Category: Retaining Wall

Reducing soil erosion, turning steep slopes into terraced backdrops, creating focal points in the landscaperetaining walls serve many purposes. Indeed, they are some of the most common ways to correct problems caused by hilly areas! Well-built retaining walls transform unworkable inclines into usable outdoor space for the garden.

Despite their simple appearance, though, these walls require a good deal of planningsometimes professional engineeringto keep their shape. Soil is heavy, especially when soaking wet from a recent rainstorm, so a basic retaining wall (four feet tall and 15 feet long) potentially has to support up to 20 tons of soil pressure. With every additional foot of height, the pressure of the soil increases substantially. Miscalculate your construction plans, and you could end up with a weak wall that risks bulging or, worse, collapsing altogether. For just this reason, retaining walls taller than four feet should be designed and constructed by the pros.

Shorter retaining walls, however, can be constructed by enthusiastic do-it-yourselfers equipped with some basic construction knowledge. Does that sound like you? If youre looking to get your hands dirty and enhance your landscape with a retaining wall, these guidelines for building a retaining wall will help you get off to a good start.

A retaining walls effect on the natural flow of water could impact your neighbors, so some communities require homeowners to obtain a permit before construction commences. You may have to submit plans for your wall and schedule a property inspection to ensure that building a retaining wall wont create drainage problems.

While youre at it, do also place a call DigSafe (811), a nationwide service that will notify local utility companies that you plan to dig. These can determine whether their buried lines will be in the way and mark their exact locations.

Retaining walls can be constructed using a variety of materials, from poured concrete and large timbers to natural stones, even bricks. For DIY purposes, opt for manufactured blocks that are designed specifically for building retaining walls; a locking flange along the bottom edge creates a secure attachment between rows. These blocks (available in gray and earthy tones in smooth or textured faces, like these at The Home Depot) can be found at virtually any home improvement store and many garden centers as well.

Your retaining wall will only be as strong its support system. For a stacked-block retaining wall thats no higher than four feet, a trench filled with three inches of crushed rock will help keep the wall from shifting and settling. The exact depth of the trench depends on the proposed height of the wall, but follow this rule of thumb: Dig a trench to be an eighth of the wall plus three inches. For example, if you want the finished height of your retaining wall to be three feet (36 inches) tall, youd need to dig the trench eight inches deep to accommodate three inches of crushed rock and about five inches (or an eighth of the visible retaining wall) to start the wall below grade.

The first course (or row of blocks) sets the stage for the rest of the wall, so its vital that you make it perfectly level. If it isnt, subsequent rows wont be level either, resulting in a retaining wall thats lopsided and unattractive. Use a four-footcarpenters level to ensure that the gravel layer below the first course of blocks is level before you start setting the blocks. Any discrepancies here will show up higher in the wall.

A wall that leans into the soil it retains is less likely to be pushed outward by soil pressure than a plain-old vertical wall. Design and build your retaining wall to slope at a minimum rate of one inch for every one-foot of rise (height). Fortunately, working with retaining wall blocks makes it incredibly easy to achieve this step-back construction! The locking flange on the bottom edge of every block guides it to click into position slightly behind the lower block, preventing the top blocks from being pushed outward.

Groundwater is the natural enemy of retaining walls. When it saturates clay-type soils, they swell and put excessive pressure on the backside of the wall. To avoid failure, make drainage provisions at the same time as you go about building the retaining wall. Backfilling the space behind the blocks with crushed stone and then installing a flexible perforated drainpipe (available at The Home Depot), also called drain tile, at the base of the wall could create the necessary escape route for groundwater. The perforated pipe will carry groundwater to each end of the wall where it can drain harmlessly away. The ends of the drainpipe should then exit on each end of the wall, and you may cover them with crushed stone to camouflage their appearance.

RELATED: The 10 Best Things You Can Do for Your Soil

After your drainpipe is in place, you should backfill the rest of the space behind the blocks with either sand or pea graveleither will allow water to filter through to the drainpipe at the base of the wall. For the best results, backfill with a few inches of the material after laying each course of blocks, and use a hand tamper to compact the material. By tamping the backfill every six inches or so, youll ensure that it is packed tightly, which will provide additional support from the pressure of the soil behind the wall.

While retaining walls taller than four feet should be engineered by professionals, you may be able to DIY a solution for a tall slope by creating two or more shorter tiered retaining walls as opposed to a single tall wall. A series of short walls adds visual texture, and each individual wall will support less soil weight, ensuring that theyre less likely to fail. When building a tiered set of retaining walls, position the higher wall behind the lower wall at twice the distance as the height of the lower wall. For example, if the lower wall is three-feet high, the higher wall should be set back at least six feet from the lower one. This keeps the higher one from creating pressure on the lower one.

Link:
Building a Retaining Wall: 8 Dos and Don'ts | Bob Vila

NASCAR driver and Capitals fan Ryan Ellis tried to drive his RMNB eFord into NASCARs nationally-broadcast race on FOX at 1 PM. Instead, the Ashburn, Virginia native got caught up in a wreck on lap five during the qualifying race.

Yes, he broke the Russian machine (again).

Before the race, Ellis said how important it was to qualify well so he could avoid any craziness in the middle of the pack. Unfortunately, he started in 18th and in row 9.

The @russianmachine car looked good coming off pit lane, @ryanellisracing pic.twitter.com/FmQ8SfHbID

Ian Oland (@ianoland) March 29, 2020

The race started inauspiciously enough, but on lap five things got crazy. Kyle Weatherman got into Justin Allgaier and both went into the infield retaining wall. Myatt Snider was sent airborne as other cars collected and wrecked behind those two. Trevor Bayne and Justin Haley were also involved.

Almost won it today . If they took the top-25 out of 30 Id have a chance.

For real though, had good speed but got caught up in a big ol crash lap 5.

Well get em next week, @russianmachine @AVSpecialists_ @TheTireStore! pic.twitter.com/RECBY9RJVW

Ryan Ellis (@ryanellisracing) March 29, 2020

Got put top of 3 lap one, and lost a bunch of spots but overall it was fun. Think we wouldve ended up like 6-10th.

Ryan Ellis (@ryanellisracing) March 29, 2020

I feel really bad for all the eGuys back at the eShop, Ellis said. We had a really good Russian Machine Ford until we got caught up in a massive crash on the back straightaway. I thought I was going to get through it but my dogs Andy and Barry told me to go low/middle through the crash and they guessed wrong.

FS1 replayed the wreck before the start of the NASCAR race.

Another look at the wreck pic.twitter.com/03hnyng4Wh

Ian Oland (@ianoland) March 29, 2020

For approximately a half second, the @russianmachine logo was on national TV so @ryanellisracing were still winners pic.twitter.com/f0NX7ACayO

Ian Oland (@ianoland) March 29, 2020

Only four of the 34 drivers who participated advanced into the big race. Those drivers were Ruben Garcia Jr., Ty Majewski, Anthony Alfredo, and the race winner Alex Labbe.

Before the qualifying race began, Ellis got a lot of attention on social media after he posted a video of himself driving through a crazy wreck during practice. He didnt even lift as he drove through flipping cars and smoke. Im so proud.

lolololol if this is any indication of whats to come pic.twitter.com/vRBJyJQMdt

Ryan Ellis (@ryanellisracing) March 29, 2020

Ellis also had some fun as well, ending his practice session by flipping into the fence.

Glad you took time to inspect the fence and make sure its safe during practice @ryanellisracing pic.twitter.com/s21H7wsrie

Ian Oland (@ianoland) March 29, 2020

Despite wrecking during the race, Ellis showed speed all week and believed he was fast enough to challenge for one of the top four spots.

He hopes that NASCAR considers adding a second race for XFINITY and Truck drivers on Friday nights.

Constructive criticism of LCQ. We really need to try to open it up to all @NASCAR licensed drivers no reason @TommyJoeMartins and a bunch of others couldn't get in there.

Really should be a 100 lap race or so with cautions. Allow 5 to transfer into the other race.

Ryan Ellis (@ryanellisracing) March 29, 2020

I think we all understand the big race needs to have guys like Dale JR, Biffle, etc. That's cool. But a lot of the other guys have sponsors that need to be represented and I think with the world struggling for live content, we could host our own race for everyone else on Fri/Sat.

Ryan Ellis (@ryanellisracing) March 29, 2020

That way even if people don't transfer in, they still get their sponsors exposure which is really important in this time. Also, 100 laps (and cautions!!!) would really help calm people down and make it seem like a legit race.

Ryan Ellis (@ryanellisracing) March 29, 2020

And guess what! Were already working on another session that we can live stream for those smaller guys/teams. We want to include everyone in the sport. I think @iracing and @iRacingMyers are doing a great job with getting all this done and we all appreciate it.

Ryan Ellis (@ryanellisracing) March 29, 2020

We cant wait to see whats next and thank you again to Ryan for letting us go along for the ride. This is the most exciting Sunday weve had in a while.

eRaceday at eTexas with the eRMNB eKansasland eAudioVideoSpecialists eFord!

Tune to https://t.co/maqsVpTUQI at 11am. @russianmachine @AVSpecialists_ @TheTireStore pic.twitter.com/fiwC0FjMrP

Ryan Ellis (@ryanellisracing) March 29, 2020

Headline photo courtesy of FS1

See the rest here:
Ryan Ellis, RMNB car gets caught up in 'the big one' at virtual Texas Motor Speedway - Russian Machine Never Breaks

Contractors are reporting faster-than-normal processing of permits from the EGLE and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for shoreline excavation and construction of rock-and-steel structures to protect homes and marine property.

The state environmental agency is typically issuing permits within 14 days and within two days for "really critical" requests, EGLE Director Liesl Eichler Clark said.

"We're working to make sure we're turning those suckers around as fast as possible," Clark told Crain's.

Grobbel, who worked for the state environmental agency earlier in his career, said he's witnessed a different approach to processing permit applications, which he handles for clients.

"It used to take six months to get a permit," Grobbel said. "They're speeding things up dramatically."

State regulators also have been triaging the situation at times, Clark said.

"Every week I'm hearing a different tweak to the policy where now (using) sand bags on an emergency basis is allowed without a permit," Grobbel said. "That was never the case prior."

Clark said the agency hasn't thrown out its regulations book.

But they've become more nimble as dunes make more dramatic shifts after big storms, sometimes leaving cottages on the verge of tumbling over Lake Michigan bluffs, she said.

"If a challenge is imminent, obviously we want them to reach out and communicate," Clark said.

Clark and some professionals in the shoreline construction engineering industry are pushing back on a legislative effort to suspend the permit process during periods of high water on the Great Lakes.

Senate Bill 714 would allow property owners to make emergency repairs to their shorelines if Lakes Michigan and Huron exceed 581.5 feet above sea level. For lakes St. Clair and Erie, permits would not be required under the bill if water levels exceeded 576.7 feet and 573.8 feet, respectively.

Those water levels were the existing mean levels measured on lakes Erie, St. Clair, Huron and Michigan in February, according to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' Office of Great Lakes Hydraulics and Hydrology.

Water levels in February were up 38 inches on Lakes Michigan, Huron and St. Clair compared with February 2019 and up 36 inches on Lake Erie, according to the Army Corps' Feb. 21 forecast.

Vanquishing the permitting process during periods of high water could lead to myriad legal disputes between lakeshore neighbors, said Mark Hurley, director of engineering for Gosling Czubak Engineering Sciences Inc. in Traverse City.

"Nothing's standardized then, so there's really no review process to go along with what's my neighbor doing and how could that affect me," Hurley said. "That would be a difficult one to get on board with."

No one erosion-control project is the same; every slope or lakefront property has its own unique challenges.

The permit process is not nearly as challenging as the logistics of excavating alongside highly developed shorelines with limited access points for heavy equipment to navigate around landscaping and existing retaining walls, Walton said.

"Many of these properties have compromised access," Walton said.

Grobbel said suspending the permitting process during periods of high water is "a recipe for disaster."

"Stuff will get built that shouldn't be built," he said.

Contact: [emailprotected]; (313) 446-1654; @ChadLivengood

Originally posted here:
Racing to stop erosion: Contractors inundated with shoreline construction work - Crain's Detroit Business

Warren Everts estimates hes taught about 1,500 students in his 60 years of teaching drivers ed. Lorri Sughroue/McCook Gazette

McCOOK, Neb. After teaching drivers ed classes in McCook for 60 years, Warren Everts found there were basically two types of students.

One group were the students who had never gotten behind the wheel before. That was fairly common, Everts said. Every year, Id have students get in and say, what does that pedal do? What does this pedal do? he said.

The other kind were those who had already been driving a couple years on the farm and thought they knew it all. So Id ask them, then why are you taking the class? And theyd said, my dad says I have to, Everts said.

Everts, 83, retired in January and estimated hes taught close to 1,500 students through the years. I didnt like teaching the classroom but I preferred being out on the road with kids. I liked the face to face contact.

He started in 1960 when he was teaching world history. Back then, the State of Nebraska reimbursed high schools for teaching the class and drivers ed was a requirement for graduation, Everts said. At one point, during the oil boon in the 1970s, the students would number over 100 each semester and even more in summer, requiring three teachers.

That meant Saturdays, after school and 10-hour days, he recalled.

There were only a few close calls during the years, he said. One time, a driver jumped the curb and hit a retaining wall. And I had just praised her for doing a beautiful job on parking, Everts said.

In fact, focusing on what students did right was a big part of his instruction, he said. Most times, if a kid did something wrong, I didnt have to tell them, they already knew it.

Everts said he had only one really bad accident while teaching and in that one, it wasnt even the students fault. A student driver had just completed parallel parking and was carefully pulling out, when a speeding vehicle from behind ran into them. The vehicle driven by the student was rammed into another vehicle and the windshield broke, spraying glass.

He and the student were pretty shook up, he said. She looked at me and said, does this mean I didnt pass, Evert chuckled. Afterwards, it was discovered that the driver of the other vehicle was talking on his cell phone, he said.

Everts wanted to make sure students had control of their vehicle and to do so, had them practice on rural roads in the county. Hed have the students drive just past a sharp curve, then have the students put the car in reverse and back up around the curve. For many, it wasnt easy and the car would sometimes come perilously close to ending up in a ditch.

You could see the exhaustion on some of their faces when we were done, he remembered. Other students navigated the challenge with ease, some commenting afterward, That was easy, usually I have a cattle trailer behind me, too.

His students werent only teens but adults as well. After he retired in 1997 from McCook High School teaching world history, he taught drivers ed at McCook Community College. There, his students included foreign wives of returning service men or older women who never had to drive before.

Another group of students he taught were grandkids visiting their grandparents in McCook during the summer. Drivers ed at the college was less expensive than in other places and for inexperienced drivers, McCook was a great way to begin, Everts said, with streets, highways, cross walks and traffic just not all at once.

More than half a century later from when he first started, Everts maintained kids didnt really change much through the years. Yet, he did see something occur year after year without fail when it came to teenage drivers.

There were always a group of kids who just liked to tear around, he said.

He and his wife, Ladonna, who was also a teacher at McCook Public Schools have three sons, 10 grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.

Original post:
Putting it in 'Park': Driver's Ed teacher retires after 60 years - McCook Daily Gazette

John Penney jpenney@norwichbulletin.com, (860) 857-6965 @jpenneynb

WednesdayMar25,2020at1:05PMMar25,2020at1:05PM

PLAINFIELD It was a busy Tuesday night for Plainfield police officers, with a stop-sign running, vehicle-hopping suspect tracked down and a flaming car crash being blamed on road-crossing deer.

At approximately 8:06 p.m., Plainfield Police Department officers attempted to conduct a motor vehicle stop on 31-year-old Chaz St. George, of Moosup, for allegedly running a stop sign. Police said St. George left the scene but was seen pulling into a private driveway on North Main Street.

Police said St. George fled his vehicle on foot and officers deployed department K9 Warin, who tracked the suspect to an area several streets away. Police said St. George was picked up by another vehicle, but was later found.

St. George was charged with interfering with an officer, driving with a suspended license and a stop sign violation. He was releasedon a $2,500 cash bond and is due to be arraigned on April 13 in Danielson Superior Court.

Hours later at 10:02 p.m., police and members of the Atwood Hose Fire Department and American Legion Ambulance were called to the area of 557 Putnam Road in the Wauregan section of town for a report of a car vs tree collision.

Police said a 2009 Nissan Rouge driven by a 31-year-old Plainfield man was traveling north on Putnam Road when several deer crossed in front of his vehicle, forcing him to swerve across the southbound land, off the road and through a patch of woods. Police said the mans vehicle struck a tree and retaining wall in a yard before it was engulfed in flames, according to a police press release.

The driver managed to get out of the vehicle and refused treatment for possible minor injuries. The crash remains under investigation.

See the article here:
Uncooperative deer and a vehicle-hopping suspect in Plainfield - Norwich Bulletin

Spectacular views from a spectacular home. From inside the house or outside on the deck you can see Helena Valley for miles. If that is not enough, out your back is the beautiful Mount Helena City Park. Trail heads are located right outside the back door. 5 bedroom, 3 1/2 bathroom air conditioned home that sits on cul de sec-like street leaving you with privacy yet, community. Enjoy your gas fireplace in living room while you sit and enjoy the views. An open main level living space, with plenty of natural light shining through. Stainless steal appliances, granite counter tops, and alder trim and cabinets. Beautiful hardwood and tile flooring throughout home. Master en suite with soaking tub and tiled shower. Landscaped yard that includes slate retaining wall and water fountain.

View Listing

See the article here:
3 of the Most Expensive Homes for Sale in the Helena Area - Helena Independent Record

Two of the biggest European cairns are facing destruction in the World Heritage city of Maulbronn, Germany. If it happens, the prehistoric monuments would be lost and scientific investigation impossible. This would be extremely unfortunate for all the citizens who would like to see these huge prehistoric cairns restored not buried under trash.

If the present owners of the citys quarry - Lauster-Steinbruch Stuttgarter Strae - had their way, the mighty buildings would be sold to the landfill operator Fischer in Weilheim and be covered by 400,000 cubic meters of construction waste.

The cairns in Maulbronn, Germany are under threat. (Author provided)

In the archaeology of Western Europe these impressive relics are generally referred to as megalithic cairns , but they are totally undervalued in Maulbronn. In other parts of Europe, these monuments have been investigated and restored for almost 70 years.

The long, stretched step-pyramids are similar to structures found in Brittany, on the Canary Islands, and in South America and Egypt (such as the mastabas of Saqqara). They are recognized as earlier, quadratic versions of the pharaohs pyramids.

Mastaba of Pharaoh Shepseskaf of the 4th dynasty. ( Jon Bodsworth )

Official and academic archaeologists have been aware of the existence of the megalithic cairns in Maulbronn for a long time, but no investigations have been completed. Some may believe that they dont like to be outperformed by citizen scientists announcing such sensational discoveries, but the discoverer Troy Hans Schliemann, was a citizen scientist too.

In Anglo-Saxon countries, citizen scientists may be considered as useful associates in public research, but in this country they are hindered by the state agency which protects historic monuments because they are forbidden by law to carry out excavations.

But it was only by examining the Zwerchhlde-Cairn of Sternenfels that we have proven that this supposed rubble heap does not only possess a circular wall, but also systematically set stonework deep inside it. In the early 2000s, geology students at the University of Karlsruhe performed geo-electrical measurements and detected a central cavity measuring 5 meters (16.4 ft.) in height in the mound. If this is the tomb, it is comparable in size with similar but more famous Egyptian structures. However, digging a tunnel to be certain of the find would require engineering skills and financial support.

The first time the three megalithic cairns of the area were mapped was by the surveyor Johann Michael Spaeth from Kleinsachenheim in 1761. The map is upside down, meaning the cardinal points are mixed up.

North should be located at the bottom of the 1761 map. (Author provided)

As you can see on the correctly orientated and shaded relief map in the image below, the volume of the quarry is virtually equal to the two purported rubble heaps. In fact, these heaps are built with square-hewn stones without mortar a technique that is seen in some of the oldest architectural features in the world.

A shaded relief map showing the three megalithic cairns. (Author provided)

You can see the exposed stonework at Cairn 2 next to the entrance at the corner of the building. If this was just a pile of rubble, it would consist of boulders, clay, sand, and remnants of broken stones. Yet here you can only find sandstone ashlars (finely-dressed stonework), which would have been used as paving blocks.

A dredger damaged the systematically placed stonework. Nonetheless, you can still see the horizontal set of stones at the very back. With the owners permission we could restore the wall within a day. But they have other interests.

The exposed stonework at Cairn 2. (Author provided)

The original faade of Cairn 1 is well-preserved all along the street side and obviously it was set with dry stones. The knee-high wall you see in the image below the prehistoric wall was built circa the 1940s - like the walls inside the entrance which were grouted with cement.

The original faade of Cairn 1 with the modern wall below it. (Author provided)

Cairn 3 is on the South-side of Stuttgart Road, on the citys builders yard.

Cairn 3. (Author provided)

This cairn shows ashlars over the entire wall. The typical stepped style of prehistoric cairn architecture is evident. This is one of the best-preserved specimens.

Cairn 3 is one of the best-preserved. (Author provided)

The megalithic grave it contains has been known about for a long time. It is closed by a steel door.

The steel door on Cairn 3. (Author provided)

You may not expect to find the entrance into the cairn so high up the side, but in the Schmie district we know of the existence of about 20 cairns and some of them have ramps to what are now destroyed grave chambers. This is especially true in Freudenstein, where one can see the existing foundations of grave chambers on what seem to be the second and third floors of a very tall cairn.

Over the years, people have used the well-shaped rock plates and cut stones of the grave chambers for their own purposes and so many of the cairns were reduced to their foundations. This is the sad story of the gradual destruction of our own culture. But it was not so different in Egypt - hundreds of pyramids shared the same fate. Since our monuments stood in archaic quarries the people who dismantled them may have been unaware of their importance.

Big blocks of stone were used in building the corner of the monuments. This was common in ancient buildings. But who would believe in the existence of prehistoric pyramids in this country if responsible archaeologists do not?

Big block cornerstones. (Author provided)

The former owner of the quarry, Rolf Burrer, told us that there are two more tunnels at Cairn 1.

A portal into a grave seems to be next to the access road at Cairn 2. There you can see big blocks of stone that are so familiar to people who have looked at the Egyptian pyramids. The burial chamber tunnel is arched in Cairn 2. The entrance is still walled up and the left side is obviously destroyed. It is the only part of the outer cairn where such big blocks are visible.

The visibly arched portal of Cairn 2. (Author provided)

As an art teacher who studied comparative art history I always compare such findings with more well-known prehistoric monuments, for example to the so-called kennel-hole portal tombs of Tobernaveen and Corracloona in Ireland , which are cut in stone too...

Tobernaveen and Corracloona portal tombs in Ireland. ( irishmegaliths.org.uk)

...and with the burial chamber entrance in the cairn of Montioux nearby Saint Soline in Eastern France. This Celtic period mastaba is dated by some archaeologists to about 1800 BC. However, others say 500 BC would be a more accurate date because iron tools were only officially used from about 800 BC.

Inside (Sylvain Crouzillat/ CC BY SA 4.0 ) and outside (Regissierra/ CC BY SA 3.0 ) the Montioux tumulus.

You can compare typical Celtic portals with the burial chamber portal of the mastaba of Pharaoh Shepseskaf of the 4th dynasty (2510 - 2500 BC), which was originally walled up, too. Such global comparisons are quite legitimate because pyramids are everywhere in the world and they are similar in architecture.

The Egyptian monument measures 99.6 meters (326.77 ft.) in length, 74.4 meters (244.09 ft.) in width, and 18 meters (59.06 ft.) in height. In comparison, Cairn 2 in Maulbronn measures 166 meters (544.62 ft.) in length, 82 meters (269.03 ft.) in width, and 20 meters (65.62 ft.) in height over the actual level of the road. Both the Egyptian and the German mastabas are comprised of red sandstone.

The entrance to the mastaba of Pharaoh Shepseskaf. (Author provided)

Because our portal is walled up to the archs apex it could be a wonderfully simple starting point in the search for the burial chamber. The retaining wall should be some meters thick, if you compare it with the Egyptian monument. But as things are, the prehistoric tomb is not allowed to be uncovered.

Following Dr. Wielands theory, the dry masonry walls should only appear at the base as an encircling wall of a rubble heap. But we find stone steps and horizontal stonework even on the crest of Cairn 1, where it makes little sense in terms of safety. In comparison, excavators found clay up to 4 meters (13.12 ft.) high along the sides of the pyramids of Teotihuacan, and in Giza meteoric clay from the monuments transformed into desert sands.

There are breaches on the summit of the cairn, which point to burial chambers that have been broken into. (Author provided)

At the street side of Cairn 1 you can see part of a stone step. The stonework could easily be uncovered down the side by removing the erosional rubble. (Author provided)

Horizontal dry stone masonry is visible on the steep Western slope of Cairn 2. The cairn has a length of about 166 meters. (Author provided)

In comparison Cairn F of Bougon has a length of about 72 meters. (Author provided)

If step pyramids were built all around the world, even by the prehistoric farming cultures of North America, why shouldnt there be any at the productive center of the prehistoric European continent? The preconditions were optimal. In the Celtic Iron Age they had enough raw material to produce steel tools thanks to their enormous ironstone on the Swabian Albtrauf.

Hill sides offered the necessary building blocks and after breaking the stable ground people were able to erect the monuments which are misinterpreted today, even by serious (?) archaeologists, as ordinary rubble heaps.

We do not know if both cairns on the North side of Stuttgart Road were built to be the same length. But there are clues. Near Schlaitdorf there are twin-cairns in front of a quarry too. They are not the same length, either. Maybe a King and Queen were buried together, side by side.

Near Schlaitdorf there are twin-cairns in front of a quarry too. (Author provided)

Nearby Roigheim has a similar layout at the long access path to the rock cut room. But here only one cairn was built along the way. Maybe the queen died and the king was lost on the battle field of the clan wars of the time. The rectangular quarry is completely filled by another cairn. Luckily this is one example which is not fully looted.

Nearby Roigheim has a similar layout, but only one cairn. (Author provided)

Another pair of cairns is standing at the top end of the cloister lake. It looks like the wings of a bird. The soul bird was a popular motif in ancient cultures and can be found on several rockfaces of our rock necropolises.

Another pair of cairns look like the wings of a bird. (Author provided)

The northern cairn. (Author provided)

Such well-preserved ancient stonework can be seen at the back side of the Southern cairn. Imagine, a wall in a rubble heap! I have never seen such a phenomenon before.

The back side of the southern cairn. (Author provided)

It is not the first time that impressive prehistoric monuments have been buried under rubbish. Near the city of Karlsruhe at Grtzingen there is a former quarry called Kaisergrub (Emperors pit or Emperors grave), a hint that once an emperor, presumably a Gallic Caesar, was buried in this stone grave. After World War II people built a landfill over this supposedly meaningless stone pit the garbage mountain is now taller than a forest.

Grne Heiner stands in Weilimdorf near Korntal. It is an imposing prehistoric construction. A triangular monument protrudes out of a quadrangular socket. The US military is said to have unloaded their rubbish at this site.

The rubbish heap over a monument in Weilimdorf. (Author provided)

And this is how it could soon look at Maulbronn. If it does, there is no chance of finding the entrance to the burial chambers.

The area of Fuchsberg near Haberschlacht, which served for decades as a nuclear missile site after World War II, was misused as a dump by the US army too. But there the triangular layout of the large monument is very well preserved. There seems to be a portal to an underground vault there, but concrete slabs block it. It could have been used as a storage space for unknown pollutants. We dont know.

The supposed portal is identical to the left eye of a stylized bull head. To the left side is the real dump. (Author provided)

It is incomprehensible that there is no acknowledgement of these big prehistoric monuments with us when you can encounter them everywhere in the country. They are never registered by archaeologists - quite the opposite of Great Britain, where people are proud of every single one, for example the tumulus of Langdale End, Scarborough, North Yorkshire.

The tumulus of Langdale End, Scarborough, North Yorkshire. (Author provided)

No one would dare to transform such a magnificent building into a dump. But with us only utilitarian thinking counts, our brilliant ancient culture seems to stand no chance against it.

Another significant example is found in Franconia near Nenzenheim. You can still see the long alley to the main doorway of this Celtic mastaba. It is 395 meters (1295.93 ft.) long, 230 meters (754.59 ft.) wide, and 27 meters (88.58 ft.) tall.

You can still see the long alley to the main doorway of this Celtic mastaba. (Author provided)

Every attempt to represent this building as a dump would fail because such an incision would never occur, it would have been filled in from the beginning. No one would try so hard to avoid a deep ditch like this. An entrance to the buildings interior should have remained open. You can imagine a subterranean disposal site, too. But you can only speculate how much rubbish was tipped on the original building.

If you compare the famous megalithic monument of Maeshowe on the Orkney Islands (circa 3000 BC) you see a similar long, deep incision. That mount is 7 meters (22.97 ft.) tall and its diameter is 35 meters (114.83 ft.) wide. The alleyway has a length of nearly 12 meters (39.37 ft.), but in Nenzenheim it is about 60 meters (196.85 ft.) long.

It makes you wonder, how vast are the hidden chambers of Nenzenheim?

The officials of the federal state of Baden-Wrttemberg are called upon to take responsibility for these colossal prehistoric monuments and start exploring the burial chambers we are forbidden to investigate ourselves.

At comparable taxpayers expense, unnecessary rescue digs are carried out just to explore the last cesspool of the Middle Ages, instead of important monuments of real world heritage, which could be restored for the people of our country and for all of mankind.

You can read more information about the current status of our research on our homepage: http://www.megalith-pyramiden.de

Top Image: The visibly arched portal of Cairn 2 in Maulbronn, Germany. Source: Author provided

Continue reading here:
Two of Europe's Biggest Cairns are About to Be Buried in Trash - Ancient Origins

In response to a news item published in Northeast Now on March 25, 2020, the district administration of West Garo Hills in Meghalaya has issued a clarification through its facebook page.

The news item was regarding repair of a retaining wall.

The post clarified that the permission to work on the retaining wall for the collapsing road was an emergency for which necessary permission was given one day before the lockdown.

Also read:Why did Meghalayas IAS officer defy Modis nationwide lockdown call?

The district administration of West Garo Hills maintained that the work continued as it was an urgent disaster management work exempted from curfew to be completed before the rains.

It further stated that the retaining wall was posing a threat to the health workers, police and other emergency services.

The wall was facing a threat of collapsing in case of rain, it stated.

The post further stated that as the labourers are now frightened by someone from working we (district administration, West Garo Hills) request concerned people to volunteer for work provided social distance is maintained in this crisis.

The work has been necessitated to avert another disaster on this road and adjoining houses.

The post, however, thanked Northeast Now in particular and the entire media in general for encouraging during these trying times.

Continue reading here:
Meghalaya: West Garo Hills administration clarifies on urgency to repair retaining wall - Northeast Now

Report Synopsis

XploreMRoffers a 9-year forecast for the foundation repair services market between 2018 and 2027. In terms of value, the foundation repair services market is expected to register a lower single-digit CAGR during the forecast period.

This study demonstrates the global foundation repair services market dynamics and trends across six regions: North America, Latin America, Europe, Japan, APEJ and MEA, which influence the current nature and the future status of the foundation repair services market over the forecast period.

Report Description

This research report provides a detailed analysis of the foundation repair services market and offers insights on the various factors driving the popularity of foundation repair services. The report includes an extensive analysis of the key industry drivers, challenges, trends and structure of the foundation repair services market.

The foundation repair services market study provides a comprehensive assessment of stakeholder strategies and imperatives for succeeding in the foundation repair services business. The report segregates the foundation repair services market based on the end user, service type and different regions globally.

The foundation repair services report starts with an overview of the foundation repair services market in terms of value. In addition, this section includes an analysis of the key trends, drivers and challenges from the supply, demand and economy side, which are influencing the foundation repair services market.

The foundation repair services market is classified on the basis of end-user, service type and region. Based on end user, the foundation repair services market is segmented into residential and commercial. Based on service type, the foundation repair services market is segmented into settlement repair, wall repair, chimney repair, floor slab repair and others (retaining walls, slope stabilisation, grouting and soil nailing).

A detailed analysis has been provided for every segment of the foundation repair services market in terms of market size analysis for the foundation repair services market across different regions. This section provides a detailed analysis covering the key trends.

The next section of the foundation repair services market report contains a detailed analysis of the foundation repair services market across various countries and regions across the world. This study discusses the key trends within countries, which are contributing to the growth of the foundation repair services market, as well as analyses the degrees at which the drivers are influencing the foundation repair services market in each region.

The key regions and countries assessed in this report include North America (U.S. & Canada), Latin America (Brazil, Mexico & the rest of Latin America), Europe (Germany, U.K., Spain, France, Italy & the Rest of Europe), Japan, APEJ (China, India, Malaysia, Singapore, Australia and the rest of APEJ) and MEA (GCC Countries, Israel, South Africa, & the rest of MEA). The foundation repair services market report evaluates the present scenario and the growth prospects of the foundation repair services market across various regions globally for the forecast period.

To offer an accurate forecast, we have started by sizing the current market, which forms the basis of how the foundation repair services market will grow in the future. Given the characteristics of the foundation repair services market, we have triangulated the outcome of different types of analysis based on the technology trends.

In the final section of the report, we have included a competitive landscape to provide clients a dashboard view based on the categories of providers in the value chain, their presence in the foundation repair services market and key differentiators. This section is primarily designed to provide clients an objective and detailed comparative assessment of the key providers specific to a market segment in the foundation repair services supply chain and the potential players for the same.

Key Segments

By End User

Residential

Commercial

By Service Type

Settlement Repair

Wall Repair

Chimney Repair

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Floor Slab Repair

Others (retaining walls, slope stabilization, grouting, & soil nailing)

Key Regions covered:

North America

U.S.

Canada

Latin America

Brazil

Mexico

Rest of Latin America

Europe

Germany

U.K.

France

Spain

Italy

Rest of Europe

APEJ

China

India

Malaysia

Singapore

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Australia

Rest of APEJ

Japan

MEA

GCC Countries

Israel

South Africa

Rest of MEA

Key Companies

BASIC FOUNDATION REPAIR

Foundation Repair Services, Inc.

Connecticut Basement Systems

Erics Concrete & Masonry Services Ltd.

Dwyer Companies

Supportworks, Inc.

SOS Foundation Repair

GROUNDWORK

MASTER SERVICE COMPANIES

RAM JACK SYSTEMS DISTRIBUTION

ADVANCED FOUNDATION REPAIR

BDRY

Maryland Building Industry Association

ARIZONA FOUNDATION SOLUTIONS

DFW FOUNDATION REPAIR SERVICES

ESOG.

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Read the original:
Foundation Repair Services Market to Witness Increase in Revenues by 2018-2027 - Monroe Scoop

ROUTE 29 / GAINESVILLE

No significant traffic impacts scheduled.

ROUTE 234 BUSINESS (SUDLEY ROAD) / MANASSAS

I-66 West near Bull Run

Monday, March 30, through Friday, April 3: 11:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon

Temporary 15-minute stoppages of traffic for blasting operations.

I-66 West between Route 29 Centreville and Cub Run

Monday, March 30, through Thursday, April 2: 8:00 p.m. to 5:00 a.m.

Friday, April 3: 8:00 p.m. to 9:00 a.m.

Three right lanes will be closed for crews to install bridge beams over Cub Run.

ROUTE 28 (SULLY ROAD) / CENTREVILLE

I-66 East and West between Route 29 Centreville and Stringfellow Road

Route 28 North and South between Route 29 and Braddock Road

Monday, March 30, through Friday, April 3: 11:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon

Temporary 15-minute stoppages of traffic on I-66 East and West, and Route 28 North and South for blasting operations.

I-66 West between Route 29 Centreville and Cub Run

Monday, March 30, through Thursday, April 2: 8:00 p.m. to 5:00 a.m.

Friday, April 3: 8:00 p.m. to 9:00 a.m.

Three right lanes will be closed for crews to install bridge beams over Cub Run.

Route 29 Centreville North and South at I-66

Turn lanes from Route 29 Centreville South to I-66 West

Monday, March 30, through Friday, April 3: 7:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

Saturday, April 4: 7:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.

Single lane closures on northbound and southbound Route 29 at I-66 for bridge pier construction. The turn lanes from Route 29 South to I-66 West will also be narrowed to a single lane.

ROUTE 286 (FAIRFAX COUNTY PARKWAY) / FAIR LAKES

Stringfellow Road North and South from Westbrook Drive/Village Square Drive to Fair Lakes Boulevard

Monday, March 30, through Friday, April 3: 3:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.

The right lane will be closed for utility relocation.

Route 286 North and South from Lee Highway (Route 29) to Fair Lakes Parkway

Monday, March 30, through Thursday, April 2: 9:00 p.m. to 5:00 a.m.

Friday, April 3: 10:00 p.m. to 8:00 a.m.

Two lanes will be closed for overhead bridge demolition of I-66 bridges over Route 286. Drivers should expect occasional 20-minute stoppages along northbound Route 286.

ROUTE 50 / FAIRFAX

Route 50 East at I-66

Monday, March 30, through Friday, April 3: 9:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.

The left lane will be closed for bridge abutment construction.

I-66 West from Route 123 to Route 50

Monday, March 30, and Tuesday, March 31: 8:00 p.m. to 5:00 a.m.

Three lanes will be closed for crews to a implement a lane shift at Waples Mill Road. Drivers should expect periodic 20-minute stoppages between 12:00 midnight and 4:00 a.m.

I-66 West from Jermantown Road to Route 50

Beginning 8:00 p.m. Monday, March 30, through Monday, April 20

The HOV lane will be closed for bridge pier work in the median.

I-66 East from Route 50 to Jermantown Road

Monday, March 30, through Friday, April 3: 8:00 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.

The HOV lane will be closed for bridge pier work in the median.

ROUTE 123 (CHAIN BRIDGE ROAD) / OAKTON CITY OF FAIRFAX

Ramp from Route 123 North and South to I-66 East

Sunday, March 29, through Friday, April 3: 10:00 p.m. to 5:00 a.m.

The ramp from northbound and southbound Route 123 to I-66 East will be closed. Traffic will be directed to I-66 West, to Route 50 East, and then stay to the left and follow signs to I-66 East.

I-66 West from Jermantown Road to Route 50

Beginning 8:00 p.m. Monday, March 30, through Monday, April 20

The HOV lane will be closed for bridge pier work in the median.

I-66 East from Route 50 to Jermantown Road

Monday, March 30, through Friday, April 3: 8:00 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.

The HOV lane will be closed for bridge pier work in the median.

ROUTE 243 (NUTLEY STREET) / VIENNA

Cedar Lane from Hilltop Drive to Cottage Street

Monday, March 30, through Friday, April 3: 7:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

Flagging operation alternating two-way traffic in a single lane for water line relocation.

I-66 East from Blake Lane to Nutley Street

Sunday, March 29, through Thursday, April 2: 9:00 p.m. to 5:00 a.m.

Friday, March 3: 9:00 p.m. to 9:00 a.m.

Two right lanes will be closed for barrier wall demolition. The eastbound collector-distributor lanes at Nutley Street will also be narrowed.

I-66 West at Nutley Street

Monday, March 30, through Friday, April 3: 9:00 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.

The right lane will be closed for paving work. The westbound collector-distributor lanes at Nutley Street will also be narrowed.

I-495 (CAPITAL BELTWAY) / DUNN LORING

I-495 North from Route 29 to I-66

Monday, March 30, through Friday, April 3: 7:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

Single lane closure for bridge work.

I-495 North and South from Route 29 to Route 7

Wednesday, April 1, and Thursday, April 2: 10:00 p.m. to 5:00 a.m.

Three left lanes will be closed on northbound I-495 and two left lanes on southbound I-495 will be closed for bridge work. Drivers should expect periodic 20-minute stoppages between 12:00 midnight and 4:00 a.m.

See the original post here:
I-66 Lane Closures and Traffic Changes, Week of March 29 - Prince William Living