Slope failure saga in Hills of Rivermist subdivision (Houston, Boerne: neighborhoods, inspector)

[RGJ]

time for an insider at Pultex or the engineering company to save all the emails dating back to 2007 when the wall first failed....

[Montirob]

I know that Steel Man posted the Bing maps link, but I found this photo to be quite interesting (see below) - you can really see how much fill was brought in. I wonder (not being a geotechnical or civil engineer) if the fact that the fill was compacted at different times (since it was used as a road) had anything to do with the problem.

Not to support Pulte, but it looks like they may be correct in saying that the problem is isolated to this area of the subdivision. Too bad that the decline in property values will not be so isolated. My suggestion would be for Pulte to buy out the homeowners, demolish the 4 to 5 homes affected, and make those lots a community greenspace/park.

[RGJ]

Interesting artist's recreation of collapse

Wall collapse (http://www.mysanantonio.com/videos/82746992.html - broken link)

[Bo]

Originally Posted by RGJ

Interesting artist's recreation of collapse

Wall collapse (http://www.mysanantonio.com/videos/82746992.html - broken link)

That's cool. Kudos to the folks at mysanantonio.com for effectively illustrating something that is hard to envision from the aftermath.

[huckster]

Many, many tons of earth there, that many will displace the soils around it , that is toward the path of least resistance. It is called ground pump.
If the soil is very damp the weight of one person can displace earth
a little. It feels as if one were walking on a sponge.
My best guess is that the soils nearer to the house were well compacted.
However the subsoils next to the retaining wall were not, or not well enough
during backfilling . As heavy rains fell and the yard drained, the rainwater collected and seeped down at the juncture of the wall and the backfill. The same thing happened below. Fluids will not remain at rest under pressure, it will move from simple gravity -under the wall. Compacted soil will cause water runoff far more readily than uncompacted soils.
Without being there to observe it myself ,I can only surmise.

That might be, but what caused the soil in the alley to buckel and heave forward and knock down the retaining wall of the home on the bottom of the hill?

Weight is weight, if compacted or loose. the weight of the soil on the hill blew out the soil in the alley...below the retaining wall.

look at the soil in the alley between the large wall and the wall at the backyard of the home at the bottom of the hill.[/quote]

[majormadmax]

Another development...

S.A. homeowners ask Austin for protection against builders

AUSTIN, Texas -- A group of homeowners from the San Antonio neighborhood where a sinkhole is ripping apart the ground were in Austin Wednesday letting lawmakers know about their problem.

They say their home values have dropped drastically over the past few days since the sinkhole formed.

“It was somewhat of an upscale area -- now it's not. It’s not going to be ever the same again. We're very disappointed that no one paid attention to what they were selling when they were selling these homes and everything else around there,” said Terry Lisherness, homeowner...(more)

p.s. I notice a few in the press are still calling it a "sinkhole"... And what in the heck is the news anchor on the left wearing?!?

[Rottnboys]

Originally Posted by majormadmax

And what in the heck is the news anchor on the left wearing?!?

The upholstery fabric from a 68 Camaro.......

[Rapscallion]

Originally Posted by Rottnboys

The upholstery fabric from a 68 Camaro.......

Actually, I had a similar pattern on the recaro seats in my '79 mustang pace car. Although, it was a checked pattern and I'm guessing this to be a very dowdy houndstooth.

[HillCountryHotRodMan]

Well, y'know what they say.... "Keep Austin Weird"!!!

I'd love to get that pattern for the seats in my Mustang.

So what do y'all think is going to happen over the next few days with the rain and all? I saw on the news they threw down tarps over the newly placed soil.

[wCat]

Originally Posted by Dopo

I was listening to talk radio this morning and I got pissed off.

Here's the way I see it (from what I understand):
- Engineering company designs the retaining wall
- Engineers approves and seals the drawings, making himself responsible for the design.
- Contractor/builder builds the structure based 100% on the engineer's design.

This morning on talk radio, the whole time they were saying:
"Why did the city allow them to build it if it doesn't meet city code?"
Constantly blaming the city, and not saying 1 word about the engineering company or the builder.
It's also funny that this is the same guy that everysingle day says: "Take all regulations off of business and let the market decide"

It bothered me, because it seemed to me like the people on radio were making a huge effort to take the blame from the people that build that POS and pass the blame to the city.
If the city is responsible for any mistake made by engineering companies or their contractors.... what's the point of hiring them?

From my point of view, it's like blaming the city for allowing people to drive without insurance.

The article quoted Roderick Sanchez, director of the city's Planning and Development Services Department. Sanchez said such retaining walls require permits but are not inspected by the city.

Well...Houston, we got a problem. All the engineering and contracting and permits and planning were really a waste of time if no one inspected it. The is the cherry on top of the cake.