THE
EN
G
N
GTO
TIN
CLUB OF
HU
ERS
N
INE
FO
UN DE D
19 3
Engi-News
7
The Engineers Club of Huntington
ECHonline.org
Volume 79, No. 4
Editor: Denis C. Chabot, PE
April 17 th Meeting Notice
April 17, 2015
Pre-Meeting Film for April 17
Geopier Slope
Reinforcement and
Stabilization Systems
“Biomimicry”
A new discipline – Engineers using nature to find
sustainable solutions to human problems
Additional PDH Credit for attending the PreMeeting Technical Film beginning at 5 PM
By: Kevin L. Osborne, EI
ECH 1st Vice-President and Program Chair
The April 17th meeting of the Engineers Club of
Huntington will feature Mark Salveter, PE and Jim
Bullard, PE of the Geopier Foundation Company.
Geopier Foundation Company developed the first
Rammed Aggregate Pier® system in 1989. Today,
Geopier® solutions provide an efficient and costeffective Intermediate Foundation® solution for the
support of settlement sensitive structures.
The Geopier SRTTM system is a slope
reinforcement technology implemented to stabilize
See Article on Page 2 for
Complete Description
Note: Reservation Procedure for April only
For electronic reservations, there has been no
change to the procedure, and we prefer that you
continue to use [email protected] The change
is for those who must call in their reservation – for
April, please call Sam Clark at (304)522-2723.
staggered array of uniformly spaced rows. It is
well suited to rapidly and economically stabilize
landslides that occur on sites that have difficult
access or require minimized environmental
disturbance and to stabilize steep slopes to
create more buildable space for developments.
The method has been used for highway slopes,
commercial developments, creek bank repairs,
unlined canal slopes, levee slope repair, and
mudflow source areas.
The Geopier Foundation
Company’s Slope Reinforcement
Technology System.
failures or reinforce marginally stable slopes. This
patented method provides slope stabilization using
an array of rigid steel piles driven into the slope in a
Members: ECH is always looking for
ways to make your membership more
valuable. We asked Fazoli’s to allow us
to give you offers which are better than
those available to the general public in
the coupon mailers. Compare this and
we think you will agree that this is a
great extra benefit of membership!
The Geopier SRT sytem is designed to
stabilize slopes where the soil conditions consist
of an upper zone of weathered, loose, soft or
disturbed soil over a stable zone of soil or soft
Continued as Geopier, see page 2
Enjoy a FREE Sampler
the purchase
Not valid fromwith
internet
– Only of a
Sampler
of equal
original
mailed
copies
are
available
See reverse for participating
Huntington / Tri-State locations for use.
or greater value
Expires 6/30/15
Volume 79, No. 4
Page 2
April 17, 2015
\
APRIL MEETING NOTICE
Pre-Meeting Film for April 17
\
“Biomimicry”
Date:
Speaker:
A new discipline – Engineers using nature to find
sustainable solutions to human problems
Program:
Place:
Additional PDH Credit for attending the PreMeeting Technical Film beginning at 5 PM
By: Denis C. Chabot, PE
Engi-News Editor
Time:
This technical film, sponsored by Boeing, the U.S.
Dept. of Energy, and the National Science
Foundation, demonstrates how engineers are
utilizing designs of nature that have been tested for
millions of years under the harshest competitions -how the long-beaked Kingfisher bird inspired the
re-design of Japanese bullet trains, and the lack of
drag on the Boxfish inspired Mercedes highefficiency automobile designs.
The future is in adapting additional designs of
nature, perfecting them for use in our everyday
lives. This film discusses amazing products and
processes based on nature and currently in
development:
 How designs based on the Asian elephant
lessen the dangers of, and increases the uses
of, robotic arms for manufacturing.
 The design and amazing balance of a fourlegged “hauler” for the U.S. Army, based on
animals, and capable of carrying 400 pounds of
gear through rough terrain.
 Fibers from the sea will be grown that will be 10
times stronger than nylon, reducing the nation’s
dependence on oil.
 Plants inspiring new types of non-stick surfaces
superior to Teflon.
 Using viruses to produce batteries
 “Swarm technology;” / and many other designs
Denis Chabot will serve as film moderator. Let us
know of your attendance in advance, and we will
attempt to have pre-printed PDH certificates ready.
This series has proven to be quite popular, and an
enjoyable way to participate in continuing education.
We encourage attendance at these free PDH programs.
One coupon per customer per
visit. No substitutions. Not valid
with any other offer. Cannot be
copied or sold. Internet
distribution prohibited.
Cost:
April 17, 2015
Mark Salveter, PE and
James R. Bullard, PE
Geopier Slope Reinforcement
and Stabilization Systems
 Ponderosa Restaurant 
3100 Route 60 East
Huntington, WV 25705
Social, 6-7:00 p.m.
Dinner, 7-8:00 p.m.
Program, 8:00 p.m.
$14 (discount is applied; NO
Ponderosa COUPONS, please)
Reservations Required through Sam Clark
(NOTE: Deadline Noon Thursday, April 16th)
at 304-522-2723 or E-mail at
[email protected]
Geopier
Continued from page 1
rock. The closely spaced Plate Pile elements form a
series of horizontal barriers where the soil arches
Installation of SRT system
between the plates, forming a continuous line of
resistance against downslope movement. The
Geopier SRT system is ideal for shallow slides or
constrained sites.
The meeting will be held at the Ponderosa
Restaurant, 3100 Rt. 60 East in Huntington, beginning
at 6 p.m.
Please make plans to attend this
informative presentation discussing design and
installation considerations for slope stabilization and
reinforcement systems.
Valid only at these participating
Huntington / Tri-State locations:
1310 Third Avenue, Huntington, WV
5120 US Rt. 60, Huntington, WV
499 Winchester Avenue, Ashland, KY
Clip coupon and see reverse
side for an offer exclusive to
Engineers Club of Huntington
members. We hope you enjoy
your offer, and encourage your
support of this business.
Volume 79, No. 4
Page 3
Jim Ashworth wins Free
Meal from “Where in the
Tri-State” Contest
From the contest where we tested your
knowledge of local architecturalengineering features
By: Denis C. Chabot, PE
Engi-News Editor
At the April 7th ECH Board of Directors
meeting, the Board took the opportunity to select
the winner from
our contest of
identifying
the
architecturalengineering
photos we have
been running in
the Engi-News
since last fall.
For each photo,
every
correct
answer received
one entry (or
James D. Ashworth, PE
chance) for the
member submitting it. An additional entry was
given for the best description given, and another
About our April presenters
By: Kevin L. Osborne, EI
ECH 1st Vice-President and Program Chair
James R. Bullard, PE
James R. Bullard, PE currently
serves as Design Associate with the
Geopier Foundation Company and is
responsible for the design and sales of
Geopier
Foundation
services
in
Indiana, Ohio, Michigan, Kentucky,
Illinois, and West Virginia. Jim earned
his B.S. in Civil Engineering at Tri-State
University and his M.S. in Civil
Engineering at the University of Illinois.
April 17, 2015
for the person who first answered correctly. The
tally for the contest is given in the table.
The law of averages worked in Jim
Ashworth’s favor. Jim had earned six chances
out of the total 15 earned by members. Tickets
representing each chance were literally put into
a hat, and a Board
Member who had
The number of
no chance to win
entries
that each
was selected to
person received
draw.
Jim Ashworth – 6
The
drawing
Brigham Ash – 3
included the photo
Andrew Keffer - 2
from last month
(which
was
Tom Olson – 2
correctly identified
Kevin Osborne – 1
by 3 members as
Chuck Abbott – 1
the Ben Williamson
Bridge connecting
Coal Grove, OH and Ashland, KY). We plan to
run a short article on the good answers we
received on that photo in a future newsletter.
Congratulations, Jim, and be sure
to enter the contest again next fall.
Thank You to everyone who
entered the contest!
Mark Salveter, PE
Mark Salveter, PE currently serves as the Geopier-SRT
Region Engineer for southern Ohio, Kentucky, and West
Virginia. Mark completed his B.S. in Civil Engineering at
Michigan State University in
2005. He is currently working
on
his
M.S.
in
Civil
Engineering with a focus on
Geotechnical studies at the
University of Dayton. Mark
worked as a consulting
engineer with PSI in Michigan,
Wisconsin and Ohio before
joining Geopier, and is a
registered
Professional
Engineer in the state of Ohio.
ECH thanks member Brian W. Ball, PE, for obtaining our April Presentation for us!
Volume 79, No. 4
Page 4
April 17, 2015
ECH 1969 President Robert Jesse “Bob” Mulholland Dies
By: Denis C. Chabot, PE
Engi-News Editor
Former ECH member and past President Robert J. “Bob” Mulholland
died in South Carolina on Friday, February 27, 2015. He was 91.
Bob was President of Sadler Tile Company, which was a ceramic,
resilient and acoustic commercial contracting company. He joined the
Engineers Club of Huntington in April, 1965, and served as 1st Vice
President in 1968, and as ECH President in 1969. He remained a
member until 1982.
ECH’s Presidential photo of Robert J. Mulholland, 1969

The following is a death notice reprinted from newspapers in Charleston, SC,
Huntington, WV, and The Mountain Eagle, Whitesburg KY
Robert Jesse Mulholland, 91, of Mt. Pleasant,
South Carolina, widower of the late Helen Lucille
Crawford Mulholland, passed away on Friday,
February 27.
Robert was born December 11, 1923, in
Huntington, W.Va., son of the late Mr. and Mrs.
Robert P. Mulholland. He attended Marshall
University, Virginia Polytechnic Institute, the
University of Mississippi, the University of
Delaware, and graduated from the University of
Kentucky with a Bachelor of Science degree in
Civil Engineering. He served during World War
II in the Army Air Corps, and later in combat
infantry in campaigns in Holland and Germany,
with the 104th Division, First Canadian Army,
and the First US Army.
With his father, Robert owned and operated the
Sadler Tile Company. He was an associate with
the firm of Dean, Dean and Keefer, and the
Bunch Realty Company. Along with his wife and
son, Mark, he developed and operated the
Masion DuPre Inn, a historic inn in downtown
Charleston, S.C.
He was a member of the Vestry of St. John’s
Episcopal Church in Huntington, W.Va., and
later Head Elder of the French Protestant
(Huguenot) Church in Charleston, S.C.
He was President of Pi Kappa Alpha fraternity at
the University of Kentucky; President of the
Engineers Club of Huntington, W.Va.; CoChairman, with his wife, Lucille, of the Cabell
Wayne Historical Society in creating historic
Heritage Village in Huntington, W.Va.; a member
of the Kiwanis Clubs of Huntington and
Charleston; the Scottish Society of Charleston;
Alliance Francais Society of Charleston; the
Navy League; the English Speaking Union; the
Sons of Confederate Veterans - Fort Sumter
Camp; the Middleton Hounds Hunt Club; the SC
Bed and Breakfast Association; and the National
Professional Innkeepers Association. He held an
electronic U.S. alarm patent.
He is survived by his daughter, Teri Mulholland
Bergin and Julian Neal of Huntington, W.Va.; his
grandchildren, Robert Todd Bergin and wife,
Jessica of Irvine, Calif., Andrew Tyler Bergin and
his wife, Nancy of Mount Pleasant, S.C.,
Michelle Taite Bergin Pauley and husband,
Jonathan of Newport Beach, Calif., and Kristina
Lucille Mulholland and Robert Reid Mulholland,
both of Mount Pleasant, S.C.; greatgrandchildren, Madison Renee Bergin, and
Robert Parker Bergin both of Irvine, Calif., Ethan
Crawford Bergin of Mount Pleasant, S.C., and
Thomas Emerson Pauley of Newport Beach,
Calif.; friends, Roy Crawford and Barbara Isom
of Whitesburg, Anita DeHart of Huntington,
W.Va., Wayne and Susan Stratton of
Shelbyville, Robyn and Chris Matthews of
Savannah, Ga., and Toni and David Smith of
Xenia, Oh. He was preceded in death by his
son, Robert Mark Mulholland of Mount Pleasant,
S.C.
His integrity, service to the community, and his
love and devotion to his family and friends is his
legacy.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the
French Protestant (Huguenot) Church, 136
Church Street, Charleston, SC 29401 or the
Charleston Symphony Orchestra League, P.O.
Box 22613, Charleston, S.C. 29413, or the
Huntington Museum of Art, Huntington, W.Va.
25701.
Volume 79, No. 4
Page 5
April 17, 2015
Sam Clark’s Generator “Saves” May 16th, 2014 Meeting
By: Denis C. Chabot, PE
Engi-News Editor
A loss of power in the east end of Huntington on the
evening of May 16, 2014, affected the Ponderosa
Restaurant while the Club was utilizing the facility. The
outage occurred after the social period but while dinner
was being served, causing the diners to have only the
twilight through the windows by which to eat, and
threatening cancellation of that evening’s programs.
Shortly after the outage, with just the Ponderosa’s
emergency lights operating, Sam Clark obtained his
generator, which was sufficient to power the Club’s
projector and computer. The presenter, ECH’s own
William L. Nieman, EI, PG, was able to start on time, and
power was restored to the facility at 8:50 p.m., just in time
for the presentation of the Certificate of Appreciation and
for everyone to see their way clearly to their vehicles.
The generator was set just outside the room, and the
heavy emergency door of the room kept it sufficiently
quiet so that it did not interrupt the presentation.
ECH is Indebted to Sam for his quick thinking and motivation. Thank You!
Photos from that May 16th, 2014 Meeting
Editor’s Note: We are far behind schedule in presenting photos of our meetings;
we will try to present as many as we can over the next few months.
Sitting in the dark, except for the camera
flash is Russell W. Craddock (at left)
and Thomas W. Olson, PE
A slide from the presentation;
note the 3rd set of piers…
Patiently waiting in the dark (from L to R)
are: Andrew M. Keffer, EI, James D.
Ashworth, PE and Donald M. Lee
Arvie L. Maynard, PE, proposing
a toast (that looks like apple juice,
Arvie – are you fooling us)?
All photos on this page by
Denis C. Chabot, PE
A slide from the presentation
concerning scour in sand
The Horton’s: Wayne and Claire
Volume 79, No. 4
Page 6
April 17, 2015
Photos from the May 16th, 2014 ECH Meeting (Continued)
All Photos by Denis C. Chabot, PE
Samuel E. Clark, PE (at left)
and Donald M. Lee
Andrew M. Keffer, EI (at left)
and Kevin L. Osborne, EI
Kristen E. Bobuk, EI (at left)
and Brian W. Ball, PE
Eli M. McWhorter, EI (at left) and
William L. Niemann, EI, PG
Kevin L. Osborne, EI (at left)
and Wesley L. Shanholtzer
Dorothy Lunsford (at left) and Maybelle Lee
Maybelle Lee (at left)
and Mary Niemann
Erik J. Merlino, PE
Harold D. Lunsford, PE
James R. “Randy” Hyatt, PE
and Jessica D. Meadows, EI
Kevin L. Osborne, EI (at left)
and Richard D. Wilson, PE
(From L to R): Kristen E. Bobuk, EI,
Samuel E. Clark, PE and Student
Member Paige S. Thewes
William L. Niemann, EI, PG (at left)
receives the ECH Certificate of Appreciation
from Erik J. Merlino, PE