Licenses and Qualifications
Professional Engineer—Colorado
Professional Geologist—Wyoming
FAC-COR Level II
Work Experience
Senior Geotechnical Engineer
FHWA-CFLHD
–Present
Senior Technical Specialist responsible for
- Providing technical advice to the Geotechnical Team Lead, Geotechnical Staff, other technical specialists, managers, and partner/client agencies
- Develop and provide recommendations for the most complex geotechnical projects
- Providing expert advice to resolve geotechnical issues that arise during construction
- Providing leadership to improve applications, technology, processes and procedures in support of agency mission
- Serve as a technical resource to other offices within the agency
Geotechnical Engineer
FHWA-CFLHD
–
Technical Specialist responsible for
- Planning and performing geotechnical and geological site investigations
- Develop and provide recommendations for geotechnical projects
- Providing expert advice to resolve geotechnical issues that arise during construction
- Serve as a technical resource to other offices within the agency
Project Engineer
Ground Engineer Consultants, Inc.
–
- Designer of record for retaining walls including complex multiple tiered walls.
- Performed design calculations including developing spreadsheets to analyze non–standard situations
- Oversaw development of construction drawings
- Prepared construction quantity estimates
- Wall types include MSE, GRS-IBS, soil nail, and sheet pile.
- Planning and performing geotechnical site investigations
- Installing and monitoring geotechnical instrumentation
Awards
United States Department of the Interior (DOI), National Park Service (NPS), Director's Award for Transportation, NPS/FHWA Federal Lands Lands Transportation Awards Program Team Award – Partners in Excellence (PIE),
Awarded for delivery of 2023 Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks emergency repair project delivery.
Association of Environmental and Engineering Geologists, Presidential Appreciation Citation,
Awarded for volunteer activities as co-chair of the Landslide Technical Working Group.
FHWA-CFLHD, Special Achievement Award,
Awarded for execution of Settlement Agreement in LAAT Dispute.
FHWA, Discipline Award, Geotechnical Federal Lands Excellence,
Awarded for Acting Geotechnical Team Lead, providing leadership while team was severely understaffed. Providing technical expertise in design and delivery of five bridge foundation projects and numerous ERFO projects in California. "James thrives in difficult conditions and continuously demonstrates his commitment to the public service acumen of Federal Lands Highway."
FHWA-CFLHD, Special Achievement Award,
Awarded for providing valuable leadership as Acting Geotechnical Team Lead
FHWA-CFLHD, Special Achievement Award,
Awarded for delivering annual A/E Meeting.
FHWA-CFLHD, Special Achievement Award,
Awarded for contributions to Winter Conference training.
Education
Doctor of Philosophy, Geology, –
University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
Bachelor of Science, Geological Engineering, –
Colorado School of Mines, Golden, Colorado
Affiliations
Association of Environmental and Engineering Geologists (AEG)—Co-chair, Landslides Technical Working Group
American Society of Civil Engineers—Member
Colorado Association of Geotechnical Engineers—Member
Deep Foundation Institute—Member
Professional Activities
Rocky Mountain Geo-Conference—Proceedings Editor: 2022, 2024; Hospitality Chair: 2021
AEG Annual Meeting—Sponsorship Chair: 2017
Publications and Presentations
Arthurs, J.M., McGarity, B.L., Shaw, J.R., and Cooper, D.J. (2024). “Geotechnical Design of Permafrost and Wetland Mitigation for Colorado State Highway 5.” In Proceedings of the 20th International Conference on Cold Regions Engineering, edited by. J. Zufelt and Z. Yang, 134–145. Anchorage, AK: American Society of Civil Engineers. DOI: 10.1061/9780784485460.013
Arthurs, J. (2023). “How Much Did Your Investigation Cost?”. Presented at AEG Annual Meeting 2023, Portland, OR.
Arthurs, J., and Borst, R. (2022). “Geotechnical Design of Permafrost and Wetland Mitigation for Colorado State Highway 5 (Mt. Evans Road)”. Presented at AEG Annual Meeting 2022, Las Vegas, NV.
Arthurs, J. (2021). “Characterization of Weathered Granite (Grus) for Retaining Wall Design, Mineral King Road, Sequoia National Park”. Presented at AEG Annual Meeting 2021, San Antonio, TX.
Bevan, D., Beresford, J., Arthurs, J., Gasston, C., Brooke, M.S., Prebble, W., and Brideau, M. (2021). “Ohuka landslide, New Zealand: a low angle bedding-controlled coastal landslide at Port Waikato, North Island, New Zealand”. New Zealand Journal of Geology and Geophysics. 65(2), 299–314. DOI: 10.1080/00288306.2020.1865414
Arthurs, J.M, (2021). "Mt. Carmel Highway Retaining Wall Repair, Zion National Park, Utah". In Proceedings of the Rocky Mountain Geo-Conference, edited by J.A. Strickland, R.L. Wiltshire, and J.C. Malama, 56–64. Westminster, CO: American Society of Civil Engineers. DOI 10.1061/9780784483268.004
Arthurs, J.M. (2019). "A Geotechnical Perspective on Emergency Repairs: Case Studies from Federally Owned Roads", In Proceedings of the 70th Highway Geology Symposium, 689–708. Portland, Oregon. Proceedings
Arthurs, J.M., and Haramy, K.Y. (2018). "Assessment and Mitigation Process for Bridge Foundation Reuse–Case Study". In Proceedings of the 69th Highway Geology Symposium, 54–70. Portland, Maine. Proceedings
Arthurs, J.M., Dixon, D., and Haramy, K.Y. (2017). "Construction of Transportation Infrastructure in Weathered Volcanic Ash Soils". In Proceedings of the 68th Highway Geology Symposium, 62–78. Marietta, Georgia.
Proceedings
Arthurs, J.M. (2010). The Nature of Sensitivity in Rhyolitic Pyroclastic Soils from New Zealand. Unpublished Ph.D. Thesis. University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand. Available Online
Arthurs, J.M., Wilson, C.J.N., Prebble, W.M. and St. George, J.D. (2009). "Sensitivity in volcaniclastic silts in North Island, New Zealand". In Proceedings of the 17th international conference on soil mechanics and geotechnical engineering, edited by M. Hamza, M. Shahien, and Y. El-mossallamy, 769–772. Alexandria, Egypt: IOS Press.