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TECHNICAL SUPPORT DIVISION (TSD)

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Water and Engineering Services Branch (WESB)

WESB is composed of scientists and engineers of varying backgrounds.  WESB provides technical assistance and technical transfer to our customers: the states, OSM Field Offices, OSM Headquarters, and academia.  Technical expertise is available in the following fields: hydrology, civil and mining engineering, blasting, soil science, and geology.  WESB is located in the Appalachian Regional Office of OSM, in Pittsburgh, PA. 

WESB Staff Conducts Scientific Investigations in:

• Subsidence
  
• Structural Assessment
  
  • External Photograph of Residence Investigation
    
  • Monitoring of Crack Development Inside a Residence
    
• Hydrologic Assessment
  
  • Using a Flume to measure open channel flow
    
  • Hydrology Information Pages
    
• Mine Pools
  
  • Monongahela River Study - Fairmont Mine Pool
    
• Slope Stability
  
  • Landslides
    
  • Software Analysis of Conditions
    
• Blasting
  
  • Blasting Download Page
    
  • Use of Explosives
    
• Acid Mine Drainage
  
• Geology
  
  • Rockfall Event
    
• Refuse Material Mitigation
  
• Assistance to the AML Program
  
  • AML Emergency Project Assistance

WESB also provides technical advice to its customers, teaches technical training classes, provides technical support to the TIPS program, performs special studies, and oversees research contracts.

STRUCTURAL ASSESSMENT

External Photograph of Residence Investigation

The purpose of the investigation was to evaluate the extent of mine subsidence induced damage in Pennsylvania. Engineers were providing technical assistance to Federal Reclamation Program Division.

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Monitoring of Crack Development Inside a Residence

This photo shows the tell-tale crack monitors (used to measure movement across a crack in the concrete wall) inside the garage. OSM engineers provided technical assistance the VA mining program to determine the mining relatedness of the property damages.

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HYDROLOGIC ASSESSMENT

Using a Flume to Measure Open Channel Flow

Measurement of low flows can be measured by the hydrologists using adjustable flumes. This is an abandoned underground mine discharge in Pennsylvania.

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SLOPE STABILITY

Landslides

OSM engineers and technical specialists provide technical assistance to states and OSM offices on landslide investigations such as indicated in this photo.

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Software Analysis of Conditions

OSM engineers evaluate slope stability using TIPS software package (Galena) which provides the diagram shown above.

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GEOLOGY

Rockfall Event

Technical assistance was provided to the Federal Reclamation Program Division in the assessment and reclamation of a rock fall that posed a hazard to students waiting for a school bus.

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Refuse Material Mitigation

Refuse pile was re-processed by the PA Bureau of Abandoned Mine Reclamation to remediate acid mine drainage.

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ASSISTANCE TO THE AML PROGRAM

AML Emergency Project Assistance

Technical assistance provided OSM engineers to the Federal Reclamation Program Division in a landslide caused by an underground mine discharge near Pittsburgh.

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