Some Critiques

The primary purpose of this page is to present personal correspondence which suggests that some of the foremost authorities in geotechnical engineering seem favourably disposed to the new hydrodynamic approach to their speciality. I find it somewhat embarrasing to be here so blatently self-serving, but given the huge weight of academia ranged against a retraction of the current physical model of saturated soil behaviour, I feel it excusable/warrented to call upon any and all the help I can muster.

 

Ralph Peck * Ralph B. Peck, Professor of Foundation Engineering, Emeritus, University of Illinois, is well known to anyone in Geotechnics, and it would be fair to say he was the preeminant special consultant in this field for several decades. The definitive textbook "Soil Mechanics in Engineering Practice", he co-authored with Karl Terzaghi in 1948, is still our reference of first/last resort.

Yogi Vaid * Yoginder Vaid, Professor Emeritus, University of British Columbia, on the Vancouver campus, whose work over the years has earned him a worldwide reputation for the most exacting standards in triaxial testing at his Fundamental Soil Mechanics laboratory in UBC.

Jim Mitchell * James K. Mitchell, University Distinguished Professor Emeritus, Virginia Tech, and former occupant of the geotechnical chair at University of California, Berkeley has been, throughout my career, the acknowledged authority (the man to go to) on matters relating to difficult Ground Improvement projects.

Don Shields * To date, Professor Donald Shield's critique of Hodge's work, is the most thoughtful. Prior to joining the faculty of the University of Manitoba in Winnipeg he had the enviable privilege of studying under Peter Rowe at the University of Manchester. The single exchange of e-mails reproduced herein is all that was needed to communicate the conflicting positions.

David Carrier * Dr. W. David Carrier III, the founder and Director of the Lunar Geotechnical Institute in Florida, was the advisor to NASA during the Apollo 11 space program. He was the one who prepared Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin for what to expect when they first set foot on the Moon, and then how to go about recording soil/rock information and taking samples.

Carlos Lam * Dr. Carlos Lam, Lecturer, School of Mechanical, Aerospace and Civil Engineering, The University of Manchester, UK has found the Phoenix™ Machine a source of interest, and a mechanism worth investigation by his students. When asked if he gives credence to the new hydrodynamic model of geotechnical behaviour, all he said was: "Of course!"

 

At a later stage, this page will include anything I believe to be indicative of a change in the theoretical status quo.