Crushed Stone Granular Surfacing Materials, HR-2046 and MLR-90-07, 1990

This project included the following tasks: (1) Preparation of a questionnaire and survey of all 99 Iowa county engineers for input on current surfacing material practice; (2) County survey data analysis and selection of surfacing materials gradations to be used for test road construction; (3) Solicitation of county engineers and stone producers for project participation; (4) Field inspection and selection of the test road; (5) Construction of test road using varying material gradations from a single source; and (6) Field and laboratory testing and test road monitoring. The results of this research project indicate that crushed stone surfacing material graded on the fine side of Iowa Department of Transportation Class A surfacing specifications provides lower roughness and better rideability; better braking and handling characteristics; and less dust generation than the coarser gradations. It is believed that this material has sufficient fines available to act as a binder for the coarser material, which in turn promotes the formation of tight surface crust. This crust acts to provide a smooth riding surface, reduces dust generation, and improves vehicle braking and handling characteristics.

Proceedings at the Laying of the Corner Stone of the New Capitol Building at Des Moines, Iowa, November 23, 1871.

An act to provide the State of Iowa with a new state capitol building was enacted on April 14, 1870 and then on Thursday, the 23d day of November, 1871, the corner stone of the new capitol building, at the city of Des Moines, was laid with appropriate ceremonies

Experimental Macadam Stone Base Des Moines County, HR-175, Construction Report, 1977

In today's era of advanced methods, it is interesting that a centuries-old Roman road-building concept can be the most attractive alternative available. The need for a less expensive road base construction method is very apparent, especially to the county engineer faced with maintaining quality lower traffic volume farm-to-market roads. The revival of the Macadam stone base is one possible solution. Des Moines County believed a Macadam road had excellent possibilities for their particular needs. They proposed a research project designed to eliminate some of the unknown factors of Macadam stone base construction. It is the intent of this research project to develop standardized design procedures and serve as an aid for others in constructing a Macadam base roadway. The Iowa Department of Transportation has published special provisions for the construction of Macadam stone bases that were adopted as the guideline specifications for the research project.

The Economic Potential of the Spergen Formation in Seven Southeastern Iowa Counties, HR-189, 1978

The middle Mississippian (Meramec Series) units include the Spergen Formation, the St. Louis Limestone and the Ste. Genevieve Formation which outcrop sporadically within a curvilinear subcrop band trending through southeastern and central Iowa. Studies of these units as they occur in Iowa have been cursory in the past, especially with regard to the lowermost occurring Meramecan unit, the Spergen Formation. The Spergen Formation, as it occurs in southeastern Iowa is being considered as a desirable concrete aggregate source. At present, the depth of occurrence, thickness variations and geographic extent are very poorly known and the nature of lithologic variation in Iowa is obscure. Due to a paucity of information of its thickness, extent and nature of rapid lateral facies variations, the full economic potential of the unit has not been realized in some areas of southeastern Iowa. This is especially disheartening in view of the decline of acceptable concrete aggregate source materials in southeastern Iowa. This report is an attempt to synthesize subsurface and surface data in order to present a more coherent picture of the depth, thickness and lithologic variations of the Spergen Formation. Recommendations have been made for the exploration of specific areas within the field area for future development of surface quarrying and subsurface mining operations where thickness, lithology and depth characteristics deem consideration. Due to the lack of adequate data points in some quadrants of the field area, some of the recommendations are drawn on rather tenuous grounds, but a concerted effort has been made to be conservative in these judgements.

Reinforced Earth and Stone Columns for Weak Subsoil Conditions, HR-510, 1980

Reinforced Earth is a French development that has been used in the United States for approximately ten years. Virbro-Replacement, more commonly referred to as stone columns, is an outgrowth of deep densification of cohesionless soils originally developed in Germany. Reinforced Earth has applicability when wall height is greater than about twelve feet and deep seated foundation failure is not a concern. Stone columns are applicable when soft, cohesive subsoil conditions are encountered and bearing capacity and shearing resistance must be increased. The conditions in Sioux City on Wesley Way can be summarized as: (1) restricted right of way, (2) fill height in excess of 25 feet creating unstable conditions, (3) adjacent structures that could not be removed. After analyzing alternatives, it was decided that Reinforced Earth walls constructed on top of stone columns were the most practical approach.