Department of Geology
Contact
Information:
(540)
831-5637
(Content last updated May 2000)
EDUCATION:
PhD.
Engineering Geology,
M.S.
Physical Science,
B.S.
Geology, Virginia Polytechnic Institute &
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE:
ROCK SLOPE ENGINEERING & LANDSLIDE
INVESTIGATIONS
- Cranwell, Moore
& Bullington, P.L.C., Investigation of Norfolk
Southern train derailment related to rockslide, Spring
2000 to present.
- Vulcan Materials,
- Virginia Department of Transportation,
Lynchburg District, stability of bridge abutments for the James River Crossing,
Route 29 bypass, Spring 2000 to present.
-
- U.S. Forest Service,
- U.S. Geological Survey / National Park
Service study of fatal rockslides of July, 1996 at
- Joyce Engineering & Shoosmith
Bros Construction Company, stability and remediation of Dale Quarry walls
relevant to conversion to waste disposal facility, 1997 to present.
- City of
- Bristol Motor Speedway, Bristol, TN.,
stability, safety and remediation of rock walls on left and right side of new dragway, 1999 to present.
- Blue Circle Stone Company,
- Virginia Department of Transportation,
Salem District, rock slope stability analyses of the left and right cuts for
the
- Virginia Department of Transportation, Lynchburg
District, investigation of slope stability for Little Opossum Creek bridge
foundations, Routes 29 & 460,
- Virginia Department of Transportation,
Lynchburg District, investigation of slope stability for
- U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, rock
mechanics consultant for stability and safety of spillway and intake
excavations in rock for the Seven Oaks Dam on San Andreas Fault, Los Angeles
District, October 1995 to 1997.
-
- U.S. Forest Service,
- Ed Stone, Attorney at Law, rockslide
investigation at
-
- U.S. Forest Service, Jefferson National
Forest, Virginia, investigation to ascertain landslide potential at site near
Natural Bridge, Va., spring 1994
- Virginia Department of Transportation,
Bristol District, remediation and redesign of hazardous roadcut
at Cedar Bluff, Va., summer and fall 1993
- L. Robert Kimball & Associates, design
of rock excavation for shopping center,
- EBASCO, paleoseismic
studies of southwest
- T.A. Houston & Associates, LTD,
- Law Engineering,
- Law Environmental, Inc,
- Staal, Gardner,
& Dunne, Inc., excavation stability, Ronald Reagan Presidential Library,
Ventura, California, 1988-89.
- Virginia Department of Transportation,
stability of selected highway roadcuts in sedimentary
and metamorphic rock, 1987-1989.
- Oregon State Highway Division, computer
analyses of stability of highway roadcuts, 1986-88.
-
- Oosterbaan
Associates, P.C., Geotechnical Engineers, rock excavation analysis and
stabilization for
- Certified in National Highway Institute shortcourse on rock slope design, July 1981.
HYDROGEOLOGY / KARST STUDIES
- Electrical resistivity survey and fracture
trace analysis related to groundwater flow, City Farm, VA, for Environmental
Engineering Inc. & Virginia Dept. of Environmental Quality, 1/99.
- Ground subsidence investigations along
route of proposed railroad in
- Ground water and community well location
study for Anderson & Associates, Big Survey, VA, 11/94.
- Evaluation of potential damage to water
supply at
- Ground water and well location study for
Mike Kelly, community water supply manager,
- Ground water and well location study for
the Chateau Morrisette Restaurant and Winery,
- Ground water and well location study for
community of Allegheny Springs, Montgomery County Va. Public Service Authority
w/ Anderson & Associates, fall 92.
- Assessment of groundwater recharge and
quality at Elliston, Montgomery County Va. Public Service Authority w/ Anderson
& Associates, fall 1990 to fall 1991.
- Assessment of spring water quality and
contamination at
- Part-time geologic consultant with T.R.
West, seepage and groundwater pollution associated with waste treatment and
disposal, West Lafayette, Indiana, 1981-82.
EXPERT SERVICES - CLAIMS & LITIGATION (reports, depositions, trial testimony)
- Walter Emroch and
Associates Law Offices, Doris Stanley v. Timberlake Dam Homeowners Association,
factors leading to July, 1995 dam collapse with fatalities, Oct 1996 to
present, (settled).
- Wyatt & Carter Attorneys at Law, Mr/Mrs. Walter Childs v. Wintergreen Development
Corporation, investigation into alleged landslide
property damage, Oct 1996 to present, (jury verdict plus penalties favoring
client).
- Virginia Mutual Insurance Company,
investigation into alleged landslide home damage caused by Hurricane Opal,
October, 1995 (settled).
- Charles Lacy, Attorney at Law,
investigation into alleged blasting damage to water wells and structures along
the
- Virginia Mutual Insurance Company, investigation
into alleged blasting damage to
- Goehring, Rutter & Boehm,
- City of Radford/Virginia Municipal
Liability Pool, rock fall fatality, Radford, Virginia, Route 11 in Radford,
summer-fall 1993 (jury verdict favoring client).
- VDOT/Office of the Attorney General of
Virginia, rock fall personal injury, Route 460 at Cedar Bluff,
- Rainey Engineering, retaining wall
instability adjacent to C&S Doors manufacturing facility, Christiansburg,
VA, 1992. (settled).
- VDOT/Office of the Attorney General of
Virginia, sedimentation of
- VDOT/Office of the Attorney General of
Virginia, stability of highway foundation materials near
GENERAL PRACTICE
- WAPORA, Environmental Engineers/Scientists,
environmental impact of proposed routes for the
- Bedford County Board of Supervisors,
geology of Bedford County with respect to possible siting
of a nuclear waste repository, with R.C. Whisonant, March, 1985
- T.R. West and Associates,
- E.O. Gooch and Associates,
SHORT COURSES TAUGHT
- Practical Rock Slope Engineering Shortcourse, invited instructor, Annual Meeting of the
Association of Engineering Geologists, Salt Lake City, Utah, September 1999.
- Rock Slope Engineering Workshop, invited
co-instructor, Annual Meeting of the Association of Engineering Geologists,
- U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Los Angeles
District, 5-day short course and field training in rock slope stability
analyses and remediation, 1/8-12/96.
- Geological Society of America National
Meeting, 1-day short course, Techniques for Analysis of Rock and Soil Slope
Stability, Seattle, Wa., 10/22/94.
- Association of Engineering Geologists
National Meeting, 1-day short course and field trip, Rock Slope Stability Mini
Course and Field Trip,
- Virginia Division of Mineral Resources, 2
1/2-day short course on slope stability,
- Allegheny Section, Association of
Engineering Geologists, 1-day short course on slope stability,
- Oregon Department of Transportation, 2-day
short course, analysis of geologic structure data in rock engineering,
- U.S. Forest Service, 3-day short course on
rock slope engineering for geologists and geotechnical engineers,
- 33rd annual meeting of Association of
Engineering Geologists, 1-day short course on microcomputers in the analysis of
rock slope stability, with R.C. Whisonant, Pittsburgh, 10/1-5/90
- Virginia Department of Transportation,
3-day short course and field trip, highway roadcut
stability analyses for district highway geologists, June 1988, with R.C.
Whisonant.
- Mine Safety and Health Administration,
short course text on highwall slope stability for Shell Oil, Cocoa Mines Inc.,
Cactus Gold Mine Co.,
PROFESSIONAL AFFLIATIONS:
- Certified Professional Geologist #408,
- National Geologic Mapping Program, Virginia
Geologic Map Advisory Committee, fall '92-present
- Local Arrangements Chair, Highway Geology
Symposium 50th Annual Meeting,
- Appointed member, National Research Council
Transportation Research Board, Committee A2L05 – Engineering Geology, February
‘99 to January ’02 term.
- National Research Council Transportation
Research Board, appointed member of the Committee on Engineering Geology (Rock Fall
Hazards subcommittee), February '96 - January '99 term.
- Association of Engineering Geologists.
1. Associate Editor of Environmental and
Engineering Geoscience.
2. Manager of academic and student affairs
committee, national, fall '91 to present.
3. Member, AEG committee on rock mechanics, fall '90-92.
-
1. Chairman of Geology Section, ‘98-99.
2. Vice Chairman of Geology Section, ‘97-98.
3. Secretary/Annual Meeting Director for
Geology Section, ‘96-97.
- Geological Society of
- National Association of Geology Teachers,
Member
HONORS:
- 1999
- 1998 State Council for Higher Education in
-
- National Association of Geology Teachers'
John Moss Award for Excellence in College Teaching, Eastern Section,
May 1993.
-
- Phi Kappa Phi National Honor Society (
- HEW Mining Fellowship,
- Purdue University David Ross Fellowship, 3
times.
ACADEMIC EXPERIENCE:
- Dalton Distinguished Professor of Geology, 1998
to present
- Professor of Geology,
- Associate Professor of Geology,
- Founding Director, Institute for
Engineering Geosciences,
- Tenured,
- Assistant Professor of Geology,
- Visiting Assistant Professor of Geology,
- Graduate Instructor and Supervisor of
Teaching Assistants,
- Geology Field
- Instructor of Geology,
- Lecturer in Applied Physics, New River
Community College, 1976-77
- Physics and math teacher, Pulaski Co. H.S.,
1975-76
ACADEMIC DUTIES:
- DIRECTOR, Institute for Engineering
Geosciences. The institute was established in 1986 to promote and conduct
research in engineering geoscience; provide technical assistance to public and
private sectors; and to develop and disseminate instructional materials in
geology.
- Member of the university graduate faculty.
- Instructor for: Engineering Geology, Advanced Engineering Geology, Principles of Soil
Mechanics, Rock Mechanics, Principles of Geophysics, Hydrogeology, Environmental
Geology, Geomorphology, Computer Applications in Geology, Applied
PUBLIC SERVICE ACTIVITIES:
- Invited speaker, career days and classroom
presentations, Radford City Schools, fall 1985 to present.
- Invited speaker, Roanoke Mineral and Gem
Society,
- Assisted in design of geological display
for the new Pulaski County Courthouse, in cooperation with R.C. Whisonant, E.H.
Kastning, and K.K. Cecil, summer and fall 1994.
- Invited speaker, public town meeting,
geologic factors controlling ground water problems in
- Guest on locally produced TV show
"Community Speaking" discussing "Science in the 21st Century"
- Guest speaker and field trip leader for
various public schools and civic groups since spring 1988.
- Science judge, high school Mountain
Academic Competition Conference (MACC), April, 1989.
- Invited speaker, Science Museum of Western
Virginia's Science Spectacular, March 4, 1989.
- Selection committee, elementary science
textbooks, Radford City Schools, 88-89.
- Established a
- Consultant to Title II educational grant
recipients of Pulaski, Radford, Wytheville, Bristol, and Montgomery county
school divisions in the development and writing of a geologic field activity
for gifted students, 89-90.
RECENT REVIEWS
- Reviewer for 2nd International Conference
on Debris-Flow Hazards Mitigation,
- Reviewer for "Reviews in Engineering
Geology", Spring, 1996.
- Reviewer for
- Reviewer for the National Slope Stability
Guide published by the USDA National Forest Service, summer '93.
- Reviewer of slope stability articles for
the engineering geology section of the Geological Society of America, summer
'93.
SELECTED PUBLICATIONS AND PRESENTATION
ABSTRACTS:
Watts, C.F.,
Fisher, B.,
Watts, C.F. & Gilliam, D.R., 1999,
Results of the Radford University Study of the July 10, 1996 Happy Isles
Rockfall, Yosemite National Park, California. (abs.): Proceedings of the 42nd
Annual Meeting of the Association of Engineering Geologists,
Dean, W.T.,
Reed, R.E., Watts, C.F., & Whitehouse,
D., 1999, Virginia's Smart Road Test Bed in Geology & Engineering
Challenges of Southwest Virginia, a field trip guide book: Proceedings of
the 50th Annual Highway Geology Symposium, Roanoke, Va., May.
Fisher, B., Watts, C.F., 1997, Rock slope
stability analysis of a roadcut in interbedded sandstone and shale, Bland, Va. (abs.):
Proceedings of the 75th Annual Meeting of the Virginia Academy of Science,
Geology Section, Virginia Journal of Science, May.
Bright, L., Watts, C.F., Fradkin, S. and Twardock, R., 1997, Engineering geology considerations of
the Bristol City limestone quarry landfill (abs.): Proceedings of the 75th
Annual Meeting of the Virginia Academy of Science, Geology Section, Virginia
Journal of Science, May.
Kastning, E.H., and Watts, C.F., 1997, Allogenic recharge to karst from valley-train alluvium and colluvium in the
central Appalachian region: in The Engineering Geology and Hydrogeology of Karst Terranes, Beck &
Stephenson (eds), Balkema,
Vanderhurst, J.J., and
Koler, T.E., Long, M.T., and Watts, C.F., 1995, Slope
stability hazard assessment of the Hatchery Fire Complex, Wenatche
National Forest, central Washington (poster session presented by Watts, C.F.):
proceeding of the 1995 annual meeting of the Association of Engineering
Geologists, Sacramento, CA, Oct 2-8.
Whisonant, R.C., and Watts, C.F., 1995,
Problems, projects and professionals: a new course in erosion and sediment
control (abs.): proceedings of the 1995 annual meeting of the Association of
Engineering Geologists,
Tso, J.L., Watts, C.F., and Love, G.L., 1995,
Geology summer field school: long term implications for state-wide systemic
reform of earth science education in
Watts, C.F., and Whisonant, R.C., 1994, Rock
slope stability mini course and field trip: Assoc. of Engineering Geologists,
Short Course Notes, national meeting in
Watts, C.F., and Whisonant, R.C., 1994,
Techniques for analysis of rock and soil slope stability: Geol. Soc. of
Watts, C.F. and Whisonant, R.C., 1994, Slope
stability problems along highway roadcuts in the
Virginia Valley and Ridge, in Field Guides to Southern Appalachian structure,
stratigraphy, and engineering geology: Virginia Tech Geological Sciences
Guidebook #10, pp 229-248.
Whisonant, R.C.,
Whisonant, R.C., Phillips, J.D., and
Witteman, T.A., LaMaskin, T.A., and
Watts, C.F., 1992, Examples of the application of the rockfall hazard rating
system to
LaMaskin, T.A., Witteman, T.A., and
Watts, C.F., and Whisonant, R.C., 1992, Slope
stability problems along highway roadcuts in the
Watts, C.F., and Whisonant, R.C., 1991, Dip
vectors and discontinuity significance indices in rock slope stability
analyses: proceedings of the national symposium on highway and railroad slope
maintenance, 34th annual meeting, Association of Engineering Geologists,
Chicago, Il, pp. 149-159, Oct.
Whisonant, R.C., and Watts, C.F., 1991,
Comprehensive stability analysis of ancient giant rockslides, Virginia Valley
and Ridge Province: proceedings of the 34th annual meeting, Association of
Engineering Geologists, Chicago, Il, pp. 612-620, Oct.
Watts, C.F., 1991, Locating
a ground water supply in the Rome Formation for
Watts, C.F., and Kastning, E.H., May 24,
1990, Locating a groundwater supply for
Tso, J.L., and Watts, C.F., May 24, 1990, The
Radford University summer geology field school for teachers (abs.): Geology
Section of the Virginia Academy of Sciences,
Lenhart, S.L., Watts, C.F., and Fisher, K.C.,
May 24, 1990, Working with teachers to enhance
interest and public education in the geosciences (abs.): Geology Section of the
Virginia Academy of Sciences,
Whisonant, R.C., Watts, C.F., and Whitehouse,
D., October 1989, Analysis of landsliding along
interstate 64,
Whisonant, R.C. and
Watts, C.F. and Whisonant, R.C. May 25, 1989,
Highway landslides of
Frizzell, E.M. and
Frizzell, E.M. and
Watts, C.F. and Marlowe, J., 1987, Stability
analyses of suspected ancient giant landslides in the
Watts, C.F. and Frizzell,
E.M., 1987, A preliminary look at simple back analysis
of rock slope stabilities utilizing microcomputers: Proceedings of the 38th
Annual Highway Geology Symposium,
Watts, C.F., 1985, Detailed Outlines in
Historical Geology, Radford University Geology Department,
Watts, C.F. and West, T.R., 1985, Electronic
notebook analysis of rock slope stability at Cedar Bluff, Virginia, Bulletin of
the Association of Engineering Geologists, Feb., vol
XXII, pp. 67-85.
West, T.R., Frey, L.J., and Watts, C.F.,
1983, Field application of a rapid data collection system for rock slope
stability analysis,
West, T.R., Watts, C.F., and Hume, H.R.,
1983, Decisions concerning data collection of rock discontinuities for slope
stability analysis (abs): Annual Meeting of the Geological Society of America,
Watts, C.F., Hume, H.R., West, T.R., 1981,
Field evaluation of a rapid data collection system for rock slope stability
analysis, 61st Annual Meeting of Transportation Research Board,
Watts, C.F., and West, T.R., 1981, A system for rapid collection of geologic structure data for
rock slope stability analysis, 32nd Annual Highway Geology Symposium,
UNPUBLISHED PRESENTATIONS:
Watts, C.F., 1996, Engineering
geology of dams - Seven Oaks Dam,
Watts, C.F., 1996, Characterizing and
analyzing rock fall hazards: special meeting of the Northwest Section of the
Association of Engineering Geologists,
Watts, C.F., and Whisonant, R.C., 1995,
Emerging trends in engineering geology, for the Carolina Section of the Assoc.
of Engineering Geology,
Watts, C.F., 1995, Characterizing highway
rock fall hazards, invited presentation at the anuual
meeting of the Highway Geology Symposium,
Watts, C.F., January 27, 1994, invited
presentation, Career opportunities in engineering geology, Virginia Polytechnic
Inst. and
Watts, C.F., January 9, 1994, invited
presentation, Computer analyses of highway rock slope stability, the National
Transportation Research Board Committee on Rockfall Hazards, sponsored by the
Federal Highway Administration,
Watts, C.F., March 4, 1989, Ancient
landslides and their effects on modern man, Science Museum of Western
Virginia's annual science spectacular, Roanoke, VA.
Watts, C.F., Feb 13, 1988, What is
engineering geology?, seminar speaker, The College of
William and Mary,
Watts, C.F., Oct 1986, Microcomputer analyses
of rock slope stability, seminar speaker, Department of Geology,
Whisonant, R.C. and Watts, C.F., March 24,
1986, An overview of the geology of Bedford County with respect to possible siting of a nuclear waste repository, U.S. Department of
Energy public hearing, Bedford, Virginia.
Packman, J.M., Watts, C.F., Oct 1983, Engineering geology of happy hollow park,
Watts, C.F., and West, T.R., Dec 1982,
Electronic notebook approach to geologic structure data collection and
analysis, American Inst. of Professional Geologists, Symposium on
Microcomputers in Geology, Mt. Vernon, Ill.
Watts, C.F., July 1981, Rapid data collection
techniques, demonstration for Federal Highway Administration Short Course on
Rock Slope Design,
Watts, C.F., 1980, Computer analyses of rock
slope stability, script and slides for multi-media presentation, Audio Visual
Services,