Initial Settlements Research Articles

Behavior of an embankment on New York varved clay

The foundation soils for an embankment in New York State constructed on preconsolidated varved clay were instrumented to determine pore pressures and settlements during and after construction. Four embankment cross sections, three of which had sand drains, are analyzed in this paper. Predictions of the in situ undrained pore pressures, initial settlements and final consolidation settlements are presented and compared with the results of field measurements. Undrained pore pressures and initial settlements are predicted using the finite element program FEECON for plane strain embankment conditions and elastic theory for three-dimensional embankment conditions. Final consolidation settlements are predicted using a modification of the Skempton–Bjerrum approach. At cross sections with sand drains, predicted undrained pore pressures are adjusted to account for the effect of the sand drains. In addition, vertical and horizontal coefficients of consolidation are determined from the field measurements and compared with laboratory values of vertical coefficients of consolidation. The results of the investigation indicate that the proposed prediction techniques yield reasonable predictions of undrained pore pressure and initial settlement. Additional case studies are required in order to evaluate the predictive methods for the rate and amount of consolidation settlement.

Initial settlements of Raft Foundations on sand: A review : Fraser, R A CSIRO Division of Applied Geomechanics technical report 23, 1975

Initial settlements of Raft Foundations on sand: A review : Fraser, R A CSIRO Division of Applied Geomechanics technical report 23, 1975

THE LOCATION OF RIVER TOWNS IN THE CENTRAL LOWLAND OF THE UNITED STATES

(1959). THE LOCATION OF RIVER TOWNS IN THE CENTRAL LOWLAND OF THE UNITED STATES. Annals of the Association of American Geographers: Vol. 49, No. 3, pp. 305-323.

Two Isochronic Maps of Settlement in Oregon

36Yearbook of the AssociationVol. 18 TWO ISOCHRONIC MAPS OF SETTLEMENT IN OREGON Georgia Ellen Adams University of Oregon Following the examples of the Dodge1 and the Zelinsky2 isochronic studies of New England and Georgia respectively, I have attempted to analyze the settlement pattern of the state of Oregon.3 The importance of such a method for understanding the impact of settlement on the culture of this particular region is apparent when one realizes that even today Oregon has the major portion of population, political groupings and major industries in the Willamette valley, the area first settled by the pioneers. In addition to cultural values pertaining to settlement, I have attempted to determine the extent to which natural barriers and routes of transportation have affected settlement frontiers, as well as to determine the nature of the flow of settlement in Oregon from one place to another. There are few data in the many histories of Oregon that give specific historical settlement data for geographical locations in the state as a whole, though several have discussed settlement of the Willamette valley. In fact, there were many areas for which the data were so meager that these areas could not be adequately plotted on the accompanying maps. The first map includes some 600 dates which were gleaned from various state, county and local histories. (See Fig. I). These dates represent the first significant agricultural settlement for each area. As can be expected, there were few dates available for initial rural settlements. Land deeds were of little use in determining first settlements, as many of the pioneers failed to file a claim for from 5 to 20 years after settling on the land. The second map was plotted entirely from Payne's study of post offices in Oregon.4 (See Fig. 2). This list contained some 2000 cities and towns, giving both the date of opening and closing for each. However, many of these were representative of towns no longer in existence and of the total number only 902 could be plotted for this study. This map was done separately to show the differential in this type of information from those given as historical dates, although Zelinsky suggested a postal study as a possible means of determining settlement patterns. In order to interpret the accompanying maps, some of the historical and geographical features of the state will be included. There are four principal mountain ranges and several minor ones in the state. The Cascade mountains and the Coast Range both run north and south through the entire state, and have acted as primary natural barriers to the advancing frontiers. The Siskiyou mountains are located in the southern quarter of western Oregon and the Blue mountains in the north eastern quarter. All are 1956of Pacific Coast Geographers37 extremely rugged mountain chains, with the Coast Range being lower than are the other groups. The Cascade range divides Oregon into two distinct sections, western and eastern Oregon. Eastern Oregon consists largely of a high volcanic plateau, colder in winter, warmer in summer and considerably drier than the western part of the state. There are no great agricultural valleys in central Oregon, but in the far eastern section, the valleys of the Grande Ronde, Powder and Burnt rivers resemble those in western Oregon. Among the distinctive features of western Oregon are the numerous valleys formed by the several mountain chains, the principal ones being the Willamette, Rogue and Umpqua valleys. The Willamette is by far the most attractive in all respects, being approximately 150 miles long and fron 30-60 miles wide. It is the most thickly populated area in the state and is the best suited for varied agriculture. The Willamette River and its tributaries, along with that of the Columbia River, formed the major means of transportation for the early pioneers and at one time in the early pioneer history, a river steamer operated from the falls at Oregon City to the city of Eugene, a distance of almost 120 miles. Historically speaking, the region was first entered by an American in 1792, when Capt. Robert Gray discovered and ascended the Columbia River, thereby forming the basis for the subsequent claims to, and acquisition of, the...

Changes in Transportation and Agriculture

It is a favorite pastime, particularly among speakers who seek to make a favorable impression upon the farmer by their oratorical efforts, to proclaim that agriculture is the basic industry on which everyone depends. No one will quarrel with the idea that we must have food. However, it does not take extended reflection to arrive at the conclusion that our economic organization is not truly portrayed if it is pictured as resting on a single pedestal. While farming is one support, there are others that are essential and transportation certainly is one of these. Under our present development of agriculture, market organization, and population centers, the consumer commonly is found at a considerable distance from the point of production and the raising of the products on the farm would be largely wasted effort were it not for transportation facilities which can transfer them to the consumer. It is because of this fundamental importance of transportation to agriculture that any change in the methods, facilities, or costs of carrying farm commodities, produces very definite influences upon the industry. These changes often upset the relationships previously existing among competing areas with the consequence that their effects may be felt far from the areas where they take place. The development of this country furnishes illustrations of this fact. The initial settlements naturally took place in areas near the coast or accessible to the coast by natural waterways. While intrepid pioneers invaded the interior to a surprising extent, settlement of distant areas awaited transportation progress. For a long time, interest in transportation centered about waterways and highways. During those days livestock was driven overland long distances to market. Real agricultural settlement of the Middle West, however, followed in the wake of railroad building. The extension of railroads into the virgin prairies of the interior and the expansion in agricultural production created new and strenuous competition for farming areas in the East. An excellent illustration of a transportation development of far reaching effects upon farming is supplied by the refrigerator car. The earliest attempts at rail shipments in freight cars with special refrigeration protection came only some sixty years ago.