IS ROCK DESIGN AN ART OR SCIENCE?

A majority of Ohio's highways were constructed before 1972 and many involved the construction of the roadways through rock cuts. Aging of these rock faces has resulted in their gradual degradation and a subsequent increase of rockfall incidence. At the same time, traffic has steadily increased requiring additional expansion of these roadways and the construction of new corridors. There is a need to redesign many of the existing rock slopes throughout Ohio. And, many of the major highway construction projects require the design of entirely new rock cuts. Previously, ODOT had not established a standard method for the design of rock slopes. This year, ODOT will issue a new geotechnical bulletin and a revised Specifications for Subsurface Investigations manual to provide technical guidance to ODOT's engineering geologists, geotechnical engineers, and its consultants for the investigation and design of rock cut slopes.