Lessons From Revisiting Three Cases Of Slope Failure,
2013
National Technical University of Athens, Greece
Lessons From Revisiting Three Cases Of Slope Failure, Konstantina Papadopoulou, George Gazetas
International Conference on Case Histories in Geotechnical Engineering
Three old failures of geotechnical projects are analyzed, where some original design uncertainties were lately discovered. The first case concerns the failure during construction of a slope at the portal area of a tunnel in Greece, due to unexpected excessive water pressures. The failure was restricted to the upper weathered zone of flysh formation. Due to difficulties in performing laboratory tests with such hard soil material necessitated the estimation of shear strength parameters on the basis of the rockmass classification systems. The next case deals with an extensive failure of an open pit mine slope in Greece. The ground consists …
Restoration Of The Military Club Building In Sofia, By Micro Pile Injections,
2013
University of Transport “Todor Kableshkov”, Bulgaria
Restoration Of The Military Club Building In Sofia, By Micro Pile Injections, Chavdar Vassilev Kolev
International Conference on Case Histories in Geotechnical Engineering
The building of the Military Club is one of the most beautiful architectural monuments within the Bulgarian capital of Sofia. Construction of the club in a New Renaissance style and was initiated in 1895 according to the draft of Antonin Kolar, the famous Czech architect. It was completed in 1907 by Nikola Lazarov, a no less famous Bulgarian architect. Thereafter, a long series of cultural events, important for Bulgarian history were held on in Sofia Military Club. The building is a brick structure with three floors and a basement. Foundations are made out of massive stone blocks on the clay. …
Review Of The Seismic Retrofitting Of Sardis Dam,
2013
University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign, Urbana, IL
Review Of The Seismic Retrofitting Of Sardis Dam, Randa Asmar, Abdul Qudoos Khan
International Conference on Case Histories in Geotechnical Engineering
Most of the dams in Central United States, built in earlier part of 20th century are hydraulic fill dams. At the time of construction of these dams, earthquake engineering was still in its infancy and hence the dams lacked proper seismic design. Failure or near failure of earth dams as a consequence of earthquakes forced the United States Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) to re-evaluate the seismic performance of major earth dams in the Central United States, one of these dams was Sardis Dam. Investigations of Sardis Dam revealed a potentially liquefiable silty clay layer under the upstream shell. It …
Stabilization Of Existing Sheet Pile Cell In The Ohio River,
2013
Soil and Materials Engineers, Inc., Indianapolis, IN
Stabilization Of Existing Sheet Pile Cell In The Ohio River, David W. Bird
International Conference on Case Histories in Geotechnical Engineering
An existing 40 foot diameter sheet pile cell (cell) was used to support a dry fly ash loading platform at an electrical power generating facility on the Ohio River. The cell was designed and constructed in 1986 for support of a coal barge unloading crane but was never put into service. The cell has leaned riverward several inches in the years after construction. Stability analysis indicated a less than adequate overturning factor of safety without any additional loads. The addition of the loading platform could result in an overturning failure. A stabilizing system which provided a horizontal stabilizing force of …
Experimental Study On Mitigation Of Liquefaction-Induced Lateral Displacement Deep Soil Mixing,
2013
The University of Tokyo, Japan
Experimental Study On Mitigation Of Liquefaction-Induced Lateral Displacement Deep Soil Mixing, Rouzbeh Rasouli, Naoki Takahashi, Ali Derakhshani, Suguru Yamada, Yuji Takaoka, Ikuo Towhata
International Conference on Case Histories in Geotechnical Engineering
After 1990s' earthquakes in Japan, lateral flow of liquefiable slopes became a serious concern of engineers. Espisally Kobe earthquake (1995) in which high subsidence of river levee as a result of liquefied sand lateral flow was observed, become a turning point in geotechnical engineering approach in dealing with this phenomena. From that time many different kinds of mitigation measures for preventing or at least controlling the extent of lateral flow have been proposed. Improving soil by deep mixing columns is one of the common methods of soil improvement that can also be used for controlling the consequences of liquefied sand …
Case Study On The Rehabilitation Of A Distressed Retaining Wall,
2013
Indian Institute of Science, India
Case Study On The Rehabilitation Of A Distressed Retaining Wall, G. L. Sivakumar Babu, Pawan Kumar, Raja Jaladurgam
International Conference on Case Histories in Geotechnical Engineering
Earth retaining structures usually need careful monitoring after construction in order to detect any signs of distress. In cases where failure is likely to occur, appropriate remedial techniques need to adopted, backed by a detailed analysis. This paper presents a case study on the rehabilitation of a retaining wall that was constructed for a bypass road project. The structure showed clear signs of distress immediately after completion and hence could not be opened for traffic. Preliminary finite element analysis of the wall showed values of factor of safety that are lesser than permissible values. The values of factor of safety …
Remediation Of Distressed Frozen Earth Cofferdams,
2013
Moretrench American Corporation, Port Washington, WI
Remediation Of Distressed Frozen Earth Cofferdams, Joseph A. Sopko, Robert Chamberland
International Conference on Case Histories in Geotechnical Engineering
Artificial Ground Freezing was used to provide temporary earth support and groundwater control for a complex system of three frozen earth cofferdams for the Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewer District’s Harbor Siphons Project in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Site geometry and frozen earth structural design precluded construction of one large excavation, requiring the component system of the tangential cofferdams. High groundwater velocity prevented the formation of the frozen earth walls during various stages of the project. Remedial methods including external dewatering, permeation grouting, jet grouting, timber shoring and sheet piling were attempted to complete the project. Ultimately a more aggressive ground freezing program was …
Koman Concrete Face Rockfill Dam Updating The Static And Seismic Evaluations,
2013
Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN
Koman Concrete Face Rockfill Dam Updating The Static And Seismic Evaluations, Hamid Fallah, Martin Wieland
International Conference on Case Histories in Geotechnical Engineering
The static and seismic safety evaluation of the 115 m high Koman concrete face rockfill dam, located at the Drin river in Albania has been checked according to the current state-of-practice for the seismic safety evaluation of large embankment dams. For the dynamic analyses with the equivalent linear method a two-dimensional model of the highest dam section was used. The static analysis was carried out by a Mohr-Coulomb elasto-plastic material model of the rockfill. The safety of the dam was checked for the safety evaluation earthquake (SEE) with a peak ground acceleration of the horizontal component of 0.45 g. Spectrum-compatible …
Mississippi River Road Gabion Wall/Slope Stabilization,
2013
Terracon Consultants, Inc., Bettendorf, IA
Mississippi River Road Gabion Wall/Slope Stabilization, W. Ken Beck, Lok M. Sharma
International Conference on Case Histories in Geotechnical Engineering
Lee County widened Mississippi River Road north of the Keokuk, Iowa in the early 1990s, removing material from the toe of slopes along the alignment. Gabion walls were constructed to provide grade separation. Significant precipitation occurred in the spring of 2010, and two (2) wall sections (about 100 feet each in length) failed. Based on our site exploration and instrumentation monitoring data, the gabion wall sections appeared to fail due to additional lateral load from a soil mass sliding on top of the shale bedrock and a buildup of high ground water levels. To support the additional load of the …
Reconstruction Of Road Embankment Failure Using Reinforced Geogrid: Revisiting The Site After 15 Years,
2013
Public Works Department of Malaysia, Malaysia
Reconstruction Of Road Embankment Failure Using Reinforced Geogrid: Revisiting The Site After 15 Years, Suhaimi Jamaludin, Kamal Bahrin Jaafar
International Conference on Case Histories in Geotechnical Engineering
A case history of repair works of road embankment failure at KM39, Route 68, Kuala Lumpur – Bentong Road in the state of Selangor, Malaysia and an observation on the condition of the site after 15 years and some tensile strength testing carried out on buried and exposed geogrid was presented in this paper. Due to heavy rainfall in 1995, about half of the road embankment which was located at the alluvial fan of an upslope stream valley was washout. For the reconstruction of the alignment, the existing half of the alignment was converted into a buffer zone with a …
Technical Analyses And Lessons Of The Embankment Failure At The Ajka Red Mud Reservoir,
2013
University of Pécs, Hungary
Technical Analyses And Lessons Of The Embankment Failure At The Ajka Red Mud Reservoir, József Mecsi
International Conference on Case Histories in Geotechnical Engineering
This presentation aims at providing an informative fact-based description of the complex reasons resulting in dam ruptures. The investigations focus on the tragic damage of red mud reservoir No. 10 in Ajka and restrict itself to the engineering aspects of the damage. The analysis of the direct and indirect reasons for the tragic incident may serve as a lesson to our engineers and specialists as well as provide guidelines and revelations with the intention of improvement while emphasizing the necessity of deeper comprehension. Neither this presentation nor the engineering analyses aimed at the search for scapegoats behind the failures.
Case Study Of Landslides In Kabylia Region, Algeria,
2013
University Mira Abderrahamane of Béjaia, Algeria
Case Study Of Landslides In Kabylia Region, Algeria, Sadaoui Omar, Sadaoui Samir, Bahar Ramdane
International Conference on Case Histories in Geotechnical Engineering
Kabylia is mountainous and coastline region of Algeria. Every year, particularly in the winter, it is affected by landslides displacing an important volume of detritic materials, and causing damages to infrastructures, housing and public facilities. It takes place in geological formations that are particularly favourable to this type of movement, because of the heterogeneity of their facies and the impermeability of some layers. Experience shows that the main cause of the landslides in this region is the combination of several passive and active factors, as geology, morphology, hydrology, climate and anthropic activities. The exceptional rains of winter 2012 triggered a …
Geotechnical Aspect For Protection Bunds,
2013
Mott MacDonald Private Limited, India
Geotechnical Aspect For Protection Bunds, Janvi Talsaniya, Vaishali Pandya, Jigar Rana
International Conference on Case Histories in Geotechnical Engineering
The design team of Water & Environment division of Mott MacDonald, Ahmadabad was involved in design of Rubble mound protection bund for a Sea water intake and outfall project. The project was to provide make up sea water for 2x250 MW Lignite based Thermal Power Pant (TPP) at Bhavnagar for Bhavnagar Energy Company Limited. The makeup water required for TPP was drawn through Sea water Intake (SWI) area constructed in the intertidal zone of Gulf of Khambhat. The SWI area consists of a Pumping Station for pumping sea water from storage pond. The storage pond was surrounded by all around …
Effect Of The Soil Spatial Variability On The Static And Dynamic Stability Analysis Of A Lebanese Slope,
2013
Lebanese University, Beirut, Lebanon
Effect Of The Soil Spatial Variability On The Static And Dynamic Stability Analysis Of A Lebanese Slope, Mansour Neaimeh, Rony Azar, Roni Hmaymes, Georges Nasr, Dalia Youssef Abdel Massih, Jacques Harb, Nancy Salloum, Cécile Cornou, Denis Jongmans
International Conference on Case Histories in Geotechnical Engineering
The accidental topography and heterogeneous Lebanese geology in addition to the active seismicity have initiated the static and dynamic stability analysis of Lebanese slopes. In this paper, the stability of a sandy Lebanese slope situated at Mansourieh near Beirut is investigated using deterministic and probabilistic approaches. The characterization of the variability of the slope soil properties is done based on geological investigation, as well as geophysical (Resistivity and Ambient noise) and geotechnical tests performed on this slope. Three dimensional 3D static deterministic analyses is performed to determine the overall safety factor of the slope and to find the location of …
Over Eight Decades Old “Young” Landslide – A Case Study,
2013
Central Road Research Institute, India
Over Eight Decades Old “Young” Landslide – A Case Study, Kishor Kumar, P. S. Prasad, Anil Kathait, Indervir Singh
International Conference on Case Histories in Geotechnical Engineering
Shirobagad also named as Kaliasaur Landslide was developed in the year 1920 at kilometer-147 on National Highway – 58 (earlier named as State Highway - 45) at latitude 300 14’ 30” N and longitude780 53’ 57” in Garhwal region of western Himalaya. This landslide has been investigated by a number of organizations in India and a wealth of data has been generated mainly on geological aspects. Central Road Research Institute has also investigated this landslide during 2007-2011 covering geological as well as geotechnical aspects. The study area basically encompasses metavolcanis and variants of quartzite rock (e.g. pink and white quartzite) …
Rainfall-Induced Debris Flows Case History Along Al-Hada Descent Highway West Of Saudi Arabia,
2013
King Abdulaziz University, Saudi Arabia
Rainfall-Induced Debris Flows Case History Along Al-Hada Descent Highway West Of Saudi Arabia, Bahaaeldin Sadagah, Abdulrahman Al-Amri, Mohammed S. Aazam, Omar Al-Hoseiny
International Conference on Case Histories in Geotechnical Engineering
Al-Hada descent lies at the western region of Saudi Arabia at elevation of about 2000m, characterized by sharp cliff. Al-Hada descent road was constructed with an elevation difference of 1500m between the highest and lowest heights along the road. The road alignment is intersected by 8 very steep gullies of almost 60 to 80 degrees. The gullies contain large quantity of mud, old levees and large rock blocks. Al-Hada descent road hit two weeks ago with heavy rainfall last about 2 hours. The rainstorm initiates 11 debris flows on steep gullies, and caused them to travel rapidly down along the …
Ground Motion Amplification From Vertical Propagation Of Earthquake Waves,
2013
University of Colorado, Denver, CO
Ground Motion Amplification From Vertical Propagation Of Earthquake Waves, Nien-Yin Chang, Roger L. Torres
International Conference on Case Histories in Geotechnical Engineering
The paper is directed to follow a procedure where seismic responses are identified and recommendations to proceed with their applications are made quickly and economically, before engaging in a complex analysis. It is not intended for selecting design soil parameters or earthquake parameters for the final design of any specific dam. A selected earthquake accelerogram will produce response accelerations and strains that will cover a significant variety of accelerograms in terms of severity of earthquake damage to an earth dam. Scaling-up and scaling-down the selected outcrop motion broadens the spectrum of seismic response analyses using simple and effective SHAKE program …
L'Aquila Seismic Event On 6th April 2009: Site Effects And Critical Points In Microzonation Activity Within The Aterno Valley Municipalities,
2013
University “G. d’Annunzio”, Italy
L'Aquila Seismic Event On 6th April 2009: Site Effects And Critical Points In Microzonation Activity Within The Aterno Valley Municipalities, Mario Luigi Rainone, Patrizio Signanini, Giovanna Vessia, Pasquale Greco, Sara Di Benedetto
International Conference on Case Histories in Geotechnical Engineering
L’Aquila earthquake was a complex seismic event characterized by its main shock on 6th April 2009 with magnitude Mw=6.3 and many foreshocks and aftershocks that stroke the whole Aterno River Valley from November 2008 up to September 2009. The huge amount of strong-motion records collected by permanent and temporary stations placed in the valley show a heterogeneous seismic hazard scenario related to different damage levels. With respect to the seismological features of the records within the “crater” (that is the portion of the Aterno Valley which suffered the strongest struck), they show “near field” and “near source” characters although the …
Bridge Foundation Pile Driving Vibration Monitoring,
2013
California State University/ ACI/ Caltrop, Inc., Long Beach, CA
Bridge Foundation Pile Driving Vibration Monitoring, Kumars Zand-Parsa, Kamran Zand-Parsa
International Conference on Case Histories in Geotechnical Engineering
In southern California a big bridge was under construction in urban area. Based on the size and depth of the steel and concrete piles some of the residential buildings within the 200ft distance from the center of the different footings (there were six footings sitting on steel pipe piles) were selected and vibration monitoring devices installed in their back yard. Some of the owners complained during the excavation process for a big channel behind their back yard before starting any pile driving operations. Three of those residential owners informed the authorities during the bottom of that big channel compaction operation …
Banda Aceh-Indonesia Ground Response Analysis During The 2004 Indian Ocean Mega Earthquake,
2013
Syiah Kuala University, Indonesia
Banda Aceh-Indonesia Ground Response Analysis During The 2004 Indian Ocean Mega Earthquake, Bambang Setiawan, Wahyu Budi Kusuma
International Conference on Case Histories in Geotechnical Engineering
The site response effect i.e. soil amplification has caused major structure damages founded on thick soft soils. Banda Aceh, Indonesia is underlain by approximately 70m to 206m thick alluvium. Thus, site-specific ground response analysis of Banda Aceh is necessary to be warranted. Due to the absence of strong motion records during the 2004 Indian Ocean mega earthquake duplication of synthetic strong motions are used in this study. Subsequently, ground response analysis was carried out by using computer programs of NERA. The results of the site-specific ground response studies expose the real Banda Aceh’s soil response during the 2004 Sumatran mega …
