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This paper examines the background, history, and results of multiple investigations associated with pyrite-based expansive soils spanning almost 40 years in conjunction with a private elementary school located in western Pennsylvania. The school was initially designed in 1960. Original construction was completed in September 1961 and the first signs of distress, which were primarily related to slab heave, were reported in early 1962. One wing of the school, a 1965 classroom addition (1965 addition) with different structural and foundation systems, did not experience any expansive soil-related damages and served as a valuable comparison throughout multiple subsequent investigations. Pyritic soil material in the subgrade in conjunction with oxygen-rich groundwater was determined to be the cause of soil movement and building distress. Expansive soil-related problems at the school continued for decades despite an investigation, civil court action, and judgment in the late 1960s followed by a remediation program in the 1970s and 1980s. Following a second round of investigations and litigation in the late 1990s, all of the original classroom, office, and gymnasium building sections, with the exception of the 1965 addition, were demolished in late 2000 and early 2001 based on safety concerns and economic evaluation. Investigation and monitoring to confirm subgrade conditions continued throughout the demolition process. As a part of this paper, the history of this case dating back to one of the early identifications of pyrite as an expansive element of concern in building construction, including one of the earliest comprehensive identifications of the complete chemical-microbiological oxidation process is presented. The initial 1960s investigation and conclusions are identified as well as the series of engineering, procedural, and construction errors that took place during and after the first remediation process that led to ongoing soil expansion and structural damage, including misguided actions and misunderstandings that complicated and delayed a final resolution in this case. Today, the industry is more familiar with the potential for pyrite-related construction problems, nevertheless, the paper incorporates lessons learned for avoiding problems and in particular, the procedural failures that led to the eventual need to abandon and demolish the school facility. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper analyzes the relationship between weather patterns and bird migration to determine the feasibility of a site-specific migration forecast. Autumn migration data from Hawk Mountain Sanctuary, Pennsylvania for ten species were correlated with individual weather variables. Stepwise multiple linear regressions revealed a positive relationship with raptor migration to northwesterly winds and wind speed and an inverse relationship to sea level pressure. Composite maps were created using data from days with the greatest migration counts for each species and categorized by synoptic situations. A relationship between bird migration and cold-front passage was revealed, with five of the species having their highest migration days after the recent passage of a cold front. Morphological differences are noted for birds in different synoptic groupings. The results suggest that a site-specific weather forecast for hawk watching sites is feasible. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The State Game Lands 33 Research and Demonstration Project (or the Bramble and Byrnes Study) was initiated in Pennsylvania, U.S., in 1952, which makes this project the longest continuous study documenting the effects of mechanical and herbicidal maintenance on wildlife and plants along an electric transmission right-of-way (ROW). The project has provided handson, scientific information on the effects of ROW maintenance for use by the scientific community, public, and utility companies. This paper briefly describes treatments, vegetation, and wildlife studies conducted on this ROW. In addition, the possible impact of highway development on the future of this study is discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Detailed information on coal transportation is a necessary and important element of energy policy formulation. At the intrastate scale comprehensive information is often difficult to collect because of industrial confidentiality. In order to test the accuracy of publically available data, origin-destination movements of utility coal are estimated for Pennsylvania, using a maximum-entropy model of spatial interaction. A series of models is evaluated incorporating assumptions on transportation cost and mode, connectivity of origins and destinations, and coal properties. The inclusion of contract arrangements through restricted connectivity produces the greatest improvement in estimated flows. Attempts to specify a general cost function by the addition of coal properties (Btu. sulfur, ash l produces no significant improvements in the goodness-of-fit. The paper concludes that the identification of unobserved transport cost data by the method of residuals meets with mixed success. The results indicate that separate calibration of large-volume flows is a useful direction for further study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]