Memorandum
- To
- All users of NANCY
- From
- Daniel P. Colwell
- Date
- October 17, 2026
- Re
- Use and Disclaimers for the NANCY Geotechnical Project Workflow, its memoranda, project data tools and GHRM Manual
Purpose and intended users
NANCY is an educational and reference resource that describes a geotechnical project workflow and provides worksheets for organizing project data. It is intended for use by engineers, geologists and technicians who are trained in geotechnical practice, or who work under the direct supervision of someone who is.
Not professional advice
Nothing in NANCY is engineering, legal or other professional advice for any particular project or site. Using NANCY does not create an engineer-client or any other professional relationship with the author. Every project needs its own site-specific investigation, analysis and judgment by a qualified engineer.
Licensed review is required
Any value, calculation, classification, design parameter or report produced with NANCY must be checked and accepted by a professional engineer licensed in the jurisdiction of the project before it is used for design, construction, operations or any decision affecting safety or property. Governing codes, owner standards, agency requirements and the current editions of referenced standards (for example ASTM, AASHTO, AREMA and FHWA documents) take precedence over anything in NANCY.
Accuracy and no warranty
NANCY is provided as is and as available, without warranty of any kind, express or implied, including warranties of accuracy, completeness, currency, merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose. Content may contain errors or may be out of date, and it may change at any time without notice.
Calculations, correlations and project data tools
- Assumed values come from published correlations and typical ranges. They are approximate, they are labelled as assumed, and they are not a substitute for testing.
- You are responsible for your inputs, units and results, and for checking every output.
- Project data you enter is stored only in your own web browser on your own device. It is not sent to or stored on the dirtbert.com server. Clearing your browser data deletes it. Export a project file to keep a copy, and protect any confidential client information you enter.
Limitation of liability
To the fullest extent permitted by law, the author and dirtbert.com are not liable for any direct, indirect, incidental, consequential or other loss or damage, including injury, property damage, delay, cost or lost profit, arising from the use of, inability to use, or reliance on NANCY or any information or result obtained from it. You use NANCY at your own risk and agree to hold the author harmless from claims arising from your use.
Field safety
Field work described in NANCY involves real hazards. Follow applicable safety regulations and owner requirements, including OSHA rules, railroad roadway worker protection and track-access rules, utility locate (811) requirements and your organization's health and safety plan. Nothing in NANCY replaces a site-specific safety plan or job briefing.
Independence
NANCY is an independent, personal resource prepared by Daniel P. Colwell. It is not affiliated with, sponsored by, endorsed by or prepared on behalf of any employer, client, railroad or agency. Views expressed are the author's own. Names of organizations, standards and products are used for identification only and do not imply endorsement.
Third-party content and references
References, figures and quotations from published sources are cited to their authors and remain the property of their owners. Consult the original publications before relying on them. If you believe material in NANCY infringes your rights, contact the author through dirtbert.com and it will be reviewed promptly.
Acceptance and changes
By selecting Accept and continue you confirm that you have read, understand and agree to these Use and Disclaimers. If you do not agree, do not use NANCY. These terms may be updated; when they change you will be asked to accept them again.