The Sears Tower and Harris Bank projects, both in Chicago, involved deep basement excavation in soft clays. The Sears Tower project encompasses an area of approximately 300 by 400 ft. A concrete slurry wall forms the sides of the excavation which extends to a depth of approximately 35 to 45 ft below the adjacent street level. The Harris Bank project covers an area approximately 180 by 135 ft abutting the existing bank building. Excavation for the new building was about 45 ft deep in a 135 by 90 ft area in the southeast corner, and 30 ft deep in the remaining area. Soldier piles and lagging were used to form the sides of the excavation. The soil retention system for both projects used three levels of bracing. Corner braces and rakers extending to the interior sections of the base mat were used on the Sears Tower project. Corner braces and cross-lot struts were used at the Harris Bank project. This paper describes the apparatus and procedures used for obtaining strain data on the bracing members, and compares the measured forces with design forces in the bracing.

Some three thousand years ago, the Maya left behind a warning of what was to come. Over the years mankind had done their best to decipher what this warning was; as rumors spread about the end of the world, or the end of the world as they knew it. No one knew for sure what was going to take place. All that had been know was that it would happen on December 21, 2012.Back in 1985, the government put together a group of individuals to make sense out of the Maya prediction and or warning. The group consisted of archeologists, scientists, military specialists, and astrologers. Through their research they had gathered information revealing an invasion of earth from an alien race known as Nayams.Having believed the group had gone mad the government disbanded the group, swearing them to secrecy of their findings. Not liking the government's decision, the group stayed in contact, forming an underground secret organization in hopes of saving mankind.Major Herald Jacob Flintbetter took charge of the group as they set forth their plans of creating a safe haven in the depths of the goldmines in Victor, Colorado, code named Noah's Ark. Their biggest challenge was how to get everyone to it. Keeping to their oath, not to speak of the coming event of December 21, 2012 as to not cause any panic, made this task very challenging.While doing research for the government the group had discovered a unique ore they named, Infinity Ore. Creating modified weapons, vehicles, and fall-out shelters with the Infinity Ore, they made the task at hand look hopeful.Herald lived his life outside of the secret organization in Hutchinson, Kansas. Having spent years preparing his custom made fall-out shelter, he hoped his fellow neighbors would take shelter with him when the time comes. Herald and his organization knew they could not save everyone, but they would do their best to save the ones they could.When December 21, 2012 arrives, carnage unfolds as the race to Noah's Ark begins.

What would you do if you had awakened from a coma to find out you and your spouse were the victims of a surprise attack? This attack put you in the coma and resulted in the death of your spouse. And now you are haunted by visions of the attack that show it unfold little by little in full detail. What would you do if you never had to sleep, never had to eat, healed quickly and had unbelievable strength? Would you use that ability to seek revenge?Morgan K. Wright, a cage fighter known by the name of Kane, is experiencing just that. Follow along in this action packed drama, as he seeks out six members of a local mob that were behind this surprise attack. After taking out these six mob members, aided by his new found abilities, Morgan's hunger for revenge is not satisfied. He meets up with Krystal, his dead wife Sara's best friend, in an effort to gain important information. As Krystal is not willing to give up the information freely, she offers Morgan a proposition. Will Morgan accept her proposition? What will Morgan have to do to gain this information he wants? What will Morgan do when he finds out who the sole person responsible for the attack is?WarningReader discretion is advised. The content of this book is not suitable for young readers. This book contains strong language, sexual situations, and strongly depicts acts of violence and rape.