"Wisdom begins in wonder" – Socrates
Pavement Milling
02/05/26
“Why do we remove the surfaces of paved areas during some infrastructure work?”
Pavement becomes worn out over time and needs repairs. This might require Pavement Milling, where the top layer of the road is ripped out before repaving. Developers can reuse the milled pavement into the new surface.
Image credit: https://www.everpads.com/
Reservoir Course (Porous Pavement)
02/03/2026
“Where does porous pavement hold water?”
Porous pavement can hold water that enters its surface. But how exactly does it do that? Well, inside the porous pavement there is a section called a Reservoir Course. The reservoir course used air voids to hold water until it can infiltrate into soils or sub-drains away. The reservoir course can vary in size according to project needs and any applicable regulations.
Reservoir Course (Porous Pavement)
02/03/2026
“Where does porous pavement hold water?”
Porous pavement can hold water that enters its surface. But how exactly does it do that? Well, inside the porous pavement, there is a section called a Reservoir Course. The reservoir course used air voids to hold water until it can infiltrate into soils or sub-drains away. The reservoir course can vary in size according to project needs and any applicable regulations.
Image credit: https://water.phila.gov/
Retaining Walls
02/02/26
“How can we keep sloped or elevated soil from falling over?”
Many human-built landscapes have soil rising steeply above the ground. If left to itself, this soil would fall over with wind, water, and/or gravity. So how can we prevent this? Well, what if we were to build a wall that would keep the soil back as a dam does to water? Well, this is the idea behind Retaining Walls. People must design retaining walls to resist the lateral pressure of soil and any inclement elements.
Leachates
02/01/26
“What happens when liquid picks up dissolved/suspended solids as it moves through a permeable layer?”
Liquids can move through permeable layers. Sometimes, the layer may have soluble or suspended solids along its journey and form what’s called a Leachate. Leachate properties are dependent on the liquid and its solvent. Leachates from stormwater landing on landfills can pollute nearby surface and groundwater.
Image credit: https://d2t3x0k5v8rzxl.cloudfront.net/
Fluid Pressure Diagrams
01/31/26
“How can we visualize how fluid pressure changes with depth?”
Fluids increase in pressure as you get deeper. If the fluid has a non-uniform density with depth, then the pressure will increase differently at different heights. We can visualize this information with a Fluid Pressure Diagram, which graphs depth on the negative y-axis and pressure on the x-axis. Fluid pressure diagrams are a great way to find out what the force on an area of the fluid container is because you can integrate the fluid pressure diagram and multiply by surface area.
Waste Compaction
01/30/26
“Why do people compact waste?”
Waste takes up space. The less dense the waste is, the more land area it takes to store it, increasing complications. By densifying it with Waste Compaction, we can make waste storage easier to manage. This follows the same logic as you shoving boxes together before taking them out to the trash. While waste compaction is useful, it can also destroy items that may be reused.
Bond Value
01/29/26
“How can we estimate the current value of a bond?”
Entities take out bonds for all kinds of reasons, ranging from infrastructure development to trade balancing. Financial institutions want to know how much a potential bond might be worth. To accomplish this, people can estimate the present value of the bond’s final worth and the present value of the bond payments to arrive at the Bond Value. Bond values are fundamental for quantifying a bond’s appeal.
ESC Dust Control
01/28/26
“Why is it so important to implement dust control practices during construction erosion and sediment control?”
Construction operations disturb soil and unleash dust into the surrounding area. This dust can pose a major health problem for surrounding communities. Construction roads, movement access points, and other disturbed areas can create dust pollution. Construction operators can implement ESC Dust Control, such as vegetation buffer areas, soil stabilization, mulch, spray adhesives, barriers, windbreaks, and polymer additives. ESC Dust Control is an important aspect of preventing air and water pollution.
Isaac's Science Blog 