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Object Blocking Giant Tunnel Borer Was an 8" Diameter Pipe
An anonymous reader writes "A few weeks ago we discussed news that a tunnel boring machine measuring 57.5 feet in diameter was halted underneath Seattle after running into a mysterious object. Project engineers have now figured out what the object is: an 8-inch-diameter pipe. In 2002, researchers for another project — the replacement of the Alaskan Way viaduct — drilled down into the ground to take water samples. They used the 115-ft-long pipe as a well casing. As it turns out, this well site was listed in the contract specifications given to all bidders for the tunnel's construction. In addition, the crew manning the machine noticed that it was chewing up pieces of metal, and they removed part of the pipe and kept going. Only later did they realize that significant damage had been done to the machine's cutting face. Officials aren't sure how long repairs will take, or how much they will cost."
Looks like somebody forgot to RTFM.
Even recent stuff tends not to be recorded in a nice way, like a computerized 3d model that can be used to keep all the data in one place and plan excavations. Instead it's often just a list of things in freeform text, like "well site at [lat,long], dug 2002, depth 115 ft". And older stuff is even less well documented; nobody really has an accurate map of what's under NYC.
10 PRINT CHR$(205.5+RND(1)); : GOTO 10
But it turns out that the boring machine found a boring object! (Why am I not surprised?)
Ezekiel 23:20
From TFA:
Chris Dixon, project director for contractor group Seattle Tunnel Partners, said the builders presumed there would be no pipe in the way, because casings are customarily removed after use.
When I dig in hole in my backyard, I may presume there's nothing in the ground. That's because if I hit a snag, my cost will be the price of the shovel.
But for a $1.44B hole in the ground, I'd want to make damn sure every inch I dig through presents abolutely no risk whatsoever. And since that's taxpayer's money, if I was Seattle resident, I'd sure as hell want to know who the fuck "presumed" stuff on my money...
"A door is what a dog is perpetually on the wrong side of" - Ogden Nash
Yo dawg, we heard you were digging a pipe, so we put a pipe in your pipe so you can tunnel while you tunnel.
#naabhaprzrag, #sverubfr-000, #agi-fcbafberq, negvpyr[pynff*=' negvpyr-ary-'] { qvfcynl: abar !vzcbegnag; }
You'd think someone would have a metal detector out there, to help find such things. Yeah, I know, too obvious in hindsight from an armchair.
Well, that was a boring boring answer.
However, Chris Dixon, project director for contractor group Seattle Tunnel Partners, said the builders presumed there would be no pipe in the way, because casings are customarily removed after use; adding, "ceci n'est pas une pipe."
Damn.
My money was on it being one of these: http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/9/90/Fringe_The_Arrival.jpg/250px-Fringe_The_Arrival.jpg
I was sure it was a buried UFO, after all it is the most likely explanation.
The problem is if there has been damage to the rest of the face, the support structure around the bits. This is not accessible while the machine is in operation, particularly for an earth pressure balance machine like they're using. (Required when there's lots of groundwater or a need to minimize surface disturbance, such as in an urban area.)
Yes, but was it an alien 8" pipe?
With some cities existing for >1000 years and having been dug over in WW2, there is often no knowing of what to expect when digging through the underground. Recently a builder operating a digger was killed by a WW2 era dud. Experts estimate that there are still 100k duds lying around and each year about 5k are being found.
Computer simulation made easy -- LibGeoDecomp
Absolutely true. Get the warnings in writing to CYA.
Table-ized A.I.
I still think it was aliens. They put the pipe there!
zosxavius photography
WW2 bomb blast kills digger driver in Germany: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-25594000
Privacy is terrorism.
Because the last 14 committees weren't enough.
This needs to be +6 painfully hilarious
The tunnel that Bertha's digging isn't another project — the whole reason for digging the tunnel is to replace the Alaskan Way Viaduct. See here.
The wells were drilled in 2002 to study the ground after the 2001 Nisqually quake. But that's a related project, because the Nisqually quake is the reason why we got to thinking about a replacement for the Alaskan Way Viaduct.
Am I making sense? I hope I'm making sense. At any rate, the story summary needs updating.
Remember that the article claims that the "Brown M&Ms" clause was mixed in with the *technical details*. It's quite possible that a sloppy promoter would hand the list of tech specs (with that in it) derived from the contract to whoever was responsible- and, of course, the tech guys, if they were doing their job correctly, should get back to the promoter saying "Have you seen this clause? That's not our job, but you should get someone to look at it".
As for the show being forfeit, that was (I assume) intentionally draconian, but as the other guy said, better that the show be cancelled than the stage collapse because instructions weren't followed- that clause gives the band a get-out if they have to do that due to the promoter's incompetence.
"Slashdot - News and Chat Sites Deviant". (Click "homepage" link above for details).
...we are promised things like UFO's, ancient relics, or rare treasure-filled archaeological wrecks, and we get what, a metal pipe? (or so they say)
And the documents show that.
Never assume. It makes an engineering project go belly up.
-- Tigger warning: This post may contain tiggers! --