Dinosaur National Park Visitor Center

National Park Service and DHM Design, Dinosaur National Monument, UT

The Denver Service Center of the National Park Service generated a Historic Structure Report (HSR) for the Quarry Visitor Center at Dinosaur National Monument in August 2003. In that report the team generated an unusual if not radical solution to the challenges that have faced the visitor center since its completion in 1957.

The unique geology of the Visitor Center site, which makes for its appeal, also results in a difficult geotechnical environment for design and construction. The claystone bedrock, which contains the fossils is expansive in nature and layering within the formation creates significant differential expansive potential. When the horizontally deposited layers are then tipped on edge due to the up-thrust of the Rocky Mountains, the bedrock characteristics change significantly over a matter of a few feet or even inches and can cause considerable damage to structures placed on these materials.

Our site evaluation included review of the geotechnical investigations, foundation design, and manometer surveys of the floors and adjoining exterior flat work. The results of the level survey indicate a relative elevation differential of approximately 2 feet in floors in several areas inside of the Visitor Center and 4 to 5 feet in areas of the building exterior, particularly in the parking lot. Recommendations were provided for stabilization of the structures using helical piers, micropiles and/or drill shafts.

In addition to damage to the structures, there was significant damage and deterioration to roadways within the monument. Roadway improvements were designed for a 10-mile roadway and Quarry Access Road that contained variable subsurface materials. Yeh and Associates also performed pavement surveys and investigations for these repairs and reconstruction. High swelling soils comprise some of the subgrade materials and erosive cliffs make drainage ditches and culverts difficult to maintain by the National Park Service. Recycled asphalt and overlay was the most cost-effective pavement alternative for the majority of the roadways.

Yeh’s key personnel who have worked on the project include Rick Andrew, the project principal, Bob LaForce provided pavement design and Jere Strickland has provided geotechnical review and will be the project manager for the additional investigation and design phases.