by experiment the laws that govern earth pressures 

at diverse depths, laws that are still unkl}own; to attain this goal, the necessity 

of measuring stresses and earth movements; difficulty and actual importance of 

the scientific measurement of stresses.--Translated and adapted from Documentation technique des Annales de l'Jnstitut Technique du BAtiment et des Travaux 

Publics, Paris, tome 5, Oct. 1947. 

Bautechnik·Archiv [Archives of public-works technics], Bd. 3, 74, pp., numerous figs., Berlin, Wilhelm .Ernst & Sohn, 1949. Price, RM 7.20. 

This volume deals with the technics of foundations and contains inter· 

eating theoretical and practical contributions by several German specialists in 

this field: MUHS, Foreword; History of the Degebo (German society for the 

study of soil mechanics); VOLK, Twentieth anniversary of the founding of the 

Degebo: AGATZ and LACKNER, Unsolved problems in fo~ndation technics 

(earth ·pressure, underpressure, sheet piling, pile piers, massive foundations);· 

MUHS, Activity of the Degebo from 1938 to 1948, exploratory drilling for the 

determination of the bearing capacity of foundation ground, loading tests, settlements of large structures, geotechnical map of Berli~, compaction of soils, pile 

driving, determination of earth pressures, vibration, and other studies; LORENZ, 

Application of the seismic method of soil investigation to the construction of a 

dam; BRENNECKE and ANSORGE, Metrology principles applicable to the determination of settlements of large structures; FORTSCH and MUHS, research Ol! 'an 

inadequate foundation of compressorsi RAMSPECK and SCHULZE, effect of 

vibration on walls. and simple structures; and HERTWJG, Technical experimentation in geomechanics.-Translated and adapted from Travaux, P• 352, Aug. 1949. 

Bonnenfant, •••••••• , Les sols stabilises au b~ton d•argile (Clay-soil stabilization): 

Rev. g~n. des routes, no. 197, pp. 36-47, 5 figs., June 1948. 

This is a review of four general problems of soil mechanics: variation of 

the physical properties of soil as a function of the moisture content; variation 

of the strength of water; variation of the physical and chemical properties as a 

function of its previous state and of the treatments to which it may previously 

have been subject. Also included are research on the best "clay concretes" 

and a study of typical diagrams of the binder; incorporation of gravel; granulometric formulas and California test.-Translated and adaf.ted from abstract 146-

21. Documentation technique de l'Institut Technique du Batiment et .des Travaux 

Publics, Paris, Jan. 1949. 

21 
Capper, P., ~ ..... an~: C~s.s~e, W •. F. The mechanics of engineering soils, 279 pp., 

122 .ill.~.;,. 25: t,l>;Ie.s, London, E. & F. N. Spon, Ltd., 1949 •. ·Price, -21s. 

All the usual topics on soil mechanics are included, and a bibliography ot 

50 referenc~.s to· important papers is appended. The chapter on the classification 

of soils includes three classification systems; those- of the Building Research 

Station, A. Casagrande, and the U. S. Public Roads Administration, as well as 

several particle-siz~ classification systems, are illustrated. Apart from references to other w()rk~, very little descriptive matter is added to these tables of 

systems. Also treated are the methods of constructing flow nets and practical 

problems concerned with the settlement of foundations, piling, roads, and runways. · T4e final chapter covers site exploration in a fashion similar to that 

of the draft Britis~ standard code of practice for site investigations.-Adapted 

from a review in Civ. Eng. and Pub. Works Rev., London, Jan. ~950. 

Casagrande, L. Structures produced in, clays by electric potentials and their 

relation to natural structures·: Nature, no. 160 (4066), pp. 470-471, 1947. 

Experiments calTied out on London clay and Wyoming bentonite revealed 

that the prolonged electro-osmotic transport of pore water towards the cathode 

results in the formation of cracks in the soil around and between the electrodes, the pattern of the cracks following the equipotential lines. The strl;lC• 

ture persists even when the clay or bentonite is completely dry; when the sample 

is broken up, laminations following equipotential surfaces are seen. These 

laminations and a random-fissured structure exhibited by the sample are very 

similar in appearance. to the observed natural structure of the older sedimentary 

clays, for example, Oxford clay, Weald clay, and London clay.-Adapted from 

Building Science Abstracts, no. 495, Apr. 1948. 

Chisholm, Alan. Settlement of. st~uctures on clay foundations: Engineering 

[Great Britain], vol •. 168, no. ·4367, pp. 375-378, 20 figs., bibl., Oct. 7, 

1949. 

The properties of clay are first described. The author then states that 

the settlement of structures on clay foundations depends largely on the process 

of consolidatiop. and partly on elastic changes. The theory of consolidation 

assumes that voids of clay are completely filled with water; water and solids 

are completely incompressible; the coefficient of permeability is · constant; 

and the time lag of consolidation is due entirely to low permeability of clay. 

The process can he demonstrated by means of a mechanical device, which consists of a cylindrical vessel that co~tains a series of pistons separated by 

springs. The mathematical representation of the process of consolidation, 

causes of settlement of structures, methods and instr~ent used to measure the 

settlement, and information to he supplied by a soil ~urvey in connection with 

settlement observations also are given. · 

Caquot, A., and Kerisel, J. L •. Trait~ de micanique des sols · [Treatise on soil 

mechanics] , 1 vol., 385 pp., Paris, Librairie Gauthier-Villars, 1949. 

Price, F .• 1800. 

22 
This book . treats of the equilibrium of masses with internal friction, stability of pulverulent .. or cohesive soils, determination of pressures exerted by 

or against earth masses,- and estimation of strains to be expected in rocky 

grounds or sedimentary materials resulting from the disintegration Qf rocks 

with or without organic matter. Reviewing the ori~inal works of Boussinesq, 

the authors give a direct and rapid method of computation for the forecast of 

settlements. They also propose an: explanation of the laws of variation of 

internal friction, a theory of silo foundations, and various other syntheses of 

experimental results presented at the second international conference on soil 

mechanics. 

Debecq, A. La consolidation des terrains par la silicat~sation [Soil consolidation through silicification] ·: Chimie et .·industrie, vol. 61, no. 2, pp. 

144-145, Paris, Feb. 1949 •. 

This process of consolidation consists of introducing into the soil a waterglass solution, which is stable only in the presence of an excess of soda and 

which solidifies through the preCipitation of silica or an insoluble silicate. ·The 

author gives the principle underlying three European methods that have been 

used (Joosten, Gayard, and ·Francois). They differ only in the nature of the 

liquid ·introduced in the second place and in the way of proceeding to the two 

injections •. After consolidation the compression strength of the soil depends 

upon the nature of the soil and upon the process applied: for fine sand it varies 

from 10 kilograms per square centimeter to 40; for gravel, from 40 to 100 kilograms, and for quicksand, from 100 to 190 kilograms. The process may be 

applied to foundations,. to the underpinning of foundation grounds, and to cofferdams, dams, anchorages, an.d tunneli~ through soft groun~.-Complete translation prepared. 

F orschungsgesellschaft fiir das Strassenwesen. Abhandlungen iiber Bodenmechanik 

und Grundbau 1939·1948 [Transactions .concerning soil mechanics and 

foundations 1939-1948] , 215 pp., Berlin; Bielefeld, Detmold, Erich Schmidt 

Verlag, 1948. 

lntroduction.--Edgar SCHULTZE discusses the development of soil me· 

chanics in Germany since the end of 1~39. Topics discussed in subsequent 

sections, with their authors, are: · 

Section 1 (theoretical investigations).-SCHIEL, Friedrich, Theoretical 

approach to settlements; JELINEK, Richard, The soil as a transverse isotropic 

medium, stress distribution in a generalized state of uniform tension for transverse isotropic masses, stress . distribution in semi-infinite space for transverse isotropic masses; SCHULTZE, Edgar, Construction and analysis of failure lines; SCHIEL, ·Friedrich, Earth press\U"e on retaining walls, bearing capacity of foundations of any soil profile; SCHULTZE, Edgar. Earth pressures and 

soil failure. 

Section 2 (laboratory investigations ).-DUCKER, Alfred, Suggestion for 

the denomination of grain sizes; SCHIEL, Friedrich, Determination of grain sizes. 

23 
Section 3 (building-site 'investigations)....SIEDEK, Peter, Apparatus for the 

recovery of undisturbed sand samples; MUllS, Heinz, A new sampler for the 

recovery of undisturbed soil samples; LEUSSINK, Hans, Research on shear 

strain of large undisturbed bodies of soil; LORENZ, Hans, Present state of the 

dynamic method of soil investigation and its future outlook; SIEDEK, Peter, 

Loading test by means of a caisson; MUHS, Heinz, Performance and results 

of a large load test; EBERT, Philipp, Measming the pressure distribution in 

foundation ground by ~e~ns of pressure cushions; SIEMONSEN, Friedrich, 

Bearing capacity of foundation ground and its effect on the tensile stresses of 

a foundation. 

Section 4 (not given). 

Section 5 (earth and water pressures on consiructtons).-SCHUL'rZE, 

Edgar, Water pressures on levees, cofferdams, and dams. 

Section 6 (pressure and settlement determination for constructions).-

AGATZ, Arnold, and LACKNER, Erich, Foundation design and settlement study 

for a large construction in the region of the lower Weser. 

Section 7 (pile foundations).--HOFFMANN, Rudolf, Contribution to the 

question of the static and dynamic bearing capacity of piles; AHRENS, report 

on a SOo-ton loading test of a Franki pile. 

Section 8 (application of soil mechanics to road construction). LEUSSINK, 

Hans, Brief summary. of the present state of soil stabilization and dirt-road con• 

struction in Germany; REINHOLD, Friedrich, Some important .. properties of "soil 

concrete•; DUCKER, Alfred, State of experimental frost research in relation to 

road construction; ERLENBACH, Lutz, Observations on fi.ost damage in buildings 

and roads; LEUSSINK, Hans, New research on the vibration method; LOOS, 

Wilhelm, and AHRENS, ........ , Soil compaction. by the Franki·pile process for 

the foundation of a monumental structure; ERLENBACH, Lutz, Present status 

of the German methods of blasting in peat. · 

Appendix.-GOENER, •••••••• , Instructions and standards in the sphere o.f 

soil· mechanics and foundations; existing German laboratories working in the 

sphere of soil mechanics, bibliography of soil mechanics in Germany for the 

years 1939-47 (compiled by Edgar SCHULTZE and Peter SIEDEK). 

India Central Board of Irrigation. Standards for t~sting soils: Central Board of 

Irrigation Pub. 42, iii, 195 pp., 79 figs.,. Aug. 1948. 

Methods are given for testing soils as required for different engineering 

works to be carried out in India: (1) roads and airfield subgrades; (2) . low-cost 

roads; (3) earth dams; (4) embankments; and (5) foundations for bridges, buildings 

and dams. The tests recommended under these various headings, both for·routine 

con~truction purposes and for research work, have been outlined separately. Some 

of the methods are. based on American practice; some were evolved in India. 

24 
Jennings, J. E. Foundation bearing tests and ~heir interpretation: Nat. Building 

Research Inst. (South African Council Sci. Ind. Research), pub. 1, pp. 

23-25, 1 pl., 7 figs., Pretoria, 1948 • 

.This is· a theoretical and experimental repo11 on the bearing capacity of 

soils. Topics discussed are general considerations on the settlement of structures; the relation between shear tests and bearing tests; slight settlements; 

and rules governing the performance of the tests, which must be carried out 

with great care.-Translated and adapted from abstract 59-28, Documentation 

technique des Annales de l'Institut Technique du BStiment et des Travaux 

Publics, 1949. 

Kersten, J. S~ Thermal properties of soils: Minnesota Univ. Inst. Technology, 

Eng. Exper. Sta., Bull. 28,225 pp., 142 figs., June i, 1949. 

Thermal. conductivity tests have been conducted on 19 soils at a number 

of different density and moisture-content conditions. The tests have shown that 

the coefficient of thermal conductivity varies in the following ways: 

1. Above freezing it increases with an increase in mean temperature. 

2. Below freezing, for soils at low moisture contents, it shows very little 

change; for greater moisture contents, it shows an increase for a decrease in 

temperature. 

3. For a change from unfrozen to frozen soil, it changes variably according 

to the moisture· content. For dry soils it does not cha~ge; for soils of low 

moisture content, it decreases; and for soils of high moisture content, it in· 

creases. 

4. At a constant moisture content, it incr,ases with an increase in dry 

density. The rate of increase is fairly constant and is independent of the mois• 

ture content. 

5. At a constant dry density, it increases with an increase in moisture 

content. 

6. At a given density and moisture content, it· varies in general with the 

texture of the soil, being high for gravels and sands, lower for the sandy loams, 

and lowest for the silt and clay soils. 

7. It differs appreciably for different soil minerals. 

The specific heats of a variety of soils are all approximately the same. The 

values decrease with a decrease in temperature. The specific heat of soil-water 

mixtures may be calculated by proportion ~ccording to the percentage of weight 

of soil and water and the respective specific heats. The thermal conduct~vity 

of light-weight concrete slabs varies with the density. 

25 
Prediction of therm~l properties.--On the basis of the thermal conductivity 

tests, four charts are presented to aid in the prediction of conductivity values 

for any other soil. Separate charts are given for sands or sandy soils and fot: 

silt or clay soils; two of the charts are for frozen material and two for unfrozen. 

Since the specific heat values were found to be quite similar for all soils tested, 

it appears to be reasonable to assum~ the same value tor other .. soils. The diftusivity of a soil may be computed if its' coefficient of thermal conductivity, specific heat, and density are known. Thus, the determinations of this research also 

serve as a basis for estimating diffusivity.--Author's summary. 

Knight,. B. H. Soil mechanics for civil engineers, 264 pp., 114 ills., 34 tables, 

London, Edward Arnold & Co., 1949. Price, 21s. 

This is a basic and concise book of reference on the theories of soil mechanics. The most complicated mathematical proofs have been omitted, ·but 

sufficient mathematics is included to explain the theories involved. For those 

specialists who wish to investigate more thoroughly certain parts of the text a 

full set of references is provided that will enable them to pursue their studies. 

A particularly interesting chapter deals with the mineralogical and other properties of clay minerals, classifying them according to their structure and indicating the direction in which future research is desirable. The author has 

stressed the application of soil mechanics to road engineering problems. The 

stabilization of soils is treated with particular reference to road surfacings. A 

chapter on cuts, fills, retaining walls, and trenches will be found most useful to 

civil engineers. A most concise precis of the application of soil mechanics 

principles is surveyed in the last chapter. This volume, which is well illus• 

trated and indexed, forms a notable addition to soil mechanics literature.-

Adapted from a review in Civ. Eng. and Pub, Works Rev., vol, 44, n,o, 515, · 

Lmdon, May 1949. 

Kovda, V. A.'· and Lobanova, T. A. Soil stabilization by calcination and. heating 

[in Russian] : Pedology [USSR], no. 5, · pp. 293-303, 2 figs., 6 tables, 

bibl., English summary •. Date not kno~n. 

Alkaline and clay soils become more stable and mechanically more resistant after calcination at 250° to 300°; acid clays require 300° to 400°; the 

light, dustlike, a~d acid clays and the neutral soils with high moisture content, 

400° to 500°; loess, sandy clay, and •solonchaks" (saline, white alkali soils, 

according to G. W. Robinson) remain unchanged after calcination at 150° to 

500°. Calcination produces a stable crust 2 to 3 centimeters thick. A high 

moisture content (15 to 20 percent) reduces the effect of calcination.--Translated 

and adapted from Bull. anal. du Centre National de Ia Recherche Scientifique 

(1()..66152), 1949. 

Piaskovsky, ·B •. V. . Loess stabilization by a solution of silicate and salt [in 

Russian] : Pedology· [USSR] , no. 11, pp. 675-685, 5 figs., 5 tables, bibl. ,: 

English summary, 1946. 

Th.is paper is an elaboration of a method for stabilizing loess by means 

·olNa2"0. Sin;+NaCJ in solution, The improvement of some properties is obtained: 

26 
stability in regard to water, increase of solidity, reduction of permeability, change 

in filtering properties. The method used is a physico-chemical process producing 

a pellicle of gel of silicic acid at the contact of the solution with the soil rich, 

in salts.-Translated and adapted from s-un. anal. du Centre National de la 

Recherche Scientifique, 1949 (10-16814). 

Remenieras, G. Application de 1 'electroosmose a 1 'execution de certains travaux 

en terrains aquiferes [The application of electro-osmosis to certain types 

of construction on water-be.aring soils] : La Houille blanche, special no. 

A/1949, pp. 393-404, 12 figs., bibl., 1949. 

The author 'provides/ a general view ,of some recent applications of electroosmosis to· the acceleration of the drainage of very fine grained soils (particles 

under 1/50 millimeter) such as silt, loess, etc. The essential aspects of electro• 

osmosis and of two closely connected phenomenr\ electro-phoresis and the 

electromotive fofce of filtration, are briefly recalled. This is followed by an 

analysis of the remarkable work done by M. M. Schaad and Haefeli, of the Ecole 

Polytechnique, Zurich, who made experimental studies on the electro-osmotic 

actions produced by passing a direct current through fine-grained soils situated 

below the water table. The great values of the •electro-osmotic charge," which 

were measured in certain soils by the Zurich research workers, would come as a 

surprise to many engineers; they show that the actiQn of a relatively low-power 

electric .current can cause the natural filtration speed in very fine grained soils 

to increase 10 or even 100 .times. Electro-osmotic drainage, the success of which 

is thus accounted for, is used to •lower the water table • with a view to the 

construction of railway cuttings, foundations for large permanent structures, etc., 

on such fine-grained soils that classical drainage wells are ~seless. The examples of large-scale application given by the author after a note by 

M. Casagrande, the originator of this method, are particularly striking. Finally, 

the author indicates the tests he is carrying out with a view to the application 

of electrophoresis to the desilting of water ~ontaining particles that are too fine 

to allow the rapid clarification of the water by means of the conventional gravitytype desilting device or decanter.-Translated from La Houille blanche. 

Reynolds, H. R., and ProtQpapadakis, P. Site exploration, laboratory procedure 

and the preparation of a soil mechanics investigation report: Civ. Eng. 

and Pub. Works Rev. [Gr.eat Britain], vol. 44, nos. 513 and· 514, pp. 140-

144 and 198-201, 8 figs., Mar. and.Apr. 1949. 

The work involved in a comprehensive soil mechanics investigation may 

be divided as follows: (1) site exploration and soil sampling, (2) soil testing, 

(3) analysis of results obtained, (4) preparation of report. Information relevant 

to the first, second, and fourth stages is given in this paper: objects of the 

site investigation; feature'S to which consideration should be given; metho<Js of 

investigation; penetration test with boring rods; text pits; post-hole auger borings; 

boring tackles with winch borings; soil sampling; type of equipment and apparatus 

needed for a soil mechanics laboratory to perform classification and consolidation 

tests and to determine the structural characteristics ·of soils; basic requirement 

and details for a soil mechanics report of informatio' obtained both on the site 

and in the laboratory. 

27 
St,.tens Geotekniska lnstitut. . Kortfattat Kompendium i Geoteknik · [ Pre~is of 

geotechnics] , no. 1, 58 pp., bibl., StQckholm, 1946. 

The following chapters are included: (1) Soil properties; (2) Soil hives~ 

tigations; (3) Earth pressure; (4) Problems of stability and settlement; (5) Erosion; (6) Consolidation; (7) Admissible foundation loads on the different types 

of soils.-·Translated and adapted from abstract 49-21, Documentation technique 

des Annales de l'Institut Technique du a:timent et des Travaux Publics, Paris, 

1949. 

•• Tiedemann, B. Uber Bodenuntersuchungen bei Entwurf und Ausfiihrung von 

lngenieurbauten [Soil investigation in planning and building engineering 

st~uctures], 2d ed., 40 pp., 29 figs., Berlin, W. Ernst & Sohn, 1942. 

The author deals with the following subjects; shaft· and investigation 

borings; recovery of undisturbed samples; sample analysis; field investigations; 

necessary equipment; pumping and sinking.-Translated and adapted from abstract 

52-21, Documentation technique des Annales de 1 'Jnstitut Te~hnique du BAtiment 

et des Travaux Publics, Paris, Jan. 1949. 

Tsytovich, N. A •. Soil mechanics [in Russian], 2d ed., 388 pp., Moscow, Gosizdat, 

1940. 

This treatise is written primarily for civil engineers, but certain sections 

of the book are also of interest to geophysicists-fa~ example, the chapter on 

kinds of soil and their physical characteristics, granular composition, porosity,• 

permeability, density, and fluidity. A separate chapter deals with permanently 

frozen ground and observable phenomena in connection with its thawing and 

freezing. The last chapter deals with different methods of soil investigation 

for engineering purposes, procedure of sampling, laboratory testing, interpretation 

of the results obtained, and application of data obtained to field work,-S, T, V, 

(abstract 1~152 of U. S. Geol. Survey Geophysical·abstracts 137), 

Van Der Burot,. J H.'· and Van Bendegom, •••.•.•••• The use of vegetation to gtabilize sand dunes, London, lnst •. Civ. Eng.,. adv. copy, Sept •. 21, 22~ and 23, 

1948. 

The origin of Dutch sand dunes is given, together with the influences that 

govern their formation and transformation. There is usually some kind of vegetation in these dunes; this article describes the ways in which the people in 

Holland interfere with Nature in furthering the stabilization of these dunes. 

The main purposes of the stabilization are: (1) to check the burying of cultivated land and (2) the maintenance of the retaining walls. . The artificial formation of new dunes has also . been considered.-Adapted from India Central 

Board of Irrigation abstract 209, Feb. 1949. 

Verde yen, Jacques. Mec ani que du sol et fondations [Soil mechanics and foun· 

dations] , 1 vol., 568 pp~, 321 figs., Desoer, Liege, and Eyrolles, Paris, 

1947. Price, F. 1,200. 

28 
Soil mechanics, a scienc·e relatively young and in full evolution, let to a 

complete revision of all concepts, often empiric, that were at the basis of the 

study of foundations and of ground equilibrium, Currently, it enables one to 

explain and to avoid the numerous accidents that were due to errors of concept 

and interpretation. 

The present hook is a synthesis of knowledge acquired during the last few 

years, taking into consideration results of recent research hitherto unpublished. 

In the first part of the hook, the author explains the main theories and 

experimental methods actually used in soil mechanics. The second part deals 

with the main principles to he applied to the rational execution of the different 

types of foundations and gives numerous applications and examples of structures 

realized, which may assist the technician in the study of new problems that he 

has to solve.-Translated from Ge'nie civil, tome 124, no. 12, p. 244, 1947. 

Von Moos, Armin, and De Quervain, Francis. Technische Gesteinkunde [Technical mineralogy] , 220 pp., Basel, Birkhauser, 1948. Price, F. 33 (Swiss). 

This hook gives valuable information on both Lockergesteine (Swiss term 

for unconsolidated sedimentary deposits) and Festgesteine (rocks), the first au· 

thor dealing with the former and the second dealing with the latter. It fills a 

useful place between the textbooks on geology and those . on soil mechanics, 

It is· a valuable reference book, covering a wide and unusual field. 

The following chapter headings give an idea of the scope of the book: 

(1) Review of the most important rock minerals; (2) JmportaJ;lt technical prop• 

erties of rocks and taeir determination; (3) The major rocks and their behavior 

(Lockergesteine' and Festgesteine); (4). The behavior of rocks and soils I in 

foundation, etc. (foundations on rocks and soils, roads and runways, com• 

paction, dams, slips, adits, tunnels and shafts).; (5) Special requirements of 

rocks according to use; (6) Quarrying stone; (7) Working stone; (8) Weathering 

of building stone. 

Some <Jf the sections are quite short and only outline the subject. The 

hook is well illustrated by fhotographs and diagrams. There is an adequate 

index and bibliography, which, although it contains some foreign works; consist 

mostly of Swiss references (in German). 

29 

Interior~Duplioating Section, Washington, D. o .. P~ 511