Suggested classification of Muskeg for the engineer

This Annual Report covers the activities of most of the Canadian Members of the International Society of Soil Mechanics and Foundation Engineering, for the period June 1951 to June 1952. Its primary purpose is to serve as a annual report of the Canadian Section of the Society, as required by statutes.Le Comit\ue9 associ\ue9 de la m\ue9canique des sols et de la neige du Conseil national de recherches s?est int\ue9ress\ue9, depuis le d\ue9but de ses travaux, aux \ue9tudes des sols canadiens. Le muskeg forme une grande proportion de la superficie totale du pays. Bien que ce type de terrain se rencontre dans les r\ue9gions moins accessibles, son importance tend \ue0 \ueatre m\ue9connue des habitants des r\ue9gions urbaines.Reprinted from The Engineering Journal, November 1952Peer reviewed: NoNRC publication: Ye

The use of plant material in the recognition of norther organic terrain characteristics

In recent years emphasis has been placed on the importance of muskeg as a major land type in Canada. Aware of this, the writer and his associates have been concerned with a fundamental method of reference for muskeg. Adequate description of the medium proved difficult because definition must not only relate to material, but also to conditions or states to which the material and the environment contribute separately and in combination.On met en relief depuis quelques ann\ue9es l?importance du muskeg comme type de terrain au Canada. C?est dans cette perspective que l?auteur et ses associ\ue9s se sont pench\ue9s sur une m\ue9thode de r\ue9f\ue9rence fondamentale pour le muskeg. La description ad\ue9quate du milieu s?est av\ue9r\ue9e probl\ue9matique car sa d\ue9finition doit non seulement couvrir le mat\ue9riau constitutif lui-m\ueame mais \ue9galement les conditions ou les \ue9tats auxquels contribuent le mat\ue9riau et l?environnement, s\ue9par\ue9ment et conjointement.Reprinted from Transactions of the Royal Society of Canada volume XLVII: Series III: June. 1953Peer reviewed: NoNRC publication: Ye

Muskeg access, with special reference to problems of the petroleum industry

Reprinted from The Canadian Mining and Metallurgical Bulletin, July 1956Peer reviewed: NoNRC publication: Ye

Range of structural variation in organic terrain

From the aspect of national economy, problems concerning organic terrain in Canada are now becoming very critical indeed. The development of the Northwest in particular is accompanied by heavy financial loss because the properties of muskeg are seriously inhibiting normal engineering progress. The frustration arising from this is intensified by the obvious fact that the rate of development of northern exploration is ever increasing, and it has surpassed the contribution that muskeg research has so far made. Theconcern shown by the oil and forestry industries and by agencies responsible for road construction is being brought to the attention of the Associate Committee on Soil and Snow Mechanics of the National Research Council. It is hoped that this trend will continue, for it effectively leads to formulation of pertinent programmes for muskeg research.En regard de la conjoncture \ue9conomique nationale, les probl\ue8mes li\ue9s aux sols organiques au Canada deviennent effectivement tr\ue8s critiques \ue0 l?heure actuelle. Le d\ue9veloppement du Nord-Ouest en particulier s?accompagne de lourdes pertes financi\ue8res car les propri\ue9t\ue9s situ\ue9es sur le muskeg inhibent s\ue9rieusement les progr\ue8s normaux en mati\ue8re d?ing\ue9nierie. La frustration qui en d\ue9coule est aggrav\ue9e par le rythme du d\ue9veloppement de l?exploration nordique qui s?acc\ue9l\ue8re manifestement plus que jamais, et parce que ce d\ue9veloppement a maintenant d\ue9pass\ue9 la contribution de la recherche r\ue9alis\ue9e jusqu?ici sur le muskeg. La pr\ue9occupation manifest\ue9e par les industries p\ue9troli\ue8res et de la foresterie, ainsi que par les organismes responsables de la construction routi\ue8re est actuellement port\ue9e \ue0 l?attention du Comit\ue9 associ\ue9 de la m\ue9canique des sols et de la neige du Conseil national de recherches du Canada. Nous esp\ue9rons que cette tendance se maintiendra, car elle se traduira effectivement par la formulation de programmes aff\ue9rents \ue0 la recherche sur le muskeg.Peer reviewed: NoNRC publication: Ye

Peat in Canada and Britain economic implications

The Associate Committee on Soil and Snow Mechanics is one of about thirty special committees which assist the National Research Council in its work. Formed in 1945 to deal with an urgent wartime problem involving soil and snow, the Committee is now performing its intended task of co-ordinating Canadian research studies concerned with the physical and mechanical properties of the terrain of the Dominion. It does this through subcommittees on Snow and Ice, Soil Mechanics, Muskeg, and Fermafrost. The Committee, which consists of about fifteen Canadians appointed as individuals and not as representatives, each for a 3-year term, has funds available to it for making research grants for work in its fields of interest. Inquiries will be welcomed and should be addressed to: The Secretary, Associate Committee on Soil and Snow Mechanics, c/o The Division of Building Research, National Research Council, Ottawa, Canada.Le Comit\ue9 associ\ue9 de la m\ue9canique des sols et de la neige est l?un parmi pr\ue8s de 30 comit\ue9s sp\ue9ciaux qui \ue9paulent le Conseil national de recherches du Canada dans ses travaux. Form\ue9 en 1945 pour faire face \ue0 un probl\ue8me de nature urgente en temps de guerre concernant les sols et la neige, le Comit\ue9 peut maintenant remplir sa fonction pr\ue9vue de coordination de la recherche canadienne portant sur les propri\ue9t\ue9s physiques et m\ue9caniques des terrains du Dominion. \uc0 cette fin sont affect\ue9s des sous-comit\ue9s sur la neige et la glace, la m\ue9canique des sols, le muskeg et le perg\ue9lisol. Le Comit\ue9, qui compte environ quinze (15) Canadiens habilit\ue9s comme particuliers et non comme repr\ue9sentants, chacun pour un mandat de trois (3) ans, dispose de fonds pour subventionner des recherches mises en ?uvre \ue0 l?int\ue9rieur de ses champs d?int\ue9r\ueat. Nous vous invitons \ue0 soumettre toute demande de renseignements \ue0 l?adresse suivante : le Secr\ue9taire, Comit\ue9 associ\ue9 de la m\ue9canique des sols et de la neige, a/s la Division des recherches en b\ue2timent, Conseil national de recherches du Canada, Ottawa (Ontario), Canada.Peer reviewed: NoNRC publication: Ye

Progress report on organic terrain studies

During the summers of 1947, 1948, and 1949, extensive investigations were carried out near Churchill on muskeg or "organic terrain" as it may more appropriately be called. The work has been divided into two parts, serial and gorund investigations.Au cours des \ue9t\ue9s de 1947, de 1948 et de 1949, des investigations pouss\ue9es ont \ue9t\ue9 r\ue9alis\ue9es, pr\ue8s de Churchill (Manitoba), sur le muskeg ou les sols organiques, comme on appelle parfois ce type de formation. Les travaux ont \ue9t\ue9 subdivis\ue9s en deux (2) parties, soit les investigations s\ue9rielles et les investigations p\ue9dologiques.Peer reviewed: NoNRC publication: Ye

Muskeg impedence factors controlling vehicle mobility - The Spot light is on Swan Hills

In Canada where muskeg covers 500,000 square miles of the land, access in these areas is becoming more and more important whether the new horizons are sought in the interests of agriculture, forestry, mining, or engineering development in areas like Swan Hills.Le muskeg couvrant 1 295 000 km2 (500 000 mi2) du territoire canadien, l?acc\ue8s \ue0 ces r\ue9gions devient de plus en plus important, que l?on convoite de nouveaux horizons dans l?int\ue9r\ueat des d\ue9veloppements \ue0 venir en agriculture, en foresterie, en exploitation mini\ue8re ou en ing\ue9nierie, dans des r\ue9gions comme celles des collines Swan.Peer reviewed: NoNRC publication: Ye

Structure as a basis of peat classification

Despite the fact that methods exist for identifying and classifying peat qualitatively on a structural basis, they are inadequate when quantitative expression of structure is attempted. This imposes a limitation on geotechnical analysis and a comparison of peat type.Il existe des m\ue9thodes pour identifier et classer les tourbes au point de vue qualitatif en se basant sur leur structure. Elles ne conviennent pas lorsqu'on d\ue9sire obtenir une expression quantitative de la structure. Cette situation impose des limites \ue0 l'analyse g\ue9otechnique et \ue0 la comparaison des types de tourbe.Peer reviewed: NoNRC publication: Ye

Correlation of palaeobotanical and engineering studies of muskeg (peat) in Canada/La corr\ue9lation d'\ue9tudes pal\ue9 obotaniques et de m\ue9canique des sols sur le muskeg (la Tourbe au Canada)

Muskeg is a very important component of the terrain of Canada. Research into this complex material has been in progress for the past 10 years. From the outset, engineers have realized the need of an investigation of a fundanlentally botanical nature to bring some order out of the apparent chaos. The studies were carried out using the principles of palaeohtany and from this has evolved a system of classification of muskeg for the engineer. This classification system is based on surface and sub-surface characteristics of the organic terrain. Surface characteristics of relevance to the engineer include vegetative cover and topography. In the development of the system, sub-surface characteristics were determined from microscopic examinations of samples of the material by a palaeobotanist, who interpreted the results in terms used by engineers. In theapplication of the system, relevant macroscopic sub-surface characteristics are fibrousness and woodiness of the material. Preliminary engineering studies of the properties of muskeg, employing soil mechanics principles, are being linked-both in the laboratory and field-to this classification system.Le muskeg est un composant tr\ue8s important du terrain du Canada. Des recherches ont \ue9t\ue9 faites sur ce mat\ue9riau complexe pendant les dix derni\ue8res ann\ue9es. D\ue8s le d\ue9but, les ing\ue9nieurs ont reconnu le besoin d'une recherche d'un caract\ue8re essentiellement botanique, pour apporter quelque ordre \ue0 cette apparente confusion. Les \ue9tudes ont \ue9t\ue9 faites en employant les principes pal\ue9obotaniques et, de celles-ci, on a d\ue9duit un syst\ue8me de classification du muskeg, pour l'ing\ue9nieur. Ce syst\ue8me de classification est bas\ue9 sur des caract\ue9ristiques superficielles et sous-jacentes des terrains organiques. Les caract\ue9ristiques de surface qui rel\ue8vent au domaine de l'ing\ue9nieur comprennent la couverture v\ue9g\ue9tale et la topographic. Dans led\ue9veloppement du syst\ue8me les caract\ue9ristiques de la couche sousjacente ont \ue9t\ue9 d\ue9termin\ue9es par des exarnens microscopiques sur des \ue9chantillons, effectu\ue9s par un pal\ue9obotaniste qui a interpr\ue9t\ue9 lesr\ue9sultats exprim\ue9s en termes employ\ue9s par les ing\ue9nieurs. En employant ce syst\ue8me, les caract\ue9ristiques macroscopiques importantes de la couche sous-jacente sont la fibrosit\ue9 et la lignosit\ue9 de la rnati\ue8re.Les premi\ue8res \ue9tudes des propri\ue9t\ue9s du muskeg, faites par des ing\ue9nieurs employant des principes de la m\ue9canique des sols, sont rattach\ue9es \ue0 ce syst\ue8me de classification-aussi bien au laboratoire que sur le terrain.Peer reviewed: NoNRC publication: Ye