Richard,

Indeed, this is true, and another of the numerous variables that would 
have to be controlled to ever achieve a meaningful answer/prediction. 
Three other major variables (among others) that I didn't mention earlier 
are: the depth below surface, the length of time since interment and the 
method of backfilling.

Even if, through experimentation (or experience), one was ever able to 
develop a reasonably accurate "formula," one would not likely be able to 
know (control) the values of enough of the major variables (depth, age, 
health, interment mode, backfilling method, container) without 
excavation and some level of analysis. So, in such (most ? all ?) cases, 
the need to answer the question would be obviated.

As you aver, the question has no meaningful answer (and to address the 
highway manager's original question directly,  I don't know of any 
archaeological or engineering studies that have examined or determined 
"maximum pressures" a human burial can survive).

Regards,
Bob Skiles


On 3/6/2013 1:53 PM, Richard Wright wrote:
> Bob Skiles,
>
> I agree that this is a question that has no meaningful answer.
>
> If skeletonised, I would add the critical variable of the amount of 
> collagen left in the bones - somewhat flexible with collagen 
> remaining, but crumbly if only bone minerals left.
>
> Richard Wright
>
> On 7/03/2013 03:41, Bob Skiles wrote:
>> John Mark,
>>
>> This is a question that has no single (mathematical) answer, nor one 
>> that could ever be useful for highway engineers in arguing that 
>> running heavy machinery over graves would do no damage to them. The 
>> amount of compressive/shear/vibratory/etc forces that a human 
>> interment is able to sustain ranges widely from near zero to "very 
>> high," depending upon several factors, not the least of importance 
>> being the physical and chemical characteristics of the matrix in 
>> which they are contained, the type of inclosure the remains may have 
>> been placed within, and the age and health of the individual at the 
>> time of burial (among others).
>>
>> I don't believe an engineering table can be worked-up to provide such 
>> answers, nor should such be attempted (the only valid results would 
>> derive from experimentation on a wide-range of human burials in 
>> differing matrices under a wide variety of environmental conditions. 
>> Performing such experimentation would be highly unethical and morally 
>> bankrupt in the first place, as well as unlikely to produce any 
>> useful results.
>>
>> Regards,
>> Bob Skiles
>>
>> PS - Your highway manager may likely benefit from a perusal of the 
>> Dallas "Freedmens' Cemetery" issue and reports of a couple decades 
>> ago (which involved a highway manager deciding to disregard and pave 
>> over a black freedmen cemetery, ultimately costing the state and 
>> contractors several million dollars more than what it would have cost 
>> to properly investigate and mitigate the cemetery in the first place).
>>
>> On 3/6/2013 7:51 AM, John Mark Joseph wrote:
>>>   To  All,
>>> Today, I was asked the following question by a project manager on a
>>> highway project: “Can you please refer  me to a study that… “ “would be
>>> appropriate for determining the maximum pressure  or force that a 
>>> human burial can
>>> withstand without damage?” Would anyone  care to weigh-in? If so 
>>> please write
>>> me at my email address below as my library  is back in Virginia.  I 
>>> tried
>>> to explain the variables but I had to post  the question.
>>> Si Yu'os  Ma'åse',
>>> John Mark Joseph
>>> State Archaeologist, Guam
>>> 490 Chalan Palasyo
>>> Agana Heights, GU 96910
>>> (671)-475-6339
>>> [log in to unmask] (mailto:[log in to unmask])
>>>
>>
>
>