COTA Austin - construction and infrastructure

[bhall]

You have to call it the Stone Mason-Dixon Line else no one will get it. Such is the nature of nuance these days.

Where, oh where, have you gone, subtlety?

[xpensive]

Wonder is Stonewall Jackson was involved in building that thang then?

[bhall]

Personally, I'd go extremely obscure and make a Van Morrison reference. But, that's just me.

[xpensive]

Without proper foundation to itself, any wall could be tooted down, that was learned 3500 years ago.

[Pup]

Actually, that method isn't unusual for retaining walls. The only question I have is how well they'll hold up over time to the expansive soil they have on site. They may actually be using this method to allow the wall to move.

What the photo does tell us, though, is why the wall looks like crap when it's finished: the workers doing the face stones are working from the back and can't see what they're doing. They should really have a scaffold and some semi-skilled guys working from the front. The other problem is that they are working in sections and the guys are building to their plumb poles, which is why the finished walls look like they have vertical expansion joints in them even though it's a stacked wall.

[Pup]

Mo' pics...

[xpensive]

Actually, that method isn't unusual for retaining walls. The only question I have is how well they'll hold up over time to the expansive soil they have on site. They may actually be using this method to allow the wall to move.
..

Could have fooled me, look's more like Tennessee Ernie Ford to me?

[Pup]

the sloped concrete in the pitlane is for drainage, it will be hidden, it is being done like that to maximize water runoff and undegrround drains....

Possible, but I'm not sure I buy it. You'd never have a drain grating that wide on pit lane, and if the grate isn't as wide as the sloped concrete, then it isn't doing anything but moving the bottom of the drain. Plus it looks in the photos I just posted that they've covered over the sloped concrete.

My best guess is that this is a weird footing for the concrete slab they're placing. Perhaps they're worried that the slab expansion will damage the asphalt that will be placed next to it, and so they've got this footing designed to hold that edge in place so that the expansion and contraction is taken up entirely on the opposite side. It does look like they've got a massive expansion joint right along the building edge.

[Mr Alcatraz]

Personally, I'd go extremely obscure and make a Van Morrison reference. But, that's just me.

"And It Stoned Me"?

[thearmofbarlow]

The other problem is that they are working in sections and the guys are building to their plumb poles, which is why the finished walls look like they have vertical expansion joints in them even though it's a stacked wall.

Hey, I can contribute...

They do that on purpose. There's less chance of shifting soil/wind/impacts taking a wall out in domino effect if there's a straight line going up it. With a traditional build style it's a chain reaction but with this there's a definite stopping point where the bricks or stones won't be taking others with them when they go. So yes, kind of like expansion joints... but for inevitable collapse.

The obvious retort is "Well just build it better!" but the fact is that we have so many environmental variables here it's best to build these things for repair.

[mx_tifoso]

Seriously, that image mystifies me, are those guys erecting a wall or xcavating a quarry?

...

The circuit is looking great! And I can't wait to see the glorious retaining walls on my flat screen tv come November!

[bhall]

Personally, I'd go extremely obscure and make a Van Morrison reference. But, that's just me.

"And It Stoned Me"?

Exactly. I'd talk about a Jelly Roll and then sheepishly giggle as I imagined the reactions of those reading it. I'm very easily amused like that.

[Mr Alcatraz]

Personally, I'd go extremely obscure and make a Van Morrison reference. But, that's just me.

"And It Stoned Me"?

Exactly. I'd talk about a Jelly Roll and then sheepishly giggle as I imagined the reactions of those reading it. I'm very easily amused like that.

The "Belfast Bad Boy" Not obscure to me, I grew up on Van!

[hairy_scotsman]

Exclusive video: Mark Winterbottom takes a go at @circuitamericas T11. Doubt it's the best, but it's the first

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=440583322643155


Travis County Commissioners vote down employee trip to British GP:

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=440731915961629


OSHA Investigates COTA subcontractor for lack of breaks & drinking water in 105F heat:

http://www.kvue.com/news/OSHA-Investiga ... 23315.html


Circuit of the Americas secures land to extend Kellam Road to Pearce Lane:

http://www.statesman.com/news/local/cir ... 04742.html

[hairy_scotsman]

Here's the Statesman's video from Mark Winterbottom's tour of COTA today:

http://bcove.me/wvx2xy67